Movie of the Week:
Evil Dead 2
While the previous film may have started the franchise, director Sam Raimi more fully established the goofball tone the trilogy is known for in this sequel. Average guy Ash is vacationing in a remote cabin with his girlfriend when he inadvertantly unlocks a portal to another dimension, unleashing all sorts of demons. Drawing equally from H.P. Lovecraft and the Three Stooges, Evil Dead 2 is the quintessential cult classic—just scary enough to be unsettling, but with enough over-the-top humor to keep things from getting too overwhelming. Regency Rancho Niguel Cinemas, 25471 Rancho Niguel Rd., Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-4359; www.regencymovies.com. Thurs., Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m. $7.
Also Showing:
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Francis Ford Coppola’s version of the classic horror film garnered a lot of mockery for some of its performances, but there are a few haunting images and memorable scenes, and Gary Oldman’s performance as the legendary vampire is something to see. The Bay Theatre, 340 Main St., Seal Beach, (562) 431-9988; www.baytheatre.com. Fri., 10:30 p.m.; Sun., 6 p.m.; Mon. N Wed., 8 p.m. $5-$8.
Carrie
Poor Carrie. This 1976 Stephen King horror flick follows a shy and awkward teenager (impeccably played by Sissy Spacek) through her beyond-awful senior year. Abusively picked on by some of the popular bitches, isolated at home with an extremist religious-nut mother (who stomps around in a cape, of all things), while discovering some rather unusual mental abilities, Carrie finally seems to catch a break when hottie Tommy Ross asks her to the prom. Then, as a cruel joke, she gets crowned prom queen, only to become one of the most visually arresting images in cinematic history involving massive amounts of pig blood. If you don’t know the end, we won’t spoil it—but justice is served. Kinda. (Erin DeWitt) Regency South Coast Village, 1561 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana,
(714) 557-5701. Wed., 7:30 p.m. $6.50.
Dracula
One of two versions of the Bram Stoker novel being screened this week, this 1931 version starring Bela Lugosi is arguably the better. Classic horror creepiness made all the more effective by its presentation in misty black and white. Richard Goad Theatre, 4250 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, (562) 997-1494. Sun., 7 p.m. Free.
Gilda
Rita Hayworth shines as Gilda, a woman surrounded by secrets, in this classic film noir. UC Irvine Film and Video Center, UCI, Humanities Instructional Building 100, Campus N W. Peltason drs., Irvine, (949) 824-7418; www.filmandvideocenter.com. Fri., 7 p.m. $3-$5.
Ojos Que No Ven/What the Eye Does Not See
Francisco Lombardi examines the moral and political decay that plagued Peru in the ‘90s through six parallel stories. This film is being screened as part of Santiago Canyon College’s Latin American Film Festival. Building D, Room 101, Santiago Canyon College, 8045 E. Chapman Ave., Orange, (714) 628-4938; www.sccollege.edu. Fri., 6 p.m. Free.
Rosemary’s Baby
Roman Polanski directs Mia Farrow in this nightmarish tale about a woman impregnated by Satan’s baby. This horror classic stands as one of the most distinctive and unsettling films of the ‘60s. UC Irvine Film and Video Center, UC Irvine, Humanities Instructional Building 100, Campus N W. Peltason drs., Irvine, (949) 824-7418; www.filmandvideocenter.com. Thurs., Oct. 30, 7 p.m. $3-$5.
Slacker Uprising
Michael Moore’s newest documentary flew a bit under the radar, which was kind of nice for a change. Moore documents his efforts to travel the country and encourage young people to vote. The film will probably irritate those who have been irritated by Moore previously, but encouraging people to be politically active is a pretty noble pursuit. Marie Callender’s, 1821 N. Grand Ave., Santa Ana; www.patrickhenrythinktank.org. Tues., 6:30 p.m. Free.
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