52+ min ago (497+ words) Surely, someone has made a hash of the plot. Yes, he was 88, but the Czech-born, British playwright, the true 20th century heir to Oscar Wilde, would never have arranged things so banally. "A severe blow to Logic" is how a character describes the death of a philosophy professor in Stoppard's 1972 play "Jumpers." But then, as this polymath wag continues, "The truth to us philosophers, Mr. Crouch, is always an interim judgment " Unlike mystery novels, life does not guarantee a denouement; and if it came, how would one know whether to believe it?" Few people were more agnostically alive than Stoppard, who loved the finer things in life and handsomely earned them with his inexhaustible wit. A man of consummate urbanity who lived like a country squire, he was a sportsman (cricket was his game) and a connoisseur of ideas, which he…...

3+ hour, 58+ min ago (390+ words) Animated movie "Zootopia 2" hopped to the top of the box office in a big weekend for family-friendly films. The sequel to the 2016 film from Walt Disney Co. brought in $156 million in the U.S. and Canada over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend, according to studio estimates. The film's production budget was estimated at $175 million to $200 million. In total, "Zootopia 2" collected $556 million in global box office revenue, including $272 million in China, a once-massive market for Hollywood films that has cooled in recent years. The haul for "Zootopia 2" in China marked that country's highest opening ever for a nonlocal animated movie. Disney's 2016 animated film "Zootopia" still ranks as China's biggest Hollywood animated film. But since then, the market has changed. The movie probably benefited from its strong franchise recognition in China; Disney opened a "Zootopia"-themed land at Shanghai Disneyland in 2023 and embarked on an…...

7+ hour, 33+ min ago (626+ words) Dining at a gourmet restaurant is fun, but I've always preferred finding an unexpected jewel. One unassuming gem I really used to enjoy was the now-shuttered Krispy Krunchy Chicken located inside a liquor store in Alhambra. Patrons generally entered to buy a Coke or a Powerball ticket " the place wasn't even conducive to buying a meal " in a mini mall with a way-too-small parking lot. But they ended up walking away surprised by the crispy treats. Krispy Krunchy delivered fried, yet tender and juicy breasts and wings at a reasonable price. Krispy Krunchy is a chain, and I've visited other locations, also in gas stations and small retail spaces, but they're never as good. That's why I was so glad to see Food columnist Jenn Harris' recent list, ranking L.A.'s 10 best in grocery store fried chicken. Let's take a look…...

7+ hour, 33+ min ago (626+ words) Dining at a gourmet restaurant is fun, but I've always preferred finding an unexpected jewel. One unassuming gem I really used to enjoy was the now-shuttered Krispy Krunchy Chicken located inside a liquor store in Alhambra. Patrons generally entered to buy a Coke or a Powerball ticket " the place wasn't even conducive to buying a meal " in a mini mall with a way-too-small parking lot. But they ended up walking away surprised by the crispy treats. Krispy Krunchy delivered fried, yet tender and juicy breasts and wings at a reasonable price. Krispy Krunchy is a chain, and I've visited other locations, also in gas stations and small retail spaces, but they're never as good. That's why I was so glad to see Food columnist Jenn Harris' recent list, ranking L.A.'s 10 best in grocery store fried chicken. Let's take a look…...

11+ hour, 3+ min ago (997+ words) A few weeks ago, Katie Porter's campaign for California governor was reeling. A day after an irritable TV interview went viral, an old video surfaced of the former Orange County congresswoman cursing and berating one of her aides. Around the same time, the race for U.S. Senate in Maine was shaken by a number of disturbing online posts. In them, Democratic hopeful Graham Platner disparaged police and Black people, among other crude remarks. Soon after, it was revealed Platner had a chest tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol. Meanwhile, in Virginia, several old text messages swallowed attorney general nominee Jay Jones in a cumulus of controversy. The Democrat had joked about shooting the Republican leader of the state House and blithely spoken of watching his children die in their mother's arms. Once " say, 20 or 30 years ago " those blow-ups might have been enough…...

21+ hour, 26+ min ago (244+ words) Tom Stoppard, frequently hailed as the greatest British playwright of this generation, had both a remarkable life and a remarkable career. Stoppard quickly became known for his clever, witty and intellectually curious work, earning three Olivier Awards, five Tony Awards and an Oscar (for "Shakespeare in Love). He was even knighted in 1997 by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to theater. Starting with "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead in 1966, through his final full-length play "Leopoldstadt in 2020, Stoppard crafted a body of work that would be the envy of most countries, let alone one writer. British playwright Tom Stoppard, a major figure of contemporary theater who won an Academy Award for the screenplay for 1998s "Shakespeare in Love, has died. Below are some of Stoppard most important plays, with observations from Times critics: You can find audio dramas by L.A. Theatre Works of…...

21+ hour, 26+ min ago (244+ words) Tom Stoppard, frequently hailed as the greatest British playwright of this generation, had both a remarkable life and a remarkable career. Stoppard quickly became known for his clever, witty and intellectually curious work, earning three Olivier Awards, five Tony Awards and an Oscar (for "Shakespeare in Love). He was even knighted in 1997 by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to theater. Starting with "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead in 1966, through his final full-length play "Leopoldstadt in 2020, Stoppard crafted a body of work that would be the envy of most countries, let alone one writer. British playwright Tom Stoppard, a major figure of contemporary theater who won an Academy Award for the screenplay for 1998s "Shakespeare in Love, has died. Below are some of Stoppard most important plays, with observations from Times critics: You can find audio dramas by L.A. Theatre Works of…...

2+ day, 5+ hour ago (429+ words) Irvine's Wild Rivers has turned its water park into a brilliantly lit Chinese cultural experience blended with Christmas themes as part of the new Dream Glow Festival. Launched earlier this month, the Lantern Festival houses more than 1,000 light displays across three themed areas: Christmas Wonderland, Realm of the Dragon and Under the Sea. It runs from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and from 4:30 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, through Dec. 31. "I believe art is a universal language," said Dream Glow Festival creator Woody Wu. "So I just combined the traditional art craft in a new performance, in a new visual element. I just want to introduce the Chinese traditional arts in a way that everybody would appreciate. And from there, hopefully there will be a bridge built to help Western countries understand the Chinese art craft." The lanterns at…...

2+ day, 5+ hour ago (429+ words) Irvine's Wild Rivers has turned its water park into a brilliantly lit Chinese cultural experience blended with Christmas themes as part of the new Dream Glow Festival. Launched earlier this month, the Lantern Festival houses more than 1,000 light displays across three themed areas: Christmas Wonderland, Realm of the Dragon and Under the Sea. It runs from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and from 4:30 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, through Dec. 31. "I believe art is a universal language," said Dream Glow Festival creator Woody Wu. "So I just combined the traditional art craft in a new performance, in a new visual element. I just want to introduce the Chinese traditional arts in a way that everybody would appreciate. And from there, hopefully there will be a bridge built to help Western countries understand the Chinese art craft." The lanterns at…...

2+ day, 5+ hour ago (1303+ words) Periodically, the Latinx Files will feature guest writers. Filling in this week is film reporter extraordinaire Carlos Aguilar. With the explicit goal of making people laugh, the endearingly foul-mouthed Mexican American filmmaker Alejandro Montoya Marin is building an unpretentious body of work. "There are far smarter people than me to make "Parasite" or to make Yorgos [Lanthimos"] movies," says Montoya Marin, 42, laughing during a recent video interview from his home in Los Angeles. "I want to entertain you for 88 minutes and have you come out and be like, "I"m going to recommend that to a friend." That"s it." It"s not that he lacks ambition.Montoya Marin, whose T-shirt is emblazoned with Hong Kong action film legend John Woo, feels secure in the type of storytelling that best suits his interest and abilities. And he"s taken a…...