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Holiday dinner before the egg nog... | Photo courtesy of Industrial Entertainment
Herr Claus may be the most sought-after German this week, but his countryman Herzog is also comin' to town. He'll see you, sleeping or awake, at the Downtown Independent, for a screening of his latest, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done. If two Herzog films in one season isn't enough of a treat, gorge yourself on the other names in this celluloid sack: Willem Dafoe, ChloÎ Sevigny, Michael Shannon, Udo Kier, Brad Dourif & Grace Zabriskie. The only thing keeping the partridge from the pear tree is that executive producer David Lynch is just an ornament on the marquee, not a key player. Maybe next time, if we're good little boys and girls.
But back to the boughs of holly. Holiday classics abound all over town - in all their eye-shooting, singing-and-dancing, universe-hopping glory. Laurel & Hardy bridge economic hardship & fairytale hilarity in March of the Wooden Soldiers, while John McClane bridges his fist to your face in a deadly double hosted by screenwriter Steven E. de Souza. For a seasonal chiller, try the original Black Christmas on for size, or knock back some cold ones & knock out some teeth with Slap Shot. Who needs myrrh?
Full list appears below. See you at the movies!
... and after! | Photo courtesy of Hal Roach Studios
All Week
Fall Down Dead (2007) (Laemmle's Music Hall 3)
Home (2008) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex)
Iron Cross (2009) (Laemmle's Sunset 5)
The Lightkeepers (2009) (Laemmle's Music Hall 3)
My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2009) (Downtown Independent)
Ocean of Pearls (2008) (Laemmle's Sunset 5)
Punctured Hope (2009) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex)
Under the Eightball (Laemmle's Sunset 5)
Thursday 12/17
"Alms" You Say (2007) (w/ director Christopher Malinowski and Joyanna Crouse) (Echo Park Film Center)
Examined Life (2008) (Downtown Independent)
Fat City (1972) / Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962) (New Beverly Cinema)
Invictus (2009) (Arclight Hollywood) (21+ screening)
Saeya, Saeya (2005) (free event) (Korean Cultural Center)
We're No Angels (1955) / Three Godfathers (1948) (Egyptian Theatre)
Friday 12/18
Black Christmas (1974) (Art Theatre of Long Beach) (Mondo Fridays)
A Christmas Story (1983) / Remember the Night (1940) (Aero Theatre)
Crazy Heart (2009) (Arclight Sherman Oaks) (21+ screening)
Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009) (Arclight Hollywood) (21+ screening)
Donnie Darko (2001) (Nuart Theatre) (Cine-Insomnia Midnight Movie)
Eggshells (1968) (midnight drive-in show) (Steve Allen Theater)
Examined Life (2008) (Downtown Independent)
Five Graves to Cairo (1943) / The Emperor Waltz (1948) (New Beverly Cinema)
Flux Screening Series (w/ Mia Doi Todd) (free event) (Hammer Museum)
March of the Wooden Soldiers (1943) (Old Town Music Hall)
My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2009) (w/ Werner Herzog) (Downtown Independent)
Reservoir Dogs (1992) (Midnight Show) (New Beverly Cinema)
Return to Oz (1985) (Regency Fairfax) (Insomniac Cinema Midnight Movie)
White Christmas (1954) / Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) (Egyptian Theatre)
Saturday 12/19
Afghan Star (2009) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7) (Laemmle's Sunset 5) (Laemmle's Town Center 5)
A Christmas Story (1983) (The Bay Theatre)
Crazy Heart (2009) (Arclight Sherman Oaks) (21+ screening)
Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009) (Arclight Hollywood) (21+ screening)
Examined Life (2008) (Downtown Independent)
Five Graves to Cairo (1943) / The Emperor Waltz (1948) (New Beverly Cinema)
It's A Wonderful Life (1946) (free event) (Echo Park Film Center)
It's A Wonderful Life (1946) (Egyptian Theatre)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962) (Aero Theatre)
March of the Wooden Soldiers (1943) (Old Town Music Hall)
The Messenger (2009) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex)
Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962) (w/ panel discussion) (Aero Theatre)
Polar Express (2004) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7)
Red Cliff (2009) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex)
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) (Sins O' The Flesh Midnight Show) (Nuart Theatre)
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) (Midnight Insanity Midnight Show) (Warner Grand Theatre)
Slap Shot (1977) (New Beverly Cinema) (New Beverly Midnights)
Sunday 12/20
Afghan Star (2009) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Playhouse 7) (Laemmle's Sunset 5) (Laemmle's Town Center 5)
Charles Phoenix's Retro Holiday Slide Show! (Egyptian Theatre)
A Christmas Story (1983) (The Bay Theatre)
Crazy Heart (2009) (Arclight Sherman Oaks) (21+ screening)
Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009) (Arclight Hollywood) (21+ screening)
Die Hard (1988) / Die Hard 2 (1990) (w/ screenwriter Steven E. de Souza) (Egyptian Theatre)
Examined Life (2008) (Downtown Independent)
It's A Wonderful Life (1946) (Aero Theatre)
March of the Wooden Soldiers (1943) (Old Town Music Hall)
The Messenger (2009) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex)
Nihilist International Film Festival (Echo Park Film Center)
Red Cliff (2009) (weekend morning show) (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex)
Rolling Thunder (1977) / Death Wish 3 (1985) (New Beverly Cinema)
That's all for this week. In lieu of gifts, please send coal c/o the Antelope Valley.
Compiled, as always, by the amazing and diligent Edward Yerke-Robins (and family!)
