Wednesday, January 13 2010
TV’s Ten Greatest Cyborgs
The Cyborg has become one of the most persistent and fruitful character types on television, expressing society's concerns over the fate of the individual in a highly deterministic world.
Marcia Gay Harden on Dreams, Nightmares, and Why There’s No One at the Movies
Oscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden talks about being a godmother for a cruise ship, the supposed decline of movie theater attendance, and what it's like to work with "sexy" Clint Eastwood.
Tuesday, January 12 2010
The Thinking Man’s Man-Candy: Nicholas Hoult in ‘A Single Man’
Young British actor Nicholas Hoult, at 20, has already been acting for 17 years. Currently, in A Single Man, he is romancing Colin Firth. Hoult recently spoke about being an object of desire, growing up on film sets and the multitude of amazing actresses with whom he has shared the screen.
“You Can’t Go That Far With Irony”: An Interview with Chromeo
Releasing hit singles for free? Re-creating Hall & Oates classics? Courting Vampire Weekend for some remix work? Yes, these are just some small facets of Chromeo's neon-accented world.
Monday, January 11 2010
Starbucks and the New Age of Censorship
Like Kremlin censors, Starbucks regulates choice -- not to retain state power, but to bolster corporate profits -- and the distinction between the role of government and brands gets fuzzier all the time.
Friday, January 8 2010
The Best 30 Films of 2009
In one of the rarest rating periods ever, several on the staff could successfully argue for any of the Top 30 choices as a potential number one. While not all classics, they remain the consistent cream of 2009's crop.
The Best TV of 2009
Aside from one or two new shows, this look at the Best of TV 2009 seems awfully familiar. A look at early '60s admen? A practically incomprehensible drama about an island of airplane crash castaways? The Americanization of a UK workplace comedy? That definitely rings a bell.
The Best Independent / International Films of 2009
Looking for something far off the well-beaten mainstream path? Well, step on over to some savory world and outsider independent cinema. It's here where the risks, the experimentation, and the true art lives.
The Best DVDs of 2009
Let's face it, when the content inside is less than meaningful, how better to market your particular movie than with plenty of digital packaging bells and whistles. Many of our 2009 choices reflect this strategy. Others are great all by themselves.
Pocket Protectors and Politics: Is (Stephen Jay Gould’s) Science Political?
Our biology granted us a faculty (rationality) that allows us, when desirable or necessary, to deny aspects of our biology.
Thursday, January 7 2010
Loss and Longing in the Films of 2009
While 2009 brought heavily promoted vampires, robots, and avatars, some filmmakers were doing something else. Some of them were women, and some of their films found distribution.
The Worst Films of 2009
What does it say about the last 12 months that two of the year's biggest blockbusters also find residence near the top of our annual compilation of cinematic abominations? Oh, and the rest are pretty rotten as well.
Crash and Jangle: An Interview with Joseph D’Agostino of Cymbals Eat Guitars
Cymbals Eat Guitars plays a youthful brand of earnest and expansive rock that evokes both the jangle of Pavement and the fuzzed-out bliss of British shoegaze.
Wednesday, January 6 2010
The Best Male Film Performances of 2009
Certainly, the multi-millionaire boy's club represented here is heavy on the dramatics and light on the more 'amusing' fare. But if you really give this list a meaningful perusal you'll see a few genre and jokester surprises along the way.
The Best Female Film Performances of 2009
Some in the media would have you think it was a sparse year for women on the silver screen. One peak at this amazing list of 20 girl power performances will have you giving said sentiments a specious second look.
The Best TV Performances of 2009
It would have been easy to miss most of this year's best, with all the distractions -- Rihanna and Chris, Taylor and Kanye, Adam and his same-sex drummer, Tiger and, well, who knows, and, ugh, Jon and Kate.
What’s Past Is Prologue: The Best Comics of the Past Decade?
Could Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca have produced six perfect comics pages in the recent "Counting Up from Zero" issue of The Invincible Iron Man?
Tuesday, January 5 2010
The Guilty Pleasure Films of 2009
Someone, the same old suspects show up on this list - cheesy horror films, goofy gross out comedies, and the occasional certified WTF title. Lucky for us, 2009 was no different when it came to culpable schlock.
Boring the World to Death
The green movement is boring. Should environmentalism become less empirical and more emotional?
Monday, January 4 2010
The Guilty Pleasure TV of 2009
It's here where you will find those unmentionable entertainments that keep us suckling at the glass teat for much longer than we need to. It’s not for mental nourishment or relaxation. It’s like an addiction, and going cold crappy TV turkey is just not an option.
