American Cinematheque Receives Premios Platino Award for Long-Time Support of Spanish Language Films on the Big Screen

American Cinematheque Chairman Rick Nicita accepts the Platinum Award from actor Eugenio Derbez.

The American Cinematheque’s Chairman Rick Nicita, accepted a Platino (Platinum) Award today on behalf of the non-profit, theatrical exhibitor that operates the Aero and Egyptian Theatres. The award was presented at a press conference to announce the nominees of the 2015 Premios Platino of Iberoamerican Cinema, at the Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood.  The award recognized the American Cinematheque’s dedication to showcasing Spanish language films in Los Angeles.  Actor and Formula 3 race car driver Eugenio Derbez from Mexico presented the award to Nicita.

Guest Blog Post: Why THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK Deserves Another Look, By Intern Joe

Run for your lives... to the Aero!

On Saturday, May 30th at 7:30pm, the Aero is hosting a marathon of the first three Jurassic Park movies in anticipation of this summer's upcoming, much talked-about new release Jurassic World. While Spielberg's original 1993 film is already a well-regarded genre classic, I encourage you to stick around for the underrated second feature on the bill, The Lost World: Jurassic Park.

Conversations at the Cinematheque: Mel Brooks for THE PRODUCERS, 3/7/15

Photo by Jim Pease/American Cinematheque 

Mel Brooks came to the Aero on March 7, 2015 to pay tribute to his old friend, Zero Mostel, who would have been 100 that day. “He was a great, great talent,” Brooks said, after being greeted by a warm Aero standing ovation. He was introduced by Larry Karaszewski, who, as Brooks explained, co-wrote “Ed Wood,” “so he has every right to introduce me.” “Zero was heaven and hell,” the “Producers” writer-director continued. “When he felt like being nice, he was heaven. And when he felt like working, he was one of the greatest talents that ever lived. And when he felt like not working, he was hell.

F.X. Feeney on 'American Crime' Created by '12 Years A Slave' Writer John Ridley

AMERICAN CRIME! ... I've been going on so much about Orson Welles this week that I'd like to catch my breath a moment and celebrate this outstanding prime time show created by John Ridley, screenwriter of "12 YEARS A SLAVE." The American Cinematheque is celebrating it Wednesday evening May 6th at the Aero Theatre.That also happens to be the hundredth anniversary of Orson Welles's birth. Since I'm joining in celebrations of THAT blessed event every other night of this coming week, I don't feel disloyal spending that particular evening at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, watching excerpts from AMERICAN CRIME in tandem with a panel discussion between Ridley and his principal cast. If anything the anniversary and the occasion are a good fit because this isn't "television," it's Long Form Cinema such as the most dedicated Cineastes have come to expect after the past 15 years of revolutions perpetrated at HBO, Showtime, A&E and Starz.