Friday, Sept. 20

This weekend, Laemmle's Monica 4 screens three short films by Brock Mullins, which have made the festival rounds and garnered a few awards along the way. Each one features a classical piano soundtrack performed by Mullins. In The Highway, for instance, the muted argument of a man and a woman on the highway in Death Valley is accentuated with the crescendos of Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata. The man then contemplates the future of his relationship, confiding in a fellow patron at the lone bar in the desert. Check laemmle.com for showtimes.

Cinefamily at midnight hosts an advance screening of Jim Mickle's latest horror film, We Are What We Are, which officially opens Sept. 26 at the Nuart. In this remake of the 2010 Mexican film, the Parkers' secret threatens to be exposed after a tragedy befalls their family. You can pre-register, but arrive early, as pre-registration doesn't guarantee seating.

Saturday, Sept. 21

Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth has charmed children's imaginations since it was published in 1961, telling the story of a bored young boy named Milo who receives a mysterious package that ends up taking him on a wholly un-boring adventure. On Saturday, come to the Egyptian Theater at 1 p.m. to see the 1970 film adaptation, part of the Chuck Jones tribute and a birthday celebration for voice-over legend June Foray (who voices the Princess of Pure Reason, Faintly Macabre the Which and Ralph). There will be a discussion with Foray after the screening as well as birthday cake in the lobby.

Sunday, Sept. 22

End your weekend with another round of shorts. Raleigh Studios Hollywood's Charlie Chaplin Theater hosts Short Films, Long Night, a showcase of Swiss short films, including fiction, music video, animation and more. The event kicks off at 4 p.m. with a red carpet, before a “100% Swiss” competition, which includes works selected by the Gässli Film Festival in Basel. After that is “Talents From Here,” a block of shorts by Swiss artists who live in the United States or Switzerland. In addition to opportunities to meet directors, actors and producers, there will be surprise shows, raffle prizes, snacks and drinks. Admission is free. To RSVP, email los.kultur@eda.admin.ch.

See also: More L.A. Weekly Film Coverage

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