The Art and Power of Film
Fairly recently I listened to a woman whose view about movies is this, that it's a waste of time to see any movie more than once no matter how good. Whereas my view is that some films are like a work...
View ArticleValentine's Day Love with William and Kate and Other Historic Royal Couples...
In 2001, Prince William and Kate Middleton were students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. The art history majors (William would change his major to geography) started out as pals....
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"Made in New York" Films Contend for 2015 Oscars
The 2015 Academy Awards will be announced by Host Neil Patrick Harris. (Photo courtesy of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) The 87th Academy Awards will be announced on February 22,...
View ArticleJon Stewart Is Retiring, and it's Going to Be (Kind of) Okay
When the news broke Tuesday night that longtime Daily Show host Jon Stewart would be leaving his post in the coming months, the level of trauma on the internet was palpable. Some expected topics arose,...
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How to Make Music: 10 Steps to Becoming a Recording Artist
After writing my last article about how to make it in the music industry, I received a plethora of questions. It occurred to me that I left out some vital advice that might help aspiring artists who...
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Kick It Up: Speaking Tips From Taylor Swift
Photo credit: Sarah Barlow / Billboard.com Listen to any of the songs on '1989', the new album from Taylor Swift, and you'll notice that Swift doesn't just sing those lyrics - she acts them. There are...
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Day 4 -- Oscar Nominated Writers and Producers (Santa Barbara International...
On Saturday, January 31st, at 11:00, I tucked into the Lobero Theatre for the sold-out Writer's Panel featuring Oscar nominees, Graham Moore ("The Imitation Game"), Anthony McCarten ("The Theory of...
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Confession of a Serial Songwriter: Why a Passion on the Side Is a Must
Whether you're an aspiring songwriter trying to get in the game, or a seasoned pro trying to stay in the game, or for that matter, any hopeful fill-in-the-blank with an eye on a prize, it helps to have...
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Thank You Jon Stewart
I was informed of Jon Stewart's retirement from The Daily Show by an NPR news alert, which was swiftly followed by a deluge of texts, emails, and Facebook messages from friends. They were concerned...
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Best Documentaries of 2015: Legendary AD
The art of film directing has been revered since the days of the Lumière Brothers, before the title of director had even been bestowed. Now, the director has achieved a level of celebrity that is only...
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50 Shades of Grey + One Piece of Wool... Over Your Eyes
As empowering as it is to feel oh-so-scandalous and a little bit naughty...as charming as it seems to be the star of someone else's fantasy...pull the wool off your eyes for a second, and think before...
View ArticleLove Letter to the Sound of Music: Happy Anniversary
Looking for a Valentine's Day card in the supermarket, I instead snapped up the new Time/Life magazine's glossy anniversary edition of "The Sound of Music: 50 Years Later, the Hills Are Still Alive."...
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Day 4 Evening -- "The Truth About Lies," Michael Keaton Award (Santa Barbara...
On Saturday, January 31st, in the afternoon, I attended the World Premiere of an independent film called, "The Truth About Lies," by first time director, Phil Allocco. The film, somewhat...
View ArticleI Am a Feminist and I Love Fifty Shades
As Fifty Shades of Grey hits the theatres, critics on the right and left have already lifted their poisoned pens to dis the film adaptation of this massively popular BDSM novel. Detractors on every...
View Article50 Shades of Grey: Still Plenty More to Be Revealed
Oh yeah...I went there. All the fuss over 50 Shades of Grey simply got the best of me and I somehow found myself at an 8pm prescreening Thursday night at the Arclight. (Whatever, don't judge me.) Long...
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Karen Pittman: Disgraced Star Talks Art and Life
Photo Credit: Deborah Lopez Lynch Karen Pittman is a star. Not a star like Viola Davis, Meryl Streep or Julia Roberts yet, but a star in the making. Pittman is currently co-starring in Ayad Akhtar's...
View ArticleHow Olivia Pope Has Redefined Leadership for Young Women
Every time I watch Scandal I wanna move to DC and work for the White House or just be Olivia Pope— Kelly Cobb (@kellycobbb) November 9, 2014 Kerry Washington's InStyle cover is set to hit stores...
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Women in Hollywood: Forever the Supporting Role
The characters in the films nominated for Best Picture this year are compelling, inspirational characters that evoke a powerful emotional response. These characters struggle against a harsh society...
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'Bullpen Therapy' for the Central Park Five
From left to right, Raymond Santana Jr., State Sen. Bill Perkins, Joe Assadourian, Yusef Salaam, Kevin Richardson, and producer Eric Krebs (credit: Ben Mann). Saturday, Feb. 7, was the third time I saw...
View ArticleA-Sides with Jon Chattman: Celebrate Valentine's Day Today... Greg "The...
The following is taken from the soon-to-be published (hopefully anyway) humor book Ho Ho Hoax! written by Jon Chattman and Rich Tarantino. It all started in mid-1800s Great Britain and it hasn't let...
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