Weekend Picks

thursday, february 25

The More the Merrier: Posters from the Ten Best Picture Nominees 1936-1943
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. > Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences > FREE

Curious to see how poster art and film advertising looked more than half a century ago? Check out posters from the 80 movies that were all nominated for best picture. The exhibit covers 10 films from each year.

Gravity Works
7:30 p.m. > Cinespace > $20

Although Cinespace may be a household name for frequent club-goers, it is now catering to a different audience. Director Russell Boat brings a professional cabaret/vaudeville/comedy troupe for those who prefer to be entertained by others on the dance floor.

Gremlins/Gremlins 2: The New Batch
7:30 p.m. > Egyptian Theater > $9

We all remember the movie that reminded us of our Furbies and left us wondering how something cute and fuzzy could be capable of wreaking chaos and instilling fear in our hearts. Catch this special double feature of the two films directed by Joe Dante.

Cheap Trick/Ricky Warwick
7:30 p.m. > House of Blues Sunset Strip > $57.50

Cheap Trick has redone its “The Dream Police” track in support of an indubitably righteous cause: saving Mother Earth. So come enjoy a “green” run through one of its classic hits including “I Want You to Want Me.”

friday, february 26

PaleyFest 2010
various times > Saban Theater > various prices

For the 27th consecutive year, the Paley Center for Media features a festival in which TV stars from Glee, Breaking Bad, Lost, and Dexter show up for panel discussions and screenings of their show’s best episodes. The event runs from Feb. 26 to March 14th and prices and celebrity sightings vary by day, so check ahead for the best days to go.

The Big Con: An Evening with Ricky Jay
7 p.m. > School of Cinematic Arts, Room 108 > FREE

USC professor Howard A. Rodman will talk with magician Ricky Jay about deception in magic, film and real life. They will discuss Jay’s work and the philosophy behind self-deception in modern culture, and how it is central to art forms and entertainment. He will delve into the presence of magic in screenwriting and other forms of manipulation in films.

Eileen C. Moore — Race Results: Hollywood Vs. The Supreme Court: Ten Decades of Racial Decisions and Film
7:30 p.m. > Book Soup > $20

Finally, an event that appeals to cinema, political science and American studies majors alike. Author Eileen Moore speaks and signs her latest book, which is a decade-by-decade comparison of films and Supreme Court decisions and the surprising favoring of minorities in the latter.

saturday, february 27

Los Angeles Ballet
7:30 p.m. > Alex Theatre > $24+

Los Angeles’ local ballet company presents “See the Music Hear the Dance,” featuring works by famous choreographer George Balanchine. The company premieres dances to Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 and Kammermusik No. 2, two works rarely seen outside of New York City Ballet.

32nd Annual L.A. Chinatown Firecracker Run
10 a.m. > Chinatown Central Plaza > FREE

Get 4708, the year of the tiger, off with a roaring start. You don’t have to run or even walk because the festival takes over the streets. The Laker Girls, lion dancers, taiko drummers, Latin, Korean and Vietnamese performers, and the traditional lighting of 100,000 firecrackers will get things going at this all-day and all-night festival that celebrates the many facets of arts and culture in Los Angeles.

Birdemic: Shock and Terror hosted by Tim and Eric
10 p.m. > The Silent Movie Theatre > $10

Bioterrorism, alien abductions and even human combat are apparently overrated because the latest threat to mankind is our feathered friends flying high in the sky. James Nguyen spent five years creating this masterpiece that details the epic story of a couple caught in an avian attack. Don’t worry, he explains his thought process in a Q&A sessions after the show.

sunday, february 28

Second Annual LA Weekly Gold Standard Food and Wine Event
1 p.m., – 5 p.m. > Peterson Automotive Museum > $60

Pulitzer Prize-winning LA Weekly food writer Jonathan Gold celebrates his fantastic articles and even more fantastic name with more than 40 of his favorites Los Angeles eating locales. Sample delicious food and glean some tips from one of the best food critics in town.

KPCC FilmWeek with Larry Mantle Oscar Preview Live Show
1 p.m. > Egyptian Theatre > $9

If you turn the Academy Awards into a competition to see who successfully predicts the most awards, get the inside scoop with this annual live taping of the Academy Awards Preview. Maybe you’ll do better than these film critics.

Adam Shenkman
8 p.m. > Downtown Independent Theater > $5

A monthly comedy special created, produced and M.C’d by Adam Shenkman joined by a celebrity guest.

Angelique Kidjo
8 p.m. > Walt Disney Concert Hall > $37+

West African vocalist blends traditional African beats with American R&B, funk and jazz to an exhilarating effect. Kidjo is a Grammy Award-winning Beninoise singer-songwriter known for her unique cocktail of musical genres and creative music videos. Time Magazine dubbed her “Africa’s premier diva.”

— Tanvi Mirani, Becca Lett and Mike Juliani