Robrt Pela is no stranger to storytelling — the local journalist, essayist, theater critic, and curator has spent years telling stories through Phoenix New Times, KJZZ, and a collection of local publications, including Phoenix Resource, which he started in the 1980s. Pela was recently asked to participate in a storytelling…
When second-generation WWE superstar Cody Rhodes came back from injury late last year, he shocked the world upon his return. He didn’t sport a new attitude or unleash a heinous attack on an unsuspecting foe, mind you, but offered a new addition to his look: A killer mustache. The 27-year-old…
If beauty’s only skin deep, then being a model can’t be all the globe-trotting, Tyra Banks-funded fun it’s cracked up to be. We’d imagine it’s quite the opposite: a world of disposable people who have their picture taken, walk some runways, look good for a few years and, once they…
Somehow, I missed the whole storytelling movement. I wish I could tell you it’s because I was learning how to use my new iPhone, or that I was so distracted by my Twitter account that the entire storytelling fad passed me by. But I’m a low-tech fogey. My phone is…
The murder of the children should be the most disturbing thing. But for many viewers, that isn’t the case in the four films chronicling the arrest, conviction, and 18-year incarceration of Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin for a crime they didn’t commit. The crime-scene photos of three young…
In Movies and TV, Alex Karpovsky Is Only Playing an Asshole. The coffee shop in New York’s Union Square might be packed on this cold afternoon, but scanning the crowded bar, it’s hard to miss Alex Karpovsky looming at the far end — even if you’re not familiar with his…
In George A. Romero’s deeply silly 1993 Stephen King adaptation The Dark Half, Timothy Hutton stars as Thad Beaumont, a writer whose highbrow pretensions don’t pay the bills. When Thad needs to make a quick buck, then, he seals himself into his study and grinds out a nihilistic thriller to…
How to Survive a Plague is a must-see documentary. Don’t take our word for it. The powerful film has already won a slew of accolades and nominations from organizations including the Independent Spirit and Academy awards. But you don’t have to take their word for it either. Just watch the…
For the sixth year contemporary dance fans can indulge in feast for the eyes at Breaking Ground 2013, a three-day dance and film festival featuring the work of local, regional, national, and international artists. MOPixelated Interpretations of a 3D Woman, a multi-dimensional piece that explores the female body. Thu., Jan…
In December, local art zine Tempe Starving Artist and national creative event troupe FMLY joined efforts to bring dozens of live music shows, open mics, and live paintings to downtown Phoenix. FMLY fest was a one-night takeover on Roosevelt Row, during which Aaron Johnson, owner of book/zine store Lawn Gnome,…
Like a traveling circus featuring art instead of elephants, Pancakes and Booze brings underground artists and all-you-can eat ®C you guessed it ®C pancakes to the cities all over the country. During three and a half years of touring, the art show has made its way from Los Angeles, its…
Pro wrestling aficionados certain to turn out in droves to the all-day Royal Rumble Fan Fest, which will take place at the US Airways Center’s outdoor plaza on Saturday, January 26, since it will feature appearances by many of the same spandex-wearing WWE Superstars they see doing battle on such…
Larry the Cable Guy has been branded on everything from potato chips to barbecue sauces. Our favorite is the Git-R-Done monster truck. While its connection with the folksy funnyman is unlicensed, the simply stated catchphrase represents driver Mitch Tulachka’s appetite for destruction. Git-R-Done and an entire roster of motor-beasts descend…
Our roommate’s dog, Dojo, could be a great dog — if he didn’t pee in the house every day. Every. Day. We love the little guy. But if we have to clean dog piss off the bed one more time, we might “accidentally” abandon him in the middle of the…
Ask the average Joe who Dwayne Johnson is, and you’ll get blank stares or dumbfounded head scratching in response. Mention his legendary alter ego, The Rock, however, and the same folks will easily gush about the high-profile WWE superstar’s ass-kicking exploits.For more than seven years, The Rock reigned supreme as…
There’s nothing quite like an unwelcome third wheel to spoil a perfectly beautiful romance. Unlike the third point in a love triangle, the third wheel manages to roll its way into a romance that doesn’t involve it in the least. It’s the basis for many classic love stories and just…
We aren’t exactly meteorology fanatics. The closest we get to weather-related science is browsing through the usually sunny icons of our iPhone forecast. Sunny image = happy. Biologist and nature writer Bill Streever is a little (read: way) more advanced in weather matters — specifically, why we like that little…
The Mexican Men’s National Soccer team has always suffered from being a big fish in a small pond. El Tri have dominated CONCACAF play for the last 50 years. Mexico has struggled, however, when not playing the minnows in North America. In its history, Mexico has won a round in…
Ann Morton is a local artist who teaches in the fiber department at ASU and color foundations at Paradise Valley Community College. She spent almost 30 years in the graphic design industry, which she says is evident in her work, both visually and in her process. Morton earned her MFA…
Plastic bottles don’t pollute the environment; people pollute the environment. So it makes perfect sense to us that a cute little plastic bottle named Sam is the heroine of Space 55’s Of Plastic Things and Butterfly Wings, a show for kids and families that includes musical instruments and puppets made…
World premières are uncommon in our theater community. Sometimes, in fact, it’s sufficiently exciting if the same 6-year-old play isn’t presented in multiple venues on the same evening. But not only do we have a world première right now — Love Makes the World Go ’Round, through Sunday, February 17,…
Local geeks tend to worship Pop Culture Paradise owner Marco Regalado, especially since the Tempe nerd destination is one of the better comic book and gaming havens in the Valley. And now there’s another reason grovel in adoration at his feet: He’s deep into the process of purchasing Monsterland and…
