IN PRAISE OF…

Postcards from LA – Hiking Runyon Canyon

by Tony Shea April 4, 2013

One of my favorite things to do in Los Angels is hike. Within an hour’s drive of downtown, there are dozens of awesome hiking trails from Big Bear to Malibu. There’s also several great hikes right here in town with unbelievable views. Located in the center of the city and overlooking Hollywood, Runyon Canyon has […]

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In Praise of Frederick Exley

by Thad Weitz March 28, 2013

In honor of what would have been the 84th birthday of American literary cult  icon, Frederick Exley,  Thad Weitz shares a review he originally wrote for Traffic East Magazine of Exley’s masterpiece A Fan’s Notes. Nearly 50 years since its publication, A Fan’s Notes  remains an astonishing meditation on broken dreams and the struggle to […]

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Farewell to Sunset Strip’s Legendary Key Club

by Tony Shea March 9, 2013

It was recently announced that the legendary Sunset Strip venue, The Key Club, will close its doors on March 15, 2013. Originally opened as Gazzarri’s in the 1960’s, and renamed The Key Club in 1998, the club played host to some of music’s biggest names through the years including: The Doors, Van Halen, and Guns […]

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In Praise of Oscar Niemeyer: The Boy from Brasilia

by Daedalus Howell December 6, 2012

Oscar Niemeyer, the internationally-renown architect and father of modern architecture, died today at the age of 104. Among his accomplishments was the design of the futuristic “planned” city of Brasilia, which not only became the capital of Brazil but, with its abstract, non-linear forms, has inspired sci-fi cityscapes ever since. As a salute to Niemeyer’s […]

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In Praise of Dave Brubeck – RIP

by Dan O'Day McClellan December 6, 2012

The great Dave Brubeck died on December 5th, 2012, one day short of his 92nd birthday, after a lifetime of producing joyous vibrant sounds. You might say that he was instrumental to the soundtrack of my life, through the good times and the bad, and undoubtedly the lives of many others, since he played on more than […]

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In Praise of Robert Altman

by Thad Weitz November 20, 2012

November 20th  marks the anniversary of the death of  Robert Altman. Thad Weitz discusses the director’s legendary work. (7 video clips) Perhaps Scorcese, Coppola, Peckinpah, and Woody Allen were his only contemporaries who rivaled his artistic achievements. Even so, his name doesn’t have quite the same widespread recognition as these peers—he is more of a […]

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Happy Birthday, Mr. Vonnegut

by Tony Shea November 19, 2012

Kurt Vonnegut would have been 90 this year. His birthday was November 11th. I missed it, not that there is any grand celebration per se. I usually just read some of my favorite work of his – Mother Night, if I had to pick an absolute favorite, although I love them all, and Bluebeard, which […]

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Frankenstein

In Praise of Boris Karloff

by Daedalus Howell October 31, 2012

Though the neck-bolts persisted like a pair of parens framing Boris Karloff’s 38-year career following his portrayal of the Frankenstein monster in 1931, the actor once beamed “The monster was the best friend I ever had.” Such is a testament to good casting, better luck and why the role remains indelibly Karloff’s though he only […]

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In Praise of Barking

by Spanky October 17, 2012

I love barking. There, I’ve said it. And you know what? I’m not ashamed about it, either. The music of it echoing along my bony snout and my moist black nose tip is a rush like you wouldn’t believe. You might even say that I love barking so much that I’m addicted to it. I […]

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In Praise of William Friedkin

by Richard B. Phillips October 11, 2012

William Friedkin is an American treasure and one of the boldest, uncompromising directors in the world. And at age 77 (which he turned recently) he continues to take risks by exploring the most terrifying subject matter that teeters on realism and hyper realism.  His latest film, Killer Joe, which is screening in theaters and stars […]

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Wes Anderson

In Praise of Wes Anderson

by Tony Shea October 6, 2012

Wes Anderson has now made three of my favorite films, with the inclusion of Moonrise Kingdom, along with Fantastic Mr. Fox, and The Royal Tenenbaums. Like Terry Gilliam and the Coen Brothers, Wes Anderson’s highly personal and idiosyncratic style is not for everybody, but I would argue that Wes Anderson is probably the best contemporary filmmaker […]

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