OFF THE MENU - THE LAST DAYS OF CHASEN'S (1995) **** IMDb

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll cuss & you'll ask the Good Lord above why.

If you are any sort of local history buff, Hollywood hopeful, or restaurant connoisseur, or yearn for a glimpse of a much kinder world... see this movie. In a word: poignant.

Chock full of celebrity cameos and remembrances; what it takes to successfully run a 4-star restaurant (and why you can't do it this way today); stories illustrating a genteel and naive era. It's a musical without a score. It's a drama without an arguement. It's sad and melancholy happiness. See it and go out & support those venues of yesteryear, before, like Chasen's, you read it on page 3 of the Metro section and say "Aaaawwwww" May we recommend Musso & Frank, Trader Vic's, or The Red Car. Do it now.

reviewed by Tim

SHOTGUN FREEWAY: DRIVES THROUGH LOST L.A. (1995) *** IMDb

Straight from IMDB: "A political and social history of Los Angeles, using old stills and news footage, contemporary footage, and commentary. Bert Corona is our guide for East Los Angeles, Buck Henry for Hollywood, David Hockney for the art scene, Elaine Young for Beverly Hills, Buddy Collette and Gene Norman for Central Avenue and music, Margaret Crawford and Joan Didion for the San Fernando Valley, James Ellroy for noir L.A., Frank Wilkenson on land use and L.A.'s poor, and, throughout, the observations of Mike Davis, L.A.'s pre-eminent social historian."