Movie news

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.

The 48 Hour Film Project of Des Moines has been a staple in the city’s film scene for decades. But this year marks a change for many teams who have regularly participated in the annual competition. The event enters a new era with a new city producer leading the way.

Iowa’s latest movie star is a 150-pound Great Dane from Newton. The dog, named Bing, stars alongside Naomi Watts and Bill Murray in The Friend, in theaters April 4. Here’s how Bing was discovered and what it was like for the four-legged actor to film in New York City.

Martians, moms and all things movies were in the spotlight over the weekend at the 2024 Refocus Film Festival in Iowa City. It’s the only film festival dedicated to celebrating the art of adaptation, which this year included the Iowa premiere of Nightbitch.

Amy Adams takes a bite out of motherhood in Nightbitch, the new film adapted from Rachel Yoder’s 2021 debut novel. Here’s how you can see it before it opens nationwide in December.

The Refocus Film Festival announced its opening night film selection, "Nightbitch." The film stars Amy Adams and is based on the novel of the same name by Iowa City author Rachel Yoder. The festival takes place in downtown Iowa City Oct. 17-20.

The Last Picture House in Davenport is bringing Hollywood director Michael Sarnoski to the independent cinema for a special screening of "A Quiet Place: Day One" on Saturday, June 29.