Thurs., Nov. 17

Two extremely different but equally must-see utopian parables are wrapping up their local runs after tonight: Aki Kaurismäki's present-day take on the French-resistance flick, Le Havre, closes at the Sunset 5 after tonight's screenings, and Dragonslayer, Tristan Patterson's portrait of the economic collapse through the eyes of a wastoid skateboarder, is closing at the Downtown Independent.

Fri., Nov. 18

From the We Swear, It's Just a Coincidence file: Duncan Jones, who is, uh, mentioned in this week's cover story on Elvis Mitchell's new film program at LACMA, will be in attendance tonight and tomorrow at the New Beverly, for a double bill of Source Code (i.e., the movie in which Jeffrey Wright does not smoke a pipe) paired with Jones' first film, the low-fi sci-fi wonder Moon. The latter features Sam Rockwell in a killer dual role — and some of the best practical model work since Star Wars.

Sun., Nov. 20

Alternative Projections, L.A. Filmforum's massive experimental film survey connected to the Pacific Standard Time project, continues tonight at the Egyptian with a program of sociopolitical provocations called Alarms of the '60s: Experiments in Political Expression. The show includes Georg, Stanton Kaye's 1964 feature whose faux-found, diaristic format was hugely influential; and The National Rehabilitation Center, an early, short mockumentary by Penelope Spheeris (she who brought us both The Decline of Western Civilization punk doc series and Wayne's World).

Across town at the Aero, the Cinematheque's Wim Wenders retro carries on with a double feature of The American Friend — Wenders' take on Ripley's Game, featuring Bruno Ganz, Dennis Hopper and Nicholas Ray — and Alice in the Cities. —Karina Longworth

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