The Balkans aren’t exactly big news in this part of the world. But for those who know just how important that mercurial area has proven to be over the past couple of centuries, the news about what some are calling Serbia’s “trial of a century”…
My colleague Ryan Pitts tried for months to get me to watch the animated Japanese film “Grave of the Fireflies.” I borrowed a copy once before, but the darkness of the story – it follows two children who struggle to survive following the 1945 fire-bombing…
Susan Creed, managing librarian of Spokane Public Library, had asked for any reading lists that might be out there – from teachers or others who might be interested in sharing.She had her own list, too, and here it is. She calls it the …Top 10…
If you have the time, and if you love movies, you may want to click on the embed below. It runs through 100 movies, counting backward from 100 while it offers up that many quotes. If nothing else, it’s quite an experience trying to name…
I wrote Friday’s movie column on a local guy named Scott Roddan who is heading off to the 2007 Cannes Film Festival to help promote the short film that he is one of the stars of. Roddan just sent me the Web site of the…
I went to the opening showing of “Home of the Brave” and ended up liking it. The movie has problems, mostly production flaws caused likely by its low budget, but it does capture the pained lives of returning veterans.The issues the film brings up apply…
If you’re familiar with the term Bollywood, you know that it doesn’t necessarily translate as quality. But as with the film industry situated in Los Angeles, sometimes box-office popularity and art do mix.My sister-in-law, Jean Treuthart, reminded me of that by sending me a link…
Don’t be surprised if “Spider-Man 3” makes a lot of money its first weekend. Boxofficemojo.com reports that the movie, third in the series and directed by Sam Raimi, will open on 4,252 screens, breaking the record for widest release ever. The previous record was 4,223,…
Life is like a movie for Chris Rock. The “I Think I Love My Wife” star is being targeted by a woman who suspects the comedian is the father of her 13-year-old son. Kali Bowyer is asking a Georgia court to require Rock to submit…
Seems as if director Joe Carnahan’s attempts to hawk the DVD version of his action film “Smokin’ Aces” have succeeded. Carnahan, whom I interviewed for an April 13 column, took time to talk with critics all over the country in support of his movie, which…
Not that I’m a fan of the grammar police, having been the target of its members more than once in my journalism career, but I had to point out an obvious error in the following Associated Press story:By MARYCLAIRE DALEAssociated Press WriterPHILADELPHIA – A classic-car…
One of the more unique characters from the O.J. Simpson case was the surfer-guy “houseguest” named Kato Kaelin. Over the years, as one of the principles after the next – from prosecutors Marcia Clark and Christopher Darden to defense attorney Johnny Cochran – popped up…
Three of the four films that are supposed to open in Spokane this week are apparently so crappy that critics weren’t allowed to see them in advance.As if anything critics could say about “Kickin’ it Old Skool,” “The Invisible” or “Next” would keep moviegoers away…
Sherman Alexie closed out the ninth Get Lit! by charming a packed house Sunday afternoon at the Bing Crosby Theater.Alexie, whose appearances are often more theater and stand-up comedy than they are literary readings, entertained the crowd for a full 40 minutes before he read…
Saturday’s Get Lit! festivities closed out with a reading/signing by novelist Jonathan Lethem (lee-thum) at CenterStage.The scheduled 10 p.m. reading got under way late because there was a band playing. But by 10:17 novelist Jess Walter was at the podium, introducing the Brooklyn author of…
And the children shall lead them. That’s either from the New Testament or from a “Star Trek” episode.But it proved true Saturday at Get Lit! when, opening the Evening of Poetry, Sandpoint High School junior Hannah Vogel gave a rousing reading of her two-time-award-winning poem…
Tonight’s Get Lit! event saw 100 or so literary fans visiting Eastern Washington University’s Showalter Hall. That’s where we heard M. L. “Mandy” Smoker read seven of her poems and Walter Mosley give a talk he calls “The Literary Life.”For argument’s sake, let’s say that…
The Los Angeles Times has a story about Coeur d’Alene Press publisher Duane Hagadone and his 64,000-square-foot mansion on ridge overlooking Palm Springs, Calif. It isn’t complimentary.
Just received the following e-mail from Craig Butz, Recreation/Entertainment Division Manager for the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department, regarding Spokane's IMAX Theatre:Yes, we’re finally getting rid of the original Expo ’74 theatre seats.We’ll be putting in 342 padded seats (current capacity is 385) along with…
It’s happening. We should have expected it, of course. Even so, it’s never easy to endure a media feeding frenzy.At first, the media reacted to the Virginia Tech shootings the way you might expect. First, with “facts” that changed virtually every time you switched channels.…
There’s lots of talk about class in America. As in we’re not supposed to have it. Right. And the front gates of, say, Manito Country Club are wide open to all those whose living wages wither within a couple of poker chips of the poverty…
This is the morning that we tape the radio show “Movies 101” for Spokane Public Radio (we usually record either Tuesdays or Wednesdays). And I can’t see this being a sterling show.Not that Bob Glatzer, Mary Pat Treuthart and I are exactly the second coming…
I relived the 1970s last night. And the experience had nothing to do with LSD or PTSD flashbacks – which, of course, is something to be thankful for.No, what happened was I took my brother to see “Grindhouse.” See, between the years 1970 and ’76,…
I’ve never had any musical talent, though I’m pretty sure I was a rock drummer in another lifetime. Or bassist. Or tamborinist. I can’t quite remember.Anyway, posted below is a video of a Spokane-based band made up of some guys I know – Tom Bowers…
Every time I see a bad movie – and I’ve seen hundreds of them – I think I’ve seen the worst that Hollywood has to offer. As my wife would say, “Oh, ye of little faith.” Hollywood seems to be intentionally making bad movies for…
A Dan Webster joint, discussing news, notes and everything about movies.
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