MOViES FOR MANiACS is thrilled to return to The Castro on April 9, 2026. Curated and hosted by Jesse Hawthorne Ficks, this film series has celebrated underrated and overlooked films on Bay Area screens for 25 years. These once-in-a-lifetime cinematic experiences (often showcasing the filmmakers in person) remind you that “going to the movies” is a magical experience. Mark your calendar and tell your friends — MOViES FOR MANiACS has a slew of cult classics and special guests on the horizon.

Bring the whole family to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Gore Verbinski’s meta-existential masterpiece, Rango (2011) with the acclaimed writer/director IN PERSON! The evening will consist of a pre-screening autograph signing followed by a post-screening on-stage Q&A with one of the most unhinged studio directors of the 21st Century.

It’s time to revisit Rango (2011), a subversively surreal kids flick that follows a suburban-raised lizard who is suddenly flung into the “”Wild West”” of the Mojave Desert and is forced to take action as the sheriff of a little town named “”Dirt””. This Oscar winning Animated Feature showcases dozens of unique critters, and is enhanced by mesmerizing Visual Effects by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). Add to that the gorgeous camera work of Roger Deakins, one of the greatest and most influential cinematographers in cinema history, and a maniacal soundtrack composed by Hans Zimmer, Los Lobos, and Bay Area industrial/punk band Lard. Buckle up for this family friendly acid-Western that belongs on the same top shelf as The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and may have even paved the trail for Max Max: Fury Road (2015).

Preceded by a raffle and a bevy of Verbinski 35mm trailers.