Film Reviews & Previews
E-TEAM follows the high-stakes work of four fiercely intrepid human rights investigators who are the first on the ground in war torn countries like Syria and Libya to record and expose human rights violations in the midst of devastating wars.
E-TEAM filmmakers Ross Kauffman and Katie Chevigny will participate in Q&A’s at the Royal after the 7:45 screenings on Friday and Saturday, October 24 and 25. On Friday they will be joined by two of the film’s subjects, Anna and Ole.
In India, a group of boys dream of becoming chess grandmasters. But this is no ordinary chess and these are no ordinary players. ALGORITHMS is a documentary that transports us into the little known world of blind chess. Filmed over three years in different parts of India, ALGORITHMS follows three boys and an adult champion who not only aspires to bring global recognition to India’s blind chess players, but also wants to encourage all blind children to play chess.
ALGORITHMS director Ian McDonald and producer Geetha J will participate in Q&A’s at our Town Center 5 theater after the 7:10 screenings on Friday and Saturday, October 17 and 18 and after the 1:40 show on Sunday the 19th.
How does a 16-year-old honor student evolve into a bank robber? In EVOLUTION OF A CRIMINAL, filmmaker Darius Clark Monroe asks this very question about himself. After seeing his mother and stepfather struggle to make ends meet while living outside of Houston, Monroe decided to help them by robbing a bank with two friends. Executive produced by Spike Lee.
Monroe, director of this acclaimed new autobiographical documentary, will participate in Q&A’s after the 7:10 screenings at the Music Hall on Friday, October 17 and Tuesday, October 21.
LIFE INSIDE OUT tells the story of Laura, the mother of three teenage boys, and her youngest son Shane, the family misfit and a disappointment to his father. When Laura stumbles upon her long forgotten guitar, she is taken under its spell and rediscovers her love for song writing.
LIFE INSIDE OUT lead actress/co-writer Maggie Baird, director Jill D’Agnenica, co-writer Lori collins and/or producer Tessa Bell will participate in Q&A’s after most screenings:
10/17: Collins for the 1:50 and 4:30 shows; Baird, D’Agnenica, Collins and Bell after the 7:10 screening; Baird, D’Agnenica and Bell after the 9:50 show;
10/18: D’Agnenica and Baird after the 1:50 screening; Baird, D’Agnenica and Bell after the 4:30, 7:10 and 9:50 shows;
10/19: Baird, D’Agnenica and Bell after the 1:50, 4:30, 7:10 and 9:50 shows;
10/20: Baird after the 4:30, 7:10 and 9:50 screenings;
10/21: Bell after the 1:50, 4:30, 7:10 and 9:50 screenings;
10/22: Baird after the 4:30, 7:10 and 9:50 shows;
10/23: Baird after all screenings with Bell joining her for the first two and D’Agnenica for the 7:10.
In last week’s issue of the Los Angeles Business Journal (membership required), Greg Laemmle urged leaders in Sacramento and Los Angeles to help create a greener, more connected Los Angeles through good policy, urban planning, and smart business practices.
Business owners often have a stereotype of being cold and dismissive of their employees and the local area’s needs. However, this is a stereotype of owners in the past and isn’t true for the newest, brightest owners and CEO’s who understand that in order to have a thriving business, every part of the business needs to be looked after.
For the employees, this includes providing employee benefits, have a high-quality HR system that deals with issues quickly, and look for new ways to keep employees engaged. Using Zenefits for HR software is a good idea for companies who want to maintain a good working environment for their employees. However, it’s not just the employees that need to be considered. Providing care and resources for the local area will help businesses be thought of fondly by the locals and ensure a good public image. This mutually benefits the area and business which is why Laemmle is calling for businesses to contribute to transforming neighborhoods into pedestrian-friendly business hubs. To contribute to this, businesses should really consider installing Burglar alarms in order to deter criminals from operating in the neighborhood which will, in turn, encourage more consumers and business owners to show an interest in the area. If businesses show that they care about their premises enough to take their security seriously, this will give customers confidence in their local businesses.
Greg cited the Playhouse 7 in Pasadena as an example of how an infrastructure that encourages walking, cycling, and public transit can benefit commerce and community.
“When we built the Playhouse 7 in Pasadena in 1999, we used shared-parking agreements. There was an understanding that as the area grew, the Playhouse District would add parking. Once the Gold Line started running in the area, many of the surface parking lots in the immediate vicinity of the theater were developed into mixed-use buildings with retail on the ground floor and residential units above. The area became denser, more vibrant – a real 24-hour neighborhood.
The Playhouse District never did add more parking but our business hasn’t suffered. Instead, people are finding alternative ways to get to the area – walking, biking or taking public transit. The economic boom that made the neighborhood more vibrant happened without adding parking – instead, we helped create a more authentic neighborhood commercial experience, and the city of Pasadena saved money for other vital needs.”
We hope to replicate the success of the Playhouse 7 in the coming months when we break ground on the Laemmle Lofts project in Glendale, a five-screen theater with 42 apartments and 6,000 square feet of commercial space.
Download and read the full article: Measuring-Commerce-by-Foot-LA-Business-Journal.PDF
A special note to our Valley fans: We continue to search for similar projects in West Valley neighborhoods and sincerely appreciate your support.
A recently discovered cache of hundreds of personal letters, diaries, and photographs belonging to Nazi Gestapo chief Heinrich Himmler seems to reveal a thoughtful, loving husband and devoted father to his daughter, Gudrun. The documents were hidden in Tel Aviv for decades and sold to the father of the Israeli documentary filmmaker, Vanessa Lapa. With her film THE DECENT ONE she has fashioned a fascinating case study: a portrait of the man responsible for some of the worst atrocities of the Second World War, who thought of himself in heroic terms. Ms. Lapa will discuss Himmler and her film during Q&A’s after the 7:20 PM screenings of THE DECENT ONE at the Music Hall, Friday-Sunday, October 10-12.
In the delightful new documentary ADVANCED STYLE, street style photographer Ari Seth Cohen and director Lina Plioplyte dive into the personal lives of New York City’s most fashionable women over 60. In an industry obsessed with youth, these older women dispel conventional ideas about beauty and aging and prove that with age comes grace, confidence, boldness, flair and new, unimagined opportunities for fame and fortune.
Both Ms. Plioplyte and Mr. Cohen will be at the Music Hall for Q&A’s on opening weekend: after the 7:20 PM screening on Friday, October 17 and after the 5 and 7:20 PM screenings on Saturday, October 18.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-baPw-bE_Ec
What’s it like to try to get to know a flying dinosaur? In PELICAN DREAMS, Sundance and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Judy Irving (“The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill”) follows a wayward California brown pelican from her “arrest” on the Golden Gate Bridge into care at a wildlife rehabilitation facility, and from there explores pelicans’ nesting grounds, Pacific coast migration, and survival challenges. Ms. Irving will attend several screenings on opening weekend to do Q&A’s: after the 7:30 PM screening Friday, November 7 at the Royal and after the 5:30 show Saturday, November 8 at the Playhouse.
