Tonight we're not interested in watching the animatronic cadaver that Dick Clark has morphed into so we'll be watching old Marx Brothers movies, one of the countless marathons various networks have put together for New Years weekend. See the "full" listings and the Must-Watch plan in our full post. more ›

As countless hours of news coverage have illustrated, Kabul is a city without hope, suffocated by endless war, religious extremism and deep-seated corruption. While these menaces are certainly present in The Black Tulip, Afghanistan's submission for the 2011 Academy Awards, the film chooses instead to focus on everyday Afghanis, their perseverance and the daily struggle for free expression. The Black Tulip follows a decade of triumphs and tragedy for the Mansouri family, whom Taliban insurgents mark for death after they open The Poet's Corner, a cafe featuring live music and poetry readings. more ›

Haven't been to the cemetery in forever? There's two prime opportunities this weekend, courtesy of Cinespia's latest season of "drive-in" (sit-in?) screenings at Hollywood Forever. Saturday brings super-dead superstars Cary Grant & Grace Kelly in Alfred Hitchcock's masterful heist mystery To Catch A Thief. Sunday hosts super-living unsuper-stars Ben Affleck & Matthew McConaughey in Richard Linklater's beloved period piece Dazed and Confused. Keep the drive-in dream alive all weekend - Friday, the all-American classic, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, plays the Steve Allen parking lot, joined by special guest Tobe Hooper (maybe he'll sign my bloody Leatherface doll-erm, "collectible"). If chainsaws & cemeteries are a bit creepy, bask in the cherubic glow of Matthew Broderick & roller derby girls at the Angel City Drive-In's screening of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Bring your own backseat. more ›

More than 160,500 women have served (and died) in the former president’s the war in Iraq, but many find themselves isolated in the male-dominated culture. “This seclusion, combined with the military's history of gender discrimination and the uniquely challenging conditions in Iraq, has resulted in a mounting epidemic of sexual abuse, physical degeneration, and emotional distress among many female soldiers.” Tonight Columbia University journalism professor Helen Benedict will talk about her latest book, The Lonely Soldier: The Private War of Women Serving in Iraq , and will be joined by two of the five female veterans who are the focus of her book and a therapist who has been working with women soldiers returning from Iraq. The free discussion will take place at the American Friends Service Committee (634 S. Spring St., Downtown LA) tonight from 6:30-8:30 pm. more ›

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It’s pretty quiet today in LA. So take another Alka Seltzer and rest up for work tomorrow. more ›

So if you don't feel like driving that hour+ to some party in the Valley, or to some party anywhere in Los Angeles, you can always turn on the TV. There's nothing like watching the 3-hour tape-delayed disco ball drop to reaffirm your existence. Tomorrow - Sunday - New Years Eve "Twilight Zone Marathon" (SciFi, ALL DAY) "Seinfeld Marathon" (TBS, ALL DAY) "Marx Brothers Marathon" (TCM, starting at 5:15 p.m.) (other marathons include "Ace... more ›