BOXING GYM is documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman’s portrait of a boxing gym dwelling on the discipline of training people from all walks of life – men, women, children, doctors, lawyers, judges, immigrants, teenagers trying to develop strength and assertiveness, professional boxers, alongside amateurs where the gym is a classic melting pot where people meet, talk and train. Says Peter Rainer of the Christian Science Monitor, “We are so used to boxing movies that heighten the violence that “Boxing Gym” comes across as restorative. It’s a boxing movie minus all the bull that usually goes with it.” The Boston Globe calls it Wiseman’s most hypnotic, rhythmically assembled observation of corporeal expression.” BOXING GYM opens on November 5th at Laemmle’s Sunset, Playhouse 7 in Pasadena, and Town Center in Encino.
WASTELAND - Director Lucy Walker’s inspiring documentary WASTE LAND follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world’s largest garbage dump, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. His collaboration with the garbage pickers inspired his photographic images, revealing the dignity and despair of the “catadores” as they begin to re-imagine their lives through recyclables and the transforming power of art. WASTE LAND opens on Friday, November 5th for a limited engagement at the Nuart, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd, in West LA.
NORA'S WILL - Mariana Chenillo's feature film debut, NORA'S WILL (CINCO DIAS SIN NORA) involves a woman's suicide just before Passover, creating complications for her loved ones. Deemed a "deft blend of comedy and tragedy, "warm and entertaining" NORA'S WILL, is the winner of seven Mexican Academy Awards, including Best Picture. A non-sentimental film about love and mortality, NORA'S WILL has been called "a true find, a strikingly good literate, emotionally engaging movie that will leave you wanting to see it again." Exclusive LA engagement at Laemmle's Royal in West LA and Town Center 5 in Encino.
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AFI FILM FESTIVAL - Experience a world class film festival for free. Go to www.afifest.com for a full schedule and roster of film. Two special screenings offered to KPFK Film Club members:
ERASERHEAD - David Lynch's startling black and white dreamscape deemed one of the creepiest films ever made, seething with bodily fluids and mutant hypnotic beauty. ERASERHEAD screens on Saturday, November 6th at 3:30 pm at the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. (on a double-bill with the classic SUNSET BOULEVARD.)
AMIGO - John Sayles' compelling drama about the moral quandaries facing US soliders and local cooperators a century ago in the Phillipine-American war, with strong parallels to current events. AMIGO screens on Saturday, November 6th at 9:45 at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
THE TWO ESCOBARS, says Documentary magazine, deftly weaves together the precariously and tragically entwined stories of Andres and Pablo, and how the dreams of elevating a nation's hope through the exploits of its national sport were both fueled and shattered by the dark elements that defined a nation's identity." Fest 21 calls "The Two Escobars" a compelling profile that will make you never watch the World Cup in the same way again. "The Two Escobars" opens at Laemmle's Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills on Friday, Oct. 29th.
GHETTO PHYSICS: WILL THE REAL PIMPS AND HO’S PLEASE STAND UP! – From the filmmakers of “What the Bleep Do We Know?!” this underground sensation is part documentary, part Saturday Night Live satire, part narrative. With exclusive interviews with notable entertainers and thinkers, from Dr. Cornel West to Ice-T to Norman Lear it begins by looking at the evocative world of the Pimp and Ho and how it translates to the entire social power game around us and finally bringing that awareness to its impact on a student’s life. Rather than right/wrong, good vs. bad, Ghetto Physics focuses on Empowerment and hope through speaking truth to power and choosing the role one wishes to play in every situation. GHETTO PHYSICS opens October 22 at the RAVE 18 at the Howard Hughes Center, 6081 Center Drive, #201, in Los Angeles.
is the story of how the young Alan Ginsberg broke down societal barriers in the face of an infamous public obscenity trial. In his famously confessional style, Ginsberg, poet, counter-culture icon, and chronicler of the Beat Generation recounts the road trips, the love affairs, and the search for personal liberation that led to his timeless epic poem, HOWL. James Franco stars as Ginsberg in a career-defining performance, leading an all-star casting including, Jeff Daniels, David Strathairn, John Hamm, Treat Williams, and Mary Louise Parker. HOWL opens October 1st at Laemmle’s Sunset 5, Playhouse 7 in Pasadena and Town Center, Encino and October 8th at Monica-4 Plex.
HOWL
INHALE is a moral thriller in which a rising Santa Fe District Attorney and his wife await an organ donor for their daughter, who is on a waiting list for a lung transplant. As desperation leads them into the world of black market organ trafficking, they are forced to decide what is right when career, family, and innocent lives hang in the balance. Starring Dermot Mulroney, Diane Kruger, Sam Shepard and Vincent Perez, INHALE was selected as the closing night gala screening for the Anaheim Film Festival. INHALE opens at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in Hollywood on October 22nd.
NOWHERE BOY captures the crucial formative years of John Lennon, as a smart and troubled young man hungry for experience and a desire to escape the complexities of his family life. Imagine, Liverpool 1955, the teenage years of John Lennon. Depicting the underlying currents that shaped the creative and inspirational qualities which lead to the formation of the Beatles and the lasting legacy which continues 30 years after his death. Coinciding with the birthday of John Lennon, NOWHERE BOY opens at The Landmark, 10850 West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles on Friday, October 8th.
STONE involves a seasoned parole officer and a volatile inmate find their lives dangerously intertwined. Directed by John Curran and featuring powerful performances by Robert DeNiro, Ed Norton, Milla Jovovich, and Frances Conroy, STONE weaves together parallel journeys of two men grappling with dark impulses. Set in the quiet desperation of economically ravaged Detroit and the stifling brutality of a maximum security prison, this tale of passion, betrayal and corruption examines the troubled past and an uncertain future. STONE opens at AMC Century City and the ArcLight in Hollywood on Friday, October 8th.
ALTIPLANO is a haunting, ravishingly beautiful film about our divided yet inextricably intertwined world. When deadly traces of mercury from silver-mining bring illness and death to a village in the Andes, the villagers seek retribution, mistakenly blaming the outbreak on Western doctors who work in the nearby mountain clinic. Two women – the fiancé of a villager killed by mercury poisoning and the wife of a doctor killed in the protest-turned-riot are brought together. Winner of the Grand Prize at both the Bankgok and Virton film festivals, an official selection at Cannes, ALTIPLANO opens on Friday, October 1st at Laemmle’s Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills.
KINGS OF PASTRY says the Herald Scotland is the culinary “Hurt Locker”. Forget Master Chef, in filming this funny documentary about a serious French pastry competition, filmmakers D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, secured exclusive rights to shoot the prestigious Best Craftsman in France competition, the ultimate recognition for a pastry chef, through three intense days of mixing, piping, and sculpting desserts from delicate chocolates to 6 foot sugar sculptures. Working under the scrutiny of master judges and the critical palates of some of the world’s most renowned chefs, the film follows chef Jacquy Pfeiffer, co-founder of Chicago’s French Pastry School, as he journeys back to his childhood home of Alsace to practice for the contest. Along with two other competitors, he vies, amidst passion, sacrifice, disappointment and joy, to become one of the Kings of Pastry. From the filmmakers of “The War Room” and “Don’t Look Back” this delicious celluloid experience opens October 8th at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3, 9036 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills.
SECRETARIAT, screening Sept. 23 only at the Landmark (Westwood and Pico). Based on the remarkable true story, it chronicles the spectacular journey of the 1973 Triple Crown winner. Housewife and mother Penny Chenery, agrees to take over her ailing father's Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horseracing knowledge. Against all odds, with the help of veteran trainer, Lucien Laurin, she manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering perhaps the greatest living racehorse of all time. Starring Diane Lane, John Malkovich, and James Cromwell.
SOMETHING’S GONNA LIVE is an intimate portrait of life, death, friendship and the movies, as recalled by some of Hollywood’s greatest cinematic artists. Academy-Award nominated filmmaker Daniel Raim captures the late life coming together of renowned art directors Robert Boyle, Henry Bumstead and Albert Nozaki, along with legendary cinematographers Haskell Wexler and Conrad Hall. This deeply engaging, thought-provoking celebration of these octogenarian artists, responsible for some of the greatest films of Hollywood’s Golden Era, chronicles iconic scenes from our collective imaginations through snapshots, drawings, paintings, interviews, and vintage footage. Far more than mere nostalgia, SOMETHING’S GONNA LIVE explores the artist’s moral obligation to truthfully portray the human condition.
LOVELY, STILL is a mysterious and tender love story, starring Academy Award winners Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn. What begins as an awkward encounter quickly blossoms into a new chance for romance. This uncommonly lovely tale of an elderly couple’s affair takes us on a heartfelt and wonderful journey, revealing an unexpected twist. Skillfully and sensitively directed by Nik Fackler, with music by Conor Oberst.
GENIUS WITHIN: THE INNER LIFE OF GLENN GOULD weaves together an unprecedented array of never-before-seen footage, photographs and excerpts from Gould’s private home recordings and diaries, along with personal interviews with his most intimate friends and lovers, reconstructing his thoughts on music, art, society, love and life. The enigmatic musical poet and world-renowned pianist continues to captivate 28 years after his untimely death. Variety calls “GENIUS WITHIN” a must-see for serious music fans.”
A MOTHER’S COURAGE is a new documentary which charts the journey of a mother trying to unlock the mind of her autistic son. Consumed by the search for treatments for her son, she travels from Iceland to the US and Europe meeting with top experts, advocates and other families touched by struggles with autism. From the challenges of doctor visits, experimental treatments, the inability to communicate and perform daily tasks, to the hope of innovative therapies, a mother’s pain and suffering is lifted by the hope that her son might be able to express himself on a level she never thought possible. Narrated by Kate Winslet and with music by Sigur Ros and Bjork, Variety calls A MOTHER’S COURAGE, “A mystery replete with miracles. Will leave audiences stunned and rethinking what has long been considered a disorder devoid of hope.”
ARPA FILM FESTIVAL, SEPT 21 - 26th, Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., LA, CA 90028, PH: 323-461-2021. Offering over 40 feature films, shorts, documentaries, videos and animated films, including the first Armenian feature, the restored 1926 silent film "Namous."
NESHOBA: THE PRICE OF FREEDOM tells the story of the Mississippi County still divided over the meaning of justice 40 yrs after the murders of civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner. With unprecedented access to Edgar Ray Killen, the 80 yr. old Baptist preacher and notorious racist indicted in 2005 by the State, the award winning filmmakers take viewers on a journey into the mindset of a man who still feels that the murders were justified as “self defense” of a way of life and the rage and denial that still exist within the wildly disparate views within the community. NESHOBA: THE PRICE OF FREEDOM opens Sept. 10th at Laemmle’s Music Hall and Playhouse 7 in Pasadena.
TEZA (or MORNING DEW) is Haile Gerima’s tale of an idealistic young intellectual, from his origins in a small Ethiopian village, through his years as a med student in Europe, his return to Ethiopia, where he ends up a casualty of the Marxist military revolution that overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, and his exile to West Germany where he becomes a victim of racism. TEZA examines the displacement of African intellectuals at home and abroad and the internal struggle to stay true to one’s self and one’s homeland through memory and the right to own one’s past in the midst of powerlessness and the dissolution of humanity and social values.
SOUL KITCHEN, winner of the Special Jury Prize and Young Cinema Award for Best Film at the Venice Film Festival, centers on a disorganized young German-Greek restauranteur and his motley assortment of patrons. Down on his luck and mending a broken heart, he leaves his Soul Kitchen in the hands of his ex-con brother, leading to disastrous results. With soul music at its core, SOUL KITCHEN features music by Kool and the Gang, Quincy Jones, Sam Cooke mixed with a Hamburg hip hop and Hans Albers. SOUL KITCHEN opens September 3rd at Laemmle’s Royal Theatre at 11523 Santa Monica Blvd.in West Los Angeles.
MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN, short-listed for the Academy Awards, is an acclaimed documentary that exposes the battle of one white farmer who refused to back down, against Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and his land reappropriation policy which ultimately became gifts to Mugabe’s supporters. Seeking to protect the family farm and the livelihoods of 500 black workers who live and work there, Mike Campbell, a 75-year old grandfather, took the unprecedented step of challenging Mugabe’s Land Reform in international court. Shot with the risk of imprisonment, MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN is the only documentary to come out of Zimbabwe in recent years, where a total press ban still exists, perhaps the only glimpse inside Mugabe’s modern-day Zimbabwe. MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN opens August 13th at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3, 9036 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills.
HENRI CLOUZOT'S INFERNO. In 1964, inspired by Felini’s 8-1/2, master filmmaker Henri-Georges Clouzot began L’ENFER, an obsessive tale of jealousy, suspicion, cruelty, madness and contaminated relationships. Starring Romy Schneider and Serge Reggiani, the calamitous project was riddled with problems - lack of discipline, out of control budgets and special effects, temperamental actors, as well as the filmmaker’s own collapse. Clouzot’s widow locked away the footage for decades, eventually turning the 185 cans of surviving material over to archivist Serge Bromberg. The result is an extraordinary documentary, HENRI CLOUZOT’S INFERNO. HENRI CLOUZOT’S INFERNO opens July 30th at Laemmle’s Sunset 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood.
Latin-American Showcase presents 4 novel films from Argentina, Mexico and Columbia including: MUNDO ALAS, a concert/road film (featuring the music of Leon Gieco) about a group of musicians, singers, dancers and painters on a tour which culminates in a concert in Buenos Aires. Gieco, Argentina’s most important folk-rock singer/songwriter will perform a brief set before each nightly screening. CONOZCA LA CABEZA DE JUAN PEREZ, a comedy in which the head of a low-life circus magician recalls what led him to his decapitation. MUSICA EN ESPERA (MUSIC ON HOLD), an Argentinian romantic comedy about a music composer with writers’ block, and a bank assistant who inadvertently gives him just the melody he needs when she places him on hold. And EL VUELVO DEL CANGREJO, set in the Afro-Columbian community of La Barra on the Pacific Coast, CRAB TRAP depicts a young man trying to feel his past and the clash between a remote village and modernity.
2010 USA-Australia Film Showcase brings you a bit of “down under” with three award-winning, as yet unreleased films including: ACCIDENTS HAPPEN, a bittersweet comedy, starring Geena Davis, about a dysfunctional urban family coping with the consequences of a tragedy; THE WAITING CITY, directed by Claire McCarthy, starring Radha Mitchell. Most recently the closing gala film of the Indian Film Fest, an Australian couple travel to India to adopt a baby, but the overwhelming power of India pulls them in unexpected directions. And CHARLIE and BOOTS, which follows the efforts of a son to bring his grieving father out of depression by taking him on the fishing trip of a lifetime.
MESRINE, PART 2: PUBLIC ENEMY NO.1, directed by Jean-Francois Richet, continues the story of the legendary French gangster of the 60’s and 70’s, chronicling his incredible life of crime while manipulating the media, government and police. Planning his last and greatest escape from France, seeking to leave behind the iconic character he created and became, MESRINE, PART 2: PUBLIC ENEMY NO. 1 stars the charismatic, award-winning Vincent Cassel, opens September 3rd at Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 in Pasadena.
HIGHWATER, Writer-Director Dana Brown follows in his famous father, Bruce Brown’s footsteps, with the surfing documentary HIGHWATER, which follows the men and women who gather each year for the “Seven Mile Miracle” on Oahu’s North Short, the ultimate big wave surfing challenge, the Triple Crown. This compelling look at the 55-day, 3-tiered granddaddy of surfing competitions, combines awesome footage, interviews and the North Shore zeitgeist. “If there’s such a thing as too much beauty in a film, the surfing documentary HIGHWATER is guilty of it. HIGHWATER opens Sept. 3 at Laemmle’s Monica-4 Plex, 1332 2nd Street, in Santa Monica.
GET LOW is a magical, moving blend of folk tale, fable and real-life legend from first time director Aaron Schneider.Starring Academy Award winner Robert Duvall in one of his finest performances as Felix Bush, a hermit who plans and attends his own funeral, revealing a shocking confession to the townspeople who have ostracized and demonized him. GET LOW costars Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek, and Lucas Black in a remarkable tale of secrets, heartbreak and a desire for redemption. GET LOW is currently playing at The Landmark, 10850 West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles.
ANIMAL KINGDOM is the remarkable feature debut of Australian writer/director David Michod. Starring Guy Pierce in a tale from the underworld of a Melbourne crime family, in the tradition of the Krays and Ma Barker, you’ve never seen a matriarch quite like Smurf Cody, in a masterful performance byJackie Weaver. With the death of his troubled mother, Joshua Cody is reluctantly taken into the family gangster business amidst a minefield of witness protection, corrupt cops, slippery lawyers and a paranoid, vengeful relatives. He comes to realize in order to survive he must determine how the game is played and choose his place in the cunning and brutal animal kingdom. ANIMAL KINGDOM opens at AMC Century 15, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd.
THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WTIH FIRE is the second film adaptation of Stieg Larsson's literary sensation, MILLENIUM TRILOGY. The unforgettable Lisbeth Salander, the troubled, wise-beyond-her-years genius hacker returns, this time as a prime suspect in the murder of two journalists on the verge of exposing trafficking in Eastern Europe and Sweden. Alone in his belief of Lisbeth's innocence, publisher Mikael Blomkvist plunges into an examination of the slaying, implicating highly placed members of Swedish society, business, and government. Meanwhile, Lisbeth is drawn into a murderous hunt in which she herself is the prey, compelling her to revisit her dark past. THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WTIH FIRE opens at Laemmle's Fallbrook, Monica, 4-Plex, Playhouse 7, Town Center and Claremont on Friday, July 9th.
STAR TREK, the 2009 film directed by JJ Abrams which chronicles where it all began for the young Kirk and Spock, before they unite aboard the Enterprise to fight Nero, a Romulan who threatens the United Federation. STAR TREK, the 11th and most recent film in the franchise.
THE TILLMAN STORY is the true story behind the tragic death of NFL star Pat Tillman, and subsequent covered up by the military. This essential and infuriating documentary follows his family’s tireless efforts to penetrate the official lies. Directed by Amir Bar Lev. Playing at Laemmles.
TOPANGA FILM FESTIVAL, offers a socailly-conscious slate of films including KPFK favorites, “South of the Border, “Dirt,” “Save the Farm,” and “Blue Gold,” as well as “Lost Angels” about the marginalized on Skid Row, a Haiti Cine Institute student showcase and an international day with short films from India, Ireland, and Switzerland. The opening night’s screening of “Easy Rider” honors the late Dennis Hopper, while other honorees include David Lynch and Patricia Arquette. Go to topangafilmfestival.com for full roster of films, venues and directions.
STAR TREK: NEMESIS. In 2002’s NEMESIS, the 10th feature in the franchise series, a final generation’s journey begins, when the Federation is threatened by a Capt. Picard clone who takes control of the Romulan empire. With a special in-person appearance by Will Wheaton, this 70 mm galactic sized print landed at Laemmle's Royal Theatre in West Los Angeles.
STAR TREK: INSURRECTION. When the peaceful Ba’ku are threatened, Capt Picard and crew must defend their harmonious natural existence and the regenerative radiation that gives them to live long and prosper. Directed by Jonathan Frakes, 1998’s STAR TREK: INSURRECTION stars F. Murray Abraham, Donna Murphy and Anthony Zerbe. Also screening an extra added bonus, the short film parody “Brokeback Enterprise.”
THE FEEL GOOD FILM FESTIVAL, celebrates the happy ending with films that make audiences laugh and capture the beauty of our world.It promises to be entertaining, optimistic, humorous, heartwarming and leave the audience feeling good. Screenings offered to Film Club members include:
A MI ME GUSTA: How do you change a country and improve its conditions?After years of portraying Venezuela as a violent country, this is the first romantic comedy with no drugs, violence, prostitution or guns, answering the question, “Why do people stay?” Margarita Garcia has a dream to become a great chef in London. She leaves everything behind to start a new life, but she is forced to return to Venezuela and start all over. Paul Welsare, the admired British Cook comes to Venezuela to work for Christmas. If she only manages to receive a recommendation, she will have the passport to success in her hands. Between family, friends and kitchen stove ignites this love story between a cold English man and a passionate Latin woman only to prove that – home is where the heart is.
ACCIDENTAL ICON: THE REAL GIDGET STORY, She gave Sally Field her start, Former Motion Picture Academy President Frank Pierson calls Gidget a “proto-feminist figure,” and Former US Surf Champion Jericho Poppler Bartlow says, “I remember thinking, Gidget could do it…I know I can.” This one-hour documentary narrated by Jorja Fox (“CSI”) and produced by Brian L. Gillogly and Robert Masters, explores the largely untold story of the real “Gidget,” Kathy Kohner Zuckerman, and how her account of surfing Malibu in the mid-50’s became the basis for a best-selling novel by her father Frederick Kohner. A half century later, “Gidget” is celebrated as an enduring Hollywood movie/TV franchise and a slice of Americana, with considerable impact on popular culture and the sport of surfing.
ART HOUSE: A household of under-achiever art students face eviction by a dishonest college dean and a philistine big donor who have the intention of turning the students' colorfully rundown home into a golf-team dormitory. When the students fight to preserve their home, known for decades as a hard-partying haven for artists and artist-wannabes, their friendships are tested, secret loves confessed and futures put on the line. It's time to prove they're more than posers.
TALES FROM EARTHSEA, based on Ursula K. LeGuin’s book series, considered one of the greatest in fantasy literature, is an epic tale of redemption and self-discovery. Goro Miyazaki and the famed Japanese animators at Studio Ghibli present this sweeping adventure set in a mythical world filled with magic and bewitchment. It follows a master wizard as he searches for the force behind a mysterious disturbance that has caused an imbalance in the land of Earthsea. Suddenly crops and livestock are dwindling, dragons have reappeared and humanity is giving way to chaos. With voices of Timothy Dalton, Willem Dafoe, Cheech Marin, and Mariska Hargitay.
AROUND A SMALL MOUNTAIN is legendary director,Jacques Rivette’s tale of lost love, chance encounters and the transformative power of art. AROUND A SMALL MOUNTAIN stars Jane Birkin and Sergio Castellitto. On a winding mountain road, Vittorio stops to help Kate whose car has broken down, later finding an intriguing story which leads him into the world of her family’s travelling circus and the lives of its performers. The New York Times calls AROUND A SMALL MOUNTAIN “As transporting and graceful as a ride in a balloon.” Deemed “an ephemeral 85 minute daydream,” by Artforum.
MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON is acclaimed French director Stephane Brize crafts a modern day, “Brief Counter,”an elegant, moving tale of an unexpected romance between a married man and his son’s teacher and their attempt to restrain their desires. Crafted with grace and subtlety MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON.
VIDEOCRACY, is Erik Gandini's critically-acclaimed documentary about the carnivalesque world of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and its effect on his country's culture, examines the mercenary underbelly of the high-glitz, low-politics, skin-baring media culture promulgated by Berlusconi's use of his ownership of the majority of Italy's television stations as a powerful tool to shape public opinion for financial and political benefit. Gandini gains remarkable access to the opulent world of Berlusconi's associates and the armies of willing wannabes that swarm around them, examining the key players (and their conflicted interests) and unveiling a modern Italy as both comedy and tragedy.
LET IT RAIN is Agnes Jaoui's intimate portrait of a feminist writer, workaholic politician who returns to her childhood home in the South of France to help her sister sort out their mother's affairs. In the course of filmming an amateurish documentary on "successful women" to help out two blundering filmmakers, their lives begin to unravel as each character examines and faces their own values and individual life choices. An Academy Award nominee for "The Taste of Others," this bittersweet comedy is currently playing at Laemmle's Sunset 5 in Hollywood, Playhouse 7 in Pasadena, and Fallbrook in Woodland Hills.
EYES WIDE OPEN, a haunting tale of a doomed Orthodox Jewish gay couple, tells the tale of Aaron, a respectable butcher in Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox community. Married and a dedicated father of four, he hires Ezri, a handsome 22-year-old student as an apprentice and soon develops feelings for him. Forboding, guilt, inner torment and intense condemnation from the community catch up with him leading to a radical decision. Deemed the Best New Feature at the Palm Springs Film Fest, "Variety" calls EYES WIDE OPEN "soberly fascination, intense, and restrained."
JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK, follows the 76-year-old brash, irreverent, legendary comedy icon over the course of 14 months. With unprecedented access, filmmakers Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg capture the behind-the-scenes reality of one of the most resilient survivors in show business, revealing her struggles and breakthroughs in a male-dominated field. Brutally honest and self-aware she shares the private dramas and trauma of dealing with financial ruin and her husband's suicide, her rising and falling out with Johnny Carson andher ultimate triumph as a Tony-nominated, Emmy Award-winning talk show host, successful QVC entrepreneur and "Celebrity Apprentice" victor. A quintessential story of determination and career reinvention, this surprisingly intimate portrait reveals the vulnerabilities and resourcefulness of this consummate performer and pioneer.
RESTREPO, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, chronicles the deployment of a platoon of US soldiers in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley at a 15-man unit called “Restrepo” named after a medic killed in action. Author Sebastian Junger and photographer Tim Hetherington take you through an entirely experiential portrait of war that is emotionally harrowing and devastating in its immediacy. Their cameras never leave the valley, with no intervention from politicians, generals or diplomats, solely through the lense of the soldiers’ life in one of the military’s most dangerous outposts, RESTREPO is unforgettable and shattering experience of war.
STAR TREK: GENERATIONS lands on Stardate seven-thirty-one-twenty-ten as the voyages of the Star Ship Enterprise continue into the next Generation. Trekkees set your phasers on stun and your time-space coordinates for 11:55 pm to beam you to STAR TREK: GENERATIONS. Capt. Picard must enlist the help of a supposedly dead Capt. Kirk, to stop Soren (played by the inimitable Malcolm McDowell), a renegade scientist willing to murder on a planetary scale in order to enter a space matrix. Patrick Stewart takes over the helm in this 1994 film, along Jonathan Frakes, Levar Burton, Brent Spiner and the rest of the Next Generation crew, along with your favorites from the original Star Trek Cast. With a special in-person appearance by Dennis McCarthy, the film’s composer along with an bonus screening of the short film, The Hasty Hare, STAR TREK GENERATIONS, lands at Laemmle’s Royal Theatre, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Los Angeles, midnight on July 31st
RIVER OF LOVE is Michael Tobias’ moving documentary of the life, mission, and work of Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, known as Amma. It follows the internationally acclaimed humanitarian and spiritual leader, known as “the hugging” holy woman from her childhood struggles in Southwestern India to her teachings and healing work in a unique embodiment of love and compassion. RIVER OF LOVE will screen Sunday, August 1 from 12:30 – 4:45 pm at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica at 1328 Montana Avenue. With sacred sounds and music by the Kirtan group Bhakti Ma, and Sheela Bringi, whose music is now featured in the film “Eat, Pray, Love.
OLIVER STONE’S SOUTH OF THE BORDER, takes you across five countries to explore ongoing social and political movements, as well as the mainstream media’s misperception of South America. Gaining unprecedented access to seven elected presidents, including Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Evo Morales of Bolivia, Lula da Silva of Brazil, Cristina Kirchner of Argentina, Fernando Lugo of Paraguay, Rafael Correa of Ecuador and Raul Castro of Cuba, Stone sheds new light on these regional transformations through the surprising intimacy of casual conversations with these leaders.
FRITZ LANG’S “METROPOLIS”, considered one of the greatest films in cinematic history returned to The Silent Movie Theatre, 611 N. Fairfax, in a newly-restored 2-1/2 hr. version, the result of two-years of painstaking restoration of a negative found in an Argentinean archive. This 1927 pioneering sci-fi epic brings alive the Zeitgeist of Lang’s Expressionist Tomorrowland, producing indelible images that have lost none of their power to astonish, featuring Brigitte Helm in the dual performance of Maria and the Machine man made in her image.
TRIBUTE TO DENNIS HOPPER, "BLUE VELVET," "RIVER'S EDGE," "HOOSIERS," and "TRACKS." A truly larger-than-life original wildman and gifted writer/actor/director who created some of the most memorable movies and movie roles of the silver screen. The Silent Movie Theatre, at 611 N. Fairfax in Los Angeles, honors three of his greatest performances from the ultimate creep, Frank Booth BLUE VELVET, to his Oscar-nominated turn in HOOSIERS as “SHOOTER” who knew “Everything there is to know about the greatest game ever invented,” to Feck in THE RIVERS EDGE, in which he plays a hollowed-out ex-biker which “only an actor who’s truly been to hell and back can convey.”
STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME, the fourth in the movie series, was directed by Leonard Nimoy and starring William Shatner and all of your original Star Trek favorites. 1986's STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME takes Kirk and crew back to 20th Century Earth to recover two humpback whales, the only beings who can communicate with a mysterious space probe which is endangering the oceans and threatening to destroy 23rd Century Earth. With a special in-person appearance by Nichelle Nichols, STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME landed for one night only Stardate seven-ten-twenty-ten, to continue the ongoing summer midnight screening series at Laemmle's Royal Theatre in West Los Angeles.
STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK is the third in the Star Trek movie series. Directed by Leonard Nimoy and starring William Shatner, and Christopher Lloyd as Krug, 1984's "STAR TREK III: The Search for Spock," explores the sacrifices made for friendship, when the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many. With surprise in-person guests, thie 70 mm galactic-sized print landed for one night only, Star date six-twenty-six, twenty-ten at Laemmle's Royal Theatre, where the series continues for 11:55 pm, midnight screenings, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Los Angeles.
STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN, in a galactic 70 mm print, stars Ricardo Montalban and features the film debut of Kirstie Alley. Special in-person appearance by the film's director, Nicholas Meyer.
GANGSTER'S PARADISE, JERUSALEMA, is an unflinching look into the crime, corruption, and the transgressions of those looking to survive in the most crime-infested district of Johannesburg. Directed by Ralph Ziman and starring Rapaulana Seiphemo ("Tsotsi") and Robert Hobbs, Kenneth Nkosi ("District 9"), it tells the story of Lucky Kunene, a small-time criminal who graduates to bigger, more aggressive acts. Eventually, his trouble with the law, coupled with an escalating war between local drug lords creates a tense standoff. With both sides closing in, Kunene mus stay one step ahead or his empire and his life will come crashing down.
STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY. This sixth in the series, released in 1991, Directed by Nicholas Meyer, stars Kim Cattrall, Brock Peters, and the great Christopher Plummer as General Chang. When the Klingon moon explodes, the Enterprise must leads a quest for a peace treaty. When plans go array, the Enterprise and the Excelsior, commanded by Capt. Sulu, head for a deadly rendezvous with General Chang. With a special in-person appearance by Mr. Sulu himself, George Takei.
STAR TREK, THE MOTION PICTURE, 1979's first Star Trek adventure for the big screen, blasts off this Star Trek Spectacular series of Midnight screenings shown in a galactic 70 millimeter-size print. Trekkies set your phasers on stun and your time-space coordinates for 11:55 pm on June 12 to beam you to this first cinematic voyage of the Star Ship Enterprise. In-person appearance by actress Arlene Martel (Vulcan princess T'Pring from the original series episode "Amoke Time.") Playing one night only at Laemmle's Royal Theatre at 11523 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Los Angeles.
THE PAINTER SAM FRANCIS, artist Jeffrey Perkins' lyrical, intimate portrait of a friend, mentor, and leading light of American abstract art, was forty years in the making. Through interviews with friends, family and fellow artists, including Ed Ruscha, Bruce conner and James Turrell, Perkins illuminates a mysterious and complex personality and his singular, diverse body of work. For Francis, art was a parth to transcendence; for Perkins, Francis was art. "THE PAINTER SAM FRANCIS" is a labor of love, a moving portrait of a friend and tribute to the power of art. Currently playing at Laemmle's Monica 4-plex at 1332 2nd Street in Santa Monica.
BREATHLESS, Jean Luc Godard's revolutionary debut film and hallmark of the French New Wave, stars cinematic icon, Jean Paul Belmondo as a small-time hood and the rapturous Jean Seberg, as his Herald-Tribune-hawking girlfriend. Rialto Pictures presents this breathtaking 50th Anniversary restoration of the 1960 masterpiece, with newly revised subtitles. "BREATHLESS"remains stunningly original. The NY Times says, "Breathless still has the power to defy conventional expectations about what a movie should be, while providing an utterly captivating movie experience. Much as it may have influenced what was to come later, there is nothing quite like it. Even at 50, it is still cool, still new." BREATHLESS opens May 28th at Laemmle's Royal in West Los Angeles.
AFTER THE CUP: SONS OF SAKHNIN UNITED tell the story of a soccer team that couldn't create a new Middle East, but showed the world what it could look like. Bnei Sakhnin is the first team from an Arab town to win the Israeli Cup and represent Israel in European competition. Fielding Arab, Jewish, and foreign-born players, owned by an Arab and coached by a Jew, Bnei Sakhnin's success has begun to represent a symbol of co-existence, a potential bridge between the Arabs and Jews. "AFTER THE CUP" opens on May 28th at Laemmle's Music Hall 3, 9036 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills. A special "Talkback" will be held with the director in conjunction with the Levantine Center, on May 30th.
THE LIVING WAKE, is a dark comedy set in a timeless storybook universe. Self-proclaimed artist and genius, Ke. Roth Binew, has one day to live. He sets out on a bicycle powered rickshaw with his best friend, Mills, to hand out invitations to his final party, a living wake. In a final attempt to probe life's deepest mysteries, he endures ridiculous trials and whimsical adventures, culminating in his final performance on a makeshift stage in an open field. THE LIVING WAKE opens at Laemmle Sunset 5 on May 21st.
FATHER OF MY CHILDREN, follows a seemingly successful film producer who confronts despair and failure and monetary troubles mount with his film company. As his cinematic world unravels, his family is left to cope and start anew. Deemed by "Variety" as a director to watch, Mia Hanson-Love paints a deeply moving portrait of a family undergoing dramatic rupture. THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN opens on May 21st at The Landmark Theatre, 10850 West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles,
HERE AND THERE, winner for Best Narrative at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival, has been called an indie tour de force, comparable to "The Visitor" with a Serbian twist on a timeless theme of what it means to be human. Robert, a depressed and broke middle-aged New Yorker, is being evicted from his apartment and hires Branko, a young Serbian immigrant to help him move out. Desperately wanting his girlfriend to join him in the US, Branko hatched a marriage scheme with Robert to help her obtain a visa, exposing fish-out-of water Robert to the best traditions of Balkan hospitality. Opens May 21st at Laemmle Music Hall 3, 9036 Wilshire Blvd., LA
LOOKING FOR ERIC, Ken Loach's latest follows a Manchester postman who finds his life in a downward spiral. After a failed marriage and trying to raise his stepsons in trouble, he is transformed when he turns to his idol, French-born soccer genius and philosopher, Eric Cantona, whose enigmatic advice on life, love, and fellowship inspire him to get his life back on track. LOOKING FOR ERIC is a warm, bittersweet tale combining Loach's trademark realism and compassion for the working man with sweetness, humor, and humanity. Opens May 21st at Laemmle Theatres throughout Los Angeles.
EVERYONE ELSE, Director Maren Ade's film involves a young couple forced to re-examine their fragile relationship as fears and insecurities surface while they vacation in Sardinia. Their relationship is brought to the brink as they compare themselves to a seemingly happier and more successful couple. With a second chance to discover themselves and each other, they strive to be as happy as "everyone else." The Hollywood Reporter deems "Everyone Else" a "brilliant, delicious, accutely observed dissection of the ties between two young lovers." "Everyone Else" opens May 14th at Laemmle Sunset 5. For further info, go to www.laemmle.com
DANCE MEDIA FILM FESTIVAL,at Redcat is Dance Camera West's 9th Annual presentation. Opening with "Screendance: A New Visual Language", it presents a unique cinematic experience focussing on the intersection of cinematography and choreography. From experimental shorts to documentaries, surreal visual abstractions, as well as narratives, it offers a broad range of cinematic styles, exhibition formats, and subject matters which traverse global perspectives. For further info on the entire series, visit: www.dancecamerawest.org.
BEHIND THE BURLY Q, In the early part of the 20th Century, burlesque and vaudeville acts were one of America's most popular forms of entertainment, until cinema drove them from the mainstream. "Behind the Burly Q" reveals the true story of the Golden Age of Burlesque as a part of America's cultural history through the intimate and surprising stories of the women (and men) who lived it. "Behind the Burly Q" open May 7 and Laemmle's Sunset 5, 8000 sunset Blvd., West Hollywood.
ASIAN-PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL Celebrates the 70th Birthday of Bruce Lee with industry panels and a compelling line-up of documentaries and narratives focussing on the Asian Experience from around the world. Some of the highlights include:
In the Matter of Cha Jung Lee, a documentary of self-discovery and the universal question of who we are, tracing the story of filmmaker Borshay Liem's return to Korea to search for the girl under whose name Borshay arrived in the U.S. in 1966.
Mamachas del Ring about the first indigenous women wrestlers of Bolivia, and their fight for rights over their own bodies and desires.
Macho Like Me, a hilarious, self-experimenting documentary sets off to prove the widespread belief among women that men simply have it better, attempting to answer the classic, female inquiry of "If I Were A Boy."
Mao's Last Dancer, Brought to the screen by acclaimed director, Bruce Beresford ("Driving Miss Daisy," and "The Black Robe"), based on an inspiring true story which speaks to personal and cultural freedom, passion and determination.
The Actresses, Six actresses, across different age groups are brought together on Christmas Eve for a once-in-a-lifetime "Vogue" magazine cover shoot. Of course, when working with actresses with their respective entourages and demands, anything can happen. Shot documentary-style, "The Actresses" is rise with industry jokes, low-blows, egos, and insecurities.
PHYLLIS AND HAROLD is an astoundingly frank journey through the ups and downs of a 59-year marriage. With great humor and poignancy, filmmaker Cindy Kleine draws on a lifetime family home movies and interviews over 12 years, mixing reportage, cinema verite, and animation to uncover her family secrets following her father’s death. PHYLLIS AND HAROLD delves into the mysteries and nature of living and the losses faced with the passage of time. Documentarian Ken Burns deems the film a “masterpiece,” devastating, true, sad, and funny. Playwright Wallace Shawn calls it the most outrageously sensual of documentaries,“the graceful, painful music of two people who dance together for a lifetime, but barely touch.” PHYLLIS AND HAROLD is currently playing at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3, 9036 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills.
NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT PERSIAN CATS, is directed by Bahman Ghobadi, and co-written by Roxana Saberi, whose book “Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran” has recently caught the world’s attention. “NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT PERSIAN CATS” tells the story of two young musicians, recently released from prison, who decide to form a band, combing the underworld of contemporary Tehran for other players. Forbidden by the Iranian authorities to play their music, they plan to escape and dream of performing in Europe against all odds. Winner of the Special Jury prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Fest., it recently screened at AFI Fest and South by Southwest. Opens april 23rd at Laemmle Town Center 5 in Encino.
PAPER MAN, directed by Michelle and Kieran Mulroney, is a whimsical, funny, touching story of an unlikely friendship between a middle-aged novelist who has never quite grown up and a young girl whose family tragedy has stolen away her youth. As their quirky relationship unfolds, they share their dreams and discover new life. “Paper Man” stars Jeff Daniels, Lisa Kudrow, Ryan Reynolds and Emily Stone is a break-out performance. It opens April 23 at The Landmark, 10850 West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles.
SOUTHEAST EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL (SEE FEST) offers films from Southeast European countries, including Hungary, Albania, Serbia, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Turkey and many others. It opens Thursday, April 29th at the Goethe Institut, 5750 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles and closes Monday, May 3rd at the James Bridges Theatre on the UCLA campus. The Festival promotes diversity and cultural exchange through its roster of quality, topical films. KPFK is a proud Media Sponsor and Film Club members are offered a pair of tickets to the screening of their choise, excluding Opening Night. For further info: www.seefilmla.org
FOOTPRINTS is the feature film debut of award-winning writer Steven Peros When a young woman wakes up in the footprints at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre with no idea who she is or how she got there, her dream-like journey of self-discovery through Hollywood begins. Spanning one day, from sunrise to sunset, through the celebrity impersonators, Scientologists, tourguides shopowners and the quirkiness of Hollywood, FOOTPRINTS features poignant performances by Hollywood veterans Pippa Scott and H.M. Wynant. FOOTPRINTS screens at the American Cinemateque at the EGYPTIAN THEATRE in Hollywood, Wednesday, April 28th. Cast and Crew will be in attendance after the screening for Q and A.
REEFER MADNESS, originally called, “Tell Your Children” became a cult classic of misinformation, exposing the dangers of “the devil weed,” which many feared would lead our nation’s youth to violence, insanity, or suicide. Two Special Event screenings celebrated the DVD release of the 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collectors’ Edition of this infamous offering. With over 2 hours of bonus film clips including: The Weed of Death!, Betty Boop in Happy You and Merry me, Marijuana: Threat or Menace?, Hemp for Victory, The Push and feature film, Marihuana: Sins of Youth and More! All attendees will get a DVD. “Reefer Madness” screened for one night only, at the Vine Theater, 6321 Hollywood Blvd. (just west of Vine)
THE INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL OF LOS ANGELES, OFFERS THE BEST IN CONTEMPORARY INDIAN CINEMA.
HARISHCHANDRACHI FACTORY, India’s entry into the Oscar race, it celebrates the joy and wonder of moving images as it tells the story a first-time filmmaker who meets with a host of unexpected challenges in trying to film his religious epic.
ROAD, MOVIE, is a beautiful, coming-of-age drama which masterfully blends themes of love, friendship, danger, and wonder in a young man’s journey across the majesty of the Rajasthani desert.
FATSO, is Rajat Kapoor’s witty, romantic comedy showing the lighter side of death, in which the afterlife is a bureaucratic mess and the wrong man finds his life cut short, but even death can’t stop him from trying to reclaim his earthly love.
HARRY BROWN, directed by Academy Award Nominee Daniel Barber, stars two-time Oscar-winner Michael Caine, in a powerful, poignant performance as a man brought to the brink by gang violence and the death of a friend. Set in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Britain, this gritty, provocative drama deals with the struggle of a man who seeks to face loss, avenge his friend's death and cope with the deteriorating world around him. KPFK Film Club members are invited to a special screening of "Harry Brown" at Laemmle's Sunset 5 on Thursday, April 22nd at 7:00 pm.
WHO DO YOU LOVE, directed by Jerry Zaks, starring Alessandro Nivola and Jon Abrahams as Leonard and Phil Chess, founders of legendary Chess Records, home to the blues of Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters, the rock and roll of Bo Diddeley and “At Last” but not least, Etta James. From the childhood dreams of young Leonard and Phil, growing up in Chicago, the sons of Polish immigrants, to the opening of their Macomba Club and a gamble to become record producers, “WHO DO YOU LOVE” features authentic musical performances in a film Marshall Chess deems a “great snapshot of the era in which the music that was to become the foundation of rock and roll was created. Opening April 16th at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3, Monicas, and Fallbrook. PLEASE NOTE - CHANGE OF VENUE: PASSES WILL BE HONORED ONLY AT LAEMMLE'S MUSIC HALL, 9036 WILSHIRE BLVD., BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90211.
THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES, this year’s Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film, from Argentina, involves a retired criminal court employee and would-be author who revisits a case involving the rape and murder of a beautiful young woman. Argentina in 1974 becomes the backdrop for the violence, hate, revenge and death that rule people’s lives and fates. No longer an observer, he becomes a central character in a drama of increasing danger and corruption. In delving into his past choices, he awakens his demons and faces his future, discovering the winding path he must take to understand, justify and find meaning for his own life, facing the woman he still loves after thirty years and the case that continues to haunt them both. Opens April 16th at The Landmark, Westside Pavilion, 10850 West Pico.
41st and CENTRAL, THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE LA BLACK PANTHERS, is the first part in a documentary series that follows the Southern California chapter of the Black Panther Party, from its black power beginnings through its tragic demise. Despite the Party's formation of free medical clinics and childrens' breakfast program, it was also known as the msot violent political group in the U.S. Featuring first-hand accounts by former Party members, along with archival footage, this in-depth study is the inaugural presentation in the Pan African Film Festivals "Encore" series, a monthly offering for which KPFK is a proud Media Sponsor. "41st and Central" continues to run through April 15th at the Culver Plaza Theater, 9919 Washington Blvd. in Culver City.
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, based on Stieg Larsson’s literary sensation, is the highest grossing film in Swedish film history and 2009’s highest grossing film in Europe. Part of Larsson’s “Millenium Triology,” this suspenseful story involves the disappearance of Harriet Vanger from a family gathering of the powerful and secretive Vanger clan. When her uncle employs a financial journalist and a troubled, but resourceful computer hacker to investigate, a dark and appalling family history begins to unravel. currently playing at Laemmle Theaters.
THE ECLIPSE is renowned Tony-award nominated playwright Conor McPherson’s exquisitely-crafted drama of the supernatural, stars Aiden Quinn and Irish actor Ciaran (Keeran) Hinds, winner of the Best Actor award at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. When teacher, widow, and father, Michael Farr starts to see strange apparitions in the night, the lives of three people converge in a life-altering collision in this story about the challenges of love, fear of the unknown, loss and grief. THE ECLIPSE is currently playing at Laemmle Theaters.
HAWAII: A VOICE FOR SOVEREIGNTY, a film by Catherine Bauknight, is the first documentary of its kind to feature the Native Hawaiians' journey to sustain their culture, spirituality, and connection to the land. Passes were offered to our members to attend this special screening, panel discussion and cultural ceremony which was held on April 3rd at the Pasadena Convention Center. The event opened with a Cultural Ceremony with Hawaiian elders and special guest Kiowa Gordon from the Twilight Saga, New Moon, addressing the Hawaiian and indigenous cultures.
VENTURA FILM SOCIETY FESTIVAL 2010 running at the historic Elks Lodge in Ventura, the festival offered our members passes to any screening from a slate of over 50 feature films and documentaries, including an 8-film tribute to actor/director Paul Mazursky.
GREEN LIFESTYLE FESTIVAL offered to our members all-day passes to this 2-day "green fest", which took place at the James Bridges Theater on the UCLA campus, with food and yoga demonstrations, music and dance entertainment, and a broad range of films dealing with sustainability and the ecology.
EASIER WITH PRACTICE, Writer/director Kyle Alvarez’ feature film debut “Easier with Practice” first screened at the 2009 AFI fest. It stars (“Hurt Locker’s”) Brian Geraghty in a remarkable, breakthrough performance as fledgling author, Davy Mitchell, who, while on a book tour discovers how phone sex leads to relationship, communication, and ultimately self-revelation. “Easier with Practice” is a funny, sensitive, insightful exploration of the ever-evolving ways that people find each other and themselves in the modern world.
MOTHER, latest award-winning film from Korean director bong Joon-ho, a unique murder mystery about a mother's primal love for her son and her own investigation to find the girl's killer. "In an obsessive quest to clear her son's name, she steps into a world of unimaginable chaos and shocking revelations."
The Red Riding Trilogy is an ambitious, dark, thrilling trilogy of crime drama films set in Yorkshire in the ‘70s and ’80, adapted from David Peace’s cult noir novels.
AFI FILM FESTIVAL. Experience a world class film festival with the 24th Annual AFI Fest. (Go to www.afifest.com for a full schedule and roster of films. Two special screenings offered to KPFK Film Club members:
ERASERHEAD - David Lynch's startling black and white dreamscape, deemed one of the creepiest movies ever made, seething with bodily fluids and mutant, hypnotic beauty. ERASERHEAD screens Sat., Nov. 6th at 3:30 pm at the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. On a double-bill with the classic SUNSET BLVD.
AMIGO - John Sayles' compelling drama about the moral quandaries facing US soldiers and local cooperators a century ago in the Phillipine-American War, with strong parallels to current events. AMIGO screens, Sat. Nov. 6th at 9:45 pm at Grauman's Chinese.
NORA'S WILL, Nora had a plan. It would bring her ex-husband, Jose, and the rest of their family together for a magnificent Passover feast. But there is a flaw in her plan- a mysterious photograph from the past, hidden under the bed, which leads Jose to reexamine their relationship and rediscover their undying love for each other. Starting October 29th at Laemmle Theaters: http://www.laemmle.com/viewmovie.php?mid=5929
NORA'S WILL - Mariana Chenillo's feature film debut, NORA'S WILL (CINCO DIAS SIN NORA) involves a woman's suicide just before Passover, creating complications for her loved ones. Deemed a "deft blend of comedy and tragedy, "warm and entertaining" NORA'S WILL, is the winner of seven Mexican Academy Awards, including Best Picture. A non-sentimental film about love and mortality, NORA'S WILL has been called "a true find, a strikingly good literate, emotionally engaging movie that will leave you wanting to see it again." Exclusive LA engagement at Laemmle's Royal in West LA and Town Center 5 in Encino.
RECENT OFFERINGS:
ERASERHEAD - David Lynch's startling black and white dreamscape deemed one of the creepiest films ever made, seething with bodily fluids and mutant hypnotic beauty. ERASERHEAD screens on Saturday, November 6th at 3:30 pm at the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. (on a double-bill with the classic SUNSET BOULEVARD.)
AMIGO - John Sayles' compelling drama about the moral quandaries facing US soliders and local cooperators a century ago in the Phillipine-American war, with strong parallels to current events. AMIGO screens on Saturday, November 6th at 9:45 at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
THE TWO ESCOBARS, says Documentary magazine, deftly weaves together the precariously and tragically entwined stories of Andres and Pablo, and how the dreams of elevating a nation's hope through the exploits of its national sport were both fueled and shattered by the dark elements that defined a nation's identity." Fest 21 calls "The Two Escobars" a compelling profile that will make you never watch the World Cup in the same way again. "The Two Escobars" opens at Laemmle's Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills on Friday, Oct. 29th.
GHETTO PHYSICS: WILL THE REAL PIMPS AND HO’S PLEASE STAND UP! – From the filmmakers of “What the Bleep Do We Know?!” this underground sensation is part documentary, part Saturday Night Live satire, part narrative. With exclusive interviews with notable entertainers and thinkers, from Dr. Cornel West to Ice-T to Norman Lear it begins by looking at the evocative world of the Pimp and Ho and how it translates to the entire social power game around us and finally bringing that awareness to its impact on a student’s life. Rather than right/wrong, good vs. bad, Ghetto Physics focuses on Empowerment and hope through speaking truth to power and choosing the role one wishes to play in every situation. GHETTO PHYSICS opens October 22 at the RAVE 18 at the Howard Hughes Center, 6081 Center Drive, #201, in Los Angeles.
is the story of how the young Alan Ginsberg broke down societal barriers in the face of an infamous public obscenity trial. In his famously confessional style, Ginsberg, poet, counter-culture icon, and chronicler of the Beat Generation recounts the road trips, the love affairs, and the search for personal liberation that led to his timeless epic poem, HOWL. James Franco stars as Ginsberg in a career-defining performance, leading an all-star casting including, Jeff Daniels, David Strathairn, John Hamm, Treat Williams, and Mary Louise Parker. HOWL opens October 1st at Laemmle’s Sunset 5, Playhouse 7 in Pasadena and Town Center, Encino and October 8th at Monica-4 Plex.
HOWL
NOWHERE BOY captures the crucial formative years of John Lennon, as a smart and troubled young man hungry for experience and a desire to escape the complexities of his family life. Imagine, Liverpool 1955, the teenage years of John Lennon. Depicting the underlying currents that shaped the creative and inspirational qualities which lead to the formation of the Beatles and the lasting legacy which continues 30 years after his death. Coinciding with the birthday of John Lennon, NOWHERE BOY opens at The Landmark, 10850 West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles on Friday, October 8th.
STONE involves a seasoned parole officer and a volatile inmate find their lives dangerously intertwined. Directed by John Curran and featuring powerful performances by Robert DeNiro, Ed Norton, Milla Jovovich, and Frances Conroy, STONE weaves together parallel journeys of two men grappling with dark impulses. Set in the quiet desperation of economically ravaged Detroit and the stifling brutality of a maximum security prison, this tale of passion, betrayal and corruption examines the troubled past and an uncertain future. STONE opens at AMC Century City and the ArcLight in Hollywood on Friday, October 8th.
ALTIPLANO is a haunting, ravishingly beautiful film about our divided yet inextricably intertwined world. When deadly traces of mercury from silver-mining bring illness and death to a village in the Andes, the villagers seek retribution, mistakenly blaming the outbreak on Western doctors who work in the nearby mountain clinic. Two women – the fiancé of a villager killed by mercury poisoning and the wife of a doctor killed in the protest-turned-riot are brought together. Winner of the Grand Prize at both the Bankgok and Virton film festivals, an official selection at Cannes, ALTIPLANO opens on Friday, October 1st at Laemmle’s Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills.
KINGS OF PASTRY says the Herald Scotland is the culinary “Hurt Locker”. Forget Master Chef, in filming this funny documentary about a serious French pastry competition, filmmakers D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, secured exclusive rights to shoot the prestigious Best Craftsman in France competition, the ultimate recognition for a pastry chef, through three intense days of mixing, piping, and sculpting desserts from delicate chocolates to 6 foot sugar sculptures. Working under the scrutiny of master judges and the critical palates of some of the world’s most renowned chefs, the film follows chef Jacquy Pfeiffer, co-founder of Chicago’s French Pastry School, as he journeys back to his childhood home of Alsace to practice for the contest. Along with two other competitors, he vies, amidst passion, sacrifice, disappointment and joy, to become one of the Kings of Pastry. From the filmmakers of “The War Room” and “Don’t Look Back” this delicious celluloid experience opens October 8th at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3, 9036 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills.
SECRETARIAT, screening Sept. 23 only at the Landmark (Westwood and Pico). Based on the remarkable true story, it chronicles the spectacular journey of the 1973 Triple Crown winner. Housewife and mother Penny Chenery, agrees to take over her ailing father's Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horseracing knowledge. Against all odds, with the help of veteran trainer, Lucien Laurin, she manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering perhaps the greatest living racehorse of all time. Starring Diane Lane, John Malkovich, and James Cromwell.
SOMETHING’S GONNA LIVE is an intimate portrait of life, death, friendship and the movies, as recalled by some of Hollywood’s greatest cinematic artists. Academy-Award nominated filmmaker Daniel Raim captures the late life coming together of renowned art directors Robert Boyle, Henry Bumstead and Albert Nozaki, along with legendary cinematographers Haskell Wexler and Conrad Hall. This deeply engaging, thought-provoking celebration of these octogenarian artists, responsible for some of the greatest films of Hollywood’s Golden Era, chronicles iconic scenes from our collective imaginations through snapshots, drawings, paintings, interviews, and vintage footage. Far more than mere nostalgia, SOMETHING’S GONNA LIVE explores the artist’s moral obligation to truthfully portray the human condition.
LOVELY, STILL is a mysterious and tender love story, starring Academy Award winners Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn. What begins as an awkward encounter quickly blossoms into a new chance for romance. This uncommonly lovely tale of an elderly couple’s affair takes us on a heartfelt and wonderful journey, revealing an unexpected twist. Skillfully and sensitively directed by Nik Fackler, with music by Conor Oberst.
GENIUS WITHIN: THE INNER LIFE OF GLENN GOULD weaves together an unprecedented array of never-before-seen footage, photographs and excerpts from Gould’s private home recordings and diaries, along with personal interviews with his most intimate friends and lovers, reconstructing his thoughts on music, art, society, love and life. The enigmatic musical poet and world-renowned pianist continues to captivate 28 years after his untimely death. Variety calls “GENIUS WITHIN” a must-see for serious music fans.”
A MOTHER’S COURAGE is a new documentary which charts the journey of a mother trying to unlock the mind of her autistic son. Consumed by the search for treatments for her son, she travels from Iceland to the US and Europe meeting with top experts, advocates and other families touched by struggles with autism. From the challenges of doctor visits, experimental treatments, the inability to communicate and perform daily tasks, to the hope of innovative therapies, a mother’s pain and suffering is lifted by the hope that her son might be able to express himself on a level she never thought possible. Narrated by Kate Winslet and with music by Sigur Ros and Bjork, Variety calls A MOTHER’S COURAGE, “A mystery replete with miracles. Will leave audiences stunned and rethinking what has long been considered a disorder devoid of hope.”
ARPA FILM FESTIVAL, SEPT 21 - 26th, Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., LA, CA 90028, PH: 323-461-2021. Offering over 40 feature films, shorts, documentaries, videos and animated films, including the first Armenian feature, the restored 1926 silent film "Namous."
NESHOBA: THE PRICE OF FREEDOM tells the story of the Mississippi County still divided over the meaning of justice 40 yrs after the murders of civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner. With unprecedented access to Edgar Ray Killen, the 80 yr. old Baptist preacher and notorious racist indicted in 2005 by the State, the award winning filmmakers take viewers on a journey into the mindset of a man who still feels that the murders were justified as “self defense” of a way of life and the rage and denial that still exist within the wildly disparate views within the community. NESHOBA: THE PRICE OF FREEDOM opens Sept. 10th at Laemmle’s Music Hall and Playhouse 7 in Pasadena.
TEZA (or MORNING DEW) is Haile Gerima’s tale of an idealistic young intellectual, from his origins in a small Ethiopian village, through his years as a med student in Europe, his return to Ethiopia, where he ends up a casualty of the Marxist military revolution that overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, and his exile to West Germany where he becomes a victim of racism. TEZA examines the displacement of African intellectuals at home and abroad and the internal struggle to stay true to one’s self and one’s homeland through memory and the right to own one’s past in the midst of powerlessness and the dissolution of humanity and social values.
SOUL KITCHEN, winner of the Special Jury Prize and Young Cinema Award for Best Film at the Venice Film Festival, centers on a disorganized young German-Greek restauranteur and his motley assortment of patrons. Down on his luck and mending a broken heart, he leaves his Soul Kitchen in the hands of his ex-con brother, leading to disastrous results. With soul music at its core, SOUL KITCHEN features music by Kool and the Gang, Quincy Jones, Sam Cooke mixed with a Hamburg hip hop and Hans Albers. SOUL KITCHEN opens September 3rd at Laemmle’s Royal Theatre at 11523 Santa Monica Blvd.in West Los Angeles.
MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN, short-listed for the Academy Awards, is an acclaimed documentary that exposes the battle of one white farmer who refused to back down, against Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and his land reappropriation policy which ultimately became gifts to Mugabe’s supporters. Seeking to protect the family farm and the livelihoods of 500 black workers who live and work there, Mike Campbell, a 75-year old grandfather, took the unprecedented step of challenging Mugabe’s Land Reform in international court. Shot with the risk of imprisonment, MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN is the only documentary to come out of Zimbabwe in recent years, where a total press ban still exists, perhaps the only glimpse inside Mugabe’s modern-day Zimbabwe. MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN opens August 13th at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3, 9036 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills.
HENRI CLOUZOT'S INFERNO. In 1964, inspired by Felini’s 8-1/2, master filmmaker Henri-Georges Clouzot began L’ENFER, an obsessive tale of jealousy, suspicion, cruelty, madness and contaminated relationships. Starring Romy Schneider and Serge Reggiani, the calamitous project was riddled with problems - lack of discipline, out of control budgets and special effects, temperamental actors, as well as the filmmaker’s own collapse. Clouzot’s widow locked away the footage for decades, eventually turning the 185 cans of surviving material over to archivist Serge Bromberg. The result is an extraordinary documentary, HENRI CLOUZOT’S INFERNO. HENRI CLOUZOT’S INFERNO opens July 30th at Laemmle’s Sunset 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood.
Latin-American Showcase presents 4 novel films from Argentina, Mexico and Columbia including: MUNDO ALAS, a concert/road film (featuring the music of Leon Gieco) about a group of musicians, singers, dancers and painters on a tour which culminates in a concert in Buenos Aires. Gieco, Argentina’s most important folk-rock singer/songwriter will perform a brief set before each nightly screening. CONOZCA LA CABEZA DE JUAN PEREZ, a comedy in which the head of a low-life circus magician recalls what led him to his decapitation. MUSICA EN ESPERA (MUSIC ON HOLD), an Argentinian romantic comedy about a music composer with writers’ block, and a bank assistant who inadvertently gives him just the melody he needs when she places him on hold. And EL VUELVO DEL CANGREJO, set in the Afro-Columbian community of La Barra on the Pacific Coast, CRAB TRAP depicts a young man trying to feel his past and the clash between a remote village and modernity.
2010 USA-Australia Film Showcase brings you a bit of “down under” with three award-winning, as yet unreleased films including: ACCIDENTS HAPPEN, a bittersweet comedy, starring Geena Davis, about a dysfunctional urban family coping with the consequences of a tragedy; THE WAITING CITY, directed by Claire McCarthy, starring Radha Mitchell. Most recently the closing gala film of the Indian Film Fest, an Australian couple travel to India to adopt a baby, but the overwhelming power of India pulls them in unexpected directions. And CHARLIE and BOOTS, which follows the efforts of a son to bring his grieving father out of depression by taking him on the fishing trip of a lifetime.
HIGHWATER, Writer-Director Dana Brown follows in his famous father, Bruce Brown’s footsteps, with the surfing documentary HIGHWATER, which follows the men and women who gather each year for the “Seven Mile Miracle” on Oahu’s North Short, the ultimate big wave surfing challenge, the Triple Crown. This compelling look at the 55-day, 3-tiered granddaddy of surfing competitions, combines awesome footage, interviews and the North Shore zeitgeist. “If there’s such a thing as too much beauty in a film, the surfing documentary HIGHWATER is guilty of it. HIGHWATER opens Sept. 3 at Laemmle’s Monica-4 Plex, 1332 2nd Street, in Santa Monica.
GET LOW is a magical, moving blend of folk tale, fable and real-life legend from first time director Aaron Schneider.Starring Academy Award winner Robert Duvall in one of his finest performances as Felix Bush, a hermit who plans and attends his own funeral, revealing a shocking confession to the townspeople who have ostracized and demonized him. GET LOW costars Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek, and Lucas Black in a remarkable tale of secrets, heartbreak and a desire for redemption. GET LOW is currently playing at The Landmark, 10850 West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles.
ANIMAL KINGDOM is the remarkable feature debut of Australian writer/director David Michod. Starring Guy Pierce in a tale from the underworld of a Melbourne crime family, in the tradition of the Krays and Ma Barker, you’ve never seen a matriarch quite like Smurf Cody, in a masterful performance byJackie Weaver. With the death of his troubled mother, Joshua Cody is reluctantly taken into the family gangster business amidst a minefield of witness protection, corrupt cops, slippery lawyers and a paranoid, vengeful relatives. He comes to realize in order to survive he must determine how the game is played and choose his place in the cunning and brutal animal kingdom. ANIMAL KINGDOM opens at AMC Century 15, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd.
THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WTIH FIRE is the second film adaptation of Stieg Larsson's literary sensation, MILLENIUM TRILOGY. The unforgettable Lisbeth Salander, the troubled, wise-beyond-her-years genius hacker returns, this time as a prime suspect in the murder of two journalists on the verge of exposing trafficking in Eastern Europe and Sweden. Alone in his belief of Lisbeth's innocence, publisher Mikael Blomkvist plunges into an examination of the slaying, implicating highly placed members of Swedish society, business, and government. Meanwhile, Lisbeth is drawn into a murderous hunt in which she herself is the prey, compelling her to revisit her dark past. THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WTIH FIRE opens at Laemmle's Fallbrook, Monica, 4-Plex, Playhouse 7, Town Center and Claremont on Friday, July 9th.
STAR TREK, the 2009 film directed by JJ Abrams which chronicles where it all began for the young Kirk and Spock, before they unite aboard the Enterprise to fight Nero, a Romulan who threatens the United Federation. STAR TREK, the 11th and most recent film in the franchise.
THE TILLMAN STORY is the true story behind the tragic death of NFL star Pat Tillman, and subsequent covered up by the military. This essential and infuriating documentary follows his family’s tireless efforts to penetrate the official lies. Directed by Amir Bar Lev. Playing at Laemmles.
TOPANGA FILM FESTIVAL, offers a socailly-conscious slate of films including KPFK favorites, “South of the Border, “Dirt,” “Save the Farm,” and “Blue Gold,” as well as “Lost Angels” about the marginalized on Skid Row, a Haiti Cine Institute student showcase and an international day with short films from India, Ireland, and Switzerland. The opening night’s screening of “Easy Rider” honors the late Dennis Hopper, while other honorees include David Lynch and Patricia Arquette. Go to topangafilmfestival.com for full roster of films, venues and directions.
STAR TREK: NEMESIS. In 2002’s NEMESIS, the 10th feature in the franchise series, a final generation’s journey begins, when the Federation is threatened by a Capt. Picard clone who takes control of the Romulan empire. With a special in-person appearance by Will Wheaton, this 70 mm galactic sized print landed at Laemmle's Royal Theatre in West Los Angeles.
STAR TREK: INSURRECTION. When the peaceful Ba’ku are threatened, Capt Picard and crew must defend their harmonious natural existence and the regenerative radiation that gives them to live long and prosper. Directed by Jonathan Frakes, 1998’s STAR TREK: INSURRECTION stars F. Murray Abraham, Donna Murphy and Anthony Zerbe. Also screening an extra added bonus, the short film parody “Brokeback Enterprise.”
A MI ME GUSTA: How do you change a country and improve its conditions?After years of portraying Venezuela as a violent country, this is the first romantic comedy with no drugs, violence, prostitution or guns, answering the question, “Why do people stay?” Margarita Garcia has a dream to become a great chef in London. She leaves everything behind to start a new life, but she is forced to return to Venezuela and start all over. Paul Welsare, the admired British Cook comes to Venezuela to work for Christmas. If she only manages to receive a recommendation, she will have the passport to success in her hands. Between family, friends and kitchen stove ignites this love story between a cold English man and a passionate Latin woman only to prove that – home is where the heart is.
AROUND A SMALL MOUNTAIN is legendary director,Jacques Rivette’s tale of lost love, chance encounters and the transformative power of art. AROUND A SMALL MOUNTAIN stars Jane Birkin and Sergio Castellitto. On a winding mountain road, Vittorio stops to help Kate whose car has broken down, later finding an intriguing story which leads him into the world of her family’s travelling circus and the lives of its performers. The New York Times calls AROUND A SMALL MOUNTAIN “As transporting and graceful as a ride in a balloon.” Deemed “an ephemeral 85 minute daydream,” by Artforum.
MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON is acclaimed French director Stephane Brize crafts a modern day, “Brief Counter,”an elegant, moving tale of an unexpected romance between a married man and his son’s teacher and their attempt to restrain their desires. Crafted with grace and subtlety MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON.
VIDEOCRACY, is Erik Gandini's critically-acclaimed documentary about the carnivalesque world of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and its effect on his country's culture, examines the mercenary underbelly of the high-glitz, low-politics, skin-baring media culture promulgated by Berlusconi's use of his ownership of the majority of Italy's television stations as a powerful tool to shape public opinion for financial and political benefit. Gandini gains remarkable access to the opulent world of Berlusconi's associates and the armies of willing wannabes that swarm around them, examining the key players (and their conflicted interests) and unveiling a modern Italy as both comedy and tragedy.
LET IT RAIN is Agnes Jaoui's intimate portrait of a feminist writer, workaholic politician who returns to her childhood home in the South of France to help her sister sort out their mother's affairs. In the course of filmming an amateurish documentary on "successful women" to help out two blundering filmmakers, their lives begin to unravel as each character examines and faces their own values and individual life choices. An Academy Award nominee for "The Taste of Others," this bittersweet comedy is currently playing at Laemmle's Sunset 5 in Hollywood, Playhouse 7 in Pasadena, and Fallbrook in Woodland Hills.
EYES WIDE OPEN, a haunting tale of a doomed Orthodox Jewish gay couple, tells the tale of Aaron, a respectable butcher in Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox community. Married and a dedicated father of four, he hires Ezri, a handsome 22-year-old student as an apprentice and soon develops feelings for him. Forboding, guilt, inner torment and intense condemnation from the community catch up with him leading to a radical decision. Deemed the Best New Feature at the Palm Springs Film Fest, "Variety" calls EYES WIDE OPEN "soberly fascination, intense, and restrained."
JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK, follows the 76-year-old brash, irreverent, legendary comedy icon over the course of 14 months. With unprecedented access, filmmakers Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg capture the behind-the-scenes reality of one of the most resilient survivors in show business, revealing her struggles and breakthroughs in a male-dominated field. Brutally honest and self-aware she shares the private dramas and trauma of dealing with financial ruin and her husband's suicide, her rising and falling out with Johnny Carson andher ultimate triumph as a Tony-nominated, Emmy Award-winning talk show host, successful QVC entrepreneur and "Celebrity Apprentice" victor. A quintessential story of determination and career reinvention, this surprisingly intimate portrait reveals the vulnerabilities and resourcefulness of this consummate performer and pioneer.
RESTREPO, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, chronicles the deployment of a platoon of US soldiers in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley at a 15-man unit called “Restrepo” named after a medic killed in action. Author Sebastian Junger and photographer Tim Hetherington take you through an entirely experiential portrait of war that is emotionally harrowing and devastating in its immediacy. Their cameras never leave the valley, with no intervention from politicians, generals or diplomats, solely through the lense of the soldiers’ life in one of the military’s most dangerous outposts, RESTREPO is unforgettable and shattering experience of war.
STAR TREK: GENERATIONS lands on Stardate seven-thirty-one-twenty-ten as the voyages of the Star Ship Enterprise continue into the next Generation. Trekkees set your phasers on stun and your time-space coordinates for 11:55 pm to beam you to STAR TREK: GENERATIONS. Capt. Picard must enlist the help of a supposedly dead Capt. Kirk, to stop Soren (played by the inimitable Malcolm McDowell), a renegade scientist willing to murder on a planetary scale in order to enter a space matrix. Patrick Stewart takes over the helm in this 1994 film, along Jonathan Frakes, Levar Burton, Brent Spiner and the rest of the Next Generation crew, along with your favorites from the original Star Trek Cast. With a special in-person appearance by Dennis McCarthy, the film’s composer along with an bonus screening of the short film, The Hasty Hare, STAR TREK GENERATIONS, lands at Laemmle’s Royal Theatre, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Los Angeles, midnight on July 31st
RIVER OF LOVE is Michael Tobias’ moving documentary of the life, mission, and work of Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, known as Amma. It follows the internationally acclaimed humanitarian and spiritual leader, known as “the hugging” holy woman from her childhood struggles in Southwestern India to her teachings and healing work in a unique embodiment of love and compassion. RIVER OF LOVE will screen Sunday, August 1 from 12:30 – 4:45 pm at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica at 1328 Montana Avenue. With sacred sounds and music by the Kirtan group Bhakti Ma, and Sheela Bringi, whose music is now featured in the film “Eat, Pray, Love.
OLIVER STONE’S SOUTH OF THE BORDER, takes you across five countries to explore ongoing social and political movements, as well as the mainstream media’s misperception of South America. Gaining unprecedented access to seven elected presidents, including Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Evo Morales of Bolivia, Lula da Silva of Brazil, Cristina Kirchner of Argentina, Fernando Lugo of Paraguay, Rafael Correa of Ecuador and Raul Castro of Cuba, Stone sheds new light on these regional transformations through the surprising intimacy of casual conversations with these leaders.
FRITZ LANG’S “METROPOLIS”, considered one of the greatest films in cinematic history returned to The Silent Movie Theatre, 611 N. Fairfax, in a newly-restored 2-1/2 hr. version, the result of two-years of painstaking restoration of a negative found in an Argentinean archive. This 1927 pioneering sci-fi epic brings alive the Zeitgeist of Lang’s Expressionist Tomorrowland, producing indelible images that have lost none of their power to astonish, featuring Brigitte Helm in the dual performance of Maria and the Machine man made in her image.
TRIBUTE TO DENNIS HOPPER, "BLUE VELVET," "RIVER'S EDGE," "HOOSIERS," and "TRACKS." A truly larger-than-life original wildman and gifted writer/actor/director who created some of the most memorable movies and movie roles of the silver screen. The Silent Movie Theatre, at 611 N. Fairfax in Los Angeles, honors three of his greatest performances from the ultimate creep, Frank Booth BLUE VELVET, to his Oscar-nominated turn in HOOSIERS as “SHOOTER” who knew “Everything there is to know about the greatest game ever invented,” to Feck in THE RIVERS EDGE, in which he plays a hollowed-out ex-biker which “only an actor who’s truly been to hell and back can convey.”
STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME, the fourth in the movie series, was directed by Leonard Nimoy and starring William Shatner and all of your original Star Trek favorites. 1986's STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME takes Kirk and crew back to 20th Century Earth to recover two humpback whales, the only beings who can communicate with a mysterious space probe which is endangering the oceans and threatening to destroy 23rd Century Earth. With a special in-person appearance by Nichelle Nichols, STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME landed for one night only Stardate seven-ten-twenty-ten, to continue the ongoing summer midnight screening series at Laemmle's Royal Theatre in West Los Angeles.
STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK is the third in the Star Trek movie series. Directed by Leonard Nimoy and starring William Shatner, and Christopher Lloyd as Krug, 1984's "STAR TREK III: The Search for Spock," explores the sacrifices made for friendship, when the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many. With surprise in-person guests, thie 70 mm galactic-sized print landed for one night only, Star date six-twenty-six, twenty-ten at Laemmle's Royal Theatre, where the series continues for 11:55 pm, midnight screenings, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Los Angeles.
STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN, in a galactic 70 mm print, stars Ricardo Montalban and features the film debut of Kirstie Alley. Special in-person appearance by the film's director, Nicholas Meyer.
GANGSTER'S PARADISE, JERUSALEMA, is an unflinching look into the crime, corruption, and the transgressions of those looking to survive in the most crime-infested district of Johannesburg. Directed by Ralph Ziman and starring Rapaulana Seiphemo ("Tsotsi") and Robert Hobbs, Kenneth Nkosi ("District 9"), it tells the story of Lucky Kunene, a small-time criminal who graduates to bigger, more aggressive acts. Eventually, his trouble with the law, coupled with an escalating war between local drug lords creates a tense standoff. With both sides closing in, Kunene mus stay one step ahead or his empire and his life will come crashing down.
THE PAINTER SAM FRANCIS, artist Jeffrey Perkins' lyrical, intimate portrait of a friend, mentor, and leading light of American abstract art, was forty years in the making. Through interviews with friends, family and fellow artists, including Ed Ruscha, Bruce conner and James Turrell, Perkins illuminates a mysterious and complex personality and his singular, diverse body of work. For Francis, art was a parth to transcendence; for Perkins, Francis was art. "THE PAINTER SAM FRANCIS" is a labor of love, a moving portrait of a friend and tribute to the power of art. Currently playing at Laemmle's Monica 4-plex at 1332 2nd Street in Santa Monica.
BREATHLESS, Jean Luc Godard's revolutionary debut film and hallmark of the French New Wave, stars cinematic icon, Jean Paul Belmondo as a small-time hood and the rapturous Jean Seberg, as his Herald-Tribune-hawking girlfriend. Rialto Pictures presents this breathtaking 50th Anniversary restoration of the 1960 masterpiece, with newly revised subtitles. "BREATHLESS"remains stunningly original. The NY Times says, "Breathless still has the power to defy conventional expectations about what a movie should be, while providing an utterly captivating movie experience. Much as it may have influenced what was to come later, there is nothing quite like it. Even at 50, it is still cool, still new." BREATHLESS opens May 28th at Laemmle's Royal in West Los Angeles.
AFTER THE CUP: SONS OF SAKHNIN UNITED tell the story of a soccer team that couldn't create a new Middle East, but showed the world what it could look like. Bnei Sakhnin is the first team from an Arab town to win the Israeli Cup and represent Israel in European competition. Fielding Arab, Jewish, and foreign-born players, owned by an Arab and coached by a Jew, Bnei Sakhnin's success has begun to represent a symbol of co-existence, a potential bridge between the Arabs and Jews. "AFTER THE CUP" opens on May 28th at Laemmle's Music Hall 3, 9036 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills. A special "Talkback" will be held with the director in conjunction with the Levantine Center, on May 30th.
THE LIVING WAKE, is a dark comedy set in a timeless storybook universe. Self-proclaimed artist and genius, Ke. Roth Binew, has one day to live. He sets out on a bicycle powered rickshaw with his best friend, Mills, to hand out invitations to his final party, a living wake. In a final attempt to probe life's deepest mysteries, he endures ridiculous trials and whimsical adventures, culminating in his final performance on a makeshift stage in an open field. THE LIVING WAKE opens at Laemmle Sunset 5 on May 21st.
FATHER OF MY CHILDREN, follows a seemingly successful film producer who confronts despair and failure and monetary troubles mount with his film company. As his cinematic world unravels, his family is left to cope and start anew. Deemed by "Variety" as a director to watch, Mia Hanson-Love paints a deeply moving portrait of a family undergoing dramatic rupture. THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN opens on May 21st at The Landmark Theatre, 10850 West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles,
HERE AND THERE, winner for Best Narrative at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival, has been called an indie tour de force, comparable to "The Visitor" with a Serbian twist on a timeless theme of what it means to be human. Robert, a depressed and broke middle-aged New Yorker, is being evicted from his apartment and hires Branko, a young Serbian immigrant to help him move out. Desperately wanting his girlfriend to join him in the US, Branko hatched a marriage scheme with Robert to help her obtain a visa, exposing fish-out-of water Robert to the best traditions of Balkan hospitality. Opens May 21st at Laemmle Music Hall 3, 9036 Wilshire Blvd., LA
LOOKING FOR ERIC, Ken Loach's latest follows a Manchester postman who finds his life in a downward spiral. After a failed marriage and trying to raise his stepsons in trouble, he is transformed when he turns to his idol, French-born soccer genius and philosopher, Eric Cantona, whose enigmatic advice on life, love, and fellowship inspire him to get his life back on track. LOOKING FOR ERIC is a warm, bittersweet tale combining Loach's trademark realism and compassion for the working man with sweetness, humor, and humanity. Opens May 21st at Laemmle Theatres throughout Los Angeles.
EVERYONE ELSE, Director Maren Ade's film involves a young couple forced to re-examine their fragile relationship as fears and insecurities surface while they vacation in Sardinia. Their relationship is brought to the brink as they compare themselves to a seemingly happier and more successful couple. With a second chance to discover themselves and each other, they strive to be as happy as "everyone else." The Hollywood Reporter deems "Everyone Else" a "brilliant, delicious, accutely observed dissection of the ties between two young lovers." "Everyone Else" opens May 14th at Laemmle Sunset 5. For further info, go to www.laemmle.com
DANCE MEDIA FILM FESTIVAL,at Redcat is Dance Camera West's 9th Annual presentation. Opening with "Screendance: A New Visual Language", it presents a unique cinematic experience focussing on the intersection of cinematography and choreography. From experimental shorts to documentaries, surreal visual abstractions, as well as narratives, it offers a broad range of cinematic styles, exhibition formats, and subject matters which traverse global perspectives. For further info on the entire series, visit: www.dancecamerawest.org.
BEHIND THE BURLY Q, In the early part of the 20th Century, burlesque and vaudeville acts were one of America's most popular forms of entertainment, until cinema drove them from the mainstream. "Behind the Burly Q" reveals the true story of the Golden Age of Burlesque as a part of America's cultural history through the intimate and surprising stories of the women (and men) who lived it. "Behind the Burly Q" open May 7 and Laemmle's Sunset 5, 8000 sunset Blvd., West Hollywood.
ASIAN-PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL Celebrates the 70th Birthday of Bruce Lee with industry panels and a compelling line-up of documentaries and narratives focussing on the Asian Experience from around the world. Some of the highlights include:
In the Matter of Cha Jung Lee, a documentary of self-discovery and the universal question of who we are, tracing the story of filmmaker Borshay Liem's return to Korea to search for the girl under whose name Borshay arrived in the U.S. in 1966.
Mamachas del Ring about the first indigenous women wrestlers of Bolivia, and their fight for rights over their own bodies and desires.
Macho Like Me, a hilarious, self-experimenting documentary sets off to prove the widespread belief among women that men simply have it better, attempting to answer the classic, female inquiry of "If I Were A Boy."
Mao's Last Dancer, Brought to the screen by acclaimed director, Bruce Beresford ("Driving Miss Daisy," and "The Black Robe"), based on an inspiring true story which speaks to personal and cultural freedom, passion and determination.
The Actresses, Six actresses, across different age groups are brought together on Christmas Eve for a once-in-a-lifetime "Vogue" magazine cover shoot. Of course, when working with actresses with their respective entourages and demands, anything can happen. Shot documentary-style, "The Actresses" is rise with industry jokes, low-blows, egos, and insecurities.
PHYLLIS AND HAROLD is an astoundingly frank journey through the ups and downs of a 59-year marriage. With great humor and poignancy, filmmaker Cindy Kleine draws on a lifetime family home movies and interviews over 12 years, mixing reportage, cinema verite, and animation to uncover her family secrets following her father’s death. PHYLLIS AND HAROLD delves into the mysteries and nature of living and the losses faced with the passage of time. Documentarian Ken Burns deems the film a “masterpiece,” devastating, true, sad, and funny. Playwright Wallace Shawn calls it the most outrageously sensual of documentaries,“the graceful, painful music of two people who dance together for a lifetime, but barely touch.” PHYLLIS AND HAROLD is currently playing at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3, 9036 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills.
PAPER MAN, directed by Michelle and Kieran Mulroney, is a whimsical, funny, touching story of an unlikely friendship between a middle-aged novelist who has never quite grown up and a young girl whose family tragedy has stolen away her youth. As their quirky relationship unfolds, they share their dreams and discover new life. “Paper Man” stars Jeff Daniels, Lisa Kudrow, Ryan Reynolds and Emily Stone is a break-out performance. It opens April 23 at The Landmark, 10850 West Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles.
SOUTHEAST EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL (SEE FEST) offers films from Southeast European countries, including Hungary, Albania, Serbia, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Turkey and many others. It opens Thursday, April 29th at the Goethe Institut, 5750 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles and closes Monday, May 3rd at the James Bridges Theatre on the UCLA campus. The Festival promotes diversity and cultural exchange through its roster of quality, topical films. KPFK is a proud Media Sponsor and Film Club members are offered a pair of tickets to the screening of their choise, excluding Opening Night. For further info: www.seefilmla.org
REEFER MADNESS, originally called, “Tell Your Children” became a cult classic of misinformation, exposing the dangers of “the devil weed,” which many feared would lead our nation’s youth to violence, insanity, or suicide. Two Special Event screenings celebrated the DVD release of the 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collectors’ Edition of this infamous offering. With over 2 hours of bonus film clips including: The Weed of Death!, Betty Boop in Happy You and Merry me, Marijuana: Threat or Menace?, Hemp for Victory, The Push and feature film, Marihuana: Sins of Youth and More! All attendees will get a DVD. “Reefer Madness” screened for one night only, at the Vine Theater, 6321 Hollywood Blvd. (just west of Vine)
HARISHCHANDRACHI FACTORY, India’s entry into the Oscar race, it celebrates the joy and wonder of moving images as it tells the story a first-time filmmaker who meets with a host of unexpected challenges in trying to film his religious epic.
ROAD, MOVIE, is a beautiful, coming-of-age drama which masterfully blends themes of love, friendship, danger, and wonder in a young man’s journey across the majesty of the Rajasthani desert.
FATSO, is Rajat Kapoor’s witty, romantic comedy showing the lighter side of death, in which the afterlife is a bureaucratic mess and the wrong man finds his life cut short, but even death can’t stop him from trying to reclaim his earthly love.
HARRY BROWN, directed by Academy Award Nominee Daniel Barber, stars two-time Oscar-winner Michael Caine, in a powerful, poignant performance as a man brought to the brink by gang violence and the death of a friend. Set in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Britain, this gritty, provocative drama deals with the struggle of a man who seeks to face loss, avenge his friend's death and cope with the deteriorating world around him. KPFK Film Club members are invited to a special screening of "Harry Brown" at Laemmle's Sunset 5 on Thursday, April 22nd at 7:00 pm.
41st and CENTRAL, THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE LA BLACK PANTHERS, is the first part in a documentary series that follows the Southern California chapter of the Black Panther Party, from its black power beginnings through its tragic demise. Despite the Party's formation of free medical clinics and childrens' breakfast program, it was also known as the msot violent political group in the U.S. Featuring first-hand accounts by former Party members, along with archival footage, this in-depth study is the inaugural presentation in the Pan African Film Festivals "Encore" series, a monthly offering for which KPFK is a proud Media Sponsor. "41st and Central" continues to run through April 15th at the Culver Plaza Theater, 9919 Washington Blvd. in Culver City.
THE ECLIPSE is renowned Tony-award nominated playwright Conor McPherson’s exquisitely-crafted drama of the supernatural, stars Aiden Quinn and Irish actor Ciaran (Keeran) Hinds, winner of the Best Actor award at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. When teacher, widow, and father, Michael Farr starts to see strange apparitions in the night, the lives of three people converge in a life-altering collision in this story about the challenges of love, fear of the unknown, loss and grief. THE ECLIPSE is currently playing at Laemmle Theaters.
GREEN LIFESTYLE FESTIVAL offered to our members all-day passes to this 2-day "green fest", which took place at the James Bridges Theater on the UCLA campus, with food and yoga demonstrations, music and dance entertainment, and a broad range of films dealing with sustainability and the ecology.
EASIER WITH PRACTICE, Writer/director Kyle Alvarez’ feature film debut “Easier with Practice” first screened at the 2009 AFI fest. It stars (“Hurt Locker’s”) Brian Geraghty in a remarkable, breakthrough performance as fledgling author, Davy Mitchell, who, while on a book tour discovers how phone sex leads to relationship, communication, and ultimately self-revelation. “Easier with Practice” is a funny, sensitive, insightful exploration of the ever-evolving ways that people find each other and themselves in the modern world.
MOTHER, latest award-winning film from Korean director bong Joon-ho, a unique murder mystery about a mother's primal love for her son and her own investigation to find the girl's killer. "In an obsessive quest to clear her son's name, she steps into a world of unimaginable chaos and shocking revelations."
The Red Riding Trilogy is an ambitious, dark, thrilling trilogy of crime drama films set in Yorkshire in the ‘70s and ’80, adapted from David Peace’s cult noir novels.
