The Lure

The Lure is an irresistible, indescribable musical about vampire mermaids set in 1980s Poland. Need we say more? Just in case, we’ll mention that its fearless first-time director was inspired by the Communist-era nightclubs in Warsaw called “dancings,” where glamorous stage acts would cover Western pop hits. Into this environment come two mermaid sisters who take human form and face some cruel, bloody choices when one of them falls in love with a handsome young bass player. The exuberant film won a special award at the Sundance Film Festival for “unique vision and design,” which just about sums it up. (92 mins., DCP)

A mom cries, photos fly, cats spy, and bodies collide in Columbus filmmaker Mike Olenick’s The Cure. A hit a last year’s Slamdance Film Festival and making its area premiere at this screening, the sci-fi soap opera explores the secret dreams of people desperately searching for ways to cure their fear of loneliness. (20 mins., DCP) Olenick is an editor in the Wex’s Film/Video Studio.