I'm usually the first to slag the large theater chains for their lack of creativity in programming. As such, I feel compelled to point out when they actually make a good decision. In this case, AMC is doing something so obviously cool that I can't believe it isn't done every year (maybe it will be going forward). This Saturday, several AMC theaters in the Southland will be hosting a marathon of this year's Best Picture Nominees. For only $30 (including a free large popcorn and unlimited free re-fills) you can see . Click here for all the details. more ›

They've brought luminescence to Burning Man nights and misting relief to blistering Coachella days. This Saturday, Do LaB sets out to light up your love life, whether you hate V-Day or not. Skip the roses and head downtown for a night of burlesque, nonstop beats, and a brand new performance by the Los Angeles' own Lucent Dossier Vaudeville Cirque. more ›

This Saturday Dec. 22nd @ the Key Club there's going to be a Joe Strummer Tribute thing-thang honoring the late rock legend, by not only performing many of the songs he wrote but also putting all the money raised towards Strummerville (the charity set up in his name) more ›

This Saturday night, high art meets sex with the release of Grafuck, a book featuring some of the best artists out there creating 208 pages of erotic imagery to titillate your creative urges. To celebrate the release, Gallery Nucleus is having a book signing and art show, featuring the artists and the work they've created for the book. more ›

Close your eyes and gather around the radio and listen to tales that will make you cringe or giggle. This Saturday night brings the next monthly installment of The Thrilling Adventure & Supernatural Suspense Hour, a live old-school style radio performance at the M Bar in Hollywood, which according to the fine folks at Workjuice is comprised of "several serialized short-form comedic radio plays as well as standalone pieces, musical numbers, and the occasional... more ›

If you aren't familiar with Projekt Newspeak, they are a burgeoning local production company aimed at encouraging independent projects and breaking Asian American stereotypes in the media. Founded by Eddie Kim, the project has hosted many events, including the popular Newspeak SLAM!, a spoken word poetry competition which has featured HBO's Def Poetry veterans like SKIM and Dante Basco. This Saturday the 1st, Projekt Newspeak presents the annual "Sketch Comedy Show" at El Portal... more ›

The best of LA’s theatre scene is celebrated with the 2007 LA Stage Alliance’s Ovation Awards on Monday night at the Orpheum Theater downtown. The ceremony honor Annette Bening and will be hosted by Neil—wait for it—Patrick Harris (fans of How I Met Your Mother might appreciate that one). Tickets ($40, $80 and $150) to the show are available to the general public. If those ticket prices are too steep, then check out our... more ›

There's an eclectic mix of comedy, drama and spoken word in this week's theatre picks. Shut Up and Eat Your Groundlings The Groundlings’ latest sketch show hits the stage this weekend. Groundlings Theater. 7307 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. (323) 934-4747 ext. 37. Tickets are $21.50. Opens Friday at 8 pm. Runs Fridays at 8 pm and Saturdays at 8 and 10 pm until Nov. 24. L.A. Voz L.A. Voz (Los Angeles Voice) is a series... more ›

This Saturday we had the opportunity to check out the sights and eats at the 8th Annual Japanese Food Festival, which was held at the lovely New Otani Hotel in downtown and hosted by the Japanese Restaurant Association (JRA) of Southern California. There were lots of tasty bites to eat, and plenty to drink, as well as crowd pleasing entertainment, like the Sushi Making Contest. We did our best to capture a taste of... more ›

Manny Pacquiao vs. Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas. more ›

This Saturday is September 22nd. So dust off your lederhosen, iron your dirndl and brush up on your chicken dance because Oktoberfest officially gets underway. Don’t worry if you can’t make it to Germany this year because you can still get your fill of beer and bratwurst here in LA. Here is a short list of Oktoberfest locations and events. Alpine Village- In Torrance Ca. Fri- Sun., Sept. 8th – Oct. 28th . The... more ›

I heard a joke on the radio today that made me giggle. Q: How many batteries does it take to shock a Michigan Wolverine? A: 1 AA. Hardee har har. With that joke, I’m laughing all the way up to this week’s matchup of defeated powerhouses Michigan and Notre Dame. But more on that game later. This Saturday will tell us a lot more about the college football landscape. It will weed out the... more ›

This Saturday from 6 to 8pm, Van Eaton Galleries in Sherman Oaks will be hosting a tribute event to thank, honor & celebrate the contributions of some very distinguished animators. more ›

This Saturday is a good night to catch a couple of cool art openings around town! more ›

Are you sick of being predictable and want to avoid the obvious Sunset Junction this weekend, but you don't know whats crackin'? more ›

Here at LAist we've been a tad OCD about things lately. We had our little Spoon-fest last week, and our green movement today with Green LA Girl as our guest editor, so I suppose it's only fair that DAFT PUNK is our new obsession. Yes, we shared with you one of our favorite videos of all time for Harder, Better, Stronger, Faster (and what else those hands can do is on our list of... more ›

If you've passed through Hollywood enough times, you can’t have failed to notice the bizarre billboard on the West side of Highland just North of Fountain. And if you're like me, every time you pass by, you idly wonder about the man whose leonine countenance gazes benignly on weary travellers. What is that guy staring at so intently? Why have I never heard of his movie? And how the hell can he afford to... more ›

Normally we would post a Tonight in Rock in LA list at this time, but in honor of the National Day of Mourning, most of the clubs have shut down for the night and those of us who like, let's say, the Dark Side of Things are celebrating with a Black Parade. more ›

TV commentators are hyping Ohio State vs. Michigan as yet another “game of the century," and celebrities are scrambling to find tickets. It's only the third time the top two ranked teams have faced each other in the history of 2006 (and it will happen again on January 8). Sub-headlines are going to traditional rivalries like Pit vs. West Virginia (a/k/a the Backyard Brawl) and Auburn vs. Alabama (college football + deep south =... more ›

We just go into reverie when thinking of picking apples in orchards out in Illinois or cherries in Door County, Wisconsin. more ›

Yup, that's our Mayor in the above picture pressure-washing a sidewalk in Watts. He's there to challenge you to help your neighbors. “We are inviting people from all over the City of Los Angeles to come together to give a little love to Watts. No matter where you live, we are all responsible for the communities that make up the City of Los Angeles. I want to challenge Angelenos to get involved in my... more ›

Come on and get your GOOD. GOOD Magazine, that is. The buzz is has been strong on this newly-launched magazine, the creation of Ben Goldhirsh. You maybe have read the inspiring piece on him in last month's LA Times - or you might have read the interview LAist had with him prior to that (thanks Adrienne!) He is also the founder of Reason Pictures, so yes a very busy guy. more ›

Looking for a way to give back a little this weekend? Join volunteers from Heal the Bay and all around California on Coastal Cleanup Day. more ›

Mom wants to be hip. She's tired of silk scarves from Nordstrom's and Liz Taylor handbags. What she wants this Mother's Day is a monster-appliqué purse and a set of robot-stencilled tea towels, all made by local hipster craftspeople. Who happen to be selling iridescent cupcakes in the parking lot of a comic book store. Ok, maybe not. But you might — and you can tell yourself you're shopping for mom. more ›

Hollywood loves a good cream puff. Or at least that's what the folks at Beard Papa hope. The latest location of this international cream-pufferie opens this week at Hollywood & Highland (otherwise known to some cynics as the crossroads of "Too Much" and "Too Late"). A store just for cream puffs? Apparently, these aren't just any puffs. The folks at Beard Papa's make their very own two-layer choux pastry for the shells daily on the premises. Then, when you place your order, you can watch as they stuff your shell with their whipped cream custard. The filling is also made on the premises; it's a two hour process that gets underway about 4-6 times a day, and uses natural vanilla beans for flavoring. Our friends at Gothamist drooled over BP last year, so we're thinking perhaps there's more than fluff and filling to these little pastries. This Saturday, the Hollywood & Higland location is having their Grand Opening celebration, starting at 10 a.m. We might even be persuaded to re-introduce bread and sugar into our diet for such a special occasion. more ›

LAist went to a nighttime screening of "Butch Cassiday and the Sundance Kid" this past Saturday inside the gates and next to the mausoleums at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, courtesy of Cinespia. more ›

Since it appears the solstice wiped away June gloom for the time being, this looks to be a great weekend for getting out and about. Fortunately, there's plenty going on: more ›

This Saturday is the return of the FAB Market downtown. Sponsored by the Selah Artistic Giving Center—an organization dedicated to supporting the local arts community—as well as other local groups, the Market will feature a little bit of everything. more ›