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Looking for something to do this weekend? Try visiting one of the independent movie theaters across Los Angeles! Here's some highlights from what's playing around town. There's something for everyone, from animated flicks to superhero movies to vampire horror.
Why now: It's the weekend! We've got a list with something for everyone. Check out my suggestions!
If you go: If you saw something good this weekend, send us an email! HowToLA@scpr.org
Dive deeper:
Weekend coming back around in L.A.? That means it's movie time! Below, we have some choice picks from independent movie theaters around the city — from Christopher Nolan to claymation, there's something for everyone on this list.
The Dark Knight
Gardena Cinema
Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25 @ multiple showtimes
Tickets are $12, more info here.
Synopsis: It’s not an exaggeration to say that Christopher Nolan’s take on Batman changed superhero movies forever. The caped crusader (Christian Bale) and the Joker (an Oscar-winning performance from Heath Ledger) face off in this dark comic book movie about surveillance states and the nature of justice.
You’ll like this if … you dig the rainy darkness and race-against-the-clock thriller elements of films like Se7en, or Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs is one of your favorite villains.
Turning Red (Accessible screening)
The Academy Museum’s Ted Mann Theater
Saturday, May 25 @ 11 a.m.
Tickets are $10, more info here.
Synopsis: 13-year-old Mei is desperate to see her favorite boy band, but her problems are a little bigger than fandom and teen angst when she discovers a family secret — when emotions run high, the women in her family turn into giant red pandas. Turning Red had a limited theatrical release when it initially came out in 2022, so this is your chance to see the red panda hijinks on a big screen! This family matinee is an accessible screening, offering open captions, dim lighting, and reduced volume.
You’ll like this if … You’ve enjoyed other recent Pixar offerings like Luca, or if Petite Maman and Everything Everywhere All at Once made you wish you and your mom understood each other better, or you love friendship-focused stories like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
Desperately Seeking Susan
American Cinematheque at the Los Feliz 3
Saturday, May 25 @ 4 p.m.
Tickets are $8-13, more info here.
Synopsis: Madonna’s first major big-screen role! She plays the titular Susan, an impossibly cool woman exchanging personal ads in the newspaper that catch the eye of bored housewife Roberta Glass (Rosanna Arquette). Lost memories, mistaken identities and mob-related shenanigans ensue.
You’ll like this if … you dig the mid-80s fashion, cool girl crimes and yuppie skewering of Something Wild, or if you wish The Parent Trap had higher stakes.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Vidiots
Saturday, May 25 @ 9:45 p.m.
Tickets are $12 , more info here.
Synopsis: Romance! Dreamy gothic vibes! Horror! Set in the 19th century, Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves play lovers threatened by the titular Dracula (Gary Oldman). Teaming up with vampire hunter Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins), will they be able to stop the vampire’s reign of terror in this Francis Ford Coppola-directed, star-studded flick?
You’ll like this if … Winona Ryder’s costumes and demeanor in Beetlejuice or Edward Scissorhands shaped your personality, or you’re ready to make the jump from Twilight to bloodier fare.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Brain Dead Studios
Sunday, May 26 @ 1 p.m.
Tickets are $13 (kids under 10 free!), more info here.
Synopsis: Affable inventor Wallace and his brilliant companion Gromit have been handling garden pests in their charming English town. But when an invention goes awry, there’s a mystery to handle and a dangerous creature on the loose, threatening the yearly veggie growing contest! Directed by Nick Park, this is a sumptuous claymation feature length adventure.
You’ll like this if … you’ve enjoyed the humor and animation style of Chicken Run, the Wallace & Gromit short films, or Shaun the Sheep.
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Magic is in the air in "Practical Magic 2," which celebrates the original film's boisterous margarita scene. And as Halloween looms, why not meet up with friends for your own witch-inspired midnight margaritas in L.A.'s atmospheric bars?
Why it matters: We all need an excuse to let rip after 10 p.m., and margaritas just taste better after the stroke of midnight.
Where are we heading? From Sherman Oak's Daisy, offering a baja slaw margarita, to Footsies' rustic charm and spicy kumquat tamarindo version, there are excellent late-night haunts across the city.
At the center of the 1998 film Practical Magic is a story of sisterhood — and, well, a healthy round of margaritas. In the newly released sequel, Practical Magic 2, the cocktails make their celebrated return.
For anyone who watched the original midnight margarita scene — with Aunt Franny, Aunt Jet and their nieces, Sally and Gillian Owens, gathering around their warm New England kitchen dancing to the tune of Harry Nilson's "Coconut" — the joyous boisterousness is likely seared well into memory.
As we turn toward Halloween, we figured the ghouls, witches and warlocks of Los Angeles may well be inspired to roam under the cloak of darkness seeking their own midnight margaritas.
Here are the best places to visit across the city that will be open to host your own shenanigans — at midnight and beyond. So go out past 10 p.m., live a little.
The hibiscus-infused Flores margarita at Bar Flores delights with its pink hue and wonderfully balanced profile. Enjoy it with your choice of agave spirit, share a pitcher with friends, or have a Tommy or Cadillac margarita by request. Owner Karla Flores highlights their humpday special, Margarita Wednesday, where the margaritas are $9.
Location: 1542 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles
Hours: Monday through Friday 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Daisy, the bar in Sherman Oaks dedicated to margaritas, is fashioned as an Angeleno take on the norteño cantinas of Baja California that birthed the drink. Unique versions of the cocktail, like mangoneada margarita and baja slaw margarita, invigorate the experience, but salient standards like the Cadillac and Tommy margaritas make for a well-rounded menu.
Location: 14633 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks
Hours: Monday 5-11 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., Friday 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Footsies welcomes you with its black U-shaped tufted booths, wide dance floor, rustic charm and some quality midnight margaritas. Theirs are off-menu, but consist of watermelon, classic lime and spicy kumquat tamarindo. Beverage director Raul Morales says to look for the rotating chalkboard, which changes once a month, for his seasonally-inspired drinks.
Location: 2640 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles
Hours: Monday through Sunday 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Count on this lively horseshoe bar, with their idiosyncratic whole dill pickle martini, to give you your midnight margarita fix. Shim Sham's is as classic as it can get, with just tequila, lime juice and sugar on ice. Pay them a visit during their nightly happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. for an $8 margarita.
Location: 3123 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles
Hours: Monday through Sunday 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Divey and glowing in blue light with an underwater motif, Mermaid in Little Tokyo is the place to go for a seaside take on the margarita. Their cocktail, tropical margarita, offers a sweet and boozy drink that is carried by the tangy, tropical tide of guava and pineapple for a refreshing sip.
Location: 428 E. 2nd St, Los Angeles
Hours: Monday through Sunday, 6 p.m. to 1:40 a.m.
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Describing an urgent need for the public to be informed about potential health risks, community and environmental advocacy groups sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the city of Los Angeles in an effort to obtain data and other records about possible toxic emissions from the Lineage warehouse fire.
Why now: California Communities Against Toxics filed a suit Monday against the EPA seeking the United States District Court for the Central District of California to order the release of records they requested under the Freedom of Information Act. That advocacy group claims that large amounts of ammonia have been released from the Lineage facility since the fire destroyed its refrigeration system and argues that the EPA has failed its duty to release public records about it.
The backstory: The lawsuit comes after months of calls from residents and community advocacy groups for more transparency about the fire and the environmental testing that followed. Last week, Mayor Karen Bass claimed that she asked the City Attorney’s Office to investigate Lineage months ago but was met with inaction. The city attorney’s team responded that the mayor had misspoken, and that they had opened an investigation of the fire in early July. Both statements were the first public admissions that such an investigation was requested and is ongoing.
Describing an urgent need for the public to be informed about potential health risks, community and environmental advocacy groups sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the city of Los Angeles in an effort to obtain data and other records about possible toxic emissions from the Lineage warehouse fire.
California Communities Against Toxics filed a suit Monday against the EPA seeking the United States District Court for the Central District of California to order the release of records they requested under the Freedom of Information Act. That advocacy group claims that large amounts of ammonia have been released from the Lineage facility since the fire destroyed its refrigeration system and argues that the EPA has failed its duty to release public records about it.
“The Facility’s ammonia and other emissions are presently contaminating the surrounding neighborhoods, creating severe health impacts including bloody noses, difficulty breathing, blurred vision, eye swelling, irritation, and running, upper respiratory irritation, persistent coughs pneumonia, skin rashes and irritation,” the group claims in a civil complaint.
The lawsuit comes after months of calls from residents and community advocacy groups for more transparency about the fire and the environmental testing that followed.
California Communities Against Toxics said it asked in August for various records related to the monitoring of the fire, including data on air pollution, smoke plume movement, occupational health monitoring data and the federal agency’s communications with officials from the city and other local departments.
They claim the federal agency has not adequately addressed their request, failed to conduct a thorough search and, ultimately, withheld records that should be released to the public.
The same advocacy group, along with East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice and Protect LA Now, filed a similar suit on Tuesday against the city of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Fire Department. They say records related to the fire department’s response to the fire and its subsequent investigation have also been withheld. They are seeking data collected on possible ammonia release from the facility and communications about the fire to the offices of the mayor and city council members.
They claim the city closed the records request about 24 hours after it was filed, saying there were no responsive records.
“We have been routinely asking the agencies to divulge the results of the monitoring that was done by first responders…We need to see what happened,” said Jane Williams, executive director of California Communities Against Toxics, during a press conference over Zoom Tuesday.
Williams, whose organization has been monitoring chemical and environmental disasters since 1991, called the Lineage fire “the largest chemical disaster in the state of California’s history.”
What was most alarming about the Lineage fire, Williams said, is that evacuations were not ordered for residents.
“That’s why now you see 40,000 people who sought medical care from the releases from Lineage,” Williams said, pointing to health data released by AltaMed that reported elevated levels of depression and anxiety as well as increases in eye and throat irritation, among other conditions, in residents who were exposed to the fire and its aftermath.
Last week, another community group, Eastside Padres Contra la Privatización, called on the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to open a criminal investigation of the warehouse fire after the LAFD reported that the cause of the fire could not be determined.
In a surprise move, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control’s Criminal Investigations Bureau served a search warrant at the Lineage facility Tuesday. Police officers from the LA County DA’s office were also on site assisting with the criminal investigation.
Lineage released a statement soon after, repeating its stance that no ammonia had been released from its facility and that the company maintained records that it was safely transported off site when the fire broke out. Still, testing by Lineage as well as community scientists and the South Coast Air Quality Management District found elevated levels of ammonia near the warehouse after the fire, though they did not meet the threshold requiring action to protect public health.
Tuesday’s raid is yet another rapid development among investigations that have so far remained hidden from the public.
Last week, Mayor Karen Bass claimed that she asked the City Attorney’s Office to investigate Lineage months ago but was met with inaction. The city attorney’s team responded that the mayor had misspoken, and that they had opened an investigation of the fire in early July. Both statements were the first public admissions that such an investigation was requested and is ongoing.
The post What was in the air after the Lineage fire? New lawsuits are demanding information appeared first on LA Local.
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People who have never relied on a food bank before are increasingly walking through the doors of Community Space Food Bank looking for something to eat. The food bank typically saw between two and 10 new people a day. Since the beginning of this year, Newborn said, that number has climbed to about 30 to 40.
Why it matters: Demand is coming as the food bank is dealing with financial challenges. Community Space Food Bank is trying to raise $17,000 to cover its expenses for the next two months while also working to buy the building where it operates. Keeping the food bank open has also come with a string of setbacks. Two vans were stolen, another broke down recently, and three freezers have stopped working. A unit damaged in last year’s fire remains unusable, but the organization is still paying rent on it.
The backstory: The pantry operates on a suggested-donation model, and people who cannot afford to pay can still receive food. It is stocked with donations from local supermarkets, restaurants and farmers markets. Newborn said donors include Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Lassens, Lazy Acres and Mother’s Market.
People who have never relied on a food bank before are increasingly walking through the doors of Community Space Food Bank looking for something to eat.
Some tell founder Gaines Newborn that their CalFresh benefits have been reduced or ended. Others say they recently lost their jobs and do not know where else to turn.
“I hear the same story — hey I’ve never done this before. I need food. I need to make it a couple days. I’ve never done this before. My food stamps just ended. I have no idea what to do,” Newborn said.
The food bank typically saw between 2 and 10 new people a day. Since the beginning of this year, Newborn said, that number has climbed to about 30 to 40.
That demand is coming as the food bank is dealing with its own financial challenges. Community Space Food Bank is trying to raise $17,000 to cover its expenses for the next two months while also working to buy the building where it operates.
“Every food bank tries their best, but funding is not always there. I think the biggest issue with food banks is that they’re only open once a month, once a week,” Newborn said. “So us being here daily … people thank us everyday and that’s why I’m here everyday. And I can’t see this place go.”
The food bank has been open seven days a week for more than two years, including through a fire last year. It serves about 150 hot meals a day and about 100 families through its pantry, Newborn said.
The pantry operates on a suggested-donation model, and people who cannot afford to pay can still receive food. It is stocked with donations from local supermarkets, restaurants and farmers markets. Newborn said donors include Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Lassens, Lazy Acres and Mother’s Market.
A community fridge operated in partnership with LA Community Fridges sits outside the pantry and is available 24 hours a day.
“Our whole goal is to make sure no one goes hungry, no food goes to waste,” Newborn said. “There’s no ID, nothing required here, just show up for services.”
Keeping the food bank open has also come with a string of setbacks. Two vans were stolen, another broke down recently and three freezers have stopped working, Newborn said. A unit damaged in last year’s fire remains unusable, but the organization is still paying rent on it.
“That’s really kind of eaten into our ability to survive,” he said.
The building where the food bank operates is also for sale. Newborn wants to buy the property so the organization can stay there and have more stability.
Newborn and his wife, Hang, also want to expand the food bank’s freeze-drying operation. They started exploring the technology during the pandemic as a way to preserve surplus food that might otherwise be thrown away.
Hang Newborn said the idea grew out of two problems she saw while working in education: people going hungry and food being wasted.
“That was a way to help us solve two problems, which is there’s too many hungry people, and then there’s food going to landfills and polluting our ozone,” she said.
The food bank currently has eight freeze-drying machines and hopes to eventually have 30.
The idea also became personal for Gaines Newborn after his father died last year at 91. His father had difficulty chewing, so the family began freeze-drying foods that could be broken down and added to soups.
“We started freeze drying and realized you can crumble steak into a soup. You can crumble fruits, veggies, corn, carrots, things that are hard to eat, and he was able to maintain his nutrition,” Gaines Newborn said.
Hang Newborn said the long-term goal is to open a freeze-dry supermarket where people could buy food that can be prepared with hot water rather than relying on a stove or microwave.
“Freeze-drying would help us extend the window in which people could eat … people are given a finite time to eat, and most of the food is tethered to refrigeration,” she said.
Community Space Food Bank is located at 3615 Beverly Blvd. near Beverly Boulevard and Virgil Avenue. It’s open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Donations can be made through the food bank’s website.
The post Local food bank under pressure to expand as cuts to food services fuels demand appeared first on LA Local.
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A criminal investigation was underway Tuesday at the burned Lineage Logistics warehouse in Boyle Heights. Agents with California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control Criminal Investigations Bureau, a law-enforcement unit that investigates potential violations of the state’s hazardous-waste laws, served a search warrant at the site.
The backstory: Last week, Eastside Padres held a press conference outside the warehouse, calling on the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to open a criminal investigation of the warehouse fire after the Los Angeles Fire Department reported that the cause of the fire could not be determined.
What Lineage has said: In a statement, Lineage — which operates cold-storage facilities around the world — said that it works collaboratively with various regulatory agencies. “To be clear, we do not store hazardous chemicals or products in this facility. We store food. Further, the facility’s ammonia refrigeration system was safely pumped out shortly after the fire began and before the fire reached the refrigeration system.
A criminal investigation is underway Tuesday at the burned Lineage Logistics warehouse in Boyle Heights.
Agents with California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control Criminal Investigations Bureau, a law-enforcement unit that investigates potential violations of the state’s hazardous-waste laws, are serving a search warrant at the site. Surveillance video showed law enforcement arriving around 7:30 a.m., and some remained on scene as of midday Tuesday.
An agent with the department confirmed that the Office of Criminal Investigations is the lead agency but declined to comment further. Several investigators with badges from the LA County District Attorney’s office were also present. The office later confirmed it assisted DTSC in serving the search warrant and is supporting the department’s ongoing investigation.
In a statement, Lineage — which operates cold-storage facilities around the world — said that it works collaboratively with various regulatory agencies.
“To be clear, we do not store hazardous chemicals or products in this facility. We store food. Further, the facility’s ammonia refrigeration system was safely pumped out shortly after the fire began and before the fire reached the refrigeration system. The ammonia was subsequently removed from the site. The Los Angeles Fire Department reported no ammonia was detected during its response, and subsequent environmental monitoring has consistently shown results within normal levels for the neighborhood and no ammonia concentrations above health-based action levels. We have shared relevant testing and monitoring information on our website and with regulatory agencies and will continue to do so,” the statement said.
In the weeks after the fire, community testing as well as data from Lineage and the South Coast Air Quality Management District showed elevated levels of ammonia near the warehouse. Community members found the results alarming, though Lineage and regulators stressed the levels didn’t meet the threshold to take action to protect public health.
Last week, Eastside Padres held a press conference outside the warehouse,calling on the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to open a criminal investigation of the warehouse fire after the Los Angeles Fire Department reported that the cause of the fire could not be determined.
A person who works at the facility said the operation started earlier Tuesday morning. Employees initially believed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were involved, but soon found they were not.
Anna Rivas works at Ciclon Pallets across the street from the Lineage parking lot where agents served the search warrant. A man driving a truck and a large trailer had to expertly back into her garage to pick up a load of pallets, dodging the law enforcement vehicles parked nearby.
The business’s surveillance cameras captured a police vehicle with lights and siren pulling up to the facility at about 7:30 a.m., with about 20 unmarked vehicles approaching soon after and entering the parking lot or stopping to block the entrance.
Rivas said the pallet company had to shut down for about a month and a half around the time of the fire, citing respiratory problems for workers and a loss of business.
“We thought we finally had our space back to do our work,” Rivas said. “But no, here we go again.”
She said the police did not question her or her colleagues, and she added she hopes the neighborhood gets the justice it deserves after months of disruption related to the fire.
In a statement, Councilmember Ysabel Jurado said she welcomed the investigation “as a positive step toward the transparency and answers Boyle Heights residents deserve.”
“This community has lived with the consequences of the Lineage warehouse fire for months. Residents deserve to know what happened, what risks remain, and who must be held accountable.”
“Investigators must be able to follow the evidence wherever it leads, and their findings should help give residents the information they need about their health, safety, and the future of this site. I will continue pushing for those answers, a safe and complete cleanup, and accountability for any violations uncovered. Boyle Heights should not be left to shoulder the consequences of this disaster.”
The office of Mayor Karen Bass also acknowledged the investigation, stating:
“The residents of Boyle Heights and East L.A. deserve environmental justice and corporate accountability. Mayor Bass has been working with many agencies to protect this community. In her emergency executive order, Mayor Bass called for the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to investigate and pursue enforcement action at the Lineage warehouse.”
The fire at the cold storage warehouse broke out on June 17 and burned for eight days. The fire and cleanup of millions of pounds of rotting food caused a flood of issues for residents living in Boyle Heights, East LA and surrounding communities, including an infestation of flies and pests, nausea and headaches, higher utility bills and other health concerns.
The Los Angeles Fire Department could not determine the cause of the fire but said solar panels could not be ruled out as an ignition and fuel source.
Boyle Heights Beat reporter Laura Anaya-Morga contributed to this report.