The excellent new American indie film A Little Prayer stars David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck; Matewan; Lincoln; many, many more) as a man trying to protect his daughter-in-law when he finds out that his son is cheating on her. Filmmaker Angus MacLachlan also wrote Junebug, the 2005 comedic drama that featured Amy Adams's breakthrough role, and his new film features a similar star-making turn by the young actress Jane Levy as the daughter-in-law.MacLachlan wrote the following about his movie:"I began writing A Little Prayer in 2016 when my daughter was 15. She’s now 21. And I realize in retrospect that I was writing about parenting adult
My career at Laemmle Theatres began in early 1991 after a screening of Gerard Depardieu’s Cyrano de Bergerac at the Town & Country (now the Town Center 5) Theater in Encino. My father pointed out the “help wanted” sign in the box office window, and by March I was scooping and selling popcorn and later sweeping up the errant pieces from the auditorium floors. Soon enough I graduated to the more coveted role of box office cashier. My most memorable shift in that position involved a case of laryngitis and handmade signs reading “which film?” and “$4.50, please” held up to the box office window for bemused moviegoers to read. It was like a silent
We choose the best films from the world of ballet, opera, stage, fine art, architecture, design, photography and more to feature on the big screen every Saturday and Sunday morning and Monday evenings at five Laemmle theaters -- the Laemmle Claremont 5, Glendale, Monica Film Center, Newhall, and Town Center 5 -- as part of our long-running Culture Vulture series.August 23-25: The first documentary exploring the visionary genius of Rudolph Schindler, the architect who redefined modern living by blending innovative design with the natural world, Schindler Space Architect is narrated by Meryl Streep and features architect Frank Gehry. The film
The latest episode of Inside the Arthouse features a luminary of the American indie, art house, and repertory exhibition scene, Bruce Goldstein. From the ITA website:At Inside the Arthouse, we love discovering bold new voices and emerging filmmakers. But there's something uniquely rewarding about revisiting a classic—whether it's an old favorite or a legendary film you've always meant to watch. And seeing these films on the big screen in a real movie theater is the way they were meant to be experienced.Repertory cinema in the U.S. has faced its share of challenges, from the rise of home video and streaming to rising urban real estate costs. Many
Sophie Brooks's subversive new romantic comedy Oh, Hi!, co-written with lead actress Molly Gordon, follows a new couple (Gordon and Logan Lerman) whose weekend road trip takes a crazy turn. Drew Taylor of The Wrap wrote that the film "zigs where you think it’ll zag, weaponizing that knowledge and using it to subvert expectations." Kristy Puchko of Mashable called the film a "comedy as current and enthralling as it is outrageous. And by rights, it should prove Gordon is a star."Inverse just posted the following interview with Brooks headlined "How Oh, Hi! Finds the Humanity in Millennial Misery."Q: This film came together in the thick of COVID
This week we're opening the new drama Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight at the Royal. We'll expand the engagements to all but one of our our other venues around L.A. County the following week. Laemmle Theatres president Greg Laemmle saw the film and loved it so much he was able to secure an interview with the filmmaker/co-star, Embeth Davidtz on his and Raphael Sbarge's podcast Inside the Arthouse. He wrote the following to introduce the episode:"As part of producing Inside the Arthouse, we see a lot of movies. And while many are compelling and well-made, naturally some of them stand out. Of all the films we've seen so far this year, Don't Let's
In concert with the the Art House Convergence, the nationwide coalition of independent exhibitors that connects, amplifies, and advocates for its community, Laemmle Theatres is pleased to celebrate Art House Theater Day (AHTD) this July 24 by screening four fabulous films curated by this year's ambassadors, filmmakers Sean Baker and Samantha Quan:Sean Baker's Tangerine (2015) at the NoHo, Lily Tomlin's The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1991) at the Monica Film Center, Céline Sciamma's Tomboy (2011) at the Glendale, and Studio Ghibli's Whisper of the Heart (2006) at the Claremont.Taken together, the four beautifully
We have been playing the Neon-released Stephen King adapatation The Life of Chuck at two of our theaters since mid-June and are expanding it to three more venues this Friday because the film, as they say, has legs. It's a charmer and a sleeper. "Telling the story of Chuck’s life in reverse chronology, the film is a big, bold crowd-pleaser, complete with a showstopping dance number featuring [Tom] Hiddleston and Annalise Basso. But it’s also startlingly personal, as we learn about Chuck’s childhood being raised by his grandparents Albee (Mark Hamill) and Sarah (Mia Sara). The deceptively simple drama takes a look at the unexpected legacy we leave
Based on Alexandra Fuller’s memoir of the same name, Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight captures the childhood of eight-year-old Bobo on her family farm in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) at the end of the Zimbabwean War for Independence in 1980. Growing up in the midst of this long running war, Bobo internalizes both sides of the struggle. Conflicted by her love for people on opposing sides, she tries to make sense of her life in a magical way. Through her eight-year-old gaze we witness Rhodesia’s final days, the family’s unbreakable bond with Africa, and the deep scars that war leaves on survivors.Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight writer-director
In August 2017, in the lead-up to national elections, Jacinda Ardern unexpectedly became New Zealand’s opposition party leader. She had just turned 37. Two frenetic months later, she was Prime Minister. Just before the final vote was in, she discovered she was pregnant. She would become only the second head of state in history to give birth while in office.Ardern quickly became one of the most recognizable leaders in the world. She drew global attention from people craving a sensitive and compassionate approach to the critical issues of our time. In private, she struggled with being a mother and proving herself to a public skeptical of women’s
Thirty years after her mother’s death, photographer Rachel Elizabeth Seed discovers her mother’s work — more than 50 hours of interviews with the greatest photographers of the 20th century, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Lisette Model, Gordon Parks, Cecil Beaton, William Albert Allard, Brian Lanker, Cornell Capa, Bruce Davidson and Eliot Porter. When Rachel threads in the audio reels and presses play, she hears her mother’s voice for the first time since she was a baby. Sheila Turner-Seed, a daring, world-traveling journalist ahead of her time, died suddenly of a brain aneurysm when Rachel was just 18 months old. Moved to uncover more of what
Laemmle Theatres' weekly series of fresh international films, Worldwide Wednesdays! Most are newer obscure films that we want to bring to a broader L.A. audience, screening in multiple venues all over L.A. County so cinephiles will not have to schlep to a single location. The films, however, come from many thousands of miles away! Screenings are Wednesday evenings with encore showings on Saturday and Sunday mornings.PERFECT ENDINGS June 4, 7 & 8. After a decade-long relationship ends, filmmaker João finds himself at a crossroads in both his personal and professional lives. While trying to break into the film industry, he ends up directing amateur
If you are in need of some escapism that piques rather than insults your intelligence, we strongly recommend the new French rom-com Jane Austen Wrecked My Life. We open it May 23 at the Royal and May 30 at all but one of our other theaters. (Its writer-director, Laura Piani, is interviewed on the latest episode of Inside the Arthouse.)Variety's Chief Film Critic Peter Debruge perfectly captures the film's charms in his review, whose subhead reads "Laura Piani’s splendid debut balances reality with the effervescent charm of vintage swooners."Debruge's review is worth quoting at length:"A diet of romantic literature is a recipe for disappointment in
Next week we're opening the latest film from veteran Danish director Bille August, best known for Pelle the Conqueror, The Best Intentions, The House of the Spirits and dozens more."He spoke to Variety about The Kiss, his enduring interest in the complexity of human beings, book-to-screen adaptations, and his belief in the big screen experience."Loosely based on Stefan Zweig’s novel Beware of Pity and transposed from an Austrian to a Danish setting, The Kiss is a romantic drama set in 1913. The helmer has reunited with A Fortunate Man’s lead Espen Smed, cast as cavalry officer trainee Anton. Introduced to Baron von Løvenskjold’s daughter Edith, a
Based on Françoise Sagan's controversial 1954 novel, published when she was only 18 years old, the new adaptation of Bonjour Tristesse follows teenage Cécile (Lily McInerny). Her relaxing summer with her father (Claes Bang) in the south of France is upended by the arrival of the enigmatic Anne (Chloë Sevigny), her late mother's friend.First-time filmmaker Durga Chew-Bose is a writer, editor, and filmmaker living in Montreal. Prior to making Bonjour Tristesse, her film writing and interviews have focused on a range of international directors, from Abbas Kiarostami to Mia Hansen-Løve, Mike Leigh, Olivier Assayas, and many more. She is a devoted
Our long-running Culture Vulture series continues every Saturday and Sunday morning and Monday evening at our Claremont, Glendale, Newhall, Encino, and Santa Monica theaters.April 5-7: Far Out: Life on and After the Commune ~ In 1968, a group of radical journalists leave the city and politics to live communally as organic farmers. The film examines their lives and return to the political world and how the commune became a community.April 12-14: In Search of Beethoven ~ The makers of In Search of Mozart return with a new feature-length bio-doc about Beethoven. Director Phil Grabsky brings together the world’s leading performers and experts on
Starring Oscar nominee Steve Coogan, The Penguin Lessons is a poignant dramedy inspired by a true story, set against the backdrop of Argentina’s political turmoil in 1976. Tom (Coogan), a disillusioned Englishman, arrives in Buenos Aires to teach at a prestigious boarding school, expecting an easy experience. But as the city spirals into crisis, and his students remain unteachable, Tom’s life takes an unexpected turn when he rescues an oil-slicked penguin from a nearby beach. The bird’s surprising loyalty and unique presence forces Tom to confront his own repressed past and awaken to the responsibilities of both personal and political change
Born in 1994, Louise Courvoisier grew up in the Jura region of France before studying cinema at the Cinéfabrique in Lyon. Her graduation short, Mano a Mano, won first prize at the Cinéfondation at Cannes in 2019. Vingt dieux (Holy Cow) is her first feature film, a sentimental cheese epic set in the village of her childhood. It follows 18-year-old Totone. After the tragic death of his father, he's thrust into the unexpected and very adult role of looking after his younger sister and their failing family farm. He assumes even more responsibility when he enters a cash competition for the best Comté cheese made in this western part of the French Alps
It says a lot that the grandest French movie theaters are designed by famous architects. (Renzo Piano designed the Pathé Palace in Paris.) Over the weekend, the New York Times published a fascinating glimpse into cinema's profound place in French culture and how that strength has led to a renaissance of moviegoing. "France was one of the few countries that saw an increase in movie theater attendance last year over 2023, with more than 181 million attendees, an uptick of nearly a million. Brazil, Britain and Turkey also saw an increase."One reason is the French version of American exceptionalism: The French people believe their culture is superb
The 2025 Oscars are in the history books. It was a good night, with a funny, skilled host in Conan O'Brien and a fairly equitable distribution of statuettes for some terrific movies. It was also a good night for theatrical exhibition, better known as good, old-fashioned moviegoing. As he did during his speech accepting the Palme d'Or last year in Cannes, Anora filmmaker Sean Baker gave a passionate, trenchant speech in favor of seeing movies as filmmakers have always intended them to be seen, in theaters. After accepting the Oscar for Best Director from filmmaker (and movie theater owner) Quentin Tarantino, Baker said the following to almost 20
The excellent new American indie film A Little Prayer stars David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck; Matewan; Lincoln; many, many more) as a man trying to protect his daughter-in-law when he finds out that his son is cheating on her. Filmmaker Angus MacLachlan also wrote Junebug, the 2005 comedic drama that featured Amy Adams's breakthrough role, and his new film features a similar star-making turn by the young actress Jane Levy as the daughter-in-law.MacLachlan wrote the following about his movie:"I began writing A Little Prayer in 2016 when my daughter was 15. She’s now 21. And I realize in retrospect that I was writing about parenting adult
My career at Laemmle Theatres began in early 1991 after a screening of Gerard Depardieu’s Cyrano de Bergerac at the Town & Country (now the Town Center 5) Theater in Encino. My father pointed out the “help wanted” sign in the box office window, and by March I was scooping and selling popcorn and later sweeping up the errant pieces from the auditorium floors. Soon enough I graduated to the more coveted role of box office cashier. My most memorable shift in that position involved a case of laryngitis and handmade signs reading “which film?” and “$4.50, please” held up to the box office window for bemused moviegoers to read. It was like a silent
We choose the best films from the world of ballet, opera, stage, fine art, architecture, design, photography and more to feature on the big screen every Saturday and Sunday morning and Monday evenings at five Laemmle theaters -- the Laemmle Claremont 5, Glendale, Monica Film Center, Newhall, and Town Center 5 -- as part of our long-running Culture Vulture series.August 23-25: The first documentary exploring the visionary genius of Rudolph Schindler, the architect who redefined modern living by blending innovative design with the natural world, Schindler Space Architect is narrated by Meryl Streep and features architect Frank Gehry. The film
Sophie Brooks's subversive new romantic comedy Oh, Hi!, co-written with lead actress Molly Gordon, follows a new couple (Gordon and Logan Lerman) whose weekend road trip takes a crazy turn. Drew Taylor of The Wrap wrote that the film "zigs where you think it’ll zag, weaponizing that knowledge and using it to subvert expectations." Kristy Puchko of Mashable called the film a "comedy as current and enthralling as it is outrageous. And by rights, it should prove Gordon is a star."Inverse just posted the following interview with Brooks headlined "How Oh, Hi! Finds the Humanity in Millennial Misery."Q: This film came together in the thick of COVID
This week we're opening the new drama Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight at the Royal. We'll expand the engagements to all but one of our our other venues around L.A. County the following week. Laemmle Theatres president Greg Laemmle saw the film and loved it so much he was able to secure an interview with the filmmaker/co-star, Embeth Davidtz on his and Raphael Sbarge's podcast Inside the Arthouse. He wrote the following to introduce the episode:"As part of producing Inside the Arthouse, we see a lot of movies. And while many are compelling and well-made, naturally some of them stand out. Of all the films we've seen so far this year, Don't Let's
In concert with the the Art House Convergence, the nationwide coalition of independent exhibitors that connects, amplifies, and advocates for its community, Laemmle Theatres is pleased to celebrate Art House Theater Day (AHTD) this July 24 by screening four fabulous films curated by this year's ambassadors, filmmakers Sean Baker and Samantha Quan:Sean Baker's Tangerine (2015) at the NoHo, Lily Tomlin's The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1991) at the Monica Film Center, Céline Sciamma's Tomboy (2011) at the Glendale, and Studio Ghibli's Whisper of the Heart (2006) at the Claremont.Taken together, the four beautifully
We have been playing the Neon-released Stephen King adapatation The Life of Chuck at two of our theaters since mid-June and are expanding it to three more venues this Friday because the film, as they say, has legs. It's a charmer and a sleeper. "Telling the story of Chuck’s life in reverse chronology, the film is a big, bold crowd-pleaser, complete with a showstopping dance number featuring [Tom] Hiddleston and Annalise Basso. But it’s also startlingly personal, as we learn about Chuck’s childhood being raised by his grandparents Albee (Mark Hamill) and Sarah (Mia Sara). The deceptively simple drama takes a look at the unexpected legacy we leave
Based on Alexandra Fuller’s memoir of the same name, Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight captures the childhood of eight-year-old Bobo on her family farm in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) at the end of the Zimbabwean War for Independence in 1980. Growing up in the midst of this long running war, Bobo internalizes both sides of the struggle. Conflicted by her love for people on opposing sides, she tries to make sense of her life in a magical way. Through her eight-year-old gaze we witness Rhodesia’s final days, the family’s unbreakable bond with Africa, and the deep scars that war leaves on survivors.Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight writer-director
In August 2017, in the lead-up to national elections, Jacinda Ardern unexpectedly became New Zealand’s opposition party leader. She had just turned 37. Two frenetic months later, she was Prime Minister. Just before the final vote was in, she discovered she was pregnant. She would become only the second head of state in history to give birth while in office.Ardern quickly became one of the most recognizable leaders in the world. She drew global attention from people craving a sensitive and compassionate approach to the critical issues of our time. In private, she struggled with being a mother and proving herself to a public skeptical of women’s
Thirty years after her mother’s death, photographer Rachel Elizabeth Seed discovers her mother’s work — more than 50 hours of interviews with the greatest photographers of the 20th century, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Lisette Model, Gordon Parks, Cecil Beaton, William Albert Allard, Brian Lanker, Cornell Capa, Bruce Davidson and Eliot Porter. When Rachel threads in the audio reels and presses play, she hears her mother’s voice for the first time since she was a baby. Sheila Turner-Seed, a daring, world-traveling journalist ahead of her time, died suddenly of a brain aneurysm when Rachel was just 18 months old. Moved to uncover more of what
Laemmle Theatres' weekly series of fresh international films, Worldwide Wednesdays! Most are newer obscure films that we want to bring to a broader L.A. audience, screening in multiple venues all over L.A. County so cinephiles will not have to schlep to a single location. The films, however, come from many thousands of miles away! Screenings are Wednesday evenings with encore showings on Saturday and Sunday mornings.PERFECT ENDINGS June 4, 7 & 8. After a decade-long relationship ends, filmmaker João finds himself at a crossroads in both his personal and professional lives. While trying to break into the film industry, he ends up directing amateur
If you are in need of some escapism that piques rather than insults your intelligence, we strongly recommend the new French rom-com Jane Austen Wrecked My Life. We open it May 23 at the Royal and May 30 at all but one of our other theaters. (Its writer-director, Laura Piani, is interviewed on the latest episode of Inside the Arthouse.)Variety's Chief Film Critic Peter Debruge perfectly captures the film's charms in his review, whose subhead reads "Laura Piani’s splendid debut balances reality with the effervescent charm of vintage swooners."Debruge's review is worth quoting at length:"A diet of romantic literature is a recipe for disappointment in
Next week we're opening the latest film from veteran Danish director Bille August, best known for Pelle the Conqueror, The Best Intentions, The House of the Spirits and dozens more."He spoke to Variety about The Kiss, his enduring interest in the complexity of human beings, book-to-screen adaptations, and his belief in the big screen experience."Loosely based on Stefan Zweig’s novel Beware of Pity and transposed from an Austrian to a Danish setting, The Kiss is a romantic drama set in 1913. The helmer has reunited with A Fortunate Man’s lead Espen Smed, cast as cavalry officer trainee Anton. Introduced to Baron von Løvenskjold’s daughter Edith, a
Based on Françoise Sagan's controversial 1954 novel, published when she was only 18 years old, the new adaptation of Bonjour Tristesse follows teenage Cécile (Lily McInerny). Her relaxing summer with her father (Claes Bang) in the south of France is upended by the arrival of the enigmatic Anne (Chloë Sevigny), her late mother's friend.First-time filmmaker Durga Chew-Bose is a writer, editor, and filmmaker living in Montreal. Prior to making Bonjour Tristesse, her film writing and interviews have focused on a range of international directors, from Abbas Kiarostami to Mia Hansen-Løve, Mike Leigh, Olivier Assayas, and many more. She is a devoted
Our long-running Culture Vulture series continues every Saturday and Sunday morning and Monday evening at our Claremont, Glendale, Newhall, Encino, and Santa Monica theaters.April 5-7: Far Out: Life on and After the Commune ~ In 1968, a group of radical journalists leave the city and politics to live communally as organic farmers. The film examines their lives and return to the political world and how the commune became a community.April 12-14: In Search of Beethoven ~ The makers of In Search of Mozart return with a new feature-length bio-doc about Beethoven. Director Phil Grabsky brings together the world’s leading performers and experts on
Starring Oscar nominee Steve Coogan, The Penguin Lessons is a poignant dramedy inspired by a true story, set against the backdrop of Argentina’s political turmoil in 1976. Tom (Coogan), a disillusioned Englishman, arrives in Buenos Aires to teach at a prestigious boarding school, expecting an easy experience. But as the city spirals into crisis, and his students remain unteachable, Tom’s life takes an unexpected turn when he rescues an oil-slicked penguin from a nearby beach. The bird’s surprising loyalty and unique presence forces Tom to confront his own repressed past and awaken to the responsibilities of both personal and political change
Born in 1994, Louise Courvoisier grew up in the Jura region of France before studying cinema at the Cinéfabrique in Lyon. Her graduation short, Mano a Mano, won first prize at the Cinéfondation at Cannes in 2019. Vingt dieux (Holy Cow) is her first feature film, a sentimental cheese epic set in the village of her childhood. It follows 18-year-old Totone. After the tragic death of his father, he's thrust into the unexpected and very adult role of looking after his younger sister and their failing family farm. He assumes even more responsibility when he enters a cash competition for the best Comté cheese made in this western part of the French Alps
The 2025 Oscars are in the history books. It was a good night, with a funny, skilled host in Conan O'Brien and a fairly equitable distribution of statuettes for some terrific movies. It was also a good night for theatrical exhibition, better known as good, old-fashioned moviegoing. As he did during his speech accepting the Palme d'Or last year in Cannes, Anora filmmaker Sean Baker gave a passionate, trenchant speech in favor of seeing movies as filmmakers have always intended them to be seen, in theaters. After accepting the Oscar for Best Director from filmmaker (and movie theater owner) Quentin Tarantino, Baker said the following to almost 20