The Cinema Lounge
On Monday, July 18 at 7:00pm please join the Cinema Lounge, the DC Film Society's monthly film discussion group. We will be online again.
TOPIC: Is Movie Violence Still an Issue?
In the 70s, 80s and 90s media and parents' groups and others often debated whether movies were too violent. Whether it was Death Wish, Rambo, Robocop, Total Recall, Scream, or Fight Club, people were afraid the cinematic violence would corrupt youth and desensitize them to real violence. Nowadays movies certainly don't seem to be less violent, as anyone who saw Nobody, the John Wick franchise or all the "God hates Liam Neeson" flicks can attest. Yet we don't hear much about the issue anymore. Does it not matter as much? Is it because TV shows like "The Boys" can be more violent than the silver screen?
Please RSVP to atspector@hotmail.com and you'll get the Zoom link 1-2 days before the discussion.
The Cinema Lounge, a film discussion group, meets the third Monday of every month (unless otherwise noted) at 7:00pm at Teaism in Penn Quarter, 400 8th St., NW in Washington, DC (closest Metro stop is Archives, also near Metro Center and Gallery Place). NOTE: We will meet in the downstairs area. WE ARE MEETING ONLINE THIS MONTH. You do not need to be a member of the Washington DC Film Society to attend. Cinema Lounge is moderated by Adam Spector, author of the DC Film Society's Adam's Rib column.
We Need to Hear From YOU
We are always looking for film-related material for the Storyboard. Our enthusiastic and well-traveled members have written about their trips to the Cannes Film Festival, Karlovy Vary Film Festival, London Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival, the Palm Springs Film Festival, the Reykjavik Film Festival, the Munich Film Festival, and the Locarno Film Festival. We also heard about what it's like being an extra in the movies. Have you gone to an interesting film festival? Have a favorite place to see movies that we aren't covering in the Calendar of Events? Seen a movie that blew you away? Read a film-related book? Gone to a film seminar? Interviewed a director? Taken notes at a Q&A? Read an article about something that didn't make our local news media? Send your contributions to Storyboard and share your stories with the membership. And we sincerely thank all our contributors for this issue of Storyboard.
Calendar of Events
FILMS
We list in-person films and events. Many other locations are still closed or online. Note that some locations require proof of vaccination and masks for entry.
American Film Institute Silver Theater
"AFI Life Achievement Award Retro: Julie Andrews" (July 15-September 14) pays tribute to some of her best roles. Titles in July are The Americanization of Emily ( 1964); Mary Poppins (1964); and The Sound of Music (1965). More in August and September.
"Screwball Summer" (July 15-September 21) is a great opportunity to see "screwball comedy" films, mostly from the 1930s. Titles in July are The Awful Truth (1937); It Happened One Night (1934); Libeled Lady (1936); My Man Godfrey (1936); The Thin Man (1934); and Twentieth Century (1934). More in August and September.
"Peter Bogdanovich Remembered" (July 19-September 19) takes a look at the eight of the director's films. Titles in July are The Last Picture Show (1971); Targets (1968) in 35mm. More in August and September.
"Toshiro Mifune Retrospective" (July 15-September 20) ... Titles in July are Drunken Angel (1948) in 35mm; The Quiet Duel (1949) in 35mm; Rashomon (1950); Scandal (1950) in 35mm; Stray Dog (1949) in 35mm; and Throne of Blood (1957).
"New York's Postwar Film Renaissance" (July 17-September 21) ... Titles in July are Boarding House Blues (1948); Boomerang! (1947); Force of Evil (1949); The House on 92nd Street (1945); Kiss of Death (1947); Portrait of Jennie (1949) in 35mm; The Window (1949). More in August and September.
"Elaine May Retrospective" (June 24-July 14) ends in July. The remaining films are The Heartbreak Kid (1972); Ishtar (1987) and Mikey and Nicky (1976).
"Sidney Poitier Remembered" (April 29-July 13) honors the ground-breaking actor. Titles in July are The Defiant Ones (1958); Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? (1967); Pressure Point (1962); Stir Crazy (1980); and Sneakers (1992)).
"Studio Ghibli Retrospective" (April 29–July 14) is a comprehensive retrospective of all of Ghibli's feature-length films. Titles in July are Earwig and the Witch (2021); From Up on Poppy Hill (2001); Ponyo (2008); The Secret World of Arietty (2010); The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013); The Wind Rises (2013); and When Marnie Was There (2014).
"Recent Restorations" (April 29-July 14) is a series of recent digital restorations, mostly 4K. Titles in July are Distant (2002); Divorce Italian Style (1962); The Goddess (1960); Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949); The Ladykillers (1955); The Music Room (1959); Stunt Rock (1988); Symphony for a Massacre (1963); and Thrilling Bloody Sword (1981).
"Special Engagements" this month: Cowboy Bebop (2001); Dirty Dancing (1987); La Dolce Vita (1960); Robocop (1987) in a 4K Director's Cut; The Thing (1982); the DC APA Film Festival Closing Night Film Bad Axe (2022) preceded by a short film Ten Months; and a Travesty Films retrospective with the Langley Punks in person.
Freer Gallery of Art
On July 6 at 2:00pm is The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1939) part of the series of Japanese classic films.
The series "Made in Hong Kong: Icons" begins July 8 at 7:30pm with The Way of the Dragon (Bruce Lee, 1972); on July 10 at 2:00pm is Fist of Fury (Lo Wei, 1972); on July 15 at 7:00pm is Kung Fu Hustle (Stephen Chow, 2004); on July 17 at 2:00pm is Shaolin Soccer (Stephen Chow, 2001); on July 22 at 7:00pm is Running on Karma (Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai, 2003); on July 24 at 2:00pm is Running Out of Time (Johnnie To, 1999); on July 29 at 7:00pm is The Heroic Trio (Johnnie To, 1993); and on July 31 at 2:00pm is The Executioners (Johnnie To and Ching Siu-tung, 1993). More in August.
National Gallery of Art
On July 9 at 2:00pm is the documentary Black Skin White Mask (Isaac Julien, 1995); on July 16 at 2:00pm is Abolition (Zózimo Bulbul, 1988) from Brazil. On July 17 at 2:00pm is Black Lions, Roman Wolves (Haile Gerima, 2022) with the director in person to present excerpts from his newest documentary project. All are part of the series "Among Black Atlantic Cinemas." All are shown in the East Building Auditorium. Registration is required.
A new series "Dark Mirrors: The Double in Cinema" starts July 10 at 2:00pm with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Rouben Mamoulian, 1931) starring Frederic March. On July 24 at 2:00pm is The Student of Prague (Paul Wegener and Stellan Rye, 1913) with an introduction by Tom Gunning and a musical score by Josef Weiss. On July 31 at 2:00pm is a double feature The White Shadow (Graham Cutts, 1924) with music accompaniment by Andrew Simpson. Followed by The Dark Mirror(Robert Siodmak, 1946) starring Olivia de Havilland. All are shown in the East Building Auditorium, registration is required.
National Museum of the American Indian
On July 23 at 1:00pm is The Song of the Butterflies (Núria Frigola Torrent, 2020).
National Portrait Gallery
On July 8 at 6:30pm is Truth Tellers, a documentary film about Americans fighting for peace, racial equity, environmental justice, and indigenous rights. A discussion follows the film.
Washington Jewish Community Center
On July 7 at 7:30pm is Greener Pastures (Assaf Abiri and Matan Guggenheim, 2020), a comedy from Israel which was the closing night film at the recent Jewish Film Festival. On July 14 at 7:30pm is Shalom Putti (Tamas Wormser, 2022), a documentary about a Jewish community in rural Uganda and their encounter with Orothodox Israeli rabbis. On July 21 at 7:30pm is The Levys Of Monticello (Steven Pressman, 2021), about the restoration of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello residence by a Jewish naval officer. This film won the Audience Award for Documentary Film at the recent Jewish Film Festival. A discussion will follow with the director and producer. On July 28 at 7:30pm is Valiant Hearts (Mona Achache, 2021), winner of the Audience Award for Narrative Film at the recent Jewish Film Festival.
Goethe Institute
On July 15 at 6:30pm is The Goldfish (Alireza Golafshan, 2019).
To accompany the exhibit "Dieter Rams: A Look Back and Ahead" are two documentaries. On July 11 at 6:30pm is Rams (Gary Hustwit, 2018), a documentary about industrial designer Dieter Rams. On July 13 at 6:30pm is Objectified (Gary Hustwit, 2018), about the relationship between our lives and manufactured objects and the creative processes of their designers.
The Avalon
On July 6 at 8:00pm is The Bookstore (2022) a documentary about a small town's rescue of its bookstore. Director A.B. Zax and film subject Matt Tannenbaum will be present for Q&A. Part of the "Films in Focus" series.
On July 13 at 8:00pm is Havel (Slavek Horak, 2020), about Vaclav Havel's journey from playwright to politician. Part of the "Czech Lions" series.
On July 20 at 8:00pm is Happening (Audrey Diwan, 2021) for this month's "French Cinematheque" film.
On July 27 at 8:00pm is Cinema Sabaya (Orit Fouks Rotem, 2021) for "Reel Israel."
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress holds its fifth annual "Summer Movies on the Lawn" this summer. On July 7 is Top Gun (1986); on July 14 is Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971); on July 21 is Rocky (1976); and on July 28 is Mary Poppins (1964). One more in August. Location and time: sundown (approximately 8:15pm on the southeast lawn of the Thomas Jefferson Building.
Wolf Trap
On July 16 at 7:00pm is The Sound of Music; on July 22-23 at 8:00pm is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince with the National Symphony Orchestra; on July 29 at 8:00pm is Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back with the National Symphony Orchestra; and on July 30 at 8:00pm is Toy Story with the National Symphony Orchestra.
Landmark's E Street Cinema
"Retro Replay" is a series of classic films shown Tuesdays at 1:30pm and 7:30pm. This month's theme is "Road Life." On July 5 is Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985); on July 12 is The Hangover (2009); on July 19 is Badlands (1973); and on July 26 is Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).
Old Greenbelt Theater
On July 4 at 1:00pm is Ocean's Eleven (Lewis Milestone, 1960) starring Frank Sinatra. On July 7 at 1:00pm is Paw Patrol: The Movie (2021).
Angelika Film Center Mosaic
"Angelika Classics" are on the first Monday of each month at 7:00pm. On July 11 at 7:00pm is Back to the Future (1985)
The Studio Ghibli Festival (June 22-September 1) is on Wednesdays at 7:00pm with English subtitles; on Thursdays at 11:00am films are shown with English language dubbing. On July 6-7 is My Neighbor Totoro (1988); on July 13-14 is Whisper of the Heart (1995); on July 20-21 is Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984); and on July 27-28 is Howl's Moving Castle (2004).
FILM FESTIVALS
