California Literary Review

A Case for Warhol’s Jews

Alix McKenna — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:28:50 +0000

Since its in 1980, Critics have lambasted Warhol’s “Ten Portraits of Jews of the Twentieth Century” as one-dimensional and exploitative. Several recent shows have reawakened the controversy surrounding the project. After traveling to San Francisco and New York in 2008-2009, the series is now on display in a retrospective at the Washington DC Jewish Community Center. In response to these shows, many contemporary reviewers have repeated the argument that Warhol was motivated solely by profit and that he trivialized important historical figures. Perhaps it is time to check our cynicism and explore how the series fits into his oeuvre and intellectual interests.

Sex in the Vienna Secession – Because Airplane Bathrooms are so Passé

Alix McKenna — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:12:13 +0000

The Vienna Secession, which was designed to display works by Gustav Klimt and his contemporaries, recently decided to spice up their collection by requiring visitors to walk through a swingers club before reaching Klimpt’s masterful "Beethoven Frieze". This strange paring is part of a project by Swiss artist, Christoph Büchel and involves a collaboration between the museum and a local swingers’ club called Element 6. The club will be open at night during the exhibition. The next morning, mattresses and other nasty remnants of the evening’s activities will be on display. I’m betting that for once, visitors won’t have to be told “don’t touch.”

What happened to teen movies?!

Julia Rhodes — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:57:21 +0000

“On Wednesdays we wear pink!” (Mean Girls: a frightfully accurate portrayal of peer pressure and conformity.) Full disclosure: the first day of seventh grade I wore the same straight-cut jeans I’d been wearing throughout elementary school (or possibly stirrup pants–if so I’ve blocked it out). It was immediately apparent I needed flared jeans, ASAP. Everyone [...]

The Weekly Listicle: William and Julia’s Revised Best/Worst Lists of 2009!

William Bibbiani — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:42:40 +0000

This week in honor of the Academy Awards – traditionally the last opportunity to discuss the previous year of films in a critical light – we here at The Fourth Wall take one last look back at 2009. The Weekly Listicle proudly presents William Bibbiani and Julia Rhodes’ lists of the Best and Worst Films of 2009.

Corey Haim Found Dead of Accidental Overdose

Julia Rhodes — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:43:09 +0000

Corey Haim, one of the ’80s brightest teen stars, was found dead aged 38 of an accidental drug overdose. Haim was most recently in Crank: High Voltage and a cameo in the ill-advised Lost Boys sequel. His drug addiction was well-publicized in a reality series he did with best friend Corey Feldman called (what else?) [...]

Book Review: The Dragon Factory by Jonathan Maberry

Katherine Tomlinson — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:32:21 +0000

The Extinction Clock is counting down. Time is short—10,800 minutes (just seven days)—and if the clock zeroes out, billions will die. Ex-cop Joe Ledger and the DMS (Department of Military Science) are assigned the mission to stop the clock and the men behind it, a pair of freakishly brilliant monsters who intend to commit genocide on an apocalyptic scale.

Book Review: Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History by David Aaronovitch

Jem Bloomfeld — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:00:52 +0000

Voodoo Histories isn’t an attempt to tell everyone to chill out and stop worrying about what people in authority are up to. Rather, it attempts the trickier task of explaining why a set of conspiracy theories do not hold water on close examination, and accounting for how they differ from traditional historical explanations - what is specifically “conspiracist” about them.

William’s Weekly DVD Heist: 3-9-10

William Bibbiani — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:45:27 +0000

Every week, dozens of DVDs and Blu-Rays are released unto the world, and in this economy it gets harder and harder to decide what to spend your money on. The Weekly DVD Heist is here to tell you what your primary objective is, determine the difference between high priority and low priority targets, and help [...]

And the loser is… William Bibbiani!

William Bibbiani — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:31:08 +0000

Hey everyone. Well, I screwed up. I stand by my picks as logical predictions, but as Julia pointed out in her most recent posting I lost our Oscar wager a staggering 19-11. This is, incidentally, the worst showing I've ever had at predicting the Academy Awards. I look forward to taking my public lashings from the clearly more talented Julia Rhodes. In the meantime, let's see where I screwed up, shall we?

And the winner is…Julia Rhodes!

Julia Rhodes — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:37:22 +0000

Well, folks, I type this through a haze of last night’s bubbly. The Academy Awards ceremony itself, as well as the dresses, were hit-or-miss this year. Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin were good enough hosts–though Hugh Jackman nearly charmed the pants off me last year and I’ll hold others to that standard, thank you. And [...]

Art Review: 2010, Whitney Biennial

Alix McKenna — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:23:46 +0000

It is undeniable that the reduction, which was largely brought on by budget constraints, has created a more sober atmosphere than the artistic smorgasbords of previous years – but maybe that’s not a bad thing. 2010 is less about the diva that is the art world and more about the art, and the people who make and inspire it. Walking through, you can concentrate on each piece without feeling overwhelmed by an overabundance of visual stimuli.

Movie Review: Alice in Wonderland

Julia Rhodes — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:03:58 +0000

The mythology behind the Wonderland books is so complex, there are sure to be disappointed diehards, but Alice in Wonderland is a fun reinterpretation of the stories so many of us grew up reading and watching. It is easily the most visually impressive release since Avatar, and though it’s by no means Burton’s best movie, it is among his better ones.

William and Julia’s Oscar Wager 2010!!!

William Bibbiani — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 04:11:16 +0000

With the Academy Awards coming up this Sunday, March 7th, Julia Rhodes and I – William Bibbiani! – have decided to spice things up a bit with a wager. Whichever one of us avowed Oscar Enthusiasts picks the most winners gets to assign four writing assignments to the loser over the next two months, which must be completed promptly and without question.

Book Review: The American Girl by Monika Fagerholm

Elinor Teele — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:18:40 +0000

It's a radioactive fairy tale, with adults known only by nicknames (the Black Sheep, the baroness) and facts twisted into fantasies. Ever seen Heavenly Creatures? There's a bit of that in here – the overheated imaginings of two girls on the edge of puberty.

The Weekly Listicle: Creepy Kids Movies

Julia Rhodes — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:11:37 +0000

In honor of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (watch for the review on Saturday morning), this week’s Listicle is all about kids’ movies spooky, weird, and/or dark kids’ movies. Alice in Wonderland is rated PG-13 for “fantasy/action violence involving scary images and situations” and “a smoking caterpillar.” Really, MPAA? We all know it isn’t tobacco [...]

Video Game Review: Heavy Rain

William Bibbiani — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:05:10 +0000

This contrasts strikingly with next chapter which follows Ethan and his family to the mall, where Ethan – and the player – loses sight of one of his sons. As the crowd impedes your movement, the only indication of your child’s whereabouts is a bobbing balloon you just purchased for him. Then, in the distance, dozens of balloons fly out of someone else’s hands. The effect is one of dread and hopelessness. The conclusion only confirms those fears.

Book Review: I Don’t Care About Your Band by Julie Klausner

Julia Rhodes — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:26:42 +0000

If the book were a movie, it would be rated R; the author’s got a dirty mouth (or pen, if you prefer) and hormones out the wazoo, and this book is not your mom’s dating guide. But for modern women it’s a refreshing and smart reassurance that they’re not alone in their woes.

William’s Weekly DVD Heist: 3-2-10

William Bibbiani — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:14:16 +0000

Johnny Depp, Nick Cave cover “I Put a Spell on You” for Haiti Relief

Julia Rhodes — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:28:16 +0000

In the 80s, there was “We Are the World,” a recording and video jam-packed with celebrities to benefit famine relief in Africa. This year’s remake of “We Are the World” was made to help victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The song is a cringe-worthy, Autotune-filled mess, but I hope it helps raise awareness and [...]

Movie Review: The Crazies

Julia Rhodes — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:03:42 +0000

Horror film is enduring a period of what some would call “rejuvenation” and others would dub “total lack of imagination.” Good new horror is hard to find and recent remakes have been totally hit-or-miss. This weekend’s The Crazies is based on a 1973 George Romero film of the same name. This version, directed by Breck Eisner, shares basic plot points and characters, but it outdoes the mediocre-to-awful original by far.

Natalie Portman to do a Stoner Comedy

Julia Rhodes — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:33:10 +0000

Natalie Portman and her production company Handsome Charlie Films have signed on to make a stoner road trip movie. Not a surprise, given the success of the Harold and Kumar movies, Knocked Up, Cheech and Chong, and The Hangover. Actress Portman to star in and finance a stoner comedy The thing about those movies is [...]

R.I.P. Andrew Koenig, Star of Batman: Dead End

William Bibbiani — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:36:10 +0000

To some, Andrew Koenig was "Boner" on "Growing Pains." Walter Koenig and Judy Levitt called him "son." Some called him "friend." But in Batman: Dead End, one of the most popular fan films ever made, we called him The Joker. Rest in Peace, Andrew. We loved your laugh.

The Weekly Listicle: Julia’s Bruce Willis-ticle!

Julia Rhodes — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:31:16 +0000

In honor of this week’s release Cop Out, the Listicle is All Things Bruce. When researching for this post, I originally told fellow blogger William that I wasn’t much of a Willis fan, so it’d be tough to find much to write about. When I checked his IMDb page, though, turns out he’s done quite [...]

The Weekly Listicle: William’s Bruce Willis-ticle!

William Bibbiani — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:59:49 +0000

With this weekend's Cop Out, Bruce Willis earns his 76th acting credit (!) on IMDb, making the Hollywood's favorite everyman superstar prime "Weekly Listicle" material. From his uncredited early quasi-appearances in The Verdict and The First Deadly Sin, to his leading roles in box office smashes like Die Hard and The Sixth Sense, to his participation in just God awful pieces of crap like Striking Distance and The Color of Night, many of us have grown up with Bruce Willis for better or worse. Today, I present my picks for the better. (Oh, and make sure to add Mercury Rising to the list of the worst. Yeeesh.) The Honorable Mentions include such obvious - and excellent - choices as Die Hard, Pulp Fiction and Twelve Monkeys, but if you haven't seen those already then there's just no helping you.

Art Review: Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris at the Philadelphia Museum Of Art

Ed Voves — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:25:43 +0000

If Salon Cubism pleased nobody in 1912, the recreation of the gallery from the Salon d'Automne in the Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris exhibition is bound to excite the highest praise. The paintings are clustered about the walls, many of them positioned well above the heads of viewers, which presents Marcel Duchamp's Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2 from an especially striking position. Sculpture busts, including one by Amadeo Modigliani, are stationed in front of the paintings, revealing how displays of different types of art were often closely integrated during the pre-World War I era.

Tavis Coburn’s Resplendent BAFTA Posters!

William Bibbiani — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:22:42 +0000

The BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Awards have come and gone, but before they're relegated to just another IMDb link let's take a look at some posters that the group commissioned for each of their Best Picture nominees, because they are ridiculously gorgeous. Tavis Coburn at Dutch Uncle presents these incredible works of art representing Avatar, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Precious: Based on the Yadda-Yadda-Yadda, and Up in the Air. Now if we can just get him to do every other poster for every movie ever made we'll be in business.

“Ah, nuts!”: A Warner Bros. Blooper Reel from 1936

Julia Rhodes — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:34:47 +0000

I grew up in the era of videotapes, the advent of which changed the film industry completely and irreversibly. But with VHS we had no idea what we were missing. Video rarely offered special features or accurate aspect ratio (though I do own a widescreen VHS of Halloween with interviews, documentaries, TV spots and trailers [...]

William’s Weekly DVD Heist: 2-23-10 – UPDATED

William Bibbiani — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 04:06:33 +0000

Every week, dozens of DVDs and Blu-Rays are released unto the world, and in this economy it gets harder and harder to decide what to spend your money on. The Weekly DVD Heist is here to tell you the difference between high priority and low priority targets, and help you decide what to leave behind. February [...]

Book Review: The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer

John R. Guthrie — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:21:32 +0000

Garrity is an archetype, an ill-understood and imperiled hero who after overcoming every obstacle, exits hand-in-hand with the alluring heroine. It is part of the fun for our heroes to be bigger, somehow, than life, and for villains to be so brilliantly inventive and evil as to rival Satan himself. This fictional world of good and bad provides the reader with a comforting temporary escape from the real world with all its pesky shades of gray.

The I Spit on Your Grave Remake: Why?!

Julia Rhodes — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:47:16 +0000

Slasher movies took a gruesome turn in the 1970s, with flicks like Wes Craven’s Last House on the Left (1972) and Meir Zarchi’s 1978 shocker I Spit on Your Grave (alternately titled Day of the Woman) heading up a strange and disturbing trend: the rape-revenge movie. Whether they were viewed as a backlash to second-wave [...]