Best Bets: Sunday 12/27

Noon: Art

In a symbolic melding of Christmas and craft, the Museum of Latin American Art presents “Christmas and Nacimientos: Retablos Navidenos.” Traditional retablos--or shuttered cabinet-style altarpieces--were introduced to Latin America by the Spanish in the 16th century. Using these traditional retablos as inspiration, contemporary artists from Latin America were asked to create their own retablos depicting scenes from the Christmas cycle. Twelve of these scenes, as well as three traditional retablos from Ayacucho, Peru, will be on display through Jan. 10.

* “Christmas and Nacimientos: Retablos Navidenos.” Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach. Ends Jan. 10. Museum hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. Admission: adults, $5; seniors and students, $3; children under 12, free. (562) 437-1689.

1 pm: Photography

From Beverly Hills rich kids to East Los Angeles party crews, Lauren Greenfield’s photographs document a tendency to grow up too quickly in L.A. Images from her book “Fast Forward: Growing Up in the Shadow of Hollywood” are displayed at the Central Library in downtown L.A. Further exploring the world of Los Angeles teens, Greenfield’s photos will be paired with “From Where I’m Standing: A Photo-Documentary Project in East Los Angeles,” an exhibition of images taken by inner-city children who captured their life experiences during a series of photography workshops conducted by Gail Brown.

* “Fast Forward: Growing Up in the Shadow of Hollywood” and “From Where I’m Standing: A Photo-Documentary Project in East Los Angeles.” Getty Gallery, Los Angeles Central Library, 630 W. 5th St., downtown Los Angeles. Ends Feb. 21. Library hours: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to -8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Admission free. (213) 228-7000.

1 & 3 pm: Family

Santa Monica Playhouse’s Actors Repertory Theatre company presents the reprise of its popular musical version of “Little Red Riding Hood.”

* “Little Red Riding Hood,” Santa Monica Playhouse, 1211 4th St., Santa Monica, Saturdays and Sundays, 1 and 3 p.m. Ends March 14. $8. (310) 394-9779, Ext. 2.

5 pm: Pop Music

“Mariachi Spectacular” at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts brings together Mariachi Sol de Mexico, the all-female Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles, Mariachi Tlaquepaque and the Tonantzin Dance Company.

* “Mariachi Spectacular” at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Drive, Cerritos, 5 p.m. $22 to $37. (562) 916-8500.

6 pm: Pop Music

What better way to counteract all that holiday cheer than by listening to the Cure’s records for six hours? That’s one of your options at the second annual Cure Convention at the Palace, where the English band’s moody oeuvre will be celebrated with a dance club, contests, giveaways, memorabilia sales and a Cure sound-alike band, Lovesick.

* The Cure Convention at the Palace, 1735 N. Vine St., 6 p.m. $20. Convention information: (626) 967-7811.

All day: Movies

The Academy Award nominations won’t be announced until February, but a slew of other arbiters have already cast their votes and now’s a good time to catch up on some of the feted films. The Los Angeles and New York film critics groups have both named Steven Spielberg’s World War II epic “Saving Private Ryan” as best picture of 1998, and Denmark’s “The Celebration” as best foreign-language film. The L.A. critics named two women in the best actress category: former Brat Packer Ally Sheedy for her work as a brilliant but heroin-addicted photographer in the disturbing “High Art,” and Fernanda Montenegro of the Brazilian “Central Station.” Montenegro also got the best actress nod from the National Board of Review. “Gods and Monsters” was voted best film of the year by the New York-based National Board, and “Gods” star Ian McKellen got the best actor honor. And lest you think the whole awards process is too stuffy, note that the New York critics named Cameron Diaz best actress for her work in the Farrelly brothers’ raunchy comedy “There’s Something About Mary,” and the foreign press association has nominated the blockbuster summer hit for best picture, musical or comedy.

* All of the films listed above are in limited release.

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FREEBIE: El Dorado Audubon’s annual Christmas bird count starts at the El Dorado Library parking lot, 2900 Studebaker Road, Long Beach at 7:30 a.m. (714) 229-0126.

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Cinemax airs a John Travolta-thon from noon to 12:05 a.m. The six movies include “Grease” at noon and “Saturday Night Fever” at 2 p.m.