fresh copy

Award season is well underway and I'm desperately trying to catch up with all the Oscar bait in theaters around L.A. My latest reviews take on the ultimately disappointing A Beautiful Mind and the surprisingly mournful Kate & Leopold. Although varying widely in ambition, they each fall short of their makers' expectations. After a promising start, Ron Howard leads A Beautiful Mind into hokey disease of the week territory, glossing over the story's grit for feel-good triumph. Kate & Leopold so desperately wants to be a screwball comedy yet lacks the necessary zest and must settle for its true identity--a hopelessly retro romance redeemed chiefly by Hugh Jackman's dashing turn. Co-star Meg Ryan, on the other hand, needs career rehab and quick.

feature: Stalled construction projects can be a nightmare for neighbors and homeowners alike, as I learned in this L.A. Times story prompted by an abandoned remodel around the corner from my house.

biz writing: Northern California-based Bradley Video ranks as one the industry's best chains, outperforming larger rivals. From Video Business.

review: Monsters act like corporate beasts in Pixar's latest.

all about me: Places I've worked, stories I've written, yada yada.