The Cinema Lounge
On Monday, January 13, 2025 at 8:00pm please join the Cinema Lounge, the DC Film Society's monthly film discussion group.
TOPIC: Pick the Oscar Noms
It's our annual "Pick the Oscar Nominations." Before the Academy will announce its Oscar choices, this is our chance to pick who should be nominated, and who probably will be.
Wicked has ruled the box office and pop culture the last few weeks. Will it do the same with the Oscars? Dune, Part II earned raves from critics and audiences alike but came out 10 months ago. Does it still have enough juice? The acting categories are particularly crowded this year. Ralph Fiennes and Demi Moore are two respected veterans who have never won but seem to have momentum with their performances in Conclave and The Substance, respectively. Nineteen years ago, James Mangold directed Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix to nominations for Walk the Line. Can he do the same with Timothée Chalamet and Edward Norton for his new music biopic, A Complete Unkown? Will Emilia Pérez, a Netflix musical about and starring a Mexican transgender woman, surprise everyone?
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 8:00pm online via Zoom. 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.
Adam’s Rib: How Do Theaters Attract More People in the Seats? More People Working There
According to a recent estimate, “the number of people employed in the Movie Theaters industry in the US declined -12.1% on average over the five years between 2018 and 2023.” We in the audience feel this when we go to the movies. When the projection isn’t working right or when the theater feels too hot or too cold, we often must search for someone to fix the problem. Sometimes we’ll want to buy popcorn but see a long concessions line that’s barely moving. No one patrols the theaters to combat cell phone users. Movie theaters have tried all sorts of methods to try to get the customers back, including IMAX, new pricing plans, expanded concessions, and serving alcohol. Maybe, just maybe, Regal, AMC Cinemark and the others could try simply having more staff there. I make the case in my new 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, the Virginia Film Festival, the Locarno Film Festival, The Nitrate Picture Show, and the Chicago Critics 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
American Film Institute Silver Theater
On January 20 at noon is King: A Filmed Record ... Montgomery to Memphis (Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Sidney Lumet, 1970) for the "Special Engagements" program.
"Anime Expo Cinema Nights" (September 11, 2024-March 16, 2025) presents some of the most influential anime films. The series continues in January with Paprika (Satoshi Kon, 2006) from Japan in a new 4K restoration.
National Museum of Asian Art (Freer Gallery of Art)
On January 8 at 2:00pm is Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron (Hideo Gosha, 1978) starring the great Tatsuya Nakadai, part of the "Japanese Classics" series of films.
The 29th Annual Festival of Films from Iran begins January 12 at 2:00pm with Reading Lolita in Tehran (2024) with director Eran Riklis in person, and followed by a book signing with Azar Nafisi. On January 24 at 7:00pm is the comedy Universal Language (Matthew Rankin, 2024) which is Canada's official Academy Awards entry. On January 26 at 2:00pm is the political thriller The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Mohammad Rasoulof, 2024). More in February.
National Gallery of Art
The series "Art Films and Special Screenings" presents the documentary 1874, The Birth of Impressionism (Julien Johan, 2024) on January 4 at 2:00pm. A "Cine-Concert" on January 5 at 2:00pm features the Anvil Orchestra accompanying the silent animated film The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Lotte Reiniger, 1926). On January 12 at 2:00pm is "The Changeover System," a live performance by Sandra Gibson and Luis Recoder with sound artist Richard Garet, followed by a discussion.
On January 25 at 2:00pm is a discussion with artist Isaac Julien and scholar Celeste-Marie Bernier about the making of "Lessons of the Hour," a ten-screen film installation about the life and times of Frederick Douglass.
The series "Celebrate Black Art & History on Screen" begins January 26 at 2:00pm with a series of short films by filmmaker Akosua Adoma Owusu who will be present for discussion. The short films are Drexciya (2011), Kwaku Ananse (2013), Reluctantly Queer (2016), On Monday of Last Week (2018), Pelourinho: They Don't Really Care About Us (2019) and a work in progress Damn the Man, Save the Rex!.
Smithsonian American Art Museum
On January 11 at 4:00pm is the animated film Kung Fu Panda (2008), accompanying the exhibit "Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond." Location: McEvoy Auditorium.
Washington Jewish Community Center
On January 23 at 7:15pm is the documentary The Bibi Files (2024) about Benjamin Netanyahu and his inner circle. The film was shortlisted for the 2025 Oscars and director Alexis Bloom will be in attendance for discussion. On January 26 at 7:30pm is the documentary Soul of a Nation (2024) with director Jonathan Jakubowicz and producer Claudine Jakubowicz in attendance for discussion.
Strathmore
On January 3 at 7:30pm is The Princess Bride (Rob Reiner, 1987) in Concert with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra BSO performing the entire musical score live-to-picture.
The Japan Information and Culture Center
On January 23 at 6:30pm is the award-winning film Monster (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2023).
On January 30 at 6:30pm is the anime film Deer King (Masahi Ando, 2022).
Cinema Arts Bethesda
"Cinema Arts Bethesda" is a monthly Sunday morning film discussion series held at Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema. On January 12 at 10:00am is Mamifera (Liliana Torres, 2024) from Spain.
Breakfast is at 9:30am, the film is at 10:00am and discussion follows, moderated by Adam Spector, host of the DC Film Society's Cinema Lounge and author of the column "Adam's Rib." A season pass is available.
The Avalon
On January 8 at 8:00pm is She Came At Night (Tomás Pavlícek and Jan Vejnar, 2023) part of the "Czech Lions" series.
For the "French Cinematheque" series, Catherine Deneuve stars in Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Jacques Demy, 1964) on January 15 at 8:00pm.
This month's "Reel Israel" film is the documentary Return from the Other Planet (2023) on January 23 at 8:00pm.
Israeli film director Assaf Lapid will take part in Q&A.
On January 29 at 8:00pm is Kulej: All That Glitters Isn't Gold (Xawery Zulawski, 2024) about Poland's greatest boxer for this month's "Cine Polska."
Kennedy Center
On January 5 at 3:00pm is Mountains (Monica Sorelle, 2023); on January 12 at 3:00pm is the documentary Becoming Cousteau (Liz Gabus, 2021); and on January 26 at 3:00pm is Joy Luck Club (Wayne Wang, 1993). Location: The Justice Forum.
Old Greenbelt Theater
Elvis Presley stars in Viva Las Vegas (George Sidney, 1964) on January 6 at 1:00pm and January 9 at 8:00pm, part of the "Cinema Classics" series, shown on the first Monday and first Thursday of the month.
Alden Theater
The foreign film for January is Nói Albinói (Dagur Kari, 2003) from Iceland, shown on January 2 at 1:00pm and January 8 at 6:30pm. The performing arts film this month is Beside Bowie: The Mick Ronson Story (Jon Brewer, 2017) on January 23 at 1:00pm.
Angelika Film Center Mosaic
The "Angelika Classics" series shows classic films on the first Monday of the month at 7:00pm. On January 6 at 7:00pm is Clueless (Amy Heckerling, 1995).
"Sunday Epics" is a new series shown on the second Sunday of the month at 2:00pm. On January 12 at 2:00pm is Casino (Martin Scorsese, 1995).
"Musical Mondays" starts January 27 at 7:00pm with Grease (Randal Kleiser, 1978).
Korean Cultural Center
Two films about family and connection are in January. On January 15 at 6:00pm is Lucky Chan-sil (Kim Cho-hee, 2020). On January 29 at 5:30pm is Take Care of My Mom (Park Kyung-mok, 2022). Check the website for RSVP.
