TOP 5 Picks for NB Film Fest Weekend Films

It’s nearly impossible choose our top five films playing this weekend at the Newport Beach Film Fest. There are so many great films to see such as documentaries, action sports, environmental, music, shorts, and spotlight films.

And so we did our best to narrow it down to our top five picks:

"Revolution" follows Rob Stewart’s true-life adventure through fifteen countries over four years, discovering species at risk of extinction. Stewart reveals how climate change, environmental degradation, species loss, ocean acidification, pollution, and food/water scarcity are reducing the earth's ability to house humans, and why we need to start doing something about it. Stewart also made Sharkwater and was instrumental in the banning of shark finning. 1:30 p.m. on Saturday Lido Regency Theater.

The new Documentary film 'LOVE, Marilyn' based on the recently discovered diaries and letters. Marilyn Monroe’s public persona hid a private side only revealed to her closest friends. Through her diaries and letters, director Liz Garbus works with acclaimed actors to evoke Marilyn’s passion, ambition, insecurity, soul-searching, power and fear. Showtimes at Sunday at 6 p.m. at The Port Theater; and 8 p.m. at The Triangle in Costa Mesa.

"The Searchers",  a John Wayne classic film, is considered one of the best westerns of all time. Wayne plays Ethan Edwards, a Confederate veteran who visits his brother and sister-in-law at their ranch and is horrified when they are killed by marauding Comanches. Ethan's search for a surviving niece becomes an all-consuming obsession. With the help of a family friend who is himself part Cherokee, Ethan hits the trail on a five-year quest for revenge. Showtime is Saturday at noon at Fashion Island Cinema.

"¡Cuatro!" is a sneak peek into the world of Green Day that chronicles the conceptualizing and recording of their current musical trilogy ("Uno!, "Dos! and "Tre!). Featuring intimate live performances and interviews with Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool, Green Day provides a firsthand glimpse into the rock and roll lifestyle they live by. Showing is at 5 p.m. Saturday at Regency Lido Theater. 

"Dusty's Trail: Summit of Borneo" is a story about Dusty, a Newport Beach young man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy diagnosed at age six. For Dusty, this meant that every muscle in his body was going to steadily weaken for the rest of his life until the heart and breathing muscles would stop functioning. To raise awareness for Duchenne his mother and a group of people from around the world climb a mountain in Borneo for those that will never have the opportunity.  Showing is Friday at 6 p.m. at Regency Lido Theater.