The topic:
Horror movies are having a moment. Two of this year's greatest box office successes are two horror films, each from unknown directors with non-IP scripts and relatively small budgets.

A horror darling: Obsession is the unexpected runaway hit of the summer, having grossed over $400 million worldwide on less than $1 million budget. Now almost two months out from its initial release, it is still playing in theaters nationwide.

Another hit: Backed by the studio A24, Backrooms had a budget of $10 million and has grossed almost $350 million worldwide. Some of its success can be attributed to it being based on a popular 4Chan post that sparked a webseries and several internet games.

Guests:
Amy Nicholson, film critic for LAist, film critic for the Los Angeles Times and host of the podcast ‘Unspooled’ 

Christy Lemire, film critic for LAist, and co-host of the ‘Breakfast All Day’ YouTube and podcast series 

Tim Cogshell, film critic for LAist, Alt-Film Guide and CineGods.com 

The topic:
Larry Mantle and LAist film critics review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.

The films:     
Evil Dead Burn, Wide Release
Moana, Wide Release
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, Wide Release
Mary Oliver: Saved By the Beauty of the World, At Select Laemmle Theaters
Night Nurse, In Select Theaters
The Isolate Thief, In Select Theaters 
Mockbuster, Laemmle Glendale & Available on Digital & VOD
The American Southwest, Available on Digital and VOD
Barrio Triste, Landmark Nuart Theater [West LA] & American Cinematheque’s Los Feliz 3

The topic:

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

The films:

Minions & Monsters Wide Release

Young Washington Wide Release                   

Romería Laemmle Glendale|Laemmle Royal [West LA]                                       

Enola Holmes 3 Streaming on Netflix                 

Reeling Available on Digital & VOD Tues. July 7                                       

Drunken Noodles  Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]|Laemmle NoHo            

Lockbox In Select Theaters                                                                      

The Get Out Available on Digital & 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 

The critics:

Charles Solomon, film critic for LAist, Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine 

Christy Lemire, film critic for LAist, and co-host of the ‘Breakfast All Day’ YouTube and podcast series 

Claudia Puig, film critic for LAist and program director for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival

The topic:

Criterion released two director-approved 4k restorations for John Waters’ 1988 film Hairspray and his 1977 film Desperate Living. The disc releases include exclusive commentary tracks from Waters and some of the actors as well as bonus interviews.

Waters’ trash cinema: Known for his provocative, camp films, Waters is considered one of the formative directors of gay cinema. His ‘trash trilogy’ of Pink Flamingos (1972), Female Trouble (1974) and Desperate Living (1977) showcased taboos and profanity that garnered Waters a cult following. 

Mainstream attempt: But he also brought in a more mainstream audience with his much more tame and accessible film Hairspray (1988) about an overweight teen in Baltimore who dreams of being on a local TV show that features adolescents dancing. And you can’t talk about Waters without talking about his frequent collaborator and drag performer Divine, featured in a majority of Waters’ films. Divine played Tracy’s mother Edna Turnblad in Hairspray. It was his last film role before he died.

Guest:

John Waters, American filmmaker known for his gay, cult classic films that delve into ‘trash’ and taboo

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 topic:

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

The films:

Supergirl Wide Release

The Invite In Select Theaters|Expands Wide July 10

Jackass: Best and Last Wide Release

Lucky Strike Wide Release

Coroner to the Stars Laemmle Glendale|Available on Digital & VOD July 14

Peter Asher: Everywhere Man Laemmle Royal [West LA]|Laemmle NoHo

Animals in War Available on Digital & VOD|Streaming on Film Movement Plus

Maddie's Secret In Select Theaters

Woody Guthrie and The Ghost of Tom Joad Today Streaming on PBS SoCal  

The critics:

Lael Loewenstein, film critic for LAist, 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 

The topic:

The new documentary Peter Asher: Everywhere Man shines a spotlight on the man behind some of America's most famous singer-songwriters.

The man: Asher started as a performer himself in the 60s pop duo Peter and Gordon. Despite some hit songs, Asher decided to step off the stage and became a producer and manager for acts including James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, and Carole King, just to name a few.

The documentary: The new documentary chronicling Asher's life is directed by Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine. The film includes exclusive interviews with Asher.

You can see Peter Asher: Everywhere Man at the Laemmle Royal in West LA and the Laemmle NoHo in North Hollywood.

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 topic:

Austin Cross and LAist film critics Charles Solomon, Manuel Betancourt, and Katie Walsh review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.

The films:

Toy Story 5 Wide Release                                  

The Death of Robin Hood Wide Release       

Girls Like Girls Wide Release                           

Leviticus In Select Theaters                                      

Enongo Streaming on Indie Pix Unlimited                                               

Rose of Nevada Landmark Nuart [West LA]                      

She's the He Laemmle Glendale|Lumiere Music Hall [West LA]                                         

Burt Available on Digital & VOD                                                           

Color Book Landmark Pasadena Playhouse|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                                    

The topic: 

The new film Burt tells the story of Burt Berger, a 69-year-old musician in LA living with Parkinson's who reconnects with an adult son he never knew he had. The film was shot over seven days in Los Angeles on a micro-budget of $7,000. 

A personal story: Director and co-writer of the film, Joe Burke’s own father is living with Parkinson’s. A portion of the proceeds will go to Parkinson’s Community Los Angeles. 

Where to watch: Burt is available on VOD on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.

Guest:

Joe Burke, co-writer and director of the film Burt

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 Charles Solomon, Christy Lemire, and Maureen Lee Lenker review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.

The films:

Disclosure Day, Wide Release

Jinsei, In Select Theaters

The Furious, In Select Theaters

The Little Sister, Laemmle Glendale & Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]

I am Frankelda, Laemmle Glendale & Streaming on Netflix

Stop! That! Train!, Wide Release

Boy George & Culture Club, Available on Digital & VOD

Underland, Laemmle Glendale

This Tempting Madness, Available on Digital & 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 

The topic:

Documentary Magazine, published by the International Documentary Association (IDA), released a list of what it determined to be the 25 greatest documentaries of the 21st Century.

How the list was made: Documentary polled 300 documentary filmmakers and producers, critics, programmers, and academics, asking them to name three documentaries they deemed the “greatest.” Each documentary had to be released after January 1, 2000.

Notable picks: Joshua Oppenheimer’s The Act of Killing (2012) sits in the number spot, garnering the most votes. Other films that made the list include No Other Land (2024), the most recent release on the list, and The Gleaners and I (2000), the oldest release. 

Guest: Manuel Betancourt, film critic for LAist and assistant editor of Documentary Magazine. He also contributes regularly to Variety and The AV Club

Check out Documentary’s full list 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