LATIMES.COM/CALENDAR THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2012 D3 AT THE MOVIES latimes.com/movies

SUSAN KING’S Howard Hawks’ Jean-Luc Godard’s J.J. Abrams’ Laurence Olivier’s John Ford’s Alex Cox’s “Ball of Fire” “Weekend” “Super 8” “The Prince and “Up the River” “Sid and Nancy” FLICK Aero Theatre, Santa Cinefamily at Silent Aero Theatre, the Showgirl” Billy Wilder Theater, ArcLight, Hollywood Monica Movie Theatre, Los Santa Monica Egyptian Theatre, Westwood Monday | 6:30 p.m. | free PICKS Thursday | 7:30 p.m. | Angeles Saturday | Hollywood Spencer Tracy and The Gary Oldman $11 Thursday-Wednesday 7:30 p.m. | $11 Sunday | 7:30 p.m. | $11 Humphrey Bogart retrospective kicks off latimes.com Barbara Stanwyck various times | $10 Abrams will appear The 1957 film with made their feature with this 1986 biopic. /24frames and Gary Cooper Anew print of the in person at screening Marilyn Monroe and debuts in this 1930 headline this French auteur’s 1967 of his 2011hit. Olivier depicted in “My prison picture. Check the 24 Frames 19 41 co m e d y satire. Week With Marilyn.” blog for complete film listings. masterpiece.

CRITIC’S PICK

Habib Madjidi Sony Pictures Classics KIMIA HOSSEINI,left, is Somayeh and Sareh Bayat is Razieh in the Iranian film set in Tehran. A revealing drama in ‘A Separation’

Don’t wait too long to see this exceptional film from Iran. If you care enough about foreign-language films to have Kamoli Films heard about this particular gem, don’t hold back until all “BEYOND,” starring Ola Rapace and Noomi Rapace, is Sweden’s entry for the foreign-language Oscar. your friends have told you how good it is and put a crimp in your pleasure. See it now and relish a thrilling domestic drama that offers acute insights into human motivations and behavior as well as a glimpse behind the curtain separat- ing us from daily life in Tehran. Imagine Alfred Hitchcock’s intricate attention to plot joined to the devastating emo- tional impact of Ingmar Bergman: The result is exhilarating Nordic lights enough to be the first foreign-language film ever to be named best screenplay by the L.A. Film Critics. Go to Laemmle’s Royal in West Los Angeles and see exactly why. BY SARI HEIFETZ STRICKE >>> If Southern California’s balmy winter has you — Kenneth Turan dreaming of more northern latitudes but travel is not in your budget, perhaps a trip to the Scandinavian Film Festival L.A. can at least temporarily transport you to the more frigid fringe of Europe. Starting this weekend and continuing Jan. 14 and 15, the noncompetitive 24 FRAMES festival boasts a “smorgasbord of Nordic cinema” with features, shorts and documentaries from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden — including each country’s Acade- Seven story lines to my Award submission for best foreign-language film. The region has a rich tradition of filmmaking, ranging from Ingmar Bergman’s character dramas to Dogme 95, the avant- watch for in 2012 garde film movement of Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg. “We sometimes joke that we’re the festival that has Prozac instead of popcorn,” says festival director Jim Koenig. Last year was full of unex- “But this year is risible proof there are good laughs in Nordic film — along with the dark pected turns, from the ill-ad- stuff we know and love.” This is the 13th year of the festival, and screenings are held at the vised remarks of Lars von Trier to “Bridesmaids” Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills. A gala will be held Saturday before the screening sweeping the nation. The of “Beyond,” Sweden’s Oscar submission starring Noomi Rapace, known for her role in year ahead promises more juicy story lines. Here are the Swedish film adaptation of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” (2009) and currently seven to watch: on-screen in “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.” Among the family-friendly, dra- “Dark Knight” rising: matic and comedic fare, a few cinematic selections stand out: Christopher Nolan’s final film in his Batman trilogy hits theaters July 20. ‘Happy Happy’ Robert Gauthier L.A. Times Norway’s Oscar submission by film- Land of Lincolns: June DIRECTOR Christopher maker Anne Sewitsky, who won the brings the release of “Abra- Nolan returns with “The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at ham Lincoln: Vampire Dark Knight Rises.” the 2011Sundance Film Festival for Hunter,” in which Benjamin this comedic directorial debut. The Aliens, spaceships and big Walker plays a leader intent film follows the domestic life of eter- effects will be in the offing on rooting out the blood- nal optimist Kaja, her uninterested when the Peter Berg movie suckers. In December, Dan- boyfriend and their “perfect” new comes out May 18. So will a iel Day-Lewis gets his turn: choir-singing neighbors. The Oscar-winner plays the reported $200-million bud- 16th president in Steven get, as the Hollywood and its Spielberg’s reconstruction toy- and game-obsession ‘Beyond’ of the final, critical months gets a key test. This Swedish Oscar submission is of Lincoln’s life. Pernilla August’s directorial debut. “Hunger” pangs: “The Twi- Rapace stars as Lena, 34, who must “Prometheus” fire: An light Saga” will come to an return to her hometown on Christ- “Alien” prequel, or no? Ei- end in 2012, but another mas to face her estranged mother ther way, Ridley Scott’s popular young-adult series, and memories of her dark childhood. Pandora Film Production futuristic film, due June 8, “The Hunger Games,” “LE HAVRE” features André Wilms, left, and Blondin Miguel. about extraterrestrials comes to the big screen ‘Volcano’ seeking life on Earth, is one March 23, with Jennifer Law- Iceland’s Academy Award submis- of his most anticipated in rence inhabiting Suzanne sion premiered at the Cannes Film years. Collins’ Katniss Everdeen. Festival and has been called “a ma- Scandinavian Film Fans will be watching the ture and emotionally devastating Festival L.A. “Hobbit” habit: The back- Gary Ross film carefully. So film directed with extraordinary story to Peter Jackson’s two will Lionsgate, which is ea- sensitivity.” The dramatic love story, “Hobbit” films may be more ger to fill the void Summit’s directed by Rúnar Rúnarsson, fol- When: Saturday and Sunday and compelling than many actu- “Twilight” is leaving behind. lows Hannes, a retired janitor who Jan. 14-15 al movie story lines, what must resurrect his life and personal Where: The Writers Guild of with all sorts of financing Christmas cheer: Dec. 25 is relations. America Theater, 135 S. Doheny drama and Jackson step- already looking like an aus- Drive, Beverly Hills ping in to direct after Gui- picious date, particularly for ‘Le Havre’ Maipo Film Information: www.sffla.net; (323) llermo del Toro spent years those interested in U.S. pe- Aki Kaurismäki’s warmhearted “HAPPY HAPPY,” with Agnes 661-4273 developing it. We get the first riod tales: It marks the re- political fairy tale, set in France, is Kittelsen and Henrik Rafaelsen. of Jackson’s new pair of Tol- lease of Quentin Tarantino’s the Academy Award submission kien adaptations — “An Un- slave story “Django Un- from Finland and features the inter- off to Buenos Aires, becomes a follow-up to his acclaimed 2006 expected Journey” — on chained” and Baz Luhr- twined fates of Idrissa, a young Afri- sports agent and falls in love with documentary “The Horseman.” Dec. 14. mann’s 3-D reinterpretation can refugee and Marcel Marx, a one of Argentina’s biggest soccer of “The Great Gatsby.” bohemian French shoe shiner who stars, all while pursued by her es- ‘Priest of Evil’ Will “Battleship” float? —Steven Zeitchik stands up to deportation officials on tranged husband, who is determined This Finnish crime/thriller from the boy’s behalf. to win her back. director Olli Saarela follows both a serial killer and his pursuer, a detec- ‘Hello W’ ‘The Good Son’ tive in the Helsinki violent crimes Finnish director Juha Wuolijoki’s Finnish director Zaida Bergroth’s unit struggling to recover from the THIS WEEKEND biopic depicts the eventful life of his dramatic tale follows an actress who tragic loss of his daughter. great aunt Hella Wuolijoki, a politi- takes refuge at her family’s summer “Beneath the Darkness” Agroup of deadly turf war between rival drug cally ostracized entrepreneur, politi- house with her two sons and forms a ‘Headhunters’ teenagers tries to bring down a sa- cartels in Mexico. cian and writer whose plays are now relationship with a leftover weekend Norwegian director Morten Tyl- distic mortician. “It’s About You” Follows musician regarded as modern classics. party guest, a charismatic writer dum’s crime thriller follows an ac- “The Devil Inside” Twenty years after John Mellencamp on tour and in who causes a rift between the boys. complished headhunter who risks her mother confessed to three bru- the studio recording the 2010 album ‘Superclásico’ everything to obtain a valuable tal murders, a woman travels to Ita- “No Better Than This.” ly and recruits two young exorcists The Danish Academy Award sub- ‘Women With Cows’ painting owned by a former merce- to find out what really happened “Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow” mission directed by actor Ole Chris- Peter Gerdehag’s Swedish docu- nary. and set things right. Documentary about the German tian Madsen is a madcap tale about mentary follows two adult sisters on “8 Murders a Day” Explores the artist Anselm Kiefer. aDanish wife and mother who runs their dairy farm in the director’s [email protected]