With his latest work “Cannonball,” graduate playwrighting student Jed Hayes aims not only to update Sophocles’ Theban trilogy (in much the way “West Side Story” breathed new life into “Romeo and Juliet”), but also to overcome his fear of failure. Read more...

With “Shrek 2,” the latest big-screen animated hit, grossing more than $125 million in its first five days at the box office, one might think there is currently a huge demand for animated films in Hollywood. Read more...

When 22-year-old student Marci K stepped off the stage of Westwood Brewing Company on May 25, she was instantly bombarded with hugs from dozens of her ethnomusicology peers. Read more...

For a director, it may be a challenge to come up with a premise, a problem, a solution and a conclusion for a two-hour feature film. Read more...

Upon awarding Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11″ the Palme d’Or prize last Sunday at the annual Cannes Film Festival, film jury member Tilda Swinton said of the film, “It is sophisticated cinema. Read more...

“Control Room” James Bridges Theater Tonight, 7:30 p.m. This ripped-from-the-headlines documentary tracks how the concept of objective journalism doesn’t really exist during wartime, using coverage of the conflict in Iraq as an example. Read more...

Raising Helen Directed by Garry Marshall Buena Vista Pictures Director Garry Marshall has partially redeemed himself to his glory days of “Pretty Woman” with his latest creation “Raising Helen." Helen Harris (Kate Hudson) leads every shallow woman’s fantasy; she has a nice home, a well-paying job and an impeccable wardrobe. Read more...