Title	Excerpt	Author	Date	Total Comments	Recent Comment
The Messenger	Returning from the war in Iraq as a hero is Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery. While in the course of saving lives, he suffered physical injuries which have not healed, including psychological wounds which run much deeper. Now stateside, he will spend the last three months of service assigned to the…	Susan Kandell	11/20/09	0
Crude	Crude is a gut-wrenching documentary which highlights the struggle of the poor residents of Ecuador’s oil-producing Amazonian rainforest against Chevron, the multinational energy company. The plaintiffs in the case, the indigenous population, are seeking to hold Chevron responsible for environmental pollution – the dumping of over 18 billion gallons of…	Susan Kandell	11/06/09	0
Avatar Trailer Coming to a TV Screen Near You!	On November 1st, one of the biggest sports days of the year (with key NFL match-ups + Game 4 of the World Series), the Avatar trailer will get the world’s biggest live viewing when it debuts on the world’s largest video display - Cowboy Stadium’s Diamond Vision Screen – while…	Susan Kandell	10/30/09	0
Tony Manero	The year is 1978 and Chile is under the iron grip of Dictator Augusto Pinochet (remember Missing?). Fifty-something Raúl Peralta (Alfredo Castro looking like Al Pacino’s sullen brother) is not interested in politics; he lives and breathes for only one reason. He yearns to embody John Travolta’s character in Saturday…	Susan Kandell	10/30/09	0
Amelia	Directed by Mira Nair (The Namesake, Vanity Fair) and based on the books East to the Dawn by Susan Butler and The Sound of Wings by Mary S. Lovell, the film covers the period in Earhart’s life from her world acclaim to the fateful day almost ten years later when…	Susan Kandell	10/23/09	0
Yoo-Hoo Mrs. Goldberg	Rarely does a film come along that not only educates but entertains in equal measure.Yoo-Hoo Mrs. Goldberg is the latest entry from documentary filmmaker Aviva Kempner (The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg). Using archival footage from TV’s early days and interviewing family members and celebrities (and a Supreme Court…	Susan Kandell	10/16/09	0
Interview with Director Aviva Kempner	PopSyndicate: Good morning Aviva, First let me say that I was born and lived in the Tremont section of the Bronx – we even had a Tremont telephone exchange – so thanks for the walk down memory lane. Besides being so entertaining, the film was educational as well. As the…	Susan Kandell	10/16/09	0
A Serious Man	From there the audience is briefly whisked away to a snow covered “shtetl” in Poland where a man and his wife discuss, in Yiddish, the arrival of a visitor who may or may not be a “dybbuk.”  Although the word dybbuk is commonly thought of as a ghost-like soul that…	Susan Kandell	10/09/09	0
Fame	The film opens with a montage of young and talented singers and dancers, musicians and actors all vying for a coveted spot at the New York City High School of Performing Arts, known affectionately as P.A. Ten thousand eager candidates for two hundred openings. And only one question is on…	Susan Kandell	09/25/09	0
Aspen Filmfest 2009	It’s not snowing yet, but no matter - there are plenty of good reasons to visit Aspen this month.	Susan Kandell	09/12/09	0
Big Fan	Sometimes sports fans remind me of religious fanatics. They are a devoted lot – reverently attending/watching weekly games, talking about the games excessively, prognosticating and then playing Monday morning quarterback. Paul Aufiero (comedian Patton Oswalt) is 35 years old living on Staten Island, working as a parking garage attendant and…	Susan Kandell	09/11/09	0
Director Jeffrey Levy-Hinte shows us Soul Power	During the AFI DALLAS International Film Festival, I had the fortunate opportunity to interview Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, director of the powerful new documentary, Soul Power. Here’s a transcript of our talk - PopSyndicate:  Good morning Jeffrey. When I first saw this film, I knew very little about it. Which can be…	Susan Kandell	09/04/09	0
Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love	Director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi follows the musician for two years through Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the United States. For those who are unfamiliar with Africa’s best selling pop-singer of all time, we immediately witness his method of connecting to an audience. The documentary opens with a concert and…	Susan Kandell	08/21/09	0
Inglourious Basterds	Inglourious Basterds unfolds in chapters that interweave the heartbreaking story of Shoshanna and a band of American soldiers led by redneck Aldo Raines (Brad Pitt with an unexplained neck scar). Their mission in France is not to capture German soldiers, but to “disfigure, dismember and disembowel” Nazis. What’s required of…	Susan Kandell	08/20/09	0
Nine dollars and ninety-nine cents ($9.99)	The action takes place in a non-descript apartment building in Tel Aviv filled with characters of all ages who are all searching for something in life. One morning, Jim Peck (voiced by Anthony LaPaglia) a down-trodden middle-aged man, is confronted by a beggar (voiced with exasperation by Academy Award winner…	Susan Kandell	08/07/09	0
A Perfect Getaway	MovieTickets.com and Rogue unveil their largest prize giveaway ever! MovieTickets.com today announced it has partnered with ROGUE for an exclusive prize package tied to the suspense thriller A Perfect Getaway, in theaters Friday. Moviegoers who purchase tickets for the film at MovieTickets.com August 5-9 will be entered for a chance…	Susan Kandell	08/04/09	0
Avatar - 1st Look	Titanic director James Cameron never does anything in a small way and his new movie, Avatar doesn’t deviate from that equation.	Susan Kandell	08/01/09	0
In The Loop	The film opens as the Prime Minister’s Director of Communications, Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi), arrives at work ready to manage the poorly-timed words inferred by ill-spoken subordinates. In a broadcast interview moments earlier, the Minister for International Development, Simon Foster (Tom Hollander), had been addressing the press concerning diarrhea in…	Susan Kandell	07/31/09	0
Bill Maher - Simply Mahervelous!	I’m a big fan of Bill Maher. He’s a talented guy with an extensive resume: comedian/political commentator/talk-show host/actor/producer/satirist/writer (gosh, did I leave anything out?)  I religiously watched his program Politically Incorrect until he was unceremoniously dumped in 2002 for making a controversial on-air remark about the 9/11 terrorists. But now…	Susan Kandell	07/23/09	2	07/23/09
I Hate Valentine’s Day	I Hate Valentine’s Day begins like many rom-coms of today with perky, upbeat music setting the stage. So far, so good – it sounds great! And then I said a little prayer – please make this ½ as good as My Big Fat Greek Wedding and I’ll enjoy it. But…	Susan Kandell	07/10/09	0
Man in the Moon - Interview with director Duncan Jones	PopSyndicate: I promise I didn’t conjure up this weather to make you feel more at home. Duncan Jones: (laughter) I got in yesterday from London and its okay, it does feel like home. PS: I am a major science fiction fan! DJ: Excellent! PS: Growing up, I never missed an…	Susan Kandell	07/03/09	0
Revanche	Written and directed by Austrian filmmaker Götz Spielmann, the action switches back and forth from the lovely, rural countryside to the gritty backstreets of Vienna. Alex (Johannes Krisch) and Tamara (Irina Potapenko) live in the big city, a world where they’re enslaved by brothel owners, drugs and money. Tamara works…	Susan Kandell	07/03/09	0
Enlighten Up!	About five years ago, filmmaker Kate Churchill was approached by a couple who had recently honeymooned in Hawaii where they met a yogi who spiked their interest in yoga. According to the press notes, 16.5 million Americans practice yoga today and has become a multi-billion dollar industry. Just what are…	Susan Kandell	06/19/09	0
Easy Virtue	Based on the 1925 play of the same name written by the witty English playwright (composer, director, actor, singer) Noel Coward, Easy Virtue tells the tale of the American race car driver Larita (a radiant Jessica Biel) and her ill-fated marriage to an upper-class Brit. Think Danica Patrick coiffed as…	Susan Kandell	06/07/09	0
Lemon Tree (Etz Limon)	The film opens to the strains of a lovely middle eastern version of the song Lemon Tree as Salma Zidane (the marvelous Hiam Abbass) is preparing “lamoun makbouss” (pickled lemons), a traditional delicacy. It’s one of the sweetest moments in the film. Israeli director Eran Riklis (Syrian Bride) is not…	Susan Kandell	05/28/09	2	08/25/09
Every Little Step	Every Little Step is a story within a story – a documentary depicting the 2006 Broadway revival of the beloved musical. Besides behind-the-scene footage of the audition process, rehearsals and performances of both the original 1975 production and revival, the film includes some of the reel-to-reel audiotapes made at early…	Susan Kandell	05/23/09	0
The Brothers Bloom	The film depicts the story of the Bloom brothers (Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo) who just happen to be the best con men in the world (this is before Bernie Madoff, of course!). Their schemes involve complex scenarios which involve the help of a female accomplice named Bang-Bang (Rinko Kikuchi,…	Susan Kandell	05/22/09	0
Summer Hours (L’heure d’été)	Summer Hours, written and directed by Olivier Assayas opens with a verdant backyard, alive with the sounds of children at play. This is the country home of Hélène (Edith Scob) and her entire family has assembled to celebrate her 75th birthday. Hélène is an elegant Frenchwoman who suspects that her…	Susan Kandell	05/22/09	0
Dancing with Del Deo	Susan Kandell: I have an emotional connection to this show - it was the last show I saw before I left New York. And I didn’t think it would affect me like that. I’m supposing that others will view it behind a nostalgic curtain as well. What do you think…	Susan Kandell	05/22/09	0
McDonald’s and the Movies	Can you remember what historical event took place 30 years ago in May of 1979? You may recall John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s famous (second) Bed-In to promote peace. Or perhaps the launch of the Apollo 10. But for hamburger lovers, there’s a much more important event to commemorate -…	Susan Kandell	05/14/09	0
McDonald’s and the Movies	Can you remember what historical event took place 30 years ago in May of 1969? You may recall John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s famous (second) Bed-In to promote peace. Or perhaps the launch of the Apollo 10. But for hamburger lovers, there’s a much more important event to commemorate -…	Susan Kandell	05/13/09	0
The Starck Project	For those who lived in Dallas in the early 80’s, you may remember that we enjoyed our own version of Studio 54. The Starck Club, an upscale lounge located in the West End was populated nightly with “A” list jetsetters, Dallas movers and shakers and celebrities who mixed with beautiful…	Susan Kandell	05/08/09	0
22nd Annual VideoFest	As far as holidays go, we usually equate the month of November with Thanksgiving. But this year, there’s another reason to celebrate – and this one won’t add 10 lbs. to your waistline.	Susan Kandell	05/07/09	2	05/10/09
Battle for Terra	Battle for Terra is an independent CG-animated science fiction action adventure film directed by Aristomenis Tsirbas (The Freak, Terra) from a screenplay by Evan Spiliotopoulos (The Jungle Book 2) and Tsirbas. Visually striking and just a tad moralistic, Battle for Terra tells the tale of a peaceful alien civilization and…	Susan Kandell	05/01/09	0
Is Anybody There?	Christmas parties for kids are usually joyous celebrations filled with presents and wonder, but for ten-year old Edward (Bill Milner) there’s no rejoicing. Instead of baseball bats or something a little more scholarly (a microscope perhaps?), all Edward wants for Christmas is his old room back. And perhaps some quality…	Susan Kandell	05/01/09	0
24-Hour Video Race	There are a lot of things you can do in 24-hours. Watch an entire season of 24, suffer with the 24-hour flu or you can really challenge yourself and participate in the 8th Annual 24-Hour Video Race, presented by The Video Association of Dallas.	Susan Kandell	04/27/09	1	04/28/09
Laid to Rest	Many years ago, I was in New York and had a couple of hours to kill (good choice of words don’tcha think?) before meeting some friends and decided to go to the movies (of course). The only film playing within walking distance was a Dutch flick entitled, The Vanishing, a…	Susan Kandell	04/21/09	0
Paris 36	In the United States, 1936 was a year of many notable developments; Margaret Mitchell’s epic novel Gone with the Wind was first published, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was re-elected to a second term and more importantly, Burt Reynolds was born. I jest. On a more solemn note, politically the world was…	Susan Kandell	04/17/09	0
HBO to present Schindler’s List on April 21st, Holocaust Remembrance Day	This marks the first time in eight years the Oscar winning film, Schindler’s List has been seen on television. In Perpetuity:The Story of the USC Shoah Foundation Institute to debut immediately following the film’s HBO debut.	Susan Kandell	04/17/09	0
Brides Magazine Dances into Dallas on May 3rd	Brides Magazine hits the road next month and will be coming to Dallas on May 3rd as they hold their first-ever Dancing With BRIDES instructional dance series at the Rosewood Crescent Court Hotel. Local brides and grooms-to-be will have the opportunity to learn from Arthur Murray dancing pros with hands-on…	Susan Kandell	04/16/09	0
39th Annual USA Film Festival Announces its Schedule	Usually, when someone proclaims that they’re 39, it means that they’re old and don’t want to admit it. But the USA Film Festival is 39 years young & judging by their newly released schedule - better then ever! The festival continues its tradition of honoring master artists and showcasing new…	Susan Kandell	04/16/09	0
Cinematic Feast for Wine and Food Lovers	You can always do dinner and a movie; a Cinematic Feast happens but once a year! On Wednesday April 22nd, the opening night of the Dallas Wine and Food Festival, a special multi-course dinner menu will be prepared by nationally acclaimed chef Richard Chamberlain. The meal will be paired with…	Susan Kandell	04/12/09	0
Good	Good, directed by Vicente Amorim, made its world premiere at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival starring Viggo Mortensen (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Eastern Promises), Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter films) and pretty newcomer Jodie Whittaker. Based on a play by British playwright C.P. Taylor, Good shadows the mild-mannered…	Susan Kandell	04/10/09	0
“X” Marks the Spot for over 3000 towns vying for premiere of X-Men Origins: Wolverine	Less than a week after Hugh Jackman announced on YouTube his plans to take the premiere of X-Men Origins: Wolverine to the people who made the X-Men film series one of the industry’s biggest, over 3000 towns and cities across the U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii) are making frenzied bids…	Susan Kandell	04/09/09	0
X Marks the Spot - X as in X-Men Origins: Wolverine	In an announcement made this week on YouTube, Hugh Jackman, who plays the famed antihero in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, is taking Hollywood and the film’s premiere to the people who made the X-Men film series one of the industry’s biggest – inviting the legions of X-Men fans across the United…	Susan Kandell	04/05/09	0
AFI DALLAS International Film Festival 2009 announces Award Winners	And the winner is…....	Susan Kandell	04/03/09	0
Spacing out with the Alien Trespass director	PopSyndicate: Welcome to Dallas! I saw your wonderful film yesterday and I can see how much you love this genre – an homage, if you will. It had elements of so many movies I remember seeing as a child – It Came from Outer Space…… R.W. Goodwin:  Actually, my buddy…	Susan Kandell	04/03/09	0
Twelve (12)	Loosely based on the 1957 Sidney Lumet drama, 12 Angry Men, 12 has been relocated from a courtroom in New York to contemporary Moscow where twelve men from different stations in life hold the fate of another man’s life in their hands. As the story unfolds, we are presented with…	Susan Kandell	04/03/09	0
Alien Trespass	Alien Trespass commences with a newsreel from 1957, (black & white, natch) dispensing tidbits from around the world; breaking stories about a pioneer moon probe, Santa’s surprise visit in a flying saucer sans reindeer landing in Allentown, PA and a fashion update from Bear Mountain. But the most disturbing exposé…	Susan Kandell	04/02/09	0
DAY 6 at AFI DALLAS – Is it real or just out of Henry Selick’s Imagination?	You know him for his feature film directorial projects, including the iconic Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach, but he was also the director, production designer and screenplay adapter for Coraline. In case you weren’t aware, that was the very first stop-motion animated feature film ever produced…	Susan Kandell	04/01/09	1	04/01/09