Titania and A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Even though it's only May, summer weather made its first appearance of the year last week in my part of the world. Hotter days and warm and muggy nights have made my mind wander to the impending arrival of summer. I'm a autumnal fanatic, a fall freak, if you will, but there's certainly a charming … Continue reading Titania and A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Bad Girls We Love: Selina Kyle/Catwoman from Batman Returns

Michelle Pfeiffer's performance in Tim Burton's deliciously twisted-Christmas-gothic-phantasmagoria Batman Returns (1992) is the best comic book movie performance of all time. This is not just my opinion; it's a fact, so let's not argue, okay? It's an astonishing piece of film acting, the kind that transcends mere performance and instead reaches a cosmic level of … Continue reading Bad Girls We Love: Selina Kyle/Catwoman from Batman Returns

The Good Stuff

Three years ago at the TriBeCa Film Festival, journalist Jesse Kornbluth moderated a panel on Scarface’s 35th anniversary. There, on stage, sat the world's most fabulous actress, a true artist who's crafted an extraordinary career, ostensibly ready to discuss her breakout role as Elvira Hancock in the seminal 1983 film.It was in this venue, in … Continue reading The Good Stuff

From the Vault: Kelly Bundy and the Alternative Family Ideal

This was originally published at my old site four years ago. I've revised it a bit to share here because of actress Christina Applegate's recent disclosure that she has multiple sclerosis. Applegate holds a special place in my heart and has since I was roughly 12 years old, thanks to her funny and sexy performance … Continue reading From the Vault: Kelly Bundy and the Alternative Family Ideal