Escape From New York. In John Carpenter’s 1981 classic, a soldier-turned-mercenary (Kurt Russell) can win his freedom if he rescues the president (Donald Pleasance), who was taken hostage by violent inmates after Air Force One crashed in Manhattan. The Frida Cinema, 305 E. Fourth St., Santa Ana; thefridacinema.org. Fri., 2, 5, 7:30 & 10 p.m.; Sat., 10 p.m. $7-$10.
Prospect. Chris Caldwell and Zeek Earli’s 2018 SXSW Film Festival winner is about a man and his teen daughter facing nonstop danger while searching for valuable gems on an alien moon. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Fri., 2:30, 5:30 & 8 p.m.; Sat., noon & 7 p.m.; Sun., noon, 2:30 & 5 p.m.; Mon., 2:30, 5:30 & 10 p.m.; Tues.-Thurs., Nov. 29, 2:30, 5:30 & 8 p.m. $7-$10.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. You’re invited to end your day of Black Friday shopping by grabbing a hot cocoa, a warm blanket and a place to sit for an outdoor screening of this holiday classic starring everyone’s favorite family, the Griswolds. Patriarch Clark (Chevy Chase) tries to get his family into the holiday spirit, a job that grows as relatives show up unexpectedly at his doorstep, including cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid). Enjoy classic movie snacks and, if you’re game, the pool. Fashion Island Hotel, 600 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach, (949) 386-8361. Fri., pool opens, 5 p.m.; screening, sundown. $10; hotel guests, free.
Horn From the Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story. See Matt Coker’s “Horn From the Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story Honors the Blues Legend.” Art Theatre, 2025 E. Fourth St., Long Beach, (562) 438-5435; arttheatrelongbeach.org. Sat.-Sun., 11 a.m. $8.50-$11.50.
Once Upon a Time In the West: 50th Anniversary. Sergio Leone’s masterful 1968 spaghetti western has a mysterious stranger (Charles Bronson) joining a notorious desperado (Jason Robards) in protecting a beautiful widow (Claudia Cardinale) from a railroad henchman (Henry Fonda, who steals the picture). The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Sat.-Sun., 12:30, 4 & 7:30 p.m. $7-$10.
The Room. In the bizarre 2003 indie thriller written, directed and produced by as well as starring Tommy Wiseau, he plays an amiable banker having a grand old time in a gorgeously shot San Francisco with his fiancée (Juliette Danielle)—until his conflicted best friend (Greg Sestero) joins in to form a love triangle. Sestero’s tell-all book about the project inspired James Franco’s film The Disaster Artist. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Sat., 11 p.m. $7-$10.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The pioneering midnight movie starts with the car of sweethearts Brad and Janet (Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon) breaking down near the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry). The transvestite scientist’s home also hosts a rocking biker (Meat Loaf), a creepy butler (Richard O’Brien) and assorted freaks, including a hunk of beefcake named “Rocky.” Live shadow-cast troupe Midnight Insanity performs. Art Theatre; arttheatrelongbeach.org. Sat., 11:55 p.m. $8.50-$11.50.
Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us. Fathom Events and the Pokémon Co. present the new animated feature about various people during Fura City’s Wind Festival. They include a high-school girl starting out as a Pokemon trainer, a researcher who lacks confidence in himself and a mysterious young girl who watches over the forest. Dubbed in English from original Japanese. AMC Fullerton 20, 1001 S. Lemon St., Fullerton, (714) 992-6962; AMC Orange 30 at the Outlets, 20 City Blvd. W., Orange, (714) 769-4288; AMC Tustin Legacy at the District, 2457 Park Ave., Tustin, (714) 258-7036; Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20, 26701 Aliso Creek Rd., Aliso Viejo, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Anaheim Hills 14, 8030 E. Santa Ana Canyon Rd., Anaheim Hills, (714) 282-5953; Edwards Foothill Towne Center Stadium 22, 26602 Towne Center Dr., Foothill Ranch, (949) 588-9402; Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21, 65 Fortune Dr., Irvine, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26, 7501 E. Carson, Long Beach, (844) 462-7342; Regal La Habra Stadium 16, 1351 W. Imperial Hwy., La Habra, (562) 690-4909; www.fathomevents.com. Sat., 12:55 p.m. Also at those theaters and Cinemark Century Stadium 25, 1701 W. Katella Ave., Orange, (714) 532-9558; Cinemark Century 20 Huntington Beach, 7777 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, (800) 967-1932; Edwards Big Newport 6, 300 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Brea Stadium West 10, 255 W. Birch St., Brea, (714) 672-4136; Edwards Kaleidoscope Stadium 10, 27741 Crown Valley Pkwy., Mission Viejo, (949) 582-4078; Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Market Place Stadium, 13782 Jamboree Rd., Irvine, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Metro Pointe Stadium 12, 901 South Coast Dr., Costa Mesa, (714) 428-0962. Mon. & Wed., 7 p.m. $12.50.
Superman: The Movie. It’s a 40th-anniversary screening of Richard Donner’s 1978 movie that helped usher in today’s cinema takeover by comic-book heroes. Having acquired great powers from the Earth’s sun, Krypton transplant Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve) pits his superhero abilities against master criminal Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman), who plots the greatest real-estate swindle of all time. As a special bonus, Max Fleischer’s Superman cartoon “Mechanical Monsters” is shown on the big screen for the first time since it debuted in November 1941. Sun., 2 p.m.: Cinemark at the Pike Theaters, 99 S. Pine Ave., Long Beach, (562) 435-5754; www.fathomevents.com. Sun., 3 p.m.: AMC Orange 30 at the Outlets, (714) 769-4288; Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Brea Stadium West 10, (714) 672-4136; Edwards Foothill Towne Center Stadium 22, (949) 588-9402; Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26, (844) 462-7342. Sun., 7 p.m.: AMC Orange 30 at the Outlets and Cinemark at the Pike Theaters. Tues., 2 & 7 p.m.: Cinemark Century Stadium 25, (714) 532-9558; Cinemark Century 20 Huntington Beach, (800) 967-1932; Cinemark at the Pike Theaters. Tues., 3 & 7 p.m.: AMC Orange 30 at the Outlets; Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20; Edwards Brea Stadium West 10; Edwards Foothill Towne Center Stadium 22; Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21; Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26. $12.50.
Blood Rage: Presented by HorrorBuzz.com. A team from the one-stop website for horror news gives out prizes and trivia factoids about John Grissmer’s 1987 slasher flick. Todd (Mark Soper), who as a boy was institutionalized for a grisly murder committed by his twin brother, escapes on Thanksgiving a decade later, when bodies start piling up in his old neighborhood. The Frida Cinema;
thefridacinema.org. Mon., 8 p.m. $7-$10.
True Romance: 25th Anniversary. From director Tony Scott and then-newbie screenwriter Quentin Tarantino comes the 1993 crime dramedy about a pop-culture geek (Christian Slater) and his new wife/former call girl (Patricia Arquette) who are on the run after stealing cocaine belonging to Detroit mobsters. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Mon., 8:30 p.m.; Tues., 8 p.m.; Wed., 7:30 p.m. $7-$10.
McClintock! Andrew V. McLaglen’s 1963 western stars John Wayne as a wealthy rancher who uses his power and influence to keep the peace between farmers, ranchers, land-grabbers, American Indians and corrupt government officials. Regency South Coast Village, 1561 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana, (714) 557-5701. Wed., 7:30 p.m. $9.
The House That Jack Built: Unrated Cannes Edition. An edited version of Lars von Trier’s new horror-thriller is scheduled to open next month at other local theaters, but for one night only, Frida and arthouses across the country present the Danish master’s uncut, 155-minute opus. We see five incidents that shape the development of an American serial killer (Matt Dillon) in the 1970s. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Wed., 10 p.m. $7-$10.
Lady Bird. The Thursday Matinee film series, whose theme this month is “Birds of a Feather,” continues with Greta Gerwig’s 2017 coming-of-age dramedy set in 2002 Sacramento. The movie deservedly won Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Director (Gerwig), Best Original Screenplay (Gerwig), Best Supporting Actress (Laurie Metcalf) and Best Actress (Saoirse Ronan, who did grab a Golden Globe, as did the film). Fullerton Public Library, 353 W. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton; www.fullertonlibrary.org. Thurs., Nov. 15, 1 p.m. Free.
Mirai. GKIDS and Fathom Events present the U.S. debut of the anime from Mamoru Hosoda (Summer Wars, Wolf Children) and Studio Chizu. A young boy encounters a magical garden that enables him to travel through time and meet his relatives from different eras, with guidance by his younger sister from the future. AMC Fullerton 20, (714) 992-6962; AMC Orange 30 at the Outlets, (714) 769-4288; AMC Tustin Legacy at the District, (714) 258-7036; Cinemark Century Stadium 25, (714) 532-9558; Cinemark Century 20 Huntington Beach, (800) 967-1932; Cinemark at the Pike Theaters, (562) 435-5754; Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Anaheim Hills 14, (714) 282-5953; Edwards Brea Stadium West 10, (714) 672-4136; Edwards Foothill Towne Center Stadium 22, (949) 588-9402; Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Kaleidoscope Stadium 10, (949) 582-4078; Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Market Place Stadium 10, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Metro Pointe Stadium 12, (714) 428-0962; The Lot Fashion Island, 999 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach, (949) 281-0069 (no 8 p.m.); Regal Garden Grove Stadium 16, 9741 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove, (844) 462-7342; Regal La Habra Stadium 16, 1351 W. Imperial Hwy., La Habra, (562) 690-4909; www.fathomevents.com. Thurs., Nov. 29, 7 (dubbed) & 8 p.m. (subtitled). $10.50-$12.50.
All the Creatures Were Stirring. Horrible Imaginings Film Festival presents a free screening of the new holiday horror film, followed by an audience Q&A with directors Rebekah and David Ian McKendry. An awkward Christmas Eve date leads a couple into a strange theater that shows a bizarre and frightening collection of yuletide stories. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Thurs., Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m. Free.
Meow Wolf—Origin Story. Meow Wolf is a Santa Fe, New Mexico, collective that was formed by artists who were frustrated about their lack of access to the art world. They share their stories of struggles and wild success in this documentary. AMC Orange 30 at the Outlets, (714) 769-4288; AMC Tustin Legacy at the District, (714) 258-7036; Cinemark Century Stadium 25, (714) 532-9558; Cinemark Century 20 Huntington Beach, (800) 967-1932; Cinemark at the Pike Theaters, (562) 435-5754; Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Big Newport 6, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Brea Stadium West 10, (714) 672-4136; Edwards Foothill Towne Center Stadium 22, (949) 588-9402; Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21, (844) 462-7342; Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26, (844) 462-7342; Regal Garden Grove Stadium 16, (844) 462-7342; www.fathomevents.com. Thurs., Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m. $12.50.
OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker has been engaging, enraging and entertaining readers of newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He spent the first 13 years of his career in journalism at daily newspapers before “graduating” to OC Weekly in 1995 as the alternative newsweekly’s first calendar editor.