The road to Hollywood doesn’t always include a stop on the casting couch and a trip to the plastic surgeon. For UCLA alumna Renata Raksha, creating her own path into the film industry was one she accomplished with her education. Read more...

Cheek by Jowl’s performance of Shakespeare’s darkest tragedy “Othello” commends the bard by paying homage to tradition, but adds a few modern twists and unique interpretations to this particular tale of woe. Read more...

Although I had gone to interview him, writer/director Alexander Payne asked me the first question. “Can I offer you something to drink?” “A glass of ice water would be great.” “Sure you don’t want something else? Read more...

Sum 41 “Chuck” Island Records At first glance, the liner notes of Sum 41’s “Chuck” appear to represent a band ready to step into punk rock’s hallowed tradition of political criticism, from the ’50s-style cartoon children drawn over missile schematics to the ugly greens and reds violently splattered over everything. Read more...

“The Grudge” Directed by Takashi Shimizu Columbia Pictures Based on the Japanese blockbuster “Ju-On,” directed by Takashi Shimizu, “The Grudge” may seem like just another American remake following last year’s hit, “The Ring.” While Ghost House Pictures and Columbia Pictures may be confirming Hollywood’s current Japanese fetish with its new thriller, “The Grudge” attempts to set itself apart from its predecessor. Read more...

Elliott Smith “From A Basement On The Hill” Anti “From A Basement On The Hill,” the new and final album by Elliott Smith, is heavy with mixed emotions. Read more...

Elliott Smith’s new album will be released next week, almost one year after his death. Is this his final album, or merely the first in what is to be a long string of posthumous releases? Read more...