James Nguyen first saw The Birds in junior high. It scared the hell out of him then, and it still does now. He hopes you'll be just as frightened by his new film Birdemic: Shock and Terror, which the writer/director/producer/casting-agent/everything-under-the-sun describes as a "great homage" and "modern take" on Alfred Hitchcock's classic. How great? Nguyen returned to some of the same locations in Northern California, and enlisted friend Tippi Hedren (who also appeared in his previous film Julie & Jack) for a cameo. more ›

As Carol Channing, clad in a Bob Mackie sleeveless pantsuit, chinchilla (?) wrap, bright red lipstick, and a 77-karat diamond said last night: "Musical theater is a strictly American art form." The ladies who helped forge that - along with movies and television - were being feted by The Smithsonian, who were specifically honoring women who have woven their way into the American cultural fabric, welcoming their treasured memorabilia into the Smithsonian's permanent collection. more ›

We're sad to learn that actress Suzanne Pleshette has died in Los Angeles from lung cancer at age 70. Although she appeared in film very early in her career in such high profile projects as Jerry Lewis' The Geisha Boy and Hitchcock's The Birds, the vast majority of her time was spent in television. more ›

Though my allegiance has switched over to the Landmark, many film lovers in Los Angeles regard the Arclight as the best multiplex in town. It programs studio pictures right alongside esoteric indies, it offers great concessions, its screenings are commercial-free and it schedules cool events with celebrated films and filmmakers. This Wednesday, tickets go on sale for one of those very events. In fact, this one may be the coolest in awhile. To celebrate... more ›

When Basic Instinct 2 and Flicka came out last year and flopped right out of the gate, it didn't scare Hollywood away from continuing to remake classic movies. Here are just a few remakes coming at you that will probably also avoid (with the year they're due to be released): The 39 Steps (2009) Adventures in Babysitting (2008) The Birds (2009) Conan the Barbarian (2008) Deathrace 3000 (2008) Escape from New York (2009) The... more ›

The Mayor Who Wasn't Is The Solar Panel Man Los Angeles Mayor challenger in the 2005 election, Robert Hertzberg: “California does have this great image,” said Mr. Hertzberg, a former speaker of the California State Assembly and the co-founder of an investment firm, Renewable Capital. “But Europe still is much greener than anywhere in the United States, by several orders of magnitude.” His thin and flexible solar panels work in overcast and in rain.... more ›