Brazil has been a rising star in international cinema. The Secret Agent, a political thriller set in 1977 about a researcher trying to escape the country for unknown reasons, is just the latest film from Brazil to gain critical acclaim. Directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho and starring Wagner Moura, the film shows the tangible and intangible effects an authoritarian regime imposes on its people. Moura's character Marcelo, spends the film in hiding under an alias as he waits for assistance to get him and his son out of the country. Moura's central performance holds audiences in the precarious situation with him. The film has been nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best International Feature, Best Lead Actor (Wagner Moura), and Best Achievement in Casting. Today on FilmWeek, Larry Mantle speaks with actor Wagner Moura about the film and its reception abroad. The Secret Agent is still playing in select theaters.

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Christy Lemire review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: How To Make A Killing, Wide Release EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, In Select IMAX Theaters|Expands February 27 Redux Redux, In Select Theaters        I Can Only Imagine 2, In Select Theaters      This Is Not a Test, In Select Theaters           Threshold, Streaming on Peacock                       One Mile: Chapter One & Chapter Two, Two films available simultaneously on digital  Blades of the Guardians, In Select Theaters The Dreadful, In Select Theaters                             Diabolic, Available on Digital and On Demand

A quiet, meditative film about the Pacific Northwest’s logging and railroad industry at the turn of the 20th century is this year’s sleeper hit, accumulating four Oscar nominations including Best Picture. Train Dreams tells the story of Robert Grainier, played by Joel Edgerton, as he helps expand the nation’s railway system, clearing forests alongside nomadic characters. As the film progresses, the audience is transported to the changing landscape of the West, the visuals dreamy like sifting through memories. The film is an adaptation of the novella of the same name written by Denis Johnson. On FilmWeek, Larry Mantle speaks with Train Dreams’ director and co-writer Clint Bentley, who is nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay alongside co-writer Greg Kwedar, and the film’s director of photography, Adolpho Veloso, who is nominated for Best Achievement in Cinematography. Train Dreams is nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Achievement in Cinematography, and Best Achievement in Music (Original Song). Train Dreams is available to stream on Netflix.

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Lael Loewenstein review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Wuthering Heights, Wide Release        Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, In Select Theaters      Crime 101, Wide Release                               Nirvanna: The Band–The Show–The Movie, In Select Theaters                                 Calle Malaga, Laemmle Town Center [Encino] & Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]             Starman, Laemmle Glendale                                Cold Storage, In Select Theaters                Trango, Available on VOD on Documentary+                      By Design, In Select Theaters

Writer-director Joachim Trier makes award-winning films that strike an emotional chord with audiences. Probably best known for his previous film The Worst Person in the World (2021), starring Renate Reinsve and co-written by Eskil Voght, Trier recreates that magic with his latest work Sentimental Value, about two sisters and their relationship with their estranged director father. Trier teamed up with Voght once again to co-write the screenplay and Reinsve plays the lead, marking the third film the director and actress have worked on together. Stellan Skarsgard stars alongside Reinsve as her character's father. Sentimental Value has nine Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best International Feature, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. We speak with writer-director Joachim Trier about the film and why it has resonated so much with audiences. Sentimental Value is playing in select theaters.

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Beandrea July review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.  Films: Dracula, In Select Theaters                                                Sirāt, AMC Burbank & Landmark Nuart Theater [West LA]                                            Pillion, In Select Theaters                           Jimpa, In Select Theaters                                 Natchez, Laemmle Glendale                                   Kokuho, AMC Citywalk [Hollywood]| Expands to select theaters February 20th                                A Useful Ghost, Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]                                     Queen of Chess, Streaming on Netflix                  Solo Mio, In Select Theaters                            The President’s Cake, Laemmle Royal [West LA]                 The Strangers – Chapter 3, In Select Theaters          The Love That Remains, Laemmle Royal [West LA] & Laemmle Glendale        Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

The Hollywood system was never a secret, even in the Golden Age. A young girl would be discovered, plucked from a small town in the Midwest, made over to look “the part” of a movie star, and then wholly become one as one of the major studios “it girl.” Although the idea of what a “star” is has changed over the decades to reflect societal ideals of each decade, the process and effects remain the same. The same is true for the film A Star is Born, which has been adapted four times. The original was released in 1937 starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March, and follows the Hollywood machine of making a movie star. Over the subsequent versions, music was introduced, first with the 1954 adaptation where Judy Garland tries to become a leading lady in a Hollywood musical. The 1976 and 2018 versions modernize the commentary by setting it in the music industry with Barbara Streisand and Lady Gaga starring respectively. These differences and what they say about each era of the entertainment industry are explored in the book “A Star is Reborn: The Most Filmed Hollywood Story of Love Found and Lost.” On FilmWeek, Larry Mantle speaks with the author Robert Hofler. “A Star is Reborn” is on sale now.

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Lael Loewenstein review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Also joining us on FilmWeek to talk about the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and some of the films being shown is program director for the festival and LAist film critic, Claudia Puig. Films: Send Help, Wide Release The Moment, In Select Theaters A Poet, Laemmle Royal [West LA] Miracle: The Boys of '80, Streaming on Netflix Pike River, Lumiere Cinema [Beverly Hills] Islands, In Select Theaters Shelter, In Select Theaters      Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

The LA Times released a list of the best 101 films set in Los Angeles. The number one spot went to the 1974 film Chinatown, directed by Roman Polanski, starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, with the backdrop of a 1930’s Los Angeles. Second place went to David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive (2001), and some other notable picks include Blade Runner (1982), Her (2013), Tangerine (2015) and Boyz n the Hood (1991). Joining Larry Mantle on FilmWeek to discuss some of the more surprising films included and their personal favorites are LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt, assistant editor of Documentary Magazine, and one of the contributors to the LA Times’ Best LA Movies list, and Wade Major, film critic for CineGods.com and author of the “Hollywood Heretic” Substack. You can read the LA Times’ 101 Best LA Movies list here.

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Peter Rainer, Tim Cogshell and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. And we remember the beloved animation director Roger Allers, known best for co-directing Disney’s The Lion King, and award-winning actress Joan Plowright. Films: Mercy, Wide Release Mr. Nobody Against Putin, Streaming on the Kino Film Collection Arco, AMC Burbank & AMC Century City H is for Hawk, In Select Theaters Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!, Streaming on HBO Max Disneyland Handcrafted, Streaming on Disney+ Sound of Falling, Laemmle Royal [West LA] Cosmic Princess Kaguya, Streaming on Netflix Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Christy Lemire review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: 28 Years Later: the Bone Temple, Wide Release                        The RIP, Streaming on Netflix                                      Night Patrol, In Select Theaters                            The Shadow of the Sun, Laemmle Glendale              Young Mothers, Laemmle Royal [West LA]                   A Private Life, Laemmel Royal [West LA], AMC Burbank, & AMC The Grove                         Sheepdog, In Select Theaters                              Obex, Laemmle NoHo                                           Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

The new film Sheepdog was over a decade in the making. Writer, director, and star, Steven Grayhm, spent 14 years talking to veterans about their mental health struggles after returning home, and families of veterans who have taken their own lives. The film follows combat veteran, Calvin Cole (played by Grayhm), as he goes through court mandated therapy. His therapist, played by Oscar-nominated actor Virginia Madsen, is new to the job, still finishing her schooling. Madsen’s connection to the film is also a personal one. On FilmWeek, Larry Mantle speaks with filmmaker Steven Grayhm and actor Virginia Madsen about the making of Sheepdog and their respective emotional connections to the film. Sheepdog is playing in select theaters.  Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Lael Loewenstein and Beandrea July review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. And we remember Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr. Films: Dead Man's Wire, AMC Burbank & AMC Grove|Expands Jan. 16                                   Greenland 2: Migration, Wide Release                      I Was a Stranger, In Select Theaters                                        All That's Left of You, Laemmle Royal [West LA]                             The Mother and the Bear, Laemmle Glendale              Homegrown, Available on VOD                                      The Forgotten Occupation, Lumiere Cinema [West LA] Jan 10 Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

South Korean director Park Chan-wook is considered one of living legends working today, known for his dark comedies inspired by film noir like his breakout hit Oldboy. His work also plays with shifting tones, like the paranoia and romance in the 2022 film Decision to Leave. Chan-wook’s newest film No Other Choice continues this pattern, melding the dark tone of a crime thriller with the slap-stick of a comical farce. The film stars Lee Byun-hun as a paper company employee who has just been laid off. Desperate to maintain his identity as a working man, he takes drastic measures to eliminate his competition in the job market. This time on FilmWeek, Larry Mantle speaks with director Park Chan-wook about his new film No Other Choice and how he decides what films to make at this stage in his career. Park Chan-wook is accompanied by his interpreter Jiwoon Lee. You can see No Other Choice in select theaters. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Amy Nicholson and Manuel Betancourt review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.   Films: Marty Supreme Wide Release Song Sung Blue  Wide Release No Other Choice In Select Theaters|Expands January The Testament of Ann Lee In Select Theaters|Expands January Anaconda Wide Release The Plague At Select Laemmle Theater locations|Expands Wide Jan 2   Goodbye June Streaming on Netflix Father Mother Sister Brother  Landmark Nuart Theater [West LA]|Expands Jan. 9    The Choral AMC Burbank & Laemmle Royal [West LA]|Expands to select theaters Jan. 15

Rental Family explores the unique phenomena of Japanese rental family agencies through an underemployed American actor living in Tokyo. Anchored by Brendan Fraser’s empathetic performance, Rental Family explores the lyricism of loneliness and the solace we can find in connection. Joining Larry to talk about Rental Family are director and co-writer of the film HIKARI and lead actor Brendan Fraser. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency            .

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell, Peter Rainer, and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.  Films: Avatar: Fire and Ash, Wide Release The Housemaid, Wide Release The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, Wide Release Is This Thing On?, In Select Theaters The Voice of Hind Rajab, Laemmle Royal [West LA] David, Wide Release   Franz, Laemmle Monica [Santa Monica] All Operators are Currently Unavailable, Laemmle NoHo Breakdown: 1975, Streaming on Netflix Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately?, Streaming on HBO Max   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency.            .

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Beandrea July review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.

Pantone as a company is synonymous with our ideas around ‘color.’ They set the standard for what we expect “olive green” or “electric blue” to look like. But what about the man behind the iconic Pantone color square, each with a unique I.D. number? In the new documentary The King of Color, director Patrick Creadon focuses on the man who created Pantone’s Matching System, Lawrence Herbert. Creadon joins FilmWeek host Larry Mantle to discuss the legacy of Herbert and how a documentary about a niche subject like color matching gets off the ground.  The King of Color is playing at the Regal Paseo theater in Pasadena.   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency            .

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Claudia Puig and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Five Nights at Freddy's 2, Wide Release The Secret Agent, AMC Century City 100 Nights of Hero, Wide Release                                     Fackham Hall, Wide Release                                         The Chronology of Water, Laemmle Royal [West LA] Cutting Through Rocks, Laemmle Royal [West LA]; Laemmle Town Center [Encino]                        Zodiac Killer Project, Alamo Drafthouse [DTLA]; Laemmle Glendale The Tale of Silyan, Laemmle Monica Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution, Wide Release                        Man Finds Tape, Alamo Drafthouse [DTLA]; Available on VOD                                         The New Yorker at 100, Streaming on Netflix  Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

Horror films have been a consistent draw for movie theaters, even in a post-pandemic, streaming world. And one of the most well-known production studios in horror is Blumhouse. The production house came on the scene in 2009 with Paranormal Activity, a low-budget found-footage film that became a smash hit spawning a franchise. Blumhouse would repeat this formula with The Purge and Insidious franchise. Now, Blumhouse is known for its more crowd pleasing scary movies like M3GAN and Five Nights at Freddy’s (with the highly anticipated sequel releasing this week), but the studio has also taken risks on up and coming directors like Jordan Peele and Damien Chazelle. So, how does a horror production house continue to survive and turn a profit in today’s film industry? And why does horror seem to be a safe bet for box office returns. Joining us to discuss the current horror movie landscape is Abhijay Prakash, president of Blumhouse.  You can read all about Blumhouse’s rise in their new book Horror’s New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

For our most recent FilmWeek screening event, where we show quintessential L.A. films across the city, we went to the family-owned Garden Cinema to present the Coen Brothers’ classic The Big Lebowski. The 1998 noir-comedy opened to mixed reviews during its initial release, but has since gained cult status and even mainstream praise. In 2014, it was designated a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” film and added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. After the screening, Larry Mantle spoke with LAist FilmWeek critics Christy Lemire and Wade Major about the impact of the film and their personal love for ‘The Dude.’ Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell, Manuel Betancourt and Charles Solomon review the latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery In Select Theaters Nov 26|Streaming on Netflix Dec 12 Hamnet In Select Theaters Nov 26|Expands Dec 5 Zootopia 2 Wide Release Nov 26 Eternity In Select Theaters Nov 26  A Magnificent Life Laemmle Royal [West LA] Closes Nov 27      Cactus Pears Laemmle Royal [West LA] Nov 28 Outerlands Available on VOD Nov 26 Angel's Egg Alamo Drafthouse DTLA Nov 26|Egyptian Theater Nov 28 Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Claudia Puig and Peter Rainer review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Wicked: For Good, Wide Release Rental Family, Wide Release Left-Handed Girl, In Select Theaters|Streaming on Netflix Nov. 28 Rebuilding, AMC Century City|AMC Burbank Out of Plain Sight, Laemmel NoHo Auction, Laemmle Town Center [Encino]|Laemmle Royal [West LA] Manas, Laemmle Glendale The Making of a Japanese, Available on VOD Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve earned international recognition for her performance in the Joachim Trier film The Worst Person in the World. After roles in Hollywood in Presumed Innocent and A Different Man, Reinsve and Trier have reunited in their new film Sentimental Value about a theater actress and her estranged film director father in Oslo. Larry Mantle speaks with Renate Reinsve about her approach to acting and her latest film.   You can see Sentimental Value in select theaters now. It will expand to more theaters Friday. Nov. 28. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

Actor Cesar Romero is probably best known for his role as The Joker in the 1960s Batman series, a portrayal that would later define the character and cast a large shadow over future screen adaptations. But well before Romero put on the green wig and red lipstick, he had a successful and varied career. He acted alongside the Rat Pack in Ocean’s Eleven and Carmen Miranda in Week-End in Havana. Most of his roles fell into the ‘Latin Lover’ stereotype, a mold he did not fit in his everyday life. Yet, despite on-screen limitations, Romero was still able to imbue each character with a sense of humanity. In the new biography Cesar Romero: The Joker is Wild, author Samuel Garza Bernstein goes in depth about Romero’s life pre-Hollywood, his career pre-Joker, and his 1980s renaissance as an A-list TV actor. On FilmWeek, Larry speaks with Garza Bernstein about Romero’s legacy. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Beandrea July review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Jay Kelly In Select Theaters|Streaming on Netflix Dec 5  The Running Man Wide Release Come See Me In The Good Light Laemmle NoHo|Streaming on Apple TV+ The Carpenter’s Son In Select Theaters Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk Laemmle Glendale|Laemmle Monica Film Center Bunny Lumiere Cinema [West LA]|Available on VOD Selena y Los Dinos Laemmle NoHo|Streaming on Netflix Nov 17 Bull Run Galaxy Mission Grove Theatre [Riverside]|Available on VOD & Digital Platforms Serious People Laemmle Glendale|Available on VOD & Digital Platforms Dec 16 Stationed at Home Available on VOD & Digital Platforms Being Eddie Streaming on Netflix Trap House In Select Theaters Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Sir Roger Deakins is the award-winning cinematographer behind the films Bladerunner: 2049, 1917, and No Country for Old Men (just to name a few). Although those behind the camera often do not reach the heights of mainstream recognition, Deakins is the rare case of a cinematographer becoming a household name, considered one of the greatest of all time. In his new book Reflections: On Cinematography, Deakins steps into the light, sharing memories from his time in art school and working on music videos, to his longstanding career in film, working alongside directors such as the Coen Brothers and Denis Villeneuve. Larry Mantle speaks with cinematographer Sir Roger Deakins about his memoir and his decades spent behind the camera on some of the most influential films. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Lael Loewenstein review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Predator: Badlands, Wide Release                                     Sentimental Value, In Select Theaters                                       Train Dreams, In Select Theaters|Streaming on Netflix Nov. 21                                        Die My Love, In Select Theaters                                          Nuremberg, Wide Release                                            Christy, In Select Theaters                                                            Lost & Found in Cleveland, In Select Theaters                        Peter Hujar’s Day, Laemmle Royal [West LA]  Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Despite only lasting four short years from 1930 to 1934, the pre-code era of Hollywood’s Golden Age produced films that pushed the boundaries of cinema and storytelling, even by today’s standards. Hollywood classics including King Kong (1933), Freaks (1932), and Grand Hotel (1932) all came out during this time, just before the enforcement of the Production Code in 1934. Films of the pre-code era explored themes of sexuality, outlaws, racial identity, and class disparity. In a new book released in partnership with Turner Classic Movies, film historians and creators of Pre-Code.com, share their 50 must-see movies from the pre-code era. Joining us on FilmWeek to discuss some of the best films of the early 1930s, is Kim Luperi, film historian and co-author of the book Pre-Code Essentials: Must-See Cinema from Hollywood’s Untamed Era (1930-1934).   Kim Luperi will be at Book Soup in West Hollywood Sunday, November 2 for a book signing event. You can get more information about the event here. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Peter Rainer, Tim Cogshell, and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.   Films: Nouvelle Vague In Select Theaters|Streaming on Netflix Nov 14 Love+War Laemmle Monica Film Center|Streaming on Disney+ and Hulu Nov. 7  Ballad of a Small Player Streaming on Netflix  Little Amélie or the Character of Rain In Select Theaters      Anniversary In Select Theaters      Stitch Head In Select Theaters      Wisdom of Happiness Laemmle Royal [West LA]      The White House Effect Streaming on Netflix  Hallow Road In AMC Theaters      Chainsaw Man–The Movie: Reze Arc In Select Theaters      The Wrecker Available on VOD     Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt and Christy Lemire review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Bugonia, In Select Theaters Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere In Select Theaters Hedda The Culver Theater [Culver City]|Streaming on Prime Video Köln 75 Laemmle Royal [West LA]|Laemmle Glendale|Laemmle Town Center [Encino] Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost Laemmle Royal [West LA]| Streaming on Apple TV+ Mr. Scorsese Streaming on Apple TV+ The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Streaming on Hulu Shelby Oaks In Select Theaters Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

The Rocky Horror Picture Show created a blueprint for other initially unsuccessful films to find second lives through fervent fans. Its unapologetic celebration of difference continues to resonate on the 50th anniversary of the film. In the new documentary Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror, director Linus O’Brien delves into the phenomenon of “Rocky Horror” through interviews with major players including director Jim Sharman, actors Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon, and O’Brien’s father, Richard O’Brien, the creator of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. O’Brien joined Larry on AirTalk to discuss his documentary.  Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror is playing at Vidiots in Eagle Rock now through Oct. 29. You can find showtimes here. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Bruce Lee’s martial arts work on the silver screen made him a household name in America at a time when those of Asian descent were rarely seen in media. His very presence served as a complicated and nuanced representation for this underseen group. Now, a new book traces the life of Lee and argues his short life had an even greater impact on the world than had been previously considered. Today on AirTalk, Larry speaks with the author of Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America Jeff Chang, about the book and Lee's legacy. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Beandrea July review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Tron: Ares, In Select Theaters Roofman, Wide Release Kiss of the Spider Woman, In Select Theaters A House of Dynamite, In Select Theaters If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, In Select Theaters After the Hunt, In Select Theaters Urchin, AMC Burbank & AMC Century City Orwell: 2+2=5, Landmark Nuart [West LA] John Candy: I Like Me, Streaming on Amazon Prime The Alabama Solution, Streaming on HBO Max The Woman in Cabin 10, Streaming on Netflix Vicious, Streaming on Paramount+ Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

From Scream Queens to Final Girls, women have been at the center of horror cinema since its rise in the late 60s. Violence on screen mirrored the violence real women faced off screen. From the allusions to reproductive control in Rosemary’s Baby, to the undertones of domestic violence in The Shining, horror’s female protagonists cannot be divorced from political and social commentary. In her new book “Scream with Me: Horror Films and the Rise of American Feminism (1968-1980), Eleanor Johnson, professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, views some of our most popular scary movies through a feminist lens. And once you see the themes of women’s oppression, it’s hard to look at a horror film the same way again. This week on FilmWeek, Larry speaks with Johnson about her new book and reanalyze some horror classics together. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Manuel Betancourt review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: The Smashing Machine, Wide Release Anemone, In Select Theaters                                                                                The Lost Bus, In Select Theaters & Streaming on Apple TV+ Play Dirty, Streaming on Amazon Prime                                                                        Fairyland, Landmark Sunset [West Hollywood] The Ice Tower, Laemmle Glendale                                                                 Are We Good?, AMC Americana [Glendale] & Alamo Drafthouse [DTLA] Viva Verdi, Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]                                                             Coyotes, In Select Theaters Good Boy, In Select Theaters                                                                          Norita, Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]               Stripped for Parts, Streaming on PBS.org and PBS app                                                                    Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Manuel Betancourt review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: One Battle After Another Wide Release Eleanor the Great In Select Theaters All of You Laemmle NoHo|Streaming on Apple TV+ Dead of Winter In Select Theaters Predators Laemmle Royal [West LA] & Alamo Drafthouse DTLA Strange Journey - The Story of Rocky Horror In Select Theaters Plainclothes Landmark Sunset [West Hollywood] All the Devils Are Here Available on VOD Adulthood Laemmle Glendale|Available on VOD Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Widely credited with creating the modern summer blockbuster in 1975, Steven Spielberg's Jaws has captured the imaginations (and entered the nightmares) of audiences ever since. For Jaws’ 50th anniversary, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has created an all-ages experience: combining unprecedented behind-the-scenes access and interactive elements. The unique structure of the exhibit will take visitors scene by scene through the film, exploring the iconic story in an entirely new way. Today on FilmWeek, Larry Mantle is joined by Jenny He, Senior Exhibitions Curator, to talk about the exhibit and the film’s enduring legacy. Jaws: The Exhibition is open at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures now through July 26, 2026. You can get more information and tickets for the exhibition here.   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

“Hamnet,” Chloé Zhao’s drama about William Shakespeare’s marriage and the death of their 11-year-old son, won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, putting it on an enviable track to Academy Awards contention. This might’ve been the biggest headline for the festival, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. Joining us this morning to help round up the festivities is Claudia Puig, film critic for LAist and program director for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and Peter Rainer, film critic for LAist and the Christian Science Monitor. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Claudia Puig review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. They also share thoughts on the passing of film icon Robert Redford, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 89. Films: A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, Wide Release   Him, Wide Release   Another End, In Select Theaters and Available on VOD A Savage Art: The Life & Cartoons of Pat Oliphant, Laemmle Claremont 5, Monica Film Center, Newhall, Glendale, and Town Center 5 The Summer Book, Laemmle Town Center [Encino] Xeno, In Select Theaters Democracy Noir, Laemmle Monica Film Center Waltzing With Brando, In Select Theaters  Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

This Is Spinal Tap ushered in a new wave of genre films with its satirical, mockumentary style. It is hailed as a classic, having found its way into the U.S. Library of Congress' National Film Registry. And if that isn't proof enough, the Criterion Collection is releasing a director-approved 4k restoration of the film. Now, over forty years later, the band is back together for one last show. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues finds bandmates David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls (all reprised roles by Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer) reuniting on stage after much time apart. Along with documentarian Marty DiBergi, the band tries to recapture the magic that was in the original This Is Spinal Tap. Today on FilmWeek, Larry Mantle is joined by Rob Reiner, co-writer and director of both films to talk about the legacy of the original This Is Spinal Tap for both film and music, and the unique task of continuing that legacy four decades later. SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES is in Wide Release and available in IMAX theaters. A Director-Approved 4K UHD edition of THIS IS SPINAL TAP will be released from the The Criterion Collection on Tuesday, September 16. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire, Tim Cogshell, and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: The Long Walk, Wide Release    Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, Wide Release                               Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, In Select Theaters                          Demon Slayer–The Movie: Infinity Castle, Wide Release                                                                     The History of Sound, In Select Theaters                                                                                   The Baltimorons, Laemmle Royal [West LA]                                                                Riefenstahl, Laemmle Royal [West LA] & Laemmle Town Center [Encino]    Clemente, Laemmle Monica         Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

In our age of surround sound and IMAX theaters emphasizing the importance of sound effects and mixing in movies, it’s easy to forget that for film history’s first thirty years, movies were silent. A new film festival is aiming to fix that. In partnership with the American Cinematheque, Retroformat Silent Films and Mount Saint Mary’s University are hosting the first annual Los Angeles Silent Film Festival. The festival will take place at the American Cinematheque Los Feliz theater from September 12 to September 14, and include the world premiere of the World Restoration Premiere of ‘He Who Gets Slapped’ (1924) starring Lon Chaney, Sr., John Gilbert and Norma Sheare and the Los Angeles Restoration Premiere of ‘Kid Boots’ (1926) starring Clara Bow and Eddie Cantor. Each of the screenings will be accompanied by a live score selected and played by Musical Director Cliff Retallick and guest artist Andrew Earle Simpson. The festival will allow audiences to experience silent films as they were originally intended. Joining us on FilmWeek to talk about the festival and the importance of silent film preservation is Thomas Barnes, president of Retroformat Silent Films and one of the co-founders of the Los Angeles Silent Film Festival.   You can find out more about the festival and purchase tickets here. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Lael Loewenstein and Christy Lemire review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: The Conjuring: Last Rites, Wide Release   Twinless, In Select Theaters                                     The Threesome, In Select Theaters    Preparation for the Next Life, Alamo Drafthouse DTLA Tinā, In Select Theaters   Hamilton, Wide Release  The Cut, Laemmle NoHo Love, Brooklyn, In Select Theaters

A24 has solidified itself as the "indie darling" of film studios, gaining a sizable cohort of devotees (many of them young) who rep the studio's merch like fans of a rock band. Started in 2012, A24 made a name itself by releasing smaller art-house and art-house adjacent films in a time when the mid-size movie was quickly being shuffled from theaters to streaming. Some of the studio's early successes include Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers, Barry Jenkins' Moonlight, and Robert Eggers’ The Witch. The latter being a prime example of A24's unique business model: mid-budget movie gets a mid-size release with some edgy, digital-first marketing to turn a mid-size profit. But, as A24 has grown, so has its movies' budgets. We probably won't see an A24 Superman anytime soon, but the studio’s more recent in-house productions and festival acquisitions show a trend away from the indie films that helped set it apart. Today on FilmWeek, Larry speaks with culture editor for the New Yorker, Alex Barasch, about the rise and evolution of A24. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Beandrea July and Claudia Puig review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Caught Stealing, Wide Release The Roses, In Select Theaters The Thursday Murder Club, Streaming on Netflix Sign ‘o’ the Times, In Select IMAX Theaters A Little Prayer, Laemmle Royal [West LA] & Laemmle Town Center [Encino] Clearing the Air: The War on Smog, Streaming on PBS Griffin in Summer, Lumiere Cinema [Beverly Hills] Vice is Broke, Streaming on Mubi Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Ron Howard's filmography is diverse, a product of a four decades-long career in Hollywood. He has directed Oscar-winning dramas such as A Beautiful Mind, audience pleasing comedies including Splash and more recently, documentaries. Yet, despite his vast filmmaking career, Howard's newest film Eden, still manages to offer something different from the director. Based on a true story, the film follows a group of German settlers in the 1930s who travel to the Galapagos Islands looking for escape. Escapism soon turns to survival and a struggle for power. The film stars, Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, and Ana De Armas. Director and producer, Ron Howard, joins Larry Mantle on FilmWeek to discuss the film Eden and how it fits into Howard’s larger legacy as a filmmaker.  Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Claudia Puig, Christy Lemire, and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.   Films: Honey Don’t!, Wide Release Ne Zha II, Wide Release Eden, In Select Theaters Relay, In Select Theaters Splitsville, AMC Century City|AMC The Grove KPop Demon Hunters (Sing-a-Long), In Select Theaters Lurker, In Select Theaters Checkpoint Zoo, In Select Theaters Devo, Streaming on Netflix Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Akira Kurosawa is one of the world’s most revered directors, his films often cited as inspiration amongst other auteurs. Sometimes that inspiration has led to full-on remakes of Kurosawa’s films, such as Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest (2025), an adaptation of Kurosawa’s High and Low (1963). Other adaptations of Kurosawa’s work include Seven Samurai and Yojimbo. Kurosawa himself liked to adapt pre-existing stories. Many of his films are interpretations of Shakespeare plays. Even High and Low is based on a novel. So how does one go about adapting and remaking a film by a great director like Kurosawa? How is the story updated for new audiences? And what kind of films lend themselves to adaptations? Today on FilmWeek, we discuss Hollywood’s attempts to remake some of Kurosawa’s most beloved films and what makes a good adaptation. Joining Larry Mantle is Peter Rainer, film critic for LAist and the Christian Science Monitor, Tim Cogshell, film critic for LAist, Alt-Film Guide and CineGods.com, and Charles Solomon, film critic for LAist, Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine.  Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell, Peter Rainer and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.   Films: Highest 2 Lowest, In Select Theaters Nobody 2, Wide Release Americana, Wide Release Fixed, Streaming on Netflix The Musicians, Laemmle Royal [Santa Monica] & Laemmle Town Center [Encino] East of Wall, In Select Theaters Boys Go to Jupiter, Laemmle Glendale The Knife, In Select Theaters Anxiety Club, Streaming on Jolt.film Songs From the Hole, Streaming on Netflix Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Musician Jeff Buckley’s tragic early death left many shocked. Buckley found success and critical acclaim among music industry pressures, but passed away tragically after releasing only one studio album, Grace. His haunting voice and personal lyrics continue to resonate with fans. In her new documentary, It's Never Over Jeff Buckley, director and producer Amy Berg uses unprecedented access to Buckley’s archives to dispel myths around his life and death and show Buckley’s eclectic approach to music and life. Director and producer Amy Berg joins guest host Austin Cross to talk about her new documentary and Buckley’s legacy. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Austin Cross and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Beandrea July review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Freakier Friday, Wide Release Weapons, Wide Release Souleymane’s Story, Laemmle Royal It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley, In Select Theaters Billy Joel: And So It Goes, Streaming on HBO Max Videoheaven, Los Feliz Theater Hola Frida, In Select Theaters My Mother’s Wedding, In Select Theaters TCB: The Toni Cade Bambara School of Organizing, Blackstar Film Festival The Pickup, Streaming on Prime Video Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

The war in Ukraine started in February 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion. We watched as civilians sheltered from airstrikes and buildings became ruins in the Oscar award-winning documentary ‘20 Days in Mariupol’, just as the Russians took siege of one of Ukraine’s largest metropolitan areas. Now, three years after the Russian invasion and two years after that film's release, writer, director and producer, Mstyslav Chernov’s follow up documentary, ‘2000 Meters to Andriivka’ takes us back to the frontline as we follow Ukrainian soldiers on a mission to liberate the small town of Andriivka. Austin Cross sat down with Chernov to talk about the documentary and the importance of capturing the war on camera.   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Austin Cross and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell, Manuel Betancourt and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: The Naked Gun, Wide Release The Bad Guys 2, Wide Release Happy Gilmore 2, Streaming on Netflix Together, In Select Theaters Architecton, In Select Theaters 2000 Meters to Andriivka, Laemmle Royal Georgia O'Keeffe: The Brightness of Light, In Select Theaters Folktales, In Select Theaters   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Although nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Henry VIII in the 1966 film A Man for All Seasons, audiences now may know Robert Shaw best for his role as Captain Quint in the 1975 film Jaws. Having been released a decade later, Shaw’s performance as the grizzled shark hunter served as an important role in the Hollywood blockbuster, mixing a drunken tone with a confident look that sold viewers on the idea that he could help defeat any animal. Shaw’s life story— from his work in theatre to his time making movies— is all referenced in a new book written by his nephew titled Robert Shaw: An Actor’s Life On The Set Of Jaws And Beyond. For this week’s FilmWeek feature, we sit down with book author Christopher Shaw Myers about his uncle’s work and his new book.   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt and Beandrea July review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: The Fantastic Four: First Steps Wide Release Oh, Hi! In Select Theaters Heightened Scrutiny Laemmle Noho July 26|Laemmle Monica Film Center Jul. 27|Laemmle Glendale Jul. 29 The Ride Ahead Streaming on PBS Last Swim Laemmle Royal [West LA]|Available on VOD Diciannove Laemmle Glendale|Laemmle Monica Film Center BTS Army: Forever We Are Young Wide Release [5-Days Only; July 30 to August 3] Shari and Lamb Chop Laemmle Royal [West LA]|Laemmle Town Center 5 [Encino] Death & Taxes Laemmle Royal [West LA]   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Amy Nicholson, Charles Solomon, and Peter Rainer review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms! Films: I Know What You Did Last Summer Wide Release Eddington In Select Theaters Smurfs Wide Release Afternoons of Solitude Laemmle Monica Film Center Finally Dawn Laemmle Glendale | Available on VOD Sunday Best Streaming On Netflix July 18 Bury Me When I’m Dead Available on VOD Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse American Cinematheque Los Feliz 3 [3-Days Only, July 20, 23-24] Wall to Wall Streaming On Netflix   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

What was originally a creature feature that metaphorically gets into the horrors of nuclear bombs, Godzilla has now become a media icon that’s lasted for more than 70 years. In Steve Ryfle’s new book, Godzilla: The First 70 Years: The Official Illustrated History of the Japanese Productions, the author digs into the well-known monster's filmography and the significance each adaptation carried. It takes you through the monster’s many nemeses and friends, as well as the special effects work that would eventually win the property its only Academy Award. Joining us to discuss the first 70 years of Godzilla is Steve Ryfle, former LA Times reporter and author of the book Godzilla: The First 70 Years: The Official Illustrated History of the Japanese Productions.   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

A couple of weeks back, the New York Times released an expansive project, with a focus on determining the best films released in the 21st century. Having polled 500 people in the film and entertainment industry, asking each person about their top 10 favorites, they released many of the topline results. In a separate ask to its readers, over 200,000 people contributed their ballots. Both lists included similar films, and notably held Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite as it’s consensus number 1 pick. This week on FilmWeek, Christy Lemire and Tim Cogshell stick with us to discuss their thoughts and reactions on the ‘best films of the 21st century’ lists. We’re also joined by New York Times pop culture reporter and awards season columnist, Kyle Buchanan, to discuss the New York Times’ project.   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Superman Wide Release Kill The Jockey Laemmle NoHo 7 Apocalypse in the Tropics Laemmle Monica Film Center |Streaming on Netflix July 14  To a Land Unknown Laemmle Royal Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight AMC Burbank|Laemmle Royal Sovereign Laemmle Town Center 5 [Encino]|Laemmle Monica Film Center|Available on VOD Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story Streaming on Hulu & Disney+ Daniela Forever Alamo Drafthouse DTLA The Last Class Landmark Nuart Theatre   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt and Lael Loewenstein review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Jurassic World: Rebirth Wide Release 40 Acres In Select Theaters Nobu Laemmle Monica Film Center The Old Guard 2 Streaming on Netflix Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print Streaming on Max Heads of State Streaming on Prime Video In The Mood For Love Laemmle Royal [West LA]| Laemmle Glendale Igualada Premieres July 7 on PBS| Streaming on PBS until October 5   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

As we enter the second half of the year, and the 4th of July weekend, our critics Manuel Betancourt and Lael Loewenstein will take some time to recap what’s been released this year so far and talk about their favorite films that have been released as of now.

Although the Hays Code and Lavender Scare served as a deterrent to queer representation in cinema, many filmmakers still found ways to include queer themes into their works. In his new book Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness, film historian Michael Koresky collects examples of these early queer projects and helps provide context to their development. Detailing the use of queer innuendos and development of Hays-code approved stereotypes, the book shares how films like The Children’s Hour and Rebecca served as some of the earliest examples of LGBTQ-themed cinema. Joining us to discuss their book, early films with queer themes and the filmmakers behind them, is Michael Koresky, author of the new book Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness. ‘Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness’ is out now, click here for more information. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Manuel Betancourt review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: F1: The Movie Wide Release M3GAN 2.0 Wide Release Sorry, Baby In Select Theaters AMC| The Grove 14| AMC Century City 15 Familiar Touch  Laemmle Glendale My Mom Jayne Streaming on Max Enigma Streaming on Max Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything Streaming On Hulu Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore Laemmle NoHo 7 Off the Grid Lumiere Music Hall [Beverly Hills]| VOD Union Streaming on PBS App until August 31, 2025 Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Celine Song, writer-director of the new film Materialists, uses a similar framework that garnered her a lot of admiration from moviegoers. In her feature directorial debut, Past Lives, the lead character Nora struggles to manage a love triangle, only for her to discover what the differences are between these lives she’s romanticized. In Materialists, Lucy deals with a similar problem, although the film spends a lot more time on why we date, and the equations we come up with in our head to find ‘the one.’  Today on FilmWeek, we’re joined by Materialists writer-director Celine Song, and getting a sense of how she created this world that reflects today’s dating culture.

Guest host Austin Cross and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell, Peter Rainer, and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Correction: A previous version of this episode had errors related to a review of the film Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project, which partially referenced another found footage film. The inaccurate review has been removed from the episode. The episode also mentioned that the film 28 Years Later is the first sequel Danny Boyle has directed. He directed T2 Trainspotting, which is a sequel to his film, Trainspotting.

On May 31, the FilmWeek team hosted a screening of the 1962 Robert Aldrich film What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? Larry got up on stage for a conversation with FilmWeek and LA Times critic Amy Nicholson, and UCLA film historian Jonathan Kuntz.

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt, Christy Lemire, and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Claudia Puig and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: The Life of Chuck In Select Theaters|Expands June 13 Ballerina Wide Release  Karate Kid: Legends Wide Release Dangerous Animals Wide Release The Ritual Wide Release I Don’t Understand You In Select Theaters Bad Shabbos Laemmle Town Center 5 [Encino] |Laemmle Royal [West LA] Barron’s Cove Laemmle Monica Film Center We Are Guardians Laemmle Monica Film Center|Art Theatre [Long Beach] June 21 Pavements Alamo Drafthouse DTLA|The Frida Cinema [Santa Ana]

FilmWeek: ‘The Phoenician Scheme,’ ‘Bring Her Back,’ ‘Mountainhead,’ ‘Lost in Starlight,’ and More Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Lael Loewenstein, Beandrea July, and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: The Phoenician Scheme In Select Theaters| Expands June 6 (next Friday) Bring Her Back Wide Release Mountainhead Streaming on Max May 31 Lost in Starlight Laemmle Glendale|Streaming on Netflix Ocean with David Attenborough Laemmle Monica Film Center|premieres on National Geographic Channel on June 7|Streaming on Disney+ and Hulu starting June 8 Bono: Stories of Surrender Streaming on Apple TV+ Ghost Trail Laemmle Royal May 30 Book of Joshua: Walls of Jericho Streaming on VOD Tim Travers & the Time Travelers Paradox Laemmle Glendale

Charles Burnett talks ‘Killer of Sheep’ 4K restoration, and the film’s lasting influence After a theatrical release in select theaters by Janus Films, the Criterion Collection now introduces the new 4K restoration of Charles Burnett’s 1977 feature debut film, Killer of Sheep, into its library. The film follows a family in Watts, with the father in this household being Stan, who works in a slaughterhouse. Burnett's understanding of working-class family dynamics makes for a story that’s as relatable as it is emotionally devastating at moments. These complex themes portrayed in film have served as inspiration for the likes of Barry Jenkins, whose Oscar-winning film Moonlight offers a similar blend of cinematic storytelling through the lives of adults and children. We’ll dig deeper into the film by speaking with its filmmaker, Charles Burnett. The 4K restoration of ‘Killer of Sheep’ is out now in Blu-ray and 4K UHD; to read more about the special features included, and to purchase the film, click here.

Feature: Bleak Week returns for Year 4, we talk to programmers behind the festival This year marks the 4th year of the American Cinematheque’s Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair, a weeklong festival dedicated to screening films with dark and bleak themes. In this year’s lineup, you’ll find screenings of Michael Haneke’s English adaptation of Funny Games, the Soviet anti-war film Come and See, and Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata’s Grave of the Fireflies. You’ll also find that the Year 4 lineup includes introductions/Q&As with the likes of Bill Hader, Elliot Gould, and Brady Corbet. Outside of the usual festival screenings here in Los Angeles, the American Cinematheque has partnered with other arthouse theaters across the country, and even The Prince Charles Cinema in London. Joining us to discuss this year’s iteration of the festival is Chris LeMaire, lead programmer on the American Cinematheque’s Bleak Week, and Grant Moninger, American Cinematheque’s Artistic Director. We also have our critics, Charles Solomon, Claudia Puig and Peter Rainer, commenting on what about the festival has allowed it to garner interest. Bleak Week runs from June 1-7. You can find this year’s Bleak Week lineup by clicking here or on bleakweek.com

FilmWeek: 'Mission Impossible - The Final Reckoning,' 'Lilo & Stitch,' 'Drop Dead City,' and more Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Claudia Puig, Charles Solomon, and Peter Rainer review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning Wide Release Lilo & Stitch Wide Release Drop Dead City Laemmle Monica Film Center| Laemmle Town Center 5 [Encino] Jane Austen Wrecked My Life In Select Theaters | Expands May 30 Into the Wonderwoods Available on VOD The New Boy In Select Theaters|Lumiere Cinema Beverly Hills The Surrender Streaming on Shudder Sister Midnight Alamo Drafthouse DTLA|Landmark’s   Correction: In this episode, Larry refers to Peter receiving first place in criticism from the Society for Professional Journalists (SPJ), but he meant to refer to the Society for Features Journalism (SFJ).

For those who grew up during the British Rock Invasion of the 1960s, you’re probably familiar with many of the names who made their way through the U.S. charts, one such being the psychedelic rock band The Zombies. For a lot of younger generations— their name might not ring a bell— but it might not take too long into their hit song Time of the Season to understand just how important of a band they are. A new feature by filmmaker and musician Robert Schwartzman titled Hung Up on a Dream: The Zombies Documentary tells the life and legacy of the band, with in-depth interviews with band members Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent. For this week’s FilmWeek feature, we air an interview Austin did with filmmaker Robert Schwartzman and The Zombies frontman, Colin Blunstone.

Guest host Austin Cross and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Final Destination: Bloodlines Wide Release   Hurry Up Tomorrow Wide Release   Deaf President Now! Laemmle Santa Monica|Streaming on Apple TV+   Caught by the Tides Laemmle Royal   Black Tea Laemmle Royal   The RuseWide Release   The Old Woman With The Knife In Select Theaters   The Grotto Laemmle NoHo 7   Untold: The Fall of Favre Streaming on Netflix May 20

Animation has been a major player in Hollywood, with companies like DreamWorks and Disney having made some of their most acclaimed works here in the Golden State. However, a new report has found that recent high-grossing animated films are being made outside of Hollywood. Examples mentioned include Moana, with the original film being made in Hollywood, but its sequel having been made in Vancouver. The study was co-authored by the Animation Guild, BRIC Foundation and Titmouse Foundation in partnership with CVL Economics.  Today on FilmWeek, we’re joined by CVL Economics founding partner Adam Fowler, the Animation Guild executive board member Jason Mayer, and LAist chief animation critic Charles Solomon.

FilmWeek: ‘Friendship,’ ‘Nonnas,’ ‘Fight or Flight,’ and more! Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Lael Loewenstein review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Friendship Wide release Nonnas Streaming on Netflix Marcella Laemmle Town Center 5 [Encino] | Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica] | Laemmle Claremont 5 Fight or Flight In Select Theaters Most People Die on Sundays Laemmle Town Center 5 [Encino] | Laemmle Royal [Sawtelle] Henry Johnson VOD (not seeing options outside of henryjohnsonmovie.com) Juliet & Romeo In Select Theaters Magic Farm Alamo Drafthouse [DTLA]|Expands May 16 Sew Torn In Select Theaters I Know Catherine, The Log Lady Laemmle Glendale Clown in a Cornfield In Select Theaters

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt and Lael Loewensteinreview this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Thunderbolts* Wide Release Rust Laemmle Town Center 5 [Encino] | Available On VOD  Bonjour Tristesse In Select Theaters Havoc Streaming On Netflix  Another Simple Favor Streaming On Amazon Prime  The Surfer In Select Theaters Monty Python and the Holy Grail In Select Theaters Two-Days Only [May 4 & May 7] Free for All: The Public Library Streaming on PBS.org and PBS’s YouTube Channel Electra Laemmle Glendale  Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

The 2005 sci-fi blockbuster Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith celebrated its 20th Anniversary this year with a notable achievement, with its re-release earning $30 million at the domestic box office. Being the biggest money-making example of a re-release this year, it shows why anniversaries for beloved films mean so much to audiences. Although not as much of a moneymaker, the 20th Anniversary re-release of Pride and Prejudice was able to make $3 million close its opening and close to $6 million total. To widen the scope to other decades-old movies, other beloved films like Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Jaws are making their way back to theaters to honor their respective 50th anniversaries. Joining us to get into this wide scope of film anniversaries is our film critics Lael Loewenstein and Manuel Betancourt. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Oscar voters will no longer be able to skip watching some of the nominated films. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Monday announced that members will from now on be required to watch all nominated films in each category to be eligible to vote in the final round of Oscar voting. Up until now, Oscar voters had only been encouraged to watch the nominees and vote in categories they felt qualified in. But in recent years, what films get watched by academy members has been increasingly seen as a significant factor in what wins. At the same time, the publication of anonymous Oscar ballots has often featured members confessing that they didn’t get around to watching some notable films or not finishing lengthier nominees.    In other news — many appearances by the faces of the entertainment industry, from filmmakers of all different backgrounds, the Criterion Closet will get an extended appearance in Los Angeles, as a mobile  version of the closet will be available for cinephiles to visit. With more than 1200 films in its official collection of Blu-rays, the Criterion Collection has been one of the leading physical media distributors. So with the closet arriving in Los Angeles, we thought it’d be worth checking in on the physical media industry with Dominic Patten, senior editor & tv critic at Deadline. We’ll also hear from Peter Rainer, who add their insights and discuss their favorite physical media.   With files from the Associated Press

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Peter Rainer review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. The Accountant 2 Wide Release Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie In Select Theaters Drop In Select Theaters | VOD April 29 The Trouble with Jessica Laemmle Royal [West LA]| AMC DINE-IN Ontario Mills 30 Pink Floyd at Pompeii - MCMLXXII In Select Theaters | Available on IMAX screens Sunday, April 27 Killer of Sheep (1978) Laemmle NoHo 7  April In Select Theaters Blue Sun Palace Laemmle Glendale | Laemmle Monica Film Center On Swift Horses  In Select Theaters  *Correction: In the review for Cheech and Chong's Last movie, Peter Rainer accidentally refers to Shelby Chong, Tommy Chong's ex-wife, in the back of the van as "Cheech’s ex-wife." Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Last week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’s Board of Governors announced it would add a new category to its awards ceremony starting 2028– Achievement in Stunt Design. This serves as a major win for the many stuntmen and stuntwomen who’ve lobbied for such an award, with their line of work having existed since the inception of film. Although stunts from the likes of Buster Keaton won’t ever be able to win such an award, there are plenty of recent films that have drawn crowds for their stunts. Whether it be the Mission Impossible or John Wick films, well-designed action sequences have kept moviegoers’ attention, which makes rewarding their stunt designers a great decision as we inch closer to the 100th annual Academy Awards. For this week’s FilmWeek feature, Larry and this week’s critics discuss this news with filmmaker and longtime stuntman, Chad Stahelski.  Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Amy Nicholson and Manuel Betancourt review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Sinners Wide Release The Wedding Banquet In Select Theaters Sneaks Wide Release The Legend of Ochi In Select Theaters|Wide Release on April 25 The President's Wife Laemmle Royal [West LA] | Laemmle Town Center 5 [Encino] | Landmark Pasadena  The Shrouds In Select Theaters| Wide Release on April 25 High Art [4K Restoration] Laemmle Noho 7 [North Hollywood] The Ugly Stepsister In Select Theaters  Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can't Sing In Select Theaters  Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

In their second project together, writer-directors Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s Warfare strikes a much different tone than last year’s Civil War. Garland’s solo writing and directing project, with Mendoza on as a military supervisor, served as a thematic look at the political divide found in the United States— Warfare, despite using similar thematic elements, takes a much more realist filming approach to the war in Iraq. Warfare follows a platoon of Navy SEALs in 2006 Iraq, going through the process of scouting insurgent territory, and eventually finding themselves in a gunfight with people they often identify as MAMs (military-age males). Told using the memories of those involved in this real event, the film isn’t focused on making a political statement on the war itself as much as it is putting together a chain of events that helps viewers understand one story a part of the greater picture of the war in Iraq. The film takes these stories and uses an ensemble cast of up-and-coming actors to help put together a linear story, with D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai notably portraying Mendoza, who was one of the Navy SEAL team members involved. Joining us, to discuss their directorial partnership and the work that went into telling this story as truthfully as possible, are Warfare writer-directors Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland.

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Lael Loewenstein, Charles Solomon, and Peter Rainer  review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Warfare Wide Release The Amateur  Wide Release  King of Kings In Select Theaters One to One: John & Yoko In Select Theaters | Expands April 18th  Neil Young: Costal In Select Theaters April 17 [One-Day Only] Pets Streaming on Disney+ Kaiju No. 8 Mission Recon In Select Theaters [Three-Day Event: April 13, 14 and 16] Not Just A Goof Streaming on Disney+

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Beandrea July review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on-demand platforms. A Minecraft Movie Wide Release Freaky Tales  In Select Theaters  Janis Ian: Breaking Silence  Laemmle Glendale|Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]  We Were Dangerous Lumiere Music Hall [Beverly Hills] Julie Keeps Quiet  Laemmle Glendale   A Nice Indian Boy In Select Theaters The Friend In Select Theaters Viet and Nam Laemmle Glendale  William Tell In Select Theaters The Luckiest Man in America In Select Theaters       Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Executing a fight scene requires a lot of attention to detail, but spending time to get the right fight choreographer and stunt doubles to execute their vision can make for a rewarding watch. In the case of stuntman-turned-director Chad Stahelski, his directorial debut John Wick helped spark a franchise that moviegoers love due to its well-choreographed action. Although the series has become a common example of great fighting, there’s a whole host of other examples that date back decades. Hong Kong action cinema has given so much to the action genre, having helped popularize high-speed martial arts fighting for international audiences; through this style of filmmaking, audiences were introduced to filmmaker John Woo and actor Jackie Chan.  Joining us to share their extensive knowledge of fight scenes are Tim Cogshell and Andy Klein. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Lael Loewenstein and Manuel Betancourt review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on-demand platforms. Death of a Unicorn Wide Release Ballad of Wallis Island AMC Burbank 16|AMC Burbank Town Center 6| AMC Century City 15 Grand Tour In Select Theaters  Thank You Very Much In Select Theaters The Penguin Lessons In Select Theaters  Being Maria Landmark Nuart Theater [West LA] Audrey’s Children In Select Theaters

Earlier this week, American entertainment company Fandango published a study that surveyed moviegoers, casual and loyal, on their viewing habits. Insights ranged from the way they learned about movies, to what amenities made the theatrical experience most worthwhile. With CinemaCon— a yearly event comprised of theater chain owners— happening next week in Las Vegas, we thought it’d be good to dig into this data and break down what’s driving moviegoing this year. Joining us, alongside our critics Lael Loewenstein and Manuel Betancourt, is Deadline business editor Dade Hayes.

Feature: New book ‘Opening Weekend’ provides insider perspective on film marketing Although the film industry can be quite lucrative, there are a lot of moving parts to how a film gets to be a “success” or “flop.” As it relates to building up hype for a movie, marketing teams play a huge role in growing excitement and finding ways to resonate with general audiences. A new book, Opening Weekend: An Insider's Look at Marketing Hollywood's Hits and Flops, by longtime film marketing executive Jim Fredrick. Frederick’s career in the business has included working on the marketing team for films like Eyes Wide Shut, The Shawshank Redemption, and even the Harry Potter film franchise. So for this week’s feature, we’ll talk to Frederick about Opening Weekend and get an insider’s understanding of how marketing works within the film industry. Jim Fredrick, studio marketing executive, and Chapman University film professor; he’s also the author of the new book Opening Weekend: An Insider's Look at Marketing Hollywood's Hits and Flops

FilmWeek: 'Snow White,' 'The Alto Knights,' 'Magazine Dreams,' 'Locked,' and More Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Snow White The Alto Knights Magazine Dreams The Assessment Misericordia Locked Asian Persuasion Bob Trevino Likes It Ash AUM: The Cult at the End of the World

FilmWeek: 'Black Bag,' Novocaine,' 'Opus,' 'The Electric State,' and More Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Amy Nicholson and Peter Rainer review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Black Bag Novocaine Opus The Electric State The Actor Borderline The World Will Tremble The Visitor

FilmWeek: 'Mickey 17,' 'Last Breath,' 'Art Spiegelman: Disaster Is My Muse', 'On Becoming a Guinea Fowl ' and More Guest host Austin Cross and LAist film critics Claudia Puig and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Mickey 17 Riff Raff Last Breath Art Spielgelman: Disaster Is My Muse Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna Eephus On Becoming a Guinea Fowl The Accidental Getaway Driver The Rule of Jenny Pen The Empire

At this year’s Academy Awards, the comedic drama Anora, came away 5 Oscar wins, including Best Picture. The film follows Ani, an exotic dancer and escort in Brighton Beach, who’s relationship with a Russian oligarch’s son takes her on an emotional rollercoaster. Having premiered at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, it received the festival’s prestigious Palme d’Or. Since then, it’s received critical acclaim and many awards. So for this week’s FilmWeek feature, we re-air our conversation on Anora, with Best Actress winner Mikey Madison, and 4-time Academy Award winner, filmmaker Sean Baker.

The 97th annual Academy Awards is this Sunday— with dozens of films having campaigned across 23 categories this awards season— and many spectators are unsure on which folks will come home with Oscars. With all that drama comes our 23rd annual FilmWeek Oscars Preview, which was held this year at the historic Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA. Eight of our FilmWeek critics joined host Larry Mantle on stage and broke down their picks in all the major categories; categories mentioned include Best Picture, Director, International Feature, Animated Feature, as well as each acting and screenwriting category. For a list of all the nominees this year, click here.

With Hollywood getting ready for the biggest awards show in movies, this episode of the new LAist Studios podcast NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING is all about the Oscars! Hear Oscar nominees Peter Straughan and Kris Bowers, and actress Caitlin Reilly duke it out for the ultimate award — winning a game show where the points are made up by our host, Franklin Leonard.   Guests: Screenwriter Peter Straughan (“Conclave”), composer Kris Bowers (“The Wild Robot”), and actress and comedian Caitlin Reilly (“Hacks,” “Loot”).   NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING is a production of The Black List and LAist Studios, in partnership with The Ankler.   Support for this podcast is also brought to you by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes L.A. a better place to live.   New episodes premiere Tuesdays and you can listen to the show on the radio at LAist 89.3 Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 10 p.m.

The Best International Feature category at the Academy Awards has grown in prominence over the years, coinciding with the inclusion of more international voters. It’s now meant more films typically confined to the Best International Feature category are now making their way to the conversation for Best Picture. This year, I’m Still Here and Emilia Perez serve as examples of films being nominated in both categories. In the recent past, we’ve seen the likes of Drive My Car and Parasite gain recognition from Academy voters in both categories. For this week’s FilmWeek feature, we’ll focus on this year’s crop of films for Best International Feature, and discuss our critics’ favorites. Joining us are Manuel Betancourt, Lael Loewenstein, and Christy Lemire.

FilmWeek: 'The Monkey,' 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy,' 'Millers in Marriage,' 'Cleaner' and More Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt and Lael Loewenstein review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. The Monkey Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy Millers in Marriage Ex-Husbands Cleaner The Unbreakable Boy Old Guy

FilmWeek: 'Captain America: Brave New World,' 'Paddington in Peru,' Becoming Led Zeppelin,' 'Sky Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius),' and More Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Captain America: Brave New World Paddington in Peru Becoming Led Zeppelin Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius) Universal Language The Gorge Mom I Love You Forever Kid Snow Rez Comedy

Feature: ‘Nickel Boys’ writer-director RaMell Ross discusses creative ways of adapting Colson Whitehead’s novel   Since the book was released in 2019, Colson Whitehead's historical fiction novel The Nickel Boys has reached great critical acclaim, having most notably won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. So to adapt the book into a feature-length film seems like it’d offer a lot of pressure, but it’s one the RaMell Ross seemed willing to take on following his Oscar-nominated documentary Hale County This Morning, This Evening. This year, Ross now finds his Nickel Boys adaptation nominated for multiple Oscars, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture. Similar to the book, the film follows the lives of two boys at the now-defunct Nickel Academy, a reform school in Florida that had a track record of abusing the African American children who attended. Ross also takes a unique approach, leaning heavily into his protagonist’s perspective, with most of the film switching between Elwood and Turner’s first-person point of view. Joining us to discuss the work put into Nickel Boys is the film’s co-writer and director, RaMell Ross.   Nickel Boys is out in select theaters and is now on VOD/digital.

Feature: 'Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat' director discusses Jazz greats and their relationship to post-colonial Africa The Oscar-nominated documentary Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat has received critical success through it’s focus on an international incident, a relationship between developing countries in a post-colonial era, and how artists can unknowingly play a role in this. The documentary, directed by Johan Grimonprez, uses jazz music from the likes of Louis Armstrong and Max Roach as an entryway into post-colonial Africa. Grimonprez spends much of the documentary getting into newly independent African nations, the most notable being the Democratic Republic of Congo, and how their relationship with colonial powers involved in the United Nations can impact their new democracies. This narrative is put together with prominent jazz musicians at the time and how their performances in these new nations were used for political purposes unbeknownst to them. So, for this week’s FilmWeek feature, we sit down with Johan Grimonprez, director of Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat. “Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat” is out now in select theaters and available on VOD

FilmWeek: 'Love Hurts,' 'Jazzy,' 'Parthenope,' 'Bring Them Down,' and More Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Love Hurts No Other Land Parthenope Suze Jazzy Armand Dark Nuns Bring Them Down Hazard

FilmWeek: 'Companion,' 'Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story,' 'Dog Man,' and More   Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Charles Solomon, Lael Loewenstein, and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Companion Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story Dog Man You're Cordially Invited Love Me Valiant One Lucca's World   Oscar Animated Shorts *Only one film (Wander to Wonder) is available online; all the animated shorts will be bundled up in a limited theatrical release starting February 14* Beautiful Men In the Shadow of the Cypress Magic Candies Wander to Wonder Yuck!

New Book ‘Falling in Love at the Movies” highlights the history of the romantic comedy   In her new book Falling in Love at the Movies, entertainment journalist Esther Zuckerman takes readers through the history of romantic comedies. A beloved genre, having built a reliable audience at the box office and some films even winning Academy Awards, the romcom has held a cultural impact that’s left many longing for romances depicted in Roman Holiday and When Harry Met Sally. So for this week’s FilmWeek feature, we speak to Esther Zuckerman about the rich history and extensive research that went into Falling in Love at the Movies: Rom-Coms from the Screwball Era to Today.   Esther will be doing a book signing, in partnership with Skylight Books, on Friday, Feb. 14 at 6:30 PM at the Los Feliz 3. Following that, she’ll be introducing a 7 PM screening of “Broadcast News.” For ticket information, click here.

Feature: New book ‘Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg: The Whole Equation’ tells the story of two MGM visionaries Moviegoers nowadays might not know much of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios’ history outside of its iconic mascot, a lion who introduced each film with it’s iconic roar. It was an introduction that was meant to prepare viewers for not just a film, but a spectacle. A new book by retired film critic Kenneth Turan shares the studio’s rich history of spectacle through the work of co-founder Louis B. Mayer, and Irving Thalberg, who served as its head of production following MGM’s inception. For this week’s FilmWeek feature, we’ll speak to former film critic Kenneth Turan, about his forthcoming book Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg: The Whole Equation, and give listeners a glimpse as to how they contributed to Hollywood. “Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg: The Whole Equation” is available for pre-order, and releases February 4th; click here to learn more.

FilmWeek: 'Presence,' 'Flight Risk,' 'Eternal You,' and More Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Peter Rainer review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming. Presence Flight Risk  Inheritance Eternal You Brave the Dark Grafted Rose Global Harmony

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt and Amy Nicholson review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming. FilmWeek: 'One of Them Days,' Wolf Man,' 'I'm Still Here,' 'Hard Truths,' and More Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt and Amy Nicholson review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming. One of Them Days Wolf Man I’m Still Here Grand Theft Hamlet Hard Truths Eno DIG! XX Don't Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever

David Lynch, the filmmaker celebrated for his uniquely dark vision in such movies as “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive” and the TV series “Twin Peaks,” has died just days before his 79th birthday. His family announced the death in a Facebook post on Thursday. The cause of death and location was not immediately available, but Lynch had been public about his emphysema. Lynch was a onetime painter who broke through in the 1970s with the surreal “Eraserhead” and rarely failed to startle and inspire audiences and peers in the following decades. His notable releases ranged from the neo-noir “Mulholland Drive” to the skewed Gothic of “Blue Velvet” to the eclectic and eccentric “Twin Peaks.” Joining us today on FilmWeek is Lael Loewenstein, Manuel Betancourt and Peter Rainer.

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell, Manuel Betancourt, and Peter Rainer review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming. A Complete Unknown Babygirl Nosferatu Better Man The Fire Inside 2073 Vermiglio From Ground Zero Harbin

Feature: Wallace & Gromit return to the big screen with ‘Vengeance Most Fowl,’ we talk to the directors It’s been 19 years since the intuitive, Wensleydale-loving Wallace and Gromit graced the big screen, with their last feature being The Curse of the Wererabbit; now the duo returns with Vengeance Most Fowl, which also marks the return of an old foe, the silent penguin Feathers McGraw. Having begun as a graduation project at the National Film and Television School, and now being a three-time Academy Award-winning cast of characters, Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park has teamed up with longtime collaborator Merlin Crossingham to direct this latest feature. So for this week’s FilmWeek feature, Larry sits down with Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl directors Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham to discuss all the work that went into making this stop-motion animated feature a reality. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl will be released in select theaters on December 18 and streaming on Netflix on January 3.

FilmWeek: 'The Brutalist,' 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3,' 'Mufasa: The Lion King,' 'The Count of Monte Cristo,' and More Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Wade Major review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming. The Brutalist Mufasa: The Lion King Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Homestead The Room Next Door The Count of Monte Cristo Counted Out The Wages of Fear (1953)

Feature: 1972 Munich Hostage Crisis broadcast gets revisited in ‘September 5,’ we discuss the film with its director. Movies centered on journalists have been somewhat of a trend over the years, with Spotlight and The Post serving as recent examples, and some older classics like All The President’s Men and The Insider. Writer-director Tim Fehlbaum’s latest project, September 5, looks to add to the tradition with a timely story of broadcast journalists attempting to cover an international incident in real-time. The film follows the 1972 Munich Olympics, with its inciting incident being 11 Israeli hostages held by Palestinian militants. It was coverage that was watched by roughly 900 million viewers, showing just how serious this event was. Hansjörg Weißbrich, the film’s editor, creates tension despite most of the film being set in one building; his work on the film has since been acknowledged by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, which awarded September 5 for its Best Editing category. For this week’s feature, we talk to filmmaker Tim Fehlbaum about the making of September 5 and the work it took to revisit a dark moment in history.

FilmWeek: 'Kraven the Hunter,' 'Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl,' 'Nickel Boys,' and More Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt, Peter Rainer, and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on-demand platforms. Kraven the Hunter Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl September 5 Nickel Boys The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Oh, Canada The Last Showgirl The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Carry-On Endless Summer Syndrome

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Wade Major and Christy Lemire review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on-demand platforms. Nightbitch Y2K The Order Day of the Fight The End Unstoppable The Girl with the Needle Mary Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary The Return Lake George

From 'Jonny Quest' to 'The West Wing' and beyond: Actor Tim Matheson on his decades spent in Hollywood Actor Tim Matheson has been working in showbiz since he was a young kid. He took up roles in some shows from the 1960s, like Leave it to Beaver and Window on Main Street. In 1964, he became the leading voice for the animated adventure series Jonny Quest. He'd go on to play Eric "Otter" Stratton in one of his best-known roles in the 1978 comedy film Animal House, and he was Emmy-nominated for his role as John Hoynes in The West Wing. For this week’s feature, we re-air an interview Larry recently did with Matheson, tied to his new memoir Damn Glad to Meet You: My Seven Decades in the Hollywood Trenches (Hachette Books, 2024)

FilmWeek: 'Moana 2,' 'Queer,' 'Maria,' 'That Christmas,' and More Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell, Peter Rainer and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on-demand platforms. Moana 2 Queer Maria The Seed of the Sacred Fig Ernest Cole: Lost and Found Porcelain War That Christmas Queens (Reinas)

As we enter a major weekend for Hollywood, how successful are Wicked and Gladiator II projected to be? Although Thanksgiving cooking is a major event on its own, the next two weekends serve as a time when major studios try to cash in on the audience’s free time. The two major releases this weekend, John M. Chu’s Wicked and Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, have bot h heavily campaigned for eyeballs, leaving questions about whether both can find box office success during the first week of their respective domestic releases. Internationally, Gladiator II has been released in some territories and made more than $80 million dollars in the process; Wicked has yet to open up its wide release but is projected to make more than $100 million in its opening weekend. With many referencing Barbenheimer, due to both films’ heavy promotion and different audience demographics, it does beg folks to wonder how each film will ultimately do financially and during awards season. Rebecca Rubin, senior film and media reporter for Variety, joins us to discuss this.

Feature: Critics discuss what’s behind the idea of movies being longer, and how to best prep for them At a time when rolls of film dominated the land, making a blockbuster was going to be expensive when you had to consider a physical film that had to be distributed across the globe. It’s an issue that made films longer than 120 minutes feel like an occasion. However, in the world of digital cameras, the unique quirks that came with the film were no longer an issue, making it easier to extend the length of a given feature. Auteurs like Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese have tried their best to keep viewers’ attention, with recent projects like Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon, respectively. In the vein of West Side Story (1961) and Lawrence of Arabia, Brady Corbet’s upcoming film The Brutalist uses an intermission to give viewers a break. But ultimately… are Hollywood’s movies longer now? And for viewers interested in watching these long movies– what are ways to fully devote yourself to a film?

FilmWeek: 'Gladiator II,' 'Wicked,' 'Joy,' 'Spellbound,' and More Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Charles Solomon, Amy Nicholson, and Claudia Puig reviewthe latest releases on FilmWeek. Gladiator II Wicked Flow Joy Spellbound Agent of Happiness The Merry Gentlemen The Glassworker

FilmWeek: 'Red One,' 'Elton John: Never Too Late,' 'Daruma,' and More Larry Mantle and FilmWeek critics Lael Loewenstein, Manuel Betancourt, and Charles Solomon review the latest releases on FilmWeek. Red One All We Imagine as Light Elton John: Never Too Late Bird The World According to Alle Willis Bogart: Life Comes in Flashes Ghost Cat Anzu Daruma Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy Night Is Not Eternal Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom The Lost Children

Feature: As Hollywood begins its “Christmas creep,” we talk our favorite holiday movies The holidays are here… or at least film distributors are under that impression. It’s been two weeks since Halloween has wrapped, and in that time we’ve seen some new Christmas-centric films make their ways to theaters and streamers. This week’s most-promoted theatrical release being the Christmas, action-comedy Red One; the film includes stars like Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, and J.K. Simmons. Last week on the show, we had the chance to discuss Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, two films that fit into the rich tradition of comfort movies that you can watch with your family during the holidays. So for this week’s FilmWeek feature, we’ll speak to our critics about the trend itself and hear about their favorite movies centered on the holiday season.

Feature: New book ‘Opening Weekend’ provides insider perspective on film marketing Although the film industry can be quite lucrative, there are a lot of moving parts to how a film gets to be a “success” or “flop.” As it relates to building up hype for a movie, marketing teams play a huge role in growing excitement and finding ways to resonate with general audiences. A new book, Opening Weekend: An Insider's Look at Marketing Hollywood's Hits and Flops, by longtime film marketing executive Jim Fredrick. Frederick’s career in the business has included working on the marketing team for films like Eyes Wide Shut, The Shawshank Redemption, and even the Harry Potter film franchise. So for this week’s feature, we’ll talk to Frederick about Opening Weekend and get an insider’s understanding of how marketing works within the film industry. Jim Fredrick, studio marketing executive, and Chapman University film professor; he’s also the author of the new book Opening Weekend: An Insider's Look at Marketing Hollywood's Hits and Flops

FilmWeek: "Heretic," "The Piano Lesson," "Small Things Like These," and more Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Andy Klein review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on-demand platforms. Heretic  The Piano Lesson Small Things Like These Elevation The Last Rifelman Christmas Even in Miller’s Point The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Meanwhile on Earth Sallywood Weekend in Taipei

The upcoming general election has of course been on many peoples’ minds, and what better way to work through the angst than by viewing how generations of artists have tried depicting politics on the big screen? Since early September, Turner Classic Movies has been airing some of the most political films to be released, with some examples being The Great Dictator and JFK. So for today’s feature, Larry and LAist film critics Andy Klein and Christy Lemire talk about their favorite election-related movies, getting into what makes them so topical and worth looking back at following their initial release.

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Andy Klein review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on-demand platforms. They also remember actress Teri Garr, who passed away at the age of 79. Here Blitz Emilia Perez A Real Pain Juror #2 Endurance Freedom The Gutter Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat

FilmWeek: 'Venom: The Last Dance,' 'Conclave,' 'Memoir of a Snail,' and More Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Peter Rainer, Wade Major, and Charles Solomon Venom: The Last Dance Conclave Memoir of a Snail  Martha My Name is Alfred Hitchcock Magpie Carville: Winning is Everything, Stupid Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) The Remarkable Life of Ibelin Rule of Two Walls The Sacrifice (1986)

Feature: Larry talks to Sean Baker and Mikey Madison about the work that went into making ‘Anora’ Since his 2012 feature-length film Starlet, critically acclaimed director Sean Baker has made films that bring realism to the lives of sex workers across the United States. Angelenos are likely familiar with the locations of Starlet and Tangerine, with the former taking place in the San Fernando Valley and the latter in Hollywood. Baker would eventually shoot his next films in Florida and Texas, but his latest picture, Anora, brings viewers to Brooklyn, New York. In Anora, Mikey Madison portrays Ani, an exotic dancer who eventually finds herself eloping with the son of a Russian oligarch. The film has garnered positive reviews since being screened at film festivals and was awarded the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival by fellow filmmakers judging the competition. For this week’s feature, we sit down with Anora’s writer-director Sean Baker, and the film’s star, Mikey Madison. Anora is now in select theaters and will expand on November 1