Vol. 6 No. 10 by Diana James

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Samantha Power

Rethinks Iraq

Raveonettes’

Don Shirley Horror Show

Planet of Sound

Mick Farren Soap Opera Fix

Ehrenstein’s Paparazzi Generation

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BEACH HOUSE “DEVOTION”

DEL THE FUNKY HOMOSAPIEN “ELEVENTH HOUR”

Feeling lonely tonight? Turn off the TV and lower the lights. Baltimore duo Beach House have returned with their sophomore full length entitled “Devotion”. Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand have written eleven delicate pop tunes about love, feeling, and, of course, devotion. Their new album is a surefire antidote to the winter blues.

Eleventh Hour ends a long absence for Del The Funky Homosapien, one of the world's most uniquely brilliant rap artists. It is a triumphant return for one of the pioneers of underground hip- hop culture.

DEFINITIVE J UX

CARPARK

N O W AVA I L A B L E A T B E S T B U Y

Features the single "Workin' It"

On their self titled debut, We the Kings deliver a well polished version of hooky punk- pop. Features the new single "Check Yes Juliet."

PETE ROCK “NY’S FINEST”

PRIDE TIGER “THE LUCKY ONES”

Hip- hop producer/DJ/MC Pete Rock presents his first album in four years, titled NY's Finest. Features appearances by Jim Jones, Redman, Raekwon, Papoose, Masta Killa, Little Brother, Styles P, and more! Features the first single "We Roll."

Features the single "Let 'Em Go" as heard on Indie 103.1.

Currently on tour!

STONES THROW

Vancouver’s Pride Tiger is four guys linked by a record collection- - a real record collection, as in vinyl- - and a shared love of music from the seventies. Features former members of 3 Inches of Blood and S.T.R.E.E.T.S.

VARIOUS ARTISTS “REGGAE UNCENSORED” DVD

VARIOUS ARTISTS “STONES THROW102” DVD Stones Throw Records follows up their acclaimed DVD compendium Stones Throw 101 with another anthology of the label's must- see videos and bonus features.

Reggae Uncensored gives an inside look at what’s really going on in the world of reggae music. Featuring Damian Marley, Sean Paul, Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Sizzla Kalonji, Ninja Man and Junior Reid, the film cuts interviews and performances with backstage footage of life in the world of a reggae musician.

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GOL D DUST MEDIA

NATURE SOUNDS

Appearing April 5th at the Bamboozle Left at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine.

Instant Star is back and everybody wants in! The album features 14 emotional compositions from the upcoming third season, complete with performances by the various members of Instant Star's stellar cast.

BUL L ETPROOF

SOUNDTRACK/TV “INSTANT STAR”

WE THE KINGS “WE THE KINGS”

CAROL INE

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Appearing March 13th at The Echo.

STAFF EDITORIAL Editor Steve Appleford stevea@lacitybeat.com News Editor Alan Mittelstaedt alanm@lacitybeat.com

P C ON T E N T W W W. L A C I T Y B E A T . C O M

VO L U M E 6 ~ N O . 1 0

Senior Editor Kevin Uhrich Film Editor Andy Klein andyk@lacitybeat.com

Editorial & Letters 4 Left Coast by Ted Rall 4

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Calendar Editor Alfred Lee alfredl@lacitybeat.com Editorial Contributors Donnell Alexander, Paul Birchall, Michael Collins, André Coleman, Cole Coonce, Mark Cromer, Perry Crowe, Samantha Dunn, Annlee Ellingson, Dan Epstein, Mick Farren, Richard Foss, Ron Garmon, Andrew Gumbel,Tom Hayden, Erik Himmelsbach, Bill Holdship, Jessica Hundley, Chip Jacobs, Mark Keizer, Carl Kozlowski, Wade Major, Richard Meltzer, Allison Milionis, Anthony Miller, Chris Morris, Natalie Nichols, Amy Nicholson, Donna Perlmutter, Joe Piasecki, Ted Rall, Charles Rappleye, Dennis Romero, Craig Rosen, Erika Schickel, Don Shirley, Kirk Silsbee, Brent Simon, Joshua Sindell, Annette Stark, Don Waller Calendar Assistant Ayse Arf Editorial Interns Greg Katz, Matthew Mundy, Abigail Palmer, Saharra White, Hanna Ingber Win ART Art Director Matt Ansoorian artdirector@lacitybeat.com Web & Print Production Manager Meghan Quinn Advertising Art Director Sandy Wachs Classified Production Artist Tac Phun Contributing Artists and Photographers David Butow, Jordan Crane, Scott Gandell, Max S. Gerber, Alexx Henry, Alix Lambert, Maura Lanahan, Gary Leonard, Melodie McDaniel, Nathan Ota, Ethan Pines, Gregg Segal, Elliott Shaffner, Bill Smith, Ted Soqui, Brian Stauffer, Sean Tejaratchi, Nathaniel Welch ADVERTISING Advertising Director Joe Cloninger Co-op Advertising Director Spencer Cooper

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FILM 14 10 Ports of Harm. With the death toll in the thousands every year, what will it take for L.A. and Long Beach to clean up their act? By EMMA GALLEGOS and ALAN MITTELSTAEDT.

Near-Total Recall. ALAN MITTELSTAEDT writes that this Metro board sounds tough before rolling over to spend millions of your dollars, in L.A. SNIPER.

Junior Account Executives Vannessa Aguilar, John Bogris, Jason Hobbs, Parra Martinez Classified Sales Supervisor Michael Defilippo Classified Account Executives Sarah Fink, Jason Rinka, Daphne Marina

STAGE

31 MICK’S MEDIA

26 As the World Churns. The contest among Clinton, Obama, McCain, and Huckabee is our primary TV soap. By MICK FARREN.

Power of the “Paps.” Wolf Blitzer and Co. are but one rung higher than TMZ in the devolution of the media. By DAVID EHRENSTEIN.

THIRD DEGREE

Delicious View. This inspired café overlooks the Marina, but overlooks little in the kitchen. By RICHARD FOSS.

Latest Reviews 18 Movie Showtimes 21 Special Screenings 23

FRONTLINES 6

Music & Entertainment Sales Manager Jon Bookatz Account Executives Todd Nagelvoort, Dina Takouris, Susan Uhrlass,

Heists and Homelife. The Bank Job is solid entertainment, while Married Life and CJ7 run out of laughs. By ANDY KLEIN. Also, new DVDs range from Matt and Trey and Joel and Ethan range from the sublime to the ridiculous, in DVD EYE.

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SOUNDS 28 Dig This! CHRIS MORRIS writes that the Numero label unearths more forgotten treasures of guitar, funk, and rap, in SONIC NATION.

Foreign policy expert SAMANTHA POWER talks about rethinking Iraq, suicide bombers, and Clinton vs. Obama.

Live 29

Tell-Tale Hearts. DON SHIRLEY writes that Poe-Fest and Tour serve entrancing doses of horror and poignancy.

7 DAYS & LISTINGS 38 Classifieds 38 BackBeat 47

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BUSINESS VP of Operations David Comden

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Controller Michael Nagami Human Resources Manager Andrea Baker andreab@southlandweeklies.com Accounting Ginger Wang, Archie Iskaq, Stephanie Reyes, Tracy Lowe, Christie Lee, Angela Wang (Supervisor) Circulation Supervisor Andrew Jackson Front Office Managers Jennifer Craker, Sheila Mendez Executive Publisher Charles N. Gerencser charlesg@lacitybeat.com Los Angeles CityBeat newspaper is published every Thursday and is available free at locations throughout Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. Circulation: 100,000. One copy per reader, additional copies are $10 each. Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of copyright owner. All rights reserved, 2007.

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MARCH 6~12, 2008

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Go Home Ralph .......................................

lection season in 2008 has become a popular spectator sport. Voter turnout is at an all-time high in many states, and cable news is seeing its ratings skyrocket. And while John McCain clinched the Republican nomination this week with a series of victories and the endorsement of George W. Bush (a mixed blessing, to be sure), Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will likely be battling for the Democratic mantle for another six weeks at least. The message is clear: voters are engaged. No others need apply. That said, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg wisely ended his flirtation with an independent race. He perhaps finally realized what the New York-based mainstream media managed to overlook in all the months of speculation: The man has no constituency outside of the city that never sleeps. Sure, he’s relatively well-liked there, and has billions in the bank to possibly fund a quixotic campaign for the White House. But no one outside Wall Street and the Tri-State area ever got excited about his threatened candidacy. Thanks for not wasting our time, Mike. That message failed to reach Ralph Nader, who announced plans for another independent run for president. The issue here is more complicated than what is often depicted in the press. Nader is a true hero, a man whose activism and challenges to government and big business in the ’60s and beyond actually led to thousands, if not millions of saved lives in the form in safety features in cars and better government. Often forgotten, his first run at the White House was actually in 1996, when his campaign was not only a protest against the disappointments and “triangulation” leanings of Bill Clinton, but was also a first step toward winning the Green Party a larger role in American elections. But Nader was a tepid campaigner that year, and the Greens got nowhere. In 2000, he ran again, and outraged critics say Nader cost Gore the presidency and opened the door to all the horrors that followed under George Bush. Maybe he did, or maybe Gore lost those votes himself, or maybe his campaign never should have managed to lose an election to the dubious Bush. It’s worth remembering that Bill Clinton probably owes his presidency to the erratic independent race by Ross Perot. Independents are trouble. That’s why they run. This year is about something else; in the present landscape, where Democrats are energized and mobilized, and where McCain will surely continue the same Bush foreign policy, there is simply no need for him. Ralph Nader should pack up and go home. ✶

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Gates of Steal Before plunking down $80 million to install gates on selected L.A. Metro stations, the L.A. Metro Board should check out the Metro system in Paris. There, all the stations are gated. In fact, at certain stations, the barriers remind you of the Maginot Line – and they are just about as effective. Gate-jumping seems to be a big sport among the chic, hipster set, so Paris still employs a battalion army of Metro police who routinely set up human blockades to apprehend all the assorted miscreants. I sometimes wonder if all the barriers don’t actually encourage a sort of cat-and-mouse game that appeals to certain disaffected juveniles with nothing better to do. As a result, Paris really pays twice: first, for the gates, and then, for an army of security guards who are busy from dawn until about 1 a.m. Is the Parisian system really that cost-effective? Frankly, I don’t know. But, before we erect gates, shouldn’t we at least try to find out? WILLIAM JOSEPH MILLER LOS ANGELES

Police State of Mind Since 9/11, our federal government has significantly destroyed many of our rights under the pretense of stopping terrorism. Most Americans are unaware that because of these unconstitutional acts, we are becoming a police state. Both Congress and the president are re-

L E T T E R S

sponsible. However, the ultimate responsibility rests with us because we are not paying enough attention to what our elected officials are doing. The 2006 Military Commissions Act grants the president power to suspend habeas corpus, the right to face criminal accusations in a court of law. If the president designates a citizen as an unlawful enemy-combatant because of opposition to his policies, habeas corpus could be suspended. This means that the citizen is not entitled to a speedy trial, a lawyer, bail, the charges against him, or visitors. The citizen can even be kept in a foreign prison. This is just one example. There are many others, such as torture, secret evidence, warrantless searches and seizures. (Go to thenewamerican.com for details.) Fortunately, Congressman Ron Paul has introduced HR 3835, the American Freedom Agenda Act of 2007, in the House of Representatives. If passed, it would repeal the unconstitutional destruction of our rights. Concerned citizens should contact their congressional representative to support this legislation and urge their two U.S. senators to introduce similar legislation in the Senate. MARK BRENT WEISS SANTA CLARITA

Man in the Middle Does hot air from politicians contribute to global warming? Yes, first in the obCITYBEAT 4

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vious way: By placing special interests above the needs of the people. Second, by using characterization and ambiguity that allows wiggle room after they are elected. This is accomplished after taking office by using “all new” ambiguous explanations of what they really meant during their campaign. The spin-meter fans will be on high speed this month; some researchers believe there may be periodic rolling blackouts of reason and integrity across the country. Local civic leaders are recommending stocking up on political awareness, petition forms and those handy new flashlights that don’t need batteries. The Department of Homeland Security will remain on … whatever alert status they are usually on … blue, orange, yellow, or whatever. Since a great many politicians ran hard-right or -left to grab votes in the primaries, just watch them scramble for re-characterized talking points to capture the centrist vote. I guess they think centrism is only good or bad depending on what their opponent is saying, what the poll results show, or what phase of the election they are in. Just try and keep track of all the position reversals and re-characterized talking points, so we can compile them for the historical records. I know what you're thinking: It’s mostly just hot air. But is it enough to affect global warming? Besides, won’t there be a cooling effect caused by public skepticism? OK, you got me there. So the weather forecast is really just going to be MARCH 6~12, 2008

windy with many changes in temperature. The political warm front will be pushing against a public cold front, and still we can't predict the political weather due to gerrymandering and special interests with all the PAC money playing with the knobs on our TV, along with a political center that is not yet fully formed. What do we do now? Speak out, get vocal and call or write your representative, senator, and governor. Or, call the president. We need a government that makes sense! JOHN P. REISMAN CENTRIST PARTY BIG BEAR LAKE

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ALAN MITTELSTAEDT

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Near-Total Recall This Metro board plays tough before rolling over to spend millions of your dollars ~ B Y A L A N M I T T E L S TA E D T ~

~ SURVIVING WITHOUT TURNSTILES AT WILSHIRE/VERMONT STATION, 12:45 P.M., MARCH 5 ~

LET’S SAY YOU DRIVE A HUMMER and would never step foot on a subway or a bus unless a judge made you as part of a sentence for crimes against the planet. You’ll still want to hear this wild yarn. All but one member of the governing board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority should have been recalled on the spot last week, for 10 felony counts of not knowing how they were spending the public’s money. Their offense: They didn’t know the full details about a sweet little project on which they voted to spend anywhere from $60 million to $80 million – or more. A head of lettuce would have acted more responsibly than the 10 members who supported the 10-year contract to install and maintain turnstiles at Red Line subway stations and a few light-rail stations. Even if you favor the turnstiles, a defensible position for a thoughtful person to hold, you would have been tempted to hide under a bus during last week’s reckless display of ignorance and parade of unanswered questions. But you would have had to move fast. You might have trouble finding a bus, because the board is looking to cut nearly two dozen routes to help fill a $100 million deficit. The one board member who tried to bring reason to the debate from Day One, Richard Katz, lost the final round: “I continue to marvel at the push to do this. Whether the money can be used for

the buses or somewhere else in the system, we have a system that is in financial trouble. There are other places in our system where this money could be put to better use. I would really like the board to take a hard look at this and reconsider. We’re just not at the point where the questions have been carefully examined.” Referring to a report that raised questions about the project, “It’s all been been sort of swept under the carpet and I think that is wrong…The numbers don’t make sense.” For the sake of debate, let’s assume Katz is full of it. Here’s the best argument in favor of turnstiles: Every year, fare evaders cost the system anywhere from $2 million to $5 million or more. High-tech security devices are so sophisticated that they can detect someone passing through a gate who has touched an explosive device in the past two days. And, along with the new ticketing system, it’s quite possible that Metro will know the names of 90 percent of its passengers. Any odd-acting strangers will stand out and immediately be tracked by a battery of cameras so advanced they can alert nearby deputies to a bag abandoned only 30 seconds ago. And stations will be flooded with deputies, with some of the $7 million now spent on civilian fare checkers to be used hiring real cops. Still not convinced? Then either you’re an Al Qaeda sympathizer, or for some reason believe subway travel should be more dangerous than flying on an airplane. CITYBEAT

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All that sounds good – except for one thing: the plan board members approved didn’t even include those sparse details. As for the $7 million, they don’t know how much of that money will be saved. That wasn’t acceptable to Gloria Molina. Anticipating the staff report that will arrive as surely as the 7:10 a.m. leaves Union Station for North Hollywood every morning, Molina warned: “I don’t want to hear that now we’ll just need $300,000 less in fare collectors, because that would be a tremendous disappointment.” As for the detection system, dream on. That wasn’t even part of the contract approved last week. And no one knew how much it would cost. Asked an incredulous board member Zev Yaroslavsky: “There’s nobody in this room who knows roughly how much or what order of magnitude we’re talking about for this state-of-the-art, 21st-century security device? I’m amazed.” Equally amazing, Zev voted for the plan anyways. Even though he couldn’t quite fathom how the device could detect explosives at the turnstile, alert authorities, and end up with the passenger being pounced on before boarding a train. “You expect me to buy that?” asked Zev. As for special state money to boost transit security, either from voter-approved Proposition 1B, which includes some $16 million to make L.A.-area transportation systems more secure or the federal Homeland Security department, no one had yet taken even the most preliminary steps to apply for it. Molina couldn’t believe it – but she voted for the project, too. MARCH 6~12, 2008

Heck, it’s only tens of millions of dollars, and Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc. of San Diego certainly isn’t complaining. A prudent board would have waited for the answers and the details. But this Metro board was too eager to hop on board and leave the station with a train carrying only half of the answers. In case you’re wondering about the genesis of this bad idea, it didn’t begin with concerns about security. Yvonne Burke cleared up that mystery fast. She said it began with a phone call from judges who handle South L.A. criminal cases. They told her that homicides and other felony cases were being delayed by all the fare evaders’ no-show warrants clogging the system. Somehow, that should be Metro’s problem? During the discussion about homeland security issues, Burke had a chance to elevate her pitch for the turnstiles to a higher level and proclaim they would help ward off terrorists. But, no, she didn’t want to lose the program nobody needs. “Homeland security was never part of this until recently. You just heard me as to the reason I introduced it.” If you’re ever trying to flee a subway station during an emergency, go ahead and blame the judges – and Burke, and the flock of board members who followed her into the bleak tunnel where reason and logic do not rule. What if the turnstiles turn out to be the giant headache for Metro that Katz predicted? Burke came up with a possible solution. “If it doesn’t work, we can go back to not having anything and see

what happens.” When you retire later this year, Yvonne, please leave your forwarding address so Metro knows where to send the bills. MOMMY TIMES BAD CASE OF RGC Let’s call the L.A. Times’ whiny story about Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s travel record in 2008 for what it is – a case of reportergenerated controversy. The only Angelenos who object that the mayor of the second-largest city in the United States is out helping a Democrat’s campaign for the White House are either Republicans or petty enough to cry foul over the color of his kitchen or the day of the week he chooses to ride public transportation to work. Or, are we to believe that the populace, from Woodland Hills to Watts, from the Westside to Lincoln Heights, is fuming because the mayor slipped out of town several times to help Hillary? Half of them wouldn’t be able to find City Hall on a map. (If you just woke up, eight years of a GOP administration have been devastating for Los Angeles and California – and the world.) If this were not a fabricated controversy and the masses were truly upset, I’m going to stake out a wild position and suggest that the lead quote in Duke Helfand’s story in Monday’s paper would not have gone to Sandy Brown, the president of the Holmby-Westwood Property Owners Assn. and a critic of his Pico-Olympic one-way plan and the Wilshire Boulevard bus-only lane project. More likely, we would have heard high up in the story from a police official giving a status report on the crowd gathering at the airport, clamoring for the return of our prodigal mayor. It’s not like Antonio’s taken up residence in Texas, Nevada, New Hampshire, or any of the other primary states. You probably didn’t even notice he was gone, right? If you had, as of Monday, the mayor had been out of state 18 of 65 days so far this year. At least eight of those were on weekend days. So he’s been out of state about one-fourth of the time if you count the five-day work week, not onethird of the time if you follow the Times’ seven-day calendar. If his absence from the city is that big a deal, how many days would be acceptable, or should the mayor be barred from leaving the city limits without a pass from Mommy Times? L.A. mayors no longer ride in a stagecoach to Dallas. Ladies and gentleman, it’s a three-hour flight. The mayor kept his Blackberry near him at all times. He left behind the police chief to quell any riots. Consider the big picture: The mayor of Los Angeles is also a citizen of California and of the U.S. What could be better for the city than to have a Democrat in the White House with the power of renewing a commitment to directing federal money to big-city ills, from transportation to public health? You really believe King/Drew would have closed if a Democrat had been president, or that it would have taken Congressman Henry Waxman 23 years to lift his ill-conceived Congressional ban on L.A. subway projects? But there is one problem with the mayor’s travels. It’s the mayor’s fragile-aseggshell self-confidence. The dude worries too much about what people think about him. It sure looks like he cut his trip short as soon when he got wind that the Times was putting together a story. He should have picked up the phone himself and explained why, for the good of the city, he was staying in Texas, where today, he

could have been taking, in Antonio style, more than his share of the credit for helping to resuscitate Hillary’s campaign. The lesson here: Let’s all agree that it is the mayor’s job to travel and campaign on behalf of the Democratic nominee, whether it’s Hillary or Barack, without worrying about what Mommy Times might think. If Antonio ends up with a cabinet position, fine; as Plato advised 2,000 years ago, a polity often benefits when its leaders act out of self-interest. Anybody with any trace of clout should do all they can to keep John McCain from unpacking his baggage at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. With all the buyouts, can’t editors and reporters at the Times for once be content chasing down real stories? By the way, if you were looking to the Times editorial writers for some profound advice, don’t bother. A weak editorial this week failed to take a position on the matter and said voters should decide whether the mayor’s campaign travels are good or bad for the city. Well, that shouldn’t provoke too many irate calls to Spring Street, but was canceling the 2009 election ever an option? We e-mailed Duke to see if he wanted to fire off a round at this barrage. He didn’t respond. Maybe he’s out of town, or, better yet, seeking treatment before his next outbreak of RGC. END OF FREE PARKING UCLA parking guru Don Shoup won more converts last week. The professor tells anyone who will listen that the No. 1 cause of L.A.’s traffic woes is free parking. Make people pay up and the next thing you know, they’ll start vanishing from the roadways, scared off by high parking fees, freeing the streets for the most serious car-mongers. Councilmember Bill Rosendahl happened to park at the Westwood campus and told his colleagues that he’d paid $2 an hour for a space. “There’s gold in the gutters,” he told his morose colleagues – or at least the ones not standing up behind their chairs and carrying on their own conversations with staff and others – facing a $400 million or more hole in the city budget next year. Why not raise the 25-cent meter parking throughout L.A. to a buck or more? That could nearly quadruple the parking revenue raised every year and bring in a cool $100 million. That wasn’t the only money-making venture the council discussed. Councilmember Janice Hahn wants to see L.A. start charging an oil extraction fee of, say, $1 a barrel. Long Beach charges 40 cents. How much oil comes out of L.A.? No one seems to know for sure, but she guesses it might be close to 10 million barrels a year. In all of L.A. County, 27 million barrels are extracted. And someone should give these budding entrepreneurs some credit. You might even start seeing advertisements on the sides of fire trucks and city ambulances. Well, probably not. But they suggested looking into the possibility of selling ad space on city vehicles and selling naming rights to city buildings. Maybe the prize should be City Hall? It could bear the name of the city lobbyist who spends the most money on behalf of clients every quarter. ✶ Send insults and ammo to BigAl@lasniper.com. MARCH 6~12, 2008

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ILLUSTRATION BY JOHNNY RYAN

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Power of the ‘Paps’ Wolf Blitzer and Co. are but one rung higher than ‘TMZ’ in the devolution of the media ~ B Y D AV I D E H R E N S T E I N ~ PAPARAZZI. BLASTING THROUGH the lips, skipping across the headlines, screaming from television sets and computer screens, 15,000,000 Google hits and counting, running amok almost everywhere every day – especially here in Los Angeles. Who would have guessed that a term derived from a character created by an Italian filmmaker 48 years ago would be used more now than it was back then? For “Paparazzo” was the name Federico Fellini gave the photographer (played by the now-nearly forgotten Walter Santesso) who accompanied the film’s “scandal” journalist antihero Marcello (Mastroianni) in La Dolce Vita – the international blockbuster sensation of 1960. Capturing “The Sweet Life” of both the famous and the infamous in Rome during the late ’50s period known as Il Boom, Fellini’s film zeroed in with a laser-like precision on not only the power of press but the power of the “paps” in ways that make it far from just a film of its time. Unlike everything else in this increasingly disposable culture, the paparazzi have won a lease on life well beyond Andy Warhol’s famous 15-minute limit. According to linguistic scholar Robert Hendrickson, Fellini took the name “paparazzo” from the Italian dialect for a particularly noisy mosquito. A schoolmate from his youth was so-called because of his fast-talking and fast-moving ways. The notion of a half-man/half-insect is remindful of Papageno, the half-man/half-bird of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. But Papageno was a character of antic charm. Paparaz-

zo’s insect antics in La Dolce Vita are far less charming. The name was quickly pluralized in the press (from “zo” to “zi”) for the scenes in which the photographer and others of his kind literally swarm around a buxom movie star, played by buxom movie star Anita Ekberg. There were also lessglamorous ones, where the paparazzi aimed their cameras at the chaos caused by a pair of lying schoolchildren who claimed to have seen a Virgin Mary. And there they are at the police investigation of the death of Marcello’s intellectual friend Steiner, who kills his children before taking his own life. But they also figure in a spectral way in the film’s climax – a desultory orgy at a beach house where a moredissolute-than-ever Marcello and the dregs of the Via Veneto in his circle gather to get drunk and destroy furniture. As dawn breaks, the orgy-goers stumble toward the seashore where local fisherman have discovered something – an enormous dead fish. To Italian audiences at the time, this finale was an especially sharp sick joke. What they expected to see was the body of a young woman. In April 1953, on the beach at Ostia (the Roman suburb where Pier Paolo Pasolini was murdered many years later), the corpse of Wilma Montesi, an otherwise ordinary everygirl, was discovered, fully clothed, floating near the shore. The police ruled her death an accidental drowning. But no sooner did this ruling appear than the Italian tabs began investigations of their own into the possibility that she was murdered. Looking forward to the conspiracy industry that would CITYBEAT

develop a decade later with the Kennedy assassination and be taken up by the radical right to cast aspersions on the suicide of Clinton associate Vincent Foster, “The Montesi Scandal,” as it came to be known, moved into high gear. Instead of the demure, young bride-to-be her parents had confected, the image of a wild party girl began to emerge. And aiding that image were the paparazzi, whose portfolios were filled with pictures of all manner of decadent doings in which Wilma may have been enmeshed. Writer Karen Pinkus’s excellent book The Montesi Scandal: The Death of Wilma Montesi and the Birth of the Paparazzi in Fellini’s Rome goes into it all in

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{ C O M M E N T } exhaustive detail. Suffice to say Wilma Montesi was a dry run for Natalee Holloway – another everygirl who vanished while on vacation in Aruba in 2005, who has come to play a comparable cultural role in America today. If they could just find the body, the picture would be complete. Cut to the “paps” salivating at the thought of a now-decaying corpse. Since Fellini, the paparazzi have become endemic to the sort of sensational news that’s always going on somewhere in the world. Here in Los Angeles, however, the paparazzi sport a particular intensity, thanks to the louche antics of sometime actress Lindsay Lohan, sometime model Paris Hilton, and sometime pop princess Britney Spears. Going to

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and from court appearances, nightclub hopping, and, most recently, psychiatric ward incarceration, Spears has been followed by swarms of “paps” and (at considerable taxpayer expense) small armies of police – there to presumably protect ordinary citizens from the messes the “paps” make. Clearly, Britney Spears is no Anita Ekberg. But then her most devoted chronicler, Harvey Levin, is no Marcello Mastroianni either. A lawyer turned TV “legal analyst,” and now producer-purveyor, Levin can be found weekday afternoons as a supporting player on the much-imitated The People’s Court (where he does the wrap-up interviews for each day’s small claims rulings), and in the early evening as the star of his ineffably bizarre TMZ. The letters TMZ stand for “Thirty Mile Zone,” a term coined by the movie studios in the 1960s to label off-limits locations in the heart of Hollywood. Levin knows few limits, and treats the TMZ as if it were the DMZ – the fabled no-man’sland of the Vietnam war. And L.A. in 2008 – when instead of Il Boom America faces Il Bust – is very much a battlefield in an ongoing media war. Still, TMZ comes off on TV more like a TBZ – a “Two-Block Zone.” Levin’s camera crew always appears to be parked in front of Hyde on Sunset Boulevard, a trendy club within lurching distance of the Chateau Marmont. Lindsay, Paris, Britney, and their many wannabes always seem to be tumbling in and out of limos and doorways to the derisive amusement of Levin’s cynical staff. Making smirky faces and snarky remarks while introducing each exceedingly short bit of candid nonsense, their repartee is often followed by Levin dryly opining, “That’s funny.” It would be the easiest thing in the world to dismiss TMZ as rancid fluff – a new low for a culture that one had thought bottomed out with the wall-to-wall coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial. But, at heart, is what Levin doing really all that different from Chris Matthews on Hardball, Tim Russert on Meet the Press, George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s This Week, or Wolf Blitzer on CNN’s Late Edition? All of them ignore serious issues to concentrate on personalities, thus reducing even the most sobering of circumstances to the how-they-looked level of Entertainment Tonight. And each revel in gotcha journalism, in which manufactured scoops are created by “catching them off guard” with a question about a statement they may have made in the past, or interrogating them about an alleged critical issue of an entirely personal nature; the better to produce an “embarrassing” result. Unlike Levin’s crew, these “professionals” have names and histories. Yet like the Levinistas, no one expects them to actually explain what’s at stake in an unstable economy, global warming, or the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in which this country is embroiled with no end in sight. What’s really important is opining how the big names in politics feel, and making smart (i.e., glib) wisecracks. True, unlike Britney, the personalities within the purview of these ringmasters of the Beltway manage to keep their underwear on – despite aggressive attempts to pants some of them, on the part of Chris, Tim, George, Wolf, and other Harvey-alikes. But the result is the same – reality television at its most debased. Good thing they don’t have cameras. If they did, the first thing they would rush to capture is the body of Britney Spears as it washes up on the shores of Sunset Boulevard and Crescent Heights. ✶

Power

The foreign policy expert on rethinking Iraq, suicide bombers, and Clinton vs. Obama

EVEN IF YOU’RE UNFAMILIAR WITH Samantha Power, you’ve probably already made up your mind about her. That she serves as a top foreign policy adviser to Barack Obama is supposed to say something about his presidential candidacy: To detractors, Power is an idealist lacking hands-on diplomatic or political experience (ring a bell?), while backers are heartened that a known human rights champion – one who cut her teeth as a war correspondent in the Balkans, founded Harvard’s Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, and wrote one of the most influential foreign policy books of this decade, the Pulitzer-winning A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide – would, to use an Obama-ism, be given a seat at the presidential table. “I haven’t eaten in a day and a half,” she says doggedly, pausing to order a sandwich mid-interview. As she juggled campaign responsibilities and prepared to fly out to L.A. for a February 27 appearance here in support of Chasing the Flame, her new biography of the late U.N. diplomat Sergio Vieira de Mello, a behindschedule yet seemingly unflappable Power carved out time to discuss U.S. foreign policy with CityBeat. –Alfred Lee CityBeat: How was Sergio Vieira de Mello, the subject of your new book, in some ways the defining figure of the last several decades of foreign policy? Samantha Power: Well, this is a person who, for 34 years, basically worked no place except violent places and broken places, and moved with the headlines. In the 1970s, the big issues of the day were wars of decolonization and independence, and of course he was posted to Bangladesh, then to Sudan, then to Cyprus, then to Mozambique. In ’81, when Hezbollah blew up the U.S. embassy in the first-ever suicide attack, he was there for that. In ’89, he’s the person who has to negotiate with the Khmer Rouge in order to figure out what to do with Cambodian refugees. Then, in the ’90s, the big issues are ethnic violence, sectarian violence, and he’s the person sent to Bosnia, to Rwanda, to Congo. Then, in the late ’90s, nation building is the issue of the day, and he’s the person who runs Kosovo and East Timor, all of course culminating in his deployment to Iraq, and the fact that he became the victim of the first-ever suicide bomber there. He saw in these broken places insights about how states needed to behave, how governments needed to respond to the world’s worst crises. So, at a time today when we as a country are groping to figure out how to deal with global challenges, how to deal with violent places, to me there’s just no better guide. In your discussion of Sergio and whatever lessons we can draw from his life, you’ve honed in on this theme of dignity. How does one go from a concept of dignity to a policy of dignity?

ILLUSTRATION BY SCOTT GANDELL

Samantha

degree

p First, I wouldn’t shortchange the importance of simply bringing dignity into the room as an idea. In other words, I don’t know that you can build an entire statecraft around dignity, but I think attention to dignity can be a constraint on condescension, on arrogance, on humiliation, on things that too often mark the behavior of governments in conjunction with vulnerable people. When you promote democracy, one can do it in a way that isn’t an affront to people’s dignity. You can give humanitarian aid, but if you remember that people who are living in refugee camps are not living lives they want to live, aren’t living dignified lives, that’s very important. But also, from a strategic perspective, we’re not making as much progress as we could be simply with a greater attention to respecting individuals, respecting other cultures, other models, etcetera. That doesn’t mean deferring to them, it doesn’t mean cultural relativism, or anything like that, it is simply that as we formulate our policies, if we could just sort of remember that there are individuals at stake, that the “human” in human rights is not an abstraction. This fits into how you see how the U.S. should be dealing with Iraq, moving forward. My view of any debate about withdrawal is to put Iraqis at the center of our thinking in a way that we who have opposed the war sometimes have not done, and certainly in a way that the administration has rarely done, and what that means in practice is a massive refugee assistance package to countries like Syria, that have taken a million refugees, Jordan, Lebanon, that all have very delicate demographic balancing acts to perform. Most of their borders are completely closed now and Iraqis are trapped. It would entail more attention to war crimes and crimes against humanity in an effort to pull together a MARCH 6~12, 2008

list of people who are the most responsible, the leaders of the militia who are doing great harm throughout Iraq, and at least making it more difficult for them to travel and buy weapons and do arms deals. And it would entail giving fair notice to Iraqi civilians about when and how we’re leaving and putting them at the center again of our planning, such that if they want to move from mixed sectarian neighborhoods to homogeneous ones, as tragic as that is, maybe there would be a way that we can facilitate that movement. Are you a supporter of immediately beginning to withdraw troops? Yeah. Yeah, I am. In a July 2007 piece for The New York Times, you explain that conducting proper counterinsurgency by the book, by Petraeus’s counterinsurgency field manual, would take greater military risk, forces and even civilian leadership and support. There’s not meant to be anything in the piece that suggests staying in Iraq indefinitely in pursuit of the counterinsurgency plan. Part of the recovery of American national security, and frankly the recovery of the U.S. military, which is at its severe bending point if not its breaking point now, is getting out of Iraq and restoring our leadership as best we can, replenishing our armed services, and, as you suggested, bringing civilian expertise into the enterprise of stabilizing failing states, under-governed states, and so forth. So I think you can agree with Petraeus that the civilian capacity of the U.S. government has to be built way up, but not agree with the president’s belief that the Iraq war can be won in the current course. Part of making it clear that we’re leaving is also trying to send a signal to try to expedite political progress in Iraq, but I don’t think you take the counterinsurgency

L 9l

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manual and say, “OK, everywhere we’re doing counterinsurgency, let’s continue to do it, and do it this way.” How would an Obama administration’s foreign policies differ from those of a Clinton administration? In Washington, there are certain things that are “not done.” One of the things that is “not done” is for a person like Barack Obama in 2002, who has a bright future ahead of him, to stand up and oppose a war that was nationally very popular. I think that’s predictive, not just that he had the judgment to get Iraq right, but that he did it in a way that shows he doesn’t focus-group his way through. Last year as well, he was willing to come out and say that we’re giving Musharraf a billion dollars of unconditional aid, and it’s time to ask what that aid is being spent on. He spoke out on Cuba long before Castro’s resignation – he said that we’ve got to open this, we’ve got to allow family remittances, family travel. He’s said, “I’m willing to sit down with any dictator, and I don’t believe I have to check my principles at the door when I do.” He has taken on an awful lot of the shibboleths of Washington, many of which were devised in earlier times, in very different times, and I think what you have in Obama is someone prepared to live and make judgments in a 21st century world, to adjust to the erosion of U.S. influence in the hopes of restoring it, to understand the rise of China, and to understand the degree to which we need global cooperation for dealing with these global threats. A lot of people say these things, but the advantage of being unbeholden either to general lobbyists or to Washington thinking and to Washington habits is that you can think freshly about the world that you inherit as president. That’s really rare. ✶

PORTS OF

HARM WITH THE DEATH TOLL IN THE THOUSANDS EVERY YEAR, WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR L.A. AND LONG BEACH TO CLEAN UP THEIR ACT? ~ By Emma Gallegos and Alan Mittelstaedt ~ LAST DECEMBER, THE TWO SOMETIMES-COMPETING mayors – L.A.’s Antonio Villaraigosa and Long Beach’s Bob Foster – sat side-by-side at ceremonies opening the region’s first liquefied natural gas pumping station for big trucks in Carson. Surrounding them were a couple dozen white tractor-trailer rigs, so clean that the sushi served up to the crowd and dignitaries, including oilman Boone Pickens, should have been spread across their cabs instead of on tables under a tent. The scene stood a world apart from the industrial noises and grit just on the other side of the block wall. You could imagine a giant vacuum cleaner appearing from under the hood of one of the rigs that could sweep trillions of tiny specks – so small that thousands of them could fill the head of a nail – that now spew from the diesel exhaust of trucks clogging the 710 and lodge in the heart and lung tissue of thousands of people unlucky enough to live and work in their path. Speaker after speaker declared the day historic and an example of the unity needed to crack the elusive political code that can lead to a cleanup plan that, once and for all, will sharply reduce the deadly pollution spewing from the 18,000 trucks that ferry goods from the cities’ competing ports. On this bright morning, it sounded possible that somehow the right side finally neared victory in the perennial L.A. battle pitting environmentalists and health advocates against those who would gladly sacrifice a neighbor’s lung as the cost of expanding the economy. Oilman Pickens, a very rich man, and founder of Clean Energy – told the gathering the deal to clean up the ports came together over breakfast with L.A. Harbor Commission President S. David Freeman. Everyone in the crowd had a reason to believe in fairy tales that morning. It all sounded too good to be true, and now, three months later, it may be proving to be so. Unlike the unity proclaimed that day, the two ports have gone their own ways in the name of cleaning up the air. The Port of Long Beach commissioners, who answer to Foster, have decided not to adopt the revolutionary plan that would have done away with independent truckers, and allowed only big trucking firms to do business at the port starting in 2012. The Port of Los Angeles commissioners, who answer to Villaraigosa, continue to insist that independent truckers lack the wherewithal to buy and maintain clean-burning trucks, even with government help. Details of their plan to be con-

sidered in coming weeks are still being developed. It might be the radical version, doing away with independent truckers, or a “hybrid” proposal. “I support both ports, but it pains me that they haven’t been able to work out a solution,” said State Sen. Alan Lowenthal, the Long Beach Democrat who’s been at the forefront of efforts to get industry to pay its share of the cleanup. “We might be on a collision course. There are different ways of getting there. But it’s too bad it can’t be resolved.” Lowenthal said his primary goal is to see an aggressive plan approved by both ports that won’t get tied up in court. He wouldn’t choose the Long Beach plan over the Los Angeles plan: “There is right on both sides.” The dispute over what economic model to install has exposed the sometimes conflicting agendas of L.A.’s leading forces – big labor, the environmentalists and big business. The trio, embodied by the Teamsters, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the American Trucking Associations, must be satisfied or you can expect trouble, delays and lawsuits. And while the piles of threatened legal actions might fill a Brinks truck, so would the money that’s already been approved to fuel plans to clean up the port. The fight to get a piece of the $2 billion – and growing – that’s been set aside by the two ports, the state Air Resources Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District – is a driving force in this dispute. If the Teamsters could organize 18,000 truckers, the Jimmy Hoffa Jr.-led union could reap millions of dollars in union dues and leverage enough clout to increase its control at ports nationwide. The union found easy allies in the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, a key player in the living-wage battle for L.A.’s janitors and hotel workers, and in the NRDC, a major force in bringing environmental issues to the forefront. It took an NRDC lawsuit in 2001 to stop construction on the China Shipping Terminal after it was nearly 90 percent complete because pro-growth commissioners had blindly approved it without requiring an environmental impact report. NRDC lawyer David Pettit said that on February 6 he gave the Long Beach commissioners a 90-day notice that he intends to sue them on the basis of a federal statute: the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), a law intended to stop an action that “poses an imminent and substantial danCITYBEAT

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ger to public health.” His legal theory has not been tested, but because no one disputes the continuing health problems caused by the pollution, he’s confident that he will win after some “legal skirmishing.” He also does not foresee a long, protracted legal battle, saying cases tend to be heard quickly in federal court. If the NRDC ends up suing and wins, the judge would create a list of objectives, a schedule and then a “receiver” who would oversee the port cleanup. Pettit says the technology exists to put the plan “into practice this afternoon if they wanted to.” Pettit also says the NRDC’s primary goal is to clean the air, and he dismisses any talk that he’s doing the bidding of Big Labor. “It’s been a distraction. We have many issues with the ports that don’t have anything to do with labor.” He makes no apologies for doubting whether independent truckers could afford new trucks under the Long Beach plan. “We have a common goal with the Teamsters. They have reasons for wanting to support this trucking plan. We have reasons for wanting to support this trucking plan. We have the same goal but we’re coming from different directions.” He added that he doesn’t want his agency to be called a “pimp” for the Teamster concerns. And, like other recent battles over developments with so many powerful stakeholders, the lines sometimes become blurred. Remember Mayor James Hahn’s many-billion-dollar plan to expand Los Angeles International Airport? It was a disastrous idea, and current plans are but a shadow of the Hahn vision, but the plan promised thousands of jobs to win labor’s backing and it offered just enough money to mitigate aircraft noise and other impacts to win support of the environmental community. But in the end, even offering the right compromises and money to the special interests failed to make it a feasible project, and it was back to square one. The lesson for the port clean-up: Beware the sometime conflicting motives of all the players. As Villaraigosa put it at a conference last week on the goods movement, competing interests of economic growth, health and fair treatment of workers are at play in the port drama: “I’ve always believed and I’ve said many times that the way to have the coexistence, if you will, of the environment, of the economy, of the many communities that make up the city, is that everybody 812 has to benefit.”

MARCH 6~12, 2008

CITYBEAT

PHOTOGRAPH BY SLOBODAN DIMITROV

~ THE MESSY PART: HOW TO KEEP POLLUTION FROM KILLING 2,400 PEOPLE A YEAR ~

THE BIG BREAKUP Months after that ceremony of unity in Carson, the revolution to transform the ports is in danger. Both ports are facing the revolution-squashing possibility of litigation – even Los Angeles, which has yet to propose, much less pass a comprehensive plan. Both ports managed to march in step on key issues for the first few months. They levied cargo fees on containers and banned dirty trucks in the coming year. But only Long Beach, with Mayor Foster, has put two and two together and figured out a way to use the fees to phase out the dirty, old trucks for newer, cleaner trucks. He has only been in office two years, but like his counterpart in Los Angeles, he’s known to harbor ambitions for statewide office, maybe even governor one day. He’s a former trustee of the California state university system and used to be president of Southern California Edison. While at the helm of the giant utility, he oversaw the development of major renewable clean energy programs, including solar, geothermal, biomass and wind. He said he considered labor to be an ally, going all the way back to his first job decades ago as a carpet installer. Even people who disagree with the Port of Long Beach’s rejection of the most radical plan to do away with independent truckers, say Foster is no lackey for big business. Throughout his career at Edison and later as a Cal State trustee, he worked closely with labor. “I’m very sympathetic to labor,” Foster says. “It pains me to have to part way with the Teamsters.” Foster, sounding like a man who’s decided he cannot serve two masters, says that he must put the clean-air interests of his constituents above those of labor. “I have a responsibility to protect the health of my residents, and we need to get the air cleaner faster. I hope people understand that I’m trying to do my part.” Foster insists that for Long Beach and for the sake of cleaning up the air as fast as possible, his plan is the best. Changing the rules so fundamentally that only drivers who work for a company can pick up a load at the port doesn’t make sense to a guy like Foster. “We’re doing this to clean the air. That’s the first priority. Anything else is secondary.” Long Beach uncovered the beginnings of what they diplomatically call an “agnostic” program last month. Whoever pays for the trucks – independent owner-operator or employed – will receive aid. Long Beach will provide a grant covering 80 percent of the cost, the interest of the remaining 20 percent and pre-paid maintenance. Whoever owns the truck pays for the remaining 20 percent or about $20,000, depending on the model. The funding for this plan will come from the $35 fee being levied on the owners of each 20-foot cargo container that comes in through the ports. Next door, the port in Los Angeles is still trying to hammer out the details, although “details” would suggest that they have figured out the general direction of their proposal to rid their port of dirty trucks. Despite any rumors, an employer mandate is far from finalized. They’re still in the studying phase of creating a proposal. They’re considering plans like Long Beach’s without an employer mandate, plans with an employer mandate, and hybrid plans. They don’t have a proposal to

vote on. They don’t even have a date or a rough estimate of when they might vote on a proposal. The mayor said that compared to the employer mandate still being considered in the port next door, Long Beach’s plan is “less drastic” and “more workable.” A call to revolution, it’s not. But Foster has been banking on the idea that “less drastic” and “more workable” might be just the kind of adjectives the ports need to achieve any sort of recognizable forward motion.

A RUDE AWAKENING This language of urgency and pragmatism dominates the politics of Long Beach, and rightfully so. The sick days, the asthma and cancer rates, the death toll on residents around the port area is staggering. But Foster is learning the hard way that a pressing, deadly health crisis won’t give him enough political capital to forge ahead in Southland politics. He might have had inklings of this before, which is why he eliminated the employer mandate from his proposal. He thought that such a move would eliminate the Achilles heel of the proposal still being considered next door. He would not go so far as to say that an employer mandate would be outside the bounds of legality, but he did say it would weaken the legal basis for the entire proposal. Perhaps the threat of a lawsuit from the Natural Resources Defense Council was to be expected. The NRDC claims that the employer mandate is the best, most workable solution for labor and the environment. But the lawsuit baffles Foster: “I don’t see how it challenges us to move faster. I don’t see how a lawsuit of any nature would do that.” He said that the port has already addressed or has plans on the way to address many of the issues described in the letter of the intent to file a lawsuit. He cites the truck ban that will go into effect in October and the cargo fee charged to those who are using the port as a part of their business, like Target, Wal-Mart, and Costco. He said that while he cannot move fast enough on an issue like this that poses such an imminent threat, his office is moving as fast as it can. But it was a bigger blow to the mayor’s proposal for the mayor to find that he hadn’t conceded enough for the American Trucking Associations. The ATA has openly threatened to sue the Port of Los Angeles should they try to pass an employer mandate. One of their representatives, Clayton Boyce, said that if they passed such a mandate, they would be incredibly vulnerable to litigation. But even Long Beach’s plan did not escape the scrutiny of the association, which filed comments with the Federal Maritime Commission, arguing the legal case against both proposals. At issue is how much authority ports have in regulating commerce. The ATA takes issue with anything the ports do that could be seen as regulating routes, trade, and pricing. They believe a recent Supreme Court ruling backs them up. The Court voted unanimously to overturn key portions of a Maine law that sought to hold shipping companies responsible for verifying the age of customers buying tobacco. The court ruled that states could not pass their own laws regulating shipping companies. Justice Stephen Breyer penned CITYBEAT

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the decision, writing, “To interpret the federal law to permit these, and similar, state requirements could easily lead to a patchwork of state service-determining laws, rules, and regulations.” Based on this case, Boyce believes that the Port of Los Angeles has no authority to mandate that truckers be employed, even in the name of social justice and fair wages for a key player in the production chain. Those in favor of the employer mandate fire back that legally ports can create their own set of regulations in response to a public health crisis. Before the association filed its complaints against both ports, Foster hinted that the looming threat of legislation is justification enough for a more incremental approach. But neither Port got off easy. And now Long Beach finds itself in the especially unsavory position of angering both groups who are saying that his plan oversteps its bounds and that it doesn’t go far enough. The Coalition for Clean & Safe Ports and the National Resources Defense Council have attacked his plan and called it “half-baked.” And, unfortunately, Foster’s response to these criticisms has done little to allay fears that he has buckled to the trucking industry. He insists that he’s doing everything in his power to attack the problem of clean air head-first, but he hasn’t offered even as much as a politician’s empty promise to ease the load of the truck drivers during any phase of the port cleanup. He dodges the question of whether it is fair to ask drivers, many of whom now make about $30,000 after taking care of upkeep on their trucks, to take on $20,000 in debt to get behind the wheel of a clean-burning truck. Like a broken record, he can only insist over and over that his plan is the easiest and fastest way to tackle the problem of air pollution. “Let’s get on with it. Let’s get these clean trucks out there. There’sno other way to do this. We’remaking it as easy as possible.” Foster, like a good politician, is probably loath to admit to what his plan doesn’t address. But if, as someone who got his start laying carpet and was a card-carrying union member, he is as sympathetic to labor as he claims, he needs to acknowledge the concerns of labor and the drivers more fully. Petitt, from the NRDC, says that Foster will have the chance to redeem himself this week, when the two will meet to revise their proposal and attempt to hit the legislative sweet spot that will bypass time-wasting litigation on the road to cleaner air. For some inspiration, the pair met over lunch at the Carson LNG-pumping station, where the various players preached unity only three months ago. They might as well bring in Freeman, the 80-year-old career energy manager tapped in 2005 by his mayor to take on the mission of cleaning up pollution at the Los Angeles port. After the ceremony in Carson last December, Freeman declared the task of cleaning up the ports, and reorganizing the way business now is done, to be nothing short of a revolution. “Come and watch us,” he responded, just a bit impatiently, when asked how he and his fellow commissioners would pull it off. That was three months ago, and the world is still watching. ✶ Daryl Paranada contributed to this story.

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JACK ENGLISH

Heists and Homelife ‘The Bank Job’ is solid entertainment, while ‘Married Life’ and ‘CJ7’ run out of laughs ~ BY ANDY KLEIN ~

HE BANK JOB, A NEW HEIST FILM from Australian-born New Zealand director Roger Donaldson is sorta kinda maybe based on a true story: One weekend in 1971, a gang dug a tunnel from a nearby store and broke into the vault of a Lloyds Bank branch on Baker Street in London. They looted safe deposit boxes and made off with (conservatively) half a million pounds. Two aspects made this particular robbery notable. First, a ham radio operator stumbled across the walkietalkie transmissions between the thieves in the vault and their lookout across the street. He alerted the police, who, after some initial skepticism, checked out 700 banks within several miles and found no obvious signs of a break-in. Secondly – and more intriguing – after three days of major news coverage, the story suddenly disappeared altogether, suppressed by an order from the government. The latter development inevitably provoked speculation. Such orders usually involve national security. Why would a plain-vanilla bank robbery justify a governmentmandated press blackout? Screenwriters Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais (Across the Universe, Flushed Away, Bullshot Crummond) have spun an engaging fantasy around the few known facts. In their version, Terry (Jason Statham), occasional crook and owner of a garage, is seduced into planning the job through the efforts of former homey Martine (Saffron Burrows), who has escaped the old neighborhood and become a jet-setting model. When Martine refuses to elaborate on the source of her information, Terry is wary, but proceeds anyway. What he doesn’t know is that Martine is being manipulated by Tim (Richard Lintern), a British intelligence operative. MI5 is clandestinely instigating the robbery in order to obtain the contents of a safe deposit box. Michael X (Peter de Jersey) – a crime boss and slumlord who claims to be a black militant – has managed to avoid prosecution, because he has an envelope of photos of Princess Margaret boffing a secret lover. Martine is supposed to retrieve the envelope without looking inside; the authorities don’t really care about whatever else is in the vault. Still, there is one factor that neither Terry’s gang nor MI5 have thought of, even though it’s perfectly logical as soon as you think of it. As a result, the aftermath of the job becomes much more complicated and much uglier than anyone envisioned. Donaldson has done a wide range of material – from the family drama of 1981’s Smash Palace, which kick-started the New Zealand film industry, to adventure (The

~ TRANSPORTER TRANSPORTED: JASON STATHAM GETS ANXIETY IN THE PASSENGER SEAT ~

Bounty), political drama (Marie), thriller (No Way Out), comedy (Cadillac Man), sci-fi/horror (Species), and whatever the hell Cocktail is. The Bank Job is his first heist film … if you’re generous enough to pretend that his ill-advised 1994 remake of The Getaway never happened. It’s the suspense elements that seem to bring out the best in him, and The Bank Job, despite a fair amount of humor, is pretty much a straight-out thriller. He achieves just the right blend here of plot mechanics – how’d they do it, why did it go wrong, how can they extricate themselves – and character development, with each member of Terry’s gang quickly and deftly delineated. With Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, and The Italian Job, Statham started out as the go-to supporting player for British heist films. He’s since become a star in over-the-top action films like War, Crank, and the Transporter series, so now he returns to the heist genre as the lead, with a character fully developed enough to let him stretch a little. Burrows does good work, as do Stephen Campbell Moore and Daniel Mays as Terry’s mates. There may not be much to take home from The Bank Job, but it’s a solid evening’s entertainment, which is not so common these days. Crime rears its all-too-common head in strikingly different form in Married Life, which sits halfway between comedy and period film noir. At first, it’s a story of simple marital infidelity. Harry (Chris Cooper) is a successful businessman,

FILM ca. 1949. His nearly three-decade marriage to Pat (Patricia Clarkson) seems idyllic. But Harry has met the much younger Kay (Rachel McAdams), who gives him something Pat doesn’t … but not what you’d probably expect. Kay believes in romantic love, where Pat equates love with sex. Period. It’s not Kay’s firm, young flesh that rejuvenates Harry; it’s her attitude. Harry has every intention of marrying Kay. But he knows Pat would fall apart without him, and – being the Nicest Guy in the World – he can’t bear the idea of causing her pain. So – being the Nicest Guy in the World – he decides he must kill her … swiftly, painlessly, happily. Spare her all that misery. Of course, we immediately perceive that Harry is also, in his way, the Dopiest Guy in the World. He’s frightfully starry-eyed and naive; it never occurs to him that someone with Pat’s worldview could probably pick up the pieces and soldier on without breaking a sweat. He’s also naive enough to introduce Kay to his best friend, handsome, irresponsible rake Richard (Pierce Brosnan), who immediately starts to make moves on her. (Richard also narrates the story, even though most of it transpires from Harry’s POV.) Together with Oren Moverman (who cowrote I’m Not CITYBEAT

MARCH 6~12, 2008

There), director Ira Sachs (Forty Shades of Blue) has adapted John Bingham’s obscure 50-year-old novel Five Roundabouts to Heaven. He has assembled a wonderful cast and has the benefit of terrific cinematography from Peter Deming (Lost Highway), who recreates the color equivalent of some of the look of late-’40s thrillers without seeming precious. But there is something off with the pacing. The big Hitchcockian suspense sequence toward the end feels like something from the middle of a movie; you expect one more twist, but none develops. Likewise, the tone never comes together. It’s great to straddle the serious and the comic, but there’s also the danger of ending up with neither … which is what happens here. A confused tone also prevails in Stephen Chow’s CJ7, which unapologetically recycles E.T. and Chaplin’s The Kid. Chow wrote and directed but only plays a secondary role, as a dirt-poor construction worker, who labors beyond the point of exhaustion in order keep eight-year-old son Dicky (Xu Jiao) in a fancy private school. The two live in a ramshackle structure that appears to be in the middle of a dump. When one of Dicky’s rich classmates shows off his expensive new toy, the CJ1, Dad finds an even better “toy” in the junkyard – an alien doll/pet that is essentially a lovable puppy with superpowers. I love Chow’s work, from his Royal Tramp and Forbidden City Cop days up to the more recent Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle. So it pains me to say that I found CJ7 downright disturbing. Chow tries to milk laughs from sheer sadism here. Dad slaps Dicky around when he disappoints, and Dicky gives the adorable CJ7 the same treatment. By the time the school bullies started threatening CJ7 with power tools, I had lost the ability to laugh at all. ✶ The Bank Job. Directed by Roger Donaldson. Written by Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais. With Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows, Stephen Campbell Moore, Daniel Mays, and David Suchet. Opens Friday citywide. Married Life. Directed by Ira Sachs. Screenplay by Ira Sachs and Oren Moverman; based on the novel Five Roundabouts to Heaven by John Bingham. With Chris Cooper, Patricia Clarkson, Pierce Brosnan, and Rachel McAdams. Opens Friday at the Landmark West Los Angeles, Laemmle’s Playhouse 7, Pacific’s ArcLight, Laemmle’s Monica 4, and Pacific’s ArcLight Sherman Oaks. CJ7. Directed by Stephen Chow Sing-Chi. Written by Stephen Chow, Vincent Kok, Tsang Kan Cheong, Sandy Shaw Lai-King. Fung Chih Chiang, and Lam Fung. With Xu Jiao, Stephen Chow, and Kitty Zhang. Opens Friday at Laemmle’s Sunset 5, Laemmle’s Monica 4, and Laemmle’s Playhouse 7.

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“A CLASSY ROMANTIC COCKTAIL...” ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, Owen Gleiberman

“A wonderful, dramatic and powerful saga of the dangers of absolute power. .”The cast is impeccable.” WNBC'S REEL TALK, Jeffrey Lyons

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Matt and Trey and Joel and Ethan

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Two new DVDs range from the sublime to the ridiculous ~ BY ANDY KLEIN ~

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KUNG FU HUSTLE” AND “ SHAOLIN SOCCER”

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OUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & Uncut was one of the highlights of 1999, the best movie year in living memory. Since then, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have made only one more feature, the non-SP puppet extravaganza Team America: World Police (2004). Now they’ve released the DVD South Park: Imaginationland, which is a sort-of feature. Imaginationland is essentially a compilation of the like-named three-episode story that ran as part of the TV series in October of last year. Like most of the shows, it intertwines two stories. In the “smaller” storyline, Cartman claims to have seen a leprechaun, and Kyle counterclaims that leprechauns aren’t real. They make a bet: If Cartman can’t deliver a leprechaun, he owes Kyle 10 dollars; but, if he can, Kyle has to suck Cartman’s balls. Needless to say, the leprechaun shows up, which leads to the “bigger” storyline: Terrorists attack Imaginationland; not only do they slaughter many of the denizens, but they break down the wall that protects the sweetness-and-light good guys (like Popeye, Morpheus, Jesus, and Luke Sky-

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walker) from the scary bad guys of our imaginations (Jason, Freddy Krueger, Frankenstein, and the adorable Satanic Woodland Critters from an earlier episode). When the U.S. government learns that our imaginations are running wild, they decide to send a nuke to Imaginationland through a Stargate-like portal, with the support of Al Gore, who – in a reference to yet another older episode – is obsessed with annihilating Manbearpig. Parker and Stone have reedited the original shows, resurrecting some bits that didn’t get past Comedy Central’s Standards and Practices watchdogs. The result is a feature only in the broadest sense: The total running time is 65 minutes. Still, it’s pretty funny shit and priced to move. The disc contains two brief storyboard sequences and, more importantly, the two referenced episodes: “Woodland Critter Christmas” from December 2004, and “Manbearpig” from April 2006. I’ve always considered the latter one of the lamest South Parks; I hope that my political sympathies aren’t interfering with my sense of humor, what with it being my Gore getting oxed (or something). However, the woodland critter show, which I had somehow missed until now, is really great. Back when the first South Park DVDs were released in 1998, Parker and Stone did commentary tracks that were scuttled by the studio. Since then they’ve only done brief “mini-commentaries” on their DVDs. The promotional materi-

l MARCH 6~12, 2008

al for Imaginationland touts a “full uncensored commentary from Matt and Trey,” which is not entirely accurate. For one thing, they start out with fulllength intentions but bail about two-thirds through, claiming to have run out of things to say. Secondly, they tell us that whenever their voices are suddenly replaced by the theme music, it means they’re being censored. The first excision is so amusingly set up that I suspect Parker and Stone “scripted” it; but in later cases I was less sure. This doesn’t come close to their work on the Cannibal: The Musical! DVD, which is still perhaps the greatest commentary track ever by anyone. To go from the sublimely ridiculous to the ridiculously sublime, commentary tracks have also been sparse from another leading creative team, Joel and Ethan Coen. So it’s not surprising that their big Oscar winner, No Country for Old Men, comes to DVD and nyaah-nyaah-we-won-the-format-war-Blu-Ray-Disc sans commentary. I only had access to the DVD: the transfer is excellent, especially the sound mix, which is particularly crucial with this title. The only extras are three short featurettes: The Making of “No Country for Old Men” is a little under a half hour. Of everyone included, it’s the Coens themselves who are clearly least comfortable, barely managing to make eye contact with the camera. Working with the Coens: Reflections of Cast and Crew is basically a string of statements from everyone else about how great it is to work with the brothers; the whole doesn’t seem insincere, but, even at eight minutes, the puffiness becomes a little cloying. The seven-minute Diary of a County Sheriff focuses on the film’s themes and the narrative voice of the Tommy Lee Jones character. Miramax/Disney will almost certainly put out a more “deluxe” release down the line, though a commentary still seems like a longshot. ✶ South Park: Imaginationland. Written and directed by Trey Parker. With the voices of Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Adrien Beard, Katharine Howell, Juan Kimmelini, Mona Marshall, Kyle McCulloch, and April Stewart. Coming out on Tuesday, March 11, from Paramount Home Entertainment, $19.99. No Country for Old Men. Directed by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen. Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen; based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy. With Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Woody Harrelson, and Kelly Macdonald. Coming out on Tuesday, March 11, from Miramax Home Entertainment, DVD, $29.99; Blu-Ray Disc, $34.99.

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“THE MOST ENTERTAINING HEIST MOVIE I’VE SEEN IN YEARS!” Richard Roeper, AT THE MOVIES WITH EBERT & ROEPER

TAUT, TENSE AND THRILLING RIDE!”

“A

Dennis Dermody, PAPER

“TOUGH, CLEVER, AND

RIFE WITH DOUBLE CROSSES... AN UNCOMMONLY WELL MADE FILM.”

####! Karen Durbin, ELLE

“

THE CRIME CAPER TO END THEM ALL.” David Edwards, DAILY MIRROR

JASON STATHAM

The true story of a heist gone wrong... in all the right ways.

STARTS FRIDAY, MARCH 7 TH!

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when in doubt, cut to the pig! – taser attacks, skydiving, car wrecks, and a thor oughly cr eepy scene wher e Lawrence sneaks into Melanie’s sorority house slumber party and sleeps under her bed. Executive producer (and teen everygirl, despite looking and acting like Oprah) Raven-Symone seems to have realized too late she shouldn’t have cast herself against a charismatic pig; she cuts loose only for a bootylicious cover of “Double Dutch Bus” that nearly loses the film’s G-rating. (Amy Nicholson) (Citywide)

THE DUCHESS OF LANGEAIS Just turned 80, French New Wave director Jacques Rivette makes a hotblooded return to material by Honoré de Balzac – who also wrote the novella that inspired Rivette’s 1991 La Belle Noiseuse – with this romance starring Jeanne Balibar as the titular 1820s Parisian socialite and Guillaume Depardieu as the Napoleonic general who Chicago high school senior Melanie (Disney diva Raven-Symone) wants to go to Georgetown. Her overprotective police chief dad (Mar tin Lawrence, castrated) wants his baby girl no further than it takes to deliver a pizza. Along with Melanie’s mad genius baby bro (Eshaya Draper) and the family’s piglet Albert (who dances, backflips, flushes, belches, solves Rubik’s Cubes, and plays chess in the bathtub), they embark on a road trip with plenty of pit stops for hugging and mugging. Roger Kumble’s good-natured charmer follows a straightforward arc, but teeters into absurdist porcine flourishes –

“I WAS SEDUCED...

FUN WITH BAD BEHAVIOR AMONG ATTRACTIVE CHEATERS.”

falls for her. At first the flirtatious coquette with an ever-absent husband refuses the coarse suitor’s advances on the grounds of proper etiquette, pitting her droll disregard against his unrequited devotion; but she soon learns he won’t be held at arm’s length forever, and the tables are turned. At 137 minutes, The Duchess of Langeais is on the shorter side for Rivette but still leisurely/laborious. At odds with the overall melodramatic tone are intertitles transcribed from Balzac’s original text, which gently rib the goings-on, ultimately muddying whether we’re watching an epic romance or a spoof of one. (Annlee Ellingson) (Laemmle’s Music Hall 3)

GIRLS ROCK! Ex-roadie Misty founded her all-girl music camp after realizing that the towering rock heroines of her youth – like Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna and the Muffs’ Kim Shattuck – had been mallized into Avril Lavigne. (What’s rebellious about shopping?) For five days every year, a new generation of screamers and strummers floods her school to form bands, write songs, and rock out for a crowd of 750. Arne Johnson and Shane King’s documentary is heavy on the talking (or shrieking) heads, but generally tracks huggy Korean metalhead Laura, posturing 8-year-old Palace, and Amelia, a tiny Frank Zappa who’s adamant about her discordant, alienating jams about her chihuahua. The pressure’s on, but camp makes plenty of time for self-defense classes, rap sessions about bulimia and bullying, and a meet and greet with Beth Ditto of the Gossip. It’s aching to see how cocky elementary schoolers become high school teens too shy to bang the drums in front of friends; at the film’s core is a culture of girls wondering how loud to be. Over kaleidoscopic retro footage, Johnson and King dish out grim facts like: females on MTV are 25 times more like-

a Vietnamese hostess bar. This is basically an enchanting travelogue, with the flimsiest of improvised narratives tacked on. It’s not a film to see if you’re looking for some great inner meaning or philosophical truth about the different nations of the world – it’s just a pair of dudes partying from one hemisphere to the next. Still, its goodhumored affability permits it to feel like a brief vacation for the viewer, not just the participants. The filmmakers used locals in the various countries to play the supporting characters, and the often touchingly amateurish performances add a ragged charm. The dialogue may be rough, but the film undeniably captures the inimitable sense of freedom and recklessness in world travel. The outtakes during the final credits, with filmmakers prompting the locals on how to play their characters, blur the line between fiction and travelogue even fur ther. (Paul Birchall) (Laemmle’s Sunset 5, Loews Cineplex Broadway)

MRS. PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY Professional governess Guinevere Pettigrew (Frances McDormand) is having a really bad day – WW II is about to start, jobs are scarce, and she’s just been fired from the London position nec-

the saxophonist’s voice (recorded in interviews in his heyday) serving as a sort of narration. Collin manages to talk to fellow musicians Sonny Murray and Gary Peacock, as well as to Ayler’s remarkably spr y father. Amazingly, he also gets statements from Ayler’s brother/bandmate Donald, whose nascent psychosis was one of the forces tearing Ayler’s combo apar t. At the end, Ayler remains a mystery, a phantom voice whose motivations are never completely clear: Did he commit suicide? Was it an accident? Was he murdered? No one really knows; but the music speaks for itself. Along the way, Collin gives us a valuable look at the difference between the open-minded European jazz scene and an American culture that relegated artists like Ayler to second-class citizenship. (Andy Klein) (Laemmle’s Grande 4)

THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL When the Queen of England (a fierce Ana Torrent) is unable to produce a male heir for King Henry VIII (Eric Bana, capturing the power, charm, and virility of the infamous monarch, if not his golden-red locks), the scheming uncle and gutless father of the Boleyn girls wave the sisters under his nose. After all, a mistress in the royal court would mean wealth and social advancement for the whole clan. It’s pretty, blond, kindhear ted Mar y (Scarlett Johansson) who first snares Henry’s affection, but, when a difficult pregnancy lays her

–Lisa Schwarzbaum, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

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ly to flaunt their tits than hold an instrument. The film’s eagerness to hit every note strikes a sloppy chord, but even as it loses direction, Laura’s breakthrough realization that “starting your own band is way cooler than having a boyfriend in a band” totally rocks. (Amy Nicholson) (Nuart)

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Neil Mandt’s film is a charming case of art imitating life: This is a buddy comedy filmed by two buddies as they travel around the world. Mandt and his cinematographer Marc Carter respectively play Charlie and Cliff, a pair of doofy L.A. toilet paper salesmen, who impulsively decide to take a trip around the world to scatter a buddy’s ashes in all the beautiful places he dreamed of going. Posing as reviewers from the Frommer guide book series to crib free rooms, our two heroes par ty down from one side of the globe to the other, en route to a ginormous “Burning Man”-like bash taking place on an island off Thailand. Cliff and Charlie jazz it up with hookers in Jamaica, go skiing with a pair of Irish blackguards in Chile, unexpectedly find love (not with each other) at a bar in Santorini, and wind up being taken to the cleaners at

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essary for her to keep her head above water. A little quick thinking, however, salvages the day – or so it seems – when she finagles herself a job for a bubbly American actress (Amy Adams, doing her best Marilyn Monroe impression), who desperately needs help juggling the many men in her life. Naturally, Guinevere knows a thing or two about life and takes to helping the young woman get hers in order. But before the day is out, it’s Guinevere whose life will undergo the most charmed transformation, reaffirming her faith in humankind and the enduring power of love. Adapted from Winifred Watson’s charming novel by David Magee (Finding Neverland) and Simon Beaufoy (The Full Monty) and directed by TV veteran Bharat Nalluri, this semisweet confection boasts some wonder ful performances by its leads, and some equally fine supporting turns from Lee Pace, Ciaran Hinds, and Shirley Henderson. It’s scarcely in the same league as something like Mrs. Henderson Presents, to which it obviously aspires, but it hits enough of the same buttons often enough that even hard-to-please fans of warm-and-fuzzy English independent cinema ought to find themselves pleasantly surprised. (Wade Major) (Pacific’s ArcLight, AMC Century City 15, Loews Cineplex Broadway, Pacific’s ArcLight Sherman Oaks)

MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER In the early ’60s, Albert Ayler was – along with the slightly older John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman – one of the prime movers in pushing jazz into a new era. He recorded a score of albums on the E.S.P. and Impulse labels, before he was fished out of the East River at only 34. Swedish documentarian Kasper Collin gives us a straightforward chronology of Ayler’s life, with

l MARCH 6~12, 2008

up, dark, ambitious Anne (Natalie Portman, progressively flirtatious, cunning, and unraveling) is summoned to keep the king occupied. Instead, she woos him while keeping his desire at arm’s length until he agrees to make her Queen – a move that requires a royal annulment and England’s split from the Catholic Church. Her reign is shortlived, however, when she, too, fails to provide the king a son. In both Justin Chadwick’s film and the Philippa Gregory novel on which it’s based, historical accuracy, save for the barest factual outline, is beside the point. The objective here is romance (soft-focus and candle-lit amid sumptuous costumes and production design inspired by Hans Holbein’s portraits) and palace intrigue (satisfyingly scandalous, although the movie stops short of the allegations made in the book). Spanning 15 years over 660 pages, the novel is necessarily condensed here, losing much of the textural detail but also some plot logic – what becomes of Mary’s here-today, gone-tomorrow husband? – as it fastforwards through the third act toward its climax. (Annlee Ellingson) (Citywide)

ALSO OPENING THIS WEEK:

10,000 B.C. Quest for Fiery Box Office! Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, Stargate) directed this prehistoric adventure about a hunter trying to save his tribe. Camilla Belle, Steven Strait, and Marco Khan star; Omar Sharif narrates. (AK) (Citywide)

NOW PLAYING See Showtimes and Special Screenings for more info. Capsule reviews by Andy Klein (AK), Paul Birchall (PB), Annlee Ellingson (AE), Mark Keizer (MK), Wade Major (WM), Amy Nicholson (AN), Brent Simon (BS), Joshua Sindell (JS), and others as noted. Alvin and the Chipmunks. Things change for struggling musician Dave Seville (Jason Lee), when chipmunks Alvin, Simon, and Theodore enter his life. One Christmas-themed hit song later, they’re launched into the pop stratosphere, leaving Dave to convince them he alone has their best interests at heart. Tim Hill’s lazy, low-grade family flick is a CGI/liveaction hybrid version of the old cartoon series, which was in turn based on the strange, enduring creation of 1950s singer-songwriter Ross Bagdasarian – three chipmunks who lay waste to their human host’s surroundings and sing in high-pitched, three-part harmonies. Even with reasonably decreased expectations, the script seems mainly designed to merely work in familiar elements from the cartoon and Dave’s signature exhor tation (“Alvvvin!”) as many times as possible. There’s no explanation of why these chipmunks sing, or a rooted sense of their place in the world at large. (BS) Atonement. In the days leading up to World War II, a precocious, upper-class 13-yearold, (Saoirse Ronan), jealous and confused, tells a horrific lie that puts the secret lover (James McAvoy) of her sister (Keira Knightley) into prison. Five years later, the girl (now played by Romola Garai) has realized the enormity of her act and hopes somehow to compensate for the misery she has caused. Director Joe Wright’s adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel employs shifting POVs and time disjunctures that at first are a little confusing. But halfway through, it turns into a more conventional tearjerker … with every stock warromance cliché and a syrupy romantic score. If you’re looking for a weepy romance – albeit one with an aggressively bittersweet ending – Wright delivers adequately. The whole affair is handsomely mounted, and McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland, Starter for 10, Becoming Jane) gives another fine performance. Fans of long takes should be on the lookout for the five-minute tracking shot about halfway in: It’s unquestionably impressive, though it’s not clear just what narrative purpose the sequence serves. (AK) The Bank Job. See Film feature. Be Kind Rewind. In rundown Passaic, New Jersey, eccentric, paranoid Jerry (Jack Black) gets electrified while sabotaging the local power plant and unintentionally erases ever y VHS tape in the movie rental store where best friend Mike (Mos Def, always good) works as a clerk. To satisfy the customers, the pair starts shooting no-budget, junkyard versions of films like Ghostbusters, Robocop, and Driving Miss Daisy. Soon the townsfolk are lining up to have their favorite films "sweded", as the process becomes known. Director Michel Gondry (The Science of Sleep) once again constructs a film with an eye toward his formidable flair for production design, which gives the movie a garage-sale inventiveness that enhances its sense of whimsy. But by the umpteenth second act montage of DIY remakes, it's apparent that Gondry's cotton candy fable has too little to say. Only in the affecting final moments is there any sense of the communal power of movies and their ability to connect past and present. (MK) Charlie Bartlett. After his expulsion from a private school, a socially awkward rich kid (Anton Yelchin) gets back to his old tricks at a rough-and-tumble public high school, eventually joining with a former tormenter to counsel and illicitly medicate troubled classmates. Finally receiving its theatrical release nearly a full year after its original release date, director Jon Poll's quirky throwback to '80s teen comedy arrives with something of a modest thud. There's a John Hughes vibe to the way Poll and writer Justin Nash try to balance raw comedy with a genuine concern for teen angst, but Yelchin never commands enough empathy to pay it off. As the proverbial love interest/principal's daughter, the uncannily charming Kat Dennings helps restore much of the warmth and humanity that Yelchin misses, but her contribution is ultimately too little, too late. At best, the film catches up to where it should have been from the start, a needlessly taxing effort for what is meant

to be a breezy comedy. Robert Downey as Dennings' father is both excellent and frustratingly underused. (WM) Chicago 10. Brett Morgen (The Kid Stays in the Picture) tells the tale of the notorious 196970 trial that epitomized the core cultural/political clashes of the sixties. -- is certainly a contender. (To explain the numerical confusion: There were initially eight defendants; one case was severed from the others, leaving seven; and eventually the vengeful judge gave all eight, plus two of the lawyers, unprecedented sentences for contempt of court.) Following the demonstrations and subsequent police riot during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, eight activists -- including Black Panther leader Bobby Seale, traditional peace activists (Dave Dellinger), more militant SDS types (Tom Hayden), and counterculture agitators (Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin) – were indicted for conspiracy. Morgen crosscuts between newsreels of the demonstrations and scenes from the trial. But, since this was in the days before cameras were allowed in the courtroom, he has employed animation for the trial material. (Hank Azaria does a stellar job voicing both Allen Ginsberg and Abbie, capturing the latter's accent more convincingly than Vincent D'Onofrio in the 2000 biopic Steal This Movie.) The film covers the history of the central events as well as could be hoped in an hour and forty minutes and conveys some of the feel of the time. (AK) City of Men. Director Paulo Morelli's companion piece to Fernando Meirelles's 2003 Oscar nominee City of God lacks its progenitor's freshness and urgent, passionate melding of style and story. In this less violent, more emotionally invested return to the horrid slums of Rio de Janeiro, absent fathers inform the lives of two young protagonists on the edge of eighteen. Ace (Douglas Silva) and Wallace (Darlan Cunha) reside in Dead-End Hill, a crime-riddled favela (slum), whose grim, sunscorched conditions are given full flower by DP Adriano Goldman. The neighborhood is ruled by local gangster Midnight (Jonathan Haagensen), whose territorial supremacy is threatened by former right hand hoodlum Nefasto (Eduardo BR). Before long, sides are chosen and guns are drawn, but, much like the City of God TV spinoff upon which the movie is based, the emphasis is on character. Still, when you remove the unique locale and flashy style, the story is pretty schematic. But the rich and detailed environment Meirelles created years ago still intrigues, especially with the same tragic combination of fatherless boys and inescapable violence happening right now off the 105. (MK) CJ7. See Film feature. Cloverfield. A bunch of twentysomethings are having a party when Manhattan is suddenly attacked by a gigantic monster of unknown provenance. We observe this entirely through a videotape shot by Hud (T.J. Miller), who is recording the party as a keepsake for soon-to-depart friend Rob (Michael Stahl-David). In no time flat, the skyline is lit up with explosions, and the partygoers try to escape. As Hud continues taping, we accompany him, Rob, Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), and Lily (Jessica Lucas) on their quest to rescue the trapped Beth (Odette Yustman) and get the hell out of town. This conceptual hybrid – call it The Blair Godzilla Project – is competent and occasionally inventive, and provides adequate, if less than profound, thrills. Director Matt Reeves is smart enough to keep the proceedings short and sweet: Not counting nine minutes of closing credits, the whole thing clocks in at 76 minutes. There are tons of implausibilities, but this is nightmare turf, so what do you expect? The one necessar y caveat is that people who get nauseous from wobbly handheld camera may want to give this a pass. (AK) College Road Trip. See Latest Reviews. The Counterfeiters. Like Schindler's List, Stefan Ruzowitzky’s Foreign Language Oscar-winner is a Holocaust movie...with hope. In this fictionalization of the true story of Jewish artist-turned-forger Salomon Smolianoff, Karl Markovics plays stone-faced Salomon "Sally" Sorowitsch, who is plucked out of Mauthausen concentration camp to supervise a clever Nazi scheme – producing, and flooding the market with, huge sums of bogus British currency. The main purpose is to throw the Allied economy into chaos, but, of course, the money may also prove refreshing to the emptying Nazi coffers. Sally and his men are constantly aware that they are surviving on a provisional basis, by helping the very people they despise. Ruzowitzky likes to pose questions and clarify the contradictions around them, but he doesn't pretend to have the answers. Is Sally a selfish scoundrel? A hero? A man doing the best he can in a horribly untenable situation? How many of us can say for sure how we would have behaved in the midst of a seemingly endless nightmare? (AK) Cover. This melodrama by Aliya Jackson and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas plays like R. Kelly's Trapped in the Closet stretched to feature length. Approached as comedy, it's a riot. It's

much less satisfying if you buy into director Bill Duke's stance that there's a serious morality play in this saga of Valerie Maas (Aunjanue Ellis), a good, god-fearing Baptist, who discovers her husband Dutch (Razaaq Adoti) is on the DL and then gets accused of murdering one of his lovers. The power-mad prosecutor (Richard Gant) and detective (Louis Gossett Jr.) want to see Valerie lynched, and her insistence that she's "a Christian, not a murderer," sends the audience into titters. This doesn't quite compensate for our tension-sapping realization that the film is just marking time until her acquittal. Once the titters burst into guffaws, the soap opera is almost enjoyable, as are Vivica A. Fox's feminazi sista, Paula Jai Parker's pill-popping viper, and an uncredited matron from Valerie's church group, who hisses that AIDS is "that white homo-sexual dizz-ease!" On this point, R. Kelly more tactfully calls it "The Package." (AN) Definitely, Maybe. Recently divorced New York political-operative-turned-ad-man Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds) tells ten-year-old daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) the story of the three women he's been in love with, but he gives them fake names so she will have to guess which one is the woman she knows as her mom. The three women represent three types: Summer (Rachel Weisz) is an intellectual; April (Isla Fisher), a "free spirit"; and Emily (Elizabeth Banks), a more conventional "nesting" type. What any of these characters see in each other remains a mystery. Reynolds has acquitted himself nicely in a wide range of roles, from Blade: Trinity and Waiting... through Smokin' Aces and The Nines, but his standard-issue Hollywood-guy good looks are forgettably bland, unless he's given something to work with, which writer/director Adam Brooks fails to do. The single funniest line in the whole thing (uttered by an unadver tised Kevin Kline) is a decades-old Jewish joke. Its example highlights how limp the rest of the gags are. (AK) The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. When Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric), only 43, suffers a stroke that leaves him entirely paralyzed, save for his left eyelid, he learns to blink a kind of binary shorthand, with the help of two superhumanly patient therapists (Marie-Josée Croze and Olatz Lopez Garmendia), managing, one excruciating letter at a time, to painstakingly dictate the memoir that forms the basis for this latest film from artist-turned-director Julian Schnabel (Basquiat, Before Night Falls). Despite the unevenness of Schnabel’s previous film work, Bauby presents him an ideal subject – one whose vivid imagination and traumatic disconnect with reality more easily justify a less rigid approach to subject matter. Only occasionally does this French-language film deviate from Bauby’s distorted point of view – primarily for flashbacks and imaginary interludes – forcing the audience into a perspective that manages to be both claustrophobic and invigorating. It’s an undeniably bold experiment, but it’s also an imperfect experiment, too often undone by its own ambitions. The same loose narrative that liberates Schnabel the visionary elsewhere becomes a license for self-indulgence, as he veers into counterproductive excesses, underlining too many themes which ought to have been subtly implied and overusing the point-of-view technique by at least a third. (WM) The Duchess of Langeais. See Latest Reviews. Enchanted. After falling in love with the handsome prince (James Marsden), an animated girl (Amy Adams) in a fairy-tale cartoon is banished into live-action New York by the wicked queen (Susan Sarandon), whose power is threatened by the potential nuptials. In the real world, the understandably disoriented young woman meets a single father (Patrick Dempsey) and his six-year-old daughter. While the story is essentially a familiar one, and Bill Kelly’s screenplay misses some opportunities for madcap whimsy and imaginative shading in favor of easy tweaks on fairy-tale conventions, the script is just good enough to give director Kevin Lima’s film a parallel adult grounding and a winking extra dimension. Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz’s songs, meanwhile, have the ring of familiar classics on first listen. The real story here, however, is the utterly charming Adams, who stakes a convincing claim to being the next big Girl-NextDoor thing. (BS) The Eye. After a successful cornea transplant, a concert violinist (Jessica Alba), who has been blind since age five, begins to see dead people and the scary “escorts” who take them away. Directors David Moreau and Xavier Palud (who made the overrated French thriller Them) and screenwriter Sebastian Gutierrez (Snakes on a Plane) cleave very close to the Pang Brothers' identically entitled 2002 HK hit, yet the result is far less satisfying. A few of the changes seem neutral; others are positive; and one or two are negative. But the main problem in the translation is the casting. Alba is easy on the eyes, she certainly works hard, and the result is adequate. But she can't compete with Angelica Lee Sin-Je, whose performance deservedly garnered the most important Best Actress awards in both Hong Kong and Taiwan. Lee has the advantage of

MARCH 6~12, 2008

a more vulnerable, childlike appearance than the athletic Alba. But on top of that, she really did a phenomenal job in what was her first major role. (AK) Fool's Gold. A divorced couple (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days costars Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey) team up to find $500 million in shipwrecked treasure, after bumping into each other on the yacht of a millionaire (a courtly Donald Sutherland). Between their posse and the treasure stands the gattoting rapper (Kevin Hart) who owns the island and his dreadlocked, Jamaican-accented bodyguard (Malcolm-Jamal Warner). None of this has the makings of "great." It should, however, have the makings of "decent." Director Andy Tennant gives the film a PG innocence that can't even deal with the love triangle he and writers John Clafin and Daniel Zelman have tossed in the mix. The physical spark that made How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days the perfect airplane movie is twenty fathoms under sea this time. Hudson looks too tired to smile, while McConaughey is as rambunctious as a Labrador. (AN) 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. In the waning years of the Ceauflescu dictatorship, a young Romanian woman (Anamaria Marinca) nervously navigates the back alleys of Bucharest to arrange a black market abortion for her roommate (Laura Vasiliu). It's a dark day that turns even darker with the arrival of the abortionist (the astonishing Vlad Ivanov), a self-serving sadist who instantly dispels the notion that there can be any kind of happy ending to the situation. Writer/director Cristian Mungiu's harrowing, gripping tale became the first-ever Romanian film to capture the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and deservedly so. Intensely disturbing and addictively provocative, it’s a message movie that really works, though it bears pointing out that the message has nothing to do with abortion. The topic here is tyranny and political oppression, with illegal abortion simply the vehicle through which Mungiu makes his statement. This is one of the year's very best films, with a performance from Ivanov that is nothing short of brilliant. (WM) George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead. One day, without explanation, the dead start re-

animating as flesh-hungry zombies, whose bites will turn you into one of them. A group of University of Pittsburgh film students tries to survive the ensuing chaos, while one of them (Josh Close) obsessively videotapes their journey, often to the displeasure of the rest, particularly his girlfriend (Michelle Morgan). George A. Romero – who dragged the dead zombie genre out of the grave with his seminal Night of the Living Dead back in 1968 – returns to his low-budget Pittsburgh roots forty years later. The difference this time around is that Romero employs a Blair Witch strategy: What we are watching is supposed to be a downloadable documentary called The Death of Death. It might have seemed fresher, were it not coming out so close on the heels of the flashier, more expensive Cloverfield. But Romero still has plenty of his own ideas here, as well as some wonderful moments of humor. (AK) Girls Rock! See Latest Reviews. The Great Debaters. At East Texas’s Wiley College – helmed by a stentorian Dr. James Farmer (Forest Whitaker) – irritable backwoods communist Mel Tolsen (Denzel Washington, who also directed) sets about molding, not one, but three unshaped talents into a university debate team that just might match Harvard’s. Washington’s second directing effort follows the Antwone Fisher model, with the director cast as a semi-biographical stern savior of young black America. Washington is just too concerned with being Good. He favors bland, noble roles and makes bland, noble films. Thankfully, his Tolsen is a disciplinarian dick with more personality than Denzel’s usual marble statue, but his efforts to control our emotions get increasingly ridiculous: The film charges on to a climax in which half the characters make foolish choices that we’re supposed to go along with because of the cloying violins in the background. Despite its transparent manipulations, The Great Debaters gets better than it deserves when the kids step up to the podium and get passionate – particularly Jurnee Smollett, whose honeyed drawl crystallizes with anger into a voice as hard as rock candy. (AN) Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both

Romantic and charming

“

in every possible way!” JOYCE CHANG, PEOPLE

“ A blissfully entertaining comedy with a lot of heart! Amy Adams is irresistible! Frances McDormand is terrific!” SCOTT MANTZ, ACCESS HOLLYWOOD

ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER

ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINEE

FRANCES MCDORMAND

AMY ADAMS

MISS P ETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY Every Woman Will Have Her Day.

PREMIERE ENGAGEMENTS START FRIDAY, MARCH 7TH! µ HOLLYWOOD ArcLight Hollywood at Sunset & Vine µ CENTURY CITY AMC Century 15 310/289-4AMC 3 hrs free parking. Additional 2 hr 323/464-4226 4 hours validated parking -$2 parking $3.00 with AMC validation. µ BEVERLY HILLS Pacific’s The Grove Stadium 14 323/692-0829 #209 § SANTA MONICA AMC Loews Broadway 4 800/FANDANGO #706 4 hours on-site validated parking only $2.00.

∂ ALHAMBRA Edwards Renaissance Stadium 14 800/FANDANGO #438 ∂ ALISO VIEJO Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20 800/FANDANGO #116 ∂ ANAHEIM HILLS Edwards Anaheim Hills 14 800/FANDANGO #117 ∂ BREA Edwards Brea Stadium 22 Cinemas 800/FANDANGO #120 § BUENA PARK Krikorian’s Metroplex 18 714/826-7469 ¥ BURBANK AMC Burbank 16 818/953-9800 CAMARILLO Regency Paseo Camarillo Cinemas 805/383-2267 µ CHATSWORTH Pacific’s Winnetka Stadium 21 818/501-5121 #095 µ CLAREMONT Laemmle’s Claremont 5 909/621-5500

∂ CORONA Edwards Corona Crossings Stadium 18 800/FANDANGO #1723 ¥ COVINA AMC Covina 30 626/974-8600 µ FOOTHILL RANCH Regal Cinemas Foothill Towne Center Stadium 22 800/FANDANGO #135 µ GLENDALE Mann £ 10 Theatres at The Exchange 818/549-0045 HUNTINGTON BEACH Cinemark Century 20 £ Bella Terra 714/895-3456 ∂ IRVINE Edwards Westpark Cinema 8 800/FANDANGO #144 µ LA HABRA Regal Cinemas La Habra Marketplace Stadium 16 800/FANDANGO #145 ∂ LA VERNE Edwards La Verne Stadium 12 800/FANDANGO #146 § LANCASTER Cinemark 22 800/FANDANGO #1103

∂ LONG BEACH Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26 Cinemas 800/FANDANGO #148 § LONG BEACH United Artists Marketplace 800/FANDANGO #509 § MANHATTAN BEACH Pacific’s Manhattan Village 310/607-0007 #056 ∂ MISSION VIEJO Edwards Kaleidoscope Stadium 10 Cinemas 800/FANDANGO #149 ∂ MONROVIA Krikorian’s Monrovia Cinema 12 626/305-7469 ∂ NEWPORT BEACH Regency Lido Cinema 949/673-8350 ¥ ONTARIO AMC Ontario Mills 30 909/484-3000 ∂ ONTARIO Edwards Ontario Palace Stadium 22 800/FANDANGO #153 ¥ ORANGE AMC 30 At The Block 714/769-4AMC

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µ WEST LOS ANGELES The Bridge Cinema De Lux 310/568-3375 µ SHERMAN OAKS ArcLight Sherman Oaks at the Galleria 818/501-0753

µ ORANGE Cinemark Century Stadium 25 714/532-9533 £ § PALM SPRINGS Camelot Theatres 760/325-6565 µ PASADENA Pacific’s Paseo Stadium 14 626/568-8888 #206 µ RANCHO MIRAGE Cinemark Century 15 @ The River 760/862-9997 § REDLANDS Krikorian’s Redlands Cinema 14 909/793-6393 µ RIVERSIDE Regal Cinemas Riverside Plaza Stadium 16 800/FANDANGO #1722 ¥ ROLLING HILLS AMC Rolling Hills 310/289-4262 ¥ ROLLING HILLS ESTATES Regal Cinemas The Avenue Stadium 13 800/FANDANGO #158 § SAN CLEMENTE Krikorian’s San Clemente Cinema 6 949/661-7469

§ SANTA BARBARA Paseo Nuevo Cinemas 805/963-9503 ∂ SANTA CLARITA Edwards Canyon Country Stadium 10 Cinemas 800/FANDANGO #124 µ SIMI VALLEY Regal Cinemas Civic Center Stadium 16 800/FANDANGO #164 ¥ TORRANCE AMC Del Amo 18 310/921-2046 µ VENTURA Cinemark Century Downtown 10 805/641-6500 ∂ WEST COVINA Edwards West Covina Stadium 18 800/FANDANGO #171 § WEST HILLS Laemmle’s Fallbrook 7 818/340-8710 ∂ WESTLAKE VILLAGE Mann Village 8 £ 805/379-2299 ¥ WOODLAND HILLS AMC Promenade 16 818/883-2AMC

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CITYBEAT

Worlds Concert Tour. I'm an adult male who doesn't wear a raincoat and dark glasses, so you all doubtless know far more about this than I do. In Disney Digital 3-D! Woo hoo, or something. Bruce Hendricks directed. (AK). In Bruges. After a botched job, two Londonbased Irish hitmen (Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson) are supposed to lay low in the quaint Belgian tourist town of the title, until they receive further orders from their boss (Ralph Fiennes). Multiple complications ensue. The feature directorial debut of playwright Martin McDonagh's is a bit like an Irishaccented version of the Travolta/Jackson sections of Pulp Fiction, though McDonagh's comic timing is somewhat different from Tarantino's. None of the leads is known for comedy, and they all turn out to be great at it, particularly Farrell, whose previous roles have been relentlessly serious. Fiennes's clipped, rapidfire delivery is also wonderful, sounding and looking very much like Ben Kingsley's Don in Sexy Beast ... so much, in fact, that it's either an homage or (another wild guess) a part McDonagh originally wrote with Kingsley in mind. This is the first really terrific film of 2008. (AK) Jumper. A young man (Hayden Christensen), realizing he has the power to teleport from one place to another, searches for the man he believes is responsible for the death of his mother, while dodging a secret organization that wants to kill him. Doug Liman (Swingers, The Bourne Identity) directs; Rachel Bilson, Samuel L. Jackson, Diane Lane, and Jamie Bell costar. (AK) Juno. The year of the unplanned pregnancy (Waitress, Knocked Up) continues with this explosion at the sarcasm factory, made whole by the sure hand of director Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking) and its subversive

championing of moral values. Juno (Ellen Page) is a quippy 16-year-old, who becomes pregnant by her best friend (Michael Cera). After briefly considering abortion, she decides to give the baby away to a rich yuppie couple (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman). They fear the precocious hipster will change her mind; the real problem comes when Juno and yuppie hubby begin bonding over horror directors and pop music, which throws into question the fate of the baby and of the couple’s marriage. First-time screenwriter Diablo Cody’s über-glib, often hilarious, teen-targeted dialogue takes up the torch of Heathers and Napoleon Dynamite, while treating its adults like real people (unlike the former) and eventually favoring thematic substance over empty attitude (unlike the latter). Both leads are stars ascending: The Canadian-born Page (Hard Candy) lobs Cody’s phrase-coining witticisms like grenades, but shows sweet vulnerability when her plans go to pot. (MK) Last Stop for Paul. See Latest Reviews. Married Life. See Film feature. Michael Clayton. At a prestigious Manhattan law firm, Michael Clayton (George Clooney) discreetly extricates high-powered clients from troublesome legal tangles. In Tony Gilroy’s successful upgrade from screenwriter (the Bourne trilogy) to director, Clayton is charged with damage control after a bipolar litigator (Tom Wilkinson) suffers an epic meltdown while defending agrochemical giant U/North in a $3 billion lawsuit. But cleaning up the mess means destroying proof of U/North’s guilt, which awakens Clayton’s buried conscience. Painting his film in clean, sophisticated strokes of concrete, glass, and moral bankruptcy, writer-director Gilroy creates an insular world of dour, three-button Machiavellis whose ideals were long ago discard-

“A PULSE-POUNDING THRILLER.” Carrie Rickey, THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

“HOLD YOUR BREATH. ‘VANTAGE POINT’ IS A NONSTOP THRILL RIDE!”

“INTELLIGENT AND INTENSE.” Shawn Edwards, FOX-TV

Rex Reed, THE NEW YORK OBSERVER

ed as career impediments. As Clayton, who carries the burden of a failed marriage, a gambling addiction, and a belly-up business venture, the excellent Clooney is the GQ archetype in reverse – haunted, wear y, and wondering how it all came to this. His journey down the corridors of power corrupted recalls the conflicted heroes of ’70s cinema, an era further evoked by director Sydney Pollack’s stellar supporting turn. (MK) Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. See Latest Reviews. My Name Is Albert Ayler. See Latest Reviews. No Country for Old Men. When a trailer-park loser (Josh Brolin) absconds with $2 million from the bloody scene of a drug deal gone awry, he finds himself on the lam, chased by a ruthless psychopath (Javier Bardem); not far behind are a bounty hunter (Woody Harrelson) and an aging Texas sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones). Joel and Ethan Coen’s adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel will woo critics back; in some ways, it’s a return to the grim tone of their breakthrough feature, Blood Simple (1985), and their most universally praised work, Fargo (1994), but with far fewer comic elements. The Coens have fashioned a film that remains edge-of-the-seat suspenseful, even if you know from the start that things aren’t going to end at all well … though one might not predict just how devoid of cosmic justice its fictional universe is. Jones was born to play this kind of character, but Brolin, who has done a lot of competent, unmemorable work, makes a great leap forward. In a 180 from his usual romantic leads and beleaguered normal guys, Bardem is brilliantly menacing. (AK) The Orphanage. Thirty years after her adoption, Laura (Belén Rueda) moves back to the now-abandoned orphanage of her youth, together with husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) and son Simón (Roger Príncep), in hopes of reopening it as a home for children with special needs. As soon as they arrive, however, Simón starts talking to a half-dozen new “imaginary friends,” who may not be imaginary at all. And, after he mysteriously disappears, Laura becomes convinced that they have somehow kidnapped him and frantically tries to rescue him. Exactly a year after the release of Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth, the best movie of 2006, del Toro is back, this time as producer only, of this genuinely creepy ghost story – Spain’s entry for the Foreign Language Oscar – which is cer tainly among 2007’s best. Director Juan Antonio Bayona

follows the aesthetic strategy of The Innocents and the original version of The Haunting, avoiding the explicit in favor of offscreen sounds and foreboding visuals – which also means that the one huge shock moment is rendered far more effective. Scared the living daylights out of me. (AK) The Other Boleyn Girl. See Also Opening This Week. Penelope. A precocious fairy tale made for and starring people too old for whimsy. Penelope (Christina Ricci) is an heiress cursed with a pig nose that will only turn pert when she is truly loved by a blueblood hottie. Naturally, her status-conscious parents (Catherine O'Hara, Richard E. Grant) lock her in their mansion and hire a series of scions for the job. Max (James MacAvoy) has such crystalline blue eyes you know he's fated to be her happy ending, but director Mark Palansky duly goes about setting up obstacles, like a moneygrubbing tool (Simon Woods) and a barfly friend (Reese Witherspoon), who encourages Penelope to ditch the testosterone quest and embrace her porcine inner and outer beauty. As every page of this feels like we've read it before -- save for Penelope's ascension as a media darling -- the only sense of wonder comes from grokking Ricci's costume changes, a jewelbox of bohemian Donna Reed ensembles that I'd totally snog a frog for. (AN) Persepolis. France’s official Oscar entr y stands a good chance of becoming the firstever animated film to actually win the Best Foreign Language statuette. Directed by Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi from Satrapi’s autobiographical graphic novel, the film recounts, in mostly black-and-white hues, Satrapi’s life from her childhood in pre-revolutionary Iran, through her tempestuous coming-of-age in the post-revolutionary Islamic republic. It’s an undeniably dramatic tale, with more twists and turns than most fictions, but it’s also a story with extreme present-day relevance, made all the more vivid through the use of fluid, invigoratingly imaginative cell animation that works to artfully underscore its most salient passages. The hoped-for reconciliation between cultural, religious, political, and artistic opposites is woven not just into Satrapi’s life but into the very fabric of the filmmaking, which manifests a bold tension between old and new, traditional and avant-garde, suggesting that nothing worthwhile – inside or outside of the movies – comes without risk. (WM) Rambo. Writer/director/star Sylvester Stallone revives his other cornerstone franchise, pick-

LA CITY BEAT MUSIC BY

COLUMBIA PICTURESEXECUTIVEPRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH RELATIVITY MEDIA AN ORIGIWRITTEN NAL FILM PRODUCTION “VANTAGE POINT” ATLI ORVARSSON PRODUCERS CALLUM GREENE TANIA LANDAU LYNWOODDIRECTEDSPINKS BY BARRY L. LEVY PRODUCEDBY NEAL H. MORITZ BY PETE TRAVIS

NOW PLAYING HOLLYWOOD ArcLight Hollywood At Sunset & Vine 323/464-4226 On 2 Screens Fri & Sat, Mon-Thur 11:35 AM, 2:05, 4:35, 7:05, 9:45 & 11:00 PM Sun 11:35 AM, 2:05, 4:35, 7:05 & 9:45 PM 4 Hours Validated Parking - $2

CENTURY CITY AMC Century 15 • 310/289-4AMC On 2 Screens Fri & Sat 10:05 & 11:30 AM, 12:30, 1:55, 3:10, 4:45, 5:50, 7:25, 8:30, 10:05 & 11:10 PM Sun 10:05 & 11:30 AM, 12:30, 1:55, 3:10, 4:45, 5:50, 7:25, 8:20, 9:50 & 10:45 PM Mon-Thur 1:05, 2:15, 3:20, 4:40, 5:35, 7:05, 8:00, 9:30 & 10:25 PM Fri & Sat Late Show 12:30 AM 3 Hours Free Parking Additional 2 Hour Parking $3.00 with AMC Validation

L.A./BEVERLY HILLS Pacific’s The Grove Stadium 14 323/692-0829 #209 Daily 12:50, 3:15, 5:45, 8:20 & 10:40 PM 4 Hours On-Site Validated Parking Only $2.00

WESTWOOD Mann Bruin 310/248-MANN #051 Daily 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:30 & 9:50 PM $3.00 Parking After 6:00 PM in Privilege Parking Lots $1.00 Refund with Paid Admission

SANTA MONICA Mann Criterion 6 • 310/248-MANN #019 On 2 Screens Daily 11:50 AM, 2:10, 4:20, 7:10 & 9:50 PM SHERMAN OAKS Arclight Sherman Oaks At The Galleria 818/501-0753 Daily 11:05 AM, 1:30, 4:10, 7:20 & 9:40 PM 4 Hours Validated Parking–Free

UNIVERSAL CITY CityWalk Stadium 19 with IMAX® 800/FANDANGO #707 On 2 Screens Fri & Sat 12:00, 12:45, 3:15, 4:50, 5:45, 8:20, 10:45 & 11:55 PM Sun 12:00, 12:45, 3:15, 4:50, 5:45, 8:20 & 10:45 PM Mon-Thur 1:40, 2:50, 5:05, 5:55, 7:40 & 10:05 PM Movie Parking Rebate $5 General Parking Rebate at Box Office with Movie Ticket Purchase (Excludes Preferred & Valet)

WEST LOS ANGELES The Bridge Cinema De Lux 310/568-3375 On 2 Screens Digital Projection Daily 2:40, 5:05, 7:30 & 9:55 PM Fri & Sat Late Show 12:15 AM 35MM Projection Daily 11:45 AM, 2:10, 4:35, 7:00 & 9:25 PM Fri & Sat Late Show 11:50 PM

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l MARCH 6~12, 2008

ing up Vietnam veteran John Rambo's story some 20 years later and positing his Reaganera character as psychologically unable to return home – living a monastic lifestyle in nor thern Thailand, where freelance work catching poisonous snakes leaves him plenty of time to brood and (apparently) shop for baggy T-shirts. When he learns that a group of Colorado missionaries he has ferried up river are being held captive, he falls in with mercenaries hired by the group's Stateside leader. Naturally, old killer instincts kick in, and stuff gets blowed up real good. Everything about the movie is literal-minded and bulging with steroid-era obviousness, from composer Brian Tyler's musical cues to its ridiculously over-the-top action and snarled, empty speechifying ("Live for nothing...or die for something!"). That'd be fine, I suppose, if the juxtaposition of cartoonish extreme violence with the real-life carnage unfolding in Burma didn't feel so crass, or even if the movie's execution was up to snuff. But it's not. A big, rain-soaked rescue operation is messily staged, and the entire film is devoid of purpose. (BS) Santouri: The Music Man. The latest from leading Iranian director Dariush Mehrjui (The Cow, Leila) concerns the decline of a popular musician with a drug problem. (AK) Semi-Pro. Will Ferrell turns his penchant for sports parody on even bigger game in this willfully profane, characteristically careening spoof of B-league basketball in the early 1970s. Ferrell stars as Jackie Moon, an affable, Afro-ed schlub, who's parlayed his status as a one-hit-wonder crooner into being both owner of, and player for, the Tropics, a struggling ABA team in economically depressed Flint, Michigan. Desperately needing to both win games and dramatically boost attendance, he brings in veteran Ed Monnix (Woody Harrelson) and reluctantly takes a backseat to hotshot baller Clarence Withers (André Benjamin), all while cooking up outlandish promotional schemes to attract more of an audience. If the film's success with riffs is never much in doubt, given the comedic timing and improvisational bona fides of its stars, its hit-miss ratio on setups is a bit more scattershot. A Deer Hunter-inspired roulette scene provides genuinely fresh laughs, but other story bits feel a bit herky-jerky or lopped off. Still, like basketball, comedy is a game of percentages, and Semi-Pro hits enough shots to be called a winner. (BS) The Spiderwick Chronicles. The titular tome is a field guide to the goblins, fairies and griffins that surround the creepy, isolated new home of mom Helen (Mary-Louise Parker), daughter Mallor y (Sarah Bolger), and twin brothers Jared and Simon (Freddie Highmore, double-dipping). Jared's discovery of the ornate book unleashes a platoon of CGI bad guys, led by evil shape-shifter Mulgarath (Nick Nolte), who covet the information inside because it spells doom for the CGI good guys. Condensing five books into one movie results in a rushed and sometimes convoluted ride, but Mean Girls director Mark Waters's adaptation of Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black's children's collection still has much to offer. Waters deftly juggles reality and unreality, although the latter's complex and seemingly arbitrary rules become a matter of faith. What the movie lacks in thematic nourishment, it makes up for in excitement. The action scenes – shot by five-time Oscar nominee Caleb Deschanel and edited by Spielberg crony Michael Kahn – are pretty thrilling. In all, it's too cramped and bereft of true wonderment to justify an ongoing series, but it's one of the better post-Potter attempts. (MK) Step Up 2 the Streets. This sequel to surprise 2006 hit Step Up inverts the typical wrongside-of-the-tracks paradigm, this time focusing on rebellious street dancer Andie (Briana Evigan), who finds herself fighting to fit in at school while also trying to hold onto her old life with a streetwise dance collective. When that tension causes an irrevocable split, Andie joins forces with school heartthrob Chase (Robert Hoffman) to form a new crew of classmate outcasts to compete against her old friends in Baltimore's underground dance battle, The Streets. The film's angsty, rebelrebel stuff is awkwardly scripted and bluntly delivered. Still, quality of execution trumps formula. Evigan and Hoffman are quite appealing leads, and feature debut director Jon Chu keeps the movie's tone loose and perpetually forward-moving. It certainly helps that the energetic dance sequences – choreographed by Jamal Sims, Dave Scott, and a gentleman known as Hi-Hat – are so well done. (BS) Summer Palace. In the first half of Lou Ye's 2006 film, smalltown girl Yu Hong (Hao Lei) leaves her family and boyfriend to study at Beijing University in 1988. Intoxicated by the new sensations of an urban, intellectual world, the confused, passionate, and manifestly unstable young woman falls madly in love Zhou Wei (Guo Xiaodong); they fuck like bunny rabbits, in scenes amazingly explicit for a mainland production. There is infidelity; her ex comes to town; they excitedly converge at the Tiananmen Square demonstrations (exactly halfway through the two-hour-plus running time); but then the situation gets really

somber, and everyone flees Beijing. After a montage covering eight years, the second half of the movie peeks in on Yu Hong, Zhou Wei, and several of their friends, all leading up to a reunion of the long-distant lovers. I loved Lou Ye's first feature, Suzhou River (2000) - a fascinating Shanghai gloss on Vertigo -- and found points of interest in his subsequent, much slicker, Purple Butterfly (2003). Summer Palace returns to the rougher look of the earlier movie, but it's much tougher to follow, particularly after the focus becomes more diffuse in the second half. It benefits from a riveting performance by newcomer Hao, but the whole is sadly unsatisfying. (AK) Taxi to the Dark Side. In December 2002, a local cab driver named Dilawar was arrested by U.S. forces in Afghanistan for participating in a rocket attack. After five days of incarceration at Bagram Air Force Base, he was dead, beaten so badly by his American jailers that his legs were pulpified. Dilawar’s innocence mattered little to MPs pressured to gather prisoner intelligence and not at all to Washington neocons. Director Alex Gibney (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room) investigates what happened to Dilawar, while using his tragic story as the starting point for a somber and meticulous deconstruction of the Bush administration’s reliance on torture and the resulting decline of America’s reputation. Interviewing those directly involved in Dilawar’s death, Gibney cannot be accused of creating a partisan hit piece. In presenting their stories with journalistic highmindedness, he joins fellow Iraqumentarian Charles Ferguson (No End in Sight) as the crucial craftsmen of an airtight indictment against VP Dick Cheney and his Constitution-shredding cronies. (MK) 10,000 B.C. See Also Opening This Week. There Will Be Blood. Around 1900, California miner Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis, adopting, for some reason, the distinctive spoken mannerisms of John Huston) begins to morph into an oil magnate, acquiring a son (Dillon Freasier) along the way, courtesy of a mining accident that kills the boy’s father. While exploiting the deposits in a small town, he and a budding evangelist (Paul Dano) develop a mutual animus, which festers for decades, providing the closest the film ever comes to a central conflict. Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest is an utter change of pace from the Altmanesque breadth that defined Boogie Nights and Magnolia and the intense personal POV of Punch-Drunk Love. For roughly two and a half hours, we watch things happen – incidents that are generally interesting, but which seem of more or less equal dramatic weight. Daniel is the closest thing we have to a protagonist, yet we are rarely invited to identify with him. We watch him rather than experience things with him. Thanks in large part to Robert Elswit’s cinematography and Jonny Greenwood’s strange score, we stay interested, but the movie’s measured pacing gives the sense of a history lesson. This is still one of 2007’s most striking films, but, no, it is not the next Citizen Kane or anything close to that. (AK) 27 Dresses. Young Manhattanite Jane (Katherine Heigl) nurses a not-so-secret crush on her rakish boss, George (Edward Burns), at Urban Everest, a thinly characterized outerwear company and “eco-friendly philanthropic business” (whatever that means). Similarly the perfect planner in her personal life, she is also a wedding junkie. Her world turns upside down when blithely self-centered sister Tess (Malin Ackerman) visits and immediately captures George’s heart. One quickie proposal later, Jane suddenly finds herself having to help plan Tess’s wedding to the guy she thinks is her own perfect match. Helmed by choreographer-turned-director Anne Fletcher (Step Up), the movie never remotely captures any sense of big-city verve or energy on a par with The Devil Wears Prada or even (arguably) The Nanny Diaries. Cutesy contrivances carry the day, but the energetic performances and a few flashes of self-effacing wit should help this go down easily as rom-com pablum for the Bridget Jones’s Diary set. Others may rightly shrug. (BS) Vantage Point. During an anti-terrorism meeting of allied world leaders in Spain, President Ashton (William Hurt) is shot at 12:23 p.m. At this tense peak, Pete Travis's thriller rewinds to noon and continues replaying the chaos as seen through half a dozen people's eyes, including a Spanish cop (Eduardo Noriega), a Secret Ser vice bodyguard (Dennis Quaid), and a vacationer-turned-citizen journalist (Forest Whitaker). Barry Levy's script panders for comparisons to Rashomon but misses the point. Akira Kurosawa argued that truth was slippery; Levy believes there is one answer, he just likes withholding it. Besides their political beliefs, no one in Vantage Point is in disagreement about the facts -- they just don't know all of them yet, and those who think they do are kidding themselves. It's a zippy, if contrived, little flick that successfully establishes that the world is dangerously (but not morally) complicated, but then pacifies its audience with unsatisfying coincidences and a gone-commando hero turn by Quaid. (AN)

Vivere. Rashomon meets Run Lola Run in writer-director Angelina Maccarone's fascinating feminist drama about a young German cabbie (Esther Zimmering) searching for her runaway sister (Kim Schnitzer) and encountering, coincidentally (or not so coincidentally), a mysterious older woman (Hannelore Elsner), who is seemingly the victim of a violent crash-and-run accident. The story is told three times, once from each woman's point of view, so as to methodically fill in the blanks and create a complete portrait of life's seemingly random (or not so random) intersections. It's easy to imagine an American company wanting to remake the picture, focusing almost exclusively on the tricky structure, which, in all likelihood, is what earned it an American release in the first place. What audiences will most remember, however, are three exceptional performances and a keenly observant script that wallows just enough in archetypal German existentialism to get its points across without veering into the pretentious. (WM) Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins. A famous talk show host (Martin Lawrence) takes his son and fiancée to Georgia to visit his family. Malcolm D. Lee (The Best Man, Undercover Brother) wrote and directed; the cast includes James Earl Jones, Margaret Avery, Joy Bryant, Cedric the Entertainer, Nicole Ari Parker, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Mike Epps. (AK) The Year My Parents Went on Vacation. In 1970, Mauro (Michel Joelsas), a soccercrazed ten-year-old, is sent to live with his Jewish grandfather in Sao Paulo, when his activist parents are forced to go in hiding from Brazil’s repressive regime. Unfortunately, his grandfather has died that very day; with his parents' whereabouts unknown, Mauro is forced to live with Granddad's neighbor, a grumpy old man named Shlomo (Germano Haiut). Writer/director Cao Hamburger's film – Brazil's official entry for this year's Oscars – nicely fulfills its low-key sentimental ambitions. It's neither striking nor ultimately memorable, but it provides a pleasant diversion, a slighter take on such grumpy-old-man-bonds-with-kid films as Claude Berri's The Two of Us (1969). (AK) Yiddish Theater: A Love Story. The Folksbiene Theater was founded on New York’s Lower East Side in 1915, as one of many Yiddish troupes entertaining the legions of Jewish immigrants recently arrived from Europe. Fortysome years later, after surviving the Holocaust and Stalinist Russia, Zypora Spaisman came to America and reinvented herself as an actress in Yiddish theater. Another fortysome years later, toward the end of 2000, Israeli filmmaker Dan Katzir was visiting New York and met the 84-year-old actress Spaisman, just as Folksbiene Theater – now the city’s last Yiddish theater – was facing eviction. Charmed by the old woman’s enthusiasm, he set about to chronicle the desperate eight days during which Spaisman and her coworkers attempt to find a way to keep the theater alive. Katzir talks to some of the very few survivors of the form’s heyday, most of whom still display an offhanded wit. The result is an uneven but ultimately charming – and sad – look at the disappearance of a centuries-old cultural tradition whose impact on our own culture has been inestimable. (AK)

SHOWTIMES March 7-13 Note: Times are p.m., and daily, unless otherwise indicated. All times are subject to c hange without notice.

BURBANK AMC Burbank 16, 140 E Palm Av, (818) 953-9800. 10,000 B.C. Fri-Sat 10:30 a.m., 11:50 a.m., 1:20, 2:40, 4:10, 5:30, 7, 8:20, 9:50, 11:10; Sun 10:30 a.m., 11:50 a.m., 1:20, 2:40, 4:10, 5:30, 7, 8:20, 9:50, 11; Mon-Thur 1:20, 2:40, 4:10, 5:30, 7, 8:20, 9:50. The Bank Job Fri-Sun 11:05 a.m., 1:50, 4:40, 7:20, 10:05; Mon-Thur 1:50, 4:40, 7:20, 10:05. Be Kind Rewind Fri-Sat 10:55 a.m., 1:30, 4:15, 6:55, 9:30, midnight; Sun 10:55 a.m., 1:30, 4:15, 6:55, 9:30; Mon-Thur 1:30, 4:15, 6:55, 9:30. College Road Trip Fri-Sat 11:15 a.m., 1:40, 4:05, 6:30, 8:55, 11:15; Sun 11:15 a.m., 1:40, 4:05, 6:30, 8:55; Mon-Thur 1:40, 4:05, 6:45, 9:10. Definitely, Maybe Fri-Sun 11:45 a.m., 2:35; Mon-Thur 1:05, 4. Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Disney 3D Fri-Sun 10:50 a.m., 12:55, 3:05; Mon-Thur 12:55, 3:05. Jumper Fri-Sat 11:20 a.m., 1:55, 4:30, 6:50, 9:20, 11:50; Sun 11:20 a.m., 1:55, 4:30, 6:50, 9:20; Mon-Wed 1:55, 4:30, 6:50, 9:20; Thur 1:55, 4:30. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Fri-Sat 10:45 a.m., 1:15, 3:45, 6:20, 8:50, 11:20; Sun 10:45 a.m., 1:15, 3:45, 6:20, 9; Mon-Thur 1:15, 3:45, 7, 9:25.

The Other Boleyn Girl Fri-Sun 10:45 a.m., 1:35, 4:35, 7:30, 10:25; Mon-Thur 1:35, 4:35, 7:50. Penelope Fri-Sun 10:30 a.m., 12:50, 3:20, 5:45, 8:15, 10:45; Mon-Thur 1, 3:20, 5:40, 8:05, 10:30. Semi-Pro Fri-Sat 10:40 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:05, 1:55, 3:30, 4:20, 6, 6:45, 8:25, 9:10, 10:50, 11:40; Sun 10:40 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:05, 1:55, 3:30, 4:20, 6, 6:45, 8:25, 9:10; Mon-Thur 1:05, 1:55, 3:30, 4:20, 6, 6:45, 8:25, 9:10. The Spiderwick Chronicles Fri-Sat 10:35 a.m., 1, 3:35, 6:05, 8:35, 11:05; Sun 10:35 a.m., 1, 3:35, 6:05, 8:35; Mon-Thur 1, 3:35, 6:05, 8:35. Step Up 2 the Streets Fri-Sat 11:10 a.m., 1:45, 4:25, 7:05, 9:35, midnight; Sun 11:10 a.m., 1:45, 4:25, 7:05, 9:35; Mon-Thur 1:45, 4:25, 7:05, 9:35. Vantage Point Fri-Sat 11 a.m., 1:25, 3:50, 5:20, 6:15, 7:45, 8:40, 10:10, 11:05; Sun 11 a.m., 1:25, 3:50, 5:20, 6:15, 7:45, 8:40, 10:10; Mon-Thur 1:25, 3:50, 5:20, 6:15, 7:45, 8:40. AMC Burbank Town Center 8, 210 E Magnolia Bl, (818) 953-9800. Call theater for titles and showtimes. AMC Burbank Town Center 6, 770 N First St, (818) 953-9800. Call theater for titles and showtimes.

The Spiderwick Chronicles Fri-Sun 12:40, 3:05, 5:35, 8:05, 10:30; Mon-Thur 1:15, 4:05, 7:05, 9:30. Vantage Point Fri-Sun 12:55, 3:10, 5:25, 7:40, 10:15; Mon-Thur 12:35, 2:45, 5, 7:30, 9:45. UA Marina, 4335 Glencoe Av, (310) 8231721. 10,000 B.C. Fri-Sat 11:35 a.m., 12:05, 2:15, 2:45, 4:55, 5:25, 7:30, 8, 10:15, 10:45; Sun 10:35 a.m., 11:05 a.m., 1:15, 1:45, 3:55, 4:25, 6:30, 7, 9:15, 9:45; MonThur 11:35 a.m., 12:05, 2:15, 2:45, 4:55, 5:25, 7:30, 8, 10:15, 10:45. The Bank Job Fri-Sat 11:40 a.m., 2:20, 5:10, 7:50, 10:30; Sun 10:40 a.m., 1:20, 4:10, 6:50, 9:30; Mon-Thur 11:40 a.m., 2:20, 5:10, 7:50, 10:30. Semi-Pro Fri-Sat noon, 2:30, 4:50, 7:40, 10; Sun 11 a.m., 1:30, 3:50, 6:40, 9; Mon noon, 2:30, 4:50, 7:40, 10. The Spiderwick Chronicles Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m., 2, 4:30, 7:10, 9:40; Sun 10:30 a.m., 1, 3:30, 6:10, 8:40; Mon-Thur 11:30 a.m., 2, 4:30, 7:10, 9:40. Vantage Point Fri-Sat 11:50 a.m., 2:10, 4:40, 7:20, 9:50; Sun 1:10, 3:40, 6:20, 10:50, 8:50; Mon 2:10, 4:40, 9:50, 11:50, 7:20; Tue-Thur 11:50 a.m., 2:10, 4:40, 7:20, 9:50.

CULVER CITY, MARINA DEL REY The Bridge: Cinema De Lux & IMAX Theater, The Promenade at Howard Hughes Center, 6081 Center Dr, Westchester, (310) 5683375. Call theater for titles and showtimes. Culver Plaza Theatre, 9919 Washington Blvd, (310) 836-5516. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days Fri-Sun 2:25, 7:30, 9:55; Mon-Thur 2:25, 7:30. Alvin and the Chipmunks Sat-Sun 11:45 a.m., 1:35. Atonement Fri-Sun 11:50 a.m., 2:10; Mon-Thur noon, 5:15. City of Men Fri 2:35, 7:30, 9:50; Sat-Sun 2:30, 7:30, 9:50; Mon-Thur 2:30, 7:30. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly 12:20. Enchanted Sat-Sun midnight. Jodhaa Akbar Fri-Sun 4:30, 8:30; Mon-Thur 1, 6:15. No Country for Old Men Fri-Sun 2:40, 5:05, 7:30, 9:50; Mon-Thur 2:40, 5:05, 7:30. Step Up 2 the Streets Fri 12:30, 2:30, 5:10, 7:15, 9:40; Sat-Sun 2:30, 5:10, 7:15, 9:40; Mon-Thur 12:30, 2:35, 5:10, 7:15. There Will Be Blood Fri noon, 3:10, 6:20, 9:20; Sat-Sun 3:25, 6:30, 9:35; Mon-Thur 2:20, 7:30. Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins 12:10, 5:10. The Year My Parents Went on Vacation Fri 12:15, 5:15; Sat-Thur 12:15, 5:05. Loews Cineplex Marina Marketplace, 13455 Maxella Av, (310) 827-9588. Be Kind Rewind Fri 1:50, 4:30, 7:20, 9:50; Sat-Sun 11:20 a.m., 1:50, 4:30, 7:20, 9:50; Mon-Thur 1:50, 4:30, 7:20, 9:50. College Road Trip Fri 2:15, 4:50, 7:30, 10; Sat-Sun 11:45 a.m., 2:15, 4:50, 7:30, 10; Mon-Thur 2, 4:40, 7:30, 10. Jumper Fri 1:35, 4, 6:45, 9; Sat-Sun 11:15 a.m., 1:35, 4, 6:45, 9; Mon-Thur 1:35, 4, 6:45, 9. No Country for Old Men Fri-Sun 1:25, 4:15, 7, 10:05; Mon-Thur 1:25, 4:15, 7, 9:45. The Other Boleyn Girl Fri 1:40, 4:25, 7:15, 10:20; Sat-Sun 10:50 a.m., 1:40, 4:25, 7:15, 10:20; Mon-Thur 1:40, 4:25, 7:15, 10:05. Penelope Fri 1:55, 4:35, 7:10, 9:45; Sat-Sun 11:30 a.m., 1:55, 4:35, 7:10, 9:45; Mon-Thur 1:55, 4:35, 7:10, 9:30. Pacific Culver Stadium 12, 9500 Culver Bl, (310) 855-7519. 10,000 B.C. Fri noon, 1:35, 2:35, 4:15, 5:15, 7, 8, 9:45, 10:45; Sat-Sun 11 a.m., noon, 1:35, 2:35, 4:15, 5:15, 7, 8, 9:45, 10:45; Mon-Thur 12:30, 1:30, 3:05, 4:30, 5:50, 7:20, 8:20, 10:05. The Bank Job Fri-Sun 12:05, 2:30, 5, 7:45, 10:25; Mon-Thur 12:45, 3:15, 5:45, 8:15, 10:45. Be Kind Rewind Fri-Sun 12:15, 2:50, 5:45, 8:15, 10:40; Mon-Thur 1:20, 4:20, 7:10, 9:40. College Road Trip Fri-Sun 12:35, 2:45, 5:05, 7:30, 9:50; Mon-Thur 1, 3:30, 5:40, 7:55, 10:10. Jumper Fri-Sun 1, 3:25, 5:40, 7:55, 10:10; Mon-Thur 1:10, 3:20, 5:35, 7:50, 10:15. The Other Boleyn Girl Fri 1:10, 4, 7:20, 10:05; Sat-Sun 11:35 a.m., 2:10, 5:20, 8:20, 11; Mon-Thur 12:50, 4, 7:15, 10. Penelope Fri-Sun 12:45, 3, 5:10, 7:25, 9:40; Mon-Thur 12:40, 2:50, 5:05, 7:35, 9:50. Semi-Pro Fri-Sun 12:10, 1:05, 2:20, 3:20, 4:40, 5:30, 7:05, 8:10, 9:20, 10:35; MonThur 12:55, 1:55, 3:10, 4:25, 5:25, 7, 8, 9:15, 10:20.

MARCH 6~12, 2008

DOWNTOWN & SOUTH L.A. Laemmle’s Grande 4-Plex, 345 S Figueroa St, (213) 617-0268. 10,000 B.C. Fri 5, 7:30, 9:55; Sat-Sun 1:45, 5, 7:30, 9:55; MonThur 5, 7:30. Definitely, Maybe Fri 5:10, 7:40, 10:15; SatSun 1:55, 5:10, 7:40, 10:15; Mon-Thur 5:10, 7:40. My Name Is Albert Ayler Fri 5:30, 7:45, 10; Sat-Sun 1, 3:15, 5:30, 7:45, 10; Mon-Thur 5:30, 7:45. Semi-Pro Fri 5:40, 8, 10:10; Sat-Sun 1:20, 3:30, 5:40, 8, 10:10; Mon-Thur 5:40, 8. Magic Johnson Theaters, Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 4020 Marlton Av, (323) 2905900. 10,000 B.C. Fri-Sat 11:45 a.m., 12:15, 2:20, 3, 5, 5:40, 7:45, 8:15, 10:25, 10:55; Sun 11:45 a.m., 12:15, 2:20, 3, 5, 5:40, 7:45, 8:15, 10:25; Mon-Thur 12:15, 2:20, 5, 5:40, 7:45, 8:15, 10:25. The Bank Job Fri-Sun 11 a.m., 1:50, 4:35, 7:20, 10:10; Mon-Thur 1:50, 4:35, 7:20, 10:10. College Road Trip Fri-Sun 10:20 a.m., 11:55 a.m., 12:50, 2:30, 3:10, 4:55, 5:35, 7:25, 8, 9:50, 10:35; Mon-Thur 12:50, 2:30, 3:10, 4:55, 5:35, 7:25, 8, 9:50, 10:35. Cover Fri-Sun 10:10 a.m., 12:30, 3:05, 5:30,

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www.semipromovie.com WESTWOOD AMC Avco Advance Tickets On Sale Daily. $3.00 at The Avco Center Parking. HOLLYWOOD ArcLight Hollywood at Sunset & Vine 4 hours validated parking -$2

CENTURY CITY AMC Century 15 3 hrs free parking. Additional 2 hr parking $3.00 with AMC validation. BEVERLY HILLS Pacific’s The Grove Stadium 14 4 hours on-site validated parking only $2.00.

SANTA MONICA CHECK THEATRE Mann Criterion 6 DIRECTORIES FOR SHOWTIMES UNIVERSAL CITY CityWalk NO PASSES OR DISCOUNT COUPONS Stadium 19 with IMAX ACCEPTED MOVIE PARKING REBATE $5 General Parking Rebate At Box Office With Movie Ticket Purchase (Excludes Preferred & Valet)

AND AT A THEATRE NEAR YOU. CONSULT YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS. MOBILE USERS: For Showtimes - Text SEMIPRO with your ZIP CODE to 43KIX (43549)

CITYBEAT

7:55, 10:20; Mon-Thur 12:30, 3:05, 5:30, 7:55, 10:20. The Eye Fri-Sun 11:40 a.m., 2, 4:30, 7, 9:30; Mon-Wed 2, 4:30, 7, 9:30; Thur 4:30, 7, 9:30. Jumper Fri-Sun 10:05 a.m., 12:25, 2:40, 5:10, 7:25, 9:55; Mon-Thur 12:25, 2:40, 5:10, 7:25, 9:55. Semi-Pro Fri-Sat 10 a.m., 10:40 a.m., 12:20, 1, 2:50, 3:30, 5:15, 5:50, 7:30, 8:10, 10, 10:45; Sun 10 a.m., 10:40 a.m., 12:20, 1, 2:50, 3:30, 5:15, 5:50, 7:30, 8:10, 10; Mon-Thur 12:20, 1, 2:50, 3:30, 5:15, 5:50, 7:30, 8:10, 10. The Spider wick Chronicles Fri-Sun 11:30 a.m., 2:05, 4:50, 7:10, 9:40; Mon-Wed 2:05, 4:50, 7:10, 9:40; Thur 2:05, 4:50, 7:10. Step Up 2 the Streets Fri-Sun 11:50 a.m., 2:35, 5, 7:35, 10:05; Mon-Thur 2:35, 5, 7:35, 10:05. Vantage Point Fri-Sun 10:30 a.m., 12:50, 3:10, 5:45, 8:05, 10:30; Mon-Thur 12:50, 3:10, 5:45, 8:05, 10:30. Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins Fri-Sat 10:15 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 12:55, 2, 4:05, 5:10, 7, 7:50, 9:45, 10:25; Sun 10:15 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 12:55, 2, 4:05, 5:10, 7, 7:50, 9:45; Mon-Wed 12:55, 2, 4:05, 5:10, 7, 7:50, 9:45; Thur 12:55, 4:05, 5:10, 7, 7:50, 9:45. University Village 3, 3323 S Hoover St, (213) 748-6321. 10,000 B.C. Fri-Sat 12:30, 3, 5:30, 8, 10:30, 12:45 a.m.; Sun-Thur 12:30, 3, 5:30, 8, 10:30. Charlie Bartlett Fri-Sat midnight. College Road Trip Fri-Sat 12:15, 2:30, 4:45, 7, 9:15, 11:30; Sun-Thur 12:15, 2:30, 4:45, 7, 9:15. Semi-Pro 12:45, 3, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45.

HOLLYWOOD ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood, 6360 Sunset Bl, (323) 464-4226. Be Kind Rewind Fri-Sun 11:30 a.m., 1:50, 5:10, 8, 10:30; Mon 11:05 a.m., 1:35, 4:45, 7:45, 10:05; TueThur 11:30 a.m., 1:50, 5:10, 8, 10:30. Beverly Hills Cop Mon only, 8. In Bruges Fri 11:15 a.m., 1:55, 5:05, 8:05, 10:45; Sat-Wed 11:15 a.m., 1:55, 4:55, 8:05, 10:45; Thur 11:15 a.m., 1:55, 4:25. Juno Fri-Sun 11:05 a.m., 1:35, 4:45, 7:45, 10:05; Mon 11:50 a.m., 2:10, 4:50; Tue-Wed 11:05 a.m., 1:35, 4:45, 7:45, 10:05. The Manchurian Candidate Wed only, 8. Married Life 11:20 a.m., 2, 5:20, 7:50, 10:50. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Fri 11 a.m., 11:55 a.m., 1:10, 2:15, 4:20, 5:15, 5:35, 7:10, 7:55, 8:25, 9:50, 10:35, 11:05; SatMon 11 a.m., 11:55 a.m., 1:10, 1:45, 2:15, 4:20, 5:05, 5:35, 7:10, 7:55, 8:25, 9:50, 10:35, 11:05; Tue 11 a.m., 11:55 a.m., 1:10, 1:45, 2:15, 4:20, 5, 5:35, 7:10, 7:55,

8:25, 9:50, 10:35, 11:05; Wed 11 a.m., 11:55 a.m., 1:10, 1:45, 2:15, 4:20, 5:05, 5:35, 7:10, 7:55, 8:25, 10:30, 10:35, 11:05; Thur 11 a.m., 11:55 a.m., 1:10, 1:45, 2:15, 4:20, 5:05, 5:35, 7:10, 7:55, 8:25, 9:50, 10:35, 11:05. No Country for Old Men Fri-Tue 1:25, 4:15, 7:15, 10:15; Wed 1:25, 4:15; Thur 1:25, 4:15, 7:15, 10:15. The Other Boleyn Girl Fri-Mon 11:40 a.m., 1:30, 2:20, 4:10, 5, 7, 8:20, 10:20; Tue 11:45 a.m., 1:30, 2:25, 4:10, 5:15, 8:35, 11:15; Wed-Thur 11:40 a.m., 1:30, 2:20, 4:10, 5, 7, 8:20, 10:20. Penelope 11:50 a.m., 2:10, 4:50, 7:30, 9:40. Semi-Pro Fri-Wed 11:10 a.m., 1:40, 4:30, 7:40, 10:10, noon, 2:30, 5:30, 8:30, 11:30; Thur 11:10 a.m., 1:40, 4:30, 7:40, 10:10. There Will Be Blood Fri-Tue 12:20, 4, 7:20, 10:40; Wed 11:40 a.m., 3; Thur 12:20, 4, 7:20, 10:40. Under the Same Moon Sun only, 7. Vantage Point Fri-Sat 11:35 a.m., 2:05, 4:35, 7:05, 9:45, 11; Sun 11:35 a.m., 2:05, 4:35, 11; Mon 11:35 a.m., 2:05, 4:35, 7:05, 9:45, 11; Tue 11:35 a.m., 2:05, 4:35, 7:05, 9:45; Wed-Thur 11:35 a.m., 2:05, 4:35, 7:05, 9:45, 11. Grauman’s Chinese, 6925 Hollywood Bl, (323) 464-8111. 10,000 B.C. Fri-Sat 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, 10:30. Los Feliz 3, 1822 N Vermont Av, (323) 6642169. The Bank Job 2, 4:30, 7, 9:30. The Other Boleyn Girl 2, 4:30, 7, 9:30. Persepolis 2, 4:30, 7, 9:30. Mann Chinese 6, 6801 Hollywood Bl, (323) 461-3331. 10,000 B.C. 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 2:30, 3:30, 5:30, 6:30, 8:30, 9:30, 12:15 a.m., 11:15. The Bank Job 1:20, 4:20, 7:20, 10:20. Charlie Bartlett 2:50, 7:40. Diary of the Dead 12:20, 5:20, 10:10. Jumper noon, 2:20, 4:50, 7:10, 9:50. The Spiderwick Chronicles 2:10, 4:40, 7, 9:40, 11:40. Pacific’s El Capitan, 6838 Hollywood Bl, (323) 467-7674. College Road Trip 10 a.m., 12:15, 2:30, 4:45, 7, 9:15. Pacific’s The Grove Stadium 14, 189 The Grove Dr, Third St & Fairfax Av, (323) 6920829. 10,000 B.C. Fri-Sat 10:40 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 11:40 a.m., 1:30, 2, 2:45, 4:15, 4:55, 5:30, 7:05, 7:45, 8:10, 9:45, 10:25, 11, 12:15 a.m.; Sun 10:40 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 11:40 a.m., 1:30, 2, 2:45, 4:15, 4:55, 5:30, 7:05, 7:45, 8:10, 9:45, 10:25, 11; Mon 10:40 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 11:40 a.m., 1:30, 2, 2:45, 4:15, 4:55, 5:30, 7:05, 7:45, 8:10, 9:45, 10:25, 11, 12:15 a.m.; Tue-Wed 10:40 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 11:40 a.m., 1:30, 2, 2:45, 4:15, 4:55, 5:30, 7:05, 7:45, 8:10, 9:45, 10:25, 11; Thur 10:40 a.m., 11:10 a.m.,

“

GENIUS!

The first great film of 2008 has arrived.” - Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post

“REMARKABLE.” - Bruce Handy, Vanity Fair

“A

PERFECT 10.”

- Sara Cardace, New York Magazine

“PROVOCATIVE

AND AUDACIOUS.” - Lou Lumenick, New York Post OPENING NIGHT

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY BRETT MORGEN MOBILE USERS: For Showtimes, Text Message CHICAGO and Your ZIP CODE to 43KIX (43549)

Exclusive Engagements Now Playing WEST HOLLYWOOD Laemmle’s Sunset-5 Theatres 323/848-3500 Daily 1:40 & 7:20 PM 3 hours free validated parking with ticket purchase. Tickets available at laemmle.com

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11:40 a.m., 1:30, 2, 2:45, 4:15, 4:55, 5:30, 7:05, 7:45, 8:10, 9:45, 10:25, 10:50. The Bank Job Fri-Wed 10:55 a.m., 1:45, 5:50, 8:30, 11:10; Thur 10:55 a.m., 12:55, 1:45, 5:50, 7:10, 8:30, 11:05. College Road Trip Fri-Sat 11:55 a.m., 2:15, 4:30, 7, 9:30, 12:05 a.m.; Sun 11:55 a.m., 2:15, 4:30, 7, 9:30; Mon 11 a.m., 2:15, 4:30, 7, 9:30, 12:05 a.m.; Tue-Thur 11:55 a.m., 2:15, 4:30, 7, 9:30. Definitely, Maybe 11:15 a.m., 2:05, 5:05, 7:50, 10:30. Jumper Fri-Wed 11:05 a.m., 1:55, 4:40, 7:30, 10:05; Thur 11:05 a.m., 1:55, 4:40, 10:20. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Fri-Sat 11:25 a.m., 2:25, 4:45, 7:20, 9:55, 12:10 a.m.; Sun 11:25 a.m., 2:25, 4:45, 7:20, 9:55; Mon 11:25 a.m., 2:25, 4:45, 7:20, 9:55, 12:10 a.m.; Tue-Wed 11:25 a.m., 2:25, 4:45, 7:20, 9:55; Thur 11:25 a.m., 2:25, 4:45, 7:20, 9:40. The Other Boleyn Girl Fri-Wed 10:45 a.m., 12:55, 1:50, 5:20, 7:10, 8, 10:50; Thur 10:45 a.m., 1:50, 5:15, 8, 10:45. Penelope Fri-Wed 11:30 a.m., 2:40, 5:10, 7:40, 10:15; Thur 11:30 a.m., 1:50, 4:10, 10:10. Semi-Pro 10:35 a.m., 12:40, 3, 4:35, 5:35, 8:15, 10:10, 10:35. The Spiderwick Chronicles 10:50 a.m., 1:40, 4:25, 7:15, 9:50. Vantage Point 12:50, 3:15, 5:45, 8:20, 10:40. Regent Showcase, 614 N La Brea Av, (323) 934-2944. Call theater for titles and showtimes. Vine, 6321 Hollywood Bl, (323) 463-6819. Call theater for titles and showtimes. Vista, 4473 Sunset, (323) 660-6639. 10,000 B.C. Fri 4:20, 7, 9:40; Sat-Sun 1:40, 4:20, 7, 9:40; Mon 4:20, 9:40; Tue 4:20, 7, 9:40; Wed 7, 9:40; Thur 4:20, 7, 9:40; Fri 5, 7:30, 9:55; Sat-Sun 1:45, 5, 7:30, 9:55; MonThur 5, 7:30.

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, UNIVERSAL CITY Century 8, 12827 Victory Bl, (818) 5086004. 10,000 B.C. 11:45 a.m., 2:20, 4:55, 7:30, 10:05. College Road Trip 11:50 a.m., 2, 4:30, 7, 9:20. Semi-Pro 12:30, 2:45, 5, 7:45, 10. Loews CityWalk Stadium 19 with IMAX, 100 Universal City Dr at Universal CityWalk, (818) 508-0588; IMAX Theater (818) 7608100. 10,000 B.C. Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m., 12:20, 1:20, 2:20, 3:10, 4:05, 5:10, 6, 7, 8, 8:50, 9:50, 10:50, 11:40, 12:30 a.m.; Sun 11:30 a.m., 12:20, 1:20, 2:20, 3:10, 4:05, 5:10, 6, 7, 8, 8:50, 9:50, 10:50; Mon-Thur 1:30, 2:30, 3:15, 4:15, 5:15, 6, 7, 8, 8:50, 9:50, 10:40. The Bank Job Fri-Sat 1:10, 4, 6:40, 9:30, 12:15 a.m.; Sun 1:10, 4, 6:40, 9:30; MonThur 2:10, 4:50, 7:35, 10:15. Be Kind Rewind Fri-Sun 11:50 a.m., 2:30, 5, 7:45, 10:20; Mon-Thur 1:50, 4:20, 6:50, 9:30. College Road Trip Fri-Sat 11:35 a.m., 12:30, 1:55, 2:50, 4:10, 5:05, 6:30, 7:30, 9, 10, 11:20, 12:20 a.m.; Sun 11:35 a.m., 12:30, 1:55, 2:50, 4:10, 5:05, 6:30, 7:30, 9, 10; Mon-Thur 1:45, 2:45, 4:10, 5:10, 6:30, 7:30, 9, 10. The Eye Fri-Sun 2:45, 5:30, 8:10, 10:35; Mon-Thur 4:05, 6:40, 9:10. Fool’s Gold Fri-Sun 4:20, 7:10, 9:55; MonThur 4:30, 7:10, 9:55. Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Disney 3D Fri-Sun 11:45 a.m., 2:10; Mon-Thur 2:15. Jumper Fri-Sat 12:50, 3:30, 5:55, 8:25, 11; Sun 12:50, 3:30, 5:55, 8:25, 10:40; MonThur 1:15, 3:30, 5:50, 8:10, 10:25. No Country for Old Men Fri-Sun 1:40, 7:35; Mon-Thur 1:55, 7:45. The Other Boleyn Girl Fri-Sat 11:40 a.m., 2:30, 5:20, 8:05, 10:55; Sun 11:40 a.m., 2:30, 5:20, 8:05, 10:50; Mon-Thur 1:35, 4:25, 7:05, 10:10. Penelope Fri-Sun 12:40, 3, 5:25, 7:50, 10:15; Mon-Thur 2:25, 4:55, 7:15, 9:35. Semi-Pro Fri-Sat 11:55 a.m., 1, 2:25, 3:25, 5:50, 7:15, 8:15, 9:40, 10:40, midnight; Sun 11:55 a.m., 1, 2:25, 3:25, 5:50, 7:15, 8:15, 9:40, 10:40; Mon-Thur 2:20, 3:20, 4:40, 7:20, 8:20, 9:40, 10:35. The Spider wick Chronicles Fri-Sun 11:30 a.m., 1:50, 4:15, 6:45, 9:20; Mon-Thur 1:25, 4, 6:35, 9:05. The Spiderwick Chronicles: The IMAX Experience IMAX Fri-Sun 12:15, 2:35, 4:55, 7:25; IMAX Mon-Thur 2:35, 5, 7:25. Step Up 2 the Streets Fri-Sat 11:35 a.m., 2, 4:25, 6:55, 9:25, 11:50; Sun 11:35 a.m., 2, 4:25, 6:55, 9:25; Mon-Thur 2:05, 4:35, 6:55, 9:20.

CITYBEAT

U2 3D IMAX Fri-Sat 9:45, 12:05; IMAX SunThur 9:45. Vantage Point Fri-Sat noon, 12:45, 3:15, 4:50, 5:45, 8:20, 10:45, 11:55; Sun noon, 12:45, 3:15, 4:50, 5:45, 8:20, 10:45; MonThur 1:40, 2:50, 5:05, 5:55, 7:40, 10:05. Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins Fri-Sun 4:40, 10:30; Mon-Thur 4:45, 10:30.

NORTHRIDGE, CHATSWORTH, GRANADA HILLS Mann Granada Hills, Devonshire St & Balboa Av, (818) 363-3679. 10,000 B.C. 12:50, 1:30, 3:50, 4:30, 6:50, 7:30, 9:50, 10:30. College Road Trip noon, 2:20, 4:40, 7, 9:20. No Country for Old Men 1:10, 4:10, 7:30, 10:10. The Other Boleyn Girl 11:50 a.m., 2:30, 5:10, 7:50, 10:40. Penelope 11:40 a.m., 2, 4:20, 6:40, 9. Semi-Pro 12:40, 3, 5:20, 7:40, 10. The Spiderwick Chronicles 12:20, 2:50, 5:30, 8, 10:20. Vantage Point 12:10, 2:40, 5, 7:20, 9:30. Pacific’s Northridge Fashion Center All Stadium 10, 9400 N Shirley Av, (818) 501-5121. 10,000 B.C. Fri 1:20, 4:20, 7:20, 10:05; Sat 11:30 a.m., 2:15, 5:15, 8, 10:30; Sun 11:30 a.m., 2:15, 5:15, 7:50, 10:15; Mon-Thur 1:40, 4:35, 7:25. The Bank Job Fri 1:30, 4:45, 7:45, 10:15; Sat-Sun 11:45 a.m., 2:25, 5, 7:45, 10:15; Mon-Thur 2:10, 5:30, 8. College Road Trip Fri 1:45, 4:05, 7, 9:30; Sat 11:35 a.m., 1:50, 4:05, 7, 9:30; Sun 11:35 a.m., 1:50, 4:05, 7, 9:15; Mon-Thur 2:15, 5:05, 7:15. The Eye Fri 2:35, 5:25, 8, 10:30; Sat noon, 2:35, 5:25, 7:50, 10:20; Sun noon, 2:35, 5:25, 7:50, 10; Mon-Thur 2:30, 5:40, 8:15. Jumper Fri 1:05, 3:15, 5:30, 7:50, 10:10; SatSun 12:50, 3:15, 5:30, 7:55, 10:05; MonThur 2:25, 5:15, 7:30. The Other Boleyn Girl Fri 1, 4:10, 7:10, 9:55; Sat-Sun 1, 4:10, 7:10, 10:10; Mon-Thur 1:30, 5, 7:50. Semi-Pro Fri 2:20, 5:15, 7:30, 10:20; Sat-Sun 11:55 a.m., 2:30, 5:20, 7:30, 10; Mon-Thur 1:55, 5:20, 7:40. The Spiderwick Chronicles Fri 1:35, 4:30, 7:15, 9:45; Sat 11:50 a.m., 2:10, 4:35, 7:15, 9:45; Sun 11:50 a.m., 2:10, 4:35, 7:15, 9:30; Mon-Thur 2:20, 5:10, 7:35. Step Up 2 the Streets Fri 2:45, 5:10, 7:55, 10:25; Sat 12:25, 2:50, 5:10, 7:55, 10:25; Sun 12:25, 2:50, 5:10, 7:55, 10:10; MonThur 2, 5:35, 8:05. Vantage Point Fri 2, 5:05, 7:35, 9:50; SatSun 12:10, 2:45, 5:05, 7:35, 9:50; Mon-Thur 1:45, 5:45, 8:10. Pacific’s Winnetka All Stadium 21, 9201 Winnetka Av, Chatswor th, (818) 501-5121. 10,000 B.C.; Mon-Thur 1:05, 2, 2:50, 4:05, 4:50, 5:35, 7, 7:45, 8:30, 9:55, 10:30. The Bank Job Fri 11:20 a.m., 2:15, 5:15, 8, 10:50; Sat 11:20 a.m., 2:10, 5:15, 8, 10:50; Sun 11:20 a.m., 2:10, 5:15, 8, 10:40; MonThur 1:15, 4:05, 7:05, 10:10. Be Kind Rewind Fri-Sat 12:25, 3:05, 5:45, 8:25, 10:55; Sun 12:10, 2:40, 5:20, 7:55, 10:25; Mon-Thur 2:40, 5:20, 7:55, 10:25. College Road Trip Fri-Sun 12:30, 2:45, 5, 7:30, 9:50; Mon-Thur 2:30, 4:50, 7:30, 9:50. Definitely, Maybe Fri-Sat 11:55 a.m., 2:35, 5:20, 8:10, 10:55; Sun 11:55 a.m., 2:35, 5:20, 8, 10:35; Mon-Thur 2:35, 5:20, 8, 10:35. The Eye Fri 11:50 a.m., 2:15, 4:55, 7:25, 10:10; Sat 11:50 a.m., 2:15, 4:55, 7:25, 10:05; Sun 11:50 a.m., 2:15, 4:55, 7:25, 10:15; Mon-Thur 2:15, 4:55, 7:25, 10:15. Fool’s Gold Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m., 2:30, 5:15, 7:55, 10:50; Sun 11:30 a.m., 2:30, 5:15, 7:50, 10:30; Mon-Thur 2:30, 5:15, 7:50, 10:30. Jumper Fri 12:20, 2:40, 5:10, 7:30, 9:55; SatSun 12:20, 2:40, 5:10, 7:30, 9:50; Mon-Thur 2:40, 5, 7:15, 9:40. Juno 2:40, 5:10, 7:40, 10:05. Michael Clayton Fri-Sun 12:55, 7:10; Mon-Thur 1:05, 7:10. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Fri-Sat 12:50, 3:15, 5:40, 8:15, 10:40; Sun 12:50, 3:15, 5:40, 8:15, 10:35; Mon-Thur 1, 3:15, 5:40, 8:15, 10:35. Penelope 2:30, 4:45, 7:25, 9:40. Rambo Fri-Sun 11:45 a.m., 2:20, 4:40, 7, 9:30; Mon-Thur 2:20, 4:40, 7, 9:30. Semi-Pro Fri-Sat 11:35 a.m., 1, 2:05, 3:20, 4:45, 5:45, 7:05, 8:05, 9:45, 10:40; Sun 11:35 a.m., 1, 2:05, 3:20, 4:45, 5:45, 7:05, 8:05, 9:45, 10:25; Mon-Thur 1, 2:10, 3:20, 4:45, 5:45, 7:05, 8:05, 9:45, 10:25. The Spiderwick Chronicles Fri 11:30 a.m., 2, 4:50, 7:35, 10; Sat-Sun 11:30 a.m., 1:55, 4:50, 7:35, 10; Mon-Thur 1:55, 4:50, 7:20, 9:45.

l MARCH 6~12, 2008

Step Up 2 the Streets Fri-Sat noon, 2:25, 4:55, 7:20, 10; Sun noon, 2:25, 4:55, 7:20, 9:55; Mon-Thur 2:25, 4:55, 7:20, 9:55. There Will Be Blood Fri-Sat 3:45, 10:05; SunThur 3:45, 9:50. Vantage Point Fri-Sun 11:50 a.m., 2:15, 4:35, 7:10, 9:30; Mon-Thur 2:15, 4:35, 7:10, 9:30. Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins 1:20, 4:15, 7:15, 10:15.

SANTA MONICA AMC Santa Monica 7, 1310 Third Street Promenade, (310) 395-3030. Charlie Bartlett Fri-Sun midnight; Mon-Thur 1:30. College Road Trip Fri-Sat 10:45 a.m., 12:05, 1:10, 2:30, 3:30, 4:50, 5:45, 7:15, 8:15, 9:40, 10:35; Sun 10:45 a.m., 12:05, 1:10, 2:30, 3:30, 4:50, 5:45, 7:15, 8:15, 9:40; Mon-Thur 1:15, 2:30, 3:30, 4:50, 5:45, 7:15, 8:15, 9:45. Jumper Fri-Sat 10:55 a.m., 1:05, 3:25, 5:40, 8:05, 10:25; Sun 10:55 a.m., 1:05, 3:25, 5:40, 7:50, 10:05; Mon-Thur 1, 3:25, 5:40, 7:50, 10:05. The Other Boleyn Girl Fri-Sat 10:50 a.m., 1:30, 2:25, 4:15, 5:05, 7, 7:55, 9:45, 10:40; Sun 10:50 a.m., 1:30, 2:25, 4:15, 5:05, 7, 7:55, 9:45; Mon-Thur 2, 4, 4:50, 6:45, 7:30, 9:30, 10:10. Penelope Fri-Sat 11 a.m., 1:20, 3:35, 5:50, 8:10, 10:30; Sun 11 a.m., 1:20, 3:35, 5:45, 8, 10:15; Mon-Thur 1:10, 3:20, 5:35, 7:45, 10. There Will Be Blood Fri-Sun 11:25 a.m., 2:55, 6:25, 9:55; Mon-Thur 2:15, 6:15, 9:40. Laemmle’s Monica 4-Plex, 1332 Second St, (310) 394-9741. Chicago 10 Sat-Sun 11 a.m. CJ7 1, 3:20, 5:40, 8, 10:15. Juno 1:50, 4:40, 7:30, 10. Married Life 12:50, 3:05, 5:20, 7:40, 10. No Country for Old Men 1:15, 4:05, 7, 9:55. Summer Palace Sat-Sun 11 a.m. The Yiddish Theater: A Love Story Sat-Sun 11 a.m. Loews Cineplex Broadway, 1441 Third Street Promenade, (310) 458-1506. The Bank Job Fri 1:45, 4:15, 7, 9:45; Sat-Sun 11:15 a.m., 1:45, 4:15, 7, 9:45; Mon-Thur 1:45, 4:20, 7, 9:30. Last Stop for Paul Fri 1:15, 3:20, 5:30, 7:45, 10; Sat-Sun 11 a.m., 1:10, 3:20, 5:30, 7:45, 10; Mon-Thur 2:05, 4:30, 6:50, 9:10. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Fri 1:20, 3:30, 5:45, 8, 10:15; Sat-Sun 11:05 a.m., 1:15, 3:30, 5:45, 8, 10:15; Mon-Thur 1:30, 4, 6:30, 9. The Spiderwick Chronicles Fri 2, 4:40, 7:15, 9:35; Sat-Sun 11:30 a.m., 2, 4:40, 7:15, 9:35; Mon-Thur 1:40, 4:10, 6:40, 9:20. Mann Criterion, 1313 Third Street Promenade, (310) 395-1599. 10,000 B.C. Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 2, 3, 4:30, 5:30, 7, 8, 9:30, 10:30, midnight; Sun-Thur 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 2, 3, 4:30, 5:30, 7, 8, 9:30, 10:30. Be Kind Rewind 11:40 a.m., 2:20, 5, 7:30, 10. Definitely, Maybe noon, 2:30, 5:10, 7:50, 10:20. Semi-Pro 12:20, 2:40, 4:50, 7:20, 10:10. Vantage Point 11:50 a.m., 2:10, 4:20, 7:10, 9:50.

SHERMAN OAKS, ENCINO ArcLight Sherman Oaks, 15301 Ventura Bl, Sherman Oaks, (818) 501-0753. 10,000 B.C. Fri-Sun 11 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 12:30, 1:35, 2:20, 3:10, 4:15, 5:05, 5:45, 7, 7:45, 8:30, 9:45, 10:30, 11:10; Mon 11 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 12:30, 1:35, 2:20, 3:10, 4:15, 5:05, 5:45, 7:45, 8:30, 10:30, 11:10; TueWed 11 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 12:30, 1:35, 2:20, 3:10, 4:15, 5:05, 5:45, 7, 7:45, 8:30, 9:45, 10:30, 11:10; Thur 11 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 12:30, 1:35, 2:20, 3:10, 4:15, 5:05, 7, 7:45, 9:45, 10:30. The Bank Job 11:30 a.m., 2:10, 4:55, 8, 11. Be Kind Rewind Fri-Wed 11:35 a.m., 2:05, 4:40, 7:30, 10:10; Thur 11:35 a.m., 2:05. Caddyshack Mon only, 7:30. College Road Trip 12:10, 2:30, 4:50, 7:40, 9:55. Flashdance Tue only, 7:30. Married Life 11:40 a.m., 2, 4:25, 7:10, 9:30. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day 11:15 a.m., 12:05, 1:45, 2:45, 4:20, 5:15, 7:25, 7:55, 9:50, 10:20. No Country for Old Men Fri-Tue 11:50 a.m., 2:35, 5:20, 8:15, 11:05; Wed 11:50 a.m., 2:35; Thur 11:50 a.m., 2:35, 5:20, 8:15, 11:05. The Other Boleyn Girl 11:10 a.m., 1, 2:25, 4:05, 5:25, 7:05, 8:10, 10, 10:55. Penelope 11:55 a.m., 2:15, 4:30, 7:50, 10:15. Semi-Pro Fri-Mon 11:20 a.m., 12:20, 1:40,

AMC Century City 15, 10250 Santa Monica Bl, (310) 277-2011. 10,000 B.C. Call theater for showtimes. The Bank Job Fri-Sat 11 a.m., 1:45, 4:40, 7:30, 10:25, 12:40 a.m.; Sun 11 a.m., 1:45, 4:40, 7:30, 10:15; Mon-Thur 1:45, 4:35, 7:40, 10:25. College Road Trip Fri-Sat 9:50 a.m., 12:05, 2:25, 4:55, 7:40, 10:10; Sun 9:50 a.m., 12:05, 2:25, 4:55, 7:40, 10; Mon-Thur 1, 3:10, 5:20, 7:45, 9:55. Definitely, Maybe Fri-Sat 10:10 a.m., 1:15, 4:25, 7:35, 10:45; Sun 10:10 a.m., 1:15, 4:25, 7:35, 10:35; MonThur 1:25, 4:25, 7:20, 10:20. Fool’s Gold Fri-Sat 9:40 a.m., 12:35; Sun 12:35; MonThur 1. Jumper Fri-Sat 9:45 a.m., 12:20, 2:50, 5:30, 8:05, 10:30; Sun 12:20, 2:50, 5:30, 8:05, 10:25; Mon-Thur 2:35, 5, 7:30, 9:50. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Fri-Sat 9:35 a.m., 12:10, 2:30, 5:05, 7:50, 10:35; Sun 9:35 a.m., 12:10, 2:30, 5:05, 7:50, 10:20; Mon-Thur 2:25, 4:50, 7:35, 10:05. No Country for Old Men Fri-Sat 9:55 a.m., 1, 4:10, 7:10, 10:20; Sun 9:55 a.m., 1, 4:10, 7:10, 10:05; Mon-Thur 1:20, 4:10, 7:15, 10:10. Semi-Pro Fri-Sat 10 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:25, 1:50, 2:55, 4:30, 5:35, 7:15, 8:15, 9:50, 10:50, 12:15 a.m.; Sun 10 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:25, 1:50, 2:55, 4:30, 5:35, 7:15, 8:15, 9:40, 10:40; Mon-Thur 1:10, 2:10, 3:25, 4:45, 5:45, 7:10, 8:10, 9:35, 10:30. The Spiderwick Chronicles Fri-Sat 9:40 a.m., 12:15, 2:40, 5:10, 7:45, 10:15; Sun 9:40 a.m., 12:15, 2:40, 5:10, 7:45, 10:10; Mon-Thur 1:55, 4:30, 7:25, 10. Step Up 2 the Streets Fri-Sat 9:30 a.m., 12:05, 2:45, 5:25, 8:10, 11; Sun 9:30 a.m., 12:15, 2:45, 5:25, 8:10, 10:40; Mon-Thur 2:40, 5:15, 7:55, 10:15. There Will Be Blood Fri-Sat 3:25, 7:05, 10:40; Sun 3:25, 7:05, 10:30; Mon-Thur 3:30, 6:55, 10:20. Vantage Point Fri-Sat 10:05 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:55, 3:10, 4:45, 5:50, 7:25, 8:30, 10:05, 11:10, 12:30 a.m.; Sun 10:05 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:55, 3:10, 4:45, 7:25, 8:20, 9:50, 10:45; Mon-Thur 1:05, 2:15, 3:20, 4:40, 5:35, 7:05, 8, 9:30, 10:25. Laemmle’s Music Hall 3, 9036 Wilshire Bl, (310) 2746869. The Duchess of Langeais Fri 5, 8:10; Sat-Sun 1:50, 5, 8:10; Mon-Thur 5, 8:10. Santoori: The Music Man 10 a.m. Taxi to the Dark Side Fri 5, 7:30; Sat-Sun noon, 2:30, 5, 7:30; Mon-Thur 5, 7:30. Laemmle’s Sunset 5 Theatre, 8000 Sunset Bl, (323) 8483500. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days 1:20, 4:10, 7, 9:50. Chicago 10 1:40, 7:20. City of Men 1:50, 4:30, 7:10, 9:40. CJ7 12:45, 3, 5:15, 7:35, 9:55. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly 4:20, 9:55. Last Stop for Paul 12:45, 3, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45. Beverly Center 13 Cinemas, 8522 Beverly Blvd., Suite 835, (310) 652-7760. 27 Dresses 12:20, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 10. Alvin and the Chipmunks 1:10, 3:50. Be Kind Rewind 12:50, 3:10, 5:30, 7:50, 10:10. Charlie Bartlett 12:20, 2:50, 5:20, 7:50, 10. Cloverfield 12:30, 2:50, 5, 7, 9:20.

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WESTWOOD, WEST L.A. AMC Avco Center, 10840 Wilshire Bl, (310) 475-0711. The Bank Job Fri 2:15, 4:45, 7:10, 9:45; Sat-Sun 11:45 a.m., 2:15, 4:45, 7:10, 9:45; Mon-Thur 2:15, 4:45, 7:10, 9:40. Definitely, Maybe Fri 1:50, 4:25, 7, 9:35; Sat 10:10 a.m., 12:40, 7, 9:35; Sun 11:15 a.m., 1:50, 4:25, 7, 9:35; Mon-Tue 1:50, 4:25, 7, 9:35; Wed 2:10, 4:50; Thur 1:50, 4:25, 7, 9:35. Penelope Fri 12:45, 2:55, 5:05, 7:20, 9:30; Sat-Sun 10:35 a.m., 12:45, 2:55, 5:05, 7:20, 9:30; Mon-Thur 12:45, 2:55, 5:05, 7:20, 9:30. Semi-Pro Fri 1, 3:15, 5:25, 7:35, 9:50; Sat-Sun 10:50 a.m., 1, 3:15, 5:25, 7:35, 9:50; Mon-Thur 1, 3:15, 5:25, 7:35, 9:45. Laemmle’s Royal Theatre, 11523 Santa Monica Bl, (310) 477-5581. The Counterfeiters 12:30, 2:50, 5:15, 7:45, 10:15. Landmark’s Nuart Theater, 11272 Santa Monica Bl, (310) 281-8223. Girls Rock! Fri-Sun noon, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 10; Mon-Thur 5, 7:30, 10. The House That Screamed Fri only, midnight. The Rocky Horror Picture Show Sat only, midnight. Landmark’s Regent, 1045 Broxton Av, (310) 281-8223. College Road Trip 12:30, 2:45, 5, 7:15, 9:30. The Landmark West Los Angeles, 10850 W Pico Bl, (310) 281-8223. The Band’s Visit 12:10, 2:30, 4:50, 7:10, 9:30. Be Kind Rewind 12:10, 2:40, 5:10, 7:40, 10:10. Charlie Bartlett 11:50 a.m., 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:50. City of Men 12:20, 2:50, 5:20, 7:50, 10:20. In Bruges Fri-Sun 12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:45, 10:10; MonTue 12:15, 1:15, 2:45, 3:45, 5:15, 6:15, 7:45, 8:45, 10:10; Wed-Thur 12:15, 1:15, 2:45, 3:45, 5:15, 7:45, 10:10. Juno Fri noon, 1, 2:30, 3:20, 5, 6, 7:30, 8:30, 9:55; SatSun 12:15, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 9:55; Mon 12:15, 1, 3:20, 6, 7:30, 8:30, 9:55; Tue-Wed 12:15, 1, 2:30, 3:20, 5, 6, 7:30, 8:30, 9:55; Thur 12:15, 1, 2:30, 3:20, 5, 7:30, 9:55. Married Life 11:05 a.m., 1:20, 3:35, 5:50, 8:05, 10:15. The Other Boleyn Girl Fri-Sat 11 a.m., noon, 1:45, 2:45, 4:30, 5:30, 7:15, 8:15, 9:55, 10:50; Sun-Thur 11 a.m., noon, 1:45, 2:45, 4:30, 5:30, 7:15, 8:15, 9:55. Penelope 11 a.m., 1:15, 3:30, 5:45, 8, 10:10. Majestic Crest Theater, 1262 Westwood Bl, (310) 4747866. The Other Boleyn Girl Fri 2:30, 5, 7:30, 10; SatSun noon, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 10; Mon-Thur 2:30, 5, 7:30, 10. Mann Bruin, 948 Broxton Av, (310) 208-8998. Vantage Point Fri 12:30, 2:45, 5, 7:30, 9:50; Sat 7:30, 9:50; SunThur 12:30, 2:45, 5, 7:30, 9:50. Mann Festival 1, 10887 Lindbrook Av, (310) 208-4575. 10,000 B.C. Sat only, 11:15 a.m., 2, 4:45. No Country for Old Men Fri 1:30, 4:20, 7:10, 10; Sat 7:10, 10; Sun-Thur 1:30, 4:20, 7:10, 10. Mann Village, 961 Broxton Av, (310) 208-5576. 10,000 B.C. Fri 11:15 a.m., 2, 4:45, 7:40, 10:30; Sat 7:40, 10:30; Sun-Thur 11:15 a.m., 2, 4:45, 7:40, 10:30.

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Enchanted noon, 2:20, 4:40, 7, 9:30. Fool’s Gold 1:10, 3:50, 6:30, 9:10. The Great Debaters 1, 3:40, 6:20, 9. Juno 12:10, 2:10, 4:20, 6:40, 9. Michael Clayton 1:20, 4:20, 7:10, 9:40. Rambo 12:30, 2:40, 4:50, 7:10, 9:20. Step Up 2 the Streets noon, 2:20, 4:30, 6:40, 9:10. Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins 12:10, 2:40, 5:10, 7:40, 10:10. The Year My Parents Went on Vacation 6:20, 8:50.

2:40, 4, 5:10, 7:15, 8:20, 9:35, 10:40; Tue 11:20 a.m., 12:20, 1:40, 2:40, 4, 5:10, 7:15, 9:35; Wed-Thur 11:20 a.m., 12:20, 1:40, 2:40, 4, 5:10, 7:15, 8:20, 9:35, 10:40. Vantage Point 11:05 a.m., 1:30, 4:10, 7:20, 9:40. Laemmle’s Town Center 5, 17200 Ventura Bl, Encino, (818) 981-9811. The Band’s Visit noon, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:40. Burning the Future: Coal in America 12:30, 2:40, 5, 7:20, 9:40. The Counterfeiters 12:10, 2:40, 5:10, 7:40, 10. La vie en rose (French w/e.s.t.) 1:20, 4:40, 8. There Will Be Blood 1, 4:30, 8:10. Mann Plant 16, 7876 Van Nuys Bl, Panorama City, (818) 779-0323. 10,000 B.C. 11:10 a.m., 11:50 a.m., 1:10, 1:50, 2:30, 3:50, 4:30, 5:10, 6:30, 7:10, 7:50, 9:10, 9:50, 10:30. The Bank Job 11:30 a.m., 2:10, 4:50, 7:30, 10:10. Be Kind Rewind 11:45 a.m., 2:15, 4:45, 7:15, 9:45. College Road Trip noon, 12:40, 2:20, 3, 4:40, 5:20, 7, 7:40, 9:20, 10. The Eye 12:20, 2:50, 5:20, 7:50, 10:20. Jumper noon, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 10. No Country for Old Men 1:20, 6:30. The Orphanage Sub-Titled 4:10, 9:30. Penelope 11:15 a.m., 1:45, 4:15, 6:45, 9:15. Semi-Pro 11:50 a.m., 12:30, 2:20, 3, 4:50, 5:30, 7:20, 8, 9:50, 10:30. The Spider wick Chronicles 11:10 a.m., 1:40, 4:10, 6:40, 9:10. Step Up 2 the Streets 12:10, 2:40, 5:10, 7:40, 10:10. Vantage Point 11:20 a.m., 1:50, 4:20, 6:50, 9:20. Pacific’s Sherman Oaks 5, 14424 Millbank St, Sherman Oaks, (818) 501-5121. Definitely, Maybe 1:30, 4:10, 7, 9:55. In Bruges 1:45, 4:25, 7:25, 10:05. Jumper 1:50, 4:30, 7:15, 9:45. Juno 2, 4:45, 7:35, 10:05. The Spiderwick Chronicles 1:35, 4:35, 7:10, 9:50.

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WOODLAND HILLS, WEST HILLS, TARZANA AMC Promenade 16, 21801 Oxnard St, Woodland Hills, (818) 883-2262. Call theater for titles and showtimes. Laemmle’s Fallbrook 7 Cinemas, Fallbrook Mall, 6731 Fallbrook Av, West Hills, (818) 340-8710. The Band’s Visit Fri-Sun noon, 2:20, 4:40, 7, 9:20; Mon-Thur 1, 3:20, 5:40, 8. Black & White Fri-Sat noon, 3, 6:15, 9:30; Sun-Thur noon, 3, 6, 9. Charlie Bartlett Fri-Sun noon, 2:30, 5, 7:40, 10:10; MonThur 1, 3:30, 6, 8:40. In Bruges Fri-Sun 1:30, 4:20, 7:10, 9:50; Mon-Thur noon, 2:30, 5:20, 8:10. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Fri-Sun 12:20, 2:45, 5:05, 7:30, 9:55; Mon-Thur 1:20, 3:45, 6:05, 8:30. The Other Boleyn Girl Fri-Sun 1:40, 4:30, 7:20, 10:10; Mon-Thur noon, 2:40, 5:30, 8:20. Vantage Point Fri-Sun 12:10, 2:40, 5:10, 7:40, 10; MonThur 1:10, 3:40, 6:10, 8:40.

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MARCH 6~12, 2008

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SPECIAL SCREENINGS American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Av, Santa Monica, (323) 466-3456. Aerotheatre.com. Heist! Making a Big Score in the Movies – The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, 7:30; followed by Charley Varrick. Discussion between films with Pelham actor Hector Elizondo. American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Bl, Hollywood, (323) 466-3456. Egyptiantheatre.com. Oscar Nominated & Winning Live Action and Animated Shorts – live action shorts, 7:30; animated shorts, 10. ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood, 6360 Sunset Bl, Hollywood, (323) 464-1478. Arclightcinemas.com. AFI’s Directors Screenings – The Wonder of It All, 8; followed by Q&A with director Jeffrey Roth and Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, moderated by chief CNN technology and environment correspondent Miles O’Brien. CineFamily at the Silent Movie Theatre, 611 N Fairfax Av, Hollywood, (323) 655-2520. Silentmovietheatre.com. Busby Berkeley Dreams – 42nd Street, 8. Echo Park Film Center, 1200 N Alvarado St, Echo Park, (213) 484-8846. Echoparkfilmcenter.org. Focus on Female Directors, 8; presented with the American Cinematheque. Filmmakers and curators in attendance. Hammer Museum, UCLA Film & Television Archive at the Billy Wilder Theatre, 10899 Wilshire Bl, L.A. Info: (310) 206-3456 or Hammer.ucla.edu. Wire, Tape and Rubber Band Style: The Effects Work of L.B. Abbott – Journey to the Center of the Earth, 7:30; followed by The Day the Earth Stood Still. New Beverly Cinema, 7165 Beverly Bl, L.A., (323) 9384038. Newbevcinema.com. Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice, 7:30; Tokyo Story, 9:45.

FRIDAY, MARCH 7 American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre Heist! Making a Big Score in the Movies – The Italian Job (1969), 7:30; followed by Who’s Minding the Mint. Discussion between films with Italian Job actress Margaret Bly. American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre 2001: A Space Odyssey, 7:30; shown in 70 mm. In the Spielberg Theatre: Oscar Nominated & Winning Live Action and Animated Shorts – live action shorts, 7:30; animated shorts, 10. CineFamily at the Silent Movie Theatre Local Flavor: Les Blank’s Food Films – Program One – Spend It All, 7:30; followed by In Heaven There Is No Beer? Food related to film selections will be served. Charles Bronson: The Sacred Monster – Death Wish Double Feature – Death Wish, 10:30; followed by Death Wish 2. Cinespace, 6356 Hollywood Bl, second level, Hollywood, (323) 817-3456. Cinespace.info. Dinner & a Movie – Michael Clayton, 8. Film in a restaurant/bar setting; call for reservations. Echo Park Film Center Ukrainian Citizens, Neighbors and Strangers, 8. Hammer Museum, UCLA Film & Telivision Archive at the Billy Wilder Theatre Wire, Tape and Rubber Band Style: The Effects Work of L.B. Abbott – Fantastic Voyage, 7:30; followed by The Lost World (1960). L.A. County Museum of Art, Leo S. Bing Theatre, 5905 Wilshire Bl, L.A., (323)857-6010. Lacma.org. Reel Epics: The Films of Béla Tarr – Werckmeister Harmonies, 7:30. Landmark’s Nuart Theatre, 11272 Santa Monica Bl, West L.A., (310) 281-8223. Landmarktheatres.com. The House That Screamed, midnight. New Beverly Cinema Trouble in Paradise, 7:30; One Hour with You, 9:15. Old Town Music Hall, 140 Richmond St, El Segundo, (310) 322-2592. Otmh.org. Seven Chances, 8:15; with shorts and live musical accompaniment.

SATURDAY, MARCH 8 American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre Heist! Making a Big Score in the Movies – The Killing, 7:30; followed by The Asphalt Jungle. Discussion between films with Killing actress Coleen Gray. American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre Forever Hollywood, 11:40. 2001: A Space Odyssey, 2, 7:30; shown in 70 mm. In the Spielberg Theatre: Oscar Nominated & Winning Live Action and Animated Shorts – live action shorts, 7:30; animated shorts, 10. Angel City Drive In, 240 W Fourth St, downtown L.A., Myspace.com/angelcitydrivein. The Goonies, gates at 6:30; film at 8. CineFamily at the Silent Movie Theatre A Hat, A Coat and a Gun: Philip Marlowe, Film Noir’s Private Detective – The Big Sleep, 1. Dardenne Brothers: Songs of Redemption – The Promise (La Promesse), 7:30. HolyFuckingShit: Funkadelic Fairy Tales – Darktown Strutters, 10:30. Cinespace Dinner & a Movie – Michael Clayton, 8. Film in a restaurant/bar setting; call for reservations. Echo Park Film Center Artful Hunches: Videos by Mason Cooley, 8. Hammer Museum, UCLA Film & Telivision Archive at the Billy Wilder Theatre The Outfest Legacy Project Screening Series – Out of the Shadows, 7; followed

by Sign of Protest. L.A. County Museum of Art Reel Epics: The Films of Béla Tarr – Damnation, 7:30 Landmark’s Nuart Theatre The Rocky Horror Picture Show, midnight; with live performance by Sins O’ the Flesh. New Beverly Cinema Trouble in Paradise, 4:05, 7:30; One Hour with You, 5:50, 9:15. Amoeba Midnights – Streets of Fire, midnight. Old Town Music Hall Seven Chances, 2:30, 8:15; with shorts and live musical accompaniment.

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SUNDAY, MARCH 9 American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre 2007’s Best Underrated Films / Overlooked Authors Double Feature – Delirious, 7:30; followed by The Interview. Delirious director Tom DiCillo to introduce screening. American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre Forever Hollywood, 11:40. 2001: A Space Odyssey, 7:30; shown in 70 mm. In the Spielberg Theatre: Oscar Nominated & Winning Live Action and Animated Shorts – live action shorts, 7:30; animated shorts, 10. CineFamily at the Silent Movie Theatre Ozu’s Early Comedies – The Lady and the Beard, 7. You Hit Like a Girl: The Ladies of Kung Fu – Dragon Princess, 9:30. Echo Park Film Center Works in Progress: Documentary, 6:30. New Beverly Cinema The Searchers, 3, 8; Rio Bravo, 5:20. Old Town Music Hall Seven Chances, 2:30; with shorts and live musical accompaniment.

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Neighborhood Shopping & Lifestyle Guide

THURSDAY, MARCH 6

MONDAY, MARCH 10 American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre In the Spielberg Theatre: Oscar Nominated & Winning Live Action and Animated Shorts – live action shorts, 7:30; animated shorts, 10. ArcLight Cinemas Sherman Oaks, 15301 Venutra Bl, Sherman Oaks, (818) 501-7033. Arclightcinemas.com. AFI’s Sports at the Movies – Caddyshack, 7:30. Echo Park Film Center Filmmakers Alliance Showcase, 7:30; filmmakers in attendance. New Beverly Cinema The Searchers, 7:30; Rio Bravo, 9:50. REDCAT at Walt Disney Music Hall, 631 W Second St, downtown L.A., (213) 237-2800. Redcat.org. Jack H. Skirball Screening Series – The Living End, 8; with director Gregg Araki in person. Santa Monica College Humanities & Social Science Building, Room 165, 1900 Pico Bl, Santa Monica, (310) 434-4588. Smc.edu. Political Film Series – Paths of Glory, 6:30; followed by discussion moderated by Political Science Professor Alan Buckley and Film Studies Professor Josh Kanin. UnUrban Coffeehouse, 3301 Pico Bl, Santa Monica, (310) 315-0056. Unurban.com. Documental – Is There Sex After Death? 6; Abel Raises Cain, 8; with Abel co-director Jenny Abel, in person. Wadsworth Theatre, Veterans Administration grounds, 11301 Wilshire Bl, bldg 226, Westwood, (310) 4793636. Wadsworththeatre.com. Reel Talk with Stephen Farber, 7. Call for title.

TUESDAY, MARCH 11 American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre In the Spielberg Theatre: Oscar Nominated & Winning Live Action and Animated Shorts – live action shorts, 7:30; animated shorts, 10. L.A. County Museum of Art Tuesday Matinees – They Drive By Night, 1. New Beverly Cinema Ms. 45, 7:30; Alley Cat, 10.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12 American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre Kevin Thomas’ Favorites – The Best Years of Our Lives, 7:30; film critic Kevin Thomas to introduce screening. American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre In the Spielberg Theatre: Oscar Nominated & Winning Live Action and Animated Shorts – live action shorts, 7:30; animated shorts, 10. CineFamily at the Silent Movie Theatre Mary Pickford: America’s Sweetheart – Pollyanna, 8. Hammer Museum, UCLA Film & Telivision Archive at the Billy Wilder Theatre Wire, Tape and Rubber Band Style: The Effects Work of L.B. Abbott – The Fly (1958), 7:30; followed by The Snake Pit. New Beverly Cinema Beat the Devil, 7:30; The Caine Mutiny, 9:20. 7 Dudley Cinema at Sponto Gallery, 7 Dudley Av, Venice, (310) 306-7330. 81x.com/7dudley/cinema. CAMNET: The Camcorder Network, 8. Selections from the Venice-based alternative TV network’s archives. Followed by discussion with CAMNET founders Nancy Cain and Judith Binder. Live comedy with CAMNET correspondent Beth Lapides, 7.

CITYBEAT

Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beachwood Canyon, Silverlake, Mid-Wilshire & Koreatown.

k Bachelors $600-$900 k Singles $775-$1300 k 1 Bedrooms $1050-$1800 k 2 Bedrooms $1500 and up

Bring this in and get our customer favorite strawberry wave smoothie for just $1.50 [REG. $3.65] Valid only at 5115 Wilshre Blvd. Unit D • Los Angeles • 323.549.9515 P L E A S E R E D E E M O N O R B E F O R E M A R C H 3 1 , 2 0 0 8 AT 5 1 1 5 W I L S H I R E B LV D U N I T D J U I C E I T U P ! L O C AT I O N O F F E R VA L I D F O R A 1 6 o z . S T R AW B E R RY WAV E S M O O T H I E O N LY. N O T VA L I D W I T H A N Y O T H E R C O U P O N S O R O F F E R S. L I M I T O N E P E R C U S T O M E R P E R V I S I T W I T H T H I S C O U P O N. C O U P O N N O T VA L I D I F R E P R O D U C E D O R C O P I E D. N O C A S H VA L U E . © 2 0 0 8 J U I C E I T U P ! F O R F R A N C H I S E I N F O R M AT I O N C A L L 1 - 8 8 8 - 7 0 J U I C E

MARCH6~12, 2008

DOWNTOWN and areas East Downtown is alive and well in more ways than one. Long known for being a bustling place during business hours, people are calling Downtown home. This has created a boom of great small businesses throughout the Downtown area. Additionally many new housing projects have come on-line in recent months, with many more set to open throughout 2008. Life is indeed coming to the boulevard Downtown and throughout the Eastside of the city.

American Apparel

Mikawaya (2 locations) 118 Japanese Village Plaza Mall (213) 624-1681 Little Tokyo Shopping Center 333 South Alameda St. (213) 613-0611 mikawayausa.com & mochiicecream.com Since 1910 Mikawaya has taken pride in the manufacture and sales of traditional Japanese pastries known as "Wagashi.” In April of 1994, Mikawaya, the creators of Mochi Ice Cream, began to sell this ice cream novelty. This new product is quite possibly the most unique ice cream dessert to come along in 50 years. Celebrating nearly a century of bringing Japanese pastry to America, 2008 is the 99th anniversary of Mikawaya in Los Angeles, California.

620 S. Main Street Los Angeles, CA 90014 (323) 605-3225 mainmerc.com Timeless beauty meets modern heartthrob is the tag-line for the Main Mercantile Lofts, a project of the Artiste Apartments Group. Built in 1907, in the historic core of Downtown Los Angeles, The Main Mercantile Lofts offer a phenomenal and creative living space to the discerning renter. Thirty-five remarkable units make up the community, ranging in size from 1,162 to 1,789 square feet. All units come with secure underground parking, and Main Merc. is a pet-friendly community. In fact, it is within a few hundred feet of Pussy and Pooch, one of Downtown L.A.’s hottest new pet-oriented retailers! Call and set-up a tour today!

MAIN MERCANTILE LOFTS Built in 1907 in the Historic District of Downtown LA, The Main Mercantile Lofts are 35 newly modernized live/work lofts. Floor-to-ceiling windows, 13’ foot ceilings, open layouts, central air/heat, stainless steel refrigerator & dishwasher, gas stove and washer/dryer combos are furnished in all lofts.

Juice It Up

Loft spaces range 1162 to 1789 Sq. Ft.

5115 Wilshire Blvd., Unit D (in the Avalon Wilshire Building) Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323) 549-9515, www.Juiceitup.com The Mid-Wilshire Juice it Up! location is located the Avalon Wilshire, built in September 2007 it has successfully established itself as a provider of delicious fruit smoothies, fresh juices, and healthy snacks. Among other items available are Wheatgrass squeezed on the spot and Wetzel's Pretzels baked to order. Additionally, Acai is in season and available. Acai, is natures energy fruit, and is great blended as a smoothie or in a bowl. Juice It Up! is the healthy alternative for today’s “on the go” lifestyle. Come find out why life is better when you live life juiced.

Pets are welcome. Underground parking included. Main Mercantile Lofts put you within walking distance to the Metro, Pershing Square, The Fashion District, Art Galleries, Museums, Theatres & Grocery Markets. Close to Nightlife, Eclectic Bars, Restaurants and Dance Clubs.

RETAIL SPACE AVAILABLE

Artiste Apartments Locations in Downtown, Koreatown, Mid-Wilshire and Silver Lake (323) 692-5763, artisteapartments.com The Artiste Apartment group specializes in 1920’s New York-style classic apartment living. Children and pets are welcome in all of their locations (which include the above mentioned Main Mercantile Lofts). Residents have described the Artiste properties as hip, neat, artsy, charming and artistic. Rents for one-bedroom units start at about $1,050 per month, and start at about $1,500 for two-bedrooms per month.

21,450 Sq. Ft with storefronts on Main Street & a wrap around Mezzanine on the Second Level.

OPEN HOUSE Wednesday 6pm-8pm Saturday12pm-4pm Sunday 1pm-3pm

MAIN MERCANTILE LOFTS

620 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Check out our new Emergency Jacket, coming soon in more colors.

Retail Location: LA—Little Tokyo 374 E. Second St. (Near MOCA) (213) 687-0467 To learn more about our company, to shop online, and to find all store locations, visit our web site: www.americanapparel.net

MARCH6~12, 2008

CITYBEAT

Contact: Josh 323.605.3225

mainmerc@gmail.com www.mainmerc.com www.artisteapartments.com

Neighborhood Shopping & Lifestyle Guide

374 E. Second St.(Near MOCA) (213) 687-0467 americanapparel.net Being on the cutting edge is nothing new for American Apparel. The retailer is best known for its simple yet remarkable designs. One of the great things about American Apparel is their commitment to the communities within which they open their stores – the Little Tokyo store is no exception, catering to the needs of the Downtown/Little Tokyo arts and creative communities. The store stocks an abundant inventory of fast fashion, ready-to-wear for loft dwellers and busy professionals alike!

TIMELESS BEAUTY MEETS MODERN HEARTHROB

Main Mercantile Lofts

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN STARTS THIS SPRING

THE NEW AMERICAN PASTIME

~ RERUNS ALREADY? CLINTON ON YOUR TV ~

As the World Churns The contest among Clinton, Obama, McCain, and Huckabee is our primary TV soap

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ACK IN JANUARY, JUST PRIOR to the California primaries, I observed how all the subjects that would normally take up air time on TV news were being obliterated – except for sensational murders, sports stars on steroids, and the mandatory funny animal bits – by constant coverage, some trivial in the extreme, of the various swings and roundabouts of the seemingly never-ending presidential election. Iraq all but became the forgotten war, aside from the occasional set of casualty figures, and a brief furor over more steroid use by Blackwater mercenaries. George W. Bush was able to claim his surge was a success, without being challenged on the facts, but all else was either sound bites of the candidates, actual debates, clips of debates, or talking-head, pundit-analysis on any of the above. Now the field has been narrowed down to Obama/Clinton on one side, and McCain and the trailing Huckabee on the other, the saturation coverage has morphed into some surreal, verging-on-fantastic soap opera, maybe closer to Twin Peaks than As the World Turns, but a soap all the same. The male lead is, of course, the poised, handsome Barack Obama, with his elegant mannerisms and even more elegant suits, but who, according to the portion of the script written by the attack dogs of the right, is a secret Muslim fifthcolumnist, a one-man terror cell, who, if elected, will sell us out to Al Qaeda within hours of his inauguration. (And if his middle name and picture of him in turban aren’t sufficient proof, his refusal to wear an enamel pin of the flag in his lapel clearly brands him as un-American.) Pitted against the devious Obama, of course, is the ruthless and power hungry Hillary Clinton, with her equally devious repertoire of cunningly faked emotions who will rail, pout, and posture as the moment or circumstance dictates. According to this twisted plot, Hillary is really motivated by a psychotic will to power after being globally humiliated by her husband Bill, who is

MARCH 6~12, 2008

not only a serial philanderer, but the Tony Soprano of the Democratic Party, with Ted Kennedy snapping at his heels like a jealous Paulie Walnuts – the twin hit-men of the left. But what is a soap with sex? This of course was seemingly supplied by the otherwise bumbling former POW, John McCain, who had supposedly engaged in an allegedly torrid affair with a hotblonde telecom lobbyist Vicki Iseman. This appeared to have all the making of a perfect soap scandal, only marred by the fact that McCain at times bears a remarkable resemblance to a boiled potato, and Iseman looks like a younger and less severely groomed version of his wife. Then overnight, by a process that I have yet to fathom (the unfathomable often being a key element in soaps), it turned out to be all the fault of The New York Times. Meanwhile Mike Huckabee, who plays bad bass guitar, and will appear on any TV comedy show that asks him, seems to be counting on the votes of every American who believes that Adam and Eve rode around on dinosaurs in 4000 B.C. to, if not make him president, maybe the evangelicals’ VP or, at least, a force with which to be reckoned at the Republican convention. The one area that doesn’t seem to figure in the daily drama is the White House. George Bush hardly rates a cameo in the 2008 political soap. The war drags on with the only end seemingly in Bush’s imagination and speeches, while the mounting stack of corruption charges, the torture debate, and the efforts to immunize the telecom giants against class action suits for domestic spying are hardly mentioned by anyone but Keith Olbermann. The real question is, do I believe a word of these endless theatrics? The truth is maybe in there, but it’s become so bent out of shape that belief can only be suspended as we wait for the next day’s installment, and maybe the plot device of the evil twin. ✶ Mick Farren blogs at Doc40.blogspot.com

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Free Parking (Across the Street Between Rocket Video & Aaron Brothers)

735 N. La Brea Ave. • Los Angeles, CA 90038 Tel: 323-938-0799• Fax: 323-938-0536

HOURS: 11am-1am BRING THIS AD FOR A FREE GRAM

1000 Universal Center Dr. Universal City (818) 755-9970 www.howlatthemoon.com/hollywood_tonight.html MARCH 6~12, 2008

CITYBEAT

VARESE SARABANDE

NUMERO

N O W AVA I L A B L E A T B E S T B U Y

~ TREASURE HUNT: INSIDE DON’T STOP: RECORDING TAP ~

Dig This! The Numero label unearths more forgotten treasures of guitar, funk, and rap

OST “FOOL'S GOLD” The score for Fool’s Gold is an exotic and romantic adventure by George Fenton, composer of the scores for the enormously popular and acclaimed Discovery Channel documentaries Planet Earth and The Blue Planet as well as such diverse films as You’ve Got Mail, Hitch, Groundhog Day and Memphis Belle.

~ BY CHRIS MORRIS ~

Store Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 10am-9pm • Fri. & Sat. 10am-10pm • Sun. 11am-7pm

MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC HOSTED BY NIC HARCOURT

INCE THE 1940S, WHEN collectors began poking around in a search for information and rare sounds from the hot jazz era, musical archaeologists have spread the gospel of obscure yet brilliant American music into the mainstream. In the LP era, jazz and blues were the principal deep-reissue genres, but crate-digging now surveys every imaginable style and sound. Ken Shipley and Rob Sevier of the Chicago indie label the Numero Group are the most dedicated musical tomb raiders around, and their tastes are assuredly the most catholic in the business. Over the last four years, Numero has exhumed unheard material that could be filed with a diversity of bin cards: funk and soul (in their magnificent “Eccentric Soul” series devoted to arcane ’60s and ’70s labels), folk and folk-pop (including their delicious Catherine Howe re-release What a Beautiful Place, reviewed here last year), power-pop (on the Yellow Pills compilation), and electro-pop (from France’s Antena).

SONIC NATION Numero’s two latest releases unsurprisingly stand at opposite ends of the genre spectrum. Wayfaring Strangers: Guitar Soli, released in January, collects 14 solo instrumentals cut mainly in the ’70s and ’80s by a posse of unsung pickers. Don’t Stop: Recording Tap, out this week, compiles delectable ’80s funk, rap, and disco recorded by an oddball New York entrepreneur. The Numero boys aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, and their treasure hunts have borne fruit again. The performers on Guitar Soli largely took their cues from guitarist (and early blues bush-beater) John Fahey, who established a market for solo albums with his independent label Takoma Records, home for his own groundbreaking work and that of virtuosi like Robbie Basho, Peter Lang, and Leo Kottke in the ’60s and ’70s. Some also fell under the sway of the early Windham Hill label, whose owner Will Ackerman was a Fahey acolyte. Almost without exception, their albums were selfreleased.

9am-Noon NIC HARCOURT: “Radio’s Most Influential D.J.” “…finding interesting new music ahead of everyone else.” THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE

CITYBEAT

MARCH 6~12, 2008

Sevier’s notes lay out some fascinating back stories. The players include the brilliant Daniel Hecht, who was forced to lay down his guitar and take up mystery writing after a severe case of psoriasis made the skin on his hands fall off; George Cromarty, who recorded the oft-covered Dr. Demento favorite “Plastic Jesus” with the Gold Cross Singers before taking the solo route; and Ted Lucas, who was Motown Records’ Indian instrument specialist. The only name that might be even vaguely familiar here is Mark Lang, brother of Peter, whose skills equal his sibling’s. The pieces range from meditative to furious, and reflect a wealth of influences – blues, Segovia, ragas, and the sui generis playing of Sandy Bull. None of them is less than fine; all of them are rewarding, in the foreground or the background. Don’t Stop digs up the untold story of Jeremiah Yisrael’s bizarre music enterprise, Tap Records. The liner notes are worth the price of admission. Né Teddy Thompson, Yisrael had a short-lived R&B singing career and worked as a movie bit player before opening a chain of New York health food stores and a cultish storefront church. After re-encountering his mentor, producer-arranger Gene Redd Jr., around 1980, he sunk hundreds of thousands of dollars into sessions with a succession of young talents, starting with his girlfriend Annette Denvil. (Some things never change in the music biz.) He exhibited strong ears, but little business skill: All of Tap’s output, mostly 12-inch singles, sank without a trace. Yisrael exited the game soon after Redd, a married, closeted gay, died of AIDS in 1983. His tapes were moldering in a Jacksonville, Florida, garage when Numero found him. It’s sweet stuff: Ripe-voiced discoette Jackie Stoudemire, distaff old-school rappers Missy Dee & the Melody Crew, raspy R&B disco man Arnie Love, and even gal pal Denvil deliver the goods, and the production values are sky-high. Would we ever have heard this unusual tale and this fascinating music if Numero hadn’t gone tunneling for it? Excavate on, gentlemen. ✶ Chris Morris hosts Watusi Rodeo on Indie 103.1 every Sunday at 9 a.m.

PHOTOGRAPH BY OSCAR ZAGAL

YOUR MUSIC TOMORROW!

Fri MAR 7 8pm

Eva Ayllón One of Peru’s most compelling and lively Afro-Peruvian stars, Ayllón blends African and Spanish cultures - into her signature style of música criolla. Media sponsor: 89.9 KCRW ~ HOT AND COOL: SHARIN FOO AT THE EL REY ~

Loud Lullabies

Sun APR 27 7:30pm

Asha Bhosle

The Raveonettes see the past through a lens of darkness, feedback, and lust

Amit Kumar,

Bollywood playback singer Asha Bhosle celebrates her 75th year. Considered a living legend, she has performed over 12,000 songs!

~ BY STEVE APPLEFORD ~

HE PAST IS SOMEtimes your future in pop music. In the hands of Amy Winehouse, a sharp glance backward to the timeless cool of disheveled beehives and ’60s soul singers works as well as it did in the distant past, recasting a pure musical memory to the urgency of this week’s tabloid headlines. The Raveonettes do much the same, minus all the bad press, translating adolescent pop ballads through a lens of utter darkness and crisp melody, as if the Velvet Underground were playing behind Ronnie Spector.

LIVE Winehouse has mastered the old sounds within a modern context, but the Raveonettes take their devotion deeper into outer (and inner) space, a setting of cool nerves, melting hearts, and a wall of buzzing guitars and controlled feedback. It is the noise of young and desperate love. At the El Rey on Tuesday, the Danish duo stood in precise harmony for 75 minutes of loud lullabies on love gone wrong in great echoes and whispers. Singer-guitarist-producer Sune Rose Wagner and singer-guitarist Sharin Foo performed in near-darkness for a full house, Wagner’s sleeves rolled up tight, Foo in a sparkling black dress and platinum hair. From their new album, Lust Lust Lust, came “Aly, Walk with Me,” setting words of simple devotion and romance against a charged landscape of explosive feedback and guitar (with tense drumbeats from Leah Shapiro). Some critics have noted the recent return of noise into their songwriting as a positive step (after going without on 2005’s Pretty in Black), but onstage all the

songs blended easily and naturally in a flow of beauty and static. From the new album, the band also performed “Lust,” a song with the lilt and seriousness of a cowboy ballad, Wagner plucking an ominous melody of intrigue and sadness, as they sang: “I fell out of heaven/To be with you in hell.” It was soon followed by “Love in a Trashcan” (from 2005), a restrained guitar epic of snarky riffs and echo, both Foo and Wagner slashing and plucking their guitars between whispered harmonies somehow both classic and futuristic: “Now the time is right and you feel the need/To go down low and receive a treat/The jukebox churns out songs about sex/Come on baby you’re my best fix.” A cover of Stereolab’s “French Disko” was the most straight-ahead modern rock moment of the night, as Foo sang of solidarity in a high and urgent voice amid fast, slashing guitar: “Though this world’s essentially an absurd place to be living in/It doesn’t call for total withdrawal ….” It fit them as comfortably as the retro ballads. The songs otherwise tumbled from the stage at a quick but unhurried pace, a dreamy avalanche of melody, feedback, and high style for the ages. The wind-up dolls of Be Your Own Pet opened the night by also looking back. The young punk/noise minimalists could have stepped out of some underground basement in ’79, with short, sharp shocks of energy and no real songs to remember them by. Singer Jemina Pearl Abegg was a wild and unsteady presence, hopping and pacing the stage for 30 minutes, ready to rock or aerobicise. Some of it worked as no-frills punk rock, offering a rougher, tougher blend than the poppunk formula filling the airwaves, but nothing else new. Yesterday’s ideas aren’t always enough. ✶

Media sponsor: 89.9 KCRW

Sat MAY 3 8pm

‘Nunavut’

Kronos Quartet Tanya Tagaq, special guest The Kronos Quartet and Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq present ‘Nunavut,’ and a world premiere by composer Derek Charke. The Quartet also explores music by Icelandic band Sigur Rós and Xploding Plastix. Generously sponsored by Acura Media sponsor: 89.9 KCRW

Tue/Wed MAY 6/7 8pm

Philharmonia Orchestra Christoph von Dohnányi, conductor Don’t miss London’s Philharmonia under its current Principal Conductor Christoph von Dohnányi, who becomes Honorary Conductor for life next season when Esa-Pekka Salonen takes over as Principal Conductor.

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL Get Your Tickets Today! LAPhil.com • 323.850.2000 Box Office (Tue-Sun, 12-6pm) • Groups (10+) 323.850.2050 Programs, artists, prices and dates subject to change.

MARCH 6~12, 2008

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CITYBEAT

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7233 Beverly Blvd. LA • 323.936.1000

Valet Parking

31/2 blocks west of La Brea Ave.

“The Best Mexican Food in the Country” -Fortune Magazine

~ DEVOTED TO QUALITY: CAFÉ DEL REY ~

ome and join Antonio and his veteran staff for an unforgettable meal, including Antonio's very own tequila.

Delicious View This inspired café overlooks the Marina, but overlooks little in the kitchen

3 new varieties to choose from.

Pick your favorite or try all three for an experience like no other!

~ BY RICHARD FOSS ~

In business 44 years

LIKE KNOWING THE PROVENANCE of my food. If the crucial ingredient in a salad is a delightful Welsh cheese, I want to know what it is called so I can get some for later. Still, I’m not sure what good it does to know that the wild striped bass at Café Del Rey was caught by Captain Ron Tomas of the boat Miss Susan off the shore of Long Island, New York. The fact that the menu told us this information gave my dining companion a giggle. If we liked the fish, could we call Captain Ron and ask him to go back to the same spot can catch some more for us? Probably not, but the data gave us an idea of what to expect here – fanatical devotion to top quality ingredients. Which doesn’t mean that every dish is spoton every time. I visited twice in one week, and on the first dinner there were spectacular successes and puzzling omissions. Wonderful oysters were drenched in citrusy yuzu sauce that hid the gentle shellfish flavor, and the chocolate profiteroles with a chocolate sauce were so one-note that we didn’t finish them. These were more than balanced by the wild halibut over asparagus with horseradish sauce and wild oxtail risotto, an audacious and completely successful pairing of seafood with full, savory flavors. The evening was so interesting that I went back two days later for lunch just to see what they’d do this time. The room had been romantically lit at night, but by day the dazzling view of the harbor took center stage. We perused the menu and scenery and sipped from glasses of Orvieto and Pinot Grigio. We were tempted by Colorado lamb sirloin with cranberry-almond couscous, and considered ordering steak frites when an order went by looking luscious, but eventually decided on a Dungeness crab melt ($18) and the daily bento box ($22). We spent the wait enjoying the view and nibbling bread – raisin, olive, and ciabatta, and all excellent. I had ordered the Dungeness crab melt precisely because I’m not usually a big fan of Dungeness crab – I sometimes order things I don’t like just to see if a restaurant can change my mind. Dungeness crab has a less oily texture than the

Open Tues-Sun, 11AM-11PM; Closed Monday 7470 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles for reservations. call (323) 658-9060

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2820 Main Street Santa Monica • 310.392.1661

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CITYBEAT

MARCH 6~12, 2008

Chesapeake crab I prefer, and I now know that Dungeness is a perfect choice for a pairing with Swiss cheese. This crabcake was very light and had just enough breading to hold things together, with subtle herbs that accented but didn’t overwhelm the seafood flavor. It was served open-faced alongside freshly cut and very good thin fries, and was a fine and filling lunch. My companion’s bento box was actually four small dishes in a larger tray rather than the traditional Japanese multi-compartment lunchbox. There was little that was Asian about the contents except for the slices of Jidori chicken breast, and even that was served over mashed potatoes rather than rice. The other items were an artichoke salad with orange slices, fennel, and baby arugula, cheese ravioli, and a thin slice of quiche with salad. The artichoke salad was the most interesting, with a subtle blend of unexpected textures and flavors. We savored the different vegetable textures and flavors, the artichoke slightly nutty, fennel fresh and mild, and sweet orange balanced with fresh greens. The quiche and ravioli were contrasts to this, both explorations of cheesy and buttery flavors with savory herbs, and we alternated bites with the salad to enjoy the effect. We both treated the chicken like a main course and saved it for last, and enjoyed the unusually flavorful meat with delicate stock sauce. Jidori has been called “the Kobe beef of chicken” which is entirely inaccurate – beef raised in pampered and artificial conditions is unusually tender but flavorless, while the free-range Jidoris have much more flavor than factory farm birds. We finished with a sampler of sherbets that was included with the bento box, a refreshing end to a very good meal. The lunch for two ran $60, not bad for an elegant break at midday with excellent service. ✶

Café Del Rey, 4451 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey. Full bar, valet parking, wheelchair access good, vegetarian-friendly. Open daily for lunch and dinner. For reservations, call (310) 823-6395.

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L.A.'s Newest Performance Lab

fanaticSalon FINALLY! CLASSES! With JEFF MICHARLSKI

Starts Monday, March 3rd Mondays 7:30 to 9:30 CALL: 310.795.7469

Friday March 7th 8pm $10

WANG AND FRIENDS March 25 and 26 8pm $10

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3815 Sawtelle Blvd Culver City • Reservations: 310 795 7469 To see our full Calendar or learn about classes go to www.fanaticSalon.com

~ IN EXTREMIS: A SCENE FROM POE-FEST ~

Tell-Tale Hearts ‘Poe-Fest’ and ‘Tour’ serve entrancing doses of horror and poignancy ~ BY DON SHIRLEY ~

TROLL A HALF-MILE ALONG THE east side of Lankershim Boulevard, between Camarillo and Magnolia. Two tiny theaters there offer diametrically different but equally entrancing experiences. ZJU (Zombie Joe’s Underground) is home of Poe-Fest, two Poe adaptations in repertory that burst with emphatically punctuated performances in extremis – appropriately so, given Poe’s obsession with people in bizarre, dire situations. Just a few minutes away is the Road Theatre’s The End of the Tour, an exquisitely nuanced dose of realism that finds poignancy and comedy lurking within all-too-familiar situations from everyday life. Poe-Fest is a landmark production for Zombie Joe (a.k.a. J. Cole) – the first time he has paid his actors even a token sum. And do they ever deserve it – the company has attained a level of visual and verbal precision that would be the envy of many a more highly-paid, fulltime ensemble. They’re made up to look like the subjects of a Munch painting in The Tell-Tale Heart and like surreal prisoners – with blue and white striped faces – in The Pit and the Pendulum. In both stories, the role of the narrator shifts swiftly among all the actors, as they form one striking group image after another, moving in briskly sweeping gestures, and speaking and chanting in dead-on rhythms and harmonies. The entire experience is distinctive on just about every level – what other L.A. show has a printed program with an ad for a gun store and a coupon for a free hour at the store’s target range? The store, I learned after the show, is operated by Zombie Joe’s father. The Tell-Tale Heart, which is supplemented by a brief choral rendition of the poem “The Bells,” is the richer musical experience of the two programs, thanks to the live performance of keyboard player and singer Christopher Reiner, not only as an accompanist but as the composer of three droll little songs that suggest a more contemporary overlay to the themes suggested by Poe. These help mitigate the occasional feeling that the predicaments of Poe’s characters are too far from our own experiences for us to feel deeply frightened. I was more chilled by the relatively current horror depicted in the Blank

Theatre’s Heads, about hostages in an Iraqi prison. However, if Poe-Fest doesn’t yield screams or even gasps from the audience, it will certainly raise eyebrows. Each program is only an hour long, for those who like their theater short and sharp. Joel Drake Johnson’s The End of the Tour depicts three sets of closely related characters in Dixon, Illinois – Ronald Reagan’s home town. At center stage are middle-aged teacher Jan (I saw understudy Janet Chamberlain) and her salty mother Mae (Gwen Van Dam), who’s in a nursing home after injuring her foot. On stage left are Jan’s younger brother Andrew (I saw understudy Michael McKiddy), who has been called back to the home town by his desperate sister to help care for their mother, joined by his lover David (Albie Selznick). On stage right are Jan’s husband Chuck (Tom Knickerbocker) and a pal (Michael Dempsey) who’s helping him cope with Jan’s sudden exit from the marriage. The three groups barely interact with each other until the intermissionless play is nearly finished. Meanwhile, Norma (Sylvia Little), a demented patient at the nursing home, wanders across the stage, clinging to one special memory. This might sound like the set-ups of too many other family plays, but Johnson’s characters have enough particular features and original dialogue to make them achingly human. He rejects easy resolutions, and his Reagan allusions add grace notes without becoming distracting. Director Heather Dara Williams excavates the play’s riches with an assured hand. ✶

Poe-Fest, ZJU Theatre, 4850 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. (818) 202-4120. Poefest.com. Closes March 16.

The End of the Tour, Road Theatre, 5108 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. (866) 811-4111. Roadtheatre.org. Closes March 8.

For more reviews by Don Shirley, see Stage listings, page 36. MARCH 6~12, 2008

CITYBEAT

MAGNOLIA PICTURES

PEACE IS BIG: OSCAR NOMINEE I MET THE WALRUS (SEE MONDAY) ~

THURSDAY 6

FRIDAY 7

SATURDAY 8

SUNDAY 9

MARCHING IN

A M E TA P H Y S I C A L TA I L

FRILL OUT

LAST ACT

Since 2000, artist J. Michael Walker has been researching every street in L.A. – 103 in all – named for a saint. His resulting work, a collection of paintings titled All the Saints of the City of the Angels, has recently opened at the Autry National Center, where it’ll hang until September. These are busy times for Walker: The man guides a similarly themed bus tour for the Autry on Saturday, March 8, and has also now published a book of the same name, full of portraits of these saints who preside over the city, and their stories, which he’ll present tonight at Book Soup. 7 p.m. Free. Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 659-3110. Booksoup.com.

Béla Tarr’s enveloping, visually epic films cry out to be experienced on the big screen, but his unapologetic arthouse sensibility makes such opportunities rare. To the great delight of more than one cinéaste, LACMA will be hosting a Tarr retrospective – there’s nothing like sitting in a darkened theater and realizing there are other Hungarian metaphysical film fans out there in this city – over the next several weeks. The honor of first screening goes, naturally, to the gorgeously mournful Werckmeister Harmonies, which is the slowest, and most affecting, movie about a giant stuffed whale ever made. 7:30 p.m. $9; $6 students. LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., (323) 8576000. Lacma.org.

Scoring high on the technical wow factor of late is Bergamot’s Patricia Faure Gallery. Dustin Yellin’s breathtakingly detailed Unnatural Selection, which wrapped up there on March 1, created the illusion of seaweed, trees, and flowers suspended in resin columns by layering inked panels next to each other; for Sweet Crude, which opens tonight, Cal Lane has cut floral lace patterns into found industrial parts such as dumpsters, car doors, and tin drums. Ah, the hear ts one can enrapture with an oxyacetylene welder. Patricia Faure Gallery, 2525 Michigan Ave., B7, Santa Monica, (310) 449-1479. Patriciafauregallery.com.

It’s a rare food stand or flower shop in this town that doesn’t think of itself as a neighborhood institution. Still, there are ways to measure these things: See the chorus of distress that welled up following the announcement Dutton’s Brentwood Books would close at the end of April. Corinne Heather Copnick will today be among the last in a formidable line of authors to celebrate a book launch there; her Cryo Kid: Drawing a New Map draws from her experience as a grandmother of a girl conceived through assisted-reproduction technology. Dutton’s holds its last in-store event on March 30. 2 p.m. Free. Dutton’s Brentwood Bookstore, 11975 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood, (310) 476-6263. Duttonsbrentwood.com.

CITYBEAT

MARCH 6~12, 2008

CHECK THE TAPE

DAYS IN L.A. Written and edited by Alfred Lee

MONDAY 10

TUESDAY 11

WEDNESDAY 12

TOON TIME

L U C K O F T H E E A R LY

DEAF IN AFRICA

Appropriate for ages 10 and up. That’s the note accompanying the “Oscar-Nominated Animated Shorts” program scheduled nightly, along with “Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts,” for March 6-13 at the Egyptian. Nothing wrong with wholesome family entertainment, of course – if you happen across an Asian fellow who looks unhappy with his most recent haircut, say hello – but those looking for the edgier content that they’d be forgiven to associate with a shorts program might be better off renting something by former Oscar nominee Bill Plympton, or even catching feature-length nominee Persepolis, still in theaters. 10 p.m. $15; $12 students. 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 466-3456. Americancinematheque.com.

The part about St. Patrick’s Day that confuses me isn’t the leprechauns, the absence of St. Patrick, or the complicit stereotyping of an entire people – but why, given all our advances as a civilization, one would choose to drink green-dyed beer anywhere that Guinness is readily available. Such questions require more than a spur-of-thedrunken-moment thought – one can get a head start pondering Patty with actor-singer Chris Sullivan, who pre-empts the March 17 holiday tonight with “A Bit of Irish,” his 9th annual celebration of Irish literature and song. 8 p.m. $15. Santa Monica Playhouse Main Stage, 1211 Fourth St., Santa Monica, (310) 394-9779 ext. 1. Santamonicaplayhouse.com.

Josh Swiller has the kind of life story that makes one blush to remember the disproportioned anger one might have summoned at an incompliant traffic light or cell-phonegabbing customer last week. His recent memoir, The Unheard, chronicles how a young man, legally deaf by the age of four, manages two trying and sometimes deathbrushed years as a Peace Corps volunteer in a remote corner of Zambia. He speaks this evening, with sign language interpretation, to ALOUD curator Louise Steinman at the Central Library. 7 p.m. Free. Mark Taper Auditorium, Central Library, corner of Fifth and Flower Sts, downtown L.A., (213) 2287025. Lfla.org/aloud.

MARCH 6~12, 2008

CITYBEAT

They called it the “people’s news.” When Nancy Cain and Judith Binder founded CamNet, or the Camcorder Network, in 1992, they envisioned it as the unofficial, un-digital version of the ’90s zeitgeist. In its day, the Venice-based CamNet was broadcast on repeat on The ’90s Channel, in an attempt to cast light on “the people, places, and ideas” of the time, according to Binder. She and Cain also served as the show’s producers, editors, and VJs. “I had my camera wherever I went,” she says. “I shot whatever I saw.” With Sony Hi-8 camcorders and the help of 20-some correspondents stationed around the globe, Cain and Binder edited hour after hour of tape on stories ranging from the UCLA hunger strike in 1993 to the Democratic and Republican conventions a year earlier. “We would cut from improbable place to improbable place,” Cain says. CamNet didn’t have a narrator. “It never told you where you were,” she adds. “We had a little bit of respect for the audience.” It was political, certainly – but it was irreverent, too. Binder’s favorite segment featured a “nude handyman” she had met at a newsstand on Fairfax Avenue. She taped him going from house to house, fixing leaks and caulking sinks in the buff. “Everyone could have a camcorder, and anyone, if they were told how to think, could make video,” Binder says. “All they had to understand was that they needed to make a story.” The approach was simple: Turn on the camera and don’t turn it off. Just be quiet and let people talk. “I feel like we paved the way,” Cain says. “I feel like I invented YouTube,” Save for the wife of a small-town Arizona mayor who didn’t like the nude handyman story, the show was well received. Binder and Cain tried to sell CamNet – there had never been any money in it – but say the right deal just didn’t come along. The show’s last hurrah was an hour-long special on PBS in 1995. On Wednesday, March 12, Cain and Binder will present an hour-long “best of” screening of CamNet’s ’93-’94 programming, nude handyman included, plus 30 extra minutes of their favorite segments. For their part, CamNet’s founders are still making videos. Binder plans to shoot in India, and Cain will keep filming at home, in Desert Hot Springs. They’ve traded in their Sony Hi-8s, though; in the spirit of the YouTube age, they’ve gone digital. “7 Dudley Cinema” presents CamNet screenings. 8 p.m. Sponto Gallery, 7 Dudley Ave., Venice, (310) 306-7330. 81x.com/7dudley/cinema. –Amanda Price ~

HOW TO LIST WITH US Listings in “7 Days” and our world-famous calendar are accepted for arts and community events in the greater Los Angeles area. The deadline to be considered for “7 Days” is at least two weeks in advance of the event. Send all information to: “7 Days,” Los Angeles CityBeat, 5209 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036. Fax to (323) 938-1661, or e-mail calendar@lacitybeat.com. No phone calls, please.

ROCK CRITIC’S CHOICE Times are p.m. unless otherwise indicated. Listing order does not necessarily indicate billing order. All events subject to sudden (hopefully not violent) changes.

For additional listings, visit WWW.LACITYBEAT.COM

SOUNDS UPCOMING IN-STORES at AMOEBA! All shows are FREE and ALL AGES! For full calendar of events visit: WWW.AMOEBA.COM

Thursday • March 6 • 7pm

HOWLIN RAIN Comets On Fire founder Ethan Miller and one of Sun Burned Hand Of The Man’s expand their band for their 2nd album, Magnificent Fiend — out now on Birdman/American. Playing live at Spaceland, March 5th! Gift with purchase on day of in-store!! Free full-size, signed Howlin Rain poster with purchase of Magnificent Fiend! (day of in-store only — while they last!)

Sunday • March 9 • 2pm

PERÚ NEGRO This Afro-Peruvian musical ensemble was founded in 1969 to celebrate and preserve Peru’s African musical heritage and truly are the “Cultural Ambassadors of Black Peru.” They celebrate their new CD Zamba Malato with their Amoeba in-store and a full performance at UCLA’s Royce Hall on March 15th.

Monday • March 17 • 6pm

NEON NEON Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals and producer Boom Bip celebrate the release of Stainless Style — out March 18th on Lex Records. The album is themed around the life of John Delorean and features Spank Rock, Yo Majesty and Fat Lip.

Wed • March 19 • 7pm

CARL STONE Stone is one of the pioneers of live computer music and has been hailed by the Village Voice as “the king of sampling and one of the “best composers living (in the USA) today.” His new CD Al Noor is out now on Tone Music.

Tuesday • March 25 • 7pm

CARLA BOZULICH’S EVANGELISTA Best known as the singer of Gerladine Fibbers, Bozulich is back with her new group Evangelista. Their debut album Hello, Voyager is saturated in savagely raw and beautiful soundscapes anchored by Carla’s stunning vocals (out March 11th on Constellation).

Thursday • March 27 • 7pm

THE CHAPIN SISTERS The sisters celebrate their new album Lake Bottom LP (out March 18th on Plain Recordings) with a live set at Amoeba. And catch them during their Monday night residency in March at the Echo!

6400 SUNSET BLVD. (323) 245-6400 MON-SAT 10:30AM-11PM • SUN 11AM-9PM BUY-SELL-TRADE: CDS, LPS, DVDS, VIDEOS, LASERS, TAPES, POSTERS, 45S, 78S, MEMORABILIA & MUCH, MUCH MORE!

AMOEBA.COM

ROCK, POP, ACOUSTIC Alex’s Bar, 2913 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, (562) 434-8292. Alexsbar.com. Call for showtimes. Thur: Crystal Antlers, Paperplanes, Sonadora. Fri: The Secret Affair. Sat: Rubber City Rebels, The Crowd, Dynamite 8, Broken Bottles. Sun:The Stymies, Corn Doggy Dog, Tommy Peacock and the Gas. Wed: Indoor Swapmeet. Avalon Hollywood, 1735 N Vine St, Hollywood, (323) 462-8900. Avalonhollywood.com. Fri: Spider After Dark with Matuss and DJ Navarro. Sat: Shalom Hanoch. Boardner’s of Hollywood, 1652 N Cherokee Av, Hollywood, (323) 462-9621. Boardners.com. Thur: Perversion. Fri: Dekada. Sat: Bar Sinister. Mon: Blue Mondays. Tue: Institution Tuesdays. Wed: Club Moscow. Bordello, 901 E First St, downtown L.A., (213) 6873766. Bordellobar.com. Sat: Actress, Lovelikefire, Light FM, Fol Chen, Nevenka, 8. Mon: Calls After Midnight, Warpaint, Black Swans, Maryandi, 8. Boulevard Music, 4316 Sepulveda Bl, Culver City, (310) 398-2583. Boulevardmusic.com. Call for showtimes. Fri: Steve Gillette, Cindy Mangsen. Sat: Carl Verheyen. Café-Club Fais Do-Do, 5257 W Adams Bl, L.A., (323) 954-8080. Faisdodo.com. Thur-Wed: Call for info. The Canyon Club, 28912 Roadside Dr, Agoura Hills, (818) 879-5016. Canyonclub.net. Shows at 8 unless otherwise noted. Thur-Wed: Call for info. Cat Club, 8911 Sunset Bl, West Hollywood, (310) 657-0888. Myspace.com/thecatclub. Shows at 8. Thur: Logan, Grusso, Wildcat, Spiders & Snakes, Hollywood 77, The Drills, Starfuckers. Fri: Monte Pittmin, Gregg Butler, Douglass Randall, Serial Miller, White House Station, Sin City Sinners. Sat: Griffin Layne, Blood & Hoodlines, Hi Stereo, Sextet Trio, Hookers & Blow. Mon: Dthe Slater Sisters, Codi Caraco, Michael Lanning, Joy Pearson, Saint John & The Revelations, Adelita’s Way. Tue: EVK Lynn, Kelly McGrath, Stacy Dee, Laura Serafine, Jules Alexander, FX of CTV, Irish Goodbye, Gene Wilder. Wed: Natalie Davidson, Taylor Moore, Ernest Lisa, Jules Alexander, Angela Valley, Megan Moreaux. CIA, 11334 Burbank Bl, North Hollywood, (818) 506-6353. Ciabnormalarts.com. Thur-Wed: Call for info. Cinema Bar, 3967 Sepulveda Bl, Culver City, (310) 390-1328. Myspace.com/thecinemabar. Shows at 9 unless noted. Thur: Chris Laterzo, 9:30. Fri: Marco Sanchez, 9:30. Sat: Sarah Stanley, 9:30. Mon: The Stumpwater Experiment, 9:30. Tue: Jep Lipson, 9:30. Wed: Shuffle Kings, 9:30 Cobalt Café, 22047 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, (818) 348-3789. Cobaltcafe.com. Fri: M.D.R., Pobre Callejeros, Public Defi, Outta Step, Politikal Dekline, Positive Approach, 7:15. Sat: One Chance, Inert, Alpha and Omega, Skaretactic, Wages of War, Blood Stands Still, Fight Everyone, 6:30. Sun: Consider Her Dead, They Were Martyred, Destroy the Skies, A Hero’s Pledge, Die Like Kid, Last Hours, 6:30. Tue: Open Reading. The Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Bl, Altadena, (626) 398-7917. Coffeegallery.com. Thur: Fishtank Ensemble, 8. Fri: Sligo Rags, 8. Sat: Andy Rau Band, 8. Sun: Tumbling Tumbleweeds, 7. Wed: The Four Preps, 8. Cowboy Palace Saloon, 21635 Devonshire St, Chatsworth, (818) 341-0166. Cowboypalace.com. Call for showtimes. Thur-Wed: Call for info. The Derby, 4500 Los Feliz Bl, Los Feliz, (323) 663-

8979. Clubderby.com. Fri: Lobate Scarp, Mass Infusion, The B.O.L.T., Dirty Diamond, S.L.O. Band, 8:45. Sun: Swing Syndicate. Wed: Tributosaurus, 10:30. Dragonfly, 6510 Santa Monica Bl, Hollywood, (323) 466-6111. Thedragonfly.com. Thur-Wed: Call for info. The Echo, 1822 Sunset Bl, Echo Park, (213) 4138200. Attheecho.com. Thur: Twilight Sleep, Restaurant, Karin Tatoyan, 8:30. Fri: Die! Die! Die!, My Best Friend, Rainbow Arabia, 9. In the Echoplex: Leslie & The Lys, Devon Williams, DJ Lance Rock, 7. Sat: Gil Mantera’s Party Dream, Mahjonng, Lucy and the Popsonics, 9. Sun: Part Time Punks, New Bloods, Softboiled Eggies, Magic Johnson, 10. Mon: Cut Copy, Walter Meego, 8:30; In the Echoplex: Ed Harcourt, The Chapin Sisters, Everest, 8. Tue: Atlas Sound, Valet, White Rainbow, 8:30. Wed: Death to Anders, The Karabal Nightlife, Thailand, 8:30; In the Echoplex: The Dub Club, 9. El Cid, 4212 W Sunset Bl, L.A., (323) 668-0318. Elcidla.com. Sat: Whispertown 2000, XYZ Affair, Bachelorette, Murder on the Moon, 9:30. Sun: Jerrie Thill & Friends, 2. Mon: Garage Comedy, 8. Tue: Open Mike, 7. El Rey, 5515 Wilshire Bl, L.A., (323) 9366400/4790. Theelrey.com. Shows at 8. Thur: Zion I & Mistah Fab, Amad, The Natural, Sabyn, A Plus, 8. Fri: Balkan Beat Box, We Are the Fury, 8. 14 Below, 1348 14th St, Santa Monica, (310) 451-5040. 14below.com. Call for showtimes. Thur: Rich Sheldon Acoustic, Geoffry McCabe Trio, Steel Toe Slippers, Christopher Hawley Rollers, Splintergroup, 8. Fri: Blood on the Saddle, Rhett Frazier Inc., REJN, Legal Parking, 9. Sat: Traces, Summer School Vampire, Lead Pipe Logic, 27 Miles, Al-Ce-Mi, 8. Tue: Acoustic Tuesday, 9. Wed: Love Busters, Living Stone, The Sly Digs, 1933, 9. Genghis Cohen, 740 N Fairfax Av, West Hollywood, (323) 653-0640. Genghiscohen.com. Thur: Conor Sheldon, Lauren Tarantino, Baby Snakes, Luis Guajardo, Whatever’s Left Standing, 7:30. Fri: Andrea Stolpe, Melissa Lewis, Corrinne May, Melodee Lynn, Jack Dill, 8. Sat: Milo Sussman, Luis Oliart, Nicole Gordon, Todo Azul, I-94, 7:30. Mon: Tamara Silvera, Mat Jones, Landon Smith, 8 :30. Tue: Jukebox Baby, NY Dax, 8. Wed: DeeDee Foster, Jelvis, Omar Escoffie, 8. The Gig, 7302 Melrose Av, L.A., (323) 936-4440. Liveatthegig.com. Thur-Wed: Call for info. Good Hurt, 12249 Venice Bl, West L.A., (310) 3901076. Goodhurt.net. Thur: Diego’s Umbrella, Flite, 9:30. Fri: Fine Print Mission, Bridgework, Casa Do Samba, 10. Sat: Manic Automatic, Clean Corruption, 11:15. Sun: Mush Records, 11. Mon: Not the Government, Clyde Bonnie Clyde, The Vanguards, Black Whole Sons, 9:30. Hallenbeck’s General Store & Café, 5510 Cahuenga Bl, North Hollywood, (818) 985-5916. Hallenbecks.net. Tue: Open Mike, 7. The Hotel Café, 1623 N Cahuenga Bl, Hollywood, (323) 461-2040. Hotelcafe.com. Thur: Lady Danville, Jason Reeves, Dalton Grant, Sheri Miller, 7. Fri: Tyrone Wells, TJ Stafford, Angel Taylor, Wildbird, The Brian Travis Band, 11. Sat: Tony Lucca, Ernie Halter, Brendan, Ryan Hanifl, Mike Rofe, 7. Sun: Hotel Café Tour, 7. Mon: Lizz Wright, Meiko, Emma Burgess, 7. Tue: AM, Matthew Good, The Rescues, 7. Wed: Test Your Reflex, Yael Naim, 7. House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Bl, West Hollywood, (323) 848-5100. Hob.com. Fri: The Dan Band, 8. Sat: Super Diamond with This Charming Band, 9. Tue: Bad Religion, Ignite, HDR, 9. Wed: Bad Religion, Acoustic Chuck Ragan, 9. Key Club, 9039 Sunset Bl, West Hollywood, (310) 274-5800. Keyclub.com. Call for showtimes. Thur: Depswa, House of Broken Promises, Cage 9, Unset, 7:30. Fri: Unwritten Law, 7:30. Sat: W.A.S.P., Intentional Rage, Blaksmith, 7. Mon: Daredevil Jane, The Mulhollands, Immune,

✭ ✭ ✭ ~ THE WORLD/INFERNO FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY ~

An Inferno of Entertainment Despite the mild weather, March appears to roaring in like a lion … you’ve got Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters, System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian, and tuneful punks Against Me all holding court at the fabulous Forum (Thur., 3900 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood). You’ve got the New York Dolls and We Are the Fury straddling rock’s generation gap at the Music Box @ Fonda (Fri., 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood). Bad Religion continues a string of hometown dates with an appearance at the House of Blues (Tue., 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood), and Blackie Lawless and W.A.S.P. performing the 1992 album The Crimson Idol in its entirety at the Key Club (Sat., 9039 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood). And Friday should be a very wild, possibly crowded night at the Knitting Factory. See, on one stage, the Knit hosts The Blind Boys of Alabama, the great gospel group celebrating the release of something like its 70th album, Down in New Orleans. And, on another stage, NYC underground faves/nine-member collective The World/Inferno Friendship Society plays music that combines Brecht/Weill, the Pogues, Springsteen, and swing into one dizzying, inebriating whole (7021 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood). Stay home at your peril. –Joshua Sindell For info, see Rock, Pop, Acoustic and Concerts listings.

8:30. Tue: Ruby, 8. King King, 6555 Hollywood Bl, Hollywood, (323) 960-9234. Kingkinghollywood.com. Thur: WL’Effleur Des Sens, 8. Fri: Compression, 10. Sat: Andy Caldwell, DJ Kemal, 10. Tue: Descargo con Timba with Sono-Lux and DJ Saoco, 10. Wed: Storm Lee, 8. Knitting Factory, 7021 Hollywood Bl, Hollywood, (323) 463-0204. Knittingfactory.com. See also Knitting Factory AlterKnit Lounge. Thur: The Hanks, Haim, Goodbye Elliott, The Forward, 7; In the Front: Joey Degraw, Curtis Peoples, Lelia Broussard, 7:30. Fri: Blind Boys of Alabama, Tom Freund, 8; In the Front: World/Inferno Friendship Society, Intro5pect, Max and the Marginalized, 8. Sat: Guana Batz, The Slanderin, Coffin Draggers, Catacomb Rockers, Dr. Bizarro’s Victims, 7; In The Front: Nightlife, 9. Sun: Casket Salesmen, Totimoshi, So Many Dynamos, Auditory Aphasia, 7; In the Front: JamFest, 3; Psychostick, Better Left Unsaid, The Dolemite Project, Razzle Blaster, Oblige, 8. Mon: Dandi Wind, Pop Noir, Adrienne Pierce, Ari Shrine, 8; In The Front: This is Hell, Elysia, Ruiner, Soldiers, 7. Tue: Gavin DeGraw, Landon Pigg, 7. Wed: Earth Crisis, Terror, Sworn Enemy, Shai Hulud, Down to Nothing, Recon, 7; In the Front: Derek Webb, Sandra McCraken, 9:15. Knitting Factory AlterKnit Lounge, 7021 Hollywood Bl, Hollywood, (323) 463-0204. Knittingfactory.com. See also Knitting Factory. Thur: Twarner Drive, 50 Cent Haircut, Austin HartleyLeonard, Annette Summersett, 7:30. Fri: Pachamama, Tolteka, Media Control, 8. Sat: K the I, Verble, Nabahe, Well, Morb One, DJ Stereotype, 8. Sun: Sumeria, Valdur, Witchaven, Hell Hath No Fury, 8. Mon: Banda Newsence, The Bohunks, 7:30. Tue: Colin Armstrong, 7; Bluebeat Lounge, 9. Kulak’s Woodshed, 5230 1/2 Laurel Canyon Bl, Nor th Hollywood, (818) 766-9913. Kulakswoodshed.com. Thur-Wed: Call for info. Largo, 432 N Fair fax Av, L.A., (323) 8521073/1851. Largo-la.com. Call for showtimes. Thur: Glen Phillips. Fri: Greg Behrendt & the Reigning Monarchs. Mon: Largo Comedy. Tue: Jill

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✭ ✭ ✭

MARCH 6~12, 2008

Sobule, Tom Brosseau. Wed: Dave Palmer & Friends. Little Temple, 4519 Santa Monica Bl, L.A., (323) 660-4540. Littletemple.com. See also Temple Bar. Shows at 9. Thur-Wed: Call for info. The Malibu Inn Bar and Restaurant, 22969 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, (310) 456-6060. Malibuinn.com. Shows at 8. Thur: The Mornings, No Thanks, Medieval Knievel, 8. Fri: Tomorrows Bad Seeds, Tippa Irie, Upground, 8. Sat: Christ Duarte Group, 8. McCabe’s Guitar Shop, 3101 Pico Bl, Santa Monica, (310) 828-4497. Mccabes.com. Fri: Battlefield Band, 8. Sat: I See Hawks in L.A., Moira Smiley & Voco, 8. Sun: Buck Howdy and BB, 11 am; Peter Himmelman, 7. The Mint, 6010 W Pico Bl, L.A., (323) 954-9400. Themintla.com. Thur-Wed: Call for info. Molly Malone’s Irish Pub, 575 S Fairfax Av, L.A., (323) 935-1577. MollymalonesLA.com. Thur: Sarah Goff, The Mighty Regis, The Dirges, 8:30. Fri: Deena Robinson, Echo Division, Steve Carson Band, War Stories, 8. Sat: Wumbloozo, The Cherry Bluestorms, SNEW, Red Circle Underground, 8. Sun: Ross Sandler, Samantha Tobey, 7:30. Mon: Adjoa Skinner, 16 Frames, Carney, 8. Tue: Cameron Dye, Puppies and Kittens, The Heartstring Symphony, Azalia Snail, 8. Wed: EVO9, Dan and Leland, Phillip Sayce, 8. Mr. T’s Bowl, 5621 1/2 N Figueroa St, Highland Park, (323) 256-7561. Mrtsbowl.tripod.com. Call for showtimes. Thur: The Kris Special, Erinn Williams, Mutineers, Correatown. Fri: Amateurs, The Terrapin, The Flying Tourbillion Orchestra, The Monolators, 10. Sat: Real Boss Hoss, The Fall Outs, Unnatural Helpers, Birthday Suits, The Lamps. Sun: DJ Lynch, Demoted, Gadget Car, Big Foot on Mars, 9. Mon: Douglas Stewart, Quincy Blaque, Par Avion, High-Diving Horses, All Wrong and the Plans Change. Wed: The Big Believers, The Youngs, Chewy Puma. Portfolio Coffeehouse, 2300 E Fourth St, Long Beach, (562) 434-2486. Por tfoliocof feehouse.com. Thur: I-Pod Night, 8. Fri: Jim Fisk, 9. Sat: Kevin Wood, 9. Wed: Open Mic, 9. Room 5 Lounge, 143 N La Brea Av, second floor, Hollywood, (323) 938-2504. Room5lounge.com. Thur: Mark Franco, 8. Fri: Michael McCarthy, 12. Sun: Brad Stewart, 7. Mon: Acoustic Mondays, 8. Wed: Saba, Claire Holley, Naimee Coleman, 8. The Roxy, 9009 Sunset Bl, West Hollywood, (310) 276-2222. Theroxyonsunset.com. Thur: Rooney, Brett Dennen, Lisa Donnelly, 7; In the Rox: Totally Rad, 9:30. Fri: Beautifyl Criminal, The Jakes, Them Terribles, Billy Boy on Poison, Slow Motion Reign, 9; In the Rox: Siqsteen Barz, Eyetel, Noiz, Poca, 9. Sun: Crystal Castles, Health, 9. Wed: In The Rox: Ft DJ Christine Renee & Friends, 9. Safari Sam’s, 5214 Sunset Bl, Hollywood, (323) 666-7267. Safari-sams.com. Thur: Thursday’s Child After Party, 8:30. Fri: Killola, Nerf Herder, Sassy, Heath, Echo Hawk, 8. Sat: Edale Hawkins, Big Jay McNeely, Hollywood Combo, 8. Sun: Brunch Americana with Hot Rod Trio Trio, The Royal Deuces, noon; Bjorkestra, George Sarah, Strin, 7. Mon: Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, 5 O’Clock Somewhere, Le Switch, Trainwreck Riders, 8. Tue: Magic Christian, John Wicks & the Records, Sky Parade, Thee Makeout Party, 8. Wed: The Sham 69, Punk Rock Vatos, 8. Scene Bar, 806 E Colorado St, Glendale, (818) 241-7029. Thescenebar.com. Shows at 9. Thur: Lux & Vixen’s Burlesque-A-Go-Go, Schmucker-

JAZZ, BLUES, LATIN Arcadia Blues Club, 16 E Huntington Dr, Arcadia, (626) 447-9349. Arcadiabluesclub.com. Shows at 9:30 and 11:30. Fri: Howlin’ Blues Boogie Band. Sat: Teddy Lee Hooker. Babe’s & Ricky’s Inn, 4339 Leimert Bl, Leimert Park, (323) 295-9112. Bluesbar.com. Thur: Jam Session with Mama’s Boys. Fri-Sat: Mighty Balls of Fire. Mon: Jam Night, Mickey Champion. Back Room at Henri’s, 21601 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, (818) 348-5582. Shows at 8. ThurWed: Call for info. The Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Bl, Studio City, (818) 980-1615. Thebakedpotato.com. Shows at 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Thur-Wed: Call for info. B.B. King’s Blues Club, 1000 Universal Center Dr, Universal City, (818) 622-5464. Bbkingclubs.com. Thur-Wed: Call for info. Blue Café, 210 Promenade, Long Beach, (562) 983-7111. Thebluecafe.com. Call for showtimes. Thur: Unit 287, MissLed, 9:15; In the Blue: Last Day Standing, Down for the Count, 9:45. Fri: Bats Over Broadway; In the Blue: Live Music. Sat: Afro Beatdown, OO Soul; In the Blue: Live Music. Sun: Live Music; In the Blue: Relapse, FIRME, 10. Tue: Mic Check Tuesday; In the Blue: Live Music. Wed: LeperKhanz; In the Blue: Live Music. Café Boogaloo, 1238 Hermosa Av, Hermosa Beach, (310) 318-2324. Boogaloo.com. Thur: Kirk “Eli” Fletcher. Fri: Catherine Denise. Sat: Alex Schultz and Friends. Tue: Southern Fried Chicken. Café Metropol, 923 E Third St, downtown L.A., (213) 613-1537. Roccoinla.com. Fri-Sat: Sweeter Than the Day, 8. Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 Sunset Bl, Hollywood, (323) 466-2210. Catalinajazzclub.com. Shows at 8:30 & 10:30 unless noted. Thur: Lori Moran. Fri: Carrah Flahive. Sat: Jack Sheldon Orchestra. Mon: Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band. Tue: Sally Kellerman. Wed: Lauren Koval. Charlie O’s, 13725 Victory Bl, Van Nuys, (818) 994-3058. Charlieos.com. Thur: Pete Christlieb Tall & Small Big Band. Fri: Mike Price Quartet. Sat: John Fedchock Quartet. Sun: Julie Kelly Quartet.

DANCEBEAT

S AT U R D AY N I G H T AT

star, The Weazels. Fri: The Human Value, The Breakups, Mike Monosky, Seismic Waves, DJ Christopher. Sat: The Transmissions, Spirit Vine, The Health Club, Vaudeville. Sun: Wounded Lion, The Hands. Mon: BoThe Last Holy Fools, Vagrant Vinny and the Instigators, Right Hand Band, The Radio Sweetheart. Tue: The Happy Casualties, Firethorn, Weatherground, Secret Alphabet. Wed: Derek Halet, Relax to Paris, Justin Kalama, Bikini Science. Silverlake Lounge, 2906 Sunset Bl, Silver Lake, (323) 666-2407. Foldsilverlake.com. Thur: Good Listeners, Bachelorette, The Golden Ratio, United by Sound, 9. Mon: Static of the Hearts, Black Skies for Black Gods. Tue: High Wires, Old Man River, The Active Set, 9. Wed: Mike Rosas, 1971, French Semester, 9. The Smell, 247 S Main St, L.A., (213) 625-4325. Thesmell.org. Shows at 9. Thur: Monotonix, Anavan, Bad Dudes, David Scott Stone. Fri: Mt. Eerie. Sat: The Mae Shi, Old Time Relijun, Thee Oshees, Clipd Beaks. Sun: Gang Wizard, xNoBBQx, Wildlife, Goliath Bird Eater. Spaceland, 1717 Silver Lake Bl, Silver Lake, (213) 833-2843. Clubspaceland.com. Shows at 8:30 unless otherwise noted. Thur: Junior Boys. Fri: Division Day, The A-Sides, The Coral Sea. Sat: Pela, The Heavenly States, Liam Finn, The Features. Sun: Big Business, Red Fang, The Cops. Mon: Voxhaul Broadcast. Tue: The Wombats. Wed: The Mint Chicks. Taix 321 Lounge, 1911 W Sunset Bl, L.A., (213) 484-1265. Taixfrench.com. Shows at 10:30. Thur-Wed: Call for info. Tangier Lounge, 2138 Hillhurst Av, L.A., (323) 6668666. Tangierrestaurant.net. Sun: Alex and Sam, Liz Pappademas, 8. Wed: Holmes, Night Canopy, 8:45. Temple Bar, 1026 Wilshire Bl, Santa Monica, (310) 393-6611. Templebarlive.com. Thur: Van Hunt, Julia Jordan, DJ Anthony Valdez, 9. Fri: Real Muzyq, Saintz Row, Wylde Bunch, Imajin, 9. Sat: Monte Negro, Pistolera, DJ Anthony Valdez, 10. Sun: Jam session, 9. Tue: Akala, 8:30. Wed: AMP Fiddler, Babystone, DJ Anthony Valdez, 9. Troubadour, 9081 Santa Monica Bl, West Hollywood, (310) 276-6168. Troubadour.com. Thur: Nicole Atkins, Let’s Go Sailing, The Parlor Mob, 8:15. Fri: Delta Spirit, The Virgins, Port O’Brien, 9. Mon: Bob Knows Best, Jeprocket, Inkblots, Danny Montova, 8:30. Tue: Adam Kowalczyk, Freeman, Johnnie Newman. UnUrban Coffee House, 3301 W Pico Bl, Santa Monica, (310) 315-0056. Unurban.com. Fri: UnUrban Open Mike, 7:30. Viper Room, 8852 Sunset Bl, West Hollywood, (310) 358-1880. Viperroom.com. Thur: Rock N Roll, Reeve Carney, Gran Ronde, My Best Friend, 8:30. Fri: Unida, Fireball Ministry, The Knives, Totimoshi, 8:30. Sat: N’Cognito, Paul Nagi, Black Cowboy, The Alibi, Livid Virus, Citizen Rising. Mon: Lub, We Barbarians, Crystal Antlers, Loquat, 8:30. Tue: Christ stills, Big Bang, Tommy Black. Wed: Taxi, Halestorm. Viva Cantina, 900 Riverside Dr, Burbank, (818) 845-2425. Vivacantina.com. Thur-Wed: Call for info. Whisky a Go-Go, 8901 Sunset Bl, West Hollywood, (310) 652-4202. Whiskyagogo.com. Thur -Wed: Call for info. Zeropoint, 1049 E 32nd St, L.A. Zeropointspace.org. Fri: Los Platanos Descarrada, Almighty Opp, Hans Fjellestad, Conrad Romo. –Ashley Archibald

~ JAMES ZABIELA ~

James Zabiela and Deadmau5 It seemed like only yesterday when James Zabiela was the hot new kid in superclubland, the protégé of Sasha and John Digweed who wowed crowds with cuttingedge technology – CD turntables! How times have changed. Zabiela has stayed ahead of the curve with progressive and tech-house sets that integrate the latest in laptop, DVD and video-mixing gear. Still, it will feel a little like the passing of the torch when the newest kid on the block, producer Deadmau5 (“Deadmouse”), warms up for the veteran. Hear the seasons change Saturday at Vanguard.

T h e W o r ld- Fa m o us C i rc us, Is home to some of the Largest and hottest parties in the city Los Angeles! Every week Circus brings the best DJs to the decks! Circus is LA's largest nightclub featuring 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor clubbing. The sound at Circus is HUGE featuring a 120,000-watt EAW Avalon sound system. Circus also features seven separate areas, ten fully stocked bars, outdoor patio, private bungalow and VIP lounge. A big new night of Big Top electro and house attractions:

MARCH 8

–Dennis Romero Giant presents James Zabiela and Deadmau5, Saturday at Vanguard, 6021 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 21+. Doors 9 p.m. Tickets $25 advance. Info: giantclub.com.

★★★ THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

M.I.K.E./KENNETH THOMAS

★★★ THURSDAY, MARCH 6 Respect is a give and take of drum ’n’ bass at Jimmy’s Lounge, 6202 Santa Monica Bl, Hollywood. 18+. Info: respectdrumandbass.com.

MARCH 15

Root Down digs deeper than commercial hip-hop with WyaTT Case, Miles, and Loslito at Little Temple, 4519 Santa Monica Bl, Silver Lake, (818) 759-6374. 21+. Info: rootdownclub.com. Afro Funke takes you to the motherland of dance music with organic grooves at Zanzibar, 1301 Fifth St, Santa Monica. This week: Mark axwell. 21+. Info: afrofunke.com.

FRIDAY, MARCH 7 Compression maximizes the minimal with residents Robtronik, Matt Xavier, Luis Rosario, more, at King King, 6555 Hollywood Bl, Hollywood. 21+. Info: kingkinghollywood.com.

DJ IRENE

Spider After Dark goes after-hours for the post-red-carpet crowd at Spider Club, 1735 N Vine St, Hollywood. This week: Matuss, Navarro. 21+. Info: avalonhollywood.com.

MARCH 22

SATURDAY, MARCH 8 Avaland anchors Hollywood nightlife with superior sound at Avalon Hollywood, 1735 N Vine St, Hollywood. This week: Behrouz, Trent Cantrelle. 21+. Info: avalonhollywood.com. Giant flaunts oversized DJs at Vanguard, 6021 Hollywood Bl, Hollywood. This week: James Zabiela, Deadmau5. 21+. Info: giantclub.com. Red raves up the biggest room in town at Circus Disco, 6655 Santa Monica Bl, Hollywood. This week: M.I.K.E., Kenneth Thomas. 21+. Info: nexxez.com. Balance feng-shuis your house at King King, 6555 Hollywood Bl, Hollywood. This week: Andy Caldwell. 21+. Info: balance-la.com.

GEORGE ACOSTA

SUNDAY, MARCH 9 Deep gets down with Marques Wyatt’s all-stars at Vanguard, 6021 Hollywood Bl, Hollywood. This week: Jojo Flores. 21+. Info: deep-la.com. Moonshadows Blue Lounge has the ocean motion of DJs Mick Cole, Julien Couly, and Jean Louis, at Moonshadows, 20356 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu. Info: moonshadowsmalibu.com.

MONDAY, MARCH 10 Monday Social lubricates the dance biz with e-music by Freddy Be, Mick Cole, and global guests at Nacional, 1645 Wilcox Av, Hollywood. 21+. Info: budbrothers.com.

TUESDAY, MARCH 11

MARCH 29

SUPER8 and TAB

Dim Mak Tuesdays has anti-DJ Steve Aoki and the celebutantes who mix for him at Cinespace, 6356 Hollywood Bl, Hollywood, (323) 817-3456. 21+. Info: cinespace.info.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12 Therapy takes the right steps with local house hero Scott K and friends at Tokio, 1640 N Cahuenga Bl, Hollywood. 21+. Info: balance-la.com. Dub Club has existential dance music producer Tom Chasteen and friends at The Echo, 1822 Sunset Bl, Echo Park, (213) 413-8200. 21+. Info: attheecho.com. –Dennis Romero

MARCH 6~12, 2008

CIRCUS is located at 6655 Santa Monica Blvd. 2 blocks east of Highland Ave. Behind Arena

323.462.1291 • www.circusdisco.com 9pm-4am • 21+ • Tickets available at groovetickets.com

CITYBEAT

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Mon: Med Flory’s Supersax Big Band. Wed: Don Williams Quartet. Cozy’s Bar & Grill, 14058 Ventura Bl, Sherman Oaks, (818) 986-6000. Cozysblues.com. Sat: Kirk Fletcher Band. Mon: All-Star Blues Jam Hosted by John Marx, 9. Wed: CSON Lounge, 9. Csardas, 5820 Melrose Av, Hollywood, (323) 962-6434. Mon: The Harmony Club Jam Session, 8. El Floridita, 1253 N Vine St, Hollywood, (323) 8718612. Elfloridita.com. Fri: Jam Sessions with Orquesta Charangoa. Sat: Salsa bands. Mon: Johnny Polanco y Su Orquesta Amistad. Tue: Jack Sheldon Quartet. Wed: Cuban Jam Session with Conjunto Guama. Harvelle’s, 1432 Fourth St, Santa Monica, (310) 395-1676. Harvelles.com. Thur: JT Ross the Harmonica Boss, 9:30. Fri: The Sharks feat. Dennis Quaid, 9:30. Sat: Blowin Smoke, 9. Sun: The Toledo Show, 9:30. Mon: All-Star Pro Jam, 9. Tue: Bongo Fury, 9:30. Wed: House of Vibe, 9:30. JAX, 339 N. Brand Bl, Glendale, (818) 500-1604. Jaxbarandgrill.com. Thur-Wed: Call for info. The Jazz Bakery, 3233 Helms Av, Culver City, (310) 271-9039. Jazzbakery.com. Shows at 8 & 9:30 unless specified. Shows at 8 & 9:30 unless specified. Thur: Peter Erskine & USC Thornton. Fri: Alan Broadbent. Sat: Bill Henderson Quartet. Mon: Music & Mirth – A Joyce Collins Tribute. Wed: Bill Harper Quintet. La Granada, 17 S First St, Alhambra, (626) 2272572. Letsdancela.com. Thur: Salsa Dance, 10. Fri: Salsa Central. Sat: Salsa Central. Sun: Ballroom Dance. Mon: Samba, 8:30. Tue: Salsa Dancing, 10. La Vé Lee, 12514 Ventura Bl, Studio City, (818) 980-8158. Laveleejazzclub.com. Shows at 8:30 & 10:30. Thur: Marco Renteria, Brandon Coleman, Walter Turner & Special Guest. Fri: Frank & Friends. Sat: Brasil Brazil Show. Tue: CD Release Party with Brad Rabuchin, Andy Suzuki, Ralph Humphrey, Dean Taba. Wed: Scott Kinsey, Scott Henderson, Jimmy Earl, Gary Novak. Mama Juana’s, 3707 Cahuenga Bl W, Studio City, (818) 505-8636. Mamajuanas.com. Shows at 7. Thur: Sabor Salsa Thursday with Son Mayor. Fri: Tropical Fridays with Orquesta Opa Opa. Sat: Latin Experience with Chino Espinoza y Los Duenos del Son. Tue: Burning Salsa with Johnny Polanco y Su Conjunto Amistad. Wed: Colombian Wednesdays. Miceli’s, 1646 N Las Palmas Av, Hollywood, (323) 466-3430. Micelisrestaurant.com. Live performances at 6. Thur-Wed: Call for info. 2nd Street Jazz, 366 E Second St, downtown L.A., (323) 680-0047. Myspace.com/landon2ndstreetlivejazz. Thur-Wed: Call for info. Spazio, 14755 Ventura Bl, Sherman Oaks, (818) 728-8400. Spazio.la. Shows at 8. Thur: Joyce Marie Partise Latin Jazz Quartet. Fri: Dave Mackay Trio. Sat: Bill Watrous Quartet. Sun: John Rodby and Harvey Newmark; John Leftwich Trio. Mon: John Proulx Trio. Tue: John Pisano’s Guitar Night with Tim Mayer. Wed: Steve Carr Quartet. Vibrato Grill Jazz, 2930 Beverly Glen Circle, Bel Air, (310) 474-9400. Vibratogrilljazz.com. Thur: Ron Kalina. Sat: Joe Bagg Organ Trio. Sun: Chris Dawson. Tue: Wayne Bergeron Big Band. World Stage, 4344 Degnan Bl, Leimert Park, (323) 293-2451. Theworldstage.org. Call for showtimes. Thur: Jazz Jam Session, 9:40. Fri: World Stage Stories, 8; Concert Series, 9:30 & 11. Sat: Saturday School, 9:45 a.m.; Jazz workshop, noon; Concert Series, 9:30 & 11. Sun: Sisters of Jazz, 7:30. Mon: Drum workshop, 7. Tue: Vocal workshop, 6:30. Wed: Anansi Writers Workshop, 7:30. –Emma Gallegos

CONCERTS Note: Unless otherwise indicated, tickets are available through Ticketmaster, (213) 480-3232 or Ticketmaster.com. Foo Fighters, Serj Tankian, Thur, The Forum, 3900 W Manchester Bl, Inglewood, at 7. (310) 419-3100. Howlin’ Rain, Thur, Amoeba Music, 6400 W Sunset Bl, Hollywood, at 7. (323) 245-6400.

JAZZ CRITIC’S CHOICE

✭ ✭ ✭ ~ PETER ERSKINE ~

Renaissance Tributes The protean drummer Peter Erskine has a sterling new album, cut in Sweden: Worth the Wait (Fuzzy Music). Erskine powers the Norbotten Big Band, conducted by and featuring trumpeter Tim Hagans. Erskine has done so much small and mid-size band work of late that we sometimes forget he made his first splash with the Kenton band. He’ll kick the USC Thornton Jazz Orchestra along Thursday at the Jazz Bakery for what should be a memorable night. New Yorkto-Seattle pianist Wayne Horvitz brings his Sweeter Than the Day quartet to the Metropol Friday and Saturday. It’s not what you’d call “polished” jazz but it sure is tasty and soulful. New York trombonist John Fedchock also has a fine new big band CD, Up & Running (Reservoir). He’s left the band at home but he’ll bring all of his swinging facility to Charlie O’s Saturday. Joyce Collins has been a great asset to L.A. jazz – as a pianist, singer, teacher and custodian of great material. Monday at the Bakery, a benefit to defray her recent medical costs will include Dave Frishberg, Sue Raney, Bill Henderson, Mike Melvoin, Jack Riley and many others. At Catalina’s Monday, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band shows why it’s spearheading the L.A. big band renaissance. And at Vibrato Tuesday, Goodwin’s lead trumpet phenom, Wayne Bergeron, leads his own orchestra. Tuesday at UCLA’s Schoenberg Hall, composer/bandleader Gerald Wilson will be feted in a free tribute, with the Jazz Studies faculty and student ensembles. –Kirk Silsbee For info, see Jazz, Blues, Latin and Concerts listings.

Aventura, Fri, Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, at 8:15. (818) 622-4440. Eva Ayllón, Fri, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S Grand Av, downtown L.A., at 8. (213) 972-7211. Lifehouse, Fri, The Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Bl, L.A., at 7:30. (213) 380-5005. New York Dolls, Fri, Music Box @ Fonda, 6126 Hollywood Bl, Hollywood, at 7. (323) 464-0808. Brian Smith, Tunnelmental Experimental Assembly, Dangerous Curve, Fri, 1020 E Fourth Pl, downtown L.A., at 8. (213) 617-8483. Tigers Can Bite You, Birdmonster, The Hectors, Rademacher, Fri, Pehrspace, 325 Glendale Bl, Historic Filipinotown, at 9. (213) 483-7347. Why?, Yacht, Fri, Natural History Museum, 900 Exposition Bl, Exposition Park, L.A., at 8. (213) 763-3466. Pepe Aguilar, Sat, Honda Center, 2695 E Katella Av, Anaheim, at 8. (714) 704-2400. Ramsey Lewis Trio, Sat, Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Dr, Cerritos, at 8. (800) 300-4345. Bob Saget, Sat, The Grove of Anaheim, 2200 E Katella Av, Anaheim, at 7:30. (714) 712-2700. The Whispers, Stephanie Mills, Sat, Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk at 7. Stuart Liebig & Rich West, Carey Fosse & Joseph Berardi, Sun, Dangerous Curve at 7. Live, Sun, The Grove of Anaheim at 8. Perú Negro, Sun, Amoeba Music at 2. Moody Blues, Tue, Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, 777 Chick Hearn Ct, downtown L.A., at 8:15. (213) 7636000. “Gerald Wilson Tribute,” Tue, UCLA, Schoenberg Hall, Westwood, at 7. (310) 206-3033. Angélique Kidjo, Wed, UCLA, Royce Hall, Westwood, at 8. (310) 825-2101. –Alfred Lee

18547 Ventura Blvd. Tarzana 818.996.9152 • yonitattoo.com M-Sat 12-9 Sun 12-7

CITYBEAT

✭ ✭ ✭

MARCH 6~12, 2008

STAGE OPENING THIS WEEK All the Help You Need. Solo show written and performed by Tim Ryan Meinelschmidt, about his experiences hiring himself out as a handyman of all trades. Directed by Christopher Fessenden. Met Theatre, 1089 N Oxford Av, Hollywood. Info: (323) 960-7740 or Theatreeast.com. Opens Sun at 7. Suns at 7. Closes March 30. Concrete Folk Variations: “Death of a Sugar Daddy.” The first episode in a seralized puppet noir, about an L.A.P.D. cop investigating the murder of a society maven and philanthropist. Written and directed by Susan Simpson. The Manual Archives, 3320 W Sunset Bl, Silver Lake, (323) 667-0156. Manualarchives.org. Opens Thur at 8. Thurs-Fris at 8; Sats at 2 and 8. Closes March 22. Debt: A Comedy Without Words. A street musician finds a briefcase filled with loan documents and credit cards, and decides to apply for the loans to comedic results. Written by Adam Novicki. The Hayworth Theatre, 2509 Wilshire Bl, L.A., (213) 389-9860. Thehayworth.com. Opens Fri at 8. Thurs-Sats at 8. Closes Apr 12. Henry IV, Part I. Shakespeare’s popular history play. Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott. A Noise Within, 234 S Brand Bl, Glendale, (818) 240-0910 x1. Anoisewithin.org. Opens Sat at 8. Call for performance schedule. Closes May 18. Jekyll & Hyde. The Bricusse/Wildhorn musical based on the Robert Louis Stevenson tale of good and evil. Directed by Nick DeGruccio. A Cabrillo Music Theatre production at Countrywide Performing Arts Center, 2100 Thousand Oaks, (805) 583-8700. Opens Fri at 8. Thurs-Fris at 8; Sats at 2 and 8; Suns at 2. Closes March 16. Musical Comedy Murders of 1940. The Dreamhouse Ensemble presents a comedic whodunit. Written by John Bishop. Directed by Alex Sol. Space Theatre, 665 N Heliotrope, Hollywood, (323) 661-2585. Dreamhouseensemble.com. Opens Fri at 8. Fris-Sats at 8; Suns at 7. Closes Apr 20. No Child. Center Theatre Group presents a solo show about a broken-down school system and the people affected by it. Written and performed by Nilaja Sun. Directed by Hal Brooks. Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Bl, Culver City, (213) 628-2772. Centertheatregroup.org. Opens Fri at 8. Tues-Fris at 8; Sats at 2 and 8; Suns at 1 and 6:30. Closes April 13. Of Mice and Men. John Steinbeck’s tale of a pair of workers during the Great Depression. Directed by Rebecca Marcotte. The Banshee, 3435 W. Magnolia, Burbank, (818) 846-5323. Theatrebanshee.org. Opens Sat at 8. Fris-Sats at 8; Suns at 2. Closes Apr 13. Orange Flower Water. The drama about a man and a woman beginning an adulterous affair is told through a series of scenes which all take place on or around a single bed. Written by Craig Wright. Directed by Obren Milanovic. Lyric Theatre, 520 N La Brea Av, (323) 939-9220. Lyrictheatrela.com. Opens Thur at 8. Thurs & Sats at 8. Closes Apr 5. Seascape With Sharks & Dancer. A young man pulls a lost woman from the ocean; soon, she finds herself trapped in his life. Written by Don Nigro. Directed by Dan O’Brien. Lyric Theatre, 520 N La

✭ ✭ ✭

TIFFANY ISRAEL

THEATER CRITIC’S CHOICE

✭ ✭ ✭ ~ JOHN BENNETT PERRY AND ANGELA CHRISTIAN ~

‘Bus Stop’ William Inge’s 1955 depiction of one stormy night in a small-town Kansas diner is set at the beginning of March (in 1954). Snow falling in Ventura this March would make Brian McDonald’s revival even timelier. Instead, we’ll have to be satisfied with a flawless cast. Jason Chanos plays the young cowboy who hopes to corral a tenth-rate chanteuse (Angela Christian), despite her reluctance to follow him and his aging sidekick (John Bennett Perry) to Montana. Lauren Patten, last seen here as Anne Frank, is just as winsome as the teenaged waitress overseen by the lonely, middle-aged Grace (Alison Coutts- Jordan), who takes the bus driver (Carl Palmer) to bed. A scruffy professor (Leonard Kelly Young) quotes Shakespeare, and a stolid sheriff (Steve Larkin) keeps the peace. McDonald’s staging lacks the image of despair that unforgettably ended A Noise Within’s 2002 staging, but otherwise this Bus Stop is a rewarding layover. –Don Shirley Rubicon Theatre, 1006. E. Main St., Ventura, (805) 667-2900. Rubicontheatre.org. Weds. at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.; Thurs.-Fris. at 8 p.m.; Sats. at 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.; Suns. at 2 p.m. Closes March 16.

Brea Av, (323) 939-9220. Lyrictheatrela.com. Opens Fri at 8. Fris at 8; Suns at 7. Closes Apr 6. Silver for Gold. Bauhaus’s David J wrote and directs this play exploring the life of Warhol muse Edie Sedgwick. Met Theatre, 1089 N Oxford Av, Hollywood. (323) 960-4442. Themettheatre.com. Opens Thur at 8. Thurs-Sats at 8. Closes Mar 16. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Center Theatre Group presents the Stephen Sondheim musical about a wrongly imprisoned barber who returns to London for revenge. Book by Hugh Wheeler. Directed by John Doyle. Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N Grand Av, downtown L.A., (213) 6282772. Centertheatregroup.org. Opens Wed at 8. Tues-Fris at 8; Sats at 2 and 8; Suns at 1 and 6:30. Closes Apr 6. Top Girls. Play mixing fantasy and reality revolves around career women in contemporary society. Written by Caryl Churchill. Directed by Natalia Lazarus. The Promenade Playhouse, 1403 Third St, Santa Monica, (310) 656-8070 x17. Promenadeplayhouse.com. Opens March 8 at 8. Sats at 8; Suns at 7. Closes March 16. The Underpants. A woman’s fallen underpants become the center of attention in 1910s Germany. Written by Steve Martin. Directed by Erin Cathleen. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W Sierra Madre Bl, Sier ra Madre, (626) 256-3809. Sier ramadreplayhouse.org. Opens Fri at 8. Fris-Sats at 8; Suns at 2:30. No perfs March 9, 23, 30. Closes Apr 19. –Ed Carrasco and Alfred Lee

★★★ CONTINUING ★★★ Accidental Death of an Anarchist. Dario Fo’s dated Italian radicalism is injected with current American references in Diana Wyenn’s staging of Fo’s tale of a clever agitator (Taras Los) who goes incognito in a police headquarters, investigating the titled incident. The quick-talking actors freely admit the artifice of the updates. It works reasonably well. Unknown Theater, 1110 N Seward St, Hollywood, (323) 466-7781. Unknowntheater.com. Thurs-Sats at 8; Suns at 6. Closes March 15. (Don Shirley) Alice Sit-by-the-Fire. In James M. Barrie’s 1905 comedy, a British couple returns from years in India to reunite with their growing children. Misunderstandings multiply in a delightfully funny second act, but the third act provides a lyrical sense of generations exchanging roles. Joe Olivieri’s cast, with Alley Mills and Orson Bean, is remarkable. Pacific Resident Theatre, 705 1/2 Venice Bl, Venice, (310) 822-8392. Pacificresidenttheatre.com. Thurs-Sats at 8; Suns at 3. Closes March 30. (DS) Almost, Maine. Nine 30ish couples in a small Maine town navigate romance in John Cariani’s clever scenes, played by only four actors (Caroline Kinsolving, Louis Lotorto, Donald Sage Mackay, Dee Ann Newkirk) in David Rose’s elegant staging. A series of surreal, literalized metaphors provide sudden jolts of unexpected laughter. The Colony Theatre Company, 555 N Third St, Burbank, (818) 5587000. Colonytheatre.org. Fris-Sats at 8; Suns at 2 and 7. Closes March 9. (DS) Another Vermeer. After World War II, an imprisoned Dutch art dealer (dynamically desperate Robert Mackenzie) must prove that the Vermeer he sold to Goering was actually his own forged copy. Bruce

J. Robinson’s play speaks wryly about art and situation ethics, but Alex Craig Mann’s direction could use a little more clarity. Theatre 40 at Reuben Cordova Theatre, 241 Moreno Dr, Beverly Hills, (310) 364-0535. Theatre40.org. Call for performance schedule. Closes March 9. (DS) The Brig. Kenneth H. Brown’s landmark 1963 drama presents one harrowing day in the hellhole where four Marines monitor and govern every move of 10 fellow Marines, who are imprisoned for unknown infractions and forbidden to say one word to each other. Tom Lillard choreographs a grim, dehumanizing but remarkably riveting spectacle. Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, 2055 S. Sepulveda Bl, West L.A., (310) 477-2055. Odysseytheatre.com. ThursSats at 8; Suns at 2. March 12, 19, & 26 at 8; March 23 at 7. Closes March 30. (DS) Cabaret. Director Jules Aaron creates chilling intimations of the Third Reich in the Kander/Ebb/Masteroff musical about a bisexual writer (Christopher Carothers), a blithe showgirl (Erin Bennett), a spectral emcee (Jason Currie), and a conflicted landlady (Eileen T’Kaye) in 1930 Berlin. Much of the audience sits at tables close to the stage. International City Theatre, 300 E Ocean Bl, Long Beach, (562) 436-4610. Ictlongbeach.org. Thurs-Sats at 8; Suns at 2. Closes March 9. (DS) Carnage. Adam Simon and Tim Robbins have barely updated their 1987 satire of two types of televangelists – the greedy (V.J. Foster) and the political (Justin Zsebe). But the vitality of Beth Milles’s staging lifts it above relic status. And the Actors’ Gang’s current high-ceilinged space gives the show’s spectacle and final gravitas more breathing room. Ivy Substation, 9070 Venice Bl, Culver City, (310) 838-4264. Theactorsgang.com. Thurs-Sats at 8; Suns at 3. Closes March 29. (DS) The Color Purple. A few superb performances rescue Marsha Norman’s game attempt to corral Alice Walker’s sprawling feminist novel (and subsequent film) into a musical, with a score by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray. Jeanette Bayardelle’s Celie is spine-tingling, but the parade of purple passions over four decades is unwieldy. Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N Grand Av, downtown L.A., (213) 628-2772. Centertheatregroup.org. Regular schedule Tues-Fris at 8; Sats at 2 & 8; Suns at 1 & 6:30. Closes March 9. (DS) The Common Air. Alex Lyras convincingly plays six men who meet, one by one, during an 18-hour airport security incident, in sequence: Iraqi American cabbie, gay art dealer, hyped-up attorney, hip-hop DJ, Texas philosophy prof, and Iraqi American caterer – whose tale is the least plausible. Written by Lyras and director Robert McCaskill. Theatre Asylum, 6320 Santa Monica Bl, Hollywood. Info: (323) 960-4443 or Thecommonair.com. FrisSats at 8. Closes March 8. (DS) The Dead. The Richard Nelson/Shaun Davey musical, based on a James Joyce story and set primarily at a party in a parlor in 1904 Dublin, is better suited to this small venue than it was to the Ahmanson Theatre in 2000. Charles Otte’s staging, with Rob Nagle as the narrating Gabriel, is usually intriguing, occasionally joyful, more often melancholy. Open Fist Theatre, 6209 Santa Monica Bl, Hollywood, (323) 882-6912. Openfist.org. Fris-Sats at 8; Suns at 3. Closes March 22. (DS) Dickie & Babe: The Truth About Leopold & Loeb. Daniel Henning’s extensively researched script about the famous ’20s murderers (Aaron Himelstein, Nick Niven), also directed by Henning, is steeped in psychological and sociological veracity and begins to sag only near the ending. The excessively young casting of the victim is a rare mis-

step. The Blank’s 2nd Stage Theatre, 6500 Santa Monica Bl, Hollywood, (323) 661-9827. Theblank.com. Thurs-Sats at 8; Suns at 2. Closes March 30. (DS) Edge. The usual pitfalls of solo shows about famous people have seldom been as obvious as in Paul Alexander’s whiney, repetitive script about Sylvia Plath (Angelica Torn). Unless you’re up for more than two hours of bitter, pre-suicidal rants about the men in Plath’s life, I suggest waiting for a revival of the two-actress Plath play, Letters Home. Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, 2055 S Sepulveda Bl, L.A., (310) 477-2055. Odysseytheatre.com. ThursSats at 8; Suns at 2. Closes March 16. (DS) The End of the Tour. See Stage feature review. Harm’s Way. As an Army prosecutor (Jack Stehlin) investigates U.S. killings of Iraqi civilians, his unstable daughter (Katie Lowes) runs off with the AWOL suspect (Ben Bowen). Despite a cliched, coincidence-driven reporter character, Shem Bitterman’s second go at a military investigator/troubled daughter play beats the first, Man.Gov. Circus Theatricals Studio Theatre at the Hayworth, 2511 Wilshire Bl, L.A., (323) 960-1054. Circustheatricals.com. Sats at 8. Closes March 15. (DS) The Importance of Being Earnest. Warner Shook’s revival of Oscar Wilde’s comedy is delightful. Kandis Chappell is back as Lady Bracknell, but SCR newcomers (Michael Gotch, Tommy Schrider, Christine Marie Brown and Elise Hunt) play the younger generation. The venue’s the right size, and Michael Olich’s set adds whimsical touches. South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Dr, Costa Mesa, (714) 708-5555. Scr.org. Tues-Weds at 7:30; Thurs-Fris at 8; Sats at 2:30 & 8; Suns at 2:30 & 7:30. Closes March 9. (DS) Joan Rivers: A Work in Progress by a Life in Progress. Even Bart DeLorenzo’s direction and the gimmick of secondary characters who join Rivers in her downgraded dressing room don’t make this much more than a Rivers routine. Her jokes about sex among seniors are her funniest, but nothing rises above rather self-obsessed chatter. Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Av, Westwood, (310) 208-2028. Geffenplayhouse.com. TuesThurs at 7:30; Fris at 8; Sats at 4 & 8; Suns at 2 & 7. Closes Apr 6. (DS) The Last Schwartz. A domineering older sister, three brothers, and two mates meet in upstate New York for the anniversary of a father’s death in Deborah Zoe Laufer’s comedy, which overcomes feelings of déjà vu with sharp dialogue and carefully timed revelations. Lee Sankowich’s staging is immensely helpful at illuminating the mishegas. Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Av, L.A. Info: (323) 960-7789 or Plays411.com/schwartz. Thurs-Sats at 8; Suns at 2. Closes Apr 27. (DS) Man.Gov. Shem Bitterman, whose The Job was a hit for Circus Theatricals, returns with a depiction of a Washington-based inspector of Iraqi arms in the pre-war period. The performances are more convincing than the script, which has an implausible ending and a tawdry subplot about the inspector’s daughter’s affair with his persecutor. Circus Theatricals Studio Theatre at the Hayworth, 2511 Wilshire Bl, L.A., (323) 960-1054. Circustheatricals.com. Fris at 8. Closes March 14. (DS) The Marvelous Wonderettes. Four queens (Bets Malone, Kim Huber, Julie Dixon Jackson, Kirsten Chandler) of the L.A. musical stage vie to become queen of a 1958 high school prom in the first act of Roger Bean’s mirthful musicalette, using period hits. Later, the women re-unite with new problems, ’60s songs and costumes. Fun but formulaic. El Portal Forum Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Bl, North Hollywood. Info: (888) 505-7469, Tix.com, or Marvelouswonderettes.com. ThursFris at 8; Sats at 3 & 8; Suns at 2. Closes March 30. (DS) Melancholy Play. In Sarah Ruhl’s whimsical comedy, a young bank teller (Kristen Brennan) has developed such exquisite melancholy that four people fall in love with her, which makes her so happy that she loses her appeal to them. Barbara Kallir’s staging and the plaintive cello music are perfectly in touch with the play’s tongue-in-cheek disposition. Son of Semele Ensemble, 3301 Beverly Bl, L.A. Info: (800) 838-3006 or Sonofsemele.org. FrisSats at 8; Suns at 7. Closes March 8. (DS) The Monkey Jar. A fourth grader brings a gun to a Westside charter school in Richard Martin Hirsch’s realistically detailed script about the agonizing among the principal, the threatened

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often entrancing. National Guard Armory, 854 E Seventh St, Long Beach. Info: (562) 985-5526 or Calrep.org. Tues-Thurs at 7; FrisSats at 8. Closes March 15. (DS) Sexy Laundry. Middle-aged Alice (Frances Fisher) tries to heat up her marriage by booking a swank hotel room for fantasy games with her glum husband (Paul Ben-Victor), using Sex for Dummies. Directed by Gary Blumsack, Michele Riml’s comedy is predictable but well-crafted, emphasizing moods – not nudes. The actors are superb. The Hayworth Theatre, 2509 Wilshire Bl, L.A., (213) 389-9860. Thehayworth.com. Thurs-Sats at 8. Closes March 16. (DS) Some Girl(s). Neil LaBute’s masterfully assembled series of encounters between a soon-to-be-married cad (Mark Feuerstein) and four ex-girlfriends might sound Neil Simonish, but a final surprise widens the focus beyond this one guy to comment on our sometimes cannibalistic culture. LaBute’s Rolling Stonesaccented staging is a sour delight. Geffen Playhouse, Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater, 10866 Le Conte Av, Westwood, (310) 208-5454. Geffenplayhouse.com. Tues-Thurs at 8; Fris at 7:30; Sats at 3:30 & 8; Suns at 2:30 & 7:30. Closes March 16. (DS) Stupid Kids. John C. Russell’s loose homage to Rebel Without a Cause, set in the ’80s, adds a Patti Smith-influenced lesbian (Kelly Schumann) who idolizes Judy (Tessa Thompson), MTV-style choreography, and recordings of angry period sounds. Michael Grant Terry and Ryan Spahn play the two guys. Michael Matthews directs stylishly. Celebration Theatre, 7051-B, Santa Monica Bl, Hollywood, (323) 957-1884. Celebrationtheatre.com. ThursSats at 8; Suns at 3. Closes Apr 6. (DS) Thrill Me. Stephen Dolginoff’s musical about Leopold (Stewart W. Calhoun) and Loeb (Alex Schemmer), the 1920s gay couple who murdered a boy. Leopold talks in flashback from his parole hearing, adding a fictitious motive. The two performances in Nick DeGruccio’s Havok Theatre staging are strong, but the one-piano score is a bit prosaic. Hudson Backstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Bl, Hollywood. Info: (323) 960-4429 or Plays411.com/thrillme. Fris-Sats at 8; Suns at 3 & 7. Closes March 16. (DS) Victory. The U.S. premiere of Athol Fugard’s short, moving, deeply pessimistic play is in the expert hands of director Stephen Sachs. A Fugard-like ex-teacher (Morlan Higgins) in a small South African town confronts the teenage daughter (Tinasha Kajese) of his late housekeeper and a burglar (Lovensky Jean-Baptiste) after they break into his house. Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Av, Hollywood, (323) 663-1525. Thurs-Sats at 8; Suns at 2. Closes March 23. (DS) Voices From Okinawa. Jon Shirota’s fuzzy script glances at Okinawan-American tension but never puts any American GIs onstage. Especially awkward is a subplot about a genial American teacher with Okinawan blood (Joseph Kim) inheriting the land on which an old relative (Amy Hill) lives. Tim Dang directed for East West Players. David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts, 120 N Judge John Aiso St, Little Tokyo, (213) 625-7000. Eastwestplayers.org. Weds-Sats at 8; Suns at 2. Closes March 9. (DS) Wicked. New actors occupy four major roles in the Stephen Schwartz/Winnie Holzman musical steamroller about the formative years of Oz’s witches. Most important are Caissie Levy as a crackerjack Elphaba and Jo Anne Worley, perfectly suited to the overbearing cackles of Madame Morrible. I like the show more each time I see it. Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Bl, Hollywood, (213) 365-3500. BroadwayLA.org. Call for performance schedule. (DS)

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MARCH 6~12, 2008

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) P U + V J D Z # P P U Z $ B M M * O P V U + B T NJ O F * O E F Q F O E F O U . A U G H T Y . Y MP H 7I L L D O WH A T I T T A K E S T O S T A Y I N S C H O O L ! L L I I N O U T

MARCH 6~12, 2008

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Close Encounters!

L LOVELY &

ARGE

Browse ads FREE! Record ads FREE!

EXCLUSIVELY FOR

FULL - FIGURED & BUSTY LADIES & MEN WHO LOVE THEM!

Talk 1-On-1 in our Live Chatroom!

FREE to browse ads! FREE to record your ad!

MEN CALL! (213) 316-0780 (310) 873-0533 (323) 648-1149 (562) 304-1016 (626) 940-0845 (661) 361-1313 (818) 861-0018 (909) 380-8691 (951) 436-3496 LADIES CALL! (213) 316-0331 (310) 873-0532 (323) 648-1148 (562) 304-1015 "GENTLEMEN!! Receive FREE (626) 722-1160 O N E - H O U R c a l l i n g t i m e w i t h e a c h (661) 361-1312 p u r c h a s e ! L e a v e c u s t o m e r s e r v i c e (818) 861-1030 message from Main Menu." (909) 663-0233 (951) 436-3495

LADIES CALL (213) 316-0335 (310) 873-0572 (323) 451-1042 (562) 304-1017 (626) 940-0670 (661) 361-1310 (818) 942-1102 (909) 663-0290 (951) 253-4290

MEN CALL (213) 316-0336 (310) 873-0573 (323) 451-1043 (562) 304-1018 (626) 940-0671 (661) 361-1311 (818) 942-1103 (909) 663-0291 (951) 253-4291

We do not pre-screen callers and assumes no responsibility for personal meetings Automated People Connection Incorporated

We do not pre-screen callers & assumes no responsibility for personal meetings Automated People Connection Incorporated

ClassifiedMarketplace CONTACT US

323.938.1001 Fax: 323.456.0229

Ads may be submitted via email to classifieds@lacitybeat.com Deadline: Mondays 5pm Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9a.m. - 5p.m. Address: 5209 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036

Post Your Free Online Ad at www.lacitylist.com

CLASSIFIED ADS • JobSmart • Apartment Rentals • Mind, Body, Spirit • Adult Entertainment • BACKBEAT

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Refunds cannot be granted for any reason. Adjustments will be credited to the advertiser’s account toward future classifieds placement only. We proof carefully, but even so, mistakes can occur. Report errors at once, as the CityBeat will not be responsible for errors continuing beyond the first printing. Adjustment for error is limited to re-publication. In any event, liability for errors (or omissions) shall not exceed the cost of space occupied by such an error (or omission). All advertising is taken subject to review by the Publisher in accordance with the CityBeats Standard of Acceptance. The CityBeat reserves the right to edit, properly categorize or decline any ad without comment or appeal.

Prepayment required for placement.

JobSmart

lacitylist.com

To Advertise Call 323-938-1001

Employment

Senior Director of Digital Services wanted in Universal City, California. Please respond with resumes to Attn: RH, HR,Universal Music Group. 10 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, Ca. 91608. REF: 3456. No phone calls please. BIG BLUE BUS HIRING MOTOR COACH OPERATOR TRAINEES: For application requirement go to City of Santa Monica 1685. Room 101. Santa Monica 90401. 310-458-8697 or visit www. smgov.net/hr

TV SHOWS Down and Out TV Show in need of television network contract broke@nuthinthemovie@ live.com

post your ad free online

Business Services

PLASTER MASTER Exterior Designer. Residential & Commercial. “Quality Workmanship on All Jobs” Good References & Free Estimates. Specializing in All Types of Stucco, Plastering, Paint, & Sandblasting. Call Arthur 626-235-8780

PRODUCTION BY AUSTIN: Graphics - Video & Photos. Business Cards to Billboards, Advertisements, Stills, Video & Editing, Publications, CD & DVD’s start 2 finish, Comp & Zed Cards, Digital Press Kits by Austin 323-491-8873

TIRED OF THE RAT RACE?! Incredible opportunity, Earn $1K-$10K+ weekly, Turnkey system, Training provided, No selling, No calling. Paid weekly! http://www.317kfrom home.com (AAN CAN)

AIRBRUSH ARTIST: Professional Airbrush artist Shane Horrell. SPECIALIZE in Children’s Murals and Events. Call 818-625-6457. www. myspace.com/jayecks

College

m ot i v a t e y o u r c r e a t i v i t y

BRYAN COLLEGE ENROLLING NOW BECOME A COURT REPORTER WORK IN COURTROOMS, LAWS OFFICES OR HOME OFFICE. Call now for Starter kit! 1888-639-5363. www.bryancollege.edu. since 1940

To Advertise in the Classifieds , Call: 323.938.1001

sigmond twayne's Mental Cookbook sharpen your awareness

read

Visit

sigmondtwayne.mysite.com CITYBEAT

MARCH 6~12, 2008

C M Y K

Legal Services

HAVE YOU BEEN FIRED? SEXUALLY HARASSED? DISCRIMINATED AT WORK? UNPAID WAGES & OVERTIME? Law Offices of Frank Hakim. FREE CONSULTATION: (310) 7892240

Find What You Are Looking For?

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Multi-Million Dollar Company Seeks Working Partner Part Time Will Train Contact Marlene

(310) 901-8619 $$$$$$$$$$$

SUNSHINE NATURAL HEALING Combination Massage Therapy

$10 OFF 1 HOUR

Visa & Mastercard Accepted

818 509-7508

10637 Burbank Blvd. North Hollywood

For those who are over the age of 60 and who are feeling stressed or depressed, hopeless, sad, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, anxiety, or insomnia. UCLA is conducting a 4-month research study using a study drug and placebo (an inactive substance) in conjunction with Tai Chi Chih (a set of slow-paced movements) or health education. If you are not currently receiving any psychiatric treatment with effective medications, you may qualify. Medical and psychiatric evaluations and limited physical exams are provided as part of the study. Evaluations and study drug are provided at no charge.

For more information, call UCLA at

(310) 794-4619

MARCH 6~12, 2008

C M Y K

CITYBEAT

ApartmentRentals

lacitylist.com

To Advertise Call 323-938-1001

post your ad free online Apartment/ Condos/Lofts

KOREATOWN : 213-3847047 $925+up Large single, ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED, Totally remodeled. A/C, Fridge, stove, refrigerator, ceramic tiles. Gated Entry, Gated Parking Available. Elevator, Laundry room. 509 S Manhattan Pl. 213-384-7047

the ultimate living experience. coming early 2008.

KOREATOWN: 213-3896631 Bachelors $800 & up. ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED. Remodeled, refrigerator, Pool, Gated Entry. Laundry Room, Gated Parking Available. 245 S Reno St.

Studio, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom flats, townhomes and loft apartment homes Private palm-lined resort-style pool and wellness spa Rooftop Cloud R oom with stunning skyline views and fireplace

MISSION HILLS: 818-9203753. 1BD $1145. Newer building, totally remodeled, gated entry & parking, A/C, Dishwasher, Stove, Fridge, Laundry room, Balconies 9929 Sepulveda Blvd.

Screening room w/100” screen and 7.1 surround sound Dazzling indoor-outdoor social lounge Over-the-top fitness center Luxurious Resident’s Club with billiards Granite or glass slab counters in kitchens with glass mosaic backsplash

N HOLLYWOOD: 818-9801277 1. BD $1150. Newer Bldg. Totally Remodeled. Gated entry & parking, AC, fridge, stove, dw, Pool, Laundry Room, BBQ Area 6253 Lankershim

Fireplaces* Remote control blinds* European art glass pendant lights over breakfast bar *in select apartment homes

NO HO ARTS DISTRICT LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE: Single $945, Jr 1 BD $985+, 1BD $1085. ALL UTILITIES PAID, Totally remodeled. A/C, Fridge, stove. Laundry, Balcony, Ceramic tile, Gated Entry. & Parking. 5751 Camellia Ave 818-7616620. 2 WEEKS FREE WITH ONE YEAR LEASE

2 BR, 1 BA, NR. PCC & CALTECH-PASADENA: Hardwood floors, beam ceilings, fenced backyard, laundry hookups. 2nd bedroom is small. Avail. now. $1250. Deposit & credit check (626) 551-8155.

TARZANA: 818-708-9554. $925 Large Jr One Bedrooms, Totally Remodeled, Air Cond, Fridge. Pool, Gated Parking & Entry, Laundry Room, No Pets. ASK ABOUT MOVE IN SPECIALS 18552 Collins St THE PLACE TO STAY IS PALMS/WEST LA ! Single $1110. 1BD $1360+. 2BD $1695+up. Newer Building, Gated Entry & Subterranean Parking, 2 Elevators, Air Cond. Fridge, Stove, D/W, Laundry Room, 3848 Overland 310-839-3647

WEST LA: Single $1195 Parking, Gated Entry, Balconies, Laundry Room, Fridge and Stove, Some totally remodeled. ASK ABOUT MOVE IN SPECIALS. 1755 Purdue Ave. 310-479-1079

Rental

LG BR SUITE WTFALL PATIO IN LG home in Glendale Hills. 2 Lg Clsts, own Ba., W/D, w/wo Furn., lg kit, full use of house, Parking. $1,000 mo. (818) 334-0931 2 BR, 1 BA, NR. PCC & CALTECH-PASADENA: Hardwood floors, beam ceilings, fenced backyard, laundry hookups. 2nd bedroom is small. Avail. now. $1250. De-

posit & credit check (626) 551-8155.

Mind, Body, Spirit

AAA AFFORDABLE HYPNOTHERAPY— Stop Smoking, Lose Weight, Increase Earning Power, Confidence, Memory, Stress, Anxiety, New Method Produces Incredible Success. CALL NOW! 951-461-1244 or 800-47-HYPNO Board Certified Master Hypnotist Kevin Stone. WWW.HYPNOTIST.COM

AGE 7-9 SIGHT READER “KIDS STORY BOOK” by Sidney Gelb. www.alibris. com. 1-888-812-6657 Order Today!

138 N. BEAUDRY AVE. • LOS ANGELES, CA 90012 888.826.7518 • WWW.CANVASLA-APTS.COM

see yourself living here

1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and townhomes available BEVERLY

FAIRFAX

O WILSHIRE

LA BREA

the Grove

GARDNER

Farmers Market

3RD ST.

866.466.5426

Apartment Homes & Spa directly across from the Grove

w w w. p a l a z z o - p l b . c o m w w w. p a l a z z o s p a . c o m

CITYBEAT

Short term and Furnished Apartments avaliable. We Cooperate with Real Estate Agents.

MARCH 6~12, 2008

C M Y K

6220 WEST 3RD STREET LOS ANGELES, CA 90036

MARCH 6~12, 2008

C M Y K

CITYBEAT

MedicalResearch

lacitylist.com

To Advertise Call 323-938-1001

post your ad free online

CITYBEAT

MARCH 6~12, 2008

C M Y K

lacitylist.com

post your ad free online

Be on the BACKBEAT 323.938.1001

F R E E PREGNANCY TESTS Women's, Pediatric, Youth Services and

FREE Pregnancy Tests. Call 323-644-3888 or walk in. Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc. 1530 Hillhurst Avenue, Suite 200 Los Angeles, CA 90027

www.aphcv.org HAVE YOU BEEN FIRED? SEXUALLY HARASSED? DISCRIMINATED AT WORK? UNPAID WAGES & OVERTIME?

LIVING IN STYLE CALL 866-682-5325

NEW MILLENNIUM BEAUTY AND HAIR SALON FOR THE LADIES

Law Offices of Frank Hakim FREE CONSULTATION: (310) 789-2240

Relaxers, perm’s, GREAT HAIRCUTS/HIGHLIGHTS colors, press, updo. Ask for Chanelle, everyday except Sat and Monday 10% off with this ad: 5320 Wilshire Blvd. Miracle Mile Los Angeles 90046 323 937-0568

FATHERS - PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS! Custody - Support - Divorce 949-244-2168 Fathers United

THERE IS SOMETHING YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT LIFE... The knowing of which will dramatically change your life.

AIRBRUSH ARTIST

MONEYLOVEANDHAPPINESS.COM

Professional Airbrush artist Shane Horrell. SPECIALIZE in Children’s Murals and Events.

YOUR OWN PERSONAL COOK AFFORDABLE

Call 818-625-6457 www.myspace.com/jayecks

Tasty, Chic, Sexy meals that are Good 4 you. Dial Daphne for Delicious Dishes prepared in your own home for up to 10 people. (323) 843-4295. After all, Madonna, Sharon Stone, Oprah & Will Smith all have one. You Deserve one too!

City of Santa Monica MOTOR COACH OPERATOR TRAINEE

JOB FAIR

SALARY: $12.48/HR TO START + EXCELLENT BENEFITS. Complete City application at the event. Requires: High School grad or equiv. Min. age 21. One year recent, paid customer service exp. Must present valid CA class CDL + submit copy of current (w/in 30 days) DMV H-6 printout. Qualified candidates may take written exam the same day.

LA’S DOPEST

ATTORNEY • Need a Warrant Recalled? • Want to Smoke Pot on Probation? • All criminal defense, from drugs to murder. Harvard Law, affordable.

Saturday, March 15, 2008 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Santa Monica College Life Science Bldg, Room 140/145 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405 Contact Info: (310) 451-5444 ext. 5853

Office: 323-653-1850 (ok to call from custody, 24-hour service)

Allison Margolin

MARCH 6~12, 2008

C M Y K

CITYBEAT

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