May Not

Mon 27 May 200201:34 AM

It’s been a slow month for posts, due in part by my trip last week to California to see family. Anyway, I’m back this evening. And feeling jet lagged.

Art Attack

Mon 20 May 200203:19 PM

Hack Attack

Sat 18 May 200210:10 PM

It’s true that “Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones” is superior to its immediate predecessor, but it’s still not much of a movie.

Lucas, while stubborn as ever in his refusal to completely excise Jar Jar Binks, has nevertheless acquiesced to fan pressure by creating 132 minutes of the stuff that fans have been dying to see for two-plus decades: massive lightsaber battles, the secret origin of Boba Fett (which is a truly superfluous subplot), the inner workings of the Jedi Council, the corruption of Anakin Skywalker, and, most tellingly, one climactic scene in which Yoda kicks ass.

Send in the Clones

Fri 17 May 200205:45 PM

With every effort, I’m trying to maintain reasonable expectations for “Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.” Though I’ve avoided reading any reviews, the critics seem to be dimissive. On the other hand, everybody I know who’s seen it so far thinks it’s a great improvement over the last installment. I just want to get carried away for two hours when I see it tonight at 10:30p.

This Week

Fri 17 May 200212:06 AM

It’s an off-week for me. Work is a little slow and my personal life is out of whack. With a bit luck though, I’ll be back on my feet tomorrow, or the next day…

Reality Bites

Tue 14 May 200203:40 PM

“The Real Reality Show” is an idea I’ve got for the ultimate reality television show. Six teams of producers, writers and directors are sequestered on a Hollywood backlot. Their goal: develop and pitch a unique reality television show idea. “The Real Reality Show” follows them through twelve weeks as they develop and produce their concept. At the end, the network selects one show that will appear on the following fall’s programming schedule. After that, I would outlaw all reality shows.

Soft and Doughy

Mon 13 May 200212:54 PM

Fortune tells the remarkable story of what it takes to launch a Krispy Kreme franchise: US$2 million startup capital and US$5 million personal net worth, for starters. But you get all the Krispy Kremes you could ever want…

Halls of Shame

Sun 12 May 200212:28 PM

Forbes Magazine has a catty if amusing article on the ugliest buildings in the world. The list rightly includes both the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame and the Experience Music Project, both horrific expressions of dumb, dumb ideas.

Great Responsibility

Sat 11 May 200202:23 AM

I’m not mentioning Spider-Man here because of the movie’s killer box office returns or its disappointingly heavy-handed second half. Rather, I thought I should note that long-time “Spider-Man” comic book artist John Romita, Jr. is continuously sketching Spider-Man right now in Times Square for fans, going for a record of 48 straight hours. That may sound kind of stupid, but he’s selling each sketch for US$25, with the goal of raising money for his niece’s chemotherapy treatment. Pretty remarkable.