Inspired by the real-life story of NASA flight engineer José Hernández, the new film “A Million Miles Away” follows Hernández (portrayed by Michael Peña), a young man from a family of migrant farm workers, to his career as an astronaut traveling to the International Space Station. Hernández’s family migrated from a rural village in Michoacán, Mexico and later settled in the San Joaquin Valley. Today on FilmWeek, Larry Mantle speaks with José Hernández, NASA astronaut and author of the book that inspired the film “Reaching for the Stars: The Inspiring Story of a Migrant Farmworker Turned Astronaut,” and Alejandra Márquez Abella, writer and director of “A Million Miles Away."

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Amy Nicholson, Andy Klein and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms. We also hear from our critic Peter Rainer to tell us about his favorite films at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.

• “A Haunting In Venice” Wide Release
• “Dumb Money” In Select Theaters
• “The Inventor” In Select Theaters
• “Carpet Cowboys” Brain Dead Studios [Fairfax District]
• “The Retirement Plan” In Select Theaters
• “Cassandro” In Select Theaters; Streaming on Prime Video Starting September 22
• “Outlaw Johnny Black” In Select Theaters
• “Love At First Sight” Streaming on Netflix
• “The Mountain” Laemmle Town Center [Encino] & Laemmle Glendale

Released in 2004, “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy '' didn't reach initial critical acclaim, seen as just another run-of-the-mill, raunchy comedy. However, in the years since, the film, directed by Adam McKay and co-written by McKay and the film’s star Will Ferell, has become a beloved staple. You can ask fans and critics alike to quote their favorite lines from the film and many will argue that it is one of the best comedies of the 2000s. Saul Austerlitz, adjunct professor of writing and comedy history at New York University, is one of those people, assigning “Anchorman” as required viewing for his students, using it as an example of good satirical writing and improvisation. Today on FilmWeek, Larry is joined by Austerlitz to talk about his new book “Kind of a Big Deal: How Anchorman Stayed Classy and Became the most Iconic Comedy of the 21st Century” (August 2023, Penguin Random House) and breakdown what makes this movie a pinnacle of comedic filmmaking.

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Lael Loewenstein review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms.

• “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” Wide Release
• “The Nun II” Wide Release
• “Scrapper” Landmark Nuart Theater [West LA]
• “El Conde” Laemmle Royal [West LA] & Laemmle NoHo [North Hollywood]; Begins Streaming on Netflix September 15
• “A Million Miles Away” Laemmle NoHo [North Hollywood]; Available on Prime Video September 15 
• “Joyce Carol Oates: A Body In The Service Of Mind” Lammle Royal [West LA] & Available on Amazon & Apple TV+
• “Rotting In The Sun” Alamo Drafthouse Cinema [DTLA]; Available to Stream on MUBI September 15

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Wade Major and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms.

• “The Equalizer 3” Wide Release
• “Fremont” Laemmle Glendale & Landmark Nuart Theater [West LA]
• “Our Father, The Devil” Laemmle Royal [West LA]
• “The Good Mother” In Select Theaters
• “Scout’s Honor: The Secret Files Of The Boy Scouts Of America” Streaming on Netflix September 6 
• “Before, Now & Then” Laemmle Royal [West LA]
• “A Day And A Half” Streaming on Netflix
• “King Coal” Laemmle Glendale
• “Goldfish” Laemmle Town Center [Encino]

Sunset Boulevard was released in 1950 and has remained one of old Hollywood’s classics. A staple of the noir genre, the film portrays the dark and often obsessive side of fame. Legendary actress Nancy Olson Livingston earned an Academy Award Nomination for her role as Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard, only her second film role at the time. Now, more than 70 years later, Livingston revisits her time as a prominent star in Hollywood’s golden years in her new memoir “A Front Row Seat: An Intimate Look at Broadway, Hollywood and the Age of Glamour.” Today on FilmWeek, Larry Mantle speaks with Academy-award nominated actress, Nancy Olson Livingston, about the legacy of Sunset Boulevard and her long-standing career amongst some of the most iconic American film stars.

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Lael Loewenstein and Andy Klein review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms.

• “Gran Turismo” Wide Release
• “Retribution” Wide Release
• “Bank Of Dave” Galaxy Theater [Mission Grove] & Available on VOD
• “Golda” Wide Release
• “Bella!” Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica], Laemmle Claremont, Laemmle Town Center [Encino] & Laemmle Glendale
• “You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah” Streaming on Netflix
• “Killer Book Club” Streaming on Netflix
• “Slotherhouse” In Select Theaters August 30
• “The Owners” (Other Title: “Vlastnici”) Laemmle Royal [West LA]

A Los Angeles native, Anna May Wong began acting in silent films when she was a teenager, but she didn’t reach mainstream notoriety until her role in the film “Daughter Of The Dragon” where she played the daughter of Warner Oland’s Fu Manchu. Wong went on to star in numerous films becoming the first Chinese American movie star. Yet, despite her success, Wong faced much criticism. Although she was often celebrated for her part in furthering Asian representation, she was equally condemned for furthering harmful Asian stereotypes in her roles. Today on FilmWeek, Larry speaks with Yunte Huang, professor of English at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Guggenheim Fellow, and author of the new book “Daughter of the Dragon: Anna May Wong’s Rendezvous with American History.” Huang shares the long journey Wong took to become a prominent actress in the United States and the barriers she faced in both her career and personal life working under a Hays Code Hollywood. 

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Peter Rainer, Manuel Betancourt and Charles Solomon  review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms.

• “Blue Beetle” Wide Release
• “Strays” Wide Release
• “Aurora’s Sunrise” Laemmle Glendale
• “The Eternal Memory” Laemmle Royal [West LA] & Laemmle Town Center [Encino]
• “Dead Shot” Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]
• “The Monkey King” Streaming on Netflix
• “Madeleine Collins” Laemmle Royal [West LA] & Laemmle Town Center [Encino]
• “Landscape With Invisible Hand” In Select Theaters
• “Grave Of The Fireflies” American Cinematheque [Los Feliz]
• “The Adults” In Select Theaters

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting millions across the world. In the new documentary “The Eternal Memory,” director Maite Alberdi explores the disease intimately, following former Chilean journalist Augusto Góngora and his wife, Paulina Urrutia, as they navigate their 25 plus year relationship alongside Góngora’s deteriorating memory. “The Eternal Memory” is the follow up to Alberdi’s Academy Award nominated documentary “The Mole Agent.” Her new film won the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at Sundance. Today on FilmWeek, Larry speaks with Chilean film producer, director, documentarian, screenwriter, and film critic, Maite Alberdi, about her new film “The Eternal Memory” and the process of capturing the intimate moments of Góngora’s Alzheimer’s and Góngora and Urruria’s relationship.