Since my Premium magazine feature on L.A.-area repertory cinema is out now, I wanted to highlight a few movie theaters for this week’s recommendations. And since I love animation, that will be the focus of this week’s picks. All of the screenings are happening on Sunday and there is some geographic diversity, so hopefully, you can fit one of these into your schedule. They’re (nearly) all movies that I have seen previously and 10/10 recommend.
Spirited Away
5/04/25, 12 p.m.
Vidiots, 4884 Eagle Rock Blvd., Eagle Rock 90041
The English dub of Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 film, Spirited Away, plays at noon inside the Eagle Theatre, the large, main theater at Vidiots, as part of their “Films for Everyone” series. It’s an all ages screening and there are discounts for those under 18. Oh, and it’s hosted by Tunde Adebimpe from TV on the Radio.
Paprika
5/04/25, multiple times
Gardena Cinema, 14948 Crenshaw Blvd., Gardena 90249
The late, great director Satoshi Kon made some wild anime in his lifetime, amongst them, Paprika. The thriller, based on a novel by Yasutaka Tsutsui, is about a doctor who is able to enter dreams via a new technology. A very cool thing about the movie’s one-day run at Gardena Cinema is that two screenings will be the English dub (2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.) and two more will be the subtitled version (4:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.).
Princess Mononoke
5/04/25, 4 p.m.
Los Feliz 3, 1822 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz 90037
Can’t get enough of Studio Ghibli? Maybe after seeing Spirited Away at Vidiots, you can head to the Los Feliz 3 for American Cinematheque’s 4 p.m. screening of the new 4k restoration of Princess Mononoke. This is the Japanese version with English subtitles.
Heavy Metal
5/04/25, 5 p.m.
The Frida Cinema, 305 E. 4th Street, Suite 100, Santa Ana 92701
For my Orange County friends, the 1981 cult classic, Heavy Metal, is screening at The Frida on Sunday at 5 p.m. on 16 mm. If you’ve never seen the anthology film, you must. Aside from the art and action, it has a soundtrack filled with tunes from Devo, Blue Oyster Cult, Black Sabbath and more.
The Son of the White Mare, The Genesis
5/04/25, 7 p.m.
Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Blvd., Los Feliz 90027
Philosophical Research Society’s film program, 7th House Screenings, is in the midst of a Marcell Jankovics retrospective and, on Sunday, they’ll be showing the late Hungarian director’s masterpiece, The Son of the White Mare. Released in 1981, this movie is beautiful and psychedelic. Also screening is The Genesis, which I haven’t seen, but it’s the U.S. theatrical premiere of a portion of an unfinished film by Jankovics.
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Read her recently published work and check out her upcoming gigs or listen to the latest Beatique Mix. Follow on Instagram or Bluesky for more updates.
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