92YTribeca‘s January schedule is out and has some interesting programming—a series of Guy Maddin films, a sing-along of Muppets Take Manhattan (with one beer included with ticket purchase), and a screening of Jackass: Number Two (patrons presumably sneak their own beer in). UPDATE: The folks at 92YTribeca reminded me that beer is sold at the concession stand, so there’s no need to sneak it in—but I say that the kind of person who goes to see Jackass: Number Two probably sneaks beer in just for the thrill of it.

Sat, Jan 2, 8 pm, $10
Film | IRON MULE SHORT COMEDY FILM FESTIVAL This monthly screening of short films (formerly known as “First Sundays”) moves to Saturdays at 92YTribeca. Why “Iron Mule”? It’s the title of a 1925 slapstick comedy (prominently featuring a locomotive, aka an “iron mule”). And it’s an appropriate symbol for this series, which features tough, burly, uncompromising shorts that cannot be stopped! With special guest judge R. Sikoryak. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Wed, Jan 6, 8 pm, $12
Film | CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS If American Pie had been filmed behind the Iron Curtain by Wes Anderson, it would look a lot like Closely Watched Trains. Political parable, touching portrait of human frailty, and the most gorgeously shot teen sex comedy ever made, it’s no wonder the film won the 1967 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Host Elliott Kalan discusses the Soviet-plagued career of director Jiri Menzel, the extra-special deadpan-ness of eastern European comedy, and the complete accuracy of the film’s portrayal of sexually frustrated young adulthood. Part of the series Closely Watched Films. Director: Jirí Menzel. 93 min. 1966. 16mm. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Thu, Jan 7, 7 pm, $12
Talks | SECRETS OF DAN BROWN’S THE LOST SYMBOL Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol is one of the most anticipated and talked about novels of the year, selling two million copies in its first week alone. But what is the follow-up to The Da Vinci Code and its surrounding hoopla really about? Is the book an occult-tinged thriller, a mashup of ancient mysticism and futuristic science, a spiritual allegory—or maybe all three? Time magazine’s Lev Grossman leads a discussion with four writers who’ve subjected Dan Brown’s prose to intense scrutiny and are ready to share their insights and speculations on the author and his works. With Dan Burstein (co-author, Secrets of the Lost Symbol), Ron Hogan (Beatrice.com), Mitch Horowitz (Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation), and YA author Maureen Johnson. 92ytribeca.talks.

Thu, Jan 7, 7:30 pm, $12
Film | OWNING THE WEATHER
The weather might be the most important thing to human kind. It affects our moods, what clothes we wear, what foods we eat and how we live. The desire to modify the weather has been around forever; but with the threat of catastrophic climate change, water wars, and intensifying hurricanes, weather modification is returning to the mainstream. Through the eyes of key individuals on the front lines of a crucial but largely unknown debate, the film introduces the cloud seeders struggling for mainstream recognition, the “legitimate” scientists who doubt them, and the activists who decry any attempts to mess with Mother Nature. Director Robert Greene in person for post-screening Q&A. Director: Robert Greene. 94 min. 2009. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Fri, Jan 8, Doors 7 pm, $15
Music | TROUBLE WORLDWIDE AND BARBÈS PRESENT: “HERE COMES TROUBLE” 2010 Here comes trouble, indeed. Forward-thinking San Francisco agency Trouble Worldwide and the worldly New York label Barbès Records have teamed up to present six groups that leap borders and continents with a single musical bound at 92YTribeca.  APAP badgeholders welcome! Featuring gypsy-funk band Slavic Soul Party!, The Cuban Cowboys, Peruvian pop band Chicha Libre, Pistolera, “Irish Mariachi” band Rana Santacruz, Franco-American singer/composer Pierre de Gaillande and more! 92ytribeca.org/music.

Fri, Jan 8, 8 pm, $12
Film | CRACKING UP Celebrate the 15th anniversary of this cult film with director/star Matt Mitler in person for post-screening Q&A. Danny Gold is a performance artist with an endless amount of energy whose brilliance is exceeded only by his urge to self-destruct. Follow him as he rockets and ricochets through Manhattan’s seedy Lower East Side, encountering the hip scenesters of the mid-nineties along the way. Director: Matt Mitler. 90 min. 1994. 35mm. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Fri, Jan 8, 10:30 pm, $10
Film | CAREFUL Guy Maddin’s early masterpiece takes place in a 19th-century Alpine village where the wary residents —adult, child and animal!—must speak softly and tread lightly lest they cause an avalanche. But sexual frenzies teem in this world of repression, setting off incestuous love triangles and quadrangles with deadly consequences. Preceded by the award-winning short The Heart of the World. Part of the Guy Maddin series. Director: Guy Maddin. 100 min. 1992. 35mm. Also playing Saturday, January 9. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Sat, Jan 9, Doors 7 pm, $12 adv / $15 day of
Music | CHARISMA ARTIST AGENCY PRESENTS: THE TWO MAN GENTLEMEN BAND, SXIP SHIREY, CHRISTABEL AND THE JONS AND MORE Representing some of the finest artists specializing in a broad array of Americana, World, Roots, Bluegrass, Indie, Rockabilly, Swing, Avant Garde and Jazz, Charisma Artist Agency gathers its roster together for a very special show. APAP badgeholders welcome! With The Two Man Gentlemen Band, “a mix between Squirrel Nut Zippers and They Might be Giants”; Sxip Shirey; Christabel and the Jons, “Tennessee roots with gypsy jazz, swing, and a bit of classic honky tonk giddy-up; “Outstanding Folk Artist of the Year” Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade; The Hot Seats, and The New Familiars. 92ytribeca.org/music.

Sat, Jan 9, 7:30 pm, $12
Film | HALF-LIFE Join director Jennifer Phang in person for what Filmmaker Magazine calls “an absorbing, mesmerizing pre-apocalyptic drama with paranormal plot developments.” Growing up is tough for Timothy (Alexander Agate) and Pamela (Sanoe Lake). Global catastrophes abound and their self-destructive mother (Julia Nickson-Soul) stays with a manipulative boyfriend who doesn’t love her. Fortunately, their active imaginations help them cope. An official selection of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Director: Jennifer Phang. 106 min. 2008. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Sat, Jan 9, 10:30 pm, $10
Film | CAREFUL See Jan. 8.

Sun, Jan 10, 11 am, $15
B.Y.O.K. (“Bring Your Own Kid”) | ASYLUM STREET SPANKERS Defiantly acoustic, fiercely independent and absurdly good, the Asylum Street Spankers, led by Christina Marrs and Wammo, have gone from being a country-blues revival act to an internationally renowned underground institution. The group recently released their first family-oriented disc. 92ytribeca.org/byok.

Tue, Jan 12, 12 pm, $16
Daytime | ANIMALS IN STONE: ARCHITECTURAL SCULPTURE IN NYC Author Robert Arthur King (the just-published Animals in Stone: Architectural Sculpture in New York City) shares images, dozens of sculptural details and the historical context behind many of the stone animals we walk by daily. 92ytribeca.org/daytime.

Wed, Jan 13, 12 pm, $16
Daytime | CRISIS OF CHARACTER: (RE)BUILDING CORPORATE TRUST Billions of dollars in purchasing decisions are made on the public’s opinion of companies’ financial and social conduct. Peter Firestein, a specialist in reputation risk management, explains how the Internet, 24-hour cable TV and modes of social media have left corporations with no place to hide from public scrutiny. 92ytribeca.org/daytime.

Wed, Jan 13, 7:30 pm, $12
Film | BILL PLYMPTON AND SIGNE BAUMANE ANIMATED SHORT FILMS Join animators Bill Plympton and Signe Baumane in-person for a night of animated shorts curated for the recent Woodstock Film Festival. For full film info, see 92ytribeca.org/film.

Thu, Jan 14, 12 pm, $16
Daytime | MUSIC FROM THE STREETS OF NEW YORK, 1927-77 Examine New York’s seminal music scenes as they emerged from the neighborhoods of Harlem, the East and West Villages, the Bronx and elsewhere. From Dizzy Gillespie to Tito Puente, Bob Dylan to the Ramones and others, acclaimed cultural commentator Tony Fletcher describes the history of New York’s music world and the contributions to our culture, from bebop to folk to hip-hop. 92ytribeca.org/daytime.

Thu, Jan 14, 8 pm, $12
Film | JACKASS NUMBER TWO What makes Jackass Number Two such an extraordinary accomplishment and a Misunderstood Gem is that its premise is inarguably moronic—dudes pulling pranks on each other and mutilating their bodies in increasingly dangerous ways—yet, at the very same time, it invents a wild new form of modern performance art. Part of the series Hammer to Nail Presents Misunderstood Gems: 2000-2009. Director: Jeff Tremaine. 92 min. 2006. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Fri, Jan 15, 7:30 pm, $12
Film | I’LL COME RUNNING It was only supposed to be a stolen, sweaty day together in Texas, and all Veronica and Pelle have in common is too many hours watching “The Simpsons.” But when circumstance brings Veronica to Pelle’s door in Denmark, this “casual” fling shakes things up for his best friend and family as well. Comedy and tragedy entwine in I’ll Come Running, Spencer Parsons’ feature directorial debut, a broken romance about what happens when a stranger accidentally changes your life. Director: Spencer Parsons. 108 min. 2008. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Fri, Jan 15, 10:30 pm, $10
Film | MY WINNIPEG Have you ever wanted to relive your childhood and do things differently? Guy Maddin casts B-movie icon Ann Savage as his domineering mother in attempt to answer that question in My Winnipeg, a hilariously wacky and profoundly touching goodbye letter to his childhood hometown. Part of the Guy Maddin series. Director: Guy Maddin. 80 min. 2008. 35mm. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Sat, Jan 16, 8 pm, $12
Film | THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE AND HER LOVER Peter Greenaway’s lurid helping of Jacobean nastiness stuffs the eye (and all the other senses) with enough sex, gastronomy, and haute couture for a half-dozen films. The film is an overstuffed canvas with music by Michael Nyman, cinematography by Sacha Vierney, costumes by Jean-Paul Gaultier, and features Michael “Dumbledore” Gambon as the monstrously violent and boorish restaurateur Albert Spica, Helen Mirren as his adulterous wife, and Tim Roth and Ciarán Hinds in very early film appearances. Part of the series Not Coming to a Theater Near You, presented by the film blog of the same name. Editors Rumsey Taylor, Leo Goldsmith and Jenny Jediny in person to introduce the film. Director: Peter Greenaway. 98 mins. 1989. 35mm. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Sat, Jan 16, Doors 8 pm, $12
Music | THE HEAVY Rampaging out of the UK like a beast in the night with some of the illest beats and riffs since Massive Attack, The Heavy descend on our fair shores on the heels of their new album, “The House That Dirt Built.” The Heavy started out ripping and chopping beats from the likes of Bo Diddley, Little Walter and The Parliaments and fusing them with their now patented brand of high grade dirt. From R&B to country, garage punk to rock, Studio One to the slums of Shaolin, The Heavy are like a pack of genre chemists, cooking up, blending, and mixing to create their own unique style of rock and roll. 92ytribeca.org/music.

Sat, Jan 16, 11 pm, $13 (includes one beer)
Film | MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN SING-ALONG We’re getting Together Again for the Muppets Take Manhattan Sing-along! The Muppet gang, recently graduated from college, hopes to realize their dreams in the Big Apple and sell their musical, “Manhattan Melodies.” But when that fails, they separate. Kermit befriends a girl, Jenny (Miss Piggy becomes extremely jealous), Fozzie starts living in a cave, and Rowlf becomes vet’s secretary. One lucky day, Jenny and Kermit meet a producer-in-training. Excited with the news, they round up the whole gang to get the whole show together, although calamity strikes, literally, when Kermit gets hit by a car and undergoes a bout of amnesia. Director: Frank Oz. 94 min. 1984. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Sun, Jan 17, 11 am, $15

B.Y.O.K. (“Bring Your Own Kid”) | ERIN LEE & MARCI Erin Lee & Marci have been described as a cross between the Indigo Girls and the Smothers Brothers for the pint-sized set. Disney’s Family Fun magazine calls them “irrresistible!” and Time Out New York named their live performance at Madison Square Park as the “Best Family Event” of the summer. Their first CD, Someone’s Gotta Wanna Play, was awarded Best Recording 2005 by the Children’s Music Web, the national music award chosen by children. 92ytribeca.org/byok.

Tue, Jan 19, 12 pm, $16
Daytime | SEXISM IN AMERICA: ALIVE, WELL AND RUINING OUR FUTURE The news in 2008 was that women had taken huge strides forward. The feminists’ decades-long struggle seemed to be paying off, not only in boardrooms, classrooms and kitchens but also in politics. But what is the truth behind the headlines? Renowned feminist author Barbara J. Berg, PhD, debunks the many myths about how far women have come and questions the pervasive belief that ours is a post-feminist society. 92ytribeca.org/daytime.

Wed, Jan 20, 12-1 pm, $16
Daytime | CONSEQUENTIAL STRANGERS: THE POWER OF PEOPLE WHO DON’T SEEM TO MATTER BUT REALLY DO Every day, everywhere we go, we encounter strangers. Journalist and relationship expert Melinda Blau tells how those seemingly unremarkable and sometimes temporary relationships have a profound impact on our success, happiness and health. 92ytribeca.org/daytime.

Wed, Jan 20, 8:30 pm, $8
Film | SHORT SLAM It’s a poetry slam for the screen! Show your film (12 min or less on DVD only, please) and pad the house with your friends—audience noise determines the winner. Each slam (7 total) will be hosted by a different industry professional, i.e. someone aspiring filmmakers will want to impress, and the winners of each will face off in the season finale on May 19 for the grand prize of JetBlue tickets. Sign-up is on a first-come basis and will begin a half hour before the screening. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Thu, Jan 21, 6 pm, FREE
Art | SKOWHEGAN AT 92YTRIBECA OPENING RECEPTION 92YTribeca is pleased to present works from the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture’s 1999-2008 classes. Skowhegan is an intensive nine-week summer residency for emerging visual artists. The pieces in this exhibition focus largely on concepts of structure and altered space. 92ytribeca.org/art.

Thu, Jan 21, 7:30 pm, $12
Film | GOOD FORTUNE Good Fortune is a feature length documentary that explores how massive, international efforts to alleviate poverty in Africa may be undermining the very communities they aim to benefit. Through intimate portraits of two Kenyans battling to save their homes from large-scale development organizations, the film presents a unique perspective on the struggle to overcome world poverty. Co-presented by Chicken & Egg Pictures and Working Films. Directors Landon Van Soest and Jeremy Levine in person for post-screening discussion. Director: Landon Van Soest & Jeremy Levine. 73 mins. 2009. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Fri, Jan 22, 8 pm, $10
Film | KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT…VISIONS OF THE FUTURE! We have seen the future of video-variety comedy and it is KEVIN GEEKS OUT! As we enter the year 2010, Kevin Geeks Out about VISIONS OF THE FUTURE as he and his team of experts celebrate the promises of the cars, kitchens, music, sports, robots and sex of the tomorrow. Joining Kevin is award-winning filmmaker and author of post-apocalyptic fiction Scott Christian Carr and several special guests: Emmy-winning Daily Show writer Elliott Kalan shares his favorite future from a 1936 British science-fiction film; anatomy teacher Kriota Willberg dissects medical advances in science-fiction; technology editor Seth Porges looks back at the predictions from his employer, Popular Mechanics; blogger Kate Hutchinson makes a case for the best Italian post-nuke movie ever made; plus predictions from a real live psychic and DIPPIN’ DOTS for everyone! Part of the series Kevin Geeks Out. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Fri, Jan 22, Doors 8 pm, $10
Music | BRIAN BONZ AND THE DOT HONGS, ROCKSTAR SOCIETY, KEVIN JOHNSTON Brian Bonz and The Dot Hongs have been recognized as “the best of Brooklyn’s experimental rock scene.” Drawing influence from a far-reaching variety of genres and musicians including Sam Cooke, Bjork and Broken Social Scene, the group embodies an indie-rock persona without becoming bound by it. They play with Queens hip-hop/rock/R&B collective Rockstar Society and singer songwriter Kevin Johnston, formerly of the All For Nots. 92ytribeca.org/music.

Fri, Jan 22, 10:30 pm, $10
Film | TALES FROM THE GIMLI HOSPITAL Maddin’s outrageously bizarre debut was one of the big hits of the 1980s midnight movie circuit. Reckless envy, unconsummated passions and necrophilia set the tone for these surreal tales shared by two patients confined during a turn-of-the-century smallpox epidemic. Preceded by Isabella Rossellini’s short My Dad is 100 Years Old. Part of the Guy Maddin series. Director: Guy Maddin. 72 min. 1988. 35mm. Also playing Saturday, January 23. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Sat, Jan 23, Doors 8 pm, $10
Music | CINEMA 16 WITH CROWN THE INVISIBLE Cinema 16 recreates the experience of the silent film era, taking obscure vintage films and pairing them with contemporary New York musicians. Bands are commissioned to compose a musical score in order to modernize the 1920’s tradition of live music accompanying films. This installment of Cinema 16 at 92YTribeca includes four films – Jan Lenica’s Labyrinth, Joel Schlemowitz’ Morris Engel Time Sculpture, an educational video about biology, Ralph Steiner’s H2O – each with a new live score by Crown the Invisible, a band that channels the spirit of Brian Eno, the shimmery sonics of My Bloody Valentine, and the cape-wearing demagoguery of Yes. 92ytribeca.org/music.

Sat, Jan 23, 10:30 pm, $10
Film | TALES FROM THE GIMLI HOSPITAL See Jan. 22.

Sun, Jan 24, 11 am, $15
B.Y.O.K. (“Bring Your Own Kid”) | BRADY RYMER AND THE LITTLE BAND THAT COULD First Class, all American roots rock with a feel-god R&B foundation is Brady Rymer’s calling card and his Little Band That Could creates a happy, rollicking back porch vibe that gets everyone up and dancing and smiling ear to ear. The kids will love the energy and Rymer’s magnetic, good-times-guy charm; and the band’s musicianship is something even the most discerning music snob parent can appreciate. Grammy-nominated Brady Rymer has created a modern American roots sound for families everywhere. Says NPR, “The Little Band That Could might just be the best-sounding band in children’s music.” 92ytribeca.org.byok.

Wed, Jan 27, 7 pm, $8
Film | DOCUCLUB PRESENTS: SUN COME UP Join director Jennifer Redfearn in person for her work-in-progress documentary following the relocation of some of the world’s first climate refugees, the Carteret Islanders – a community living on a remote island chain 50 miles off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The Carteret Islanders currently face three urgent problems: the population is increasing, access to food and water is decreasing, and the islands are shrinking rapidly. SUN COME UP shows what millions of people around the globe could face as human rights organizations predict climate change could displace up to 250 million people by mid-century. Co-presented by DocuClub. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Thu, Jan 28, 12 pm, $16
Daytime | DIRTY ROTTEN STRATEGIES This past decade has seen no shortage of crises, from 9/11, to the Asian tsunami to Hurricane Katrina to the current economic meltdown. Solving those crises is another matter. Crisis management expert Ian Mitroff, who consulted on all of the above, leads an eye-opening discussion on how solving the wrong problems is at the heart of nearly all mistakes made by business, government and individuals. 92ytribeca.org/daytime.

Jan 28, 6:30 pm, $5 per team (payable at bar)
Art | CULTURE WARS: A NIGHT OF TRIVIA WITH ART21 In the spirit of Art21‘s mission to increase knowledge of contemporary art, and in combination with the social traditions of game night and happy hour, this multi-media event invites you to test your knowledge of current art, film, music, and online cultural phenomena. Form a team or come solo and compete for cultural greatness…or maybe just a prize. Teams limited to 5 people. 92ytribeca.org/art.

Thu, Jan 28, 7 pm, $12
Film | THE MYSTERY OF SAMBA (O MISTÉRIO DO SAMBA) The Mystery of Samba captures the rich lives of a group of veteran musicians and composers from one of Rio’s most revered samba schools, Portele, with appearances by samba luminaries Marisa Monte, Paulinho da Viola, and Zeca Pagodinho. Part of Cinema Tropical’s Music + Film Series: Janeiro in New York. Directed by Carolina Jabor, Lula Buarque de Hollanda. 85 min. 2008. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Fri, Jan 29, 10:30 pm, $10
Film | THE SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD In this semi-musical set in Winnipeg during the Great Depression, a legless beer baroness played by Isabella Rossellini organizes a contest to find the saddest music in the world. Estranged brothers Chester (Mark McKinney), posing as a happy-go-lucky American and Roderick (Ross McMillan), a grieving father representing Serbia, end up facing off in the competition as family secrets are revealed. Part of the Guy Maddin series. Director: Guy Maddin. 100 min. 2003. 35mm. Also playing Saturday, January 30. 92ytribeca.org/film.

Sat, Jan 30, Screening 7:30 pm / Concert 9:30 pm, $20 screening + concert / $12 concert only
Music | DAMON & NAOMI’S 1001 NIGHTS with MICHIO KURIHARA, SHARON VAN ETTEN & HADEN GUEST Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang’s (Galaxie 500) special evening begins with the first-ever theater screening of Naomi films from the Factory 25 DVD release Damon & Naomi: 1001 Nights, a comprehensive video anthology of the duo. The screening is followed by a Q&A moderated by Haden Guest, Director of the Harvard Film Archive, with Damon & Naomi and Michio Kurihara of the legendary Japanese band Ghost, who is featured in the film. After the Q&A, join us in the mainstage for Damon & Naomi in concert with Kurihara. Sharon Van Etten, the ethereal Brooklyn based songbird who is a direct musical descendant of Damon & Naomi, plays an opening set. 92ytribeca.org/music.

Sat, Jan 30, 10:30 pm, $10
Film | THE SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD See Jan 29.

Sun, Jan 21, 11am, $15
B.Y.O.K. (“Bring Your Own Kid”) | MARIA SANGLIOLO Maria Sangiolo’s collection Under the Mystic Sea is a musical paean to marine life, both real and fantastical, sprinkling mandolins, dobros, tin whistles, and toy pianos among the standard guitar and drums. 92ytribeca.org/byok.