A Theatrical Tribute to the King Writer Kelli Schmidt on Baz Luhrmann's second Elvis-focused feature

Our resident Elvis expert (!) Kelli Schmidt writes about Baz Luhrmann’s second feature about the King. 👑 open.substack.com/pub/themaine...

This Month at the Movies: March 2026 The Maine Playweek's guide to indie & interesting cinema in Maine

Our monthly contribution to the fine folks at @the-bollard.bsky.social: This Month at the Movies! bollardhead.substack.com/p/this-month...

This Week in Maine Cinema: February 27th - March 5th Subs + Swoons + Shohei + more...

Who's seeing PILLION this weekend?
themaineplayweek.substack.com/p/this-week-...

This Week in Maine Cinema: February 20th - February 26th Here's a bunch of awesome movies to close out February, plus new shirts!

What's in theaters this week in Maine? Find out here: themaineplayweek.substack.com/p/this-week-...

The Year The Maine Playweek was Born Some history, some stats, and some thanks to you for a pivotal 2025.

Some history and some brag-worthy statistics on the first full year of The Maine Playweek: themaineplayweek.substack.com/p/the-year-t...

This Week in Maine Cinema: December 25th - January 1st "If you put your butt in the seat, you will not be disappointed."

Happy and merry from all of us at The Maine Playweek!
open.substack.com/pub/themaine...

Funny as "bleep": Local no-budget film deserves its place on the silver screen Death of a Tiny Hat Man premieres on Saturday at the Eveningstar Cinema, Brunswick

"That’s the magic of no-budget filmmaking. You’re not going to see anything like 'Death of a Tiny Hat Man” anywhere else.'" -- Xavier Gamache, director of Death of a Tiny Hat Man. See the premiere tomorrow, Saturday at the Eveningstar Cinema. 🎥 #mainefilm

open.substack.com/pub/themaine...

From Gothic to Mia Goth Frankenstein's Undying Hollywood Legacy

Happy Halloween! Our newest contributor Scott Whiting writes about the newest adaptation of "Frankenstein" in theaters now. 🎥

themaineplayweek.substack.com/p/from-gothi...

This Week in Maine Cinema: October 31 - November 6 Bees + Moose + Leatherface + more...

Bees. Bees? Bees.

open.substack.com/pub/themaine...

This Week in Maine Cinema: October 3rd - October 9th In our showgirl era ❤️‍🔥

We’re in our showgirl era ❤️‍🔥📽️🍿
open.substack.com/pub/themaine...

"Film on film is the way nature intended" On the films of Paul Thomas Anderson and the importance of repertory cinemas

Pencils down. One Battle After Another is here. open.substack.com/pub/themaine...

The Impact of a Surprise Taylor Swift Film Love you, Taylor, but you kind of threw my Friday out of whack

A peek behind the curtain of theatrical film booking and why it matters for small indie theaters in Maine. open.substack.com/pub/themaine...

CIFF '25: Sh*t happens (with the filmmakers of doc "Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong") In conversation with Kaitlyn Schwalje and Alex Wolf Lewis

Watch or listen to our podcast interview with the filmmakers of UNLESS SOMETHING GOES TERRIBLY WRONG, premiering at the #CamdenInternationalFilmFestival this weekend! 📽️
open.substack.com/pub/themaine...

Are We Awake Yet? A review of CIFF film "With Hasan in Gaza"

“With Hasan in Gaza” will be screening at this week’s Camden International Film Festival. Read our reflections here: themaineplayweek.substack.com/p/are-we-awa...

CIFF '25 Preview: "Shifting Baselines" Sneak peak of a doc about SpaceX, fanatics, preservation, and exploration

Thanks for the spotlight @themaineplayweek.bsky.social !
#CIFF

This Week in Maine Cinemas: Sept. 5 - 11 The filmmakers are here and they DEMAND to do Q&As!

All of our recommended films this week have in-person Q&As with the filmmakers! 📽️themaineplayweek.substack.com/p/this-week-in-maine-cin...

A Blue Bus & A Big Crowd: Maine-made "Childish Things" Comes Home Maine-born filmmakers Nick and Cash Cassidy's latest feature is a deeply personal project, borne out of community and collaboration.

We just sat down with the Cassidy Brothers and had an awesome chat. See CHILDISH THINGS at the @vacationlandff.bsky.social at the City Theater in Biddeford tomorrow August 21!
themaineplayweek.substack.com/p/a-blue-bus...

This Week in Maine Cinema: August 15th - 21st Deeply personal + deeply disturbing + deeply Kurosawa + more...

Are you ready for some deeply emotional, quasi-biographical films? Maybe? How about some truly terrifying psychological horror films? Possibly? Spike Lee’s modern interpretation of a classic Kurosawa film? Perchance? themaineplayweek.substack.com/p/this-week-...

🍿 The Maine Playweek: Moviegoer Survey For people who go to the movies in Maine. We’re developing The Maine Playweek — a centralized weekly guide for Maine moviegoers, combining statewide showtime listings with editorial coverage of local ...

Are you a moviegoer in Maine? Take our survey: forms.gle/5havSd2m1Ka9... 🍿📽️

This week at Maine cinemas: Mar. 28–Apr. 3 Big week for Steve Coogan fans + dance films + your last chance to see NO OTHER LAND

What to see in Maine cinemas this week! 🗞️ open.substack.com/pub/themaine... #filmsky

The curatorial freedom of indie cinemas About the "controversy" of Israeli-Palestinian doc NO OTHER LAND and why it matters for Maine

From the desk of The Maine Playweek founder Julia Dunlavey. #filmsky open.substack.com/pub/themaine...

Portland film group is devoted to preserving, sharing movie history The nonprofit organization Kinonik has collected some 1,800 movie film prints, showing many of them at its Cassidy Point screening room.

Great article in @pressherald.bsky.social about @kinonikmaine.bsky.social! "'I can watch something alone, but I don’t react as powerfully as I do with other people. And out of that big reaction comes the most vibrant conversations,' said Skylar Thorne Kelly."
www.pressherald.com/2025/03/21/p...

This week at Maine cinemas: Mar. 14–Mar. 20 French SPACEBALLS-esque comedy + Chinese blockbuster + free kids' film at PMA + we don't talk about FIGHT CLUB...

French SPACEBALLS-esque comedy + Chinese blockbuster + free kids' film at PMA + we don't talk about FIGHT CLUB... 🎥
open.substack.com/pub/themaine...

This week at Maine cinemas: Mar. 7–Mar. 13 Sean Baker + Oscar Winners Playing in Maine + Bong Joon-ho, Cabin Fever FF, 55 Days at Peking on 16mm

Lots of Film Things going on in Maine! Subscribe to our Substack for a curated selection of movies playing in Maine, thoughts on the overall state of film, and upcoming Maine film events!

This week at Maine cinemas: Feb 28–Mar 6 Oscar puns! + Patrick Bateman, Maine Jewish FF, ROPE on 16mm

Read for some excellent Oscar snack puns. 🍿📽️ #filmsky
open.substack.com/pub/themaine...

You're the carrot to my Remy ❤️ 📽️
themaineplayweek.substack.com/p/in-theater...

Sean Baker calls on filmmakers to demand a theatrical exclusivity window of at least 90 days

PMA Films: No Other Land — Portland Museum of Art 96 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor. In Arabic, Hebrew, and English with English subtitles. DCP. For half a decade, Basel Adra, a Palestinian acti...

🍉 NO OTHER LAND 🍉
February 7-9, & 13 at PMA Films
www.portlandmuseum.org/eventscalend...

Far Out: Life on and after the commune – SPACE 85 minutes, director Charles Light in person for a discussion The film traces 50 years in the lives of a group of New England writers,…

🌸 FAR OUT: LIFE ON AND AFTER THE COMMUNE 🌸
Tuesday, February 11 @spacegallery.bsky.social, Portland
In-person Q&A with director Charles Light!
space538.org/event/far-ou...

September 5 - Waterville Creates

📺 SEPTEMBER 5 📺
Now showing, various venues including Maine Film Center, Waterville
www.watervillecreates.org/shows/septem...