Saturday, May 19, 2012
Funnyman Sasha Baron Cohen is at it again, this time as a flashy, offensive Middle Eastern dictator who comes to the U.S.
From the guy who brought us Ali G and Borat comes a new character named General Aladeen -- a ruthless dictator from a fictional country in North Africa who is part buffoon, horn dog and ruthless bloodthirsty ruler in "The Dictator." Through a ridiculous set of circumstances, that I will spare you the details because they are so contrived, Aladeen ends up in New York while his even sillier double is in charge of his country. There are plenty of cameo appearances from big stars to keep things interesting. As for the element of political satire we get a pretty heavy-handed lecture that borders on being a bit corny. The Dictator, like so many other characters by Cohen, is offensive but somehow there is a certain likeability to him. "The …
Saturday, May 5, 2012
A superhero all-star movie featuring Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and the Hulk makes a smash in theaters this weekend.
The summer movie season starts early, and this could be the biggest movie of the year. It is one of the most entertaining comic book blockbusters ever made -- Marvel's "The Avengers." Robert Downey Jr. is Iron Man; Captain America is Chris Evans; Thor is Chris Hemsworth, and The Hulk is Mark Ruffalo. The team is assembled thanks to Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury character. They need to stop a diabolical bad guy who, you guessed it, wants to rule the world. But they spend nearly as much time battling each other as they do battling evil. What's great about this film is the sense of humor it has without disrespecting the characters or the fans who have been waiting forever for this superhero mash-up. All the main characters get plenty of …
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Enjoy wine tastings, beer festivals and other fine events.
From the huge Atlanta Food and Wine Festival to Cinco de Mayo parties and the American Craft Beer Week fests in East Atlanta and Dunwoody, May is offering up an array of wine, food, beer and spirits tastings and dinners welcoming the summer months ahead. Other choices include the Smyrna Wine Stroll, the Blues, Brews and BBQ in Piedmont Park, a beer breakfast in Decatur, “Eats and Beats” in Buckhead, and two outdoor arts events in Duluth and Dunwoody, just to point out a few. May 4-6 – Duluth’s “Barefoot in the Park” Fine Arts Market kicks-off at 7 p.m. Friday in the Town Green with the gala “Carnevale,” a festival in the Italian tradition offering food from local restaurants accompanied by wines and beer. There is a $60 admission charge …
Have the recent teen car accidents in Norcross made you extra cautious?
This past week, the Norcross area saw two teen car accidents that have been disastrous to those involved. On Wednesday, April 25, Norcross High student Alex Mora was injured in a car-surfing accident off Beaver Ruin Road. The car overturned at one point and crushed Mora, causing him to be in a medically induced coma, according to police. And last Sunday, Meadowcreek High student Johlonda Lindsey died in a car wreck while going to an after-prom party with some friends. Four other students were injured, and the police report indicates speed as a factor in the collision. Lindsey and Mora were not the ones behind the wheel, but the drivers, who were also students, have been arrested for multiple charges. Teen driving has always been a deeply …
Saturday, April 28, 2012
A ship full of bumbling Pirates take us on a 3D Claymation animation trip worth the voyage.
A below average pirate captain (voiced by Hugh Grant) seeks to win the elusive "Pirate of the Year" award, but faces some strong competition in "The Pirates! Band of Misfits." From the folks who brought us Wallace and Gromit, the story is feather-light but strong enough to introduce the characters and establish their conflicts, which are pretty predictable. It's more of a comedy than an adventure, appealing to both children and adults. Such a film should be a crowd pleaser at the box office. Audiences love pirate movies. Toss in some quirky characters -- like a twisted Queen Victoria and Charles Darwin -- and you have an evolutionary success. The film is an enjoyable 90 minutes. The voice casting was mostly on merit and not on stunt …
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Teen heartthrob Zac Efron breaks out in his first real adult role as a war veteran who has come home looking for love in a romantic melodrama that is worth the price of admission.
Zac Efron plays Logan, an Afghanistan war veteran on his third tour, who comes across a picture of a woman who inspires him to search for her, stateside, in "The Lucky One." His search lands him at a kennel in Louisiana owned by Beth (Taylor Schilling) and her grandmother, Ellie (Blythe Danner). He gets a job there and, over a period of time, settles in, still not telling anyone his real reason for being there. As you might imagine, sparks start to fly. "The Lucky One" is a Nicholas Sparks movie. He's good at this kind of thing, writing books that turned into movies like "Message in a Bottle," "Nights in Rodanthe" and "The Notebook." This film, in my opinion, is one of his better stories. And, with an attractive young cast, it should be …
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Break out the pie, the American Pie, that is. Its been nearly a decade since we last heard from the crew that made amorous behavior toward pastries so popular. Now they are back for the reunion.
The kids are back, rediscovering their youth, now in their thirties in "American Reunion." This is the fourth installment of the "American Pie" franchise, featuring pastry lover Jim (Jason Biggs), nice guy Oz (Chris Klein), and party animal Stifler (Seann William Scott). Each character is dealing with some sort of midlife crisis and relationship problem that builds up to an actually funny comedic payoff in the end. The supporting cast of secondary characters helps this film bring humor to sexless marriages, rehashed high school flings and dead-end careers … or, as I like to say, comic gold. This may be the best film in the series since the original, which came out back in 1999. Serving as a reminder of lost youth, many of these characters …
Celebrate wine, champagnes, whiskey and beer along with spring.
From the Parti Gras in Mableton to beer festivals in Athens and Atlanta; a UGA Bulldog party, a French Champagne tasting to an Irish Pub’s whiskey tasting; April festivities are stacking up to offer a diverse selection of events -- everything from a beer-filled “dunk” tank to a Champagne dessert reception in Marietta commemorating a Civil War incident. April 7. The Beechwood Inn in Clayton plans an Easter Eve Dinner along with its free “Daily Wine Thirty” tasting. From 6:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday, guests can sample Beechwood’s own specially labeled wines. Beginning at 7 p.m., a special reservations only multi-course meal is offered pairing its gourmet foods and wines. Featured wines include Beechwood’s Viognier, a French Chateau Mourgues Du …
Friday, April 6, 2012
From Baptists to Methodists to Presbyterians, all denominations used to gather in one building to practice Christianity in Norcross.
Norcross churches mark Palm Sunday by handing out frons or crosses shaped from the significant leaf. Presbyterian, Baptist and Methodist congregations all celebrate the approach of Easter separately in their own buildings in their own ways. This was not the case when Norcross first established itself in the 1870s. Yes, the bible-based flow of Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday was in place then as most of the early citizens were baptized in the creeks and ponds of the area, but all denominations gathered together in one building. On the street now named Sunset, a small wooden multipurpose structure functioned as the school house Monday through Friday (and only when children were not needed for farm …
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Lionheart Theatre Company
10 College St, Norcross, GA
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Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The annual quest for the "Green Jacket" begins on Thursday as the world's best golfers head to Augusta for their chance at golf's ultimate prize.
On Easter Sunday afternoon, golf fans world wide will have their collective eyes glued to the television set to find out which golfer has managed to keep his nerves in check and game from going south during the final round of the 76th Masters Tournament. Played at the famed Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., it is the ultimate dream of every golfer, professional or amateur, to don the Green Jacket after sinking the final putt for the win. There is a lot of money wagered on this four-day match, forget the ultimate prize is nothing more than a rather garish green jacket (oh, and probably $1 million + in prize money). It is the prestige of winning a Masters Championship. So who will win? Bets are favoring Tiger Woods, who finally …
Sarah Bakhtiari
9:59 am on Monday, May 7, 2012
It should be less crowded then, and better seat options would be available. I like the way you think, dj! more ›