Arts & Culture
Arts & Culture, Science & Technology
Anticapitalist Lorax Succeeds . . . Thanks to Capitalism
Ari Armstrong March 13, 2012
After two weekends in theaters, the film Lorax earned more than $120 million, reports Bloomberg Businessweek. That’s an impressive haul for a film condemning capitalism. But the irony is apparently lost on the filmmakers. In the original Dr. Seuss story on which the film is based, a manufacturer chops down…
Arts & Culture
Write Us a Song, and That’s Lucky Too
Ari Armstrong March 7, 2012
The charming 1964 Disney film Mary Poppins is among the best children’s movies ever produced, in large part because it features some of the best children’s songs ever written. Who can forget “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?” Robert B. Sherman, who cowrote memorable songs for the magical nanny and for numerous other Disney films,…
Arts & Culture
Oscar-Winning Hugo Celebrates Creative Genius of Méliès
Ari Armstrong March 4, 2012
I enjoyed the story of the Oscar-winning film Hugo in its own right, but to me the most interesting aspect of the film is its exploration of the life and work of French film pioneer Georges Méliès. A fictionalized version of Méliès plays a central role in Hugo, and director…
Arts & Culture
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss—And Thanks for My Love of Reading
Ari Armstrong March 2, 2012
Theodor Seuss Geisel was born March 2, 1904. He became Dr. Seuss with the publication of his 1937 children’s book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. That’s a great story, as I’ve reviewed, but my favorite will always be Green Eggs and Ham. That’s the book…
Arts & Culture, Reviews
Review: Obit, by Jim Sheeler
Joseph Kellard February 20, 2012
Joseph Kellard reviews Obit: Inspiring Stories of Ordinary People Who Led Extraordinary Lives, by Jim Sheeler.
Arts & Culture, Reviews
Review: Eames: The Architect and the Painter
Earl Parson February 20, 2012
Earl Parson reviews Eames: The Architect and the Painter, directed by Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey.
Arts & Culture
Sasha DiGiulian: The Sight of an Achievement
Craig Biddle February 18, 2012
http://player.vimeo.com/video/33306702?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0 Sasha DiGiulian began rock climbing when she was 7 years old. At 18, she made the most difficult ascent by a woman in American climbing history. Now 19, and one of the top climbers in the world, she has deferred her acceptance to Columbia University for a year to…
Arts & Culture
‘Keep Your Eyelids Up,’ Dr. Seuss Implores
Ari Armstrong February 15, 2012
“Dad always says to me, / ‘Marco, keep your eyelids up / And see what you can see.’” This advice remains as good now as it was in 1937, when it appeared in Dr. Seuss’s first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. The story is…
Arts & Culture
What's So Super About the Super Bowl?
Joseph Kellard February 2, 2012
When more than 100 million Americans tune in to watch the game, advertisers pay up to $4 million for 30-second commercial spots, and a nation consumes food on a scale rivaling Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday can safely be declared a de facto national holiday. As Evan Weiner, a sports writer…
Arts & Culture
The Grey: A Great Reminder of Crucial Truths
Paul Hsieh January 30, 2012
Could you survive deep in the Alaskan wilderness and make your way out with only the resources from a crashed airplane? That’s the stark challenge faced by the seven protagonists of the movie The Grey, starring Liam Neeson. An airplane carrying Alaskan oil field workers crashes during a storm, and…