I still remember the day in 1984 when the Transformers cartoon premiered. Soon, a regular part of my weekday afternoon was watching the Autobots wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons. When my dad heard I was going to see the live-action Transformers film, he wanted to know if the people […]
Zack Smith
Link: http://zacksmithwriter.wordpress.comTwitter: http://twitter.com/thezacksmith
Posted inTheater
The Carolina Theatre closes for the summer, after Steven Wright amuses
If you live in Durham and wanted to see an independent film last week, you could have headed downtown to the Carolina Theatre to catch the acclaimed Away From Her or The Situation. This week, unless you’re willing to drive a bit farther, your options are likely limited to the Phoenix and a variety of […]
Posted inFilm & Television
Knocked Up; Mr. Brooks; Gracie
Judd Apatow is about to become a ubiquitous name in film comedy. After writing and directing 2005’s The 40-Year-Old Virgin and producing Will Ferrell’s Anchorman and Talladega Nights, the man now has scores of films he’s either writing, directing and/or producing coming soon. A recent L.A. Times profile dubbed him the “Mayor of Comedy.” It’s […]
Posted inArt
Area artist Michael Ryan teams up with Joss Whedon for Marvel’s Runaways #25
For Michael Ryan, Wednesday, April 4, is a big day. The Fuquay-Varina resident, who’s been illustrating comics professionally for a decade, is poised to get his biggest book yet with Runaways #25, which comes out from Marvel today. Written by cult TV creator Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly), who hand-picked Ryan for the […]
Posted inNews
N*gger Wetb*ck Ch*nk: The Race Show
Steven T. Seagle writes in many colors. He’s done comics, ranging from mainstream superheroes such as Superman and Batman to “Mature Readers” books such as his current series, DC/Vertigo’s American Virgin. As part of the collective Man of Action, he helped develop the hit Cartoon Network animated series Ben 10, which has spawned a wave […]
Posted inNews
Jonathan Lethem
Jonathan Lethem published a story in The New Yorker and also announced that he’s giving away the film rights to his latest noveland that was just last week. In the February issue of Harper’s, the 2005 MacArthur “genius grant” recipient penned an essay on “cryptomnesia” or unconscious plagiarism. Last September, he interviewed Bob Dylan for […]
Posted inArt
Understanding comics in North Carolina
Download “Understanding comics in North Carolina” PDF, 758 KB PDF, 2.8 MB Text by Zack Smith | Art by J.P. Trostle
Posted inFilm & Television
Will Peter O’Toole get a real Oscar this time?
Peter O’Toole has campaigned mightily for an Oscar win for Venus, and why shouldn’t he? It’s not just that it’s his eighth nomination (not counting his honorary Oscar from 2003, which he accepted with no small amount of discomfort), or that he’s now 74, more than four decades since his first nomination for Lawrence of […]
Posted inFilm & Television
Flicker Festival’s spring season begins
Flicker Festival Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro Wednesday, Jan. 31, doors 8 p.m., screenings 8:30 p.m. Admission: $3 Info: www.flickerfestival.com Over the past few years, the face of short films has changed dramatically. For one thing, the Internet has made it easier to watch them. When the Oscar nominations were announced last week, most of the nominees […]
Posted inFilm & Television
High school horrors
The world of Sid Davis is one where even the slightest infraction can result in injury, imprisonment or death. Davis, who passed away last October, was the dark god of educational cinema, producing countless modern-day fairy tales warning children of strangers, shoplifting, drug abuse, homosexuality and even running with scissors, with his daughter as the […]
