Share: Paper Rice specializes in build-your-own style spring rolls, a fast and contemporary take on a traditional Vietnamese dish. Owned by Jens Kristen, a Pasadena City College math and computer science professor, the restaurant offers a casual Chipotle style, walk up custom ordering experience where customers can also enjoy spring bowls or a bahn-mi sandwich. I had the pleasure of sampling some of the items on the menu, although the bowl and sandwich seemed appealing, the rolls are their staple and I wanted to see …
‘M3GAN’ is killer, with minimal buffering
Share: You’re probably familiar with the old adage about shooting for the moon and landing amongst the stars. To begin this review by referencing that adage would be cheesy. Luckily “M3GAN” the latest theatrical release from the horror trailblazers at Blumhouse, pairs perfectly with a little cheese. M3GAN, short for Model 3 Generative Android, is an A.I. prototype willed and welded into existence by roboticist Gemma. Built to be the last toy any kid will ever need, M3GAN becomes just that and more when tragedy …
‘Angel City’ is as interesting as it is confusing
Share: Pasadena City College’s rendition of Sam Shepard’s “Angel City” explores the destructive and exploitative nature of the Hollywood machine that often drives people to corruption. The play follows Rabbit, a magical miracle man with a reputation for helping Hollywood with failing film projects. Rabbit is asked by film executives, Wheeler and Lanx, to create a cinematic catastrophe large enough to save their newest disaster film. Over time Rabbit comes to find that everyone there is waiting for their big moment that will never come, …
Mike White’s ‘White Lotus’ is fabulously disappointing
Share: The second installment in Mike White’s anthology series about wealthy residents vacationing at the eponymous White Lotus resort is as stunning and painful as the first. There is much to praise in season 2 of “The White Lotus”. The incredible soundtrack composed by Cristobal Tapia de Veer springs readily to mind. Then, there is the show’s powerhouse cast who manage to make even the most infuriating characters lovable by merit of their humanity. The three-act structure of each episode that follows its players from …
‘Andor’ shines bright in a galaxy far, far away
Share: Despite being announced in 2018, “Andor” was finally released on Disney+ on Sep. 21, 2022. The show follows Diego Luna’s character Cassian Andor in the years leading up to the film that originally introduced him, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”. To put it simply, this show kicks ass and is the best offering on Disney+. It’s enthralling, complex, and most of all, exciting. It’s the space political thriller I didn’t know I needed or wanted for that matter. Between its 12 episodes, the …
‘She Said’: An inspirational film on the story that spurred the #MeToo movement
Share: A single tweet by actor Rose McGowan from 2016, and an article nine months later, written by two New York Times writers, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, about Harvey Weinstein’s history of abuse would launch a gigantic movement, changing the world forever. This story would be recounted in a book written by the pair, and would inform the movie “She Said,” released on November 18, 2022. In the movie the journalist, Jodi Kantor, and Megan Twohey were played by Zoe Kazan and Carey Mulligan. …
‘Glass Onion’ peels back layers in another Rian Johnson whodunnit
Share: After a sweeping box office success in 2019, Rian Johnson was off to the races to produce a sequel to “Knives Out” and after three years, a switch in distributors, and a pandemic, it finally arrived. Ditching the New England estate and familial setting, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” moves detective Benoit Blanc to a Grecian island owned by tech billionaire Miles Bron. The film follows a fantastic ensemble cast, so-called “disruptors” who are portrayed by the likes of Kathryn Hahn as Claire …
Megan Thee Stallion incites ‘hot girl shit’ at private concert
Share: Looking through my emails on a random Thursday afternoon, the title of one screams out to me by saying “You have been selected to the Amazon Music Live event Ft. Megan Thee Stallion!”. The disbelief that ran through my body that I was chosen to see Megan Thee Stallion perform her new album Traumazine the following Thursday made me jump out of my seat with glee! A building in Melrose was held as the venue that seemed to be a small space to have …
Restless nights never end with Taylor Swift’s latest ‘Midnights’
Share: Following a reveal at the MTV music awards, weeks of cryptic teasers on TikTok, and several fan theories, Taylor Swift has released her tenth studio album, “Midnights”. The album combines aspects like the theming of “Reputation”, the upbeat pop of “1989” and the deep, spiritual lyrics of “Folklore” to deliver a rollercoaster of emotions. “Midnights” follows 13 sleepless nights throughout Swift’s life, whether it’s staying up wondering if that special someone actually loves you or being provoked by thoughts of revenge, this album has …
The hierarchy of power did change: All it needed was ‘Black Adam’
Share: Following an upheaval of Warner Brothers leadership, and a myriad of financial problems, ‘Black Adam’ is the only other Warner Brothers Pictures film to release this year. Headlined by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, this film follows Black Adam, a character many probably haven’t heard of but this film will most definitely change that for the better. The film opens with narration from Bodhi Sabongui’s character Amon Tomaz that gives a much-needed exposition on Kahndaq, a fictional middle eastern civilization that has existed since before …