Landmark Theatres Q&A Podcast

Director/Co-Writer Sam Mendes and Actors George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman speak about their film 1917 with moderator Pete Hammond (Deadline Hollywood).

Recorded at the Landmark in Los Angeles on 1/3/20.

Sam Mendes, the Oscar-winning director of Skyfall, Spectre and American Beauty, brings his singular vision to his World War I epic 1917. At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Schofield (George MacKay, Captain Fantastic) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman, “Game of Thrones”) are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers—Blake’s own brother among them. 1917 is directed by Sam Mendes, who wrote the screenplay with Krysty Wilson-Cairns (“Penny Dreadful”). Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography.

Writer/Director Chinonye Chukwu and Actors Alfre Woodard and Aldis Hodge discuss their film CLEMENCY with moderator Scott Mantz.

Recorded at the Landmark in Los Angeles on 12/27/19.

Years of carrying out death row executions have taken a toll on prison warden Bernadine Williams (Alfre Woodard). As she prepares to execute another inmate, Bernadine must confront the psychological and emotional demons her job creates, ultimately connecting her to the man she is sanctioned to kill. Written and directed by Chinonye Chukwu.

Filmmaker Rob Garver discusses his documentary WHAT SHE SAID: THE ART OF PAULINE KAEL with film critic Michael Sragow.

Recorded at Landmark's NuArt Theatre on 12/15/19.

The New Yorker’s film critic Pauline Kael (1919-2001), often considered the most influential of all time, battled to make her mark—fueled by brilliance, unshakable self-confidence, a complicated past, and a deep love of the arts. In a field that embraced few female critics, Kael was charismatic, controversial, witty and discerning. Her turbo-charged prose famously championed the New Hollywood Cinema of the late 1960s and ‘70s (Bonnie and Clyde, Nashville, Carrie, Taxi Driver) and the work of major European directors (François Truffaut, Bernardo Bertolucci), while mercilessly panning some of the biggest studio hits (The Sound of Music, Midnight Cowboy, Dirty Harry). Featuring a delightful banquet of well-chosen film clips, with over 35 new interviews and never-before seen archival material, What She Said is an incisive portrait of a pioneer who was both admired and resented for what she said about art in an era of great moviemaking. Sarah Jessica Parker reads from Kael’s reviews; filmmakers Quentin Tarantino, David O. Russell, Paul Schrader and Francis Ford Coppola and critics Camille Paglia, Molly Haskell, Greil Marcus and David Edelstein speak to her enormous gifts and influence.

Filmmaker Michael Apted discusses 63 Up, the latest installment in his groundbreaking documentary series, with moderator Tim Gray (Senior VP of Variety Magazine).  

Recorded at Landmark's NuArt Theatre on 12/6/19.

Legendary filmmaker Michael Apted (Coal Miner’s Daughter), an Emmy nominee, DGA winner, and BAFTA-winning director, returns with the latest installment of his groundbreaking documentary series, unmatched in the history of cinema for its astonishing and revelatory longevity. The original 7 Up was broadcast in 1964 as a one-off “World in Action” Special inspired by the Jesuit saying, “Give me the child until he is seven, and I will give you the man,” and featured 14 British children talking about their hopes and dreams for the future. Subsequent visits every seven years over six decades have documented the group as they grew up, became adults and entered middle-age, dealing with everything life has thrown at them in between. How have their lives reflected (or not) those earliest influences and the social class in which they were raised? Now, as the group reaches late adulthood, 63 Up is back to discover what they are doing—exploring retirement, facing mortality and reflecting on what the project has meant to them.  It’s a not-to-be-missed new chapter in a fascinating saga.

Writer/Director Rian Johnson discusses his latest film KNIVES OUT with moderator Kara Warner and takes questions from the audience.

Recorded at the Landmark in Los Angeles on 12/1/19.

Acclaimed writer and director Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper, The Last Jedi) pays tribute to mystery mastermind Agatha Christie in Knives Out, a fun, modern-day murder mystery where everyone is a suspect. When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death. With an all-star ensemble cast including Chris Evans, Ana De Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford and Jaeden Martell, Knives Out is a witty and stylish whodunit guaranteed to keep audiences guessing until the very end.

Filmmaker Matt Wolf discusses his new film RECORDER: THE MARION STOKES PROJECT with moderator Adrian Chen.  

Recorded at Landmark's NuArt Theatre on 11/29/19.

For over 30 years, Marion Stokes obsessively and privately recorded American television news 24 hours a day. A longtime resident of Philadelphia (though she once considered emigrating to Cuba), she was a civil rights-era radical activist who became wealthy and reclusive later in life. Her obsession started with the Iranian Hostage Crisis in 1979—at the dawn of the 24-hour news cycle. It ended on December 14, 2012 as the Sandy Hook massacre played on television while Marion passed away. In between, Marion filled 70,000 VHS tapes, capturing revolutions, wars, triumphs, catastrophes, bloopers, talk shows and commercials that show us how television shaped the world of today and in the process tells us who we were. A mystery in the form of a time capsule, Recorder delves into the strange life of a woman for whom home taping was a form of activism to protect the truth (the public didn’t know it, but the networks had been disposing their archives for decades into the trashcan of history), and though her visionary and maddening project nearly tore her family apart, her extraordinary legacy is priceless. Directed by Matt Wolf (Teenage).

Moderator Pete Hammond (Deadline Hollywood) speaks with director Marielle Heller and Producer Peter Saraf about their new film A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

Recorded at the Landmark in Los Angeles on 11/23/19.

Tom Hanks portrays Mister Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, a timely story of kindness triumphing over cynicism, based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. After a jaded magazine writer (Emmy winner Matthew Rhys) is assigned a profile of Fred Rogers, he overcomes his skepticism, learning about empathy, kindness, and decency from America’s most beloved neighbor.

Director Todd Haynes speaks about his new film DARK WATERS with moderator Scott Feinberg (The Hollywood Reporter).

Recorded at the Landmark in Los Angeles on 11/23/19.

In Dark Waters, inspired by a shocking true story, a tenacious attorney (Mark Ruffalo) uncovers a dark secret that connects a growing number of unexplained deaths due to one of the world's largest corporations. In the process, he risks everything—his future, his family, and his own life—to expose the truth. Also starring Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Camp, Victor Garber, Mare Winningham, William Jackson Harper and Bill Pullman. Directed by Todd Haynes.

Writer/Director Annabelle Attanasio and actors Camila Morrone and James Badge Dale discuss their film MICKEY AND THE BEAR with filmmaker/actor Robert Schwartzman.

Recorded at Landmark's NuArt Theatre on 11/22/19.

A coming-of-age story told from the unique perspective of a strong, resilient female protagonist, this award-winning drama marks the auspicious feature debut of writer/director Annabelle Attanasio. Stuck in Anaconda, Montana, headstrong teenager Mickey Peck (Camila Morrone) has a loving but volatile relationship with her single, veteran father Hank (James Badge Dale), navigating his mercurial moods, opioid addiction, and grief over the loss of his wife. She is also juggling a possessive boyfriend (Ben Rosenfield) and an after-school job at the local taxidermist that brings in needed money. Faced with the day-to-day responsibility of keeping her household afloat while her father falls apart, Mickey secretly fantasizes about going to college on the west coast and finally living life on her own terms. When Hank’s controlling, jealous behavior turns destructive, Mickey must decide between familial obligation and personal fulfillment as she puts everything on the line to claim her own independence. Both Morrone and Dale give powerful performances in this compelling drama.

Writer/Director Trey Edward Shults and Actors Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Alexa Demie discuss their new film WAVES with moderator Carlos Aguilar (LA Times).

Recorded at the Landmark in Los Angeles on 11/16/19.

Set against the vibrant landscape of South Florida, and featuring an astonishing ensemble of award-winning actors and breakouts alike, Waves traces the epic emotional journey of a suburban African-American family—led by a well-intentioned but domineering father—as they navigate love, forgiveness and coming together in the aftermath of a loss. From acclaimed director Trey Edward Shults, Waves is a heartrending story about the universal capacity for compassion and growth even in the darkest of times.