(ARA) – The conflicts overseas are ongoing, which means much of the American military are continuing to serve far from home. While support for the men and women in uniform has proven strong for the past several years, the forces who protect our country and their families waiting at home continuously deserve recognition of and [...]

This weekend I was one of the many who went to see Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds.”
The movie begins in the idyllic French countryside at the home of a dairy farmer and his three daughters. Down the country road rumble the Nazi soldiers led by the much dreaded Col. Hans ‘Jew Hunter’ Landa (a terrific Christoph [...]

(ARA) – With back-to-school season right around the corner, there’s no better way to spend time with your kids and encourage them to use their imagination than to create something with them in the kitchen.
Over the past seven years, thousands of kid chefs from across the country have taken on the challenge of making the [...]

“Julie & Julia” (my 0-10 rating: 7 )
Director: Nora Ephron
Screenplay: Nora Ephron, Julie Powell
Cast: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci, Chris Messina
Time: 2 hrs., 13 min.
Rating: PG-13 (brief strong language and some sensuality)
One of the chick-flickiest of chick flicks, with superb intelligence and refreshing respect for its audience’s intelligence. Expect to be surprised that you [...]

Punch up Picnic Time with an International Menu
(ARA) – This is a great time of year to enjoy outdoor recreation and commune with nature. No matter which coast you reside on — the Atlantic or the Pacific — or somewhere in the middle, near a lake or a pond, a shoreline picnic is a perfect [...]

Help your little Einstein prepare for success this school year with the following tips:
Be prepared
Help your kids be prepared for any school project that comes their way with pencil crayons, pens, paper, a three-ring binder, access to a computer, and a good printer. Avoid pricey ink replacements with the Kodak ESP 5 all-in-one printer, which [...]

“The Proposal” (my 0-10 rating: 6)
Director: Anne Fletcher
Screenplay: Pete Chiarelli.
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White
Time: 1 hr., 47 min.
Rating: PG-13 (sexual content, nudity and vulgarity)
Yes, it’s old, old material but as always, it ain’t the joke, it’s the way it’s delivered. “The Proposal” is solid entertainment, well-romanced by reasonable [...]

(ARA) – With the abundance of fresh produce that accompanies the arrival of warm weather, you would think Americans’ diets would be healthier in summer than at nearly any other time of year. But what good are so-called “superfoods” like blueberries, fresh ginger and even eggs if you can’t get the kids (or your spouse) [...]

In ‘An Introduction To Film Studies’, Allan Rowe states ‘In normal film viewing we experience simultaneously a number of codes: visual, sound and the codes controlling the linking of one sound or image to another’. These cinematic codes work to produce meaning in a film.
In David Lynch’s 1992 film Twin Peaks : Fire Walk With [...]

(ARA) – Summer is the perfect time to journey outdoors and mingle with family and friends. However, the stress of hosting summer get-togethers can sometimes be discouraging. This year, avoid a meltdown and make your next barbecue or block party a breeze by keeping in mind the following party preparation tips: 
1. Some barbecue fanatics spend [...]