California Literary Review

Articles written for the California Literary Review:

• The Weekly Listicle: Dystopian Futures
  Posted on 18 Mar 2010 in Science Fiction and Fantasy, The Fourth Wall
  

  The March 19 release Repo Men is about a near-future in which organ transplants are simple, commonplace procedures and citizens can save their loved ones or prolong their own lives on a payment plan. Unfortunately, the moment customers fall behind on their dues, the Repo Men hunt them down to take back what’s owed—no matter [...]

• What happened to teen movies?!
  Posted on 12 Mar 2010 in Movies, The Fourth Wall
  

  “On Wednesdays we wear pink!” (Mean Girls: a frightfully accurate portrayal of peer pressure and conformity.)
  Full disclosure: the first day of seventh grade I wore the same straight-cut jeans I’d been wearing throughout elementary school (or possibly stirrup pants–if so I’ve blocked it out). It was immediately apparent I needed flared jeans, ASAP. Everyone [...]

• Corey Haim Found Dead of Accidental Overdose
  Posted on 10 Mar 2010 in Movies, Television, The Fourth Wall
  

  Corey Haim, one of the ’80s brightest teen stars, was found dead aged 38 of an accidental drug overdose. Haim was most recently in Crank: High Voltage and a cameo in the ill-advised Lost Boys sequel. His drug addiction was well-publicized in a reality series he did with best friend Corey Feldman called (what else?) [...]

• And the winner is…Julia Rhodes!
  Posted on 08 Mar 2010 in Best Movies, Movies, The Fourth Wall
  

  Well, folks, I type this through a haze of last night’s bubbly. The Academy Awards ceremony itself, as well as the dresses, were hit-or-miss this year. Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin were good enough hosts–though Hugh Jackman nearly charmed the pants off me last year and I’ll hold others to that standard, thank you.
  And [...]

• Movie Review: Alice in Wonderland
  Posted on 06 Mar 2010 in Movies, Movies & TV
  

  The mythology behind the Wonderland books is so complex, there are sure to be disappointed diehards, but Alice in Wonderland is a fun reinterpretation of the stories so many of us grew up reading and watching. It is easily the most visually impressive release since Avatar, and though it’s by no means Burton’s best movie, it is among his better ones.

• The Weekly Listicle: Creepy Kids Movies
  Posted on 04 Mar 2010 in Best Movies, Movies, The Fourth Wall
  

  In honor of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (watch for the review on Saturday morning), this week’s Listicle is all about kids’ movies spooky, weird, and/or dark kids’ movies. Alice in Wonderland is rated PG-13 for “fantasy/action violence involving scary images and situations” and “a smoking caterpillar.” Really, MPAA? We all know it isn’t tobacco [...]

• Book Review: I Don’t Care About Your Band by Julie Klausner
  Posted on 02 Mar 2010 in Biography, Non-Fiction Reviews, Sex
  

  If the book were a movie, it would be rated R; the author’s got a dirty mouth (or pen, if you prefer) and hormones out the wazoo, and this book is not your mom’s dating guide. But for modern women it’s a refreshing and smart reassurance that they’re not alone in their woes.

• Johnny Depp, Nick Cave cover “I Put a Spell on You” for Haiti Relief
  Posted on 01 Mar 2010 in Movies, Music, The Fourth Wall
  

  In the 80s, there was “We Are the World,” a recording and video jam-packed with celebrities to benefit famine relief in Africa. This year’s remake of “We Are the World” was made to help victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The song is a cringe-worthy, Autotune-filled mess, but I hope it helps raise awareness and [...]

• Movie Review: The Crazies
  Posted on 27 Feb 2010 in Movies, Movies & TV
  

  Horror film is enduring a period of what some would call “rejuvenation” and others would dub “total lack of imagination.” Good new horror is hard to find and recent remakes have been totally hit-or-miss. This weekend’s The Crazies is based on a 1973 George Romero film of the same name. This version, directed by Breck Eisner, shares basic plot points and characters, but it outdoes the mediocre-to-awful original by far.

• Natalie Portman to do a Stoner Comedy
  Posted on 26 Feb 2010 in The Fourth Wall
  

  Natalie Portman and her production company Handsome Charlie Films have signed on to make a stoner road trip movie. Not a surprise, given the success of the Harold and Kumar movies, Knocked Up, Cheech and Chong, and The Hangover.

  Actress Portman to star in and finance a stoner comedy
  The thing about those movies is [...]