Why The Hunger Games Matters at Easter
I crouch before her, staring up helplessly at the embedded weapon. There’s no point in comforting words, in telling her she’ll be all right. She’s no fool. Her hand reaches out and I clutch it like a lifeline. As if it’s me who’s dying instead of Rue. That poignant moment in The Hunger Games finds […]
Titanic’s Second Voyage
Class struggles. Young love. The greed and arrogance of the industrial age. These and other themes—plus lots of slam-bang action—energize James Cameron’s Titanic, which was history’s highest-grossing film for more than a decade until the Oscar-winning director bested his own record with 2009’s Avatar. How much will tomorrow’s 3-D re-release of Titanic close the billion-dollar […]
When Animals Die
It’s tragic when innocent animals die in entertainment. Fictional or not, we still feel their loss. King Kong. Mufasa. Old Yeller. Charlotte. Hooch. Artax. I could go on, but I’m already on my second box of Kleenex. We don’t even have to see their demise onscreen to be deeply moved. Remember Bambi’s mom? And what […]
Super Bowl Ads 25 Years Later
You may have heard the old show-biz adage “Always leave them wanting more.” Well, the NFL did that to me last month. Super Bowl XLVI ended on a breathtaking Hail Mary pass, and I’ve been craving football ever since. Right now, I’d welcome the sight of guys in striped shirts holding a momentum-deadening instant replay […]
XLVI’s Biggest Gamble
The most memorable moment of Super Bowl XXXVIII didn’t happen on the gridiron. For example, who played in that game? Who was the MVP? What was the final score? And what singer experienced a wardrobe malfunction at halftime on television’s biggest stage? See, I told you. Janet Jackson’s jaw-dropping miscue in 2004 left a greater […]
Famous Last Words
If you’re one of those people who insists on having the last word, Mark Zuckerberg wants to give it to you—from the grave. A new Facebook app called If I Die lets users craft a final farewell that will go out to their online community once three designated friends have confirmed that the poster has […]
Infamous TV Firsts
In case you haven’t heard, ABC’s hit comedy Modern Family will air an episode next week in which Lily—the 2-year-old adopted daughter of gay couple Cam and Mitchell—will blurt the f-word. “We thought it was a very natural story since, as parents, we’ve all been through this,” Steve Levitan, the show’s creator, told ew.com. “ABC […]
The Girl With the NFL Tattoo
The first round of the NFL playoffs is set, and as fate would have it, one Golden Globe-nominated actress has a rooting interest in both of this Sunday’s games. You could say it’s in her blood. In fact, every syllable of 26-year-old Rooney Mara’s name oozes football tradition. That’s because the Girl With the Dragon […]
Life Lessons from Middle-Earth (Part II)
The blogosphere continues to buzz with news about the production of The Hobbit. Can you believe we are exactly one year away from that film’s Dec. 14, 2012 release? I can’t wait! To hold us over, I thought I’d share the rest of the comments I collected during my interviews with the cast and crew […]
Check Out the Ride
Parents walk a fine line every day in the quest for balance in the home. That’s especially true right now, around the holidays, when we want our kids to enjoy themselves to the fullest but without jeopardizing their physical, emotional or spiritual well-being. For example, we don’t want to deny our children sugary seasonal treats, […]