Movies Till Dawn: Flirting with Subversion

* indicates that this title is also available to rent, stream, or purchase on various platforms. Please note that streaming options may differ from these home video presentations in terms of visuals, supplemental features, etc.

Bottoms” * (2023, Kino Lorber) Tired of being what their high school principal describes as “the unpopular gays,” friends Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edibiri decide that the best way to improve their social standing and, more importantly, bed their cheerleader crushes (Havana Rose Liu and Kaia Gerber) is to start a fight club disguised as a women’s self defense class. To say that things go awry for the pair oversimplifies this bitingly smart feature from director Emma Seligman (who also co-wrote with Sennott) which plays as an absurdist take on teen sex comedies, queer coming-of-age dramas, and high school horror stories;  the final effect suggests “Heathers” without the self-impressed streak, the horniest lost episode of “Freaks and Geeks,” or a slightly more stable “Strangers with Candy.” With NFL great Marshawn Lynch, very funny as the fight club’s fed-up sponsor; Kino’s Blu-ray has two commentary tracks, one with Seligman and the other with the main cast, as well as deleted scenes, outtakes, and a making-of featurette.

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Peca’s “Allegories & Cupcakes” Opens at Corey Helford Gallery

‘CaravanKibo, The Butterflies and the Moon” by Peca. Photo courtesy of Corey Helford Gallery.

On Saturday, June 7, visit the Corey Helford Gallery in Downtown LA for the opening of “Allegories & Cupcakes,” the first solo show from Argentine painter, illustrator, and stop motion filmmaker Peca.

Now based in Barcelona, Peca’s work has appeared internationally in solo and group shows at world-renowned galleries. Inspired by her dreams, visions, and meditations, pop surrealist Peca creates dreamlike, mystical milieus inhabited by enchanting, anthropomorphic beings.

Peca calls “Allegories & Cupcakes” “a series of sacred stories of the desert, an exodus of migrant souls tracing a path and leaving footprints… a trip where feet, paws, claws, clouds, sand, fluttering, cosmic movements, embroidered skin, holy fruits, delicious creams, ethereal breaths, floating beings, failures, fun, and loneliness are mixed in an organized equilibrium about to succumb.”

The opening reception, from 7 to 11 p.m. on June 7, is free and open to the public. “Allegories & Cupcakes” can also be viewed Tuesdays through Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m. through July 12. Corey Helford Gallery is located at 571 S. Anderson Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90033.

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watt’s picture of the week – tuesday, may 27, 2025

I’m shoving off for tour… back day before bloomsday!

photo by mike watt

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Things to Do in LA on Memorial Day Weekend

Photo courtesy of Broken Shaker at Freehand LA.

Memorial Day Weekend is almost here. This traditional launch of summer is a great time to unwind, socialize, and get out of the house. See our list below for some suggestions, like going to a BBQ on a lesser-known part of Catalina Island, swim in an vintage pool on Santa Monica Beach, listen to brass bands at the iconic Original Farmers Market, go on a culinary walking tour, raise a glass at an all-day happy hour, savor a lobster breakfast burrito, and more.

In anticipation of the upcoming release of Wes Anderson’s newest film, “The Phoenician Scheme,” Santa Monica’s The Georgian, a gorgeous Art Deco hotel that would be right at home in a Wes Anderson movie, presents a special themed brunch inspired by “The Phoenician Scheme” on Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25 at The Georgian’s Sirena restaurant. Also included in this brunch: Marseille Bob’s Croissant French Toast Souffle, Prince Farouk’s Evergreen Fritatta, Phoenicia Benedict, strawberry shortcake parfait, seasonal fruit, salad, breakfast potatoes, and applewood smoked bacon. Brunch also features promotional giveaways and the chance to win advance screening tickets. Make your brunch reservation on Resy.

Want to spend this Saturday hanging out on an island, savoring BBQ and beer on the beach, without having to leave Los Angeles County? Climb aboard the Catalina Express to Two Harbors for the first annual Two Harbors Beach Brew & BBQ! A tiny rustic village on Catalina Island, Two Harbors is located 18 miles from Avalon and just 23 miles from San Pedro Harbor. The Two Harbors Beach Brew & BBQ goes from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 24 and includes BBQ tastings from pitmasters like Avalon Smoke House, Saucey Luke’s Craft BBQ, Crazy Gringo BBQ, and more, along with live music, beachside pours from Trusted Gut Brewery, and games for all ages. Event tickets are $78 for adults and free for kids 5 to 12. Find more info here.

Los Angeles’ favorite outdoor movie series, Cinespia at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, is hosting one of the best Coen Brothers’ films over Memorial Day weekend. On Saturday, May 24, you’re welcome to bring a picnic, plus wine or beer, and watch The Dude abide in Joel & Ethan Coen’s The Big Lebowski, with an incredible cast that includes Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Sam Elliot, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The evening will also feature DJs and a photo booth. You can find tickets here.

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watt’s picture of the week – tuesday, may 20, 2025

photo by mike watt

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Movies Till Dawn: Teruraj Filmoj **

* indicates that this title is also available to rent, stream, or purchase on various platforms. Please note that streaming options may differ from these home video presentations in terms of visuals, supplemental features, etc.

Incubus” * (1965, Arrow Video) Soldier Marc (William Shatner) returns to his pastoral hometown (played by Big Sur), which hosts a well that heals the sick. He and his sister (Ann Atmar) are targeted by the evil spirits who prey upon visitors to the well, but one (Allyson Ames) falls for Marc, which unleashes the titular demon (Milos Milos). Ambitious. European arthouse-style feature by “Outer Limits” creator Leslie Stevens, who required his cast to deliver their lines in Esperanto** ; that choice, along with the heavy-handed occult and religious symbolism, threatens to tip “Incubus” into camp territory, but it’s largely countered by the otherworldly locations, shivery score by Dominic Frontiere, and photography by Oscar winner Conrad Hall. Lost for decades until a 35mm print was found in France in the late ’90s, Arrow’s Blu-ray and 4K discs contain two scans culled from that source: one which covers the burned-in French subtitles and a second that retains them without English subs. Two vintage commentaries – one with Shatner and one with Hall, uncredited DP William Fraker (who are also featured in a separate interview) and producer Anthony Taylor – join a new informative track by author/historian David Schow and new interviews with artist/historian Stephen Bissette (entertaining and enjoyable as always) on the film and author Esther Schor on the history of Esperanto.

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Where to Get Free Matcha Lattes in LA This Week!

Co-founded by health luminary Dr. Andrew Weil, Matcha Kari is bringing its Matcha Mobile to Los Angeles from May 17 to May 26 to introduce Angelenos to their matcha lattes — for free!

Matcha Kari is made with premium, ceremonial-grade Japanese matcha directly from long-standing farms in Uji, Japan. In the words of Dr. Weil, “When you consume matcha, you ingest the entire tea leaf and receive 100% of the nutrients from the leaf, which you don’t get when drinking other types of tea. This means matcha has a higher concentration of antioxidants and more L-theanine compared to regularly brewed green tea.”

You can get one of Matcha Kari’s complimentary matcha oat lattes at assorted locations around LA, including Amoeba Records, Abbot Kinney, Echo Park Lake, Silver Lake, Melrose Trading Post, and Muscle Beach in Venice, after stopping at the Big Bear Spartan Race this weekend.

More than a pop-up, Matcha Kari calls this event a “matcha education and wellness experience on wheels.” While enjoying your latte, learn about how matcha is changing how many Americans think about energy, special daily rituals, and mindfulness.

There will also be prize giveaways, including matcha starter kits. You can find the complete tour schedule here.

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watt’s picture of the week – tuesday, may 13, 2025

back from my seventysecond tour – 12,512 miles and I drove everyone of them, fiftytwo gigs in fiftytwo days.

here’s the pilot station (berth 68) in my pedro town this morning… I’m home in time for “may gray” good people!

photo by mike watt

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Matinees on the Mountain, 2001: A Space Odyssey at Mount Wilson

The Mount Wilson Observatory presents its first Matinees on the Mountain screening, Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 3:00 p.m., with Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).

This unique opportunity to see 2001: A Space Odyssey atop Mount Wilson is a mind-blowing dream marriage between movie-going and mountain vista viewing. And if 2001: A Space Odyssey wasn’t already on your bucket list, then now is your chance to see it at the Mount Wilson Observatory during their series, Matinees on the Mountain, inside the auditorium. Noted for its “unconventional narrative,” scientifically accurate depiction of spaceflight (R.I.P. PanAm), and pioneering visual effects, 2001: A Space Odyssey is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made by Kubrick.

The new film series on select Saturday afternoons this season will take place in the Observatory’s 256-seat auditorium, screening classic science fiction, early scientific, vintage silent films and shorts, and other surprises.  Continue reading

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Last-Minute Mother’s Day Dining in L.A.

Image courtesy of The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday. If you still haven’t made plans, why not take a look at our guide to dining on Mother’s Day? L.A. is in for a beautiful weekend that’s perfect for brunching and dining al fresco. See below for suggestions for celebrating Mom on rooftops, verdant patios, by the ocean, and more. These spots still have some reservations (or at least did at publication time). See below for some of our favorites.

Enjoy a picturesque Mother’s Day lunch atop Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach! Tickets include lunch on the rooftop veranda overlooking Rainbow Harbor, in addition to all-day aquarium admission, where you’ll see sharks, penguins, sea otters, and much more. The lunch menu includes Baja Caesar Salad, Vegetable Frittata, Chilaquiles, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Sausage, Blueberry & Cheese Blintzes, Cinnamon Rice Pudding, and more. Tickets for both lunch and museum admission are $95 for adults and $65 for kids 3-11. Find more information here

Enjoy the relaxing beauty of Dana Point at the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club. The elegant beachside resort offers several dining experiences of Mother’s Day. The Lilies & Lemons Brunch at AVEO Table + Bar includes a roaming St. Germain cart offering customized spritzes. Bourbon Steak Orange County is offering a three-course dinner on its outdoor terrace or its stylish dining room, while Monarch Bay Beach Club offers an exclusive brunch inspired by California’s coast. You can find more information about dining at Monarch Bay Resort here

Originating in Tokyo, bread, espresso + opened earlier this year in Redondo Beach and has Angelenos buzzing about Japan’s most famous French Toast, its signature mou bread, and full coffee bar with Caffe Luxxe beans. On Mother’s Day, visit bread, espresso + for two Mother’s Day specials. High Tea, served from 2 to 4 p.m, is $45 each and features tea or coffee, three savory treats, and five sweet items. You can also bring your own bubbly for only $3 per person! Also, bread, espresso + is collaborating with Luke’s Lobster all of Mother’s Day weekend with a special lobster plate featuring a lobster sandwich and a mini lobster bisque. More info 

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