Muy Fast and Mucho Furious [Special Screenings, March 23-30]

The Warplands. The exhibition of recent work by Cauleen Smith includes a short film drawn from her current research on the influence of Alice Coltrane, the American jazz pianist, organist, harpist, singer, composer, swamini and second wife of John Coltrane. UC Irvine Contemporary Arts Center, 4000 Mesa Rd., Irvine; www.arts.uci.edu/events. Open daily through Saturday. Free.

Blazing Saddles. Mel Brooks’ comedy, among the funniest movies of all time, has the new black sheriff of Rock Ridge (Cleavon Little), his gunslinger-turned-drunk sidekick (Gene Wilder) and the “salt of the earth . . . morons” of the frontier town battling baddies bent on clearing everyone out for a new railroad—and a classic pie fight. Regency San Juan Capistrano, 26762 Verdugo St., San Juan Capistrano, (949) 661-3456. Thurs., March 23, 7 p.m. $10-$13.

Rammstein: Paris. Fingers crossed that the Frida Cinema walls can take the banging of heads, as the organization and Picturehouse present renowned Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund’s concert film. Said to employ a radical new approach to capturing the emotion and thrill of guitar god Rammstein’s one-of-a-kind live performance, the film was shot in Paris and includes a dark and spectacular fairy tale laced with controversy, don’t-try-this-at-home theatrics and the all-consuming aroma of Benzin (gasoline). So careful raising those lighters! The Frida Cinema, 305 E. Fourth St., Santa Ana; thefridacinema.org. Thurs., March 23, 8 p.m. $7-$10.

Man In the Middle. Filmmaker Phillip Rodriguez explores the life and death of Mexican-American journalist Ruben Salazar. A reporter for both the LA Times and KMEX, Salazar brought attention to the burgeoning Chicano movement of the 1960s. Killed during the historical Chicano Moratorium of 1970, Salazar became an icon of the movement in the U.S. and in Mexico. Museum of Latin American Art, 638 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach, (562) 437-1689; molaa.org. Fri., 7 p.m. Free, but first-come, first-served seating.

Fantastic Planet. René Laloux’s legendarily trippy 1973 animated classic is this week’s OC Weekly Friday Night Freakout. Enslaved humans (Oms) are the playthings of giant blue native inhabitants (Draags) of the distant planet Ygam. After Terr, kept as a pet since infancy, escapes from his gigantic-child captor, he is swept up by a band of radical fellow Oms who are resisting the Draags’ oppression and violence. And then the ‘shrooms kick in. . . . The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Fri., 11 p.m. $7-$10.

Idomeneo. The Met: Live In HD presents Jean-Pierre Ponnelle’s classic production, which has its first Metropolitan Opera revival in more than a decade this season. Matthew Polenzani stars in the title role; the cast also includes Elza van den Heever as Elettra, Nadine Sierra as Ilia, Alice Coote as Idamante and Alan Opie as Arbace. AMC Marina Pacifica, 6346 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., Long Beach, (562) 430-8790; AMC Orange 30 at the Outlets, 20 City Blvd. W., Orange, (714) 769-4288; AMC Tustin Legacy at the District, 2457 Park Ave., Tustin, (714) 258-7036; Cinemark Century Stadium 25, 1701 W. Katella Ave., Orange, (714) 532-9558; Cinemark Century 20 Huntington Beach, 7777 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 373-4573; Cinemark at the Pike Theaters, 99 S. Pine Ave., Long Beach, (800) 967-1932; Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20, 26701 Aliso Creek Rd., Aliso Viejo, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21, 65 Fortune Dr., Irvine, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26, 7501 E. Carson, Long Beach, (844) 462-7342; fathomevents.com. Live showing, Sat., 9:55 a.m.; taped showing, Wed., 6:30 p.m. $18-$24.

El Automovil Gris (The Grey Automobile). The Frida Cinema and Santa Ana Sites join forces to present this 1919 classic Mexican silent film with a live score performed by the eclectic Jalisco/Guadalajara group Troker. An early action film—and one of the most important in cinematic history—The Grey Automobile tells a story involving police and outlaws, a.k.a. the muy fast and mucho furious. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Sat., 8 p.m. $12-$23.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Midnight Insanity, the longtime Rocky shadowcast troupe and freaky movie presenter in both Orange County and Long Beach, once again uses props, costumes and audience participation to enliven the story about newlyweds whose car breaks down in the woods before they arrive at a mad scientist’s bizarre castle. Art Theatre, 2025 E. Fourth St., Long Beach, (562) 438-5435; longbeachrockyhorror.com. Sat., 11:55 p.m. $8.50-$11.50.

Georgio Luke—Frida Kahlo. Author, lecturer, and Mexican art and culture specialist Georgio Luke gives an illustrated portrait of Frida Kahlo using more than 300 slides of her paintings, documentary photographs and rare film footage. Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, Norma Kershaw Auditorium, 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, (714) 567-3677. Sun., 1:30 p.m. Members or with museum admission, $20; otherwise, $30.

Sleight. It’s a free, prerelease screening of the film followed by an audience Q&A with the writers, producers and distributors. A young street magician (Jacob Latimore) is left to care for his little sister after their parents’ passing and turns to illegal activities to keep a roof over their heads. When he gets in too deep, his sister is kidnapped, and he is forced to use his magic and brilliant mind to save her. Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Folino Theater, 283 N. Cypress St., Orange; chapman.edu/dodge/. Mon., 7 p.m. Free, but first-come, first-served seating.

Monty Python’s Life of Brian. You know that Jesus Christ dude from the black-light posters? Well, what if he had a brother named Brian, born in the stable right next to him? And what if Brian is just a little off when it comes to the moments that define his brother, like when the gift-bearing wise men come, or the Messiah-followers show up or the Romans start acting like real dickwads? That’s the comedy Terry Jones’ movie mines. Brilliantly. Regency Directors Cut Cinema at Rancho Niguel, 25471 Rancho Niguel Rd., Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-0446. Tues. Call for show time. $8.

MindGamers: One Thousand Minds Connected Live. This one-of-a-kind movie-going experiment from Fathom Events and Terra Mater Film Studios has audience members around the country wearing special cognition headbands to “think as ONE” as they watch what’s dubbed as the first action-adventure film for the mind. Headlined by Sam Neill (Jurassic Park) and Tom Payne (The Walking Dead), the movie follows a group of brilliant young students who create a wireless neural network with the potential to link every mind on Earth via a quantum computer. Capable of transferring skills from one brain to another, they have brought into existence the first shareware for human motor skills. They freely spread this technology, believing it to be a first step toward a new equality and intellectual freedom, but they soon discover that they themselves are part of a much greater and more sinister experiment. AMC Orange 30 at the Outlets, (714) 769-4288; AMC Tustin Legacy at the District, (714) 258-7036; Cinemark Century Stadium 25, (714) 532-9558; Cinemark at the Pike Theaters, (800) 967-1932; Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26, (844) 462-7342; fathomevents.com. Tues., 6 p.m. $18.

Cinema Twain. Val Kilmer has reached the age where he plays Mark Twain in one-man shows—and so I am officially old. The writer/director/star appears in person to present this 90-minute screening compiled from several sold-out stage Citizen Twain productions in Los Angeles. Based on the life and writings of Samuel Clemens, everything from family, faith and politics is covered in witty, comedic and moving fashion. Kilmer sticks around after the screening to take audience questions, and those with VIP tickets can meet and snap selfies with him. Irvine Improv, 527 Fortune Dr., Irvine, (949) 854-5455. Wed., 8 p.m. $29.

Mrs. Doubtfire. Funny movie starring the late, great Robin Williams as an estranged husband posing as an English nanny to get close to his kids, start a children’s TV career and confound the suitor (Pierce Brosnan) of the cross-dresser’s ex (Sally Field). Regency South Coast Village, 1561 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana, (714) 557-5701. Wed., 7:30 p.m. $9.

Facing Darkness. Fathom Events and Samaritan’s Purse International present “a story about faith and Ebola.” As the Ebola pandemic swept across West Africa in the spring of 2014, a Christian organization committed its people and resources to provide comfort, compassion and care to the hurting people of Africa. But the crisis literally hit home when the deadly virus infected Samaritan’s Purse International’s own medical personnel. AMC Orange 30 at the Outlets, (714) 769-4288; AMC Tustin Legacy at The District, (714) 258-7036; Cinemark Century Stadium 25, (714) 532-9558; Cinemark Century 20 Huntington Beach, (714) 373-4573; Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26, (844) 462-7342; fathomevents.com. Thurs., March 30, 7 p.m. $12.50.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *