SoCal classic movies, Dec. 20-27: ’Home Alone,’ ’It’s a Wonderful Life,’ the Marx Brothers and more
SoCal classic movies, Dec. 20-27: ’Home Alone,’ ’It’s a Wonderful Life,’ the Marx Brothers and more
Plus film festivals, event screenings, restorations, revivals and more
Welcome to the latest edition of TV or Not TV’s curated guide to classic movies, events and revivals, film festivals and more screening in LA and OC this week. I’m Matt Cooper, former listings coordinator for the Los Angeles Times’ Calendar.
Roll ’em!
‘Home Alone in Concert’ The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the Angeles Chorale perform John Williams’ score to accompany three screenings of the 1990 comedy starring Macaulay Culkin as a youngster who tangles with a pair of hapless burglars (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern) over the holidays; for ages 2 and up. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. 8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, Dec. 20-22. $51-$249. (323) 850-2000. laphil.com
‘Under the Skin’ Scarlett Johansson plays a strange visitor from another world with, shall we say, strange taste in men in Jonathan Glazer’s unnerving 2013 sci-fi fable. Academy Museum, David Geffen Theater, 6067 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20. $5-$10. academymuseum.org
‘Run Lola Run’ “The Bourne Identity’s” Franka Potente stars in Tom Tykwer’s pulse-pounding 1998 thriller about a young woman who has just 20 minutes to come up with 100,000 Deutschmarks to save the life of her hoodlum boyfriend; in German with English subtitles. Presented in 35mm. Secret Movie Club Theatre, 1917 Bay St., 2nd floor, downtown L.A. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22. $12.50, $16. secretmovieclub.com
‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ James Stewart plays a suicidal family man who gets a bit of divine intervention just when he needs it most in Frank Capra’s beloved 1946 holiday fable. With Henry Travers and Donna Reed. Presented in 35mm. American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23; 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24. $10, $15. americancinematheque.com
Also at the Old Town Music Hall, 140 Richmond St., El Segundo. 2:30 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23. $10, $12. (310) 322-2592. oldtownmusichall.org
Also at Secret Movie Club at the Million Dollar Theater, 307 S. Broadway, downtown L.A. Presented in 35mm. 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 24. $14, $17; advance purchase required. secretmovieclub.com
‘Medium Cool’ A jaded Chicago cameraman (Robert Forster) has a political awakening during the turbulent summer of 1968 in Haskell Wexler’s acclaimed 1969 film that blends dramatic elements with documentary footage. Presented in 35mm. Academy Museum, Ted Mann Theater, 6067 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23. $5. academymuseum.org
‘Night of the Hunter’ Robert Mitchum plays a homicidal preacher who will stop at nothing to get his mitts on a former cellmate’s ill-gotten gains in this chilling 1955 film noir directed by Charles Laughton. With Shelley Winters and Lillian Gish. American Cinematheque at the Los Feliz 3, 1822 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz. 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22; 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23; 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24. $8, $13. americancinematheque.com
‘The Wages of Fear’ Four desperate men are tasked with transporting a truckload of high explosives over rugged terrain in the jungles of South America in this 1953 nail-biter directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot. Yves Montand stars. In French, Spanish, Italian and English with English subtitles. Presented in 35mm. Brain Dead Studios at the Silent Movie Theater, 611 N. Fairfax Ave., L.A. 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23. $12. studios.wearebraindead.com
‘A Night at the Opera’ with ‘Go West’ The Marx Brothers bring the mayhem, merriment and mirth in this double bill of classic comedies from the 1930-40s. Presented in 35mm. New Beverly Cinema, 7165 Beverly Blvd., L.A. 2 and 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 25. $13; advance purchase recommended. thenewbev.com
‘Bringing Up Baby’ with ‘Ball of Fire’ A double bill of classic screwball comedies pairs Howard Hawks’ 1938 romp starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant with Hawks’ 1941 fable starring Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper. Presented in 35mm. American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 26. $8, $13. americancinematheque.com
‘The Sting’ Robert Redford and Paul Newman reunited with “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” director George Roy Hill for this charming 1973 caper about two Depression-era grifters looking to scam a ruthless racketeer (Robert Shaw). Laemmle Royal, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27. $10, $13. laemmle.com