“Although what you are about to see is a work of fiction, it should nevertheless be played at maximum volume.” This is the opening graphic (and allusion to David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust) from the 1998 film “Velvet Goldmine.” And every time I watch it, this prompts me to knock the

There was a point where I would roll my eyes at the thought of watching documentaries on purpose. Why be educational when I could be entertained? However, the quality of documentary film-making has really given other Hollywood films a challenge in the last few years. Maybe your new year’s resolution

I just spent the last few days in bed, sick. In that time I watched three seasons of “Sons of Anarchy” on Netflix and agonized over what to do if it was more than a little bug as I am currently uninsured. I spent a lot of time on the

One can’t mention the film Mallrats (1995) without giving a nod to Clerks (1994). Clerks was writer/director Kevin Smith’s low-budget, indie masterpiece. It isn’t necessarily a novel idea these days, but in the early nineties, a movies about hourly-wage employees based mostly on snappy dialogue and not much action was

The sheer amount of media available stresses me out. It may not seem as big of a life issue as paying my rent, etc., but it is a very real stress in my life. I have so many shows and movies on my “to watch” list that I am overwhelmed.

During my stint as an unemployed person, I, perhaps stupidly, signed up for Netflix after years of holding out. I was an old-school Netflix user, back when the company’s offerings were strictly limited to DVDs by mail. But in my shrewd poverty, I chose to eliminate that service when I

Hey, broke asses, I have some bad news. This is the last time I’ll write The Unemployment Chronicles—FOR NOW. A writer and editor by trade, I also enjoy waiting tables, and that’s what I landed a job doing this week. Is it furthering my career? Not really, but it is

Ah, summer blockbusters: They have a reputation for being especially vapid. Often visually overcooked with little or no story line, it seems as though Hollywood collectively decided that the best medicine for the heat is to flood your brain with total garbage. Remember The Last Airbender? How about You Don’t