Arthouse Movie Listings September 21-27

Artists' Television Access. Periwinkle Queer Cinema: Short works from LGBT filmmakers including Lezbrarian and Have you Seen A Transsexual Before? by Chris Vargas, Super-8 Girl Games by Hans Scheirl and Angela Purrer, Elder Gender Fuck by Lindsay Laven, and Nipples 'n' Knives by Lorin Murphy. Wed., Sept. 21, 8 p.m. $6. "Films from Four Mountain Ranges": Experimental documentary shorts by Marcy Saude including Murder Capital (2007), This Kind of Town (2010), The Sower Arepo as Works a Wheel (2010), and Sangre de Cristo (2011). Fri., Sept. 23, 8 p.m. $6. "Hand Made Animation": Other Cinema: Films by Helen Hill and others. Sat., Sept. 24, 8:30 p.m. $6. othercinema.com. 992 Valencia (at 21st St.), 824-3890, www.atasite.org.

Castro Theatre. Mary Lou: Eytan Fox's latest feature. Through Sept. 21, 5:15 & 8:15 p.m.; Wed., Sept. 21, 2 p.m. Short Erotic Film Competition: Sponsored by Good Vibrations. Thu., Sept. 22, 8 p.m. $10. www.gv-ixff.org. Singalong with The Little Mermaid: Audience participation with the Disney animated film. Sept. 23-25. $7.50-$10. 429 Castro (at Market), 621-6120, www.thecastrotheatre.com.

Dark Room Theater. Mega Shark vs. Crocosaurus: Part of the "Bad Movie Night" series. Sun., Sept. 25, 8 p.m. $5. 2263 Mission (at 18th St.), 401-7987, www.darkroomsf.com.

Embarcadero Center Cinema. Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame: Tsui Hark's latest feature. Through Sept. 22. $8.25-$10.50. 1 Embarcadero Center (at Davis), 267-4893, www.landmarktheatres.com.

Jewish Community Center of San Francisco. "The 'Silent' Pioneers": David Keign, historian for the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, will talk about films. Wed., Sept. 21, 7 p.m. $5. "Unraveling the Story Behind A Trip Down Market Street": Screening, talk, and slide presentation on finding historical clues in early 20th-century films. Wed., Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m. $5. www.sfhistory.org. 3200 California (at Presidio), 515-1233, www.jccsf.org/arts.

Lumiere Theatre. The Tree of Life: Film directed by Terrence Malick. Through Sept. 22. $8-$10.50. 1572 California (at Polk), 267-4893, www.landmarktheatres.com.

Main Library. "Architecture & the City Festival 2011 Film Series": Architecture-related films. Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. Through Sept. 28. free. 100 Larkin (at Grove), 557-4400, www.sfpl.org.

Mechanics' Institute Library. Since Otar Left: Directed by Julie Bertuccelli. Fri., Sept. 23, 6 p.m. $10. 57 Post (at Market), 393-0100, www.milibrary.org.

Multiple Bay Area locations. San Francisco Latino Film Festival: Films from Mexico, Central America, and South America. Through Sept. 25. varies. www.sflatinofilmfestival.org.

Multiple San Francisco locations. Good Vibrations International Indie Erotic Film Festival: A collection of films on sex and sexuality that includes appearances by writers, performers, and filmmakers. Through Sept. 22. varies. www.gv-ixff.org.

New People. Aurora: Romanian Cristi Puiu is director and star of this film. Through Sept. 21. $8-$11. 1746 Post (at Webster), 525-8630, www.newpeopleworld.com.

Oddball Film and Video. "Vital Signs": Video work of Dani Leventhal. Thu., Sept. 22, 8 p.m. $10. "Body Shop: Bodies in Motion": Films depicting the human body in numerous forms, including the modern dance of Martha Graham, the physical comedy of Buster Keaton, and the avant garde works of Maya Deren. Fri., Sept. 23, 8:30 p.m. $10. "Scared Straight 5": Anti-drug films aimed at youngsters including Narcotics: Pit of Despair (1967), Dough for the Do-Do (1949), Addictive Sopers (1978), and Dragnet: Little Pusher (1969). Sat., Sept. 24, 8 p.m. $10. 275 Capp (at 18th St.), 558-8112, www.oddballfilm.com.

Roxie Theater. Cold Fish: A part of the Bloody Disgusting series. Through Sept. 22. $7-$10. The Future: A film by Miranda July. Through Sept. 22. $6-$10. San Francisco Irish Film Festival: Eighth annual festival featuring selections from contemporary Irish cinema. Sept. 22-25. $12. Farmageddon: Documentary about small farms selling food to local populations being forced out of business by government agencies. Sept. 23-29. $6.50-$10. 3117 16th St. (at Valencia), 863-1087, www.roxie.com.

San Francisco Film Society. The Disappearance of McKinley Nolan: Henry Corra's documentary. Mon., Sept. 26, 2:30, 4:45, 6:45 & 9 p.m. $8-$11. at New People Cinema, 1746 Post (at Laguna), www.sffs.org.

SFMOMA. "Living in the World: Films by Helga Fanderl": An hour of the filmmaker's short works in the Super-8 format. Thu., Sept. 22, 7 p.m. $7-$10. 151 Third St. (at Mission), 357-4000, www.sfmoma.org.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. "Greetings on Behalf of the People of Our Planet!": Live documentaries with Dave Cerf and Sam Green. Thu., Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m. $8. 701 Mission (at Third St.), 978-2787, www.ybca.org.