Dragon Lady in LaLaLand

To fully understand Hirokazu Koreeda’s new science fiction film, “Sheep in the Box” (箱の中の羊), you need to know two things about Japan: Japan is using dolls in interesting ways and Japanese homes have limited storage space is limited. Japan has a growing elderly population and there are companies who make dolls to help people who are lonely and even those suffering from dementia. Japan: Child…

The Quaker-raised Vermont-born Anaïs Mitchell received a Tony Award for Best Original Score for her Hadestown which, in 2019, won seven more Tony Awards, including Best Musical. You may not have been able to see that production, but five of the original Broadway cast members were on stage at the Lyric Theatre in London for the West End production that was the basis for “Hadestown: The Musical”…

Tom Hiddleston fans won’t be disappointed; they might even be impressed with his academic knowledge. Yet you don’t have to be a Hiddleston fan to appreciate this charming documentary, “Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston,”  about the last day of the city of Pompeii. Scientists estimate that the people had a day to escape not just Pompeii but the nearby Herculeneum. Hiddleston isn’t the…

Our survival during SDCC depends upon Sweet Things Frozen Yogurt. Located at the Promenade level of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, they open early (7 a.m.) and close late (special hours for SDCC).   1 Park Boulevard, Suite #102 San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 338-9555 [email protected] This is usually where we have breakfast and keep hydrated throughout the day. Another spot to have…

“The Odyssey” has many lessons, but not all of them surely intended by the director/screenwriter Christopher Nolan. In the end, it is less a Greek tragedy and more a what not to do on a boys night out. Greek Film about the Trojan War  Contemporary Greeks on Film: Greek Wedding and Murders If you’ve been following this blog, you’ll already know that I was not a fan of  2023 “Oppenheimer.” Nolan…

I included a Greek American movie and a Greek TV series in my viewing, the 2002 romantic comedy “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and the murder mystery “Save Me.” Although “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” came out in 2002, there have been two sequels, the 2016 “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.” My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This film takes place in Chicago where the…

Growing up I thought there was this odd casting dynamics between modern Greeks or Italians and Greek or Roman gods. Movies about Ancient Greece seemed Whiter and movies in modern times seemed, for lack of a better word, ethnic. With the controversial casting of Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” I thought it would be worth looking at how Greeks portray themselves. Of course, a lot of the…

happens five years after the events of the “Picard” finale? IDW Publishing has the answer with  STAR TREK #1 (by Dennis Menheere). STAR TREK #1 On sale September 23 Pre-orders due August 17 at your local comic shop From writer Christopher Cantwell and artist Dennis Menheere Their mission is new. Their legacy is not. From the pen of fan-favorite writer Christopher Cantwell (“Star Trek: Defiant,”…

GODZILLA VS AMERICA: SAN DIEGO variant by Godtail We all know that Godzilla met Bambi, but IDW Publishing has Godzilla and other franchises including “Hello Kitty,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and “Sonic.” At their all-new booth IDW Publishing will offer eight exclusive covers plus, of course, freebies! The Godzilla covers will be: GODZILLA VS AMERICA: SAN DIEGO variant by Godtail STAR TREK:…

AMC Global Media returns to Comic-Con International in San Diego, CA with a star-studded lineup of must-see panels, a fan screening event, exclusive news and more. The cast and executive producers of The Walking Dead: Dead City celebrate the upcoming season, premiering Sunday, July 26 on AMC and AMC+, with a Hall H panel followed later that evening by an advance screening of the season…

Paramount+ and CBS Studios return to San Diego for this year’s Comic-Con® International, with unforgettable fan experiences in anticipation of the new season of the hit Paramount+ original series, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and Star Trek’s 60th anniversary. The festivities include: STAR TREK UNIVERSE HALL H PANEL: Join the cast and executive producers of the hit Paramount+ Original Series…

Long Beach Comic-Con’s new logo. Long Beach Comic-Con has undergone a variety of transformations. It used to be a place where non-attendees could, at the very least, enjoy the cool cars parked at the Long Beach Convention Center. Last year’s edition was considerably scaled back, limited to one room and no cars in sight. Long Beach Comic-Con’s previous logo. Starting in 2009, Long Beach Comic-Con…

We haven’t seen the film “The Odyssey” yet, so I don’t know if this book is a must-read. We ARE reading “The Odyssey,” and we do love Insight Editions. Insight Editions will have books coming out about “The Odyssey” that are not available in July. Filming the Odyssey: Inside the Making of Christopher Nolan’s Modern Epic By James Mottram with a Foreword by Matt Damon Discover the secrets of The…

Like fashion? A fan of Her Universe? You don’t need a SDCC pass to attend the Her Universe fashion show. “The Her Universe Fashion Show 2026 Presented by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products” will take center stage on Thursday, July 23 at 6 PM in the Harbor Ballroom of the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel. For its 12th annual showcase, the theme is DC’s legendary Heroes and Super Villains.…

“Minions and Monsters” works on several levels, as entertainment for older kids ready for slapstick violence and rude, sometimes macabre humor and as a homage to the Hollywood filmmaking industry for older fans familiar with silents films and the first talkies. It also helps if you know more than English, especially Spanish. The banana-yellow Minions were first introduced to filmgoers in the 2010…

Segerstrom Center for the Arts announced the Golden Snitch Digital Lottery for the upcoming 11-25 July engagement of six-time Tony® Award-winning production of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” The lottery  will open for all performances at noon today  (Friday, 26 June 2026).  For the first week of performances, the lottery will close on Wednesday, 8 July 2026 at 9:30 am PST. For subsequent…

Taking a vacation with your mother might not work for some people and for June (Ayden Mayeri) and her mother Lela (Amira Casar) there’s an added complication: They are in mourning. Lela’s husband died a year ago and he had always wanted to take June and Lela to this Azorean island, but never got the chance. Instead, Lela and June go together on vacation where they are together, but separated by…