On a summer night in 1955, one of the most acclaimed films of all time made its world premiere in Des Moines. It was one of the most monumental film events in the city’s history, and yet today that first screening of The Night of the Hunter remains largely overlooked. The Varsity Cinema is looking to fix that by screening the movie for its 70th anniversary.

Iowa City's fourth annual Refocus Film Festival will open with Train Dreams, directed by the Academy Award-nominated writer Clint Bentley. Following in the festival's theme of adaptation, the film is based on the award-winning novella of the same name, written by Iowa Writers' Workshop alumnus Denis Johnson.

A new film series is looking back at five iconic Hollywood films from directors and actors who left Europe in the years leading up to World War II. "From Hitler to Hollywood" will feature screenings at The Last Picture House in Davenport starting Sept. 3.

Iowa City’s nonprofit movie theater FilmScene has partnered with a local investor to purchase the building that houses its original location on the Ped Mall.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson delivers a timely and timeless masterpiece with One Battle After Another, a new political thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio and based on the Thomas Pynchon novel Vineland.

Iconic filmmaker Spike Lee injects plenty of New York City attitude — and a bit of elder statesman wisdom — in Highest 2 Lowest, his exhilarating remake of the classic Japanese film High and Low.

After probing the dark depths of the human psyche in films like The Wrestler and Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky shows us a different side — a fun side — in the new crime thriller Caught Stealing.

As Darren Aronofsky's new crime thriller Caught Stealing opens in theaters this weekend, we're taking a look back at the director's previous film — a deeply moving chamber drama written by an Iowa Playwright Workshop alum.

From his golden hair and blue eyes to his striking smile and charming nature, actor Robert Redford was a Hollywood heartthrob. He was also an award-winning director, a producer, an industry leader and a political activist. Although his career and life have come to a close, he left us with decades of great films to revisit and discover. If you haven’t had the chance to fall in love with Redford yet, here’s where to start.

The cult craze of The Room hits Iowa this week, with Greg Sestero (Oh, hi Mark) set to appear in-person at screenings in Davenport and Des Moines. Widely considered to be the worst movie ever made, fans of The Room continue to flock to theaters for a rowdy good time. Don’t forget the plastic spoons!

The Last Waltz, Martin Scorsese's legendary concert film documenting The Band's farewell performance, has become a Thanksgiving viewing tradition for both music and movie fans.

This weekend, audiences in Des Moines will have the opportunity to hear from Joseph Giunta, the music director and conductor at the Des Moines Symphony, during the Varsity Cinema’s two-night premiere of Maestro. Giunta will share stories about his time working with legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein before the 7 p.m. screenings on Dec. 15 and 16.