Rob Reiner Film Festival
March 13 – March 19
Rob Reiner was a Hollywood icon who produced more than 50 years of beloved film and television work.
Reiner, the son of fellow entertainment legend Carl Reiner, launched his own acting and writing career in the 1960s. He started directing feature films in the 1980s and spent the next 20 years making cherished classics such as This is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally …, Misery and A Few Good Men. The last Reiner-directed release before his tragic death was Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.
The Lindsay is honoring Reiner by playing five of these treasured favorites from Friday, March 13, through Thursday, March 19. Tickets can be purchased online or at The Lindsay’s box office. You can help us celebrate Reiner’s incomparable legacy by watching some of his finest films on the big screen.
This is Spinal Tap
R | 1h 22min | Mockumentary, Music
Director: Rob Reiner
Stars: Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer
This is Spinal Tap literally invented an entire genre of filmmaking. A journalist (played by Reiner) goes on tour with English rock band Spinal Tap and chronicles the group’s many highs and lows. Their star is fading, and these rockers try just about everything to keep the music going.
Reiner’s first theatrical film “has a big laugh in almost every frame,” praises The Guardian. It’s clear that This is Spinal Tap is “a parody of life on the rock-tour circuit, made by people who both know of what they speak, and care for it,” applauds USA Today.
“Rob Reiner’s This is Spinal Tap introduces a brand-new genre in Hollywood—the rockumentary spoof—and does it so well that some people might not get the joke. … It’s that proximity of fact to fiction that turns this lightweight affair into a heavy-metal hoot.”
When Harry Met Sally …
R | 1h 36min | Romantic Comedy
Director: Rob Reiner
Star: Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal, Carrie Fisher
When Harry Met Sally … is still widely regarded as the greatest rom com ever made. Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) set out to prove that men and women can, in fact, be friends. They remain close and, unknowingly, develop feelings for each other that stretch the boundaries of their relationship.
“Rob Reiner directs … with evident sympathy for both main characters,” lauds Sight & Sound. This film topped Rolling Stone‘s Greatest Romantic Comedies of All Time list, largely thanks to the “one-of-a-kind alchemy” between Crystal and Ryan.
“Chances are good that when you hear the phrase ‘rom com,’ Rob Reiner’s movie was the first title you thought of. … It is the one rom com to rule them all, a perfect distillation of the form. We’ll always have what they’re having.”
Misery
R | 1h 47min | Drama, Thriller
Director: Rob Reiner
Star: Kathy Bates, James Caan, Richard Farnsworth
Misery star Kathy Bates won a Best Actress Oscar for her performance as Annie Wilkes, a literary obsessive who rescues famed novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) following a car crash. Sheldon quickly realizes that his No. 1 fan wants more from him than just an autograph.
“Bates has a field day with her role, creating a quirky, memorable object of hate,” commends Variety. “Popular moviemaking—elegantly economical, artlessly artful—doesn’t get much better than this,” declares Time Magazine.
“Bates’ performance is simply spectacular. She can accelerate from simpering girlishness to looming monstrosity with head-spinning speed. … The actors are supported by the best kind of writerly craft and directorial technique, the kind that refuses to call attention to itself.”
A Few Good Men
R | 2h 18min | Drama, Thriller
Director: Rob Reiner
Star: Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore
A Few Good Men is an enthralling legal thriller directed by Reiner and written by Aaron Sorkin, who adapted his own 1989 play. JAG attorney Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) is charged with investigating a fellow Marine’s death. He meets quite a bit of resistance, especially from ornery Col. Nathan Jessep (Jack Nicholson).
This Best Picture nominee is a “thrillingly effective crowd pleaser,” writes Entertainment Weekly. “The fact that A Few Good Men delivers the goods as well as it does is a tribute to Reiner’s savvy theatrical instincts, and to a strong cast,” proclaims Newsweek.
“Reiner has mounted a crackling screen version of Sorkin’s play: it’s impeccably produced, vigorously acted and delivers the emotional fireworks expected of a courtroom showdown. … The movie accomplishes its task with military efficiency.”
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
R | 1h 23min | Mockumentary, Music
Director: Rob Reiner
Star: Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues was the last Reiner-directed film released before his tragic death late last year. The band reunites following a 15-year break for one finale concert. Reiner’s film features cameos from musical legends such as Paul McCartney, Elton John, Paul Shaffer and Garth Brooks.
This highly anticipated sequel is “a warm, comfortable, appealingly gentle and subtle comedy,” praises RogerEbert.com. Spinal Tap II is “a legacy sequel worthy of this band’s legacy,” raves Consequence.
“Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer reunite for a joyful, music-filled ride. … It stands out as a deeply enjoyable viewing experience, and a singular one: It’s a movie about older men looking back at their lives and the relationships that have defined them.”
