Thursday, April 27, 2023

Heads Up: VC x JANM Kickoff Party & May the 4th Celebrations

 These will be in the weekly what to do section, but this gives you more time to plan.
 
 May 4, 2023
6:00 pm 
Japanese American National Museum
Free
 
Kickoff the 39th edition of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month with our communities through music, food, and art at the Japanese American National Museum.
Disrupting our traditional model of an Opening Night Film and Party, we invite and share space with ALL communities through this FREE event.  In collaboration with the Japanese American National Museum, admission to the museum’s exhibits will be free throughout the evening.
Festival Cinematic Presentations will begin on Friday, 5/5 in Little Tokyo.


We already gave you some May the 4th Events, but Discover Los Angeles has an even bigger list

 
Here's our top picks:

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will present a Star Wars-inspired May the 4th celebration. This exciting event will include photo ops with R2-D2, hands-on activities related to the Star Wars universe,and a special 40th anniversary screening of Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi.

In addition, there will be two book signings, one with Paul Hirsch, Oscar-winning film editor of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) and Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Howard Kazanjian, producer of Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983).

7:30pm | Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983) | David Geffen Theater | DCP
Film Screenings: Film screening tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors (age 62+), and $5 for students and children (age 17-). Ticket prices for Academy Museum Members are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $4 for students and children.

Grab your lightsaber, jump in your speeder, and head over to Scum and Villainy Cantina for the biggest nerd holiday of the year!

We will be opening the blast doors from 10am-2am. There is no cover charge, no reservations, and you can’t win a table for the day in a game of sabacc. This is first come first serve event and we can’t guarantee seating. Make sure your hyperdrive is working on that bucket of bolts, because we recommend showing up early! As always, we’ll be handing out our commemorative May the Fourth buttons to the first 100 guests (1 per person) to celebrate the day!

If we see anything else for Star Wars for it's day we'll tell ya.
May 4 · 10pm - May 5 · 2am
The Virgil 4519 Santa Monica Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90029
$25 – $45
21+

 Celebrate the official Star Wars day the right way with this parody driven stage production.The Virgil in Los Angeles is hosting us for ONE PERFORMANCE , FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY !

 

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Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Local Movie Hype: Super Mario In Japanese, El Capitan has Return of the Jedi & Guardians 3 & Cine Gear Expo Returns to Paramount

 

The free expo on all the gear you would ever need for making movies is back at Paramount. Just RSVP and go for free. Or just to see what it's like to visit the Paramount Lot.

Cine Gear Expo LA returns to The Studios at Paramount June 1 - 4 for a truly dynamic educational and interactive event, dedicated to the art and technology of filmmaking. Featuring world-class exhibits, premiere seminars, film competition, screenings, awards party, and more, Cine Gear Expo brings together filmmakers from around the world to network and learn in a professional and comfortable studio environment.

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Weekly What To Do: Dine, Drafts & Scares


April 28 to May 12, 2023
Multiple locations 
$15-$65+ for lunch or dinner

Looks like the people behind Nisei Week have gotten to Dine LA Restaurant Week as it's really for two weeks and they sternly have stuck with week. Just like Modernism Week in Palm Springs. Maybe there's a trademark or other issue or maybe the people behind it are lazy. What is lazy is the Dine LA site that doesn't explain anything about the event like we do below.

Get special meals from different restaurants at cheaper prices.

The Spring Dine LA event will showcase a diverse range of cuisines from 55 neighborhoods, 34 global cuisines, and 33 Michelin-recognized restaurants. Among the new entrants participating in the event are kodō in the Arts District, Angler LA at The Beverly Center, asterid by Ray Garcia in Downtown Los Angeles, and Superfine Playa in Playa Vista, among others. In addition, five landmark Los Angeles institutions that have participated since the inaugural year of the event will return for Spring.

Thursday, April 27 from 3:30 pm – 10 pm PT
Westfield Century City Atrium
Pre-register: https://www.chargers.com/draftparty (Fans will be admitted on a first-come, first-serve basis)

The Los Angeles Chargers will host a free NFL Draft Party at the renowned, open-air Westfield Century City Atrium during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday, April 27 from 3:30 pm – 10:00 pm PT. The Chargers currently own the 21st overall selection in the first round.


To kick off the event, Chargers Legends and Pro Football Hall of Famers Dan Fouts, Kellen Winslow and Charlie Joiner will reunite in person at 4:30 pm to celebrate Don Coryell, their former head coach and architect of the NFL's modern passing offense, and his upcoming induction into the Hall this August in Canton, Ohio.


April 28 - May 3, 2023
Los Feliz Theatre
1822 N Vermont Ave Los Angeles, CA 90027
$10.00 (member) ; $15.00 (general admission)
 
FRI APR 28, 2023 7:00 PM
pre-recorded Q&A with filmmaker Mark Jenkin

A wildlife volunteer on an uninhabited island off the British coast descends into a terrifying madness that challenges her grip on reality and pushes her into a living nightmare. Evoking the feeling of discovering a reel of never-before-seen celluloid unspooling in a haunted movie palace, this provocative and masterful vision of horror asserts Mark Jenkin as one of the U.K.’s most exciting and singular filmmakers.
 
Friday, April 28, 6 pm
LACMA
Smidt Welcome Plaza
5905 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Free
 
The 32nd season of this free music series kicks off with a concert with the Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra. Founded in 2022, the Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra quickly distinguished itself as one of the top-caliber jazz orchestras in the nation. The  ensemble comprises some of the most heralded musicians in the Los Angeles jazz community, while also reflecting the great diversity of L.A.’s population. Upcoming Jazz at LACMA performances include Dwight Trible, Keschia Potter Quartet, Sidney Jacobs with special guest Greg Porée, and more. The Jazz at LACMA series runs from April through November.
 
Sat, Apr 29, 2023 10:00 am - 5:30 pm
JACCC Campus
244 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, CA, 90012
 
Little kid activities in Little Tokyo.
 
Saturday, April 29th, 2023, at 12 PM to 4 PM
GAME REALMS Inc.137 N Victory Blvd Burbank, California , 91502
 
Game Realms will be hosting our regular Valley Retro Game Swap! Fans of NES, Sega Genesis, PlayStation (and more!) can come to buy, sell and trade games with vendors, in the Game Realms courtyard!

 
Saturday, April 29 · 1 - 5pm
Rancho Los Cerritos 4600 Virginia Road Long Beach, CA 90807
$15 – $70
 
This matinee macabre fest will host a curated selection of 25+ craft breweries, local wineries & cideries, and will feature a macabre marketplace showcasing creepy art vendors, collectibles, local artists, spooky live music & performers along with tasty food options... all to celebrate our favorite holiday of them all... HALLOWEEN! 
 
April 29th & 30th from 10AM-5PM
Central Park, Old Pasadena
Free
 
 
Featuring 200+ local, hand-selected artisans, shoppers can expect to find trendsetting indie goods including original fashion and jewelry design, paper goods, innovative home decor and housewares, art, photography, food, and much more. 
 

MAY 2, 4-6 TUE, THU-FRI, 8 PM SAT, 7 PM
Redcat 631 W 2ND ST, LOS ANGELES, CA 90012
Free, rsvp

The CalArts School of Film/Video presents four nights of special screenings featuring new films by BFA and MFA students in its programs—a diverse collection of bold, innovative cinematic works.
 
 
 
Extra:
 
Wednesday, April 26 · 7:30 - 10:30pm PDT
 
TRADE / Mary Motorhead
Emma O'Halloran
APR 27-30 REDCAT
 
A powerful double bill by Irish composer Emma O’Halloran.
 
Arts Party: Saturated
FRIDAY APR 28, 2023 7:00 PM TO 10:00 PM
Hammer Museum
Free

Join hundreds of college students from all over Southern California for an unforgettable evening with live music, artist-led workshops, and after-hours access to the galleries!
 
Saturday, Apr 29, 9:00 am- 2:00 pm 

Though smaller than other craft fairs, this outdoor boutique stands out in that it will include Okinawa-themed items such as accessories, art prints, bags, buttons/pins, clothing, greeting cards, postcards, stickers, and more. The organization hopes that this will be a big draw, as Okinawan items are rarely available at local stores, festivals, and other craft fairs.

3 showings of
April 29-May 1 

Free Screenings USC
 

UCB, a cheapo comedy show almost every night, see comedians before they make podcasts and have
stories about the UCB and before they hit the big time.
 
 
 
 
 

 
American Cinematheque-A celebrated independent theater group that brings both the talent and catalog of films to make for some of LA's best movie nights.
Secret Movie Club-Special edition posters and a large swatch of films to see.

Street Food Cinema-Outdoor cult or recent hits you'll love
Everything Everywhere All At Once
April 29, 2023
 New Bev-Tarantino owned independent theater with old school style

Cinelounge-Hollywood based tiny theater, showing off indies you've never heard of
 
Brain Dead Studios-Newcomer that manages to fill its schedule almost every night
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Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Stuff We Like: Glen Brogan Super Mario Prints & Extra Terrestrial Visitors

 



Some new amazing Super Mario related pieces from artist Glen Brogan over at Hero Complex Gallery

Bowser (King Koopa) down in the dumps over over Peaches and Peaches herself ready for Mario Kart!

You need to pick up Extra Terrestrial Visitors, this utterly disturbing and funny looking European knock-off of ET. And you've gotta grab the shirt from the film too. Grab it by itself on Blu-ray or packages here at Severin Films. All out this June.
" From Juan Piquer Simón – the infamous writer/director of PIECES and SLUGS – comes The Restored Director’s Cut of the French/Spanish co-production that remains the most singularly screwy E.T.-influenced film in EuroCult history: When snorkel-nosed furry aliens arrive on Earth, they’ll encounter a foggy wilderness filled with sociopathic poachers, Simón’s twisted vision of what an ‘80s American rock band looks/sounds like, bizarre bursts of violence and pathos, and the boy who befriends a blue-eyed extraterrestrial he names ‘Trumpy’. Discover the movie beyond MST3K, “a very, very weird film” (Through The Shattered Lens) – also known in various versions as RETURN OF E.T., THE UNEARTHLING and POD PEOPLE – now featuring a 4K scan from the 35mm negative with Special Features that include a feature-length documentary on the director."




I'm a Virgin T-Shirt (PRE-ORDER)



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Monday, April 24, 2023

The Transformed Hammer Museum

By Eric Harris

 

 

Last month, UCLA’s Hammer Museum revealed to the public a newly renovated and expanded museum — bigger and better than ever with 60% more gallery space, a new outdoor sculpture terrace, fresh exhibitions and installations, and more! It’s not every day that a leading SoCal art institution “transforms.” Things To Do In LA was honored to be invited to the press preview.

The newly renovated Hammer Museum
The newly renovated Hammer Museum (all photos by Eric Harris/TTDILA)

There’s a lot happening at the Hammer! “Transformed” in the context of the Hammer Museum refers to the museum’s now 23-year journey to fundamentally change the nature of the organization. From a small, private museum focused on historic European and American paintings, the Hammer, currently boasting a collection of over 50,000 items, has metamorphosized into a large, university-affiliated museum focused on contemporary art since the 1960s.

Robert Gober, Untitled, 2012
Robert Gober, Untitled, 2012

Among the most visible features of the newly renovated Hammer Museum building are the new street-level main entrance at the intersection of Wilshire and Westwood and new street-level exhibition spaces and sculpture garden stretching the entire block between Westwood and Glendon.

From Wilshire Boulevard, visitors enter though a handsome new entrance into the museum’s main lobby. This new lobby features an exhibition space and currently houses a large textile work by Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota titled The Network (2023).

Hammer Projects: Chiharu Shiota
Hammer Projects: Chiharu Shiota, Installation view

The Network is made from more than 800 pounds of red yarn, which represents the Japanese folklore idea that an invisible red thread of fate connects each baby to the network of people who will play a significant role in that baby’s life. The intricate and complicated web is constructed layer by layer from yarn that is stapled into the walls of the gallery or tied to various architectural features such as columns and stair rails. This piece also presents a perfect background for monster girl or Spider-Man cosplay! We’re serious! We sincerely hope that visitors have some fun with this space. The Hammer Projects: Chiharu Shiota March 26 – August 27, 2023.

Hammer Projects: Chiharu Shiota
Hammer Projects: Chiharu Shiota, Installation view

Hammer Projects: Chiharu Shiota
Hammer Projects: Chiharu Shiota, Installation view

Adjacent to the main museum lobby is a smaller, not-directly connected, auxiliary lobby and entrance to the new gallery in the abandoned old City National Bank. This new gallery is the setting for Rita McBride’s Particulates (2021) which is an “ethereal sculpture” composed of laser beams, water molecules, and surfactant compounds. In less technical terms, this artwork is made from 16 lasers and a fog machine. Yeah science!

Rita McBride, Particulates, 2017
Rita McBride, Particulates, 2017

Particulates is a fun site-specific installation. The gallery is a large open space in a partially demolished former bank with fantastic dystopian or cyberpunk vibes for people who are into that sort of thing. It feels like at any moment, a 1980s film action hero will travel though time and space to emerge from the glowing portal in the ruined bank to save Los Angeles from a post-apocalyptic horde of zombie hobos and cybernetic ghosts. We’d watch that movie! Museum officials tell us that the condition of the former derelict bank is fully intentional. Rita McBride: Particulates runs March 26 – November 5, 2023

Rita McBride, Particulates, 2017
Rita McBride, Particulates, 2017

Rita McBride, Particulates, 2017
Rita McBride, Particulates, 2017

Outside the new gallery is the new sculpture terrace which appears to be designed for large-scale works and is set approximately five feet below street-level. The inaugural sculpture is Sanford Biggers’ Oracle (2021). A 25-foot-tall cast bronze sculpture, Oracle is part of Biggers’ Chimera series of work combining African and European masks, busts, and figures. TTDILA has seen the work of Sanford Biggers before, and Biggers’ “Of Many Waters,” also part of the Chimera series, was selected as the inaugural sculpture for the upper plaza of the new Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) building (see that article here). Sanford Biggers’ Oracle will be on display March 26, 2023 – March 24, 2024.

Sanford Biggers, Oracle, 2021
Sanford Biggers, Oracle, 2021

Sanford Biggers, Oracle, 2021
Sanford Biggers, Oracle, 2021

Sanford Biggers, Oracle, 2021
Sanford Biggers, Oracle, 2021

Together In Time: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection is the largest exhibition of the Hammer Contemporary Collection in the museum’s 25-year history with more than 70 pieces of art on display. Many works are presented to the public for the first time since acquisition by the Hammer and evidence the museum’s commitment to “representing emerging artists, Los Angeles histories, and critical developments in contemporary arts.” Academics and Contemporary arts enthusiasts will be excited by the selection of art from artists including John Baldessari, Amoako Boafo, Mark Bradford, Huguette Caland, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Noah Davis, Aria Dean, rafa esparza, Simone Forti, Owen Fu, Charles Gaines, Robert Gober, Eva Hesse, Tishan Hsu, Luchita Hurtado, Mike Kelley, Laura Owens, Noah Purifoy (TTDILA highly recommends The Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum of Assemblage Art in Joshua Tree, California—click here for our review), Patssi Valdez, and many others. There’s a lot of good stuff here—paintings, mixed media, fake furniture, mannequins sleeping/dead on the floor, Superman-esque miniatures, a decapitated zombie head, a dancing hologram, and a naked woman or two thrown in for good measure. It’s called art, and we suggest taking the guided tour. It’s hard to pick favorites with so many stand-out works. Together In Time runs March 26 – August 20, 2023.

Sasha Gordon, Bonfire, 2021
Sasha Gordon, Bonfire, 2021

Together In Time: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection
Together In Time: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection, Installation view

Tishan Hsu, Breath 3, 2021
Tishan Hsu, Breath 3, 2021

Together In Time: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection
Together In Time: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection, Installation view

Together In Time: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection
Together In Time: Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection, Installation view

Bruce Conner, CROSSROADS, 1976
Bruce Conner, CROSSROADS, 1976

Mike Kelley, City 000, 2010
Mike Kelley, City 000, 2010

Simone Forti, Harmonics (2), 1975-78
Simone Forti, Harmonics (2), 1975-78

The Hammer Museum does most things right and offers all the important amenities of a modern museum including a comprehensive selection of public programs and lectures, on-site parking, museum restaurant, and a well-designed gift shop. Museum admission is free.

Hammer Museum’s new entrance at the intersection of Wilshire and Westwood, Los Angeles, California
Hammer Museum’s new entrance at the intersection of Wilshire and Westwood, Los Angeles, California

Hammer Museum Gift Shop
Hammer Museum Gift Shop

Hammer Museum Central Courtyard
Hammer Museum Central Courtyard

Eric Harris on location at the Hammer Museum, Los Angles, California, March 24, 2023
Eric Harris on location at the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, California, March 24, 2023

 

Contact

Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90024


Gallery Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday–Sunday: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.



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