THINGS TO CHECK OUT // MOVIES AROUND LA
The big news in LA recently is the just-opened Tim Burton exhibit at LACMA. Basically, it’s everything and the kitchen sink regarding the evolution of Burton’s career and vision, from sketches to outdoor installations. There’s plenty of time to see this, as it runs all the way until Halloween of this year. Personally, I’ve never been a Burton bandwagoner. I always thought he fell too often into style-over-substance territory, but it is hard to argue against the fact that among the elite Hollywood filmmakers he is one of the more risky and challenging. Moreover, LACMA is running a retrospective on Burton’s films during the month of June as well, so I suppose that leaves some time to change my mind and reevaluate. Alas, no Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, though.
Summer wouldn’t be summer in LA without the nighttime screenings at the Hollywood Forever cemetery near Paramount Studios. Up next is Treasure of the Sierra Madre on June 11th and Heathers on June 18th. Navigating the crowds can be a pain, but it’s worth it for such a unique experience. Classic cinema, the outdoors, picnics, and of course, hundreds of tombstones to keep you company.
Finally, since it’s still in very limited release at this point, I have to urge all you urbanites to drop everything and go see The Tree of Life. Whether or not you are already an admirer of Terrence Malick, his latest film (which won the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival) is really something special. This is giant, Biblical filmmaking that deserves to be seen on the big screen for every reason that Kubrick’s 2001 did as well. I can only hope that its summertime release date doesn’t cause it to be buried under mounds of tent-pole, blockbusting, buttery popcorn fare.
But I digress. You have your mission. Go forth and see.