‘V’ for political parable (TV review)
If “V” (7 p.m. Central Tuesdays on ABC) was just another alien invasion show, we could dismiss it out of hand. After all, there are only two alien invasion stories: 1, the aliens are evil, and we […]
Author: John Hansen
‘Donnie Darko’ helmer is still thinking outside ‘The Box,’ but that’s not necessarily a good thing (Movie review)
See, this is what I meant in my “Paranormal Activity” review about how good actors can add a lot to a movie. Cameron Diaz is completely adorable in “The Box,” and she has a wonderfully loving rapport […]
Klosterman’s ‘Eating the Dinosaur’ crystallizes this hazy world we live in (Book review)
There aren’t many things I enjoy more than cracking open a new book of Chuck Klosterman essays. I read his latest volume, “Eating the Dinosaur,” in two sittings; it would’ve been one sitting, but I […]
‘Paranormal Activity’ a cut above a normal horror film (Movie review)
Usually I don’t give spoiler warnings in my blog posts, the reason being that this isn’t a movie review site, it’s an interactive site where we can talk about all details of a movie after […]
3eb, GBV, Rick Springfield, and the definition of musical relevance (Music commentary)
I’m sorry to say that Third Eye Blind’s new album, “Ursa Major,” is nowhere near as good as its self-titled debut from 1997. It’s also a cut below its second and third albums, from 1999 […]
‘Law & Order’: The forgotten show (but it’s still good) (TV commentary)
Between Hulu and DVRs, it’s easier than ever to watch current TV shows. And since NBC wiped out five hours of programming with its Jay Leno show, and The CW axed its Sunday slots, the […]
Is ‘Dollhouse’ channeling Philip K. Dick?
TV and books commentary: A modern SF TV master draws inspiration from a past literary master.
‘Zombieland’ kind of fun, completely forgettable (Movie review)
“Zombieland” is a fairly fun movie, but it also stretches this whole “being chased by a pack of zombies” thing to the point where I wonder if the genre has run dry. Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, […]
In ‘Juliet, Naked,’ Nick Hornby lays bare the funny side of music snobbery (Book review)
Nick Hornby taps into a gold mine of insider humor in “Juliet, Naked” by making fun of extreme levels of music snobbery. Hornby invents a cult-favorite 1980s musician named Tucker Crowe and provides so much analytical […]
‘24’ TV show could learn something from ‘24’ novels (Book commentary)
You know, when I watch “24,” I usually make fun of it, and I don’t get any satisfaction from doing that. But it’s different from other downhill-progressing shows, because every season represents a completely fresh start. Because […]