Signs of Life [Los Angeles Festival of Movies 2026]

September 23, 2026Ryan Swen Reviews Tags: festival dispatch, lafm Leave a comment

Courtesy of Grasshopper Film.

Another year, another absurdly delayed dispatch: once again, I am writing about an April film festival abord my September plane to New York, only barely wrapping up one bit of coverage before I immediately dive into the next one. As such, I won’t belabor this with an extended introduction, aside from a few more preliminary notes. On the whole, I saw fewer films at this year’s Los Angeles Festival of Movies for a few reasons, mostly pertaining to scheduling, which makes comparison between years a little difficult. While I would say that last year felt more consistent, where virtually every film felt necessary to see, this year, even with a smaller sample size, probably had more films that I felt passionately about. It’s also worth noting that, in addition to two that I did catch at the festival, Avalon Fast’s Drinking and Driving and Shatara Michelle Ford’s Dreams in Nightmares have both gone on to significant notices in their theatrical runs. (Once again, I am without wi-fi as I write these words, so I apologize for any inaccuracies.)

As I was unable to attend the opening night—John Early’s Maddie’s Secret—my first film was Kamal Aljafari’s With Hasan in Gaza. A respected veteran experimental filmmaker, Aljafari had an unexpected breakout with A Fidai Film (2024), which reappropriated and redacted footage from Israeli archives to showcase the downtrodden hidden in plain sight. His newest feature is also an archival intervention, but of a much less overt variety: Aljafari recently rediscovered mini-DV footage that he had shot in 2001 during the second Nakba, as he journeyed into Gaza to attempt to find a friend with whom he had served a brief sentence in an Israeli prison. The footage, apart from its striking textural qualities, captures a people and place already in dire straits, and With Hasan in Gaza understandably draws much of its power from putatively extra-textual knowledge, knowing that the destruction onscreen has been multiplied near-infinitely in the intervening 25 years. But it is also an exhaustive, patiently anguished document unto itself: as Aljafari’s camera and his guide linger upon specific faces, especially of children, the film seems to stretch much longer than its two hours and the few days that it covers, almost buckling under the weight of the disappearing lives it documents.

I had been hearing about Christine Haroutouian’s After Dreaming for more than a year before finally getting to watch it at LAFM, but while I liked it quite a bit, I must confess that I have probably the least to say about it among the films in this dispatch, such is the slippery, near-hallucinatory mood that it conjures. I mainly remember a few things: that it is in some ways a road trip film, at least initially following a soldier escorting a woman in the middle of a conflict; that it looks akin to a Carlos Reygadas film with slightly smeary wide-angle lenses; and that there is a truly extraordinary sequence where the camera spins around for something like 10 minutes as prospective brides and musicians dance around and sing. The film does not attempt to sustain that level of ecstasy, and most other details aside from individual shots are beyond fuzzy, but it’s memorable where it counts.

The one restoration I watched—aside from the fine dance short “Dreams of Passion” (1989, Aarin Burch) that it was paired with—was Mary Stephen’s Shades of Silk (1978), one of the more curious rediscoveries of the past few years. Stephen is best known as Éric Rohmer’s editor and sometime actor towards the latter part of his career, including A Tale in Winter, but before her association with him she made this remarkable depiction of a somewhat opaque relationship between two French-Chinese women, one played by Stephen herself, and a slowly developing love triangle. I quickly understood and appreciated that this film was made partly as a response to Marguerite Duras’s masterwork India Song (1975), using that film’s voiceover dialogue as the basis for the epistolary form that this employs quite well. A wonderfully ornate film in both setting (I truthfully cannot recall if the film takes place in Hong Kong but is set in France, or vice versa) and costuming, the mystery of its relationship and characters is maintained to the end with grace.

A film on the opposite end of the production spectrum came in the form of Frédéric Da’s isaiah’s phone. The eagerly anticipated follow-up to his debut Teenage Emotions (2021), it acts like the dark twin of that film’s ensemble, in which high school students used iPhones to film their peers as they enacted various vignettes from their everyday lives. Da’s focus narrows to one teenager in particular: Isaiah (Isaiah Brody), who receives an iPhone for his birthday and decides to start documenting himself and the world around him. Shot almost exclusively in vertical video, the film is designated from the outset as found footage, moving inexorably towards an act of violence, a choice that perhaps tips the film’s hand a little too much. But the details of Isaiah’s loneliness, as embodied in Brody’s fearless performance, and the partly comedic (especially courtesy of Max Vadset as an extroverted potential friend), largely crushing depiction of typical high school life are hard to shake.

One of the most beloved feature debuts of recent years, Jack Auen and Kevin Walker’s Chronovisor was also my favorite film of LAFM. Using its shadowy libraries and aloof, unreadable professor protagonist as a conduit for a slowly developing conspiracy that shifts into high gear in its supremely well-executed closing moments, the film strikes me even more as a work that communicates the joy of learning, with its reading scenes set to Gustav Holst’s magnificent “The Planets” rather than some skeletal ambience or tense thriller cues. The effect is to induce the feeling of revelation, even triumph with each new uncovered bit of the puzzle, and the commingling of these sensations with a certain growing horror at the implications of its mysterious invention powers the film, just as much as the lovingly tactile 16mm, the ingenious method of translating and highlighting words to help orient the viewer-reader, or even the pleasure of watching someone speak three+ languages while trying to conduct her research. A quasi-spoiler warning here: Chronovisor did fool me, whether that was its intention or not. I had assumed during the entirety of the film that this was an elaborate constructed narrative, with fabricated documents to rival the likes of Ricky D’Ambrose; I also thought of my favorite film of last year’s edition, Julian Castronovo’s Debut, or Objects of the Field of Debris as Currently Catalogued. But I learned afterward that these documents were actually real, and that this was indeed a real conspiracy theory surrounding a “genuine” invention suppressed by the Catholic Church. While I can’t say this for certain, I’m fairly sure that not having this foreknowledge did not affect my great appreciation of the film, such is the intoxicating effect of its spiral into the unknown.

And yet, Chronovisor, and indeed basically any feature debut I can think of from the past five years or so, exists in the wake of the LAFM closing night film, Sophy Romvari’s Blue Heron, coming off a string of already quite well-received short films. Romvari has been an online acquaintance for a decade at this point, and while this is probably my favorite of her works to date, her move to (nearly) pure fiction from the docufiction mode she was previously in creates a different set of problems that holds me back from appreciating this to the same extent as its many deserving partisans. I had gone in knowing that this leaps forward in time in the second half, which may have affected my immersion into Romvari’s recreation of what is more-or-less her childhood in the first half. That being said, the first half never quite establishes the perspective necessary to ground the second half’s ruminations: mostly omniscient, pointedly capturing conversations between her parents that she could not have seen as a young girl. The subjectivity and rich detail that many seem to find only comes through sporadically, and the second half only truly sings when it directly confronts its suppressed melancholy. One wholly positive note: Romvari mentioning that a chance viewing of Jon Jost’s The Bed You Sleep In at the end of pre-production inspired her to add possibly the best scene in the film was completely lovely, exactly the kind of tribute to a past work and revealing anecdote that a film festival should offer.

The Big Picture [FILM]

September 18, 2026Ryan Swen Reviews Leave a comment

As Christopher Nolan’s IMAX 70mm epic The Odyssey continues to play to sell-out crowds months after its initial release, there is a big-screen celluloid experience opening today in Los Angeles that deserves equal, if not greater attention: the installation simply titled FILM—which debuted in 2011 at the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall—finally making its US debut at the Marciano Art Foundation, which will be showcasing until the end of February next year. It is by Tacita Dean, the British experimental filmmaker and artist, whose work is more aligned with the titan blockbuster director than meets the eye: both are steadfast in their dedication to the preservation and vitality of motion picture film and have hosted numerous talks, beginning with an event at the Getty Museum in 2015 entitled “Reframing the Future of Film,” to demand that studios and cultural organizations do all that they can to prevent the loss of this artistic medium. As eloquent as Dean has been in these and other discussions, her finest statement on the matter might be FILM, conceived after she had written an article for the Guardian that launched the movement to save celluloid. An 11-minute loop, its argument for the film strip as not only an artistic object to be celebrated in its entirety, but also one that can be displayed as its own, imposing monumental work is elusive, captivating, and entirely persuasive all at once.

Even from the numerous descriptions and pictures available online, it’s difficult to describe FILM and Marciano’s exhibition without actually being there: in the same cavernous room where the Foundation exhibited seven Bruce Conner films (on four/seven separate screens with the audience sitting in the middle) earlier this year, there is only one this time around: a thirty-one-foot-tall vertical screen looming at the back of the room like the monolith from 2001. Aside from some benches in the back, the viewer is free to roam around the space and walk up to the screen itself, and can also go up to the mezzanine, where the projection booth’s interior can be seen through a window.

In a talk at the press preview yesterday with Dean and Mark Toscano, co-curator of this exhibition and one of the preeminent American film preservationists—and my discussions with the latter, I gleaned some guideposts that might be helpful for grounding the viewer: though FILM has no title card to signal a starting or ending point, it begins with a shot of an escalator, and thereafter proceeds in three unmarked sections: roughly 8.5 minutes of color film stock (including some black-and-white images), one brief snippet lasting less than thirty seconds which I’ll get to later, and about a minute of black-and-white film stock. The collages and juxtapositions of images are almost entirely done in-camera, using then cutting-edge 3D-printed mattes and numerous iterations of filming on the same strip. As for the aspect ratio, it was accomplished by simply rotating a Cinemascope anamorphic lens 90 degrees, stretching the frame vertically rather than horizontally, resulting something like an actually viewable version of the Instagram-like frames—Dean noted that FILM was conceived and first exhibited before iPhones and the proliferation of vertical images truly became ubiquitous, though seeing them on such a wide canvas makes the experiences nearly incomparable—on the poster for Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, as noted by Vadim Rizov in the 2022 edition of his sadly defunct Filmmaker Magazine series of articles chronicling the year’s feature films shot on 35mm.

At this time, the program booklets come with a celluloid strip taken directly from a “sacrificable print” of FILM; I don’t know if those will last the entirety of the exhibition, which should be all the more reason to go see this, especially with free admission, as soon as you can. The strip proves illuminating for one aspect you may have noticed: the sprocket holes, typically used for pure functionality to guide the film through the projector, are visible on the image. On the film strip, it is apparent that there are actually two sets of sprocket holes: the outer ones are the actual functional ones, while the inner ones are images. Through a process that I readily confess to still not entirely understanding, Dean was able to construct mattes so that the camera only photographed the outside edges of the strip, allowing the image of the sprockets to be captured. The effect anticipates but entirely outdoes the now semi-common practice in some experimental and documentary films of over-scanning a film strip and keeping the sprockets: rather than demonstrating all the ways in which those digitally-scanned images are *not* being presented in their original format, FILM uses it as both a reminder of the actual tangible thing unspooling above the viewer’s heads and an aesthetic object in and of itself; Toscano mentioned to me that the mattes were even designed to create a slight drop shadow, emphasizing the dramatic nature of their effect on the images contained within them.

As for those images: much of FILM captures the towering architecture of Turbine Hall, which I wasn’t previously aware of, occasionally using that space and its many windows as containers for disjunctive images while also moving into abstract shapes and colors. Other sequences use the inverse aspect ratio to capture suitably vertical images: waterfalls, smokestacks, staircases, sometimes refilmed with separate mattes to jumble the pieces of these objects, cheekily displacing them to disrupt the viewer’s perception of a uniform towering image; there is even a virtual jump scare involving an ostrich egg that must be seen to be believed. But as intricate as the rhythmic and imagistic interplay may be—especially involving a stretch where balloons and bubbles lazily drop from the top to the bottom of the frame in a manner that could only be captured in this way with this large and vertical a screen—the effect is immediate, and more than 24 hours later I’m still marveling at the shock I felt when I stepped forward to the screen, which stretches all the way to the floor, and saw my shadow fall upon the image. In the many times I have seen my shadow on a cinema screen, it’s never been right there, where (if I felt permitted to) I could literally reach out and touch the screen on a 1:1 scale; for that sensation alone, FILM delivers an incomparable experience.

One final note, which I believe is not mentioned in the program booklet: FILM is not simply one 11-minute 35mm loop, but six laid end-to-end. The difference can be spotted in the brief interlude I mentioned earlier, a shot of mushrooms that, for its first half, is in a uniform color before shifting to black-and-white. For this exhibition, Dean and Toscano enlisted the help of a Czech film lab to hand-tint this first half of the interlude, producing an image quality entirely distinct from what surrounds it. Apparently, Dean’s preferred order is as follows: red, blue, pink, yellow, orange, and green (I myself saw the first two last); the latter was actually produced by tinting the film yellow and toning it blue. In my interpretation, this color sequence saves its most dark and vivid iterations for the two poles, though I can’t be certain about it. While I would not claim per se that this actually qualifies FILM as something that one must watch for 66 minutes—I popped in and out, only happening to stay long enough while talking with Toscano to witness every iteration; even from the lobby, the spectacle of the screen is invigorating—it only enhances the sense of this installation as a container for all that film is capable of, an argument essayed at a time when it needed it the most. As Dean writes in a essay in the booklet reflecting upon the intervening fifteen years, film is in a happier (if still precarious) place now, but the awe of FILM will never pale.

The Alpha and the Omega [THE CLOCK]

August 21, 2026August 21, 2026Ryan Swen Reviews Leave a comment

On some level, it always felt slightly embarrassing to me that one of the “films” that felt most unattainable—a genuine holy grail of cinema to me alongside much rarer experiences like Eduardo de Gregorio’s Aspern (only available on a 35mm print) and a proper, uncropped viewing of Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Puppetmaster—was Christian Marclay’s single-channel video installation The Clock, which premiered in 2010 at the White Cube gallery in London. The premise sounded both amazing and, viewed from a more ungenerous perspective, something of a stunt: a full 24-hour behemoth, comprised solely of clips from films and television shows that, in some form or another, features the time, either visually in the form of an actual clock or aurally by someone saying the time aloud. By playing the video continuously, even outside of regular museum hours, The Clock is intended to be perfectly synchronized with the actual time according to the time zone of the museum where it is being exhibited.

I don’t remember exactly when I first heard of The Clock, but I’m fairly certain it was early in my cinephilia: it was probably before the first time I heard of Vincente Minnelli’s 1945 romantic masterpiece of the same name, and from the logline alone I found it immensely intriguing, the kind of ludicrously airtight concept that I kept in mind and instinctively lumped in together with my growing awareness of genuine avant-garde classics like Wavelength, “(nostalgia),” and “Mothlight.” But while I’ve been able to see each of those multiple times including (and especially) at home, allowing me to examine individual moments and marvel anew at the intricacies with which they expounded on their premises, no such opportunity exists for The Clock; countless thousands of films aren’t available even on the farthest reaches of the Internet, but the perverse scale of this piece made it seem inevitable that, like the 857-hour Logistics, it simply had to be accessible for viewing somehow.

It’s thus probably not an exaggeration to say that I’ve been waiting for LACMA’s new exhibition of The Clock for a full decade, and certainly with heightened need since 2017, when both J. Hoberman and Jonathan Rosenbaum placed it on their lists of the 25 best films of the 21st century thus far; compounding the interest was Hoberman’s choice to place it as the sole #1, with no ranking afforded to the other films, and Rosenbaum having written about all of his films *except* The Clock. I knew that LACMA had last exhibited it in 2015, three years before I moved to Los Angeles, and waited through the immediate post-pandemic era with nothing to show for it. Such was my fermenting obsession that I even contemplated traveling to New York for the second time in three months to see it at last year’s MoMA exhibition; I abstained, and thus was free to buy tickets for the July 25 opening night 24-hour presentation (one of two nights across the month-long run that the installation was available to watch from 7 PM onwards) to ensure I’d have a backup date on the closing night if needed. After two hours of waiting—the screening space at LACMA holds about 60 people on three-person couches, plus 40 people sitting or standing at the back and sides—I was finally free to bask.

I don’t know anyone personally who has experienced every second of The Clock, and the unexpectedly delayed entry allowed me to let go of any ludicrous hope of doing so; nevertheless, I was able to watch over nine hours: 9:07 PM-12:07 AM, 2:39 AM-4:40 AM, 4:52 AM-8:07 AM on the first night, plus an additional visit on August 11 for 11:53 AM-12:25 PM. Actively during the first segment and almost involuntarily for the rest, I found myself actively trying to remember the numerous little details and thoughts that arose while viewing and quickly wrote them down in my Notes app as soon as I exited the room. From these fragments, this piece is an attempt to piece together a half-formed thesis on what exactly makes The Clock tick.

The first and most silly thing first: by my own vague definition, and in contradiction of Wikipedia’s classification, The Clock is not actually a film. This may seem hypocritical coming from someone who stubbornly holds that Twin Peaks: The Return indeed operates as a single 18-hour film, but it makes sense to me: by dint of its concept, The Clock has no definable starting or ending point, entirely dependent on when the viewer enters or exits the screening space. Technically speaking, without these specific boundaries, it has no fixed runtime, setting it even further from the realm of film qua film than the Marciano Art Foundation’s fantastic nine-film Bruce Conner exhibition earlier this year, or the few moments of Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s two-channel installation “For Bruce” that I caught three years ago at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum.

Another, much more significant distinction: just as Wavelength is not merely a single zoom across an apartment, but rather hundreds of micro-zooms interrupted by hellish color filters, abrasive sound design, and the skeleton of a mystery, The Clock is not, as I assumed, 1,440 clips, each lasting a minute, or even a larger agglomeration of excerpts that still nevertheless consistently feature an image of a clock or someone reciting the time. Instead, it is both something less and infinitely more: a grand experiment in match-cutting and narrative that uses its concept as both animating principle and cover for an endless parade of plot threads and tantalizing connections.

Like the best films, The Clock offers an infinite number of experiences based on the viewer’s vantage point: here, perhaps the key is whether one recognizes the film and/or actor on screen, and the attendant personal and cultural associations that result from that encounter. I was able to recognize somewhere in the neighborhood of half of the clips, but while it’s tempting to align this with feature-length essays like Los Angeles Plays Itself, such a specifically analytical work is emphatically not in the cards here. Indeed, I can certainly see people objecting to the relative uniformity of display here: all of the clips here are formatted to flat widescreen, cropping Academy ratio and CinemaScope alike, and no subtitles are provided for non-English films. (I don’t believe that any dialogue specifically giving the time was relayed in those latter clips, though I can’t rule it out.) That’s not to say that the disjunctions between each clip are not important to Marclay: shifts from color to black-and-white and vice versa are the rule rather than the exception, and the wildly varying condition of the clips provokes the same bewilderment of virtually every compilation film before Alex Ross Perry’s Videoheaven: was there ever really a time where, say, Casino Royale was in worse shape on home video than The Spirit of the Beehive?

The Clock‘s central preoccupation, aside from *maybe* time, is movement and action, whether through repetition or continuity editing, typically bolstered by sound bridges; in this respect, it largely resembles Morgan Fisher’s excellent short “( )” and Frank Beauvais’s embarrassingly relatable Just Don’t Think I’ll Scream. This quickly became apparent to me during the first hour of the first segment: the virtuoso treatment of the climax of Otto Preminger’s Laura, as it starts from when a shotgun is hid inside an upright clock and continually returns to the film over a period of about ten minutes, inexorably moving forward until the violent resolution. I couldn’t speak to whether this actually represents how far forward the clock in the film moves, but it serves as both a coherent narrative strand in itself and one that reflects upon the other clips surrounding it. Time and again, a clip will end with someone exiting a doorway and a different person in a different film decades later will emerge from another, or the other way around, and Marclay has just as much fun with subverting the viewer’s expectations: he shows, for instance, Doc Brown dangling from the clock tower in Back to the Future, but declines to depict when the bolt of lightning actually strikes.

Such a dedication to action and excitement not terribly far removed from Hollywood cinema helped reinforce another thing that The Clock is not: slow cinema. While What Time Is It There? does make a blessed appearance, to me the essence of what might be called slow cinema rests in the inability to perceive the precise passage of time: a long take or extended sequence in which one does not know exactly how much time has passed feels far afield from what, at least on a surface level, represents a fairly ironclad reminder in most moments of how much time has actually passed since the last time one consciously checked. Most, but crucially not all: at least one of my segment boundaries is inexact, as I believe a large portion of the clips included to fill out the 24 hours do not actually feature a clock in them at all; I am willing to believe that Marclay has a clip for every minute, but am even more certain that he slotted in other resonant images and moments with little to no resonance: I spotted what looked like a shot of a figure shrouded in fog from Metropolis in the first segment, and Laurence Olivier’s Yorick speech from his adaptation of Hamlet played in the final section, both featuring what seemed like no relationship to the time of day at all.

Such apparent flagrant violations of The Clock‘s concept also crop up in clips that do feature clocks. No regard is given to the seconds, and clips of the minute hand or segment of a non-face clock flipping over to the next minute happen well into the minute in question. Sometimes there are ersatz clocks: in the second clip I saw, Charles Bronson is looking at a photograph that contains a clock far in the background, only to look at his own, “accurate” clock; in others, someone changes the time from what is already shown, either to correct or deliberately in error, or there is a radio which has a face that looks a lot like a clock. There are other clocks too, after a fashion—two separate versions of The Pit and the Pendulum—though it’s striking to think that The Clock was released at exactly a moment right before smartphones, and how difficult it would be to make a version heavily featuring films from the past decade and a half with the near-total demise of alarm clocks.

While The Clock is a far more instinctually exciting experience than any extraordinarily long film I can think of—with the probable exception of Mariano Llinás’s La Flor, which in many ways shares the same playful spirit—that does not mean it doesn’t share slow cinema’s capacity for providing the viewer room to dream: the hangout sensations of Out 1; the reminders of time passing and its correspondence to deliberate idleness engendered by, say, Wang Bing’s 15 Hours, Kevin Jerome Everson’s Park Lanes, and C. W. Winter and Anders Edström’s The Works and Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin); the puckish conceptual rigor of Johann Lurf’s compilation film ★. Based on when I entered, I was also inclined to think of two British icons that emerged as quasi-protagonists: Big Ben, likely the most famous clock in the world, and James Bond, by virtue of his notable watch sponsorships from Rolex and Omega, among others. (Joan Crawford inexplicably featured in many moments during this stretch as well.) Certain linkages are more obvious: Orson Welles’s The Trial appearing in close succession to Terry Gilliam’s Brazil, though I couldn’t determine how purposeful placing a scene from Vanilla Sky that features a Godard poster in the background close to Every Man for Himself was. (I was also very glad to see maybe the greatest filmmaker on time, Wong Kar-wai, got a few clips in the segments I saw, including one of the time turnovers in Chungking Express.)

That room to dream also made me reflect on the undercurrents of Marclay’s concept: the need to take that a clock has appeared or will be appearing on faith, the willingness to believe that it’s the correct side of AM/PM, even the confidence that there hasn’t been any slight lag or playback issue that has caused The Clock to come slightly off. There are also the more obvious ideas that come as a result of my own relatively developed knowledge of the artifice of film: that in any given moment on the one hand the time on the clock was likely not actually accurate to when the scene was being shot; that on the other the clock may have been included in the shot accidentally, and thus the time was accurate to when the scene was being shot but not to the diegetic time. Other diametrically opposed conventions are less existential but nevertheless interesting: in some of the films, a character will look down at their watch and look up again without a close-up to let the viewer know what time they saw, while in others there will be a close-up, frequently a freeze-frame to accommodate the filming technology of the time. And perhaps most importantly to The Clock‘s project of a smooth portrayal of time as a concept rather than an intrinsically meaningful thing: midnight isn’t really treated any differently. Big Ben does blow up courtesy of V for Vendetta, but no New Year’s celebrations are seen, and the installation moves on as swiftly as ever; a similar thing occurs with noon, where the buildup to shootouts from High Noon and The Quick and the Dead are shown without any of the actual gunfire. (On another note, I was glad to see two clips from 24: the first, of Kim and her friend driving to the furniture store in the first episode, concluded my first segment, while I believe there was also one from the first season where Nina faked her death; in the latter, I heard one of the signature beeps, but the digital clock did not pop up in either.)

I can’t pretend that all of these observations are anywhere as close to organized as I was hoping, but I do hope they provide some sense of the dizzying experience that The Clock provides. Far from the memento mori that Marclay described as the key to his museum piece—even in the late night segments that, for the first time I saw, use cross-fades to induce a slightly hallucinatory effect with heavy use of the dream sequences in Vertigo—it strikes me as a work bursting with life, one where context is largely stripped from its film and television clips in order to provide a blank slate off of which viewers can read any meaning into them that they want, and in which time provides a point of focus from which all other actions flower. To take the episode title of one of the most prominent sequences in the last segment I saw: I couldn’t have been more happy to finally find Time Enough at Last to begin to appreciate this impossibly staggering yet deft playground.

New York Film Festival 2026 Predictions (Round 3)

August 4, 2026Ryan Swen Musings Tags: nyff predictions Leave a comment

Main Slate
*Paper Tiger (James Gray)
*Behemoth! (Tony Gilroy)
*14th (Ava DuVernay)
All of a Sudden (Hamaguchi Ryusuke)
The Beloved (Rodrigo Sorogoyen)
Bitter Christmas (Pedro Almodóvar)
Clarissa (Arie & Chuko Esiri)
Club Kid (Jordan Firstman)
Dao (Alain Gomis)
The Day She Returns (Hong Sang-soo)
The Diary of a Chambermaid (Radu Jude)
Double Freedom (Lisandro Alonso)
The Dreamed Adventure (Valeska Grisebach)
Everything Else Is Noise (Nicolás Pereda)
Everytime (Sandra Wollner)
Fatherland (Paweł Pawlikowski)
Fjord (Cristian Mungiu)
La Gradiva (Marine Atlan)
Josephine (Beth de Araújo)
The Loneliest Man in Town (Tizza Covi & Rainer Frimmel)
The Man I Love (Ira Sachs)
A Man of His Time (Emmanuel Marre)
My Undesirable Friends: Part II—Exile (Julia Loktev)
My Wife Cries (Angela Schanelec)
Nagi Notes (Fukada Koji)
9 Temples to Heaven (Sompot Chidgasornpongse)
Nowhere to Lay My Eyes (Hong Sang-soo)
Once Upon a Time in Harlem (William & David Greaves)
La perra (Dominga Sotomayor)
Possible Love (Lee Chang-dong)
Queen at Sea (Lance Hammer)
Red Rocks (Bruno Dumont)
Rose (Markus Schleinzer)
Tender Loving Care (Mike Leigh)
The Unknown (Arthur Harari)

Currents
The House on the Moon (Nelson Yeo) [centerpiece]
The Burning Giants (Phuttiphong Aroonpheng)
Dust (Tsai Ming-liang)
Eden (James Benning)
Fire Flower (Ana Vaz)
Foreign Travel (Ted Fendt)
Hearing (Lê Bảo)
Life of Jorge Luis Borges (Mariano Llinás)
London (Sebastian Brameshuber)
September Afternoon (Nicolaas Schmidt)
Tomorrow a Long Time Ago (Luise Donschen)

Spotlight
*Godzilla Minus Zero (Yamazaki Takashi)
Artificial (Luca Guadagino) [surprise screening]
Bucking Fastard (Werner Herzog)
The Debut (Jesse Eisenberg)
Joie de vivre (Luca Guadagnino)
A Long Winter (Andrew Haigh)
Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People? (Tsukamoto Shinya)
Revolutionaries Never Die (Mohanad Yaqubi)
Sixteen Moments of My Life (Albert Serra)
Too Much Sugar (Robert Greene)

2026 Capsules

July 20, 2026August 8, 2026Ryan Swen Musings Tags: capsules Leave a comment

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom [rewatch]

In a series that’s self-evidently obsessed with the past and all its associated rituals and relics, it’s notable that Temple of Doom is the only one with an interest in what a “modern”-day practice of religion as a way of life looks like. Not the Thuggee cult, a group of power-hungry individuals resurrecting something from a century prior, but the villagers, who already believe in the sacred power of the stone while everyone else with every other relic (even the Ark of the Covenant) has to be convinced of its divine provenance. In tandem, this is the only film that takes place completely outside of America, and indeed the West at large. The normal foundations of Indiana’s relatively comfortable university existence are totally absent, and he and Spielberg are left to fend for themselves in a foreign land with little to guide them.

Django Unchained [rewatch]
Ever since Tarantino borrowed from City on Fire, and thus the whole heroic bloodshed genre as a whole, to form the emotional throughline of Reservoir Dogs, his films have had an intriguing relationship to male homosociality, or more specifically its importance to the films’ central characters, though he largely abandoned it for his trio of women-led films (Jackie Brown, Kill Bill, Death Proof). Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds appear to feature it as a central component, but Jackson’s character in the former is the sole focus of the final scene despite his and Travolta’s dynamic across the film’s fragmented timeline, and Pitt and Novak have far too little screentime together for the latter to have close to equal importance in Basterds‘s concluding image. In this respect, The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood are mirror images of an apotheosis of this tendency in Tarantino’s filmography: one a portrait of two uneasy companions who find true, twisted equality at the end of existence, and one a fully lived-in and loving embodiment of a bond that, at the same time, carries a built-in inequality that’s impossible to be acknowledged.

That leaves Django Unchained, which in its own ungainly way carves out the closest central male-male relationship to Reservoir Dogs across a far longer diegetic timespan, and posed on the electric dynamic between Waltz—no mere kindly Hans Landa revamp but instead an immaculate picture of compromised Old World courtesy—and Foxx, who turns out the most purely iconic performance in any Tarantino film, all aloof cool and quiet fury that grounds the mess of genre and historical signifiers. Unlike the three other films where the clearly designated central duos survive roughly the same amount of time, Waltz exits the film far before the ending, but the importance of his own brand of tutelage—in stark contrast to the American evils swirling around every other character save Broomhilda—lingers far longer: the tenderness with which Django pauses over Schultz’s body during his storming of Candyland, the brief cutaway from his triumphal expression to Schultz praising Django’s skill, are even more key to the film’s ultimate emotional impact than his reunion with his beloved and ability to ride off into the night.

Center Stage
Of all films, I found myself thinking most of Wong Kar-wai’s The Grandmaster in connection with this film. While Ruan Lingyu is more evidently the sole protagonist, and it is in her wake that every character follows, it is impossible to underestimate the importance of Kwan’s conception of the Shanghai film industry as a living and breathing world apart to this film. As a mirror image of Ip Man existing in a continuum of grandmasters—only happening to etch his name into history because he outlived everyone else and mentored someone equipped to spread his teachings much farther than could have been imagined in his time—Ruan Lingyu’s star burned far faster, yet still shone brightly enough to weather the vicissitudes of time. By the third “Film no longer available” title, directed by still-acknowledged masters like Fei Mu and Sun Yu, it becomes evident that Kwan and his own cast and crew of geniuses intend to revive a lineage in their own fashion, not an attempt to simply recreate but rather to capture the spirit of invention for a new, then-modern context. Both films feature a pivotal image of creative people at the height of their power sitting down for a group photograph, the image fading into black-and-white, belonging to history, even if “only” in a fictional setting.

New York Film Festival 2026 Predictions (Round 2)

July 15, 2026Ryan Swen Musings Tags: nyff predictions Leave a comment

Virtual Lock
All of a Sudden (Hamaguchi Ryusuke)
Dao (Alain Gomis)
The Day She Returns (Hong Sang-soo)
The Diary of a Chambermaid (Radu Jude)
The Dreamed Adventure (Valeska Grisebach)
La libertad doble (Lisandro Alonso)
My Wife Cries (Angela Schanelec)
Nowhere to Lay My Eyes (Hong Sang-soo)
Paper Tiger (James Gray) [opening night]
Possible Love (Lee Chang-dong)
The Unknown (Arthur Harari)

Strong Chance
Bitter Christmas (Pedro Almodóvar)
Everything Else Is Noise (Nicolás Pereda)
Fatherland (Paweł Pawlikowski)
Fjord (Cristian Mungiu)
The Man I Love (Ira Sachs)
A Man of His Time (Emmanuel Marre)
9 Temples to Heaven (Sompot Chidgasornpongse)
Once Upon a Time in Harlem (William & David Greaves)
Queen at Sea (Lance Hammer)
Red Rocks (Bruno Dumont)
Tender Loving Care (Mike Leigh)

Moderate Possibility
The Beloved (Rodrigo Sorogoyen)
Clarissa (Arie & Chuko Esiri)
Club Kid (Jordan Firstman)
Everytime (Sandra Wollner)
La Gradiva (Marine Atlan)
I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning (Clio Barnard)
Josephine (Beth de Araújo)
The Loneliest Man in Town (Tizza Covi & Rainer Frimmel)
Minotaur (Andrey Zvyagintsev)
Nagi Notes (Fukada Koji)
La perra (Dominga Sotomayor)
Rose (Markus Schleinzer)
Thanks for Coming (Alain Cavalier)

Currents
Eden (James Benning)
Fire Flower (Ana Vaz)
Foreign Travel (Ted Fendt)
Hearing (Lê Bảo)
The House on the Moon (Nelson Yeo) [centerpiece]
London (Sebastian Brameshuber)
September Afternoon (Nicolaas Schmidt)
Tomorrow a Long Time Ago (Luise Donschen)

Spotlight
Artificial (Luca Guadagino)
The Debut (Jesse Eisenberg) [gala]
Revolutionaries Never Die (Mohanad Yaqubi)
Sixteen Moments of My Life (Albert Serra)

New

Nowhere to Lay My Eyes (Hong Sang-soo)
Hong.

Possible Love (Lee Chang-dong)
Lee.

Tender Loving Care (Mike Leigh)
Completely blanked on Hard Truths two years ago, not making the same mistake this time.

Fire Flower (Ana Vaz)
It Is Night in America not being in Currents gives me some pause, but Vaz has been prominent for a while.

Hearing (Lê Bảo)
Taste was well-received.

The House on the Moon (Nelson Yeo)
Dreaming & Dying was at ND/NF, and a role for Lee Kang-sheng can’t hurt.

September Afternoon (Nicolaas Schmidt)
A wishful pick, given how much I appreciated FIRST TIME.

Tomorrow a Long Time Ago (Luise Donschen)
Casanova Gene was in Art of the Real.

Revolutionaries Never Die (Mohanad Yaqubi)
Sounds intriguing and would fit in well with the current revival for Jocelyne Saab’s work.

Sixteen Moments of My Life (Albert Serra)
Serra.

Artificial (Luca Guadagnino)
Really could go anywhere in the selection, now that Guadagnino’s been Opening Night.

The Debut (Jesse Eisenberg)
A Real Pain was a pleasant surprise for Spotlight last time; if I had to guess a Spotlight gala it’d be this one.

Removed

The History of Concrete (John Wilson)
Will be released prior to the festival.

Hope (Na Hong-jin)
Will be released prior to the festival.

New York Film Festival 2026 Predictions (Round 1)

May 26, 2026July 9, 2026Ryan Swen Musings Tags: nyff predictions Leave a comment

Virtual Lock
All of a Sudden (Hamaguchi Ryusuke)
Dao (Alain Gomis)
The Day She Returns (Hong Sang-soo)
The Diary of a Chambermaid (Radu Jude)
The Dreamed Adventure (Valeska Grisebach)
La libertad doble (Lisandro Alonso)
My Wife Cries (Angela Schanelec)
Paper Tiger (James Gray)
The Unknown (Arthur Harari)

Moderate Possibility
The Beloved (Rodrigo Sorogoyen)
Clarissa (Arie & Chuko Esiri)
Club Kid (Jordan Firstman)
Everytime (Sandra Wollner)
La Gradiva (Marine Atlan)
Hope (Na Hong-jin)
I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning (Clio Barnard)
Josephine (Beth de Araújo)
The Loneliest Man in Town (Tizza Covi & Rainer Frimmel)
Minotaur (Andrey Zvyagintsev)
Nagi Notes (Fukada Koji)
La perra (Dominga Sotomayor)
Rose (Markus Schleinzer)
Thanks for Coming (Alain Cavalier)

Currents
Eden (James Benning)
Foreign Travel (Ted Fendt)
London (Sebastian Brameshuber)

Spotlight
The History of Concrete (John Wilson)

Virtual Lock

All of a Sudden (Hamaguchi Ryusuke)
Hamaguchi.

Dao (Alain Gomis)
Dennis Lim said on Instagram that this was surely one of the films of the year.

The Day She Returns (Hong Sang-soo)
Hong.

The Diary of a Chambermaid (Radu Jude)
Jude fiction feature.

The Dreamed Adventure (Valeska Grisebach)
Grisebach.

La libertad doble (Lisandro Alonso)
Alonso.

My Wife Cries (Angela Schanelec)
Schanelec.

Paper Tiger (James Gray)
Gray.

The Unknown (Arthur Harari)
Lim spoke extremely highly of this on the Film Comment Podcast, and it was a clear highlight of the Cannes competition for virtually everyone who liked it.

Strong Chance

Bitter Christmas (Pedro Almodóvar)
Almodóvar hasn’t not made the Main Slate in over 30 years (aside from the ineligible I’m So Excited!), though this one seems minor enough that I have just the hint of a doubt.

Everything Else Is Noise (Nicolás Pereda)
This will certainly be at NYFF, though it’s a coin flip between here and Currents (whether as the Centerpiece or otherwise).

Fatherland (Paweł Pawlikowski)
Generally quite liked out of Cannes and Cold War was a past selection.

Fjord (Cristian Mungiu)
Mungiu’s made every NYFF since 4 Months and no Palme d’or winner has missed since Dheepan, though the sharp divisiveness of this gives me some doubt.

The Man I Love (Ira Sachs)
Might be overrating its chances but seems like a logical next step from Peter Hujar’s Day.

9 Temples to Heaven (Sompot Chidgasornpongse)
Could easily see this going to Currents or ND/NF, but one of the slow cinema banner carriers at Cannes this year, and Lim liked it a good deal.

A Man of His Time (Emmanuel Marre)
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the Cannes competition, and the Film Comment Podcast made it sound like a Pietro Marcello film or something.

Once Upon a Time in Harlem (William & David Greaves)
One of the most beloved films of the year; fairly sure this will be at NYFF, either here or in Spotlight.

Queen at Sea (Lance Hammer)
Things have been mysteriously quiet surrounding this since the Berlin premiere, but sounds appealing enough.

Red Rocks (Bruno Dumont)
Certainly one of the most notable Fortnight films, and Lim mentioned it approvingly alongside the Alonso.

Moderate Possibility

The Beloved (Rodrigo Sorogoyen)
Didn’t see anyone really dislike this despite its similarities to Sentimental Value, which might be a good sign.

Clarissa (Arie & Chuko Esiri)
Lim mentioned this as one of his Fortnight highlights.

Club Kid (Jordan Firstman)
Heavily dependent on when A24 decides to release this, though I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t really to Lim’s taste.

Everytime (Sandra Wollner)
The Prix un certain regard winner hasn’t made it since Unclenching the Fists in 2021, yet this sounds mysterious in the best way.

La Gradiva (Marine Atlan)
Quite clearly the breakout film of Cannes; might go to ND/NF, but I think the level of passion pushes it towards NYFF.

Hope (Na Hong-jin)
Not getting any award from Park Chan-wook’s jury hurts its chances, but it definitely has a cadre of admirers.

I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning (Clio Barnard)
Barnard hasn’t made it to NYFF before, but this was well-received.

Josephine (Beth de Araújo)
Sundance usually has one or two films at NYFF, and this was definitely the most prominent to premiere there apart from the Greaves.

The Loneliest Man in Town (Tizza Covi & Rainer Frimmel)
One of the best received Berlin competition titles among those who watched it.

Minotaur (Andrey Zvyagintsev)
Zvyagintsev has never been at NYFF, though it was one of only two 4-stars Justin Chang gave in the Competition.

Nagi Notes (Fukada Koji)
Definitely probable that A Girl Missing‘s selection was a one-off, but a Cannes berth does still hold more weight than Venice after all this time.

La perra (Dominga Sotomayor)
Nobody seemed especially aware of Swim to Me before it dropped unceremoniously on Netflix, and Lim had it as one of his Fortnight standouts.

Rose (Markus Schleinzer)
Predicting more Berlin competition titles than I probably should, but Hüller is worth betting on.

Thanks for Coming (Alain Cavalier)
Cavalier only appeared in the Main Slate once with Thérèse back in 1986(!), one among many notable Fortnight films.

Currents

Eden (James Benning)
Benning mentioned that he just finished this film, and I doubt he’ll wait until next year to premiere it, so this would be a good world premiere spot and/or second stop after Wavelengths.

Foreign Travel (Ted Fendt)
Fendt.

London (Sebastian Brameshuber)
One of the best-received films at Berlin.

Spotlight

The History of Concrete (John Wilson)
Wouldn’t be shocked if this was in Main Slate, though I’m also not sure about release plans.

2026 First Watches

January 1, 2026September 13, 2026Ryan Swen Lists Tags: first watch, log

Old
New

Renewed Appreciation: Floating Clouds, The Green Ray, Fantasia, Boyhood, Punch-Drunk Love, In the Realm of the Senses, Nope, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Princess Mononoke, All That Heaven Allows, The Birds, Yojimbo, Boy, Computer Chess, Django Unchained, A Hard Day’s Night, Throne of Blood, Back to the Future, sex, lies, and videotape, The Wild Child, Unstoppable, Cure, Frankenstein, Jackass: The Movie, Happyend, Death Proof, Red Rocket, Ahed’s Knee, Notturno, Beauty and the Beast, The Bad Sleep Well, My Night at Maud’s, Hot Fuzz, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Edge of Tomorrow

Shorts: Breakaway, The Girl Chewing Gum, Crossroads, Three Screen Ray, Looking for Mushrooms, If You Don’t Watch the Way You Move, Looking for Mushrooms, Red Hot Riding Hood, Throbs, Eason, Animato, America Is Waiting, Beautiful New Bay Area Project, See What You Hear What You See, Gridrose, City Slivers, Mongoloid, “Yes, I Said Yes, I Will, Yes.,” The Sojourn, Waterfall, Craig’s Cutting Room Floor, Sugar Glass Bottle, Scotch Tape, Junior, Stolen Movie, Hough 66, Simca Vega Cricket, 24 Frames per Century, sitrep, Song for Rent, Conical Intersect, Cactus Wren, California Quail, Necessary Trip, Yellow Sequence, The Secret Story, Dreams of Passion, Hamlet Act, Light Eater, Hot Air Specialists, Brideless Groom, Fresh Kill, Out of State Plates, The Shape of Things, Banging on Their Bars in Rhythm, Orchard, Penny Bright & Jimmy Witherspoon, Whitney Commercial, Picasso

La Commune (Paris, 1871) (2000, Peter Watkins) [June]
Center Stage (1991, Stanley Kwan) [July]
Lightning (1952, Naruse Mikio) [April]
The Devil Is a Woman (1935, Josef von Sternberg) [June]
All of a Sudden (2026, Hamaguchi Ryusuke) [August]
Dry Leaf (2025, Alexandre Koberidze) [April]
Scattered Clouds (1967, Naruse Mikio) [May]
Eureka (2000, Aoyama Shinji) [May]
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970, Sam Peckinpah) [July]
Sound of the Mountain (1954, Naruse Mikio) [April]
License to Live (1998, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) [July]
Flowing (1956, Naruse Mikio) [May]
Sherman’s March (1986, Ross McElwee) [April]
Fat Choi Spirit (2002, Johnnie To & Wai Ka-fai) [February]
Offside (2006, Jafar Panahi) [June]
The Unknown (2026, Arthur Harari) [September]
Desperate Living (1977, John Waters) [June]
The Kindergarten Teacher (2014, Nadav Lapid) [March]
El Sicario, Room 164 (2010, Gianfranco Rosi) [April]
Flaming Creatures (1963, Jack Smith) [April]
Sorcerer (1977, William Friedkin) [July]
Bright Future (2003, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) [September]
Late Chrysanthemums (1954, Naruse Mikio) [May]
The Samurai and the Prisoner (2026, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) [July]
The Lovers on the Bridge (1991, Leos Carax) [July]
Down by Law (1986, Jim Jarmusch) [June]
An Injury to One (2001, Travis Wilkerson) [June]
The Lady Eve (1941, Preston Sturges) [August]
The Arch (1968, Tang Shu-shuen) [May]
The Rib of the Greater Bay Area (2026, Zhou Tao) [August]
Everytime (2026, Sandra Wollner) [September]
Wife! Be Like a Rose! (1935, Naruse Mikio) [February]
I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978, Robert Zemeckis) [June]
They Live by Night (1948, Nicholas Ray) [July]
Arabian Nights (1974, Pier Paolo Pasolini) [February]
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960, Naruse Mikio) [May]
Chronovisor (2026, Jack Auen & Kevin Walker) [April]
With Hasan in Gaza (2025, Kamal Aljafari) [April]
Escape (2025, Adachi Masao) [June]
Barren Illusion (1999, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) [September]
The Great McGinty (1940, Preston Sturges) [July]
All the King’s Men (1983, King Hu) [June]
The Last One for the Road (2025, Francesco Sossai) [May]
The Approach of Autumn (1960, Naruse Mikio) [July]
Two Seasons, Two Strangers (2025, Miyake Sho) [May]
Attenberg (2010, Athina Rachel Tsangari) [May]
I Live in Fear (1955, Kurosawa Akira) [April]
The Decay of Fiction (2002, Pat O’Neill) [June]
The Periphery of the Base (2024, Zhou Tao) [August]
Our Land (2025, Lucrecia Martel) [April]
Barrio triste (2025, Stillz) [July]
Sonic Outlaws (1995, Craig Baldwin) [September]
The Last Detail (1973, Hal Ashby) [May]
The French Connection (1971, William Friedkin) [June]
The Saddest Music in the World (2003, Guy Maddin) [July]
Wife (1953, Naruse Mikio) [June]
Daughters, Wives and a Mother (1960, Naruse Mikio) [August]
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985, William Friedkin) [August]
The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993, Jeffrey Lau) [April]
Night and the City (1950, Jules Dassin) [May]
Lumière! The Adventure Begins (2016, Thierry Frémaux) [March]
Lumière, the Adventure Continues (2024, Thierry Frémaux) [January]
The King of Wuxia (2022, Lin Jing-jie) [February]
Traveling Actors (1940, Naruse Mikio) [July]
48 Hrs. (1982, Walter Hill) [August]
Remake (2025, Ross McElwee) [July]
Orpheus (1950, Jean Cocteau) [July]
Written on the Wind (1956, Douglas Sirk) [September]
Three Sisters With Maiden Hearts (1935, Naruse Mikio) [March]
War of the Worlds (2005, Steven Spielberg) [June]
Munich (2005, Steven Spielberg) [August]
Disclosure Day (2026, Steven Spielberg) [June]
Zu: Warriors From the Magic Mountain (1983, Tsui Hark) [February]
Mother (1952, Naruse Mikio) [May]
I Have Graduated (1992, Shi Jian and Wang Guangli) [September]
Charisma (1999, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) [July]
Seventh Code (2013, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) [August]
Event for a Stage (2015, Tacita Dean) [February]
Repast (1951, Naruse Mikio) [April]
Ponyo (2008, Miyazaki Hayao) [August]
Sanjuro (1962, Kurosawa Akira) [May]
Ball of Fire (1941, Howard Hawks) [August]
The Perfect Neighbor (2025, Geeta Gandbhir) [March]
Fatherland (2026, Paweł Pawlikowski) [August]
Jackass Number Two (2006, Jeff Tremaine) [January]
Midnight Run (1988, Martin Brest) [August]
Sacro GRA (2013, Gianfranco Rosi) [April]
Hill of No Return (1992, Wang Toon) [August]
An Injury to All (2026, Travis Wilkerson) [June]
Road House (1989, Rowdy Herrington) [February]
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965, Russ Meyer) [March]
Street Without End (1934, Naruse Mikio) [June]
In the Cut (2003, Jane Campion) [August]
The Misconceived (2026, James N. Kienitz Wilkins) [July]
The Hidden Fortress (1958, Kurosawa Akira) [April]
Hit and Run (1966, Naruse Mikio) [April]
Policeman (2011, Nadav Lapid) [March]
Event Horizon (1997, Paul W. S. Anderson) [August]
Being There (1979, Hal Ashby) [May]
Blades of the Guardians (2026, Yuen Woo-ping) [February]
Fast (2026, Rob Tregenza) [August]
The Wheel of Life (1983, Omnibus) [June]
Shades of Silk (1978, Mary Stephen) [April]
Bouchra (2025, Orian Barki & Meriem Bennani) [July]
It Ends (2025, Alexander Ullom) [July]
Hope (2026, Na Hong-jin) [August]
Stray Dog (1949, Kurosawa Akira) [April]
isaiah’s phone (2025, Frédéric Da) [April]
Evidence (2025, Lee Anne Schmitt) [February]
Madadayo (1993, Kurosawa Akira) [May]
Revelations of Divine Love (2025, Caroline Golum) [April]
Club Kid (2026, Jordan Firstman) [September]
The Christophers (2025, Steven Soderbergh) [April]
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (2025, Matt Johnson) [February]
Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) (2025, Joel Alfonso Vargas) [May]
Hekla (2026, Michael Glover Smith) [June]
Aces Go Places IV (1986, Ringo Lam) [May]
Four Moods (1970, Omnibus) [February]
Ghost World (2001, Terry Zwigoff) [August]
Dreams (1990, Kurosawa Akira) [May]
Rhapsody in August (1991, Kurosawa Akira) [May]
Unfaithful (2002, Adrian Lyne) [August]
A Useful Ghost (2025, Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke) [January]
The Furious (2025, Tanigaki Kenji) [May]
Two Pianos (2025, Arnaud Desplechin) [May]
After Dreaming (2025, Christine Haroutounian) [April]
Silent Friend (2025, Enyedi Ildikó) [May]
The End of Oak Street (2026, David Robert Mitchell) [August]
My Dinner With Andre (1981, Louis Malle) [August]
Blue Heron (2025, Sophy Romvari) [April]
Erupcja (2025, Pete Ohs) [May]
Weapons (2025, Zach Cregger) [March]
I Love Maria (1988, David Chung) [May]
Birth (2004, Jonathan Glazer) [August]
The Sun Never Sets (2026, Joe Swanberg) [September]
I Love Boosters (2026, Boots Riley) [May]
Threads (1984, Mick Jackson) [June]
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (2026, Jane Schoenbrun) [July]
The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026, David Frankel) [April]
The Drama (2026, Kristoffer Borgli) [April]
Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft (2026, James Cameron & Billie Eilish) [May]
Maddie’s Secret (2025, John Early) [July]
The Odyssey (2026, Christopher Nolan) [July]
Project Hail Mary (2026, Phil Lord & Christopher Miller) [April]
Moonstruck (1987, Norman Jewison) [July]
The Invite (2026, Olivia Wilde) [June]
I Want Your Sex (2026, Gregg Araki) [July]
Her Private Hell (2026, Nicolas Winding Refn) [August]

Old

La Commune (Paris, 1871) (2000, Peter Watkins)
Center Stage (1991, Stanley Kwan)
Lightning (1952, Naruse Mikio)
The Devil Is a Woman (1935, Josef von Sternberg)
Scattered Clouds (1967, Naruse Mikio)
Eureka (2000, Aoyama Shinji)
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970, Sam Peckinpah)
Sound of the Mountain (1954, Naruse Mikio)
License to Live (1998, Kurosawa Kiyoshi)
Flowing (1956, Naruse Mikio)
Sherman’s March (1986, Ross McElwee)
Fat Choi Spirit (2002, Johnnie To & Wai Ka-fai)
Offside (2006, Jafar Panahi)
Desperate Living (1977, John Waters)
The Kindergarten Teacher (2014, Nadav Lapid)
El Sicario, Room 164 (2010, Gianfranco Rosi)
Flaming Creatures (1963, Jack Smith)
Sorcerer (1977, William Friedkin)
Bright Future (2003, Kurosawa Kiyoshi)
Late Chrysanthemums (1954, Naruse Mikio)
The Lovers on the Bridge (1991, Leos Carax)
Down by Law (1986, Jim Jarmusch)
An Injury to One (2001, Travis Wilkerson)
The Lady Eve (1941, Preston Sturges)
The Arch (1968, Tang Shu-shuen)
Wife! Be Like a Rose! (1935, Naruse Mikio)
I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978, Robert Zemeckis)
They Live by Night (1948, Nicholas Ray)
Arabian Nights (1974, Pier Paolo Pasolini)
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960, Naruse Mikio)
Barren Illusion (1999, Kurosawa Kiyoshi)
The Great McGinty (1940, Preston Sturges)
All the King’s Men (1983, King Hu)
The Approach of Autumn (1960, Naruse Mikio)
Attenberg (2010, Athina Rachel Tsangari)
I Live in Fear (1955, Kurosawa Akira)
The Decay of Fiction (2002, Pat O’Neill)
Sonic Outlaws (1995, Craig Baldwin)
The Last Detail (1973, Hal Ashby)
The French Connection (1971, William Friedkin)
The Saddest Music in the World (2003, Guy Maddin)
Wife (1953, Naruse Mikio)
Daughters, Wives and a Mother (1960, Naruse Mikio)
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985, William Friedkin)
The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993, Jeffrey Lau)
Night and the City (1950, Jules Dassin)
Lumière! The Adventure Begins (2016, Thierry Frémaux)
The King of Wuxia (2022, Lin Jing-jie)
Traveling Actors (1940, Naruse Mikio)
48 Hrs. (1982, Walter Hill)
Orpheus (1950, Jean Cocteau)
Written on the Wind (1956, Douglas Sirk)
Three Sisters With Maiden Hearts (1935, Naruse Mikio)
War of the Worlds (2005, Steven Spielberg)
Munich (2005, Steven Spielberg)
Zu: Warriors From the Magic Mountain (1983, Tsui Hark)
Mother (1952, Naruse Mikio)
I Have Graduated (1992, Shi Jian and Wang Guangli)
Charisma (1999, Kurosawa Kiyoshi)
Seventh Code (2013, Kurosawa Kiyoshi)
Event for a Stage (2015, Tacita Dean)
Repast (1951, Naruse Mikio)
Ponyo (2008, Miyazaki Hayao)
Sanjuro (1962, Kurosawa Akira)
Ball of Fire (1941, Howard Hawks)
Jackass Number Two (2006, Jeff Tremaine)
Midnight Run (1988, Martin Brest)
Sacro GRA (2013, Gianfranco Rosi)
Hill of No Return (1992, Wang Toon)
Road House (1989, Rowdy Herrington)
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965, Russ Meyer)
Street Without End (1934, Naruse Mikio)
In the Cut (2003, Jane Campion)
The Hidden Fortress (1958, Kurosawa Akira)
Hit and Run (1966, Naruse Mikio)
Policeman (2011, Nadav Lapid)
Event Horizon (1997, Paul W. S. Anderson)
Being There (1979, Hal Ashby)
The Wheel of Life (1983, Omnibus)
Shades of Silk (1978, Mary Stephen)
Stray Dog (1949, Kurosawa Akira)
Madadayo (1993, Kurosawa Akira)
Aces Go Places IV (1986, Ringo Lam)
Four Moods (1970, Omnibus)
Ghost World (2001, Terry Zwigoff)
Dreams (1990, Kurosawa Akira)
Rhapsody in August (1991, Kurosawa Akira)
Unfaithful (2002, Adrian Lyne)
My Dinner With Andre (1981, Louis Malle)
I Love Maria (1988, David Chung)
Birth (2004, Jonathan Glazer)
Threads (1984, Mick Jackson)
Moonstruck (1987, Norman Jewison)

New

All of a Sudden (Hamaguchi Ryusuke)
Dry Leaf (Alexandre Koberidze)
The Unknown (Arthur Harari)
The Samurai and the Prisoner (Kurosawa Kiyoshi)
The Rib of the Greater Bay Area (Zhou Tao)
Everytime (Sandra Wollner)
Chronovisor (Jack Auen & Kevin Walker)
With Hasan in Gaza (Kamal Aljafari)
Escape (Adachi Masao)
The Last One for the Road (Francesco Sossai)
Two Seasons, Two Strangers (Miyake Sho)
The Periphery of the Base (Zhou Tao)
Our Land (Lucrecia Martel)
Barrio triste (Stillz)
Lumière, the Adventure Continues (Thierry Frémaux)
Remake (Ross McElwee)
Disclosure Day (Steven Spielberg)
The Perfect Neighbor (Geeta Gandbhir)
Fatherland (Paweł Pawlikowski)
An Injury to All (Travis Wilkerson)
The Misconceived (James N. Kienitz Wilkins)
Blades of the Guardians (Yuen Woo-ping)
Fast (Rob Tregenza)
Bouchra (Orian Barki & Meriem Bennani)
It Ends (Alexander Ullom)
Hope (Na Hong-jin)
isaiah’s phone (Frédéric Da)
Evidence (Lee Anne Schmitt)
Revelations of Divine Love (Caroline Golum)
Club Kid (Jordan Firstman)
The Christophers (Steven Soderbergh)
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (Matt Johnson)
Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) (Joel Alfonso Vargas)
Hekla (Michael Glover Smith)
A Useful Ghost (Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke)
The Furious (Tanigaki Kenji)
Two Pianos (Arnaud Desplechin)
After Dreaming (Christine Haroutounian)
Silent Friend (Enyedi Ildikó)
The End of Oak Street (David Robert Mitchell)
Blue Heron (Sophy Romvari)
Erupcja (Pete Ohs)
Weapons (Zach Cregger)
The Sun Never Sets (Joe Swanberg)
I Love Boosters (Boots Riley)
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (Jane Schoenbrun)
The Devil Wears Prada 2 (David Frankel)
The Drama (Kristoffer Borgli)
Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft (James Cameron & Billie Eilish)
Maddie’s Secret (John Early)
The Odyssey (Christopher Nolan)
Project Hail Mary (Phil Lord & Christopher Miller)
The Invite (Olivia Wilde)
I Want Your Sex (Gregg Araki)
Her Private Hell (Nicolas Winding Refn)

2026 Omnibus Log

January 1, 2026September 13, 2026Ryan Swen Lists Tags: log, omnibus

001. +The Green Ray (1986, Éric Rohmer) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm (Friend) 01 Jan – 10 [up from 9]
002. +Dragon Inn (1967, King Hu) Culver Theater/Alula, LED (Speaker, Friends) 11 Jan – 10
003. +Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003, King Hu) Culver Theater/Alula, LED (Speaker, Friends) 11 Jan – 10
004. Lumière, the Adventure Continues (2024, Thierry Frémaux^) CAA Ray Kurtzman Theater, DCP (Director Q&A) 12 Jan – 8 [late]
005. +Blue Velvet (1986, David Lynch) New Beverly, 35mm 16 Jan – 10
006. +Death Proof (2007, Quentin Tarantino) New Beverly, 35mm 23 Jan – 9
t001. +Pilot (1990, Twin Peaks) Gardena Cinema, DCP 24 Jan
t002. +Beyond Life and Death (1991, Twin Peaks) Gardena Cinema, DCP 24 Jan
t003. +Part 8 (2017, Twin Peaks: The Return) Gardena Cinema, DCP 24 Jan
007. +Fantasia (1940, Ben Sharpsteen/Samuel Armstrong/James Algar/Bill Roberts & Paul Satterfield/Ford Beebe, Jr. & Jim Handley & Hamilton Luske/Norm Ferguson & T. Hee/Wilfred Jackson) New Beverly, 35mm 25 Jan – 9 [up from 8]
s001. Vice Versa (1983, Aleksander Srocyński) New Beverly, 35mm 25 Jan – 6
008. +Jackass: The Movie (2002, Jeff Tremaine) New Beverly, 35mm (Director/Cast Introduction) 25 Jan – 8
009. Jackass Number Two (2006, Jeff Tremaine) New Beverly, 35mm (Actor Introduction) 25 Jan – 8
010. A Useful Ghost (2025, Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke^) AC Los Feliz 3, DCP 28 Jan – 7 [late]
s002. Sugar Glass Bottle (2022, Sora Neo) Television, File 29 Jan – 7
011. +Happyend (2024, Sora Neo) Television, File 29 Jan – 8
s003. Brideless Groom (1947, Edward Bernds) Television, Roku (Friends) 04 Feb – 7
012. Road House (1989, Rowdy Herrington^) Television, Blu-ray (Friends) 04 Feb – 8
013. Four Moods (1970, Pai Ching-jui/King Hu/Lee Hsing/Li Han-hsiang) Television, Screener 10 Feb – 7
s004. The Sojourn (2023, Tiffany Sia) Television, Screener 10 Feb – 7
014. The King of Wuxia (2022, Lin Jing-jie^) Monitor, File 10 Feb – 8
015. +sex, lies, and videotape (1989, Steven Soderbergh) Egyptian Theatre, DCP (Friends, Actor Q&A) 10 Feb – 8 [up from 7]
s005. The Skeleton Woman (2009, Sarah Van Den Boom) New Beverly, 35mm (Friend) 11 Feb – 6
016. +In the Realm of the Senses (1976, Oshima Nagisa) New Beverly, 35mm (Friend) 11 Feb – 9 [up from 8]
017. Fat Choi Spirit (2002, Johnnie To & Wai Ka-fai) Television, Blu-ray 16 Feb – 9
018. Zu: Warriors From the Magic Mountain (1983, Tsui Hark) Television, Blu-ray 18 Feb – 8
s006. Hamlet Act (1982, Robert Nelson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 19 Feb – 7
019. Event for a Stage (2015, Tacita Dean^) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm (Director Q&A) 19 Feb – 8 [slight]
020. Arabian Nights (1974, Pier Paolo Pasolini) New Beverly, 35mm 20 Feb – 8 [late]
021. Wife! Be Like a Rose! (1935, Naruse Mikio) Egyptian Theatre, 35mm Nitrate (Friends) 21 Feb – 8
022. Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (2025, Matt Johnson^) AMC Century City, DCP 22 Feb – 7 [late]
023. Blades of the Guardians (2026, Yuen Woo-ping) AMC Century City, DCP 22 Feb – 8
024. Evidence (2025, Lee Anne Schmitt^) 2220 Arts + Archives/Acropolis Cinema, File (Volunteer, Director Q&A) 24 Feb – 7
s007. +Apollo (2003, Nishikawa Tomonari) Academy Museum, 16mm (Friends) 28 Feb – 8
s008. +Market Street (2005, Nishikawa Tomonari) Academy Museum, 16mm (Friends) 28 Feb – 8
s009. +16-18-4 (2008, Nishikawa Tomonari) Academy Museum, 35mm (Friends) 28 Feb – 8
s010. +Lumphini 2552 (2009, Nishikawa Tomonari) Academy Museum, 35mm (Friends) 28 Feb – 8
s011. +Tokyo – Ebisu (2010, Nishikawa Tomonari) Academy Museum, 16mm (Friends) 28 Feb – 9
s012. +Shibuya – Tokyo (2010, Nishikawa Tomonari) Academy Museum, 16mm (Friends) 28 Feb – 9
s013. +45 7 Broadway (2013, Nishikawa Tomonari) Academy Museum, 16mm (Friends) 28 Feb – 8
s014. +Manhattan One Two Three Four (2014, Nishikawa Tomonari) Academy Museum, DCP (Friends) 28 Feb – 8
s015. +sound of a million insects, light of a thousand stars (2014, Nishikawa Tomonari) Academy Museum, 35mm (Friends) 28 Feb – 9
s016. +Luminous Veil (2016, Nishikawa Tomonari) Academy Museum, DCP (Friends) 28 Feb – 7
s017. +Ten Mornings Ten Evenings and One Horizon (2016, Nishikawa Tomonari) Academy Museum, 16mm (Friends) 28 Feb – 9
s018. +Amusement Ride (2019, Nishikawa Tomonari) Academy Museum, 16mm (Friends) 28 Feb – 8
s019. +Light, Noise, Smoke and Light, Noise, Smoke (2023, Nishikawa Tomonari) Academy Museum, 16mm (Friends) 28 Feb – 8
025. +The Birds (1963, Alfred Hitchcock) Vista Theater, 35mm 02 Mar – 10 [up from 9]
s020. Red Hot Riding Hood (1943, Tex Avery) New Beverly, 35mm (Friend) 07 Mar – 8
026. Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965, Russ Meyer^) New Beverly, 35mm (Friend) 07 Mar – 8
027. Three Sisters With Maiden Hearts (1935, Naruse Mikio) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 14 Mar – 8 [late]
028. The Perfect Neighbor (2025, Geeta Gandbhir^) Television, File 15 Mar – 8
029. Weapons (2025, Zach Cregger^) Television, File 15 Mar – 6
030. Lumière! The Adventure Begins (2016, Thierry Frémaux) Laptop, File 20 Mar – 8
031. +Ahed’s Knee (2021, Nadav Lapid) Laptop, File 28 Mar – 8
032. Policeman (2011, Nadav Lapid) Television, File 29 Mar – 8
033. The Kindergarten Teacher (2014, Nadav Lapid) Television, File 29 Mar – 9
034. +Red Rocket (2021, Sean Baker) Egyptian Theatre, 35mm (Director/Producers/Cinematographer Q&A) 31 Mar – 8
035. +Floating Clouds (1955, Naruse Mikio) AC Aero Theatre, 35mm (Friend) 03 Apr – 10 [slight; technical]
036. Hit and Run (1966, Naruse Mikio) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 04 Apr – 8 [late]
037. +Throne of Blood (1957, Kurosawa Akira) Academy Museum, 35mm 04 Apr – 8 [slight]
038. The Drama (2026, Kristoffer Borgli^) Vista Theater, 35mm 07 Apr – 6
039. Repast (1951, Naruse Mikio) AC Aero Theatre, 35mm (Friend) 09 Apr – 8 [intermittent]
040. Lightning (1952, Naruse Mikio) AC Aero Theatre, 35mm (Friend) 09 Apr – 10
041. Revelations of Divine Love (2025, Caroline Golum^†) Monitor, Screener 10 Apr – 7 [delay]
042. With Hasan in Gaza (2025, Kamal Aljafari) 2220 Arts + Archives, DCP (Friends, Comedian Introduction) [LAFM] 10 Apr – 8 [slight]
043. After Dreaming (2025, Christine Haroutounian^) 2220 Arts + Archives, DCP (Friends, Director Q&A) [LAFM] 10 Apr – 7 [intermittent]
044. Stray Dog (1949, Kurosawa Akira) Academy Museum, 35mm 10 Apr – 7 [late]
045. Teenage Emotions (2021, Frédéric Da^) Television, File 11 Apr – 8 [delay]
s021. Dreams of Passion (1989, Aarin Burch) 2220 Arts + Archives, DCP (Friend, Director Q&A) [LAFM] 11 Apr – 7
046. Shades of Silk (1978, Mary Stephen^) 2220 Arts + Archives, DCP (Friend, Actor/Crew Q&A) [LAFM] 11 Apr – 7
047. isaiah’s phone (2025, Frédéric Da) 2220 Arts + Archives, DCP (Friends, Director/Cast Q&A) [LAFM] 11 Apr – 7
048. Dry Leaf (2025, Alexandre Koberidze) AC Los Feliz 3, DCP 11 Apr – 9 [intermittent]
049. Chronovisor (2026, Jack Auen^ & Kevin Walker^) 2220 Arts + Archives, DCP (Friend, Cinematographer Q&A) [LAFM] 12 Apr – 8
050. Blue Heron (2025, Sophy Romvari^) Vidiots, DCP (Friend, Director Q&A) [LAFM] 12 Apr – 6
051. Project Hail Mary (2026, Phil Lord & Christopher Miller) AMC Century City, DCP 14 Apr – 6
052. The Christophers (2025, Steven Soderbergh) AMC Century City, DCP 14 Apr – 7 [slight]
053. +Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010, Werner Herzog) AMC Universal CityWalk, IMAX 3D DCP (Friends, Director Q&A) 15 Apr – 7 [intermittent]
054. Sacro GRA (2013, Gianfranco Rosi) AC Los Feliz 3, DCP (Director Q&A) 16 Apr – 8 [slight]
055. El Sicario, Room 164 (2010, Gianfranco Rosi) AC Los Feliz 3, DCP (Director Q&A) 16 Apr – 9 [intermittent]
056. I Live in Fear (1955, Kurosawa Akira) Academy Museum, 35mm (Friend) 18 Apr – 8
057. +Hot Fuzz (2007, Edgar Wright) New Beverly, 35mm 18 Apr – 8
s022. Fire Child (1971, Gordon Matta-Clark) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, 16mm (Curators Q&A) 19 Apr – 6
s023. Fresh Kill (1972, Gordon Matta-Clark) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, 16mm (Curators Q&A) 19 Apr – 7
s024. Bingo/Ninths (1974, Gordon Matta-Clark) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, 16mm (Curators Q&A) 19 Apr – 6
s025. Splitting (1974, Gordon Matta-Clark) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, 16mm (Curators Q&A) 19 Apr – 6
s026. Conical Intersect (1975, Gordon Matta-Clark) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, 16mm (Curators Q&A) 19 Apr – 7
s027. City Slivers (1976, Gordon Matta-Clark) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, 16mm (Curators Q&A) 19 Apr – 8
058. +Ashes of Time (1994, Wong Kar-wai) Culver Theater/Alula, LED (Friend) 19 Apr – 10
059. The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993, Jeffrey Lau) Culver Theater/Alula, LED (Friend) 19 Apr – 8
060. +Notturno (2020, Gianfranco Rosi) AC Los Feliz 3, DCP (Friend, Moderator) 20 Apr – 8
061. Sherman’s March (1986, Ross McElwee^) AC Aero Theatre, DCP (Friend, Director Q&A) 21 Apr – 9 [late]
062. The Holy Girl (2004, Lucrecia Martel) Television, File 22 Apr – 8 [delay]
063. Our Land (2025, Lucrecia Martel) Vidiots, DCP (Director Q&A) 22 Apr – 8 [slight]
064. The Hidden Fortress (1958, Kurosawa Akira) Academy Museum, 35mm 23 Apr – 8
065. Sound of the Mountain (1954, Naruse Mikio) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 25 Apr – 9 [late; slight]
066. +The Bad Sleep Well (1960, Kurosawa Akira) Academy Museum, 35mm 25 Apr – 8
067. +The Devil Wears Prada (2006, David Frankel) Television, File 26 Apr – 7
s028. Scotch Tape (1962, Jack Smith) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, 16mm (Friends) 26 Apr – 7
068. Flaming Creatures (1963, Jack Smith^) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, 16mm (Friends) 26 Apr – 9
s029. Yellow Sequence (1965, Jack Smith) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, 16mm (Friends) 26 Apr – 7
s030. Song for Rent (1969, Jack Smith) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, 16mm (Friends) 26 Apr – 7
s031. Hot Air Specialists (1980, Jack Smith) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, 16mm (Friends) 26 Apr – 7
069. The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026, David Frankel†) AMC Century City, DCP (Friends) 27 Apr – 6
070. Harvest (2024, Athina Rachel Tsangari^) Monitor, File 29 Apr – 8 [delay]
071. The Slow Business of Going (2000, Athina Rachel Tsangari) Monitor, File 29 Apr – 7 [delay]
072. The Arch (1968, Tang Shu-shuen^) DGA Theater, DCP 01 May – 9
073. +Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984, Steven Spielberg) New Beverly, 35mm 02 May – 9 [up from 7]
074. +Unstoppable (2010, Tony Scott) New Beverly, 35mm (Friends) 02 May – 9 [up from 8]
075. +The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009, Tony Scott) New Beverly, 35mm (Friends) 02 May – 6 [down from 7]
076. +Yojimbo (1961, Kurosawa Akira) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 03 May – 9 [late; up from 8]
077. Sanjuro (1962, Kurosawa Akira) Academy Museum, 35mm 03 May – 8
078. Erupcja (2025, Pete Ohs^) AC Los Feliz 3, DCP (Cast Q&A) 03 May – 6
079. Two Pianos (2025, Arnaud Desplechin) Laemmle Royal, DCP 04 May – 7
080. Attenberg (2010, Athina Rachel Tsangari) AC Los Feliz 3/Acropolis Cinema, DCP (Volunteer, Director Q&A) 06 May – 8 [slight]
081. Chevalier (2015, Athina Rachel Tsangari) AC Los Feliz 3/Acropolis Cinema, DCP (Volunteer, Friend, Director Q&A) 06 May – 8 [delay]
082. +Red Beard (1965, Kurosawa Akira) Academy Museum, 35mm (Friends) 08 May – 8
083. +Police Story (1985, Jackie Chan) Vista Theater, 35mm 08 May – 9 [late]
084. The Last Detail (1973, Hal Ashby) AC Aero Theatre, 35mm (Friend, Burch Introduction) 09 May – 8
085. The Last One for the Road (2025, Francesco Sossai^) Laemmle Royal, DCP 10 May – 8
086. Flowing (1956, Naruse Mikio) AC Aero Theatre, 35mm (Friend) 10 May – 9 [slight]
087. Mother (1952, Naruse Mikio) AC Aero Theatre, 35mm (Friend) 10 May – 8
088. Rhapsody in August (1991, Kurosawa Akira) Academy Museum, 35mm (Friends) 11 May – 7
s032. Cactus Wren (2024, Kevin Jerome Everson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, File (Friend, Director Q&A) 12 May – 7
s033. Hough 66 (2023, Kevin Jerome Everson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, File (Friend, Director Q&A) 12 May – 7
s034. If You Don’t Watch the Way You Move (2023, Kevin Jerome Everson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, File (Friend, Director Q&A) 12 May – 8
s035. Necessary Trip (2025, Kevin Jerome Everson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, File (Friend, Director Q&A) 12 May – 7
s036. Simca Vega Cricket (2026, Kevin Jerome Everson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, File (Friend, Director Q&A) 12 May – 7
s037. Banging on Their Bars in Rhythm (2024, Kevin Jerome Everson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, File (Friend, Director Q&A) 12 May – 7
s038. Out of State Plates (2026, Kevin Jerome Everson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, File (Friend, Director Q&A) 12 May – 7
s039. Eason (2016, Kevin Jerome Everson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, File (Friend, Director Q&A) 12 May – 8
s040. California Quail (2024, Kevin Jerome Everson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Los Angeles Filmforum, File (Friend, Director Q&A) 12 May – 7
089. Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) (2025, Joel Alfonso Vargas^) Laemmle NoHo 7, DCP 13 May – 7 [late]
090. Night and the City (1950, Jules Dassin^) Academy Museum, 35mm Nitrate 14 May – 8
091. +Django Unchained (2012, Quentin Tarantino) New Beverly, 35mm 15 May – 8 [up from 7]
092. +Frankenstein (1931, James Whale) New Beverly, 35mm 17 May – 8 [late]
s041. 24 Frames per Century (2013, Athina Rachel Tsangari) Vidiots/Acropolis Cinema, File (Volunteer, Friend) 17 May – 7
s042. The Solid Tin Coyote (1966, Rudy Larriva) New Beverly, 35mm (Friends) 18 May – 6
093. I Love Maria (1988, David Chung^) New Beverly, 35mm (Friends) 18 May – 6
094. Aces Go Places IV (1986, Ringo Lam) New Beverly, 35mm (Friends) 18 May – 7
095. Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft (2026, James Cameron & Billie Eilish^) AMC The Grove, 3D DCP 19 May – 6
096. Being There (1979, Hal Ashby) Academy Museum, 35mm (Cinematographer Q&A) 20 May – 8
097. Silent Friend (2025, Enyedi Ildikó^) Laemmle Royal, DCP 21 May – 6 [slight]
098. +Dersu Uzala (1975, Kurosawa Akira) Academy Museum, 35mm (Professor Introduction) 22 May – 9
099. When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960, Naruse Mikio) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 23 May – 8 [late]
100. +Ran (1985, Kurosawa Akira) Academy Museum, 35mm (Friends, Archivist Introduction) 23 May – 9
101. +The Dark Knight (2008, Christopher Nolan) Vista Theater, 35mm 23 May – 6 [late; down from ~7]
102. +Kagemusha (1980, Kurosawa Akira) Academy Museum, 35mm (Professor Introduction) 24 May – 9 [slight]
103. The Furious (2025, Tanigaki Kenji^) Gardena Cinema, DCP (Friend, Actor Q&A) 25 May – 7 [late]
104. I Love Boosters (2026, Boots Riley) AMC The Grove, DCP 26 May – 6 [late]
105. Scattered Clouds (1967, Naruse Mikio) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm (Friends) 27 May – 9
106. Two Seasons, Two Strangers (2025, Miyake Sho^) 2220 Arts + Archives/Acropolis Cinema (Volunteer, Friend) 28 May – 8
107. Dreams (1990, Kurosawa Akira) Academy Museum, 35mm 29 May – 7
108. +Total Recall (1990, Paul Verhoeven) Vista Theater, 70mm (Friends) 29 May – 9
109. Late Chrysanthemums (1954, Naruse Mikio) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 30 May – 9 [late]
110. Madadayo (1993, Kurosawa Akira) Academy Museum, 35mm (Friends) 30 May – 7
111. +Yearning (1964, Naruse Mikio) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 31 May – 10 [late]
112. Eureka (2000, Aoyama Shinji^) Television, File 31 May – 9 [delay]
s043. The Nutty Network (1939, Mannie Davis) New Beverly, 35mm (Friend) 01 Jun – 6
113. War of the Worlds (2005, Steven Spielberg) New Beverly, 35mm (Friend) 01 Jun – 8
114. +Edge of Tomorrow (2014, Doug Liman) New Beverly, 35mm (Friend) 01 Jun – 7
s044. The Girl Chewing Gum (1976, John Smith) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 9
s045. Whitney Commercial (1973, Suzan Pitt) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 7
s046. Penny Bright & Jimmy Witherspoon (1967, Robert Nelson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 7
s047. Waterfall (1968, Chick Strand) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 8
s048. Gridrose (1981, James Otis) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 8
s049. The Secret Story (1996, Janie Geiser) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 7
s050. Orchard (2004, Julie Murray) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 7
s051. “Yes, I Said Yes, I Will, Yes.” (1999, Phil Solomon) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 8
s052. See What You Hear What You See (1983, Barbara Hammer) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 8
s053. Picasso (1973, Chris Langdon) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 7
s054. The Shape of Things (1981, Mike Henderson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 7
s055. Junior (1988, Gus Van Sant) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 7
s056. Animato (1977, Mike Jittlov) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 8
s057. +— ——- (1967, Thom Andersen & Malcolm Brodwick) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 8 [up from 7]
s058. Throbs (1972, Fred Worden) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm 03 Jun – 8
115. Threads (1984, Mick Jackson^) AC Egyptian Theatre, DCP (Director Q&A) 07 Jun – 6
116. +Boy (1969, Oshima Nagisa) AC Los Feliz 3, DCP (Speaker, Friends) 07 Jun – 9 [up from 8]
117. +A Hard Day’s Night (1964, Richard Lester) New Beverly, 35mm 07 Jun – 8
118. I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978, Robert Zemeckis) New Beverly, 35mm 07 Jun – 8
119. Disclosure Day (2026, Steven Spielberg†) AMC The Grove, DCP (Friend) 08 Jun – 8
120. +Days of Heaven (1978, Terrence Malick) New Beverly, 35mm 09 Jun – 10
121. +The Wild Child (1970, François Truffaut) New Beverly, 35mm 09 Jun – 9 [up from 8]
122. The Scarlet Empress (1934, Josef von Sternberg) Television, Blu-ray 12 Jun – 9 [delay]
123. The Devil Is a Woman (1935, Josef von Sternberg) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 12 Jun – 10
124. +The Third Man (1949, Carol Reed) New Beverly, 35mm 12 Jun – 8 [down from ~9]
125. Street Without End (1934, Naruse Mikio) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 13 Jun – 8 [late]
126. The Wheel of Life (1983, King Hu/Lee Hsing/Pai Ching-jui) Television, File 13 Jun – 8
127. Desperate Living (1977, John Waters) New Beverly, 35mm 13 Jun – 9
128. Down by Law (1986, Jim Jarmusch) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 14 Jun – 9 [late]
129. Offside (2006, Jafar Panahi) Academy Museum, 35mm (Friend) 14 Jun – 9
130. The French Connection (1971, William Friedkin) Academy Museum, 35mm 15 Jun – 8
131. All the King’s Men (1983, King Hu) Television, File 16 Jun – 8
132. The Decay of Fiction (2002, Pat O’Neill) Brain Dead Studios/Los Angeles Filmforum, 35mm (Friend) 17 Jun – 8 [slight]
133. An Injury to All (2026, Travis Wilkerson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Acropolis Cinema, File (Volunteer, Friends, Live Voiceover, Director Q&A) 18 Jun – 8 [slight]
134. An Injury to One (2001, Travis Wilkerson) 2220 Arts + Archives/Acropolis Cinema, File (Volunteer, Friend, Director Q&A) 20 Jun – 9
135. +Nope (2022, Jordan Peele) AC Aero Theatre, 70mm 21 Jun – 9 [late; up from 8]
136. The Invite (2026, Olivia Wilde†) AMC Century City, DCP (Director Q&A) 22 Jun – 5
137. Hekla (2026, Michael Glover Smith) TCL Chinese 6, DCP (Friends, Director/Actor Q&A) 23 Jun – 7
138. Wife (1953, Naruse Mikio) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 27 Jun – 8 [late]
s059. Light Eater (2026, Ryland Walker Knight) Projector, Vimeo (Friends, Director Introduction) 27 Jun – 7
139. +My Night at Maud’s (1969, Éric Rohmer) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 28 Jun – 10 [late; up from 9]
140. La Commune (Paris, 1871) (2000, Peter Watkins) AC Los Feliz 3, File 28 Jun – 10 [slight]
141. Escape (2025, Adachi Masao^) 2220 Arts + Archives/Acropolis Cinema, File (Volunteer) 30 Jun – 8
142. The Samurai and the Prisoner (2026, Kurosawa Kiyoshi†) Wilshire Screening Room, DCP (Friends) 01 Jul – 9
143. Moonstruck (1987, Norman Jewison^) New Beverly, 35mm 02 Jul – 6
144. The Great McGinty (1940, Preston Sturges) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 03 Jul – 8 [late]
145. The Wages of Fear (1953, Henri-Georges Clouzot^) Television, File 03 Jul – 8 [delay]
146. Sorcerer (1977, William Friedkin) Academy Museum, DCP 03 Jul – 9 [late]
147. +The Night of the Hunter (1955, Charles Laughton) Academy Museum, 35mm (Friend) 06 Jul – 10
148. +Beauty and the Beast (1946, Jean Cocteau) New Beverly, 35mm 07 Jul – 8
149. Orpheus (1950, Jean Cocteau) New Beverly, 35mm (Friend) 07 Jul – 8
150. +Princess Mononoke (1997, Miyazaki Hayao) Academy Museum, 35mm 08 Jul – 9 [late; up from ~8]
151. The Lovers on the Bridge (1991, Leos Carax) Academy Museum, DCP (Friend) 08 Jul – 9 [slight]
152. The Misconceived (2026, James N. Kienitz Wilkins) Brain Dead Studios/Acropolis Cinema, 35mm (Volunteer, Director Q&A) 09 Jul – 8
s060. Breakaway (1966, Bruce Conner) Marciano Art Foundation, File 10 Jul – 9
s061. Mongoloid (1978, Bruce Conner) Marciano Art Foundation, File 10 Jul – 8
s062. America Is Waiting (1981, Bruce Conner) Marciano Art Foundation, File 10 Jul – 8
s063. Looking for Mushrooms (1996, Bruce Conner) Marciano Art Foundation, File 10 Jul – 8
s064. Looking for Mushrooms (1967, Bruce Conner) Marciano Art Foundation, File 10 Jul – 8
s065. Three Screen Ray (2006, Bruce Conner) Marciano Art Foundation, File 10 Jul – 9
s066. Crossroads (1976, Bruce Conner) Marciano Art Foundation, File 10 Jul – 9
s067. +A Movie (1958, Bruce Conner) Marciano Art Foundation, File 10 Jul – 8
153. Public Hearing (2012, James N. Kienitz Wilkins) Television, File 11 Jul – 8 [delay]
154. +Punch-Drunk Love (2002, Paul Thomas Anderson) New Beverly, 35mm 11 Jul – 9 [up from 8]
155. The Odyssey (2026, Christopher Nolan†) AMC Universal CityWalk, IMAX 70mm (Friend) 13 Jul – 6
156. The Saddest Music in the World (2003, Guy Maddin) Academy Museum, DCP (Director Q&A) 13 Jul – 8
157. Maddie’s Secret (2025, John Early^) Laemmle Glendale, DCP 14 Jul – 6 [late]
158. Bouchra (2025, Orian Barki^ & Meriem Bennani^) Laemmle Glendale, DCP 14 Jul – 7 [late]
159. I Want Your Sex (2026, Gregg Araki†) Rodeo Screening Room, DCP (Friends) 16 Jul – 5
160. Barrio triste (2025, Stillz^) AC Los Feliz 3, DCP 17 Jul – 8
161. The Approach of Autumn (1960, Naruse Mikio) AC Los Feliz 3, DCP 18 Jul – 8 [slight]
162. Remake (2025, Ross McElwee) Laemmle Royal, DCP 19 Jul – 8 [late, slight]
163. Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (2026, Jane Schoenbrun†) Wilshire Screening Room, DCP (Friend) 21 Jul – 6
164. It Ends (2025, Alexander Ullom^†) Rodeo Screening Room, DCP 21 Jul – 7
165. +Week-end (1967, Jean-Luc Godard) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 21 Jul – 10
166. +Cure (1997, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) Television, Blu-ray 24 Jul – 10
167. +Computer Chess (2013, Andrew Bujalski) Brain Dead Studios/Mezzanine, 35mm (Friend, Director Q&A) 24 Jul – 9 [up from 8]
s068. sitrep (2026, Blair Barnes) Brain Dead Studios/Mezzanine, DCP (Friend, Director Q&A) 24 Jul – 7
168. Traveling Actors (1940, Naruse Mikio) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 25 Jul – 8
169. +Back to the Future (1985, Robert Zemeckis) New Beverly, 35mm 26 Jul – 9 [up from ~8]
170. Center Stage (1991, Stanley Kwan) Culver Theater/Alula, LED (Friend, Director Q&A) 26 Jul – 10 [slight]
171. They Live by Night (1948, Nicholas Ray) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm (Friend) 26 Jul – 8 [slight]
172. The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970, Sam Peckinpah) Television, File 29 Jul – 9
173. License to Live (1998, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) Television, File 29 Jul – 9
174. Charisma (1999, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) Television, File 29 Jul – 8
175. Daughters, Wives and a Mother (1960, Naruse Mikio) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 01 Aug – 8 [late]
176. +Magnificent Obsession (1954, Douglas Sirk) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 02 Aug – 8 [technical]
177. Her Private Hell (2026, Nicolas Winding Refn) Laemmle Glendale, DCP 04 Aug – 4 [late]
178. Midnight Run (1988, Martin Brest) New Beverly, 35mm (Screenwriter Q&A) 05 Aug – 8 [late]
179. 48 Hrs. (1982, Walter Hill^) New Beverly, 35mm 05 Aug – 8
180. In the Cut (2003, Jane Campion) Academy Museum, 35mm 06 Aug – 8
181. My Dinner With Andre (1981, Louis Malle) New Beverly, 35mm 12 Aug – 6 [late]
182. +Vanya on 42nd Street (1994, Louis Malle) New Beverly, 35mm 12 Aug – 6 [late]
183. All of a Sudden (2026, Hamaguchi Ryusuke†) Sepulveda Screening Room, DCP 13 Aug – 9 [late]
184. Unfaithful (2002, Adrian Lyne^) Academy Museum, 35mm (Director Q&A) 14 Aug – 7
185. +All That Heaven Allows (1955, Douglas Sirk) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 15 Aug – 9 [up from 8]
186. Event Horizon (1997, Paul W. S. Anderson) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 15 Aug – 8
187. Munich (2005, Steven Spielberg) Academy Museum, 35mm 16 Aug – 8
188. Fast (2026, Rob Tregenza^) 2220 Arts + Archives/Acropolis Cinema, File (Volunteer, Cast Q&A) 18 Aug – 8 [delay]
189. Ponyo (2008, Miyazaki Hayao) Academy Museum, 35mm 19 Aug – 8
190. Ball of Fire (1941, Howard Hawks) New Beverly, 35mm 19 Aug – 8
191. The Lady Eve (1941, Preston Sturges) New Beverly, 35mm 19 Aug – 9
192. Fatherland (2026, Paweł Pawlikowski†) Wilshire Screening Room, DCP 20 Aug – 8 [late]
193. Birth (2004, Jonathan Glazer) AC Aero Theatre, 35mm 21 Aug – 6 [late]
194. Ghost World (2001, Terry Zwigoff^) New Beverly, 35mm 22 Aug – 7
195. Hill of No Return (1992, Wang Toon^) Television, File 23 Aug – 8
196. To Live and Die in L.A. (1985, William Friedkin) New Beverly, 35mm 25 Aug – 8
197. The Wailing (2016, Na Hong-jin^) Television, File 26 Aug – 6 [delay]
198. Hope (2026, Na Hong-jin†) UTA Theater, DCP 26 Aug – 7
199. The End of Oak Street (2026, David Robert Mitchell) AMC The Grove, DCP 26 Aug – 6
200. +Boyhood (2014, Richard Linklater) AC Aero Theatre, 35mm (Director Q&A) 28 Aug – 9
201. +Michael Clayton (2007, Tony Gilroy) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 29 Aug – 8
s069. Beautiful New Bay Area Project (2013, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) Television, File 31 Aug – 8
202. Seventh Code (2013, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) Television, File 31 Aug – 8
203. The Periphery of the Base (2024, Zhou Tao^) 2220 Arts + Archives/Acropolis Cinema, File (Volunteer) 31 Aug – 8 [slight]
204. The Rib of the Greater Bay Area (2026, Zhou Tao) 2220 Arts + Archives/Acropolis Cinema, File (Volunteer) 31 Aug – 9 [slight]
205. The Trouble With Being Born (2020, Sandra Wollner^) Television, File 01 Sep – 7 [delay]
206. Everytime (2026, Sandra Wollner†) Wilshire Screening Room, DCP (Friend) 01 Sep – 9 [late]
207. +Speed Racer (2008, Lana & Lilly Wachowski) Vista Theater, 35mm 01 Sep – 9
208. The Unknown (2026, Arthur Harari†) CAA Ray Kurtzman Theater, DCP (Director Reception) 02 Sep – 9
s070. Stolen Movie (1976, Craig Baldwin) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, DP (Friend) 03 Sep – 7
s071. Craig’s Cutting Room Floor (2011, Linda Izcali Scobie) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm (Friend) 03 Sep – 7
209. Sonic Outlaws (1995, Craig Baldwin^) 2220 Arts + Archives/Lightstruck, 16mm (Friend, Cinematographer Q&A) 03 Sep – 8
210. The Sun Never Sets (2026, Joe Swanberg) Landmark Pasadena, DCP (Friends) 04 Sep – 6
211. Written on the Wind (1956, Douglas Sirk) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 05 Sep – 8 [late]
212. +Brief Encounter (1945, David Lean) AC Los Feliz 3, 35mm 06 Sep – 9
213. +The Maltese Falcon (1941, John Huston) New Beverly, 35mm 06 Sep – 6 [down from 7]
214. Club Kid (2026, Jordan Firstman^†) UTA Theater, DCP (Director Q&A) 08 Sep – 7
215. Barren Illusion (1999, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) Television, File 09 Sep – 8
216. Bright Future (2003, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) Television, File 09 Sep – 9
217. +To the Ends of the Earth (2019, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) Television, File 09 Sep – 9
218. I Have Graduated (1992, Shi Jian^ and Wang Guangli^) Gardena Cinema, DCP (Friend) 12 Sep – 8 [slight]

2026 Viewing Log

January 1, 2026September 28, 2026Ryan Swen Lists Tags: log, viewing

January
+The Green Ray (1986, Éric Rohmer) 35mm – 10 [up from 9]
+Dragon Inn (1967, King Hu) LED – 10
+Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003, Tsai Ming-liang) LED – 10
Lumière, the Adventure Continues (2024, Thierry Frémaux) DP – 8
+Blue Velvet (1986, David Lynch) 35mm – 10
+Death Proof (2007, Quentin Tarantino) 35mm – 9
+Fantasia (1940, Ben Sharpsteen/Samuel Armstrong/James Algar/Bill Roberts & Paul Satterfield/Ford Beebe, Jr. & Jim Handley & Hamilton Luske/Norm Ferguson & T. Hee/Wilfred Jackson) 35mm – 9 [up from 8]
Vice Versa (1983, Aleksander Sroczyński) 35mm
+Jackass: The Movie (2002, Jeff Tremaine) 35mm – 8
Jackass Number Two (2006, Jeff Tremaine) 35mm – 8
A Useful Ghost (2025, Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke) DP – 7
Sugar Glass Bottle (2022, Sora Neo)
+Happyend (2024, Sora Neo) – 8

February
Brideless Groom (1947, Edward Bernds)
Road House (1989, Rowdy Herrington) – 8
Four Moods (1970, Omnibus) – 7
The Sojourn (2023, Tiffany Sia)
The King of Wuxia (2022, Lin Jing-jie) – 8
+sex, lies, and videotape (1989, Steven Soderbergh) DP – 8 [up from 7]
The Skeleton Woman (2009, Sarah Van Den Boom) 35mm
+In the Realm of the Senses (1976, Oshima Nagisa) 35mm – 9 [up from 8]
Fat Choi Spirit (2002, Johnnie To & Wai Ka-fai) – 9
Zu: Warriors From the Magic Mountain (1983, Tsui Hark) – 8
Hamlet Act (1982, Robert Nelson) 16mm
Event for a Stage (2015, Tacita Dean) 16mm – 8
Arabian Nights (1974, Pier Paolo Pasolini) 35mm – 8
Wife! Be Like a Rose! (1935, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 8
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (2025, Matt Johnson) DP – 7
Blades of the Guardians (2026, Yuen Woo-ping) DP – 8
Evidence (2025, Lee Anne Schmitt) DP – 7
+Apollo (2003, Nishikawa Tomonari) 16mm
+Market Street (2005, Nishikawa Tomonari) 16mm
+16-18-4 (2008, Nishikawa Tomonari) 35mm
+Lumphini 2552 (2009, Nishikawa Tomonari) 35mm
+Tokyo – Ebisu (2010, Nishikawa Tomonari) 16mm
+Shibuya – Tokyo (2010, Nishikawa Tomonari) 16mm
+45 7 Broadway (2013, Nishikawa Tomonari) 16mm
+Manhattan One Two Three Four (2014, Nishikawa Tomonari) DP
+sound of a million insects, light of a thousand stars (2014, Nishikawa Tomonari) 35mm
+Luminous Veil (2016, Nishikawa Tomonari) DP
+Ten Mornings Ten Evenings and One Horizon (2016, Nishikawa Tomonari) 16mm
+Amusement Ride (2019, Nishikawa Tomonari) 16mm
+Light, Noise, Smoke and Light, Noise Smoke (2023, Nishikawa Tomonari) 16mm

March
+The Birds (1963, Alfred Hitchcock) 35mm – 10 [up from 9]
Red Hot Riding Hood (1943, Tex Avery) 35mm
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965, Russ Meyer) 35mm – 8
Three Sisters With Maiden Hearts (1935, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 8
The Perfect Neighbor (2025, Geeta Gandbhir) – 8
Weapons (2025, Zach Cregger) – 6
Lumière! The Adventure Begins (2016, Thierry Frémaux) – 8
+Ahed’s Knee (2021, Nadav Lapid) – 8
Policeman (2011, Nadav Lapid) – 8
The Kindergarten Teacher (2014, Nadav Lapid) – 9
+Red Rocket (2021, Sean Baker) 35mm – 8

April
+Floating Clouds (1955, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 10 [up from 9]
Hit and Run (1966, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 8
+Throne of Blood (1957, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 8
The Drama (2026, Kristoffer Borgli) 35mm – 6
Repast (1951, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 8
Lightning (1952, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 10
Revelations of Divine Love (2025, Caroline Golum) – 7
With Hasan in Gaza (2025, Kamal Aljafari) LAFM, DP – 8
After Dreaming (2025, Christine Haroutounian) LAFM, DP – 7
Stray Dog (1949, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 7
Teenage Emotions (2021, Frédéric Da) – 8
Dreams of Passion (1989, Aarin Burch) LAFM, DP
Shades of Silk (1978, Mary Stephen) LAFM, DP – 7
isaiah’s phone (2025, Frédéric Da) LAFM, DP – 7
Dry Leaf (2025, Alexandre Koberidze) DP – 9
Chronovisor (2026, Jack Auen & Kevin Walker) LAFM, DP – 8
Blue Heron (2025, Sophy Romvari) LAFM, DP – 6
Project Hail Mary (2026, Phil Lord & Christopher Miller) DP – 6
The Christophers (2025, Steven Soderbergh) DP – 7
+Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010, Werner Herzog) 3D – 7
Sacro GRA (2013, Gianfranco Rosi) DP – 8
El Sicario, Room 164 (2010, Gianfranco Rosi) DP – 9
I Live in Fear (1955, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 8
+Hot Fuzz (2007, Edgar Wright) 35mm – 8
Fire Child (1971, Gordon Matta-Clark) 16mm
Fresh Kill (1972, Gordon Matta-Clark) 16mm
Bingo/Ninths (1974, Gordon Matta-Clark) 16mm
Splitting (1974, Gordon Matta-Clark) 16mm
Conical Intersect (1975, Gordon Matta-Clark) 16mm
City Slivers (1976, Gordon Matta-Clark) 16mm
+Ashes of Time (1994, Wong Kar-wai) LED – 10
The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993, Jeffrey Lau) LED – 8
+Notturno (2020, Gianfranco Rosi) DP – 8
Sherman’s March (1986, Ross McElwee) DP – 9
The Holy Girl (2004, Lucrecia Martel) – 8
Our Land (2025, Lucrecia Martel) DP – 8
The Hidden Fortress (1958, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 8
Sound of the Mountain (1954, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 9
+The Bad Sleep Well (1960, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 8
+The Devil Wears Prada (2006, David Frankel) – 7
Scotch Tape (1962, Jack Smith) 16mm
Flaming Creatures (1963, Jack Smith) 16mm – 9
Yellow Sequence (1965, Jack Smith) 16mm
Song for Rent (1969, Jack Smith) 16mm
Hot Air Specialists (1980, Jack Smith) 16mm
The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026, David Frankel) DP – 6
Harvest (2024, Athina Rachel Tsangari) – 8
The Slow Business of Going (2000, Athina Rachel Tsangari) – 7

May
The Arch (1968, Tang Shu-shuen) DP – 9
+Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984, Steven Spielberg) 35mm – 9 [up from 7]
+Unstoppable (2010, Tony Scott) 35mm – 9 [up from 8]
+The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009, Tony Scott) 35mm – 6 [down from 7]
+Yojimbo (1961, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 9 [up from 8]
Sanjuro (1962, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 8
Erupcja (2025, Pete Ohs) DP – 6
Two Pianos (2025, Arnaud Desplechin) DP – 7
Attenberg (2010, Athina Rachel Tsangari) DP – 8
Chevalier (2015, Athina Rachel Tsangari) DP – 8
+Red Beard (1965, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 8
+Police Story (1985, Jackie Chan) 35mm – 9
The Last Detail (1973, Hal Ashby) 35mm – 8
The Last One for the Road (2025, Francesco Sossai) DP – 8
Flowing (1956, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 9
Mother (1952, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 8
Rhapsody in August (1991, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 7
Cactus Wren (2024, Kevin Jerome Everson) DP
Hough 66 (2023, Kevin Jerome Everson) DP
If You Don’t Watch the Way You Move (2023, Kevin Jerome Everson) DP
Necessary Trip (2025, Kevin Jerome Everson) DP
Simca Vega Cricket (2026, Kevin Jerome Everson) DP
Banging on Their Bars in Rhythm (2024, Kevin Jerome Everson) DP
Out of State Plates (2026, Kevin Jerome Everson) DP
Eason (2016, Kevin Jerome Everson) DP
California Quail (2024, Kevin Jerome Everson) DP
Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) (2025, Joel Alfonso Vargas) DP – 7
Night and the City (1950, Jules Dassin) 35mm – 8
+Django Unchained (2012, Quentin Tarantino) 35mm – 8 [up from 7]
+Frankenstein (1931, James Whale) 35mm – 8
24 Frames per Century (2013, Athina Rachel Tsangari) DP
The Solid Tin Coyote (1966, Rudy Larriva) 35mm
I Love Maria (1988, David Chung) 35mm – 6
Aces Go Places IV (1986, Ringo Lam) 35mm – 7
Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft (2026, James Cameron & Billie Eilish) 3D – 6
Being There (1979, Hal Ashby) 35mm – 8
Silent Friend (2025, Enyedi Ildikó) DP – 6
+Dersu Uzala (1975, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 9
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 8
+Ran (1985, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 9
+The Dark Knight (2008, Christopher Nolan) 35mm – 6 [down from ~7]
+Kagemusha (1980, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 9
The Furious (2025, Tanigaki Kenji) DP – 7
I Love Boosters (2026, Boots Riley) DP – 6
Scattered Clouds (1967, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 9
Two Seasons, Two Strangers (2025, Miyake Sho) DP – 8
Dreams (1990, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 7
+Total Recall (1990, Paul Verhoeven) 70mm – 9
Late Chrysanthemums (1954, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 9
Madadayo (1993, Kurosawa Akira) 35mm – 7
+Yearning (1964, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 10
Eureka (2000, Aoyama Shinji) – 9

June
The Nutty Network (1939, Mannie Davis) 35mm
War of the Worlds (2005, Steven Spielberg) 35mm – 8
+Edge of Tomorrow (2014, Doug Liman) 35mm – 7
The Girl Chewing Gum (1976, John Smith) 16mm
Whitney Commercial (1973, Suzan Pitt) 16mm
Penny Bright & Jimmy Witherspoon (1967, Robert Nelson) 16mm
Waterfall (1968, Chick Strand) 16mm
Gridrose (1981, James Otis) 16mm
The Secret Story (1996, Janie Geiser) 16mm
Orchard (2004, Julie Murray) 16mm
“Yes, I Said Yes, I Will, Yes.” (1999, Phil Solomon) 16mm
See What You Hear What You See (1983, Barbara Hammer) 16mm
Picasso (1973, Chris Langdon) 16mm
The Shape of Things (1981, Mike Henderson) 16mm
Junior (1988, Gus Van Sant) 16mm
Animato (1977, Mike Jittlov) 16mm
+— ——- (1967, Thom Andersen & Malcolm Brodwick) 16mm
Throbs (1972, Fred Worden) 16mm
Threads (1984, Mick Jackson) DP – 6
+Boy (1969, Oshima Nagisa) DP – 9 [up from 8]
+A Hard Day’s Night (1964, Richard Lester) 35mm – 8
I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978, Robert Zemeckis) 35mm – 8
Disclosure Day (2026, Steven Spielberg) DP – 8
+Days of Heaven (1978, Terrence Malick) 35mm – 10
+The Wild Child (1970, François Truffaut) 35mm – 9 [up from 8]
The Scarlet Empress (1934, Josef von Sternberg) – 9
The Devil Is a Woman (1935, Josef von Sternberg) 35mm – 10
+The Third Man (1949, Carol Reed) 35mm – 8 [down from ~9]
Street Without End (1934, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 8
The Wheel of Life (1983, Omnibus) – 8
Desperate Living (1977, John Waters) 35mm – 9
Down by Law (1986, Jim Jarmusch) 35mm – 9
Offside (2006, Jafar Panahi) 35mm – 9
The French Connection (1971, William Friedkin) 35mm – 8
All the King’s Men (1983, King Hu) – 8
The Decay of Fiction (2002, Pat O’Neill) 35mm – 8
An Injury to All (2026, Travis Wilkerson) DP – 8
An Injury to One (2001, Travis Wilkerson) DP – 9
+Nope (2022, Jordan Peele) 70mm – 9 [up from 8]
The Invite (2026, Olivia Wilde) DP – 5
Hekla (2026, Michael Glover Smith) DP – 7
Wife (1953, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 8
Light Eater (2026, Ryland Walker Knight)
+My Night at Maud’s (1969, Éric Rohmer) 35mm – 10 [up from 9]
La Commune (Paris, 1871) (2000, Peter Watkins) DP – 10
Escape (2025, Adachi Masao) DP – 8

July
The Samurai and the Prisoner (2026, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) DP – 9
Moonstruck (1987, Norman Jewison) 35mm – 6
The Great McGinty (1940, Preston Sturges) 35mm – 8
The Wages of Fear (1953, Henri-Georges Clouzot) – 8
Sorcerer (1977, William Friedkin) DP – 9
+The Night of the Hunter (1955, Charles Laughton) 35mm – 10
+Beauty and the Beast (1946, Jean Cocteau) 35mm – 8
Orpheus (1950, Jean Cocteau) 35mm – 8
+Princess Mononoke (1997, Miyazaki Hayao) 35mm – 9 [up from ~8]
The Lovers on the Bridge (1991, Leos Carax) DP – 9
The Misconceived (2026, James N. Kienitz Wilkins) 35mm – 8
Breakaway (1966, Bruce Conner) DP
Mongoloid (1978, Bruce Conner) DP
America Is Waiting (1981, Bruce Conner) DP
Looking for Mushrooms (1996, Bruce Conner) DP
Looking for Mushrooms (1967, Bruce Conner) DP
Three Screen Ray (2006, Bruce Conner) DP
Crossroads (1976, Bruce Conner) DP
+A Movie (1958, Bruce Conner) DP
Public Hearing (2012, James N. Kienitz Wilkins) – 8
+Punch-Drunk Love (2002, Paul Thomas Anderson) 35mm – 9 [up from 8]
The Odyssey (2026, Christopher Nolan) 70mm – 6
The Saddest Music in the World (2003, Guy Maddin) DP – 8
Maddie’s Secret (2025, John Early) DP – 6
Bouchra (2025, Orian Barki & Meriem Bennani) DP – 7
I Want Your Sex (2026, Gregg Araki) DP – 5
Barrio triste (2025, Stillz) DP – 8
The Approach of Autumn (1960, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 8
Remake (2025, Ross McElwee) DP – 8
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (2026, Jane Schoenbrun) DP – 6
It Ends (2025, Alexander Ullom) DP – 7
+Week-end (1967, Jean-Luc Godard) 35mm – 10
+Cure (1997, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) – 10
+Computer Chess (2013, Andrew Bujalski) 35mm – 9 [up from 8]
sitrep (2026, Blair Barnes) DP
Traveling Actors (1940, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 8
+Back to the Future (1985, Robert Zemeckis) 35mm – 9 [up from ~8]
Center Stage (1991, Stanley Kwan) LED – 10
They Live by Night (1948, Nicholas Ray) 35mm – 8
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970, Sam Peckinpah) – 9
License to Live (1998, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) – 9
Charisma (1999, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) – 8

August
Daughters, Wives and a Mother (1960, Naruse Mikio) 35mm – 8
+Magnificent Obsession (1954, Douglas Sirk) 35mm – 8
Her Private Hell (2026, Nicolas Winding Refn) DP – 4
Midnight Run (1988, Martin Brest) 35mm – 8
48 Hrs. (1982, Walter Hill) 35mm – 8
In the Cut (2003, Jane Campion) 35mm – 8
My Dinner With Andre (1981, Louis Malle) 35mm – 6
+Vanya on 42nd Street (1994, Louis Malle) 35mm – 6
All of a Sudden (2026, Hamaguchi Ryusuke) DP – 9
Unfaithful (2002, Adrian Lyne) 35mm – 7
+All That Heaven Allows (1955, Douglas Sirk) 35mm – 9 [up from 8]
Event Horizon (1997, Paul W. S. Anderson) 35mm – 8
Munich (2005, Steven Spielberg) 35mm – 8
Fast (2026, Rob Tregenza) DP – 8
Ponyo (2008, Miyazaki Hayao) 35mm – 8
Ball of Fire (1941, Howard Hawks) 35mm – 8
The Lady Eve (1941, Preston Sturges) 35mm – 9
Fatherland (2026, Paweł Pawlikowski) DP – 8
Birth (2004, Jonathan Glazer) 35mm – 6
Ghost World (2001, Terry Zwigoff) 35mm – 7
Hill of No Return (1992, Wang Toon) – 8
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985, William Friedkin) 35mm – 8
The Wailing (2016, Na Hong-jin) – 6
Hope (2026, Na Hong-jin) DP – 7
The End of Oak Street (2026, David Robert Mitchell) DP – 6
+Boyhood (2014, Richard Linklater) 35mm – 9
+Michael Clayton (2007, Tony Gilroy) 35mm – 8
Beautiful New Bay Area Project (2013, Kurosawa Kiyoshi)
Seventh Code (2013, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) – 8
The Periphery of the Base (2024, Zhou Tao) DP – 8
The Rib of the Greater Bay Area (2026, Zhou Tao) DP – 9

September
The Trouble With Being Born (2020, Sandra Wollner) – 7
Everytime (2026, Sandra Wollner) DP – 9
+Speed Racer (2008, Lana & Lilly Wachowski) 35mm – 9
The Unknown (2026, Arthur Harari) DP – 9
Stolen Movie (1976, Craig Baldwin) DP
Craig’s Cutting Room Floor (2011, Linda Izcali Scobie) 16mm
Sonic Outlaws (1995, Craig Baldwin) 16mm – 8
The Sun Never Sets (2026, Joe Swanberg) DP – 6
Written on the Wind (1956, Douglas Sirk) 35mm – 8
+Brief Encounter (1945, David Lean) 35mm – 9
+The Maltese Falcon (1941, John Huston) 35mm – 6 [down from 7]
Club Kid (2026, Jordan Firstman) DP – 7
Barren Illusion (1999, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) – 8
Bright Future (2003, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) – 9
+To the Ends of the Earth (2019, Kurosawa Kiyoshi) – 9
I Have Graduated (1992, Shi Jian and Wang Guangli) DP – 8
Minotaur (2026, Andrey Zvyagintsev) DP – 7
Misty Green (2026, Chris Rock) DP – 6
Bitter Christmas (2026, Pedro Almodóvar) DP – 8
The Only Living Pickpocket in New York (2026, Noah Segan) DP – 6
The Debut (2026, Jesse Eisenberg) DP – 7
little boy (2025, James Benning) DP – 8
The Uncles (2004, Tacita Dean) 16mm – 8
Digger (2026, Alejandro González Iñárritu) DP – 5
The Bourne Legacy (2012, Tony Gilroy) – 6
R.M.N. (2022, Cristian Mungiu) – 7
Fjord (2026, Cristian Mungiu) DP – 6
London (2026, Sebastian Brameshuber) DP – 8
The Empire (2024, Bruno Dumont) – 7
Just Like Weather (1986, Allen Fong) NYFF, DP – 8
Joy of Joys (2026, Jonathan Glazer) NYFF, DP
Bucking Fastard (2026, Werner Herzog) NYFF, DP – 8
Red Rocks (2026, Bruno Dumont) NYFF, DP – 8
Bardi (2026, Tala Hadid) NYFF, DP – 7
The Loneliest Man in Town (2026, Tizza Covi & Rainer Frimmel) NYFF, DP – 8
Paper Tiger (2026, James Gray) NYFF, 35mm – 9
Dao (2026, Alain Gomis) NYFF, DP – 9
Lázaro at Night (2024, Nicolás Pereda) – 8
Everything Else Is Noise (2026, Nicolás Pereda) NYFF, DP – 8
Fevers (2026, James Richards) NYFF, DP
The End (1992, Artavazd Peleshyan) NYFF, DP
Forever…Forever (2026, Johann Lurf) NYFF, 70mm
Screening Room (1968, Morgan Fisher) NYFF, 35mm
Procedures (2026, Simon Liu) NYFF, DP
Practice Towards Light (2026, Jonathan Seung-joon Lee) NYFF, DP
Interwoven Intervals (2026, Laura Kraning) NYFF, DP
Flim Flam (2026, Siegfried A. Fruhauf) NYFF, DP
Moored Shadow (2026, Karissa Hahn) NYFF, DP
Day One (2026, Cameron Worden) NYFF, 35mm
Branching Streams Flow in the Darkness (2026, Zhang Yixuan) NYFF, 3D
A Correspondence (2026, Josh Weissbach & Ben Balcom) NYFF, DP
Chronicle of Tiredness (2026, Natalia Marín) NYFF, DP
Rebecca’s Mess (2026, Jamie Crewe) NYFF, DP
Harmony (1991, Aoki Tatsu) NYFF, 16mm
La Gradiva (2026, Marine Atlan) NYFF, DP – 8
Outside Noise (2022, Ted Fendt) –
Carol & Joy (2025, Nathan Silver)

Taipei Mansions

The official website of Ryan Swen.

Author: Ryan Swen