European Film Screenings in the UAE: Trying for Peace, Love and Understanding
I love what Quentin Tarantino says, "When people ask me if I went to film school I tell them, no, I went to films." It's so true, just as art is only learned by looking at paintings and then drawing,...
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Movie Review: Tracks
There is a growing canon of films built around a man/woman-alone against the elements. Two of last year's most gripping films -- Gravity and All Is Lost -- and two to come shortly focus on the...
View Article9 Fall 2014 Shows Worth Watching
It's here! Fall network premiere season is upon us. Does it feel more anti-climactic this year than in years past? It used to be that the new fall shows sparkled like beacons as you slogged your way...
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My Brightest Diamond Album Stumps Writer
The latest experimental epic from My Brightest Diamond, entitled This is My Hand, is an album with really only one problem: I have no idea what to say about it. Breaking down the fourth wall here: I'm...
View ArticleBarrel Chests, Brawn, and Buffoonery: Controlling Images of Masculinity in...
I just read and reviewed Shannon Wooden and Ken Gillam's Pixar's Boy Stories: Masculinity in a Postmodern Age. And I thought I'd build on some of a piece of their critique of a pattern in the Pixar...
View ArticleUntold (or Retold?) History: Oliver Stone's Showtime Series
Film, American history and Oliver Stone -- where do I buy tickets?! This was my last thought just before I plunged into Showtime's Untold History, narrated by Stone himself and based on the book he...
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MasterChef Recap: Girls Rule, Boys Drool in 'Winner Chosen'
Note: Do not read on if you haven't seen Season 5, Episode 18 of FOX's "MasterChef" titled "Top 3 Compete." Holy Boston Cream Pie, guys. I have to say I am thoroughly pleased with the fact that we had...
View ArticleWant More Happiness?
Watching Relativity Media and Peter Chelsom's new film, Hector and the Search for Happiness, naturally draws a response to ponder how happiness is brought about in one's own life, when, where, with...
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The Killing Factor: When Conspiracy Becomes the Mainstream
I have nothing personal against Bill O'Reilly. In fact, most times I do think he is "fair and balanced" and makes a commendable effort to avoid "spin." O'Reilly is an accomplished author, a...
View ArticleMovie Review: A Walk Among the Tombstones -- Gobble Gobble
Liam Neeson is always a treat to watch. And so he is in A Walk Among the Tombstones. "I have always liked to play loners like Steve Mc Queen and like Robert Mitchum did as Phillip Marlowe," Neeson said...
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Mom-to-Be Mila Kunis Unloads Home for $3.825M
The very-pregnant Mila Kunis may be ready to pop, but that didn't stop her from selling off her Los Angeles property this past week for $3.825 million. The incredibly elegant manse was built in 1958;...
View ArticleOpen Letter to Kanye West, From a Kid Who Gets 'Special Parking and S**t'
To the esteemed Kanye West: I wanted to sincerely thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for the strength and character you showed at your concert in Sydney. You are a consummate performer who just...
View ArticleThe Voice: Million-Dollar Coaches, Dime-a-Dozen Contestants
On The Voice, they're coaches. On American Idol, they're judges. On Rising Star, they're experts. And on every singing competition show, they're camera hogs. In case you weren't aware after the 247th...
View ArticleUnderrated Albums of the '90s -- Part 5
I started this series to shine a light on some stellar records from the '90s that may have been overlooked. Now that a few decades have passed, we can get some perspective and see how they've held up...
View ArticleThe Elder Gays of Love Is Strange
On paper, it might suggest a bad sitcom: two notorious hams--John Lithgow and Alfred Molina--as longtime lovers confronting the innumerable challenges of aging. On the screen, under the direction of...
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Shonda Rhimes Rules the World: Ultimate Lessons Learned from the Scandal,...
It's Thursday. I'm currently positioned at a table in my university's hospital cafeteria, where I am able to see both the entryway of doctors who enter upon break -- some even donning periwinkle...
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Battle of the Sexists: 'Blurred Lines' VS. 'Rude'
During this, the last official week of summer, we thought we'd compare this year's "Song of Summer" with last year's official hit to see which would win the title of "Most Offensive." For the sake of...
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Behind the Scenes of the Still Photographs for the Feature Film 99 Homes
Ramin Bahrani is both an established New York based award-winning independent filmmaker, and also my brother. His latest film, 99 Homes, starring Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spiderman, The Social...
View ArticleThe Hilarious Parody Of 'All About That Bass' Every Mom Will Understand
I have kids hanging on me ALL. DAY. LONG. Even when I pee. Every surface in my house is covered in kid mess. Every second of my day is filled with kid drama. And when the kids finally go to bed, my...
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Riot Fest Music Festival 2014: Up Close (Photos)
This past weekend Riot Fest took over Chicago's Humboldt Park in celebration of their 10th year anniversary. The festival, which originated in Chicago, is known for their punk, rock, and more...
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