Thurs., Jan 5

The Aero's screwball comedy series concludes with a pairing of Howard Hawks' delicious Ball of Fire (1941), starring Barbara Stanwyck as a nightclub chantoosie hiding out in an improbable house of academics, led by bookish (!) Gary Cooper; and Leo McCarey's superb marital comedy The Awful Truth (1937), in which Cary Grant and Irene Dunn can't quite commit to their divorce.

Fri., Jan. 6

Even if you've already seen and loved Drive, you probably have not seen it with Albert Brooks discussing it live in person — catch him after the ArcLight Hollywood's 7:20 screening tonight.

Sat., Jan. 7

L.A. Filmforum provides the chance to catch some repeat shows from its contribution to Pacific Standard Time, the Alternative Projections screening series. Tonight an encore of Wallace Berman's Underground comes to the Cinefamily, with Berman's son Tosh, Toni Basil and Russ Tamblyn scheduled to attend. The series continues through March, with plenty of new and repeat screenings at the Cinefamily, Echo Park Film Center and elsewhere (full details at alternativeprojections.com/screening-series).

Mon., Jan. 9

The Aero presents nominees for the Golden Globe Award for Foreign-Language Film, starting Monday with Angelina Jolie's Balkan war-set directorial debut, In the Land of Blood and Honey. The following night there's another chance to catch Almódovar's divisive The Skin I Live In; and the unmissable Iranian film A Separation plays on Wednesday (it also expands to the Playhouse and Town Center this week).

Mon.-Wed., Jan. 9-11

More fun at the ArcLight Hollywood: a six-film celebration of Gary Oldman's 25-year career, with free admission courtesy of KCRW and Focus Features (RSVP required at oldmanrsvp.com). The actor will be present for a Q&A after the 8 p.m. show of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy on Wednesday, but get there early (5 p.m.) to catch his brilliant early performance as playwright Joe Orton, paired with a superb Alfred Molina as his high-strung lover, in Stephen Frears' Prick Up Your Ears (1987). – Tom von Logue Newth

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