One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Pencil This In: Film Independent with Christopher Nolan, First Fridays at NHM with Lord Huron and a Horrible Movie Night
La Luz de Jesus Gallery holds four art openings tonight. (Image: 'Death and the Maiden' by Lisa Petrucci, courtesy of the artist and gallery)
There are a lot of great film, art, music and science events happening in LA tonight. Film Independent and LACMA presents an evening with Christopher Nolan; Teller (of Penn & fame) discusses two magic films; Horrible Movie Night riffs on so-bad-they're-good films; NHM kicks off 2013 First Fridays and a pop art gallery opening. Here's our short list:
FIRST FRIDAYS *
First Fridays are back at the Natural History Museum, mixing science and music. This year’s theme 100 Back, 100 Forward celebrates the museum’s 100-year history. The evening begins with tours at 5 pm, 5:30 pm and 6 pm with Dr. John Harris. At 6:30 pm, there’s a presentation with Dr. Kirk Johnson on Digging Snowmastodon: Discovering an Ice Age World in the Colorado Rockies. Johnson tells the story of the Oct. 2010 discovery of the skeleton of a young female mammoth in the Colorado Rockies and the treasure trove of other fossils. Later that night from 8-10 pm the music is performed by Lord Huron and Wildcat! Wildcat! with DJ Justin Gage. Concert ticket and museum admission ($18); museum admission only ($12). Pre-sale tickets are sold out, but a limited number of tickets will be available at the Museum’s South Entrance tonight at 5 pm.
FILM
Film Independent at LACMA presents An Evening with Christopher Nolan tonight at 7:30 pm. There’s a screening of his writing and directing debut, Following (1998), which set the template for the “fractured narrative style” that Nolan often employs in his work. It’s followed by a Q&A with the director. At the Bing Theater. Stand-by tickets only with the line forming at 6:30 pm. (Seating is not guaranteed.) Tickets: $10-$20.
HORRIBLE MOVIE NIGHT
NerdMelt presents Horrible Movie Night tonight at 8 pm to help audiences (re-)discover some of the worst movies ever created. Hosts John Mathot (Disney's Phineas & Ferb) and Susan Wright (The Because Show podcast) are joined by stand-ups and improv groups for a screening of 1984's Scream for Help about a teenager with a murderous stepfather. According to NerdMelt, “It features the absolute worst soundtrack in movie history, written & performed by John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin.” Win a prize if you make the funniest comment of the evening. $8 in advance, $10 at the door.
FILM MAGIC
The Aero Theatre presents a magic-themed double feature beginning at 7:30 pm with Play Dead (2012) about the crazy, creepy off-Broadway production created by magicians Todd Robbins and Teller (of Penn and Teller). It’s followed by Penn & Teller Get Killed (1989), directed by Arthur Penn. The black comedy follows Penn & Teller on their cross-country antics. There’s a discussion! with Teller scheduled between films. Tickets: $11.
ART
La Luz de Jesus holds an opening reception tonightfrom 8-11 pm for four new gallery shows: Hudson Marquez’s High Humidity; Junko Mizuno’s Euphoria; Lisa Petrucci’s Come Play With Me and Shaun Berke’s Sisters of the Inquisition. Free. The shows remain up through Jan. 27.
ART FILM
The Norton Simon Museum hosts a free first Friday night screening of Lust for Life (1956) tonight at 6:30 pm. Directed by Vincente Minnelli, actor Kirk Douglas plays tortured artist Vincent van Gogh, who drives away his family and friends—including artist Paul Gauguin (Anthony Quinn). In the Museum theater. No reservations necessary.
Sponsored message
*Pencil pick of the day
Want more events? Follow me on Twitter (@christineziemba). Or follow Lauren Lloyd—who takes care of Pencil on Wednesdays (@LadyyyLloyd).
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
