Waltzing-Away Matilda [Special Screenings, July 28-Aug. 4]

2016 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour. It’s a 95-minute program of eight short films selected from this year’s festival in Park City, Utah—THAT’S BEEN EXTENDED TO AUG. 4! The Frida Cinema, 305 E. Fourth St., Santa Ana; thefridacinema.org. Thurs.-Fri, July 28-29, and Mon.-Tues. and Thurs., Aug. 4, 6 & 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 ($7 matinee), 4, 6, 8 p.m.; and Sun., 2 ($7 matinee) and 4 p.m. (No show Wed.)  $8-$10.

Shaun the Sheep Movie. A mix-up with a farmer, a caravan and a steep hill land Shaun and his flock in the Big City. I blame Big Farm-a. Cedar Grove Park, 11385 Pioneer Rd., Tustin, (714) 573-3326. Thurs., July 28, 7:50 p.m. Free; also at Century Stadium 25, 1701 W. Katella Ave., Orange; www.cinemark.com. Tues., 10 a.m. $1; Century 20 Huntington Beach, 7777 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach; www.cinemark.com. Tues.-Thurs., Aug. 4, 10 a.m. $1; and La Habra Stadium 16, 1351 W. Imperial Hwy., La Habra, (562) 690-4909. Wed., 10 a.m. $1.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. First movie from the franchise and the first of two that Garden Grove’s library screens before hosting a “Happy Birthday, Harry Potter” read-a-thon all day Sunday. This one follows Harry from life with his neglectful aunt and uncle to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Garden Grove Library, 11200 Standford Ave., Garden Grove, (714) 530-0711. Fri., 2 p.m. Free.

Finding Nemo. Before Dory, there was the little clownfish that got away from a kvetching Albert Brooks. La Habra High School, Stadium Pool, 801 W. Highlander Ave., La Habra, (562) 383-4205. Fri., 6 p.m. (movie starts at dusk). $5; ages 0-2, free.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Elliot, little Drew Barrymore’s scream and dudes in space suits are back for the ultimate going-home flick. Hotel Irvine, 17900 Jamboree Rd., Irvine; www.hotelirvine.com/happenings/movienights. Fri., 7 p.m. $5; also at Peppertree Park, 230 W. First St., Tustin, (714) 573-3326. Thurs., Aug. 4, 7:50 p.m. Free.

Hotel Transylvania 2. Computer-3D-animated flick has Dracula (Adam Sandler) worried about his human hotel guests because his half-human grandson is displaying vampire traits. Oak Canyon Nature Center, 6700 E. Walnut Canyon Rd., Anaheim, (714) 998-8380. Fri., 7:30 p.m. Free, but $5-per-family donation suggested. Also Wed., 10 a.m. at Aliso Viejo Stadium 20, 26701 Aliso Creek Rd., Aliso Viejo, (949) 425-3861; Anaheim Hills 14, 8030 E. Santa Ana Canyon Rd., Anaheim Hills, (714) 282-5953; Brea Stadium West 10, 255 W. Birch St., Brea, (714) 672-4136; Edwards Market Place Stadium 10, 13782 Jamboree Rd., Irvine, (844) 462-7342; Foothill Towne Center Stadium 22, 26602 Towne Center Dr., Foothill Ranch, (949) 588-9402; Kaleidoscope Stadium 10, 27741 Crown Valley Pkwy., Mission Viejo, (949) 582-4078; Metro Pointe Stadium 12, 901 South Coast Dr., Costa Mesa, (714) 428-0962. $1.

Inside Out. This 2015 Pixar animated flick had kids reaching for the scalpels because a happy, hockey-loving 11-year-old Midwestern girl (voiced by Kaitlyn Dias) experienced the basic emotions inside her. El Toro Park, 23701 Los Olisos Blvd., Lake Forest; ca-lakeforest.civicplus.com. Fri., 7:30 p.m. Free; also at Placentia Champions Sports Complex, 505 N. Jefferson, Placentia, (714) 993-8232. Fri., 8 p.m. Free.

Zootopia. It’s one of those movies in which funny people lend their voices to animated animals. Or is it the other way around? Arovista Park, 415 W. Elm St., Brea, (714) 990-7112. Fri., 8 p.m. (movie starts at dusk). Free; also at Portola Park, 301 S. Euclid St., La Habra, (562) 383-4205. Tues., 7:45 p.m. Free (as part of La Habra Police Department’s National Night Out).

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Given all the splatter flicks that have come out since the 1974 release of Tobe Hooper’s masterpiece (or master in pieces), you’d be forgiven for forgetting or being unaware of how unique The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was at the time. Your Friday Night Freakout is a 40th-anniversary 4K restoration—with a director-approved transfer and new sound mix—of the classic inspired by the Ed Gein murders. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Fri., 11 p.m. $8-$10.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It’s Lingerie Night with shadowcasters Midnight Insanity. Art Theatre, 2025 E. Fourth St., Long Beach, (562) 438-5435. Sat., 11:55 p.m. $8-$11.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The pre-Potter birthday partying continues with the next film in the franchise, which has Harry haunted by a strange voice and returning to a Hogwarts plagued by mysterious attacks. Garden Grove Library, (714) 530-0711. Sat., 2 p.m. Free.

Matilda. As a young actress, Mara Wilson had quite a string going with 1993’s Mrs. Doubtfire (her film debut), 1994’s Miracle on 34th Street and her titular role in this ’96 family movie directed by Danny DeVito. She plays an 8-year-old genius with telekinesis that she uses to deal with parents who do not value education and an oppressive school leader. Wilson starred in a few more films, but with her mother’s passing, she lost her passion for acting. She quit the biz and later became a playwright, although you do see her pop up in things such as Broad City. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Sun., 11 a.m. $1-$5.

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Airplane! The 1980 Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker farce, which I have watched and re-watched more times than I can remember, was my go-to answer when people asked me to name my favorite film. I lean more toward Touch of Evil these days, but I still maintain Airplane! is the best movie ever made about the 1970s, as it seems to include references to every pop-culture touchstone from the Me Decade. Make my case after this screening, when Red Guerrilla Media founder/president Joshua Wadrop hosts a live recording of a panel of comedians, cinephiles and pop-culture enthusiasts, including John Webber (8 Heads In a Duffle Bag), Amber Scalzo (Comedy Store, Scallywags), Ricky Trann (Flappers, Ozzie’s), Francis Sky (First Comics News, The Massacre Twins), Mir Waiss Najibi (Brea Improv, Werewolves In Heat) and Keith Carey (Comedy Central’s Roast Battle, Burn Booth troupe). The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Sun., 7:30 p.m. $8-$10.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The same year (1986) that this movie came out with Matthew Broderick lip-synching the Beatles version of “Twist & Shout,” Rodney Dangerfield actually sang a cover of the Top Notes song in Back to School. Yet which performance does everyone yammer on about? Proving Rodney really did get no respect, no respect at all. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa, (714) 556-2787; www.SCFTA.org/moviemondays. Mon., dusk (approximately 8 p.m.). Free.

The Book of Life. I remember seeing the poster for this 2014 animated comedy adventure at a bus bench on Fairview and South Coast Drive and thinking to myself, “Isn’t that something?” Never saw it. Tues., 10 a.m. at Aliso Viejo Stadium 20, (949) 425-3861; Anaheim Hills 14, (714) 282-5953; Brea Stadium West 10, (714) 672-4136; Edwards Market Place Stadium 10, (844) 462-7342; Foothill Towne Center Stadium 22, (949) 588-9402; Kaleidoscope Stadium 10, (949) 582-4078; Metro Pointe Stadium 12, (714) 428-0962. $1.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2. Saw the original. It was fine as far as ‘toons go. Needed more James Caan, though. La Habra Stadium 16, 1351 W. Imperial Hwy., La Habra, (562) 690-4909. Tues., 10 a.m. $1.

Goosebumps. Author R.L. Stine makes a cameo as Mr. Black and says hello to Mr. Stine, played by Jack Black. Mind = blown. Krikorian’s Buena Park Metroplex 18, 8290 La Palma Ave., Buena Park, (714) 826-2152. Tues., 10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. Free (sponsored by Buena Park Downtown); also at Krikorian’s San Clemente Cinema 6, 641B Camino De Los Mares, San Clemente, (949) 661-7469. Tues., 10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. $1.

Happy Feet. Emperor penguins mate through song, so when one is born who sounds like Elijah Wood but can’t sing, he turns to dance in this animated ditty. Regency Charter Centre Cinemas, 7822 Warner Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 596-3456. Tues., 10:30 a.m. $2.

Monsters v. Aliens. Hollywood A-listers Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd lend their voices to this animated tale about a woman who grows into a giant after being struck by a meteorite, then joins monsters to defeat an alien takeover of the world. Fountain Valley Recreation Center, 16400 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley; www.fountainvalley.org/856/Special-Events. Tues., 5 p.m. Free.

Akira. Director Katsuhiro Otomo’s 1988 adaptation of his manga series that has a bike-gang leader trying to save his friend from a government program called Akira in 2019 neo-Tokyo. Directors Cut Cinema at Regency Rancho Niguel, 25471 Rancho Niguel Rd., Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-0446. Tues., 7:30 p.m. $9.

Anomalisa. Employing that freaky, real-life animation you see in some films, this 2015 Oscar nominee from directors Duke Johnson and Charlie Kaufman (from his play) is about a man crippled by the mundanity of his life experiencing something out of the ordinary. Painful rectal itch? Fullerton Public Library, Osborne Auditorium, 353 W. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton, (714) 738-6334. Wed., 6 p.m. Free.

American Graffiti. Before sequels to Star Wars ruined George Lucas as a filmmaker, he made this 1973 dramedy about high-school grads spending the last night of their 1962 summer vacation cruising the strip with their buddies before they go off to college. Like cruising the strip with your buddies, this movie is overrated, although it did kick-start a wave of late-1950s/early-’60s nostalgia that was capitalized on by TV’s Happy Days. Regency South Coast, 1561 Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana, (714) 557-5701. Wed., 7:30 p.m. $9.

Raiders of the Lost Ark. Re-acquaint yourself with the first flick in the Spielberg/Lucas popcorn franchise before Harrison Ford returns in 2019 with what’s tentatively titled Indiana Jones 5. Fullerton Public Library, Osborne Auditorium, (714) 738-6334. Thurs, Aug. 4., 1 p.m. Free.

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