The Ann Arbor Film Festival - North America's longest running independent and experimental film festival - comes to L.A. this Sunday, August 7. Hosted by Los Angeles Filmforum, The Ann Arbor Film Festival Tour - Digital Program A screens at the Spielberg Theater at the Egyptian Theater and features documentary, animation, independent and experimental films from the festival's 49th installment in March 2011. more ›

Film preservationists at the National Film Preservation Foundation at the New Zealand Film Archive have discovered the first half of Alfred Hitchcock's The White Shadow, reports The Associated Press.The first three reels of the six-reel film have been uncovered 88 years after its production in 1923. more ›

Day One's highlight is the sneak preview screening of Vegucated, a guerrilla-style documentary that follows three carnivorous, dairy-loving New Yorkers who adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. During their trial they uncover the horrors of animal agriculture and fight to expose an industry which they recently supported. more ›

Hey LA designers, get out and get social with some these great creative industry events for the second half of March! Below is my round-up for the next two weeks, but it is by no means exhaustive. If anyone has more to add, post them in the comments so we can all join in. more ›

The prolific technology guru Ray Kurzweil that foresaw the expansion of the Internet, the possibilities of services such as YouTube, and invented the synthesizer, graced the Westside for two nights for the screening of his documentary, Transcendent Man. Nearly selling out both nights, Angelenos flocked to see a coveted appearance by Kurzweil at the Laemmle’s Royal Theater Feb. 16 and 17. more ›

It’s those times when all meat starts to taste like chicken and the rum and Coke you ordered tastes like Froot Loops, that the notion there is just a glitch in the Matrix starts to seem like a possibility. The sci-fi scenario of robots running amok is not just a thing for the books, according to the theory of singularity, and a documentary called the Transcendent Man. more ›

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Viceroy Santa Monica and DJ Garth Trinidad are bringing an international flavor to the beach this summer with the launch of “Beats and Bites," a unique culinary experience set to sounds from around the world. The hotel’s vibrant poolside scene will play host to Trinidad’s personal picks from Los Angeles’ renowned international music community for eight weeks only. Tonight is the kick-off night, and Trinidad will host the reggae-focused evening. Chef Tony DiSalvo (Whist) has created limited-edition menu that will take guests on an international journey incorporating flavors and recipes that pair perfectly with the live entertainment. Bites will be served on customized, individual trays for $25.00/tray. 6-9PM. more ›

The Paley Center in Beverly Hills is screening some funny stuff today, starting at 12:30 with a pair of classic "Mary Tyler Moore" episodes, followed at 1:25 by a duo of hilarious "I Love Lucy" romps (including the "grape stomping" one!) a stand-up comedy on TV special at 2:30, and at 3:45 the premiere episode of "Charlie's Angels." [schedule] [visit] more ›

Inspired by ImproTheatre's LA Noir UnScripted, we thought about looking at present-day Los Angeles through the lens of the genre, and a time gone by. So we dug into our LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr, where we found a few noir-esque shots that evoke the spirit of a time immortalized in film and stories, where trenchcoat-sporting private dicks navigated the dark streets--and darker barrooms--of the City of Angels. more ›

Downtown has been working awful hard lately on putting together some great independent comedy events. Most notably this year has to be the LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival, a five-day event dedicated to short comedic films, from newcomers and big names alike. Patrick Warburton, Brian Cranston, Jane Lynch, the Funny or Die crew, and a bunch of others are showing short films this year, with even more scheduled at the panels and parties. more ›

In what turned out to be an unhappy coincidence of timing, the Hollywood Outdoor Cinema presented a screening of the classic 1986 teen flick about love, class consciousness and the prom, Pretty in Pink. The film's screenwriter, Johh Hughes, died suddenly last Thursday in NYC at 59, which has prompted a wave of cinematic nostalgia, many of whom made their way to the parking lot of the empty Circuit City on Sunset Blvd. in Silver Lake this weekend to attend the screening. more ›

This weekend is the return of the Dwell on Design conference and expo and one of the most exciting events on the schedule is Saturday's "A Night at the Movies." The evening includes screenings of two building-themed documentary films, and, for your tasting pleasure, the Square Meal on Wheels mobile "restaurant row." more ›

DRINKING Bigfoot Lodge is celebrating their 10th Anniversary with a week-long party. They're rolling back the prices, so you can actually party like it's 1999. Help them celebrate by enjoying their "recession busting" special pricing. Heads up: if you really want to relive the glory of '99, check them out all week for other fun events like tomorrow's Knotty Pine Derby, and the return of music to the Bigfoot on Sunday, along with their Bloody Sunday crafty cocktail menu. more ›

While the actual game will be played at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, FL, we here will be able to gather at Grauman's Chinese Theater Thursday evening at 5 pm to watch the game in 3D. more ›

In our weekly LAistory series we take a look at the people, places, and events in our city's amazing history. Our topics range from the long-forgotten, old familiar, or completely new to Angelenos, and hopefully our work reminds you that although our city is rich with history. Some of you may want to learn more and do your own digging...so this week we're bringing you some cool historical events that are happening that can help take you back in time. And in the meanwhile, if you have a person, place, or event you want to see covered in LAistory, use the comments to let us know! Our detectives will get on the case. more ›

Writer and legend, Ray Bradbury, will be speaking tonight at The Los Angeles Film School following a free screening of the film Chrysalis, adapted from one of his works. Mr. Bradbury was fully involved in the production of this film, from each draft to the visual effects. Here's the synopsis from the official website. more ›

In 1999, director Jon Reiss brought the electronic/rave scene to audiences with the documentary feature Better Living Through Circuitry. Reiss now returns with another kinetic documentary, this time exploring the controversial art of graffiti in Bomb It. Shot with vivid colors and set to an energetic soundtrack, the film investigates the history of graffiti while profiling artists all over the globe. Featuring old school legends and current favorites such as Taki 183, Cornbread, Stay High 149, T-Kid, Cope 2, Zephyr, Revs, Os Gemeos, KET, Chino, Shepard Fairey, Revok, and Mear One, the production shot in the United States, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Japan. Rather than just a slide show of graffiti examples, Bomb It is an explosive kaleidoscope of artists showing where the state of public space and personal voice sometimes clash and coexist. From sunny townships to dark serpentine tunnels, the film takes audiences along for the ride on guerrilla tagging missions and painting parties. more ›

You may think he’s a brilliant director, with Twin Peaks, The Elephant Man, and Mulholland Drive among his long list of film and TV projects, not to mention four Academy Award nominations. Or you may think he’s got a few screws loose with his strict adherence to transcendental meditation and the generally bizarre nature of his work. Whatever the case, you can’t deny that he’s interesting. Now you get the chance to decide for yourself... more ›

“Whassup Haterz I’m At The Mandrake” reads the tee-shirt above the cocktail menu at Culver City’s most darling art-bar located on a once desolate stretch of La Cienega just north of Washington Blvd. The Mandrake, decorated in one part rustic, one part modern and two parts sauna is host to rotating exhibits, DJ events, film & TV screenings and of course, thirsty locals. Nearby gallery owners and creative purveyors in the areas of fashion design,... more ›