It's LA Film Fest time once again with downtown's big fest kicking off tomorrow. Centered around LA Live's Regal Cinemas, this year's fest will again be an oasis of indie cinema in the epicenter of megaplex mayhem. We'll be taking you on a quick tour of the programs on offer at this year's festival. There are a ton of other films we can't cover, so be sure to check out the official catalog and keep your eyes glued to ScreenAnarchy for plenty more from the festival.
ONLY GOD FORGIVES
Straight from its bombastic premiere at Cannes, Nic Refn's Drive follow-up takes that film's similar course to the USA via an LA Film Fest gala premiere. While not everyone on the Croisette was a huge fan of this stylish love letter to Asian cinema, the film certainly had its champions. Look for the controversy to continue when the film makes its North American debut next week.
Read Ryland's Review
I'M SO EXCITED
While Pedro Almodovar's latest has made stops all across the European festival circuit, Sony Pictures Classics is bringing the big-cast jetliner comedy for its North American premiere as the opening night gala for LAFF.
Read Brian's Review
THE WAY, WAY BACK
Fox Searchlight is closing night gala-ing their big Sundance pickup ahead of its July 5th limited release. This coming-of-age charmer by the guys who wrote The Descendants stars Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, Sam Rockwell, and Maya Rudolph.
Read Chase's Review
FOREV
This darling indie takes a look at what happens when two neighbors take a joke engagement too far.
Check out our exclusive trailer debut
FOUR DOGS
Oliver Cooper and Dan Bakkedahl star in Joe Burke's feature debut about a failing actor looking for action with an alluring houseguest.
POLLYWOGS
Mumblecore sweetheart Kate Lyn Sheil stars as the old flame to director Karl Jacobs's love-troubled protagonist in this charming-looking indie.
I.D.
Kamal K.M.'s feature debut is this Hindi-language drama about a woman in Mumbai who finds a mysteriously unconscious man.
WINTER IN THE BLOOD
Directing twins Alex and Andrew Smith tell the story of a Native American man out to find his runaway wife in their sophomore effort.
GOODBYE WORLD
Adrian Grenier, Mark Webber, Kerry Bishe, and Gaby Hoffman star in Denis Henry Hennelly's indie about an off-the-grid couple who are inundated with old friends after a society-shattering cyber-attack.
ALL OF ME
What happens when a group of women who identify themselves by their scale-shattering weights start to get weight-loss surgery? Alexandra Lescaze's documentary is a fascinating look at identity, friendship, and obesity in America.
CODE BLACK
Ryan McGarry's feature debut looks at one overworked emergency room in Los Angeles as it transitions into a new era.
MY STOLEN REVOLUTION
A woman returns to her native Iran after over 30 years in this documentary by Nahid Persson Sarvestani.
EUROPA REPORT
Sebastian Cordero, perhaps best known for media-thriller Cronicas, tries his hand at hard sci-fi with this deep space exploration thriller that stars Sharlto Copley and Isiah Whitlock Jr. amongst others.
THE SPECTACULAR NOW
James Ponsoldt's offbeat coming-of-ager won plenty of fans when it premiered at Sundance. A24 will drop the film on US audiences on August 2.
Read Chase's Review
CRYSTAL FAIRY
Another Sundance darling, Sebastian Silva's Michael Cera + Gaby Hoffman starrer is a quirky psychedelic trip to Chile that many will gladly eat up.
Read Ryland's Review
AIN'T THEM BODIES SAINTS
IFC will be releasing David Lowery's nostalgia-drenched Western drama on August 16. Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, and Keith Carradine all put in fantastic performances.
CASTING BY
Tom Donahue's TIFF'12 docu takes a look at one of the less discussed corner of the entertainment industry.
SHORT TERM 12
It seems like everyone loves this SXSW winner starring Brie Larsen and directed by I Am Not a Hipster director Destin Daniel Cretton. LA will finally get their chance to have a look ahead of Cinedigm's release.
NOBODY'S DAUGHTER HAEWON
Hong Sang-soo's follow-up to Cannes 2012 film In Another Country is this story of an indecisive Korean woman.
THE ACT OF KILLING
Drafthouse brings their Danish film challenging the celebrity of Indonesian death squad leaders to Los Angeles.
Read Jason's Review
DRUG WAR
Johnnie To's Chinese drug syndicate actioner blasts its way across the Pacific to LAFF's open arms.
Read Ard's Review
THE FIFTH SEASON
This interesting-sounding drama by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth explores what happens when Spring fails to come to a small Belgian village.
Read Kathie's Review
DELIVERY
Brian Netto's feature debut is a found-footage supernatural thriller about a couple who film a reality TV show of their pregnancy.
YOU'RE NEXT
Hey LA... You're (finally) Next!
Read Todd's Review
LESSON OF THE EVIL
This story of a psychotic teacher is reportedly Miike's return to exploitative form. Bring it on!
Read James's Review
THE CONJURING
James Wan's (Saw, Insidious) latest is a haunted house horror that stars Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, and Lili Taylor
INEQUALITY FOR ALL
Everyone needs to see Jacob Kornbluth's Sundance docu about Robert Reich and the US economy. And what's more, it's free. How is that for an economics lesson?
CAPITAL
Gabriel Byrne stars in Costa-Gavras's continent-spanning French corporate thriller. The screening is preceded by a 60 minute talk with the director.
Spike Jonze: A Rubber Band and His Comb
This talk between Spike Jonze and David O. Russell is rumored to include some sneak peeks at Jonze's upcoming star-studded feature Her.