JUN 19-29: LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS TO WESTWOOD; DAY ONE LAFF HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE 45TH ANNIV BYE BYE BIRDIE SCREENING, YOUTUBE & TARGET ROOMS

Day One at the LA Film Fest is always fun, as Westwood Village wakes up for 10 days to double its pedestrian population (perhaps even triple it). 5 to 8 was the Diversity Expo, which took over half of Broxton Avenue with booths and free drinks to entertain festivalgoers. The other half entertained a large crowd on chairs and makeshift frontrow couches to show the classic movie "Bye Bye Birdie" on its 45th anniversary. Conrad Birdie, Elvis Presley, get it? Conrad wears gold jumpsuits, sports slicked back black hair, sings with a swagger, woos Ann Margaret, okay okay you get it already. The songs are still great, and the audience clapped after every musical number. (When will someone release a music video DVD that includes all the best musical numbers of a Hollywood classic -- or a Hollywood studio? Does The LA Report have to think of these things all the time? Steal this idea, will ya, someone?)

Another highlight of LAFF Day One was the YouTube room, located on Westwood Blvd, a couple doors south of the Target Red Room. YouTube is entertaining LAFF folks every night during the fest, with live entertainment and more. The Target Red Room is the annual funpacked food-music-drink-dance space, this year located on Westwood Blvd in the space vacated by Hollywood Video after its demise. LAFF Passholders can get in; two specially colored passes get 1 guest in too. Once inside, it is pure fun vibe time, and again this year the yummy snacks are provided by Archer Farms (great chocolate chip cookies, sea salt pita chips, rosemary garlic potato chips, fruit bars, pomegranate green tea, and much more). I am writing this from the Red Room's three Macs, set up near the door where you can blog as you bop to the DJ's cool tunes (perhaps the best string of continuous rock/pop tunes I have heard any DJ play, ever -- I liked every song but one (yep: Journey) - she even played a rare Beatle alternate version of "A Hard's Day's Night"). Wait... now it's The Monkees. Coolness! (Other Red Room sponsors include open bar helper Tommy Bahama Premium Rum, Smart Water, and Stella Artois -- and of course Target!).

One more note: we hear that the lead actress in the film BAGHEAD did a great job; her name is Elise Muller! Look for her in this movie at LAFF.