Editor’s Note: As a non-narrative book, “The Young Conservative’s Field Guide: Facts, Charts and Figures” by Brenton Stransky and Andrew Foy, M.D., defies the usual short review and asks instead for a more comprehensive discussion. We are pleased to provide you with that discussion in the first of several parts.
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'Iron Man 2': Heart of Lead
The foremost question of “Iron Man 2” is: What happened to the Jon Favreau of the first Iron Man and Zathura? That Favreau was a director from the old school, comfortable with modern CGI effects but at home in the roots of classical filmmaking and, crucially, well-versed in the storytelling arts. In the armored superhero’s second outing, however, Favreau has been edged out by Marvel’s marketing committee.
How the Other Half Loves: A Game of Wit, Space, and Time
“The play’s a game,” says playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn, “which I hope an audience enjoys playing as much as the actors enjoy playing it.” Quite. It’s an entertaining bauble, chock full of colliding assumptions, misinterpretations, well-intentioned but misguided interventions, and all the usual trimmings of a farcical comedy of errors.
Sci-Fi Short Film Roundup: The District 9 Trend
Although it would be rather hyperbolic to suggest that District 9 represents a milestone in 21st century science fiction cinema, Neil Blomkamp’s gritty tale of aliens among us certainly does set the pace for a new trend. And it is this: science fiction rooted in near-future speculation.
The Recreational Nihilist Comes to an End
After much thought but surprisingly little gnashing of teeth, I’ve decided to retire The Recreational Nihilist. It’s been six years – Six! Years! – since I first started writing this column for The Front Page before it was Online. The time has come to set it aside.
‘The Losers’ Are Winners
It must be true that “The Losers” started life as a groundbreaking comic book; I’ve never heard of it. Or perhaps “groundbreaking” is merely the buzzword of an enthusiastic publicity department.
‘The Wake’: Turbulence and Self-Reflection in a Stellar Kirk Douglas Production
Note: The Wake is on stage at the Kirk Douglas Theatre until Sunday, April 18. See www.centertheatregroup.org to purchase tickets.
Technology? Pfah!
Am I just getting old or does progress seem a little less, well, progressive? I’m not referring to politics, which is the same dizzying old nonsense repeated over and over again until much vomiting ensues, but to technology. Over the past decade alone, we have seen our lives profoundly changed by the internet, cell phones, and social networks. But are we better off for it?
Larry and Burt’s Gut Rot: Better Than Beer
The brothers Butler return with a sense of humour that, like a dirty martini, is bone dry, liable to kick your teeth in, and generously dosed with comical vulgarity. In the format of their latest venture, a web series called Larry and Burt’s Gut Rot (http://www.subprod.com/?p=219), it works especially well, better even than in their compelling but somewhat unfocused film effort The Notorious Newman Brothers.
That Oh-So-Gray 2nd Amendment (Part 2)
What if the Second Amendment didn’t actually say what it says? Here it is: “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” Arms is the key word. And it creates an explicit gray area.