All Blog posts Tagged: '_'
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Five Casting Directions the Revived John Belushi Biopic Could Take
John Belushi’s life story has been rescued from the clutches of Todd Phillips and a big-budget destiny at Warner Bros. — sorry, Todd; apologies, big-budget movies — and delivered into the arms of indie nourishment it deserves. Screenwriter Steve Conrad (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Weather Man) is now doubling as director. He […]
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Gravity’s Rainbow
Alfonso Cuarón’s near-perfect moviegoing experience.
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Things Fall Apart: The Demise of the Chicago Bears Defense
A year ago, the Chicago Bears won 10 games the only way they could. They finished first in defensive DVOA — the eighth time in Lovie Smith’s nine seasons that they’d ranked in the top 10. And thanks to career years from players like Charles Tillman and Henry Melton, the ability of the Bears’ defense […]
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Freak Show & Tell: Hot Tub Plague Machine
Every week, television documentaries present us with so many unusual people, with so many strange and/or disturbing problems, you might find it hard to keep up with all of them. That’s where I come in! Here’s an unflinching look back at TV’s Week in Freak Shows. Apocalypse Preppers (Discovery) Who Is This Now? Lucinda Tull. […]
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The Importance of Being Nolan
In 1990, Nolan Ryan bought a bank in Alvin, Texas. It was an era of financial chicanery, of Michael Milken and Ivan Boesky. Ryan entered the industry as a folksy CEO. “When I was growing up,” he remarked, “customers knew their banker by name. That’s the way it should be.” Nearly two decades later, Ryan […]
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The Voice’s Judging Panel Loses Its Summer Camp Spirit
There’s something about The Voice that’s reminiscent of summer camp, while its competitors The X Factor and American Idol are more like boot camp: It’s artist-friendly and more respectful of the singer’s vision; there’s less time devoted to behind-the-scenes drama; and, even though it has yet to propel any of its winners into the kind […]
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Bill and Jalen’s NBA Preview: Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks
Bill Simmons and Jalen Rose aren’t impressed with what the Grizzlies did in the offseason, but they are impressed with Gus’s Fried Chicken and Zach Randolph’s dominance over Blake Griffin.
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Six Reasons to Love This Seemingly Unlovable World Series Matchup
This is not a great World Series pairing for neutral fans. Scrappy underdogs Pittsburgh, Tampa, Cleveland, and Oakland are out. Cincinnati lasted one game, despite fielding one of baseball’s best offenses. The ebullient Dodgers are gone, and with them the postseason’s best pitcher (Clayton Kershaw) and most intriguing player (Yasiel Puig). No more lightning-rod Braves, […]
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Unpopular Opinion Alert: Jared Leto Is Cool
“He’s so cool!” she yelped. “He’s so cool, he’s so cool, he’s sooooo coooool.” The girl was no older than 17, wearing a zebra-stripe skirt, a black T-shirt covered in daisy decals, and her hair in a severe swoop. She was vibrating with excitement. Her voice rose above the crowd in our section, somewhere between […]
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2013-14 NCAA Basketball Preview: The Big East
Why a walk-on may end up winning the Naismith this season.