Entries
Spot the Fake Titles Quiz: The New Batch
Yesterday's quiz met with such little resistance that I thought it wise not to break what was already fixed and continue on with another round of Spot the Fake Titles Quiz. You'll notice that "titles" is now plural. That means …
The Spot the Fake Title Quiz
Ixnay on the Ooglegay!
This one is fairly simple. Below are ten title cards, nine of which come from actual movies, trailers, and maybe even a TV show or two. Your job is to spot the fake. I'll even make it interesting. There's an …
Dig a hole: Dr. Joyce Brothers
Dr. Joyce Brothers was a celebrity in the truest sense of the word; a person famous for being famous. She rose to fame in 1955 by competing on the TV program, The $64,000 Question. Dr. Joyce originally entered the show …
McCartney concert screenings in Poway, Temecula, Mission Valley, more
Plus "Beatles Do Diego," chronicling the Fab 4's local adventures, together and separately
Someone stole my Wings Over America (1976) triple-album way back when triple-albums were still a "thing," and it's been a looooong time since I've been able to play my Paul McCartney and Wings laserdisc edition of Rockshow, the rarely seen …
Review: Peeples
The enormously appealing Craig Robinson makes the leap from second-string relief in raunchy comedies to top billing as the Ben Stiller substitute in this Tyler Perry-approved sitcom riff on Meet the Fockers. Robinson stars as Wade Walker, an affable loser …
Die Disney die - UPDATED
No, it's not German for "The Disney the." It's just the Mondays, grumpy about the Disney Machine and what they're doing to my childhood down in the basement, er, marketing department: http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/13/45410/ Now don't misunderstand me. I know that George …
New releases opening this week: The Great Gatsby and some other less exhausting things
Okay, The Great Gatsby. I shouldn't complain. It's not based on a toy property. It's not a superhero movie. It's not a sequel. It's not even a brainless shoot-em-up (not that there's anything wrong with that). It is, however, a …
The Big Screen turns 2 today!
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/10/45317/ Has it really been two years since my editor, Ernie Grimm, called to say, "Hey, Marks, The Reader is thinking of doing a movie blog. Can you start tomorrow?" May Ten is also the date of the first entry …
John McCain calls for à la carte cable
How many times have I spent the witching hour surfing the cable in search of a Taxicab Confessions rerun or a new Ron Popeil infomercial, only to find an endless stream of half-hour ads for product I have zero use …
You got off with a slap on the wrist, Charlie Brown
Judge cautions, "Don't be a blockhead!"
Peter Robbins, the former voice of Charlie Brown on numerous Peanuts television specials, was sentenced Wednesday to one year in jail. Robbins, who has been in jail since his arrest in January, will get off with time served and five …
You're a good defendant, Charlie Brown
Peter Robbins to be sentenced today
Peter Robbins, the former child vocal artist who gave voice to Charlie Brown on many of the Peanuts television specials, will be sentenced today for stalking and threatening his former girlfriend and a La Jolla plastic surgeon who gave her …
Dig a hole and Tulips Shall Grow: Ray Harryhausen
Never mind the above-the-line talent: Ray Harryhausen was one of the few special visual effects creators whose name in the advertising guaranteed butts in seats. Harryhausen's Dynamation sequences, his patented brand of model animation, were the stop motion equivalent of …
First annual La Costa Film Festival looking for submissions
Famed North County Resort and Spa turns screening destination October 24 - 27
And you thought the La Costa Resort and Spa was all about playing tennis, getting mudpacks, and seeing stars. Festival founders, and La Costa residents Michael and Ruby Callihan, decided the time was right to transform the ultimate relaxation destination …
Go tell it on the mountain: a pictorial history of the Paramount logo
What's come to be known as 'the mountain of dreams' began in 1914 as a boardroom doodle from the pen of W. W. Hodkinson, founder and president of Paramount Pictures Corporation, America's first nation-wide film distributor. Paramount Pictures was founded …
New releases opening this week: Iron Man 3, and some other films as well
So yeah, Iron Man 3. Man, do I hate bloated finales. Remember the first Iron Man? Stark vs. Stane, Iron Man vs. Iron Monger, one on one, plus, of course, a little help from Tony's friends. This? This is not …
Dig a hole: Jack Shea, three-time president of the DGA
Jack Shea. The name sounded so familiar. The rest of the world probably remembers Shea's contributions to television history through the number of popular shows he directed, but why am I having such a tough time making a connection? There …
Casting Fred Rogers
Come on, people - help me out.
Word is that they're making a Fred Rogers movie. Jon Hamm? http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/02/44805/
Part III of Iron Man and Tony Stark watching Iron Man 3
Is everybody excited yet? http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/02/44801/ Here's Part II Here's Part I
Part II of Iron Man and Tony Stark watching Iron Man 3
Tony gets a little touchy... http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/02/44794/
Iron Man and Tony Stark watch a screener of Iron Man 3
First in a series. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/02/44793/