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THINK LIKE A MAN
My Preview Screening of Think Like A Man was courtesy of Cinedelphia Steve Harvey, comedian, actor, radio personality, best selling author and relationship expert, got to add one more thing to his list of accomplishments; his book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like A Man is now a [hopefully equally successful] movie. Harvey was in attendance at the Philly red carpet premiere of the film – that has the shortened title of Think Like A Man. He told the press that he couldn’t possibly have anticipated the book inspiring a movie; but he’s very pleased with the fictionalizing of his book in a way that does it justice. He…
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Just a Taste – HUNGER GAMES, AMERICAN REUNION, CABIN IN THE WOODS
Here’s my quick roundup from last Saturday’s triple feature: The Hunger Games is still riding high at the box office. It was very wise of Suzanne Collins to write a book that brings together the best of Reality TV – the savagery of Survivor, the mentoring of The Voice, the back biting of The Apprentice and the pageantry of Dancing with the Stars. Food in Film: most of the Districts are starving in this Dystopian future, willing to eat crusts of bread used for feeding pigs. However, once chosen, the Tributes are offered ample displays of food both savory and sweet. Feasting on banquet after banquet, leading up to game…
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Commentary – Bully
Philadelphia Film Society (click to read PFS member’s comments on this film) hosted a preview screening of Bully, formerly called The Bully Project. Which actually was screened in October during the 20th Philadelphia Film Festival, but I, and many others didn’t pay it much attention. It deserves attention. Director/Writer/Producer/Cinematographer Lee Hirsch who was bullied throughout his childhood, wanted to make a film that would give voice to kids who deal with this torment on a daily basis. His camera follows the lives of 3 kids currently being tortured: verbally, mentally, physically, but oddly, only a mention is made of cyber bullying, which is so prevalent today. Hirsch also interviews two…
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Philly Dining Tid”bite”- Charles Plaza
Friday night had dinner in Chinatown with friends who chose Charles Plaza as our Asian culinary destination. Not much in terms of decor, but the servers and owner – very attentive. The restaurant specializes in vegetarian Chinese cuisine and the dishes are prepared without MSG or heavy sauces. For instance the sesame noodles have just a light coating. Of course, personally, I like a heavy, sticky, fattening peanut butter Thai sauce, but it’s nice to now and again enjoy something without the guilt. Steamed Chicken Dumplings: Good density and flavor – 3 Tines. Fish of the day: Never has Tilapia been so satisfying! Crunchy, meaty and smothered in garlic sauce…
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Just a Taste: The Five-Year Engagement
Tom (Jason Segel) asks Violet (Emily Blunt) to marry him on the rooftop of the San Francisco restaurant where Tom is a sou chef. Violet accepts, they’ve been together for a year and all is perfect. Perfect that is until Violet gets offered a position at Michigan University in the Psychology department and Tom agrees they’ll relocate there for the two years of her program. Only two years turns into five; the passage of time punctuated with the death of yet another grandparent. Their wedding plans continue to be in a state of flux or postponement, and Tom unable to find a decent chef position, goes a little mid-western stir…
