Foreign journalist­s get more respect in N. Korea & Iran than in U.S.

Earlier this year, an Iranian-American journalist Roxanna Saberi was arrested in Iran for spying. She reportedly had some sensitive government papers on her. She was given a trial and sentenced to prison. More recently, two American journalists were arrested in North Korea for filming without permission. They were given a trial and sentenced to prison. […]

Beauty Through Cancer

Debbie Buckner, a cancer survivor and the face of Beauty Through Cancer. photo courtesy of Kristi Hedgurg photography Beauty Through Cancer focuses on celebrating a woman’s inner and outer beauty both during and after her battle with cancer. The volunteer-based organization offers many programs and services—all at no charge—including a give-and-take program that provides wigs, […]

Cranky Hanke’s Weekly Reeler Aug. 19-25: The Basterds are upon us

This week it’s all about Quentin Tarantino, as his long-gestating, long-anticipated Inglourious Basterds arrives on the scene. Speculation runs high. Is this going to be a “great” film, another of the filmmaker’s trashy pop-culture masterpieces? Or is this going to be the mess that a lot of early reports have claimed? And even if it is a mess, will it be a glorious mess or just a plain old mess?

Cranky Hanke’s Screening Room: What became of star power?

This is an evening (Thursday) I wouldn’t normally be at home, but owing to the onslaught of this ague, here I am in the company of Humphrey Bogart in In a Lonely Place (1950) on TCM. It’s not a favorite of mine, but it’s not an inapt choice simply because if anyone ever had star power Bogie qualifies, and star power is what I’m thinking about today. The question in my mind is whether or not it actually still exists—at least in anything like the form it once did.