LA is the greatest place on earth to watch movies. Here are this week’s best picks.
1) Dr. Strangelove, or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb at the Cinefamily (FRIDAY 3/1, 7:30PM)
Screened as part of The 2nd Annual Wayne Federman International Film Festival (only in L.A., folks), Cinefamily’s presentation of Stanley Kubrick’s classic satire makes for the perfect Friday night. Come celebrate political absurdity with comedian and writer for The Simpsons Dana Gould (not a lady), who will introduce the film and do a Q&A afterwards. It’ll be worth it just to see Peter Sellers’ three (count ’em, three!) flawless performances in glorious 35mm. Buy your tickets here.
2) Blazing Saddles at the Nuart Theater (FRIDAY 3/1 MIDNIGHT)
In the wake of Django Unchained, now is the perfect time to revisit the original black cowboy/white partner buddy Western, Blazing Saddles. And unlike Tarantino’s film, it’s much easier to make the case that Mel Brooks’ opus is a satire. Presented as part of the Nuart’s Cine Insomnia series, this show makes a wonderfully would-be capper to those unfortunates experiencing a horrible work week. Buy your tickets here.
3) Searching for Sugar Man at the Laemmle Theaters (SATURDAY 3/2, ALL WEEK LONG)
Sometimes the best part of the post-Oscar season is when Oscar winning films are re-released into theaters. This week’s beneficiary of the after Oscar second chance release is Searching for Sugar Man, winner of Best Documentary Feature. Opening at four Laemmle locations around L.A. this week, this doc focuses on two fans’ search for their musical idol, the long-forgotten singer Rodriguez. The film landed on many critics’ best of 2012 lists and is being hailed as the documentary of the year. I haven’t seen it, but the buzz is spectacular. Catch it in theaters, as it was meant to be seen, before the film hits DVD. Buy your tickets here.
4) The Good, The Bad and The Ugly at the Cinerama Dome (SUNDAY 3/3 , 7:30PM)
This is the must-see program of the week. Arclight Cinemas presents the digital restoration of Sergio Leone’s masterpiece in the best possible setting: the infamously epic Cinerama Dome. The Good, the Bad and The Ugly begs to be seen on the big screen, and the bigger, the better. You really haven’t seen (and heard) the film until you’ve experienced Ennio Morricone’s thrilling, iconic score from blaring, sound sound speakers. This is especially true of the finale, the “Ecstasy of Gold” sequence, which is positively dizzying on the big screen. You won’t want to miss this one. Buy your tickets here.
5) Convoy/Midnight Run at the Egyptian (THURSDAY 3/7, 7:30PM)
Now this is a full night of entertainment. This double is screened as part of the American Cinematheque‘s month-long retrospective, On The Road: Cinematic Journeys. Join trucker ‘n gal Kris Kristofferson and Ali MacGraw in Convoy and oddball odd couple Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin in Midnight Run on their various sojourns across the good ol’ US of A. Future programs in the series look equally amazing, so make sure to check those out, too. Buy your tickets here.
If you make it out to any of these screenings, let us know how it went in the comments section. Happy viewing, Los Angeles!
