AltWeeklies Wire
Inconvenient Truths Abound in Eco-Docs 'The Age of Stupid' and 'No Impact Man'new
So then, do the canvas bags, travel mugs, energy-saving appliances, clotheslines, CSA memberships, cycling, recycling, composting, and other ecologically minded efforts of a smattering of well-intentioned individuals matter at all? Or matter enough?
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Lynn Rapoport |
09-16-2009 |
Movies
The Withdrawn Narration of 'Liverpool' Moves With the Stealth Purpose of a Folk Talenew
Liverpool may belong to the slow club of cinema -- long takes, downcast eyes, and monumental landscapes -- but the friction between its patient formalism and wild terrain is anything but staid.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Max Goldberg |
09-16-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Lisandro Alonso, Liverpool
Why is Modest Mouse Frontman Isaac Brock Starting from Scratch With Obscure Portland Bands?new

Brock, 34, acknowledges that his new role as an indie label kingpin is a departure, though he's quick to add that he's always been interested in the business side of music.
Willamette Week |
Casey Jarman |
09-16-2009 |
Music
Despite Shoegaze Sound and Forlorn Name, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are a Joy to the Earsnew
Stifle your groans and suppress that grimace. Sure, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart may be the most emo-ish band name in history. And, yeah, their Belle & Sebastian-esque cover art and cutesy band members are as twee as kittens sliding down rainbows. So, what does that make them -- tweemo? Thankfully, no.
San Diego CityBeat |
AnnaMaria Stephens |
09-16-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Giants Diehard Learns About the Painful Side of Sports in 'Big Fan'new
In Big Fan, Robert Siegel takes another long, hard look at the painful side of sports, much as he did in his screenplay for The Wrestler, the movie that gave Mickey Rourke his career back. But Big Fan really isn't a sports film.
San Diego CityBeat |
Anders Wright |
09-16-2009 |
Reviews
Bedbugs Attack: Bloodsuckers Have Become Public Health Problem in San Francisconew

Bedbugs are back and they're eating San Francisco alive, sticking their blood-hungry proboscises in transient gutter punks, international travelers, homeless people, doctors, lawyers, and yes ... maybe even you.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
John Eastland |
09-16-2009 |
Science
Some San Diego TV Stations Sell Content to Advertisersnew
As the numbers at the bottom of financial statements go from black to red, there's been increasing pressure on editorial departments in print, television and radio to blur the line between journalism and advertising. The key to remaining on the right side of ethics and the law is identifying the type of content.
San Diego CityBeat |
Eric Wolff |
09-16-2009 |
Media
We Come to Praise Burgundy's Other White Grapenew
Seldom in a starring role, Aligoté is more often found as a component of Crémant de Bourgogne or in the ubiquitous French cocktail, kir, which is one part cassis and deux parts Aligoté. However, leading a quiet Aligoté revolution in his village of Bouzeron in southern Burgundy is Aubert de Villaine.
C-Ville Weekly |
Megan Headley |
09-16-2009 |
Food+Drink
Whitney Houston's New Album is Almost Absurdly Gimmick-Freenew
I Look to You sounds out of time, and if one didn't know better, one might suspect it was released a decade or two ago. But the timeless approach works. There's something extremely refreshing about a performer who refuses to kowtow to whatever they're calling the newest generation of brats.
The Clash Between the Black Panthers and the Santa Ana Police, 40 Years Laternew

"I think people want to forget this," former Orange County Black Panther head Daniel Lynem says. "If they could wipe it from the history books, they would. And for the most part, they have."
Diagnosing and Treating Autism is Especially Difficult for Immigrant Familiesnew

Learning how to navigate the bureaucratic world of disability services and special education in Arizona is enough to drive a parent mad. Add the extra obstacles that lower-income, Spanish-speaking immigrant families face, and you've got a "heartbreaking" situation.
Phoenix New Times |
Malia Politzer |
09-15-2009 |
Science
Furry Fandom: Art, Community and a Second Skin to Feel Comfortable Innew
It's difficult to pin down exactly when "furry" emerged as a genre. In Western culture, nonhuman characters have been popular since the days of Aesop's Fables, which date back to Greek civilization before 500 BC. However, the furry fandom as a movement traces its start back to a science fiction convention in 1980.
Pasadena Weekly |
Claire Palermo |
09-15-2009 |
Culture
Robin Williams Turns in a Career-Best Performance in 'World's Greatest Dad'new
With Dad, Bobcat Goldthwait accomplishes several remarkable feats. He manages to take a detestable subject -- death by autoerotic asphyxiation -- and still deal with it in a way that won't drive people from the theater. He also pulls a stunning performance from Williams that easily ranks among the Oscar-winner's career best.
Pasadena Weekly |
Carl Kozlowski |
09-15-2009 |
Reviews
Like Herding Cats: A Report from the Hardcourt Bicycle Polo World Championshipnew
Bike polo itself isn't new, but it's just within the last 10 years or so that a new style, dubbed "hardcourt," has emerged, played on a hard surface instead of grass and using minimal, homemade equipment.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Isaiah Thompson |
09-15-2009 |
Sports