The World Has No Eyedea: A Film About Michael “Eyedea” Larsen. It's an encore screening of Brandon Crowson's exploration of the life and death of freestyle rapper/guitarist/breakdancer/poet/philosopher Michael “Eyedea” Larsen. The Frida Cinema, 305 E. Fourth St., Santa Ana, (714) 285-9422; thefridacinema.org. Thurs., Dec. 15, 8 p.m. $7-$10.
Made In Venice. Forty-plus years of skateboarding in Venice—from the formation of the iconic Z-Boys to the creation of the famous Venice Skatepark—are captured in Jonathan Penson's new documentary. Turns out becoming an iconic Venice skateboarder was easier than opening a skatepark there. The Art Theatre, 2025 E. Fourth St., Long Beach, (562) 438-5435. Thurs., Dec. 15, 8:30 p.m. $8-$11.
NGF Film Festival. The Orange Coast College Next Generation Film Club returns to downtown Santa Ana Friday through Sunday to screen films from student moviemakers from OC and all over the world. (See “The Next Generation of Filmmakers Film Festival Goes Global.”) The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Fri. International Special, 11 a.m. (also Sat., 11 a.m.); College Additional, 11:30 a.m.; OC Additional, 1:30 p.m.; Transformation, 4 p.m. (also Sat., 10:30 p.m.); High School Gala, 7 p.m.. Sat. High School Additional, 1:30 p.m.; OC Spotlight, 3:30 p.m.; College Gala Q&A, 7 p.m. Sun. LGBTQ Showcase, 11:30 a.m.; LGBTQ Industry Panel, 2 p.m. $8 per program.
Die Hard. Can we all agree that Bruce Willis went from the funny schmo in Moonlighting to Mr. Bruce Fucking Willis with his turn as New York cop John McClane in this 1998 action classic? It's Christmas in LA, and there's an employee party in progress on the 30th floor of the Nakatomi Corp. building, where the revelry comes to a violent end thanks to strongly armed party crashers led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). But among the hostages is Holly McClane (Bonnie Bedelia), whose estranged husband (Willis) stops at nothing to save her. YIPPEE KI YAY, MUTHERFUCKERS!!! Oh, this is the Friday Night Freakout film is presented by your favorite alt-not-right-weekly. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Fri., 11 p.m. $7-$10.
Elf. Bring your own chair and floor-protecting blanket and sit in the beautiful indoor gymnasium to see Will Ferrell play an oversized Santa's elf trying to navigate the Big Apple. This pleasing 2003 comedy convinced Hollywood that Jon Favreau could direct mainstream fare, and boy, has he delivered since. Light snacks will be served at this screening, but outside food is also allowed. City Gym and Pool, 1600 Palm Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 960-8884. Sat. Doors open, 6:15 p.m.; screening, 7 p.m. Free.
It's a Wonderful Life. The Frank Capra classic has Jimmy Stewart thinking about ending it all because his small-town bank and its customers are doomed financially. But a Christmas angel tries to get him to think otherwise. I'm going to go way out on a limb here and say of Mr. Potter: I'm not a big fan. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Sun., 11 a.m. $1-$5; also at Regency Directors Cut Cinema at Rancho Niguel, 25471 Rancho Niguel Rd., Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-0446. Tues. Call for show time. $8.
The Nutcracker. Bolshoi Ballet, live from Moscow and beamed into U.S. theaters, presents the holiday dance classic set on Christmas Eve (and to Tchaikovsky's timeless score). Marie (Anna Nikulina) is given a wooden nutcracker as a gift. When the clock strikes midnight, the wooden figure transforms into a prince (Denis Rodkin), who saves Marie from the Mouse King and his army. AMC Orange 30, 20 City Blvd. W., Orange, (714) 769-4288; Cinemark at the Pike Theaters, 99 S. Pine Ave., Long Beach, (800) 967-1932; 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 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; www.FathomEvents.com. Sun., 12:55 p.m. $16-$18.
Santa Buddies. Disney's talking puppies make their way to the North Pole for a magical holiday adventure. When the enchanted Christmas Icicle begins to melt, the puppies take it upon themselves to join Bill O'Reilly in saving Christmas. Fullerton Main Library, Osborne Auditorium, Rooms A & C, 353 W. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton, (714) 738.6327. Tues., 4 p.m. Free.
Muppet Christmas Carol. Jim Henson's classic puppets retell/retool the Charles Dickens classic. This Teen Book to Movie Club screening is aimed at high-school students who have read the book before attending. Fullerton Main Library, Teen Area, (714) 738.6326. Wed., 4 p.m. Free.
L'Amour de Loin (Love From Afar). It's a rebroadcast of the original live presentation of Kaija Saariaho's yearning medieval romance, produced by Robert Lepage and L'Opera de Quebec. Tamara Mumford stars as the Pilgrim who carries messages of love between Clemence (Susanna Phillips) and Jaufre (Eric Owens). Finnish conductor Susanna Malkki made her New York Metropolitan Opera debut leading the performance. AMC Orange 30, (714) 769-4288; AMC Tustin Legacy at the District, 2457 Park Ave., Tustin, (714) 258-7036; Cinemark at the Pike Theaters, (800) 967-1932; Cinemark Century Stadium 25, (714) 532-9558; Cinemark Century 20 Huntington Beach, (714) 373-4573; Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26, (844) 462-7342; www.FathomEvents.com. Wed., 6:30 p.m. $20-$26.
White Christmas. The 1954 musical rom-com is about singers Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) joining sister act Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) in performing a Christmas show to save Vermont country inn owned by General Waverly (Dean Jagger), who was the boys' Army commander in World War II. Starlight Cinema City, 5635 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim, (714) 970-6700; starlightcinemas.com. Wed., 7 p.m. $7; also at Regency South Coast Village, 1561 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana, (714) 557-5701. Wed., 7:30 p.m. $9.
8 1/2. Sure, you can see the 1963 Federico Fellini classic on the big screen—but only if you donated for new Frida Cinema seats (which you can still do). Marcello Mastroianni stars as troubled Italian filmmaker Guido Anselmi, a playboy jet-setter who struggles with creative stasis as he attempts to get a new movie off the ground. Overwhelmed by his work and personal life, the director retreats into his thoughts, which most often focus on his loves, both past and present, and frequently wander into fantastical territory. As he tries to sort out his many entanglements—romantic and otherwise—Anselmi finds his production becoming more and more autobiographical. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Wed., 7:30 p.m. Seat sponsorships, $100; $175 for two; for giving $300 or $400, there are additional benefits.
Iron Man 3. I won't attend this unless I see the previous franchise films first. That's just how I roll. This one from the Marvel universe apparently has Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) suffering PTSD while investigating the re-emergence of the Ten Rings—whatever that is. Fullerton Main Library, Osborne Auditorium, Room B, (714) 738.6326. Thurs., Dec. 22, 1 p.m. Free.
OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker has been engaging, enraging and entertaining readers of newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He spent the first 13 years of his career in journalism at daily newspapers before “graduating” to OC Weekly in 1995 as the alternative newsweekly’s first calendar editor.