USA Film Fest Gets the Shaft

By Robert Wilonsky Thu., Apr. 13 2006 at 11:29 AM

Categories: Film

The USA Film Festival has just announced some of its bigger guests and screenings for this year's shindig, which is set to take place April 28-May 4 at the brand-spankin'-new AMC NorthPark 15 between Foley's and Nordstrom at the revamped NorthPark Center. Gotta say, it's a pretty decent-looking lineup; doubt I'll be there, since fest organizers ain't big fans, but you're certainly welcome to attend.

Among those coming to town are Andy Garcia, who directs and stars in the love-letter-to-1950s-Cuba The Lost City; ex-Saturday Night Live'er Jane Curtain with Brooklyn Lobster, more or less based on a real lobster farm-eatery in New York; Devo bossman Mark Mothersbaugh with The Big White, a Coen Brothers-like comic thriller starring Robin Williams, Holly Hunter and Woody Harrelson for which MM did the MMusic; and Juliette Lewis and Joshua Jackson, promoting Aurora Borealis, about a guy dealing with the death of his dad (played by Donald Sutherland). Actor-turned-director Richard E. Grant (Hudson Hawk, How to Get Ahead in Advertising) is scheduled to bring Wah-Wah; also scheduled to attend is director Danny Leiner with his post-September 11 film The Great New Wonderful starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Tony Shalhoub and Edie Falco. But the biggest attraction may just be Richard Roundtree, coming for a 35th anniversary screening of Shaft. Ya damn right. --Robert Wilonsky