Ann Lemons Pollack
-
Precious
"Precious" is an absolutely awful movie–if you define "awful" in terms of people doing terrible things to other people, or of adults treating children in a disgraceful manner. In terms of writing, casting, directing and acting, it's a brilliant movie, and director Lee Daniels and his cast deserve over-the-top plaudits. It's also a difficult
-
Amreeka
Adapting to a new environment is a well-worn plot line for movies, but the story is rarely as immediate as in "Amreeka," which opens today. In a nutshell, it's the tale of a Palestinian Arab woman, a Christian, who gets the chance to come to the United States just as President George W. Bush is
-
Monarch
The intersection of Manchester and Sutton has become the western gateway to the Maplewood Strip of restaurants. Once a stretch of not-quite-but-almost-shabby retail shops with Tiffany’s 24-hour diner as the last stop before White Castle, Manchester Avenue now is a brightly lighted string of restaurants and bars for all styles and tastes, with Monarch and
-
Asian Kitchen
Asian Kitchen won't be for everyone. Let's get that out of the way right now. The new Korean restaurant, in the Olive Boulevard space where In Soo held forth, has a rather short menu, lacking first courses and dessert, and featuring dishes that may sound strange to most folks. But the staff seems very welcoming
-
Individuals
The wry, poetic genius of Fran Landesman, foul mouth and all, is part of the St. Louis International Film Festival in "Almost a Legend," a delightful 37-minute documentary, one of four films to be shown today at 5 p.m. at the Hi-Pointe Theatre. Produced by Terhi Kylliainen, directed, written and filmed by Mia Vuorlo Ringwald,
-
2012
There may be worse movies to come out between now and New Year's Eve, but as Dizzy Dean used to say when he made comparisons, "This one's among 'em." "2012," a tale of an upcoming Apocalypse as predicted by Mayans, is made for those who set their model trains to crash, or take delight in
-
New Orleans: Galatoire’s
Galatoire's, one of New Orleans' grand dames of the restaurant world, is still on Bourbon Street, an incongruous setting that's so typical of the French Quarter, where an inconspicuous, even shabby, door can open into an apartment of astonishing luxury. Friday lunch there is a local tradition, with many of the natives, particularly the women,
-
An Education
A handsome Lothario, a terminally curious English schoolgirl who dreams of love and of Paris. Maurice Chevalier's voice echoes, "Ah, yes, I remember it well," from the sound track of "Gigi." And that's the beginning of "An Education," a delightful tale of a girl trying to grow up in London just before Carnaby Street, the
-
In The Heights
Talent and energy can hide a multitude of sins in a theatrical production, and when technical values also are first-rate, that's more than enough to create a fine experience, proven by the touring company of "In the Heights," which opened brightly at the Fox Theatre last night, to run through Nov. 22. The musical about
-
Modesto
We dropped by Modesto on impulse the other night after working up an appetite doing our civic duty. Hungry, and probably slightly crabby, we needed to be fed pronto. And were we ever fed! Several dishes were particularly remarkable. Yes, the cheeseless onion soup was tasty, the baby octopi (octopusses?) with potatoes were charming,