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Nolan's Pop Culture Review 2009!
   Assistant Editor / Co-Moderator:  Terence Nuzum.                 HOME           ARCHIVES
Established A.D. 2000, March 19. Now in our tenth calendar year!
Number 469  (Vol. 10, No. 12). This edition is for the week of March 16--22, 2009.

"Knowing"
Gasparilla Film Festival 2009: Bill Grefe
Book Review: Hold Tight  Harlan Coben
Cutler Wants Out .... World Baseball Classic .... A-rod Caught Kissing……a-rod .... Stallworth In Trouble .... Joey Galloway Joins Patriots .... .... .... u
Rondo Voting Ends Midnite 3/21 .... .... .... o
Passing On .... Captain Crunch Or Honeycomb? .... The End Of Newsprint? .... .... .... .... .... .... My Favorite Films, Part 2... a

Quick Notes

Borrowing a phrase from Mike's Rant, just a few "quick notes" as I'm feverishly working to complete a new World of Nolan web video episode as well as prepare bookend segments to a new Chris Woods thriller, also set to debut here this week.

SAD CELEBRITY NEWS
Of course I was saddened to hear of the recent sudden passing of actor and political activist Ron Silver of esophageal cancer at the too-young age of 62. He was a popular TV and movie actor with tons of credits, but for some reason, my favorite movie of his was always Garbo Talks (1984), where he plays a young man trying to fulfill his dying mother's wish to meet Greta Garbo.

Also sad news was the passing of actress Natasha Richardson at 45 following a terrible skiing accident. The resulting brain damage proved fatal (the earlier edition of this week's PCR reported she was still on life-support). Natasha Richardson is the daughter of British actress Vanessa Redgrave and director Tony Richardson, and wife to actor Liam Neeson. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family.

THE "SERPENT OF BORNEO" UPDATE
On a lighter note, and of no surprise to anyone, the "giant serpent of Borneo" discussed in PCR #465 has been proven to be a hoax after all when a librarian found the source picture used for the river. It is not a river in Borneo at all, but one found in the Congo in Africa. The rest was Photoshop magic. There was another picture circulating of the beast swimming near a village that turned out to be, somewhat ironically, an entry in a "best hoax" contest.

A.I.G. SCANDAL
Insurance giant American International Group is taking quite the drubbing from Congress for using a portion of the Federal Bailout billions they received to give large cash bonuses to employees and management. If the whole situation wasn't so infuriating I'd probably find that all very funny.




Readers' Comments

The Readers' Comments section for this issue of PCR is now closed. To continue to interact, please use the Message Board or write a Letter to the Editor! The comments below are listed starting with the most recent. Thank you.

Crazed FanComments -- We Welcome Reader Feedback on any article(s) on this page.
Petrey [23-03-2009 18:55] 
Hey! I'm back in the flat lands, ha! Vacation was a bummer but they all can't be winners. At least I got to see a big snow storm with ice and all. Makes one appreciate their surroundings. The bad part came when I was checking into my suite and slipped BUT caught myself with my left boot before falling. Well after 8 car accidents my spine didn't quite like that and kept me almost bed ridden for 5 days. I think it was the weight of the wool trench coat that did me in. Did get out to see 2 movies though!
Blown Away Paul Guzzo [22-03-2009 20:12] 
Just saw The Watchmen over in IMAX ... it gets the Paul Guzzo 100% F'n Awesome seal of approval!
Flag Football Champ Paul Guzzo [22-03-2009 12:46] 
YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!
Nolan [21-03-2009 18:48] 
Lisa, funny thing: On the book cover image for your review of Hold Tight, it lists the author, Harlan Coben, as the author of The Woods...which is the same title of the gag "book" used for Chris Woods' avatar on Schlockarama! Haha, great minds think alike, eh?
The Lazy And A Bit Sleepy Lisa [21-03-2009 15:10] 
Nolan -- Thanks for squashing that template bug for me. I appreciate your help, as always.

ED -- Nice write-up of the GIFF Grefe event.

Happy birthday Marcus!
Nolan [20-03-2009 19:45] 
Lisa: I think I found the problem, and it should be functioning properly now. I apologize for the hassle, it's been awhile since that template was used and it had a bug I overlooked. Again, apologies.
Embarassed But Still Awesome Lisa [20-03-2009 17:50] 
Ok, now please excuse the previous comment I just posted. The blank template didn't get published as I thought.

Nolan -- The book review template hates me and is being mean. It lets me preview and edit everything, but then wipes out everything when I hit "publish". Could you please kick its butt for me and make it play nice? Check your email for more info. Thank you!

(I get credit for trying though, right? Even though it's late this week, and *way* overdue for the month/year, I really did actually write something this time, I promise....I swear...cross my heart.)

[INSERT *MORE* PROFANITIES HERE]
The Slow But Steady Lisa [20-03-2009 17:01] 
I was ONE CLICK away from publishing my book review and then I have no idea what happened next, except that I published my blank template instead.

[INSERT PROFANITIES HERE]

This is why I compose/save in Word and then copy/paste/edit here!

So please excuse the lame no-column column that's currently up. I'm working on it!!
Paul Guzzo [20-03-2009 16:41] 
Short was good man .... but who referred that lead actress? They should be commended!
Chris Woods [20-03-2009 15:38] 
Thanks Terence, glad you enjoyed it. Nolan, I love the intro, very cool. I agree with Terence, very Twilight Zone/Night Galleryish.
Terence [20-03-2009 14:31] 
Spaventare came out cool Chris. I might not ever look at Rod Grant the same way haha

Nolan: i liked the opening segment. very Twilight Zone/ Night Galleryish.
Paul Guzzo [20-03-2009 06:51] 
BTW guys ... The Race to Witch Mountain remake was written by a Tampa native.
Paul Guzzo [20-03-2009 05:53] 
The whole Test thing brings back a discussion that has been ongoing for years now - Why doesn't the federal government investigate pro wrestling? Almost 70 wrestlers have died in the past 10 years who were younger than 50! WOW! Congress spends zillions trying to prove Barry Bonds lied, but ignore this?

Infected Paul Guzzo [20-03-2009 05:47] 
No updated film news this week guys ... sorry ... I am having major computer issues and can't get into my saved file with all the news.

Will have everything fixed next week.

Sorry Nolan.
Chris Woods [19-03-2009 17:54] 
Yeah, it's a shame about Test. Another one gone. I seen him wrestle live a few times in the early 2000's.
Terence [19-03-2009 08:50] 
Test used to always come in to my job at channelside theatre and he was always cool and never full of himself like some wrestlers and celebs.
Paul Guzzo [18-03-2009 20:54] 
Test actually lived around the corner from me ... we used to walk our dogs at the same time. Shame.
Nicholas King [18-03-2009 20:40] 
Also worth mentioning for wrestling fans that frequent this site is the death of Andrew "Test" Martin, a former worker of WWE and TNA. A great performer and from what I've heard around the circuit, a great individual.
Michael [18-03-2009 19:42] 
Sad to note that Natasha Richardson passed away today. Like her mother, she was incredibly talented. Much on her and Ron Silver in this week's Rant.
Terence [18-03-2009 13:54] 
no not fer spelin
FuriousD [18-03-2009 08:27] 
Wait - Terence will take something down due to spelling?
Nolan [18-03-2009 07:04] 
To ???: When Terence sees your post he'll probably take it down, but I'm leaving it up 'cuz it's so damn funny. Learn to write and spell. The first half of your sentence makes no sense at all. I got the last part that you don't know who Bill Grefe is. This site explores cult filmmaking among other things, so thanks for visiting, we won't expect you back.
Steve [17-03-2009 21:05] 
Note to "???": Stick around awhile and see just how worthwhile this website is!

Grefe has been around for years, but isn't the commercial success that Spielberg is. There is generally a price to pay for that success.
??? [17-03-2009 19:42] 
This sitei is really blowing thing Bill Girefe guy as if I am supposed to know who he is or something.
Methuzula Beasley [17-03-2009 13:22]  
Great article on Grefe, ED! Wish I could have been there!

It's a shame there is no one to make films of that genre anymore.

If I were in Florida, I'd give it a hell of a go, that's for sure!
[31-12-1969 16:00] 
End of Comments    


"Mike's Rant" is ©2009 by Michael A. Smith    "Matt's Rail" is ©2009 by Matthew Drinnenberg     "This Week's Movie Review" is ©2009 by Michael A. Smith    "Retrorama" is ©2009 by ED Tucker    "Growing Up Fanboy" is ©2009 by Chris Woods    "FANGRRL" is ©2009 by Lisa Scherer Ciurro    "Sports Talk" is ©2009 by Chris Munger      All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2009 by Nolan B. Canova    
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