BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD (2007, directed by Sidney Lumet, 117 minutes, U.S.) AMERICAN GANGSTER (2007, directed by Ridley Scott, 157 minutes, U.S.) BY DAN BUSKIRK FILM CRITIC Talk about a Dream Factory. The modern Hollywood press machine now holds the power to make the backstory of a new theatrical release the front story, in a way that practically lets a film review itself. I’ve read, heard and viewed so many stories about how the 83-year-old master director Sidney Lumet was in top form with his latest crime drama, Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead, that it began to […]
GAYBO EXTRA: Boys And Girls In Love
By the Rumble Strips, who play the Fillmore November 29th. [Hat tip to TOMMY ZANE]
NEWS CLUES: It’s Like Adderall For Your Eyeballs
NUCLEAR PLANT WORKER ARRESTED FOR BRINGING PIPE BOMB TO WORK PHOENIX (AP) — Security officials at the nation’s largest nuclear power plant detained a contract worker with a small explosive device in the back of his pickup truck Friday, authorities said. The worker was stopped and detained at the entrance of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, said U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Victor Dricks. Security officials then put the nuclear station on lockdown, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving the facility. Authorities described the device as a small capped pipe that contained suspicious residue. Capt. Paul Chagolla with the […]
CONFETTI BETTY: Hail to the ‘FLILF’
BY AMY Z. QUINN There’s a moderately entertaining Brazilian electro-pop band you’ve probably never heard of called CSS, which is short for Cansei de Ser Sexi. That’s Portuguese for “I got tired of being sexy,” a quote attributed to a Beyonce grown weary of her bootylicious image. I’m thinking of this Tuesday night as I watch Elizabeth Kucinich, the leggy redhead whose husband (you may have heard) is running for president, being swarmed by cameras. She’s a few feet from me in the “Spin Alley” area set up in the student center at Drexel University after the Democratic debate, where […]
HOT DOCUMENT: We Are Watching You
Hi, Mr. Valania, As you probably know, a lot of the people from my journalism class you visited last Tuesday have pretty strong opinions about some of the things you said, particularly when you talked about journalism being a useless major. Some students, and my professor, George Miller, disagree with what you said. On our class blog, he wrote that you were “Dead wrong.” and that journalists need to have a specific background they can only get by majoring in journalism. I’m working on an article about what you said [for the Philadelphia Weekly], and I’ve talked to a lot […]
THE EARLY WORD: Get With The Winning Team!
Dear Phawker, This is it! Election Day is just five days away. Now we need to make sure that Philadelphians come out and vote in force this Tuesday, November 6th. To kick off our massive get out the vote effort, we’ll be holding a rally tomorrow, Friday, November 2nd at Noon in Love Park. Please come out and join us and invite all of your friends, family members and neighbors to attend the rally, too. This rally is a great way to raise awareness about this election and get people fired up to get out and vote for change on […]
BREAKING: Led Zeppelin Reunion Postponed
The Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert, originally scheduled for Monday, November 26th and featuring Led Zeppelin, Bill Wyman and the Rhythm Kings, Paul Rogers, Paolo Nutini, and Foreigner has been postponed until December 10th due to Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page fracturing his finger. The injury to Page’s finger, which was sustained this past weekend, will not allow him to play guitar for 3 weeks. MORE
PAPERBOY: ‘Like Pulling Teeth’ Edition
BY AMY Z. QUINN We know how it is: so many words to read, so little time to surf for free porn. That’s why every week, PAPERBOY does your alt-weekly reading for you, freeing up valuable nanoseconds that can now be better spent ‘roughing up the suspect’ over at Suicide Girls or what have you. Every Thursday we pore over those time-consuming cover stories and give you the takeaway, suss out the cover art, warn you off the ink-wasters and steer you towards the gooey caramel center of each edition. Why? Because we like you. ON THE COVER CITY PAPER: […]
MAILBAG: Nevermind
DEAR PHAWKER, If it is indeed true that Brian Abernathy, legislative aide to Frank DiCicco’s office, did not write the letter you published on your site, then I offer him my sincere apology. I look forward to working with Brian and Councilman DiCicco on the important issue of resisting Sugarhouse and Foxwoods casinos out of neighborhoods. Best, Anne Dicker EDITOR’S NOTE: We apologize to Mr. Abernathy for inadvertently allowing an impostor put words into his mouth and tip our hat to him for being a good sport about it.
JUNK SCIENCE: IT’S LIKE THERE’S A GREEN PARTY IN MY MOUTH AND EVERYONE IS INVITED!
BY ELIZABETH FIEND LIVING EDITOR You’ve got your spinach, your bok choy (and a zillion other ‘choys’), your soft, dainty salad greens, yer sturdy kales and collards. Dandelion and mustard greens, Chinese broccoli, broccoli rabe, beet and turnip tops — they’re all part of the green family. I also include green, leafy herbs like basil, mint, parsley and cilantro in the green clan. Lots of cultures celebrate greens in their cuisine, but with the exception of a few Southern favorites, your Standard American Diet (SAD) generally ignores these powerhouses of nutrition, taste and versatility. Still I was pretty surprised when […]