You can now rent and watch many of the 2023 Outfest LA selections online. Additional films will be available to watch next Monday. Here’s a Letterboxd list of the features in their virtual lineup: https://letterboxd.com/filmfestival/list/outfest-la-2023-virtual-lineup/
Command Z
Steven Soderbergh’s time travel web series COMMAND Z with Michael Cera, Roy Wood Jr., Chloe Radcliffe, and Liev Schreiber is now available to watch on commandzseries.com. The whole thing is a little over 90 mins and can be watched for $8, which will go to charity.
Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game
Meredith and Austin Bragg’s PINBALL: THE MAN WHO SAVED THE GAME starring Mike Faist with a terrible mustache is now on Hulu. It’s the story of Roger Sharpe, whose efforts overturned NYC’s 35-year ban on pinball. If you’re looking for a quick, fun movie, this should do it.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Aitch Alberto’s Outfest LA Opening Night selection Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is an affecting YA coming of age romance that is full of empathy towards its characters. Many will find it inspirational. Both leads are very believable and there is a strong supporting cast that includes Veronica Falcon, Eugenio Derbez, […]
The Miracle Club in theaters
Irish period dramedy THE MIRACLE CLUB is a perfect fit for Sony Pictures Classics, which is releasing it in theaters this weekend. If the trailer interests you, go see it. It is funny and, as you can expect from that cast, well-acted. Especially Kathy Bates is a joy to watch.
Theater Camp
Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman’s THEATER CAMP is like a Christopher Guest mockumentary for theater people and they will love it. There are many inside jokes, which might prevent it from having universal appeal, but it definitely entertained me. It had premiered at this year’s Sundance and it is in theaters now.
Earth Mama
Olympic athlete and director Savanah Leaf’s powerful and confident feature debut EARTH MAMA will be in additional theaters this weekend via A24. Film at Lincoln Center will host Q&A’s with Leaf. The photos below are from New Directors New Films Opening Night screening.
Biosphere
Mark Duplass and Sterling K. brown at the IFC Center Q&A for Biosphere, a single location, two character sci-fi that is one of the most original films I have seen all year. It was surprisingly entertaining thanks in large part to the two leads. Watch it without reading a lot about it beforehand.
Afire is in theaters
Christian Petzold’s latest, Afire, reunites him one more time with the magnetic Paula Beer. Thomas Schubert is perfect as the grumpy Leon. Emotional and romantic with a strong Eric Rohmer influence, it is easily one of the best films of the year! In theaters now.
Favorites of 2023 so far
My personal favorites among the films I have watched in the first half of 2023: Past Lives Afire Slow Suitable Flesh Blue Jean Totem Scrapper Tori & Lokita Beyond Utopia John Wick: Chapter 4 Full Time Fair Play Last Night of Amore The Beasts Burning Days Blackberry