http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/ en-us Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:49:23 -0500 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:49:23 -0500 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss dukecms 5 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/the-twilight-saga-new-moon-review/ Girl meets 100-year-old emo vampire. Girl meets pre-pubescent shirtless werewolf. Sparks, fangs and hairballs fly. WTF! (Or is it LOL?) Who the hell invited Jezebel to the Monster Mash!? By the 120-minute mark of “The Twilight Saga: new Moon,” I’m half expecting there to be a lover’s quarrel-turned-nightmare three-way. But then I remember, “Twilight” is made for angst-ridden teen sensibilities. And those sensibilities are filtered through a PG-13 spaghetti strainer that makes awkward adolescent lust look like puppy love. It’s Shakespeare on training wheels made for future Lifetime viewers. Of course, “Twilight” the fad-turned-phenomenon says I’m wrong. According to bookshelf ... Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:36:55 -0500 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/the-twilight-saga-new-moon-review/#2478 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/positive-positivity/ A few things are compelling me to inject some Botox verbiage into this “Broad & Boulevard” column. First, there is the reader backlash. Admittedly, I have been a bit cynical in my last few locally-focused dispatches. And if the readers prefer a veneer of optimism, then consider me your in-network dentist of the soul. Mind you, this is not "Chicken Soup for the Soul.” Chicken soup is actually quite high in sodium, and has a better chance of causing a heart attack in a loved one than providing soft motivational reassurance in a $7.99 paperback. Second, I’ve been reading John ... Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:23:38 -0500 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/positive-positivity/#2454 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/the-damn-united-review/ “The Damned United” has a far better chance of turning American blokes onto soccer, errr, football than David Beckham’s frosted tips. The bio-epic of sorts follows prolific soccer manager Brian Clough, a smug, self-absorbed Type A who somehow retains an ounce of likeability. My fellow Americans, imagine Michael Scott meets Bobby Knight. The outspoken manager and former star footballer for the British national team had a knack for turning around small clubs used to losing in the ‘70s through the ‘90s, like Derby County and Nottingham Forest. He turned both squads from anonymous bottom dwellers tino ticker-tape-clad champions Despite Clough’s ... Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:03:28 -0500 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/the-damn-united-review/#2395 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/2012-review/ I can’t believe I’m saying this, but “2012” filmmakers should have hired Michael Bay as an “artistic” consultant. Yes, the same Michael Bay who made “Transformers” and “Pearl Harbor.” “2012” would have been a better and more original movie if the climatic confrontation featured John Cusack’s character heroically holding up a boom box in the face of surly seismic booms and cataclysmic tsunamis. And when an Aerosmith cover of “In Your Eyes” played, Mother Nature would shed a tear and give up on her apocalyptic master plan. Doves would fly, bad actors would awkwardly hug and writer/director Roland Emmerich would live ... Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:05:59 -0500 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/2012-review/#2367 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/richmond-media-war-games/ Sure, the media scene in Richmond is shrinking faster than your lactose-intolerant grandma. But it’s still fun to play this game: Pick a popular Richmond story, follow it in every publication, and spot the differences. See how quickly addicting it gets. Since not all of you have the same amount of spare time as me, let me paint you a picture… Here is our fictional news lead: Local tattoo artist Art Hall rescued a 6-month-old girl from a burning Fan row house early Sunday morning. The house was abandoned, and authorities are actively investigating the identity of the baby, who’s ... Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:20:39 -0500 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/richmond-media-war-games/#2346 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/the-box-review/ Lightning-in-a-bottle writer and director Richard Kelly has a lightning rod of a movie in “The Box.” The dude behind “Donnie Darko” and kid from Richmond's South Side has crafted the kind of movie that will have some diggin’ its trippy cosmic karma, and others trashing its gimmick gone wild. The TV trailer for “The Box” told us this movie was a straight-forward story about a pretty young couple from Richmond that gets a visit from a man with half a face. He hands them a box with a button. If they push it, they get a million bucks and some poor ... Mon, 9 Nov 2009 11:21:32 -0500 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/the-box-review/#2315 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/coco-before-chanel-review/ Period bio-epics about strong women breaking through ceilings of glass and chauvinism are becoming so popular that we’re going to run out of heroines soon. Earlier in the year we had Julia Childs, two weeks ago we has Amelia Earhart, and this week we have Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. Who’s next? Rachel Ray and her journey to invent edible crayons? Hannah Montana’s battle against Dissociative Identity Disorder? I’m not slighting Chanel, the haute couture and cosmetics queen remembered more as a brand than a person. “Coco Before Chanel” (or “Coco avent Chanel”) is a poignant effort to put a face on the ... Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:45:30 -0500 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/coco-before-chanel-review/#2283 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/loser-talk/ Congratulations, Mr. Deeds. Way to go, lady lieutenant governor. And good for you, girl name wannabe attorney general. State Democrats Creigh Deeds, Jody Wagner and Steve Shannon might think I’m being sarcastic or having a little fun with them on what's likely a bummer of a morning. But I’m not. In fact, last night’s landslide election losers couldn’t have picked a better time to be such huge, huge losers. Suddenly, losing an election has become the equivalent of spying Heidi or Tyra wearing a pair of fourth place ribbons around their ears at a New York Fashion week ultra-lounge party. It’s ... Wed, 4 Nov 2009 07:08:28 -0500 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/11/loser-talk/#2270 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/this-is-it-review/ There are two ways to look at Michael Jackson’s big screen B-roll dirge, “This is It.” One, it’s a fitting and touching documentary tribute to the late pop icon that hints of what could possibly have been the greatest live stage performance ever. Or two, the movie is only slightly classier than stringing up Jacko’s corpse by its wig and making him perform a post-mortem marionette moonwalk. I guess I’m caught somewhere in the middle. I was captivated by the unique perspective “This is It” gives viewers, a raw inside peek at frenetic rehearsals in anticipation of Michael Jackson’s 50-show ... Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:02:19 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/this-is-it-review/#1948 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/healthcare-reform-the-small-picture/ A slow drive down the Boulevard and Broad corridor will give you some interesting insights into Richmond’s uninsured population. Start at the Greyhound station and head south past Discount Medical Supply, a emporium boasting bizarre storefront specials, including cut-rate wheel chairs, CPAP machines and grosses of adult diapers. Continue down to Broad and the GRTC bus stop flanking the fire escape to my old West Grace Street flophouse. This is where my roomie and I met the self-proclaimed “Hop-a-long Cassidy,” an engaging, always-smiling amputee who crutched around the back alleys. The closest he would get to affording a prosthetic was ... Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:26:58 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/healthcare-reform-the-small-picture/#1888 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/amelia-movie-review/ When art imitates life, like in a big screen bio-epic, sometimes the translation goes so poorly that we feel like we’re trapped in a bad museum souvenir shop for two hours. Take the characters in “Amelia,” who look and sound more like animatronic figures at the Air & Space Museum than real-life history makers. Every sanitized, faux-jolly line of script is spoken like it’s from a decades-old toothpaste commercial. The story is less enthralling the actual 1930s news clippings that we don’t get to see until the end. And even then, you don’t even get the chance to buy some ... Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:17:37 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/amelia-movie-review/#1873 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/trend-cops/ You don’t want to be the one person still showing off your Swatch, drinking Red Bull & Vodka and chilling at Have a Nice Day Cafe in 2009, unless you’re Marty McFly and your time-travelling DeLorean is double-parked on the curb. Sure, it’s possible that as time passes, these fads will grow popular again, kind of like Sunny D or trucker hats. But with your social status already tenuous, and your ALF lunchbox not getting the response from your co-workers you had hoped for, you need to look to the pros to prognosticate your hipness. Richmond is a fickle pop ... Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:37:35 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/trend-cops/#1841 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/scary-math-paranormal-activity-grows-in-richmond/ I won’t be the 1,000th critic to compare the homegrown reality-horror-that-could to “Blair Witch.” That’s because it appears that the new guerilla-marketed, bare-bones budgeted, ghost-in-the-camcorder movie might well destroy $140 million domestic bank that the lost in the woods posse drummed up back in 1999. “Paranormal Activity” has already grossed $35 million – and it’s in fewer  than 800 theaters – a screening ceiling it just hit in its fourth week of release. Last weekend the flick averaged $25K per theater. To give you an idea of how big this is, No. 1 movie “Where the Wild Things Are” made ... Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:24:02 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/scary-math-paranormal-activity-grows-in-richmond/#1871 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/top-flicks-of-09-paranormal-activity-outbreak-in-/ With awards seasons just months away, it’s time for every annoying movie blogger to start prognosticating. And why should I be any different? Well, I’ll be different by including lots of buttery popcorn movies in my in-progress Top 10, and naming a Ben Affleck flick as my No. 1. I love you, Ben.  Top 10 Movies of 2009 (So far…)10. “Adventureland:” Awkward and angst-ridden young actor Jesse Eisenberg makes the list twice for his performance as a fumbling lothario / themepark flunkie here and as a zombie killer (See No. 3)9. “Observe & Report:” It’s sad that sappy, prat-falling “Paul Blart” ... Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:55:17 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/top-flicks-of-09-paranormal-activity-outbreak-in-/#1865 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/where-the-wild-things-are-review/ Sure, “Where the Wild Things Are” is darker than Dracula’s sunset cup of Joe. And it may have a smaller potential audience than "Lamaze'ing with the Stars."But I don’t care. Weirdo filmmaker Spike Jonze’s adaptation of weirdo author Maurice Sendak’s 10-sentence children’s book just works. “Where the Wild Things Are” still embodies the simplicity and magic of a children’s book, but its potential layers and metaphors poised for over-interpretation are many… Boys will be boys. People are petty and ridiculous, and the way to break the empathy clouding our righteous judgment of their shenanigans is to dress them up like ... Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:22:33 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/where-the-wild-things-are-review/#1793 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/tv-news-round-up/ With new series well under way – and the super-promising “Community” and “Flash Forward” still barely simmering at OK, I figured it was time for an exciting TV news tidbit blog. Think of it as the same information you can get from People magazine, plus snarky commentary, factual mishaps and a possible libel lawsuit from Tyra Banks. For richer, for dumberer “The Soup’s” Joel McHale has fun with a lot of celebrities, but there is no one he smashes on more of a consistent basis than Tyra Banks, whose “America’s Top Model” and self-indulgent talk show put her at the ... Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:38:00 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/tv-news-round-up/#1763 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/david-me-a-magical-journey/ When I was a wee lad, my family traveled to Rochester, NY’s Auditorium Theatre to watch magical superstar David Copperfield get to third base with his pulsating assistants live on stage, cut them in half, and then bring them back to life in one piece for one last dip into ecstasy. I remember waiting in line to get his autographed picture. And every time I attended sleepovers with neighborhood buds, I stood the glossy photo up by the TV as a magical good luck talisman as we attempted to dial in the Playboy channel illegally. (It worked twice, but I ... Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:15:10 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/david-me-a-magical-journey/#1727 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/couples-retreat-review/ “Couple’s Retreat” is the kind of movie you watch on a plane on the way to vacation – after you finish browsing the SkyMall catalog twice and buy a talking dog leash. And unless you’re going to Gary, Indiana for a gout conference or cat fashion show, your soiree will be immensely more entertaining than this A-list cast’s vapid romp. “Couple’s Retreat” isn’t as bad as everyone is saying. It’s just that when you have big names and you’ve been forcing a movie trailer down everyone’s throats the past six month like a spoon full of Gerber carrot mush, well, you build ... Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:32:03 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/couples-retreat-review/#1706 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/boob-tube-round-up/ Last week in TV, something amazing happened. “NCIS” finished first in the ratings. Yes, this is the same show that stars that guy from “Summer School” (Mark Harmon). And its spin-off, “NCIS: Los Angeles,” starring L.L. Cool J and Chris O’Donnell, finished second.I have never known or met anyone who watches “NCIS.” Wait, that’s a lie. I once had a buddy studying to be a priest at divinity school, and all his teachers gathered ‘round the activity room to watch the guy from “Summer School” save the Navy from villains every week. That is not a lie. Who is watching ... Thu, 8 Oct 2009 13:46:41 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/boob-tube-round-up/#1685 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/playing-dress-up/ It seems every year in the beginning of October, I’m prowling around costume shops and junior high school cafeterias trying to figure out what this year’s “it” Halloween costumes will be. And no, no one thought my “To Catch a Predator” Chris Hanson costume was funny or appropriate, even though I had the pitcher of lemonade, stale cookies, video camera and filthy online chat transcripts. I’m just trying to be a good sport. And it was a good costume! But now I need to find a new place to get $1 pizza every Friday.Anyways, whether you’re looking to show some ... Tue, 6 Oct 2009 15:15:01 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/playing-dress-up/#1661 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/the-invention-of-lying-review/ You look really good in those stirrup pants. This turkey meatloaf is delicious. And no, I don’t think it’s weird for a 30-year-old straight man to be pen pals with a cruise ship Donny Osmond impersonator. Without white lies, half-truths and lofty omissions, where would we be? Probably sweating, stalling and stammering, “Hummana, hummana…” Actually, we’d be living in the alternative universe in “The Invention of Lying,” the new subversive chick flick starring, directed and written by British comic Ricky Gervais. “The Invention of Lying” is a high-concept romantic comedy that suddenly becomes much more once homely schlep Mark Bellison ... Sat, 3 Oct 2009 10:43:34 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/the-invention-of-lying-review/#1642 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/zombieland-review/ Usually, a “pleasant surprise” involves some unexpected ballet tickets or a cheapskate friend finally grabbing the happy hour tab. Apparently, it can also involve projectile black bile vomit, heads popping like pumpkins after getting M-80s dropped on them from mischievous boys, and rotting flesh-ribbed compound fractures acting as gnarly kickstands. Yes, I was pleasantly surprised by “Zombieland.” Heck, I laughed so hard I almost spewed black bile projectile vomit. And if you can’t stomach these first few paragraphs, it’s unlikely you’ll make it through “Zombieland’s” 89 minutes without finding a theater patron with a UVA football hat that can double ... Fri, 2 Oct 2009 09:25:46 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/10/zombieland-review/#1629 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/fair-thee-swell/ Forty minutes after arriving at the State Fair of Virginia's Meadow Event Park on Sunday afternoon, I was finally walking through the gate…muddy, sweaty, dazed and confused. Now I know how the livestock feels after getting transported via an ’83 two-tone pickup with no suspension and bad brakes, from a spacious field in Blacksburg to a 5’ x 5’ patch of hay under a sweltering tent. But I didn’t even have a blue ribbon, to boot. City slickers beware: Don’t go to the fair’s new digs in Caroline County without 4WD, or with flip flops. Of course, country folk probably already know ... Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:36:41 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/fair-thee-swell/#1571 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/fall-tv-fact-or-fiction/ Let’s put to rest some truths, half-truths and total lies percolating from the boob tube as the new season of fall TV gets underway… The sitcom is dead…FICTION. I have no problem with sitcom families comprising dumb and dumpy husbands with sharp-tongued wives and kids who do the craaaaziest things. When they’re funny, that is. But the sitcom family has overflowed a casserole dish full of steamin’ and stinky clichés on the primetime small screen with rare exception. “Modern Family” is one such exception. It’s “Married with Children” meets “Arrested Development” – quirky, honest and it features Ed O’Neil, aka, ... Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:51:38 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/fall-tv-fact-or-fiction/#1524 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/rejected-richmondcom-columns/ At Richmond.com, we've always strived to deliver enlightened news and entertainment that's truly reflective of our eclectic community.But we learned long ago, after years of denial and therapy, that we can't always be perfect. For every spot-on photo gallery and prize-winning state fair feature, we're bound to have a New Coke, a Michael Richards-starring sitcom other than "Seinfeld" and a Pontiac Aztec. In other words, utter bombs and failures. We invite you to ride shotgun as we do some post-mortem on the skeletons in our closet. These are all columns we once believed in, but we ultimately had to hang out to ... Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:14:02 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/rejected-richmondcom-columns/#1510 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/the-informant-review/ “The Informant!” isn’t just funny because it’s (mostly) true. It’s funny because Director Steven Soderbergh – the guy who brought us the Ocean’s trilogy – decided that instead of making another version of “The Insider,” he’d play up the schlep factor. And Mark Whitacre is a total schlep. Not only does Matt Damon channel schlepiness with a real-life fat suit, a bad mustache and ties that look like there were cut from Vegas carpets, but he’s also a bumbling megalomaniac and ferocious fibber. “The Informant!” - based on the true best-selling book by Kurt Eichenwald - follows an ambitious Archer Daniels Midland VP ... Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:38:12 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/the-informant-review/#1463 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/it-might-get-loud-review/ Somehow we got two rockin’ documentaries about air guitar and even one about the electric car before we got a solid movie about the life of the electric guitar. Heck, I’m surprised we didn’t have a flick about “Guitar Hero” already crashing the big screen. “It Might get Loud” follows around three plucky, real-life guitar heroes from three different generations of music. Jack White (The White Stripes), The Edge (U2) and Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin). The trio meets up on a random stage in January of 2008, swapping stories of early influences, guitar experimentation and even how scary “Spinal Tap” is to ... Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:02:19 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/it-might-get-loud-review/#1439 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/late-nights-early-bird-special/ In the last sketch of Jay Leno’s second night at the 10 p.m. hour, the former Doritos pitch boy knocks on the doors of random suburbanite Dick and Janes, asking if they’ll be watching his show. With nearly 20 million viewers tuned in to the previous night’s premiere – four times the audience of his old “Tonight Show” gig – Jay can probably skip the door-to-door soliciting and focus on the writing. (And yes, they'll be watching.)Jay’s opening monologue was never biting, and watching his new slew of headline zingers was a bit more agonizing than usual. Maybe bad Joe ... Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:38:18 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/late-nights-early-bird-special/#1407 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/tall-tail-gating/ This weekend for me is like Christmas, that is, if Santa rocketed through college football stadium parking lots across the land in a sleigh fueled by propane, dropping bags of raw meat and lukewarm Natty Lights onto the adoring fans below. The North Pole would be a monster tight end hailing from Warsaw. And Mrs. Claus’ hot & tangy wing sauce recipe was available for all. This Saturday the University of Richmond Spiders open their national title defense against Hofstra, meaning that the gravel acres east of Carytown will be filled with grilling, awkward high fives, drinking and grill-side tall ... Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:36:04 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/tall-tail-gating/#1402 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/taking-centerstage/ In the time CenterStage took to finally open, tenors turned to baritones. Ballet dancers trained, hit their peak and retired. And a huge Richmond riverfront music hall opened, closed, and is opening again with a mechanical bull.Patience is a virtuoso.The first meeting of Richmond CenterStage’s planners was on Sept. 11, 2001. And at one point or another over the past eight years and $73 million spent, the proposed expansion and face lift of the Carpenter Theatre was up in the air, down-sized, left out and dead to rights. That’s what made Saturday night oh-so-sweet for Richmond’s performing arts community, from performing ... Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:00:31 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/taking-centerstage/#1399 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/tramps-vamps-comedy-champs/ By not starring in the CW’s reloaded “Melrose Place,” Heather Locklear has either made the best or worst decision of her life. (This is actually the second time she’s been in that pickle, with her cameo in “Wayne’s World 2” as the other. Hopefully this turns out better.) Yes, the ‘90s trash TV comeback led by “90210” has been seconded by “Melrose Place,” the original version of which began in 1993 and aired for seven seasons. It was known for cat fights, love quadrilaterals and a pool that couldn’t even be disinfected by Jesus’ tears. The pilot, which aired Tuesday, ... Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:17:28 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/tramps-vamps-comedy-champs/#1396 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/9-review/ Who the heck was this post-apocalyptic rock’em sock theater made for? Not kids, not adults, not even really stupid adults. I haven’t seen something with less of an audience since Cameron Diaz was on “Inside the Actor’s Studio.” “9” is a fine piece of animation brought to life through a blah story. And those jaw-dropping moving pictures simply aren’t enough to overcome shoddy storytelling and lackluster pacing. The movie is 79 minutes, but somehow still drags with perfunctory dialogue and characters with less personality than that Hamburger Helper talking oven mitt. "9"  introduces us to a society in ruins. Sometime in ... Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:01:50 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/9-review/#1392 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/class-schedule-20/ It’s time for local students to dust off their Robot Chicken lunch boxes, grab their Swine Flu masks and get ready to pal around with Richie and Fonzie, Kevin Arnold and Winnie Cooper, Brenda and Dylan, Screech and Lisa Turtle, and Dawson and his stupid creek. School is back in session, and the curriculum is more outdated than my geriatric pop culture references. History texts on Pearl Harbor greatly differ from Michael Bay and Ben Affleck's stirring big-screen account, and the sex ed leaflets completely ignore Tila Tequila's heroic contributions to the subject. Here is a look at some new proposed course offerings for a ... Tue, 8 Sep 2009 13:37:23 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/class-schedule-20/#1383 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/extract-review/ “Extract” feels less like a movie, and more like a collection of small biz campfire stories you’ve heard from buddies at networking breakfasts, lounging at the El Paso Holiday Inn Express’ 10-gallon pool, and while commiserating over cold calls with a few cold ones during happy hour. Oh, and these aren’t light and fluffy tales of whimsy. These are hardcore horror stories about gigolos, drifters, testicular injuries and horse tranquilizer abuse. “Extract” is really the story of small business owner Joel Reynolds, played by Jason Bateman, who gets cold-cocked by a mid-life crisis. Joel is a demin-wearing, vanilla dude who ... Fri, 4 Sep 2009 17:49:28 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/extract-review/#1376 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/seinfeld-return-jumpin-on-sharks/ As the fall TV season begins to percolate, here’s a look at my new favorite show, and my old favorite show – the latter of which is making a Larry David-helmed comeback on HBO. Heat up your Hungry-Man, yank out the ottoman and get the TiVo ready...“Shark Tank” Yes, this is my new favorite TV show. Reality stud Mark Burnett’s latest effort is an entrepreneur-for-hire reality show that’s a half-breed of “The Apprentice” and “American Inventor.” Here wannabe wheelers and dealers pitch their products to a panel of finned fiends, and getting them to buy in is only half the ... Wed, 2 Sep 2009 14:13:22 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/seinfeld-return-jumpin-on-sharks/#1365 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/you-can-make-this-stuff-up/ Richmond, like any city, likes to iron its best shirt, puff its chest and talk about the rankings and accolades it collects from business magazines and random polls and surveys: 6th Best place in the Nation to Start Over; Most Mall Acreage Per Capita; Most Wedding Receptions held in a Shoney’s; and City with the Most Unintentionally Misspelled Vanity License Plates. It’s time we step up and accept the one label we’ve worked the hardest to earn: City with the Most Odd (and Usually Ironic) Semi-Tragedies. Let me explain: The sad headlines featuring Robin Starr and her poor pooch from this past ... Wed, 2 Sep 2009 10:00:50 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/09/you-can-make-this-stuff-up/#1358 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/taking-woodstock-review/ Imagine if “Star Wars” was told from the perspective of the guy who put in the plumbing on the Death Star. Or if “The Godfather” was told from the point of view of the Corleone’s tailor. That’s kinda the gimmick with “Taking Woodstock,” except Woodstock really happened. And its star, the son of immigrant Catskills moteliers, actually helped make Woodstock happen. Oh, he’s real, too. The character of Elliot Teichberg is based on the real-life person Elliot Tiber, who offered 500,000 hippies his folks’ couch to crash on and then wrote a book about the whole thing. This movie is ... Sat, 29 Aug 2009 13:56:45 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/taking-woodstock-review/#1354 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/paging-dr-john-stamos/ You know that cheesy cliché, “I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV?” Well, that genius line from an ‘80s Vicks Formula 44 commercial could be the magic bullet for solving this country’s healthcare reform debate. And who would you trust more to remove that magic bullet than a 14-year-old boy doctor with a love for video games and a stereotypical Italian buddy? We’re talking about you, Doogie Howser. There have been few head-scratching policy issue debates as fuzzy as healthcare reform. Part of me wonders if we can’t look at Hollywood for some inspiration. After all, we’ve ... Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:43:27 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/paging-dr-john-stamos/#1343 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/river-city-roast-jokes/ All it takes is a good roast to truly forget all the good deeds a person did, and be left with the unvarnished truth: He/she was a lousy, drunken, stealin’ son of a gun. Old school roasts starring Rat Pack members weren’t actually funny, but it was fun to watch Dean Martin & Co. chump cigars, pour Scotch down their gullets and watch an equally hammered audience laugh at the humorless spectacle. Now roasts have made a big-time comeback thanks to Comedy Central and willing D-list hacks of honor, like Bob Saget, Hugh Heffner and Joan Rivers. Basically, if the Olsen ... Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:18:20 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/river-city-roast-jokes/#1331 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/inglourious-basterds-review/ Good news: With “Inglourious Basterds” on the marquee, it’s going to be a bad weekend to be an anti-semite or white supremacist. In fact, if you’re a lover of Leni Riefenstahl film festivals or you ever prank-called Oskar Schindler’s grandson, you should probably pull down your blinds, stay away from movie theater parking lots and practice goose-stepping in your bomb shelter instead. Jerks.Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” is an ass-kicking genre bender – a revisionist history spaghetti western set in Nazi-occupied France that serves as a Jewish revenge fantasy. It has the typical Tarantino trademarks, including a chapter-by-chapter delivery, a sweet ... Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:41:40 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/inglourious-basterds-review/#1323 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/not-just-ladies-night/ Two of the dial's most popular reality shows are making big comebacks. And while "Dancing with the Stars" and "Project Runway" are usually best served with a cool glass of Pinot and some girlfriends, I'm not ashamed to raise my 40 oz. and fist-bump a bro while watching either estro-fest. Let's take a look at why... “Dancing with the Stars” Who woulda thought that an “American Idol” knock-off starring sequined D-list celebrities awkwardly foxtrottin’ across the stage would be one of the biggest shows on TV? I mean, the last time someone mildly famous counted steps aloud in front of ... Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:06:46 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/not-just-ladies-night/#1320 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/love-it-or-leave-it/ Good day, neighbor! The following rundown of the strengths and weakness of Greater Richmond’s signature neighborhoods and communities comes with several caveats. First off, I clearly can’t read a map, nor do I know the difference between a city, county or hamlet. (I'm saying there is some overlap in the localities - just deal.) Also, I know I’ve missed some communities, and encourage any residents who feel snubbed to submit the best and worst of your local ‘hood. And finally, for those who read this and scream, “Has this hack even been to [fill in the blank]???!!!” The answer is ... Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:09:47 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/love-it-or-leave-it/#1318 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/district-9-review/ Take a first-time unknown director, a first-time unknown actor, and throw them in a Johannesburg slum with a $30 million “blockbuster” budget – the same amount Bruce Willis spent on a personal goatee stylist and full-length mirrors during ‘90s big budget action shoots. Add it all up and you have the summer’s best movie. Yes, the best. Not just the most surprising, or the biggest sleeper, or the coolest sci-fi flick, or even the movie most likely to cause a stalker fan boy to stop rummaging through Jessica Alba’s trash for 112 minutes. “District 9” is the best movie of ... Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:20:02 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/district-9-review/#1310 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/king-of-the-80s/ John Hughes didn't crave the spotlight or the mic; by all accounts he was as socially awkward as his big screen dweeb creations. Heck, he had likely been tossed in a locker or given a swirlie in the high school crapper. Or maybe his butt cheeks were taped together, like Larry Lester in "The Breakfast Club."But Hughes was a genius, and boasted an uncanny understanding of the teenage heart, mind and soul.The late '80s filmmaker wrote, directed, produced and even made the occasional cameo in his movies (See if you can spot him running through cabs in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”) In ... Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:03:38 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/king-of-the-80s/#1298 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/budget-gourmet/ The Commonwealth had its garage sale, cashed in all its old lottery scratchers, rolled up the pennies in its pick-up truck ashtray and even tried to sell a kidney on Craigslist. And it still came up short of what it needs for the budget. As much as $1.5 billion short. No payday loan, creative cardboard panhandling sign, or rich, hoarding great aunt is gonna cover that bill. Looks like we’re going to have to make some cuts. Or are we … [Cue the mischievous laughter.] While state employees spend their infinite days off nervously wondering if they should call their ... Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:13:02 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/budget-gourmet/#1296 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/julie-julia-review/ Enough with the brash, British, bad boy chefs. Stop the pretentious foodie parlance – as well as the BAMs! And please, oh please, serve up Rachel Ray at a cannibal cruise midnight buffet. Cooking shows haven’t just jumped the shark – they’ve pan-seared its still-beating heart and served it as a $40 mini burger with a side of couscous at a SOHO fusion joint. This backlash helps “Julie & Julia,” the new movie about old school chef Julia Child and new school blogger Julie Powell ... well, helps half of it anyways. You probably know the story of Child, the American OSS ... Fri, 7 Aug 2009 10:37:20 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/julie-julia-review/#1287 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/tool-time/ On the first of two new episodes of “Jon & Kate Plus 8” airring Monday night, Kate took the kids to the Bald Head Island beach while Jon oversaw kitchen renovation. Both got to do their favorite thing! Mom got to admire her surgically sculpted beach bod. And dad got to hang out with tools; even though drill bits aren’t as much fun as palling around with new bud Michael Lohan. (Yes, Jon and Mr. Lohan are a couple!)The kids did stuff too, I think. Maybe. As someone who actually began watching “Jon & Kate Plus 8” when they were gracing the cover ... Tue, 4 Aug 2009 09:55:16 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/tool-time/#1282 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/worst-of-the-worst/ I just finished burning the “Best & Worst 2009” Richmond Magazine in my front yard, along with a cassingle of “Motown Philly” and a hardback copy of “Don’t Hassel the Hoff.” It was a multimedia pop culture pyre lit with the hope that the distracted muse behind each of these can find a better place, or at least get a ticket to wherever Patrick Swayze goes at the end of “Ghost.” Richmond Magazine isn’t a bad publication – I’m still making my way through the annual dental directory – and it's not the only one to do “Best & Worst” specials. ... Mon, 3 Aug 2009 13:42:53 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/worst-of-the-worst/#1278 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/funny-people-review/ “Funny People” is not “ha ha” funny. You won’t pee your pants, spit out Mr. Pibb or bust your gut. But you’ll smile, nod approvingly and occasionally chuckle – the same response your mom might give a “Cathy” comic. It doesn’t seem like the normal regimen of response to a Judd Apatow flick – after all, “Knocked Up” and the “40-Year-Old Virgin” had audiences LOL, and SOL if they didn’t bring extra undies. And these two movies were about regular people, while “Funny People” is about, well, supposed funny people. It’s odd, opposite but strangely makes sense. When you see ... Sat, 1 Aug 2009 11:54:45 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/08/funny-people-review/#1280 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/500-days-of-summer-review/ Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Boy takes girl to movie about cuter, hipper, happier couple whose love eventually fizzles like a 4th of July sparkler dipped in a Labor Day kiddie pool party. Sometimes love is a battlefield; but in “(500) Days of Summer” it’s a pillow fight in which the Posturepedic puffballs have more personality than the protagonists. Sure, Tom and Summer are a fun and flirty summer couple, but they’re also a couple of self-obsessed bores. Sorry...introductions...where are my manners? Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a 20-something greeting card writer who wears his emotions and angst on his sleeve. ... Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:45:27 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/500-days-of-summer-review/#1273 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/fall-tv-preview/ Sure, it’s not even August and the fall TV season doesn’t begin til September, but with TV reruns and the ebb of summer movie releases forcing us to spend more quality time together, it’s time to put away the board games and picnic basket, and start planning our fall TiVo strategy. • TV Listings • Summer TV • More Screen Scene After all, nothing brings mother and stepson together better than awkwardly sharing the ottoman while “Cougar Town” airs in HD.While I can’t write the whole thing about the scripted high school singing sensation “Glee” (Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on ... Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:20:14 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/fall-tv-preview/#1265 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/the-hurt-locker-review/ Let’s be honest, war movies as a genre have slipped behind sappy Scientology sci-fi flicks and movies based on board games. Movies like “Rendition” and “Home of the Brave” fell off the pop culture radar and box office tally sheet before they even got there. You probably haven’t even heard of them, right? But here comes “The Hurt Locker,” a modestly budgeted movie starring no one you know about a cowboy bomb diffuser made by the director of “Point Break.” Yes, the “Point Break” starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze. By the way, that director is a woman – Kathryn Bigelow ... Mon, 3 Aug 2009 11:43:19 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/the-hurt-locker-review/#1262 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/men-watching-men-in-tights/ There are few industries more recession proof than booze and bibles. When the going gets tough, the tough want to get going to an alternate reality, whether its heaven, hell or somewhere in between. On Tuesday night, a friend and I altered our recession-stained reality through an industry that definitely leans more toward booze than bibles – of course, unless the bible is being wielded as a weapon by a 350-pound failed collegiate tight end who keeps a razor blade hidden somewhere between the Books of Ezekial and Daniel. That's right, on Tuesday night we went to the Richmond Coliseum to see the ... Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:01:36 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/men-watching-men-in-tights/#1258 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/top-summer-movies-emmy-thoughts/ We didn't run any polls or tabulate any votes. This top 10 summer movie list includes only my personal views. But look at my picture for god's sake - it's right there. I've clearly wasted more of my life watching movies than you, even when the sun is out and the tide is low. Loads and loads of awful movies are the reason I look like Uncle Fester's annoying nephew. So just trust me on this one... 10. “Summer Rental” (1985) John Candy reminds us that renting an oceanfront dump brings you both lifelong memories and hepatitis. Also, you should solve all ... Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:39:45 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/top-summer-movies-emmy-thoughts/#1243 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince-review/ Someone needs to tell that man-boy wizard that sequels, like gallons of milk left on the equator, aren’t supposed to get better with age. Twinkies ain’t got nothing on the Hogwarts posse when longevity meets sheer satisfaction. Here we are at “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” the sixth book-turned-surefire blockbuster in eight years, and the entertainment value of the series continues to swell. If only these spoiled kids were around to see the second acts of "Ghostbusters" or "Caddyshack." Sure, “Half-Blood Prince” made us wait a few extra months. As the second to last in J.K. Rowlings’ series, it ... Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:27:50 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince-review/#1235 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/overkill-under-covered/ When Circuit City was finally tossed off the mechanical bull that is our free market economy, the Richmond media was there. And there. And there. Heck, I referenced the beleaguered consumer electronics giant in about half of my columns and blogs. And how many times did I write about the mercury levels in the James River fish population? Or the effect that driving on Shockoe Slip cobblestones has on male fertility? Ughm, pass? In every city and one stop-sign town, in every newspaper, basement-penned blog and local evening news production, reporters grab onto certain stories and ignore other meaty tales. It's no different ... Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:00:02 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/overkill-under-covered/#1232 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/bruno-review/ “Bruno” has enough gay heat to toast a Pop Tart in the Pope’s ass. Clad in sequin thongs, soaked in glitter and always accompanied by bad techno tracks, our title character is the stuff of Catholics’ nightmares. Dan Brown can finally step aside. Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest half-baked, half-faked documentary has a lot in common with the phallic sex toys that co-star with our flamboyant Austrian fashion show host: It’s simultaneously fake and shocking. (Oh, and don’t worry, there are plenty real schlong shots, too.) “Bruno” is also wildly entertaining, in case you’re wondering. But here’s the question you really want ... Sat, 11 Jul 2009 13:22:41 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/bruno-review/#1231 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/boo-tube/ Ever since Jerry Springer introduced his first KKK-member, cousin' lovin' guest eons ago, rabid TV fans have been shaking their fists at their 17-inch TVs and letting out gut-busting BOOOs! After a long day of work and a half-cooked Hungry Man dinner, it's fun to find villains on TV - and take out your anger on them. (Just don't head butt your flatscreen; new technology can't take blunt force trauma like the bulletproof sets from the days of yore.)Here are the summer TV stars getting booed ... some deservedly more so than others.1. “NYC Prep” Kids are so old these ... Wed, 8 Jul 2009 14:25:58 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/boo-tube/#1225 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/camp-richmond/ Some time in between getting your first bout of poison ivy and sliding past “first base” in the woods behind the school, we outgrew summer camp. It was always fun, but there was that year we felt a little too old too be making Boondoggle bracelets or shooting frogs with BB guns. Maybe we saw that creepy guy or girl a mere year older than us, and thought, “Camps is for kids.” I’m pledging to bring back summer camp. The world’s adults need a week at camp like never before. Not only was a week at my old 4-H camp ... Tue, 7 Jul 2009 09:25:53 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/camp-richmond/#1213 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/public-enemies-review/ The cat and mouse game played by the world's most prolific bank robber and the first big-time FBI agent isn't worth a slice of government cheese. "Public Enemies" is a lifeless, listless Tommy Gun-athon. The world's most beloved bank robber is supposed to be a Robin Hood who forgets to give back the cash. A Depression Era anti-hero who charms the ladies and cajoles Johnny Law. But here he’s a boring creep. Granted, Johnny Depp is only given give a thin script and a bad (and thin) mustache to make his portrayal of John Dillinger a dandy one, but he’s still ... Thu, 2 Jul 2009 09:25:37 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/public-enemies-review/#1208 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/i-see-dead-people/ Talking about dead celebrities these days is as profound as complaining about the heat, or letting passersby know that you occasionally enjoy the Outer Banks by placing a clever sticker on your rear windshield. You don't need me to blog a requiem for Wacko Jacko, infomercial guy and crazy blondie. We have "Inside Edition" and "Entertainment Tonight" to do that for us. Instead, we'll look at some of their most random screen moments. Michael Jackson / "The Wiz" (1978)This is where Jacko dressed up as a scarecrow and danced around with Diana Ross and Nipsey Russell while destroying an American classic. Can you ... Wed, 1 Jul 2009 13:45:54 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/07/i-see-dead-people/#1204 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/away-we-go-review/ Sometimes your coolest friends are also your most annoying. And sometimes those off-beat, truly witty comedies can wear thin and fray your funny bone. You know the friends I’m talking about…the ones who brag about shopping at thrift stores (not out of necessity), can toss out obscure French philosophers’ cosmic nuggets without a pause, and rally against the mainstream sensibilities with a certain bohemian nobility. These are mostly good things, until you’re stuck on a two-week road trip with them. Not only do their Birkenstocks smell like Havarti left in a tanning booth, but you slowly realize the angst and ... Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:28:25 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/away-we-go-review/#1193 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen-review/ I’d rather listen to “Mr. Roboto” for 150 minutes than watch “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” again.The sequel to 2007’s surprisingly decent toy-turned-movie is epically bad. And it’s 150 minutes…that’s two and a half hours of high-pitched squeals, hobo-penned dialogue and just jaw-dropping awfulness. Action flick icon Michael Bay has managed to outdo “Pearl Harbor” with “Revenge of the Fallen” – and I can’t wait to see how the boys from “South Park” lays the screws to the man who inspired the puppet parody theater known as “Team America World Police." I could talk about plots and characters, but why? ... Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:54:33 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen-review/#1189 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/jon-kates-fractured-fairy-tale/ I think the next best reality show contest would be a televised shark tank of divorce lawyers biting and buttin’ their way to earn the right to represent Jon & Kate. The truth is that anything would be better than watching “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” the once super-sized saccharine family portrait-turned-awkward marriage post-mortem. Watching the show these days is like watching footage of cosmetic surgery gone bad...literally and figuratively. After 10 years of married bliss and several years of overachieving cable ratings, Jon & Kate have gone the way of Sonny & Cher, and Donnie & Marie (Come on, ... Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:53:05 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/jon-kates-fractured-fairy-tale/#1181 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/paper-plastic-and-brass-knuckles/ Last week a story broke that had River City soccer moms tossing back Sunny D cosmos and preparing to grocery shop in a post-apocalyptic society: Ukrop's had been overthrown by Food Lion as the top grocer in the RIC. According to a survey conducted by industry pub Food World, Food Lion now claims a 19.34-percent slice of Richmond’s grocery market share, while Ukrop’s has 17.58 percent. Wal-Mart follows in third with 12.14 percent and Kroger gained a percentage point from last year with 11.38 percent of the total market. The last time Ukrop’s wasn’t the top dog in town, Halley’s Comet zipped ... Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:28:48 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/paper-plastic-and-brass-knuckles/#1176 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/year-one-review/ “Year One” is easy to hate, especially if you loathe Jack Black’s hammy shtick, think Michael Cera peaked in “Arrested Development” or you have a worn Bible in your bedroom – and you’re not living in a Super 8. Sure, “Year One” is essentially cave drawings and Old Testament yarns retold and skewered with fart jokes and pratfalls. It sounds sophomoric and offensive – and it is – but it’s also got a surprisingly smart wit and a carefree attitude that should help it overachieve at the box office – and have the Gideons working overtime. Comedies are often criticized ... Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:43:47 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/year-one-review/#1167 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/farmers-vs-guys-in-suits/ If you’ve ever had a tomato in your chain restaurant side salad more tasteless than Tom Green, or a steak where you can see the marks where the jockey hit it, then you’ll appreciate the new local food revolution that’s percolating throughout pop culture. In the past week alone, the topic was fodder on my favorite national radio show (Sirius XM’s Ron & Fez Show), is being tackled by buzz-worthy documentary “Food, Inc.,” and even came up during a recent lunch with a buddy who works at the Virginia Farm Bureau. (And yes, this lunch was at a chain restaurant. ... Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:51:44 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/farmers-vs-guys-in-suits/#1147 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/tyson-review/ Mike Tyson is the James Joyce of train-wreck celebrities. Seriously. Sure, he’s tough to read just like the literary giant, but once you get comfortable and crack his stream-of-conscious flow, it's rich and compelling stuff.The man responsible for cracking the misunderstood heavyweight champ in "Tyson" is screenwriter and director James Tobek, whose credits include “The Gambler” and “The Pick-up Artist.” Tobek met Tyson when he was just 19, and is able to smelt Iron Mike on the big screen in such a way that despite all of the boxer’s well-publicized transgressions, we feel for the guy. “Tyson” combines first-person interviews ... Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:10:33 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/tyson-review/#1142 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/the-taking-of-pelham-1-2-3-review/ Sometimes it’s refreshing to see a movie that is okay with just being okay. With “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,” you get a C-student shoe salesman that rarely dazzles but doesn’t disappoint, either. There are no Oscar hopes, no sequels in the pipeline and no promotional “Dancing with the Stars” cameos – although it would have been nice to see John Travolta pull a hamstring while fox trottin’ with Lil Kim.“Pelham” – I’m shortening the atrociously long name for both our sakes – is actually a remake of a 1974 subway hostage flick starring Walter Matthau, which only ... Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:58:04 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/the-taking-of-pelham-1-2-3-review/#1130 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/meal-steal/ The wife and I stepped out to the Near West End last weekend for tapas, wine and to pose for a poignant photo to highlight our upcoming our “Dateline” NBC murder mystery. (I think she’s been dosing my coffee with antifreeze …) Sorry for the buzz kill. Anyways, we stopped at the wine bar Magnolia, in the Village shopping plaza beside the University of Richmond. The service was friendly, the wine flowed and the small plates of salmon and fillet were delicious. It helped that we saved $25 – without complaining, passing fraudulent bills or feigning sickness. Oh no, once ... Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:01:15 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/meal-steal/#1129 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/the-tonight-shows-killer-tomato/ Jay Leno has the middle American appeal of a Cool Ranch Dorito double dipped…in ranch dressing. Armed with a steel chin, a gregarious personality and an always accessible wit, Leno was consummate showman and your next neighbor at the same time. That makes Conan O’Brien the reclusive creep in the cul-de-sac who hangs out in his basement and gets his mail at 3:30 p.m. – in a nightgown. The world’s tallest talk show host made the jump from “Late Night” to a wee bit earlier, and brought his self-deprecating sideshow and geeky charm with him. How’s this for sideshow: On Monday ... Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:48:45 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/the-tonight-shows-killer-tomato/#1113 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/google-maps-meets-grtc/ Unless you drive a Prius clown car packed tight with 12 big-shoed circus employees, you’re bound to get judged for the size of your carbon footprint. We’re made to feel guilty if we don’t carpool with strangers or walk down West Broad Street for several miles, sweating through our business casual attire while passersby toss quarters into our Starbucks cups. But thanks to GRTC and Google Transit, you’re jam-crammed guilt trip just got a bit more leg room. Here is why: I was checking out directions to get to a party this past weekend on Google Maps, and I noticed ... Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:33:10 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/google-maps-meets-grtc/#1110 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/rudo-y-cursi-movie-review/ "Rudo y Cursi" is a new Mexican import with familiar faces, football flavor and a hint of lime.The buddy flick is a rags-to-riches-to-rags tale about two brothers nicknamed Rudo (Diego Luna) and Cursi (Gael Garcia Bernal) who labor in the banana fields in a rural jungle shanty town. Of course, they have bigger dreams than back-breaking labor among squalor and sweat.You might recognize the two actors, as Bernal starred in "Babel," "Blindness" and "The Motorcycle Diaries." Meanwhile, Luna played one of Harvey Milk's boy toys this past summer and was in the critically acclaimed "Y tu mama tambien," which was co-written by "Rudo ... Sat, 6 Jun 2009 09:56:45 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/rudo-y-cursi-movie-review/#1099 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/rvas-beachiest-spots/ As I write this, I’m sitting ocean side in Key West, sipping a margarita, and hoping Jimmy Buffet shows up so I can strangle him and set his guitar on fire. (Buffet stops being catchy after the 17th time you hear “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”) Returning home from the country’s southernmost point is going to be tough, and I’m going to need some beachy spots in the River City to help me with the transition. As the days get hotter and the dehydration-fueled hangovers get longer in Richmond, here is a look at my favorite in-town getaways, sans real sand and ... Wed, 3 Jun 2009 12:09:31 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/rvas-beachiest-spots/#1090 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/indie-jonesin-the-undiscovered-gems/ You don’t need million dollar stunts, Aerosmith ballads and leather-faced action stars to make a winning summer movie. Sometimes it just takes a little luck, some stealth marketing and even mainstream popcorn movie backlash for indies to score an upset. (Backlash Exhibit A: “G.I. Joe.”) Just look at “Blair Witch Project” for a glimpse at how the formula can work. Below I pick my four best summer underdog indie flicks...hopefully. And yes, they're all documentaries."Anvil! The Story of Anvil," Release date TBD This true documentary about an obscure Canadian heavy-metal band has been compared with the famous mockumentary, "This is Spinal ... Wed, 3 Jun 2009 09:03:05 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/06/indie-jonesin-the-undiscovered-gems/#1088 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/jon-kate-part-2-unhappy-birthday/ The first time we see Jon and Kate Gosselin in the same screen in their season five premiere, no words are exchanged. No smiles are flashed. And no awkward half-hug embrace is performed. I’ve seen penguin funerals that are warmer. After I wrote about TLC's “Jon & Kate Plus 8” a few days ago, the comments were hot and heavy. And since I’d be watching the premiere on Monday night, I figured I’d perform a bit of a rundown and review. As sheer entertainment, “Jon & Kate” 2.0 is rambling, boring and shark-jumping. The best moments of the series was ... Tue, 26 May 2009 12:45:35 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/jon-kate-part-2-unhappy-birthday/#1052 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/parking-violation/ I don’t like to abuse the power of the pen. But sometimes when the man traps you in the corner of a cheese factory like a hungry, lactose-intolerant rat, you need to bite back. And when that man is the City of Richmond, you aim your snaggle tooth right for the jugular. A week ago I parked my silver Nissan subcompact on West Franklin Street by the Commonwealth Club for an early morning work event. It was 7ish. Two hours later I strode down the sidewalk toward my ride to see a $60 parking ticket tucked under the windshield wiper ... Wed, 27 May 2009 10:38:19 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/parking-violation/#1050 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/up-review/ I laughed, I cried, I spooned a balloon animal. That’s how ridiculously entertaining Pixar’s new “Up” is: It has me admitting to relations with a Latex and helium giraffe. Go ahead and judge. Sure, I thought the new 3-D animated flick looked a little gimmicky at first, like a “MythBusters” season finale episode ripe for the picking. (And if you’re the type who has to know how many balloons it would take to actually lift a three bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home, skip this flick.) But soon word came back from the Cannes Film Festival that “Up” – the first animated ... Fri, 29 May 2009 11:01:07 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/up-review/#1053 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/new-on-dvd/ Out now... “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” Rated PG This ham-and-egger comedy did more than make up its $25 million budget; it stole nearly $150 million from bored Americans. Screw AIG, I blame Kevin James for the recession. My advice to you is to skip this stretched-out sitcom, and wait for the darker and much better mall cop flick, “Observe & Report,” later this summer. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” Rated PG-13 See this movie! Robbed at the Oscars and in danger of being one of those mass-nominated movies that ends up on the side of the milk carton (See: ... Tue, 26 May 2009 06:20:19 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/new-on-dvd/#1051 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/jon-kate-plus-hate/ I don’t know how I got sucked into this televised monstrosity of lasagna bellies, spoiled brats and broken vows….well, “allegedly” on that last one. Maybe my soon-to-be-wife had “Jon and Kate Plus 8” on so much that I just submitted. Maybe it was because my sister had twins – and I was slightly intrigued. Or maybe, just maybe, I knew that these Christian lovers who went “Trainspotting” on fertility drugs would end up like the refrain of a dark, dark Johnny Cash song. “Jon and Kate” is actually a terrible story. If two nobodies-turned-“US Weekly” cover peeps fell so hard ... Sun, 24 May 2009 03:38:36 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/jon-kate-plus-hate/#1048 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/terminator-salvation-review/ The problem with the “Terminator” franchise is that it’s beginning to feel more and more like a cold, calculating Machine. Somewhere, it lost its humanity and became Dick Cheney’s daydream. In “Terminator Salvation” – the fourth chapter in the Man vs. Machine epic – the action is efficiently spectacular, the actors speak in almost binary code sound bytes, and even the cheeky winks to the older movies feel like they’re done out of duty and obligation rather than just for kicks.“Terminator Salvation” is a heavy metal special effects show that never manages to build a compelling underdog story. It's 2018 ... Thu, 21 May 2009 11:19:43 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/terminator-salvation-review/#1036 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/playing-hookey/ Sunny Fridays in Richmond are about as productive as Fat Tuesdays in New Orleans, minus the “Girls Gone Wild” camera crews. Hopefully your employer isn’t reading this blog over your shoulder, but every working stiff – and even hard-working, unemployed job searches – knows that sometimes you need to take a day. You're not sick, your aunt doesn’t really have gout and your car wasn't stolen by your ex. Some people call these “mental health days,” but I want to kick those people in the teeth. Sometimes we just need to rebel against the man, and trade in our T.J. ... Wed, 20 May 2009 14:02:39 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/playing-hookey/#1029 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/an-easy-to-love-apology/ Every once in a while, I need to make sure I include a feel-good story in this “Boulevard & Broad” blog. I can’t get by on espousing Capitol Police conspiracy theories and recommending $1 PBR as an elixir for all that ales in each and every entry. I want to thank Martin Agency CEO John Adams for this week’s dose of optimism. While attending a business development networking breakfast at the Commonwealth Club last week, Adams talked compellingly about how much of the top-flight agency’s creative talent is mined from big cities around the world. And contrary to what you ... Tue, 19 May 2009 09:40:17 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/an-easy-to-love-apology/#1019 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/summer-tv-radar/ Sure, you’ve got softball practice, grilling and yard work to do this summer, but eventually you’ll need to rest and stop trying so damn hard. Thankfully, the summer TV season is here with mindless new entertainment. Here are four shows to check out, presented in order from dumbest to not so dumbest.“I’m a Celebrity, Get me out of Here” Premieres: June 1 on NBC Regularly airs: June 1 – 18: Monday – Thursday at 8 – 9 p.m.; June 22-24: Monday – Wednesday at 8 – 9 p.m. Why I’m stoked: It’s fun to watch NBC go slummin’ with Heidi ... Tue, 19 May 2009 09:39:16 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/summer-tv-radar/#1021 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/paris-36-review/ I wouldn’t bet one franc that a French foreign language period piece could be a blip on the summer box office radar. And it’s too bad, because “Paris 36” is a fresh 180-degree turn from your typical blockbuster. It’s the perfect palette cleanser to get from your “Wolverine” to your “Transformers” sequel. That is, if you think you’d like a mish mash of “Prairie Home Companion” and “Moulin Rouge,” mixed in with political commentary. • More Movie Reviews • Movie Showtimes • "Angels & Demons" Review We meet the cast of our Parisian vaudeville acting troupe in 1936, when their theatre ... Fri, 15 May 2009 15:32:41 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/paris-36-review/#1001 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/angels-demons-review/ Right now in Florida, there is a slick-haired tele-evangelist claiming to be both the second coming of Christ and the Antichrist. He has his own church, a "666" tattoo and hundreds of thousands of adoring believers tuning in worldwide. In other words, the Catholic Church has bigger things to worry about than a summer popcorn movie pitting science against religion, even when you add in a murdered pope, whispers of the Illuminati, and the aftertaste of a “Da Vinci Code” prequel that had Jesus making sweet, sweet whoopee. • Movie Showtimes • More Movie reviews • "Star Trek" review Penned by ... Fri, 15 May 2009 14:53:41 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/angels-demons-review/#986 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/my-new-favorite-watering-hole/ Who would have thought that the freshest bar scene in Richmond belongs to the downstairs digs inside (and under) a hotdog joint? Basement scene? You might expect Buffalo Bill from “Silence of the Lambs.” But instead, you get a cold beer and Prohibition-era street cred for finding it. Besides being the same name as my writing business – call it serendipity dipped in mustard – Underdog is the perfect name and mate for the new spot tucked under Shockoe Slip’s City Dogs. Just think about it. City Dogs, with its choice tube steaks and delectable corn dog nuggets, is by no ... Thu, 14 May 2009 10:36:38 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/my-new-favorite-watering-hole/#997 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/high-speed-train-of-thought/ A few years ago, I went on a holiday bender with my family to Prague, Munich and other cities where it’s still customary to brush your teeth and wash out open wounds with beer. We zipped around former Communist lands on clean high-speed rail cars, enjoying fast-forwarded views of the countryside at 125 mph. And when I landed back in the States, I stepped off the JFK tarmac and onto a redeye Amtrak train to Richmond. We moved slowww. There were shady dudes throwing dice in the middle of the aisle way. It was a transportation juxtaposition that was mystifying ... Wed, 13 May 2009 13:39:22 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/high-speed-train-of-thought/#992 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/hello-jersey-girls-later-late-night-losers/ I cringed through “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” punched my TV during “The Real Housewives of New York” and blacked out for “The Real Housewives of Atlanta." When I recently caught a sneak peak of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” I was giddy at the possibilities. (By the way, I also like to call the new show, "23 ways to pronounce "Versace.")There could be an entire episode devoted to window tinting a Honda Civic – involving fights, allegations of stolen meatball recipes and absolutely zero U-turns. Having roots in the Garden State, vacationed often at the Jersey shore and ... Wed, 13 May 2009 07:25:26 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/hello-jersey-girls-later-late-night-losers/#989 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/im-a-yark-work-hack/ With the buzz of weed whackers and thud of hammered fence posts echoing through suburban paradises, it’s clear that yard work season is upon us. Yippee. Unfortunately, the deafening orchestra of mowing and mulching also makes it the worst time of year for Sunday afternoon naps. But when it’s rained so much the past three months that animals are lining up two-by-two outside the Ukrop’s mansion, this was the best first weekend to get started.A year into home ownership, the novelty of my old school push mower, weed eater and hedge clippers have worn off. I'm now a little bit ... Mon, 11 May 2009 12:13:50 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/im-a-yark-work-hack/#980 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/star-trek-review/ “Star Trek” comes out with its high beams on, its pacing hyper, and its phasers set to “stoked.” And it never hits the brakes. No Jar Jar. No Crystal Skull. Finally a franchise knows how to reboot its launch sequence without any needless diversions. J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek” isn’t really a prequel and isn’t really a “re-imagination” – it’s somewhere in between. And the man behind “Alias” and “Lost” has struck an unfathomable middle ground that should keep loyal Trekkies happy and ignite a newfound mainstream appeal for the intergalactic brand. The youth infusion pays off. While “Star Trek’s” new ... Fri, 8 May 2009 06:19:26 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/star-trek-review/#973 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/from-brawn-to-pawn/ Here are some fitness fun facts: You can get washboard abs by actually doing your laundry with a washboard. The average American family owns 2.1 pieces of exercise equipment, 83 percent of which are make-shift laundry baskets and shame spirals. And the only way to escape a chain gym’s contract early is to bring them the still-beating heart of Richard Simmons. I’m the last one who should ever give fitness advice. I have a “usual” at Buffalo Wild Wings and would need a bucket of Crisco and a medieval torture device to fit back in my varsity jacket. I do have ... Thu, 7 May 2009 14:23:43 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/from-brawn-to-pawn/#966 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/talking-heads-spreading-cheeks/ The day I read “Toxic Sludge is Good for You” in Steve Nash’s Journalism 101 class at the University of Richmond, the TV news changed for me. I used to earnestly believe there were stories about skate-boarding dogs and surfing priests because, well, it was news. I used to believe the little local stations that could actually sent reporters to Iraq, and that the man speaking to me in third-grade-level English came up with all those words from the top of his head, and not a fancy monitor. Oh boy was I dumb. Having been in and out of the ... Thu, 7 May 2009 14:15:44 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/talking-heads-spreading-cheeks/#970 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/so-you-want-to-be-a-superhero/ Local crime fighters, caped idealists and do-gooding community gadflies have an online secret hideout at www.worldsuperheroregistry.com. Apparently, regular Joes and Janes have been dressing up and fighting crime for years, but enough comic books have turned a dime on the big screen to shine a light on this grassroots masquerade. The creators of this site strictly forbade members of the press from publishing anything on the site. So I guess it’s a good thing I’m a blogger and not a reporter, right? Anyways, I’m not here to give you a virtual wedgie; in fact, the whole idea of D.I.Y. crime-fighting ... Tue, 5 May 2009 14:36:36 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/so-you-want-to-be-a-superhero/#956 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/hollywoods-most-dangerous-outbreaks/ Call me sick or just a little morbidly curious, but I’ve always been fascinated by end-of-days entertainment, with one notable (and ironic) exception: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “End of Days.” There is just something about various post-apocolyptic scenarios that makes me happy. Maybe it’s the fact that in a planet decimated by disease, everyone’s bad credit will likely be wiped out. Or I won’t have to wait as long for a table at my favorite lunch spot. Or maybe it’s everything that the big screen and small screen has taught us goes along with deadly outbreaks of disease that has humanity teetering ... Wed, 6 May 2009 12:08:50 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/hollywoods-most-dangerous-outbreaks/#955 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/return-of-the-nascar-blog/ Check out my recap of the NASCAR tailgating fun from Saturday at Richmond International Raceway... Saturday: 10:45 a.m. We’ve successfully caravanned from the Mechanicsville Wal-Mart to the trenches of Richmond International Raceway: Two cars, my little brother (a race rookie), six friends and 32 sausages. Blame it on the economy and the predictions for rain, but the traffic isn’t bad at all and we grab a prime spot right behind the new sky-high stadium bleachers, and quickly set up our tent and crank up our rechargeable Coleman blender. We have some great tailgating characters. Behind us is Kenny Powers’ stunt ... Mon, 4 May 2009 09:45:45 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/return-of-the-nascar-blog/#944 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/x-men-origins-wolverine-movie-review/ Toward the end of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” one of the good girls tells one of the bad guys to “keep walking until your feet bleed.” Snap!Wait, you’re on a tiny island – a secret island home to a secret weapon, nonetheless! But is he supposed to walk in a circle? Swim walk? Find a treadmill? Walk really slowly? Take a place back to mainland, and then start walking? Is this a joke I didn’t get? No, it’s just awful filmmaking. When “Wolverine” was pirated weeks ago, Internet geeks warned us how howlingly bad the movie was. I should have listened.(And ... Fri, 1 May 2009 08:06:26 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/05/x-men-origins-wolverine-movie-review/#947 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/04/the-hole-truth-an-existential-donut-adventure/ Since I moved to Richmond back in 1997 to begin my college adventure at U of R, the little donut franchise on Staples Mill Road has been a constant force. Call it the glazed circle of life. When I was cramming for tests way back when - and cramming my gullet with Munchkins and coffee – my freshman year roomie and I used to pull all-nighters amid cops, third-shifters on a snack break and coffee-drinking zombies from around the city. I even wrote a column about my time at Dunkin’ Donuts for The Collegian, Richmond’s weekly newspaper, which I was ... Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:06:30 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/04/the-hole-truth-an-existential-donut-adventure/#932 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/04/good-morning-ashland/ Don’t worry, Annette and Lee Paul. Those aren’t Amway salesmen or repo men knocking on your door oh so bright and early this morning. It’s “Good Morning America” and it’ “GMA at Your House” tour. No, it’s not Matt Lauer and Al Roker. (Wrong show, wrong station.) It’s two other dudes, weatherman Sam Champion and newsman Chris Cuomo. If you didn’t recognize them, we understand. Tuesday morning during its regular broadcast, “Good Morning America” rode shotgun with the Paul family, as well as most of the community and the Randolph-Macon College student body. And even though the show anchors said ... Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:18:33 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/04/good-morning-ashland/#933 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/04/obsessed-review/ I hope Jay-Z doesn’t add me to his hit list for saying this – right below Chris Brown – but his wife can’t act worth a damn when she doesn’t get to sing. And despite relishing its role as a cheesy B flick, “Obsessed” is the worst movie I’ve seen since Ernest P. Worrell was still headlining marquees and cuttin' up the red carpet. Regardless of that, the new release took home $29 million worth of box office booty this weekend to claim the No. 1 spot. Here is the funny thing: Last week I was surprised to stumble upon ... Fri, 1 May 2009 12:16:27 -0400 http://social.richmond.com/blog/mward/2009/04/obsessed-review/#927