Returning to the Hip-Hop scene after a very disappointing Rich Gang collaboration, the Young Money goons are back at it with the album "Rise of an Empire." It's been a very quiet period for Young Money, even with the new talent added to the label. However, the album is a step up from their previous group releases. The production is...

Against a stark white background, a pianist and a cellist share the stage. The pianist, Bryan Pezzone, coolly plays the keys with carefree precision. The cellist picks up his pace, his fingers run wildly over the neck of his cello. The whiteness fades into photos of the Pampa region of Argentina. This was the scene as Latin Grammy Award winner...

When asked to describe what theatre is in one word, Santa Monica College director and theatre arts instructor Janie Jones chose “life” with an energetic laugh. During Jones’ thirty-four years working at SMC, she has directed 42 Main Stage productions, 27 workshops, and served five times as a mentor for advanced directing and musical theatre students. Along with her contributions...

Just in time for the crisis between the West and Russia over Crimea comes "300: Rise Of An Empire," the long-awaited sequel to Zack Snyder's muscle-flexing, blood-splattered comic book epic "300." Snyder, that guru of bleached, muscular imagery (he directed last year's depressing "Man of Steel"), now takes a backseat as producer and leaves the directing to Noam Murro. Murro...

When filmmaking became the overpowering passion in his life, Kevin Maxwell knew he wanted to make a film about his grandmother Cora's riveting life. "It was an idea that happened when I worked as a logistics specialist at the Department of Homeland Security," said Maxwell. "One of my bosses, who was a mentor to me, told me I should be...

For some, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a man on a page, a face on a black history poster, or the answer to a question on a history exam. However, for the people who filled the Main Stage at Santa Monica College for the east coast premiere of "Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Personal Portrait" on Thursday evening, King...

Film critics still matter. What has been lost is a genuine sense of cultural criticism and writing. The genuine appreciation and study of a film, any film, has been lost in our current circus of gossip and tabloid fodder. "We need thoughtful and insightful film critics more than ever in this age of sound bites, uninformed and superficial opinions and...

Court documents at the Santa Monica District Courthouse and accounts by former workers have revealed further details in the case of the Bread Factory's closure. What emerges is a tale of alleged mismanagement and court proceedings that left Soo Jeong Pak, owner of the Bread Factory, owing Santa Monica College $74,758.21. According to the official file on the case, The...

With powerful emotional expressions and rhythms from the musically rich culture of Mali, Fatoumata Diawara and her band members gave The Broad Stage’s crowded concert hall a unique musical experience on Friday night, that would have the audience on its feet dancing. The Malian singer Diawara, born on the Ivory Coast but now based in Paris, has claimed fans worldwide...

With a wealth of sunny music flooding the market this year, Beck's new album "Morning Phase" brings a warming melancholy he left nearly a decade ago. "Morning Phase" serves as a companion piece to Beck's 2002 album, "Sea Change," shifting back to more alternative rock and country music elements than the myriad of genres he dived into prior to this....