theater

There is perhaps no story that better explains where the movie industry is at in 2024 than all the Road House drama. In short, the film’s director, Doug Liman, was so outraged about MGM/ Amazon’s decision to drop the movie directly on streaming that he boycotted the SXSW premiere and released an open letter unleashing his anger. I thought it was a bit dramatic when it happened back in February, but then I saw Road House at a critics screening earlier this week, and I’m now overwhelmed by so many thoughts.Road House is a…

Aespa will give fans around the world the chance to watch their first show ever in the U.K. with a new concert film hitting movie theaters April 24 and 27.  Aespa: World Tour in Cinemas marks the K-pop outfit’s first concert film, and it was filmed during their gig at London’s O2 Arena last September. The show was part of Aespa’s extensive 2023 SYNK: Hyper Line Tour, which included concerts across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.  The concert film will feature performances of Aespa hits and…

Just like the slang term “fetch,” the “Mean Girls” musical never quite ignites in the imagination. No matter how hard the insanely high-energy cast tries to charm in the musical’s recent tour stop in San Jose, you can’t help wishing it was as effortlessly sparkling as the classic 2004 teen movie that made Lindsay Lohan a star. Don’t get me wrong, Tina Fey (forever famed for “30 Rock”) is a national treasure and her book is as razor-sharp as you’d expect from the queen of clever, and there’s oodles of bouncy choreography…

From side-splitting stage comedies to a mandolin love story and a look at Ayesha Curry’s burgeoning acting career, there is a lot to see and do this weekend in the Bay Area. Here is a partial rundown. Theater picks: ’39 Steps,’ hoop dreams, ‘Mean Girls’ Here are three productions Bay Area theater fans should know about. Hitchcock on speed: Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic works are ripe for satire, and one of the most consistently amusing of these is getting a new production by San Francisco Playhouse. “The 39 Steps,” by Simon…

When Apple announced the Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset there were a handful of use cases that were obviously going to become key if the product is going to take off. 3D video content is arguably at the top of the list with Apple already offering 150 3D movies that can be watched via the Apple TV app and streaming services. Now, a new wave of 3D content has been announced and it brings the IMAX experience to your face — removing the need to visit a theater to get that big-screen experience.Announced by IMAX via a…

Westwood’s historic Village Theater is now owned by a coalition of 35 filmmakers led by Jason Reitman, the group announced Wednesday. The group’s mission “is to preserve the architectural gem and create a cultural landmark dedicated to the beloved experience of moviegoing,” per a release. The theater, situated at 945 Broxton Ave., is “known for its soaring tower, neon marquee and one of the largest screens in Los Angeles.” First opened in 1931, it is 93 years old. The coalition of filmmakers…

One of the most beloved movie theaters in Los Angeles, the historic Village Theater in Westwood, is now under new management — and the owners include some of the biggest names in Hollywood.On Wednesday, a coalition of directors led by Jason Reitman announced they had closed a deal to take over the 93-year-old movie palace that has been a favorite site for movie premieres since its opening in 1931, with a 170-foot white Spanish Revival/Art Deco tower that has long served as a beacon for film lovers in search of old-school…

There’s a lot to see and hear in the Bay Area this weekend, from a classic ballet to a pop icon to a Jerry Springer opera (no, really!). Here’s a partial rundown. Too much information at ACT The last time South African-born, London-based playwright Kate Attwell premiered a new play at American Conservatory Theater, the result was “Testmatch,” a biting, riled-up affair that jumped between two scenarios – a present-day women’s locker room in which rival cricket players from India and England confront each other, and…

Rita McKenzie, the actress and singer best known for her boisterous performances in the one-woman show Ethel Merman’s Broadway, died Saturday in Los Angeles after a long illness, her husband, talent agent Scott Stander, announced. She was 76. McKenzie first starred on stage as the powerful Merman — star of such iconic Broadway hits as Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun, Gypsy and Hello, Dolly! — in New York in 1988. Belting out tunes like “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “I Got Rhythm”…

Actress and standup comedian Kate Berlant is always sure to remind people she didn’t get where she is by taking classes. “I was rejected from acting school,” she tells Rolling Stone. “I have no formal training.” But her one-woman show, Kate, which came to Los Angeles last month (well, technically Pasadena) after previous runs in New York and London, is deeply concerned with questions of artistic lies and emotional truth. It’s also brutally funny. “It’s my favorite place the show has been,” Berlant says of the…