“Swan Song” – An end and a beginning [MOVIE REVIEW]
Karen Kain was the much beloved and lauded prima ballerina of the National Ballet of Canada. She followed up her dancing career by becoming its Artistic Director. Announcing her retirement, she was determined that she would not go gentle into that good night, by declaring that her last act would also be a first. She […]
City forging into future on multiple fronts, Mayor declares
by Kevin Cody Hermosa Beach Mayor Justin Massey extolled the city’s progress in addressing affordable housing, homelessness, and e-bike enforcement during a wide ranging State of the City address Friday night, July 12, in the city council chambers. His most notable news was the approval, that day, of the general plan housing element by the […]
Redondo Beach wins case against state housing bill (SB9)
by Garth Meyer Was state Senate Bill 9’s goal to create affordable housing defined sufficiently to override the authority of Redondo Beach and four other California cities, who sued the state saying it was not? Superior Court of Los Angeles agreed with the cities on April 22, in a ruling of potential statewide significance. Judge […]
Letters to the Editor 2-1-24
Affordable housing help Dear ER If the Hermosa City Council wants to increase “affordable” housing, then eliminate “short-term rentals.” Most of those properties are owned by out-of-state people. Follow the lead of Palm Springs and Hawaii by increasing restrictions on short-term rentals to the point of eliminating them. The residents of Hermosa would applaud such […]
“Our Son” – Our sun [MOVIE REVIEW]
“Our Son,” directed by Bill Oliver, looks at divorce and custody from a direction rarely shown. Nicky is very happy in his marriage. As far as he’s concerned, he has it all—a handsome, creative husband, a great job that supports them in comfort, and a son, Owen, who is the light of his life. Gabriel, […]
“La Syndicaliste” – Under siege [MOVIE REVIEW]
“La Syndicaliste,” directed by Jean-Paul Salomé based on the book written by Caroline Michel-Aguirre, tells the horrific but true story of Maureen Kearney, the dedicated head of a union representing workers employed by Areva, France’s nuclear power company. Maureen fought tenaciously to protect employees throughout Europe who maintained the vast empire of French nuclear power […]
“Fallen Leaves” – Too far from the tree [MOVIE REVIEW]
“Fallen Leaves,” the much lauded Finnish entry for the Academy Awards by cult director Aki Kaurismäki, is both more and less than it appears to be. Now keep in mind, there are many things that color a reviewer’s interpretation of a film, not the least of which is mood, anticipation and reputation. I must admit […]
All the Light We Cannot See – Blind to storytelling [TELEVISION REVIEW]
When watching a filmed version, whether good or bad, of a popular or beloved novel, there are several things one needs to do. First, drop all expectations. Some things work on screen, others don’t. Directors and adapters have their own agendas, sometimes enhancing and often detracting from the underlying material. The resurgence of the mini- […]
“It’s a Wonderful Knife” – Not the sharpest in the block [MOVIE REVIEWS]
After the killer sliced open her best friend, Winnie Carruthers found herself next in line. She turned the tables and killed him instead. She should have been the town hero when she killed the white-robbed murderer terrorizing the slice of americana she lives in. But she’s not. Even her family chooses to ignore the issues […]
“Bella” – Indeed [MOVIE REVIEW]
If you’ve never heard of Bella Lewitzky, here’s a chance to learn about one of the pioneers of modern dance in California. She definitely made a mark on the genre and Director Bridget Murnane wants to fill in that history. In 1934, little more than a teenager, Bella happened on a modern dance […]
“Subject” – Noun and verb [MOVIE REVIEWS]
Documentaries have been flourishing of late and the personal stories told by many of them are a window into the private lives of their subjects. A thoughtful filmmaker often tries to tell multiple sides of complicated stories and the best succeed. But what happens when the spotlight is dimmed and the storytellers go home? What […]
Television – the endless season [TELEVISION SERIES]
It’s a never ending cycle now with television. Granted, the dying broadcast breed is still adhering to their normal release schedule, but more and more it’s just a constant barrage of new shows in what is now an endless season. The CW has several new shows premiering, although none are home grown. The best of […]
“King on Screen” – King me [MOVIE REVIEW]
Daphné Baiwir has compiled an admirable bench of 1st and 2nd string directors who discuss their collaborations on the adaptations of Stephen King novels. King’s vast backlog of novels, 65 and counting, has been the source of innumerable films and television series, possibly as many as 50. He even publishes under a pen name, but […]
“Love Life” – A perplexing question [MOVIE REVIEW]
“Love Life” can be interpreted both as a command and a noun. Artfully, Koji Fukada, the director and writer of this sensitive film, poses many questions and answers none. A melancholic treatise on life and love, Fukada gives us a portrait of a people wrestling with the very idea of family. In love and newly […]
“Passages” – Dead Ends [MOVIE REVIEW]
Ira Sachs’ new film “Passages” sounded very promising. A gay marriage is upended when one partner begins an affair with a woman. Tomas, an avant-garde filmmaker, and Martin, a graphic designer, have been married for an indeterminate number of years. They have settled into a boring patch and neither can quite identify what’s wrong. After […]
CW Comedies – Blame Canada [TELEVISION REVIEWS]
TV New, Now and Soon So many shows, so little time. Some of these new series you will have already heard about and maybe even seen; others are about to appear with or without fanfare. All of these are Canadian so the content comes with a slight accent, eh? It’s cheaper to buy ready-made and […]