Category Archives: reviews

“…The 10 best Muppet Show guests…” (slideshow..)

“…John Cleese Muppets fan Cleese co-wrote this 1977 episode which starts with him bound, gagged and forced to take part…” go to source/story>>> The 10 best Muppet Show guests | Culture | The Observer.

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“…Etta James: 10 classic performances…”

“..the great blues and soul singer at her absolute finest..” go to source/story>>> Etta James: 10 classic performances | Music | guardian.co.uk.

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“…13 Great New Political Movies You Should Watch For…”

“..As the major festival circuit begins – the big political doc titles emerge. Here are some of our favorites…” go to source/story>>> 13 Great New Political Movies You Should Watch For | | AlterNet.

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“…Album: Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas…”

“…It’s difficult, albeit a little ill-mannered, not to regard Old Ideas as possibly Leonard Cohen’s final recorded testament. There’s a distinct valedictory tone to his customary musings upon life, love and the spirit, with one track titled “Amen” and another … Continue reading

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“…The 10 best silent films…”

“…The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius’s glorious ode to silent films and the winner of three Golden Globes, is, ironically, clear about one thing: silent cinema is dead. Following the release of The Jazz Singer in 1927, “the talkies” quickly took over … Continue reading

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“…’Mad Men’ Stars Tease Season 5 And Share Their Favorite Episodes…” (slideshow..)

(ed:..i have long been puzzled why programmers here have buried this show.. ..while shows like ‘embarrasing bodies’ (which has to be a reality-nadir of sorts..).. ..are trumpeted in prime time…? ..eh..?..) go to source/story>>> ‘Mad Men’ Stars Tease Season 5 … Continue reading

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“…’Growing up sucks, doesn’t it?’…”

“..The director of Juno and Up in the Air tells Catherine Shoard why his latest film, Young Adult, about an alcoholic, embittered ghostwriter – - is far darker than his previous movies…” go to source/story>>> Jason Reitman: ‘Growing up sucks, … Continue reading

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“…J Edgar: ‘Long, laborious and only fitfully illuminating’ – video review…”

“…Xan Brooks gives a F to the G-man as Clint Eastwood fails to get a grip on the complex psyche of former FBI head J Edgar Hoover. The film, which covers Hoover’s life from the 1919 Palmer Raids to his … Continue reading

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“…Concert review: Big Day Out – Mt Smart Stadium…”

“…Yes, the first conversation among BDO returnees as they arrived would have been: “Where is everybody?” But with no queues and no crush those who were there to see the event off will remember this one as the gentle encore … Continue reading

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“…Vauxhall’s Ampera is spearheading the rejuvenation of its tired electric car range…”

“…Getting an electric car right depends on making driving long distances viable. …behind the scenes – and under the bonnet – of a new model…” go to source/story>> Vauxhall’s Ampera is spearheading the rejuvenation of its tired electric car range … Continue reading

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“…The Big Day Out top ten…”

“…Tonight, the final curtain will fall on the last Big Day Out. Herald entertainment team Scott Kara and Russell Baillie, who have attended all of the festivals between them – - recall their top 10 moments..” go to source/story>>> The … Continue reading

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the gil scott heron autobiography/memoir…

“..Later, in 2005, when Scott-Heron was sent to prison upstate for violating parole – Fred mailed him a leather-bound book — a journal, I guess — – with a picture of Scott-Heron from their high school days secreted in the … Continue reading

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“…Schama, Fellowes, and the ‘cultural necrophilia’ row that would make Lady Grantham grimace…”

“…As Downton Abbey takes US TV by storm – - its creator is under attack from America’s favourite British historian… Lord Grantham would describe it as the height of bad manners. American viewers have been urged to reject Downton Abbey’s … Continue reading

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“…Patti Smith’s photographic ‘diary’ is one for devotees…”

“…Camera Solo, the musician’s new book of Polaroids – offers a glimpse into Smith’s imagination…” go to source/story>>> Patti Smith’s photographic ‘diary’ is one for devotees | Art and design | guardian.co.uk.

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“…CES 2012: Ultrabook round-up …”

“…Lenovo’s IdeaPad Yoga is another device that isn’t branded as an Ultrabook – but that’s what it is:- – no tablet would weigh three times that of an iPad 2. The 17mm thick flip-over device can be used as a … Continue reading

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“…CES 2012: Smartphones round-up…” (photos/product-profiles..)

“…The Superbowl of smartphones? Why, that would be Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next month. But that didn’t stop the mobile industry’s heavy hitters from giving us a taste of the year in wireless to come at CES. With Windows … Continue reading

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“…Indie rock’s slow and painful death…”

“…Sales figures suggest alternative rock is in a dismal place right now. Will it ever recover? And should we care?…” go to source/story>>> Indie rock’s slow and painful death | Music | guardian.co.uk.

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“…Beyond the Gadgets: CES Provides a Jumpstart for 2012 Top 10 Technology Trends…”

“…The annual Consumer Electronics Show always provides a preview of the great new gadgets, consumer devices and entertainment systems from big screen televisions to mobile phones. However, this year, the larger trends behind the shiny new objects were also the … Continue reading

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comment@whoar:..whither irony..?..(and someone send that man a safe-tape..eh..?..)

marcus lush on ‘north’ sheds crocodile-tears at the site of an old whaling station.. ..deploring what was done to the whales.. ..with he and a doc guy referring to the old bloodthirsty-footage.. ..inferring/tones of: ‘how could people have let this … Continue reading

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“…One Right-Winger’s Terrible List of “Top 10 Conservative Movies”…”

“…Strangely, several of the listed films aren’t right-wing flicks, at all. The Deer Hunter (No. 6) is more about the intensely personal tragedies of war – than it is about pissing off the Reds or straight-up patriotism….” go to source/story>>> … Continue reading

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“…Every Musical “Guest” Who Ever Appeared On ‘South Park’ (Gallery)..”

(one for obsessives/complete-ists.. ..ahem..!..i’ll be scrolling thru all 50…) go to source/story>>> Every Musical “Guest” Who Ever Appeared On ‘South Park’ (Gallery) | Screen Junkies.

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“…Downton Abbey Problems…”

“…A series of tweets based upon the trials and tribulations of life at Downton Abbey. Isn’t it wonderful how we’re friends! Save that you’re the friend who fetches tea, empties my chamber pot & bathes me. #DowntonAbbeyProblems First cousins make … Continue reading

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“…Quentin Tarantino’s Favorite Films of 2011: ‘Midnight in Paris,’ ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes,’ ‘Moneyball’…”

“…Director Quentin Tarantino has passed along his comprehensive rundown of 2011 films to the aptly named Quentin Tarantino Archives website – - and it features enough conversation starters to last at least three rounds at the local bar. His top-eleven … Continue reading

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“…The Best Late Night Clips of the Week…” (video/photos..)

“…These stories and more fueled the late night shows this week…” go to source/story>>> Matt Wilstein: The Best Late Night Clips of the Week (VIDEO/PHOTOS).

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“…2012 Smartphones: 7 New Devices That Stole The Show…” (photos..)

“…At a Consumer Electronics Show dominated in hype by a new laptop category called Ultrabooks – - it might have been easy to miss just how significant all of the smartphones introduced at this year’s CES really were…” go to … Continue reading

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“…Sony’s PlayStation Vita – video preview…”

“…The PlayStation Vita is Sony’s latest handheld console, released in Europe on 22 February. Keith Stuart gets an early hands-on – and tries out launch titles Escape Plan and Uncharted: Golden Abyss. But in a world of low-priced handheld gaming … Continue reading

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“…The most controversial award ceremony moments…”

“…Ricky Gervais is invited back to present the Golden Globes for the third time this Sunday – - we take a look at other shocking gong-giving occasions..” go to source/story>>> via Gallery: The most controversial award ceremony moments – Features … Continue reading

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“…MoJo Readers’ Top Albums of 2011…” (videos…)

“…El Camino, The Black Keys (Nonesuch): The Black Keys [see below] have been on the rise for years. They teamed up with producer Danger Mouse for this album and it takes them to a whole other level. It’s the best … Continue reading

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“…Mixtape for a New Year…”

“…Goodbye 2011; say hello to 2012. What better way to kick off the new year than with a Guernica mixtape. This new series will feature some of our favorite writers and artists filling us in on what tracks they can’t … Continue reading

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“…South Park: the saviour of US TV…”

“…Surfing channels dominated by Republican monstrosity I came across Cartman and co – - still going strong after 15 seasons…” go to source/story>>> South Park: the saviour of US TV | Art and design | guardian.co.uk.

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“…The Gospel of the Penniless, Jobless, Marginalized and Despised…”

“…Cone, who teaches at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, writes on behalf of all those whom the Salvadoran theologian and martyr Ignacio Ellacuría called “the crucified peoples of history.” He writes for the forgotten and abused, the marginalized … Continue reading

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“…Melancholia named best film of 2011 by US critics…”

“..Lars von Trier’s drama wins top prize at National Society of Film Critics awards – while Terrence Malick is named best director…” go to source/story>>> Melancholia named best film of 2011 by US critics | Film | guardian.co.uk.

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‘melacholia’ gets a five star review…

“..I think, maybe, that Lars Trier (the “von” is a joke) has found his happy place. After a decade of films that often seemed little more than brattish and spiteful – and which of course found an admiring audience of … Continue reading

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“…How Many Stephen Colberts Are There?…”

“…There used to be just two Stephen Colberts – and they were hard enough to distinguish. The main difference was that one thought the other was an idiot. The idiot Colbert was the one who made a nice paycheck by … Continue reading

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“…The Best Late Night Clips of the Week…” (VIDEO/PHOTOS)

“…These stories and more fueled the late night shows this week…” go to source/story>>> Matt Wilstein: The Best Late Night Clips of the Week (VIDEO/PHOTOS).

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“…John Brockman: the man who runs the world’s smartest website…”

“…Since the mid-1960s John Brockman has been at the cutting edge of ideas. He is a passionate advocate of both science and the arts – - and his website Edge is a salon for the world’s finest minds…” (cont..) go … Continue reading

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“…Play your way through 2012 – games preview…”

“…A bumper crop of new titles is coming to a console near you. Our critics look ahead to what will be hot this year…” go to source/story>>> Play your way through 2012 – games preview | Technology | The Observer.

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“…David Bowie at 65: a life in pictures…”

“…Born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 – Bowie last made an album in 2003 – - and for the best part of a decade has made only sporadic public appearances..” go to source/story>>> David Bowie at 65: a … Continue reading

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“…House of Lies Premiere Review: No Sympathy For The One Percent…”

“…When it comes to corporate shenanigans, it’s safe to say that the American public is not exactly in a forgiving mood. So it would take an especially deft TV program to make us enjoy the antics of sharklike business consultants … Continue reading

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“…Godfather of rap’s last words: Exclusive extract from Gil Scott-Heron’s posthumous memoir…”

“…Next month, the visionary poet, rap/hip-hop pioneer, and author Gil Scott-Heron will be honoured with a Special Merit Award at the Grammys. Here is an exclusive extract from his forthcoming memoir, The Last Holiday…” go to source/story>>> Godfather of rap’s … Continue reading

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