Pow! 2026 Annual CCA Super Awards Winners Announced
The 2026 CCA Super Awards Winners are a mixed bunch this year, with many of my favorites in Sci Fi getting their just rewards. The Critics Choice Association (CCA) of which I am a very active member, just announced the winners of the sixth annual Critics Choice Super Awards, honoring the most popular, fan-obsessed genres…
The Mid Mod Home of Famed Couple John Hillcoat and Polly Borland Lists for $2,949,000
This classic Midcentury Modern home owned by writer/director John Hillcoat and multimedia artist Polly Borland has all the classic LA elements. It doesn’t get any more quintessentially LA than this midcentury modern, Mulholland Drive masterpiece, owned by an award winning writer/director and a celebrated multimedia artist. Designed in 1972 by prominent architect Robert S Wilkerson,…
SPIDER-MAN BRAND NEW DAY Review — Doesn’t Stick the Landing
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Spider-Man Brand New Day review says the film gives great fan service, but casual observers find themselves wishing they hadn’t been caught in this particular web. I wasn’t quite ready, and frankly, I don’t think I’ll ever be, for yet another Spider-Man film, especially with Tom Holland, 30 and Zendaya, 29, as…
Check Out the Marvelous Malibu Former Home of Joni Mitchell — Now for Sale
It’s time to jump in a big yellow taxi and head for the beach! The former home of Joni Mitchell in Malibu has been listed, but you can’t get it for a song. You can see the luxe beachfront home formerly owned by music legend Joni Mitchell from both sides now that it’s on the…
12 Wondrous Ways to Watch THE ODYSSEY in Theaters — Which One’s Right For You?
With so many different ways to watch The Odyssey in theaters, options seem confusing and surprisingly pricy. Here’s a guide explaining pros and cons, for your maximum viewing pleasure. Let’s get one thing straight from the very beginning: you absolutely, positively must see Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey in a theater. Not on your couch in…
THE ODYSSEY Review — The Next Great Historical Epic
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s The Odyssey review cries all hail to Christopher Nolan’s awe-inspiring epic! It could be the cinematic event of the decade. Some time after I left my 70mm screening of The Odyssey, having spent the entire two hours and 52 minutes absolutely riveted to the screen without dozing off for even a second,…
THE DINK Review — Can This Warm, Clever Comedy Serve Up a Win?
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s The Dink review — Is this gentle pickleball comedy a hit or a whiff? A committed pickleball enthusiast weighs in. I couldn’t watch Apple TV’s new The Dink without my bestie Sara by my side. Several years my junior, she is the Queen of the Pickleball scene in our neighborhood, and has…
Take a Peek Inside the Gorgeous Hollywood Home of Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford
If you live in or around LA, you may have hiked right by the longtime Hollywood Hills home of Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford without even knowing it. Now it can be yours. I’d have to say my favorite Hollywood couple is the duo comprised of Academy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren and acclaimed director Taylor…
The High-Octane Digger Trailer Astounds
If the Academy gave out awards for trailers, you can be sure the Digger trailer would be a major contender. I haven’t been this excited about a trailer since, well, since…I can’t even remember a trailer that got me this excited. Just to clue you in, Digger stars Academy Award winner Tom Cruise in bizarre…
5 Exclusive Recipes From ‘RockTails: 102 Drinks That Rock’
Famous rock musicians share their favorite drinks, or “Rocktails” for fun and a good cause in Staci Layne Wilson’s raucous new book. When it comes to rock music and alcoholic beverages, you might picture Keith Richards from The Rolling Stones weaving around onstage clutching a bottle of Jack Daniels in one hand and…
