Monthly Archives: July 2013

Urbanism: It Ain’t Rocket Science

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: The City of Los Angeles has been holding listening sessions the past few weeks on the revision of its zoning code. I haven’t been able to attend any of them, but if I did it would be … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture | Tagged Los Angeles, urbanism, zoning | 5 Comments

“Bergman Island”

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Paleo Retiree

Paleo Retiree writes: This produced-for-Swedish-TV doc by Marie Nyreröd is basically an informal visit with a very aged Ingmar Bergman. The legendary film and theater director is living out his final years on the little island of Fårö. He’s 86 … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged art movies, documentary, Ingmar Bergman, Marie Nyreröd, movies, Sweden | 12 Comments

“Cropsey”

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: This DIY documentary about a rash of child disappearances in ’80s Staten Island and the man widely believed to be responsible for it is an interesting blend of investigative reporting, urban exploration, and pop-inflected creep-out. Filmmakers … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Barbara Brancaccio, Cropsey, documentaries, documentary, horror, Joshua Zeman, Satanic abuse, satanism, Staten Island, urban exploration, Willowbrook State School | Leave a comment

“Only God Forgives” (2013)

Posted on July 26, 2013 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: While I enjoyed DRIVE, after watching this one, it was clear to me why others didn’t enjoy DRIVE. There’s no pixie-cute Carey Mulligan to redeem this one, instead, we’ve got an impotent, Oedipal-conflicted Ryan Gosling avenging the death … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Larry Smith, Nicholas Refn, pretentious art, Ryan Gosling | 2 Comments

A Tour of the Long Beach Civic Center

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: The architectural degradation of our government buildings during the 60s and 70s is both fascinating and depressing. What mass hysteria gripped the Establishment of the time? Did no one object? What can and should we do with the legacy … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture | Tagged brutalism, civic architecture, civic center, Long Beach, modernism, our strain grows weaker, things that hurt my eyes and my soul | 43 Comments

“Death Race”

Posted on July 21, 2013 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: “Death Race” is aimed at fans of the “Fast & Furious” franchise. It’s a multi-ethnic car movie that trades on the pumped-up sexiness of its stars, one of which, that scowling peacock Tyrese Gibson, is a “F … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Performers | Tagged Action Movies, Death Race, Death Race 2000, Film, Jason Statham, Joan Allen, movies, Paul W. S. Anderson, Tyrese Gibson | 4 Comments

More Ads Everywhere

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Paleo Retiree

Paleo Retiree writes: That’s a snapshot of a departure/arrival screen in a California airport. How do you feel about the fact that an ad is taking up the right-hand quarter of the screen? A few days before flying to California … Continue reading →

Posted in Commercial art, Humor, Personal reflections | Tagged ads everywhere, Advertising, class, Idiocracy | 9 Comments

I Was a Second Grade Racist

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: I’m not sure how you feel about racial and ethnic stereotypes, but I’m going to take a deep breath and confess that I mostly don’t mind them. Sometimes I even get a kick out of ’em. … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Personal reflections, Politics and Economics | Tagged Asians, booger-eatin' moron, diversity, France, racism, someday the NSA will find this and I will be arrested for having made Polish jokes in 1983, stereotypes | 23 Comments

Linkage

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: Looks like Steve Sailer correctly predicted that there was a homophobic element to the Martin-Zimmerman kerfuffle. What did I just watch? Good grief. Apparently, prior to “Tootsie,” Hoffman never realized that women who look like Dustin Hoffman … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Linkathons, Movies, Politics and Economics, Technology, Women men and fashion | Tagged "Dustin Hoffman", Commando, Game, George Zimmerman, Nazis, Preston Sturges, Rex Harrison, Rio Bravo, Steve Sailer, stink bugs, Tootsie, Trayvon Martin, Unfaithfully Yours | 1 Comment

“Urbanized” (2011)

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: The third volume in Gary Hustwit’s super SWPLy design series for the TED crowd — following his previous HELVETICA and OBJECTIFIED — I found this documentary only intermittently engaging. I enjoyed HELVETICA, which looked at 20th century … Continue reading →