“Smokin’ Aces” Director Joe Carnahan Universal Pictures It’s been four long years since writer/director Joe Carnahan made a name for himself with the gritty crime thriller “Narc.” And unfortunately, those looking for a hint of that tightly scripted drama will be sorely disappointed by his latest effort, “Smokin’ Aces.” That isn’t to say that “Smokin’ Aces” is an utter disaster. Read more...

As the looming specter of graduation inexorably approaches the senior class, the idea of escaping to a land where you never grow up becomes more and more appealing. Read more...

Few would guess by looking at Kevin Barnes’ healthy, boyish complexion that the past decade has been a time of immense change for him. As the man behind psych-pop group Of Montreal, Barnes’ humble beginning in Athens, Ga. Read more...

The independent filmmaker’s life is the life of a starving artist. Maxing out credit cards, bargaining for permits and convincing actors to work for free are often only stepping stones to bigger and better things. Read more...

Pinkberry creator Young Lee oozes Asian action star. Taller than Bruce Lee and more handsome than Jackie Chan, he is clad in a black jacket and Tom Ford shades that border on obnoxious. Read more...

Hammer Contemporary Collection, Part I UCLA Hammer Museum Jan. 16 ““ April 8 The Hammer Contemporary Collection is state of the art ““ pun intended. Part I of the exhibition, unveiled Jan. Read more...

I spent New Year’s Eve in a small garage in Oceanside. Two of my good friends had set up a makeshift recording studio and, instead of partying until we could no longer remember each other’s names, we spent upward of an hour improvising and recording whatever we came up with. Read more...