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Brevity is the soul of wit: The 2023 Oscar-nominated short films open February 17.

February 8, 2023 by Jordan Deglise Moore Leave a Comment

One good thing about the Oscars is the attention they bring a genre otherwise confined to film festivals: the short. As well as being enjoyable in their own right, they’re cheaper for budding filmmakers to make and so often democratic springboards to feature filmmaking. François Truffaut, Stanley Kubrick, and Christopher Nolan all got their starts making shorts. Some excellent recent features that started out as shorts include Whiplash, The Babadook, Martha Marcy May Marlene, and Half Nelson. All of which is to say that for the 18th consecutive year, we’ll start screening the animated and live action Oscar nominees next Friday at the Claremont, Glendale and NoHo and the documentary shorts at the Royal!

The documentary nominees are:

The Elephant Whisperers – India, 41 min. Director: Kartiki Gonsalves
Producers: Guneet Monga, Achin Jain
Synopsis: The Elephant Whisperers follows an indigenous couple as they fall in love with Raghu, an orphaned elephant given into their care, and tirelessly work to ensure his recovery and survival.

Haulout – UK, 25 min. Directors: Evgenia Arbugaeva, Maxim Arbugaev
Producers: Evgenia Arbugaeva, Maxim Arbugaev
Synopsis: On a remote coast of the Siberian Arctic in a wind-battered hut, a lonely man waits to witness an ancient gathering. But warming seas and rising temperatures bring an unexpected change, and he soon finds himself overwhelmed.

How Do You Measure a Year? – USA, 29 min. Director: Jay Rosenblatt
Producer: Jay Rosenblatt
Synopsis: For 17 years, filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt filmed his daughter Ella on her birthday in the same spot, asking the same questions. What results is a unique chance to watch time, to see a young woman come into focus physically, mentally and emotionally.

The Martha Mitchell Effect – USA, 39 min. Directors: Anne Alvergue, Debra McClutchy
Producers: Beth Levison, Judith Mizrachy
Synopsis: She was once as famous as Jackie O. And then she tried to take down a President. The Martha Mitchell Effect is an archival documentary portrait of the unlikeliest of whistle-blowers: Martha Mitchell, a Republican cabinet wife who was gas-lighted and at one point literally drugged by the Nixon Administration to keep her quiet. It offers a female gaze on Watergate through the voice of the woman herself.

Stranger at the Gate – USA, 30 min. Directors: Joshua Seftel
Producers: Joshua Seftel, Suzanne Hillinger, Conall Jones
Executive Producer: Malala Yousafzai
Cast: Bibi Bahrami, Saber Bahrami, Richard “Mac” McKinney, Emily McKinney, Dana McKinney & Jomo Williams
Synopsis: After 25 years of service, a U.S. Marine filled with hatred for Muslims plots to bomb an Indiana mosque. When he comes face to face with the immigrants he seeks to kill, the story takes a shocking twist toward compassion, grace, and forgiveness.

The animated nominees:

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse – UK, 35 min. Directors: Peter Baynton, Charlie Mackesy
Producers: Cara Speller, Matthew Freud, Hannah Minghella and J.J. Abrams
Executive Producers: Jony Ive and Woody Harrelson
Synopsis: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is a story of kindness, courage, and hope in traditional hand-drawn animation, following the unlikely friendship of the title characters as they journey together, in the boy’s search for home. Based on the book of the same name.

The Flying Sailor – Canada, 7 min. Directors: Amanda Forbis, Wendy Tilby
Producer: David Christensen
Synopsis: In 1917, two ships collided in the Halifax Harbour, causing the largest accidental explosion in history. Among the tragic stories of the disaster is the remarkable account of a sailor who, blown skyward from the docks, flew a distance of two kilometers before landing uphill, naked and unharmed. The Flying Sailor is a contemplation of his journey.

Ice Merchants – Portugal/France/UK, 14 min. Director: João Gonzalez
Producer: Bruno Caetano
Synopsis: Every day, a father and his son jump with a parachute from their vertiginous cold house, attached to a cliff, to go to the village on the ground, far away where they sell the ice they produce daily.

An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It – Australia, 11 min. Director: Lachlan Pendragon
Producer: Griffith Film School
Synopsis: When a young telemarketer is confronted by a mysterious talking ostrich, he learns that the universe is in stop motion animation. He must put aside his dwindling toaster sales and focus on convincing his colleagues of his terrifying discovery.

My Year of Dicks – USA, 25 min. Director: Sara Gunnarsdóttir
Writer: Pamela Ribon
Producer: Jeanette Jeanenne, FX PRODUCTIONS
Synopsis: An imaginative fifteen year-old is stubbornly determined to lose her virginity despite the pathetic pickings on the outskirts of Houston in the early ’90s. Created by Pamela Ribon from her critically acclaimed memoir.

The live action nominees:

An Irish Goodbye – UK, 23 min. Directors: Tom Berkeley, Ross White
Producers: Tom Berkeley, Ross White, Pearce Cullen
Synopsis: On a farm in rural Northern Ireland, estranged brothers Turlough and Lorcan are forced to reunite following the untimely death of their mother.

Ivalu– Denmark, 16 min. Director: Anders Walter
Producers: Rebecca Pruzan / Kim Magnusson
Synopsis: Ivalu is gone. Her little sister is desperate to find her. Her father does not care. The vast Greenlandic nature holds secrets. Where is Ivalu?

Le Pupille – Italy, 37 min. Director: Alice Rohrwacher
Producers: Alfonso Cuarón, Carlo Cresto-Dina, Gabriela Rodriguez
Cast: Alba Rohrwacher, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Melissa Falasconi
Synopsis: From writer and director, Alice Rohrwacher, and Academy Award® winning producer, Alfonso Cuarón, Le Pupille is a tale of innocence, greed and fantasy. This live action short is about desires, pure and selfish, about freedom and devotion, and about the anarchy that is capable of flowering in the minds of girls within the confines of a strict religious boarding school at Christmas.

Night Ride – Norway, 15 min. Director: Eirik Tveiten
Producer: Gaute Lid Larssen, Heidi Arnesen
Synopsis: It is a cold night in December. As Ebba waits for the tram, an unexpected turn of events transforms the ride home into something she was not expecting.

The Red Suitcase – Luxembourg, 17 min. Director: Cyrus Neshvad
Producer: Cyrus Neshvad
Synopsis: An Iranian girl decides to remove her hijab in a life-changing situation.

“A work of handcrafted beauty,” THE BLUE CAFTAN opens February 10 at the Royal.

February 1, 2023 by Jordan Deglise Moore Leave a Comment

Morocco’s official entry for Best International Film at the 95th Academy Awards, The Blue Caftan follows a couple that runs a traditional caftan store in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas. In order to keep up with the commands of the demanding customers, they hire Youssef. Slowly Mina realizes how much her husband is moved by the presence of the young man. We open the film Friday, February 10 at the Royal.

“The blue caftan, both the clothing and the piece of cinema, are crafted like an elegant act of welcome resistance.” ~ Namrata Joshi, New Indian Express

“Not only about abiding love, but also about a deep, unspoken understanding between two people who are committed to each other.” ~ Shubhra Gupta, Indian Express

“Touzani has introduced the caftan as a symbol, and it’s touching to see how the film uses it in the end.” ~ Peter Debruge, Variety

“Stunning…working with an intricacy that rivals that of the craftsman at the center of her film, the auteur crafts a surprisingly warm story that subverts expectations at almost every turn.” ~ Christian Zilko, indieWire

Moviegoers, start your guesses: The Umpteenth Annual Laemmle Oscar Contest has begun.

January 25, 2023 by Jordan Deglise Moore 2 Comments

The Oscar nominations are out, and in spite of the fact that Hallelujah, Nope, RRR and Decision to Leave, Dolly De Leon, Viola Davis, Paul Dano, and Danielle Deadwyler were inexplicably excluded, at least Brian Tyree Henry and Judd Hirsch were honored. Anyway, it’s time for our Umpteenth Annual Laemmle Oscar Contest! If you, dear moviegoer, can accurately predict how the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences will vote in all 23 categories, (or close to it), you will win movie passes good at all Laemmle venues! The 95th Academy Awards take place on Sunday, March 12 and we’ll announce the winners soon afterwards. Good luck!

The Top Ten Films of 2022 contest results are in!

January 25, 2023 by Jordan Deglise Moore 2 Comments

And the Top Ten Customer-Chosen films of 2022, in order from 1 to 10, are [drum roll]:

Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Banshees of Inisherin
TÁR
The Fabelmans
RRR
Top Gun: Maverick
Nope
Aftersun
Triangle of Sadness
Decision to Leave

It’s a terrific list, arguably better than the one AMPAS announced this week, which excluded RRR, Nope, Aftersun and Decision to Leave. Films 2-4 and 9, hyperlinked for your convenience, are still in theaters!

Randomly chosen winners for free Laemmle movie passes are:

1) Jodi Siegner

2) Drew McAnany

3) Jacob Berman

Thanks to everyone who played!

Top Ten Films of 2022 contest ends Sunday: Tell us your favorites for a chance to win free movie passes!

January 18, 2023 by Jordan Deglise Moore

Keep those Top Ten contest entries coming. You have until this Sunday, January 22 to give it some thought and enter here. So far, unsurprisingly, it looks like many Laemmle moviegoers are kvelling about Everything Everywhere All at Once, Top Gun: Maverick, and RRR. We’ll have final results next week. You can read Greg Laemmle’s list and leading American film critics’ lists if you need inspiration. Personally, my favorite is Jordan Peele’s spectacular Nope. No doubt my reaction was influenced by the fact that I saw it in a packed, sold-out theater on opening night, because movies are better in theaters!

“One of the most visually ravishing pictures of all time,” THE CONFORMIST opens February 3 at the Royal, February 10 at the Laemmle Glendale.

January 18, 2023 by Jordan Deglise Moore

Never has The Conformist been more timely. The new restoration of Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1970 masterpiece about a repressed Italian who becomes a fascist hitman is inspiring a lot of thoughtful journalism. “It’s not the ideology that attracts people to fascism,” writes Eric Alterman in the American Prospect. “It’s the permission it offers to ordinary people to behave like thugs.” In his recent New York Magazine/Vulture review, headlined “It’s Time to See The Conformist Again,” critic Bilge Ebiri describes the film as “one of the most visually ravishing pictures of all time.” Ebiri’s piece is well worth excerpting at some length:

“All great films, at some point, ask the question: Who am I? The greatest films go beyond asking this on a narrative level; through their very form, they embody the question of identity. And what makes Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Conformist (1970) the very greatest of movies isn’t just its staggering, legendary beauty, but its maze-like journey into its protagonist’s — and, by extension, its creator’s — mind.

“The Conformist has just been rereleased in a lovely new 4K restoration, which is certainly cause for celebration given that it’s one of the most visually ravishing pictures of all time. (It’s currently playing New York’s Film Forum, and will soon travel around the country.) There’s no real debate over Bertolucci’s achievement; this is one of those canonical titles whose place in history is a given at this point. You can see its influence in The Godfather series, in Taxi Driver, in movies as varied as Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, Dick Tracy, Call Me by Your Name, and Clueless — and yet, it remains as startling and revolutionary as it was upon original release, in part because few filmmakers nowadays are willing to embrace the sensuous and the monstrous at the same time. You never quite know what you’re supposed to feel at any given moment of The Conformist, because it asks you to feel everything.”

Some praise from past years:

“Bertolucci’s boldest and most expressive film.” – Calum Marsh, Village Voice

“It’s easy to overlook how stark The Conformist‘s political and allegorical message is because it’s just so damn beautiful.” – Aja Romano, Vox

“One of the greatest-looking movies ever made.” – Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader

“Bernardo Bertolucci is a master of turning harsh realities into free-flowing dreams and fantasies of sex and power into bracing, often uncomfortable moments of truth…The Conformist is perhaps his richest and most beautiful work.” – Max O’Connell, IndieWire

We are proud to open The Conformist at the Royal on February 3 and the Laemmle Glendale on February 10.

“If watching a Jafar Panahi film is something of a political act, then it is also a soul-nourishing one.” NO BEARS opens Friday at the Royal, January 20 at the Claremont, Glendale and Town Center.

January 11, 2023 by Jordan Deglise Moore

A statement from Jafar Panahi, unjustly imprisoned since July 2022 by the fascist theocrats in Tehran:

“We are filmmakers. We are part of Iranian independent cinema. For us, to live is to create. We create works that are not commissioned. Therefore, those in power see us as criminals. Independent cinema reflects its own times. It draws inspiration from society. And cannot be indifferent to it.

“The history of Iranian cinema witnesses the constant and active presence of independent directors who have struggled to push back censorship and to ensure the survival of this art. While on this path, some were banned from making films, others were forced into exile or reduced to isolation. And yet, the hope of creating again is a reason for existence. No matter where, when, or under what circumstances, an independent filmmaker is either creating or thinking about creation. We are filmmakers, independent ones.”

Some of the copious praise for No Bears, the film he finished just before being arrested:

“If watching a Jafar Panahi film is something of a political act, then it is also a soul-nourishing one.” ~ Barry Hertz, Globe and Mail

“[Panahi’s] work has not astonished like this in some time.” ~ Glenn Kenny, RogerEbert.com

“There’s an urgency and a currency to No Bears that is evident even if you didn’t know Panahi is currently serving a six-year sentence for “producing anti-government propaganda,” both of which add a sting to its final act. You leave feeling like you’ve just seen a truly extraordinary late work produced by one of the era’s greatest working auteurs, quickly followed by the sense of experiencing a sucker punch when you remember that the man driving away from the scene of the crime onscreen isn’t able to go anywhere once that screen fades to black.” ~ David Fear, Rolling Stone

“Panahi, whose courage and honesty are beyond doubt, has made a movie that calls those very qualities into question, a movie about its own ethical limits and aesthetic contradictions.” ~ A.O. Scott, New York Times

“It’s a fierce critique of small-town traditionalism and religious dogma. But while this is an angry and ultimately devastating movie, it’s also a surprisingly playful and inventive one.” ~ Justin Chang, NPR’s Fresh Air

“There’s no way to watch this film without feeling mournful, or fearing for the man who made it.” ~ Stephanie Zacharek, TIME Magazine

Contest! Submit your Top Ten Films of 2022 for a chance to win gift cards & read Greg Laemmle on TÁR, RRR, HALLELUJAH and the seven other films on his 2022 Top Ten.

January 5, 2023 by Jordan Deglise Moore

Have you caught up on the 2022 movies you wanted to see? Regardless, it’s time to submit your Top Ten lists. Tell us which films you liked best here and you’ll be entered into a raffle for free Laemmle gift cards! If you need inspiration, here’s Greg Laemmle on the state of arthouse moviegoing and his favorite features of the last year, with some thoughts about each:

“At some level, the best that can be said is that at least we were open for all twelve months of the year. And after 2020 and 2021, that was a positive. But given that the year both started and ended with Omicron surges, the movie exhibition sector is still not in a post-Covid environment.

“For those of us who have returned to communal moviegoing, there were some memorable movies to see. But overall, we are still dealing with fewer movies in release, less review coverage in the local press of theatrically released films, and distributor marketing campaigns for critically driven films that are still adjusting to the new landscape. There are hopeful signs. But we are still not out of the woods.

“But enough about the business. How about the films! Following is my Top 10. Like all lists, this is a work in progress, given that there are a number of films which I have not yet had a chance to watch. So if you are wondering why something is not included, it may just be that I haven’t gotten around to seeing it…yet!”

#1 – TÁR – I will admit that there is something emotionally unsatisfying about this film. But not every story can be tied up in a neat bow at the end, and such is the case here. The complex character at the center of this tale is a mass of contradictions, and to its credit, the film does not try to smooth out the rough edges. Built around Cate Blanchett’s masterful performance, Todd Field’s film is one that grows richer with each viewing.

#2 – RRR – If my top film is one that requires rigorous viewing, this #2 title is perhaps the polar opposite. But director S. S. Rajamouli is equally in control of his canvas, and the resulting film is again something that provides pleasure after repeated viewing.

#3 – HALLELUJAH: LEONARD COHEN, A JOURNEY, A SONG – There have been a number of worthwhile Leonard Cohen documentaries. But in focussing on the lengthy process involved with the creation of his most famous (and most covered) song, this film reveals something about the spiritual quest that each of us go through, and becomes something more than a film about a famous work of art. It is a revelation about the universal search for meaning.

#4 – HOLY SPIDER – Another spiritual journey. But this time, a cautionary tale about how the desire to do God’s work in the world can be corrupted. And all that is wrapped up in a taut thriller that features two great performances.

#5 – LIVING – I’m not a fan of remakes. And given that Akira Kurosawa’s IKIRU is a favorite, there was every reason to dislike this film. And yet, it gets so much right, being both respectful of the original film and understanding the need to bring the tale into a new and different setting. No film delivered as much emotionally in 2022, aided no doubt by Bill Nighy’s tremendous lead performance.

#6 – CORSAGE – Another film that benefits from a masterful lead performance. Vicky Krieps is terrific in this beautifully made costume drama. But as much as we focus on the corsets and gowns from a different era, we are really drawn into the inner life of this complex historical figure. Kudos to director Maria Kreutzer for for the complete film that supports and enhances the lead performance, creating a whole that is so much more than the sum of its parts.

#7 – CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH – Too few people saw this terrific American indie film, the sophomore effort from actor-writer-director Cooper Raiff. That’s a real shame as I found it to be one of the year’s more interesting efforts. You can find it on Apple TV, and hopefully the interplay between Raiff, the emotionally raw Dakota Johnson, and the newcomer Vanessa Burghardt delivers the same punch. I look forward with great anticipation to filmmaker Raiff’s next picture.

#8 – THE BATMAN – Yes, it’s long. Yes, it’s dark. Yes, it is a commercial film. But it is also a work that represents the singular vision of director Matt Reeves, marshalling all the talents both in front of and behind the camera to present his spin on this oft-told tale. I’m an indie guy. But I also believe that Hollywood should be given its due when it gets things right. And with this film (also TOP GUN: MAVERICK and – in a different way – ELVIS), the raw power of studio filmmaking is clear.

#9 – THE NORTHMAN – Director Robert Eggers (THE LIGHTHOUSE) was given a huge budget to make this Nordic tale. That may not have made the most financial sense, but the film itself delivers. Look for big screen revival showings.

#10 – ONLY IN THEATERS – Is it fair to include this on my list? Probably not. But is it fair to exclude it? Director Raphael Sparge’s documentary about the history of Laemmle Theaters, and our struggles over the past few years as we weathered bad box office and then the pandemic is 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, so critics agree that it is a worthy effort. And so many people have approached me at the theatres to say how much they enjoyed the film as well. As we work in the coming year to rebuild our business, this film reminds us how powerful and worthwhile the experience is of seeing a movie with an audience in a movie theatre. And isn’t that something to be thankful for?

Happy New Year and Happy Moviegoing,

Greg Laemmle

Laemmle Theatres

Brevity is the soul of wit: The 2023 Oscar-nominated short films open February 17.

“A work of handcrafted beauty,” THE BLUE CAFTAN opens February 10 at the Royal.

Moviegoers, start your guesses: The Umpteenth Annual Laemmle Oscar Contest has begun.

The Top Ten Films of 2022 contest results are in!

Top Ten Films of 2022 contest ends Sunday: Tell us your favorites for a chance to win free movie passes!

“One of the most visually ravishing pictures of all time,” THE CONFORMIST opens February 3 at the Royal, February 10 at the Laemmle Glendale.

“If watching a Jafar Panahi film is something of a political act, then it is also a soul-nourishing one.” NO BEARS opens Friday at the Royal, January 20 at the Claremont, Glendale and Town Center.

Contest! Submit your Top Ten Films of 2022 for a chance to win gift cards & read Greg Laemmle on TÁR, RRR, HALLELUJAH and the seven other films on his 2022 Top Ten.

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Laemmle Theatres

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