Jonathan Peters

Twenty-five of the finest student short animated films made their debut at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater last night in Beverly Hills as part of CalArts' Character Animation program's Producers' Show. Entertainment industry folk, intrepid students, and proud family members crowded the 1,000 seat theater to capacity. Chris Miller, director of Puss in Boots and a CalArts alum offered an introduction, mentioning that the students "delivered work from the heart," a statement handily verified by the evening's entertainment.

This Thursday marks the beginning of an exciting Luis Buñuel tribute weekend at the American Cinematheque. Six of the director's films, including his groundbreaking collaboration with Salvador Dali, the surrealist short "Un Chien Andalou," will be featured at both the Egyptian and Aero theaters.

Five of the best local writers converged upon The Last Bookstore on Saturday evening to read selections from their favorite noir. The Last Bookstore, since its move to the corner of Fifth and Spring streets earlier this year, has established itself as a center for all things literary in Los Angeles.

We met Paranormal EXP, one of LA's foremost ghost hunter squads, outside the Old Zoo in Griffith Park. Coming off the recent taping of an episode of Paranormal Challenge for the Travel Channel (airing August 26th) and a win at STU CON, Clare, Jason, and Marcus were happy to talk about some of their recent adventures as we wandered the empty cages and picnic benches on an all-too bright Sunday afternoon.

July is National Parks & Recreation Month, and all month long LAist will be featuring a hand-selected park a day to showcase just a few of the wonderful recreation spaces--big or small--in the Los Angeles area.

Director Cameron Crowe and former Paramount VP Peter Bart made it to the American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica on Sunday for a viewing and discussion of Harold and Maude on the occasion of its 40th anniversary. Playing to a packed house, the intergenerational audience was overjoyed to welcome this May-December romance back to the big screen. It is rare indeed that a movie's costume designer (William Theiss) gets a round...

On Thursday night, CalArts presented its annual Character Animation Producers' Show, which showcased some of the best of the best from this year's students. Twenty-three cool, inventive and oftentimes funny shorts played to a packed audience at the Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre in North Hollywood. Pixar director, Oscar winner, and alum Pete Docter (Up) gave out the awards this year, telling students this will be "the last time you get one-hundred percent creative control."...

Photo by Steve Cisneros, courtesy of Phantom Projects The Bluest Eye is coming to Santa Monica for a three week run at the Miles Memorial Playhouse this Friday. The Toni Morrison book, adapted for the stage by Lydia Diamond, tells the story of an African-American girl facing an identity crisis in 1940s Ohio. Protagonist Pecola equates whiteness (and blue eyes) with beauty, an unreachable standard that drives the story's narrative and Pecola to madness....

This weekend the American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica offers a well-deserved tribute to one of the hardest working directors in the industry, William Friedkin. Both Saturday and Sunday nights will feature talkbacks with Friedkin, moderated by journalist F.X. Feeney and screenwriter Josh Olson respectively. The French Connection, which shows Saturday night, enjoys its 40th anniversary this year. The movie that won Friedkin an Oscar still stands out as a trademark...

This Thursday eve, comedians Davey Johnson and Randy Liedtke take to the Steve Allen Theater stage in Los Feliz to present their show, The Second Annual Best Doorknockers Christmas Pageant Ever! The pageant aspires to be a corny tribute to the TV Christmas special--a variety show in the style of Bob Hope or even Lawrence Welk. According to Liedtke, expect "comedy, magic, juggling, ballet, opera, cookies" as well as "The John 3 Reillys," which, as the name would suggest, are three musical John C. Reilly impersonators.

In Santa Monica this Saturday: 20 plus breweries, 5 bands, 3 galleries, and The 3 Heads (pictured). This Saturday afternoon in Santa Monica, the 18th Street Art Center will present its first Beer, Art and Music Festival. The event, the first of its kind on the West Side, features offerings from more than twenty craft breweries, all free with the price of admission. These include standbys such as Samuel Adams and Sierra Nevada as...