A review by Erin Fair

Larry Bates and Danielle Truitt. Photos by I C Rapoport

Katori Hall's two-person drama The Mountaintop imagines the final night of Martin Luther King Jr.'s life. King (Larry Bates) alone in an innocuous motel room waits for his associate, Ralph Abernathy, to deliver a pack of Pall Mall cigarettes. During his wait he works on a new speech temporarily titled "Why America Is Going to Hell." A domestic, Camae (Danielle Truitt), brings him coffee and just happens to have Pall Malls and a hip flask. Over smokes and whiskey, they discuss civil rights, theology, sin, sorrow and the weight of history for the next ninety minutes.

Tired, sick, and besieged by the habitual threats on his life, Dr. King is disappointed in the turnout for his last speech. Then enters Camae, who brings a spirited approach to Dr. King's revitalization as well as coffee and Pall Malls. The new companions discuss their callings and jobs, and on how both take a toll on the mind, body, and soul.

This play teeters on a rather Forest Gump-ian theme. When Forest gets up one day and starts to run, no direction, no reason, he just ran, he encouraged people. Dr. King was the same way. He states in the play that all he wanted to do was be a preacher to his congregation; he never wanted to be the father of the civil rights movement. The echoes of "why me" are strung throughout the play in both characters motivations and dilemmas. Nevertheless, like his fictional, cinematic, counterpart it was predestined for him to inspire the population.

The Mountaintop reminds us that although Dr. King is revered as a martyr, he was just a man. This play delivers on performances, set design, and direction. While the dialogue is delivered with a joyous ferocity, it does at time feel didactic. Ms. Truitt's take on the sassy black woman archetype is much more than meets the eye, and Mr. Bates as Dr. King is outstanding. The dynamic duo play off each other well, and since the Dr. King of this play was a reactionary character, his receptivity propels the story forward. With a marriage of Selma meets Hamlet, it might not be to everyone's tastes but if you are amongst those who want to indulge "The Mountain Top" is well worth the climb.

The Mountaintop continues through April 10, 2016. Performances are scheduled Saturdays at 8 pm;Sundays at 3 pm and 7 p.m.; and Mondays at 8 p.m. (no 7 p.m. performance on Feb. 7; dark on Saturday, Feb. 13 and Mondays, Feb. 8, March 7 and March 21).

Panel discussions with special guests will take place following the evening performance on Sunday, April 3 (the anniversary of the night prior to the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when the play takes place) and after the performance on Monday, April 4 (the anniversary of the assassination).

All tickets are $30. 00, except Mondays which are Pay-What-You-Can. The Matrix Theatre is located at 7657 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA90046 ( west of Stanley Ave., between Fairfax and La Brea). For reservations and information, call 323-852-1445 or go to www.matrixtheatre.com.

A review by Rachel Flanagan

Walking into Soap Plant, WACKO, and La Luz de Jesus Gallery in Los Feliz is like walking into one of the happiest places on earth for pop connoisseurs.  The store alone has millions of items from books to toys, stuffed animals to home décor and gag gifts to clothing. Located within the store is the La Luz de Jesus Gallery and this is the place to be on the first Friday of every month when a new art show opens. February 5^th was the opening night for Jessicka Addams'Please Stop Loving Me and Lindsey Ways'Shitty Teen with special guests Ave Rose, Deirdre Sullivan-Beeman, Lena Rushing, Peca and Valarie Bermudez.  

Opening night at La Luz De Jesus Gallery is not only the place to be for art fans but also for those looking for a few celebrity sightings. Not only were all of the artists in attendance for their opening reception, but a few other celebrities showed up in support as well.  Kevin Smith, Frances Bean Cobain, and Gerard Way (sporting a Shitty Teen tshirt in honor of his wife's art collection on display) attended the event.  Cocktails, snacks and other drinks were available in the back lot and many paparazzi photos were taken of the art, artists and celebrity guests. If you have not been to an opening night event at the La Luz gallery, you are certainly missing out. 

Florida-born, Los Angeles-based artist Jessicka Addams is the singer of indie rock bands Scarling and Jack off Jill, curator and founder of Dark Dark Science pop up art gallery and a stunning artist. She took inspiration from The Cure'sEnd and mixed in her own fascination with Goth culture, John Waters, death and cats to create Please Stop Loving Me. As you glance around at the blood soaked art, white faces and black cats among other pieces, the art guides you through the pain of an unraveling person. Jessicka took experiences in her life that changed her and put those pieces of herself and her emotions into each piece.  Within the heart of emotional turmoil is the Dead Friendship makeup and blood caked broken mirror "Selfie Station".  While the piece encourages viewers to take a selfie with the piece and share it on social media, the setup was a little low to get a proper selfie. However, this beautiful though slightly morbid artwork deserves to be shared. Her art may encourage you to Please Stop Loving Me but Jessicka is an artist who makes loving and admiring her infectious.

Before there were cell phones, teenagers communicated by writing secret notes to one another and passing them between classes. Pulling from her adolescent days, Lindsey Way'sShitty Teen explores her years as a self-destructive, self-loathing teenage years.  Each piece in the collection takes each of those teenage angst filled letters and embellishes upon them with mixed media paintings.  Some highlight phrases and words while others stand out with a painted image but the handwritten words remain forever embedded on pieces of paper. This collection will give you an insight into her, and possibly taking you back to your own, arduous years as a Shitty Teen. Lindsey Way is not only a California based visual artist, but also the bassist for electro-punk band Mindless Self Indulgence, a mother and a wife to goth punk My Chemical Romance front man Gerard Way.

Guest Artist Ave Rose is a Los Angeles based arts who uses clockwork, antiques, insects, bones and mixes them with mechanics to create quirky sculptures, jewelry and other pieces of art.  In 2015 she was featured on the TV Show Steampunked where her whimsical creations helped her create fantasy story lines, sculptures and clothing throughout each episode to create a fill a steampunk house.  Her creation for this show is the Butterfly Dream Machine. Using butterflies, moths, gemstones and crystals, feathers and antiques she created a magical machine that brings lights, music and butterflies to life with the turn of a magical hand crank or twist of the magical brass butterfly atop the machine. Take a moment to see all the wonders and mystery this machine holds inside.

Guest Artist Deirdre Sullivan-Beeman is a self-taught figurative and contemporary surrealist painter combining 14 ^th century painting techniques with magic realism to create pieces that glow with the wisdom and innocence of childhood. Each one of her pieces in the collection One combines little girls and animals to create beautiful antique looking art with a bit of joy and wonder.  

Guest Artist Lena Rushing created strong women surrounded by hints of intimidation. She uses card stock, paint, ink, shadow boxes and other materials to create the pieces in Prey that provide intriguing imagery.  She is a Los Angeles based artist.

Guest Artist Peca is painter, illustrator and stop-motion moviemaker based in Barcelona.  Her collection titled A Road between Strawberry Fields & Sky with Diamonds (a mantra for peace) takes you to another worldly place with furry little multi-eyed creatures.  These creatures will transport you through another dimension to guide you and teach you their knowledge of peace if you look close enough.

Guest Artist Valerie Bermudez is a Southern California based artist whose work can be seen through popular brands like Emily the Strange, Skelanimals, and Too Fast.  Combining beauty, mortality and cats her collection Love Spells spills out as acrylic on silk velvet.

Many of the pieces have already sold on pre-sale and opening night but the pieces will be up for sale and available to see in the store through February 28.  So stop by WACKO for some unique gifts and beautiful artwork.  Do not forget to look at the art in the hallway with pieces from previous collections at La Luz De Jesus Gallery.  The artwork and special limited items are also available on the website.

laluzdejesus.com/jessicka-addams-lindsay-way-guests/

La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 666-7667

Hours

11 to 7 PM Monday to Wednesday
11 to 9 PM Thursday to Saturday
Noon to 6 PM on Sunday
The gallery is located inside the Soap Plant/Wacko complex.

Jessicka Addams and writer Rachel Flanagan.

A review by Suzanne Birrell.

Johnny Ferretti (l.), Heather Alyse Becker, Joseph Bongiovann.
Photos Charlie Mount

Laughter is the best medicine and there is an abundance to be had in Thicker Than Water now showing at Theatre West. This hilarious presentation of family loyalty is just what the doctor ordered.  I laughed so hard I cried.  Thicker Than Water is one of those shows you'll want to see more than once.

Tommy Correlli, hysterically played with a straight face by Joseph Bongiovanni, is called to return home believing that his father Dominick, played by Johnny Ferretti, is having a heath crises. The misunderstandings start as soon as he walks in the door. His mother Rose, played with just the right amount of sauce by Mary Garripoli, is more concerned about her hair than her husband being at the hospital. Brother and sister, Marie and Carmine, played by Heather Alyse Becker and Johnny Ferretti, arrive to clear up the mystery.

(left: Mary Garripoli)

The family business is having a health crises. Aunt Gertrude, played with panache by Constance Mellors, plans to destroy Corelli Construction Company by starting her own company. Brother and sister have things under control. They plan on doing the old lady in. Tommy is sworn to secrecy and so becomes an accessory to the crime. Dad and Uncle Albert, played by David Mingrino, have a plan to deal with Aunt Gertrude as well. Tommy is again sworn to secrecy. The peacemaker through it all is Mama Rose, but you don't ever want to cross an Italian mama. She has some plans as well that involve Grandma. Meredith Angst, played by Maria Kress, is overwhelmed by all the family drama and almost destroys everyone's well laid plans by pulling out a gun. Dr. Flanken, played by Jack Kutcher, is always on call to mix the pot up even more. And then there's Grandma who never comes up from the basement.

(Right: Connie Mellors, David Mingrino)

Each and every one of the performances are stellar. Each character is endearing. We even love Gertrude though everyone seems to want her dead. After hearing so much about her, when she finally made her appearance, the audience applauded.

Directed by Stu Berg, Thicker Than Water is a perfect comedy of errors. The set design by Jeff Rack was just right. I felt right at home as soon as I walked in the theatre. ( I too had an Italian Grandmother who thought food was always the best medicine). Writer Roy Battocchio must have been to a couple of our family dinners, I felt like I was back to my childhood and watching my aunts and uncles.

(Left: Johnny Ferretti and Mary Garripoli)

A standing ovation, lots of laughter, folks all around wiping the tears from their eyes: Thicker Than Water is perfect fare. It's a must see for all ages.

Friday, Saturday and Sundays thru March 13, 2016

AT Theatre West

3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West.

(Free parking across the street!!!!!!!!)

The Sunday, February 21 performance will be followed by a Q &A along with a wine and dessert reception.

www.theatrewest.org (323)851-7977

A review by Suzanne Birrell

The American Premiere of Altman's Last Stand now showing at the Zepher Theatre is a wonderful show with many layers. The woman I sat next to thought it was a good portrayal of the Jewish persona. I thought it was like spending an afternoon with my grandfather. Michael Laskin is absolutely marvelous in his portrayal of an elderly gentleman who has lived a long life and who is distracted by current events. He takes us back and forth in time, one though leading to another thought.

Franz Altman is being interviewed by People Magazine. He is holding the fort so to speak in that powerful developers have bought up everything around him in order to erect a high rise, but he refuses to sell. Through this interview we learn about his mother and father and teachers and eventually the why of his ability to take a stand against those in power. We hear about how he was separated from his family through war and more. It is a journey through the 20^th century. The phone continuously interrupts the interview and we second hand meet more people. Franz Altman is a celebrity because his battle with the developers was featured on the TV show 60 Minutes. He is facing eviction the next morning unless he gets $10,000 worth of wiring to upgrade his shop or face eviction but he doesn't seem phased as he appears to juggle the past with the present.  And then suddenly, we realize that old buzzard is manipulating and conniving. Tomorrow will be fine and he will be the winner. It is a classic Prairie Home Companion type of story which weaves though the lives of many people only to come full circle.

Altman's Last Stand is a wonderful show. It is not a black box presentation of a solo performance. It has a comfortable set lovingly designed by Yee Eun Nam. The projection of photographs behind Franz is a wonderful addition. Directed by Charles Haid the play moves like a well-choreographed dance.

Altman's Last Stand is one of those plays that inspires isolated laughter here and there as it touches our lives. Michael Laskin is comfortable in the skin of Franz Altman. Though he is playing a Jewish man who went through WWII in concentration camps, he reminded my so much of my Scottish grandfather I felt right at home.

Solo plays are not generally my favorite, but I loved this play. Altman's Last Stand is a gem. I was sad to see it end. When Altman invited the interviewer to share a meal and they exited, I wanted to go too. Michael Laskin is brilliantly engaging. If I saw him on the street I would feel as though I was meeting an old friend. I highly recommend this play. Go see it, your life will be richer for the experience.

Friday, Saturday and Sundays thru March 13, 2016.

Zephre Theare

7456 Melrose Ave.

Los Angeles

(323)960-4412  http://www.zephyrtheatre.com/

www.plays411.com/altman

KING GEORGES, THEY LOOK LIKE PEOPLE, WHO'S DRIVING DOUG BEGIN EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENTS AT ARENA CINEMA HOLLYWOOD ON FEBRUARY 26

          King Georges. Produced and directed by Erika Frankel. From Sundance Selects. Color, 2016, USA, 77 minutes, not rated. Documentary. Fiery French chef Georges Perrier is on a crusade to keep his 40-year-old, internationally-renowned restaurant, Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia, relevant in a culinary world of new stars and shifting tastes. A touching story about passion, aging and art.

            "Poignant, emotional....steady stream of laughter."---Variety

February 26- March 3, 2016. Fri. at 5:15 and 6:45; Sat .and Sun.  at 12:20 and 1:40; Mon. at 6:00; Tues. at 7:40; Wed. at 6:00; Thurs. at 7:25.

            They Look Like People. Directed, written and produced by Perry Blackshear. Color, 2016, USA, 80 minutes, not rated. Mystery/Thriller. Starring MacLeod Andrews, Evan Dumouchel, Margaret Ying Drake, Mick Casale and Elena Greenlee. Suspecting that those around him are actually malevolent shape-shifters, a troubled man questions whether to protect his only friend from an impending war, or from himself.

            Winner: Fantasia Film Festival; Independent Film Festival of Boston; Nashville Film Festival; San Francisco Indiefest; Slamdance Film Festival.

            "Will make your blood run cold."---The Playlist

            February 26- March 3.  Fri. at 8:15; Sat. at 3:10 and 9:45. Sun. at 3:10 and 6:10. Mon. at 7:30; Tues. at 12:15; Wed. at 7:30; Thurs. at 8:55.

Who's Driving Doug. Directed by David Michael Conley. W ritten by Michael Carnick. Produced by Nicole Carbonetta and David Michael Katz. From Katz Agency. Color, 2016, USA, 99 minutes, not rated. Drama. Starring RJ Mitte, Daphne Zuniga, Paloma Kwiatkowski, Alix Elizabeth Gitter, Shanti Lowry and Ray William Johnson. A sheltered college student DOUG (RJ Mitte of "Breaking Bad") changes his life forever when he hires an underachieving driver SCOTT (Ray William Johnson of "Equals Three"). In order to escape his oppressively loving MOTHER (Daphne Zuniga), Doug agrees to go on a spontaneous road trip with Scott and his college crush STEPHANIE (Paloma Kwiatkowski of "Bates Motel"). At the height of the journey, a tragic series of events tests their bond and opens the road to self discovery.

            "A beautiful tale of love, responsibility and coping with life when the odds are stacjed against you."---Back to the Movies.

            February 26- March 3.  Fri. at 9:55; Sat. at 4:10 and 6:10; Sun. at 4:30; Mon. - Wed.at 9:00; Thurs. at 10:25.

Admission: $12 each feature.   Information: (323) 306-0676. Online ticketing:  http://arenascreen.com

            At Arena Cinema Hollywood, 1625 N. Las Palmas Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028. Discounted parking is available with validation at lots adjacent to the venue and across the street. Arena Cinema is Hollywood's new home for independent films, powered by Voltaire Media.  Ranked among Top 5 Indie Movie Theatres in Los Angeles by CBS2.

AVA'S POSSESSIONS, ROAD GAMES, CAMINO, EMELIE BEGIN

            Ava's Possessions. Directed and written by Jordan Galland. Produced by Galland, Maren Olson, Carlos Velasquez and Douglas Weiser. From Momentum Pictures. Color, 2016, USA, 89 minutes, rated R. Horror/Mystery/Sci-Fi. Starring Jemima Kirke, William Sadler, Carol Kane, Dan Fogler, Whitney Able and Louisa Krause. Ava Dobkins is recovering from demonic possession. With no memory of the past month, she is forced to attend a Spirit Possession Anonymous support group. As Ava struggles to reconnect with her friends, get her job back, and figure out where the huge bloodstain in her apartment came from, she's plagued by nightmarish visions - the demon is trying to come back.

            "Krause is mesmerizing with a powerfully raw performance."---Daily Dead

            Road Games. Directed and written by Abner Pastoll. Produced by Guillaume Benski and JunyoungJang. From IFC Films. Color, 2016, UK/France, 95 minutes, not rated. Thriller. Starring Andrew Simpson, Barbara Crampton, Josephine de la Baume, Frederic Pierrot, Feodor Atkins and Pierre Boulanger. The sun drenched days of summer turn dark and ominous for hitchhiking duo Jack and Véronique when they become inexplicably entangled with a mysterious married couple and a local road kill collector in rural France.

            "Unnerving horror thriller."---Britflicks

            Camino. Directed by Josh C. Waller. Written by Waller and Daniel Noah. Produced by Waller, Noah, and Ehud Bleiberg. From XLrator Media. Color, 2016, USA, 103 minutes, not rated. Action/Adventure/Thriller.  Starring Zoe Bell, Kevin Pollak, Nacho Vigalondo, Francisco Barreiro, Sheila Vand and Tenoch Huerta. In the jungles of Colombia, a photojournalist captures the truth behind a group of missionaries who may not be what they seem.

"A hell of a roller coaster ride."---Birth. Movies. Death

            Emelie. Directed by Michael Thelin. Written by Thelin  and Rich Herbeck. Produced by Andrew Corkin. From Dark Sky Films. Color, 2016, USA, 80 minutes, not rated. Thriller. Starring Sarah Bolger, Joshua Rush, Thomas Bair, Susan Pourfar, Chris Beetem and Carly Adams. It begins when, on the eve of their thirteenth wedding anniversary, Dan (Chris Beetem) and Joyce (Susan Pourfar) head into the city to celebrate leaving their three children - adorable Christopher (Thomas Bair), curious middle-child Sally (Carly Adams) and big brother Jacob (Joshua Rush) - at home. As the night creeps along, the kids slowly realize that their new babysitter Anna (Sarah Bolger) is not who she claims to be. Jacob must quickly grow up to protect his siblings from the nefarious intentions of Emelie, a psychologically unstable woman.

            "I highly recommend it."----Film Pulse

            March 4- March 10, 2016. Contact venue for show times. Admission: $12 each feature. Information:  (323) 306-0676. Online ticketing:  http://arenascreen.com

Los Angeles Filmforum presents

Jesse Jones and Seamus Harahan: Irish artists on Northern Ireland 

presented by Mariah Garnett on Sunday, March 6, 2016

LOS ANGELES - Acclaimed artist and filmmaker Mariah Garnett has spent the greater part of 2015 working in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In this screening, Garnett brings to Los Angeles Filmforum recent digital videos by Irish artists from both sides of the border whose work depicts, directly and indirectly, the effects of the conflict in Northern Ireland on its population. Although vastly different in style-ranging from lyrical first-person photography to geographically displaced theatrical reenactment-the videos in this program use art as a means to make the effects of the conflict perceptible and felt. Garnett will be present to introduce and discuss the program.

What: Jesse Jones and Seamus Harahan: Irish artists on Northern Ireland presented by Mariah Garnett

When: Sunday, March 6, 2016, 7pm

Where: At the Spielberg Theatre at the Egyptian, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90028

Tickets: $10 general, $6 students/seniors; free for Filmforum members.

Available in advance from Brown Paper Tickets at http://bpt.me/2507673

or at the door.

More details: www.lafilmforum.org  <http://www.lafilmforum.org>  

Screening:

Digital Videos by Seamus Harahan

Seamus Harahan's video, installation, film, and sound based practice engages directly with place. His starting point is not the making of art; instead his strategy is to forget and just film the social and cultural environment around him. Harahan uses his video camera - a relatively accessible and moderately affordable technology - to take hand-held, seemingly amateur footage, the contents of this footage, locating himself and locating others, through found activity occurring around him. The main subject is often the urban environment, its incidental detail and fugitive nature. Music is a vital element in all of Harahan's works, with songs used as soundtracks or informing the composition, title or duration of individual pieces. The artist takes songs from an eclectic range of sources, including reggae and hip hop as well as English and Irishtraditional music.

Jesse Jones, The Other North

2013, Digital Video, color, sound, 59 minutes

The Other North developed from Jones' research in 2012 and 2013 in South Korea and the Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the strip of land that divides the Korean peninsula and acts as a 'buffer' between North and South. Jones' experiences in Korea led to an exploration of archival footage from Northern Ireland dating from thelate 1960s to the 1990s. The Other North evolved from research into a film called The Steel Shutter, 1974, which documents a "conflict resolution therapy session" held by American psychologist Carl Rogers in the early 1970s with individuals from various political and socio-economic backgrounds in Northern Ireland. Using transcripts of these therapy sessions as scripts to be performed by actors as verbatim theatre, Jones re-stages the event in Korea, re-enacting the film with eleven Korean actors.

The transfer of the historical narrative of Northern Ireland to a Korean context aims to create a Brechtian estrangement; a vacillation between the self and the other. Through its simultaneous presentation of the vernacular and uncanny, The Other North provides an opportunity to consider the effects of cultural, political, and national divisions, and their influence on individuals beyond geographic, political and psychological borders.

Biographies:

Seamus Harahan was a director of Catalyst Arts Belfast from 1996-98. His work was featured in  Assembly, A survey of Recent Artists' Flms and Video in Britain 2008-13 at Tate Britain, London.  Cold Open received the Jury Award at Ann Arbor Film Festival, Michigan, in 2014. He represented Northern Ireland in the 51st Venice Biennale in 2005 and received a Paul Hamlyn Award for Artists in 2009. He was artist in residence at Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris, in spring 2015. He lives and works in Belfast and is represented in London by Gimpel Fils. In 2015 he was received the Jarman Award.

Born in Dublin in 1978, Jesse Jones creates works that primarily take the form of film and video. She explores historical instances of communal culture and resistance that resonate with contemporary society and politics. Her practice uses devices such drive-in cinemas, film, music and performance in order to explore popular culture as a site of shared collective social consciousness. Jones has recently had solo-exhibitions at Artsonje Seoul, Spike Island, Bristol, The Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, and REDCAT, Los Angeles, as well as projects at The New Museum, New York, and Serpentine Cinema, London. She is currently in the production phase of Prosperity, which is the artist's largest project to date and consists of a multi-disciplinary collaborative public art commission inDublin which aims to deconstruct the idea of prosperity in Ireland's post boom economy.

Acknowledgements:

This program is supported by the Bloomberg Philanthropies; Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; and the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of LosAngeles. We also depend on our members, ticket buyers, and individual donors.

Los Angeles Filmforum is the city's longest-running organization dedicated to weekly screenings of experimental film, documentaries, video art, and experimental animation. 2015 is our 40th year.

THE ACADEMY AND POLICH TALLIX FINE ART FOUNDRY
REVIVE THE ART OF OSCAR^® STATUETTES

LOS ANGELES, CA - The Academy announced today that Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry, based in Rock Tavern, New York, will exclusively create its iconic Oscar^® statuettes, starting with the 88th Academy Awards ^®.  In a process that returns to the Oscar's fine art roots, the statuettes will now be hand-cast in bronze before receiving its 24-karat gold finish.

"With the help of some 21st century technology, we're able to honor the Oscar's proud beginnings," said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs.  "The new statuette exemplifies impeccable craftsmanship and the enduring nature of art."

Using a cast bronze Oscar from 1929, Polich Tallix artisans have restored subtle features of George Stanley's original sculpture, which was based on sketches by MGM art director Cedric Gibbons.  The overall size of the statuette remains the same.

"With this project, we've been entrusted with continuing a great tradition," said Dick Polich, Polich Tallix founder and CEO.  "It's a privilege to be able to bring our art experience and technical expertise to the Oscar."

Polich Tallix started its Oscar-making process by creating digital scans of the 1929 statuette and a modern-era pedestal base.  The digital Oscar was then 3D-printed and molded so the form could be cast in wax.  

Each wax statuette is coated in a ceramic shell that is cured and fired at 1,600°F, melting the wax away and leaving an empty Oscar-shaped form.  The statuettes are then cast in liquid bronze at more than 1,800°F, cooled, and sanded to a mirror polish finish. 

The figure portion of each Oscar is electroplated with a permanent layer of reflective 24-karat gold by Epner Technology, a renowned high-tech specification electroplating company in Brooklyn.  The statuette's bronze base receives a smooth black patina, which is hand-buffed to a satin finish.

The time required to produce 50 statuettes in this manner is about three months. 

At a height of 13.5 inches and weight of 8.5 pounds, the new Oscar retains the basic physical characteristics of its immediate predecessor, which had been made by Chicago-based R.S. Owens & Company since 1982.  The Academy will continue its long relationship with R.S. Owens to service existing statuettes and create other awards for the Academy, including plaques for its annual Scientific and Technical Awards.

Polich Tallix, founded by Polich in 1972, combines advanced technology with world-class craftsmanship as it strives to create works of art that preserve each artist's unique purpose and vision.

The 88th Oscars^® will be held on Sunday, February 28, at the Dolby Theatre ^® at Hollywood & Highland Center ^® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

# # #

FOLLOW THE ACADEMY
www.oscars.org
www.twitter.com/TheAcademy
www.instagram.com/theacademy
www.facebook.com/TheAcademy
www.youtube.com/Oscars

FOLLOW POLICH TALLIX
www.polichtallix.com/
www.facebook.com/polichtallix/
www.instagram.com/polichtallix/
www.twitter.com/ptxfoundry

COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

 Actor/musician Johnny Depp attends the GRAMMY Gift Lounge during The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/WireImage)

Just back from the array of pre Grammy happenings around Hollywood. At Distinctive Assets' backstage Grammy gift lounge, superstar guests George Clinton, Justin Bieber, LL COOL J, Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder wowed vendors. 

Johnny Depp was there with his Hollywood Vampires band, a new rock collaboration with the uniquely talented Alice Cooper, which performed at the awards show. From what I was told, Depp was very sweet and lovely, chatting with each and every vendor. He particularly loved the items for his wife Amber and the kids. He picked up an extra Flos Floris Italian snap back cap in red for Jack, selected multiple Belldini fashion items for Amber (their leggings he actually liked for himself too but thought Amber might be annoyed if he wore them too!),  and of course stocked up on lots of Scuf Gaming controllers and accessories for gaming at home with the family. He had lots of work out and supplement questions for fitness expert Eric Viskovicz, who was gifting a $6,200 fitness package as well.  

Bieber picked out a new infrared hair dryer from Tools by Gina, a Goose down jacket from Trespass Performance Apparel,  bracelets created by Grammy host LL Cool J's wife, Simone I. Smith and a bag of fun from Scuf Gaming. LL, who is a huge Call of Duty fan, also picked up a new professional customized scuf Gaming controller ... they even personalized it with his name on the back.

Other amazing guests included GRAMMY winner Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes, performer Andra Day, Zendaya, Cam and American Idol winner Nick Fradiani.

Musician Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes attends the GRAMMY Gift Lounge during The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 12, 2016 (Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/WireImage)

Music is truly everywhere in Hollywood; there are so many interesting venues to see live bands perform. I was excited to see Aurora Vice, a fantastic duo that kept everyone's attention throughout their performance in Hollywood. Arpineh Minasyan, a captivating singer and Henri Martel, a multi-talented musician (give him any instrument, he will play it!) talked to me about their music and playing in Hollywood.

Aurora Vice (below)  has enjoyed singing in the footsteps of musical legends that have performed in Hollywood. "I love playing in this neighborhood!" Minasyan enthused. "There's so much history at each venue, new or old. It's really dope to be able to play at legendary venues like the Whiskey A Go Go, Pig n Whistle, and even the House of Blues in West Hollywood, before it closed down. We get to cross these places off our bucket list so I think it's pretty cool!"

Martel is a witty wordsmith; when asked to describe the band's sound he said: "As we progress in our writing our sound may fluctuate in its 'attire,' yet the meat and bones has remained consistent and solid. The best way to put it would be a melodic and atmospheric top line composed of subtle and menacing lyrics, juxtaposed to hard grit riffs and rhythms all finally laid upon funk and hip hop grooves. Basically, pop music's black sheep little brother who likes to set things on fire and doesn't know what he wants to be when he grows up!"

The duo love the collaborative process and are working on new music.  Said Minasyan: "I can express my feelings with a lot of passion, Henri paints the picture and then I sing it! But we are always very blunt with each other, so it's easy to collaborate and switch things up if one of us isn't feeling it."

photo credit: Mike Khdrlaryan

While it could be difficult to work with someone else while writing music, Martel enjoys bouncing ideas off of Misasyan. "I find that it helps weed out the weak ideas. I like that the process functions as a refining tool in all aspects of our artistry; from writing, to performance, to even our creativity. We push each other to be better. We're each others reality check."

Martel acknowledged the challenges in trying to capture everyone's minds while they perform. "The Hollywood audience is not easily amused; you have to work for their attention. I think that just forces you to push your limits artistically; forces you to rise above the noise, which for an artist is an essential drive."

Check them out at their upcoming gigs:

March 2nd at Howl at the Moon at 9:30 pm 

March 11th at Hollywood's Pig N Whistle at 8:30pm

March 14th at Jimmy's Place 

on Twitter and Instagram  @Auroravice and  Soundcloud!   

 soundcloud.com/auroravice            https://www.facebook.com/auroravicemusic

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A Review by Suzanne Birrell.

Gerardo Ibarra (l.), Christina Lemon, Elizabeth Ferraris, Kat Brower

All Photographs by Augustus Photography.

Holly Would, a new comedy by fashion designer and first time writer/ director Octavio Carlin is now playing at the Hudson Theatre through March 20.  The story is rather vaudevillian in that it is played for the laughs and the laughter was continuous.

Kat Brower (l.), Elizabeth Ferraris, Genevieve Joy.

The story is about a young lady, Holly (Kat Brower) whose sister has won a part in a movie. Since her sister wouldn't do it, Holly has arrived to take her place. A family friend Re Re (Elizabeth Ferraris)  identifies her and spends much of the play calling her by her name only to be corrected over and over again. Holly gets to meet the very very sad Greta Garbo (comedian Genevieve Joy) who only wants to be left alone (Did I say she was sad) and the frustrated and conniving Countess Rina De Liguoro (Christina Lemon). Greta and the Countess spend a lot of time saying each other's name in exaggerated fashion. Both appeared to have a lot of fun playing their respective rolls. 

Left: Genevieve Joy

The Countess sort of hisses a lot of responses in a cat-like and the audience was very responsive with their laughter. When she could be understood it was with a thick faux Italian accent to which the rest of the cast responded that they didn't speak French.The part of Director Clarence Brown was played with utter seriousness by Gerardo Ibarra which became humorous amid the Three Stooges dialogue and antics.

The sound effects were spot on and the timing was perfect. The costumes, of course, were exquisite.

Craving crazy comedy in the vein of vaudeville? Holly Would .

  
Holly Would plays thru March 20

at the Hudson Theatre

6539 Santa Monica Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90038

www.plays411.com/hollywould

or 323-960-4443

A review by Erin Fair.

Wes McGee and Brea Bee.  Photograph's by Rance Brafton

"Dusk Rings A Bell"is the newest play from writer Stephen Belber.  With a set of only the actors and two chairs, the play uses its austere background to its advantage. The audience's focus remains on the performances and we hang on to their every word.

The play opens with Molly (Brea Bee) who recounts her life in humorous discourse. Her quirks and personality easily shine through her dialogue as we learn of her profession and her desires. We soon learn of the kiss that lasted a lifetime with Ray, (Wes McGee) the charming local boy with whom she shared a deep, brief, and  passionate night with, twenty-five years ago. When Ray enters, we quickly take an interest in his foibles and the meet-cute way these two characters reconnect.

Through lofty yet entertaining soliloquies these Nora Ephron - esque characters capture our hearts. Mr. Belber has an eloquent way with the English language that would make Woody Allen covetous. Unfortunately, after the forty-minute mark it results in the theatrical equivalent of having a mean child pop your balloon on your birthday. All of the life and vigor that he pumped into the first act quickly deflates. This is particularly saddening because, the one hundred and eighty degree deviation into dramatic fare was disingenuous and noticeably jarring. Mr. Belber betrays his characters and insults the audience with the abrupt shift in tone.

The performances, however, ring true and these actors with no set to hide behind bring their A game.  Ms. Bee, takes her muddled character from amusing eccentric, to a snotty, uptight, shrew all while still evoking likability from the audience. Mr. McGee, was a wonderful foe for Molly's idiosyncrasies and provides a thought provoking warmness to a reformed man.  

The play opens and closes with David Bowie's and Sting'sUnder Pressure and it is fitting as that is what Ray feels from Molly in the dreary second half. "Dusk Rings A Bell" is a superbly acted and partially well written play, I just wish that the writer had kept up the high standard he set for himself in the first act.

"Dusk Rings A Bell" is playing Friday, Saturday, and Sundays thru March 13.

Reservations
(323) 960-7784

https://www.plays411.net

The Lounge Theatre

A review by Rachel Flanagan.

Samantha Smart and Eduardo Fernandez-Baumann

Whether single and searching for that bond or in a relationship and trying to figure out how to keep that bond strong, everyone wants to know the secret to the glue that keeps that bond together in love. Do successful relationships just work or are they difficult and require work on each partners end to keep love thriving. One couple, Brooke Bishop and Daniel Landberg were determined to find out. The pair interviewed 52 couples in 20 different states about their long-term relationships. How Love Lasts brings five of those stories to life, told in their own words and performed right before your eyes.

Bishop and Landberg interviewed couples ranging in ages, faith, races, sexual orientations and socioeconomic backgrounds so no two stories and no two couples are alike. How Love Lasts weaves the five chosen stories in an intimate setting with audience and actors combined as there are seats saved for the actors who become a part of the audiences.  Through overlapping turns, each lover shares his or her story in a documentary style known as "verbatim theater." What happens is an engaging, unorthodox theatrical storytelling experience that flows together like an intimate dance.

Left- Briana McLean and Eduardo Fernandez-Baumann

The drama within each story is captivating and no couple goes without a little pain and tough trials, but they each figure out how to find their way through it. The young couple who cannot legally drink but found themselves married with a baby or Jan, who lost her partner to cancer after only a short time together and even Dale, who felt invisible when his partner had not yet come out and erased all signs of them as a couple when his mother came to visit. Fairy tales always have a happily ever after, but even they are not free of the hard times in a relationship.

However, it is not only the verbatim storytelling that keeps the audience engaged but the dance that the actors do as only 6 actors play 10 different characters and the ensemble roles.   They use only subtle changes, a sweater, glasses, a change in how they walk or talk to progress the story and change from character to character.  The cast, Claudia Crook, Eduardo Fernandez-Baumann and Briana McLean, David Hartstone, Samantha Smart and Paul Weinberg does an exquisite job at telling each story in a genuine way that feels like it could have been their own story and not just emulating the words from a script.  Make sure you bring some tissues because these stories are sure to hit you where it counts and make you reflect on making your love last.

Right: Paul Weinberg and David Hartstone

How Love Lasts runs Thursdays at 8 p.m., Feb. 18 through March 24. Tickets are $10.

NOTE: VENUE HAS CHANGED

How Love Lasts @

Red Gate Recorders

4440 York Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90041

Tickets: Pay-What-You-Want

A Review by Suzanne Birrell

Leon Russom & French Stewart.

All Photograph's by Jessica Sherman Photography

Sacred Fools Theatre closed their last show 63 days ago and mounted a new show in a new space this past week weekend. It was a gala event. With a new electrical grid above our heads, a redesigned lobby and freshly painted just that morning bathrooms, the dressing rooms, we were informed, had not been touched. Theatre's best friend Council member Mitch O'Farrell was on hand to congratulate the company on their new space and hard work. His words, "Where there is art, there is life; where there is life, there is vibrancy; and where there is vibrancy, there is a great city" rung true with the audience.

Julia Griswold & Josh Weber

The inaugural presentation  is a brilliant play from Padraic Duffy, exquisitely directed by Jeremy Aldridge, and superbly acted by a wonderful cast. Past Time is a story of love. James (Leon Russom) puts up with his friend Lou's humorous diatribe on color because he loves his friend. Lou, recently widowed wants to paint unicorn's to honor his wife's memory. James sleeps on the couch because he and his wife Delilah (Ruth Silveira) have misplaced their love for each other. Chris, (Josh Weber) James and Delilah's grandson can't seem to be himself around the love of his life, Meredith (Julia Griswold).

Left: French Stewart

Past Time is a beautifully woven story of acceptance and remembering. With a well-crafted story penned by Padraic Duffy, Jeremy Aldridge takes the audience on a journey of laughter and tears that ends with happiness so exquisite we cry. French Stewart as Lou shares emotions from the depth of his soul. Josh Weber as Chris is endearingly innocent. Ruth Siveira as Delilah is simply delightful. Julia Griswold as Meredith entertains us with her great comic chops. Leon Russom moves thru absurdities with total believability.

The set design by DeAnne Millais definitely  added to the magic as did the lighting by Matthew Richter and costumes by Maimee Froemming. Masterful sound design by San Hoal and composer Zachary Berstein.

In Past Time we remember it's the little things that matter. We care about the characters and their relationship with one another. With a Swedenborg undercurrent the character James says to Delilah," I'm only me, 'cause you're you." Chris and Meredith get past the fear of being themselves. Lou shares the magic of his love and we the audience are richer for having been there.

Right: Leon Russom & Ruth Silveira

Past Time is one of those shows you just sit back and experience. Don't miss it.

Thru March 26, 2016

 Sacred Fools at the Lillian Theatre

1076 N. Lillian Way, Hollywood, 90038

www.sacredfools.org

Reservations (310) 281-8337

A review by Suzanne Birrell.

Mark L. Taylor, Justin Okin, Eden Brolin, Jen Pollono, Trevor Peterson, and Tracie Lockwood. Photos by John Perrin Flynn

The Rogue Machine celebrated their new space at the Met with the west coast premiere of Samuel D. Hunter's Pocatello. A wonderfully generic Italian restaurant designed by Stephanie Kerley Schwartz provides the setting for the timely play about the soul of America. With corporations such as Starbucks, Best Buy and Appleby's pushing out the family businesses, small town America is just becoming variation of a theme as names become meaningless.

The characters in Pocatello each has their own defense. Moot to the story is the death by suicide of a man who lost his business. His son Nick- don't call him Nicky-(played by rob Nagle) leaves town and never looks back. With a fragile core, he has only returned at the request of his brother Eddie (played by Matthew Elkins) and encouragement from his wife Kelly (played by Rebeca Larsen) who seems to be the only person not emotionally charged with all the changes. Anne Gee Byrd plays Doris - "Don't call me Mom"- mother of Eddie and Nick, doesn't accept that anything is wrong at all until she confesses she feels that she is the reason that Eddie is gay.

Justin Okin plays Troy, a waiter who once had a better job which moved overseas and now struggles to make ends meet at the restaurant. He doesn't want to leave his home. His daughter Becky- "Don't call me Becky, Americans don't deserve names" played by Eden Brolin, is openly angry at the status quo, the restaurant, her parents  but is marvelously gentle and kind when dealing with her senile grandfather ( Mark L. Taylor. Tory's alcoholic wife Tammy (played by Tracie Lockwood) articulates the desperation she feels. "There are plenty of unhappy people in the world. Why should we be the ones who get to be happy."

Rounding out the family is the waiter Max (played by Trevor Peterson) who provides comic relief all around with his go with the flow attitude, and waitress Isabelle played by Jen Pollono who provides a running sardonic commentary.

Through it all Eddie is desperately missing the normalcy of just being able to sit and talk like a family. In his desperate efforts to regain that simple connection he makes mistake after mistake which fuels the drama. He is the one who refuses to let go of the good in the past and tries to hold all his families together. With a heartbreaking smile on his face, we know that he will fail. "We're not going to be the persons we wanted to be" one of the characters tell him as all the characters loose touch with their homes.

Jen Pollono, Rebecca Larsen, Anne Gee Byrd, Matthew Elkins, and Rob Nagle

The very  talented ensemble is brilliantly directed by John Perrin Flynn. The entire production team is to be congratulated on a beautifully produced show.

Pocatello is a perfect play. With a balance of comedy and drama it makes us think and question. It touches our life. The world is changing so fast do any of us know where we are from anymore?  At the end of the play, curmudgeon Doris seemingly totally out of character starts talking about people in the town. She mentions that she knows a man like Eddie and that maybe she could introduce them. Eddie's smile is still on his face and slowly we realize that he is crying tears of joy. This is a connection with the past that he has been longing for, simple conversation about simple things with his mom.

Pocatello is a wonderful journey. Bring a tissue. This is a must see for all - especially those who can't go home because where they are from  no longer exists.

Pocatello is running thru April 10. Don't miss this one!

The Rogue Machine @ The Met

1089 N. Oxford Ave.

Los Angeles CA 90029

Reservations 855-585-5185 or http://roguemachinetheatre.com/

A review by Rachel Flanagan

The Illusionists -Live from Broadway has come to Hollywood at the Pantages Theatre to continue to dazzle and amaze audiences with some of the most unbelievable and awe-inspiring performances that have already crushed box office records around the world.   This show features seven of the most talented illusionists on the planet each putting their own twist on their illusion specialties. Each performer has had success on their own but the Illusionists put them together for the first time that you just have to see to believe.  The collective result is an electrifying presentation of epic proportions that will be sure to delight audiences of all ages.  

The Weapon Master, Ben Blaque, displays his skills with a crossbow by performing daring acts of agility by shooting objects from across the stage with the help of an assistant. After falling in love with magic and illusion working in Branson, Missouri, Ben wanted to make a name for himself with his own act. He will not just show you how good of an aim he has by shooting one target, but often multiple targets with the tiniest margin for error.  Even with a blindfold, his aim is on point, for if he misses by even the slightest millimeter his act would turn from dangerously entertaining to frightening. 

  Terrified is what Andrew Basso, The Escapologist, makes you feel when he performs the famous Houdini Water Torture Cell escape.  When Houdini performed, a curtain blocked the audience from viewing the escape for fear that the audience would see his demise rather than an escape but Andrew Basso shocks audiences by performing his escapes in full view of the audience and right in front of a camera. Lock him up and throw away the key, the escapologist will always find his way out much t  o the delight of the audience.

The Manipulator, Yu Ho-Jin, will enchant the audience with a fascinating performance of "now you s  ee it, now you don't" card tricks but these are not your average tricks.  In 2014, he was named Magician of the year by the Academy of Magical Arts.  A master of manipulation, Yu Ho-Jin can make a deck of cards appear, disappear and change right before your eyes and complete with a smile ensuring that he is having just as much fun as you are.

Disappearing right before your eyes is something that James More, the Deceptionist, masters. The Deceptionist performed a trick on Britain's Got Talent that impressed viewers so much that nearly 54 Million people have viewed the YouTube video of the performance. You will see this trick live right in front of your eyes during his performance at Pantages.  James takes the art of illusion and turns it on its head keeping you wondering where he went, how he did that and what he's going to do next.  

Keeping the audience guessing is the Futurist, Adam Trent.  He will impress you with his dance skills and make you laugh, that is until he destroys your iPhone.  With appearances on Good Morning America, America's Got Talent, and winner of SyFy Channels Wizard Wars, Adam has been entertaining audiences nationwide.  One of the tricks he performs stunned Today, when they thought he destroyed Matt Lauer's iPhone only to find it appear in a completely unexpected place.   Perhaps he will use your phone in his next trick as Adam incorporates audience participation into his act.

 Kevin James, the Inventor, performed an illusion with an audience member on the floor right in front of where I was sitting and everyone around me kept asking, "Did you see how he did it?" when a young girl in the audience helped make a crumpled up piece of paper come to life.  He may be a collector of the strange and unusual and he may swing an ax, but the Inventor will always take a moment to remind you that magic and illusions can renew the sense of wonder that you felt as a child and stop and smell the magical roses and enjoy the wintery snow.

 Dan Sperry, the Anti-Conjuror, is Marilyn Manson meets David Copperfield meets Andy Dick.  The Anti-Conjuror is shock, comedy and illusion all mixed into one.  With a unique style and unusual act, some of his illusions may not be for the light hearted, like his well-known candy and floss trick, but he also takes a twist on the classic tricks with birds and pulling rabbits out of a hat. This illusionist may shock you into becoming a full-fledged fan.

 If the eccentric stylings of the Anti-Conjuror do not blow your mind then maybe the hilarious and fashionable stylings of the Trickster will do the trick.Jeff Hobson has more costume changes then Cher but that is not a trick.  He will make you laugh and entertain you throughout the evening with all sorts of twists on classic illusions with disappearing eggs, card tricks and even reading your mind. Jeff Hobson is the "Host of Las Vegas" with over 15 years of showmanship, there is no doubt he will leave you feeling entertained.

Here are some additional tips for engaging with the show and possibly being a part of the show!  Bring your kids.  There may be some adult humor but nothing a younger child would notice and nothing offensive. Do not think you have to sit up front.  The Illusionists will choose audience participants from the back, the sides and the front of the theatre so anyone has the opportunity to be a participant. Bring some money, dollar bills and quarters. Wear a watch and bring your friends iPhone 6, but be aware you might lose it at some point during the show (though you will probably get it back).  Have fun, magic is not only a fascinating art form but it is an interactive art form and the more fun you have the more fun the Illusionists will have too!

The Illusionists live from Broadway is performing at the Pantages Theatre now through March 13, 2016. Come see the mind-blowing spectacular live on stage because like with most illusions, now you see it and now you don't!

 http://hollywoodpantages.com/

http://www.theillusionistslive.com/

Los Angeles Filmforum presents

Hope Tucker: The Obituary Project

on March 13, 2016

LOS ANGELES, February 13, 2016 - Hope Tucker visits Los Angeles for her first show here of The Obituary Project, a compendium of experimental salvage ethnography.  In this series of films, she transforms what we know as a daily form of terse, text-driven, populist narrative by reframing the passing of sites, people, communities, rituals, cultural markers, and ways of being.

She has documented shuttered bread factories, fallen witness trees, and disappearing civil rights era landmarks; animated cyanotypes of downwinders and old instructions for making fishing nets by hand; recorded mobile phone footage of the last public phone booths in Finland; written the entire text of a video out of paper clips, aNorwegian symbol of nonviolent resistance; and retraced the path of protestthat closed the only nuclear power plant in Austria.

Like all obituaries, these are selective interpretations of rich and complex lives. The Obituary Project rearranges the contours of biography by acknowledging the attributes by which we learn to recognize and which become markers of authentic life.

What: Los Angeles FilmforumpresentsHope Tucker: The Obituary Project

Hope Tuckerin person!

When: Sunday March 13, 2016, 7:30 pm

Where: At the Echo Park Film Center, 1200 N. Alvarado St., LosAngeles CA 90026

Tickets: $10 general, $6 students/seniors; free for Filmforum members.  Available by credit card in advance from Brown Paper Tickets at http://bpt.me/2512991 or at the door.

For more event information: www.lafilmforum.org, or 323-377-7238

Screening:

Missing in the Severe Clear
2001, US, video, 4 min.
'Severe clear' is aviation slang for the most ideal flying conditions: clear, crisp, blue skies with boundless visibility.

Vermont says goodbye to Solzhenitsyn
2012, US, HD, 4 min.

The exiled Russian writer lived in a remote American village from 1977 to 1994. This pixelation, part one of a diptych, was shot with a spycam on theanniversary of Solzhenitsyn's death. It is a bitter fate to live in exile and to think back on one's own country. What is understandable and dear to those who live there seems strange for a person who is exiled, and he has a constant fear that what is gone is final.

Lolo Ferrari
2001, US, video, 1.5 min.
An obituary whittles one's social contribution down to its barest form.

Puhelinkoppi (1882-2007)
2010, FI/USA,  mobile video, 7 min, 30 sec.
You'll need a phone of your own to make a phone call in Finland. A Nokia camera phone writes the obituary for the nation's last public phone booths.

Noel
2005, UK, video, 5 min.
A songwriter's identity remains as obscure as his motives for penning a popular American holiday standard.

Bessie Cohen, Survivor of 1911 Shirtwaist Fire
2001, US, video, 3 min.
The last ninety years of a rich and complex life become eclipsed by an escape from a burning building.

Big Star
2003, US, video, 3 min.
The map-maker grew up down the street from where the car hit the tree and rode many a Big Star shopping cart.

Handful of Dust

2013, US, HD, 9 min.

Light the fire and I'll show you something
Something invisible if you don't look to see it
Something which cannot be heard
if you don't care to listen to its breath
Light the fire and I'll show you fear in a Handful of Dust

Prussian blue can be used to render images and counteract radiation poisoning. This obituary is composed of sequences of hundreds of cyanotypes, exposed in thesand using paper sensitized with handmade emulsion and negatives from a 1954 American film shot in Cinemascope. Rates of cancer in the film's cast and crew reflect that it was shot downwind during the period of above ground nucleartesting. Handful of Dust, produced in the Utah canyon where the 1954 film was shot, is designed as an antidote torecover the memory of the downwinders.

Vi holder sammen/ We hold together
2011, NO/USA, HD, 2011

A typeface formed by hand from paper clips spells out an imperfect construction of a national history as it documents a period of nonviolent action. "Everyone always talks about the boys in the mountains fighting against the Nazis, but what interested me was the teachers, the clergy, and the labor movement. Those were the real resisters."

The Sea [is still] Around Us
2012, US, HD, 4 min.
A postcard usually enhances the reality. The contrast is more stark in Corinna, Maine, a former woolen mill town on the shores of Lake Sebasticook, where years of dumping of industrial waste contaminated the water supply.

In 1964, E.B. White mourned his fellow Mainer Rachel Carson and the altered ecology of Sebasticook. Rachel Carson is dead, but the sea is still around us. This small lake is a sad reminder of what is taking place, in some degree, all over the land, from carelessness, shortsightedness, and arrogance. It is our pool of shame in this, 'our particular instant of time.'

Carson's work mobilized the public and led to the formation of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Yet local people continued to seek regulation and revival of Sebasticook for twenty more years before the EPA began cleaning up Corinna.

Works from the Obituary Project have screened in festivals, museums, and galleries including 21er Haus, Vienna; Ann Arbor Film Festival; Cairo Video Festival; European Media Art Festival, Osnabrück; Images Festival, Toronto; International Film Festival, Rotterdam; Museo Nazionale del Cinema, Torino; New York Film Festival; Punto de Vista, Pamplona; Vox Populi, Philadelphia; Wexner Center for the Arts, Ohio; Whitechapel Gallery, London; Zagreb Dox.

----------------------

This program is supported by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles; and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Additional support generously provided by American Cinematheque. We also depend on our members, ticket buyers, andindividual donors.

Los Angeles Filmforum is the city's longest-running organization screening experimental and avant-garde film and video art, documentaries, and experimental animation.  2016 is our 41^st year.

Memberships available, $70 single, $115 dual, or $50 single student

Contact us at lafilmforum@yahoo.com.

Find us online at http://lafilmforum.org.

Become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @LosAngFilmforum

A review by Erin Fair

David Douglas and Martin Head .

Photos by Shari Barrett

Utopia opens in a studio space with Martin (Martin Head) pacing back and forth as he waits on his childhood friend David (David Douglas) to come through. The play makes full use of its stage with mannequins in the back and picture frames scattered about; hanging up on the walls and lying on the floor.

Utopia is a hodgepodge of three different subjects; black lives matter, utopian societies, and adult responsibility. Martin has just received a grant from the city to have his art showcased and has enlisted the help of David, his friend from youth. Martin is an idealist expelling ideas of a utopian society as his friend David demonstrates an apathetic nature saying he doesn't want to work for money, only for passion. These two characters conflict with each other throughout the play, but for the wrong reasons.

This play has great intentions and aspirations but the execution is all over the place. This play wants us to feel conflicted about our prejudiced views like Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing but here the many themes don't mesh well. It succeeds partially by having a black vs. black conflict, which is an intriguing aesthetic versus the usual white vs. black.  We have one character spouting an MLK ideology but acts more like Calvin Candie's right hand man from Django Unchained. The other character promotes a quixotic life of employment but his character switches into Huey P. Newton without the nuance.

The themes and the presentation are palpable, but the play Utopia suffers from too many ideas and not enough focus. It is a mishmash of timely subjects that do not congeal into a coherent storyline. The actors' passion is so forceful and perceptible it is disheartening that this play didn't succeed for this reviewer. Nonetheless, this story is powerfully acted and quite appropriate; just wish the narrative had been a bit more centered.

City Players is proud to present the World Premiere of "UTOPIA"by David Douglas and Martin Head

February 26, 27, March 3, 4, 5 at 7:30pm and Sunday, February 28 at 2pm at the Bootleg Theater, located at 2220 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90057.

The production is directed by Katherine Whitney.

Tickets are $25 general admission, $10 for students, and may be purchased at the Bootleg Theater box office one hour prior to performance or online at http://www.bootlegtheater.org/event/1081873-city-players-utopia-los-angeles/Tickets are also available online on Goldstar and Plays 411. Please visit City Players on Facebook for more information.

Alexa Hamilton and Takuma Anzai. Photo by Ed Krieger

Inspired and based on actual events, Blood tells the story of tainted blood, government lies, ethnic prejudice, corporate profits, bumbling bureaucracy, and a trial that lasted a decade. As in any good story, we laugh and cry as we become immersed in the lives of people who loved and lost and who fought the battles. Written and directed by Robert Allan Ackerman and featuring original music and songs by "The Virgins" bassist Nick Ackerman and "Jet" drummer/vocalist Chris Cester, Blood, presented by The Garage at the Ruby Theatre in The Complex is story telling at its absolute finest.

Alexa Hamilton and Takuma Anzai. Photo by Ed Krieger

In the early 1980s, nearly 2,000 people, most of them hemophiliacs, died of AIDS after U.S. companies knowingly sold contaminated blood to Japan, where pharmaceutical companies continued to distribute non-heat-treated blood products despite the existence of heat treatments proven to prevent the spread of infection. Officials in Japan claimed that pure Japanese were immune to the disease. After years of searching for "pure" Japanese who would agree to testify, charges were filed against government officials and executives of the manufacturing company involved. The trial lasted over a decade.

Sohee Park, Alexa Hamilton, Miho Ando, Kazumi Aihara, Saki Miata
Photo by Ed Krieger

The story ofBlood follows American reporter Jules Davis ( Alexa Hamilton) and her quest of discovery with the Japanese-Korean lawyer ( Sohee Park) who heads up the investigation. Takuma Anzai plays the part of their mutual friend (as well as four other roles) whose death sparks their investigation for the truth. Kazumi Aihara plays a hospital nurse who emotionally wrestles with Japanese sense of duty to country and simply doing what is right.

Left: Toshi Toda
Photo by Ed Krieger

Toshi Toda as Dr. Kazema (based on real-life Dr. Takeshi Abe) gives a chilling and riveting performance. When he tells us that pure Japanese are immune to aids we almost believe him. For the first time in my life I understood how a magnetic and fiery personality could rouse a mob to commit atrocities. Mr Toda was absolutely convincing in his performance- so much so that in the final scene we are unsure how he will address Koyo.

Miho Ando provides a stunning performance of Koyo Ninomiya (based on Japan's Councilor Kawada) the young "pure" Japanese hemophiliac and aids victim who simply wanted an apology. Saki Miata plays his mother. Also in the ensemble, playing multiple roles, are Ash Ashina, Anthony Gros, Takaaki Hirakawa, Michael Joseph, Andrew Nakajima, Daryl L. Padilla, Mika Santoh and Taishin Takibayashi.

(Right) Taishin Takibayashi. Photo by Ed Krieger

Blood is a truly ensemble production. While the story is horrific to contemplate, as any survivor knows, humor is the thing that ultimately gets you through. Blood provides ample comic relief in the performances of the Ministers. In a bit of Gilbert and Sullivan meet Japanese Classical meet Charlie Chaplin with a touch of Hair to open the second act, we have ample opportunity to laugh and always in the perfect moment.

The entire production team is to be congratulated on this premiere production from the Garage Theatre Company. Set and costume design by Dona Granata; projections design by Hana S. Kim; lighting design by Donny Jackson; sound design by Joseph "Sloe" Slawinski; vocal coach/arranger, Bob Garrett; assistant costume designer,  Wendell C. Carmichael; and the stage manager is Benjamin Scuglia all contibuted to the magnificent whole. The use of the entire theatre is masterful as is the simple dance of the four red screens.The projections particularly enhanced.

In this masterful theatrical composition Ackerman takes us on a journey of intrigue. Intelligent, thoughtful, powerful and impactful, Blood should be seen and discussed for those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it. Highly entertaining, story telling at its absolute finest.

Make your reservations now. An instant standing ovation with shouts of "Bravo" greeted the final bow of this profound production and performances are already sold out in this intimate theatre.

March 5 - April 3
• Friday and Saturdays at 8 p.m.:

• Sundays at 3 p.m.:

WHERE:
The Complex
6476 Santa Monica Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90038

HOW:
(323) 960-7745 or www.plays411.com/blood
www.facebook.com/TheGarage.Sawtell
twitter: @TheGarage042314

TICKET PRICES:
• Fridays and Saturdays: $30
• Sundays: $25