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QUENTIN TARANTINO ISN’T TELLING YOU WHAT TO THINK

The big-mouth director is about to drop his most unconventional movie since Reservoir Dogs — and he wants you to think for yourself

By Amy Nicholson

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LPUBLISHER Mat Cooperstein

EDITOR Mara Shalhoup

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NEWS...8 Build Your Dreams, the subsidized Chinese techies who make electric cars, didn’t deliver the promised jobs to Los Angeles. BY JULIE WALMSLEY.

EAT & DRINK...16 Papilles Bistro is that rare thing, a truly underrated restaurant. BY BESHA RODELL.

GO LA...24 Sing along to Fiddler on the Roof, walk through “Jerry Seinfeld’s apartment,” ice skate outdoors and more stuff to do and see in L.A. this week.

CULTURE...30 In ART PICKS, 356 S. Mission Road has a plethora of clown paintings. In STAGE, DEBORAH KLUGMAN says Idina Menzel isn’t bringing much passion to If/Then at the Pantages, plus reviews of The Christians at the Taper and the Troubies’ Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Motown at the Falcon Theater.

FILM...34 AMY NICHOLSON weighs in on the most highly anticipated film

of the year, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and SCOTT TOBIAS reviews Holocaust drama Son of Saul, plus Amy Poehler and Tina Fey as Sisters, Henry Rollins starring in He Never Died and other films OPENING THIS WEEK, and rare screenings of iconic films in YOUR WEEKLY MOVIE TO-DO LIST.

MUSIC...43 JOEL BEVACQUA explains why an emerging genre called rawstyle may be the next big thing in EDM, and JEFF WEISS lists his 10 favorite L.A. albums of the past six months, in haiku form. Plus: HENRY ROLLINS: THE COLUMN!, LINA

IN L.A., listings for ROCK & POP, JAZZ & CLASSICAL AND MORE.

ADVERTISING CLASSIFIED...61EDUCATION/EMPLOYMENT...62 REAL ESTATE/RENTALS...63 BULLETIN BOARD...63

ON THE COVER: PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN SCANLON

| DECEMBER 18-24, 2015 // VOL. 38 // NO. 5

ICONTENTS ⁄⁄

43

QUENTIN TARANTINO ISN’T TELLING YOU WHAT TO THINK ... 11The big-mouth director is about to drop his most unconventional movie since Reservoir Dogs — and he wants you to think for yourself. BY AMY NICHOLSON.

L.A. WEEKLY (ISSN 0192-1940 & USPS 461-370) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE OF $55.00 PER SIX MONTHS & $90.00 PER YEAR BY L.A. WEEKLY, LP, 3861 SEPULVEDA BLVD., CULVER CITY, CA 90230. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT LOS ANGELES, CA. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO L.A. WEEKLY, P.O. BOX 4315, LOS ANGELES, CA 90078-4315.

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SPECIAL NAVIDAD GIFT EDICIÓN

GENTLE CABRONES: Behold my annual Mexican Christmas guide, where I recommend the best Mexi-themed libros to give to your loved ones this Navidad instead of yet another tamale to unwrap. Buy them at your local bookstore or order online, but buy!

F*ck Cancer: Th e True Story of How Robert the Bold Kicked Cancer’s Ass: By day, Robert Flores is a butcher; in his spare time, he wrote a hilarious, gritty memoir about how he survived fourth-stage colon cancer. Perfect for the cancer survivor in your family, or anyone who appreciates Chicano desmadre. Buy it at roberttheboldstore.etsy.com.

Dreamland: Th e True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic: In this chilling book, my mentor-friend Sam Quinones tells a two-part story about how gabacho America got hooked on heroin — on one hand, from pharmaceuticals; on the other mano, via Mexicans from Nayarit. More gripping and infuriating than any episode of Th e Wire.

Th e Chili Cookbook: A History of the One-Pot Classic, With Cook-off Worthy Recipes From Three-Bean to Four-Alarm and Con Carne to Vegetarian: A Texas-sized name worthy of another mentor-friend of mine, Robb Walsh, the greatest chronicler of Tex-Mex cuisine ever. Great cookbook that reminds the Bayless-istas that chili is the original regional Mexican dish in el Norte.

Californio Lancers: Th e 1st Battalion of Native Cavalry in the Far West, 1863–1866: Next time some Trump supporter says Mexicans don’t fi ght for this country, point them to this groundbreaking work from the University of Oklahoma Press. A fascinating tale of Californios—the Mexicans con-quered by the Estados Unidos during the Mexican-American War — serving the Union instead of the Confederates, like their pendejo Tejano cousins.

¡Corrido!: Th e Living Ballad of Mexico’s Western Coast: Th e University of New Mexico Press returns with another stunning songbook, this one focusing on the musical traditions of Mexico’s Costa Chica and Costa Grande region.

Shameful Victory: Th e Los Angeles Dodgers, the Red Scare and the Hidden History of Chavez Ravine: Everyone has a vague idea of how L.A. leaders kicked out a bunch of Mexicans to build Dodgers Stadium. But this University of Arizona Press release reveals all the shameful details.

The Chicano Generation: Testimonios of the Movement: Mario T. Garcia is the most infl uential Chicano studies scholar you’ve never heard of, and he can actually write. For his latest University of California book, he provides in-depth conversa-tions with unsung L.A. activists — essential reading.

Images of the Mexican American in Fiction and Film: Your oldie-but-goodie pick for the year. Arthur G. Pettit documented how Americans have ruthlessly stereotypes Mexis since the 1830s with tropes that still exist today (e.g., the spicy señorita, the clown). Th at depictions of Mexis in Hollywood and the media have only gotten worse since this libro’s printing in 1980 shows what an unsung masterpiece it is.

Los Lobos: Dream in Blue: Leave it to the Uni-versity of Texas Press — perhaps the best non-UC academic press in the country — to publish the fi rst book on the Chicano rock gods.

¡Ask a Mexican!, Orange County: A Personal History and Taco USA: How Mexican Food Con-quered America: Because DUH!

¡Ask A Mexican!

by Gustavo Arellano

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| | WAS IT A BYD DREAM?

Build Your Dreams, the subsidized Chinese techies who make electric cars, didn’t deliver the promised jobs to L.A.

BY JULIE WALMSLEY

If you’re going to do business with the city of Los Angeles, you have pay your employees what’s called a living wage: $12.42 per hour.

But Build Your Dreams (BYD), the huge Chinese company posi-tioning itself in the United States

as a green automotive manufacturer, got to ignore the city’s living-wage law as it built out its new DTLA headquarters using $1.6 million in taxpayer funds — a stimulus grant from Washington, D.C.

That controversy, which was reported recently by the Los Angeles Times, has in turn thrown light on the fact that BYD has fallen well short of delivering 150 jobs to L.A. that city leaders and then-Gov. Ar-nold Schwarzenegger promised in 2010.

BYD vice president Micheal Austin says the city’s living wage is lower than the wages the feds required BYD to pay to its headquarters-renovation crew, and that nobody gave BYD a pass. But at the same time, Austin acknowledged that BYD, which has attracted national media attention, has just 212 U.S. employees, and only 67 work in Los Angeles.

He spoke after the Times reported that the industrial giant got a living-wage exemption from an obscure L.A. city bu-reaucrat who wrongly categorized BYD’s modest, renovated vehicle showroom as a “construction” project.

Eric Preven, a municipal watchdog who ran for L.A. City Council, says, “My experience with L.A. is … promises roll in, and it’s hard to hold them accountable, because the contracts are not clear.”

Author and professor Joel Kotkin, who has analyzed the problems municipal offi cials run into when they try to select and reward private-business “winners” with public monies and other favors, asks, “What else is new?

Kotkin, of Chapman University, says, “The way that L.A. runs, it’s all about ap-pearance: ‘Oh, we can get someone from China, with capital, to build something. So we’re an international city with investors!’�”

The BYD undertaking is an example of what can happen when the 15 L.A. City Council members and the mayor — none of whom have large-scale, real-world busi-ness backgrounds — embrace the use of signifi cant taxpayer funds to create jobs.

BYD, which makes batteries, lighting, mobile phone components and electric vehicles, swept into town in a splashy 2010 press conference featuring Schwar-zenegger and then-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa promoting the community-lifting power of green jobs.

City leaders predicted 150 new BYD jobs in the city by the end of 2011.

Austin forwarded to L.A. Weekly an email he got two years later, in 2013, from Mayor Eric Garcetti’s offi ce, in which Garcetti’s neighborhood development analyst, Steve Walworth, set out the company’s fi nal requirements and wished BYD well in L.A.

The company had by this time created few jobs in L.A.

Labor leaders and BYD’s Austin agree that the company had no U.S. employees at its two-story Figueroa headquarters — a fi rst-fl oor showroom and second-fl oor offi ce — until two years into its project. “Of course we weren’t hiring new em-ployees— we had no place to put them,” Austin says by phone from Chicago. BYD is still adding staff to its DTLA offi ce and manufacturing plant in the distant high-desert town of Lancaster.

There’s no way to measure what might have been, had the $1.6 million stimulus funds — part of a much sought-after pool of money — been given to an up-and-running job creator. Kotkin believes that, whether or not BYD had quickly created 150 jobs, L.A.’s elected leaders are not ca-pable of meaningfully boosting employ-ment in the well-paying manufacturing sector.

“We have these fundamental problems that aren’t going to be resolved by throw-ing money at a foreign company,” Kotkin says. “It doesn’t even matter if it’s not for-eign, if it’s just one company.” To achieve

a serious jobs impact, he says, “It has to be part of an industrial complex.”

According to Austin, BYD didn’t even lobby for the construction cash — the company was off ered the $1.6 million from a federal stimulus fund for urban development and job creation, as an incentive to renovate an old building and set up shop in L.A.

Its new offi ce, on Figueroa Street’s auto row, has a showroom with no visible signs of staff and displays window banners (“Build your green dream”), lighting and battery product samples. BYD’s red logo hangs on the building, a visible pres-ence near established brands such as Mercedes-Benz.

Recalling the pageantry in 2010 when BYD and its plans were introduced by city fathers, Kotkin said: “From day one this was a politically correct, high-profi le thing, which will have, at best, a marginal impact.”

As to the wage-payment controversy, Austin provided documents to the Week-ly showing that BYD’s renovator, Cyrcon Builders, paid its 26 vendors calculated at the prevailing wage, with a city stamp dated May 2012. More than half earned at least $30 per hour.

In addition, this past August, the city’s Economic and Workforce Development Department (formerly the Community Development Department) sent a letter certifying that BYD had completed its

grant. The department’s assistant general manager, Jenny Scanlin, noted that a federal audit could follow, but that the city felt BYD had done its job.

But several weeks ago, L.A.’s Bureau of Contract Administration warned BYD’s attorney that the fi rm had failed to com-ply with the city’s living-wage law.

Kotkin says the living-wage scuffl e takes attention away from the larger, deeper problem of companies with high-paying manufacturing jobs continuing to fl ee — or never considering L.A. — as the region’s deindustrialization continues. “There are just gigantic structural problems that are not going to be discontinued by making believe with one or two symbolic things,” Kotkin says. “It’s a diff erent Hail Mary pass every day: It’s [bringing in] the ‘foot-ball team.’ It’s the ‘Olympics.’�”

BYD, meanwhile, is entangled in a long-running dispute over the contract that governs its manufacturing of Metro electric buses in far-off Lancaster.

In Lancaster, BYD is tweaking six of Metro’s fl eet buses to achieve lower emis-sions, and building another 25 electric buses that boast an 80-mile range after one charge, powered by BYD’s touted

battery technology. Five such buses have been delivered.

But then came an anonymous tip that set off a surprise inspection of BYD’s main Lancaster plant in 2012. As has been widely reported, BYD was hit with citations and $100,000 in fi nes from Cali-fornia’s Labor Commissioner for paying workers below minimum wage, providing improper wage statements and insuf-fi cient rest periods, and paying some employees in Chinese currency.

BYD has vigorously defended itself against fl agging public opinion and regu-latory inquiry in Lancaster. When BYD produced documents in its defense, the state backed down. The sole allegation that stuck was the state’s claim that BYD had paid workers in Chinese currency, which resulted in $1,900 in fi nes.

Austin says it’s a distraction for the me-dia to focus on BYD, rather than labor lead-ers’ self-interested desire to expand their dues-paying membership in his factories. He says he doesn’t oppose unions but doesn’t want his employees bullied to join.

In particular, he says, BYD employees should be allowed to use a private ballot to vote on whether to join a union, rather than being required to cast their votes publicly, where they can be subjected to pressure by opponents.

Asked why a company with global choices selected a region as expensive and unionized as Los Angeles in which to launch U.S. operations, Austin explained that a fl ashy automotive division in hip So-Cal could translate to more sales at home.

“L.A.,” he says, “is sexy to the Chinese.”

| News //

COURTESY OF BYD

“L.A. IS SEXY TO THE CHINESE.”—BYD VICE PRESIDENT MICHEAL AUSTIN

The BYD electric bus being built in Lancaster can travel 80 miles on a single charge.

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|Here’s a true sto-ry about a St. Louis murder that changed America.

In 1837, a black freeman named

Francis McIntosh stepped off a Mississippi riverboat and blundered into two white cops chasing a drunk sailor who’d called them names. They ordered McIntosh to stop the perp; when he refused, they arrested him for breaching the peace. En route to the judge, McIntosh asked how long he’d be in jail for literally doing nothing. Five years. So then McIntosh did do something: He stabbed both offi cers, killing one.

Within hours, a white mob had burned McIntosh alive. The state investigated the McIntosh lynching, but the grand jury de-clined to indict anyone.

Nearby, young newspaper publisher Elijah Lovejoy was horrifi ed. A moral man, Lovejoy decried McIntosh’s false arrest and furious punishment as “awful murder and sav-age barbarity.” The locals chased Lovejoy across the Mississippi River. But Lovejoy kept speaking out.

“As long as I am an American Citizen, and as long as American blood runs in these veins, I shall hold myself at liberty to speak, to write and to publish whatever I please on any subject,” Lovejoy wrote.

Then the mob came for him. They torched Lovejoy’s printing presses and shot him fi ve times. He was buried on his 35th birthday.

You’ve probably heard about what hap-pened next. Lovejoy’s death radicalized white abolitionist John Brown, who later raised a small army that in 1859 overtook Harper’s Ferry in a failed slave revolt. It was Brown’s execution — the third death in the domino chain — that politicized the country and triggered the Civil War.

Historians call John Brown “America’s fi rst domestic terrorist.” Abraham Lincoln called him “insane.”

Quentin Tarantino calls him “my favorite American.”

“His idea was the minute white blood is shed the way black blood is shed, that’s when shit will start changing,” Tarantino says over iced coff ee on a brisk afternoon in his Hollywood Hills backyard. “And like all great Americans, he was hung for treason.”

A decade ago, Tarantino thought about eventually fi lming John Brown’s biopic — maybe when he neared 60 and could play the white-bearded rebel himself. Today, at 52, he’s changed his mind. Biographies are too creatively limiting, even for a guy who happily rewrote history by machine-gunning Hitler.

Besides, Tarantino adds, “I’m dealing with a lot of the things that I wanted to deal with.”

His recent movies have explored what drew him to Brown’s story: When does vio-lence deserve violence? Inglourious Bas-terds screwed with our code of ethics. Mur-der Hitler, sure, go ahead. But what about when Brad Pitt’s Lt. Aldo Raine has his men bash an unarmed Nazi to death with a base-ball bat?

Django Unchained, set the year before Brown’s Harper’s Ferry raid, scales down the Civil War to one freed slave aveng-ing himself on his masters. Yet the bitter twist is that in Django’s hunt for

QUENTIN TARANTINO ISN’T TELLING YOU WHAT TO THINK

The big-mouth director is about to drop his most unconventional movie since Reservoir Dogs — and he wants you to think for yourself

BY AMY NICHOLSON

PHOTO BY KEVIN SCANLON ( 12 »

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justice, he allows innocent slaves to be torn apart by dogs and literally makes money off other men’s dead bodies. The larger good demands the unpardonably bad. Says Tarantino: “In my own little imag-ining of a series of paperbacks, The Further Adventures of Django, at some point he would join John Brown’s army.”

Tarantino’s new fi lm pivots away from his sprawling epics, but it’s no less po-litical. The Hateful Eight is a pared-down thriller about murderess Daisy Domergue, a bounty hunter, a black Union soldier, two white supremacists, one cowboy, one hang-man, one innkeeper and one stagecoach driver, all trapped in a rural outpost called Minnie’s Haberdashery during a Wyoming bliz-zard. Count up the char-acters and you’ll notice that the hateful eight are really nine — Tar-antino’s fi rst clue not to trust anything you hear. The Haberdashery isn’t even a haberdashery, and, as the tensions on this cold night get icier indoors, these killers’ claims get harder and harder to prove. We’re not even sure how to pronounce “Domergue.” Is it dough-min-gray or dommer-goo?

“Nothing is for sure in this movie,” Tarantino says. “That literally is the goal.” While writing his murder mystery, he’d ask friends what “facts” about these violent characters were true. Any statement people trusted, he’d sabotage. Tarantino laughs. “If they’re going to be that gullible, then I must tor-ture them!”

The Hateful Eight is a fun puzzle-box, a palate cleanser after Tarantino’s pair of ambitious sagas. But he’s still got plenty to say about race, cruelty and justice. Legally, bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russell) could shoot the murderess (an animalistic Jennifer Jason Leigh) and trade her corpse for cash. He’d rather see her get a fair trial before she hangs, and professional hangman Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth) agrees.

“The good part about frontier justice is it’s very thirst-quenching,” Mobray says. “The bad part is, it’s apt to be wrong as right.” The ghosts of Francis McIntosh and Elijah Lovejoy would nod in agreement. Yet Taran-tino never makes his morality plays simple: Ruth’s ethics are upstanding, but the man himself is a bully, a woman beater and a jerk.

The Hateful Eight is set six to 10 years after the Civil War, soon enough that everyone remembers what side everyone else was on and what crimes they committed to defend it. Even Samuel L. Jackson’s Union offi cer, Major Warren, is guilty of atrocities. “Their lives to one degree or another have been ripped apart,” Tarantino says. “They’re shel-tering together, these survivors of an apoca-lypse. But the apocalypse is the Civil War.

“I didn’t set out to make it this way, but this

is a blue-state, red-state Western.” Right now, America feels as polarized

as it has in a century and a half, and you see today’s battle lines drawn when Jack-son stares down Bruce Dern and Walton Goggins’ Rebel fi ghters. In the wake of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tanisha Anderson, Tamir Rice, Eric Harris, Walter Scott and Freddie Gray, you shudder when Goggins’ Chris Mannix, the town’s fl agrantly racist new sheriff , nods, “When niggers are scared, white folks are safe.”

“The political discussions that happen in the movie just come out of the characters,” Tarantino says. “The script hits a lot of hot-button topics, but I’m on record as having

written it almost two years ago” — when The Hateful Eight’s fi rst draft was leaked, and before Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tanisha Anderson, Tamir Rice, Eric Harris, Walter Scott and Freddie Gray.

“Events have caught up with it,” Taran-tino says. “It just means that I’m doing what a writer is supposed to be doing. I’m con-nected to the zeitgeist.”

In his second and third drafts, he sharp-ened some jabs and softened others, such as when Goggins is asked if the people in his home state of South Carolina feel safe. “Because of the murders at Emanuel [AME Church in Charleston], I took it out,” Tarantino says. “It was too on the money.” However, he kept Ruth’s disgust for “los-ers gone loco wrappin’ themselves in the Rebel fl ag as an excuse for killin’,” an insult made more relevant when, a month after the fi lm wrapped, activist Bree Newsome braved South Carolina’s state capitol and took down the Confederate fl ag.

In the months since, Tarantino has be-come an activist himself. The label caught him off -guard.

“I’ve never really been one in my public life to take a big political stand,” he says. Until October, that is, when he joined a RiseUp

rally in New York and spoke out against po-lice brutality, declaring, “When I see mur-der I cannot stand by. And I have to call the murdered the murdered and I have to call the murderers the murderers.”

The police reaction was swift. Both the Na-tional Association of Police Organizations and the Fraternal Order of Police, together representing roughly 571,000 offi cers (or just over half of the cops in America), vowed to boycott The Hateful Eight. Jim Pasco, ex-ecutive director of the Fraternal Order of Po-lice, cautioned Tarantino in The Hollywood Reporter: “Something is in the works, but the element of surprise is the most important el-ement. And a lot of it is going to be driven by

Tarantino, who is nothing if not predictable.” “I don’t like being painted as a cop hater,

and I don’t like the idea that maybe some man or woman wearing a blue uniform on the street, who once liked me, might think they don’t like me now because I’m against them,” Tarantino says. “It’s not about that. It’s an institutional thing going on, and I’m highlighting it — as are a lot of other people.”

He’s made peace with the media frenzy. Bashing him kept police brutality in the news.

Since he started giving interviews in 1992, Tarantino has been open about his run-ins with cops. At 15, he was arrested for shop-lifting Elmore Leonard’s novel The Switch at Kmart. Over the next fi ve years, he was arrested three more times, stemming from $7,000 in unpaid parking tickets on his silver Honda Civic. It was a hefty sum for a VHS clerk earning $200 a week, and it culminated in what he says was an eight-day stint in the fall of 1989 at the L.A. County Jail — where he claimed he overheard dialogue that made it into Reservoir Dogs.

In the fallout from Tarantino’s current pub-lic squabble with police, the New York Post interviewed Los Angeles Captain Christo-pher Reed, who told the paper that “a check

of Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department jail records revealed no evidence that Mr. Tarantino was ever incarcerated in our jail system.” The Post’s headline gloated, “Watch cop-hating Quentin Tarantino lie about be-ing a tough guy in jail.” (Nicole Nishida, a Sheriff ’s Department spokeswoman, stated in an email to L.A. Weekly: “The Sheriff ’s Department is unable to either corroborate or refute Mr. Tarantino’s statements that he spent time in our jail system.”)

If Tarantino did lie, it’s unclear what he hoped to gain from exaggerating his punish-ment for unpaid parking fi nes. (He declined to respond to a request for a follow-up in-terview.)

Despite Tarantino’s late-’90s streak of punching producers and cabdrivers, when it comes to confront-ing America’s racial politics, he’s not violent John Brown. He’s Elijah Lovejoy, another big, brave mouth who got in trouble for saying the word “murder.”

In 1837, a big mouth got your printing press-es smashed and got you shot. Today, the mob just boycotts your fi lms.

Part of what makes Tarantino a bold voice is that he’s still excited people want to hear him talk. He remembers be-ing 6-year-old alpha-betically challenged Quentin Zastoupil, a kid who “was always at the end of the roll call, of anybody getting anything special.” (His mother, Connie, was briefl y married to musi-cian Curtis Zastoupil.)

Today, when fi lm obsessives debate the best auteur of this generation, Tarantino is the fi rst name on the list. He has been for two decades. Yet he still seems so overjoyed by his success that aspiring fi lmmakers em-brace him as a fellow geek.

The Tarantino mythology — the video store, the job at a porn theater, the go-no-where acting classes, the half-destroyed 16mm fi rst fi lm — is the story of a lot of Hol-lywood hopefuls with big dreams and big egos. They’ve also worked crap gigs like PA on a Dolph Lundgren exercise video. (“My fi rst job — my only job — in the entertain-ment industry before I did Reservoir Dogs. I remember he yelled at me once because I was supposed to get him to set.”) And any-one can empathize with Tarantino’s struggle to be taken seriously as an actor, his fi rst and possibly deepest love. As Uma Thurman told Vanity Fair in 2003, “If somebody asked him to act in something while he was prepping Kill Bill, he would’ve dropped everything to go and act.”

Before he was famous, the only acting gig Tarantino landed was as one of 10 Elvis im-personators on an episode of The Golden Girls, the one where Sophia gets married. Find the clip online to spot his 70 seconds

PHOTO BY KEVIN SCANLON

Quentin Tarantino

“Nothing is for sure in this movie. That liter-ally is the

goal.”—Tarantino

on The Hateful Eight

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|of glory. Tarantino’s hidden in the back row, but his commitment stands out. Every other Elvis is in a rhinestone jumpsuit and cartoon bouff ant. Tarantino is the oddball in a plain white jacket (his own) with a simple swoop of black hair (also his own). While the rest of the Elvii play to the camera, Tarantino closes his eyes and sings to himself. He’s sincere.

It was during this period that Tarantino indulged in what he called Detest Fests, late nights when he’d eviscerate himself for his stalled career.

“They were about, ‘You’re falling asleep in this video store, you need to get out of the South Bay, you need to get out to Hollywood. Screenwriting is what you’ve got to be doing — that’s when you’ll make some money is when you sell a screen-play.’�”

Finally, he sold one — True Romance — and used that money plus every connection he had to direct Reser-voir Dogs, which fi nally came together when Harvey Keitel fell in love with the script.

“I ended up lucking out in that when I fi rst started making my movies, it happened to coincide with the whole rise of American independent cinema in the ’90s,” Tarantino says. “That’s like being a Seattle band at the time of grunge.”

He says he’s no longer the guy who made Reservoir Dogs. “I’m related to that guy, but I’m not that guy anymore. And one of the things I love about Reservoir Dogs is I like that guy who made that. And I really appre-ciate what he did. When I made Reservoir Dogs, I didn’t know if I was ever going to make movies again, and I’d wanted to make movies my entire life.” Tarantino smiles and points to his chest. “This guy gets to make movies because that guy did a good job. If it had just gone to video, that would have been it. Nothing would have happened.”

Instead, everything happened — and then some.

Tarantino became the rare director who is a celebrity himself. “I actually dealt myself into that game for the simple fact that, the more popular I was on my own, I wouldn’t need an actor to get a movie made,” he says. “I would be enough.”

In 1995, the year after Pulp Fiction was released, Tarantino took a date to the Rodin Gardens in Paris. Everyone stopped staring at the sculptures to stare at him. He’d of-fi cially lost his anonymity. A famous actor friend advised him to go incognito in glasses and a hat. “I just look like me in glasses and a hat,” Tarantino groans. “I actually think I’m not that famous, I’m just that recognizable.”

By 1996, he was inescapable. Suddenly, the wannabe actor had racked up cameos in 11 movies, including one in Spike Lee’s Girl 6 as a creepy, backward-baseball-cap–wearing version of himself. In an early scene, Taran-tino — or “QT” as his character is called — claims to be casting “the greatest romantic African-American fi lm ever made. Directed

by me, of course.” Then he asks a black ac-tress to show him her tits.

Lee’s characterization was pointed and, at least when it comes to his eventual view of Tarantino’s career, prescient. Tarantino was still more than a decade away from making Django Unchained, in which a great Afri-can-African romantic hero battles the en-tire South to rescue his beloved Broomhilda (Kerry Washington). Back then, however, Tarantino had only just started on Jackie Brown, which Lee would decry for its “igno-rant” use of the N-word.

“Black artists think they are the only ones allowed to use the word,” countered Jackie

Brown co-star Samuel L. Jackson. “This is a good fi lm. And Spike hasn’t made one of those in a few years.” Incensed, Lee told The Washington Post that Jackson was a “house Negro defending mas-sa.” (In a sly coinci-dence, Jackson played a house Negro defend-ing massa in Django Unchained.)

In the 18 years since the dustup, Lee and Jackson have made peace. Just this winter, Jackson gives phenomenal performances in both The Hateful Eight and Lee’s hilarious polemic Chi-Raq. While shooting The Hate-ful Eight, Jackson would cut out on weekends to shoot Capital One commercials with Lee. Tarantino jokes that he’d send Jackson off by saying, “Tell my buddy Spike I love him!”

Of course, Lee absolutely had a point. In Tarantino’s early fi lms, he used the N-word for blunt shocks, as when his Pulp Fiction character Jimmie whines that his house doesn’t have a sign reading, “Dead nigger storage.” In Jackie Brown, it’s a noun fl ung about like any other. In both movies, you could swap it for “man” or just delete it and lose nothing except a startled, shameful laugh.

Since then, Tarantino’s use of the N-word has evolved. In Django and The Hateful Eight, Tarantino wields the word deliber-ately — it’s a weapon that’s meant to hurt.

“My exploration of the West is dealing with race in America and racial aspects that

had been ignored by the great Western di-rectors,” says Tarantino. One could argue that a period piece about the Civil War where Confederates didn’t use the N-word would, problematically, make racism sound more politically correct.

In 2012, Lee swore he’d never watch Djan-go, so it makes sense if he hasn’t taken note of the change in Tarantino’s work. Has he seen Django now? “I have no idea,” Tarantino says.

“I haven’t seen a Spike Lee movie since Clockers.” Timewise, that would include his own cameo in Girl 6.

However, he’s considering watching Chi-Raq, Lee’s update of Aristophanes’ sex

comedy Lysistrata. “Before I found out what it was about, the answer would have been no,” Tar-antino says. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I actually saw him give an interview on it, and then I read some-thing else on it, and I go, ‘I think I might be intrigued to see this movie.’�”

So maybe there’s

hope that cinema’s fi ercest warriors will call a truce. After all, they’re practically fi ghting on the same side.

“I like the idea that some black critic who has been paid to write three diff erent think pieces about me and always looked at me with a jaundiced eye will be sitting at Thanksgiving when he’s a grandfather and his grandkids are studying my fi lms in school and it’s their favorite class,” Tarantino says. “That’s my revenge.”

Tarantino has drained his iced coff ee. I have, too. It’s sunset. He turns on the porch lights and goes in to make us another. The cabi-nets of his kitchen are crowded with glasses decorated with comic book characters. “I didn’t just randomly give you Josie and the Pussycats — I chose Josie and the Pussycats for you,” he says, handing me my refi lled cup. “I just had a sense.”

On the mantel is a row of handmade Hate-ful Eight action fi gures, garbed by the fi lm’s costume designer, Courtney Hoff man, a ra-diant brunette who is also Tarantino’s girl-

friend. Over a doorway, he’s hung a vintage Budweiser lamp with a stagecoach that looks identical to the one in the fi lm.

Tarantino’s backyard has a fruitful orange tree (“They make wonderful screwdrivers”) and one massive decoration: a statue of the Lawgiver from Planet of the Apes, who casts judgment upon the pool.

“Don’t call him a monkey!” Tarantino laughs. “That’s the M-word for them.”

Tarantino is an expert in taboos. He’s braved most of them: gore, indulgent pop culture references, indulgent genre refer-ences, racist slang, anti-Semitism, slavery. But The Hateful Eight defi es a taboo that some critics are struggling to reconcile: violence against women.

For Tarantino, this isn’t exactly new. Uma Thurman as The Bride in Kill Bill was shot, hospitalized and raped. Broomhilda in Djan-go Unchained was strung up and lashed. But in those movies, we knew that Thurman and Washington were heroes and their abusers were villains. On the day Tarantino fi lmed Washington’s whipping scene, he cried.

In The Hateful Eight, however, right and wrong are deliberately muddled. Leigh’s accused murderer, Domergue, is slapped, chained, pistol-whipped, dragged, punched and battered so savagely that her front teeth end up broken. At the start of the fi lm,

Leigh has a black eye that’s so car-toonishly perfect it could have been painted on Wile E. Coyote. Then she calls Jackson’s major an “N-word,” and Kurt Russell cold-cocks her in the face.

Both times I’ve seen the film, the audience gasped. A few chuckled un-certainly. It’s hard to watch.

“Oh, I know! And it’s meant to have that effect,” Tar-antino says. “She’s saying some hate-

ful shit, but you weren’t quite prepared for that!” In the script, he describes the blow as “sickening.” In the fi lm, Domergue glares mutely at the camera as a stream of blood runs down her face. “It’s timed perfect as it trickles, and you’re like, ‘Holy shit, whoa, this guy’s a motherfucker. We don’t even like this girl, but damn!’�”

Right away, The Hateful Eight elbows you to take sides: Will you empathize with the racist murderer, or the abuser who beats her? Or, more murkily, will you be OK watching a movie without any heroes at all?

Tarantino won’t answer that for you. But don’t assume he thinks any of The Hateful Eight’s protagonists are heroes. “That’s just a complete lack of imagination as an audience member,” he says.

“I’m taking these weasels — and I’m refer-ring to them lovingly as weasels — and throw-ing them in a burlap bag and tying the bag and seeing what happens,” he says. “There is no moral center. You see everybody’s side.”

The fi rst draft of The Hateful Eight was brutal to Domergue. The third draft,

© 2015 - THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

© 2012 - THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

Kurt Russell, left, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Bruce Dern in The Hateful Eight

Jamie Foxx as the title character in Django Unchained

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the one he fi lmed, is too. But in between them, Tarantino wrote a

second draft — Daisy’s draft — for himself. “I almost felt I didn’t know her enough

for such righteous indignation,” Tarantino explains. “That whole draft was just to see where Daisy was coming from and look at that story from another point of view. And when that draft was fi nished, I did know her, and then I could do to her what I needed to do in the third draft. She doesn’t deserve what happens to her without me knowing her through and through.”

The trick of the fi lm is that by the time Domergue really gets punished, the audi-ence has gone from gasps and nervous giggles to, in my theater, quiet glee. Blame her, blame Tarantino. But if you can admit to feeling a furtive thrill watching Domergue get hers, then Tarantino has achieved his goal of scrambling our scruples.

“The audience is there to be manipulated, they are there to be corrupted, they are there to cheer and laugh and appreciate things that they would never feel OK about in real life under normal circumstances,” Tarantino says. “Giving yourself over and actually feel-ing diff erent emotions, that’s the freedom of movies.”

Tarantino has found the freedom to say

whatever he wants, even when, as in Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown, there are certain words we don’t like to hear. That’s not ex-actly the freedom he’s fi ghting for with The Hateful Eight.

This fi lm is fi ghting for the audience’s in-tellectual freedom to go to the movies and think for themselves.

“All through the story, there’s things that are really left open for you to decide,” Tar-antino says. Whose bluff s do you believe? “Whatever decision you make slightly modi-fi es the movie you’re seeing.” The characters and the dialogue don’t change. But our em-pathy is up for grabs.

“You can be on Major Warren’s side from the beginning to the end and think that ev-erything that he did was ultimately justifi ed, and that’s legitimate,” Tarantino says. “You can be on Domergue’s side from beginning to end and actually explain away everything that happens, and that can be completely legitimate as well.”

That kind of moral complexity used to hap-pen in the cynical ’70s movies that Tarantino grew up on. “The goal was just to get rid of all the stuff from the ’50s that was just a fairy tale, the white hats and the black hats and all that crap.”

In the Reagan years, the hats went back on. Today, the hats have become superhero capes. When we sit down in the theater, we already know whom to root for. Even our political movies, from gay-rights family dramedies to militaristic Clint Eastwood shoot-’em-ups, reinforce beliefs their audi-ences already hold. Viewers who suspect they’ll be challenged or made to feel uncom-

fortable simply stay away. As America experiences a frightening

surge of divisiveness — red state versus blue state, social-justice warriors versus Gamergate, Donald Trump’s entire existence — we’ve retreated into our pre-existing opin-ions like security blankets. And when some-one says something we don’t like, we attack.

“You almost have to spell everything out for fear — or, not for fear but for the fact — that people will add four diff erent meanings to what you have to say,” Tarantino says. “Think pieces used to be liberating!”

He’s referring to the outcry following his suggestion that Selma, a movie he hadn’t seen, perhaps didn’t deserve a Best Director Oscar nomination. It’s fi ne for people who love Selma to tell Tarantino he’s wrong. But most dissenters went further, calling him a racist and misogynist and, in the all-caps verbiage of the Internet, demanding he go fuck himself and die in a fi re.

He wants to soak in all those diff erent opinions, especially the ones to come about The Hateful Eight. “I would love to hear all that shit,” he says. He dreams of hiding out in the lobby during the fi lm’s intermission as people “get their popcorn and their Coke and they’re talking about, ‘What the fuck was that?!’�” Alas, that hat-and-sunglasses

trick won’t work.Tarantino allows that “Americans can get

certain things that other people don’t.” We watch The Hateful Eight and think about to-day’s resurgence in racial tension, about po-lice continuing to arrest innocent black men and women 178 years after doomed Francis McIntosh, and about a country steered by activists-turned-murderers like John Brown, who’d fi t right in with the fi ends in Minnie’s Haberdashery if the U.S. government hadn’t hanged him a decade before.

He continues: “But then also, other coun-tries get things that go over the Americans’ heads.”

That was true back in 1992 with Reservoir Dogs. “People at fi rst in America tried to put it into a Scorsese Goodfellas box,” Tarantino says, “but the French recognized the debt I owed to Jean-Pierre Grumbach, the Chi-nese saw the Hong Kong triad aspect of it, the Japanese saw the yakuza Takakura Ken aspect of it, and even the British really went for the fi lm because it reminded them of ’70s British gangster fi lms like Villain.”

The diff erent reactions from diff erent cul-tures may be even more pronounced today.

“There was no controversy about Django in England at all,” Tarantino says. “They were responding to the moxie of the fi lm, that it was so audacious and confi dent in its button-pushing. But they were really hard on Inglourious Basterds.”

So bring on the controversy. Bring on the think pieces.

“America is just a place on the planet,” Tarantino says. “I’m defi nitely making mov-ies for the world.”

“The audience is there to be manipulated. They are

there to be corrupted.” —Quentin Tarantino

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HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHTPapilles Bistro is that rarest of beasts: the truly underrated restaurant

BY BESHA RODELL

Much of the life of a critic involves driv-ing around to vari-ous restaurants that someone or other has recommended. “It’s a hidden gem!”

they’ll say, a place for some strange reason everyone has chosen to ignore. Eight times out of 11, these promises of sublimity don’t quite pan out. The great underrated gem is more myth than reality. Most restaurants are either overrated or rated just about right.

This is my excuse for failing to get myself to Papilles Bistro. I had long heard rumors of its quality and charm, but it all seemed a little too good to be true. A young chef doing an aff ordable daily prix fi xe in the

corner of a strip mall wedged into the armpit of Franklin Ave-nue and the 101 freeway? The online menus looked nice but unre-markable.

I drove by all the time but never swung into the small parking lot. The sign and window cover-ings made it look like a musty old spot that had been there for 40 years and fallen into obscurity. I kept meaning to check it out, but something else always seemed more

pressing. A few weeks back, I fi nally followed

through and made a reservation. And now it’s my turn to urge you to believe that this place really is that mythical beast: the underrated and mainly undiscovered restaurant.

This isn’t to say that Papilles Bistro has gone totally ignored. It opened in late 2011, and over the next year appeared on a few “best” lists around town. Irene Virbila re-viewed it for the L.A. Times and gave it two stars. But aside from showing up on Inter-net food forums whenever anyone brings up the “most underrated restaurants in L.A.” question, Papilles has pretty much chugged along with a small but enthusias-tic pool of regular diners and without much attention from anyone else.

Which really is a shame. Step through the door at the corner of that strip mall and you fi nd yourself in a homey space that’s one-third kitchen and two-thirds seating, with a pass in between for pushing out food. There’s a worn, cozy feel to the room, which has a back wall lined with wine, a pressed-tin ceiling, a tile fl oor and simple wooden tables and chairs. It reminds me of a neighborhood restaurant in New York or Paris, the type of place not touched by time or trends. L.A. could use more restaurants like this.

It’s no coincidence that Papilles feels like a casual Paris eatery. Chef/owner Tim Carey was heavily infl uenced by the French bistronomy movement when he opened Papilles with business partner and wine director Santos Uy. Bistronomy aimed to combine serious gastronomy with the

more casual feel of a bistro. In L.A., Trois Mec has received most of the attention when it comes to importing the movement, but in some ways Papilles is more pure in its homage. Rap music and lack of table-cloths alone do not signal casual dining. The price tag at Papilles is far more in line with the word “casual.”

Carey serves a daily prix fi xe for around $36, which is a hell of a good deal given the quality of the food. The menu lists a few wines by the glass; if you want a bottle, Uy will invite you to get up and peruse the wall of wine, which is set up like a shop, with prices listed on the bottles themselves. He’s also happy to discuss your tastes and make recommendations, and his collection skews Old World, natural and funky. This is a restaurant with personality, and the wine shows it.

For dinner, you might start with a velouté, perhaps butternut squash or cau-lifl ower. It’s here that you’ll begin to taste Carey’s training, and in particular his time spent at Patina. There are touches that only someone trained in serious fi ne dining would think of. In the impossibly silky caulifl ower velouté, garnishes of pepitas, pomegranate and tiny pickled caulifl ower fl orets all burst in diff erent ways, the pick-led caulifl ower in particular releasing just enough fruity, puckery vinegar to make your palate tingle.

There’s often a fi rst course of chicken liver mousse that’s practically melted onto a piece of brioche, like a savory, butter-laden French toast, topped with a raisin gastrique that delivers a punch of acidic fruitiness. There’s a lot of pâté in this town,

much of it served on toast, and almost none as indulgently delicious as this.

Proteins, such as fi sh or fl at iron steak, are cooked so well that it’s like eating in another era, one in which technique was king and creativity came a distant second. The fl at iron in particular is a bit of a marvel, with the aura of stewed meat in its tenderness and fl avor but cooked a perfect medium-rare. Scallops served one night with chard and dollops of sweet potato were barely seared and cooked so lightly in so much butter they tasted almost butter-poached. They swam in a truffl e vinai-grette that tasted bright and tangy and of real truffl es (not truffl e oil).

With almost every dish, you fi nd hints of a chef who thinks deeply about his cooking and about your experience of it as a diner. There’s a lot of consideration given to balance and acid — that vinaigrette on the scallops, the pops of pickle in the soup, the gastrique on the pâté. A lovingly cooked piece of swordfi sh doused in beurre blanc comes with small piles of chard arranged on the plate for visual appeal, but when you put your fork to them you fi nd them cut into strips to make them easier to eat. This seems like a small thing, but it’s the exact kind of knife work and consideration that many, many chefs forget. There’s a hospi-tality to this type of cooking that I often fi nd myself missing in new restaurants.

For dessert, you typically can choose cheese (for a $5 supplement), a rustic tart or pot de crème. One night shortly after Thanksgiving, though, the only sweet option was pumpkin pie, which I had just about eaten my weight in during the previous week. I questioned the rationale behind serving something that everyone was surely sick of at this time of year. But when I tasted Carey’s version, lighter and creamier than the standard, I found myself seduced by pumpkin pie all over again.

There seems to be no explanation for when Papilles is empty or packed — I’ve been there on a weekend night and shared the room with only a few tables, and on a Tuesday been lucky to squeeze myself into a banquette between tightly packed customers headily discussing the business of Hollywood. When the place is full and humming, the three folks on the fl oor will take a little while getting to you to ask for your order or clear the table or bring the bill. This really isn’t a place I’d recommend if that type of thing bothers you greatly. It’s a place for a relaxed and friendly meal, and it carries many of the pleasures associated with dining in someone’s home. I suppose you’re not tipping your friends 20 percent of anything, but the slowness never bothered me. Service is charming and intelligent when it arrives, and that’s good enough for me in a place like this. I was just pleased to see them so busy.

Which is really the whole point. If, like me, you hear the same line all the time — “You have to try this place, it’s totally underrated!” — I’m here to tell you that this time, for once, you should listen.

PAPILLES BISTRO | 6221 Franklin Ave., Hollywood Hills | (323) 871-2026 | papillesla.com

Tue.-Fri. 6-9:30 p.m. Sat. & Sun., 5:30-9:30 p.m. prix fi xe menu, $36 (dishes available à la carte

as well) | Wine and beer | Limited lot parking

| Eats // Fork Lift // PHOTO BY ANNE FISHBEIN

Foie gras torchon with date paste and country bread

CRITIC’S RATING★★★Zero = Poor★ = Fair★ ★ = Good★ ★ ★ = Very Good★ ★ ★ ★ = Excellent★ ★ ★ ★ ★ = World-Class

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22 items

MINIMUM TWO PERSONSBlack Angus Beef Brisket, Choice Beef Short Rib (marinated or unmarinated),BBQ Beef (Bulgogi), Canadian Fresh Pork Belly (Choose Thin or Thick Sliced),

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Steamed Egg, Bean Paste Soup, MushroomsYou Can Choose Kimchi, Fried Rice or Steamed Rice

ALL YOU CAN EAT Menu 22 itemsALL YOU CAN EAT Menu 22 itemsLunch/$19.99/11am-3pm, on Weekdays, Except Holidays. Dinner/$21.99/3:00pm to Closing Weekdays, All day on Weekends and Holidays

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sADDlEs slim scrAmBlE $11scrambled eggs, turkey sausage,spinach, swiss cheese. served with texas toast and choice of sliced tomato or crinkle cut fries.

BAnDit ProtEin omEllEttE $11Egg whites, turkey sausage, grilled chicken, spinach, swiss cheese. served with texas toast and choice of sliced tomato or crinkle cut fries.

BAcon & Egg sAnDwich $7Eggs, cheddar cheese, Applewood smoked Bacon on texas toast. served with sliced tomatoes or crinkle cut fries.

BrEAkfAst Burrito $11scrambled egg, Applewood smoked Bacon, cheddar cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla with homemade salsa & sour cream. served with sliced tomatoes or crinkle cut fries.

BrEAkfAst BurgEr $11fried Egg, grilled Burger,Applewood smoked bacon, swiss cheese, tomato on texas toast. served with sliced tomatoes or crinkle cut fries.

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Christmas Dinner on Any BudgetGIVE YOURSELF A PRESENT AND EAT OUT AT THE HOLIDAYS

Whether you’re ready or not, Christmas is almost here. For many of us, that will mean scrambling to

fi gure out who’s bringing the mashed po-tatoes or worrying whether the prime rib is too rare for a roomful of picky eaters. Or you could just skip that part.

Here are nine compelling reasons to eat out, either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (be sure to call ahead for reservations). We’ve even ranked them by price to fi t your budget. If only deter-mining what to get your cubicle mate for White Elephant was this easy.All-You-Can-Eat Chinese Food & Movie on Christmas Eve at the Church Key | $39

As Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan will tell you, nothing goes together bet-ter than Chinese food and Christmas. Sunset Strip’s Church Key is taking that pairing to the extreme with a Christmas Eve buff et featuring Chinese-American classics like crab rangoon, Peking duck, skirt steak and broccoli, orange chicken, Santa Barbara salt-and-pepper prawns and house-made fortune cookies. Bonus: Holiday movies like Elf and Home Alone will be screened during dinnertime. 8730 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; (424) 249-3700, thechurchkeyla.com.

British Christmas Day Feast at the Pikey | $40

Have you ever tried to cook a raw chest-nut? It’s tricky. Fortunately, Hollywood’s Brit gastropub is serving a traditional English Christmas Day dinner at a fair price. On the menu: ham or goose breast with chestnut bread sauce, sausage-stuff ed onions, roast potatoes, chestnuts and stuff ed cabbage. And also ale. Lots of ale. 7617 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood; (323) 850-5400, thepikeyla.com.Christmas Day Dinner at Tanzy | $48

Culinary director Sherry Yard and her kitchen team are dropping a three-course Christmas special at this Westwood restaurant. Feast on winter squash soup with spiced crème fraîche, herb-crusted prime rib and fl ourless chocolate cake — then go catch the new Star Wars movie next door at iPic Theaters. 10840 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood; (310) 307-7004, tan-zyrestaurant.com.Feast of the Seven Fishes at Maré | $50

From Dec. 21 to Dec. 27, Eric Greenspan’s Maré will be serving its take on what the Italians call La Vigilia di Natale or “Feast of the Seven Fishes,” a traditional sea-food dinner eaten on Christmas Eve. The semi-hidden, patio-only restaurant is an odd but lovely place to spend the holiday, and with dishes like crab and uni risotto, whole snapper with blood orange-caper puttanesca and clams with saff ron, grapes and radicchio, the place will be even more festive. 7465 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood; (323) 592-3226, maremelrose.com.A Christmas Story Dinner at Viviane | $58

It’s our undisputable opinion that A Christmas Story is the best holiday movie ever, and apparently Viviane chef Michael Hung thinks so, too. For Christmas Day, he’s cheekily playing tribute to the Chop Suey Palace scene by serving Chinese-inspired dishes such as roasted duck leg with confi t kumquats and mustard greens, and fi ve-spice–scented beignets. 9400 W. Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills; (310) 407-7791, vivianerestaurant.com.Christmas Eve Dinner at Redbird | $85

Neal Fraser’s dapper downtown res-taurant is off ering a three-course special

| Eats // | Squid Ink //

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menu on Dec. 24 that looks impressive. The menu includes poached salmon with white carrot puree, heritage roast pork with polenta, Swiss chard and crabapple, and a decadent take on bûche de Noël for dessert. 114 E. Second St., downtown; (213) 788-1191, redbird.la. Feast of the Seven Fishes at Union | $125

Chef Bruce Kalman of Pasadena’s Union is planning to unleash a seven-course bar-rage of seafood dishes on Christmas Eve, with help from ocean-to-table suppliers Wild Local Seafood and Sea 2 Table. Feel good about supporting local fi sherman while you indulge in smoked uni with soft-scrambled duck egg and white truffl es; olive oil–poached spot prawns with com-pressed persimmon; squid ink bucatini with octopus Bolognese; and black cod crudo with Passmore Ranch caviar. 37 E. Union St., Pasadena; (626) 795-5841, unionpasadena.com. —Garrett Snyder

F I R S T L O O K

Pok Pok L.A. Brings Thailand to Chinatown, via PortlandEven if you’d never heard of Pok Pok, the James Beard Award–winning Thai restaurant that fi rst opened in Portland a decade ago, or its incredibly infl u-ential and knowledgeable chef, Andy Ricker, a mere glimpse of Pok Pok’s new location inside Chinatown’s Mandarin Plaza should be enough to warrant heart

palpitations. Immediately obvious: It’s massive. Spanning two stories and featur-ing more than 200 seats, the restaurant is on equal scale with Chinatown’s massive Cantonese banquet halls, complete with a trellis-shaded outdoor patio, two full bars and strings upon strings of cheery, mul-ticolored lights. With its hodgepodge of quirky Thai signage and jangly Thai-pop soundtrack, Pok Pok L.A. rollicks with the energy of a Bangkok shopping mall circa 1975.

If you happen to be somewhat familiar with Ricker’s cooking — either from trips to Portland or New York Cita, or via Pok Pok Phat Thai, his fast-casual noodle joint located inside another Chinatown shop-ping mall — it’s easy to follow the drill: Throw down on the famous fi sh sauce–glazed chicken wings and a tamarind whiskey sour, a combo that immediately leaps to the short list of the city’s best bar food–and-booze couplings. The rest of the menu, which features dishes from across Thailand and its neighboring re-gions, is lengthy and somewhat verbose, which might intimidate those diners unfamiliar with Southeast Asian food but entice those who want to advance beyond pad Thai and papaya salad.

On a recent visit, dishes like grilled satay showed off Ricker’s trademark attention to detail. Little nubs of charred pork fat were nestled up against skew-ered chicken to keep the meat moist, and the accompanying peanut sauce sang with subtle spice and richness in a way the packaged gloop found at lesser Thai

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joints never does. Kaeng awm neua, a murky soup swimming with stewed beef shin and galangal (Thai ginger), was powerful enough to clear sinuses but nu-anced enough to contrast beautifully with another dish called yam samun phrai, a vibrant herb salad dressed with mildly sweet coconut milk dressing. The sole let-down was the chopped pork laap, which was tasty if a little bland and one-note in comparison.

On Pok Pok’s menu, liner notes often are included to provide context (under chicken satay: “Yes, bread really is the traditional accompaniment in Thailand ” or under an aff ogato-esque dessert: “a complete fabrication. based on a typical Vietnamese breakfast snack”). These footnote explainers might come off as ex-traneous to some L.A. diners, not because we’re more educated about Thai food per se but because we’ve become unfazed by oddball fusion cuisine and the cultural confusion it often entails.

As home to the most prolifi c Thai restaurant scene in America, the addition of Pok Pok to Los Angeles isn’t as im-mediately game-changing as it would be for other cities. Then again, the question “Does L.A. need Pok Pok?” is a silly one. It’s hardly what will come to mind when you’re polishing off Singha beer slushies and charcoal-grilled boar collar.

Is more good Thai food ever a bad thing? Of course not. —Garrett Snyder

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SANTA ANITAPARK

Opening Day, Saturday, Dec. 26

The Best Thing to Open the Day After Christmas!

FREE* SANTA ANITA PARK 2016 WALL CALENDAR Join us on Opening Day for spectacular Thoroughbred racing atThe Great Race Place and take home our coveted Wall Calendar. Enjoy beautiful racing photos from Santa Anita’s premiere races and events, and watch four graded stakes races including the Malibu and the Mathis Brothers® Mile.

For the first 5,000 kids, 17 and under, Mathis Brothers® has a horse for you! This plush, Santa Anita race horse will surly be a winner with young racing fans.

Plus a $100 Gift Certificate forthe first 20,000 racing fans in attendance, valid at the Mathis Brothers® Furniture store in Ontario. There’s a Day After Christmas present for everyone!

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THE CHANDELIER ROOM GUEST CHEF SERIESThe fabulous Chandelier Room kicks off the season with the ever-popular Guest Chef Series, featuring signature dishes from The Church Key. Live music from the very talented James Tormé, celebrat-ing his legendary father, Mel Tormé and the 70th anniversary of “The Christmas Song”. Advance tickets suggested, purchase on-line at santaanita.com/events.

TRACKSIDE PACKAGEGet a seat close to the action and take home an American Pharoah Grand Slam t-shirt with this all-inclusive package. Pre-purchase at santaanita.com/events.

FAMILY FUN ZONE The Infield will be open for the Family Fun Zone, including carnival games, pony rides, face painting and jumpers for the kids. Packages available on-line. *One per paid admission, while supplies last.

@SantaAnitaPark Arcadia, CA | 626.574.7223 | santaanita.com santaanitapark

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fri 12/18S H O P P I N G

No Time Like the PresentsStill reeling from Black Friday? As Christmas draws near, steer clear of bustling department stores and head to the Wells Fargo Center atrium to peruse indie oddities at the Bunker Hill Odd Market. Boasting a live DJ and a curated selection of 35-plus artisan vendors and food trucks, the Odd Market is the per-fect place to snag a last-minute stock-ing stuff er or simply enjoy a seasonal afternoon stroll. Whether you fancy a mosaic for Mom, want to treat yourself to some vinyl or vintage or simply soak up the festive ambiance, the Odd Market promises a smorgasbord of fun, food and local wares. Wells Fargo Center Plaza, 330 S. Hope St., downtown; Fri., Dec. 18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; free. (323) 630-9795, theoddmarket.com. —Lucy Tiven

D A N C E

Offi ce Space The local dance landscape is rife with companies led or populated by dancers trained at CalArts’ dance program, and Jacques Heim is perhaps its most no-table alum. His Diavolo Dance Theater has thrived for more than 20 years with a signature combination of engineered architectural constructs that fold, twist, bend and rotate along with Diavolo’s dancers and gymnasts. Heim restages his Cubicle as the centerpiece of this concert, which includes a new work blending traditional Chinese movement with contemporary dance from Beijing Dance Theater’s Yuanyuan Wang plus a premiere from Rosanna Gamson, whose masterful integration of dance, music and insightful commentary has made her company a must-see. REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., downtown; Fri.-Sat., Dec. 18-19, 8:30 p.m.; $20, $16 & $10. (213) 237-2800, redcat.org. —Ann Haskins

S T O R Y T E L L I N G

Clean, Sober, FunnyYou may have heard a drinker or two spread the nasty rumor that addicts and alcoholics in recovery are no fun. Not so

— in fact, people who’ve managed to face down their demons tend to have some pretty funny stories to tell. Brave people in the process of kicking a habit dredge up their pasts for Aft erParty magazine’s month-ly live storytelling show about “drinking, drugging and other shit we don’t do any-more.” This month’s show features author/Nickelodeon host Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, Sex Box host Danielle Stewart, comedian Mary Patterson Broome, writer Sevasti Iyama and author/AfterParty founder Anna David. As David puts it, “It’s like a choreographed, funny AA meeting.” Open Space Cafe, 457 N. Fairfax Ave., Beverly Grove; Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m.; free. (323) 424-3059, rehabreviews.com/afterparty-story-telling. —Gwynedd Stuart

C O S P L A Y

Use of Force Fans of the Star Wars franchise are so amped about the release of The Force Awakens that you could be forgiven for asking, “Is that a lightsaber in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” Tonight at Lightsaber Battle L.A., you’ll have your answer. Organizers expect thousands of Jedi and Sith to descend upon Pershing Square for this nocturnal battle between two make-believe fac-tions of adult men with light-up plastic swords. (They’ll be in good company — associated events are happening in cities from San Diego to Seattle.) For stalwart Star Wars cosplayers who have their own sabers, the battle is free, but for 10 bucks, newbies can reserve a color-changing sword in advance to be picked up at downtown’s Hive Gallery. Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive St., downtown; Fri., Dec. 18, 8-11 p.m.; free, $10 with sword. thelightbattle.com. —Gwynedd Stuart

sat 12/19C O M E D Y

Shearer DelightHarry Shearer — actor, radio host, musician, man of many voices on The Simpsons and bass slapper from Spinal Tap — and his singer-songwriter wife, Judith Owen, return with their annual Largo tradition, Harry Shearer and

Judith Owen’s Christmas Without Tears (Does Th is Tree Make Me Look Fat?). Celebrating the 10th anniversary of their holiday variety show, which began as a post–Hurricane Katrina fundraiser at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2005, the two have released an EP, Christmas Without Tears, featuring songs such as “How Did This Thing Get in Me?” and “What Do You Get for the Man Who Has Nothing?” Past guests have included Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Jane Lynch, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short and Christopher Guest. This weekend, Shearer and Owens are joined by Fred Willard, Mario Cantone, Alan Cum-ming, Olympia Dukakis, Bela Fleck, John Michael Higgins, Paul Shaff er and others, with proceeds benefi ting My Friend’s Place, a nonprofi t for homeless youth. Largo at the Coronet, 366 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood; Sat.-Sun., Dec. 19-20, 8 p.m. (doors 7 p.m.); $50-$75. largo-la.com. —Siran Babayan

C O N C E R T S

Make the Yuletide GayA seasonal favorite, this year’s Gay Men’s Chorus Holiday Spectacular delivers a parodic a cappella perfor-mance titled “Brassy, Classy & Sassy” to Glendale’s Alex Theatre. Since its 1979 inception, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles has been hailed for its musical chops, as well as the group’s charitable work. Raising awareness for LGBT is-sues, the show celebrates community victories and looks to the past, mourn-ing the loss of many of the group’s original members during the height of the AIDS epidemic. In addition to tra-ditional carols, the 2015 show promises cheeky originals such as “All the Single Santas” — a gay ol’ time is sure to be had by all. Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale; Sat., Dec. 19, 3 & 8 p.m.; Sun., Dec. 20, 3 p.m.; $20-$85. (424) 239-6514, gmcla.org. —Lucy Tiven

P. 24 FRIWHO SAYS SOBRIETY CAN’T BE FUNNY?

P. 24 SATTHE HOLIDAYS JUST GOT GAYER

P. 26 SUNWALK INSIDE THE “SHOW ABOUT NOTHING”

P. 28 THUSING ALONG WITH TEVYE AND THE GANG

IGO»LA ⁄⁄ Week of

DEC. 18-24

Anna David, left, and Danielle Stewart of AfterParty: See Friday.

PHOTO BY ANDY MARX

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sun 12/20 T E L E V I S I O N

Yada YadaEarlier this year, Hulu turned an apart-ment on NYC’s Upper Westside into an exact replica of Jerry Seinfeld’s apartment, overabundance of cereal boxes and all. In advance of our favorite fi ctional holiday, Festivus, the online network is bringing Seinfeld: Th e Apartment to L.A. — you know, where the show was actually fi lmed — and inviting fans to walk through it. This iteration of the pop-up exhibit includes a Festivus pole and some props from the original set. Sunday is your last chance to slide in the door like Kramer and have people roll their eyes at you. 8445 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood; Fri.-Sun., Dec. 18-20, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; free. —Gwynedd Stuart

C O M E D Y

Peace and Harmontown Each week Community and Rick and Morty creator Dan Harmon bares his soul and melts minds alongside Jeff B. Davis of Whose Line Is It Anyway? for Harmontown, which opens windows on everything from the creative process to freestyle rapping. Likely topics for this week’s show: Har-mon’s recent divorce; Yahoo! giving him static about the money-losing sixth season of Community; the sudden, stratospheric success of Rick and Morty on Adult Swim; and working with Charlie Kaufman on his Kickstarted stop-motion fi lm, Anomalisa. NerdMelt Showroom, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood; Sun., Dec. 20, 8 p.m.; $10. (323) 851-7223, nerdmeltla.com. —David Cotner

F I L M

Yippee-Ki-YayAction-fl ick fanatics should head to the Egyptian for seasonal shoot-’em-up classic Die Hard. Bruce Willis is a stone-faced New York cop who can’t even fi nd holiday cheer in Run-DMC’s hit “Christmas in Hollis.” He heads out to the money- and cocaine-fu-eled world of downtown L.A. to try to make up with his wife, who is busy climbing the ladder of a Japanese corporation. The ’80s-ness of Die Hard is ridiculous — garish materialism, T&A shots with little artistic merit — but Willis’ barefoot badass John McClane remains one of the big screen’s great action heroes. Fans have no shortage of chances to see the fi lm this season — it’s at the New Beverly on Christmas Eve — but this screening is a double feature with Lethal Weapon, for those who can’t get enough ’80s action. Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Sun., Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m.; $11. (323) 466-3456, american cinema theque calendar.com. —Liz Ohanesian

mon 12/21H O L I D A Y S

Questioning Christmas As sure as there’s an X in Xmas, progres-

sive pastor Rob Bell will be there to ask questions about things that traditional Christians aren’t supposed to second-guess. Tonight’s salon on those prickly inexplicables, A Revolutionary Christmas With Rob Bell, examines the Nativity story in all its murky weirdness — from the bibli-cal discrepancies to the strangeness of its dream logic — and just why, thousands of years later, people actually still give a hoot about a couple of kids trying to make a life for their new family without getting hassled by a bunch of religious fanatics out in the desert. Largo at the Coronet, 366 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Grove; Mon., Dec. 21, 7 p.m.; $30. (310) 855-0350, largo-la.com/event/987989-revolutionary-christmas-rob-los-angeles. —David Cotner

tue 12/22C O M E D Y

A Different StrumWatch comedians pretend to make their air guitars — and other air instruments — gently weep at Westside Comedy The-ater’s fi rst Battle of the Air Bands. Fellow comedian JC Currais, along with judges Andrew Duvall and Jonathan London, host six bands composed of improv play-ers and stand-up comics, and with names like Sissy Boy Slap Party and Torture Rack. The fake rock gods will go through three rounds, performing songs lasting three to fi ve minutes, and must meet the judges’ criteria of tight lip-syncing, guitar solos and other imaginary skills. Prizes include cash or a paid bar tab, both of which are real. M.I.’s Westside Comedy Theater, 1323-A Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica; Tue., Dec. 22, 8 p.m.; $5. (310) 451-0850, westsidecomedy.com. —Siran Babayan

C O M E D Y

Quick DrawComedian-writer-director Allan McLeod, whose credits include Comedy Central’s Drunk History and FX’s You’re the Worst, makes art funny by combining draw-ing with improv in Allan McLeod and His Beauties. UCB performers Nicole Byer, Casey Feigh, Jessica Jean Jardine, Nick Mandernach, Timm Sharp and others interview one lucky audience member as host McLeod sketches them. The cast then stages a fully improvised show inspired by the drawing. Since it’s a holiday edi-tion, expect there to be some Christmas-themed questions. UCB Franklin, 5919 Franklin Ave., Hollywood; Tue., Dec. 22, 8 p.m.; $5. (323) 908-8702, franklin.ucb theatre.com. —Siran Babayan

wed 12/23O U T D O O R S

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of ice. Thanks to the wonders of modern refrigeration, there are a number of out-door ice skating rinks to help Angelenos with strong ankles and resilient tailbones get in the holiday spirit. In the city’s center, there’s Downtown on Ice in Persh-ing Square and L.A. Kings Holiday Ice at L.A. Live. On the Westside, there’s ICE at Santa Monica — all-day skating for $15 — and down Long Beach way, there’s an outdoor rink as part of Chill at the Queen Mary. There’s no greater gift than living in a place where you can go from skates to sandals. Downtown on Ice, Pershing Square, downtown; through Jan. 18; $9 plus $4 skate rental. holidayicerink downtown la.com. L.A. Kings Holiday Ice, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., downtown; through Dec. 31; $17. lalive.com/events-calendar/holiday ice. ICE at Santa Monica, Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica; through Jan. 18; $15. downtownsm.com/ice. Chill at the Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach; through Jan. 10; $15 for 45 min., on top of admission to Chill. queenmary.com/events/chill/ice-skating. —Gwynedd Stuart

thu 12/24H O L I D A Y S

Ol’ Song and DanceThe 56th annual Music Center Holiday Celebration off ers not only free entertain-ment but free parking as well. This year’s lineup includes music ensembles ranging from mariachi to Korean indie rock to Brazilian forró and choral groups includ-ing the ever-popular Gay Men’s Chorus. The quintet of dance groups off ers a small sampling from the broad spectrum of local dance, with a Korean drum dance from Korean American Youth Performing Art-ists, Mexican folkloric from Pacifi co Dance Company, traditional Chinese dance from Shin Dance Company and contemporary dance from BODYTRAFFIC and Invertigo Dance Theatre. The three-hour event is broadcast locally and streamed on PBS So-Cal, a rare opportunity for L.A.-based com-panies to perform at this county-owned venue and to be seen on local television. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Thu., Dec. 24, 3-6 p.m.; free. (213) 972-3099, musiccenter.org. —Ann Haskins

F I L M

Fit as a FiddleIf the whole birth-of-Christ thing isn’t your jam, spend the evening with a bunch of singing, dancing Russian Jews at Temple Beth Israel’s Fiddler on the Roof Sing-Along. The 1971 fi lm adaptation of the Broadway musical (still a hit after all these years) screens at Laemmle’s Claremont 5, and attendees are invited to join in as Tevye and the gang sing “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Matchmaker” and “Sunrise, Sunset.” Costumes are encouraged. Laemmle’s Claremont 5 Theater, 450 W. Second St., Claremont; Thu., Dec. 24, 7 p.m.; $12. (909) 626-1277, eventbrite.com/e/fi ddler-on-the-roof-annual-sing-a-long-on-christmas-eve-tickets-19556528102. —Gwynedd Stuart

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Clowns GaloreAND PAINTINGS REMINISCENTOF ’90S VIDEO GAMES

BY CATHERINE WAGLEY

Catch two shows before they close in Culver City this weekend — one of which features a pool-obsessed man in a cat suit — and visit a downtown maze of

clowns.Clown corridors

New walls were built to accommodate the many clown paintings currently hang-ing at 356 S. Mission Road. Close together and angled, these walls make you feel you’re walking down tight corridors in a circus museum. The paintings, in aged-looking frames, all purportedly come from a private collection (whenever the collec-tor isn’t named, you wonder if he or she really exists — certainly, collectors have been fabricated before). There are candy canes, cone hats, ruffl ed collars, red noses and every other property you might imag-ine in these paintings, all of which show the clowns head on. 356 S. Mission Road, downtown; through Dec. 24. (323) 609-3162, 356mission.com. Object lust

Near the old, majestic theaters on Hill Street, design shop Austere has high ceilings and chic con-crete fl oors. It’s been hosting showcases since it opened in 2014, and the newest one, “Site Specifi c,” features artists who double as designers and vice versa. Tanya Aguiñiga’s woven hangings crawl down walls behind rudi-mentary wood benches by Shin Okuda. Ben Madansky’s ceramic sculptures func-tion as containers — stick plants or pens into his latticed cubes. Like many in-store exhibitions, this one is meant to trigger object lust rather than careful thinking. 912 S. Hill St., downtown; through Feb. 14. (844) 287-8373, austere.co. Cheshire pool cat

The swimming pools of Los Angeles

may become too clichéd a trope, but it hasn’t happened yet. “The Cat,” a char-acter in one of Jen DeNike’s new videos at Anat Egbi, wears a candy-striped onesie with a cat mask as he loiters in iconic backyard pools. DeNike titled her exhibition “If She Hollers,” a play on the name of Chester Himes’ entrancing novel about a black man in WWII Los Angeles, frustrated by the city’s insidious racism and smooth façades. The cat seems frustrated, too — he’s certainly not swim-ming for leisure, as a poolside wrestling match with his alter ego implies. 2660 La Cienega Blvd., Culver City; through Dec. 19. (310) 838–2770, anatebgi.com. Flashy like Street Fighter

Aaron Curry’s new paintings at David Kordansky Gallery look as if they should be hanging in a chic remake of a ’90s arcade. They’re not quite grimy enough for a real arcade, but they have the palette of the Street Fighter games and a graphic fl ashiness reminiscent of Star Wars Trilogy. Shaped canvases stack on top of one another, cut into distinct shapes — sharp-edged arcs and octagons over a larger volcano-like pyr-amid, for instance. This has always been Curry’s thing: assembling his works one unconventional piece at a time. But in the past, he’s often achieved a neo-modern sense of control. These, even if intentionally rendered, feel nostalgic in a much lighter, kitschier way. The shift is refreshing. 5130 W. Edgewood Place, Mid-City; through Jan. 16. (323) 935-3030, davidkordanskygallery.com. Funny fairy tales

The pots in “Splendor in the Grass,” Karin Gulbran’s exhibi-tion of ceramics at China Art Objects, all have straightfor-ward titles, for instance Pigs in the Woods and Fish Bowl. On Gulbran’s pots, pigs do play in the woods and a cat falls down in the rain. The ani-mals have

elongated limbs and googly eyes, and the pots themselves are clumpy; their imperfection is clearly intentional, but it’s also not beautiful in the controlled way that modernist design objects often are. The sweet messiness of Gulbran’s show recalls novelist Michael Cunning-ham’s recent retelling of the Rumpel-stiltskin story, in which a conniving hobgoblin with an inferiority complex still manages to be endearing. 6086 Comey Ave., Culver City; through Dec. 19. (323) 965-2264, chinaartobjects.com.

| Culture // | Art Picks //

PHOTO BY FREDRIK NILSEN, COURTESY OF DAVID KORDANSKY GALLERY

Aaron Curry’s BEARTH, at David Kordansky Gallery

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EVEN IDINA MENZEL CAN’T SAVE IF/THEN

Pantages imports from Broadway a lusterless spectacle with a highfalutin gimmick

BY DEBORAH KLUGMAN

Since If/Then premiered on Broadway in 2014, a number of theater writers have com-mented on how the range and power of lead diva Idina Menzel transforms Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey’s so-so

musical into a show well worth seeing.Suff ering through Kitt’s bland, homo-

geneous melodies at a touring perfor-mance at the Pantages this past weekend, only the so-so assessment of the material seemed on the mark. An indiff erent performance by Menzel helped intensify every yawning detail of this lusterless spectacle, whose shortcomings were underscored by faulty sound tech that rendered the fi rst few numbers and their intermittent dialogue almost incompre-

hensible.The highfalutin gimmick in Yorkey’s

book is the bifurcated plot. Elizabeth (Menzel) a college professor of urban planning, returns to New York from Phoe-nix following the collapse of a 12-year marriage. Whither her new life? Will it be a fresh start to her career or a budding new romance?

The answer is both, as the narrative splits and the character assumes a double identity (rather like Gwyneth Paltrow in Sliding Doors). As Beth she’s hired as a city planner, where over the years she gains fame and respect and has an aff air with her dishy married boss (Daren A. Herbert). As Liz she meets an equally fetching soldier (James Snyder) who adores her. She marries him and starts a family.

One is supposed to be able to distin-

guish between these narratives by wheth-er the performer is wearing glasses and by changes in Kenneth Posner’s lighting design. The reality is, it’s not always easy to tell or, more to the point, to care.

Directed by Michael Greif, If/Then is basically a sort of Wonder Bread story about a middle-class professional inhab-iting a mythically sparkling and crime-free Manhattan. You can get away with that fantasy if you’ve got some irony or farce or plain old humor in your narrative, but not when you’re expecting your audi-

ences to swallow this hokey stuff straight.Menzel, whose singing displayed

volume but little passion, has her best number near the end. It’s called “Always Starting Over” and she sings it against the backdrop of a starry sky. Bored as she seemed, one couldn’t help but wonder if she wasn’t ready to start over in an entirely diff erent show.

IF/THEN | Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood | Through Jan. 3 | (800) 982-2787

hollywoodpantages.com

| Culture // Theater Reviews //

PHOTO BY JOAN MARCUS

T H E A T E R R E V I E W S

Pastor vs. Pastor

Dominating the set of Th e Christians is a backdrop wall molded to resemble three towering, overlapping crosses,

which can look like a white picket fence or the bars of a jail cell. Both interpretations are subtly brought to bear in Lucas Hnath’s timely, thoughtful and insightful play, which pits believer against believer in a theological debate about the nature of hell and of modern Christianity itself.

Pastor Paul (a sensitive, earnest Andrew Garman) begins the play with a typical sermon but soon segues into a tragic story, about a boy in “a country where there’s a lot of fighting,” in order to re-examine the natures of hell and salvation. Associate pastor Joshua (played with righteous indignation by Larry Powell) questions Paul’s desire to fundamentally alter the congregation’s conception of its faith, and their debate leads to Joshua leaving the church and taking a portion of the flock with him. Over time the church begins to lose membership, leading Paul to lock horns with elder Jay (Philip Kerr), choir member Jenny (Emily Donahoe, who beautifully combines humility and fear) and even his wife, Elizabeth (Linda Powell).

They all question Paul’s more progressive

vision for the church, yet it never feels as if they’re being demonized by Hnath, whose writing brings real depth and nuance to the debate. Hnath is aided by director Les Waters, who guides the action with a sensitivity that turns weighty theological debates into intimate conversations with real emotional resonance. —Mayank Keshaviah

Mark Taper Forum at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; through Jan. 10. (213) 628-2772, centertheatregroup.org.

Rankin-Bass’ Santa Gets Soulful

For 20 years, the folks of Troubadour Th eater Company have reigned as L.A.’s undisputed masters of musical-mashup

satire. Th eir comedy is rooted in the puerile pun and the incongruities implicit in graft ing an inap-propriate score of lyrically tweaked top-40 hits to either a Shakespearean classic (Fleetwood Macbeth) or, around this time of year, a not-so-memorable piece of vintage Yuletide TV treacle (Frosty the Snow Manilow).

What passes for a story (about the origin of St. Nick) in Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Motown, the Troubies’ revival of their 2004, purposeful mismatch of a remarkably insipid, 1970 stop-motion TV feature with a dozen iconic gems of 1960s’ Detroit soul, is almost beside the point.

Fans fl ock to see company stars like Rick Batalla (as a sardonic postman-narrator), Beth Kennedy (in a reprisal of her stilt-walking Winter Warlock caricature) and director-emcee Matt Walker (Kris Kringle) go through their ad-libbed paces. Th ey don’t disappoint.

Th ere are even several moments when the proceedings come tantalizingly close to real-izing the inspired race satire implicit in pairing a lily-white comedy troupe with an African-American sound so closely identifi ed with its decade’s civil rights struggle. Yet despite the

occasional comedy coup, the expected gut-busting winter WASP spoof never materializes.

Instead, what happens in between the silly volleys of quick-fi re wordplay, edgy double entendre and the group’s trademark hazing of hapless audience late-comers may be just as satisfying. The show soars as a surprisingly creditable and refreshingly jingle-free Christmas tribute concert. —Bill Raden

Falcon Th eatre, 4252 Riverside Drive, Burbank; through Jan. 17. (818) 955-8101, falcontheatre.com.

Idina Menzel stars in the fi rst road company of If/Then at the Pantages Theatre.

PHOTO BY CRAIG SCHWARTZ

Emily Donahoe, at mic, Linda Powell and Andrew Garman in The Christians

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The Force Awakens is the third good Star Wars movie

BY AMY NICHOLSON

George Lucas is the L. Ron Hubbard of Hol-lywood. Both men were sci-fi dreamers turned mega-millionaires who spun their pulp adventures into a

religion. Tap the power within yourself, they urged. The faithful forked over their dollars. Then both Lucas and Hubbard mucked up their simple premise with add-ons like magic fl oating particles and space lizards.

Jar Jar has been banished, his creator politely strong-armed off stage. Now a new J.J. — J.J. Abrams — commands our attention. His fi rst commandment: Scrap the nonsense. “I thought it was a bunch of mumbo jumbo,” grunts Han Solo (Harrison Ford), who’s never brooked any bullshit. Star Wars: The Force Awakens steers the franchise back to its popcorn origins. It’s not a Bible; it’s a bantam-weight blast. And that’s just as it should be: a good movie, nothing more.

With six fi lms already in the series, and four since any of the good ones, Abrams and co-writers Lawrence Kasdan and Mi-chael Arndt had to make Force a crowd-pleasing hit. To ensure it, they’ve copied the arc of the original, A New Hope. Once again, we open in medias res with a scroll of text, a pan down to the stars and a beauty shot of a giant destroyer. And once again, we have the Dark Side hunting a droid carrying a hidden mes-sage, the orphaned desert scavenger who blunders into protecting it, and that same old smuggler and his bipedal dog who inadvertently sign on as escorts, even though Ford can barely be bothered to look nervous in a fi refi ght.

Abrams has added two fantastic characters, played by 23-year-old actors who are clearly thrilled to be aboard. This desert orphan isn’t a whiny Tiger Beat poster boy. It’s an athletic, resourceful girl named Rey (new face Daisy Ridley, already a movie star in her very fi rst fi lm) who’s introduced red-faced and sweaty in practical ankle boots. Just as charismatic is John Boyega as a former stormtrooper passing himself off as a resistance fi ghter. Finn, or, as he’s originally called, FN2187 — “That’s the only name they ever gave me” — was stolen as a baby and pro-grammed from birth to obey. We meet him during his very fi rst grown-up battle, when his white plastic helmet is smeared by his friend’s blood. Seven fi lms into the saga, this is the only time we’re allowed to empathize with a grunt. The emotion doesn’t last long. Soon, we’re rooting for Finn and his new friends to pew-pew-die his former colleagues, which is much less

fun when you know they’re all brain-washed child soldiers.

Our heroes are pursued by yet another black-helmeted villain with inconve-nient family ties who’s been “seduced” by evil, a funny verb of choice for such an asexual series (it’s as though good parents in Star Wars fear their virginal kids turning wicked from rose petals and Barry White). This new heavy-breathing creep, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), vowed al-legiance to the Empire, rebranded as the First Order but taking its marketing cues from the Third Reich. (Their nifty red, white and black logo is a hexagon with fangs.) Can the Rebels — er, now they’re called the Resistance — save the day in what literally plays like just one long day zipped through at light-speed without bathroom breaks? If not, look out, uni-verse! The bad guys have built a spherical weapon that blows up planets. And not just one measly Alderaan. Now they can explode a handful in one go.

In this déjà vu sequel, everything is the same, only bigger. To prove it, Abrams layers a hologram of his new astral destroyer next to one of the Death Star, where it dwarfs the original as a bowling ball does a grape. (In another curious word choice, this murderball is powered by “the sun,” not “a sun” or “a star” or, as befi ts a mapped-out galaxy, “Tejat Prior.”) You sense Abrams both slavishly wor-shipping Star Wars and hoping to show the old girl up, as though the inner power plays of Lucasfi lm are All About Eve with overgrown boys and their toys.

Abrams has made some smart, think-piece–pandering tweaks to the formula. Leia has been upgraded from princess to general and in the process dumped Han, which couples therapists have seen coming ever since The Empire Strikes Back, when the two spent so much time

bickering they didn’t notice they’d fl own the Falcon inside a carnivorous slug. Lucas should apologize to nerd bachelors who’ve spent three decades thinking Han and Leia were a template for bliss.

“It wasn’t all bad, was it?” Han asks. “Some of it was ... good.”

“Pretty good,” Leia nods neutrally.Abrams scrounges up more surprises.

He knows these dusted-off props and people will get applause just for popping up, but he wants his camerawork to earn its share. Over and over, he aims us at a target — say, a fancy spaceship toward which Rey and Finn dash — then pivots and kablam! we about-face for our fi rst shot of something like the Millennium Fal-con. “That garbage’ll do,” Rey shrugs with-out reverence, and indeed, the Falcon’s 37-year-old 8-bit target-aiming graphics look about as useful as a busted Atari.

Yet that rusticity is welcome after the overly shiny prequels. Abrams prefers humble wonders, such as a powder that Rey stirs into boiling water, which puff s up into green bread, or an alien tavern meal of hollowed apples stuff ed with romanesco broccoli, that fractal farmers’

market delight. He favors stark land-scapes where nature is the special eff ect. And with good reason. Whenever it leans too much on CG, The Force Awakens trips over its own feet. There are killer beasts who look like blenders with tentacles and a Yoda-esque savant who resembles an upside-down pineapple cake. The worst off ender is the fully animated Supreme Leader Snoke, who looks like the anima-tors said, “Oh, you cast Andy Serkis for this? Screw it, let’s just draw Gollum, burn his face and magnify him to the size of the Lincoln Monument.”

Only once does the extravagant CG go from blunder to beauty. Toward the end of the fi lm, Abrams indulges in a close-up shot of Rey during a duel. Stare into her eyes and you’ll see he’s added the refl ec-tion of lightsaber crosses. This gorgeous hero shot makes you want to follow Rey for the next two fi lms of this holy geek trilogy. Hey, maybe Lucasfi lm wants to resurrect a religion after all.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS | Directed by J.J. Abrams | Written by Lawrence Kasdan, Abrams and Michael Arndt | Walt Disney Pictures | Citywide

| Film //

PHOTO BY DAVID JAMES

SISTERS ISN’T BRILLIANT, BUT FEY AND POEHLER MAKE IT A BASH

If you’ve ever seen a dumb-party movie, you can predict what hap-pens in Sisters, the Tina Fey/Amy Poehler comedy about siblings revisiting the Orlando McMansion of their youth to pack up their

bedrooms and throw one last rager. Once the drugs and booze start fl owing, the evening is a mess: Th ere will be fi ghts, dancing and de-struction and probably foam from the ceiling. Suds and secrets spill all over the house.

Fey and Poehler even divide into typical archetypes. Fey’s Kate is the unhinged, oversexed loon while Poehler’s Maura has the self-sacrifi cial prudery of a kid who spent her life cleaning up aft er her older sister’s wreckage. Th eir shared bedroom is a wreck, a jumble of detritus that captures growing up girl.

You might get restless as director Jason Moore (Pitch Perfect) estab-lishes their wearily predictable dynamic. It’s tired stuff but, aft er two decades of friendship, Fey and Poehler know how to sell their charac-ters’ bond. Th ey generously egg each other on to look even funnier, and

Poehler may be the best straight-woman of her generation.

Once the bash really got going, I was swept up in the chaos and happily clicked off my brain. Screenwriter Paula Pell classes up the dumb stuff with a touch of depth — these revelers, mature-ish people with mortgages and children, savor this night because, as Poehler yelps, “We know we could die tomorrow!” Pell unabashedly writes for and from a female POV, trusting that we’ll get the joke when Maya Rudolph, as a bitter mean girl, claims she vengefully fl ushed a tampon down the toilet and Fey counters, “You’re pads all the way, and we know it!” —Amy Nicholson

SISTERS | Directed by Jason Moore | Written by Paula Pell | Universal Pictures | Citywide

SistersPHOTO BY K.C. BAILEY

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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Life at the End

SON OF SAUL TRACKS ONE COG IN THE DEATH CAMPS’ MACHINE

BY SCOTT TOBIAS

What are the limits of rep-resentation? That’s a moral question that

hovers over any depiction of the Final Solution, and it’s not considered lightly by László Nemes’ Son of Saul, which turns unimaginable horrors into tan-gible ones. By venturing inside the death factory of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Nemes risks greeting obscenity with obscenity, as if the Holocaust were the latest frontier in you-are-there experiential cin-ema. Whether Nemes crosses the line is a matter of personal taste, but there’s no question that he’s aware of that line, because nearly every second in Son of Saul feels like an act of aesthetic calcula-tion. What we see and don’t see, what we hear and don’t hear — all rigorously determined to evoke a historical evil as fully as possible without marinating in it.

Though Nemes and cinematog-rapher Mátyás Erdély are precise in controlling what the camera glimpses, their main strategy is to limit visual perspective severely and leave the soundtrack — and the viewer’s imagination — to do most of the dirty work.

In his audacious feature debut, Nemes, a Hungarian who served as assistant director to Béla Tarr on The Man From London, narrows the frame to Academy ratio, keeps a shallow depth of fi eld and tracks a single cog in the death-camp machine. There’s a

creeping sense, throughout the fi lm, that any attempt to open the lens a little wider or follow a more redemptive arc would be an unseemly act of exploitation.

Son of Saul opens with its most harrowing sequence, entering an Auschwitz-Birkenau cremato-rium where Saul (Géza Röhrig) serves as part of the Sonderkom-mando, a unit of Jewish prison-ers forced to clean up the gas chambers after executions. We learn nothing about how Saul came to be a Sonderkommando, but we can tell, based on the rote fl uidity of his actions, that he’s familiar with the Nazi boilerplate promising work to the soon-to-be-deceased, that he’s heard the screams and gasps from behind the metal door and that he’s col-lected the personal eff ects hang-ing outside the showers.

Though Saul and the Sonderkommando live apart from the other prisoners, their deaths are no less certain, only delayed. Röhrig’s face, in these moments, is a mask of grim resignation.

Nemes does everything he can to connect the audience to Saul’s numbness, shielding us as much as possible from the cacophony of human misery that rings in his ears. The chill seeps in regardless, as it should, and Nemes doesn’t try to counter it with more than a tiny, stubborn fl icker of hope.

After a boy survives the gas chamber, only to be snuff ed out swiftly by a Nazi “doctor,” Saul makes it his mission to save the body from cremation and fi nd a rabbi to give the child a proper burial. There’s ambiguity over whether the boy is his illegitimate son, but the smallness of this ges-ture serves as a powerful rebuke to the martyrs and saints that populate Holocaust narratives such as Schindler’s List or Life Is Beautiful. Here, hope is fl eeting — and easily extinguished.

SON OF SAUL | Directed by László Nemes | Written by Nemes and Clara

Royer | Sony Pictures Classics | Nuart

| Film // COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

Christian Harting and Géza Röhrig

PETER TRAVERS,

“BRILLIANT. A HILARIOUS TIME AT THE MOVIES.”

MARA REINSTEIN,

“MESMERIZING.”

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“COMPELLING.”

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THE BEST FILM OF THE YEAR. “Adam McKay reinvents the way movies tell stories. A gamble, sure, but the payoff is unreal.”

ATTENTION AMPAS AND GUILD MEMBERS: Your card and picture ID will admit you and a guest to any performance as follows (subject to seating availability):AMC will admit: AMPAS, ACE, ADG, ASC, BAFTA, CAS, DGA, HFPA, MPEG, MPSE, PGA and WGA (Mon-Thur only, excluding holidays). CINEMARK will admit guild member only: AMPAS, DGA, PGA, and WGA (Valid 7 days a week). LAEMMLE will admit: AMPAS, DGA and WGA (Mon-Thur only, excluding holidays). LANDMARK will admit: AMPAS, DGA, PGA and WGA (Mon-Thur only,

excluding holidays). TCL CHINESE will admit: AMPAS, ACE, ADG, ASC, BAFTA, CAS, DGA, HFPA, MPEG, MPSE, PGA and WGA (Mon-Thur only). PACIFIC/ArcLight will admit: AMPAS, ACE, ADG, ASC, BAFTA, CAS, DGA, HFPA, MPEG, MPSE, PGA and WGA (Mon-Thur only, excluding holidays). REGAL will admit: AMPAS, DGA, PGA, and WGA (Mon-Thur only).

REGENCY will admit: AMPAS, DGA, and WGA (Mon-Thur only). Please check newspaper circuit listing for theatre locations & showtimes. Theatre list subject to change.

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O P E N I N G T H I S W E E K

ANGUISH There’s not much to be said about Sonny Mallhi’s languid psychologi-cal drama moonlighting as a possession-centered horror film that hasn’t already been said by the title. Anguish follows Tess (Ryan Simpkins) as she fails to recover from the accidental death of her best friend, Lucy (Amberley Gridley), her grief manifesting itself in increasingly physical ways, until her mother (a very young-looking Annika Marks) begins to believe that Tess is acting as a vessel for spirits — specifically Lucy’s — to re-enter the physical world. Watching Tess and Lucy’s mothers (such tired, tired moth-ers) put this painful nonsense to rest is definitely a sad affair. Trying his directori-al hand after working as a producer on a handful of middle-grade horror films (The Stranger, The Roommate), Mallhi struggles with the self-seriousness of his subject matter. His shots are all portentous dark-ness and dreary suburban houses, signi-fiers of detachment and malaise, while melancholy guitar-picking comprises the soundtrack. Simpkins, meanwhile, who bears the brunt of making the possession shtick convincing, isn’t seasoned enough to come off as anything more than a sul-len teen with a penchant for elaborate tantrums. With atmosphere this thick, the jump scares are more out of place than startling, and watching two women wearily murmur to each other, “Maybe she just needs ... closure” is convincing enough evidence that nobody here is really focused on the shock factor. Mallhi might have nixed his horror aspirations, which only get in Anguish’s way, and fleshed out his characters’ very real exis-tential dread. That could have been less painful. (Abby Garnett)

EXTRACTION Nobody looks good in C-grade spy thriller Extraction, partly because the lighting in most scenes is either distract-ingly low or naturally overexposed. You can actually see what’s going on during the best action set pieces, particularly an impromptu brawl set in a well-lit public bathroom. But even that scene leaves you wishing that stars Kellan Lutz (the Twilight series, The Legend of Hercules) and Gina Carano (Haywire, American Gladiators) were convincingly brutal enough to carry the type of inanely vi-cious buddy flick that Carolco or Cannon Films cranked out 30 years ago. Lutz plays Harry Turner, a generically rebel-lious CIA agent who must locate the terrorists who’ve kidnapped his father, Leonard (Bruce Willis), a formerly legendary spy, and stolen a dangerous telecom-hacking techno-whatsit. Harry pummels everyone, including mouthy bikers and tight-lipped heavies, in his quest for peace. But Lutz never appears mad enough to sell scenes where his character bashes his way to answers. He glowers expressively when Harry stabs a suspect’s hand through a table and repeatedly fires a revolver at his captive’s head until it reaches the only bullet in the chamber. Despite his best efforts, Lutz fails to tap into his inner Chuck Norris (or maybe just Michael Dudikoff). Co-star Carano, who plays Harry’s partner and

ex-lover Victoria, fares slightly better when she takes out a baddy during a frenzied warehouse fight. But while Carano’s technical skills are impressive, she’s never raw or eccentric enough to compel viewers to anticipate her next move. Extraction constantly tries to score a flashy TKO but never lands a decent body blow. (Simon Abrams)

NOMA: MY PERFECT STORM Trying to position an internationally celebrated, always-booked restaurant as an un-derdog is a ridiculous undertaking. In director/cinematographer Pierre Deschamps’ Noma: My Perfect Storm, the conflict appears to be whether the restaurant, which since 2003 has served Nordic cuisine made of exclusively Nordic ingredients, will retake its top spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2014, a position Noma held

from 2009 to 2012. It fell to second in 2013, something chef René Redzepi feels keenly even as he disavows the arbitrary nature of restaurant rankings. In between, Redzepi worries about the effects of a February 2013 outbreak of norovirus that sickened 63 Noma diners, whether anyone else understands the nuances of using lemon thyme instead of regular and whether or not he’ll get a third Michelin star — not that ratings matter to him. Deschamps has a hard time dramatizing Redzepi’s year await-ing further accolades; he solemnly films plates of food without any explanation of what they are or why they’re worth docu-menting, as though their association with Noma is enough. The closest Deschamps comes to creating real stakes is some unexplained, ongoing tension between Redzepi and his chief of research and

development, Lars Williams: For about 10 minutes, it seem the documentary could be titled What’s Lars’ Problem? or Will Lars Get Fired? He doesn’t; Noma retakes the top spot in 2014, and business carries on unchanged. Deschamps never ventures below the surface of Redzepi’s wildly successful experiment, and while the pictures are pretty, no one judges food on appearance alone. (Meave Gallagher)

SOUND OF REDEMPTION: THE FRANK MORGAN STORY Heroin ruins every-thing, yet again, in N.C. Heikin’s hurtin’ beauty of a doc. The subject is West Coast alto sax hero Frank Morgan, an upstart Crescent Avenue teen player at bop’s height — and, like many of that art form’s founding class, also an ad-dict. Heikin’s film charts a life in which triumph and tragedy forever alternate. Morgan’s fleet thinking and appealing

tone scored him an early record date with Wardell Gray, but his addiction demand-ed he devote his energies to scaring up quicker cash. His contemporaries dish with sad warmth: Morgan turned to kiting checks, thieving tills, relieving hapless johns of pants and wallets, even robbing banks. Morgan served 30 years in prison, including a long stint in San Quentin, which harbored musicians enough to field a world-class big band. Heikin intro-duces Morgan’s exes, family, friends and collaborators, who attest to his genius for both crime and music. The latter we hear: His “Come Sunday” will break your heart, sweetly. Like Art Pepper, Morgan had a run at the straight life, starting in his 50s, releasing 17 albums after getting sprung in 1985. But heroin is a lifelong struggle, and the film, unlike his solos, can’t quite end on a note of triumph. The usual doc mix of interviews and vintage photos is moving and surprisingly funny, and it’s always great to hear from Gary Giddins. But Heikin’s best inspiration is to stage and film a tribute concert at San Quentin. Grace Kelly’s tender “Over the Rainbow” solo might stir tears, and Heikin, unlike so many impatient directors, knows that in a doc about musicians, the music should breathe. (Alan Scherstuhl)

O N G O I N G

THE BIG SHORT Fueled by impotent, blustery outrage, Adam McKay’s The Big Short, about the grotesque banking and investing practices that led to the 2008 financial collapse, is about as fun and enlightening as a cranked-up portfolio manager’s rue-filled comedown after an energy-shot bender. Based on Michael Lewis’s 2010 bestselling book of the same name, McKay’s film queasily valorizes some of those who profited from the global fiscal freakout. McKay’s bumptious movie awkwardly combines fourth-wall-breaking gimmickry and flac-cid indignation with the goofball energy that defines his comedies, like The Other Guys. An ersatz, too-late populism motors The Big Short, and the movie produces dizzying cognitive dissonance: The hand-ful of fact-based finance guys the film tracks, who saw that the economy was headed for calamity and made billions while millions of people lost homes and jobs, are held up as conscience-bearers. Or, more precisely, as “outsiders and weirdos [who] saw what no one else could...the giant lie at the heart of the economy,” in the words of oily Wall Street banker Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling). Sporting a Chia Pet perm and a vaguely outer-borough-sounding accent, Gosling is the first in the cast to directly address the audience, a device deployed to di-minishing return. The eccentrics extolled include Michael Burry (Christian Bale), an MD and money manager who invents the credit default swap, and Mark Baum (Steve Carell, also hideously coiffed), an obnoxious hedge fund manager whose backstory involving a dead-by-suicide brother somehow positions him as the film’s most steadfast moral compass. The stupefying cloyingness of the finale makes me hope that the next economics tome to be adapted, even as a lavish

Y O U R W E E K LY M O V I E T O D O L I S T

Holiday Cheer All Over the ScreenFriday, Dec. 18In one of few unseasonal off erings this week, the New Beverly delves into Sylvester Stallone’s back catalog with Paradise Alley and Rocky II, both of which he wrote, directed and starred in. It’s good timing, what with Creed having just reminded us that, when he’s on, Sly is really on. Th e action star’s classical sensibilities as a fi lmmaker may seem out of step with his onscreen machismo, but Stallone’s fi xation on the downside of success — how people who come from nothing tend toward the self-destructive when things start working out for them — goes a long way toward explaining his characters’ capacity for violence. Th e 35mm print of Paradise Alley comes straight from Quentin Tarantino’s personal collection. New Beverly Cinema, 7165 Beverly Blvd., Fairfax; Fri.-Sun., Dec. 18-20, 7 p.m. (Paradise Al-ley) and 9:15 p.m. (Rocky II); $8. (323) 938-4038, thenewbev.com.

Christmas comes early to Old Town Music Hall, whose annual festivities include a selection of classic comedy shorts, carol sing-alongs featuring the Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ and Scrooge, a silent adaptation of A Christmas Carol made in 1922. That’s a special gift , considering the fi lm’s rarity, and not to be missed by Christmas completists. Old Town Music Hall, 140 Richmond St., El Segundo; Fri.-Sat., Dec. 18-19, 8:15 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., Dec. 19-20, 2:30 p.m.; $10. (310) 322-2592, oldtownmusichall.org.

Saturday, Dec. 19Th e Egyptian’s Retro Format series continues with Th e Silent Man on 8mm. Cliff Retallick will be on hand to provide live musical accompaniment to the 98-year-old Western starring William S. Hart, an iconic presence in that particular genre and era, as a prospector who takes it upon himself to rid a mining town of the baddies who rob him of his hard-earned gold. Also on the docket is a 16-minute Edison Company short titled Santa Claus vs. Cupid. Egyptian Th eatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hol-lywood; Sat., Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m.; $11. (323) 466-3456, americancinemathequecalendar.com.

Th e rules for attending Cinespia’s holiday party aren’t as strict as those concerning mogwai ownership, but all attendees hoping to see Gremlins at the gorgeous Palace Th eatre must be 21 or older. Joe Dante is the un-disputed master of horror-comedy, and his best-known fi lm — which, in case you’ve forgotten, happens to be set during Christmastime — will be preceded by season-ally appropriate cocktails, the record-spinning stylings of a few DJs and Cinespia’s signature free photo booth. Palace Th eatre, 630 S. Broadway, downtown; Sat., Dec. 19, 9 p.m. (doors at 7:30); $18. (213) 553-4567, cinespia.org.

Sunday, Dec. 20Here’s the go-to: It’s a Wonderful Life plays at the Aero. Sure, you’ve seen Frank Capra’s epochal yuletide story on TV more times than you can count, but have you ever experienced it free of commercials on the big screen? It’s even easier to understand why Jimmy Stewart was such a larger-than-life presence for so many decades when you see him in literal larger-than-life proportions. At 6:30, Karie Bible and Mary Mallory, who will intro-duce the fi lm, sign their book Hollywood Celebrates the Holidays in the lobby. Aero Th eatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; Sun., Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m.; $11. (323) 466-3456, americancinemathequecalendar.com.

Tuesday, Dec. 22Among many reasons to see White Christmas at LACMA is the fact that it was the fi rst movie to be released in VistaVision, a gloriously colorful (and long-defunct) wide-screen process developed by Paramount in the 1950s. Th is is a reworked version of 1942’s Holiday Inn, which is most famous for introducing Bing Crosby’s original, standard-setting rendition of “White Christ-mas” to the world. Crosby and Danny Kaye star as a song-and-dance duo who fall for two sisters, also performers; together the quartet use their gifts to revitalize the struggling Vermont inn owned by Crosby and Kaye’s former commanding offi cer in the military. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire; Tue., Dec. 22, 1 p.m.; $4. (323) 857-6000, lacma.org.

Wednesday, Dec. 23 La Collectionneuse, Cinefamily’s monthly soiree geared toward Francophiles, gets in the holiday spirit with its presentation of A Christmas Tale. Arnaud Desplechin is one of contemporary France’s fi nest auteurs, and his portrayal of a fractured family unit (including Catherine Deneuve, Mathieu Amalric and Emmanuelle Devos) coming together on Christmas for lack of any better option blends the philosophical with the visceral like few others belonging to this rather specifi c subgenre. Cinefamily/Silent Movie Theatre, 611 N. Fairfax Ave., Fairfax; Wed., Dec. 23, 7:30 p.m.; $12. (323) 655-2510, cinefamily.org. —Michael Nordine

Gremlins

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musical, is Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century. (Melissa Anderson)

BRIDGE OF SPIES Steven Spielberg’s true-story Cold War procedural Bridge of Spies has a wintry chill. The colors are gray and green, the skin tones pale as frozen fish, and the film stock fuzzed and snowy. Our protagonist, James Donovan (Tom Hanks)

spends half the movie waylaid by a cold and takes his important meetings huddled over scotch, as if for warmth. It’s easy to feel how the United States and Russia thought this permafrost would last forever. The story starts in 1957, the year Donovan was drafted to defend Russian spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) on three indictments

of thermonuclear espionage. Abel, a sallow man with a tight frown and lilting eyebrows, was never going to be acquit-ted. With his client’s guilt already decided, Donovan earns his pay merely by yanking Abel from the electric chair. Most people in America, the government included, would prefer he hadn’t. But Donovan, a former

insurance litigator, thinks Abel is valuable collateral. In the second act, set five years later as East Germany erects the Berlin Wall, Donovan has a chance to prove it by attempting to trade Abel to the Russians in exchange for Yankee pilot Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell), captured on a mission to photograph Soviet territory. Spielberg elbows us with the hypocrisy: We’d like our man back unharmed, even though we screamed to lynch theirs. Rather than examine the shifting loyalties of film noir, Spielberg purposefully drains the plot of intrigue. We’re never in doubt where anyone stands. With the uses and themes established, Bridge of Spies is free to ask a more modern question: Are the good guys that much better than the bad? (Amy Nicholson)

GO BROOKLYN Saoirse Ronan makes a grand case for herself as the millen-nial generation’s finest leading lady in Brooklyn, an immaculately crafted, im-mensely moving character study about a 1950s immigrant struggling to find her place in the world. With an open,

innocent countenance equally capable of registering tremulous separation anxiety, exhilarating joy and moral un-certainty, Ronan is a marvel of nuanced expressiveness throughout this story, adapted by writer Nick Hornby from Colm Tóibín’s novel. Carving out compelling characterizations from the slightest of looks and exchanges, Hornby and director John Crowley detail the plight of Eilis Lacey (Ronan), a 20-something Irish girl who travels to New York, leav-ing her beloved older sister Rose (Fiona Glascott) to care for their mother (Jane Brennan). In the States, a kindly priest (Jim Broadbent) helps Eilis secure lodg-ing at a boardinghouse run by the strict but compassionate Mrs. Kehoe (Julie Walters) and work at a department store. It’s a foreign life full of lingering homesickness, acclimation-induced distress, and wide-eyed excitement, the last of which blossoms after Eilis attends a local dance and meets Tony Fiorello (Emory Cohen), a sweet Italian plumber with whom she soon falls headlong into

IN HE NEVER DIED, HENRY ROLLINS IS A SURPRISINGLY TOUGH AND HILARIOUS ACTION HERO

He Never Died is a Tootsie Pop of a movie. It has the outer shell of Taken — an estranged daughter kid-napped by a crime syndicate, a father who carves

through waves of henchmen to get her back — but there’s an altogether diff erent treat in the center. Th at diff erence is Henry Rollins’ Jack, numb yet somehow magnetic: Most movie tough guys are stoic, but Jack’s on another level entirely. Th e explosions and animalistic roars inside his head hint at a haunted past, but on the outside he’s a misanthropic bingo junkie who deadpans his way through every confrontation.

Suff ering wound upon wound, Jack seems to only dimly recognize the danger around him, and he cares so little that it raises the stakes for everybody else. Kate Greenhouse plays a waitress who takes an interest in Jack; once he opens up, her utter incredulousness at the scope of his life is one of this slow-building fi lm’s

unexpected joys. Also unexpected is how much humor Rollins brings

to his role. At one point Jack lists his impossibly broad resume, an ultra-prolonged gag whose goofi ness he doesn’t even acknowledge. Th e action sequences have a similar aesthetic: Jack prevails not because he’s stronger but because he can take enough punishment to outlast everybody. —Rob Staeger

HE NEVER DIED | Written and directed by Jason Krawczyk | Vertical Entertainment | Vintage Los Feliz

Henry Rollins in He Never Died

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an affair. Their amour is complicated by a family tragedy that calls Eilis back to Ireland, where her mother and her best friend unsubtly conspire to pair her with a single suitor (Domhnall Gleeson) in order to re-entrench her in her native land. The question of what — and how one — defines home becomes an urgent dilemma for Eilis, as she’s pulled in two directions by competing feelings and forces. (Nick Schager)

GO CHI-RAQ Oh Zeus, hear my lament that I was not present when Spike Lee imagined updating Lysistrata to present-day Chicago. I bet he burst himself cackling. Aristophanes’ comedy, written during the three-decade Peloponnesian War, concocts a crazy scheme: Women refuse sex until their blue-balled men give in and declare a truce. With Lee’s Chi-Raq, Lysistrata’s vow never to “extend my Persian slippers toward the ceiling” — or, in Lee’s modern slang, “total abstinence from knocking the boots” — melds per-fectly with the present. Teyonah Parris’ headstrong and radiant Lysistrata struts through the streets in camouflage hot pants, all ripe cleavage and chains. Lee’s updated heroine has “a mind like Einstein and a truly luscious behind,” drools narra-tor Dolmedes (Samuel L. Jackson), which is a snortingly perfect name for a charac-ter who’s half Greek chorus, half Rudy Ray Moore. More perilously, she’s the girlfriend of Spartan gang leader Chi-Raq (Nick Cannon), who’s entrenched in an endless shootout with the rival Trojans, headed by one-eyed thug Cyclops (Wesley Snipes in a bedazzled eyepatch, a welcome sight). A wise woman (Angela Bassett) schools the girl that young life shouldn’t be so intertwined with death. Till then, Lysistrata had simply accepted violence as fact. Now she’ll end it with a rebellion. “No peace, no pussy,” she and her ladies growl, and the city flips out. Yelps strip club owner Morris (Dave Chappelle), whose stages are empty, “These ‘hos have shut down the penis power grid!” Chi-Raq is a marvel. It’s Lee resurrecting his voice — angry, im-passioned, and funny as hell — right when we need it. It’s astonishing how well this works. Who would have guessed that a 2,500-year-old sex comedy would feel like the freshest film of 2015? (Amy Nicholson)

GO HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT They could have called it Hitchcock/Truffaut/Scorsese/Fincher. Less an adaptation of one of the great books about film than a feature-length recommendation, Kent Jones’s documentary take on François Truffaut’s exhaustive career-survey 1966 interview with Alfred Hitchcock is an arresting précis, sharply edited and generous with its film clips — it’s a smashing supplement to Truffaut’s classic study. It’s a thrill to hear the directors’ voices, recorded 50 years ago. Hitchcock, in that clipped and finicky rumble of his, describes the precise moment in Vertigo when Jimmy Stewart’s character is worked up at last to a full erection. Kent Jones and editor Rachel Reichman layer the talk over the scene itself: Stewart’s frayed-nerve detective Scottie, almost panting in a hotel room lit the green of lime Jell-O, while Kim Novak’s Judy at last ducks out to put her hair up in the manner of the dead woman he loves.

To his credit, Hitchcock’s matter-of-fact commentary makes a deliciously sick moment even more so. But don’t expect many such thorough explications. Jones’s film, which comets through Hitch high-lights before getting caught up in the grav-ity of Psycho and Vertigo, is no substitute for the book itself, which examines each of Hitchcock’s movies, at some length, from the rarest of perspectives: that of working artists. Jones has assembled today’s di-rectors of note to chip in. They tilt his film from shoptalk to awed appreciation, and too many rhapsodize about Hitchcockian generalities rather than his specific intentions and choices in individual films. (Jones, a film historian and programmer, mines the oeuvre to illustrate the vague encomiums.) Some, though, justify the de-cision to bring in more voices, especially Martin Scorsese, James Gray and David Fincher. (Alan Scherstuhl)

GO ROOM Lenny Abrahamson’s shat-tering drama Room borrows its fictional plot from the tabloids and strips it of sensationalism. Seven years ago, a man (Sean Bridgers) snatched 17-year-old Joy (Brie Larson) and stashed her in his backyard shed. Two years later, she bore their son. The door stayed locked. Now 5, Jack (Jacob Tremblay) has never left their 10-by-10 cell. He’s not even aware he’s in one. To keep Jack calm, his mom convinces him that the world on TV is make-believe. All dogs are fake, the ocean is fake, the other people are just “made of colors.” Their room — or, as he calls it, “Room,” the same way we say “America” — is the only reality. The twist is, to Jack it’s not that bad. Like a goldfish in a bowl, or the explorer who’s certain the world is flat, his curiosity fits his box. When Jack wakes up, he says hello to ev-ery item — “good morning, lamp,” “good morning, plant.” Tremblay, an elf with an uncombed burst of hair, is so compel-ling that we can see Room through his eyes. But then Abrahamson pans over

to Larson for a reality check. She keeps smiling — in a space this small, she has no privacy to sob. And then Jack looks away, and her face goes slack. Larson, a gifted actress with the solidity of a fron-tiersman, silently telegraphs her loss. In frank terms, Room is a story about rape. Without it, Jack wouldn’t exist. Yet Abrahamson loathes the salacious. He’s fascinated by happiness and hope: how Jack can see joy in this dungeon, and how Joy can dream of freedom when her son can’t comprehend that there’s any-where else to go. (Amy Nicholson)

GO SPOTLIGHT Tom McCarthy’s bold, shirtsleeve-sturdy newsroom drama Spotlight, which shows how Boston Globe reporters exposed the scope of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, is less an el-egy for the art and craft of news reporting than a rallying cry. If journalism were really dying, how could it inspire art this vital? Though it’s set in 2001 and early 2002 — practically ancient times in the distressing recent history of newspapers — Spotlight feels both timeless and modern. New Globe editor Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber), low-key to an almost comical degree, asks his staff if the church’s record of protect-ing sex offenders isn’t something the paper should be looking into. The protests and excuses come from all sides, includ-ing deputy managing editor Ben Bradlee Jr. (John Slattery) and longtime reporter and editor Walter “Robby” Robinson (Michael Keaton), who together lead the paper’s Spotlight team, a crew of report-ers devoted to long-term investigations. No one wants to tangle with the church. But Baron, seemingly with little more than an arched eyebrow, persuades the Spotlight staff to investigate. Spotlight is perfectly cast, and the performers melt right into their roles: Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and Brian d’Arcy James play the three Spotlight reporters. When I look back on the film years from now, I’ll picture McAdams’ Pfeiffer, dressed in

unflattering pants and an untucked shirt, hoofing to meet a source at a South End café. News reporting means writing, but it also means getting out of the office. You don’t crack a story like this one by trolling the Web to see what already-broken news you can repackage. (Stephanie Zacharek)

STINKING HEAVEN A lo-fi, high-volatility psychodrama, Nathan Silver’s Stinking Heaven, the 31-year-old director’s fifth feature, ricochets with raw, mercurial responses. Set in Passaic, New Jersey, in 1990 — and shot in era-appropriate cruddy video — the film tracks an inter-generational group of recovering addicts living in the single-story suburban home of a young married couple, Jim (Keith Poulson) and Lucy (Deragh Campbell). “We’re all community here. We’re all one big family,” one of the older housemates, Kevin (Henri Douvry, who bears an unset-tling resemblance to Jerry Sandusky), tells the latest arrival, Ann (Hannah Gross), the devious ex of Betty (Eléonore Hendricks), Kevin’s bride of a few days. The gray-haired junkie’s benign welcome is, of course, another way of announcing that the residents are all made miserable by — and wholly dependent on — one an-other’s petty tyrannies. Never a banal de-piction of dysfunctional group dynamics, Stinking Heaven, which was shaped, as in Silver’s previous work, largely through improvisation, remains consistently ab-sorbing: The actors’ agile reflexes keep scenes unpredictable as their characters react to passive-aggressive slights or terrifying paroxysms of rage. “Love never ends,” according to the lyrics of the home’s unofficial anthem; Silver and his talented troupe demonstrate that there’s more horror than hope in that declara-tion. (Melissa Anderson)

TRUMBO Bryan Cranston parades through Trumbo, a wiki-pageant of shorthand history, like he’s a costumed kid play-ing Actor Bryan Cranston at a Disney park. As blacklisted screenwriter Dalton

Trumbo, a man given to mannered diction, Cranston layers movieland falseness over the scraped-raw heart of his Breaking Bad triumph. You never get to see Cranston’s Trumbo think, which is a demerit in a movie about a writer: Here, the two-time Oscar winner, for pseudonymous work on The Brave One and Roman Holiday, only speaks lines that he might have composed — the ringing dialogue of classic Hollywood — even when knocking about the house. Trumbo served two years in jail for his refusal to name names before the House Un-American Activities Committee, and Cranston declaims his letters to home: “Yet in all things I know that I am the luckiest unlucky man ever to be,” he says, and however pretty that line might be, the movie is wrecked by the fact that it sounds exactly like everything else he ever says. The film fails as a portrait, and it’s not much better at drama. This is a Hollywood where everyone always takes a moment to sum up the current situation for us at the beginning of each scene, where Hedda Hopper (a one-note Helen Mirren) snaps at Louis B. Mayer (Richard Portnow), “Forty years ago you were starving in some shtetl!” Christian Berkel’s Otto Preminger is cute, but the movie is stolen by John Goodman as Frank King, skinflint producer of cheapo B flicks, a robust comic figure who gets all the best lines and speaks them like a human being might. (Alan Scherstuhl)

GO YOUTH Life is hard for the extrava-gantly wealthy lounging about in one of the world’s most beautiful hotels. Paolo Sorrentino’s latest might seem easy to mock — here, after all, are Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel, playing a composer and a film director, moping in a Swiss spa about old age and memory loss while often surrounded by the flesh the title promises. (“Miss Universe” parades nude before them in a heated pool, which Sorrentino makes seem thematically re-warding — probably helped secure financ-ing.) But Sorrentino, as always, invests his scenarios with a feeling and beauty that transcends the dreary specifics: The spa, populated not just by decaying gods but by troubled younger folks played by Paul Dano (as an actor crushed that people only recognize him from his robot film) and a magnificent Rachel Weisz (as the just-jilt-ed daughter of Caine’s composer), comes to feel like some louche purgatory, but one alive to the possibilities shaking loose in its inhabitants. Caine conducts a field of cows into something like a clanging-bell overture; a tank-topped prostitute loses herself in dancing along to a video game; a gaggle of screenwriters lie in bed, pitch-ing a character’s final words, the camera surveying their faces from above; a monk on the lush lawn sits in silent contempla-tion, willing himself to levitate. A devotee of Fellini, Sorrentino unleashes a surfeit of visions, but here the imaginative surplus is warm and restful, despite a couple of moments of fury. The best of those belong to Weisz, the daughter dressing down her father with the full spleen of a Dylan song, and Jane Fonda, as a Hollywood great, who takes over the joint with the frankest of frank talk. (Alan Scherstuhl)

IN BRILLIANT ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE, DREAMS REWIRED SHOWS US BECOMING OURSELVES

A capital clip-job, brain-tickling cine-essay Dreams Rewired examines how last century’s mass-media technology — telephones, radio,

moving pictures — altered our minds, our expectations, and our understanding of the world.

The film is assembled mostly from early films, so its lens is that of a new medium’s examination of new media: Here’s the telephone operator, in a silent, overhearing some terrible plot; here’s a fi lm of a man telephoning in to an early television broadcast to prove that the broadcast is in fact live.

Th at last clip is endlessly rich. Tilda Swinton, our narrator, speaks about how the new technology must always convince the public of its legitimacy through the use of the old technology, and the chillingest thing in Dreams Rewired is the way that the TV announcer, a sprightly young beauty, cheerily proclaims to be broadcasting from the heart of the Reich.

But Dreams Rewired is no polemic, and it never mocks the past. Swinton’s narration makes common cause with it. She’ll speak over the silent-fi lm actors, at

times, giving us an of-our-moment gloss on what their characters seem to be feeling. One sequence, a silent gag in which a stout phone operator agrees to meet up with a gent who likes her voice, suggests our contem-porary anxieties about online anonymity. Later, there’s a French animated short about a sexually adventurous fl apper harnessing the power of radio to (somehow) spy on a romantic rival and then shove her out of a contested man’s lap — well, there’s Facebook-stalking and proto-doxxing right there. Its clips come from some 200 fi lms dating up to the 1930s, but Dreams Rewired shows us becoming ourselves. —Alan Scherstuhl

DREAMS REWIRED | Directed by Manu Luksch, Martin Reinhart and Thomas Tode | Icarus Films | NoHo

Dreams Rewired

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| | Neighborhood Movie Guide // Schedules are subject to change; please call ahead to confirm showtimes. See Film & Video Events for other programs.

HOLLYWOOD & VICINITY

ARENA CINEMA 1625 North Las Palmas Avenue - Next to Egyptian Theater (323)306-0676Anguish Fri.-Sat., 9:30 p.m.; Sun., 9:15 p.m.; Mon., 9:45

p.m.; Tues., 8:15 p.m.; Wed., 9:45 p.m.; Thurs., 8:15 p.m.The World of Kanako (Kawaki) Fri.-Sat., 11 p.m.Solitary Fri., 7:55 p.m.; Sat., 5, 8 p.m.; Sun., 5, 6:30 p.m.;

Mon., 8:15 p.m.; Tues., 6:45 p.m.; Wed., 8:15 p.m.; Thurs., 6:45 p.m.

Stinking Heaven Fri., 6:45 p.m.; Sat., 3:30, 6:30 p.m.; Sun., 3:30, 8 p.m.; Mon., 7 p.m.; Tues., 9:45 p.m.; Wed., 7 p.m.; Thurs., 9:45 p.m.

ARCLIGHT HOLLYWOOD Sunset Blvd. at Vine (323) 464-4226Star Wars: The Force Awakens Fri., 6:15, 6:30, 6:45,

7, 7:15, 7:30, 7:45, 8, 8:45, 9:15, 9:45, 10, 10:30, 11 a.m., 12 noon, 12:15, 12:45, 1, 2, 3:15, 4, 5, 5:15, 6:30 p.m.; Sat., 7, 7:30, 7:45, 8, 8:05, 8:15, 8:45, 9:15, 9:45, 10, 10:30, 10:45, 11 a.m., 12 noon, 12:15, 12:45, 1, 2, 3:15, 3:45, 4, 5, 5:15, 6:30 p.m.; Sun., 7, 7:30, 7:45, 8, 8:05, 8:15, 8:45, 9:15, 9:45, 10, 10:30, 10:45, 11 a.m., 12 noon, 12:15, 12:45, 1, 2, 3:15, 4, 5, 5:15, 6:30, 7:15 p.m.; Mon., 8, 8:05, 8:15, 8:45, 9:15, 9:45, 10:30, 10:45, 11 a.m., 12 noon, 12:15, 12:45, 2, 3:15, 3:45, 5, 5:15, 6:30, 7:30, 8, 9:30, 10, 10:30, 11 p.m.; Tues., 8, 8:05, 8:15, 8:45, 9:15, 9:45, 10, 10:30, 10:45, 11 a.m., 12 noon, 12:15, 12:45, 1, 2, 3:15, 3:45, 4:15, 5, 5:15, 6:30, 7:30, 8, 9:30 p.m.; Wed.-Thurs., 8, 11 a.m., 2, 5, 8, 11 p.m.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Fri., 6, 8:15, 9, 11:15, 11:30 a.m., 1:30, 2:15, 2:30, 3, 4:30, 5:30, 6, 8:15, 8:30, 9, 11:15, 11:30 p.m., 12 mid, 1 a.m.; Sat.-Mon., 8:15, 9, 11:15, 11:30 a.m., 1:30, 2:15, 2:30, 3, 4:30, 5:30, 6, 8:15, 8:30, 9, 11:15, 11:30 p.m., 12 mid, 1 a.m.; Tues., 8:15, 9, 11:15, 11:30 a.m., 1:30, 2:15, 2:30, 3, 4:30, 5:30, 6, 8:15, 8:30, 9, 11:15, 11:30 p.m., 1 a.m.; Fri.-Sun., 8:30 a.m., 12 noon, 3:30, 7, 10:30 p.m., 2 a.m.; Mon.-Thurs., 8:30 a.m., 12 noon, 3:30, 7, 10:30 p.m.

The Hateful Eight: 70mm Thurs., 6, 9:45 p.m.The Revenant Thurs., 12:01 a.m.Sisters Fri., 10:55 a.m., 2:35, 5:10, 7:55, 10:35 p.m., 12:10

a.m.; Sat.-Sun., 7:10, 9:10 a.m., 12:10, 2:35, 5:10, 7:55, 10:35 p.m., 12:10 a.m.; Mon.-Tues., 8:05, 9:10 a.m., 12:10, 2:35, 5:10, 7:55, 10:35 p.m., 12:10 a.m.

The Big Short Fri., 8:50, 11:40 a.m., 2:20, 3:45, 5:05, 7:05, 8:05, 10:20 p.m.; Sat., 7:05, 8:50, 11:40 a.m., 2:20, 5:05, 7:05, 8:05, 10:20 p.m.; Sun., 7:05, 8:50, 11:40 a.m., 2:20, 3:45, 5:05, 7:05, 8:05, 10:20 p.m.; Mon.-Tues., 8:10, 9:20, 11:40 a.m., 2:20, 5:05, 7:05, 8:05, 10:20 p.m.

In the Heart of the Sea Fri., 10:50 a.m., 1:40, 4:20, 7:20, 10:05 p.m.; Sat.-Tues., 11:05 a.m., 1:40, 4:20, 7:20, 10:05 p.m.

The Danish Girl Fri., 9:25 a.m., 1:35, 4:10, 7:10, 9:40 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 9:40 a.m., 1:35, 4:10, 7:10, 9:40 p.m.; Mon., 9:05 a.m., 1:35, 4:10, 7:10, 9:40 p.m.; Tues., 9:05 a.m., 1:35, 3:45, 7:10, 9:40 p.m.

Creed Fri.-Tues., 11:35 a.m., 2:25, 5:20, 7:40, 10:55 p.m.Carol Fri., 11:55 a.m., 1:55, 4:25, 7, 9:35 p.m.; Sat.-Tues.,

11:20 a.m., 1:55, 4:25, 7, 9:35 p.m.Star Wars: The Force Awakens Fri., 7:15, 7:30, 8,

9:30, 10, 10:15, 10:30, 11 p.m., 12 mid, 12:30, 12:45, 1:15, 1:30, 1:45, 2 a.m.; Sat., 7:15, 7:30, 8, 9:30, 10, 10:15, 10:30, 11 p.m., 12 mid, 12:30, 12:45, 2 a.m.; Sun., 7:30, 8, 9:30, 10, 10:15, 10:30, 11 p.m., 12 mid, 12:30, 12:45, 2 a.m.; Mon., 12 mid, 12:30, 12:45 a.m.; Tues., 10, 10:30, 11 p.m., 12 mid, 12:30, 12:45 a.m.

LOS FELIZ 3 1822 N. Vermont Ave. (323) 664-2169He Never Died Fri.-Wed., 1:30, 4:30, 7:20, 9:50 p.m.;

Thurs., 1:30, 4:30, 7:20 p.m.Sisters Fri.-Wed., 1:15, 4:10, 7, 9:50 p.m.; Thurs., 1:15,

4:10, 7 p.m.The Big Short Tues., 9:50 p.m.; Wed., 1:15, 4:10, 7, 9:50

p.m.; Thurs., 1:15, 4:10, 7 p.m.Spotlight Fri.-Mon., 4:10, 9:50 p.m.; Tues., 4:10 p.m.Brooklyn Fri.-Tues., 1:15, 7 p.m.TCL CHINESE 6 THEATRES 6801 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 461-3331Star Wars: The Force Awakens Fri.-Sat., 9:45 a.m.,

1:10, 4:30, 8, 11:30 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m., 2:30, 6, 9:30 p.m.; Mon.-Thurs., 11:30 a.m., 3, 6:30, 10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 9:45 a.m., 1:10, 4:30, 8, 11:30 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m., 2:30, 6, 9:30 p.m.; Mon.-Thurs., 11:30 a.m., 3, 6:30, 10 p.m.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Fri.-Sat., 9:15 a.m., 12:40, 4, 7:30, 11 p.m.; Sun., 11:30 a.m., 3, 6:30, 10 p.m.; Mon.-Thurs., 12 noon, 3:25, 7, 10:30 p.m.

TCM Presents Miracle on 34th Street Sun.-Wed., 2, 7 p.m.

TCL CHINESE THEATRE IMAX 6925 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 461-3331Star Wars: The Force Awakens An IMAX 3D

Experience Fri.-Sat., 5:15, 8:45 a.m., 12:10, 3:30, 7, 10:30 p.m., 2 a.m.; Sun., 8:45 a.m., 12:10, 3:30, 7, 10:30 p.m.; Mon.-Thurs., 9 a.m., 12:15, 3:40, 7:15, 10:45 p.m.

PACIFIC’S EL CAPITAN Hollywood Blvd., west of Highland (323) 467-7674Star Wars: The Force Awakens Fri.-Sat., 6, 9:45 a.m.,

12:55, 4:05, 7:15, 10:25 p.m., 1:35 a.m.; Sun., 6, 9:45 a.m., 12:55, 4:05, 7:15, 10:25 p.m.; Mon.-Thurs., 9:45 a.m., 12:55, 4:05, 7:15, 10:25 p.m.

PACIFIC’S THE GROVE STADIUM 14 189 The Grove Dr., Third & Fairfax (323) 692-0829Star Wars: The Force Awakens Fri., 7, 8:30, 9, 10,

10:30, 11:30 a.m., 12 noon, 1, 1:30, 2:30, 3, 4, 4:30, 5:30,

6, 7, 8:30, 9, 10, 11:30 p.m., 12 mid, 1 a.m.; Sat., 8:30, 9, 10, 10:30, 11:30 a.m., 12 noon, 1, 1:30, 2:30, 3, 4, 4:30, 5:30, 6, 7, 8:30, 9, 10, 11:30 p.m., 12 mid.; Sun., 8:30, 9, 10, 11:30 a.m., 12 noon, 1, 2:30, 3, 4, 4:30, 5:30, 6, 7, 8:30, 9, 10, 11:30 p.m.; Mon., 10, 11, 11:20 a.m., 12 noon, 1, 2:30, 3, 4, 4:30, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11:25 p.m.; Tues.-Wed., 10, 11:30 a.m., 12 noon, 1, 2:30, 3, 4, 4:30, 5:30, 6, 7, 8:30, 9, 10 p.m.; Thurs., 10 a.m., 1, 4, 7, 10 p.m.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Fri., 7:45, 9:15, 10:45 a.m., 12:15, 1:45, 3:15, 4:45, 6:15, 7:45, 9:15, 9:30, 10:45 p.m., 12:15, 12:30 a.m.; Sat., 9:15, 10:45 a.m., 12:15, 1:45, 3:15, 4:45, 6:15, 7:45, 9:15, 9:30, 10:45 p.m., 12:15, 12:30 a.m.; Sun., 9:15, 10:45 a.m., 12:15, 1:45, 3:15, 4:45, 6:15, 7:45, 9:15, 9:30, 10:45 p.m.; Mon., 12:15, 1:30, 3:15, 4:30, 6:15, 7:30, 9:15, 9:30, 10:30 p.m.; Tues.-Wed., 10:30 a.m., 12:15, 1:30, 3:15, 4:30, 6:15, 7:30, 9:15, 9:30, 10:30 p.m.; Thurs., 10:30 a.m., 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, 10:30 p.m.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Fri.-Sat., 8:45, 9:30 a.m., 12:10, 2:45, 5:05, 7:25, 9:45 p.m.; Sun., 8:45, 9:30, 11:30 a.m., 12:10, 2, 2:45, 5:05, 7:25, 9:45 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 9:40, 11:30 a.m., 12:10, 2, 2:45, 5:05, 7:25, 9:45 p.m.

Sisters Fri.-Sat., 8:40, 11:25 a.m., 2:10, 5, 6:45, 7:45, 9:30, 10:30 p.m., 12:05 a.m.; Sun., 8:40, 11:25 a.m., 2:10, 5, 6:45, 7:45, 9:30, 10:30 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 9:35, 11:25 a.m., 2:10, 5, 6:45, 7:45, 9:30, 10:30 p.m.

In the Heart of the Sea Fri.-Sun., 8:30, 10:50 a.m., 1:45, 4, 7:05, 9:50 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 10:50 a.m., 1:45, 4, 7:05, 9:50 p.m.

The Danish Girl Fri.-Sat., 8:35, 11:30 a.m., 1:45, 4:40, 7:30, 10:20 p.m., 12:10 a.m.; Sun., 8:35, 11:30 a.m., 1:45, 4:40, 7:30, 10:20 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 9:30, 11:30 a.m., 1:45, 4:40, 7:30, 10:20 p.m.

Creed Fri.-Sun., 9:10, 11:45 a.m., 2:25, 5:30, 8:30, 11:30 p.m.; Mon., 10:30 a.m., 2:25, 5:30, 8:25, 11:15 p.m.; Tues., 11:45 a.m., 2:25, 5:30, 8:30, 11:20 p.m.; Wed., 11:45 a.m., 2:25, 5:30, 8:25, 11:20 p.m.

The Good Dinosaur Fri.-Sun., 9:05, 11:20 a.m., 2:15, 4:30, 7 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 11:20 a.m., 2:15, 4:30, 7 p.m.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 Fri.-Mon., 11:10 a.m., 2:10, 5:15, 8:20, 11:20 p.m.; Tues.-Wed., 11:10 a.m., 2:10, 5:15, 8:20, 11:15 p.m.

The Night Before Fri.-Sat., 11:05 a.m., 1:30, 4:35, 7:30, 10 p.m., 12:25 a.m.; Sun.-Wed., 11:05 a.m., 1:30, 4:35, 7:30, 10 p.m.

VISTA 4473 Sunset Dr. (323) 660-6639Star Wars: The Force Awakens 11:15 a.m., 2:45,

6:20, 9:50 p.m.

DOWNTOWN, S. LOS ANGELES

DOWNTOWN INDEPENDENT 251 South Main Street (213)617-1033 Call theater for schedule.CGV CINEMAS LA 621 South Western Avenue (213)388-9000Inside Men 9:15 a.m., 12 noon, 3, 6:15, 9:30 p.m.Priests (Geomeun Sajedeul) Thurs., 10 a.m., 1, 4:15,

7:30, 10:45 p.m.Terminator Genisys 3D 9:30 a.m., 12:30, 3:45, 7,

10:15 p.m.REGAL CINEMAS L.A. LIVE STADIUM 14 1000 West Olympic Blvd. (844)462-7342 4046Star Wars: The Force Awakens Fri., 7:30, 10, 11 a.m.,

2:20, 3:50, 7:10, 10, 10:15, 10:45 p.m., 1:30 a.m.; Sat., 10, 11 a.m., 2:20, 3:50, 6:10, 7:10, 8:15, 9:30, 10 p.m., 1:30 a.m.; Sun., 9:30, 10, 11 a.m., 12:50, 2:20, 2:50, 3:50, 4:10, 6:10, 7:10, 7:30, 9:30, 10, 10:50 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 10 a.m., 3:50, 7:10, 10 p.m.; Thurs., 11 a.m., 1:20, 7:30 p.m.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Fri.-Sun., 10:30 a.m., 1:50, 5:10, 8:30, 11:50 p.m.; Mon., 10:30 a.m., 1:50, 5:10, 8:30, 11:35 p.m.; Tues., 10:30 a.m., 1:50, 5:10, 8:30, 11:50 p.m.; Wed., 10:30 a.m., 1:50, 5:10, 8:30, 11:35 p.m.; Thurs., 10:30 a.m., 1:50, 5:10, 8:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 9 a.m., 12 noon, 12:30, 1:20, 3:20, 4:40, 5:40, 6:40, 8, 9, 10:30, 11:20 p.m., 12:20 a.m.; Sun., 9 a.m., 12 noon, 12:30, 1:20, 3:20, 4:40, 5:40, 6:40, 8, 9, 10:30, 11:20 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 9 a.m., 12 noon, 12:30, 1:20, 3:20, 4:40, 6:40, 8, 10:30, 11:20 p.m.; Thurs., 9:30, 10 a.m., 12:50, 2:20, 4:10, 4:40, 5:40, 8, 9 p.m.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Fri.-Sun., 10:10, 11:10 a.m., 12:50, 1:40, 3:30, 4:30, 6:30, 7:30, 9:10, 10:10 p.m.

Sisters Fri., 10:50 a.m., 3:35, 5:30, 8:30, 11:40 p.m.; Sat., 10:20 a.m., 2, 5, 8, 11:10 p.m.; Sun., 10:50 a.m., 2, 4:50, 7:50, 11 p.m.

In the Heart of the Sea Fri.-Sun., 12:40, 6:50 p.m.In the Heart of the Sea 3D Fri.-Sun., 9:40 a.m., 3:40,

9:50 p.m.Krampus Fri., 9:20 a.m.; Sat., 12 noon.; Sun., 6:20 p.m.Creed Fri., 10:20 a.m., 12:20, 10:40 p.m.; Sat., 9:10 a.m.,

5:35, 8:55 p.m., 12:05 a.m.; Sun., 9:50 a.m., 1:10, 4:20, 7:40, 10:50 p.m.

The Good Dinosaur Fri., 10:40 a.m.; Sat., 5:05 p.m.; Sun., 3:45 p.m.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 Fri.-Sat., 9:10 a.m., 12:20, 4, 7:20, 10:40 p.m.; Sun., 10:05 a.m., 12:20, 5, 8:20 p.m., 12 mid.

The Night Before Fri., 4:55 p.m.; Sat., 8:50 p.m.; Sun., 9:30 a.m., 8:50 p.m.

UNIVERSITY VILLAGE 3 3323 S. Hoover St. (213) 748-6321 Call theater for schedule.

WEST HOLLYWOOD, BEVERLY HILLS

LAEMMLE’S AHRYA FINE ARTS THEATRE 8556 Wilshire Boulevard (310)478-3836Beasts of No Nation Fri.-Sun., 12:45, 3:50, 7, 10:10

p.m.; Mon., 12:45, 3:50 p.m.; Tues., 7, 10:10 p.m.; Wed., 12:45, 3:50, 7, 10:10 p.m.; Thurs., 12:45, 3:50 p.m.

Hamlet Mon., 7:30 p.m.; Tues., 1 p.m.Fiddler on the Roof Sing-a-Long Thurs., 7:30 p.m.SUNDANCE SUNSET CINEMA 8000 West Sunset Boulevard (323)654-2217 Call theater for schedule.LAEMMLE’S MUSIC HALL 3 9036 Wilshire Blvd. (310) 274-6869The Lady in the Van 5 p.m.The Diary of a Teenage Girl 9:40 p.m.Spotlight Fri.-Sun., 1, 4, 7, 9:55 p.m.; Mon., 1, 4, 7 p.m.;

Tues.-Thurs., 1, 4, 7, 9:55 p.m.Truth 2:10 p.m.The Laws of the Universe Part 0 (UFO Gakuen

no Himitsu) 1:10, 4:10, 7:10, 10 p.m.Grandma Fri.-Sun., 12 noon, 7:30 p.m.; Mon., 12 noon.;

Tues.-Thurs., 12 noon, 7:30 p.m.Elementary Genocide 2 Mon., 7:30 p.m.

WESTWOOD, WEST L.A.

AMC CENTURY CITY 15 10250 Santa Monica Blvd. (888)AMC-4FUNStar Wars: The Force Awakens Fri.-Sat., 9:15 a.m.,

3, 8, 11:30 p.m., 12:45 a.m.; Sun., 9:15 a.m., 3, 8, 11:15 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 9:30, 11 a.m., 3, 5:45, 8:30 p.m.; Thurs., 3 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 10:15 a.m., 1:30, 5, 8:30 p.m., 12 mid.; Sun., 10:15 a.m., 1:30, 5, 8:30, 11:45 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 10 a.m., 1:15, 4:30, 8, 11:30 p.m.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Fri.-Sat., 9:45, 11, 11:30 a.m., 1, 2:30, 4:30, 6, 6:30, 9:30, 10 p.m., 12:15 a.m.; Sun., 9:45, 11, 11:30 a.m., 1, 2:30, 4:30, 6, 6:30, 9:30, 10 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 10:30, 11:30 a.m., 1:45, 2:30, 5, 6:30, 9:15, 10 p.m.; Thurs., 11:30 a.m., 6:30, 10 p.m.; Sat., 8 p.m.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens An IMAX 3D Experience 9 a.m., 12:30, 4, 7:30, 11 p.m.

Spectre Fri., 12:55, 7:10 p.m.; Sat., 12:55 p.m.; Sun., 12:55, 7:10 p.m.; Mon.-Tues., 12:55 p.m.; Wed., 12:55, 7:10 p.m.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Fri.-Wed., 9:35, 11:35 a.m., 12:45, 2:15, 3:25, 4:45, 5:45, 7:15, 9:45 p.m.

Sisters Fri.-Sun., 10 a.m., 1, 4:05, 7, 10, 10:45 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 10:05 a.m., 1, 4:05, 7, 10, 10:45 p.m.

The Big Short Fri., 9:15, 10:20 a.m., 12:15, 1:35, 3:30, 4:45, 6:40, 7:45, 9:50, 10:55 p.m.; Sat., 9:15, 10:20 a.m., 12:15, 1:35, 3:30, 4:45, 6:40, 8:15, 9:50, 11:15 p.m.; Sun., 9:15, 10:20 a.m., 12:15, 1:35, 3:30, 4:45, 6:40, 7:45, 9:50, 10:55 p.m.; Mon., 9:15, 10:20 a.m., 12:15, 1:35, 3:30, 4:50, 6:40, 8:20, 9:50, 11:25 p.m.; Tues., 9:15, 10:20 a.m., 12:15, 1:35, 3:30, 4:50, 6:40, 8:20, 9:50, 11:35 p.m.; Wed., 9:15, 10:20 a.m., 12:15, 1:35, 3:30, 4:50, 6:40, 8:20, 9:50, 11:25 p.m.

In the Heart of the Sea Fri.-Wed., 9:55 a.m., 4:15, 10:30 p.m.

In the Heart of the Sea 3D Fri.-Wed., 1:10, 7:25 p.m.Creed Fri.-Sun., 9:30 a.m., 12:35, 3:50, 7:05, 10:20 p.m.;

Mon., 9:30 a.m., 12:35, 3:50, 7:05, 10:55 p.m.; Tues.-Wed., 9:30 a.m., 12:35, 3:50, 7:05, 10:20 p.m.

The Good Dinosaur Fri.-Wed., 9 a.m., 12:05, 2:40, 5:15, 8 p.m.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 Fri.-Sun., 9:40 a.m., 1:05, 4:20, 7:35, 10:50 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 9:45 a.m., 1:05, 4:20, 7:35, 10:50 p.m.

The Night Before Fri.-Mon., 4:25, 11:15 p.m.; Tues., 4:25, 11:20 p.m.; Wed., 4:25, 11:15 p.m.

Spotlight Fri., 9:50 a.m., 8:15, 10:40 p.m.; Sat., 9:50 a.m., 7:30, 10:40 p.m.; Sun., 9:50 a.m., 8:15, 10:40 p.m.; Mon., 9:50 a.m., 8:15, 10:15 p.m.; Tues., 9:50 a.m., 7:10, 10:15 p.m.; Wed., 9:50 a.m., 8:15, 10:40 p.m.

LAEMMLE’S ROYAL THEATER 11523 Santa Monica Blvd. (310) 477-5581Macbeth (2015) Fri.-Sun., 1:40, 4:20, 7, 9:40 p.m.; Mon.,

1:40, 4:20, 9:40 p.m.; Tues., 1:40, 4:20, 7, 9:40 p.m.45 Years Wed.-Thurs., 12:30, 1:40, 2:55, 4:10, 5:20, 7,

7:50, 9:30, 10:15 p.m.Noma: My Perfect Storm Mon., 7:30 p.m.Hitchcock/Truffaut Fri.-Tues., 1, 5:40, 10:15 p.m.Janis: Little Girl Blue Fri.-Tues., 9:45 p.m.Mustang Fri.-Tues., 3:10, 7:50 p.m.(T)error Fri.-Tues., 1:50, 7:30 p.m.We Come as Friends Sat.-Sun., 10:30 a.m.The Hunting Ground Sat.-Sun., 11 a.m.Fiddler on the Roof Sing-a-Long Thurs., 7:30 p.m.Moomins on the Riviera (Muumit Rivieralla)

Sat.-Sun., 11 a.m.Theeb Fri.-Tues., 5 p.m.LANDMARK’S NUART THEATER 11272 Santa Monica Blvd. (310) 473-8530; No Texting AllowedSon of Saul (Saul fia) Fri.-Wed., 1:20, 4:10, 7, 9:45 p.m.;

Thurs., 1:20, 4:10, 7 p.m.Love Actually Fri., 11:59 p.m.The Rocky Horror Picture Show Sat., 11:59 p.m.LANDMARK’S REGENT 1045 Broxton Ave. (310) 208-3250; No Texting AllowedTrumbo Fri., 5:15, 8 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 2:30, 5:15, 8 p.m.;

Mon.-Wed., 5:15, 8 p.m.; Thurs., 2:30, 5:15, 8 p.m.LANDMARK WEST L.A. 10850 W. Pico Blvd. (310) 470-0492; No Texting AllowedStar Wars: The Force Awakens 10:10, 10:40, 11

a.m., 1:10, 1:40, 2, 4:10, 4:40, 5, 7:10, 7:40, 8, 10:05, 10:20, 10:55 p.m.

The Hateful Eight: 70mm Thurs., 6, 9:50 p.m.

The Big Short Fri., 10:35, 11:25 a.m., 1:30, 2:20, 4:25, 5:15, 7:20, 8:10, 10:10, 10:55 p.m.; Sat., 10:35, 11:25 a.m., 1:30, 2:20, 4:25, 5:15, 7:20, 10:10 p.m.; Sun., 10:35, 11:25 a.m., 1:30, 2:20, 4:25, 7:20, 10:10 p.m.; Mon.-Tues., 10:35, 11:25 a.m., 1:30, 2:20, 4:25, 5:15, 7:20, 8:10, 10:10, 10:55 p.m.; Wed., 10:35, 11:25 a.m., 1:30, 2:20, 4:25, 5:15, 7:20, 8:10, 10:10 p.m.; Thurs., 10:35 a.m., 1:30, 4:25, 7:20, 10:10 p.m.

In the Heart of the Sea Fri.-Wed., 11 a.m., 1:40, 4:20, 7:05, 9:45 p.m.; Thurs., 11 a.m., 1:40 p.m.

Youth (La giovinezza) 10:40 a.m., 1:30, 4:20, 7:10, 9:55 p.m.

The Danish Girl 11:15 a.m., 2, 4:45, 7:30, 10:10 p.m.Carol 11:15 a.m., 1:30, 2, 4:15, 4:45, 7, 7:35, 9:40, 10:25

p.m.Spotlight 10:35 a.m., 1:30, 4:25, 7:20, 10:10 p.m.Brooklyn 11:40 a.m., 2:15, 4:50, 7:25, 9:55 p.m.Room 11 a.m.

CULVER CITY, LAX, MARINA DEL REY

CINEMARK 18 & XD 6081 Center Drive (310)568-3394Star Wars: The Force Awakens Fri., 9:40, 11 a.m.,

12:40, 1, 2:20, 4:20, 4:40, 5:40, 7:20, 7:40, 9, 11, 11:20 p.m., 12:20 a.m.; Sat.-Sun., 9:20, 9:40, 11 a.m., 12:40, 1, 2, 2:20, 4, 4:20, 5:40, 7:20, 7:40, 8:40, 9, 10:40, 11 p.m., 12:20 a.m.; Mon.-Wed., 9:40, 11 a.m., 1, 2:20, 4:20, 5:40, 7:40, 9, 11 p.m.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Fri.-Sun., 9 a.m., 12:20, 3:40, 7, 10:20 p.m., 1:40 a.m.; Mon.-Wed., 9 a.m., 12:20, 3:40, 7, 10:20 p.m.; Fri.-Sun., 8:20, 10:20, 11:40 a.m., 1:40, 3, 5, 6:20, 8:20, 9:40, 11:40 p.m., 1 a.m.; Mon., 10:20, 11:40 a.m., 1:40, 3, 5, 6:20, 8:20, 9:40 p.m.; Tues., 10:20, 11:40 a.m., 1:40, 3, 5, 6:20, 8:20, 9:40, 11:40 p.m.; Wed., 10:20, 11:40 a.m., 1:40, 3, 5, 6:20, 8:20, 9:40 p.m.; Fri., 8:20, 10:20, 11:40 a.m., 12 noon, 1:20, 1:40, 3, 5, 6:20, 8:20, 8:50, 9:40, 10:40, 11:40 p.m., 1 a.m.; Sat.-Sun., 8:20, 10, 10:20, 10:40, 11:40 a.m., 1:20, 1:40, 3, 4:40, 5, 5:20, 6:20, 8, 8:20, 9:40, 11:20, 11:40 p.m., 12:01, 1 a.m.; Mon., 10:20, 11:40 a.m., 1:40, 3, 5, 6:20, 8:20, 9:40 p.m.; Tues., 10:20, 11:40 a.m., 1:40, 3, 5, 6:20, 8:20, 9:40, 11:40 p.m.; Wed., 10:20, 11:40 a.m., 1:40, 3, 5, 6:20, 8:20, 9:40 p.m.

Spectre Fri.-Sat., 1:50, 7:50 p.m.; Sun., 9:50 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 9:15 a.m., 12:40, 4:05 p.m.

The Hateful Eight: 70mm Thurs., 6, 9:40 p.m.TCM Presents Miracle on 34th Street Sun.-Wed.,

2, 7 p.m.Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Fri.-

Wed., 11:45 a.m., 2:15, 4:50, 7:15, 9:45 p.m.Bajirao Mastani (Hindi) Fri.-Sun., 8:20, 11:50 a.m.,

3:25, 7, 10:40 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 11:50 a.m., 3:25, 7, 10:40 p.m.

Dilwale Fri.-Sun., 8:25, 11:55 a.m., 3:25, 7:05, 10:35 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 11:55 a.m., 3:25, 7:05, 10:35 p.m.

Sisters Fri.-Sun., 8:30, 11:20 a.m., 2:10, 5, 8, 10:55 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 11:10 a.m., 2:05, 4:55, 8, 10:55 p.m.

In the Heart of the Sea Fri.-Sun., 1:45, 7:45 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 10:50 a.m., 1:45, 4:50, 7:45, 10:40 p.m.

In the Heart of the Sea 3D Fri.-Sun., 10:50 a.m., 4:50, 10:40 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 12:20, 3:20, 6:15, 9:10 p.m.

Krampus Fri.-Wed., 9:10, 11:45 a.m., 2:20, 4:55, 7:30, 10:05 p.m.

Creed Fri., 9:30 a.m., 1:30, 4:35, 7:40, 10:45 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 10:20 a.m., 1:30, 4:35, 7:40, 10:45 p.m.; Mon.-Tues., 10:20, 11:55 a.m., 1:30, 3:05, 4:35, 6:10, 7:40, 9:15, 10:45 p.m.; Wed., 11:55 a.m., 3:05, 6:10, 9:15 p.m.

The Good Dinosaur Fri.-Sun., 8:40, 11:10 a.m., 1:50, 4:30, 7:10, 9:40 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 11:10 a.m., 1:50, 4:30, 7:10, 9:40 p.m.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 Fri.-Wed., 10:25 a.m., 1:30, 4:40, 7:50, 11 p.m.

The Night Before Fri.-Sat., 11:15 a.m., 5:10, 11:10 p.m.; Sun., 11:15 a.m.; Mon.-Wed., 8:05, 10:40 p.m.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) Thurs., 2, 7 p.m.RAVE CINEMAS BALDWIN HILLS CRENSHAW PLAZA 15 + XTREME 4020 Marlton Avenue (323)296-1005Star Wars: The Force Awakens Fri., 10:20, 11:40

a.m., 1:40, 3, 5, 6:20, 8:20, 9:40, 11:40 p.m.; Sat., 10:20, 11:40 a.m., 12 noon, 1:40, 3, 3:20, 5, 6:20, 7:15, 8:20, 9:40, 10:45, 11:40 p.m.; Sun., 10:20, 11:40 a.m., 12 noon, 1:40, 3, 3:20, 5, 6:20, 7:15, 8:20, 9:40, 10:45 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 10:20, 11:40 a.m., 1:40, 3, 5, 6:20, 8:20, 9:40 p.m.; Thurs., 10:20 a.m., 1:40, 5, 8:20 p.m.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Fri.-Sat., 9, 10:40 a.m., 12:20, 2, 3:40, 5:15, 7, 8:40, 10:20, 11:55 p.m.; Sun., 9, 10:40 a.m., 12:20, 3:40, 7, 10, 10:20 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 12:20, 3:40, 7, 10:20 p.m.; Thurs., 12:20, 3:40, 7 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 9:40, 11 a.m., 1, 2:20, 4:20, 5:40, 7:40, 9, 11 p.m., 12:15 a.m.; Sun.-Wed., 9:40, 11 a.m., 1, 2:20, 4:20, 5:40, 7:40, 9, 10:55 p.m.; Thurs., 9:40, 11 a.m., 1, 2:20, 4:20, 5:40, 7:40, 9 p.m.

TCM Presents Miracle on 34th Street Sun.-Wed., 2, 7 p.m.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Fri.-Sat., 9:10, 10:30, 11:30 a.m., 1:20, 1:55, 3:50, 4:30, 6:30, 7:50, 9:15, 10:30 p.m.; Sun., 9:10, 9:40, 10:30, 11:30 a.m., 1:20, 1:55, 3:50, 4:30, 6:30, 7:50, 9:15, 10:30 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 10:30, 11:30 a.m., 1:20, 1:55, 3:50, 4:30, 6:30, 7:50, 9:15, 10:30 p.m.; Thurs., 10:30, 11:30 a.m., 1:20, 1:55, 3:50, 4:30, 6:30, 7:50, 8:55 p.m.

Sisters Fri.-Sat., 10:10 a.m., 1:10, 4:10, 7:10, 10:10, 11:50 p.m.; Sun.-Wed., 10:10 a.m., 1:10, 4:10, 7:10, 10:10 p.m.; Thurs., 10:10 a.m., 1:10, 4:10, 7:10 p.m.

In the Heart of the Sea Fri.-Sat., 10 a.m., 4:40, 11:15 p.m.; Sun.-Wed., 10 a.m., 4:40, 11 p.m.; Thurs., 10 a.m., 4:40 p.m.

In the Heart of the Sea 3D Fri.-Tues., 1:30, 8:10 p.m.; Wed., 8:10 p.m.; Thurs., 1:30, 8:10 p.m.

Krampus Fri.-Sun., 9:15, 11:50 a.m., 2:40, 5:20, 8, 10:50 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 11:50 a.m., 2:40, 5:20, 8, 10:50 p.m.; Thurs., 11:50 a.m., 2:40, 5:20, 8 p.m.

Creed Fri.-Sun., 9:30 a.m., 12:30, 3:30, 6:45, 10 p.m.; Mon.-Tues., 9:45 a.m., 12:30, 1:15, 3:30, 4:35, 6:45, 7:45, 10, 10:45 p.m.; Wed., 9:45 a.m., 12:30, 3:30, 6:45, 10, 10:45 p.m.; Thurs., 9:45 a.m., 12:30, 1:15, 3:30, 4:35, 6:45, 7:45 p.m.

The Good Dinosaur Fri.-Sun., 11:15 a.m., 2:10, 4:50, 7:30, 10:15 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 9:50, 11:15 a.m., 12:50, 2:10, 3:45, 4:50, 6:40, 7:30, 9:30, 10:15 p.m.; Thurs., 9:50, 11:15 a.m., 12:50, 2:10, 3:45, 4:50, 6:40, 7:30 p.m.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 Fri.-Sun., 9:20 a.m., 12:40, 3:55, 7:20, 10:40 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 12:40, 3:55, 7:20, 10:40 p.m.; Thurs., 12:40, 3:55, 7:20 p.m.

AMC LOEWS CINEPLEX MARINA MARKETPLACE 13455 Maxella Ave. (800) 326-3264 704Sisters Fri.-Sat., 11:40 a.m., 1:15, 4:25, 7:30, 10:40 p.m.;

Sun., 11:40 a.m., 1:15, 4:25, 7:30, 10:30 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 11:40 a.m., 1:50, 4:40, 7:30, 10:30 p.m.

In the Heart of the Sea Fri.-Sun., 12:30, 7 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 1, 6:30 p.m.

In the Heart of the Sea 3D Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m., 3:45, 10:10 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m., 3:45, 10 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 11 a.m., 3:30, 9:35 p.m.

Chi-Raq Fri.-Sat., 12 noon, 3:15, 6:30, 9:45 p.m.; Sun., 12 noon, 3:15, 6:30, 9:35 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 12:30, 4, 7, 10 p.m.

Krampus Fri.-Sat., 2:20, 5:30, 8:30, 11:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:20, 5:30, 8:30, 11 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 12 noon, 2:40, 5:10, 8:02, 10:45 p.m.

The Night Before Fri.-Sat., 1:55, 5, 8, 11:05 p.m.; Sun., 1:55, 5, 8, 10:45 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 2:20, 5:30, 8:25, 11 p.m.

Spotlight Fri.-Sat., 11:20 a.m., 2:45, 6, 9:15 p.m.; Sun., 11:20 a.m., 2:45, 6, 9:10 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 11:20 a.m., 2:50, 6, 9:15 p.m.

PACIFIC CULVER STADIUM 12 9500 Culver Blvd. (310) 360-9565Star Wars: The Force Awakens Fri., 7:45, 8:30, 9:30,

10, 10:30, 11:30 a.m., 12 noon, 12:10, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4, 4:30, 5:30, 6:30, 7:05, 7:30, 8:30, 8:45, 9:30, 10, 10:30, 11:30 p.m.; Sat., 8, 8:30, 9:30, 10, 10:15, 10:30, 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:15, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4, 4:30, 5:30, 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, 8:45, 9:30, 10, 10:30, 11:30, 11:45 p.m.; Sun., 8:30, 9:30, 10, 10:15, 10:30, 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:15, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4, 4:30, 5:30, 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, 8:45, 9:30, 10, 10:30, 11:30, 11:45 p.m.; Mon., 10, 10:15, 10:30 a.m., 12:30, 1, 1:15, 1:30, 3, 3:30, 4, 4:30, 6:30, 7, 7:30, 9, 9:30, 10, 10:30, 11:20 p.m.; Tues.-Wed., 10, 10:15, 10:30 a.m., 12:30, 1, 1:15, 1:30, 3:30, 3:45, 4, 4:30, 6:30, 7, 7:30, 8:30, 9:30, 9:45, 10, 10:30, 11:30 p.m.; Thurs., 10 a.m., 1, 4, 7, 10 p.m.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Fri., 8, 9, 11 a.m., 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 p.m., 12 mid.; Sat., 9, 11 a.m., 12 noon, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 p.m., 12 mid.; Sun., 9, 11 a.m., 12 noon, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 p.m.; Mon., 11, 11:30 a.m., 12 noon, 2, 2:30, 5, 5:30, 6, 8, 8:30, 11 p.m.; Tues.-Wed., 11, 11:45 a.m., 12:45, 2, 2:45, 5, 5:45, 6:45, 8, 8:45, 11 p.m.; Thurs., 11 a.m., 2, 5, 8, 11 p.m.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Fri., 9:55, 10:25 a.m., 12:35, 2:10, 4:15, 5:25, 7:40, 9:55 p.m.; Sat., 10:25 a.m., 12:35, 2:10, 4:05, 5:25, 7:40, 9:55 p.m.; Sun., 10:25 a.m., 12:35, 2:10, 4:15, 5:25, 7:40, 9:55 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 10:25 a.m., 12:35, 2:10, 3:55, 5:25, 7:40, 9:55 p.m.

Sisters Fri., 9:55 a.m., 12:25, 3, 5:35, 8:15, 9:50, 10:50 p.m., 12:05 a.m.; Sat., 9:45 a.m., 12:15, 2:50, 5:35, 7:15, 8:15, 9:50, 10:50 p.m., 12:05 a.m.; Sun., 9:45 a.m., 12:15, 2:50, 5:35, 7:15, 8:15, 9:50, 10:50 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 10:05 a.m., 12:25, 3, 5:35, 7:15, 8:15, 9:50, 10:50 p.m.

In the Heart of the Sea Fri., 11:30 a.m., 2:10, 4:45, 7:25, 10:05 p.m.; Sat.-Wed., 11:25 a.m., 2:05, 4:45, 7:25, 10:05 p.m.

Creed Fri.-Sun., 11:20 a.m., 1:40, 4:40, 7:35, 10:35 p.m.; Mon., 11:20 a.m., 1:40, 4:40, 7:35, 8:40, 10:35 p.m.; Tues.-Wed., 11:20 a.m., 1:40, 4:40, 7:35, 10:35 p.m.

Spotlight Fri., 11 a.m., 2:45, 4:20, 6:10 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 10:45 a.m., 2:45, 4:20, 6:10 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 10:55 a.m., 2:40, 4:20, 5:55 p.m.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Fri., 11:45 p.m., 12:25, 12:30, 12:45, 1 a.m.; Sat., 12:30, 1 a.m.

BEACHES

Santa Monica, Malibu

AMC SANTA MONICA 7 1310 Third Street Promenade (310) 395-3030Spectre Fri.-Wed., 10:10 a.m., 12:30, 3:45, 7, 10:20 p.m.Sisters Fri.-Sun., 10:20, 11:10 a.m., 2, 4:50, 7:05, 7:40,

9:55, 10:30 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 11:10 a.m., 2, 4:50, 7:40, 10:30 p.m.

The Good Dinosaur Fri.-Wed., 10 a.m., 1:35, 4:05, 6:35, 9:05 p.m.

Legend Fri.-Wed., 10 a.m., 1:25, 4:25, 7:25, 10:25 p.m.Spotlight Fri.-Sun., 10 a.m., 1, 4, 7:10, 10:10 p.m.; Mon.-

Wed., 10 a.m., 1, 4, 7:05, 10:05 p.m.Room Fri.-Sun., 1:10 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 10:20 a.m., 1:10 p.m.The Martian 3D Fri.-Wed., 1, 7:20 p.m.The Martian Fri.-Wed., 10:15 a.m., 4:10, 10:30 p.m.Sicario Fri.-Sun., 4:15 p.m.; Mon.-Wed., 4:15, 7:10, 10 p.m.AERO THEATER 1328 Montana Ave. (323) 466-FILM Call theater for schedule.LAEMMLE’S MONICA 4-PLEX 1332 Second St. (310) 478-3836 Call theater for schedule.AMC LOEWS CINEPLEX BROADWAY 1441 Third Street Promenade (800) 326-3264 706Sisters Fri.-Wed., 10:50 a.m., 1:10, 4:20, 6:30, 8:30,

9:20 p.m.Krampus Fri.-Wed., 10:30 a.m., 1:50, 4, 7:10, 9:40 p.m.The Good Dinosaur Fri.-Wed., 10:40 a.m., 1, 3:30, 6 p.m.The Night Before Fri.-Wed., 10:30 a.m., 4:10, 9:50 p.m.Bridge of Spies Fri.-Wed., 1, 6:40 p.m.NEW MALIBU THEATER 3822 Cross Creek Road (310) 456-6990Star Wars: The Force Awakens Fri.-Wed., 10 p.m.;

Thurs., 1:20 p.m.Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Fri.-Wed., 12

noon, 3:20, 6:40 p.m.; Thurs., 10 a.m., 4:40, 8 p.m.

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HOT CLUB OF LA

50 YEARS

4212 Sunset Blvd • Tickets at elcidla.com

2 Flamenco DINNER Shows 6pm & 9PMLATE NIGHT GYPSY JAZZ AT 11PM WITH

Special Menu curated by Chef Juvenal

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THE RISE OF RAWSTYLEThe latest mutation of Dutch hard dance music has pummeling beats, apocalyptic imagery — and a rabid, rapidly growing young fan base

BY JOEL “DJ DEADLY BUDA” BEVACQUA

The sound is HUUUUUU-GGGGGGEEE. Like, Jabba the Hutt huge. A massive, distorted, take-up-the-entire-sound-spectrum, megaton blast of gigantic kick drums

ceaselessly ejaculating from towering stacks of loudspeakers.

The Hollywood Palladium shakes and heaves from the beat and pressure of the bass. Mutated kandi raver kids, their other-wise colorful garb infected with patches of black and skulls, overrun the dance fl oor. Most are young, some are old; as a group, they appear to represent a complete cross-section of L.A.’s diverse demographics. Together, they pogo, mosh and rave to the sonic Ragnarök discharged by someone or something called “Radical Redemption.”

Ready or not, America, prepare for “rawstyle,” the latest dark and demented electronic music spewing from the Nether-lands. By way of dystopian European summer music festivals with names like Defqon.1 and Dominator, artists with such aliases as Crypsis , Delete, B-Front and the aforementioned Radical Redemption transmit this audio fury with apocalyptic fervor. If you want pounding, anti-author-itarian rants, conspiracy theories, sci-fi /horror movie samples and razor-blade synth riff s to spice up your old death metal or EDM playlist, rawstyle’s got you covered.

It is music largely made and consumed by young people, using their video game–laden world as raw material. It is the epitome of what Alvin Toffl er called the “prosumer” revolution, wherein the con-sumer produces that which is consumed. A not insignifi cant portion of rawstyle fans buys sound-sample kits, software and gear to eventually upload creations to Sound-Cloud, and often, these “amateur” tracks are what later get played on festival sound systems.

Beyond that brutal kick drum, rawstyle’s secondary musical elements likewise have as much subtlety as a fi rst-person-shooter game. For starters, there’s the “anti-climax,” in which the kick-drum pattern gives way to an apocalyptic or violent vocal soliloquy over a haunting, atmospheric melody.

Older EDM fans might feel these rhythmless transitions last an inordinate amount of time. But the anti-climax incites anticipatory clamor for the return of the kick drum, especially when combined with “the screech.”

A screech is a manipulated synthesizer stab that takes the place of a conven-tional melody line. A properly constructed screech transmogrifi es the rawstyle kick to the realm of the otherworldly. Dance-mu-sic historians might classify the screech as a modern interpretation of the “hoover” sound ubiquitous in early-’90s rave music.

Rawstyle has its roots in hardstyle and gabber, the Dutch form of hardcore techno. According to George Ruseler of Hardtunes.com, a leading online rawstyle MP3 vendor, “In Rotterdam, there was a

club called Parkzicht. It means ‘view of the park.’ That club had a DJ, DJ Rob, who played the hardest form of house avail-able in the early ’90s. We were looking for records that sounded like the hard basses and the screechy sounds, the weird noises that were diff erent from house. At the time, we called house ‘mellow.’ We didn’t like the mellow, we liked the hard stuff .

“People drove from all over Netherlands and Belgium to visit that club,” Ruseler remembers. “It was sold out every Friday and Saturday.”

In that emerging scene, a sound from a particular Roland drum machine, the TR-909, caught everyone’s attention. “Ev-erybody started playing with it,” Ruseler says. “If you came from Germany, Belgium, Rotterdam or North America, it didn’t mat-ter. If you had a 909 and a mixer, you could do whatever you wanted.”

As the 909 pounded out its hypnotic rhythm, massive gabber events would soon be held at stadiums and arenas. The sound got faster (sometimes topping 200 BPM, or beats per minute), harder, darker — and by the end of the 20th century, exhausted. Well-known gabber DJs such as Prophet slowed their records down to a still-frenetic but more manageable 150 BPM and inserted more party-friendly elements. The new sound was dubbed “hardstyle.”

Hardstyle resuscitated a winded Dutch hard dance scene. Production values soared and euphoric elements took center stage. But as any Jungian psychologist will tell you, the dark side cannot be sup-

pressed. By 2009 a nebulous but recogniz-able pattern emerged of hardstyle produc-ers making simpler, darker tracks. It was labeled “rawstyle” — an ode to the “raw,” more primitive sound of early hardstyle and gabber.

Quickly, the hardstyle faithful embraced this shadowy mutation. “At these shows you don’t see people standing around,” says Sherief Zakher of Fresh Entertain-ment, an upstart collective of Los Angeles event producers. “They’re dancing, jump-ing around and having an amazing time. It might be the deeper sound and darker melodies. [It’s] a sound you don’t really fi nd in trance, house or dubstep.”

Zakher says Fresh Entertainment plans to book more rawstyle artists in its Hard-style Arena events in the coming year. “Our team asked fans about what artists they wanted to see. We had lots of requests for rawstyle — that America needs more raw sound.”

“What intrigues me, is that it’s poten-tially attractive to music fans who aren’t into electronic music or dance music at all,” says Kari Lambou of Trauma Events. The company is programming rawstyle at several stops on its Harder Styles 2016 tour, which will visit New York, Denver, San Francisco and numerous other North American cities, including L.A.

Rave kings Insomniac aren’t missing out on the new craze, either. It was they who, under their Basscon sub-brand, unleashed rawstyle’s current messiah, Radical Redemption, a 25-year-old producer from the Dutch town of Denekamp, in his fi rst U.S. appearance, Dec. 4 at the Hollywood Palladium.

The man behind Radical Redemption, Joey van Ingen, has surprising roots. “I started as a drummer in a band when I was 15 [or] 16. We played really old-school shit, like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, CCR, Golden Earring.

“I started working in a club near my home. I was really into the harder dance music. But at a certain point there was this change: ‘House-y’ beats were introduced into hardstyle, singing stuff — just really not my thing. That’s when I decided to make my own music, so I could play what I thought was real hardstyle.”

His fi rst track, 2011’s “Darkness Is Call-ing,” made with rawstyle pioneer Crypsis, was an immediate hit. Radical Redemption has since racked up more than 248,000 Facebook “likes,” becoming one of the emerging genre’s most recognizable fi gures.

“I get messages from fans saying things like, ‘Your music saved my life … it helped me overcome my problems.’ I also get Snapchats of people going totally crazy while listening to my music. I get a lot of pictures of fans that tattooed themselves with the Radical Redemption symbol, or lyrics from my tracks … just because it means a lot to them,” he says.

When the rawstyle kick drum bangs loudest, it off ers a cathartic release from a present-day world often too overwhelm-ing, or terrifying, to describe. Rawstyle’s mixture of apocalyptic imagery and high-BPM adrenaline rush may be too much for most dance-music fans — or it may be the sound of the future.

| Music // PHOTO COURTESY OF DA BLACK SWAN FOR INSOMNIAC

Basscon night at the Hollywood Palladium, featuring hardstyle and rawstyle DJs

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Ten Albums, 170 SyllablesTHE BEST L.A. ALBUMSOF THE LATTER HALF OF 2015,IN HAIKU FORM

BY JEFF WEISS

Nostalgia is the easiest crutch. No matter your decade of birth, it’s scientifi cally proven that the best music coincided with your high school years.

You might convincingly argue that the golden ages of hip-hop, funk, jazz and soul are behind us. But years like 2015 allow you to make the opposing case.

Even if you’re exhausted by the retro-mania of the past half-decade, this year proved our enduring capacity to reinvent, evolve and expand existing forms. Be-tween Dam-Funk, Thundercat, Kendrick Lamar, XL Middleton and more, L.A. produced a funk renaissance rivaling anything since Roger Troutman was laid to rest.

Kamasi Washington made the best modern jazz album since Miles Davis said his last “motherfucker.” Earl Sweatshirt is a “lyrical savior” far better than those who yearn for “lyrical saviors” deserve. Open Mike Eagle and Busdriver keep coughing out caustic tangents lampooning pop cul-ture and economic inequity. Vince Staples, Freddie Gibbs and YG proved that great gangsta rap can’t die.

In the adjacent lanes, Anderson .Paak, Ty Dolla Sign and Miguel supplied the sort of carnal soul that might as well come in the form of sex packets. Even Dre came back from his lost island fi tness center/studio in the clouds (or Calabasas) to make a better album than a 50-year-old technology billionaire had a right to.

If you said that this is the best year for L.A. music in a decade, you wouldn’t be wrong. As such, the following list counts down some of the year’s fi nest — in haiku, as per tradition.10. Chelsea Wolfe, Abyss (Sargent House)

Carl Jung metal dreamsMeet sleep paralysis folkLet yourself drop, drown

9. XL Middleton, Tap Water (Mo Funk)Backyard grill bass groovesPasadena next-gen swingFunk that makes you move

8. Dr. Dre, Compton (Aft ermath)Call it a comebackOne fi nal clean surgeryDoc did it again

7. Ty Dolla Sign, Free T.C. (Atlantic)High-budget horses

Don’t leave your girl around Ty She’ll think he’s Nate Dogg

6. Deradoorian, Expanding Flower Planet (Anticon)

DMT psych popDirty Projector secretSees wild solo bloom

5. Freddie Gibbs, Shadow of a Doubt (ESGN)Gary gangsta coldSteph Curry of murder rapsThe most consistent

4. Miguel, Wildheart (RCA)Prince’s lost louche sonGunplay, coff ee, pillow talkWhat’s normal? Not him

3. Letta, Testimony (Coyote)Cold Skid Row grime beatsStrike a direct mainline veinYear’s best beat album

2. Th undercat, Th e Beyond/Where the Gi-ants Roam (Brainfeeder)

Bass god mourns death brightFunk angel requiems glowGive him the Grammys

1. Dam-Funk, Invite the Light (Stones Th row)

Glide, dip, bounce, soar, fl oatThis is what L.A. sounds likeFunk is not a fad!

Honorable mention:Versis, Copeaesthetic; Busdriver,

Thumbs; Sam Morrow, There Is No Map; Julia Holter, Have You in My Wilderness; Anderson .Paak & Blended Babies, The Anderson .Paak EP; Meg Myers, Sorry; Gangrene, You Disgust Me; Game, Docu-mentary 2/2.5; Boogie, The Reach; Health, Death Magic; Deantoni Parks, Techno-self; M.E.D., Blu & Madlib, Bad Neighbor; Tomas Barfod, Glory; Jonwayne, Here You Go, Parts 1 & 2; The Internet, Ego Death; Mark McGuire, Beyond Belief; Kneebody & Daedelus, Kneedelus; Zackey Force Funk, Chrome Steel TigerTh e Top 10 albums from the fi rst half of 2015:

Vince Staples, Summertime ’06; Kamasi Washington, The Epic; Earl Sweatshirt, I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside; Nosaj Thing, Fated; Talk in Tongues, Talk in Tongues; Nadastrom, Nadastrom; Knxwledge, Hud Dreems; Colleen Green, I Want to Grow Up; Hanni El Khatib, Moonlight; Father John Misty, I Love You, Honeybear

An L.A. native, Jeff Weiss edits Passion of the Weiss and hosts the Shots Fired pod-cast. Find him online at passionweiss.com.

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BACK TO THE BOWERY WITH DINOSAUR JR.

I am currently in New York City, inside the Bowery Ballroom, as Dinosaur Jr. sound-checks for another sold-out show, the fi ft h

in a series of seven the band is doing here to celebrate 30 years of rockin’.

Every night, there are two sets. Dinosaur Jr. come out and play their fi rst album, Dinosaur, in its entirety. Th en, aft er a brief changeover, they return to the stage for more songs, oft en with guests.

So far, standout performances include but are not limited to:

Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth vocalizing on “Don’t,” from the album Bug. She absolutely ripped it to pieces in total badass fashion.

Kurt Vile adding vocals and guitar to an encore of Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer.” Th e jam clocked in at over 11 minutes and every second was great.

Fred Armisen not only singing really well on “Th e Lung” and “Feel the Pain” but putting fantastic rhythm guitar parts into both songs. He had the material cold.

My personal favorite guest moment so far happened last night, when Bob Mould came out and played guitar on “Freak Scene.” It was almost surreal to see so much energy come off of one person. Th en it got even better. For the next song, Dinosaur Jr.’s drummer, Murph, stepped out as J Mascis got behind the kit and he, Bob and bass player Lou went into Hüsker Dü’s “In a Free Land.” I am so glad I was here to see it because no matter how I attempt to describe it, any combination of words will fall short.

Then the band came back out and it was another encore of “Cortez” with Fred Armisen on a second drum kit, Lee Renaldo of Sonic Youth on vocals, and Bob and Matt Valentine on extra guitars, sounding much diff erent than the previous night’s version.

All of this is fantastic, of course. But what re-ally shines the brightest is the band going back 30 years to Dinosaur, which has some of the most interesting arrangements of the entire Dinosaur Jr. catalog, and throwing themselves into it completely.

J told me the other day that those were some of the fi rst songs he ever wrote. Th ey are truly great and a few of them, such as “Severed Lips,” “Repulsion” and “Quest,” are signposts for what was to come.

I remember very well that first album. As broke as I was in 1985, I somehow managed

to get a copy. I remember how different it sounded and how I knew it was great but had nothing to compare it to, like when I heard the fi rst Swans album.

Luckily, months later on a night off in 1986, I saw Dinosaur Jr. open for Sonic Youth. I thought they were an amazing, explosive, still-focusing wealth of potential.

Th e band’s fi rst album relies heavily on Lou Barlow’s vocals. Over the years he has become a damn good singer, and to hear him do “Forget the Swan” and “Cats in a Bowl” is a real treat.

The guests need rehearsal. The sound checks have been going for hours every day. As I write this, J is tuning up an electric sitar and Jay Spiegel, shouldering a long drum, has just walked onto the stage. Now there’s a harmonium player and the three of them are jamming out and wow! It sounds amazing! Th e band is truly stretching, and every night the audience has been getting a unique and incredible show.

Th e venue is close to where I used to live back in the 1990s when I was an occasional New Yorker. Preshow, after I get out of the gym, I’ve been walking around checking out the streets I used to frequent almost every day.

I went into the John Varvatos clothing store, which used to be the location of CBGB’s. I had not been in there for almost 20 years and was amazed at how much of the old place was still intact. The walls, covered with stickers and graffi ti, are almost untouched. I measured off from the hallway on the left to the backstage area and calculated approximately where Joey Ramone and I stood watching Th e Dictators in

1995. I turned toward the street and tried to fi gure where the stage was and where I would have been standing.

I am sure I looked nuts. Finally, a man walked up to me and asked, “Did you ever play here?” It made me wonder how often some crusty old buzzard like me, obviously not a customer, wanders in and spaces out. Th e large security guy followed closely behind me all the way to the door as I exited.

Th e Bowery is a young person’s part of the city, and in that way it hasn’t changed. Univer-sity students mix with well-groomed hipsters as they pack the streets, spilling into every restaurant and bar.

I have been here almost a week now and that’s the part that came back to me the fastest: Th ere is hardly any room here. Th e hu-manity is so densely packed that you must sur-render to almost every setting being cramped and high-volume. Restaurants are deafening with music, laughter and voices. People stand face to face and shout in conversation. It’s great, but being here is a high-calorie burn, and not everyone is cut out to be a New Yorker.

I have always thought NYC is the most amazing city on the planet, but never once in the years I lived here did I ever feel like I fi t in. It was like living in a jar with the lid tightly screwed on. Th e contents are some of the best ingredients in the world, but it was difficult not to feel suff ocated by it. Still, I will return anytime I can, because it is an incredible place.

Can’t wait for the show tonight.

Henry Rollins

The Column!

NOT EVERYONE IS CUT OUT TO BE A NEW YORKER.

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BACK TO THE BOWERY WITH DINOSAUR JR.

I am currently in New York City, inside the Bowery Ballroom, as Dinosaur Jr. sound-checks for another sold-out show, the fi ft h

in a series of seven the band is doing here to celebrate 30 years of rockin’.

Every night, there are two sets. Dinosaur Jr. come out and play their fi rst album, Dinosaur, in its entirety. Th en, aft er a brief changeover, they return to the stage for more songs, oft en with guests.

So far, standout performances include but are not limited to:

Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth vocalizing on “Don’t,” from the album Bug. She absolutely ripped it to pieces in total badass fashion.

Kurt Vile adding vocals and guitar to an encore of Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer.” Th e jam clocked in at over 11 minutes and every second was great.

Fred Armisen not only singing really well on “Th e Lung” and “Feel the Pain” but putting fantastic rhythm guitar parts into both songs. He had the material cold.

My personal favorite guest moment so far happened last night, when Bob Mould came out and played guitar on “Freak Scene.” It was almost surreal to see so much energy come off of one person. Th en it got even better. For the next song, Dinosaur Jr.’s drummer, Murph, stepped out as J Mascis got behind the kit and he, Bob and bass player Lou went into Hüsker Dü’s “In a Free Land.” I am so glad I was here to see it because no matter how I attempt to describe it, any combination of words will fall short.

Then the band came back out and it was another encore of “Cortez” with Fred Armisen on a second drum kit, Lee Renaldo of Sonic Youth on vocals, and Bob and Matt Valentine on extra guitars, sounding much diff erent than the previous night’s version.

All of this is fantastic, of course. But what re-ally shines the brightest is the band going back 30 years to Dinosaur, which has some of the most interesting arrangements of the entire Dinosaur Jr. catalog, and throwing themselves into it completely.

J told me the other day that those were some of the fi rst songs he ever wrote. Th ey are truly great and a few of them, such as “Severed Lips,” “Repulsion” and “Quest,” are signposts for what was to come.

I remember very well that first album. As broke as I was in 1985, I somehow managed

to get a copy. I remember how different it sounded and how I knew it was great but had nothing to compare it to, like when I heard the fi rst Swans album.

Luckily, months later on a night off in 1986, I saw Dinosaur Jr. open for Sonic Youth. I thought they were an amazing, explosive, still-focusing wealth of potential.

Th e band’s fi rst album relies heavily on Lou Barlow’s vocals. Over the years he has become a damn good singer, and to hear him do “Forget the Swan” and “Cats in a Bowl” is a real treat.

The guests need rehearsal. The sound checks have been going for hours every day. As I write this, J is tuning up an electric sitar and Jay Spiegel, shouldering a long drum, has just walked onto the stage. Now there’s a harmonium player and the three of them are jamming out and wow! It sounds amazing! Th e band is truly stretching, and every night the audience has been getting a unique and incredible show.

Th e venue is close to where I used to live back in the 1990s when I was an occasional New Yorker. Preshow, after I get out of the gym, I’ve been walking around checking out the streets I used to frequent almost every day.

I went into the John Varvatos clothing store, which used to be the location of CBGB’s. I had not been in there for almost 20 years and was amazed at how much of the old place was still intact. The walls, covered with stickers and graffi ti, are almost untouched. I measured off from the hallway on the left to the backstage area and calculated approximately where Joey Ramone and I stood watching Th e Dictators in

1995. I turned toward the street and tried to fi gure where the stage was and where I would have been standing.

I am sure I looked nuts. Finally, a man walked up to me and asked, “Did you ever play here?” It made me wonder how often some crusty old buzzard like me, obviously not a customer, wanders in and spaces out. Th e large security guy followed closely behind me all the way to the door as I exited.

Th e Bowery is a young person’s part of the city, and in that way it hasn’t changed. Univer-sity students mix with well-groomed hipsters as they pack the streets, spilling into every restaurant and bar.

I have been here almost a week now and that’s the part that came back to me the fastest: Th ere is hardly any room here. Th e hu-manity is so densely packed that you must sur-render to almost every setting being cramped and high-volume. Restaurants are deafening with music, laughter and voices. People stand face to face and shout in conversation. It’s great, but being here is a high-calorie burn, and not everyone is cut out to be a New Yorker.

I have always thought NYC is the most amazing city on the planet, but never once in the years I lived here did I ever feel like I fi t in. It was like living in a jar with the lid tightly screwed on. Th e contents are some of the best ingredients in the world, but it was difficult not to feel suff ocated by it. Still, I will return anytime I can, because it is an incredible place.

Can’t wait for the show tonight.

Henry Rollins

The Column!

NOT EVERYONE IS CUT OUT TO BE A NEW YORKER.

January 14

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KINKY 12/17 » Fonda

DILLON FRANCIS12/17 + 12/18 + 12/19 » Shrine Expo Hall

MURS 12/26 » Fonda

PRAYERS 1/9 » El Rey

DEVOTCHKA 1/16 » El Rey

LUPE FIASCO 1/18 » Fonda

JOSH RITTER & THE ROYAL CITY BAND1/19 » Fonda

THE WOOD BROTHERS 1/21 » El Rey

THE WHITE BUFFALO 1/23 » Fonda

MIKE GORDON 1/29 » Fonda

KITTEN 1/30 » Fonda

UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA 2/3 » Fonda

BAIO 2/4 » El Rey

SNAILS 2/5 » El Rey

Dec. 31 » NYE » El ReyOn Sale Now!

Sat. Feb. 20 » El ReyOn Sale Now!

Sat. Feb. 27» El ReyOn Sale Fri. @ 10 AM

Jan. 7, 14 & 21 » FondaOn Sale Now!

Feb. 9 » El ReyOn Sale Fri. @ 10 AM

Feb. 22 » El ReyOn Sale Fri. @ 10 AM

Feb. 18 » El ReyOn Sale Fri. @ 10 AM

Mar. 9 » Mayan TheatreOn Sale Fri. @ 10 AM

Fri. Apr. 1 » El ReyOn Sale Fri. @ 10 AM

45-64.indd 47 12/15/15 8:10 PM

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fri 12/18Muse

@ STAPLES CENTERBritish three-piece Muse have long championed loud and complex songs, but they somehow managed to amp up the style with their seventh album, Drones, an exploration of the psychological rami-fi cations of warfare. Musically, the com-plexity comes to a head with “Reapers,” a roller coaster of a metal trip on which the drops come at breakneck speed. Drones’ 12-track saga isn’t all chaos and doom, and Muse’s emotional range is bound to keep fans on their toes all night. If you like your rock shows with all the aural drama that an arena fi lled with scream-ing fans deserves, don’t miss Muse. Also Saturday, Dec. 19. —Liz Ohanesian

Dillon Francis @ SHRINE EXPO HALL

It seems as if it wasn’t too long ago that Dillon Francis was just another L.A. DJ trying to create a buzz in the local scene. Nearly a decade after he fi rst hopped behind the decks, Francis has grown into a widely respected and appreciated producer. The 28-year-old is known these days as much for his work with luminar-ies such as Diplo, Skrillex, Calvin Harris and DJ Snake as he is for his witty social media presence. Francis’ moombahton-infused sound has made him a favorite with the festival set, and as his three-night stand at the Shrine confi rms, he’s one of the fastest-rising stars in dance music. Also Thursday, Dec. 18, and Sat-urday, Dec. 20, each night with diff erent supporting acts. —Daniel Kohn

Girlpool, French Vanilla @ THE ECHOPLEX

“Everyone’s a prophet when they don’t know what to say,” Girlpool harmonize on “Chinatown,” from the L.A. duo’s debut album, Before the World Was Big. Singers Cleo Tucker (guitar) and Harmony Tivi-dad (bass) usually have something inter-esting to say in their stripped-down folk-punk songs, but they prefer to catalog the subtle details of their daily lives rather than make grandly prophetic statements. They transform romantic shyness into a lulling state of exalted bliss on the starkly sweet ballad “Pretty” and memorize “every crack in the sidewalk” on the title track, lamenting how their neighborhood has changed. “My eyes are swollen full of people I’ve met,” they chime together, neatly cramming a lifetime of memories into the 39-second “Magnifying Glass.” French Vanilla’s Sally Spitz chants arty provocations over Ali Day’s undulating guitar riff s and Daniel T’s serpentine sax. —Falling James

Mike Miller Super All-Stars @ BAKED POTATO

One usually overlooked fact about music around the holidays in L.A. is that world-class touring musicians often return home

to play shows with their peers. Tonight the Baked Potato in Studio City hosts guitar-ist Mike Miller (Boz Scaggs ), who’ll join forces with uber-bassist Jimmy Johnson (James Taylor) and former Frank Zappa bandmates Albert Wing (sax), Walt Fowler (trumpet) and Chad Wackerman (drums). The fi ve men have musical relationships that trace back decades in various bands, and Miller’s often-quirky original com-positions allow everyone room to stretch, improvise and enjoy one another’s talents. The Baked Potato has been L.A.’s living room of jazz for more than four decades, and this show is one of those truly “only in L.A.” specials — a real treat. —Tom Meek

sat 12/19Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz

@ THE WILTERNWith her latest album, Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz (available free on Sound-Cloud), singer-actor Miley Cyrus fi nally has a musical project that’s as creatively daring as her past onstage antics, such as her infamous exercise in twerking at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, which in retrospect seems more goofi ly playful than outrageously randy. The former Hannah Montana star makes it clear that she’s not a teen idol anymore with the very fi rst lines of the album’s funky opening track, “Dooo It!”: “Yeah, I smoke pot/Yeah, I love peace/But I don’t give a fuck/I ain’t no hippie.” Collaborat-ing with co-producers/songwriters The Flaming Lips, Cyrus actually does come off like a hippie on such spectral, John Lennon–style ballads as “Karen, Don’t Be

Sad,” but her pop instincts often blend well with the spacey arrangements of the Lips’ Wayne Coyne. —Falling James

The Bots @ THE ECHO

L.A. duo The Bots started playing live to-gether in 2010, when brothers Anaiah Lei (drums) and Mikaiah Lei (guitars) were just 12 years old and 15 years, respectively. But the songs on their 2014 album, Pink Palms, feel far more assured and confi dent than the early eff orts of most teenage punks. Not only do The Bots sound wise beyond their years but they also crank out a supple, dexterous sound that’s fuller and more satisfying than other two-piece groups. Much like their heroes Bad Brains, the Lei brothers don’t limit themselves to strict adherence to punk rules. Instead, their songs shift from intense punk fury to more rambling hard-rock and R&B fusions. The song “Won” rumbles with a heavy grunge power, but it’s also intercut with more melodic passages lit up by echoes of piano and hazy guitar. —Falling James

A Night at the Paradise Garage @ HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM

People have a tendency to glorify the past. Everything that happened before is better than what is taking place right now. For those individuals who were for-tunate enough to attend iconic New York nightlife institution Paradise Garage and groove to its legendary DJ, Larry Levan, no dance fl oor since can measure up to that experience. The former site of Paradise Garage is slated to be replaced by an 18-story condo development, and Levan is long deceased, but his resident DJs, Joey Llanos and David DePino,

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| continue to present a taste of what gave garage music its name. The two bring their fi rsthand knowledge of Levan’s clas-sic sounds with a curated selection that aims to educate today’s very diff erent dance-music audience, and to raise funds for Gay Men’s Health Crisis. —Lily Moayeri

sun 12/20A Positive Spin with 12th Planet, Kastle, Justin Jay

@ THE ROXYA packed dance-music lineup comes together for a good cause at this concert benefi ting Inner-City Arts, which off ers arts education to kids from low-income neighborhoods. Headliner 12th Planet is best-known for his hard-hitting dubstep tracks, but his roots in bass music go back beyond the recent “fratstep” explosion, and his live mixes frequently incorporate elements of electro, trap and drum ’n’ bass. On his just-released EP, Polytopia, L.A.-based producer Kastle further expands his spacey yet danceable sound with elements of moombahton, synth-pop and R&B. A rising star of Dirtybird Records, 22-year-old Justin Jay tweaks his label’s trademark bass house with big-room atmospher-ics on “Hit It” and old-school breaks on “Storm.” KillaGraham, Kittens, Posso, Nymz and the Team Supreme All-Stars round out the lineup, with surprise guests promised. Be sure to enter the raffl e spon-sored by dance-music booking agency AM Only, which includes such prizes as DJ lessons, signed merch and tickets to other events. —Andy Hermann

mon 12/21A Swingin’ Christmas with The Count Basie Orchestra

@ WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALLOf course the good Count won’t be around to caress the 88s at this particular gig, but you’ll feel that big grin of his fl oating around the room. Basie would be happy to hear how this big band carries on his historic jazz artistry with such cool aplomb and tough, tight swing. Con-ducted by Scotty Barnhart, the new Basie Orchestra brings the Count’s magic in this holiday celebration featuring all your trad winter wonderland musical fare plus a rippin’ raft of original Basie groovers and stompers. Guest vocalist Carmen Bradford has jazz greatness in her DNA as well: She’s the daughter of renowned trumpeter/composer Bobby Bradford and singer/composer Melba Joyce, and the granddaughter of Melvin Moore, who sang with Lucky Millinder’s big band way back in the 1940s. —John Payne

tue 12/22Froth, Mother Merry Go Round, Beat Hotel, Kwid, Numb.er

@ THE ECHOElder heads will remember a series of

aggressively unclassifi able compilation albums released by New Underground in the 1980s — Life Is Ugly So Why Not Kill Yourself, Life Is Beautiful So Why Not Eat Health Foods and Life Is Boring So Why Not Steal This Record — each dedicated to the no-rules philosophy of punk. Now in 2015, Mono Records delivers a similarly inspired compila-tion titled simply Life Is …, collecting Echo Park–area bands with a certain sense of darkness and a shared commit-ment to DIY. Life Is … features power-house locals Froth, Tracy Bryant and Billy Changer of Corners, gone-solo eff orts by Kwid (Noah of Dirt Dress ) and Numb.er (former Froth-er Jeff Fribourg ) and new acts Beat Hotel and Mother Merry Go Round. This release party packs just about all of them on the bill. —Chris Ziegler

wed 12/23GRMLN

@ THE SMELLKyoto, Japan, native Yoodoo Park has a way of capturing the sun-soaked angst of Southern California surf punk that seems both seamless and studied. It’s a product of the musical culture he adopted when he moved to America as a kid and picked up the bass, though one gets the sense that soaring riff s and crunchy percussion would have defi ned his music no matter where Park grew up. Last year’s Soon Away revealed a far more aggressive tone than was present on GRMLN’s debut LP, Empire, which showcased a more pop-punk sensibility. Local college radio station 88.9 KXLU presents Park, alongside his brother, in GRMLN’s fi rst show in Los Angeles since June — long overdue, but a nice teaser for the forthcoming album they’re working on in the studio. —Artemis Thomas-Hansard

thu 12/24Bulletproof Stockings

@ TERAGRAM BALLROOMBulletproof Stockings might seem like a strange name for a band that special-izes in lush piano pop, but the Brooklyn quartet is a fascinating combination of contradictions. The four female mem-bers are Hasidic Jews, and while they draw upon traditional Jewish music, they are just as inspired by the tempes-tuous pop-rock melodramas of such singer-songwriters as Fiona Apple and Regina Spektor. Bulletproof Stockings’ sound starts with Perl Wolfe’s charis-matic vocals and insistent piano before Dalia G. Shusterman kicks in with no-frills drums, which are wreathed in the melodic ribbons of Dana Pestun’s violin and Elisheva Maister’s cello. Wolfe tries to keep her “Mind Clear” on the track of that name as the rest of the group stirs up a heavy swirl of voices and murky atmospherics behind her, to enchanting eff ect. —Falling James

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C LU B S

ROCK & POP

ALEX’S BAR: 2913 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach. The Blasters, Big Sandy & His Fly Rite Boys, Gamblers Mark, Sat., Dec. 19, 9 p.m., $20-$22.

AMOEBA MUSIC: 6400 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Jay Midnight, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., free.

BACKSTAGE BAR & GRILL: 10400 Culver Blvd., Culver City. King Chris & the Groove Thang, Wednesdays, 9 p.m., free.

BOOTLEG THEATER: 2200 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles. J Fernandez, Gospelbeach, Wax Children, Fri., Dec. 18, 8:30 p.m., $10-$12. Figs Vision, Omniflux, NONA, Mon., Dec. 21, 8:30 p.m., free. Zander Hawley, Tue., Dec. 22, 8 p.m., $5-$7.

CAFE NELA: 1906 Cypress Ave., Los Angeles. Dangerous D, Bourbon Saints, Repeat Offenders, Unit F, Rikk Agnew Band, Culo, Fri., Dec. 18, 9 p.m., $5. Battalion of Saints, Underground Alliance, Rhythmic Asylum, Inconsiderate Jerks, Aggression Equals Action, Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m., $10. Martin Espino’s Sounds of Ancient Mexico, Sun., Dec. 20, 6 p.m., $5.

CANYON CLUB: 28912 Roadside Drive, Agoura Hills. Boogie Knights, Sat., Dec. 19, 10 p.m., $19.50. The Spazmatics, Wed., Dec. 23, 10 p.m., $19.50.

THE ECHO: 1822 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Pity Sex, Colleen Green, Eskimeaux, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., $13-$15. The Bots, Buttertones, Thee Commons, Sat., Dec. 19, 6 p.m., $10-$12 (see Music Pick). Self Defense Family, Hesitation Wounds, Superunison, Sun., Dec. 20, 5:30 p.m., $8-$10. Vision, Wild Wing, Los Pinos, Crescendo, Mon., Dec. 21, 8:30 p.m., free. Froth, Mother Merry Go Round, Tracy Bryant, Beat Hotel, Kwid, Number, Tue., Dec. 22, 7:30 p.m., $8-$10 (see Music Pick). The Maytones, The Soulutionaries, Chris Murray Combo, Steady 45s, Wed., Dec. 23, 9 p.m., $7.

THE ECHOPLEX: 1154 Glendale Blvd., L.A.. Girlpool, French Vanilla, Wizard Apprentice, Mark Hoppus, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., $11.50-$16.50 (see Music Pick). Jose Maldonado, Sun., Dec. 20, 9 p.m., $8-$10.

EL CID: 4212 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Beeswax,

Megan Neale, October’s Child, Fri., Dec. 18, 9 p.m., $10. Sultry Sweet Burlesque: Naughty or Nice, Sun., Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m., $20-$30. Open Mic, Mondays, 7:30 p.m., $5. Reggie Watts & Karen, Tuesdays, 10 p.m., $10.

EXCHANGE L.A.: 618 S. Spring St., Los Angeles. Tommy Trash’s Trashed Xmas, Fri., Dec. 18, 10 p.m., $25-$90. Ruby Rose, Sat., Dec. 19, 10 p.m., $20-$90.

FINN MCCOOL’S: 2702 Main St., Santa Monica. Taylor Alexander, Mondays, 9:30 p.m., free.

4TH STREET VINE: 2142 E. Fourth St., Long Beach. The Thingz, Mondays, 8 p.m. Thru Dec. 28, free.

GENGHIS COHEN: 740 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles. Katelyn Benton, Ray Davis & the Regenerates, Fri., Dec. 18, 8:30 p.m., $10. Mason Summit, Sposato Brothers, Whetherman, Sat., Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m., $10.

THE GLASS HOUSE: 200 W. Second St., Pomona. Cromwell, DOSE, The Anix, At the Helm, Dead Avenue, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., $10-$12. Benoit, Screams of Syrens, Chapters, Rise & Strike, Wolf Rage, Every Other Year, Sun., Dec. 20, 7 p.m., $10-$12.

HM157: 3110 N. Broadway, Los Angeles. Mister Moonbeam, The Ho-Ho’s, Miranda Lee Richards, Bart Davenport, Ruthann Friedman, Angelina Moysov, Amy Blaschke, Hélène Renaut, Nora Keyes, Ryan Fuller, Rob Campanella, Silver Wells, Matthew Lindgren & Daniella Meeker, all ages, Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m., $10.

THE HOTEL CAFE: 1623 1/2 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles. Antonio Beliveau, Teddy Thompson & Kelly Jones, Braeves, Fri., Dec. 18, 7 p.m., $10. Lady Scoutington & ADHD, Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m., $10. Bon Bon Vivant, Sun., Dec. 20, 8:30 p.m., $10. Keith Harkin, Dec. 21-22, 7 p.m., $35.

HOUSE OF BLUES ANAHEIM: 1530 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim. Dilated Peoples, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., $25-$55. The Vandals, Tsunami Bomb, Sat., Dec. 19, 7 p.m., $20-$45.

HYPERION TAVERN: 1941 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles. Ye Olde Hushe Clubbe, with DJ Don Bolles, Wednesdays, 9:30 p.m., free.

KULAK’S WOODSHED: 5230½ Laurel Canyon Blvd., Studio City. Singer-Songwriter Open Mic, Mondays, 8 p.m.

LARGO AT THE CORONET: 366 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles. Jon Brion, Fri., Dec. 18, 9:30 p.m., $30. Harry Shearer, Judith Owen, Dec. 19-20, 8 p.m., $50-$75. A Revolutionary Christmas With Rob Bell, Mon., Dec. 21, 8:30 p.m., $30. The Watkins Family Hour, Tue., Dec. 22, 8:30 p.m., $30; The Watkins Family Hour, Tue., Dec. 22, 8:30 p.m., $30. The Last Show Before We Go, Wed., Dec. 23, 8 p.m., $50.

LAS PULGAS: 333 S. Boylston St., Los Angeles. 112, Lyfe Jennings, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., TBA.

LIQUID KITTY: 11780 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. JackiO, Sun., Dec. 20, 9 p.m., free.

LOADED: 6377 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles. Sisters ov the Blackmoon, Mursic, Rarebreed, Snakebite, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., TBA. Slant, The North, Varna, Knowing Forever, Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m., $5.

LOS GLOBOS: 3040 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Code Orange, Bitter End, Take Offense, Malfunction, Criminal Instinct, Fri., Dec. 18, 6 p.m., $15; Calentura, Fri., Dec. 18, 9 p.m., free w/ rsvp. Total Science, Voltage, Legion, Dave Owen, Sat., Dec. 19, 9 p.m., $10-$20; Jeffro, Fan Fiction, Qualiatik, Sat., Dec. 19, 10 p.m., $10. Angel Hart, Groove 360, DJ Stones, Deloor Colby Carter James, Sun., Dec. 20, 9 p.m., $10. Maureen & The Mercury 5, Switchblade 3, Wed., Dec. 23, 8 p.m., $10.

THE MINT: 6010 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. Insecure Alex, Nylon Waves, Underground City, Sound Is Lovv, Richard Hui, Lampwick, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., $12. David Divad, The Randall Milan Band, May Devun, Ricky Berger, Laura Tate, Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m., $12. Chauncey Bowers, The Stoic Club, Keith Garriott, Hillsvankill, Sun., Dec. 20, 6:15 p.m., $12-$17. Red Eyed Light, Mon., Dec. 21, 9 p.m., $8. Nate Hancock & the Declaration, The Dead Horse Rhythm, Rome da Luce Band, Franny London, The Von Furs, Wed., Dec. 23, 8 p.m., $5-$10.

MOLLY MALONE’S: 575 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles. The Jarvis Brown Band, Aharon Curtis, Jayne & the Otherside, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., $10. Motor Sister, LA/DC, Serena Foster, Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m., $10.

MRS. FISH: 448 S. Hill St., Los Angeles. Genr8R, Sat., Dec. 19, 9 p.m., free.

PAPPY & HARRIET’S PIONEERTOWN PALACE: 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown. Three Chord Justice, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., free. The Freightshakers, Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m., free. The Hot Fudge Sunday Band, Sundays, 7:30 p.m., free. Ted Quinn’s Open-Mic Reality Show, Mondays, 7 p.m., free.

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|PICKWICK BOWL: 1001 W. Riverside Drive, Burbank.

Robbie Rist’s K-Tel Sundays, Sundays, 3-6 p.m., free; The Fifth-Annual Messaround Christmas Cataclysm, with The South Bay Surfers, The Dick & Jane Family Orchestra, The Two Tens, Harvey Sid Fisher (all ages), Sun., Dec. 20, 6-9 p.m., free; Glenn Allan Britain, Sundays, 7 p.m., free.

PIETER: 420 W. Ave. 33, Los Angeles. Desert Magic, Sun., Dec. 20, 8 p.m., $10.

THE PIKE BAR & FISH GRILL: 1836 E. Fourth St., Long Beach. Ford Madox Ford, Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m., TBA.

THE REDWOOD BAR & GRILL: 316 W. Second St., Los Angeles. Ford Madox Ford, Zander Schloss, Fri., Dec. 18, 9 p.m., TBA. Peg Leg Love, Grit, Taco Lemans, Sat., Dec. 19, 9 p.m., TBA. M-Squad, The Ding Dong Devils, Voo Duo, Sun., Dec. 20, 4 p.m., TBA. Rubber, Mon., Dec. 21, 9 p.m., TBA. RB Rouse, Dead Frets, Tue., Dec. 22, 9 p.m., TBA. Grit, The Oddbits, The Midnight Screening, Wed., Dec. 23, 9 p.m., TBA.

THE REGENT THEATER: 448 S. Main St., Los Angeles. KP & friends, Manic Focus, Illenium, Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m., $17-$25.

ROSALIND’S ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT: 1044 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles. Funky Fridays, with Lonnie Marshall, Fridays, 9:30 p.m., free.

THE ROXY: 9009 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. Fishbone, Daniel Bambaata Marley, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., $20. Moving Units, DJ Pleasure Principle, Billy Changer, Crystal Sister, Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m., $15-$20. 12th Planet, Justin Jay, Kastle, KillaGraham, Posso, Sun., Dec. 20, 7 p.m., $25 (see Music Pick). Heffron Drive, Kendall Schmidt, Tue., Dec. 22, 7:30 p.m., $22. Justine Skye, Telana, Wed., Dec. 23, 8 p.m., $15-$18.

THE SATELLITE: 1717 Silver Lake Blvd., Los Angeles. Rainbow Jackson, LA Font, Knuckle Tatts, Act as If, Mon., Dec. 21, 8 p.m., free.

THE SCARLET LADY SALOON: 5411 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City. John Lafayette Ramey, Ted Wulfers, Mi chael Doman, Billy Kent, Dafni Amirsakis, Grant Lang ston, Annette Conlon, Chris Laterzo, Fur Dixon, Alias Means, Terry Okey, Tom Gramlich, Sat., Dec. 19, 7 p.m., TBA.

SILVERLAKE LOUNGE: 2906 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Kid, Fri., Dec. 18, 9 p.m., $8. Drinking Buddies, Sat., Dec. 19, 6 p.m., free. Louis Gaston, Mondays, 8 p.m. Thru Dec. 21, free. Attic Empire, Tue., Dec. 22, 8 p.m., $8. Bedcrumbs, Night Wolves, Paux, Wed., Dec. 23, 8 p.m., free.

THE SMELL: 247 S. Main St., Los Angeles. Mind Meld, Fri., Dec. 18, 9 p.m., $5. Dean Risko, Betty Petty, Devante Moses, Mousy, Sat., Dec. 19, 9 p.m., $5. Terra Firma Dinosaur, Littlest Sister, Symphonie, Hex Horizontal, Sun., Dec. 20, 9 p.m., $5. GRMLN, Bobby T, Wed., Dec. 23, 9 p.m., $5 (see Music Pick).

SOUND NIGHTCLUB: 1642 N. Las Palmas Ave., Los Angeles. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Fri., Dec. 18, 10 p.m., $20-$25. EDX, Sat., Dec. 19, 10 p.m., $20-$35. Trent Cantrelle, Freddy Be, Mon., Dec. 21, 10 p.m., $10.

SPACE GALLERY: 250 W. Second St., Pomona. Savage Republic, L.A. Drones, Peg Leg Love, Wed., Dec. 23, 8 p.m., TBA.

TREPANY HOUSE AT THE STEVE ALLEN THEATER: 4773 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles. The Heathens, Sun., Dec. 20, 6 p.m., free.

TAIX FRENCH RESTAURANT: 1911 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Felsen, Rough Church, Fri., Dec. 18, 10:30 p.m., free.

TRIBAL CAFE: 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles. Open mic, Tuesdays, 7 p.m.; Sundays, 4 p.m.

TRIP: 2101 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica. The Julian Coryell Trio, Tuesdays, 9 p.m., free. Triptease Burlesque, Wednesdays, 10 p.m., free.

THE TROUBADOUR: 9081 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. 4th Annual Merry Minstrel Musical Circus: A Holiday Gathering & Jamathon, Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m., TBA.

THE VIPER ROOM: 8852 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. Pulley, the Briggs, Implants, Tartar Control, Sidekick, the Maxies, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., $12. Foxtrot Frenzy, The Black Jacob, Mon., Dec. 21, 7:30 p.m., TBA. Diamonds Under Fire, Punkbunny, Roecker/Melody, Aundra Island, Tue., Dec. 22, 7:30 p.m., TBA. Soren, Night Owl, Brett Copeland, Me&U, Dana Varon, Wed., Dec. 23, 7:30 p.m., TBA.

WHISKY A GO-GO: 8901 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. Asesino, Transtorino, Sons of Eli, Epyon, Solus Deus, Breaking the Hourglass, Fri., Dec. 18, 7 p.m., TBA. Johnny Vatos’ Oingo Boingo Dance Party, Sat., Dec. 19, 7 p.m., $25. Rashaad Carlton, Anna Dadina, Tue., Dec. 22, 7 p.m., TBA.

—Jonny WhitesideFor more listings, please go to laweekly.com.

JAZZ & BLUES

ARCADIA BLUES CLUB: 16 E. Huntington Drive, Arcadia. Karen Lovely, Bobby Bluehouse, Dec. 18-19, 7 p.m., $20.

THE BAKED POTATO: 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. W., Studio City. Mike Miller Super All Stars, Fri., Dec. 18, 9:30 p.m., $25 (see Music Pick). Arnold McCuller, Sat., Dec. 19, 9:30 p.m., $25. AJ Lambert, Nothin’ Personal, John Carrington Group, Sun., Dec. 20, 8 p.m., $15. Monday Night Jammmz, Mondays, 9:30 p.m., $10. Walfredo Reyes Jr. & Wallyworld, Tue., Dec. 22, 9 p.m., $20. Lynn Fiddmont, Wed., Dec. 23, 9 p.m., $20.

THE BIG FISH BAR & GRILL: 5230 San Fernando Road, Glendale. The Shuffle Brothers, Sundays, 8 p.m., free.

BLUE WHALE: 123 Astronaut E.S. Onizuka St., Los Angeles. Steve Coleman, Through Dec. 20, 9 p.m., TBA; Sophisticated Lady, Mon., Dec. 21, 9 p.m., TBA.

BURBANK MOOSE LODGE: 1901 W. Burbank Blvd., Burbank. Pete Anderson, Mondays, 8 p.m., free.

CATALINA BAR & GRILL: 6725 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. The L.A. Jazz Orchestra Unlimited, Kenny Burrell, Mon., Dec. 21, 8:30 p.m., TBA. The Jennifer Leitham Trio, Tue., Dec. 22, 8:30 p.m., $15.

COLOMBO’S: 1833 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock. Steve Thompson, Fridays, 5:30-9 p.m., free. The Eric Ekstrand Trio, Mondays, 4:30 p.m., free. Tom Armbruster, Tuesdays, 7 p.m., free. Karen Hernandez & Jimmy Spencer, Wednesdays, 7 p.m., free. Trifecta, Thursdays, 7 p.m., free.

DESERT ROSE: 1700 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles. The Mark Z. Stevens Trio, Saturdays, 7-11 p.m., free.

THE DRESDEN RESTAURANT: 1760 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles. Marty & Elayne, Tuesdays-Saturdays, 9 p.m., free. The Readys, Sundays, 9 p.m.-midnight, free. L.A. Underground Superstars, Mondays, 8:30 p.m., free.

GARDENIA RESTAURANT & LOUNGE: 7066 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. Open Mic, hosted by Keri Kelsey, Tuesdays, 9 p.m., $5.

GRIFFINS OF KINSALE: 1007 Mission St., South

Pasadena. Barry “Big B” Brenner, Thursdays, 8 p.m., free.

HARVELLE’S SANTA MONICA: 1432 Fourth St., Santa Monica. Midnight Ball, National Anthem, Fri., Dec. 18, 10 p.m., $10. Cafe R&B, Sat., Dec. 19, 9 p.m., $15. The Toledo Show, Sundays, 9:30 p.m., $10. Foxtrax, Mondays, 9 p.m. Thru Dec. 28, TBA; Stage 11, Mondays, 9:30 p.m., $5. SayReal, Tuesdays, 9 p.m. Thru Dec. 22, TBA. The House of Vibe All-Stars, Wednesdays, 9 p.m., $10.

HARVELLE’S LONG BEACH: 201 E. Broadway, Long Beach. The Toledo Show, Thursdays, 9 p.m., $10.

JAX BAR & GRILL: 339 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Steve Waddington, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., free. The Ralph Mathis Band, Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m., free. Lenny Stack, Sundays, 6-10 p.m., free. Brian Elliot, Mon., Dec. 21, 7 p.m., free. J.C. Spires, Tuesdays, 7-11 p.m., free. Combo Llamativo, Wed., Dec. 23, 7 p.m., free. Leslie Nesbitt, Thu., Dec. 24, 7 p.m., free.

LAS HADAS: 9048 Balboa Blvd., Northridge. Cool Blue, Mondays, 7:30-9:30 p.m., free. Johnny Vana’s Big

ALL DATES, ACTS & TICKET PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. A SERVICE CHARGE IS ADDED TO EACH TICKET PRICE.

CHARGE BY PHONE 800.745.3000

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Band Alumni, Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., free. Rex Merriweather, Wednesdays, 8-10 p.m., free.

THE LIGHTHOUSE CAFE: 30 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach. The Kevin Hicks Quintet, Sat., Dec. 19, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., free. The Bobby “Hurricane” Spencer Quartet, Wed., Dec. 23, 6-9 p.m., free.

LOS ANGELES ATHLETIC CLUB: 431 W. Seventh St., Los Angeles. Cathy Segal-Garcia & Dave Ross, Thursdays, 6-9:30 p.m., $10.

MAUI SUGAR MILL SALOON: 18389 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. Blue Monday Party, hosted by Cadillac Zack, Mondays, 9:30 p.m., two-drink min. Just Dave Bernal’s Last Chance Country Jam, Wednesdays, 9 p.m.

NOLA’S TASTE OF NEW ORLEANS: 734 E. Third St., Los Angeles. Nola’s Down Home Blues Session, Tuesdays, 8-11 p.m., free.

PERCH: 448 S. Hill St., Los Angeles. The Todd Hunter Trio, Saturdays, 12-3 p.m., free. The Jesse Palter Quartet, Sundays, 12-3 p.m., free. The Brian Swartz Quintet, Tuesdays, 7-10 p.m., free. Ben Rose, Thursdays, 7-10 p.m.; Sundays, 7-10 p.m., free.

PIPS PIZZA PASTA SALADS: 1356 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. Jeff Robinson, Fridays, 7 p.m., free. Cal Bennett, Sundays, 11 a.m., free. Barbara Morrison, Tuesdays, 7 p.m., free.

SASSAFRAS SALOON: 1233 Vine St., Los Angeles. The Rumproller Organ Trio, Mondays, 9 p.m., free.

SEABIRD JAZZ LOUNGE: 730 E. Broadway, Long Beach. Long Beach Jazz Jam, Wednesdays, 9 p.m., free.

SEVEN GRAND: 515 W. Seventh St., Los Angeles. The Makers, Tuesdays, 10 p.m., free.

SPAGHETTINI BEVERLY HILLS: 184 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills. Anna Mjöll, Sat., Dec. 19, 10 p.m., free. Flowtet & Kelley James, Tuesdays, 10 p.m., free.

SPAGHETTINI SEAL BEACH: 3005 Old Ranch Parkway, Seal Beach. DW3, Thursdays, 7:30 p.m., $15.

STARBOARD ATTITUDE: 202 The Pier, Redondo Beach. Open mic, Wednesdays, 7 p.m., free.

STEEL PIT SPORTS GRILL: 7279 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga. Blues Jam, Wednesdays, 7 p.m.

TUNING FORK: 12051 Ventura Place, Studio City. Barry “Big B” Brenner, Wednesdays, 9 p.m., free.

VIBRATO GRILL & JAZZ: 2930 Beverly Glen Circle, Bel-Air. Rob Lockhart Quartet, Fri., Dec. 18, 9 p.m., free. Gregg Arthur, Sat., Dec. 19, 9 p.m., free. Angie Wells, Sun., Dec. 20, 7 & 8:30 p.m., $20. Amy Keys, Tue., Dec. 22, 7 & 8:30 p.m., free. Cat Conner, Thu., Dec. 24, 6:30 p.m., free.

WILLMORE: 3848 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach. Bernie Pearl, Saturdays, 7 p.m. Thru Dec. 26, free.

WORLD STAGE PERFORMANCE GALLERY: 4344 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles. Sisters of Jazz Jam Session, Sundays, 9 p.m., $5. Shine, Thursdays, 7-9 p.m., free; Jazz Jam Session, preceded (at 7 p.m.) by Shine Muwasi Women’s Drum Circle, Thursdays, 9 p.m., $5.

—Jonny Whiteside

LATIN & WORLD

COCOPALM RESTAURANT: 1600 Fairplex Drive, Pomona. Chino Espinoza y los Duenos del Son, Fridays, 8:30 p.m., free.

EL CID: 4212 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Flamenco Dinner Show, Fridays, Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 6 p.m., $20 & $35.

EL FLORIDITA: 1253 N. Vine St., Los Angeles. Salsa Night, Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 9:30 p.m., $10.

THE GRANADA L.A.: 17 S. First St., Alhambra. Salsa Fridays, Fridays, 9:30 p.m., $10. Salsa & Bachata Saturdays, Sundays, 7 p.m.-3 a.m., $15. Salsa & Bachata Tuesdays, Tuesdays, 9:30 p.m., $5. Bachata Thursdays, Thursdays, 8 p.m., $5-$10.

TIA CHUCHA’S CENTRO CULTURAL & BOOKSTORE: 13197-A Gladstone Ave., Sylmar. Open mic, Fridays, 8-10 p.m.

—Jonny Whiteside

COUNTRY & FOLK

THE CINEMA BAR: 3967 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City. Paul Inman’s Delivery, The Wolves, Fri., Dec. 18, 10 p.m., free. The Groovy Rednecks, Talkin’ Treason, Stardust Ramblers, Sat., Dec. 19, 9:30 p.m., free. The Hot Club of L.A., Mondays, 9 p.m., free.

COWBOY COUNTRY: 3321 E. South St., Long Beach. Shotgun Wedding, Dec. 18-19, 7 p.m., $5. The Rob Staley Band, Wed., Dec. 23, 7 p.m., $3.

THE COWBOY PALACE SALOON: 21635 Devonshire St., Chatsworth. Brian Lynn Jones, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., free. Debra Lee & Trigger Happy, Sat., Dec. 19, 9 p.m., free. The Rye Brothers, Sun., Dec. 20, 6 p.m., free. Talent Contest, hosted by Chad Watson, Mondays, 8 p.m., free. Pam Loe, Wed., Dec. 23, 8 p.m., free. Eli Locke, Thu., Dec. 24, 8 p.m., free.

EB’S BEER & WINE BAR, FARMERS MARKET: 6333 W. Third St., Los Angeles. Merle Jagger, Sat., Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m., free.

JOE’S GREAT AMERICAN BAR & GRILL: 4311 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank. 5th & Birmingham, Fri., Dec. 18, 9 p.m., free. Paulie Cerra, Sun., Dec. 20, 8 p.m., free. The California Feetwarmers, Mon., Dec. 21, 9 p.m., free. Atomic Roots Orchestra, Tue., Dec. 22, 9 p.m., free. Conjunto Afro-Son, Wednesdays, 9 p.m. Dec. 23-30, free.

—Jonny Whiteside

DANCE CLUBS

THE AIRLINER: 2419 N. Broadway, Los Angeles. Low End Theory, with resident DJs Daddy Kev, Nobody, The Gaslamp Killer, D-Styles and MC Nocando, Wednesdays, 9:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.

ALEX’S BAR: 2913 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach. The Good Foot, where DJs get up on funk, soul and Latin grooves, third Friday of every month, 9 p.m., $5-$7.

NIGHTLIFE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Holiday hijinks this week run the gamut from sexy dance bashes to rockin’ jingle jams to all-ages swing-

dings. Here are our favorites:Naughty or Nice Ball: Snow machines, a

mistletoe photo booth, sexy Santa getups and DJs spinning dubstep, trap, electro, house and trance including Bass Dropperz, Lucky 8, Dee Nasty, John C, DJ Madin and more.

Smile! Christmas Extravaganza: HM 157 off ers rockin’ groovy holiday jams from local faves including Mister Moonbeam, Th e Ho-Ho’s, Miranda Lee Richards, Bart Daven-port, Ruthann Friedman, Angelina Moysov

(of Persephone’s Bees), Amy Blaschke, Hélène Renaut, Nora Keyes, Ryan Fuller, Rob Campanella, Silverwells, Matthew Lindgren & Daniella Meeker, Philipp Minnig, Dan Freyer and more. Festive projections by Wes Johansen.

Holiday Hop: Th is Christmas Eve eve event (disclosure: I’m a co-promoter) will feature a melodious reading of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grin-ch Stole Christmas plus swingin’ live sounds from Maureen & the Mercury 5, Switchblade 3 and the kids from the School of Rock.

NAUGHTY OR NICE BALL: THE BELASCO | 1050 S. Hill St., downtown | Fri., Dec. 18,

10 p.m.-4 a.m. | $15-$20 | 18+ loveandlustball.com

SMILE! CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA: HM 157 | 3110 N. Broadway, Lincoln Heights | Sat.,

Dec. 19, 7 p.m. | $10 | all ages | hm157.com

HOLIDAY HOP AT LOS GLOBOS | 3040 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake | Wed., Dec. 23, 8 p.m.-1 a.m.

$10 | all ages | clublosglobos.com

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|AVALON HOLLYWOOD: 1735 Vine St., Los Angeles.

Control, with DJs spinning dubstep and more, 19 & over, Fridays, 9:30 p.m. Avaland, where DJs are in the house with techno, trance and more, 21 & over, Saturdays, 9:30 p.m. TigerHeat, a night of pop with go-go dancers and special guests, 18 & over, Thursdays, 9:30 p.m.

BARDOT HOLLYWOOD: 1737 N. Vine St., Los Angeles. School Night, with live bands and resident DJ Chris Douridas, 18 & over, Mondays, 8 p.m., free.

BLACKLIGHT DISTRICT: 2500 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach. The Yeska Beatz Kru, Sun., Dec. 20, 5 p.m.-1 a.m., free.

BOARDNER’S: 1652 N. Cherokee Ave., Los Angeles. Bar Sinister, Hollywood’s dark-wave bastion and goth dungeon, with resident DJs Amanda Jones, John C & Tommy, plus sexy-sinful displays and aerialist distrac-tions, Saturdays, 10 p.m., $10-$15. Blue Mondays, where it’s always the 1980s, a decade of “bad fashion & great music,” with resident DJs, 18 & over, Mondays, 8 p.m., $3-$7. Club Moscow, an indie-pop dance soiree with DJs and live bands, hosted by Keith Wilson, 18 & over, Wednesdays, 8 p.m., $10.

CANA RUM BAR: 714 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles. DJ Canyon Cody, dropping in with global soul, reg-gae, salsa and funk, Fridays, 10 p.m., free. DJ Jose Galvan, spinning Caribbean and funky Latin sounds, Saturdays, 10 p.m., free.

CREATE NIGHTCLUB: 6021 Hollywood Blvd., L.A. Noize Fridays, Fridays, 10 p.m. Arcade Saturdays, Saturdays, 10 p.m.

THE ECHO: 1822 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Funky Sole, a “raw, funky soul party” with Music Man Miles, DJ Soft Touch and others, 21 & over, Saturdays, 10 p.m., $5.

THE ECHOPLEX: 1154 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles. Bootie L.A., where resident DJ ShyBoy mashes up at a dance party with special guests, third and first Saturday of every month, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., $10. Dub Club, an eternally mesmerizing night of reggae, dub and beyond from resident DJs Tom Chasteen, Roy Corderoy, The Dungeonmaster and Boss Harmony, plus occasional live sets from Jamaican legends, 21 & over, Wednesdays, 9 p.m., $7.

EXCHANGE L.A.: 618 S. Spring St., downtown. Awaken-ing, Fridays, 10 p.m. Inception, Saturdays, 10 p.m.

FUBAR: 7994 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. Booty Bump, Fridays, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., free. B.F.D., Thursdays, 10 p.m., free.

GENERAL LEE’S BAR: 475 Gin Ling Way, Los Angeles. DJ Joey Altruda’s Shanghai Noir, Wednesdays, 9 p.m., free.

GRAND STAR JAZZ CLUB: 943 N. Broadway, Los Angeles. Club Underground, with DJs Larry G & Diana Meehan spinning Britpop, post-punk and new wave, 21 & over, Fridays, 9 p.m., $8.

HONEYCUT: 819 S. Flower St., Los Angeles. DJ Ladymonix, DJ Whitney Fierce, waxing disco, Wednesdays, 10 p.m., free.

LA CITA: 336 S. Hill St., Los Angeles. Punky Reggae Party, with DJ Michael Stock & DJ Boss Harmony, Fridays, 9 p.m., $5. Doble Poder, with cumbia and norteno bands TBA, Sundays, 2-9 p.m., free; DJ Paw, 21 & over, Sundays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., free; Soul Patch Sundays, Sundays, 9 p.m., free. Moist Mondays, Mondays, 9 p.m. Devotion, with DJ Insomniac, Wednesdays, 9 p.m., free.

THE MAYAN: 1038 S. Hill St., Los Angeles. Electric Mass Fridays, 21 & over, Fridays, 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m., $12. Saturday Nightclub, with DJs serving Top 40, salsa, house, pop, hip-hop and more, 21 & over, Saturdays, 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m., $20.

RIVIERA 31: Hotel Sofitel, 8555 Beverly Blvd., L.A. HDG, a house, garage and disco night with DJ Garth Trinidad & DJ Mateo Senolia, Fridays, 9:30 p.m., free.

THE SATELLITE: 1717 Silver Lake Blvd., L.A. Rapture Dance Party, third Friday of every month, 9 p.m., $10. Dance Yourself Clean, Saturdays, 9:30 p.m., $5.

SHORT STOP: 1455 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Super Soul Sundays, 21 & over, Sundays, 10 p.m., free.

THAT ’80S BAR: 10555 Mills Ave., Montclair. ’80s Dance Party, with new wave, old-school and freestyle favorites, Fridays, Saturdays, 7 p.m.-2 a.m., $5-$10.

THE THEATRE AT ACE HOTEL: 929 S. Broadway, Los Angeles. Dublab Vibing Time, with Dublab DJs, Sundays, 1 p.m., free.

THE VIRGIL: 4519 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. Planet Rock, with DJs Chuck Wild & Canyon Cody flipping hip-hop, funk, Latin, reggae, disco and house, Saturdays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., free.

—Falling JamesFor more listings, please go to laweekly.com.

C O N C E R T S

FRIDAY, DEC. 18

112: With Lyfe Jennings, 8 p.m., $50. 333 Live, 333 S Boylston St, Los Angeles.

THE BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA: 8 p.m., TBA. Microsoft Theater, 777 Chick Hearn Court, Los Angeles.

GO DILLON FRANCIS: 8 p.m., TBA. Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall, 665 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles. See Music Pick.

GIRAFFAGE, SLOW MAGIC, LINDSAY LOWEND: 9 p.m., $22.50-$25. The Fonda Theatre, 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles.

JOHNNY MATHIS: 8 p.m., $75-$110. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Drive, Cerritos.

MARIACHI EL BRONX: 8 p.m., $45. The Teragram Ballroom, 1234 W. Seventh St., Los Angeles.

GO MUSE: With Phantogram, 8 p.m., $49.50-$79.50. Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles. See Music Pick.

NIYKEE HEATON: 8 p.m., $17. El Rey Theatre, 5515 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.

SATURDAY, DEC. 19

BERLIN, THE MOTELS: 8 p.m., $38-$78. Saban Theatre, 8440 W. Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills.

THE BRONX: 8 p.m., $25. The Teragram Ballroom, 1234 W. Seventh St., Los Angeles.

DAVE KOZ: 8 p.m., $50-$95. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Drive, Cerritos.

DAVID BENOIT: With The All-American Boys Chorus, 8 p.m., TBA. Richard & Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 Atherton St., Long Beach.

GO DILLON FRANCIS: 8 p.m., TBA. Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall, 665 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles. See Music Pick.

INFECTED MUSHROOM: 10 p.m., $30. Avalon Hollywood, 1735 Vine St., Los Angeles.

LOUDPVCK: 10 p.m., $27.75. El Rey Theatre, 5515 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.

GO MILEY CYRUS & HER DEAD PETZ: With Dan Deacon, 7 p.m., $69.69. The Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. See Music Pick.

GO MUSE: With Phantogram, 8 p.m., $49.50-$79.50. Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles. See Music Pick.

GO A NIGHT AT THE PARADISE GARAGE: With DJs Joey Llanos, David DePino, 9 p.m., $29.25. Hollywood Palladium, 6215 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. See Music Pick.

OKKERVIL RIVER: 8 p.m., $25. Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles.

THE WHISPERS: With Stephanie Mills, 8 p.m., TBA. Microsoft Theater, 777 Chick Hearn Court, Los Angeles.

SUNDAY, DEC. 20

DAVE KOZ: 3 p.m., $50-$95. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Drive, Cerritos.

FRED HERSH: 2 p.m., $55 & $75. Doheny Mansion, 10 Chester Place, Los Angeles.

OKKERVIL RIVER: 8 p.m., $25. Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles.

PERLA BATALLA: 7 p.m., $25-$35. Janet & Ray Scherr Forum Theatre, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

WESTERN MUSIC ASSOCIATION SHOWCASE: With performers TBA, 12-3 p.m., $10. The Autry, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles.

MONDAY, DEC. 21

GO THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA: With Carmen Bradford, 8 p.m., $43-$106. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. See Music Pick.

HORNS A-PLENTY CHRISTMAS: 12 p.m., free. California Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.

TUESDAY, DEC. 22

AS TALL AS LIONS: 8 p.m., $26. The Teragram Ballroom, 1234 W. Seventh St., Los Angeles.

MÖTLEY CRÜE: With Alice Cooper, 7 p.m., $20-$149.50. Honda Center, 2695 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23

SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR: 8 p.m., $43-$106. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.

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GO BULLETPROOF STOCKINGS: 8 p.m., $15. The Teragram Ballroom, 1234 W. Seventh St., Los Angeles. See Music Pick.

—Falling James

U P C O M I N G

DECEMBER

THE BASH: With Rancid, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Off!, The Interrupters, Kevin Seconds, Nathen Maxwell, Steve Soto, Elvis Cortez, Thu., Dec. 31, 6 p.m., $35-$103. Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall.

BELINDA CARLISLE: Thu., Dec. 31, 7 p.m., TBA. Sierra Ballroom.

CHARLES WRIGHT: With Chanté Moore, Lakeside, Bloodstone, Thu., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., $65-$200. Saban Theatre.

CHERRY POPPIN’ DADDIES: Thu., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., $25-$49. Fred Kavli Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic

Arts Plaza.DEAD & COMPANY: Wed., Dec. 30, 7 p.m., $50-$99.

With Mickey Hart, Bob Weir, John Mayer, Thu., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., $50-$99. The Forum.

DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH NEW YEAR’S EVE: With Saint Motel, ZZ Ward, Vintage Trouble, Houndmouth, Miles Tackett & the 3 Times, FMLYBND, DJ Paul V, Thu., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., TBA. Downtown Long Beach.

GLADYS KNIGHT: Thu., Dec. 31, 7 & 10:30 p.m., $74-$208. Walt Disney Concert Hall.

MATTYB, THE HASCHAK SISTERS: Mon., Dec. 28, 7 p.m., $19-$48. City National Grove of Anaheim.

GO MORRISSEY: Thu., Dec. 31, 7 p.m., $39.50-$129.50. USC Galen Center.

MOTLEY CRUE: Mon., Dec. 28, 7 p.m.; Wed., Dec. 30, 7 p.m.; Thu., Dec. 31, 8:30 p.m., $20-$159.50. Staples Center.

GO MURS: With Red Pill, King Fantastic, Sat., Dec. 26, 8 p.m., $20. The Fonda Theatre.

N.Y.E. L.A.: Thu., Dec. 31, 6 p.m., free. Grand Park.PROHIBITION NYE: KCRW presents jazz bands and DJs

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|TBA, Thu., Dec. 31, 9 p.m., $150. Union Station.

ROYAL MACHINES: With Christopher Wonder, Dayle Gloria, Thu., Dec. 31, 10 p.m., $60. El Rey Theatre.

STRFKR: Thu., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., $90. The Teragram Ballroom.

TWELVE31: With Tiga, Dusky, Kidnap Kid, Shiba San, Thu., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., $50. Hollywood Palladium.

WAR: Sat., Dec. 26, 8 p.m., $37.50-$52.50. City National Grove of Anaheim.

JANUARY

THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE: Members of the group take apart Antonín Dvorák’s Sextet, Sun., Jan. 10, 6 p.m., free. LACMA.

DANNY HOLT: Tue., Jan. 12, 8:30 p.m., $25. REDCAT: Roy & Edna Disney/CalArts Theater.

DAVE RAWLINGS MACHINE: Sat., Jan. 16, 7 p.m., $32.50. The Theatre at Ace Hotel.

GO INNA FALIKS & DANIEL SCHLOSBERG: The pianists put their minds together for Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Sun., Jan. 3, 6 p.m., free. LACMA.

JANET JACKSON: Sat., Jan. 16, 8 p.m., $29.50-$125.50. Honda Center.

L.A. BAROQUE PLAYERS: The ensemble sifts through selections by Rameau, Ariosti and Couperin, Fri., Jan. 8, 8 p.m., $30. Trinity Lutheran Church. Sun., Jan. 10, 2:30 p.m., $30. Contrapuntal Performances

Recital Hall.LANGHORNE SLIM & THE LAW: Wed., Jan. 13, 9 p.m.,

$20. The Teragram Ballroom. THE ORANGE COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA: Daniel Alfred Wachs directs the U.S. premiere of Mark Anthony Turnage’s Sounds About Town, Sun., Jan. 17, 6 p.m., free. LACMA.

THE ORLANDO CONSORT: The chorus performs to a screening of the silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc, Sun., Jan. 17, 3 p.m., $20-$50. Valley Performing Arts Center.

GO PATTI SMITH: Sat., Jan. 9, 7 p.m., $39.50-$69.50. The Wiltern.

PETER CETERA: Sat., Jan. 9, 8 p.m., $68-$98. Saban Theatre.

REUNION OF THE CHAMPAGNE MUSIC MAKERS: With Ralna English, Guy Hovis, Arthur Duncan, Mary Lou Metzger, Gail Farrell, The Champagne Music Makers Orchestra, Sun., Jan. 17, 3 p.m., $40-$65. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.

STYX: Thu., Jan. 14, 9 p.m., $69-$117. Saban Theatre.SURF CURSE: With The Lovely Bad Things, Sat., Jan. 2,

8 p.m., $12. The Teragram Ballroom.SURFER BLOOD, CAYUCAS: Fri., Jan. 8, 8 p.m., $20.

The Teragram Ballroom. GO TODD RUNDGREN: Wed., Jan. 6, 9 p.m., $48-

$68. Saban Theatre.TOMMY EMMANUEL: Tue., Jan. 19, 8 p.m.; Wed., Jan.

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University. GO TY SEGALL & THE MUGGERS: Fri., Jan. 15, 9

p.m., $25. The Teragram Ballroom.UNDER THE STREETLAMP: Fri., Jan. 22, 8 p.m., $50-

$80. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.VAN MORRISON: Fri., Jan. 15, 8 p.m.; Sat., Jan. 16, 8

p.m., $85-$250. Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall.WHICH ONE’S PINK: Sat., Jan. 16, 9 p.m., $25-$30.

Saban Theatre. GO WILLIE NELSON & FAMILY: Wed., Jan. 6, 8 p.m.,

$65.50-$85.50. City National Grove of Anaheim.

C L A S S I C A L & N E W M U S I C

ANGELES CHORALE: Conductor John Sutton and host David Prather welcome Melissa Peterman at the holiday sing-along concert, Sat., Dec. 19, 11:30 a.m., $31-$83. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.

GO ANTONIO LYSY: The cellist unfolds Bach’s com-plete Cello Suites, Sun., Dec. 20, 2 p.m., $55-$85. The Broad Stage, Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica.

DAVID HIGGS & ARIELLE NACHTIGAL: Organist Higgs and soprano Nachtigal pump up a holiday music show, Fri., Dec. 18, 8 p.m., $31-$83. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.

GO DOUBLE SHARP: Pianists Natasha Marin and Maria Demina make merry with Tchaikovsky’s

Nutcracker Suite, Sun., Dec. 20, 6 p.m., free. LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.

GO L.A. PHILHARMONIC: Pianist Kirill Gerstein as-sembles Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, and conductor Cristian Macelaru sets up two other works by the Russian composer: Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14; and Symphonic Dances, Op. 45, Fri., Dec. 18, 11 a.m.; Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m.; Sun., Dec. 20, 2 p.m., $26.50-$19.50. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.

GO L.A. MASTER CHORALE: Grant Gershon directs the choir’s performance of Handel’s inevitable Messiah, Sun., Dec. 20, 7 p.m., $29-$129. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.

LONG BEACH SYMPHONY POPS: Sat., Dec. 19, 8 p.m., $20-$155. Long Beach Terrace Theater, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach.

THE MANSFIELD CHAMBER SINGERS: Sat., Dec. 19, 4 p.m., free. Grace Church, 4427 Overland Ave., Culver City.

PASADENA SYMPHONY: Grant Cooper conducts the annual Holiday Candlelight concert, joined by vocal-ist Christine Saffran, The L.A. Children’s Chorus, The Donald Brinegar Singers and handbell choir L.A. Bronze, Sat., Dec. 19, 4 & 7 p.m., $20-$50. All Saints Episcopal Church, 132 N. Euclid Ave., Pasadena.

—Falling JamesFor more listings, please go to laweekly.com.

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ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAMECase No. LS027356 Superior Court of California County of Los Angeles lo- cated at: Northwest district East building 6230 Sylmar ave room 107 Van Nuys CA 91401. Filed on December 9th, 2015. In the matter of petitioner STEVEN MICHAEL JOHNSON It is hereby or- dered that all persons inter- ested in the above-entitled matter of change of name appear before the above- entitled court as follows to show cause why the peti- tion for change of name should not be granted. NOTICE OF HEARING: 1/12/16, 8:30am Dept. W Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles Northwest district- east building 6230 Sylmar ave room 107 Van Nuys CA 91401 Filed on December 9th, 2015. And a petition for change of name having been duly filed with the clerk of this Court, and it appearing from said peti- tion that said petitioner(s) desire(s) to have his name changed from STEVEN MI- CHAEL JOHNSON to LEON STEVEN VANGUARD. Now therefore, this hereby or- dered that all persons inter- ested in the said matter of change of name appear as indicated herein above then and there to show cause why the petition for change of name should not be granted. It is further or- dered that a copy of this order be published in the LA Weekly, a newspaper of general circulation for the County of Los Angeles, once a week for four (4) successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing of said petition. Set to publish 12/17/15, 12/24/15, 12/31/15, 1/7/15 Dated: DECEMBER 14th, 2015.

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Education Employment

WHO IS INCLUDED?If you performed as an exotic dancer between September 10, 2009 and

the present, you may be eligible to participate in a class action settlement and obtain compensation. This Notice is just a summary. For more complete information, you should read the full notice which is available from the Claims Administrator, Caroline Lowman, Class Action Claims Administration, 59 Damonte Ranch Parkway, Suite B224, Reno, NV 89521; Te1:775-849-1083; Fax: 775-8491084. Ms. Lowman’s email address is: carolAclassactionclaimsadministration.net.

WHAT ARE THE LAWSUITS ABOUT?Plaintiffs are current and former dancers of Cheetah’s adult nightclub,

located at 4600 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90027. Through a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Plaintiffs allege they were not independent contractors, and that as current and former dancers at Cheetah’s, they were subject to unlawful wage deductions and tip collection, denied rest periods and reimbursement for uniforms, and not provided with itemized wage statements. Plaintiffs further allege that they and other Class Members are entitled to wages and associated penalties under the California Labor Code and Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Orders from September 10, 2009 until the present. Defendant vigorously denies Plaintiffs’ allegations, and has denied them throughout this litigation. Defendant maintain that Class Members were independent contractors, and thus are not entitled to any relief in this action.

WHAT ARE THE SETTLEMENT TERMS?The Proposed Settlement provides for the creation of a $167,000 cash

Settlement Fund. If you file a claim (as described below), you will receive approximately $10.68 for each Eligible Dance Night during which you performed as a dancer at Cheetah’s. In addition, you may receive certain nonmonetary benefits if you continue to perform at Cheetah’s.

WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?If you wish to remain a member of the Settlement Class, you do not

have to do anything. But, to obtain any settlement benefits you must file a claim. If the Court approves the Proposed Settlement, you will be bound by all the Court’s orders, the release, and other provisions of the Settlement Agreement. This means you will give up any legal rights you may have against Defendant and other released entities and individuals covered by the Settlement, regardless of whether you file a claim.

If you wish to make a claim, you must complete, sign, and return a Claim Form, along with any accompanying documentation, to the Claims Administrator at the address listed at the end of this Notice. You may obtain a Claim Form by contacting the Claims Administrator.

If you wish not to participate in the Settlement, you must send a written exclusion request, containing your name, address and telephone number, to the Claims Administrator at the address listed at the end of this notice, postmarked no later than February 1,2016. If you request to be excluded from the Settlement Class, you cannot make a claim in, or object to, this Settlement.

If you wish to appear at the Final Approval Hearing or comment or object to this Proposed Settlement, you must submit to the Claims Administrator a signed objection no later than February 1,2016. This deadline applies even if claim you did not receive this Notice or received this Notice late.

WILL THE COURT APPROVE THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT?This Court granted preliminary approval of the Settlement, and will

hold a Final Approval Hearing on March 18, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. before the Honorable Jane L. Johnson in Department 308 of the Central Civil West Courthouse of Los Angeles Superior Court, located at 600 S. Commonwealth Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90005 to consider whether the Proposed Settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate and to consider Class Counsel’s request for attorneys’ fees and reimbursement of expenses.

WHO REPRESENTS ME?This Court has appointed Class Counsel to represent the Class. Class

Counsel will request the Court for an award of attorneys’ fees in an amount not to exceed 30% of the Settlement Fund and for reimbursement of expenses incurred in the pending case. You may hire your own attorney, if you wish. However, you will be responsible for that attorney’s fees and expenses.

WHERE CAN I OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION?For more information, you can view the court file in the Clerk’s Office

at the courthouse address above or contact the Claims Administrator at the phone number, fax number, street or email address set forth above.

Please Do Not Contact The Court Or The Clerk Of The Court Concerning This Notice.

By Order of the Court Dated: November 10, 2015THE HONORABLE JUDGE JANE JOHNSON

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

LEGAL NOTICE

IF YOU PERFORMED AS AN EXOTIC DANCER, YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT

NOTICE OF CLASS ACTION AND PROPOSED SETTLEMENT

Los Angeles Superior Court for the State of CaliforniaErica Sullivan vs. Cheetah’s Nightclub, aka CHEETAH’S, aka 4600 Sunset Boulevard, Inc.,

Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BC445245

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CALL 310.574.7303

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