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Events
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Written by Joe Dirosa
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The Los Angeles Film Festival, held annually for ten days in June,
showcases the best of American and international independent cinema.
With an expected attendance of over 100,000, the festival screens over
175 narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and music videos. Now in
its fourteenth year, the festival has grown into a world-class event,
uniting new filmmakers with critics, scholars, film masters, and the
movie-loving public.
www.lafilmfest.com
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Previews & Trailers
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Written by Joe Dirosa
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 The Fantastic Four
When an experimental space voyage goes awry, four people are changed by cosmic rays. Reed Richards, inventor and leader of the group gains the ability to stretch his body, and takes the name, Mr. Fantastic. His girlfriend, Sue Storm, gains the ability to turn invisible and create force fields, becoming the Invisible Girl. Her little brother Johnny Storm gains the ability to control fire, including covering his own body with flame, like a Human Torch. Pilot Ben Grimm is turned into a super-strong rocky Thing. Together, they use their unique powers to explore the strange aspects of the world, and to foil the evil plans by the likes of Doctor Doom, which is who the villain of this film will be. Even as they deal with the various threats that arise to threaten Earth's peace, the Four must also deal with the pressures of fame as the world's most famous superheroes, and the realities of being a super-powered family. |
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Previews & Trailers
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Written by Joe Dirosa
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 Dark Water
Acclaimed director Walter Salles ( Central Station, The Motorcycle Diaries ) helms and Academy-award-winner Jennifer Connelly stars in DARK WATER, a psychological thriller featuring a stellar cast, including Academy Award-nominees John C. Reilly, Tim Roth, and Pete Postlethwaite, as well as Dougray Scott and newcomer Ariel Gade. Based on a film by the creators of the Japanese version of The Ring comes this haunting, chilling film about a young mother who goes to extreme lengths to solve a mystery and protect her daughter. Dahlia Williams (JENNIFER CONNELLY) is starting a new life; newly separated with a new job and a new apartment, she s determined to put her relationship with her estranged husband behind her and devote herself to raising her daughter, Ceci. But when the strained separation disintegrates into a bitter custody battle, her situation takes a turn for the worse. Her new apartment dilapidated, cramped, and worn seems to take on a life of its own. Mysterious noises, persistent leaks of dark water, and strange happenings cause her imagination to run wild, sending her on a puzzling and mystifying pursuit to find out who is behind the endless mind games. As Dahlia frantically searches for the links between the riddles, the dark water seems to close around her. But one thing trumps all others in Dahlia's world: no matter what it is that s out there, she'll stop at nothing to find it. |
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Previews & Trailers
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Written by Joe Dirosa
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 Rize"Rize" reveals a groundbreaking dance phenomenon that’s exploding on the streets of South Central, Los Angeles. Taking advantage of unprecedented access, this documentary film brings to first light a revolutionary form of artistic expression borne from oppression. The aggressive and visually stunning dance modernizes moves indigenous to African tribal rituals and features mind-blowing, athletic movement sped up to impossible speeds. “Rize” tracks the fascinating evolution of the dance: we meet Tommy Johnson (Tommy the Clown), who first created the style as a response to the 1992 Rodney King riots and named it “Clowning”, as well as the kids who developed the movement into what they now call Krumping. The kids use dance as an alternative to gangs and hustling: they form their own troupes and paint their faces like warriors, meeting to outperform rival gangs of dancers or just to hone their skills. For the dancers, Krumping becomes a way of life – and, because it’s authentic expression (in complete opposition to the bling-bling hip-hop culture), the dance becomes a vital part of who they are. (NY, LA; wider release: July 8)
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Previews & Trailers
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Written by Joe Dirosa
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 The Last Mogul
Corruption, mafia scandals, political power plays and unprecedented deal making. As an agent, Lew Wasserman ruled Hollywood for more than half a century, pioneering the concept of packaging movies and creating star perks we now take for granted. This provocative doc chronicles his rise to power to his final tragic days. (limited) |
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Previews & Trailers
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Written by Joe Dirosa
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 Heights
On a summer night in New York City, five lives intertwine and unravel. Isabel, a beautiful twenty-five year old photographer, wavers on her commitment to her upcoming wedding. Her mother Diana, a legendary actress, discovers her husband is cheating. Jonathan, Isabel's fiance, tries to protect a secret that will endanger his marriage. Peter, a young writer, faces his lover's past while researching a story for Vanity Fair and Alec, an actor, wonders if his affections will ever be returned. Set in the nightspots, theaters, rooftops, and streets of Manhattan over one night, Heights is a contemporary story of young people in New York City that sparkles with the wit that is a trademark of Merchant Ivory films. At the center of the story is Isabel, a young woman trying to decide between her life in the city and the prospect of a quiet existence as a suburban wife. In a script full of unique New York City settings and characters the story takes us from downtown bars, to upscale roof gardens, to gay bars in Chelsea, to the geriatric participants at a Jewish wedding. |
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