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An actor known for his roles in Ultimate Spider Man, Superhero Movie, and High Fidelity was sentenced today to four days in county jail and four years summary probation for a DUI in Glendale last year. Jared Drake Bell, 30, pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol within 10 years of another DUI offense. Bell had been convicted in 2010 of driving under the influence while in San Diego. Bell entered the plea in person and was taken...

If you are as much of a geek as I am, chances are you already know that today is the 50th anniversary of the date Star Trek burst onto the small screen. People had just started getting color TV's, and suddenly there was this amazing green alien who seemed a lot like the rabbi at my schul. Well, as NBC says, the series lived long and prospered, even featuring TV's first interracial kiss. The show, which followed the exploits of a 23rd century crew of interstellar explorers...

Actor Jon Polito died Thursday in Duarte, Calif. He was 65. His manager, Maryellen Mulcahy, told the Associated Press that he had been treated for multiple myeloma, a type of cancer that strikes the white blood cells. Jon Polito as Da Fino, a private investigator hired by Bunny's parents, the Knutsons, to entice their daughter back home. He mistakes the Dude for a "brother Shamus". The movie was, to some extent, about coincidences and mistaken identities. The bald,...

October 10th marks the 50th anniversary of the release of one of popular music's most iconic songs of all time, The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations." The Beach Boys and Capitol/UMe will celebrate the golden milestone with the worldwide release of "Good Vibrations" (50th Anniversary Edition) on a 12-inch sunburst vinyl EP on October 7. Named the "Greatest Single of All Time" by MOJO magazine, "Good Vibrations" is a musical treasure for the ages. Recorded across several sessions at...

If you're like most people, you're sick and tired of the mainstream junk they play on the radio. You know, the dreaded intro that pounds underneath a gleeful d-j's extended blathering, and then launches into the song you might have tolerated once, but it's been played a hundred times a minute, has wormed its way into even the "alternative" stations, pops up as a "suggestion" on Youtube just to give your friends the false impression that you like that kind of common swill as th...

Star Trek Beyond cast members Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto and Simon Pegg make a surprise appearance during pop star Jason Zhang's sold-out concert with over 12,000 of his fans at the Guangzhou International Sports Arena during their visit to China for the film premiere. Zhang, the official China ambassador for Star Trek Beyond, sang the Chinese theme song for Star Trek Beyond through Huahua Media, the film production company which partnered with Paramount Pictures on the...

Donald Trump and his family have appeared in a number of movies and TV shows. Of course there is The Apprentice , a reality TV show. In addition he did a cameo in Home Alone II, and also appeared in fresh Prince of Bel Air with his wife at the time, Ivana. #TrumpExplainsMoviePlots is trending on Twitter. Here are 140 character summaries of movies. Can you guess which movies these reference? 1. The Lovely Bones: I'll Save you some time. She's Dead, folks. Dead as a doornail....

Madeleine Lebeau, an actress known best for her role as Rick's girlfriend in the classic film "Casablanca," died May 1. Coincidentally, a remake of one of the three most romantic films of all time is in the works. Paul Feig, who recently directed Ghosbusters, has been asked to direct it, but has not yet signed. The French actress played the jilted girlfriend of Rick in the legendary film. LeBeau is seen singing "La Marseillaise" while tears well up in her eyes as the French...

Thirteen years ago, a six-year-old girl screamed and ran out of the movie theater into painfully broad sunlight because an Australian Great White Shark with a magnificent grin had smiled across the big screen and said "Hallo." Thirteen years later, that girl clipped breathlessly through throngs of Santa Monica tourists to reach the theater in time for the 10:20 am showing of "Finding Dory," the long-awaited sequel to "Finding Nemo." This time, though, I was more afraid of...

"Hands! Hands!" Trembling with fear, the purple pickles burrow under the sand to wait out the plunging, poking, wrenching storm that is a sea of children crowded around a touch tank. If you've seen Disney-Pixar's new release "Finding Dory," you know which scene I'm referring to. But is this really how sea cucumbers feel about kids at touch tanks? In this article, I will expose some interesting facts about the characters in the movie, as they would function and behave in real...

The Santa Monica Observer was privileged to interview seventeen-year-old filmmaker, Emily Robinson (known for her role as Young Rose on the Amazon TV series, "Transparent"), to discuss her new short film, "Virgin Territory". The film premiered to wide acclaim on June 2, 2016, at the Los Angeles Film Festival, and will also be screened at Outfest LA as part of the "Girl Shorts" short-film series, on Friday, July 15, 2016, at 9:30 PM, and Sunday, July 17, 2016, at 3:30 PM, at th...

Welcome to Agrabah! The Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department presents Disney's "Aladdin Jr. " July 15-24 at the Theatre Arts Studio Stage on the SMC main campus, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. Audiences of all ages will enjoy this entertaining Academy Award-winning adventure of the street rat who became a prince. The performance – based on the Disney animated film – is sure to send you soaring on a flying carpet ride filled with wild adventure and colorful romance! Bas...

The Santa Monica Observer had an opportunity to speak with Amber Tamblyn, an over 20-year veteran of the film and television industry (Joan of Arcadia, 127 Hours, The Ring, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants), about her stylish directorial debut "Paint It Black". Paint It Black is a twisted tale of love, loss, and betrayal between Josie, a nude model whose live-in boyfriend, Michael, commits suicide, and Meredith, an extremely successful concert pianist who is the deceased's...

The Santa Monica Observer was privileged to interview Dorie Barton, writer and director of the new hit comedy, "Girl Flu.", which premiered on June 6 at the Los Angeles Film Festival, and was so successful that the festival added a second screening. "Girl Flu." is a female-driven coming-of-age film about a 12-year-old girl named Bird who is forced to confront adulthood when she unexpectedly has her first period. While the film is, in many respects, a lighthearted comedy, it...

Olivia de Haviland will celebrate her 100th birthday on Thursday, June 30th at 4 pm at the Spitfire Grill at the Santa Monica Airport. The event is being organized by Spring de Haviland, who is "related to Olivia, but no one is entirely sure how." The guest of honor will not be present herself at the event, because she is on the way to a private family celebration in Paris, France, where she has resided since 1956. Partygoers plan to dress as characters from her films, and...

Tonight's Ray Donovan wakes up in a hospital, after having been shot and collapsing in a church last season. "How I got here?" his brother asks him, at an AA meeting apparently taking place at his gym. I guess I got here the same as all of you. Meeting father O'Merriil, asking him for forgiveness. Turn from evil and do good, and you will live in the land forever. A native American priest is reading from a braille bible as a helicopter lands. Ray has a vision of himself being...

PALM SPRINGS, CA (June 26, 2016) – The 2016 Palm Springs International ShortFest, the largest short film festival and only short film market in North America, announced its Festival award winners on Sunday, June 26, 2016. 327 short films screened throughout the Festival along with more than 4,100 filmmaker submissions available in the film market. More than $115,000 in prizes, including $20,000 in cash awards were awarded in 21 categories. "A common thread of immigration a...

The jury has returned with a defense verdict, finding no substantial similarity between the song Stairway to Heaven and the instrumental song Taurus by the Los Angeles-based rock band Spirit. Taurus was written by the band's guitarist Randy Wolfe, known as Randy California. Spirit was able to file the lawsuit, despite the obvious statue of limitations problem, because Led Zepplin had released a greatest hits album. Spirit could therefore sue for the new version of the song on...

At the end of Season 3, Penny Dreadful appears to climax with the death of female lead Vanessa Ives (Eva Green). She concludes that she must die to save the world, and that her one love, Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett) must pull the trigger. If that weren't heartbreaking enough, in a parallel plot John Clare decides not to ask Dr. Frankenstein to resurrect his son, Jack, who like Lilly, has died of consumption. But I digress. The point of this article is to answer the question...

Rock star Meat Loaf collapsed in front of an audience as he performed in Canada Thursday night Update: According to a statement released by his publicist, the 68-year-old singer collapsed "due to severe dehydration" and was admitted to a nearby hospital to "undergo routine tests." Meatloaf is "responsive and recovering well," the statement continued. Concert postponements and rescheduled dates will be announced "at a later time." Guests at the singer's concert in Edmonton,...

June 14, 2016- Evening visitors to Santa Monica will bear witness to hundreds of Walrus lounging in the parking lot. That's not all. Whales the size of a building, fish as big as cars, waves that reach three stories and video of marine life will be cast upon a 100 foot wall in Santa Monica for the next three weeks. The ad-free endeavor is one in a series of immersive ocean experiences from explore.org, the philanthropic media organization and division of the Annenberg Foundati...

The Santa Monica Observer was privileged to interview Remy Auberjonois, his wife, Kate Nowlin, and his father, Rene Auberjonois, on June 3, 2016, to discuss their award-winning drama, "Blood Stripe". "Blood Stripe" follows a female U.S. Marine Sergeant after she returns home from her third tour of duty in Afghanistan, wracked by crippling Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Disconnected from her home life and no longer able to cope in an urban setting, she escapes to a...

"Worlds Apart" (Enas Allos Kosmos), Greece's highest grossing movie since 2009, made its North American debut on June 5, 2016, at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, closing out the tenth annual Los Angeles Greek Film Festival. The film was so successful in Greece that its gross revenue even surpassed "Star Wars: The Force Awakens". "Worlds Apart" stars Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons, as well as internationally acclaimed actors Christopher Papakaliatis, Andrea Osvart, Maria...

The Santa Monica Observer met up with Jackson Stewart, Director of the retro horror film, "Beyond The Gates", which had its sold out World Premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 2 at the ArcLight in Culver City. A second screening has been added by popular demand on June 6 at 8:45 PM, also at the ArcLight in Culver City. "Beyond The Gates" tells the story of two estranged brothers who reunite to liquidate the contents of their father's video store after his...

ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS is an extraordinary visual wonder from beginning to end, exhilarating the senses with eye-dropping kaleidoscopic imagery and a sweet sensitivity between Alice and the Hatter that touches the heart and the tear ducts. The magnificence and magic of ALICE comes not only from a cleverly written script by Linda Woolverton, but from the meticulous attention to detail by director James Bobin on both the technical and creative levels, melding the...