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It is rare to find a perfect match between filmmaker and material; rarer still to see that match made in heaven come to fruition with glorious result. But that is exactly what we have with Tim Burton and MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN, a gloriously goth, visually imaginative and engaging film yet with a caring, sweet edge that finds Tim Burton once again at the top of his game and almost assuredly, at the top of the box office. Directed by Burton and written by Jane Goldman based...
The 7th AFFAIR OF THE ARTS in Downtown Culver City will be held on Friday, Saturday & Sunday, November 18 – 20, and will feature fine and functional art, music, activities for kids and an interactive art project titled “Sacred Water” which is in support of those protecting our water and protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota. This art project illustrates the critical role art can play in social justice and bringing people together to explore important issues -- intentional planning by the event’s producers from TheWhol...
It has long been a running banter between myself and Ewan McGregor as to when he would move from in front of the camera to behind the lens. His response has consistently been, "When I find the right project." Well, the "right project" finally came along with the adaptation of Philip Roth's Pulitzer Prize-winning AMERICAN PASTORAL. Often described as a complex and challenging work, and rightly so, this 1997 Roth work is perhaps the hallmark of his prolific career. And while many of Roth's works...
Nice to know that should Clint Eastwood choose to continue directing, he has a future career with Lifetime movies as that is exactly what his latest big screen foray with SULLY is. That's not to say there's anything wrong with Lifetime movies. I have watched more than my fair share over the years as I am sure many of you have. While solid workmanship, there's a reason those films are "made for tv" and that's exactly where SULLY belongs; on tv and not on the big screen. We all know the story of...
The world premiere of Jon Robin Baitz's "Vicuña," directed by Robert Egan, opens this Sunday, October 30, at 6:30 p.m. at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatr in Culver Citye. Performances for "Vicuña" continue through November 20. The cast includes, in alphabetical order, Linda Gehringer, Brian George, Harry Groener, Ramiz Monsef and Samantha Sloyan. Influenced by the evolving political landscape, this brand new satire focuses on a brash presidential candidate on the rise – a blu...
As if David MacKenzie's award-worthy "Hell or High Water" wasn't enough of a reason to celebrate cinema, and particularly the American western, Antoine Fuqua brings us the high octane stunning reimagination of "The Magnificent Seven." But now lauded horror genre writer/director/editor Ti West enters the corral with IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE, a real rootin' tootin' western but with a Ti West twist, proving yet again that the western is alive and well and very much beloved. As we saw with "The...
There is one hot ticket on Halloween night that you don't want to miss. No, it's not the annual Halloween parade in West Hollywood. Even better, Boz Scaggs is making an appearance on his 2016 concert tour at The Rose in Pasadena. Scaggs will be singing songs from his new "A Fool to Care" album, and treating fans to all of his hit singles which includes "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle," both songs from the critically acclaimed "Silk Degrees (1976)" album. This album peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 and both songs reached the Top 10 list in the...
The Culver City Art group will present a multi-media art exhibition of original artwork by its members at their 21st annual holiday show. This exhibition will be presented at the Playa Vista CenterPointe Club, 6200 Playa Vista Drive on Saturday, November 12 from noon until 6 pm. Artists’ reception will be from 3:30 pm to 5: m. Come meet the artists. The exhibit will run for one day only. This event is free and open to the public. The Culver City Art Group is an organization of local artists that embraces all visual arts from traditional to c...
There has been little attention in movies paid to the issue of sex trafficking, particularly the "human" aspect of it; 2007 gave us Kevin Kline in "Trade"; in 2008 we saw "Taken" where a father saves his daughter after a kidnapping; a 2005 mini-series with Donald Sutherland and Mira Sorvino was more of a procedural. With the exception of "Trade", the stories have been clinical with little said about redemption, salvation or turning lives around. All that changes with PRICELESS thanks to its...
It's a look into history this week with the narrative feature THE SIEGE OF JADOTVILLE available on Netflix and, NO ASYLUM: THE UNTOLD CHAPTER OF ANNE FRANK'S STORY, now on various digital and VOD platforms. THE SIEGE OF JADOTVILLE Unknown to most is the story of the 1961 post-Colonial siege at Jadotville in The Congo in which Irish battalion A-Company held off a five day attack by 300-plus Katangese secessionists and mercenaries, and despite being out-manned and out-gunned, lost none of their...
The Culver City Arts District, a unique collection of art galleries, creative businesses, specialty retail and restaurants, will present Culver City Art Walk 2016 on October 8 from 2 pm to 6. The Art Walk event will be centered on Washington Boulevard between Helms and Fairfax Avenues and will celebrate the beginning of the fall art season with a free self-guided tour of art galleries exhibiting new and distinguished artists, musical and dance performances throughout the day at various venues, interactive experiences and special offerings at...
We all know the name Edward Snowden. A former CIA employee and contractor to various U.S. government agencies and its sub-contractors, Snowden turned the world upside down in May 2013 when he leaked classified information to journalists, Glenn Greenwald and Ewan MacAskill, and documentarian Laura Poitras, exposing the high level of global surveillance being perpetrated by the NSA and others with the knowledge and support of the United States and European governments. During a "covert" operation...
In a day and age where kids are losing the innocence of childhood and the idea of myth, fantasy, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Mother Goose and storks at frighteningly early ages, it's refreshing to see co-directors Nicholas Stoller and Doug Sweetland deliver a story that stops that clock and reverses it, reinvigorating the centuries old "the stork brought you" story while redefining the definition of family for a new generation. Seriously people, does a 3 or 4 year old child reaaaallly need...
Kentwood Players will hold open auditions for the comedic satire “The Imaginary Invalid” by Molière, on Saturday, November 12, noon to 4 pm and Sunday, November 13 from 6 pm to 9:30. This is a non-equity, non-paid production directed by Susan Stangl and produced by Sheridan Cole Crawford for Kentwood Players. Performance dates are January 13 through February 18, 2017 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm. Auditions and performances take place at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester. Moli...
There is more than light between oceans in this latest film from writer/director Derek Cianfrance. There are tears, lots and lots of tears, and the tidal swirling of emotions both on screen and in the audience as Cianfrance pulls on every heartstring known to mankind and then some, with this adaptation of Australian author M.L. Stedman's 2010 bestseller. The richness of the story swells and surges to life thanks not only to exquisitely strong and impressive visuals, but complex enigmatic...
Holy mother of God! You won't believe your eyes and ears when you watch BAD MOMS! It's moms-behaving-badly in this raunchy, riotous ridiculum of side-splitting hilarity. And although not a perfect film, it is the perfect antidote for a case of the mid-summer doldrums or whatever ails you. Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn star as our seemingly less than perfect "bad" moms - Amy, Kiki and Carla, respectively - who are trying to do it all but sometimes fall a bit short, while Christina...
For everyone who has already seen "Hell or High Water", you know the Oscar race has begun thanks to an award-worthy performance by Jeff Bridges, a powerhouse script from Tayler Sheridan and stunning cinematography by Giles Nuttgens. This film has Best Picture contender written all over it. (And if you haven't seen "Hell or High Water", get thee to a theatre now!) But this week another contender in the acting race steps into the Oscar ring with Jonathan Jakubowicz' HANDS OF STONE and two knockout...
Let's just cut to the chase. BEN-HUR is masterful! A spectacle worthy of Cecil B. DeMille but with a story that is more grounded and layered with softer, nuanced, more human emotional performances that go beyond the visual (and visceral) experience and elevate the film into an eye-opener for the heart. Majestic in scope and message, what director Timur Bekmambetov and company have done is deliver a film for the ages. Being the classic film devotee that I am, and as my regular readers and...
By Observer Staff Reporter John Kay and Steppenwolf, one of the architects of the hard-rock sound from the 1970's, make a rare appearance at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills on September 10. In the late 1960's, Steppenwolf embodied that era's social, political and philosophical restlessness, building an impressive body of edgy rock 'n' roll that retains its emotional resonance more than four decades after the band's formation. Their big hits "Born to Be Wild," "Magic Carpet Ride," "Rock Me," a...
Several artists in the coming Fall show "California Landscapes" at West Los Angeles College may first be known for a previous job, as the relative of an icon, or for working behind the scenes in the art world. But make no mistake, Gil Garcetti – former Los Angeles District Attorney and father of LA's Mayor; Lucas Reiner – son and brother to Carl and Rob Reiner; and Gayle Roski – renowned art philanthropist after whom the USC School of Art and Design is named, are gifted visual artists who have...
Deborah Warren has been named the new Director of Marketing and James Sims the new Director of Communications at Center Theatre Group of Los Angeles, one of the largest and most active nonprofit theatre companies in the country.. Warren arrives at Center Theatre Group with a marketing background that includes a decade at League of Resident Theatres (LORT), including five years as Director of Marketing at the Geffen Playhouse. She spent 15 years marketing Broadway productions in New York and around the country with Disney Theatrical Group as...
Rehearsals have begun for the world premiere of “Throw Me on the Burnpile and Light Me Up,”written and performed by the Oscar-nominated Lucy Alibar (Best Adapted Screenplay for “Beasts of the Southern Wild”). “Throw Me on the Burnpile” previews September 10, opens September 16 and continues through October 2 at Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. Directed by Center Theatre Group Associate Artistic Director Neel Keller, “Throw Me on the Burnpile and Light Me Up” blends a lecherous goat, Pentecostals on the radio, a clut...
A quiet little gem from "Orange Is The New Black" writer/producer Sian Heder expands wider in theatres this week - TALLULAH. Heder, who not only writes TALLULAH, makes her feature directorial debut, and in the process delivers a beautiful film driven by intimate character studies and the intricacy of nuanced detail. We first meet Tallulah and boyfriend Nico living in Tallulah's beat-up old van. Living a true vagabond life, the two have been wandering around the country for two years, stealing...
Philip Roth has long been a favorite author to many. His words have found themselves adapted for the big screen countless times to great effect. But it’s his 29th novel, INDIGNATION, that is one of the most beautiful and resonant adaptations thanks to writer/director James Schamus. A novel that fictionalizes Roth’s own life during his college years, on both page and screen, we are transported on both an emotional and sensory level to 1950's Newark, New Jersey with the story of Marcus Mes...
ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE Scrat's back and as to be expected, he's up to his old tricks again; this time inadvertently creating the solar system thanks to his never-ending pursuit of that elusive acorn. That's right folks! The ICE AGE franchise continues with this fresh and funny fifth installment, ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE. As has become the story standard, everyone's favorite saber-toothed squirrel Scrat and his mishaps are the catalysts or inspirations for each film. Remember the splitting...
