From the moment we walk in the back of the theatre through an elaborate “revival” tent that sets the mood, to the dimming of the lights on a Sibyl Wickersheimer’s big yet simultaneously humble set, Carnage weaves some of that magic unique to theatres. It’s productions like these, the kind that brings pleasure in a stellar cast’s performances and intellectual satisfaction in the post-show dissection, that make me love theatre all the more.
Opening Night at Akasha
Akasha in downtown Culver City opened Tuesday night, and my friends and I checked it out. The space is huge.
Akasha took over the old San Gennaro spot, on the corner of Watseka and Culver Boulevard.
Carl Reiner Has Done It All — and Now, the Backlot Film Festival
The Backlot Film Festival announced today that the veteran comedy writer, director, actor and producer Carl Reiner will receive the third Thomas Ince Award for outstanding work in the film industry.
Named for the pioneer producer of early filmmaking, Mr. Ince introduced production procedures and quality of standards that set the model
and helped mold the distinct image of Hollywood films to this day.
The Tribute and Awards Ceremony will be held Saturday, April 5, at the historic
Vets Auditorium in Culver City.
There Will Be Greatness
An easy example of how multilayered “There Will Be Blood” is lies in the juxtaposition of Radiohead bandmember Jonny Greenwood’s score and the film’s imagery. Initially, the music comes on strong – so strong, in fact, that it almost pushes everything else out of conscious awareness. But the music, sometimes melodic, often nothing more than a menacing minimalist drone, eventually proves to be a vital and complementary element in the film’s gestalt. From a cinematic standpoint, the music could be stripped from the film, leaving us with a mostly innocuous portrait of difficult, not necessarily honest, lives in the ebb and flow of the dangerous and often ruthless oil business. Paul Thomas Anderson’s steady, unhurried pace is engaging in and of itself, giving us a chance to soak up gorgeously shot desert vistas, meticulously considered set design, stunning visual effects, and the gradual unfolding of the characters and plot.
Are You in the Mood for Upscale Mexican Food with Flair?
A friend of mine was invited by Senor Sanchez himself to dine at his new Casa Sanchez restaurant in Mar Vista, in the old Marina Mago spot, just up the street from his taqueria.
She brought me along to check it out (we ate for free).
This place is a trip.
It has a grand entryway with high ceilings and a large portrait of Zapata. There is a bar/lounge area, that overlooks the main dining room.
My No. 1 Eating Choice in the Neighborhood
Metro Cafe
My favorite neighborhood restaurant in Culver City is the Metro Café, hands down.
I have been dining there regularly for the last couple of years, and have yet to grow tired of it.
Nestled in the bottom of the Travelodge, on first glance you may mistake it for your average greasy-spoon diner, which is far from the truth.
A Bloody Mess
The biggest surprise in Bloody Bloody Andrews Jackson is that the audience did not – repeat: did not – give it a standing ovation. Was it a different audience? Had I been transported to an alternate universe? Whatever the answer, the audience stayed seated until the cast took its one and only bo and the green light was given to raid the food in the lobby…wait a minute…food in the lobby? That could explain it…
Get Ready for Los Angeles' Very First Restaurant Week
[Editor’s Note: Here is a sparkling new weekly treat for our readers, a gift happily devoid of calories. May we introduce our Food Editor, Ms. Bree Crocetti, whose intellectually simmering servings can be found daily at her website, http:/triplecreme.blogspot.com/
A chef in her private life, and among the earliest graduates of the New School of Cooking, Ms. Crocetti’s hometown reviews, insights and musings are guaranteed to satiate your culinary appetite.]
Pitti Will Appear Saturday Night at Festival for Cowboys
Paul Pitti, one of Culver City’s favorite legendary cowboys, will be appearing with his daughter Pam and son-in-law Randy Turner and the New Westernaires at the 11th annual Cowboy Poetry and Music
Festival on Saturday evening at 7 in the South Bay.
The cowboy festival will be hosted at the Empty Saddle Club, 39 Empty Saddle Ln, Rolling Hills Estates, on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
‘4th and Long’ Scores a Touchdown
When independent filmmaker Timothy Vanderberg described the film he sent me for review, “4th and Long,” as a comedy about football fans trying to save their hometown team, I thought to myself, “Self, you can’t stand football… What the heck kind of chance does this film have of getting a fair review?” To make matters worse, I went back to some of the indie films I reviewed while still a baby film critic and, given their – how shall I put it? – inadequacies, another worry popped into my mind. What on earth would I write if I didn’t enjoy the film? It’s one thing to take shots at studio films; putting down an indie film feels like an act on a par with punting puppies. I had visions of writing diplomatic meta-critiques. Surely I’d have to discuss film theory. At the least, I’d have to examine differences in cinematic standards between big-budget Hollywood films and low-budget independent films. The point is: I fretted.