Landmark Theatres Film Club Q&A Podcast

Gia Coppola (director/co-writer) and Val Kilmer (actor) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Shy, sensitive April (Emma Roberts) is the class virgin, torn between an illicit flirtation with her soccer coach Mr. B (James Franco) and an unrequited crush on sweet stoner Teddy (Jack Kilmer). Emily (Zoe Levin), meanwhile, offers sexual favors to every boy to cross her path—including both Teddy and his best friend Fred (Nat Wolff), a live wire without filters or boundaries. As one high school party bleeds into the next, and April and Teddy struggle to admit their mutual affection, Fred's escalating recklessness starts to spiral into chaos. An unflinching portrait of adolescent lust, boredom, and self-destruction, Palo Alto is a teen movie for the ages—an astonishing debut feature from writer/director Gia Coppola, based on the book Palo Alto: Stories by James Franco and featuring new music from Devonté Hynes (aka Blood Orange).

Stephanie Soechtig (director) and Laurie David (producer) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Fed Up is the movie the food industry doesn't want you to see. It blows the lid off everything we thought we knew about food and weight loss, revealing a 30-year campaign by the food industry, aided by the U.S. government, to mislead and confuse the American public, resulting in one of the largest health epidemics in history. From co-producer Katie Couric (who also narrates), co-producer Laurie David (Oscar winning producer of An Inconvenient Truth) and director Stephanie Soechtig, Fed Up will change the way you eat forever.

Amma Asante (director) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Belle is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the illegitimate mixed race daughter of Admiral Sir John Lindsay (Matthew Goode). Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson), Belle's lineage affords her certain privileges, yet her status prevents her from the traditions of noble social standing. While her cousin Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) chases suitors for marriage, Belle is left on the sidelines wondering if she will ever find love. After meeting an idealistic young vicar's son bent on changing society, he and Belle help shape Lord Mansfield's role as Lord Chief Justice to end slavery in England.

Steven Knight (writer/director) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Driven by an unforgettable performance by Tom Hardy (Lawless, Warrior, Inception), Locke is a thrillingly unique cinematic experience of a man fighting to salvage all that is important to him. Ivan Locke (Hardy) has worked diligently to craft the life he has envisioned, dedicating himself to the job that he loves and the family he adores. On the eve of the biggest challenge of his career, Ivan receives a phone call that sets in motion a series of events that will unravel his family, job, and soul. All taking place over the course of one absolutely riveting car ride, Locke is an exploration of how one decision can lead to the complete collapse of a life. Written and directed by Steven Knight (screenwriter of Eastern Promises, Amazing Grace and Dirty Pretty Things).

Kevin Spacey (actor) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Kevin Spacey, Sam Mendes and the Bridge Project Company go on the road in Now: In the Wings on a World Stage. In over 200 performances, and across 3 continents, Kevin and the troupe reveal some of the most intimate moments behind the scenes of their staging of Shakespeare's classic tragedy, Richard III. Their story and experiences weave around, and reflect on, excerpts from the play from their various locations, from Epidaurus to Doha, and provides a great opportunity for those who have never experienced Spacey on stage to witness his immersive and captivating interpretation of Richard III. Now chronicles the first collaboration between Spacey and Mendes since both won Academy Awards for their work on American Beauty.

Jonathan Teplitzky (director) and Chris Brown (producer) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Eric (Colin Firth, The King's Speech, A Single Man), a WWII vet and train fanatic, meets attractive divorcee Patti (Nicole Kidman, Stoker, Cold Mountain) on a train, and love blossoms. Only after they marry does she discover that Eric is tormented by his past in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. When they learn that the Japanese interpreter responsible for much of his brutal treatment is still alive, she urges him to go and confront the man, and his haunting past, in this powerful and inspiring tale of heroism, humanity and the redeeming power of love. Based on the remarkable bestselling autobiography by Eric Lomax.

Richard Shepard (writer/director) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Jude Law (The Talented Mr. Ripley, Sherlock Holmes) plays Dom Hemingway, a larger-than-life safecracker with a loose fuse who is funny, profane and dangerous. After twelve years in prison, he is back on the streets of London with his partner in crime Dickie (Richard E. Grant, "Girls," Withnail and I) looking to collect what he's owed for keeping his mouth shut and protecting his boss Mr. Fontaine (Demian Bichir, A Better Life). After a near-death experience, Dom tries to re-connect with his estranged daughter (Emilia Clarke), but is soon drawn back into the only world he knows, looking to settle the ultimate debt. Written and directed by Richard Shepard (The Matador).

Rosario Dawson (actress) and United Farmworkers Association co-founder Dolores Huerta at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Director Diego Luna (who acted in Y Tu Mamá Tambien, Milk and Elysium), elicits wonderful performances from his cast in this powerful cinematic portrait of the legendary activist. Chronicling the birth of a modern American movement, Cesar Chavez tells the story of the famed civil rights leader and labor organizer torn between his duties as a husband and father and his commitment to securing a living wage for farm workers. Passionate but soft-spoken, Cesar Chavez (Michael Peña, End of Watch, Crash) embraced non-violence as he battled greed and prejudice in his struggle to bring dignity to the oppressed. Chavez inspired millions of Americans from all walks of life who never worked on a farm to fight for social justice. His triumphant journey is a remarkable testament to the power of one individual's ability to change the world. The film also stars America Ferrera (End of Watch, "Ugly Betty," Real Women Have Curves), Rosario Dawson (Sin City) and John Malkovich (In the Line of Fire, Red and Red 2).

Charlie Siskel (co-director/writer) and Jeff Garlin (producer) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Who is Vivian Maier? Now considered one of the 20th century's greatest street photographers, Vivian Maier was a loner who worked as a nanny most of her life, and shot photos constantly everywhere she went, taking over 100,000 photographs that went unseen during her lifetime. Amateur historian John Maloof bought the contents of her storage locker by chance at an auction, and soon became obsessed with trying to learn more about the mysterious recluse. The first trace he was able to find of her was her recent obituary. Since then Maloof has organized many acclaimed exhibits of her work, and is crusading to put this prolific photographer into the history books. In Finding Vivian Maier, Maloof and co-director Charlie Siskel's captivating documentary, Maier's strange and riveting life and art are revealed through never-before-seen photographs, films, and interviews with dozens who thought they knew her.

Jason Bateman (actor/director) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Jason Bateman (Identity Thief) makes his feature directorial debut with the subversive comedy Bad Words. He stars as Guy Trilby, a 40-year-old who finds a loophole in the rules of The Golden Quill national spelling bee and decides to cause trouble by hijacking the competition. While reporter Jenny Widgeon (Kathryn Hahn, We're the Millers) attempts to discover his true motivation, Guy finds himself forging an unlikely alliance with a competitor: awkward 10-year-old Chaitanya Chopra (Rohan Chand, "Homeland"), who is completely unfazed by Guy's take-no-prisoners approach to life. Also starring Ben Falcone, Philip Baker Hall and Allison Janney.

Annette Bening and Ed Harris (actors), and Arie Posin (director/co-writer) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: The Face of Love is the romantic story of a widow named Nikki (Annette Bening) who, several years after the loss of her husband Garrett, meets a man named Tom (Ed Harris) who looks exactly like her deceased husband. Suddenly, a flood of old feelings rush back to her: she's met the love of her life. Again. The film, filled with humor, surprise, and reflections on the mystery of love surrounding us, also features an important supporting turn from Robin Williams as Nikki's confidante and would-be lover. Directed and co-written by Arie Posin (The Chumscrubber).

Benjamin Renner (director) and Didier Brunner (producer) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Deep below snowy, cobblestone streets, tucked away in networks of winding subterranean tunnels, lives a civilization of hard-working mice, terrified of the bears who live above ground. Unlike her fellow mice, Celestine is an artist and a dreamer—and when she nearly ends up as breakfast for ursine troubadour Ernest, the two form an unlikely bond. But it isn't long before their friendship is put to the test by their respective bear-fearing and mice-eating communities. Magical and funny, Ernest & Celestine joyfully leaps across genres, propelled with brilliant comic timing, to capture the kinetic possibilities of animated storytelling. Bringing it all together is the warm on-screen chemistry between the two lead characters—a tender and playful rapport that will put a smile on your face and touch your heart. The English-language version stars the voices of Forest Whitaker, Mackenzie Foy, Lauren Bacall, Paul Giamatti, Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, William H. Macy and Jeffrey Wright. Winner of France's César Award for Best Animated Feature and nominee for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Richard Rush (writer/director) and Steve Railsback and Sharon Farrell (actors), appearing as a tribute to the late Peter O'Toole for the Anniversary Classics Series at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Vietnam veteran Cameron (Steve Railsback) is on the run from the police when he stumbles onto the set of a war movie directed by megalomaniac Eli Cross (Peter O'Toole). But when the young fugitive is forced to replace a dead stunt man, he falls in love with the movie's leading lady (Barbara Hershey) while trying to avoid getting arrested or killed. Is Eli trying to capture Cameron's death on film? And what happens to a paranoid stunt man when illusion and reality change places? Completed in 1979 but unreleased until 1980, this innovative dramatic comedy/action thriller has become one of the most acclaimed cult hits of our time. Directed and co-written by Richard Rush.

Penn & Teller (filmmakers), Tim Jenison (film subject) and Farley Ziegler (producer) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Tim Jenison, a Texas-based inventor and the visionary behind the desktop video revolution, attempts to solve one of the greatest mysteries in all art: How did 17th century Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer ("Girl with a Pearl Earring") manage to paint so photo-realistically—150 years before the invention of photography? The epic research project Jenison embarks on to test his theory is as extraordinary as what he discovers. Spanning eight years, Jenison's adventure takes him to Delft, Holland, where Vermeer painted his masterpieces, on a pilgrimage to the North coast of Yorkshire to meet artist David Hockney, and even to Buckingham Palace to see a Vermeer masterpiece in the collection of the Queen. Also featuring Martin Mull, Professor Philip Steadman and Dr. Colin Blakemore. Directed by Teller, and co-produced by Farley Ziegler and Teller's partner, illusionist, comic and narrator Penn Jillette.

Bruce Dern and June Squibb (actors) at The Landmark in West Los Angeles. Film synopsis: Alexander Payne (The Descendants, Sideways) directs Nebraska, a bittersweet dramatic comedy about a father-and-son road trip through an emotionally and economically parched homeland. After receiving a sweepstakes letter in the mail, a cantankerous father (Bruce Dern) thinks he's struck it rich, and wrangles his son (Will Forte) into taking a road trip to claim the fortune. Shot in black and white across four states, Nebraska tells the stories of family life in the heartland of America. Stacy Keach, June Squibb and Bob Odenkirk co-star.