The Superman Motion Picture Anthology: 1978-2006
But since he’s only into movies about single-prop airplanes, the gift is mine. After all, I’m a father of three, so happy Dad’s Day, me! In all seriousness, this eight-disc set may be the Blu-ray set of the year, and that’s with the acknowledgment that the contents previously were issued on plain ol’ DVD. Like…
Sweet Karma
Add Shera Bechard to that list, based upon “Sweet Karma,” her one and only feature film appearance, according to IMDb. (As engaging as I’m sure it is, “World’s Sexiest Nude Women” doesn’t count.) That said, Bechard’s character is mute, so it’s not like she had to wrestle with dialogue or accents. For all we know,…
Fall Down Dead
Oh, you said “serial killer”? Yeah, I guess there’s that, too. In “Fall Down Dead,” a decent little straight-to-video effort, said greenie/murderer is dubbed by the press as the Picasso Killer, because of his propensity to create gory artwork based upon his crimes. When attacking his lady victims, he says funny things in his German…
Burn, Witch, Burn
It just allows narrator extraordinaire Paul Frees to have your full and undivided attention as he warns, “Ladies and gentlemen, the motion picture you are about to see contains an evil spell. … I am now about to dispel all evil spirits that may radiate from the screen during this performance! … We ask you…
Rep. Boren not seeking re-election in 2012
Spokesman Cole Perryman confirmed reports that the conservative Democrat plans to retire. The representative for Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District that covers 24 counties in eastern Oklahoma and serves as the state’s Democratic stronghold, Boren is the only Democrat of the state’s five congressional representatives. Following in the footsteps of his politician father, former U.S. Senator…
happythankyoumoreplease
It’s the new “Garden State.” Not a compliment. Too bad, because its first 20 minutes or so are full of promise, as would-be novelist Sam (Josh Radnor, TV’s “How I Met My Mother”) witnesses an African-American child (newcomer Michael Aligeri) get separated from his foster family on the subway, and rushes to his aid. But…
Sleigh rides into town with rock
Noise-pop duo Sleigh Bells’ story is a charming one. Singer Alexis Krauss met guitarist/producer Derek Miller when he waited on her and her mother at a restaurant. Miller — who previously played guitar in the hard-core band Poison the Well — mentioned he was looking for a female vocalist for a new project. Krauss’ mom…
Doc ’n’ roll
It’s not a joke; it’s how “Chevy Bricktown Showcase” got started. The mini-documentary series, which recently began its second season, features two local artists per episode playing tunes at Bricktown locations like RedPin Restaurant & Bowling Lounge, then interviewing each other. L.A.-based Tommy Smeltzer and Kevin Muir have been in and around film and music…
The Point Blank Band — Sad Songs and Whiskey
Whether it’s country or the Oasis-sounding pop of “I Need Something,” he keeps the listener firmly in place. “Breaking Promises” lets the fiddle player shine while delivering a wry, humorous tune about the trials of hard living: “Goodbye left brain cells / We’ve had some good times / Breakin’ promises one at a time.” The…
Pipe dreams
The American Guild of Organists’ Oklahoma City chapter is hosting a convention this week, and you’re invited. No, really! “It’s composed of professors at universities, organists at churches, people who play the organ for fun, and some who don’t even play and just like listening to organ music,” said Tim Marek, coordinator of the organization’s…
Gold rush
Challenges came early in Jeremy Campbell’s life. Diagnosis of fibular hemimelia led to the amputation of his leg at age 1, but he was born with a champion’s heart that wouldn’t let a disability define his future. A life spent carving out a path as a high-level athlete culminated at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games…
The wild ‘Hunt’
Playing 8 p.m. Friday at the University of Central Oklahoma Jazz Lab, 100 E. Fifth in Edmond, Hunt will donate a percentage of the show’s merchandise sales to UCO’s music programs. Her music threads social and political commentary into tunes that range from highly charged gospel and old-school funk to Philly soul and burning boogie…
Sing out
A group of independent Oklahoma theater artists are staging a production of the musical “Falsettos” to benefit RAIN Oklahoma, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Oklahomans living with HIV/AIDS. “Falsettos” pairs “March of the Falsettos” and “Falsettoland,” two off- Broadway musicals produced nearly a decade apart. “Falsettos” won Tony Awards for best book and musical…
‘Good’ works
Featured at JRB Art at The Elms, 2810 N. Walker, the retrospective exhibition includes examples of extremely detailed bronze works by “America’s Sculptor,” from the beginning of her career up until the present. “We feel really fortunate to have her as one of our exhibiting artists,” said Amber Harrison, gallery spokeswoman. “It’s really going to…
Saturday Sirens — Saturday Sirens
The city-based band he fronts is an excellent outfit versed in indie, punk, rock and pop, creating the perfect environment for his voice. Saturday Sirens writes songs strong enough to catch the ear, but not so strong that they steal the spotlight from the vocals. That’s the best of both worlds. “Christopher Walken” sees Anderson…
Swim fan
City SplashAddress: 2200 S. Holly, YukonHours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues-Fri; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat; 1-5 p.m. SunGet in: $3Features: Cool off with a water slide, low dive, plus a kiddie pool.Don’t miss: Check out water aerobics and scuba classes throughout the summer. Pooches in the Pool is held Aug. 14 from 5 to 7:30 p.m.Food:…
Psycho shtick
Metal act Psychostick always has made it a priority to give each tour a theme by which to remember it. There was the “Terrible Shirt Tour,” then the “Pay Off the Van Tour” (it did, in fact). This go-round is no different: With the “Unleash the Dumb Tour,” crowds are encouraged to dress “as dumb…
Shadow play
While other photographers comb inner cities in search of gritty street imagery, Lynn Stern painstakingly constructs an abstract world of light and shadow in her small, New York City studio. She uses indirect light to create haunting, black-and-white scenes that defy modern expectations of the art form. “A lot of people in the photography world…
10 films to see at deadCENTER film festival
A BAG OF HAMMERS Its plot may stretch the boundaries of believability, but damn it, director Brian Carno nails the alternately comedic and dramatic tone of the appealing “A Bag of Hammers.” Jason Ritter and co-writer Jake Sandvig star as best buds Ben and Alan, two con men who make money off a valet-parking scheme.…
Have a ball
Confusing rules and complex strategies are never ideal while consuming alcohol, which is why bocce is popular among players wanting a relaxed activity to enjoy the sun without being inconvenienced by a heat stroke. The Old World ancestor of horseshoes has inspired tournaments worldwide, an international governing body, and even won over some local fans…
Moz’ def
Great news, guys! The Carolina Chocolate Drops are bringing their “Genuine Negro Jig” to Oklahoma as part of OK Mozart! Wait, what? “It’s more important than ever to remain culturally relevant and financially stable. We’re expanding to other genres and art forms,” said Shane Jewell, executive director of the annual OK Mozart International Music Festival.…
Summer lovin’
The only thing that got me through it was cool, light clothing and smoothies. It can be hard to dress like you give a damn when the temperature skyrockets, but it can be done. Just don’t expect much in the hair and makeup department. At Lush Fashion Lounge (14101 N. May; 936-0680), look for a…
Bully love
“You may as well have told them it’s a beehive. They get all rigid, and slowly put it back in the cage,” Druvenga said. But she’s also placed many of her rescues in homes nationwide. The organization began as an all-breed rescue, but when she learned of the challenges faced by homeless pit bulls, she…
Business opportunity
That J Roddy Walston wanted to be a musician shouldn’t have come as a surprise, being born in a family more musical than most. Maybe it was being told at a young age that it was a sin to play music for any reason other than God or family that relegated him to privacy. “It…
Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon
“It’s a coming-of-age story, a true rags-to-riches story about real American kids making real American rock music that have become one of the biggest bands in the world,” said director Stephen Mitchell. “Even so big that the majority of Americans don’t know that side of them.” The film documents the band’s meteoric rise, but not…
Check, please
Not good, drivers! That’s because underinflated tires pose a genuine safety risk. Without enough air, heat is generated that causes damage and failure to the tire. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, properly inflated tires can improve fuel economy by 3.3 percent, saving drivers up to 12 cents per gallon of gas. “Too many…
‘Lights’ finds epic grandeur in small-town football
Friday Night Lights Friday, 7 p.m. (NBC) In the midst of its final season, “Friday Night Lights” remains one of the best shows on TV. This week, things look grim for our small-town Texas football team after a loss jeopardizes their spot in the playoffs. The problem is egocentric quarterback Vince (Michael B. Jordan), who’s…
‘5’ star
In the past five years, Diana DeGarmo has been imprisoned, seen her true love murdered and birthed a blind, green baby. Now, she’s sexually harassed on a nightly basis. What a way to make to a living. Relax. The incidents above took place on the theater stage, from Broadway to touring productions of, respectively, “Hairspray,”…
Slide into Home
It’s a great location for this casual eatery, where the fun vibe is to eat well, then get back outside to play — maybe right across the street in the very pretty Stephenson Park. Home Run Sliders, 128 E. Fifth, is Deep Fork Group’s first real foray into Edmond, but it’s not like the owners…
‘Metro’ transit
Long considered a cinematic classic, Fritz Lang’s 1927 masterpiece, “Metropolis,” has everything a moviegoer desires: jaw-dropping visuals, cutting-edge special effects and a powerful story. Everything, that is, but sound. Enter Alloy Orchestra. Armed with horseshoes, pipes, pots, pans, electronic synthesizers and traditional instruments, the trio will provide live musical accompaniment to the silent film on…
Paleo — Fruit of the Spirit
“Pharoah” is a morose wanderer that would be right at home on Sufjan Stevens’ “Michigan,” while the upbeat “Over the Hill and Back Again” sounds like something that Clap Your Hands Say Yeah could churn out. The fact that these tunes are back-to-back on his album is telling — to call it “eclectic” would be…
Ghost stories
Tara Hudson has never seen a ghost. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a ghost story to tell. Take this one, for instance: “When I was a kid, my grandparents took me to this incredibly creepy place,” Hudson said. “It was in a clearing in the middle of this forest (in southeastern Oklahoma). It…
Downtown gets down
More small-business owners flock to renovated buildings along Main and Gray as the area gains a reputation as one of Central Oklahoma’s most vibrant and eccentric districts, defined by locally owned boutiques, galleries, pubs and diners celebrating a progressive arts scene. The unique sense of community convinced Corey and Julia Gingerich to leave Los Angeles…
Pack it up
For years, people have struggled to decide whether fanny packs are cool. DNA Galleries wants to help with that decision. The Plaza District gallery at 1705-B N.W. 16th will hold its second fanny pack fashion show from 7 to 11 p.m. Friday. Unlike the first show, the contestants are designing their own packs to model,…
Video Game Reviews
Mortal Kombat WB Games Xbox 360, Playstation 3 “Mortal Kombat” is a throwback to the early/mid- ’90s when people flooded into arcades to fight as their favorite characters. All of the established characters appear in this new version, and the player controls them similarly to their classic versions. As a fighting game, “Kombat” is easy…
Timeline on the table
The Oklahoma City Council likely will be presented Tuesday with a new MAPS 3 timeline, one of several that emerged over the past few months. The MAPS 3 Citizens Advisory Board, which only has authority to make recommendations to City Council, voted 6-2 at its May 26 meeting to send the timeline for the council’s…
Midnight in Paris
Just because you’re responsible for some certifiable classics doesn’t mean every project you touch is gold. Each year, the prolific but private writer/ director adds another work to his filmography, and critics gush, only to grow indifferent toward it once the newness wears off. Can’t we just call a spade a spade? The Woodman’s latest…
That’s the ticket
This season, Guthrie’s Pollard Theatre did away with season tickets and instituted the Backstage Society in an effort to accommodate different patron types and establish a steady cash flow. Backstage Society members pay $13 to $99 monthly, charged to a credit card, which comes to $156 to $1,188 annually. Membership includes one to four season…
Two Suns — Two Suns EP
That structural approach to songwriting puts the emphasis on the vocals. The unusual male vocals are sheathed in gentle reverb (not garage rock’s canyon-esque echoes), and fall just above “coo” on the intensity level. The voice is not immediately arresting, but when paired with the pulsing, shifting tunes, it becomes the final piece to pull…
Kernel records
The television series’ uniquely rural comedic style had an impact on the South, which is why the Oklahoma History Center has devoted an exhibit to the show and one of its stars with “Pickin’ and Grinnin’,” on display through May 2012. “Hee Haw” aired from 1969 to 1992, surviving in syndication for its last 20 years.…
Capitol gains
Wedged between the Adventure District and the state Capitol, business owners in the Capitol Chamber of Commerce have watched drivers pass by their stores and take their money to other parts of the city. In an effort to convince shoppers to stop and sample the rich history and unique culture of the largest African- American…
New arrival
Born on April 15 at 304 pounds, Malee, which is Thai for “flower,” is the first elephant to be birthed at the zoo. Since her birth, excitement has been in the air at the zoo, 2101 N.E. 50th. Spokeswoman Tara Henson mentioned that it is on track to break a million visitors this year —…
Tornado watch
According to the American Red Cross, writing such a plan has six steps: —Commit to preparedness by involving the homeowners’ or neighborhood association board.—Conduct a hazard vulnerability assessment. Said George Sullivan, an expert in disaster preparedness for the American Red Cross, “A lot of people write an emergency response plan based on something that happened…
Golden Graham
Graham is the CEO of Graham Industries, a company that specializes in these very different areas. Although Graham said people have compared his company’s ventures to being “‘James Bond’-like,” it isn’t located under a volcano or an undisclosed island like an elusive hideout. It is located in a quiet office building in Bethany with no…
Bring it on
In the Raw 200 S. Oklahoma 702-1325 New owners took over in January, and chef Ashley Nguyen is pulling out all the stops in sushi making. Don’t pass up the Rock Star roll, done with fresh tuna, asparagus, bacon and cream cheese, or the Thunder roll. In the Raw serves lunch and dinner, and general…
Fancy feast
What works: The blackened salmon eggs Benedict was sumptuous, eggy goodness. What doesn’t: Usually, service is fine, but we counsel patience, as the staff is small. The tip: Fancy That is known for its lunches, but don’t skip the brunch and dinner, too. One recent Saturday morning, I was supposed to meet a journalist friend…
Homer on the range
If an antonym exists for this brand of broadcasting boosterism, that word could be used to describe what certain Oklahoma City Thunder followers think of ESPN/ ABC’s No. 1 broadcasting team. Pompon shakers in Loud City are obviously disappointed that the Cinderella season came up a bit short, leading some to even accuse announcer Mike…
For art’s sake
Oklahoma City businessman Jim Tolbert is set to lead the new group, Oklahomans for the Arts, and is joined by public relations executive Kym Koch Thompson and Tulsa arts advocate and volunteer Linda Frazier. According to the founders, the main goal of the group is to inform people about the economic importance of art in…
‘Out of compliance’
State laws restricting corporate independent campaign expenditures and requiring registration as a political action committee in Oklahoma are considered “unenforceable” in the wake of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, according to some state officials. Changes are needed in the state’s laws governing city elections to bring it…
Planting seeds
About 85 percent of a child’s brain architecture is developed by age 3, but less than 4 percent of education dollars are typically spent on children at that time, according to Oklahoma Champions for Early Opportunities, a new coalition of Oklahoma business and community leaders. That means increased emphasis on early childhood education is key…
Detour ahead
Bingman, the president pro tempore of the Senate, refused to allow a proposed $40 million bond issue to fund construction on the AICCM to be heard on the Senate floor in May. The state’s bonding capacity, the maximum amount of money from the state budget for debt servicing, has been at the center of Republican…
Bite size
She was the former editor of Oklahoma Living magazine and now works for the National Farm to School Network as the membership and communications associate. Best feature: “I can roll with the punches.” Family: “Husband, Jeff, and Ellie the dog.” Where did you meet? “In college at Cameron University in Lawton, and I lived near…
The first cut is the deepest
All faculty and staff at four-year institutions take a 50 percent pay and benefits cut or accept the pay that community college faculty and staff get, whichever is lower. Actions speak louder than words. Thank you. —Richard Hicks Oklahoma City
CFN Quote of the Week
Bill Cosby: “Really? That’s funny. I had not heard that. Maybe I’ll send him an autographed photo of me with my beard.” —excerpt from a Q-and-A between Rod Stafford Hagwood and Bill Cosby, published May 18 on SunSentinel.com
International focus
Eric Berumen left Oklahoma City 14 years ago. For much of that time, the Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School graduate worked as a sommelier in Austin, Texas, where he consulted with various restaurants. “I worked as a sommelier for six years before I got into restaurant consulting,” Berumen said. “I was tired of the day-to-day…
Neighborhood haunts
After all, beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder, but when the term comes to mind most think of a dark, smoky atmosphere filled with bluesy-rock music and an often sullen or overly rowdy crowd. For a frame of reference, some say Moe’s from “The Simpsons” would qualify as a dive bar. And Obi-Wan…
PR BS
—“California ETEC Receives Presidential ‘E’ Award for Export Service” —“Sea Salt Caramel Sauce and Coffee Caramels, New from Indulge!” —“NATIONAL OYSTER COOK- OFF CALL FOR CONTESTANTS” —“Elevate Your Favorite Burger Recipes with Crave Brothers Cheese” —“Hemp: 1000 kg of hemp produces 1,5 litres of extract used as food flavouring and in aromatherapy” —“Folic Acid Fortification:…
At the crib
Ask him not to throw out the baby with the bathwater, and it’s possible he’ll tell you the baby is actually a 30-year-old man who can support himself. And the bathwater doesn’t pay for itself. Coburn has had his moments (Think back to comments about southeastern Oklahoma schools being run by roving gangs of lesbians,…
The ‘n’ word
In the workplace, there’s a right and wrong way to say “no,” according to business course designer Carl Van, author of the nonfiction book “Gaining Cooperation.” Not saying anything could be interpreted as a passive “yes,” but you don’t want to hurt fellow employees’ feelings, either. Van suggests these four tips to standing your ground…
Punch drunk
Look, Chicken-Fried News realizes that bachelor parties can get pretty wild, but unless you’re starring in a sorta needless sequel, there’s no need for the night to end in jail. We’re guessing one 22-year-old guy might agree with us. So here’s what happened. A couple of weekends ago, a group was out for a bachelor…
Point: Fighting ‘authoritarian oil oligarchs’
The “Arab Spring” inspired freedom-loving people everywhere, even as it helped drive oil prices above $100 per barrel. Back home, we face our own authoritarian oil oligarchs. A foreign company — TransCanada — is trying to ram a new pipeline down the throats of Oklahoma landowners like the Kelso family of Bennington. The Kelsos want…
‘No pain, no gain’
How considerate of Republicans to propose balancing the bloated federal deficit on the frail shoulders of seniors. From a April 5 Kaiser Family Foundation report: “According to the (Congressional Budget Office) analysis, the total cost of providing health care benefits (premium and other costs) to a typical 65-year-old in a private plan would be about…
Counterpoint: ‘Good for Oklahoma’
But it’s clear to those who review the project with an objective, fact-based approach that Keystone XL has been fair with landowners in Oklahoma and other states, will strengthen American energy security, is the safest way to deliver petroleum products to Americans, and will generate economic benefits. Some might get the false impression we are…
Queen — Queen / Queen II / Sheer Heart Attack / A Night at the Opera / A Day at the Races
That’s not the case with most of the latest offerings from the Queen back catalog to commemorate the band’s 40th anniversary. The first of three waves presents the band’s first five albums — “Queen,” “Queen II,” “Sheer Heart Attack,” “A Night at the Opera” and “A Day at the Races” — spanning their 1971 formation…
Midnight Movie: The Killer Cut
Well, forget that. Director Jack Messitt would rather you spring $12.99 for his new, “streamlined” version, subtitled “The Killer Cut.” Not having seen the original, I can’t compare the two, but what I saw on this alternate release can be recommended to horror hounds, with some reservations. That simple plot boils down to Lamberto Bava’s…
Marlowe
Watch the 1969 film “Marlowe” and you’ll understand. New to DVD through Warner Archive, the Raymond Chandler adaptation beats the pants off “The Rockford Files,” in my humble opinion. Garner is cucumber-cool as flawed private eye Philip Marlowe, who somehow manages to work his way out of work more often than into it. In this…
The Stunt Man
That’s because Hollywood didn’t know what to do with “The Stunt Man,” a visionary work that jumps genres as often as it does planes of reality. It did no business, but remains a cult classic with the added bonus of near-universal critical acclaim. A disillusioned Vietnam veteran-cum-fugitive, Cameron (Steve Railsback), flees from Johnny Law and…
Rubber
This fiercely original film is as unpredictable as it is dark. Its opening sequence breaks the fourth wall — with a tire iron, of course, likely borrowed from a TruValue managed by David Lynch — as a car pulls up, and out of its trunk emerges Lt. Chad (a fully invested Stephen Spinella, “Milk”), who…
Robin of Sherwood: Set 1
No one — at least not in America — mentions Michael Praed, who starred in the title role of the British television series “Robin of Sherwood” in the mid-1980s. Perhaps Acorn Media’s release of its first 13 episodes on Blu-ray will help change that. It’s not that Praed’s acting makes him an iconic Robin — in fact,…
Red Riding Hood
Note that the title lacks the character attribute of “little”; there’s nothing small about this adaptation. (My, what big visuals you have!) It’s the kind of flawed flick I can recommend on style alone. Amanda Seyfried (“Letters to Juliet”) dons the scarlet winter cloak as Valerie, who lives in a small village where she’s been…
Passion Play
For a film whose title promises passion, the dark, dreary thriller offers next to none. Not even Bill Murray can make writer/director Mitch Glazer’s story take fire: Lily (Megan Fox) is an angel — well, she has wings, at least, which puts her on display at a freak show like a stripper in a peep…
Hall Pass
Best because it launched their careers into the stratosphere; worst because everything they’ve done since has the unfortunate position of being compared to it. From “Me, Myself & Irene” to “The Heartbreak Kid,” the brother filmmakers’ post-“Mary” work has been regarded as “not as funny,” even when it’s not true. This spring’s underperforming “Hall Pass”…
Carrie Rodriguez and Ben Kyle — We Still Love Our Country
There are only eight tunes on the record, but they are all wonderful. Townes Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You” gets a spare, forlorn treatment only trumped by the astoundingly gorgeous John Prine/Robert Braddock number “Unwed Fathers.” The former is the sort of song that stays on your mixtapes for months, if not years. Fans…
Manchester Orchestra — Simple Math
It’s June, and the early front-runners for 2011 album of the year are Tyler the Creator’s lewd/homophobic/sexist/angsty “Goblin” and Adele’s “21.” I’m terrible at predicting what blogs will like (read: chillwave, Sleigh Bells), but if the music world were a just place, the members of Manchester Orchestra would be waving trophies above their heads for…
Blood Bath
The similarities can’t be accidental, nor problematic — there’s plenty of room in horror fanatics’ collections for both. New to DVD from the MGM Limited Edition Collection, “Blood Bath” is far less concerned with comedy. William Campbell of “Dementia 13” headlines the picture — in black-and-white, not color as the box reads — as Antonio,…
Defiance
And even if it weren’t, the film lacks the spine-tingling spirit of those three grittier, dirtier, now-iconic efforts. One-time matinee idol Jan-Michael Vincent (“The Mechanic”) is Tommy, a tough, unemployed man trying to learn Spanish in order to get a job on a ship when he befriends a neighbor who pours water on his head…
The Indie Rock Poster Book — Yellow Bird Project and Andy J. Miller
Starting with T-shirts designed by indie-rock bands, then moving on to the “Indie Rock Coloring Book” and now with “The Indie Rock Poster Book,” this project has been nothing but awesome. The project this time is beyond cool: YBP has enlisted 30 visual artists from around the globe to create visual interpretations of 30 indie-rock…
The Wild Hunt
In “The Wild Hunt,” Erik (Ricky Mabe, “Zack and Miri Make a Porno”) nurses a broken heart left shattered by his too-cute girlfriend, Lyn (Kaniehtiio Horn, “Journey to the Center of the Earth”), who’s left him for another man … who’s really into LARPing. When Erik can’t stand it anymore, he ventures to the wilderness…
Hendrix: Band of Gypsys Live at Fillmore East
It was a departure from the experimental rock of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, in that it featured an all-black rhythm section (as opposed to a formerly all-white one) and had a funky feel to its music. The DVD is a re-release, originally put out in 1999. The “only known footage of the group in concert”…
In Her Skin
The IFC Films release continues a recent home-vid trend of giving away a huge plot point it needn’t. Same goes for the trailer below; watch only at your own risk. You’ll learn the twist of the Australian drama; after all, it’s based on a true story. But in not knowing, Simone North’s film keeps you…
Dr. Pants — The Trip Side 1: Illusion & Truth
The Oklahoma City-based quartet plays straightforward pop songs here, relying on vocals and lyrics to carry the release instead of the ear-crushing, distorted guitars of Weezer, to which the group is often compared. This is made clear from the onset, as “Move So Slow” is played primarily on an acoustic guitar and hangs on a…
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
Martial-arts film fans know the answer: He’s a fictional folk hero played by Bruce Lee in 1972’s “Fist of Fury,” then Jet Li in 1994’s “Fist of Legend,” and now Donnie Yen in this, although the movies have no real relationship to one another — well, other than being cool, of course. If anything, “Legend…
Ju-on: White Ghost / Black Ghost
Japan’s latest chapters to its “Ju-on” franchise are only an hour each, but their brevity is your gain for their stateside DVD release, as Well Go USA pairs them as a seamless double feature in “Ju-On: White Ghost / Black Ghost.” While exposure to the previous “Ju-on” films — or their American “Grudge” remakes —…
Kill the Irishman
It’s hardly the only instance of a mob film you’ll be reminded of while watching writer/director Jonathan Hensleigh’s biopic of Irish gangster Danny Greene, but at least the filmmaker cribs from the best and makes them work for his own. If the phrase “luck of the Irish” didn’t already exist, it would have to be…
