Ariel Castro, this week's most despised person in America, is pleading NOT GUILTY to kidnapping. NOT GUILTY.  I appreciate that in our system of justice, a presumption of innocence exists.  I also appreciate that a lawyer is obligated to represent the interests of his client.  But, REALLY?!?  Amanda Berry crawled out of Castro's house, screaming for help, ten years after she disappeared.  The police later stormed that same house to rescue TWO OTHER WOMEN who were ROPED and CHAINED in the cellar. The lawyer is admonishing the press for vilifying his client before the WHOLE STORY is known. What story is that?  That a polygamist Svengali had three sister wives who were WAY into S&M role play?  That a 14-year old girl with developmental issues was a willing participant in a relationship with a man decades older?  This plea is a DESPICABLE tactic to cast doubt on the rape charges, and indeed, the whole case.  If the women weren't kidnapped,...

This is the start of my SNAPback Challenge Week.  Like Newark Mayor Cory Booker, I am eating and drinking budgeted solely on what the average SNAP recipient receives for a week ($33).  I've attached my receipt. I went over by 2.89 so the spinach goes to the rest of the family. Loaded up on fresh fruits and veggies. Cereal with non fat milk for breakfast; salad with chicken for lunch and chicken breast w/veggies for dinner. Even got some fresh veg for snacks. Nothing but water to drink though. When you consider that a Starbucks drink consumes almost a day's worth of budget, it really focuses your thinking.  I was having some intense internal dialog about what to buy.  I did a bit better than I thought I would.  Day one is GO!

Just got back from "42." Helgeland paced this inspiring film like a balmy day at the ballpark. Languid stretches are punctuated by staccato bursts of intense emotion and drama. Well-acted by a cast of veteran characters and earnest newcomers, the standout is Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson, who must straddle a line of restraint, determination, nobility and fortitude in the face of withering hatred and racism. For those accustomed to the broad smiles of Robinson's iconic photographs, Boseman's performance will surprise. He plays the legend as a churning engine of emotion; deep love for his wife and child, countered by barely contained resentment at the nigh intolerable slights to which Robinson was exposed during that incredible first season in the majors. Boseman benefits from a clear resemblance to Robinson, an attribute which likely elevated him as a choice for such a pivotal performance. It is a wonderful way to introduce him to a wide audience. Kudos also...

Two songs I could have lived my entire life having never heard... Beyoncé's "Bow Down" and Brad Paisley/LL Cool J's "Accidental (On Purpose) Racist." As my wife said, "I don't need racial healing, I just need people NOT to say stupid ish." Really, Mrs. "I just sang at the inauguration" Carter-Knowles? Your new single has a chorus that makes "Smooth Criminal" sound like Lord Byron. THIS is how y ou choose to represent as a wife and mother? Frankly, this sounds like some post-Bobby Whitney attempting to re-establish street bona fides. IT. DIDN'T. WORK. That is some truly adolescent foolishness right there. And LL... sigh. You're an actor now... on a hot show... You didn't need this. Matter of fact, you needed to NOT do this. That flag represented an entire half of the country LEAVING the United States because they wanted SLAVES. After the end of the war... That same flag was used by generations of people who oppres...

So I watched "Shadows and Beards" yesterday (aka Lincoln). Sacrilege alert! I wasn't amazed. Credit to Spielberg for the realism of candlelight in the pre-electricity era, but damn, even the day scenes were dark. Fine group of actors, some great individual scenes. Sally Field doing her always-solid "Southern crazy" and taciturn Tommy Lee with the SURPRISE ladyfriend reveal. Great costumes, gr eat sets, but LONG and SLOW... Daniel Day Lewis gets credit for what? Looking thin and tall and dealing with appliances and make-up? He was fine as Lincoln, but it's not like we have recordings to compare him to the real deal. This is inarguably the best produced movie about a sliver of Lincoln's life, but that doesn't make it the best film of the year... by a long shot. Side note: I have to say, the VERY FIRST scene kinda threw me out of it. To have those two soldiers mosey up to Lincoln's wagon and recite the speech like that? And one admitted that he coul...

I'mma say it... Les Miz is WAY over-rated. Sorry, Ms. Hathaway, I guess they're handing out nominations for dirty make-up and hair cuts, because your talk/singing was NOT the business. And what a whirlwind trip to degradation! You lose your job and five minutes later, it's down to the docks to sell your hair, teeth, dignity and health. Hugh Jackman, you're too skinny to play Valjean. He was s upposed to be this unbelievable strongman. Maybe I could have bought it if your singing voice was amazing... but it's not. All that hoarse emoting... did you graduate from the Christian Bale Academy of Growling? And Russell Crowe? REALLY? He's physically closer to a Valjean type, but with a voice like that, he may as well have been in the Liam Neeson version... OF THE BOOK. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter bring the (much-needed) comic relief, but this adaptation is fractured, messy and sleep-inducing. SORRY. P.S. Bonus points for set design, costumes, yadda, yadd...

I have finally seen Django Unchained and am open for discussion. First impressions: Looking at it through the lens of the Tarantino "Revenge" triptych (Kill Bills, Inglorious and Django) it does not feel as technically crafted as its predecessors. Yes, it's a "Spaghetti Western" and Tarantino has a fanatic devotion to his genre tropes. Yet... "Inglorious" feels like a full-bore WWII film (albe it one with darkly comical flourishes). "Kill Bill 1/2" is a pastiche of Kurasowa/Wuxia flicks with Blaxploitation and even Old West undertones... Stylized, but QT's craftsmanship is evident. "Django" suffers from QT's choice to frame it in the kitschy "Spaghetti" universe. To be certain, there were awesome performances. However, they are unbalanced by the more broad antics of the many supporting players. DiCaprio was amazing as the despicable Candie. Foxx had some really strong sequences too, though Django's meandering a...

Remember the Rankin Bass animated version of the Hobbit? Unexpected Journey is about the same... with slightly fewer songs. Ya know, I don't remember the story being so "Gandalf Ex Machina" but he LITERALLY leaves the group only to return exactly when they need him the most. Trolls (he brings the sunlight); Goblin King (he busts up their captors); Orc King (here come the eagles...) I could und erstand if he was tricking off with Galadriel, but there doesn't seem to be any rationale (other than to create false dramatic tension) for him to keep dipping out. Stay with the dwarves, Gandy! It's clear they don't have a chance without you. Also, H:UJ feels a LOT more CGI than the LOTR flicks. Most of the close-up goblins and orcs were practical effects in LOTR. Here, you have a LOT more talking characters as CGI creations... the aforementioned trolls are CGI, King Orc (and sub orcs), CGI; all the goblins, including the over-blubbery king (similar to the fat Gungan in...