DCist’s highly subjective and hardly comprehensive guide to the most interesting movies playing around town in the coming week.
Repertory: The Great Punch-Out: A Hard Hitting Week of Boxing at the Pickford Theater
Those of you with an interest in the pugilistic arts may want to camp out at the Library of Congress next week. The library is doing a series of boxing features, shorts, and classic fights that lasts all week long. There’s a gem each and every night. On Monday, it’s Humphrey Bogart’s final role in The Harder They Fall, as a sportswriter who uses his position to promote a fighter who can’t really fight, a scathing look at media influence and fixing fights. Tuesday, the feature is Robert Wise’s The Set-Up, but the real attraction may be a rare opportunity to see Stanley Kubrick’s first film, the 1951 documentary short The Day of the Fight (pictured) on the big screen. Wednesday and Thursday there are Jim Jacobs-directed documentaries on two of the greatest fighters ever, Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammed Ali. As a prelude to Wednesday’s feature, Robinson’s 1951 championship bout with Jake LaMotta (the inspiration for Raging Bull) will be screened. Wrapping things up on Friday is a series of shorts featuring some of histories biggest fighters in their biggest fights, including Gene Tunney, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano, among others.
Monday through Friday at the Library of Congress’ Mary Pickford Theatre. Times and programs vary. Tickets are free, for reservations call (202) 707-5677.
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Special Event: Latin American Film Festival
For the next three weeks, the AFI Silver Theater plays host to the 18th Annual Latin American Film Festival (with Spain and Portugal thrown in there for good measure), which showcases over 30 films, including popular favorites from other film festivals, features, documentaries, and short subjects, and Best Foreign Language Film Oscar submissions from both Cuba and Bolivia.
At the AFI Silver Theatre until next Friday. Full schedule and descriptions of the selections here and here.
