Park City

Fairfax's Truth Studios Makes More Hip Hop Than Money

For nearly two years Truth Studios, a recording space in the Fairfax District, has been a haven for West Coast rap talent. On any given night, you might find clothing reps chattering, owner Nick Breton rolling blunts with rappers, and intoxicated laughter absorbed by the muted walls. The combination ... More >>

Sundance 2013: An 81-Year-Old, Shirtless, Japanese Artist Boxes With a Canvas

Bare-chested, in shorts and goggles, an 81-year-old Japanese man stood in front of us. It looked like we were about to watch him go swimming. But it was zero degrees outside, and we were in an art gallery during the Sundance Film Festival last Saturday. It turns out films aren't the only things to s ... More >>

Sundance 2013: Sex with James Franco, Sultry Scarlett Johansson, Daniel Radcliffe's Jew-Fro, and a Great Film From Jordan

In his brief remarks before the first public screening of the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, Robert Redford praised the Sundance Institute's ongoing filmmaker development labs as "our core," noting that the festival itself was conceived "to create an audience for the filmmakers in our lab program."

Yung Jake, a Recent CalArts Grad, Could Be the Breakout Art Star of Sundance

Although half of Los Angeles will decamp this weekend to the snowy hillsides of Park City, Utah for the Sundance Film Festival, not everyone is going for the movies. Starry-eyed attendees relish access to the suits, the skiing and the swag, but what about the art? Shari Frilot has curated Sundance ... More >>

5 Films People Will Be Talking About at Sundance

For the next 10 days, all Hollywood eyes--and those of many a filmgoer--will turn toward the frigid wilds of Park City, Utah, reportedly experiencing its chilliest winter in a decade. Their collective hope: to discover at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival (January 17 through 26) the next Beasts of the ... More >>

Drinking in Utah: A Road Trip

Last week my wife and I rented an absurdly large all-wheel-drive vehicle, and hit the backroads of southern Utah, a trip we make every year or two when the grim tug of professional life starts to feel like a pit we can't crawl out of. Instead, we crawl into pits and gullies, slot and box canyons, i ... More >>

James Beard Awards 2012: Semifinalists Announced

Los Angeles chefs made a strong showing among the semifinalists for the 2012 James Beard Awards, which were announced today. Local nominees for the Best Chef, Pacific award include Josef Centeno (Lazy Ox Canteen), Michael Cimarusti (Providence), David Feau (The Royce at the Langham), Matt Molina (M ... More >>

Ben Flajnik: Winemaker First, TV's The Bachelor Second

Sonoma MagazineIn the vineyard with The Bachelor and partners​Most people dream of quitting their day job to be on TV. ABC's The Bachelor Ben Flajnik says his reality star turn is a means to an end: His heart is in winemaking. (He auditioned for The Bachelorette originally as a way to pursue ... More >>

Sundance Film Festival 2012: Chris Rock Talks to Barack Obama, and Other Random Festival Notes

After eight days in Park City, I'm back in Los Angeles; the festival continues through the weekend, with the awards announced Saturday night. Here are some notes on films I didn't get a chance to write about at length. Keep an eye out for my wrap-up of the festival in next week's print edition. 2 D ... More >>

Tracy Morgan Hospitalized After Becoming Unconscious During Reportedly 'Intoxicated' Appearance at Sundance Event

Updated at the bottom with Morgan saying that he's fine. First posted at 11:42 p.m. Sunday. Tracy Morgan, the comedian who has fostered an image of himself as being on the edge of crazy, became unconscious during an awards ceremony during the Sundance Film Festival weekend in Park City, Utah and wa ... More >>

Bingham Ray, Indie Film Distribution & Marketing Legend, Dies While Attending Sundance

Jaw-dropping news came down around noon Park City time Monday, when Sundance issued a press release confirming that Bingham Ray -- indie film legend, co-founder of seminal '90s indie distribution outlet October Films and current executive director of the San Francisco Film Society -- had died. Ray, ... More >>

Sundance Film Festival 2012: The Biggest Disappointment Thus Far, and A Mid-Festival Notebook Drop

​ With Monday marking the midway point of my stay in Park City, here's a notebook dump on a few films I haven't had a chance to write about at length.

Sundance Film Festival 2012: An Experiment

Tomorrow I leave Los Angeles for Park City, Utah, where I'll attend and report on the Sundance Film Festival for the seventh time in as many years. As a film critic and the editor of the Weekly's Film section, attending major film festivals (I go to Sundance, Cannes and Toronto) is the most importan ... More >>

High West: The Spirit Of The Rye, Rye West Their Newest Double Rye Release

J. GarbeeThe Regional Whiskey Face Off Continues ​If you follow the spirits circuit, specifically those of the barrel-aged corn and rye persuasion, High West Distillery in Park City, Utah, has probably been on your radar for a while. If not, you'll hear about this young craft distillery soon i ... More >>

Sundance Film Festival: Duh, Hot Girls Make Difficult Films More Marketable

An alternate universe with an uncertain future

Sundance's Prodigal Children Return

Film festival programmed like re-discovery channel

Birdemic: Ed Wood, Meet Al Gore

A hypersincere eco freak-out is the new so-bad-it's-good cult classic

Sundance's Rebel Yell

The festival goes back to its roots — or does it?

3 Backyards: Secrets and Insides

Director Eric Mendelsohn on the suburbs, working for Woody Allen and his new film

Kosha Dillz Freestyles at Sundance, Unveils Tour Video

Back in September, L.A. Weekly met up with New Jersey-based Jewish rapper Kosha Dillz (real name Rami Even Esh) at the Aesop Rock/Rob Sonic/DJ Big Wiz show at the Troubadour. That night Dillz killed it on stage with Yak Ballz and, well, now he's freezing his ass off in Park City, Utah. All for goo ... More >>

Sundance, R.I.P.?

"Will everyone be wearing black?" a friend asked over dinner the other night when the subject arose of my imminent departure for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. "I'm so glad I'm not going to Sundance," confided one longtime film publicist at this week's Los Angeles Film Critics awards dinner, as if ... More >>

Foundas on Film: Sundance, R.I.P.?

"Will everyone be wearing black?" a friend asked over dinner the other night when the subject arose of my imminent departure for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. "I'm so glad I'm not going to Sundance," confided one longtime film publicist at this week's Los Angeles Film Critics awards dinner, as if ... More >>

Bored of the Dance

Book signings gone wild; Spindrift, BRMC at Safari Sam's; Sundance from afar

Dances With Films

Austin City Limits

Global kumquats, Gen-Y navel gazing and Michael Moore bashing at SXSW 2007

Chest of Lies

Identity theft, self-promotion and the search for laminates at Sundance

Dissent for Sale

Opposition is a commodity in Sundance docs

Once in a Sundance

Early Festival Report: Scott Foundas scouts Main Street for undiscovered talent and comes away singing

The Sundance Kids

For alumni of America’s most prestigious film festival, winning is less than half the battle

Defining the Undefinable

As its parent organization turns 25, Sundance Film Festival director Geoff Gilmore looks back at the ever-changing face of independent film

The Old Joy of Sundance

At this year’s festival, the gems were in the margins

Motorin!

And the Winners Are...

As I write this, a fresh blanket of snow has turned Park City, Utah into a veritable winter wonderland and, in an unprecedented occurrence, the jury and audience members of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival have proved unanimous in their assessment of the best of the fest. In the dramatic competition, ... More >>

The Path of a Flower

Hustle & Toboggan

In the 2005 summer movie season, slow but steady wins the race

O Brother, Where Art Thou Screening?

Buzz Kill

At Sundance, indie film thrives — in spite of the “hot” industry tips

Freaks, Geeks and Entrepreneurs

There’s more than one way to dance in Park City

Fire and Tarnation

A mid-festival dispatch from Sundance 2004

Summer Stock

Low Camp, grand Hotel

Too Much i' the Sun

The festival regurgitated

Fighting Words

Independent voices at the L.A. Times and real independent filmmaking

Radio Sundance: Big Mother Is Watching You

Nuts to You

Edited by Kateri Butler

Judgment Day

A Click Away — Sundance Online

True Believers

High art and low commerce at the Sundance Film Festival

Schizopolis

Gloss vs. grit at Sundance

Buzz (Not Buzz)

The Talk of Sundance

Days for Night

Sundance ’98