Why Does It Have to Be Snakes? [Special Screenings, March 16-23]

The Warplands. 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 March 25. Free.

Being Mortal. PBS Frontline film follows Dr. Atul Gawande as he meets people facing terminal illnesses and the physicians treating them. El Toro Library, 24672 Raymond Way, Lake Forest, (949) 757-3776; alzoc.org/family-education. Thurs., March 16, 6 p.m. Free.

Beyond Measure. From the makers of Race to Nowhere, the 2009 documentary that called for reforming the U.S. education system, comes this follow-up demand for public schools that value personal growth over test scores, inquiry over mimicry and passion over rankings. You’ll be introduced to some of the schools reimagining education at this film’s South County premiere. Vicki Abeles, the author and director/producer of Beyond Measure, conducts an audience Q&A after the screening. St. Mary’s School, 7 Pursuit, Aliso Viejo, (949) 448-9027. Thurs., March 16, 6:30 p.m. Free, but seating is limited.

A Classy Broad. Writer-director Anne Goursaud and the subject of her documentary, Marcia Nasatir, appear at this screening to take audience questions after the end credits roll. Nasatir became the first female vice president at a major motion picture studio, but she began her storied career in publishing, where she met and became lifelong friends with Pauline Kael. Between her life in the publishing world and her role as VP in charge of production at United Artists, she represented such iconic writing talents as William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), Robert Towne (Chinatown) and Lorenzo Semple (Three Days of the Condor). While at UA, she oversaw production on such films as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Rocky, Carrie and Apocalypse Now. At 90, she is still producing, writing and acting. Chapman University, Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Folino Theater, 283 N. Cypress St., Orange, (714) 997-6648. Thurs., March 16, 7 p.m. Free but seating is first come, first served.

Edward Scissorhands. Producer Denise Di Novi introduces Tim Burton’s romantic dark fantasy from 1990 about the titular hilltop recluse (Johnny Depp) finding love with a flatlander (Winona Ryder) despite his really sharp fingertips. This is part of Laguna Art Museum’s 2017 Film Night program of screenings introduced by special guests. Laguna Art Museum, 307 Cliff Dr., Laguna Beach, (949) 494-8971. Thurs., March 16, 7 p.m. Free with museum admission.

Rapsodia Satanica. Dodge College’s Film Studies program and Wilkinson College’s Italian Studies program, in collaboration with Cineteca di Bologna and Cinema Ritrovato, present this 1917 Italian silent Faustian tale about an old woman who makes a pact with Mephisto to regain her youth. In return, she must stay away from love, but after the deal, she meets two brothers who fall in love with her. The film was plucked from the Cineteca di Bologna, one of Europe’s most renowned archives for film restoration and preservation and organizer of the Il Cinema Ritrovato festival. For more than five years, professor Emily Carman has taken Chapman students to the festival, where more than 500 movies are shown in six different theaters and on a giant outdoor screen in Bologna’s Piazza Maggiore. Guy Borlée, the festival coordinator, will present the film in Orange, discuss the restoration and take questions from the audience. Chapman University, Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Digital Media Arts Center, Cloobeck Screening Room, 283 N. Cypress St., Orange; festival.ilcinemaritrovato.it/en/. Thurs., March 16, 7 p.m. Free.

Wall Writers: Graffiti In Its Innocence. Roger Gastman’s documentary, which is narrated by John Waters, looks at those who pioneered graffiti art long before Banksy and Shepard Fairey became household names. Speaking on its birth from Philadelphia and New York City during 1967-’73 to its reputation as the largest art movement of the 20th century are originators Cornbread, Taki 183, LSD Om, journalists, historians and politicians. The Frida Cinema, 305 E. Fourth St., Santa Ana; thefridacinema.org. Thurs., March 16, 8 p.m. $7-$10.

From Dusk Till Dawn. I want to say George Clooney’s first big film role after NBC’s ER was this cult film that had bikers, vampires, criminals, kidnappers and the kidnapped converging in a Mexican border town. Screenwriter Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, Cheech Marin and Salma Hayek star in director Robert Rodriguez’s joint that is this week’s OC Weekly Friday Night Freakout. The Frida Cinema, Santa Ana; thefridacinema.org. Fri., 11 p.m. $7-$10.

Hate.com: Extremists On the Internet. The Orange County Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State screens the documentary that examines how hate groups disseminate their violent messages and reach new converts around the world via the internet. Keep in mind the Irvine Ranch Water District neither supports nor endorses the messages of the movie and the group presenting it; the water boyz merely book the space as a community service. Irvine Ranch Water District, Community Room, 15500 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine, (714) 299-4551; www.au-oc.org. Sat. Snacks and socializing, 1:15 p.m.; screening, 1:45 p.m. Free, but seating is first-come, first-seated.

Deconstructing the Beatles: Revolver. Scott Freiman, the composer/producer who has previously been featured onscreen in this corner of Long Beach deconstructing The White Album and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, now takes on the 1966 studio album that marked the end of the Beatles touring and the beginning of their experimental phase. In addition to such Revolver songs as “Eleanor Rigby,” “Yellow Submarine” and “Good Day Sunshine,” Freiman examines tunes recorded during the same period such as “Paperback Writer” and “Rain.” Art Theatre, 2025 E. Fourth St., Long Beach, (562) 438-5435. Sat.-Sun., 11 a.m. $8.50-$9.

A Contemporary Evening. Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet brings together the best dancers in the world and masters of contemporary choreography for The Cage (Jerome Robbins), Études (Harald Lander) and Russian Seasons (Alexei Ratmansky). AMC Orange 30 at the Outlets, 20 City Blvd. W., Orange, (714) 769-4288; 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; Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21, 65 Fortune Dr., Irvine, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20, 26701 Aliso Creek Rd., Aliso Viejo, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26, 7501 E. Carson, Long Beach, (844) 462-7342; www.regmovies.com. Also at Regency South Coast Village, 1561 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana, (714) 557-5701. Sun., 12:55 p.m.; Tues., 7 p.m. (Regency South Coast Village only). $14-$18.

Guardians of the Galaxy. Some have cited James Gunn’s smash hit as the best movie from the Marvel film universe. Brash adventurer Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan (Lee Pace), a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits—Rocket (the voice of Bradley Cooper), a gun-toting raccoon; Groot (the voice of Vin Diesel), a tree-like humanoid; the deadly and enigmatic Gamora (Zoe Saldana); and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista). The movie is screened on the rooftop of the parking structure behind the Frida Cinema, with the Santa Ana Business Council picking up the tabs for admission and parking. Bring low-backed chairs and whatever else you need for comfortable viewing, but please pick up snacks, beverages and meals from surrounding downtown Santa Ana businesses. Parking structure, Fifth and Spurgeon streets, Santa Ana; thefridacinema.org. Sun., 7:30 p.m. Free.

The Breakfast Club. Parts will make you wince, especially when the Brat Packers attempt to get deep, but overall, this is middling as far as John Hughes flicks go. Regency Directors Cut Cinema at Rancho Niguel, 25471 Rancho Niguel Rd., Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-0446. Tues. Call for show time. $8.

Raiders of the Lost Ark. Reacquaint 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. Regency South Coast Village, Santa Ana, (714) 557-5701. Wed., 7:30 p.m. $9.

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). Careful raising those lighters! The Frida Cinema, Santa Ana; thefridacinema.org. Thurs., March 23, 8 p.m. $7-$10.

Leave a Reply

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