FilmWeek

 Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Claudia Puig and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Five Nights at Freddy's 2 , Wide Release The Secret Agent , AMC Century City 100 Nights of Hero , Wide Release                                     Fackham Hall , Wide Release                                         The Chronology of Water , Laemmle Royal [West LA] Cutting Through Rocks , Laemmle Royal [West LA]; Laemmle Town Center [Encino]                        Zodiac Killer Project , Alamo Drafthouse [DTLA]; Laemmle Glendale The Tale of Silyan , Laemmle Monica Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution , Wide Release                        Man Finds Tape , Alamo Drafthouse [DTLA]; Available on VOD                                         The New Yorker at 100 , Streaming on Netflix  Visit  www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency                    

Horror films have been a consistent draw for movie theaters, even in a post-pandemic, streaming world. And one of the most well-known production studios in horror is Blumhouse. The production house came on the scene in 2009 with Paranormal Activity , a low-budget found-footage film that became a smash hit spawning a franchise. Blumhouse would repeat this formula with The Purge and Insidious franchise. Now, Blumhouse is known for its more crowd pleasing scary movies like M3GAN and Five Nights at Freddy’s (with the highly anticipated sequel releasing this week), but the studio has also taken risks on up and coming directors like Jordan Peele and Damien Chazelle. So, how does a horror production house continue to survive and turn a profit in today’s film industry? And why does horror seem to be a safe bet for box office returns. Joining us to discuss the current horror movie landscape is Abhijay Prakash , president of Blumhouse.  You can read all about Blumhouse’s rise in their new book Horror’s New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse .

For our most recent FilmWeek screening event, where we show quintessential L.A. films across the city, we went to the family-owned Garden Cinema to present the Coen Brothers’ classic The Big Lebowski . The 1998 noir-comedy opened to mixed reviews during its initial release, but has since gained cult status and even mainstream praise. In 2014, it was designated a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” film and added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. After the screening, Larry Mantle spoke with LAist FilmWeek critics Christy Lemire and Wade Major about the impact of the film and their personal love for ‘The Dude.’ Visit  www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell , Manuel Betancourt and Charles Solomon review the latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery In Select Theaters Nov 26|Streaming on Netflix Dec 12 Hamnet In Select Theaters Nov 26|Expands Dec 5 Zootopia 2 Wide Release Nov 26 Eternity In Select Theaters Nov 26  A Magnificent Life Laemmle Royal [West LA] Closes Nov 27      Cactus Pears Laemmle Royal [West LA] Nov 28 Outerlands Available on VOD Nov 26 Angel's Egg Alamo Drafthouse DTLA Nov 26|Egyptian Theater Nov 28 Visit  www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Claudia Puig and Peter Rainer review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Wicked: For Good , Wide Release Rental Family , Wide Release Left-Handed Girl , In Select Theaters|Streaming on Netflix Nov. 28 Rebuilding , AMC Century City|AMC Burbank Out of Plain Sight , Laemmel NoHo Auction , Laemmle Town Center [Encino]|Laemmle Royal [West LA] Manas , Laemmle Glendale The Making of a Japanese , Available on VOD Visit  www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve earned international recognition for her performance in the Joachim Trier film The Worst Person in the World . After roles in Hollywood in Presumed Innocent and A Different Man , Reinsve and Trier have reunited in their new film Sentimental Value about a theater actress and her estranged film director father in Oslo. Larry Mantle speaks with Renate Reinsve about her approach to acting and her latest film.   You can see Sentimental Value in select theaters now. It will expand to more theaters Friday. Nov. 28. Visit  www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

Actor Cesar Romero is probably best known for his role as The Joker in the 1960s Batman series, a portrayal that would later define the character and cast a large shadow over future screen adaptations. But well before Romero put on the green wig and red lipstick, he had a successful and varied career. He acted alongside the Rat Pack in Ocean’s Eleven and Carmen Miranda in Week-End in Havana . Most of his roles fell into the ‘Latin Lover’ stereotype, a mold he did not fit in his everyday life. Yet, despite on-screen limitations, Romero was still able to imbue each character with a sense of humanity. In the new biography Cesar Romero: The Joker is Wild , author Samuel Garza Bernstein goes in depth about Romero’s life pre-Hollywood, his career pre-Joker, and his 1980s renaissance as an A-list TV actor. On FilmWeek, Larry speaks with Garza Bernstein about Romero’s legacy. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Beandrea July review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Jay Kelly In Select Theaters|Streaming on Netflix Dec 5   The Running Man Wide Release Come See Me In The Good Light Laemmle NoHo|Streaming on Apple TV+ The Carpenter’s Son In Select Theaters Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk Laemmle Glendale|Laemmle Monica Film Center Bunny Lumiere Cinema [West LA]|Available on VOD Selena y Los Dinos Laemmle NoHo|Streaming on Netflix Nov 17 Bull Run Galaxy Mission Grove Theatre [Riverside]|Available on VOD & Digital Platforms Serious People Laemmle Glendale|Available on VOD & Digital Platforms Dec 16 Stationed at Home Available on VOD & Digital Platforms Being Eddie Streaming on Netflix Trap House In Select Theaters Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Sir Roger Deakins is the award-winning cinematographer behind the films Bladerunner: 2049, 1917, and No Country for Old Men (just to name a few). Although those behind the camera often do not reach the heights of mainstream recognition, Deakins is the rare case of a cinematographer becoming a household name, considered one of the greatest of all time. In his new book Reflections: On Cinematography , Deakins steps into the light, sharing memories from his time in art school and working on music videos, to his longstanding career in film, working alongside directors such as the Coen Brothers and Denis Villeneuve. Larry Mantle speaks with cinematographer Sir Roger Deakins about his memoir and his decades spent behind the camera on some of the most influential films. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Lael Loewenstein review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Predator: Badlands , Wide Release                                      Sentimental Value , In Select Theaters                                        Train Dreams , In Select Theaters|Streaming on Netflix Nov. 21                                         Die My Love , In Select Theaters                                          Nuremberg , Wide Release                                            Christy , In Select Theaters                                                             Lost & Found in Cleveland , In Select Theaters                        Peter Hujar’s Day , Laemmle Royal [West LA]   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Despite only lasting four short years from 1930 to 1934, the pre-code era of Hollywood’s Golden Age produced films that pushed the boundaries of cinema and storytelling, even by today’s standards. Hollywood classics including King Kong (1933), Freaks (1932), and Grand Hotel (1932) all came out during this time, just before the enforcement of the Production Code in 1934. Films of the pre-code era explored themes of sexuality, outlaws, racial identity, and class disparity. In a new book released in partnership with Turner Classic Movies, film historians and creators of Pre-Code.com , share their 50 must-see movies from the pre-code era. Joining us on FilmWeek to discuss some of the best films of the early 1930s, is Kim Luperi , film historian and co-author of the book Pre-Code Essentials: Must-See Cinema from Hollywood’s Untamed Era (1930-1934) .   Kim Luperi will be at Book Soup in West Hollywood Sunday, November 2 for a book signing event. You can get more information about the event here . Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Peter Rainer , Tim Cogshell , and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.   Films: Nouvelle Vague In Select Theaters|Streaming on Netflix Nov 14 Love+War Laemmle Monica Film Center|Streaming on Disney+ and Hulu Nov. 7  Ballad of a Small Player Streaming on Netflix  Little Amélie or the Character of Rain In Select Theaters       Anniversary In Select Theaters       Stitch Head In Select Theaters       Wisdom of Happiness Laemmle Royal [West LA]      The White House Effect Streaming on Netflix  Hallow Road In AMC Theaters       Chainsaw Man–The Movie: Reze Arc In Select Theaters       The Wrecker Available on VOD     Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Manuel Betancourt and Christy Lemire review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Bugonia , In Select Theaters Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere In Select Theaters Hedda The Culver Theater [Culver City]|Streaming on Prime Video Köln 75 Laemmle Royal [West LA]|Laemmle Glendale|Laemmle Town Center [Encino] Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost Laemmle Royal [West LA]| Streaming on Apple TV+ Mr. Scorsese Streaming on Apple TV+ The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Streaming on Hulu Shelby Oaks In Select Theaters Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

The Rocky Horror Picture Show created a blueprint for other initially unsuccessful films to find second lives through fervent fans. Its unapologetic celebration of difference continues to resonate on the 50th anniversary of the film. In the new documentary Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror , director Linus O’Brien delves into the phenomenon of “Rocky Horror” through interviews with major players including director Jim Sharman, actors Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon, and O’Brien’s father, Richard O’Brien, the creator of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. O’Brien joined Larry on AirTalk to discuss his documentary.  Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror is playing at Vidiots in Eagle Rock now through Oct. 29. You can find showtimes here . Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Bruce Lee’s martial arts work on the silver screen made him a household name in America at a time when those of Asian descent were rarely seen in media. His very presence served as a complicated and nuanced representation for this underseen group. Now, a new book traces the life of Lee and argues his short life had an even greater impact on the world than had been previously considered. Today on AirTalk, Larry speaks with the author of Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America Jeff Chang, about the book and Lee's legacy. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics  Tim Cogshell and Beandrea July review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: Tron: Ares , In Select Theaters Roofman , Wide Release Kiss of the Spider Woman , In Select Theaters A House of Dynamite , In Select Theaters If I Had Legs I’d Kick You , In Select Theaters After the Hunt , In Select Theaters Urchin , AMC Burbank & AMC Century City Orwell: 2+2=5 , Landmark Nuart [West LA] John Candy: I Like Me , Streaming on Amazon Prime The Alabama Solution , Streaming on HBO Max The Woman in Cabin 10 , Streaming on Netflix Vicious , Streaming on Paramount+ Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

From Scream Queens to Final Girls, women have been at the center of horror cinema since its rise in the late 60s. Violence on screen mirrored the violence real women faced off screen. From the allusions to reproductive control in Rosemary’s Baby , to the undertones of domestic violence in The Shining , horror’s female protagonists cannot be divorced from political and social commentary. In her new book “ Scream with Me: Horror Films and the Rise of American Feminism (1968-1980) , Eleanor Johnson , professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, views some of our most popular scary movies through a feminist lens. And once you see the themes of women’s oppression, it’s hard to look at a horror film the same way again. This week on FilmWeek, Larry speaks with Johnson about her new book and reanalyze some horror classics together. Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Manuel Betancourt review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: The Smashing Machine , Wide Release Anemone , In Select Theaters                                                                                 The Lost Bus , In Select Theaters & Streaming on Apple TV+ Play Dirty , Streaming on Amazon Prime                                                                         Fairyland , Landmark Sunset [West Hollywood] The Ice Tower , Laemmle Glendale                                                                  Are We Good? , AMC Americana [Glendale] & Alamo Drafthouse [DTLA] Viva Verdi , Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]                                                             Coyotes , In Select Theaters Good Boy , In Select Theaters                                                                          Norita , Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]                Stripped for Parts , Streaming on PBS.org and PBS app                                                                    Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Manuel Betancourt review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: One Battle After Another Wide Release Eleanor the Great In Select Theaters All of You Laemmle NoHo|Streaming on Apple TV+ Dead of Winter In Select Theaters Predators Laemmle Royal [West LA] & Alamo Drafthouse DTLA Strange Journey - The Story of Rocky Horror In Select Theaters Plainclothes Landmark Sunset [West Hollywood] All the Devils Are Here Available on VOD Adulthood Laemmle Glendale|Available on VOD Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Widely credited with creating the modern summer blockbuster in 1975, Steven Spielberg's Jaws has captured the imaginations (and entered the nightmares) of audiences ever since. For Jaws ’ 50th anniversary, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has created an all-ages experience: combining unprecedented behind-the-scenes access and interactive elements. The unique structure of the exhibit will take visitors scene by scene through the film, exploring the iconic story in an entirely new way. Today on FilmWeek, Larry Mantle is joined by Jenny He , Senior Exhibitions Curator, to talk about the exhibit and the film’s enduring legacy. Jaws: The Exhibition is open at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures now through July 26, 2026. You can get more information and tickets for the exhibition here .   Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

“Hamnet,” Chloé Zhao’s drama about William Shakespeare’s marriage and the death of their 11-year-old son, won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, putting it on an enviable track to Academy Awards contention. This might’ve been the biggest headline for the festival, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. Joining us this morning to help round up the festivities is  Claudia Puig , film critic for LAist and program director for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and Peter Rainer , film critic for LAist and the Christian Science Monitor . Visit  www.preppi.com/LAist  to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Claudia Puig review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. They also share thoughts on the passing of film icon Robert Redford, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 89. Films: A Big Bold Beautiful Journey , Wide Release   Him , Wide Release   Another End , In Select Theaters and Available on VOD A Savage Art: The Life & Cartoons of Pat Oliphant , Laemmle Claremont 5, Monica Film Center, Newhall, Glendale, and Town Center 5 The Summer Book , Laemmle Town Center [Encino] Xeno , In Select Theaters Democracy Noir , Laemmle Monica Film Center Waltzing With Brando , In Select Theaters  Visit  www.preppi.com/LAist  to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

This Is Spinal Tap ushered in a new wave of genre films with its satirical, mockumentary style. It is hailed as a classic, having found its way into the U.S. Library of Congress' National Film Registry. And if that isn't proof enough, the Criterion Collection is releasing a director-approved 4k restoration of the film. Now, over forty years later, the band is back together for one last show. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues finds bandmates David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls (all reprised roles by Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer) reuniting on stage after much time apart. Along with documentarian Marty DiBergi, the band tries to recapture the magic that was in the original This Is Spinal Tap . Today on FilmWeek, Larry Mantle is joined by Rob Reiner , co-writer and director of both films to talk about the legacy of the original This Is Spinal Tap for both film and music, and the unique task of continuing that legacy four decades later. SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES is in Wide Release and available in IMAX theaters. A Director-Approved 4K UHD edition of THIS IS SPINAL TAP will be released from the The Criterion Collection on Tuesday, September 16. Visit  www.preppi.com/LAist  to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire , Tim Cogshell , and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. Films: The Long Walk , Wide Release    Spinal Tap II: The End Continues , Wide Release                               Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale , In Select Theaters                           Demon Slayer–The Movie: Infinity Castle , Wide Release                                                                      The History of Sound , In Select Theaters                                                                                    The Baltimorons , Laemmle Royal [West LA]                                                                Riefenstahl , Laemmle Royal [West LA] & Laemmle Town Center [Encino]     Clemente , Laemmle Monica         Visit  www.preppi.com/LAist  to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!