Even if Martin Scorsese doesn’t win the Oscar this year, he’ll be in good company: Alfred Hitchcock was nominated five times for Best Director and never won. Read more...

Armed with a last-minute ticket to Las Vegas and “no place to stay,” Ron Velasco’s journey to become an American Idol began the same way it ended ““ up in the air. Read more...

Under the direction of Sir Peter Hall, Shakespeare’s romantic comedy “As You Like It” has been revived in a magical reimagination. On the play’s opening night, the Ahmanson Theatre was filled with a diverse crowd ranging from celebrities to college students and even teenagers, all eager to see this highly acclaimed production. Read more...

Sketching out Oscar predictions can be a sizable task; but that’s never stopped anyone from trying. Just don’t get mad if our blueprints aren’t quite for scale ““ watching your guesses crumble on the big night is all part of the fun. Read more...

Simple foods are all very well and good, but when you want something special, you have to spring for higher quality ingredients. While grilled cheese sandwiches are nice, some sophisticated additions push them beyond the level of everyday fare. Read more...

Mars Volta “Frances the Mute” Universal An innocuous guitar gradually invades the air as a disembodied voice croons a soft verse. Suddenly the situation spirals out of control into an explosion of white noise, beckoning listeners into a macabre landscape of manifested nightmares. Read more...

From Romeo and Juliet to Leo and Kate on their sinking ship, the story of star-crossed lovers has been told and retold to an immeasurable degree. Read more...