Get Dazed and Confused, catch up with Kimmy Schmidt, and more must-sees

Thursday 4.14
The Kansas City FilmFest honors local Kevin Willmott with its Independent Spirit Award tonight, followed by a screening at 7 of the 2015 film he co-wrote with Spike Lee, Chi-raq, at Cinemark on the Plaza. It’s a heartfelt, funny, chaotic satire about America’s obsession with gun culture that looks and sounds fantastic on the big screen. Willmott does a post-show Q&A. More info at kcfilmfest.org.

Friday 4.15
It’s a milestone night for the KC FilmFest, as KC native Don Cheadle returns home to present his directorial debut, the unconventional music biopic Miles Ahead. It took about a decade for Cheadle to see his passion project come to fruition, and he’s wearing just about every hat imaginable, including starring in the main role as jazz iconoclast Miles Davis. The screening is at 6:45 p.m., with Cheadle’s Q&A to follow.

Saturday 4.16
I know it’s tough to go out three nights in a row these days when there’s such good entertainment at home, but the KC FilmFest has scored big-time again. Now you can relive the 1970s — and the first time you saw the 1993 coming-of-age movie Dazed and Confused — as it screens tonight at 9:40 p.m. with Randall “Pink” Floyd himself (star Jason London) in attendance. Since Richard Linklater’s now-classic film became a big hit only after it hit home video, you’ve likely never seen it in a theater.

Too much rare cinema in the theater for one night? Never! Since Warner Bros. continues to deny a home-video release for Ken Russell’s landmark 1971 film, The Devils, tonight may be your only chance to see it. The Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet is showing this controversial adaptation of Aldous Huxley’s The Devils of Loudun at 10:30 p.m. — in 35mm, no less. Expect eye-popping art direction, exorcism, religious fanaticism and disturbing visions of violence and sex. Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave star. 

Sunday 4.17 and Monday 4.18
The entire second season of the Tina Fey-produced comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt dropped Friday night on Netflix. Take it easy at home today and tomorrow and binge it all. Season 1 was a slow burn, but it had lots of loopy charm, not least from star Ellie Kemper. It will be interesting to see how far the show strays from its premise, as 30 Rock did once it found solid footing. Guests this season include David Cross, Fred Armisen, Amy Sedaris and Jeff Goldblum.

Tuesday 4.19
The Night Manager is a six-part miniseries event premiering tonight on AMC, and it looks to be a promising experiment for the network. Hugh Laurie, Tom Hiddleston and Neil Morrissey star in this contemporary adaptation of John le Carré’s 1993 spy novel, which was originally broadcast earlier this year on BBC One in the UK. It is the costliest production in BBC history, and it was so successful that le Carré is reportedly going to allow another season that would go beyond his book.

Wednesday 4.20
New on Blu-ray is the six-movie boxed set Outlaw: Gangster VIP, which collects and restores all of the films in this gritty Japanese-underworld crime saga, many of them available for the first time in America. In 1968’s Gangster VIP, Japanese icon Tetsuya Watari plays a yakuza killer looking for a fresh start after a three-year stint in prison. The five sequels continue his quest for redemption, mixing realistic violence and corny romance. •

Eric Melin is editor of Scene-Stealers.com and president of the KC Film Critics Circle.