the BEAT of the week: Oscar-nominated shorts at the Nuart.

Ah, Oscar season is upon us once again. I, admittedly, have some reservations about the nominees among this year's pack, but I still have faith in one category: the shorts.

They're often overlooked and forgotten within the short span of a minute and a half (or however long they give you for a speech), but the quick spurts of passionate cinematic work are usually quite fun and moving. They're perfect for the short attention span. They might even clue you in to filmmakers to watch. And if anything, they'll surely help your Oscar party ballot.

So here's your chance to check them out for yourself! The Nuart will be screening the animated and live-action nominees up to the Oscars themselves. Have a gander and let me know what you think (The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is quite beautiful, yes?)!

The Oscar Nominated Short Films of 2012 will screen beginning this Friday, Feb. 10 at the Nuart Theatre, located at 11272 Santa Monica Blvd. in West L.A.

-- Chau Tu

Do It. Clueless at the Nuart.

The internet was recently graced with a beautiful video of Paul Rudd, prior to his rise as a Hollywood pretty boy stud, fulfilling his duties as a DJ at a bat mitzvah. He was really into limbo!

Now that you're in the mood for some old school Rudd, you can check out one of my favorites of his roles: the laid-back, unassumingly cute ex-stepbrother Josh in Clueless. The 90s movie starring Alicia Silverstone has surprisingly aged well, and is sure to bring back some great memories of weird fashions (knee high socks are back! And so are crop tops?) and funny catchphrases. And of course, it'll be great to see Brittany Murphy, so young and gawky. But it'll also probably make you wonder why we don't have a technology a la Cher's outfit-making closet yet. Whatever!

Clueless screens tonight at midnight at the Nuart, located at 11272 Santa Monica Blvd. in West L.A.

**And if you're in the mood for even more young Paul Rudd (and who isn't!?), the Academy Cinemas in Pasadena is screening Wet Hot American Summer at midnight on Saturday.

-- Chau Tu

Do It. "Fight Club" at the Nuart.

In case you haven't heard, the new Twilight movie is out. Just in time for the 4th of July weekend, and possibly just the right reason to want to avoid the multiplexes tonight. Need another incentive? How about a modern classic at your local one-screen theater?

You're in luck! David Fincher's phenomenal Fight Club, starring, of course, Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, is showing at midnight at the Nuart Theatre in West L.A. Nothing like some gritty man-on-man beatings and twisted mind games to get your mind off of Edward and Jacob and back to some real men, right? (Talk about a contrast!) You're welcome, and happy 4th of July!

The Nuart is located at 11272 Santa Monica Blvd. in West L.A., and you can buy advance tickets online here.

-- Chau Tu

Check It. Best Worst Movie at the Nuart [Guest Post].

There are many films that vie for the title of "Worst Movie of All Time:" Manos: The Hands of Fate, Gigli, The Room, and Paul Haggis' Crash (boo!), to name a few. Yet there are a certain number of these films that develop cult followings (I'm looking at you, Battlefield Earth) and raise their status from "leave it in the VCR that you're taking to Goodwill" to "get wasted and watch with friends on low-key Saturday nights." One such film is Troll 2, and the documentary Best Worst Movie is a hilarious and sometimes troubling look at the cult surrounding this unbelievably bad film.

Best Worst Movie is directed by the child star of Troll 2, Michael Stephenson, and documents the film's journey back into popular culture after its straight-to-video release in 1990. Starting with a screening at Upright Citizen Brigade's New York theater in 2004, Stephenson follows some of the stars of Troll 2 as they take the film on the road to sold out theater after sold out theater (including our very own Nuart!).

At the center of the film is one-time actor and full-time dentist George Hardy. The father in Troll 2, George now lives in a small southern town, splitting his time between his daughter and his protein shakes. George is a kind, ever-smiling guy who is impossible not to like, laughing his way through Q&As (where he recreates his awful performance on stage for his adoring fans) and proudly boasting to his patients and friends that he was in the "worst movie of all time."

But as the film progresses, you begin to see George fall under the spell of his "celebrity." He even hosts a hometown screening of the film, making the receptionists in his office cold-call patients to ask them to attend. The visits made to some of Troll 2's cast are often sad and always utterly bizarre, and when the Italian director (who still makes films in Italy) and his wife who wrote Troll 2 show up to join in the festivities, things get seriously awkward (and funny!).

But for the most part, the film is hilarious and thoughtful. Though it never fully comprehends why Troll 2 has become such a favorite in the so-bad-it's-good line of filmmaking, the clips that they show sure make it look like a helluva good time.

Judge for yourself at tonight's Nuart midnight screening of Troll 2. Hardy and Stephenson will be there, as well as at the Friday and Saturday screenings of Best Worst Movie. I'd recommend watching Troll 2 before Best Worst Movie, or just check out the excellent "Best of Troll 2" youtube collection below.

Best Worst Movie is showing at the Nuart Theatre, located at 11272 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Los Angeles, for one week starting tonight.

-- Daren Sprawls
Daren is currently unemployed, and available for birthdays and bar mitzvahs.

Do It. British Noir at the Nuart.

The "Rialto's Best of British Noir" festival starts tomorrow at West L.A.'s Nuart Theatre. Brighton Rock, adapted from the Graham Greene novel of the same name, It Always Rains on Sunday, Peeping Tom, Carol Reed's The Fallen Idol, and the one I'm most excited to see, Reed's The Third Man, are all included in the week's screenings. The series runs February 5 - 11. Check www.landmarktheatres.com for exact showtimes.

The Nuart is a very cool one screen theater just west of the 405 that most often screens interesting films--I last saw M. Hulot's Holiday there, and before that Harvard Beats Yale 29-29. They also sell Fiji water. Tickets are $10.50.

The Nuart is located at 11272 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Los Angeles.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: www.impawards.com

Do It. Panique au village (A Town Called Panic) at the Nuart.

What's better than a lazy Sunday afternoon? Spending a lazy Sunday afternoon happening upon a totally awesome movie. The Sunday: mine, just past; the movie: Panique au village (A Town Called Panic), an animated French film currently having a one-week engagement at the Nuart.

A cowboy. An Indian (ahem, Native American). A (talking) horse. Put them together in a big yellow house and you get...A Town Called Panic. ?

It's not that easy to explain. Here's a trailer to help me out.



So..this movie's a little crazy. But in the most delightful, incredible way. There isn't really a discernible plotline, but basically Cowboy, Indian (a dim-witted but lovable pair) and (the mature, lovesick) Horse live together in a small rural town, and through a random, insane chain of events, they encounter sea creature thieves, unintelligible scientists and a giant robot penguin. There's also a super fun punk rock soundtrack (the French are just the best at soundtracking!).

All I can really say is that it's a smart comedy at its simplest (because can you get more simple than Claymation?), with the ability to laugh at itself and a desire to give the audience a no holds barred ride. I absolutely loved it. I can't even begin to try to explain what you can expect (because you won't be able to expect it, believe me), but that's okay. Sometimes, it's just nice to be lazy and watch a great movie.

Panique au village will be playing at the Nuart until this Thursday, showings at 5:20, 7:30 & 9:40.

-- Chau Tu