LAist Film Calendar 08/30-09/02: The End Is the Beginning Is The End

Labor Day marks the end of the summer and the beginning of the Cinecon Classic Film Festival, running all weekend at the Egyptian Theatre. The annual fest takes a close look at cinema's roots - the newest film screening, Walk Don't Run (1966) is nearly 50 years old, and it's only on the slate because it's a remake of an even older film, The More The Merrier (1943; not screening at Cinecon). The majority of the films are from the 1920s & 1930s, including rare public screenings of restorations from UCLA Film & Television Archive (Laurel & Hardy comedy Way Out West [1937]), the National Film Preservation Foundation (who recently recovered a "lost" John Ford film, Upstream [1927], from New Zealand archives) & even the Library of Congress (The Circus Man [1914], an early feature cowritten by an uncredited Cecil B. DeMille). No individual tickets are available; day passes can be purchased onlineor at the Egyptian. If you can afford to go all out, a weekend pass is $110.

This weekend also marks the newest chapter of L.A. deluxe arthouses. In an age where theater closures abound, Sundance Cinemas debuts a new complex on the site of what was Laemmle's Sunset 5. While this weekend's showtimes are unavailable as of this writing, tonight the theater hosts a special premiere screening of conservation documentary Watershed (narrated by Sundance founder Robert Redford, of course). The $40 ticket may seem steep, but it comes with discussion panel, popcorn, soda, beer, wine & the karma of knowing your consumption benefits Heal The Bay.

Whereas Cinecon relies on repertory 35mm prints, Sundance Cinemas, like the Laemmle NoHo 7 that opened earlier this year, is all digital. While the two formats are often pitted against one another as an either/or, we're lucky to have a local culture that supports both/and. We can choose between the Aero's digital 3D revival of Avatar (2009) or the New Beverly's "slacker week" pairings of Beavis and Butthead Do America (1996) & Ghost World (2001) and Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) & Our Idiot Brother (2011).

There's something for every one in every niche with every interest. In the close to 4 years I've been writing the Film Calendar, the greatest challenge has been picking just one or two events to focus on. It's time for me to ride off into the sunset, but never forget all the amazing opportunities we have as cinema-lovers in L.A. We may take it for granted that The Big Lebowski (1998) screens every couple months, but this will only continue if we keep supporting great theaters playing great movies. I've done what I can, I know you can take it from here.

Full list appears below. I'd like to thank my wife Elizabeth for her support & assistance every week. See you at the movies!

All Week

2 Days in New York (2012) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex) (Laemmle's Noho 7)
The Ambassador (2012) (Cinefamily @ Silent Movie Theatre)
Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012) (Laemmle's Fallbrook 7) (Laemmle's Noho 7)
Chicken With Plums (2012) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex)
Joker (2012) (Laemmle's Fallbrook 7)
Killer Joe (2011) (Laemmle's Noho 7)
Life is Strange (2011) (Laemmle's Music Hall 3) (Laemmle's Town Center 5)
Little White Lies (2012) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7) (Laemmle's Town Center 5)
Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present (2012) (Downtown Independent)
Mugamoodi (2009) (Laemmle's Fallbrook 7)
Robot & Frank (2012) (Art Theatre of Long Beach) (Laemmle's Fallbrook 7) (Laemmle's Noho 7)
Samsara (2012) (Arclight Hollywood) (The Landmark) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7) (Laemmle's Town Center 5)
Sleepwalk With Me (2012) (Nuart Theatre)
Supercapitalist (2012) (Laemmle's Noho 7)
The Tall Man (2012) (Laemmle's Noho 7)

Thursday 08/30

Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996) / Ghost World (2001) (New Beverly Cinema) (Slacker Week)
Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010) (Aero Theatre) (3-D as Art)
Cinecon Classic Film Festival (Egyptian Theatre)
Circle Jerks: My Career as a Jerk (2012) (w/ director Dave Markey and band members) (Cinefamily @ Silent Movie Theatre) (Don't Knock the Rock 2012)
Dancing Zoo (2009) (Korean Cultural Center)
...So Goes the Nation (2006) (free event) (Hammer Museum) (Election Films)
We Can't Go Home Again (1973) / Don't Expect Too Much (2011) (USC School of Cinematic Arts)

Friday 08/31

30 Days of Night (2007) (Cinefamily @ Silent Movie Theatre) (Friday Night Frights)
The Ambassador (2012) (opening night party w/ filmmaker Mads Brügger) (Cinefamily @ Silent Movie Theatre)
Avatar (2009) (Aero Theatre) (3-D as Art)
Cinecon Classic Film Festival (Egyptian Theatre)
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (2009) (free event) (LACMA) (Outdoor Films: Animation August)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) / Our Idiot Brother (2011) (New Beverly Cinema) (Slacker Week)
Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) (drive-in movie) (Eat See Hear) (Los Angeles Trade Tech College)
The Little Tramp (free event w/ punk rock archivist Dino Everett) (Echo Park Film Center) (Filmmobile Screening)
The Lost World (1997) (Nuart Theatre) (Cine-Insomnia Midnight Movie)
Night After Night (1932) (Old Town Music Hall)
Samsara (2012) (w/ filmmakers Ron Fricke & Mark Magidson and composer Michael Stearns at the 7:15pm, 8:30pm, & 9:55pm shows) (The Landmark)
Sleepwalk With Me (2012) (w/ actor/director/writer Mike Birbiglia at the 7:30pm & 9:40pm shows) (Nuart Theatre)

Saturday 09/01

Ai Weiwei (2012) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex)
The Ambassador (2012) (w/ filmmaker Mads Brügger) (Cinefamily @ Silent Movie Theatre)
The Big Lebowski (1998) (New Beverly Cinema) (New Beverly Midnights) (Slacker Week)
Cinecon Classic Film Festival (Egyptian Theatre)
Death By China (2012) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7)
Dirty Dancing (1987) (Hollywood Forever Cemetery) (Cinespia Screenings)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) (drive-in movie) (Eat See Hear) (Los Angeles Trade Tech College)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) / Our Idiot Brother (2011) (New Beverly Cinema) (Slacker Week)
The Imposter (2012) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7) (Laemmle's Town Center 5)
Klown (2010) (Cinefamily @ Silent Movie Theatre)
Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003) (w/ director Thom Andersen) (Aero Theatre)
Night After Night (1932) (Old Town Music Hall)
The Queen of Versailles (2012) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7)
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) (Live Shadowcast Midnight Show) (Art Theatre of Long Beach)
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) (Sins O' The Flesh Midnight Show) (Nuart Theatre)
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) (Midnight Insanity Midnight Show) (South Coast Village Regency Theaters)
Side By Side (2012) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7)
Sleepwalk With Me (2012) (w/ actor/director/writer Mike Birbiglia at the 7:30pm & 9:40pm shows) (Nuart Theatre)
The Well-Digger's Daughter (2011) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7) (Laemmle's Town Center 5)
Yodelin' Kid From Pine Ridge (1937) / The Pony Riders (1953) (Autry National Center)

Sunday 09/02

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (2012) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex)
Cinecon Classic Film Festival (Egyptian Theatre)
Death By China (2012) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7)
The Imposter (2012) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7) (Laemmle's Town Center 5)
Klown (2010) (Cinefamily @ Silent Movie Theatre)
Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003) (Aero Theatre)
Night After Night (1932) (Old Town Music Hall)
The Queen of Versailles (2012) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7)
Scarface (1983) (Hollywood Forever Cemetery) (Cinespia Screenings)
Side By Side (2012) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7)
The Well-Digger's Daughter (2011) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7) (Laemmle's Town Center 5)