Earlier this month, the Colombian revolutionary militia FARC released three American hostages after they had been held prisoner for over five years.  Major media outlets covered the story at length, but per standard operating procedure, failed to ask any relevant questions. (more…)

Woody Allen’s Melinda and Melinda (2004), while not nearly as compelling as some of his more contemporary works, has an interesting message behind it: that the line between tragedy and comedy is easily crossed.  No other periodical is more hilariously depressing in this fashion than the neo-conservative “Human Events.”  (more…)

I‘ve been reading Candide this week on the train.  I have to admit that I’ve never actually read any Volatire before, and I have been constantly surprised to the point where I can say it’s one of the more hysterical things I’ve come across.  This little novella is a rallying cry against optimism, full of a sort of wit-against-reality satire that is unmatched.

Here’s a little nugget: (more…)

When I get to the place the line is down the block.  A fitting punishment for showing up late, I suppose.  The gods of meteorology have been liberal with their gifts of humidity, and my shirt begins to speckle with the first signs of serious sweat-staining. (more…)

2007 was a year of historical dramas, especially the Yggdrasil of the American Western.  It’s no surprise that a bold sci-fi picture was lost in the crowd.  After a delayed U.S. release and poor box office performance, Alex Garland and Danny Boyle’s Sunshine became one of the most critically divisive movies of the year.  (more…)