Oh my gosh! Where did the week go?? This Sunday, June 14th, Norman M. returns to give us Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky, a notoriously over-the-top 1991 Hong Kong cult film about a super-powered prisoner who battles sadistic guards and inmates with absurdly graphic, gore-soaked violence. And yes, we will have the English dubs on full blast to enhance the experience, baby. Kinoplex barf bags available upon request!!!

Last Sunday — www.RachelOrmont.com

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Miami screening of Peter Vack’s Www.RachelOrmont.com last Sunday. It was a full house (by my standards — who are all you guys??? Come back again!), and the first time we had a movie night inside the main part of the bar. Thank you so much to Jenn for hosting and organizing everything, and to Rafa Vargas Bernard for making sure everything went off without a hitch for our first Sunday endeavor. It meant a lot to me!

Wait! One more thing!

Xander Robin’s documentary, The Python Hunt, is coming to a theater near you and you need to see it. No, he did not ask me to promote it on this blog that nobody reads. I’m telling you about it because it’s sick and by seeing it you’ll be apart of something bigger than yourself in Florida history. Check out showtimes at O Cinema here.

This approaching Sunday, June 7th, Churchill’s Pub will host the Miami premiere of Peter Vack’s www.RachelOrmont.com. You can get tickets HERE, and use promo code JNIPROMO. Thank you so much to Miss Jenn for putting this together (she will be hosting the event). My name really shouldn’t be on this — it’s her work 100%.

It feels like just yesterday that Mike Crumplar published his account of attending part of the film’s shoot after spending months publicly criticizing Vack and the broader Dimes Square milieu, only to find himself becoming the target of a memorable on-camera roasting by many of the people he’d written about. The article briefly escaped containment and became one of those pieces everyone seemed to be passing around.

My friend Alex Bienstock — who I’m looking forward to seeing appear in the film — invited me to that shoot (pretty much anyone could go, even if you were as clout-barren as I was/am), but it happened to coincide with my onboarding day at Google.

What a time. Is Dimes Square still a thing? I get bad reception from under the rock I live under.

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Starting in June, movie nights are now being held on Sunday evenings at Churchill’s Pub. Same format, different day. Let’s test it out and see how it goes. It’s always a win/win for me. Even if no one comes, worst case scenario I’m sitting and watching a movie. But it’s always better when you’re there 🙂

The first Sunday (June 7th) movie will be www.RachelOrmont.com (dir. Peter Vack) hosted by Jenn H, aka Jennioke Jenn (individual post coming soon, just wanted to flag it). This will be a little different than a regular screening, as it’s an exclusive Miami premiere. With that being said, this event will be ticketed, so grab your tickets here if you’d like to go (you can also email me at katie@kinoplex.net for special promo code wink wink).

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Cat Soup/Sonatine — Thank you Brandon D!

Thank you so much to Brandon D. for putting together such a wholesome banger of a screening this past Tuesday. I came late and unfortunately missed Cat Soup, but got there just in time for Sonatine. Super appreciative of Brandon and Rafa P for setting up (and serving tea!) while my trifling ass was making my way over. I had a great night.

P.S. Miles, I miss you. I have had so much to say but haven’t wanted to bother you. Don’t be a stranger (or you can if you want but please know I’ll love you anyway).

Yes motherfucking Brandon D. is taking over Godforsaken Churchill’s next week with two of his favorite movies (which may or may not be about the same thing): Cat Soup from 2001 (~34 mins) followed by Sonatine which is an absolute banger. If you don’t know Brandon D, you should because he is probably doing some of the most interesting shit in Miami, including his Dust Party series (subscribe to his newsletter so you don’t miss the next one)!!! Oh and he’ll be serving tea during the movies. Bless up.

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Thank you to everyone who came out to last week’s screening of The Trial. That was a super special event to me as I love what Katharine has been doing with A/V Club and was touched she agreed to come out to show a true masterpiece at my little bobo Tuesday night operation. Libraries are the cure to the loneliness epidemic and are a source of truth and beauty.

Next Tuesday, May 19th, The Kinoplex is honored to welcome special guest host Katharine Labuda of Miami’s celebrated A/V Club for a rare 16mm screening of Orson Welles’ The Trial.

A librarian, archivist, and film programmer with the Miami-Dade Public Library System, Labuda has become one of Miami’s most important champions of analog film exhibition and preservation through her work with A/V Club, a series dedicated to screening rare and historic films from the library’s incredible archive. You can learn more about her work through features in the Miami New Times:
https://www.miaminewtimes.com/arts-culture/av-club-hosts-film-projection-screenings-around-miami-19070382

Special thanks to the Miami-Dade Public Library System for providing this beautiful 16mm print. Churchill’s is incredibly fortunate to have Katharine join us and bring the spirit of A/V Club to The Kinoplex.

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GOD TOLD ME TO….not show the movie (last week!)

Last week, May 12, was swamp ass weather. It had rained during the early evening, Armando, one of my favorite guest hosts, could not make it, and the projector lens at Churchill’s was fogged the fuck up. After some troubleshooting, it got late — to late to begin a movie! So I decided to post-pone the screening of God Told Me To to next month so it gets the love and weather it deserves! Regardless, it was a very cool show with bands like Adhesive, Deformative, Period Bomb and Beer (from South Carolina)!

Had to switch things up last minute (original guest host had to reschedule), and thankfully Armando came in clutch with this pick! I’ve never seen God Told Me To, so looking forward to going in blind (it’s a good thing I trust Armando).

Usually on Tuesdays we are blessed by the musical stylings of various mid-2000s cover acts playing inside the bar. But this coming Tuesday, the main stage is being taken over by a lineup of local bands plus a touring act, with a $17 cover at the door. If you just want to see the movie, tell the door guys you’re there for movie night and they’ll let you in. But if you plan to linger afterward for the bands, it’s probably best to just pay the cover up front. See you there!

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Last week, after watching Last Seduction, I gotta say — I didn’t like it as much as I remember! But it was cool to see an extended, unedited cut and the bar was fucking dead which I honestly prefer because the cozier the better, really. It was mostly my friend Manny and I doing our own version of Mystery Science Theater while watching. Wouldn’t have had it any other way!

Another month has wrapped and full calendar for May is now up! Next week is Cinco de Mayo, and I’ll be showing a movie with absolutely no ties to that day. Hope to see you there! I love this movie!!!!!

I’ve never seen The Boondock Saints, and at this point may never see it. But tonight I will watch the director of The Boondock Saints lose his shit in this 2003 documentary (available on Tubi if you can’t make it tonight).

Hello all!

I apologize for the lack of updates — there was a scheduling hiccup on my end, but we’re back to our regular programming!

I want to thank Queer POC Miami for coming in last week and putting on a great event.  Mikah Amani’s (did you know he was voted Best Solo Musician by the Miami New Times in 2022??) wonderful short film, All These Songs Take Place in Heaven, was shown, followed by The Watermelon Woman (1995). Probably the most people I’ve ever had at movie night!! Keep up with these people. They’re very kind and very special and you’ll probably see them around more.

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Next Tuesday’s (April 28th) screening will finally be Overnight (2003), hosted by Conor Moore (of Steve McQueen the band!). I have rescheduled this twice now, so third time will definitely be a charm. Will make full post on Monday, or see the THIS MONTH page for details. The full calendar for May will drop April 29th.

Ta for now!

Feliz Pascua a todos! April’s calendar is now up on the THIS MONTH page. Happy to kick off the month with such a banger this coming Tuesday:

It’s a cinéma vérité style film about a group of jazz musicians/drug addicts who are waiting for their next fix. It features Blue Note musicians like pianist Freddie Redd, who also composed the score, along with Jackie McLean, Tina Brooks, Larry Ritchie, and Michael Mattos. Crazy advanced for 1961. Big thank you to Bryan (member of my current favorite Miami band, Steve McQueen) for choosing this. Can’t wait to see it and hope to see you there.

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Last week, Half Broken Sigil curated a really sick night by showing Christian Blackwood’s Motel (1989), which originally was part of PBS’s POV series, and then doing a live score over Suzann Pitt’s short animated film Asparagus (1979). Their set was amazing and really blew my mind. Follow them here to check out live footage from the show and just keep up with them in general. A big thank you to them for bringing something new to Tuesday nights and doing a really beautiful job.