Los Angeles has no shortage of stories or talented filmmakers. On Location: The Los Angeles Video Project presents the best of both. NewFilmmakers Los Angeles, The Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau and LA Weekly curate the series of 1-4 minute mixed media shorts at Sunset Gower Studios. Much sunnier than L.A. Noire, the audience selections & grand prizes valued at $100K will leave everyone with plenty to smile about. Tickets are $10 (available online only), with an extra $5 unlocking the open bar after-party. more ›

I'd be remiss to my Lord Samhain if I put off the Halloween coverage a second longer. But before plunging into the depths of hell, take a moment to plumb the depths of heaven at the Aero. Counterculture cartoonist Bill Plympton appears in support of his latest work, Idiots and Angels. The hand-crafted dark comedy finds a drunken curmudgeon sprouting a pair of wings that compel him to do good deeds. The only problem is - he wants to be bad, and will stop at nothing to sour his spirits. If you can't make it on Thursday, it's also playing for one week only at Laemmle's Sunset starting Friday. more ›

Weeks ago, we warned that Forrest Ackerman, coiner of the phrase sci-fi, adventurer and keeper of the science-fiction flame, was ailing. more ›

Forrest "Forrey" Ackerman, the nearly 92 year old coiner of the term "sci-fi" and honorary lesbian (for his work as "Laurajean Ermayne") is said to be ailing. "He wasn't sounding very strong," Harry Knowles said in an entry on Ain't It Cool News, "It hurt to hear his voice." Ackerman helped to bolster the burgeoning sci-fi community by publishing the inspirational journal, Famous Monsters of Filmland. more ›

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It's October and you want to do something spooky and cool but, cheap, and not too scary? Or maybe you're a crazy sci-fi horror fan? Well, you know, all the cool kids go to Ackermansion, where owner, waxwork and proprietor, Forrest Ackerman -- coiner of the term "sci-fi" -- will show you his peerless collection of memorabilia of that genre including Bela Lugosi's cape from the Dracula films, the girl robot (you know the one we mean) from Metropolis, and the man-eating Brontasaurus from 1933's King Kong while he regales you with stories from working with such famous actors as Boris Karloff, or how he was made an "honorary lesbian" for his work under the pseudonym, "Laurajean Ermayne" or perhaps how his work as a literary agent and writer helped nurture science fiction -- maybe you prefer to hear his stories in Esperanto, (the language that combines all languages) because he's an expert. Remarkably, he does all this without leaving his Laz-E-Boy (give him a break, he's 8 million years old!) more ›

We here at LAist are strong advocates of Halloween, and have provided the list below in an effort to help all of our readers enjoy this fine holiday as thoroughly as possible. Even if you don't get out there in full costume and party like Bela Lugosi, we hope you enjoy some of the following: more ›

WEDNESDAY more ›