Cinema Obscura: Movies at Minicon 53

The hotel room's illumination is reduced… a single lanterna magica projects strange, moving images against a blank screen… occupants in the room gaze upon the screen as though entranced… Oh Great Ghu! What can this all mean? Fear not! It is only the return of Minicon's Cinema Obscura, providing attendees with narratives and documentaries not easily obtainable or seen at other regional conventions.

Movie Schedule

Please note that this is a tentative listing, and some of the films here may not been shown during the convention due to technical difficulties or unforeseen circumstances. The schedule in the pocket program for Minicon 53 should be consulted for the correct times and dates.

Friday, March 30, 2018

5:30pm-7:00pm

Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom (2016) - Watch trailer
After visiting his father in the local Sanitarium, young Howard Lovecraft ignores his father's ominous warning and uses the legendary Necronomicon to open a portal to a strange, frozen world. There, Howard befriends a creature he names Spot who becomes his companion throughout their treacherous journey across the Frozen Kingdom. (animation - 83 minutes)

7:00pm-8:00pm

Cinema Obscura will be closed for Opening Ceremonies.

8:00pm-10:00pm

Assassination Classroom: Episodes 1 through 4 (2015) - Watch trailer
Planet Earth is threatened by an alien cephalopod monster who also becomes a homeroom teacher at Kunugigaoka Junior High School, teaching students the ways of assassination as well as regular school subjects. The Japanese government has posted a reward for his elimination, but he is not only difficult to kill, but the best teacher the students have ever had! It this anime series just as nuts as it sounds? You'll just have to come find out for yourself. (anime - 120 minutes)

10:00pm-12:00am

Audience Choice. Want to see something that you missed or might not be able to see according to your schedule? Screenings shown by audience request.

Saturday, March 31, 2018

10:30am-12:00pm

Howard Lovecraft and The Undersea Kingdom (2017) - Watch trailer
After conquering R'yleh and the Frozen Kingdom, young Howard Lovecraft must now travel to the Undersea Kingdom in order to free his captured family, protect three mysterious magical books, and prevent the impending wrath of Cthulhu. (animation - 79 minutes)

12:00pm-1:45pm

Space Milkshake (2012) - Watch trailer
A mutant rubber ducky voiced by George Takei (Star Trek) terrorizes four blue-collar workers stranded on a sanitation space station. Also starring Kristen Kreuk (Smallville), Amanda Topping (Sanctuary, Stargate SG-1) and Robin Dunne (Sanctuary). (comedy - 85 minutes)

1:45pm-4:00pm

Flora (2017) - Watch trailer
In the spring of 1929 - near the end of a golden age of exploration - an expedition of university botanists enter an uncharted forest on the North American frontier. Tasked to study the native flora, the students unearth a deadly organism and are soon in a fight with nature itself. This Canadian independent film has received multiple awards and nominations. A Q&A session follows the screening with Saint Paul-born actress Teresa Marie Doran. (narrative - 104 minutes)

4:00pm-6:00pm

The Boy and the Beast (2015) - Watch trailer
A young boy slips into an alternate dimension, the Beast Kingdom, where he is raised by a Bear-man and embarks on an adventure spanning both worlds. This film is written and directed by Mamori Hosada, the same director of Summer Wars and Wolf Children, shown at past Minicons. (anime - 120 minutes)

6:00pm-7:15pm

Shorts Block (in alphabetical order)

Bears Discover Fire (2015) - Watch trailer
A family of bears have discovered how to use fire. This film is based on Terry Bisson's Hugo, Locus, Nebula, and Sturgeon award-winning short story. (narrative - 14 minutes)

The Call of Charlie (2016) - Watch trailer
A trendy Los Angeles couple fixes up co-worker Charlie, an Elder God From Beneath The Sea, on a blind date. (comedy - 15 minutes)

Destroy Madrid (2016) - Watch trailer
In Madrid, 2030, the city is ravaged by the fight between governments and citizens. One member of the resistance has got a mysterious device that can finally end the war. (narrative - 9 minutes)

I am the Doorway (2017) - Watch trailer
A man, trapped inside a spaceship, has contracted an alien virus. This film from the Czech Republic is based on Stephen King's 1971 short story. (horror - 15 minutes)

7:15pm-8:45pm

Diani & Devine Meet the Apocalypse (2016) - Watch trailer
A struggling comedy duo discovers that surviving the apocalypse is almost as difficult as surviving in Hollywood. This funny film stars Etta Devine, Gabriel Diani, Barry Bostwick, Kirsten Vangsness, Jonathan Silverman, and Armin Shimerman. (comedy - 90 minutes)

8:45pm-10:15pm

A Promise of Time Travel (2016) - Watch trailer
A seemingly chance encounter with an estranged childhood friend draws a bookstore clerk into a plot to steal a time machine. This film has been screened at film and LGBT festivals, and has won multiple awards. (narrative - 88 minutes)

10:15pm-12:00am

Audience Choice. Want to see something that you missed or might not be able to see according to your schedule? Screenings shown by audience request.

Sunday, April 1, 2018

12:00pm-2:00pm

Conlanging: The Art of Crafting Tongues (2017) - Watch trailer
A exploration into the world of constructed languages (e.g., Klingon, Kryptonian, Dothraki) and the fascinating people who make them. (documentary - 95 minutes)

2:00pm-4:00pm

Audience Choice. Want to see something that you missed or might not be able to see according to your schedule? Screenings shown by audience request.