A great paradox of the Coen Brothers' films is that they are all exactly the same even as they are all miraculously different. If you're a fan of theirs, I think that would make perfect sense to you. However, even if you've never seen a single one of their films, I'd wager that if I placed ten random films in front of you and two of them were made by the Coens, you'd correctly pick them out. There's just a certain quality to their work -- a meticulous, inventive attention to detail -- that is immediately obvious. Their latest film, A Serious Man is no exception. Simply put, it's strange and ordinary, funny and tragic. More simply, it's brilliant. more ›

Ethan and Joel Coen, aka the Coen Brothers took home the biggest prizes at tonight's Academy Awards for the film "No Country For Old Men." It wasn't even the best film they've done but then again, Herbie Hancock. Jon Stewart ran the show as he did last year but could do no wrong with Regis Philbin there in the wings. more ›

Live, from in front of our television set, it's LAist's Oscar night liveblog extravaganza. more ›

The Writer's Guild of America (WGA) didn't hold a gala ceremony this year (who can afford a gown when you're not getting paid?) but they did take a break on the East coast from discussing the possible end of the strike to announce the winners of their annual awards. This year's very informal and somewhat unusual gathering "was decidedly looser than past ceremonies and peppered with references to the likely strike settlement. 'WGA on Strike' signs filled the ornate lobby of the Hudson Theatre in Times Square, and writers gathered by the open bars, comparing notes about the membership meeting earlier in the day when they finally heard the details about the tentative deal." more ›

Mike Judge's latest movie, Idiocracy (a title that's never been more apt given our current government), may only be playing at the Arclight for a few more days, but thanks to the folks at Freewebs you can download and peruse the script for all eternity. Written by Judge and Etan Cohen (not to be confused with Ethan Coen), the 110-page script should at least give you a taste of the film's satire. Check it... more ›