Landmark Theatres Film Club Q&A Podcast

Richard Rowley (director) and former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Joe Wilson at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Part political thriller and part detective story, the documentary Dirty Wars follows investigative reporter Jeremy Scahill, author of the international bestseller Blackwater, on a gripping journey into the heart of America's covert wars, from Afghanistan to Yemen, Somalia and beyond. What begins as a report into a U.S. night raid gone terribly wrong in a remote corner of Afghanistan quickly turns into a global investigation of the secretive and powerful Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). As Scahill digs deeper into the activities of JSOC, he is pulled into a world of covert operations unknown to the public. In military jargon, JSOC teams "find, fix, and finish" their targets, who are selected through a secret process. No target is off limits for the "kill list," including U.S. citizens. Drawn into the stories and lives of the people he meets along the way, Scahill is forced to confront the painful consequences of a war spinning out of control, as well as his own role as a journalist. Dirty Wars takes viewers to remote corners of the globe to see first-hand wars fought in their name, leaving haunting questions about freedom and democracy, war and justice. Original score by the Kronos Quartet.

Joss Whedon (director) and cast members Tom Lenk, Clark Gregg, Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. (Warning—contains explicit language) Film synopsis: In director Joss Whedon's (The Avengers, Serenity) modern re-telling of William Shakespeare's classic, a series of comic and tragic events conspire to keep two couples from truly finding happiness—but then again perhaps love will prevail. Leonato (Clark Gregg), the governor of Messina, is visited by his friend Don Pedro (Reed Diamond) who is returning from a victorious campaign against his rebellious brother Don John (Sean Maher). Accompanying Don Pedro are two of his officers: Benedick (Alexis Denisof) and Claudio (Fran Kranz). While in Messina, Claudio falls for Leonato's daughter Hero (Jillian Morgese), while Benedick verbally spars with Beatrice (Amy Acker), the governor's niece. The budding love between Claudio and Hero prompts Don Pedro to arrange with Leonato for a marriage. In the days leading up to the ceremony, Don Pedro, with the help of Leonato, Claudio and Hero, attempts to sport with Benedick and Beatrice in an effort to trick the two into falling in love. Meanwhile, the villainous Don John plots against the happy couple to destroy the marriage before it begins. Filmed at Whedon's own house, Much Ado About Nothing also stars Nathan Fillion.

Jordan Vogt-Roberts (director) with Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso and Moises Arias (actors) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Premiering to rave reviews at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, The Kings of Summer is a unique coming-of-age comedy about three teenage friends—Joe (Nick Robinson), Patrick (Gabriel Basso) and the eccentric and unpredictable Biaggio (Moises Arias)—who, in the ultimate act of independence, decide to spend their summer building a house in the woods and living off the land. Free from their parents' rules, their idyllic summer quickly becomes a test of friendship as each boy learns to appreciate the fact that family—whether it is the one you're born into or the one you create—is something you can't run away from. The Kings of Summer, director Jordan Vogt-Roberts' feature film debut, also stars Alison Brie (TV's "Mad Men"), Mary Lynn Rajskub ("24"), Nick Offerman ("Parks and Recreation") and Megan Mullally (Smashed, "Will & Grace").

Zal Batmanglij (co-writer/director) with Patricia Clarkson and Ellen Page (actors) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: The suspenseful and provocative espionage thriller The East stars co-writer Brit Marling (Sound of My Voice, Another Earth) as former FBI agent Sarah Moss, who's starting a new career at an elite private intelligence firm that ruthlessly protects the interests of its A-list corporate clientele. Handpicked for a plum assignment by the company's head honcho, Sharon (Patricia Clarkson), Sarah goes deep undercover to infiltrate The East, an elusive anarchist collective seeking revenge against major corporations guilty of covering up criminal activity. Determined, highly-trained and resourceful, Sarah soon ingratiates herself with the group, overcoming their initial suspicions and joining them on their next action or "jam." But living closely with the intensely committed members of The East, Sarah finds herself torn between her two worlds as she starts to connect with anarchist Benji (Alexander Skarsgård) and the rest of the collective, and awakens to the moral contradictions of her personal life. Also starring Ellen Page and Julia Ormond. Directed and co-written by Zal Batmanglij (Sound of My Voice, Another Earth).

Louis Leterrier (director), Roberto Orci and Bobby Cohen (producers), Bryan Tyler (composer), and David Kwong (magic consultant) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: The thriller Now You See Me pits an elite FBI squad in a game of cat-and-mouse against "The Four Horsemen," a super-team of the world's greatest illusionists. The Four Horsemen pull off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their performances, showering the stolen profits on their audience while staying one step ahead of the law. Directed by Louis Leterrier (The Transporter, The Incredible Hulk, Clash of the Titans), Now You See Me stars Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Mélanie Laurent, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman.

Greta Gerwig (co-writer/star) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Frances Ha, a modern comic fable from Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale), explores New York, friendship, class, ambition, failure and redemption. Frances (co-writer Greta Gerwig), the exuberant 27-year-old heroine, is always on the move without ever seeming to get anywhere. The truth is she knows exactly where she wants to go, she's just unwilling to make the kind of compromises that might get her there. A fount of optimism, Frances is singularly compelling because she never lets anything—including reality—slow her down. Frances lives in New York, but she doesn't really have an apartment. Frances is an apprentice for a dance company, but she's not really a dancer. Frances has a best friend named Sophie (Mickey Sumner), but they aren't really speaking anymore. Frances throws herself headlong into her dreams, even as their possible reality dwindles. Frances wants so much more than she has, but lives her life with unaccountable joy and lightness. Director/co-writer Baumbach shot this exhilarating comedy in black and white, using the music of Georges Delerue, composer for Truffaut's French New Wave classics.

Rafael Marmor (producer) and Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust Board Secretary Jon Kean at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: No Place on Earth brings to light the untold story of thirty-eight Ukrainian Jews who survived World War II by living in caves for eighteen months, the longest-recorded sustained underground survival. Building upon interviews with former cave inhabitants, as well as with Chris Nicola, the caving enthusiast who unearthed the story, documentary filmmaker Janet Tobias filmed a present-day return visit to Verteba and Priest's Grotto caves in western Ukraine. Complete with a dramatic reenactments, No Place on Earth is an extraordinary testament to ingenuity, willpower and endurance against all odds.