“District 9″ Movie Makes Science Fiction Not So Fictional

There was a time when all science fiction movies were just that – fiction. Written and told by future thinkers…storytellers. But the close ties to reality painted by the screenwriters and actors who contributed to “District 9″ changed my views of science fiction during the course of the movie.
Having only watched “District 9″ once, I’m [...]

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Friday Fun Haus

It’s Friday. It’s also the Friday before the three-day-long Memorial Day weekend. Fun ensues.
Tonight, endless options include taking in Alison Scott at Redstone in Minnetonka.  She’s also playing a gig at The Dakota jazz club in Minneapolis on Saturday night, which is a great venue but likely sold out by now.
Saturday entails road-tripping to Albert [...]

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The Informers

Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke, Winona Ryder star in this set-in-LA movie about greed, sex, rock and roll and “the industry.” The screenplay, by Brett Ellis, highlights the continuum of those on the pinnacle of success with those in the far corners of darkness and anonymity.

I want to see [...]

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Bad Movies Don’t Ruin The Weekend

I once watched a truly terrible movie, “Kabluey.”  (Should have known it was gonna be bad when the flick starred Lisa Kudrow…but the premise of it seemed good). Afterward I thought to myself, “Why would anyone produce such a major waste of time?” Now, whenever I pass that DVD jacket at the local rental store, [...]

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The W and The Wrestler

Valentine’s Day night found me at the W Hotel in downtown Minneapolis celebrating the 30th birthday of a friend’s friend. I’ve not been to the Living Room bar at the hotel, adjacent to Manny’s Steakhouse, since last October.  And unlike that first experience, which was quiet and comfortable, last night the place was rockin’ with [...]

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Epicness

The Thanksgiving holiday brings about many opportunities for epic proportions of everything.
First comes the Thanksgiving feast. Massive turkey combined with plates and plates of carb-laden potatoes, stuffing and other side dishes followed by a row of pies in nearly every flavor, results in even a Jack Sprat-like family feeling obese at the end of the [...]

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Coen Brothers on Fire with “Burn After Reading”

“F**king F**k.”
In pure Coen brother movie tradition, “Burn After Reading,” starring George Clooney, Francis McDormand, John Malkovich, and Brad Pitt, among others, lives up to all expectations.
The dark comedy centers around a twisted love quadrangle in which even the viewing audience can get lost in quickly if they don’t pay close attention.
When the fitness center’s [...]

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Batman: The Dark Knight

I’m not ashamed: I like Batman. I’ve been a fan of Batman since the ’60s when I started watching the live-action series on television and letting Adam West, Burt Ward, and all the villainous characters enter into my world as a five-year-old. Batman always intrigued as a super hero who relied on his mind, physical [...]

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Friday Philosophies

I’m in a lyrical mood this morning. The sun is up, the sky is crystal clear. It’s the type of sky that couldn’t even be replicated in a painting. A sky blue sky that’s limitless.
This week I’ve listened to one CD and, more specifically, one song from that one CD.
The artist is Alison Scott. You [...]

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Coen Brothers Say Little, Swinton Steals Show (And Trophy)

Did you notice how few words the Coen brothers had for the masses on the Oscars Sunday night?
Their movie, “No Country for Old Men,” (NCFOM) won four major awards including two directly attributable to the St. Paul St. Louis Park, Minn., writing duo who also won an Academy Award for their original work, “Fargo,” but [...]

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