Friday, August 24, 2007

Fall Movie Preview Poems

Watching movie trailers should be like going to prom with a hot Mormon chick – just the right amount of teasing and not too revealing. See entire fall movie preview

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Defending RBlog

As a former editor of Richmond.com, I got my boxer briefs in a bit of a ruffle when I saw the lashing that the River City blog community was giving RBlog and Richmond Magazine for its recent accolade.

Yes, I’m very, very subjective. And yes, there was a good amount of static between the entries at times in Richmond.com's aptly named RBlog. But you would have thought the awarding of RBlog as Best Blog was akin to Marissa Tomei winning an Oscar for "My COusin Vinny" with the blistering sniping it’s receiving.

Sure, RBlog doesn’t spend much time bitching about rogue tow trucks, waxing lyrically on lower back tattoos or oozing tween angst, but I’d like to think that the blog did some unique and fun reporting. Maybe not. You be the judge:

RBlog: Following the Rams

RBlog: The Road to Invention

RBlog: Honing in on Homelessness

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Losers Clique in ‘Superbad’

Add “Superbad” to this list of films fit for weekend slackerdom, fraternity row pre-gaming and 30-somethings taking a drunken stumble down memory lane.

Check out the review.

Monday, August 6, 2007

American Dissenter

It’s a shame that a show that mastered the formula for winning reality TV (Over-emotional winner + Snide British judge + Retired boxer who now sells college dorm grilling machines) blew it in one 11th hour faux pas. But when "American Inventor" created a montage of some dorky dude who “invented” customizable remote control cars – and choose “You Raise Me Up” as the song – it was instantly no better than “Temptation Island.”

See more Top Five things on my mind this month (and on the minds of the staff of Richmond.com).

The Cheesecake Sweat Shop

Ever since The Cheesecake Factory plopped down at Short Pump Town Center, people have talked about it like it was free cable TV or a 24/7 happy hour. They praised its lush menu, the fine corporate grub itself, and brushed off the two-hour Disney-esque lines as no big whoop.

I was more impressed by Shaq’s thespian chops in “Kazam.”

The exotic menu included everything from cheeseburgers and pizzas to pastas and chicken sandwiches. In other words, the same fare as the zoo snack bar. And the patrons are crammed into seating tighter than a [insert conservative religious sect here] girl the morning after prom. Prisoners having relations at Richmond City Jail have more privacy.

While the ham and eggers out there might be starry-eyed within walls of The Cheesecake Factory, savvy Richmond diners won’t mistake the chain for what it really is: T.G.I. Fridays dressed in its Sunday best.