Art for art’s sake has been a long-standing debate. UCLA alumni Leland Frankel and Venk Potula dissect this issue in their new short film “Woke.” The two created the film using a script originally intended for a playwriting competition in New York City. Drawing inspiration from what he saw in the city’s parks, Frankel became […]
Category Archives: Film & TV
Q&A: Alum speaks on finishing film decades in the making, ‘The Other Side of the Wind’
Sometimes, even a 48-year-long gap isn’t enough to deter the completion of a shelved film. Orson Welles’ “The Other Side of the Wind” is proof. The film, for which shooting began in 1970, was never officially released and will now premiere Friday on Netflix. Welles, the film’s original director, died in 1985, but producer and […]
Movie review: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ succeeds as a triumphant celebration of Freddie Mercury’s life
Make no mistake: “Bohemian Rhapsody” is not about Queen. The other three band members may be present in the film, but Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) is the clear star. Opening with Mercury preparing for Queen’s iconic performance at the 1985 Live Aid concert – a charity event that raised money for those affected by famine […]
After Dark: ‘Beetlejuice’ screening has garish gags, invites outlandish outfits
Los Angeles’ blend of midnight movies, cult screenings and historic theaters offers late-night scares and childhood nostalgia back in the theater. Join columnist Nina Young as she attends different cult screenings each week to find out why audiences stay out so late after dark. A staircase inside the historic Ricardo Montálban Theatre glowed with eerie […]
Writers of ‘Sharp Objects’ speak about cutting it in the entertainment industry
Dawn Kamoche had to move back to Maryland from Los Angeles, but she didn’t view this as an end to her career in Hollywood. A panel featuring writers Ariella Blejer and Kamoche from the HBO limited series “Sharp Objects,” was held in Royce Hall on Monday. The writing duo shared their experiences building their careers […]
Alternating silence and noise serve to frighten audiences in short film ‘452′
Director Andres Esparza utilized everything from cornstarch to food coloring to emphasize the horror in his short film “452.” The third-year English student drew inspiration from horror films like “Hereditary” and “A Quiet Place” to create “452,” which will be finished the first week of November. “452” follows two men trapped underground, unsure of their […]
Panel discusses rise of Asian-American visibility, continued need for progress
“Crazy Rich Asians” was the first film with an all-Asian cast and an Asian-American lead in 25 years. But the film breaking box office records is not necessarily indicative of a sea of change for Asian-American representation, said culinary producer and food stylist Janet Lo – it’s a step toward a larger conversation. On Monday, […]