Spot the Fake Title Quiz: Cartoon Edition
Erik Rosenbluh aced this morning's quiz in record time. The problem is, my former student and eternal friend lives in LA. You may think me dumb, just don't talk me dumb. I'm not driving 123 miles to take you to …
Spot the Fake Titles Quiz: The New Batch
Yesterday's quiz met with such little resistance that I thought it wise not to break what was already fixed and continue on with another round of Spot the Fake Titles Quiz. You'll notice that "titles" is now plural. That means …
The Spot the Fake Title Quiz
Ixnay on the Ooglegay!
This one is fairly simple. Below are ten title cards, nine of which come from actual movies, trailers, and maybe even a TV show or two. Your job is to spot the fake. I'll even make it interesting. There's an …
Dig a hole: Dr. Joyce Brothers
Dr. Joyce Brothers was a celebrity in the truest sense of the word; a person famous for being famous. She rose to fame in 1955 by competing on the TV program, The $64,000 Question. Dr. Joyce originally entered the show …
Review: Peeples
The enormously appealing Craig Robinson makes the leap from second-string relief in raunchy comedies to top billing as the Ben Stiller substitute in this Tyler Perry-approved sitcom riff on Meet the Fockers. Robinson stars as Wade Walker, an affable loser …
The Big Screen turns 2 today!
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/10/45317/ Has it really been two years since my editor, Ernie Grimm, called to say, "Hey, Marks, The Reader is thinking of doing a movie blog. Can you start tomorrow?" May Ten is also the date of the first entry …
John McCain calls for à la carte cable
How many times have I spent the witching hour surfing the cable in search of a Taxicab Confessions rerun or a new Ron Popeil infomercial, only to find an endless stream of half-hour ads for product I have zero use …
You got off with a slap on the wrist, Charlie Brown
Judge cautions, "Don't be a blockhead!"
Peter Robbins, the former voice of Charlie Brown on numerous Peanuts television specials, was sentenced Wednesday to one year in jail. Robbins, who has been in jail since his arrest in January, will get off with time served and five …
You're a good defendant, Charlie Brown
Peter Robbins to be sentenced today
Peter Robbins, the former child vocal artist who gave voice to Charlie Brown on many of the Peanuts television specials, will be sentenced today for stalking and threatening his former girlfriend and a La Jolla plastic surgeon who gave her …
Dig a hole and Tulips Shall Grow: Ray Harryhausen
Never mind the above-the-line talent: Ray Harryhausen was one of the few special visual effects creators whose name in the advertising guaranteed butts in seats. Harryhausen's Dynamation sequences, his patented brand of model animation, were the stop motion equivalent of …
First annual La Costa Film Festival looking for submissions
Famed North County Resort and Spa turns screening destination October 24 - 27
And you thought the La Costa Resort and Spa was all about playing tennis, getting mudpacks, and seeing stars. Festival founders, and La Costa residents Michael and Ruby Callihan, decided the time was right to transform the ultimate relaxation destination …
Go tell it on the mountain: a pictorial history of the Paramount logo
What's come to be known as 'the mountain of dreams' began in 1914 as a boardroom doodle from the pen of W. W. Hodkinson, founder and president of Paramount Pictures Corporation, America's first nation-wide film distributor. Paramount Pictures was founded …
Dig a hole: Jack Shea, three-time president of the DGA
Jack Shea. The name sounded so familiar. The rest of the world probably remembers Shea's contributions to television history through the number of popular shows he directed, but why am I having such a tough time making a connection? There …
Dig a hole: Deanna Durbin
Allow me not to be the first to say, "Was Deanna Durbin still alive?" She was a huge star in her day, Universal's answer to Shirley Temple. In 1946 Deanna Durbin was the second highest paid woman in America. Bette …
Review: Kon-Tiki
My father always envisioned himself dying behind a ship's wheel rather than seated in a Sears recliner. Perhaps that's why a copy of Thor Heyerdal's Kon-Tiki took up a prime spot of real estate on my parent's coffee table for …
Interview: Pierce Kavanagh, San Diego Surf Film Festival co-founder
Festival #2 runs May 8 - 12
I don't know my groms from my salties or a hoot from a shaka. What I'm certain of is the San Diego Surf Film Festival is returning to Bird’s Surf Shed, 1091 W Morena Blvd., for its second year. The …
Tribecka
DeNiro's festival recognizes America's premier lunatic
As if "The Big Wedding" were not bad enough, this is the second time this week Robert DeNiro has become an embarrassment. Fascist, hate-mongering, fired by two networks...well, CNN and Fox News, Glenn Beck, was honored at the fourth annual …
Oscar Mayer Wienermobile coming this week to an Albertsons near you
One bun closes, another opens. Last week ended with talk of Costco fans now having to wash down their weenies with Pepsi instead of Coke. Today, it's raining mustard with news that the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile is back for a …
Outrage at Costco food court: Pepsi replaces Coke
First Hebrews out, Kirkland in, and now this!
Who cares if it has nothing to do with movies? This is vital news the entire San Diego community needs to hear! Coca-Cola is out and Pepsi is in at Costco food courts! No, I am not kidding! It began …
Relief for Gaslamp moviegoers' parking woes
A buck-an-hour at Park It on Market!
It was my first trip to Reading Cinemas Gaslamp 15 since the evil monkeys at Westfield's Horton Plaza garage rescinded their offer of three hours free parking. Street spaces were plentiful at 10am on a Friday morning, but they came …