In praise of suspense thrillers
Carefully made thrillers always grab my attention. No matter how many times I watch the movie The Usual Suspects, I still wonder how filmmakers create story endings so twisted that they become classics. More...

Lucky Number Slevin
Lucky Number Slevin has a lot going for it. It stars a half dozen “A-list” actors who seem to enjoy themselves. A hip, young screenwriter wrote the script. Numerous producers offered funding. Scottish director Paul McGuigan (Gangster No. 1, Wicker Park) captured the story on film. What more could a group of filmmakers ask for? More...

Jason Smilovic: Slevin’s lucky screenwriter
Q: Did you ever imagine your story would have a cast like this?
A: The movie had been relegated to what we call “writing sample” status. It was simply going to be reduced to a calling card and hopefully get me jobs as a writer. We never dreamed of this. . More...

Bold performances make Streetcar shine
Arena's intimate space brings audiences closer to emotional classic
It was a full house on March 8, when A Streetcar Named Desire was performed by North Lake Theatre. Opening night attracted a large audience and a few extra seats were brought in to accommodate the crowd. More...

Matisyahu's booming sound of faith
Becoming a Hasidic Jew when he was 19 years old didn’t stop Matisyahu (born Matthew Miller) from rocking the mic. More...