Festival #2 runs May 8 - 12

I don't know my groms from my salties or a hoot from a shaka. What I'm certain of is the San Diego Surf Film Festival is returning to Bird’s Surf Shed, 1091 W Morena Blvd., for its second year. The …

DeNiro's festival recognizes America's premier lunatic

As if "The Big Wedding" were not bad enough, this is the second time this week Robert DeNiro has become an embarrassment. Fascist, hate-mongering, fired by two networks...well, CNN and Fox News, Glenn Beck, was honored at the fourth annual …

One bun closes, another opens. Last week ended with talk of Costco fans now having to wash down their weenies with Pepsi instead of Coke. Today, it's raining mustard with news that the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile is back for a …

First Hebrews out, Kirkland in, and now this!

Who cares if it has nothing to do with movies? This is vital news the entire San Diego community needs to hear! Coca-Cola is out and Pepsi is in at Costco food courts! No, I am not kidding! It began …

A buck-an-hour at Park It on Market!

It was my first trip to Reading Cinemas Gaslamp 15 since the evil monkeys at Westfield's Horton Plaza garage rescinded their offer of three hours free parking. Street spaces were plentiful at 10am on a Friday morning, but they came …

Supposedly, the summer blockbuster season kicked off today with Michael Bay's pastel musclebound nightmare Pain & Gain. But Scott hated it (not that critical loathing has ever had much effect on Bay's films). Blockbusters start in May, not before. More …

10.) It offered the chance to fulfill DeNiro's lifelong dream of being vomited on in a Katherine Heigl romcom. 9.) The 'c' word was in the script. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/25/44424/ 8.) Playing a character named "Don" and starring alongside Diane Keaton, director …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/25/44406/ The exact quote escapes me, but James Coburn once said something along the lines of, "When did pictures with action become action pictures?" With a tsunami of action tent-poles set to withstand this summer's flood of competition, let's spend …

World War II had come to an end and the Korean war was just ramping up, but the main motivation behind this propaganda piece was to satisfy R.K.O. studio owner Howard Hughes flying fascination. In 1949, Hughes began production on …

For once a film on the subject of smuggling refugees that is not based on a true story. My initial fear of harrowing action scenes cushioned by alternating sermons quickly vanished. What little admonishment there is can be found in …

He had the boogie on his fingers and the hubba-hubba in his soul!

It's one thing to overlook the fact that Allan Arbus was the only actor ever to immortalize screwball comedy director Gregory LaCava on film (W.C. Fields and Me). Even The New York Times failed to mention the actor's star-making turn …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/22/44189/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN-SShi58cI

Including a special tribute to "Rocky(s)!"

Part 2 in my investigative series of movies with names so long, one title card can't hold 'em. You'll find Part 1 here. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43830/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43831/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43832/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43833/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43834/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43835/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43836/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43838/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43839/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43840/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43841/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43842/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43843/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43844/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43845/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43846/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43847/ …

In addition to being San Diego's latest destination for art and independent films, the Media Arts Center San Diego's Digital Gym also offers workshops on film production. Whether you've just removed your first lens cap or have several video projects …

You, dear readers, are intelligent media consumers and also connoisseurs of the web. So you've all seen The Oatmeal's excellent illustrated story, I tried to watch Game of Thrones and this is what happened. Right? Right. My own story is …

I'm not gonna link to the trailer for R.I.P.D., which stands for Rest In Peace Department, because that's hilarious and needs no further publicity to become the feel good hit of the year. I am, however, going to take note …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/19/44110/ A chain-smoking, beer-sloshing grandmother (Amy Madigan) is forced to attend to her environmentally attuned granddaughter (Perla Haney-Jardine) after the 13-year-old is abandoned by her selfish mother (Marin Ireland). Mom has it inside her meth-baked head that she's destined to …

Why, yes, Tom Cruise's character does dress in white and live in an ivory tower above the clouds. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/19/44091/ And yes, the Scavengers led by Morgan Freemen do dress in black and have what at least look like dreadlocks. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/19/44092/ …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/19/44088/ They'll always have Paris. I liked To the Wonder. A lot. Others were less enthusiastic. C'est la vie. I do get a little miffy when people yammer on about it looking/sounding like a perfume commercial. A film has to …

8 days, 12 films!

Spring is in the air and that means another outstanding showcase of world cinema from Pac-Arts Movement. I've yet to watch one film Pac-Arts is screening this year and like a schmuck, am willfully submitting to Pain and Gain tonight. …

After Beetlejuice's cameo in Scary Movie II provided the only legitimate laugh in the film, a pass on all future sequels seemed unavoidable. I was working the day watch out of the Clairemont Town Square. Trance, my 11:05 wake up …

Fight heterophobia!

You know, "fear of the different." Because if a super-dude saved my son from a bus that was sinking into the water, I know I'd be pretty angry. Because the dude was super. How dare he? Wait, what? I dunno, …

Guns don't kill people, R-rated movies do

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/17/43972/ In an attempt to put a Band-Aid on the gushing wounds caused by recent gun violence in America, NATO President, John Fithian, has called upon Hollywood to make fewer R-rated movies. Fithian joined MPAA chairman and CEO Christopher Dodd …

Movies with names so long, one card can't hold 'em

Fox News notwithstanding, America's generally pride themselves on brevity, particularly when it comes to opening credit sequences. Look how much text Hollywood can cram into one title card: http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/16/43822/ It's a good thing pretentious Parisian gasbag Johnny Godard's Weekend wasn't …

The May Day Workers Film Festival is a grass roots organization made up of local San Diego workers and students volunteering their time to "celebrate labor and people’s struggles for May Day." This is the organization's first festival and they …

It's a battle of the tousled headdresses when Redford's thatched weave and Shia LaBeouf's combed-with-a-washcloth curls go head to head. Arrogant rookie reporter Ben Sheperd (LaBeouf) may use his palm as a notepad, but damn if he isn't going to …

Just a gentle reminder that Matthew and I are quite the social media butterflies. Having maxed out my 5,000 followers (arf!) on Facebook, I recently went in and "de-friended" a hundred or so dead celebs to make room for real …

Award-winning Jordanian director comes to Balboa Park as part of Arab Film Festival

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/15/43728/ Jordanian director Zaid Abu Hamdan will be in town on Saturday, May 4 to screen three of his award-winning and Oscar-qualified short films at the Museum of Photographic Arts. In 2006, Hamdan's served as the first assistant director, writer …

Visit to the Anne Frank House gives pause for self-reflection

It's Bieber's world. We just live in it. Teen pop heartthrob Justin Bieber and his posse took time away from their busy world tour to visit the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam yesterday. "Truly inspiring to be able to come …

Remember this indescribably perfect pair of street strangers that Woody Allen solicits advice from in Annie Hall: http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/12/43622/ She's very shallow and empty and has no ideas or anything interesting to say and he's exactly the same way. Give these …

God must have been in dire need of a good laugh. Someone please inform Jerry, Albert, Howard, and Joan they are free to move one rung up the ladder of living comic legends. Jonathan Winters died yesterday. He was 87. …

What differentiates The Jackie Robinson Story (1950) from 42, the $40 million biopic -- based on the life of the legendary Brooklyn Dodgers player who broke baseball's color barrier -- opening today at a theatre near you? The most obvious …

When you've got a story like Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball, maybe the best move is to put the story out there and get out of the way. And that's what 42 does - well, …

Woody Allen's former writing partner was 77

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/11/43568/ The man responsible for many of the howls contained in three of Woody Allen's earliest and funniest movies is dead. Mickey Rose, co-author of What's Up, Tiger Lily?, Take the Money and Run, and Bananas died of cancer Sunday …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/11/43562/ I can understand Ray Liotta needing the work, but what is Marty doing acting in a low budget sci-fi picture with Jesse McCartney? Is his youngest daughter, Francesca Scorsese, that big a fan of Dream Street that she called …

I've always looked upon Woody Allen as my celluloid rabbi. In addition to imparting Jewish wisdom (and a heritage of laughter) Woody's interest in American jazz and popular songs offered up a refresher course in swing music. Long before Woody's …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/09/43503/ How many times in this space have I made veiled, and not-so veiled references to Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis' legendary blooper reel captured while the duo was recording promos for their latest and funniest picture for Paramount, The …

MACSD's screening venue passes white glove test

The Media Arts Center's new screening room has been open to the public for over a week. Today marked my maiden visit. Located on the main floor of the MACSD, 2921 El Cajon Blvd, the intimate, 48-seat projection facility brought …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/09/43459/ Um, Tony? Maybe don't punch things with the hand that doesn't have any armor on it. Did you learn nothing from Iron Man 2? When did things go bad for the bad guy? When he stopped the drone assault …

Oh, man. FilmDrunk reports on an English film director who died while trying to live like a homeless person. Basically, Sullivan's Travels without the happy ending. RIP.

Former Chicago rival recalls Ebert before Siskbert

Where was I when Roger Ebert died? He'd have been proud. I was all alone in the Clairemont Town Square with pen in hand covering G.I. Joe Retaliation. Ebert lived to be the most influential film critic the world has …

Dept. of No, Not really

Is it Batman all over again? http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/08/43381/

A couple of things you might have missed.

http://vimeo.com/56897454 People, I Am Not A Hipster. But then, you knew that. A hipster would never write for anything so mainstream as an alternative weekly. Also, I Am Not a Hipster is a movie - made right here in San …

A pictorial history of title credits from literary adaptations N thru Z

More storybook openings from a time when Hollywood proudly used literacy as a selling tool. A thru M can be found here. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43254/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43255/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43256/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43258/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43259/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43260/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43253/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43261/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43290/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43262/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43263/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43264/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/05/43313/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43265/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43266/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/05/43314/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43267/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43268/ …

Scott Marks must have changed his meds to something that softens the heart. Either that, or the Aussies know how to handle sentiment and singing. At any rate, he really liked The Sapphires. He was less impressed with the "easy …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/04/43244/ Never one to second guess my partner in print, in light of Matthew's one star review of Evil Dead, I have no problem contributing a few nasty thoughts of my own. Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead (1981) and it's …

Because some of you are going tonight, right?

I'm sure my partner will have much more to say about the death of critical giant Roger Ebert. But I wanted to note this, from the early paragraphs of his obituary: Ebert, 70, who reviewed movies for the Chicago Sun-Times …

A pictorial history of title credits from literary adaptations A thru M

Read any good movies lately? Long before hardbound comic books like Harry Potter and Twilight began passing for literature, and the subheading "Based on a True Story" became a lazy screenwriters raison d'etre, Hollywood did it's fair share or ransacking …

Paging Room 237: I got yer fancy explanation right here.

So there's a movie coming out on Friday called The Evil Dead. It's an updated remake of Sam Raimi's 1981 cult horror classic by the same name. And next Friday, there's a film coming out called Room 237. It's an …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/03/43107/ Television's last great gasp of inventiveness came when Kermit 'Mr. Blooper' Schaefer passed the boner baton to Dick Clark. Forget about balls dropping or kids dancing on the bandstand; Dick Clark's greatest contribution to American culture was the recycling …

Remember This is 40, Judd Apatow's meditation on what his life would be like if he looked like Paul Rudd? http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/03/43098/ http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/03/43099/ Well, Adam Sandler has his own "man faces middle age" movie coming out. It's called Grown Ups 2, …

So the kerfuffle between Shia LaBeouf and Alec Baldwin from a while back came up again when The Beef went on Letterman, and that gives me a chance to do what I should have done back then: illustrate various lines …

Dept. of No, Not Really

So Finding Nemo 2, er, Finding Dory, is due for 2015. Because while Albert Brooks as a father reconnecting with his son was nice, I think we can all agree that Dory the forgetful fish was why we were there …

Fox News' Greg Gutfeld called Jim Carrey, "probably the most pathetic tool on the face of the earth...He's such a pathetic, sad little freak. He's a gibbering mess...He's a marionette and he's fading." Laura Ingraham said, "Carrey has not been …

The following post appeared in Mike Tyson's Twitter feed yesterday: http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/02/42962/ Has the Champ finally come to his senses or did Mike suddenly realize that when he dies, his head can't be buried in a Jewish cemetery? Stop the music! …

Trailblazing Asian American NBA player, Jeremy Lin, subject of new documentary

As a die hard sportsophobe, I wouldn't know Jeremy Lin from Lynn Swann. Well, that last statement isn't entirely true. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/apr/01/42919/ Lynn's work on the Bagful haunts my every Christmas. That cultural touchstone aside, were it not for his work …

I'm such a purist that the thought of watching even so much as a trailer on my computer is hateful. As much as I love the damn things, critics seldom see coming attractions before press screenings. Fortunately, I attend enough …