Topline:
Romance, horror, gross-out stunts, animation, and mystery — there's something for everyone across the city this weekend, thanks to L.A.'s rich repertory screening scene.
Background: The summer sun is still beating down, check out my recommendations to get into the AC and catch a good movie!
If you go: If you saw something good this weekend, send us an email! HowToLA@scpr.org
Dive deeper:
As we welcome the final month of summer (hello, Leo season!), there is still no better time to hide away in the air conditioning and see a movie on the big screen. We’ve got five weekend picks for you at cool movie theaters all around town.
I caught Robot Dreams a few weeks ago before it left mainstream theaters and can’t recommend a new release more highly. And as a horror-lover, that Jennifer’s Body and Drag Me To Hell double feature is truly calling to me — those are two stone-cold classics. But this week, you’ll find me tucked in at the historic Egyptian theater, ready to fill in the gaps of my Paul Thomas Anderson knowledge. A 9:30 p.m. 70mm screening of an absurd Thomas Pynchon novel? Be still, my English major heart.
Jennifer’s Body + Drag Me To Hell
New Beverly Cinema
Friday, Aug. 2, at 6:30 and 8:40 p.m.
Tickets are $14.25 and include admission to both films, more info here.
Synopsis: What an ideal double feature to take us back to 2009. First, watch Megan Fox’s iconic turn as the titular man-eating cheerleader. Then, stay tuned for Sam Raimi’s classic “you’ve been cursed” flick, following a woman who’s about to have it all… until she makes a choice at work that upends her life. Two movies about the evils of patriarchy and capitalism, all wrapped up in curses and blood, but in a fun way. A perfect Friday night!
Love & Basketball
The Academy Museum
Saturday, Aug. 3, at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $10, more info here.
Synopsis: This decade spanning love story between two basketball players set in South L.A. has become a beloved classic for a reason. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s feature film debut is a romantic sports drama that still feels like nothing else. Starring Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan, and featuring Regina Hall, Alfre Woodard, Gabrielle Union, and Tyra Banks, the cast (and the soundtrack!) are absolutely stacked.
Milagro Cinemas is opening this weekend in Norwalk! Moctesuma Esparza, producer on films like "Selena" (1997) and community activist is opening a cinema tailored for the Latino community. Historically underrepresented in film, Latinos have been the biggest box office spenders this summer. The state-of-the-art theater, equipped with 4K laser projection and Dolby Atmos sound opens on August 2nd.
Jackass: The Movie
Brain Dead Studios
Saturday, Aug. 3, at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $13, more info here.
Synopsis: He’s Johnny Knoxville, welcome to Jackass. There’s not really a plot, aside from friendship. You know the drill, Jackass started a reality TV show on MTV featuring nine friends doing crazy stunts and gross pranks. It ran from 2000-01, and in 2002 they made a feature length film and the franchise ran for another 20 years. And Spike Jonze produced it? The guy who directed Being John Malkovich and Her? Wild.
Robot Dreams
Vidiots
Friday, Aug. 2 — Sunday, Aug. 4, at 4:45 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $11, more info here.
Synopsis: It’s the 80s and Dog lives alone in Manhattan. He orders and assembles Robot, a companion, and they live it up together joyfully as their friendship deepens. After a mishap, Dog is forced to leave Robot’s side. Honestly, the less you know about this one going in, the better. This silent Spanish film has a simplistic, beautiful and colorful animation style that holds so much emotion. You can definitely take your kids, but you might have to explain why you’re crying at the end.
Inherent Vice
The Egyptian
Sunday, Aug. 4, at 9:30 p.m.
Tickets are $12-17, more info here.
Synopsis: Los Angeles in the 70s, a stoner private investigator, and a missing ex-girlfriend. Director Paul Thomas Anderson adapting a Thomas Pynchon novel. You’re not gonna get a lot of answers here, but you are gonna get an absurd journey starring Joaquin Phoenix, projected in beautiful 70mm.
Topline:
This Sunday, a special donation concert at Pasadena's Healing Force of the Universe record store helps fire survivors get their vinyl record collections back.
The backstory: The record donation effort is the brainchild of musician Brandon Jay, who founded the nonprofit Altadena Musicians after losing his home and almost all of his family’s musical instruments in the Eaton Fire. Now, he has turned his efforts on rebuilding people's lost record collections.
Read on ... to find details of the show happening Sunday.
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena and Pasadena’s music community have really shown up to support fire survivors, especially fellow musicians who lost instruments and record collections.
That effort continues this weekend with a special donation concert at a Pasadena record store, with the aim of getting vinyl records back in the hands of survivors who lost their collections.
“You know, our name is Healing Force of the Universe, and I think that gives me a pretty clear direction… especially after the fires,” said Austin Manuel, founder of Pasadena record store, where Sunday’s show will be held.
The record donation effort is the brainchild of musician Brandon Jay, who founded the nonprofit Altadena Musicians after losing his home and almost all of his family’s instruments in the Eaton Fire. Through Altadena Musicians’s donation and registry platform, Jay said he and his partners have helped some 1,200 fire survivors get their music instruments back.
Now, that effort has fanned out to restoring vinyl record collections.
“All of that stuff evaporated for thousands of people,” Jay said. “Look at your own record collection and be like, ‘Wow, what if that whole thing disappeared?’”
You might know Jay from several bands over the years, including Lutefisk, a 1990s alt-rock band based in Los Angeles. He and his wife, Gwendolyn Sanford, composed music for TV shows, including Orange is the New Black and Weeds.
Jay plans to play some holiday tunes at Sunday's record donation show (which LAist is the media sponsor), along with fellow musician Daniel Brummel of Sanglorians. Brummel, who was also a founding member of Pasadena’s indie-rock sensation Ozma, said he was grateful to Jay for his fire recovery work and to Manuel for making Healing Force available for shows like this.
Brummel, who came close to losing his own home in the Eaton Fire, recalled a show he played at Healing Force back in March.
“The trauma of the fires was still really fresh,” Brummel said. After playing a cover of Rufus Wainwright’s “Going to a Town,” that night — which includes the lyrics “I’m going to a town that has already been burnt down” — Brummel said his neighbors in the audience told him the rendition hit them hard. “It felt really powerful. And without that space, it just wouldn’t have occurred.”
Healing Force of the Universe Record Donation Show
Featuring: Quasar (aka Brandon Jay), Sanglorians (Daniel Brummel) and The Acrylic.
Sunday, Dec. 14; 2 to 5 p.m.
1200 E. Walnut St., Pasadena
Tickets are $15 or you can donate 5 or more records at the door. More info here.
Topline:
The Hollywood Walk of Fame has a new neighbor — a star dedicated to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Why it matters: The Fire Department has been honored with an “Award of Excellence Star” for its public service during the Palisades and Sunset fires, which burned in the Pacific Palisades and Hollywood Hills neighborhoods of L.A. in January.
Why now: The star was unveiled on Hollywood Boulevard on Friday at a ceremony hosted by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Hollywood Community Foundation.
Awards of Excellence celebrate organizations for their positive impacts on Hollywood and the entertainment industry, according to organizers. Fewer than 10 have been handed out so far, including to the LA Times, Dodgers and Disneyland.
The backstory: The idea of awarding a star to the Fire Department was prompted by an eighth-grade class essay from Eniola Taiwo, 14, from Connecticut. In an essay on personal heroes, Taiwo called for L.A. firefighters to be recognized. She sent the letter to the Chamber of Commerce.
“This star for first responders will reach the hearts of many first responders and let them know that what they do is recognized and appreciated,” Taiwo’s letter read. “It will also encourage young people like me to be a change in the world.”
The Award of Excellence Star is in front of the Ovation Entertainment Complex next to the Walk of Fame; however, it is separate from the official program.
What officials say: Steve Nissen, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement Taiwo’s letter was the inspiration for a monument that will “forever shine in Hollywood.”
“This recognition is not only about honoring the bravery of the Los Angeles Fire Department but also about celebrating the vision of a young student whose words reminded us all of the importance of gratitude and civic pride,” said Nissen, who’s also president and CEO of the Hollywood Community Foundation.
Go deeper: LA's wildfires: Your recovery guide
Topline:
Fallout from allegations of an ethics breach by Los Angeles’ elected city attorney has reached the City Council. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado introduced a motion Friday requesting a closed-session meeting about an allegation that City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto improperly contacted a witness days before her office entered into one of the city’s biggest settlements in recent years. The motion came a day after LAist reported about the allegation.
The case: In September, the city settled a lawsuit brought forward by two brothers in their 70s who said they suffered serious injuries after an LAPD officer crashed into their car. Days before the $18 million settlement was reached, lawyers for the brothers said Feldstein Soto called an expert witness testifying for the plaintiffs and “attempted to ingratiate herself with him and asked him to make a contribution to her political campaign,” according to a sworn declaration to the court by the plaintiffs’ attorney, Robert Glassman.
The response: Feldstein Soto did not respond to an interview request. Her spokesperson said the settlement “had nothing to do” with the expert witness. Her campaign manager told LAist the city attorney had been making a routine fundraising call and did not know the person had a role in the case, nor that there were pending requests for her office to pay him fees.
What Jurado says: In a statement to LAist, Jurado said she wants to “make sure that the city’s legal leadership is guided by integrity and accountability, especially when their choices affect public trust, civic rights and the city’s limited resources."
What’s next: The motion needs to go through a few committees before reaching the full City Council. If it passes, the motion calls for the city attorney to “report to council in closed session within 45 days regarding the ethics breach violation and give updates to the City Council."
Topline:
Fallout from allegations of an ethics breach by Los Angeles’ elected city attorney has reached the City Council. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado introduced a motion Friday requesting a closed-session meeting about an allegation that City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto improperly contacted a witness days before her office entered into one of the city’s biggest settlements in recent years. The motion came a day after LAist reported about the allegation.
The case: In September, the city settled a lawsuit brought forward by two brothers in their 70s who said they suffered serious injuries after an LAPD officer crashed into their car. Days before the $18 million settlement was reached, lawyers for the brothers said Feldstein Soto called an expert witness testifying for the plaintiffs and “attempted to ingratiate herself with him and asked him to make a contribution to her political campaign,” according to a sworn declaration to the court by the plaintiffs’ attorney, Robert Glassman.
The response: Feldstein Soto did not respond to an interview request. Her spokesperson said the settlement “had nothing to do” with the expert witness. Her campaign manager told LAist the city attorney had been making a routine fundraising call and did not know the person had a role in the case, nor that there were pending requests for her office to pay him fees.
What Jurado says: In a statement to LAist, Jurado said she wants to “make sure that the city’s legal leadership is guided by integrity and accountability, especially when their choices affect public trust, civic rights and the city’s limited resources."
What’s next: The motion needs to go through a few committees before reaching the full City Council. If it passes, the motion calls for the city attorney to “report to council in closed session within 45 days regarding the ethics breach violation and give updates to the City Council."
Topline:
Today marks el Día de La Virgen de Guadalupe, or the day of the Virgen of Guadalupe, an important holiday for Catholics and those of Mexican descent. In Santa Ana, Luis Cantabrana builds an elaborate altar in her honor that draws hundreds of visitors.
What is the holiday celebrating? In 1513, the Virgin Mary appeared before St. Juan Diego, asking him to build a church in her honor. Her image — a brown-skinned woman, wearing a green veil with her hands clasped in prayer and an angel at her feet — miraculously appeared on his cloak. Every year on Dec. 12, worshippers of the saint celebrate the Guadalupita with prayer and song.
Read on … for how worshippers in Santa Ana celebrate.
Every year in Santa Ana, Luis Cantabrana turns the front of his home into an elaborate altar in honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe that draws hundreds of visitors.
Along the front of the house, the multi-colored altar is filled with lights, flowers and a stained-glass tapestry behind a sculpture of the Lady of Guadalupe. Cantabrana’s roof also is lit up with the green, white and red lights that spell out “Virgen de Guadalupe” and a cross.
Visitors are welcomed with music and the smell of roses as they celebrate the saint, but this year’s gathering comes after a dark year for immigrant communities.
In 1513, the Virgin Mary appeared before St. Juan Diego between Dec. 9 and Dec. 12, asking him to build a church in her honor. Her image — a brown-skinned woman wearing a green veil with her hands together in prayer and an angel at her feet — miraculously appeared on his cloak.
To celebrate in Santa Ana, worshippers gathered late-night Wednesday and in the very early hours Dec. 12 to pray the rosary, sing hymns and celebrate the saint.
Cantabrana has hosted worshippers at his home for 27 years — 17 in Santa Ana.
The altar started out small, he said, and over the years, he added a fabric background, more lights and flowers (lots and lots of flowers).
“It started with me making a promise to la Virgen de Guadalupe that while I had life and a home to build an altar, that I would do it,” Cantabrana said. “Everything you see in photos and videos is pretty, but when you come and see it live, it's more than pretty. It's beautiful.”
Many also look to the Lady of Guadalupe for protection, especially at a time when federal enforcement has rattled immigrant communities.
“People don’t want to go to work, they don’t want to take their kids to school, but the love we have for our Virgen de Guadalupe,” Cantabrana said. “We see that la Virgen de Guadalupe has a lot of power, and so we know immigration [enforcement] won’t come here.”
Margarita Lopez of Garden Grove has been visiting the altar for three years with her husband. She’s been celebrating the Virgencita since she was a young girl. Honoring the saint is as important now as ever, she said.
“We ask, and she performs miracles,” Lopez said.
Claudia Tapia, a lifelong Santa Ana resident, said the Virgin Mary represents strength.
“Right now, with everything going on, a lot of our families [have] turned and prayed to the Virgen for strength during these times,” Tapia said. “She's a very strong symbol of Mexican culture, of unity, of faith and of resilience.”
The shrine will stay up into the new year on the corner of Broadway and Camile Street.
