Latin American author Gabriel García Márquez surprised Monica Payne in the last two pages of his novella “The Incredible and Sad Tale of Innocent Eréndira and Her Heartless Grandmother” with a hopeful ending.

One line follows another as artist Linn Meyers’ hand guides vibrant yellow paint in circular spirals across the dark violet walls of the Hammer Museum’s lobby.

Funny faces and a 7-year-old were enough to inspire Justin Perkinson. Playing with his younger cousin while visiting family on the East Coast led to his short film “Spider Fang!”

Perkinson’s film is one of three master of fine arts students whose short films, which initially began as class projects, will be featured in the Newport Beach Film Festival this week.

Although it was David Gray’s night, opening performer Lisa O’Neill truly stole the stage. Gray, Grammy-nominated U.K. singer-songwriter, performed songs from albums including “Foundling” and “Draw the Line” in addition to some of his earlier work.

Watching Topher Grace’s latest film, “Take Me Home Tonight,” is like eating comfort food ““ it cheers you up and you only feel slightly guilty about indulging yourself.

Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, men in hats, political drama, fate and free will. “The Adjustment Bureau” combines these elements and questions the amount of control people have over their lives.

Though Anton Chekhov’s classic play “The Cherry Orchard” has been interpreted as both a tragedy and a comedy, UCLA theater graduate students bring out the lighter side of Russian history.

It is hard not to judge a book by its cover, and the same concept applies to a movie’s title.

“Fabulous and over 40″ are the words that the Ole Skool Crew Supreme Dance Team uses to describe its dancers, all above the age of 40 and who also perform live.

Enter “pangolin” into Google and you would find a definition of a scaly anteater native to Africa and Asia. But Pangolin is also the name of the UCLA-based alternative rock band which is opening for rock band Dawes at Royce Hall today at 7 p.m. as a part of the UCLA Arts Party.