A covert operations specialist working for some CIA offshoot goes rogue upon discovering that the people she trusted are planning her execution. If that sounds like the basic premise of USA Network’s popular series, “Burn Notice,” you’re right. For some reason however director Steven Soderbergh, who won an Academy Award in 2000 for TRAFFIC,...
Read more »
I was not at all impressed this year by most of the fiction films that were released, documentaries on the other hand had plenty of contenders. In time, most of the "buzzed about" films will be forgotten. I did not like most of Hugo but thought Scorsese did a fantastic job on...
Read more »
Caviling about which artists have been overlooked by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a favorite parlor game of pop music fans. The Moody Blues seem to show up on nearly everyone’s list when it comes to those who have unjustly been ignored by the Cleveland shrine.
Read more »
There are few albums that are as steeped in mythology as the Beach Boys’ “Smile.” Recorded in 1966 and 1967 when Beach Boys composer Brian Wilson was experimenting with hallucinogens, “Smile” was supposed to be the band’s follow-up to “Pet Sounds,” an album that saw the group stray from its surf and car songs...
Read more »
It is no secret that Hollywood, the Los Angeles neighborhood synonymous with the motion picture industry, has faced tough times in recent years. Hollywood Boulevard, world-famous for the entertainment industry luminaries who are immortalized with stars embossed on its sidewalks, sadly became a haven for runaways, prostitutes and drug dealers over the last 30...
Read more »
Palm Springs gained its initial fame as a 1930s getaway for the rich and famous of the film world. Among the prominent streets in the area are Bob Hope, Ginger Rogers and Gene Autry Drives. Celebrities who arrived later to the area but have also been honored with major thoroughfares named after them are...
Read more »
Long Beach, California has never received the glamor or due which its sister Southern California shore cities have. Because of the Pacific Ocean breaker walls installed by the US Navy in the 1940s which keep big waves from coming onto its shores, it was not immortalized in the Beach Boys' 1963 tribute hit to...
Read more »
Located 100 miles southeast of Phoenix is Arizona's second largest city, Tucson. Tucson has experienced a population growth spurt just as Phoenix has but it has done a better job of maintaining an old-time western feel. There are very few tall buildings and the city's downtown still has ample parking space and plenty of...
Read more »
If you are looking for a long weekend destination that has not yet been overrun by tourists, Pennsylvania's capital city makes for an ideal getaway. Harrisburg is marketing itself as "The Heart of Pennsylvania." While that may not be 100% true based on Keystone State geography, the slogan makes sense because it is so...
Read more »
If your attitude towards Orlando is "been there, done that" because you visited all of Walt Disney World and Universal Studios then you are making a very big mistake because the city of Orlando and its neighboring areas offer many things besides monolithic theme parks for vacationers to enjoy. The best part is that...
Read more »