When Excalibur (1981) begins, Uther Pendragon (Gabriel Byrne) lies dying in the mud. The magician Merlin warned him that granting his wish would have consequences; that one night with Igrayne, the wife of his newly-won ally, would come at a price. As promised, Merlin arrives to collect Igrayne and Uther’s child: an infant of infinite…
It’s nice to be a progressive consumer these days. Most media platforms, from Hulu to Amazon Prime, create original content aimed directly at them. This isn’t just left-leaning fare, but shows and movies that speak directly to their inner Bernie Sanders Amazon: “All In: The Fight for Democracy,” “Alpha House” Hulu: The upcoming “1619 Project”…
Visitors who successfully avoid Albert Alligator’s ravenous jaws while venturing into the recesses of Georgia’s famous swamp can pay homage to Walt Kelly and his cartoon creation Pogo at the Okefenokee Swamp Park. Inside the park’s Serpentarium, next to displays of live and stuffed bog beasties is Kelly’s studio, where quagmire satire made history. Read…
As a veteran sports journalist, Scott Michaux has attended Super Bowls, World Series, NCAA tournaments, and just about every golf tournament under the sun. “The Masters is the best presented event in the history of sports,” he says. “You can’t argue that.” The Masters is one of the four major professional golf championships, where the…
We begin “Voyagers” in 2063, in which Earth is beyond saving and a space expedition is being arranged that will take 86 years to complete. The other big catch? Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonThe trip to the newly discovered planet will take so long that that young passengers’ offspring will be…
To visit Dmanisi, one of the most important sites in the story of human evolution, head south and then west from the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, along a narrow highway crowded with delivery trucks. After an hour, turn onto a road that runs through ever-smaller villages. There, sheep clog the way, ignoring the shepherds, who…
An epiphyte is any plant that lives on another plant rather than in the soil. A wide variety of unrelated flora has adapted to an epiphytic lifestyle, including ferns, cacti, and orchids. Epiphytes are common in warmer parts of the world, such as Florida and Central America, but they are relatively rare in cooler climates….
No single image could possibly encapsulate the totality of Josef von Sternberg and Marlene Dietrich‘s artistic collaboration, but the moment that probably comes closest arrives at the end of their 1931 masterpiece, Dishonored. Dietrich‘s Austrian prostitute-turned-spy, Agent X-27, convicted of treason and sentenced to death by her own odious government for saving the life of…
The Boston Hotel Buckminster was constructed in 1897. At the time, it was the largest building in Kenmore Square. Between 1919 and 1950, the building was the site of three notable historical events, covering sports, radio, and jazz. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonIn 1919, the hotel was the site of a…
Scott Rudin isn’t a household name, but anyone in Hollywood can tell you who he is. The long-time producer’s credits include: “The Social Network” “No Country for Old Men” “Lady Bird” “Captain Phillips” “Moneyball” “True Grit” (2010) Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonJust to name a few. Now, he’s better known as…
Between May 18th and May 27 thof 1980, a large uprising against the martial law government of South Korea exploded in the city of Gwangju. The military violently repressed the demonstration and, while the number of victims is disputed, it is argued that up to 2,000 people died in the uprising. Read moreA Guide to…
Female-oriented narratives set in World War II are still a rarity in cinema, and Karen Cinorre was certainly conscious of this fact when creating her feature directorial film, Mayday. Using the myth of the sirens as inspiration, Cinorre has crafted an ominous cinematic experience that delves into the social and emotional intricacies of being a…
In the 1970s, the Library of Congress decided to take comedy seriously and begin efforts to record and preserve its history. They selected a young producer by the name of Tony Belmont to record interviews and gather material from as many great comedians as possible. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonIn 1987,…
A few decades ago, Richard Rockford was about to buy some vintage wooden typefaces from an American antique dealer when the seller pulled open one last drawer. It was where he kept a shoebox-worth of non-English letters orphaned from their original alphabets, hoping someone might eventually adopt them. “He was like, ‘Oh and here’s some…
A group of gorgeous young people give into their most primal urges on a decades-long, interplanetary journey in “Voyagers.” And if that sounds like sexy Lord of the Flies in space, well … it is. But despite the familiar nature of the themes writer/director Neil Burger is exploring, his film still offers plenty of tension and…
In the 25 years since Stanley Tucci’s “Big Night” was released in 1996, there has been, in America, a great upsurge of movies and television shows revolving around the world of restaurants, chefs, and fine dining. Tucci’s film, which he co-wrote with Joseph Tropiano and co-directed with Campbell Scott (who also appears in the film…
10 NEW TO NETFLIX Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho Marathon“At Eternity’s Gate”“Croupier”“Get on Up”“Insidious”“Legally Blonde”“My Fair Lady”“Philomena”“The Pianist”“Savages”“Saving Private Ryan” 10 NEW TO BLU-RAY/DVD Read moreRobert Stack Finally Solves a Mystery in ‘The Strange and Deadly Occurrence’“Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar” Josh Greenbaum’s comedy was delayed thanks to COVID…
The Steppes Sculptures are a series of 14 bronze sculptures on a circle of large stones in the middle of a forest. The sculptures were created by Stephen Walker. Each piece represents something from the area, either natural or of historical significance. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonNearby is the historic Steppes…
★★★ Directed by: Jesper Isaksen Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonWritten by: Jesper Isaksen Starring: Rudi Kohnke, Siff Andersson, Louise Cho Read moreRobert Stack Finally Solves a Mystery in ‘The Strange and Deadly Occurrence’Film Review by: Jason Knight A dark journey into the mind of a deeply disturbed individual. Charly (Kohnke), has…
For a restaurant serving what was until recently a Class 5 narcotic substance, the clientele appeared older than one might expect: a couple of extended families, including grandma and grandpa; a woman having a quiet lunch with a man who appeared to be her father; a low-key middle-aged couple. Even the decor—cheesy knick knacks, thick…
SXSW 2021 saw the world premiere of Alone Together, a rich documentary on PC music trailblazer Charli XCX, following her behind the scenes of crafting her 2020 album how i’m feeling now during the global pandemic. What stands out about this doc, directed by Bradley Bell and Pablo Jones-Soler (known collectively as Bradley & Pablo), is that…