Grossmont College's Hyde Art Gallery is currently presenting "Into Abstraction," an exhibit of abstract works by seven local artists. KPBS arts reporter Beth Accomando checked in with one artist as she was installing her piece Tarab Soundings.

The San Diego Museum of Man had an exhibit on torture in 2000 but the new Instruments of Torture that opened in July takes a very different approach to looking at a very dark side of human nature.

At one time, "The Possession" (opened August 31 throughout San Diego) was more intriguingly named "Dybbuk Box." I wonder how much else got changed along the way in an attempt to make it more marketable.

Last year Japanese director Takashi Miike treated audiences to a grueling samurai epic, "13 Assassins." Now he delivers a very different samurai tale, "Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai" (opening August 31 at Reading Gaslamp Stadium Theaters).

The Ken Cinema and I go back a long way, maybe not all the way back to 1912 when it was built but it has provided a host of good memories.

Landmark's Ken Cinema turns 100 this year and as part of the celebration Landmark is hosting The Ken's 100th Anniversary Film Series that kicks off tomorrow morning at 11am with "Intolerance." Watch for my video feature about the Ken tonight on Evening Edition.

In the future, robots might provide a kind of in home elder care when no family members are around. That's the premise for the endearing sci-fi tale "Robot & Frank" (opened August 24 at Landmark's La Jolla Village Theaters).

Luchadores, A Metal Swap Meet, And Games People Play

The 22nd Annual San Diego Music Awards are tonight at Humphrey's by the Bay with performances by P.O.D, Dead Feather Moon, Hills Like Elephants, The Howls, Hyena, Mattson 2 and Euphoria Brass Band.

How could I resist a youth theater company that takes its name from the character Jason Schwatrzman played in the Wes Anderson film "Rushmore." The Max Fischer Players present "UBU" (tonight through Sunday at 8:00 pm at Space 4 Art).

Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei provides the fascinating and provocative focal point for the documentary "Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry" (opening August 10 at Landmark's La Jolla Village Theaters).

This weekend we have plenty of music, a re-imagined Illiad and some dynamite... oh I mean TNT.

"Ruby Sparks" (opening August 3 throughout San Diego) asks audiences to take a leap of faith and believe that a writer could conceive of a character that could walk off the page and into his life.

The company calling itself Original Film sees no irony -- or hypocrisy-- in slapping its logo on films that are anything but original. The latest is the remake of "Total Recall" ( opening August 3 throughout San Diego).

The San Diego Latino Film Festival kicks off its 13th annual fall film series, Cinema En Tu Idioma, by bringing back one of the most popular films from their spring festival, "Juan of the Dead" (playing August 3 through 9 at the UltraStar Mission Valley Theaters at Hazard Center). Listen to my review for all the gory details.

Landmark continues its Midnight movies with John Carpenter's "Big Trouble in Little China" (August 3 and 4 at midnight at the Ken Cinema).

Last month protesters outside Comic-Con held signs urging people to "Read Their Bible." You will see similar signs in the Globe's new production of "Inherit the Wind" (running through September 25 at the Globe's Lowell Davies Festival Stage). Listen to my radio feature.

The Old Globe Theatre's production of the 1955 play "Inherit the Wind" (running through Sept. 25 at the Lowell Davies Festival Stage in Balboa Park) hasn't dated as much as you might think ... or hope.

With "Pink Flamingos" playing this Friday and Saturday at midnight at Landmark's Ken Cinema, I decided to dig back into the dusty interview vault to pull out some pearls of wisdom from the man known as The Sultan of Sleaze, The Prince of Puke and The King (or possibly Queen) of Schlock. Titles John Waters wears proudly. I interviewed Waters back in 1997 when he was re-releasing "Pink Flamingos."

From North County to south of the border and points in-between, there’s lots of fun to be had in and around San Diego this weekend.

Most people have been to a museum to marvel at fossils and diorama. But not many people get a backstage tour to see the work that goes on behind the scenes. KPBS arts reporter Beth Accomando talks with one of the curators at the San Diego Natural History Museum about the work we don't see. Check out the video.

The recent shooting at the Friday premiere of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, CO has raised questions yet again about the violence we see in our entertainment. Can the violent images readily available in the media influence people to commit violent acts or can the fantasy violence provide a catharsis for some individuals? Does the massacre say more about the violent entertainment we see or about gun control laws?

For the second time I got to moderate a panel at Comic-Con. Last time it was on my beloved zombies and this time it was to focus on a pair of kick-ass women in horror: the Soska Twins.

Christopher Nolan's Batman saga comes to an epic conclusion with "The Dark Knight Rises" (opening July 20 throughout San Diego). Spoiler-free review follows.

Well the dust and Kryptonite have settled on Comic-Con #43 and I'm reminded of the line from Charles Dickens, "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

What better way to decompress after Comic-Con and rev up for "The Dark Knight" (opening July 20) than with the original 1966 "Batman" movie at the Whistle Stop Thursday at 7:30pm.

"Beasts of the Southern Wild" (opened July 13 at Landmark's Hillcrest and La Jolla Village Theaters) has already won awards at Sundance and Cannes. I speak with director Benh Zeitlin and cast members Dwight Henry and Quvenzhané Wallis.

It makes me a little crazy that what may be the best film of the year opened the same week as Comic-Con. "Beasts of the Southern Wild" (opened July 13 at Landmark's Hillcrest and La Jolla Village Theaters) already won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance and the Camera D'or at Cannes, and is on my short list for the year's best.

I got a press release about a product called Necomimi, which are essentially Cat Ears you wear and react to your mood. They are on sale at Comic-Con at booth 305.

It's no secret that I love zombies so when I had an opportunity to interview Max Brooks ("The Zombie Survival Guide" and "World War Z") at Comic-Con on Wednesday I shambled... um, I mean I leapt at the chance.

Comic-Con weekend is chock-full of fun festivities for anyone and everyone.

I haven't been able to screen Morgan Spurlock's documentary "Episode IV: Comic-Con A Fan's Hope" (screening tonight at 8:30pm in Ballroom 20 at Comic-Con) and I am curious why the film about Comic-Con has screened elsewhere but in San Diego till tonight.

Comic-Con starts this Wednesday with preview night and then runs through Sunday at the San Diego Convention Center. The pop culture convention has grown rapidly in the past ten years and now must cap attendance at around 125,000.

Comic-Con officially opens next Thursday. Upwards of 125,000 fans from around the globe will arrive at the San Diego Convention Center for a celebration of comics, gaming, TV, movies, and more. Here's a video postcard from interviews I did with fans and exhibitors at last year's convention. Thanks to Comic-Con for use of their footage! Watch the video or read the extended interviews.

So I got to see the power of the Internet and social media when my friend decided to do live Tweeting and ended up making "Robo Vampire" a trending topic on Twitter.

A pair of comics-based movies from both Marvel and DC will be bookending Comic-Con this year: "The Amazing Spider-Man" opens July 3 and "The Dark Knight Rises" opens July 20. "The Amazing Spider-Man" reminds me a lot of "Let Me In" (the American remake of the exquisite Swedish vampire film "Let the Right One In") -- neither one's a bad movie yet both are rather unnecessary.

"Comics Are Everywhere" is a work in progress by San Diego filmmaker Neil Kendricks. Here's a brief interview.

Comic-Con is the largest pop culture convention in North America and it starts in just over a week at the San Diego Convention Center.

Seth MacFarlane has been phenomenally successful on TV with shows like "Family Guy" and "American Dad." Now he makes his feature film debut with "Ted" (opening June 29 throughout San Diego), which he has written, directed and starred in (voice only).

This weekend there's lots of music to choose from plus an art exhibit featuring portraits of local bartenders. Neat.

"Richard III" is one of Shakespeare's enduring villains. He's been immortalized in a pair of brilliant films and now takes center stage at the Old Globe Theatre.

Ingrid Croce is well known to San Diegans for her restaurant Croces, but she's also an author with a new book out on her late husband Jim Croce.

I'm not a fan of the perky Disney Princesses but I have to say that the Disney-Pixar "Brave" (opening June 22 throughout San Diego) went down pretty easy, thanks in large part to the delightful Kelly Macdonald.

Summer Shakespeare is in full swing at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park. The creative team behind "Richard III" provide some insights into one of Shakespeare's best known villains. Watch the video.

I absolutely love the idea of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (opening June 22 throughout San Diego). The notion of our most dignified 16th president slaying bloodsuckers as a secret mission made history suddenly fun.

The Landmark Midnight movies return with a great line up of cult and indie favorites.

In times of crisis, where are you going to turn for the latest news and information? To KPBS of course, especially when the dead rise from the grave.

The San Diego Book Awards were given out on June 9 and Laurel Corona took three awards including the Geisel Award for best in show.

I have been a Bond, yes James Bond, fan since about the time I could walk and talk. So I'd like to suggest that the best film you could see this weekend is "From Russia With Love" (playing June 16-17 at Cinema Under the Stars.

Good eats, good drinks, good fun with a Dirty Blonde, craft brews, and flying pigs!