FilmWeek

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Wade Major and Andy Klein review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms:

“Wonka” Wide Release
“Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire” In Select Theaters
“The Zone of Interest” AMC Century City [Century City] + Vista Theatre [Los Feliz]
“The Taste of Things” Laemmle Royal [West LA] | Opens wider February 9th, 2024
“American Fiction” In Select AMC Theaters
“Freud’s Last Session” Laemmle Royal [West LA] Dec. 21st | Wider Release January 2024
“Godzilla Minus One” Wide Release
“Anselm” Laemmle Glendale [Glendale] + AMC Santa Monica 7
“Godard Cinema” Laemmle Royal [West LA] | Opens wider at Select Theaters December 18th
“The Family Plan” Streaming on AppleTV+

With so many different organizations giving out best of honors, it’s sometimes difficult for film lovers to parse what they all mean. One of those organizations is the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) who this weekend will meet in-person for the first time since 2019 to decide on the best performances and films of the year. Today, Larry sits down with FilmWeek critics Christy Lemire, Peter Rainer and Charles Solomon to understand the LAFCA decision making process, the similarities between the various award organizations, and to discuss the contemporary influence of film criticism.

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

“Poor Things” Select Theaters
“RENAISSANCE: A Film by BEYONCE” Wide Release
“Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget” Bay Theater [Pacific Palisades]|Streaming on Netflix December 15th
“Concrete Utopia” In Select Theaters
“Origin” AMC Century City 15 [Century City] for one week | Opens wider Jan. 2024
“Fast Charlie” Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monia]| Available on VOD
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever” Streaming on Disney+
“The Peasants” Laemmle Royal [West LA]
“The Canterville Ghost” Available on VOD

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Lael Loewenstein and Claudia Puig review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms:

“Monster” Landmark Nuart Theater [West LA] + AMC Atlantic Times Square [Monterey Park]
“Shayda” Laemmle Royal [West LA]
“Eileen” AMC The Grove 14 & AMC Century City 15|Opens Wide December 8th
“Menus Plaisirs - Les Troisgros” Laemmle Royal [West LA]
“Werner Herzog: Radical Dreamer” Digital & VOD December 5th
“Waitress: The Musical” In Select Theaters December 7th
“The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (4K Digital Restoration)” Laemmle Glendale [Glendale]

Nothing brings the spirit of the season into our hearts quite like a great holiday movie. Turner Classic Movies’ Christmas in the Movies by film historian Jeremy Arnold showcases the very best among this uniquely spirited strain of cinema. Each film is profiled on what makes it a “Christmas movie,” along with behind-the-scenes stories of its production, reception, and legacy. Complemented by a trove of full-color and black-and-white photos, this expanded volume is a glorious salute to a collection of the most treasured films of all time. Today, Larry sits down with Jeremy Arnold to pick apart what makes a Christmas movie, the role of television in establishing the genre, how the 1961 film noir “Blast of Silence” utilizes the holiday season, and much more.

In his new book “The Gold Screen: The Movies That Made Asian America” (Black Dog & Leventhal, October 2023), journalist and New York Times bestselling author Jeff Yang takes an in-depth look at the films that paved the way for Asian American representation in Hollywood. Featuring original artwork from nine esteemed Asian illustrators, a foreword from Michelle Yeoh, and conversations with some of Hollywood’s most visible entertainers, the book examines the importance of the Asian American film canon. Today, Larry sits down with Jeff Yang to talk about the new book, the significance of the film The Joy Luck Club, and the ever-influential Anna May Wong.

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

“Napoleon” Wide Release
“Wish” Wide Release
“Maestro” The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood + The Landmark Westwood
“American Symphony” Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica] Nov. 24th
“Leave The World Behind” In Select Theaters
“The Boy and the Heron” Multiple AMC Locations | Wide Release Dec. 8th
“Fallen Leaves” Laemmle Royal [West LA]
“They Shot The Piano Player” Laemmle Royal [West LA] On Nov. 24th 
“Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” Laemmle Royal [West LA]

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell, Lael Loewenstein, and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms:

“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” Wide Release
“Trolls Band Together” Wide Release
“Next Goal Wins” Wide Release
“Dream Scenario” In Select Theaters
“May December” In Select Theaters
“Leo” Streaming on Netflix November 21st
“Saltburn” In Select AMC Theaters | Wide on November 22nd
“The Disappearance of Shere Hite” AMC Burbank 16
“The Stones and Brian Jones” Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica] | Available on AppleTV+
“A Still Small Voice” Laemmle Royal [West LA]

Directed by Academy Award Winner Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok) and based on a true story, NEXT GOAL WINS follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamously known for their brutal 31-0 loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around in this heartfelt underdog comedy. Larry talks with the director on the film's development, casting, and his motivation for telling this story.

In the aftermath of World War Two, Charlie Chaplin was criticized for being politically liberal and internationalist in outlook. Chaplin also had other problems: his numerous affairs with young women. His sexuality became a convenient way for those who opposed his politics to condemn him – eventually being refused entry into the US while on a trip abroad. Having settled in Switzerland, he made his last two films in London. Bestselling Hollywood biographer and film historian Scott Eyman tells the story of Charlie Chaplin’s fall from grace in his new book “Charlie Chaplin Vs. America: When Art, Sex, And Politics Collided.”