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ROBERT ALTMAN MINI-FEST Altman’s directing struggles over the last decade have been laid to rest with the success of Gosford Park. To more fully appreciate the master of emotionally complex ensemble dramedies, take a look at these four classics screening in two double bills. The Long Goodbye (1973), his laid-back update of film noir classic The Big Sleep, is paired with his stunningly powerful relationship flick Short Cuts (1993), in which L.A. characters negotiate loss, sorrow and sexual infidelity with controlled bitterness (Paradise, Wednesday, March 20). The Player (1992) skewers Hollywood types with such glee that you can almost hear the indie-minded Altman laughing behind the camera. It screens with M*A*S*H (1970), a scathing anti-war masterpiece that has the audacity to play like a comedy. NNNNN (Revue, Wednesday March 20)
