Much Pain and Little Gain in Bay’s New Flick

By Charly SHELTON Once in a while, a director makes a movie around a singular idea. The 1930s serials done with a big budget became the Indiana Jones films. High-tech action in Alice in Wonderland – “The Matrix.” And now director Michael Bay has made a new film around one singular idea: “Hey guys, I […]

A New Way to Visit Jurassic Park

By Charly SHELTON “Jurassic Park” is one of the best movies ever made – from a technical viewpoint, an audience viewpoint, a critic viewpoint and a science viewpoint. It is a very well done film. And now, 20 years after its initial release, it is back on the big screen looking as good as ever. […]

The True Believer

By Charly SHELTON “Greetings, True Believers!” Stan Lee wrote to his readers in the back of his comic books every week and always began by saying this, addressing his fans. It became synonymous with those fans who were real comic book nerds, worn as a badge of honor that only other nerds knew about. I […]

Changes in the Park: What Would Walt Say?

By Charly SHELTON I have a friend at Disneyland. He is a fellow pin trader and I have known him through that shared hobby for several years. He is a very nice guy and one heck of a trader but, if given the chance, he will talk till your ear falls off. For years he […]

Alex Has a ‘License to Kill’

By Charly SHELTON Bond. James Bond. Two words that conjure to mind adventure, espionage, gadgets, guns and girls. The quintessential series of spy films is celebrating its 50th anniversary and what better way to do so than by screening some of the best Bond films made? The Alex Theatre in Glendale is doing just that. […]

Celebrating the ‘Pin Up’ at the Stratosphere

By Charly SHELTON It can be a rare thing to see real 1940s style anymore. While the hipster movement incorporated some ’40s aspects into their own style, it is rare to see the pure, unadulterated ’40s look – like a pin up girl on a calendar, posing on the wing of a plane with dark […]

From Panel to Panel to Screen

By Charly SHELTON I usually just assume that everyone reads comic books. It’s the smart thing to do. I will randomly start up conversations with strangers about The Avengers because I expect them to know comics. If you don’t read them, I encourage you to pick up a book and take a peek. There is […]

‘Burt Wonderstone’ Lacks Magic

By Charly SHELTON The art of illusion, commonly known as magic, has fascinated man since time immemorial. Where once magic was alchemy and sorcery, it evolved into slight of hand and card tricks. Nowadays “magicians” like David Blaine and Chris Angel perform magic shows that consist primarily of stunts showing how much pain they can […]

The Art of Storytelling – Alive and Well

By Mary O’KEEFE and Charly SHELTON St. Patrick’s Day is Sunday. The celebration in America is a tradition that was carried on the ships that crossed the Atlantic filled with Irish immigrants. The first wave arrived during Colonial times; the second and largest group of Irish immigrants came primarily due to the Potato Blight in […]

Discovering ‘Odysseo’ Under the White Big Top

By Charly SHELTON When Cavalia came to Burbank in 2004, 2005 and 2011, it pushed the boundaries of circus and theatre. It not only had amazing Cirque Du Soleil-style acts, but these were performed mostly on horses. Now Cavalia is back in Burbank with a new show.     In “Odysseo,” conceptions are challenged once again […]