so much going on tonight

I wish I could be in several places at once, there are so many things going on tonight and through the weekend. I'll be attending Creative Screenwriting's Screenwriting Expo, which kicks off tonight and wraps up Sunday evening. This event used to take place at the Convention Center, but last year they moved it to the LAX Marriott and another adjacent hotel. I think the venue sucks and would love to woo them back to downtown. Brady, can you work your magic and make this come back downtown?

Jim and I were scheduled to attend a screening tonight of THE NAMESAKE (and I was really looking forward to it), followed by a Q&A with director Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, Vanity Fair). But I have to go pick up my expo passes and attend a kick-off networking party. Yeah, that'll be a barrel of laughs, everyone in a group worryfest about the impending WGA strike. Drink, please!

Closer to home, we're missing Niche LA's screening of Hideo Nakata's RINGU tonight at 7:30pm:

"In honor of Halloween, we present the film that started the J-horror movement. An investigative reporter looks into the mysterious deaths of seemingly healthy people and hears rumors of a strange videotape with a particular curse -- anyone who watches it will die in exactly one week. Forget the Hollywood remake which took the rough (and arguably scarier) edges off the story. This is the original and still the best. You'll never look at a TV screen in the same way again."

WHAT: Free Wednesday Night Film Screening of RINGU (1998, Runtime: 96 mins)

WHEN: October 24th @ 7:30PM

WHERE: Niche.LA Video Art
Spring Arts Tower
453 S. Spring St. #443
Los Angeles, CA 90013 (corner of 5th and Spring in Downtown LA).
Space is limited, so please RSVP via email or call/text (213) 247-0002.
Click here for info on parking/directions.

View Larger Map

So what are you doing tonight?

tribulations, trojan women, and the hockey puck

Nic Cha Kim is one busy guy. He's a co-founder of Gallery Row and his downtown art gallery, Niche L.A. offers free film screenings on Wednesday nights. Did I mention that he's producing the play Trojan Women for Lodestone Theatre and it opens this weekend? All that and a day job working for Disney. I feel like such a slacker.

I can't even make it to his screening tonight. I'm also missing tonight's Skid Row Walk and the DLANC Outreach Center Spruce-Up. What am I doing that's so important that I'll willingly miss all these downtown events? I'm going to see Mr. Warmth himself, Don Rickles, at the Central Library. Gawd, I hope he insults me.

WHAT:
Free Film Screenings
WHEN:
Every Wednesday: August 1st @ 7:30PM
WHERE:
4th floor of the Spring Arts Tower
453 S. Spring St. #443
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(corner of 5th and Spring!)
Get info on parking/directions

Niche.LA Video Art invites you and a guest to attend a free movie screening of "Tribulation 99: Alien Anomalies Under America (1992)" by Craig Baldwin.

In the year 1000, aliens from the planet Quetzalcoatl flee their dying planet and take refuge under the Earth's surface. Disturbed by 1950s American atomic testing, the aliens strike back at the USA in such varied schemes as the replicant Castro, the psychic vampire regime in Grenada and the Allende plot to alter the Earth's axis. Only covert action by the CIA can stop the dreaded Quetzals. Running Time: 48 min.

Every Wednesday, the curators of Niche.LA Video Art celebrate the best in film by showcasing a free movie night. Space is limited, so please RSVP via email, or call/text (213) 247-0002.

Please bring your own refreshments.

Don't forget about his play, Trojan Women:

Lodestone Theatre Ensemble presents its mainstage production of Kenneth Cavander’s translation of Euripides’ classic play The Trojan Women, running August 4-26, 2007 at the GTC Burbank (1111-B West Olive Ave., Burbank, CA 91506) located inside George Izay Park.

In keeping with the theater’s mission to support and foster Asian Pacific American artists, the play has been cast with Asian Pacific American actors led by veterans Emily Kuroda (The Gilmore Girls) and Kelvin Han Yee (Lucky You). In addition to Kuroda and Yee, the cast also includes Feodor Chin, Elpidio Ebuen, Vincent Gabucan, Junko Goda, Jayne Han, Elaine Kao, Jully Lee, Stephanie Lincoln, Molly Mickelson, Janet Song, Patricia Ayame Thomson, Angie Tsang & Juliet Wong. The Trojan Women is produced by Stephanie Chang and Nic Cha Kim.

For reservations, please call 323-993-7245

Okay, who wants to go see Trojan Women? Next Friday anyone? Dave? Penelope? Shannon? Ed? Kitty? Toilet? Anybody? Bueller?