Lexington|Local Event
Joel's Venue Picks: What's Up at Lexington Beloved House
A weekly guide to what's playing at Lexington's own independent movie theater, from your neighbor Joel.
Lexington Venue isn't chasing blockbusters, and that's exactly what makes it worth your evening. It leans into documentaries, foreign and independent film, and National Theatre Live broadcasts — the kind of programming that only comes from people who genuinely love movies, not an algorithm optimizing for opening weekend. Peter Siy and Ken Hastings have kept it alive through some genuinely hard years for independent theaters, and it shows in every detail.
Also at the Venue — a live event:An Evening with Psychic Patricia Griffin — Sept 29. A natural-born evidential medium who sells out shows across the Northeast, Patricia brings messages from loved ones in spirit, offering audiences peace, closure, and comfort. Not exactly my usual Wednesday, but I hear it's a moving night for those who go.
One night only, Sept 30:
You Had to Be There (1h38m, Documentary/Comedy) — A documentary comedy on the gloriously chaotic 1972 Toronto production of Godspell, which somehow launched a dozen careers.
Palestine '36 (2h, Drama/History/War) — A return engagement, set during the 1936 Palestinian revolt against British colonial rule. Heavy, well-made, zero popcorn-movie pretensions.
Primetime (R, 1h50m) — A showbiz drama built around Chris Hansen's To Catch a Predator, playing its final showtime.
🏆 Pick of the week: Digger (R, 2h8m) — Opens Friday, Oct 2. A dark political comedy in which the most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he's humanity's savior. Whether that premise strikes you as absurd or eerily plausible probably says more about your news diet than the film.
Also coming to the Venue this October:
Hanging By a Wire (1h17m, Documentary) — Opens Oct 15. When two cables snap midair, a routine ride turns into a life-or-death battle, in a gripping account of a rescue 900 feet up. A useful reminder to always read the fine print on "routine."
Silence of the Lambs (Guest Speaker) (R, 1h58m) — Opens Oct 17. A screening of the Jodie Foster/Anthony Hopkins classic, followed by a Q&A with true-crime author John Olszewski. Bring a date who's really, truly comfortable with you.
The Last Dive (1h28m, Documentary) — Opens Oct 18. An aging Baja California legend sets out on one final journey to reunite with an old friend: a 22-foot manta ray. My kind of friendship — low-maintenance, occasionally slaps you, shows up when it matters.
Fjord (2h26m, Drama/Legal Thriller) — Opens Oct 23. An immigrant Romanian family in Norway faces scrutiny from the local judicial system. Two and a half hours, so plan your bathroom break during the establishing shots.
Clownspiracy (1h32m, Horror/Fantasy) — Opens Oct 23. A small-town high schooler investigates a wave of creepy clowns before an election, and discovers they're more than they appear. Given the current news cycle, I'm not sure this counts as fiction anymore.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (R, 1h23m) — Opens Oct 29. The 1974 original, just in time for Halloween, and a full 34 minutes shorter than Fjord, which tells you something about pacing.
This is a quick-turnover week at the Venue, so for anything showing after Sept 30, your best bet is calling ahead: (781) 861-6161, or checking for the day's actual lineup. Lexington Venue
Reviewer Joel Bernstein is an avid Lexington gardener who, once the beds go dormant each winter, writes this column mostly as a way to justify leaving the house. He hasn't actually seen everything listed here — he's working on it — and winter runs long for gardeners, so he hopes to see more of himself, and more of you, at the Venue.