Cutting Room for January 26

by Ryan Syrek

• If it’s hard to keep a good woman down, imagine how hard it is to stop a “Wonder Woman.” Answer: Really hard. When Joss Whedon’s pitch for a new big screen version was treated with all the respect of a Joss Whedon project, David E. Kelly stepped in and took it to TV … where everyone initially passed on it as well. But it all worked out when Kelly remembered that NBC is still technically...

DVD Discovery: Mama’s Family

by Ben Coffman

DVD Discovery: Animal Kingdom

Let’s give it up for the ladies. Once the purview of mustachioed men with Italian last names, the “cops and crooks” movie genre has flung open the doors to the clubhouse. Last year gave us several films in the genre with strong female leads instead of damsel-in-distress love interests. Playing an Aussie-accented version of The Godmother in the under-appreciated Animal Kingdom, Jacki Weaver...

Fearless, Flawless Box Office Predictions for January 21

by Ryan Syrek

Why would people see a movie this weekend? Don't they know they have to spend Friday night shopping for goodies for Sunday's Bears game, spend Saturday doing the necessary voodoo and sacrifices, and spend Sunday morning crying, breathing into a bag, and then trying not to barf as the Bears attempt to go to the Super Bowl? That's what everybody else is doing right? Well, apparently, that's not...

Ryan’s Junk Drawer (1/21/11)

by Ryan Syrek

"With great junk, comes great responsibility" - Better Off Ted

You can always tell how excited I am by my junk. If my junk seems all peppy and wild, it's probably a good indication that I can't wait for what this weekend will bring. There's no doubt in my mind that given the Chicago Bears playing for the NFC Championship on Sunday, my junk will indicate how thrilled I am, how unbelievably...

Things You Should Buy Me (Volume 62)

by Ryan Syrek

Make you a deal: If you somehow have the ability to influence that outcome of the Bears/Packers game on Sunday, you can feel free to never buy me anything again provided you get me a Bears "W." I would be able to even offer more than just not buying me something. I would give you something. Something reasonable. Like my home.

But since I think the only folks who will influence the outcome are...

Tuesday’s Daily Dump (1/19/11)

by Ryan Syrek

Doodily doo...nothing to see here today...no news that would send shockwaves across the interwebs, wrinkling the brains and uncorking the loins of nerds or anything...squiddy squoo...I'll just sit here twiddling my HOLY ANNOUNCEMENT (that isn't the 10 commandments), BATMAN!!! We bagged ourselves a kitty!

Anne Hathaway, who I'm on the fence about as an actress (not as someone to look at,...

Cutting Room for January 19

by Ryan Syrek

I’m not trying to tell you how to live your life. Well, at least not all of it. I just want to tell you how to live your life on a few specific days. So grab a pen and get to stuffin’ your schedule.

• By now you’re all kinds of aware that the Omaha Film Festival (omahafilmfestival.org) runs March 2-6 at the Great Escape Stadium 16 Theatre, right? That’s cool, but why wait for March when...