Exploring the power of dreams with ‘Inception’

By Susan JAMES Science fiction meets dream theory in writer-director Christopher Nolan’s exciting new film, ‘Inception.’ Throw in a dash of Jason Bourne and James Bond and a sprinkling of ‘The Matrix’ and all systems are go. Nolan’s space travelers, led by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Cobb, explore strange new worlds but they are the interior worlds […]

Magic 101 with “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”

By Susan JAMES Nicholas Cage returns to the realm of symbols and sorcery in director Jon Turteltaub’s new film, ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ co-starring Jay Baruchel as his geek-chic student. Cage plays Balthazar, himself a former apprentice of the legendary Merlin, trying for millennia to contain and control another of Merlin’s pupils, rogue killer Horvath, played […]

Dull, Dreary and Dismal- the 3 D’s of “Attack of the Movies 3D”

By Charly SHELTON Attack of the Movies 3D is a three-dimensional arcade game by Majesco for the Xbox 360 and the Wii. It is an arcade-style shooter, but on a console. This reviewer anticipated the arrival of this game with the utmost glee. My favorite arcade game ever was Terminator 2. The robots would pop […]

A Perfect Evening for “Twelfth Night”

By Mary O’KEEFE Who needs Central Park? Crescenta Valley has Two Strike and its own version of Shakespeare in the Park. Friday’s cool summer night was perfect for an audience of over 100 people to bring a light picnic snack, sit back and watch the Bard at his comic best in “Twelfth Night.” The production […]

King Kong 360 3D

By Charly SHELTON Two years ago, the Universal Studios suffered a fire that devastated the New York Street area of their backlot.  The three alarm fire of June 1st, 2008 damaged or destroyed Brownstone Street, New York Street, the King Kong Encounter, some structures that make up Courthouse Square, and the Video Vault, housing copies […]

‘Twilight’ saga continues as ‘Eclipse’ hits the big screen

By Charly SHELTON Let’s put this out there right at the start: I am a 20-year-old boy. I have seen all of the “Twilight” movies, but with an added commentary track from Rifftrax.com making jokes at the long pauses and lingering gazes. The only part that I really liked about the first two movies was […]

World of Color is a wonderful world indeed

By Charly SHELTON When Disney’s California Adventure first opened in 2001, it was amusing but wasn’t something you couldn’t get anywhere else. It lacked that magic that Disneyland had brought and maintained for almost 50 years. A rollercoaster, a water-rafting ride, swinging swings and a Ferris wheel. Santa Monica pier has many of these same […]

Get yourself to a theatre to see ‘Get Him to the Greek’

By Charly SHELTON Aldous Snow (Russel Brand) was a shining gem in an already spectacularly funny movie, 2008’s Judd Apatow-n-Pals comedy “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” And Brand played the new wave British rocker so well that when he walked off screen for the last time, you found yourself wondering what he may be up to next. […]

Unexpected surprise found in ‘Sex’

By Charly SHELTON For those of you like this reporter, who had very little desire to see “Sex and the City 2” thinking they are whipping a dead horse with this franchise, I sympathize. But after seeing it, it did have a bit of a sparkle. Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) realizes her marriage with Mr. […]