Back to the Future. Robert Zemeckis' zippy, funny, smart and surprisingly sweet sci-fi oedipal romantic comedy, starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, a souped-up Delorean, and the invaluable Crispin “You are my density” Glover. Edwards Rancho Santa Margarita, 30632 Santa Margarita Pkwy., Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 888-3358. Tues., 8 p.m. $6; Edwards South Coast Village, 1561 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana, (800) 326-3264. Wed., 8 p.m. $6.
Beautiful City. UC Irvine's Persian film series continues with Asghar Farhadi's 2004 drama about a young man who is scheduled for execution while his sister and best friend try to free him. But complications ensue when the sister and the friend begin to fall in love. UCI Film and Video Center, Humanities Instruction Bldg., Room 100, Campus N W. Peltason drs., Irvine, (949) 824-7418; www.humanities.uci.edu/fvc. Sat., 7 p.m. Free.
Blazing Saddles. Mel Brooks' vulgar, hysterical, hysterically vulgar Western spoof, featuring, among countless other delights, the late Madeline Kahn in a priceless parody of Marlene Dietrich in Destry Rides Again, which would be one for the ages even if you've never seen the original. The plot kind of melts in the last couple of reels, but in the meantime, there's much to delight goofy 12-year-old boys of all ages and genders. Bay Theatre, 340 Main St., Seal Beach, (562) 431-9988. Sun., 6 p.m.; Mon., 8 p.m. $6-$8.
From the Land of Silence. UCI's Persian film series continues with Saman Salur's 2004 drama about two brothers who get by (barely) doing sleazy things, until they meet a depressed man and get a new perspective on life. UCI Film and Video Center, Humanities Instruction Bldg., Room 100, Campus N W. Peltason drs., Irvine, (949) 824-7418; www.humanities.uci.edu/fvc. Thurs., April 20, 7 p.m. Free.
The Last Picture Show. Peter Bogdanovich's Oscar-winning 1971 character study stars Timothy Bottoms and Jeff Bridges as two friends getting by in tiny, dusty Anarene, Texas, in the brief time of quiet between World War II and the Korean war. Mission Viejo Library, 200 Civic Center, Mission Viejo, (949) 830-7100, ext. 4019; www.cmvl.org. Sat., 6:30 p.m. Free.
May Lady. UCI's Persian film series debuts with Rakhshan Bani-Etemad's 1998 drama about a documentary filmmaker who sets out to find the perfect mother and ends up questioning her own ability to raise her teenage son alone. UCI Film and Video Center, Humanities Instruction Bldg., Room 100, Campus N W. Peltason drs., Irvine, (949) 824-7418; www.humanities.uci.edu/fvc. Thurs., April 13, 7 p.m. Free.
The Newport Beach Film Festival. See the film stories in this issue for more details. Then visit www.newportbeachfilmfest.com for full schedule and pricing info, or call 866-NBFF-TIX.
—Greg Stacy
Mail your press releases (and a videotape, if available) to Special Screenings,OC Weekly, 1666 N. Main St., Ste. 500, Santa Ana, CA 92701-7417. Or send e-mail to gr*******@ea*******.net. All materials must be received at least two weeks before the screening.
