It's that time of year again: Old Pasadena's Film Festival. This year's line-up (July 9th - August 1st) is really quite impressive. Two of my absolute all-time favorite movies are being screened: 1973's Paper Moon, with Ryan O'Neal, Tatum O'Neal and Madeline Kahn, and 1962's To Kill A Mockingbird with the eternally sophisticated Gregory Peck. And in case you're forgotten, all films are shown for FREE. Just be sure to get there early to reserve a seat, or depending on the screening location, you may have to bring your own chair/blanket... and a jacket. As I look at the list again, I think I may also go see Field of Dreams, Sixteen Candles, West Side Story, Juno, A Room with A View, Tea with Mussolini... oh hell, if you're looking for me, on a Friday and/or Saturday during the month of July, come to Old Town.

A few more outdoor, summer movie locations throughout Southern California include: Cinespia (L.A.), The Americana at Brand (Glendale), Eat See Hear (L.A.)

The Red Balloon is, by far, one of my all-time favorite films. (Quite possibly, in the top 25.) But, I suppose at just a mere 34 minutes, “short” is the more accurate term for this brilliant work of art. Last year, when at The Getty Museum for the Herb Ritts exhibit, I finally found a copy in the gift shop. This 1956 adventure, by French filmmaker Albert Lamorisse, (who won an Oscar for Best Writing/Original Screenplay) is a beautiful tale of a day in a child’s life and his unfettered imagination.

On his way to school one morning, Pascal (Lamorisse’s real-life son), has a chance encounter with his soon-to-be new best friend: a truly anthropormorphic, large, red balloon. Like a doting pet, it not only follows him to school, (drawing stares and creating a classroom commotion) but, like any truly faithful side-kick, it dutifully awaits his dismissal; allowing the two "buddies" to continue on their day’s adventure, and the mischief that's bound to ensue. This film definitely gives a whole new meaning to the term "a flight of fancy."

You may remember that in 2007, Juliette Binoche starred in a modern version of this piece titled, Flight of The Red Balloon. Even though she is one of my favorite actresses, "Flight" never really took off for me. (Pun intended.) It reminded me of when a singer covers a classic song by an iconic artist; Some things are better left untouched.

The Red Balloon, in its entirety...

While it’s been several months since I’ve been to a movie theatre, it’s been even longer since I’ve anticipated a movie’s release like that of director Lee Daniels’ The Butler. Based on the true story of White House butler, Eugene Allen, it tells the story of his thirty plus years of service (1952-1986) under eight U.S. Presidents. In this historical drama, the lead character, Cecil Gaines (played by the stately Forest Whitaker), during his illustrious tenure, witnesses major changes in America, both political and social: from a presidential assassination to civil rights marches on Washington. From the trailer, it seems as though it will reveal a rather accurate account of the dichotomy of a Black man's life during the most turbulent of times. A man having a foot in two worlds: Black and White. (Even working in The White House, once he stepped outside of 1600 Pennsylvannia Avenue, I'm certain that there was an ever present evil lurking about that society-at-large was always ready to visit upon him as a Black man in America.)

This movie has everyone: Oprah Winfrey as Cecil’s wife, Gloria, James Marsden (John F. Kennedy), Alan Rickman (Ronald Reagan), Jane Fonda (Nancy Reagan), Liev Schreiber (Lyndon B. Johnson), Robin Williams (Dwight D. Eisenhower) and Melissa Leo (Mamie Eisenhower), who was nominated for an Academy Award for one of my all-time favorite films, Frozen River. With Lee Daniels (“Precious”) directing and screenplay by Danny Strong (HBO’s “Game Change”) The Butler is sure to serve up a wonderful helping of American history (both good and bad, I'm certain), this Friday, August 16, 2013. I greatly hope that it does not disappoint.

Sidenote: Earlier this week, there was a report that Oprah Winfrey was shopping (or trying to) at an upscale store in Zurich (she was in Switzerland for Tina Turner's wedding) and, after asking to see an expensive handbag, was told no because she could not afford it! (Now, that's funny.) In this film, Oprah plays a character whose prime was during a most tumultuous time in our nation; when racism did not hide behind closed doors, but often sat out on the front porch for a passerby to see and hear. Now, a half of a century later, even someone in her position is still experiencing the same ignorance her character (and her) would have expected to experience some 40, 50, 60 years ago. (And I thought Switzerland was known for being neutral?)

All images by Anne Marie Fox/The Weinstein Company 2013)
Video via IMDB

I realize that this is very last minute, but if you're looking for something to do this evening, stop by the Santa Monica Pier to enjoy a free movie under the stars. Music starts at 6:00pm, with the movie starting at 7:30pm. So grab your date, a blanket (or lawn chair) and head out to the beach. Oh, and did I mention that's it FREE?  (Directions)

Santa Monica Pier
200 Santa Monica Pier, Suite A
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310-458-8901

I missed LACMA's showing last year of The Clock (bad timing, I suppose), but it won't happen again this year.  In case you haven't heard of Christian Marclay's brilliant project, I've included a clip from Youtube, below. In short, he has taken fragments from thousands of films and television shows and bridged them in such a way that at any given second, whatever time being shown in the film clip on screen is the actual time that you're viewing it: real-time viewing. It will be shown in the Bing Theatre from Noon this coming Saturday, September 22nd until Noon on Sunday, September 23rd; a 24-hour movie-clip marathon. The only drawback I can anticipate in seeing something like this, will be the illumination of cell phone screens as people check their devices - trying to ensure the film's accuracy. Other than that...

LACMA
Bing Theatre
5905 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA  90036