Form vs. function. The argument seems almost quaint now. It has been more than a century since Oscar Wilde began his preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray by declaring, “The artist is the creator of beautiful things,” then ended, 30 or so sentences later, with a trio of bizarre…
The Girl Next Door (Anchor Bay) If the horror of Saw was a poblano pepper, this here is the habañero. Derived from Jack Ketchum’s infamous novel, sometimes word-for-word, The Girl Next Door — based on a true story — is a sort of Hostel meets Stand By Me: A group…
Paul Schrader’s cinema is largely defined by the pathology of his male protagonists, and with The Walker, he’s added a striking new character to his gallery of loners. Carter Page III (Woody Harrelson) is the degenerate scion of a political family. Openly gay and eminently presentable, this American aristo makes…
Casting Nicole Kidman as The Golden Compass’ glacial, intractably smooth megalomaniac Mrs. Coulter was the deal breaker for director Chris Weitz, who adapted this first installment of British novelist Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy — Kidman was his first and only choice. Despite the book’s description of the nefarious…
For a game that’s considered Microsoft’s premier 360 title this holiday season, it’s amazing how sloppy Mass Effect is. Graphical glitches distract from otherwise fascinating character designs and alien vistas, constant stops and stutters lengthen load times, and the inventory system must be the worst in history. And just as…
Hollywood is obsessed with film remakes. Greenlighting a re-worked classic is as close as it gets to a sure thing for studio executives. Sadly, these remakes rarely match the originals, almost by default. Like, did anyone really need to see a shot for shot replicate of Psycho? So what makes…
Scientific studies of birds on lithograph tend not to mix well with political satire. Or maybe that’s conjecture. I certainly haven’t tried it; seems a bit counter-intuitive. But the superimposition makes perfect sense to famed printmaker, John Alexander — who also toils away with landscapes, woodscapes, and studies of fishes…
12 apostles. 12 Olympic gods. 12 tribes of Israel. The dirty dozen. There’s a pattern here, no? 12 is that mythical number embraced across cultures, and now Las Olas Fine Arts (701 East Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale) is getting in on the act by co-opting the fabled digits for…
Florida law doesn’t currently allow amateur MMA competitions, but it does allow kickboxing and grappling battles – which are violent enough to quench your bloodlust. This Saturday night, exactly that is happening at War Memorial Auditorium (800 NE Eighth St., Fort Lauderdale) when Left Hook Productions presents Warriors Collide III…
A quarter of the NHL season is officially in the books, making right about now gut-check time for our own Florida Panthers. Thanks to a late November streak, the Panthers are sitting in second place in the admittedly weak Southeast division, and the next few games could decide the final…
Some people are just tough to shop for: namely, you. With the stocking stuffing, gift wrapping, and assorted p.r.n. (present-related nonsense) that you’ll put yourself through during the holidays, don’t forget to add your own name to the Nice List every so often (“Look! It’s my turn again!”). The problem…
When’s the last time you had an inspiring conversation that made you think? (No, the one where you debated the similarities between Optimus Prime and Jesus doesn’t count.) Well, according to the folks at the Palm Beach Cultural Council, a little in-depth discussion is an important part of growing a…
When people belittle your comic book collection, you want to bulge through your checkered shirt and cutoff shorts, turn green, and release a throaty growl like Dr. Robert Bruce Banner (“They’re graphic novels!!!”). This weekend, there’s safety in numbers when Florida Comic-Con invades the Howard Johnson Resort and Conference Center…
Hollywood is a helluva rough place, especially for a pre-pubescent funny girl harboring dreams bigger than her parents’ dingy, one-room loft. So starts Carol Burnett’s semi-autobiographical opus, Hollywood Arms. The coming-of-age tale was adapted from Burnett’s memoirs, One More Time, by her and her daughter Carrie Hamilton. For Burnett, who…
Who says all the Jews are in Miami Beach? So not true. They’re in Fort Lauderdale too. And today from noon to 5 p.m., they’re all partying on Las Olas at the Chanukah Fair at Huizinga Park (corner of Las Olas and Andrews Ave.), causing a ruckus with their carnival…
So many things are indicative of the holidays. Roasted Chestnuts. An extra leaf added to the dining room table to accommodate your friends and family. Mistletoe. Underground wrestlers beating each other into submission with colorfully wrapped weapons. Huh? While less traditional, the D1PW Extreme Christmas Tree Match has just what…
If A Christmas Carol has taught us anything it’s that being rich and greedy certainly has its merits. How else can one rule over one’s subordinates with an iron fist while being assured visits from voyeuristic, clairvoyant, time traveling specters who wear enough chains to make Mr. T blush? All…
The Worth Avenue Pet Parade is always as much royal spectacle as it is entertainment. Where else can you see pets and owners wearing matching nail polish? It’s also where a bunch of lucky pups were picked as winners in the America’s Top Dog Model Contest (the over-all winner, paws…
Broward Wishmakers have found a surefire way to seduce all of Fort Lauderdale’s upper crust into one nightclub. All they had to do was call it a black tie affair, tell ´em it’s for charity, and distinctly drop the promises “all-you-can-drink Godiva chocolate martinis with swirls” and “raffle drawing.” Best…
You gotta figure that Miami is overrun about three times a year: (1) for Art Basel, which is happening immediately and through Sunday, so ya’ better get in your car – now; (2) for Winter Music Fest, and (3) for Hip Hop Weekend. But wouldn’t it be cooler if the…
There isn’t any musical fame barometer as iconic as a Rolling Stone cover photo. Even in the early days of rock, a band that got its picture taken for the cover was saying to the world, “We’ve arrived, and we’re officially a Big Fucking Deal.” There have been movies about…
Some chicks just love drama… and shopping. The thespians at the Women’s Theatre Project, dedicated to presenting works “by women, about women, and for everyone,” are tapping into those loves with their upcoming fundraiser the Holiday Shopping Event. Visit the St. Lawrence Gallery (3556 N. Ocean Blvd., Fort Lauderdale) Friday…
