Every year brings its share of fond farewells to icons of cinema, and the latter half of 2025 seemed to bring more than most. If there is a silver lining to this inevitable yearly parade of sad departures, however, it’s that they bring with them an excuse to revisit (or finally catch up with) some true masterpieces. To that end, the Brattle Theatre continues its Cinematic Tribute series this week, saying goodbye to some old friends by screening some of their greatest work.
Looming largest over the proceedings is Diane Keaton, the beloved actress and style icon, who is represented by four films — none of which, remarkably, were made in collaboration with her increasingly problematic ex. Though best remembered as a screen comedienne, Keaton was equally accomplished as a dramatic actress, and Saturday brings two of her greatest serious performances: as Kay Adams, the put-upon wife of Michael Corleone in “The Godfather” (1972), and as crusading journalist Louise Bryant in Warren Beatty’s epic “Reds” (1981). Keaton’s comedic chops are on display in Nancy Meyers’ 2003 rom-com “Something’s Gotta Give,” which screens Thursday.
Most intriguing of all, however, is “Heaven” (1987), Keaton’s directorial debut, which screens in a new restoration Sunday and Monday. A far cry from Keaton’s usual fare, “Heaven” is an off-kilter documentary in which the actress, off screen, interviews a wide array of California characters (including, oddly, boxing promoter Don King) about their conceptions of Heaven and the afterlife in general. Interspersed with the interviews, which recall the wry humor of Cambridge’s Errol Morris, are amusing collages of fire-and-brimstone preachers and repurposed b-movie clips. “Heaven” is offbeat, funny, and altogether charming — much like Keaton herself.
Keaton isn’t the only actor receiving her flowers at the Brattle. Legendary Indigenous actor Graham Greene is perhaps most famous for his Oscar-nominated turn in Kevin Costner’s “Dances With Wolves,” but his career was as varied and adventurous as his talent; he’s represented in a double feature on Friday of the harrowing indie revenge thriller “Clearcut” (1991), in which he plays an avenging angel who abducts the CEO of the logging company threatening his reservation community, and “Wind River” (2017), a neo-Western from future TV impresario Taylor Sheridan.
Underground cinema fans will need no introduction to Udo Kier, whose delightfully eclectic career ranged from arthouse classics by Werner Herzog and Rainer Werner Fassbinder to grindhouse epics from Dario Argento and Rob Zombie; his outrageous starring turns in Paul Morrissey’s Warhol-produced “Flesh for Frankenstein” (1973) and “Blood for Dracula” (1974), which screen in a double feature Saturday night, effectively split the difference between those two poles.
Few actresses of the era could match the exotic glamour of Claudia Cardinale, who lent her striking presence to some of the most lavish spectacles of the 1960s; catch her on Sunday in a double feature of Blake Edwards’ comedy classic “The Pink Panther” (1963) and Luchino Visconti’s sumptuous costume epic “The Leopard” (1963). On the opposite end of the class spectrum — but no less unforgettable — is Diane Ladd as the foul-mouthed, beehive-haired diner waitress Flo in Martin Scorsese’s early masterwork “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” (1974), which screens Sunday and Tuesday. That film is matched in its working-class grit by “Once Were Warriors” (1994), the harrowingly violent kitchen-sink drama from the late independent filmmaker Lee Tamahori. That film, which features a star-making turn from a young Temuera Morrison (Jango and Boba Fett in latter-day “Star Wars”), presents an unflinching (but deeply human) look at domestic abuse and alcoholism among a poor Maori family in contemporary New Zealand. It’s one of the less frequently screened films in the series, which makes its showings on Monday and Wednesday appointment viewing.
Then there’s Rob Reiner, the beloved actor-turned-filmmaker who was tragically murdered last month at the age of 78. What’s remarkable about Reiner as a director is the sheer variety of timeless classics he turned out during his unparalleled ’80s-’90s hot streak; not only are “This Is Spinal Tap,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “Stand By Me,” and “A Few Good Men” countless people’s favorite movies, but they’re all different kinds of people’s favorite movies. Even among this field, “The Princess Bride” (1987), which screens Wednesday and Thursday, stands alone, quoted and endlessly rewatched by generations of comedy nerds, hopeless romantics, and children (of all ages) alike. It’s always bittersweet to say goodbye to our screen favorites, but, thanks to their films, we can continue visiting them forever — and, thanks to institutions like the Brattle, those films remain truly alive.
Oscar Goff is a writer and film critic based in Somerville. He is film editor and senior critic for the Boston Hassle and his work has appeared in the monthly Boston Compass newspaper and publications such as WBUR’s The ARTery and iHeartNoise. He is a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, and the Online Film Critics Society.
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