UnHip LA

We saw Up today at the AMC Barrington 30 in South Barrington, Il.  While there, I noticed two flyers for special screenings:

Summer Movie Camp - $1.00 movies, Wednesdays at 10 am for kids.  July 1st will be Madagascar Escape 2.  The money goes to charity. My sister tells me these movie days are a madhouse because summer camps come to them.  Still, it’s a great deal.   AMCEntertainment.com/smc   I just went to its site and see this deal is nationwide too. 

Sensory-Friendly showing of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs on Saturday, July 11th at 10 am. "With Sensory-Friendly Films, the movie auditoriums will have their lights brought up and and the sound turned down."  This screening is for autistic children and is co-sponsored by the Autism Society of America.

 

Take your date to see "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi," Shahrukh Khan’s latest Bollywood romantic comedy offering.  It’s playing at the Naz 8 in Artesia.  The movie is about an older man who has an arranged marriage with a younger woman (who has a tragic back story), and how he tries to woo her by entering a dance contest.  The movie has Bollywood heart and soul all the way and gets pretty philosophical about what true love really is.  It steered clear of paneer (cheese) somehow and just told a satisfying story with comical yet touching acting by Shahrukh Khan and his forlorn co-star Anushka Sharma.  The soundtrack is outstanding as well, very poetic and dance beat-y at the same time.  Though I don’t understand the lyrics, I know the songs are about love and finding your true partner. The Hindi word kuch = love something (Thanks Soni).  My favorite song is Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai.

I was first introduced to Bollywood fare via Abhishek Bachchan whom I adored, but now I have finally discovered the greatness of SRK.  He delivers time and time again, and picks better projects than Abhi does.  SRK’s work seems more mature and deep than Abhi’s, yet at the same time very charming and highly entertaining.  I drool for SRK. 

After you see the movie, I suggest dining in Artesia.  Any restaurant would probably offer you a spicy and seductive meal.  Happy Valentine’s Day!   Here are my former posts on my lovely trips to Little India, Artesia, here, here, here, here, and here.  Anyone have any restaurant suggestions for Little India?  If you go, you’ll most likely have an uncrowded and pleasant Valentine’s Day!

*** UPDATE *** SRK is in another movie playing at the Naz 8 too.  It’s called Billu Barber.  I have not seen it yet.

 Bee Vang and Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino

I’m a little late on this post, but the best movies I saw this year were Milk and Gran Torino.  Milk just had so many great themes running throughout it: having passion and truth in your life, making the world better for others, giving people hope and courage, and of course, civil rights and fair treatment of all.  Milk, about Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California., showed a man who changed the world while in his 40s.  He figured out his purpose late in life, which kind of goes along with the Barack Obama idealism that is floating around these days:  It’s never too late for change, for others and yourself. I really encourage everyone to go out and see Milk.  Sean Penn gave a phenomenal performance, really transforming himself for this role and channeling the charismatic Harvey Milk.  James Franco, who I admit is the reason I first went to see the movie, also gives a quietly charming performance.  At one point while watching the movie, I took a look at the audience while Harvey Milk was giving a speech.  They (we) were all riveted.  The movie also gives a great history of the gay rights movement in the 70s in San Francisco; I had no idea how tumultuous it was. 

If you’d like to see a documentary on Harvey Milk, there’s a free one here on Hulu.com:  The Times of Harvey Milk. Yay for Hulu.com!

Now for Gran Torino.  I don’t know what it is about Clint Eastwood, but he’s just so cool.  He plays a 78-year-old hero who saves his young Hmong neighbors from gang violence.  The ending alone is reason to see this film and how the story builds up to it is great filmmaking (though the beginning of the film is bumpy).  I also loved watching the cranky Eastwood character interact with his culturally different neighhors and how he takes the boy and girl under his wing.  Also in terms of filmmaking, it seems like Eastwood is passing the torch onto a younger generation and by casting real Hmongs in the film, he is making cinema more authentic and inclusive.  I’m Asian American and seeing Clint Eastwood, a quintessential American, with a Hmong cast is unexpected and wonderful.  Go Clint go! The two young Hmong actors in this film, Bee Vang and Ahney Her, gave fine performances as well. 

Ultimately, both movies are about making America better for the next generation. 

 

 

From http://www.larrytt.com/celebrities_playing_tt/, a web page dedicated to images of celebrities playing ping pong.

Also, Ping Pong Playa, the movie, is opening on September 5 in NY, SF, and LA.  It’ll be at the Atlantic Palace in Alhambra, the Mann Chinese 6 in Hollywood, and in Glendale.  How fun!  Click the link to see where the movie is playing near you.

The San Gabriel Valley is so uncomfortably hot and muggy now.  I was in Westwood the other day and the weather was beautiful, a cool breeze all over the town.  It’s so unfair that the Wesssside has such lovely temps. 

I took a walk through the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, which opened on June 30, 2008, after a 10-year building process and a $829.3 million budget.  Wow!  What an ultra-modern beautiful space designed by I.M. Pei.  When I stepped into the main hallway, I was overwhelmed by the spaciousness and white color scheme. I thought I was on a ship in Star Wars and looked for Storm Troopers.  It was that white.  If you’re in Westwood, I suggest you stop by and see this stunning design which encompasses over 1 million square feet and can withstand up to an 8.3 earthquake.  It was utterly beautiful right down to the doors of the bathroom which blended into the walls.  The meditation room was also a nice spot, with blankets in a basket.

And if you get hungry, eat there.  Hospital cafeterias usually have reasonable prices; $6.60 for a meal including side dishes and drink.  This cafe, with a resort-like patio, is up the outside stairs and connected to the Ronald Reagan hospital.  There is also a dingy restaurant on the circular driveway of the hospital.  Skip that place; the prices were high and the food seemed like greasy hamburger stand fare.  Is it wrong to eat at a hospital if you don’t really have a reason to be there?  I admit to feeling a little guilty.

The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
757 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095
(310) 825-9111
(Click here for maps and directions) 

Take the photo tour on the website.  The hospital really felt monumental and took healing to the next level.  Way to go UCLA!  I wonder if my piddly HMO insurance would get accepted there.  Probablly not!

LATimes coverage of opening day.  This article says that the 520 new patient rooms are all singles and have daybeds for overnight visitors; bow-tied waiters bring meals; children have Wiis, plenty of play space, electric cars to scoot around in, a ceiling painted like a constellation; and there are separate entrances for the different patients - children get a less initimidating entrance and don’t have to enter with adults.

 

 

 

 

Thanks to reader Mac Photog, I learned that the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles shows a free Korean movie every Thursday in its beautiful Koreatown location. This month’s movie theme is "My Funny Valentine," featuring four modern Korean romantic comedies: "My Scary Girl," "Rules for Dating," "One Fine Spring Day," and "All for Love." The movies are shown either at 3 pm or 7 pm, be sure to check the listing. The Center also has exhibits, free language classes, workshops and more.  Once upon a time, I tried to take language classes there.

Free Korean Cinema at the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles
Screening Dates & Time: February. 7th at 3 pm, 14th at 3 pm, 21th at 7 pm, 28th at 7 pm 

Ari Hall on the 3rd Floor, Korean Cultural Center
5505 Wilshire Blvd. (Wilshire + Dunsmuir Ave)
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 936-7141 (ext. 122) cinema@kccla.org
www.kccla.org 

I caught Ang Lee’s new masterpiece "Lust, Caution" last night.  I left thinking, "Man, Ang Lee is really disturbed and has a wacked-out take on love."  In all his movies I have seen, most notably, "The Ice Storm," "Brokeback Mountain," "The Wedding Banquet." and now LC, I don’t recall any tender romances. Sex seems to mean take people by surprise, wrestle them, inflict pain, and then afterwards pretend like it didn’t happen, but then end up liking the brutality of it all and declaring you’re in love.  Ang Lee is the Ingmar Bergman of Asian directors.  Ah, I would hate to be Ang Lee’s wife!  I give him major props though, the film is beautifullly shot, the costuming exquisite, and the acting cruel but powerful.  Tony Leung and newcomer Wei Tang gave disturbing and daring performances (I suggest they both do a comedy next.).  A matronly Joan Chen gave a fine performance.  I hope they all win awards!

Seeing Hong Kong and Shang Hai during World War II under Japanese rule was quite interesting, especially since I just visited Hong Kong. It’s an international city now and then. I doubt I could ever watch this movie again though.  It left me feeling ill, perhaps this is a metaphor for what the Japanese did to Hong Kong and Shang Hai.

In other tragedy news, I saw "Laaga Chunari Mein Dag" ("I have stained my veil") by Pradeep Sarkar at the good ol’ Naz 8.  It’s been a week or two since I saw the movie and I don’t really think about it, so that puts it at about average fare for Bollywood movies.  I do recall it being entertaining but cheesy at many points, but what Bollywood film isn’t cheesy?  My friend hated it and declared it anti-woman (and he’s a guy).  He actually got mad at me in the car for saying I liked it.  All the acting of the main characters was excellent; they could make this preposterous storyline of a village girl who becomes a high-class escort to support her crumbling, son-less, family pretty believable.  Rani Mukherjee gave a great performance but perhaps even more memorable (or just had the better part) was Kokona Sen Sharma playing her younger sister reaping the advantages of her sister’s sacrifices. Kokona’s character gets an MBA and a great job at an ad agency while her sister meets clients as "Miss Natasha."  Abhishek Bachchan makes a guest cameo which, you know, I loved as I am president of his Meetup fan club (okay, no such club exists but I do love the mischievous yet compassionate Abhi who marries divorcees, prostitutes, and single mothers in his movies.  Abhi is the knight in shining armor.)

So there you have it - two movies I saw recently.  I don’t recommend either, but I bet both will rack up some awards.  Both did have excellent acting.   

 

This Friday, the Audubon Center at Debs Park is leading a free bird walk at 7pm and then showing two bird documentaries at 8pm: Eyewitness: Bird (English with Spanish subtitles, 30 min) and Ocean Oasis (Spanish with English subtitles, 60 mins).  This sounds like a lovely date idea!  The film will be shown outside in the center’s courtyard, free admission and refreshments too.  On the walk, you might see an owl and other night birds.  I suspect a lot of families and kids will be there.  The next bird walk and film showing is October 5.  Bring a sketchbook and a flashlight. 

Audubon Center at Debs Park
4700 North Griffin Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90031
Off the Arroyo Seco Parkway (110 FWY) between Ave 43 and 52.
323-221-2255
www.laaudubon.org
www.audubondebspark.org
www.pasadenaaudubon.org 

Afterwards, you might want to check out the Slow Dancing installation or the parking lot after partay!  And use this site to help you find some late-night grub.  This is your evening planned by UnHip LA.

I love public art (free!) and this looks fantastic at the Los Angeles Music Center.

    

"SLOW DANCING"
West Coast Premiere
Created by David Michalek
Commissioned by the Music Center

Dance at the Music Center proudly presents the West Coast premiere of Slow Dancing. An outdoor installation of larger-than-life, hyper-slow-motion video portraits of extraordinary dance artists from around the world. Also being presented by New York’s Lincoln Center, Slow Dancing simultaneously captures the beauty of the body in motion, while exposing its most intricate nuances.

(Information and photos from the Los Angeles Music Center Website.)

 

Free nightly performances from 6 pm to midnight. (Optimal viewing is said to be after 7:30 pm)
September 18 - 26, 2007 at the Los Angeles Music Center
135 North Grand Avenue. Los Angeles, CA 90012
213/972-7211

This sounds like it would be a great date idea, kinda like going to a drive-in movie, but cooler.  I suggest bringing some grub and drink and having a picnic while you’re at it.  There is food at the center too.  Check their website for details about food, directions, and parking. If you go earlier, you can check out nearby sites such as the Disney Concert Hall, the Catholic Cathedral, MOCA, Little Tokyo, Olvera Street, Chinatown…

To learn more about the dancers and read quotations from them about what it was like to be part of this exhibition, click here.  To see some glorious pictures of the dancers, go here.

Check out the cinema alfresco in the San Fernando Valley:  Shrek, E.T., Dreamgirls and more on the line up which starts July 21.  Also check out the free concerts in the park too.  What is it about the summer that turns Los Angeles into a big free, family mecca?

I got wind of this through LA City Nerd’s blog:

Heritage Square’s Silent Movie Nights
Saturday, July 7 and 21, 2007.  Beginning each night at 7 p.m.
Experience a summer night at Heritage Square Museum while watching your favorite old movies and cartoons. On Saturday. July 7, we present a showing of the celebrated “Our Gang” troop in Pigskin Palooka, a classic film released 70 years ago this year. The screening will take place on the lawn near the Palms Depot and on hand for this special screening are members from the original and supporting cast. (Movie at July 21 screening to be determined.)

The "Our Gang" Reunion and Silent Movie Night screening admission prices are free for museum members and $10.00 for the general public. Heritage Square Museum will open at 7 p.m. for picnics with the show starting at dusk. Guests are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket to sit on, picnic, and warm clothing.

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I used to drive by Heritage Square when my commute took me on the 110 North, and I always wondered about this place.  It looks so weird to be where it is.  It’s a bunch of houses from California from 1850 to 1950, and a museum.  Here is a pic from www.you-are-here.com.

The screening is another picnicking opportunity!
For more movies alfresco click here.