The Ultimate Rescue Mission
Acknowledging that a popular song, movie or TV show contains an element of “big-T” Truth is not the same as endorsing the entire product. Makes sense, right? Even so, I have to be careful how I talk about those little pop-culture epiphanies, and with whom. For example, the last thing I want is for someone […]
Life Lessons from Middle-Earth
When I reflect on my nearly 20 years at Plugged In, one of my most memorable experiences has been interviewing the Lord of the Rings cast. I asked, “While working on these films, did you learn a life lesson that would be valuable for teenagers today?” In honor of last week’s Blu-Ray release of the […]
Is Decency Human Nature?
Director John Lee Hancock has a way with inspirational, people-driven sports movies. The Rookie. The Blind Side. Great stuff. I had a chance to chat with him recently, and we discussed those hits, Hollywood’s view of sports flicks, Sandra Bullock’s Oscar and more. If you’d like to hear that interview, it will be on the […]
Oscar Categories I’d Like to See
If you tune in for this year’s Academy Awards telecast, listen for the phrase in ceremonies held earlier. Simple words rich with meaning. For starters, this is a warning. It says, “The following awards categories were deemed too much of a ratings-kill for inclusion on prime time TV.” Best Left-Handed Director of a Foreign-Language Stop-Motion […]
Auto-Tune: Ditch the (Perfect) Pitch
While watching the recent Grammy Awards telecast, I was reminded of a fascinating technological breakthrough. No, not the iPad, though I’m sure the free product placement during Stephen Colbert’s monologue had Steve Jobs doing cartwheels. Rather, I’m referring to Auto-Tune. If you’ve never heard of Auto-Tune, well, that’s just fine with the music industry. They’d […]
Congrats, Mr. and Mrs. Jonas
A weary roll of the eyes and shake of the head. That’s my typical reaction to supermarket tabloids and shallow fan mags trumpeting the latest celebrity wedding. It’s not because these cleverly nicknamed bride-and-groom tandems (can we stop with the Tomkats, Bennifers and Brangelinas already?) celebrate their nuptials with gaudy excess and guest lists that […]
Headlines and Punch Lines
Stealing cars. Killing cops. Assaulting prostitutes and swiping their cash. That’s the world of Grand Theft Auto,an enormously popular series of M-rated video games. You may have heard of them. Maybe even played them. But did you happen to catch Conan O’Brien’s reference to GTA on The Tonight Show recently? He turned one of the […]
Christmas Music: Our Faves
Every year, record labels release an avalanche of new Christmas products. It’s a holiday tradition right alongside “batteries not included” and leftover fruitcake. But for every bona fide classic, we’re peddled dozens of discs from artists churning out the obligatory seasonal résumé item. So I wondered, How is a person looking for new music supposed […]
Muppets, Messages and ‘Mama’
Gonzo meets Queen. An odd juxtaposition? Maybe so, but it’s also the latest viral video making the rounds, as the Muppets star in an almost frame-for-frame parody of Queen’s rock-opera opus “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It’s a clever twist executed to perfection. The video has been viewed more than 10 million times on YouTube, and just this […]
When Is a ‘First Dance’ Not a First Dance?
For the record, I don’t believe tweens should live in a protective bubble, completely isolated from the culture. But as a father of preteens, I’m tempted to run a search for “protective bubbles” on Craigslist whenever I hear pop songs destined to heighten children’s sexual self-awareness too soon—especially when those lyrics come from artists who […]