News & Topics

  “Star Wars”, “Blade Runner”, “Avatar”, “The Terminator”, “The Matrix”, “2001”—if you had to count down the list of blockbusters and other films both good and bad that were influenced by Fritz Lang’s 1927 black-and-white silent masterpiece, “Metropolis”, you’d be in for a long night. And that’s before you turned your attention to the video games, comic books, novels, musicians, ... Read More »

  Twenty years after the fall of the U.S.S.R., Soviet landmarks in Moscow including the Mayakovskaya metro station, Lenin’s tomb, and The Melnikov House (pictured above) are in disrepair and under threat of disappearing forever. (Guardian UK)   Like James Bond, Clark Griswold of “National Lampoon’s Vacation” is the latest iconic movie hero to undergo a dark, edgy “reboot”. (Cinematical) ... Read More »

  While there are a slew of romantic Big Apple spots from films everyone can agree on, each of us also has their own personal list of favorite locations from movies that get their coals piping. Personally, I have a thing for Fort Tryon Park, but that’s a long story and we only have enough time here to run down ... Read More »

Porto da Pedra School of Samba is planning a tribute to fashion for this year’s Carnival in Rio with a collection of appropriately festive costumes. (JC Report)   Oh, and here are some alternative Carnival destinations in case you’ve already done everything (and everyone) in Rio. (Matador)   High speed arting! Get in and out of the Prado in less ... Read More »

  Fearing a repeat of last year when I came in dead last in my Oscar office pool, I’m paying a little more attention to who is actually nominated this year (how was I to know the Academy would overlook “Hancock”). So, with the Academy Awards only week’s away, we’ve gotten out our ballots and begun handicapping the nominees. First ... Read More »

  Well wouldn’t you know it, Chinese New Year falls on Valentine’s Day 2010. Even if you’re not normally the kind of goose or gander who would tend to ring in 4707 (or 4646 depending on how you count), you’ve got a built-in theme for this year’s romantic celebrations. More than that, there are two film series here in New ... Read More »

  The already controversial, and very successful, Indian film “My Name is Khan”, is facing a new round of raging protests after one of its stars made comments seen as “pro-Pakistani” by the opposition. When was the last time you found yourself picketing a Joel Silver film, hunh? [Guardian UK]   Why is your hotel bar so crowded? Januted explains ... Read More »

It’s never been a secret that much of hip-hop lyrics, culture, and attitudes often come off as foursquare against homosexuals and homosexuality, enhancing already inflated masculine braggadocio with gestures of intolerance. Its a sad fact of life lightened with the knowledge that the scene, with its bold personalities, music, and fashions could so easily overlap with the bold personalities, music, ... Read More »