worldclass

Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.

I have been writing this newsletter, most weeks, for more than 10 years now. I wouldn’t even want to do the math on how many of them that would be, or just how many movies I have written about. That count is about to come to a close as this is the last one.

Don’t worry: I will still be covering the world-class scene of moviegoing in Los Angeles as well as writing about a broad swath of films and filmmakers, just finding new ways to go about it.

When this newsletter began, it was a catch-all for movie coverage and related events from The Times and eventually settled into a curated survey of the best new releases each week. We helped figure out what you should go see. As theaters reopened following the closures forced by the pandemic, the repertory scene in Los Angeles exploded, with new audiences turning out for old movies in astonishing numbers.

We followed their lead, flipping the focus of the newsletter to the rep scene while still keeping an eye on new releases. Venues around the city had a newly revived energy to match audiences’ enthusiasm. The Academy Museum opened with two gold-standard theaters, while the American Cinematheque expanded the number of screens it programs. (Just recently, it added the historic Village Theater in Westwood.) The Vista began bringing first-run films in 35mm and 70mm, along with classic movies. Vidiots opened in Eagle Rock, helping to redraw the map of L.A.’s movie-loving community.

The David Geffen Theater at the Academy Museum seats a thousand and is often fully attended.

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The city has also seen the rise of itinerant pop-up series such as Mezzanine, Acropolis Cinema and Hollywood Entertainment pulling off must-see events. Smaller venues such as Now Instant Image Hall, 2220 Arts + Archives, Eastwood Performing Arts Center, Brain Dead Studios and the Philosophical Research Society have made a home to all kinds of movies. The Laemmle and Landmark chains have continue to play traditional arthouse releases and international films, while the Frida and Gardena theaters bring great movies to the South Bay.

Entities such as Revival Hub and MovieTown do a vital job of collating extensive listings info. (We will also continue to give monthly overviews of the best movies to see.) This is simply an incredible time for going to the movies in Los Angeles, arguably the best ever.

My main takeaway from the experience of working on this newsletter is confirmation of my belief in the movies themselves and the community of people around them. I was recently at a sold-out screening of Akira Kurosawa’s “Ran” and the idea of sitting with nearly a thousand other people watching a Japanese movie from the 1980s, each connecting to the events on screen in their own way, was deeply inspiring.

Among my favorite recent developments is how many venues now name the show’s projectionists as part of a screening’s introduction, which is always met with an enthusiastic round of applause. It is a reminder that what this is really about is people, dedicated to something we love.

And since this isn’t really a goodbye, it seems fitting to turn to the movies once again, as another week demonstrates why the scene here in Los Angeles is so truly special.

A tribute to Sam Neill

Sam Neill and Nicole Kidman on the set of 1989’s “Dead Calm.”

(Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

Anyone looking for an example of just how intimate the screening scene in Los Angeles can be should make their way to the New Beverly Cinema on July 24. The theater already had a three-night double-bill of Rob Reiner’s “Misery” and Phillip Noyce’s 1989 thriller “Dead Calm” booked when news broke last weekend that actor Sam Neill had died at age 78.

The New Bev quickly announced that it would make one of those screenings into a tribute to Neill, who co-stars in “Dead Calm.” Director Noyce, along with co-star Billy Zane and filmmaker Roger Donaldson (who worked with Neill on 1977’s “Sleeping Dogs”) will all be there to celebrate their friend and colleague.

“Dead Calm” is a tight thriller set within the confines of a small sailing boat. Reviewing the movie when it was first released in 1989, Sheila Benson wrote, “Neill is probably one of the screen’s most underrated actors … ‘Dead Calm’ was probably far and away his nastiest assignment physically, yet his presence, sexuality and all, is absolutely vital to the balance of the story.”

Remembering the actor as part of a rundown of his greatest performances, Glen Whipp described Neill in “Dead Calm” as “part Cary Grant, part MacGyver.”

Two by Ross McElwee

Documentary filmmaker Ross McElwee in his 1986 movie “Sherman’s March.”

(Music Box Films)

Documentary filmmaker Ross McElwee helped to reinvent the form with his 1986 film “Sherman’s March,” which comes with the explanatory subtitle of “A Meditation on the Possibility of Romantic Love in the South During an Era of Nuclear Weapons Proliferation.”

Ostensibly a film about Union General William Tecumsah Sherman’s campaign of destruction during the Civil War, the movie actually ends up being about McElwee revisiting old girlfriends and forging a few new ones along the way, reflecting on his own campaign of romantic misadventure. As charming as it is revelatory, the movie is being rereleased in a new 4K restoration.

McElwee’s latest film, “Remake,” reflects on the death of his son Adrian and whether the director himself had a detrimental effect on the boy’s life. Reviewing “Remake,” Tim Grierson calls it “especially revealing — both in terms of the glimpses we get of this father-son relationship and of unsolved mysteries that linger just outside the frame.”

A weekend with Robert Rodriguez

Quentin Tarantino, George Clooney and Salma Hayek in the horror movie “From Dusk Till Dawn.”

(Academy Museum)

The Academy Museum will present “A Weekend with Robert Rodriguez” to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “From Dusk Till Dawn” and the 25th anniversary of “Spy Kids.” It speaks to Rodriguez’s undersung range as a filmmaker that one movie is a bawdy, gory comedy about a criminals on the run who encounter an ancient den of vampires, while the other is a family-friendly tale of two siblings who discover their parents are secret agents and must rescue them from a supervillain.

Rodriguez will not only be present to talk about both movies, he will be performing music each day with a different band.

Reviewing “From Dusk Till Dawn,” which was scripted by Quentin Tarantino, Jack Matthews said it was “a film nerd’s fever dream, a Frankenstein’s monster of used movie parts, deliberately mismatched styles, and deliriously implausible characters.”

Elaine May’s secret success

Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange in the movie “Tootsie.”

(Everett Collection / Columbia Pictures)

One of the most exciting things about the ongoing revival of L.A.’s repertory scene is the upheaval of the notion of the “canon.” What are the most lauded movies of all time and who gets to do the lauding? Case in point is the now widely accepted coronation of Elaine May as a towering creative figure, no longer relegated to being merely a fringe character unfairly saddled with the commercial failure of “Ishtar.”

May is credited as director on only four feature films, though she’s an uncredited writer on a number of other projects, perhaps most notably 1982’s comedy “Tootsie,” starring Dustin Hoffman as a struggling New York City actor who finds success when he lands a part by secretly posing as a woman. Directed by Sydney Pollack, who also makes a tremendous turn as Hoffman’s agent, the movie will be playing at Vidiots on Saturday.

Finding new moves

Wiley Wiggins and Patrick Riester in the movie “Computer Chess.”

(Kino Lorber)

The very first thing I ever wrote under the banner of Indie Focus was about how independent filmmakers such as Andrew Bujalski and Alex Ross Perry were working on 35mm at a time when mainstream Hollywood was very much forcing the idea of shooting on digital. So it only seems appropriate that this final edition of the newsletter should include something on Bujalksi, who has long been one of my favorite contemporary American filmmakers.

“Computer Chess,” Bujalski’s oddball experiment in using antiquated video equipment to tell a heady, offbeat story about a weekend chess tournament in the early ’80s, will screen in a 35mm print at Brain Dead Studios on July 24, presented by Mezzanine. Bujalski will be present, along with Blair Barnes, a filmmaker who will be showing the L.A. premiere of his short “sitrep,” also shot on an analog-era tube camera.

New this week

Matt Damon and Zendaya in the movie “The Odyssey.”

(Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures)

Sure to be one of the biggest movies of the year, Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of “The Odyssey” opens today. Los Angeles audiences have multiple venues to choose from that are showing the film in Nolan’s preferred Imax 70mm format — these theaters are among only a small number across the world that are doing this. Presenting a movie in Imax 70mm isn’t the easiest endeavor. Eloise Rollins-Fife has a report on how that’s actually done. Get your epic on.

Reviewing the movie, Amy Nicholson wrote, “Nolan refuses to tremble before the canon. Grabbing mighty scissors, he cuts and rejiggers Homer and a bit of Virgil to transform these classical texts into his type of tale: one fixated on memory, self-identity, destructive genius and the slippage of time. As ever, it’s light on sex, heavy on wine-dark angst.”

Kenneth Turan spoke to Nolan about the movie’s origins, saying, “I’ve been telling this story in all my films for years. It’s a family story, a love story, a revenge story, a war story, a coming-of-age story. It’s a very strong foundational text for me.”

A SPRAWLING golf course has undergone a multi-million pound transformation – and it’s set in the heart of the English countryside.

The lakeside location has now been upgraded to a luxury “world-class” getaway.

The Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere in Knutsford, has completed its £70million renovation, transforming the site into a 5-star countryside retreat.

Works done to the previously-named The Mere Golf Resort & Spa, included upgrading the 81 exisiting guest rooms into luxury suites, with an additional 35 rooms added to the property.

Located on the shoreline of Lake Mere, the 157-acre site now features an 18-hole championship golf course, originally designed in the 1930s by James Braid and George Duncan.

Guests will also be able to luxuriate in the property’s on-site spa and wellness resort, which boasts three pools, seven thermal experiences – including a sauna, salt room and hammam – alongside three cold plunge pools.

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A Technogym fitness studio also offers spin and HIIT sessions, with a covered outdoor class area ideal for training under open skies.

Further upgrades include a new restaurant to be operated by Gordon Ramsay, featuring lakeside dining and seasonal British ingredients – as well as the chef’s signature beef Wellington.

Enhancements have also been made to the existing orangery, which now incorporates a champagne and freshly-shucked oyster bar, as well as an afternoon tea atrium.

Located just 10 minutes from Manchester Airport, and just half an hour from the city centre, the property has said “it is one of the North
West’s leading destinations for conferences, weddings and corporate retreats”.

As a result, the site offers a separate conference and events centre with ten dedicated spaces, the largest of which – the Grand Ballroom – has a capacity up to 1,000 guests.

The resort, which opened last Friday (July 10), is managed by the French multinational hospitality company, Accor.

This marks Accor’s fourth Fairmont-branded property in the country, joining Fairmont Windsor Park, Fairmont St Andrews and The Savoy.

Israr Liaqat, group CEO for Select Group, said: “From the outset, Russell WBHO brought the skills, experience, and dedication that this project demanded, and the result speaks for itself.

“The development sets a new benchmark for five-star hospitality in the North West, offering opulent accommodation, world-class spa and golf experiences, exceptional dining and grand event spaces.”

WITH legendary lochs, impressive mountains, and beaches that rival tropical islands, Scotland is a truly unforgettable holiday destination.

Whether you’re looking to relax by the shore, hike through dramatic glens, or dive into the nation’s incredible foodie scene, Scotland offers the ultimate £9.50 escape.

So the hardest question on your upcoming £9.50 Holiday will be: where to visit first?

Families wanting to explore the local area will have stacks of choice. 

You could start with a gentle steam train ride through the countryside, with the likes of Strathspey Steam Railway sure to put a smile on your child’s face.

Need to up the ante? Older kids can test their courage with adrenaline-pumping activities like the Highland Fling bungee jump in Killiecrankie or burn off steam at Pirate Pete’s adventure play park in Ayr.

Taking your brood to a country park like Eglinton is another great way of letting them run off excess energy – and it has the added bonus of being completely free to visit.

Other top-rated free things to do in Scotland include hiking up Arthur’s Seat and visiting the National Museum of Scotland, both in Edinburgh, and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.

If you want a deeper dive into nature, you could head to one of the country’s two National Parks – at Loch Lomond and Cairngorms – which are packed with nature trails. 

For a route that’s loaded with history, try the outdoor “museum without walls” Cateran Ecomuseum.

It features ancient Pictish stones and the Cateran Trail, which you can explore by foot, bike or car. 

Alternatively, try and catch a glimpse of the famous Loch Ness Monster at Loch Ness – the world’s largest lake by volume.

Prefer to bask by the beach (weather permitting)? Then you’ll be spoilt for choice. 

With over 11,000 miles of coastline including its islands, Scotland has some of the UK’s best beaches, with Camusdarach Beach on the west coast and Gullane Bents, East Lothian, among those highly rated. 

Sun readers also have their own favourite Scottish beaches, from the near-deserted shores of Embo Beach in the Highlands to the family-friendly sands at Silver Sands near Lossiemouth. 

And with so many beautiful lochs, you also have freshwater beaches including the UK’s highest beach at Loch Morlich (318m). 

Beach days can be filled with buckets and spades, sea swimming or trying a raft of activities such as paddleboarding (do it off the coast of Nairn, and you could spot the resident pod of dolphins).

A swim in nature doesn’t have to be by the sea – with wild swimming spots that include river pools in the Highlands and “Rob Roy’s Bathtub”, a massive plunge pool fed by the Falls of Falloch.

You can also explore Scotland’s incredible lochs by kayak or paddleboard, with Priory Island on Loch Tay a fantastic option for an adventure without any crowds. 

When it’s time to refuel, Scotland has everything from sea view restaurants to cheap and cheerful cafes, like Doon the Beach, a community cafe just behind Stevenson Beach, and Milk Bar in Inverness. 

Keen to sample local flavours? Get your fill of everything from hearty haggis to Cullen Sink – a soup of smoked haddock, potatoes and onions – at somewhere like Garden Cafe Pitlochry.

And no trip to Scotland would be complete without a wee dram. 

There are traditional pubs aplenty, like The Auld Smiddy Inn in Pitlochry, as well as distilleries like the Blair Athol Distillery where you can learn more about the process of making the tipple on an organised tour.

A NEW “world-class” arena is being plotted for an iconic UK seaside resort.

The Government has pledged £20million to explore the possibility of bringing the development to life.

A new indoor arena has been proposed for Blackpool, as part of the area’s continued bid to become the UK’s City of Culture for 2029.

Currently dubbed the Phoenix Pavilion Arena, the venue would become the focal point of the city’s wider regeneration strategy.

With a proposed capacity of 15,000 to 20,000, Carters Building Consultancy said the site would host major concerts, sporting events, festivals, trade shows and live performances.

It would also create a new waterfront hospitality area, with cafes, bars and restaurants facing the promenade.

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Blackpool South MP, Chris Webb, began a petition in November last year supporting the proposal, which has since been signed by thousands of local residents.

As a result, the Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, has now pledged £20million to explore the next stage of the development.

Webb said: “This funding gives Blackpool the opportunity to properly test whether the project is commercially viable and put us in the strongest possible position to attract an experienced private-sector partner with the expertise to develop, operate and programme a world-class venue.

“It has the potential to attract visitors throughout the year, support our hotels, restaurants and local businesses, create high-quality jobs and strengthen Blackpool’s position as the UK’s entertainment capital.”

The investment will assess whether the construction of the arena is financially feasible and whether it would be the right investment for the area.

It also places the proposal in a better position to attract private investors.

This comes as part of Blackpool’s £2billion regeneration program set to transform the seaside city.

Completed projects include the Talbot Road tramway extension – which connected the Promenade to Blackpool North railway station – and construction is currently underway on a new £65million, high-tech university campus.

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NEW plans have revealed the planned makeover for one UK station that sees 14.8million passengers every year.

The busy train station in the North of England is set to undergo a huge overhaul as part of a multi-billion pound project that will transform it into a ‘world-class hub’.

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The council has revealed ambitious plans to upgrade Liverpool Central Station which first opened in 1874.

Its makeover will be part of a wider regeneration – London-based architecture firm Hawkins\Brown taking charge of the vision across the 86-acre site.

New renders reveal a brand-new look for Central Station with a completely different front, as well as a bright inside with lots of windows and a glass roof to let in natural light.

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Other images show what the central plaza could look like in the evening with open spaces, greenery and purple lighting.

The hope is that Liverpool Central will link with nearby Liverpool Lime Street with Merseyrail services connecting with National Rail services.

It would then be easy to reach Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter, its waterfront and Queen Square, which is home to bars, cafes and restaurants.

This will be much like King’s Cross and London St Pancras, which are two separate stations, but used as one hub within the city.

This included the possibility of an underground tunnel between the stations too.

The project to overhaul not only the station, but central Liverpool area, is predicted to cost £5billion with the council hoping it will “create a world-class hub.”

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “Liverpool Central is one of the busiest and most important transport gateways in the country – and the area around it should match the ambition of the city it serves.

He continued: “This is a chance for us to think bigger about the future of one of the key front doors to Liverpool – creating a greener, safer and better-connected gateway that works for residents, businesses and the millions of people who pass through it every year.”

Last year, details emerged for more plans to better connect the city centre.

As part of the wider regeneration of Liverpool, new homes, shops and public spaces will be also created.

A NEW multi-million museum is set to open in one of the UK’s prettiest cities.

Fashion Museum Bath is currently closed, but has revealed plans to reopen in the city’s Old Post Office.

The project is being designed by architects 6a, known for projects such as MK Gallery in Milton Keynes and South London Gallery.

Set to be approved next week, inside would be an 100,000 piece collection spanning 300 years.

Along with the gallery, the Bath attraction would also have a shop and cafe inside.

Set to cost £54million, it would open by 2030 when given the go-ahead.

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Councillor Mark Elliott, cabinet member for resources, said: “To get an entirely new world-class museum including improvements to the surrounding public realm for £54m will be a great achievement.”

The museum website states: “The new Museum will champion fashion’s transformative power as a global industry and expression of creativity, culture and identity.

“Our mission is to craft a ground-breaking museum that brings fashion to life for people locally and globally, helping to reshape Bath for the future.

Bath is known for being one of the UK’s most beautiful cities, and was named the world’s best place to visit by New York Times last year.

It was even named one of the best cities to visit by Time Out this year.

The new museum is part of a wider £7million Milsom Quarter Masterplan of Bath, which will also see improved streets and public spaces as well as as new creative workspaces.

A HUGE new “world class new visit destination” is set to open in the UK.

Xanadoo is a new indoor attraction concept that has been designed by some of the people behind the Eden Project.

They claim it will be “unlike any other museum” with massive playgrounds, art areas and food halls, as well as being educational.

When guests arrive, the will be a market hall with food and drink stalls.

The first area is the “Road to Happiness” with a series of art installations along the way.

Then there is “The Gallery of Marvellous Situations” which they say will take people “back in time” using immersive experiences.

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The Playground in the third area, with images showing slides, a huge helter skelter, climbing structures, mazes, and even a life-size snakes and ladders.

Then in the fourth area is “Tomorrow’s World” with futuristic designs showing the world in hundreds of years time.

“Call to Action” is the final area, which has a life-size “game” with levers and dials that show the impact on the current world.

The entire attraction ‘will bring “science and art” together, and be for all ages.

The cost of the project hasn’t been revealed, but it is thought that £840million will be brought to the local economy, they predict.

They hope it will encourage year-round visitors, including families and school trips as well as locals.

Where it will be built is also yet to be revealed, although they are looking at locations across South Wales.

Gaynor Coley, co-founder of the Eden Project, told local media: “We believe Xanadoo can do the same for South Wales as the Eden Project did for Cornwall.

“An economic impact assessment has just been carried out and it has bought £6 billion to Cornwall and the West Country which is more than the whole of European funding and we’d like to do the same for South Wales.

“It will bring sustainable tourism, support hospitality and creativity, storytelling, digital and health and wellbeing.”

Eden Project opened in Cornwall back in 2020, and remains the only one of its kind.

However, a second site – Eden Project Morecambe – is set to open next year.

Other planned Eden Projects include Scotland as well as Costa Rica, China and Australia.

And another huge indoor attraction set to open in the UK is Therme Manchester, a massive water resort with pools, slides and spas.