The setup: Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps is a breakneck farce that doesn’t exactly parody the classic film and spy novel that inspired it — it’s more of a concept that makes fun of them as they are, taking every element that’s a little weird or over-obvious or supremely early-20th-century…
David KrutaStacie Passon’s Concussion is a happy surprise.Sometimes, one film in a festival lineup can help to reveal another in sharper relief. To wit, one of the loveliest entries in Sundance 2013’s U.S. Dramatic Competition, James Ponsoldt’s deeply felt coming-of-age drama The Spectacular Now, looked even better after the premiere…
Once a year, Scottsdale’s finest convene with bonafide golf lovers and your average collegiate boozers for a day of drinking, partying, and, oh yeah, golf. For years the Waste(d) Management Phoenix Open has given Valley boozers a great reason to get outside and pretend to like golf — for a…
Rachel MorrisonMichael B. Jordan (The Wire), who’s fully up to the challenge, in Fruitvale.You could hear a pin drop during the first Sundance screening of writer-director Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale, an enormously powerful and moving debut feature based on the shooting death of 22-year-old Oscar Grant by Oakland transit police in…
Steve Wiley is Jackalope Ranch’s Parent Hood. He’s a slightly unorthodox father of five who will weigh in weekly with his mildly-rebellious views and observations. If you’d like to see how he came to write this column, watch the intro video. This week he addresses the importance of critical thinking…
Gem features one standout piece from a local shop. Whether it’s a jacket, necklace, or handbag, it’s on our have-to-have list. What: Supremely wearable (and gift-worthy) is this statement necklace with hefty green onyx stones from jeweler Kendra Scott, who recently opened a boutique in the Valley. Where: Kendra Scott…
A short film by a Flagstaff photographer argues against the possible destruction of the Devil’s Canyon wilderness while highlighting the area’s rich scenery and wildlife. The wilderness area, including the popular Oak Flat Campground just east of Superior, is the target of a long-planned mining proposal to tap an estimated…
In May in the Summer, Dahlia (Arrested Development’s hilarious Alia Shawkat) is a lesbian tentatively trying to step out of the closet. Editor’s note: This story was written by Village Voice Film Writer Scott Foundas, who will be reporting from the Sundance Film Festival throughout the week. In his brief…
There’s still time to nab a spot for the Indie Author Publishing Conference Pitchapalooza on February 9 at Burton Barr Central Library. The all-day conference is co-hosted by Changing Hands Bookstore and the Phoenix Public Library, who will also partner this weekend to host a Young Adult Writing Conference. This…
Editor’s note: Amazing Arizona Comic Con has announced that because of an illness, Stan Lee will not be appearing. Remember when comic books cost a dime and you would rush the newsstand every Friday after school for some weekend reading? Batman, Superman and Spider-Man were the big ones, but there…
The second season of Lena Dunham’s genius HBO show GIRLS is officially underway, and we’re definitely looking forward to seeing where this season takes us … and by “us,” we mean the girls of course: Hannah, Marnie, Jessa and Shoshanna. If you don’t want to bother with watching the first…
There’s nothing that get red-blooded, all-American WWE fans hotter under the collar than an arrogant foreigner dissing them and the good ol’ US of A. Especially when it’s a haughty and highfalutin European like Antonio Cesaro, who has plenty of ammunition when he brags about his superiority, considering he boasts…
2013 AVN Awards: The Stars Get Ready (NSFW) On January 19th, The Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas hosted the 2013 AVN Awards. Asa Akira took home the award for Best Female Performer while James Deen snagged the prize for Best Male Performer. If only every awards show was this much…
On Saturday Ira Glass, host of the award-winning radio program, This American Life, stood before an auditorium of “NPR Junkies,” at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts to discuss everything from his love of Radiolab to his weekly battles with the FCC to his limited knowledge of Arizona (namely,…
Titus Fauntleroy stands behind a slew of cappuccino-sipping customers at Lux Central. Like clockwork, the very fashionable bartender makes his rounds through the central Phoenix coffeebar. When he’s not at Lux or hanging out in downtown Phoenix, you can find Fauntleroy suited up at Scottsdale’s Hub Clothing, where he also…
We know, the beginning of the work week sucks. But if you take a quick look at the calendar, you’ll see we’re off to a pretty good week of art events, sports games, dance parties, and more. Here are our must-see events from now to the weekend… Monday, January 21:…
Each week, Jackalope Ranch brings you a free event, workshop, or you-name-it happening in Phoenix. Because sometimes the best things in life really are free. This week’s freebie: Open House at Roosevelt Point. Big things are happening at Roosevelt Row — big, two-tower, 7- and 8-story, 326-unit things. Roosevelt Point,…
If Bob Ross were alive today, he’d be painting happy little trees all over the place in ecstatic fervor for all the arts and culture happenings in Phoenix. To help you see the forest for the trees, here’s a recap of the top arts and culture stories of the week…
Looking for ways to fill up your weekend? Here are your five best bets for getting out and about in the Valley of the Sun. “Manifesto” @ Drive-Thru Gallery To put down your set of 10 tenets you adhere to is no easy task. Luckily, a handful of local creatives…
Editor’s Note: In the weeks leading up to Martin Luther King Day, we’ve searched for events happening in Metro Phoenix and came up relatively empty handed. (If you know of interesting and educational MLK celebrations, we encourage you to leave details in the comments section). ASU will host an MLK…
Except for the clearly understandable part where sometimes people give them lots of tax-exempt money, the thought processes of late Scientology founder Lafayette Ronald “L. Ron” Hubbard and the folks now entrusted with administering his legacy of what’s legally defined as intellectual property are best not over-analyzed. Like deities themselves,…
“Have Fun, Try On!” So say the small signs sitting inside the lacquered white cabinets at Kendra Scott Jewelry. It’s a hands-on, non-stuffy approach to jewelry shopping that fits the wares beautifully. Displayed in the bauble shop’s cases are enough candy colored gems and customizable pieces to fill the jewelry…
