For writer and director Quentin Lee, the reason for screening his film’s world premiere at AFI FEST was simple. “Once you launch a film in Los Angeles, that’s it,” said Lee. Read more...

Niels Mueller had nothing to do with his film being screened at AFI FEST. After premiering at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and securing nationwide release in January in addition to a Los Angeles release in late December (just in time for Oscar eligibility), “The Assassination of Richard Nixon” has bigger fish to fry. Read more...

It’s not every day you see effeminate goth rockers in leather pants open for The Flaming Lips. But such was the vibe at All Tomorrow’s Parties, a two-day rock festival on Nov. Read more...

Exactly a week ago, I saw Alexander Payne’s “Sideways,” which opened with exceptionally rave reviews ““ mostly because it’s a great film, and partly because movie critics are old people who identify all too painfully with its themes of mid-life insecurities. Read more...

Unfortunately, Hermeto Pascoal, the father figure of Brazilian jazz, doesn’t speak any English. Could a translator’s words accurately convey his personality? They didn’t have to. The 68-year-old songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who Miles Davis once called “the world’s most impressive musician” can communicate better with music instead. Read more...

Sofia Coppola’s “Lost in Translation” might not have been the ultimate victor in last year’s Oscar race for Best Picture, but it still managed to stand out for one unique reason: Both written and directed by Coppola, the film’s screenplay was the only one of its five fellow Best Picture nominees that was not based on a book. Read more...

I could not be more glad that Nov. 2, Election Day, is behind us. Sure, I’m all about voting and maintaining my commitment to democracy, but we all know the reason I was really keeping such a close eye on the 2004 race for the White House: I love drama. Read more...