FilmWeek

Larry’s Interview With TV And Film Producer Carol Baum About Her New Book

Carol Baum has produced 34 movies, including “Father of the Bride” and its sequel, “The Good Girl,” starring Jennifer Aniston, and Noah Baumback’s screenplay debut “Kicking and Screaming.” She also brought hits like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Jacknife” to the big screen. Now, Baum provides an intimate look into producing in her new book “Creative Producing: A Pitch-to-Picture Guide to Movie Development.” She joins Larry Mantle on FilmWeek to discuss her impressive career and how she coaches young producers hoping to follow in her footsteps.

The Hollywood production code began in 1927 as a response to previous scandals tied to the early days of Hollywood. This led to the Hays Code, a guide to filmmakers and production companies of what was and was not acceptable to show on screen, typically pertaining to sexual content and violence, but it also included rules that prevented actors of different races from kissing. Today on FilmWeek Larry Mantle talks to Nat Segaloff, writer, film historian, and author of the new book “Breaking the Code: Otto Preminger vs. Hollywood’s Censors” to discuss the history of censorship in Hollywood and the famous director and producer who set out to change it. 

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

• “Expend4bles” Wide Release
• “It Lives Inside” Wide Release
• “The Origin Of Evil” In Select Theaters
• “Flora And Son” Alamo Drafthouse Cinema [DTLA] & Landmark Nuart Theater [West LA]; Available to Stream on Apple TV+ September 29
• “Invisible Beauty” Laemmle Royal [West LA]
• “No One Will Save You” Available to Stream on Hulu
• “26.2 To Life” Laemmle Royal [West LA]
• “Carlos” In Select Theaters September 23
• “Stop Making Sense” 40th Anniversary In Select Theaters
• “Radical Wolfe” Laemmle Royal [West LA], Laemmle Glendale & Laemmle Claremont
• “Piaffe” Landmark Nuart Theater [West LA]

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]