How do you make world wars funny? During World War II, one of the more somber moments in world history, it took some time to find comedy in what was an absurd era that fomented the rise of Existentialism and made geniuses out of Albert Camus, Pablo Picasso and Jean-Paul Sartre, none of whom made their mark in comedy. In Springtime for Hitler, Mel Brooks showed us that even the most untouchable tyrants can be......

The Hammer Museum has free admission all summer. And it's air conditioned. Of course, the galleries are organized around a central courtyard, but last weekend, when the rest of the city was as scorching as it was today, that little courtyard felt like an oasis of shade and calm. Parking in the building costs $3 with the Hammer's validation, or there's a Metro Rapid stop right outside. They've also got some cool nighttime events......

When we think classical music history, Los Angeles doesn't exactly come to mind. But one of the greatest composers of the 20th Century resided in Hollywood for almost 30 years (1940 – 1969) and he wasn’t a film composer (though he unsuccessfully attempted to be one). Igor Fyodorovitch Stravinsky (1882-1971), credited for revolutionizing modern music, is most famously known for The Rite of Spring, a score he wrote for the Ballets Russes (if you......

TUESDAY • At The Echo, see The Ponys with Nathaniel Mayer, Willowz and Plastic Crimewave Sound. Tickets are $10; show starts at 8:30 PM. [18+] • Rex Aquarium and The Dirty Kings perform at the Silverlake Lounge. Tickets are $5. • At Arclight, see a preview of Hollywood's Master Storytellers, featuring a Q&A with Andy Garcia following a screening of Modigliani, documenting Amedeo Modigliani's rivalry with Pablo Picasso, at 7:30 PM. Click here to......