Film Reviews & Previews
Beginning June 28 at the Music Hall we’ll screen BIDDER 70, the new documentary about environmental activist Tim DeChristopher, who was jailed for two years for protesting an auction of gas and oil drilling rights in Utah. He disrupted the proceeding in a novel way: by bidding on and winning leases he could never pay for.
Tim was recently released and Bill Moyers interviewed him.
Homies from Homeboy Industries will participate in Q&A’s after all G-DOG screenings Saturday and Sunday morning, May 11 and 12, at the Claremont, Monica and Playhouse.
The fascinating new documentary FREE THE MIND brings together two groups of people whose numbers are increasing — children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and military veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder — and explores the possibility that at least some of these people from both groups can be greatly helped by meditation. Danish filmmaker Phie Ambo: “I was very impressed with the courage and openness that the veterans showed by signing up for the breathing program but even more surprised to see how they transformed themselves over the week long intervention.”
We open the film May 17 at the Music Hall and the next day at the Playhouse, Monica and Claremont.
For a limited time, help out ‘ol planet earth by purchasing our tasty Climate Ride Concession Specials at a sweet price!
CLIF Bars go for $2. O.N.E. Coconut Water (16.9 oz) for $3 and our Climate Ride Combo featuring CLIF Bar, Coconut Water, and small popcorn for only $7. You may swap out a small bottled water or fountain drink if you don’t fancy the coconut water. Though we’re not sure why you would; we can’t get enough of the (admittedly) trendy beverage!
Proceeds from the specials support CLIMATE RIDE CALIFORNIA, a 5-day, 320 mile group cycling adventure through Northern California. The ride (May 19-23) benefits a variety of environmental causes focusing on renewable energy and sustainable transit.
This really is a fantastic and worthwhile cause. We should all be taking steps to help the planet after all, and shifting our attention towards renewable energy is a fundamental part of this.
With this in mind, if you want to go the extra mile, you might also want to do some research to ensure that your home energy comes from a renewable source. Not sure where to start? If you are reading from Texas, researching electric companies in dallas can make it easier for you to compare your options.
Who knows, you might even discover that switching to a more environmentally conscious energy supplier could save you some money on your electricity bills.
So, that being said, how exactly can purchasing tasty snacks help the environment?
Well, when you purchase a –
• CLIF BAR, we give $1 to Climate Ride California
• O.N.E. Coconut Water, we give $2.
• Climate Ride Combo, we give $3.
So eat up, drink up and do some good! Enjoy.
Homies from Homeboy Industries will participate in Q&A’s after all the G-DOG Saturday/Sunday 5/4 and 5/5 screenings at the Claremont 5, NoHo 7 and Playhouse 7. Filmmaker Freida Mock will participate in a Q&A following the Sunday morning screening at the Monicas.
Dear Laemmle Patrons,
It’s a time of transformation for Laemmle and I’m pleased to have this opportunity to share some exciting new developments with you. First and foremost, there’s our new location, the Laemmle NoHo 7! This state-of-the-art theater opened last December at 5240 Lankershim Blvd. in the heart of the North Hollywood arts district. The venue features seven screens, digital projection, stadium seating, and is only two blocks from Metro. With the NoHo 7, we look forward to contributing to the burgeoning arts and cultural scene in North Hollywood and the broader East Valley region.
On the virtual front, we have a brand new website in the works. It will include features such as Premiere Card ticket purchasing and reloading, site customization tools, staff reviews, theater blogs, and a slew of other enhancements. Once there has been some details relayed back to us by the web design team, that can handle website design in Vaughan and similar locations for example, we’ll get back to you with some more features and benefits of the newly designed site!
We’ve also seized this moment to update our logo and other communications with an aesthetic and attitude that better reflects who we are today and where we’re heading. The new header on this website is just the beginning. You’ll see further evidence of the new look in the coming days as we transition everything from our flyers and email newsletter to our for-sale merchandise and even employee uniforms (don’t be afraid to tell ’em how smart they look!).
As you may have heard, after two decades serving the Hollywood area we were unable to come to terms on a lease extension and have closed our Sunset 5 theater. We leave with fond memories and a deepening commitment to exhibiting quality film throughout Los Angeles. When the time is right, we will be back. In the meantime, we look forward to the imminent NoHo opening as well as other future projects where we’ll be taking on the role of both landlord and tenant.
Of course, these are just the highlights. To stay fully current with all things Laemmle, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and on our forthcoming blog. As always, we welcome and value your feedback.
On behalf of my father, Robert Laemmle, and our entire staff I want to thank you for your continued support of independent cinema in Los Angeles. We invite you to join with us as we embark on a new era for Laemmle. It’s one that will combine renewed energy and upgrades in services and facilities and with the one essential and unchanging thing that makes us who we are – our passion for exhibiting intelligent films to discerning audiences such as yourself.
See you at the movies!
Greg Laemmle
In 1999, Bill Wilson was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Heroes and Icons of the 20th Century for his role as co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. Through interviews, recreations, and rare archival material, BILL W. traces Wilson’s life through his 17 years of devastating alcoholism, the crucial years of A.A.’s founding and growth, his battle with depression, his experimentation with LSD, and his struggle with celebrity status in an anonymous society. There are no doubts about it, Bill Wilson was a monumental figure with regards to raising awareness of alcoholism and the importance of seeking out treatment for addiciton and substance abuse issues. It is because of his work that getting help for alcohol addiction is much easier these days. Although overcoming alcoholism is not going to happen overnight, it is important for people battling any kind of addiction to know that help is always out there. For example, the Eugene drug and alcohol rehab center helps a significant number of people to confront substance abuse issues related to drug and alcohol dependence every single year. Correspondingly, you can find more information about the upcoming Q&A sessions below.
Occasionally — about once or twice a year — Laemmle Theatres owner Bob Laemmle likes to put a personal stamp of approval on one of the many movies we show. Here is his latest:
I would like to offer a recommendation for the French film QUEEN TO PLAY. When I first saw this film two years ago, both my wife and I found it to be a deeply enjoyable film. It has taken two years for the film to finally reach our screens due to the fact that the initial distributor went bankrupt. QUEEN TO PLAY stars Sandrine Bonnaire, who first became a star at age 18 in Agnès Varda’s 1985 film VAGABOND. Her co-star is Kevin Kline in a superb French-speaking performance. It is all that you could hope a French film would offer you. It is as well a heartwarming female-empowerment story. It will not have a large advertising budget so if you see and enjoy this film please pass along your recommendations to your friends.
http://youtu.be/Ek0VgLzZpjU
For more information on QUEEN TO PLAY, visit the film’s page, here.