Ann Lemons Pollack
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L’Amour Fou
Yves Saint Laurent, a man of incredible genius and an equal amount of unhappiness, had what should be all the elements for a successful life. His clothing designs were renowned, his art collection amazing, his lifestyle at the top of the A-list. But he suffered from deep depression for practically his entire life, and reportedly
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13 Assassins
Japanese historical films get bloodier and more violent with each release, and director Takashui Miike has set a new target with "13 Assassins," opening today with a cast of thusands, of which only a handful survive. We start with a slow-motion sequence of a warrior committing suicide by knife, inserting it carefully into his stomach
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Forks Over Knives
In the theater, we are lectured about good eating habits, like planting, growing and cooking vegetables. Meat is bad. In the lobby, the concession stand provides an exhibition of all the foods we should not eat. There are a lot of mixed signals in "Forks Over Knives," a sincere movie written and directed by Lee
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This Week’s Wine, May 25, 2011
There are countless Chardonnays out there, with every style, every flavor, every finish making claims to greatness. I'm not a huge fan of California's offerings, though some can be very good. A few visits to the Burgundy area of France left wondrous memories of crisp, dry, citrus-y wines, but too many American wine-shop shelves and
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Central Cafe and Bakery
One of the Central West End's best locations for al fresco dining again has sprouted tables – and diners. The height of the terrace in front of the Central Cafe and Bakery gives a wider vista and a comfortable amount of distance from the passing parade, which provide the neighborhood's brightest charm. And this part
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Don Giovanni
Ripped from the headlines. . . . A man who sees himself as God's gift to women, licentious and lascivious, using physical force when more traditional tactics of seduction don't work. A man who's never been punished–even rebuked–for his attitude and actions toward women. A man who keeps track of his conquests as if he
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The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
Morgan Spurlock sent shivers of envy into millions of people–and shivers of disgust into millions more–when he spent a month eating only McDonald’s fare for “Super Size Me.” Now, in “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold,” he proves himself absolutely shameless, but quite funny and imaginative as he tries to finance a 90-minute commercial for a
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Sons of Perdition
Warren Jeffs was in the news in recent years, on trial over raping and marrying off a 14-year-old girl. Jeffs, now in prison for his part in the crimes, was the leader of the FLDS, or Fundamental Latter Day Saints, a breakaway group that annointed him as the supreme leader, approving polygamy, use of women
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Putty Hill
There are interesting comparisons to be made between “Sons of Perdition,” reviewed above, and “Putty Hill,” a film about slackers and druggies living in a Baltimore neighborhood, which also opens today. Both deal with disaffected American young people, uneducated and sometimes naive, but also depressed, looking for a way out and almost ready to be
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The Lady With All the Answers
When the Friedmans of Sioux City, Iowa, had twin girls on July 4, 1918, they didn't do the kids many favors, naming them Esther Pauline and Pauline Esther, and adding the respective nicknames of Eppie and Popo. No wonder the girls grew up to become advice columnists, with Eppie adopting the Chicago Sun-Times' name, Ann