A young woman goes on a ride, witnesses a kidnapping, and runs into an old friend. “A Kidnapping in Echo Park,” directed by Elijah Guess, is a Los Angeles day-in-the-life through the eyes of an idling individual. Laid out on a yoga mat, Claire scrolls on her phone. She takes a scooter ride to Echo Park where she finds a bench to space out at the fountains. Suddenly, in her far sight, it appears a woman is grabbed by a stranger and thrown into the back of a car. Claire follows. During her pursuit, she passes a cafe, loses interest in the chase, and gets an iced coffee instead. Like Claire, the film curiously shifts from one tangent to the next, foregoing whatever stakes existed in the moment before, fully entertaining the current one. It’s an apt portrayal of laze and passing time in L.A. with a character who, despite having little to say, is charming nonetheless. -JM. Director/DP: Elijah Guess Cast: Natasha Sill, Ella Rodriguez Producer/Color: Greyson Sawyer Producer: Austin Paquette.