Who says there has to be a pattern?

Bruce Lee! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIWf9ghLF98 Jackie Chan! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3gRXLmjkuY Jet Li! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d59rUHcAPNM Captain Hook! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iql7-aO5uH0 Heathers! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2OPV6iuk2o

My heart goes out to Danny Baldwin, friend, colleague, and recent purchaser of a 3D TV. He posted the following on his Facebook wall earlier today: "Pretty sure 3D TV was a bad omen. First the clouding issue that has …

Hopkins has Hollywood street cred, but Spall would have pulled it off without a hitch

Local actor and old friend George Weinberg-Harter beat me to it with his response to my review of Hitchcock posted on Facebook: "Hopkins looks neither like himself nor like Hitch. An excellent actor who might have been perfect in the …

Hey! Super was about real-life superheroes! Let's hire that guy to direct a superhero movie for Disney!

Oh, good grief. So James Gunn, who directed the nasty, brutish, and short (but also sweet, pure, and almost religious) film Super, somehow managed to get himself hired to direct Guardians of the Galaxy for Marvel/Disney. And so naturally, the …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/nov/29/36205/ What is it with these high-powered screen legends coming out of semi-retirement long enough to dreck the halls by playing merciless mother figures? The Funny Girl ain't funny no more. Has Yentl gone mentl? Was Barbra Streisand sick the …

Designer George Barris hopes to fetch millions of da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-dollars at auction

Holy motors, Batman! No, not that pretentious Leos Carax bore. The original Batmobile hits the auction block this January. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/nov/29/36195/ The Gotham City gas guzzler was designed for the the 1966 Batman TV series by car customizer extraordinaire George Barris. …

Oh, Hitchcock, you mean thing, you. You broke Scott's heart. As if The Girl wasn't rough enough on the guy. Chasing Ice contains some images of transcendent beauty displayed for moral purposes. You might not think you want to see …

Wound up seeing Skyfall a second time; found that I was still irked by the branding. There certainly was a lot of it. Heineken was just the most egregious. And of course, there are all those Omega watch ads in …

It's beginning to smell a lot like Oscar

What separates the Independent Spirit Awards from the Academy Awards? Guests are allowed to consume alcohol during the ceremony. I didn't realize the same held true when the time came for compiling a list of nominations. Let's take Celeste and …

Obscure 13th century Christian “Children’s Crusade” as twisted teen road trip to Jerusalem

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/nov/27/36102/ I’ve long been fascinated by the so-called “Children’s Crusade,” historically described as a peaceful march to Jerusalem launched around the year 1212 by a charismatic teen Christian who traveled from town to town in medieval France and Germany, recruiting …

Liz and...DUCK!!!

Having just touched down from the planet Pluto, completely unaware of who Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were, one look at Liz and Dick would leave you believing the intention of this tawdry made-for-cable smellodrama was to paint a portrait …

I'm temporarily stationed in Burbank approximately a mile-and-a-half from ground zero, the Toluca Lake home of Bob and Dolores Hope. It's a route I can drive in my sleep: turn right on Riverside off Pass, and hang a hard left …

As a student of I Dream of Jeannie who never made it all the way through an episode of Dallas, consider me a member of Team Tony, not Team J.R. Larry Hagman, the eccentric, outspoken (except on Sundays) actor best …

If the name fails to ring a bell it's either because you aren't old enough to have gone to the movies in the '70s, or you weren't born in China. Deborah Raffin, the American actress with archetypal girl next door …

It's Thanksgiving time, but who to thank? God? Does He even exist? Credit Life of Pi for even taking up the question, I suppose. I guess we can be thankful for our freedoms as Americans, as protected from North Korean …

The good people behind Hitchcock - coming soon! - sent 'round a greeting card featuring Hitch and a bird about to go under the knife. You can get one here. But I like my version...seems more appropriate somehow. The man …

Oh, no, Keira Knightley in Anna Karenina! That train is about to run over that wax statue of you! Between this and the missing nipple, Ms. Knightley might begin to suspect that some sort of Photoshop conspiracy is afoot.

Chances are, were it not for David Copley I'd still be in Chicago. It was due in part to Copley's generous donations that the Museum of Photographic Arts was able to move to a larger space in Balboa Park. When …

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. No dead trees in the living room or drunken revelers who can't keep down their green beer. You don't have to wait until page 28 in the Passover Haggadah before devouring the festival …

After the sun sets on his presidential aspirations, former candidate and wife take in "Twilight" finale

What is so shocking about a wealthy Republican sore loser wanting to spend his Saturday evening watching a film about blood-suckers? TMZ spied Mitt and Princess Anne Romney taking in a screening of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 …

I mean, just look at the photo! It could totally be true! http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/nov/20/35747/

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/nov/20/35743/ It was the clash heard round the schoolyard. Kevin Clash, the puppeteer and longtime voice of Sesame Street's beloved Elmo, has resigned after a second allegation that he had sex with minors. TMZ reported last week that Sheldon Stephens, …

Given my co-blogger's deep love for Mr. Scorsese and his deep antipathy for the laptop screen as a display option for film (hey, at least it's not a telephone!), I suppose it's not surprising that he neglected, in his birthday …

$45 million, no questions asked

Legendary was Toluca Lake where Bob Hope decreed his stately joke vault. Today, almost as legendary is Hope's high desert Xanadu, world's largest private pleasure ground, complete with a restricted 200-holer. Here, in the sweltering heart of Palm Springs, a …

Let all children sing His praise

I first see Him on the screen of the open sewer that was the Howard Theatre on Howard St. underneath the el. With all due respect, Marty, my 17-year-old butt is there based solely on the Boxcar Bertha spread in …

You remember VHS, don't you?

Seriously, this is awesome. And because it's Kensington Video, you know you're not going to be stuck slogging through '80s workout tapes and Pauly Shore comedies. Instead, you'll find entire BBC series, genuine classics, and beloved trash. Check it out. …

"Abe, darling, I know you saved the Union and all, but do we have to bring that flag everywhere we go?" Yes, we knew that it was a dicey move to have Mr. Marks, Spielberg fanboy extraordinaire, review Lincoln. You'll …

It's over!

Well, my review is up, not that it's going to sway all the people who were going to see it anyway. Alas, I didn't enjoy it as much as the last one. Interesting moment from the closing credits during the …

Long thought lost, "The White Shadow" (1924) debuts on National Film Preservation Foundation website.

Pictured: Betty Compson in "The White Shadow" (1924) Normally the Free movies of the week column runs on Friday, but news like this demands our attention. A 30-minute segment of The White Shadow, the earliest surviving film that Alfred Hitchcock …

Garment king to the King dead at 85

Bernard Lansky was a Memphis-based schmate-peddler whose tips on sartorial nuance helped to establish a young Elvis Presley's signature clothing style. It was Lansky who swathed Presley in his trademark pink and black shirts, pegged pants, two-toned shoes, and other …

Goose, gander, etc. After slapping quotes from the down-with-drinking Smashed trailer under images from the up-with-drinking 21 & Over trailer, I figured it was only fair to pull the reverse. So, without further ado, a few quotes from 21 & …

An interview with "The Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn Part 2" cast members Maggie Grace and Mia Maestro

Let's be honest: my knowledge of and appreciation for the Twilight series is negligible at best. I love Taken and wanted to meet Maggie Grace and get my picture taken with her. It was hinted by a colleague that I …

So I'm watching the trailer for the AA drama Smashed... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHqKc0Fqa08 (Actually, I was watching this version, sponsored by someone called Cieon Movies, but it wouldn't embed.) And about halfway through, a lil' picture pops up in the upper left …

Greatness is but an accessory away

Lincoln star Daniel Day-Lewis is commonly thought of as the best actor working in Hollywood today. How does he do it? The answer: an artful combination of facial hair and hats! Acting, schmacting! Bored at work? See if you can …

Jean Seberg & Warren Beatty star as inmates in director Robert Rossen's stylish insane asylum

I head up to Burbank for a little R&R and wind up with the flu. What better way to pass the time than by sleeping and watching old movies? http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/nov/13/35404/ Dave Kehr called Lilith a complete contradiction of director/social critic …

I mean, it's one thing to enjoy Bond's piggishness; it's another to deny it.

Remember when James Bond converted lesbian Pussy Galore to Team Peen by tossing her around a hayloft? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pUXH1Bye88 Ooh, sexist. (I can't get over the hilarious violins.) But that was then, and this is now, at least, according to Yael …

The blue gingham dress that Dorothy Gale wore on her journey to Oz was sold to the highest bidder last weekend at Julien's Auctions Beverly Hills Gallery. An unnamed Judy Garland fetishist forked over $480,000 — minus $143 for Martinizing …

Merriment, goods, art

Lux@Night & Lux Trunk Show takes place this Wednesday, November 14, at 7:00 p.m. Guests can view museum works, and peruse goods by Housegoods, Tammy Spencer, and Tatiana Zay. There will also be live music, food trucks, and a chance …

In Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of Jimi Hendrix's birth, fans will — for the first time ever — see his complete August 1969 Woodstock concert in select cinemas, with screenings in late November and early December. Hendrix 70: Live …

First films by Scorsese, Jane Campion, David Lynch, Buster Keaton, and more

Opening night as MoPA's inaugural film curator was a black tie, members-only affair. Since the occasion was the christening of a new temple in which to watch movies, why not kick things off with a series of first films by …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcwTxRuq-uk "I'm not gonna force you, but don't pretend you're not well-suited for the job." And why would Brad Pitt be well-suited for the job of taking on a zombie apocalypse? Oh, that's right... http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/nov/09/35231/

Personally, I'm tickled pink by the news that the original cast members may be returning for Episode VII. The kids today all look the same. And how charmingly the gang has aged! Leia, no longer a sassy hottie, now rules …

Some days, it's just harder to write about movies than others, you know? Because some days, you decide to see what's new in the trailer department, and you wind up with this, which is apparently so artistically unique that I'm …

It's a Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt world this week at The Big Screen as my better blog half comes through with director interviews and reviews for two, count 'em, two pictures that debut today. First there's Yaron Zilberman. His A …

How green was the Valley

The San Fernando Valley without porn?! What is this great country of ours coming to? The people have spoken. With 55% of voters in favor of Measure B, producers of adult movies are threatening to take their business elsewhere. The …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/nov/08/35147/ Yaron Zilberman A Late Quartet tells the story of the Fugue String Quartet during the lead-up to its 25th anniversary concert, a performance of Beethoven's play-without-resting Opus 131. As cellist Peter Mitchell (a subdued, dignified Christopher Walken) notes at …

"Intro to Final Cut Pro 101" and "Creating a Promo Video for your Non Profit and/or Small Business" debut this month

Media Arts Center San Diego pulls back the curtain to reveal two new digital workshops this month. Alberto Lopez, a freelance videographer and editor whose credits include work on commercials, documentaries, animation, and journalism, will guide students through Intro to …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/nov/07/35127/ Julia Loktev The Loneliest Planet tells the story of Alex and Nica, a happily engaged couple on an adventure through the Caucasas. They hire a local to guide them on a hike through the mountains, and a chance encounter …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/nov/07/35093/

Really, nothing more need be said, but I couldn't help but notice this delightful juxtaposition over at FilmDrunk: http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/nov/07/35091/

It floats back to you

It was Central Casting's answer to the elephant's graveyard, the last shot at the limelight for many a faded star. The Love Boat served up talent from the golden age in a tarnished bowl. Here was a weekly reminder that …

I betcha' Denzel Washington wishes he had a Schlitz in his latest, the "don't drink and fly drama," Flight. Budweiser is miffed that their beer is being portrayed in a manner that implies one can actually get drunk by consuming …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISqCjjoOrfw In case you missed the San Diego Asian Film Festival's opening night presentation of Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey, there will be an encore screening tomorrow night at 7:15 pm. The documentary tells the story of the rock band …

App indicates best time to take the pause that refreshes

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/nov/06/35048/ First rule of moviegoing: so as not to miss a precious moment of the gift of cinema be sure and visit the convenience prior to entering the auditorium and always before hitting the concession stand. I made that mistake …

The Pearl Hotel (1410 Rosecrans St) hosts its weekly free "cinema social" tomorrow, November 7, at 8 p.m. The hotel will be screening The Hunger Games (2012 / 142 minutes). Greg Strangman, owner of The Pearl Hotel, answered some questions …

Review is here. Liked it more than I thought I would. There was love in the making.

Sometimes things stick in your craw, you know? So this movie Flight came out last weekend, and in this movie, there's this heroin addict, and right after we meet her, she's visiting the set of a porn film, hoping to …

If you think the San Diego Asian Film Festival is only about showing good movies, guess again. SDAFF is also a terrific gathering place for filmmakers to meet, exchange ideas, and feed off of each others energy. SDAFF's artistic director, …

A wife (Aki Morita) sticks by her husband (Kazunari Aizawa) even when a bug bite begins turning him into a hideously deformed monster. Instead of using horror as a metaphor to explore a troubled marriage, first time writer, director Hajime …

Even though we never got a chance to see it, we really should mention The Man with the Iron Fists: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7l3okIqnCg

Surprise! Scott Marks busts out four stars - four stars! - for The Sessions. The John Hawkes Ascension continues apace. The big boys this week? Meh. Wreck-It Ralph is racking up plenty of acclaim, but I think it's a really …

"Denzel Boo-TAY!" I think it's safe to say that this particular critic/appreciator of Denzel booty was disappointed by what the film actually delivered. The booty in question plays the fool, not the hero.

"Yes, We're Open" and "I Am a Ghost" screen at UltraStar Mission Valley at Hazard Center

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/nov/02/34817/ Friends of the San Diego Asian Film Festival will no doubt remember screenwriter H.P. Mendoza and director Richard Wong’s Colma: the Musical, winner of the festival’s 2006 Jury Award. Mendoza’s directorial nod, Fruit Fly, played SDAFF ‘09. The two …