Nathaniel BellFriday, March 30
One Day Pina Asked… is Chantal Akerman's lush, munificent portrait of legendary choreographer Pina Bausch and her German-based dance company. Shot over several weeks in 1983, the film is a rare example of two great artists in separate fields collaborating on a work that becomes more than the sum of its parts. The Norton Simon Museum screens this remarkable hourlong documentary to conclude its Behind the Scenes series celebrating the world of performance. Doors open half an hour before showtime. Norton Simon Museum, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; Fri., March 30, 6-7 p.m.; free with museum admission. (626) 449-6480, nortonsimon.org.
Ladislas Starewitch, an early pioneer of puppet animation whose imaginative techniques were an unmistakable influence on Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox, is the subject of an evening at the Egyptian Theatre. The program begins with two of his classic shorts, The Mascot and The Magic Clock. But the centerpiece of the night is The Tale of the Fox, one of cinema's earliest animated features. Directed by Starewitch and his daughter, Irene, this magical fable follows the exploits of the sly fox Renard in a kingdom of animals. No other word but “charming” suits this one-of-a-kind fantasy. Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Fri., March 30, 7:30 p.m.; $12. (323) 466-3456, americancinemathequecalendar.com.
Sunday, April 1
Easter means rabbit season, so the Aero Theatre has programmed a special kids matinee of vintage Bugs Bunny Cartoon Classics. Sure, Walt Disney turned out some amusing toons in his time, but if you really want to laugh, nothing beats the Warner Bros. catalog for speed and hilarity (Tex Avery at MGM excepted). File in for 90 minutes of mischievous fun featuring everyone's favorite furry scamp. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; Sat., April 1, 2 p.m.; $12. (323) 466-3456, americancinemathequecalendar.com.
UCLA's mission to restore as many Laurel and Hardy films as possible is an expensive, time-consuming endeavor, but it has already yielded invaluable results. A special Sunday matinee at the Egyptian will feature a newly restored DCP of Sons of the Desert — the beloved comedy duo's shapeliest feature — and two newly minted restorations: Hog Wild, featuring Stan and Ollie as radio repairmen, and Brats, in which trick photography enables them to play their own children. Jeff Joseph of SabuCat Productions will introduce the evening's merriment. Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Sun., April 1, 5 p.m.; $12. (323) 466-3456, americancinemathequecalendar.com.
Ekaterina Samsonov and Joaquin Phoenix in Lynne Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here; Credit: Alison Cohen Rosa/Amazon Studios
Thursday, April 5
We need to talk about Lynne Ramsay. The Scottish-born director's latest feature, You Were Never Really Here, is a hyper-violent, ultra-stylish thriller that attempts to transcend its genre. Joaquin Phoenix plays a war veteran turned contract killer suffering from PTSD who comes to the aid of a teenager who's fallen afoul of a sex-trafficking syndicate. The film took prizes for actor and screenplay at last year's Cannes Film Festival, and it's being distributed stateside by Amazon Studios. In conjunction with Film Independent, LACMA is offering a free sneak peek that will include a conversation with Ramsay. LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire; Thu., April 5, 7:30 p.m.; free. (323) 857-6000, lacma.org. —Nathaniel Bell
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