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A Filmmaker in Movieland

What amazes me after having read "Scorsese on Scorsese" (Faber and Faber, revised 2003, $15) is how much divergent work this one great American director has been able to get done in Hollywood. It took this book, edited by Ian Christie and David Thompson, to really focus my attention on Martin Scorsese's career and put it in perspective—somehow, before reading this, I was sure that he was at least two different men. But it's true—the director of "Gangs of New York," "GoodFellas," and "Raging Bull" is the same man responsible for "The King of Comedy," "After Hours," "The Age of Innocence" and, yes, the "Last Temptation of Christ." The man whose fame arose in part from his collaborations with Robert DeNiro even directed "Cape Fear" and was offered, believe it or not, "Analyze This."(Good move turning that one down, Marty.)

Odds And Ends

Have you ever eaten odds and ends? I'll wager not. I'll go so far as to bet you cannot even guess what makes up odds and ends.

He Is The Night: A Review Of Batman Begins

After a string of boring, ugly, repetitive games, it's good to see Batman get an interesting, pretty, repetitive game. "Batman Begins"—the movie—blows the previous films out of the water, and so does the game. But it's not without its flaws. While sneaking around and destroying scenery to scare your enemies is a fresh idea, it's just not executed well. Everything seems so scripted. Enemies with guns are too dangerous to fight, but there's not a single situation that doesn't let you take them out easily. Mobsters without heat can't lay a finger on Batman. There are only a few areas in the game where you're actually in danger of dying.

Crash, Bang, Boom

A Review Of "Burnout Revenge"

After playing "Burnout Revenge," I have to simply sit back and ask myself something: Why has no one thought of this before? The concept seems simple. What's more fun than getting into a car you could never afford and racing it around cities that seem made for racing? The answer, according to "Burnout," is crashing those cars into each other, causing massive explosions, pileups and general disorder. I have to say that I agree. If you can't see the logic in that, watch kids play with toy trucks or Hotwheels. What does it remind you of: "Gran Turismo 4," with its slow precise driving, or "Burnout Revenge," filled with crashes and mayhem?

[Fly] Write A Cool Holiday Letter

You know those awful, boring, photocopied letters with hokey snowmen that fall out of your Christmas cards from friends and relatives each year? Yeah, those.

All The Rage

So you want to be a pro basketball player? All of those YMCA warriors who insist "all I need is a shot to get in the NBA" will get a chance on April 10 when the city's new pro franchise, the Jackson Rage, holds a tryout from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at Millsaps College. For those more grounded in reality, their first exposure to the Rage will be on May 15, when the team plays the Chattanooga Majic at 7 p.m. The team will play all 10 of its home games at Jackson State's Williams Athletics and Assembly Center.

A New Kind of Fabulous

Lynn Nottage's "Fabulation or The Re-Education of Undine" is a dark comedy about an African American businesswoman, Undine, who falls from the New York City high life back to Brooklyn and the family she has tried to forget.

Keeping Medgar's Work Alive

"If I die, it will be for a good cause." These fateful words were uttered by Medgar Evers—who died to help save Mississippi from its sins against black people. Now, in 2003, 40 years after his assassination, the Medgar Evers Institute is continuing the teachings of its namesake. Evers' widow, Myrlie Evers-Williams, told me at the institute on May 23 that she established it here a year ago as a means of "advocating proactive social change by inspiring and educating youth on emerging issues." She added, "It continues his work in a positive, progressive and proactive way."

Building A Canvas

As dark clouds unleash a torrent of rain outside Cups Espresso Cafe in Flowood, Christy Henderson, 37, rubs at the bright green paint caked on her fingers before launching into a lengthy discussion about the origins of the Jackson Reclaimed Art Show, a history that began years ago in a little town 100 miles north of Jackson.

Petite Sirah Is No Wimp

There has been a long debate about the origin of Petite Sirah, a somewhat obscure grape varietal. It was once said to be related to the great Rhone varietal, Syrah. Later the belief was that it was, in fact, Durif, a nearly extinct varietal, also from the Rhone. Or it could have been Peloursin, a really obscure French varietal. By the 1990s, however, DNA fingerprinting confirmed that it was indeed a very distant relative of Syrah. I guess they should have stuck with their first conclusion, huh?

No Strings Attached

Puppets, pussycats, soldiers and spiders will all be taking center stage in various metro Jackson theaters this month. Puppet master Peter Zapletal is directing the "Hansel and Gretel" puppet show, which runs April 15-17 at Millsaps College. Featuring music, fairy-tale sets, live actors and carefully crafted puppets, the show should prove to be something of a spectacle. The Hansel and Gretel characters are four-foot-tall puppets; the Sandman is a larger-than-life, seven-foot-tall puppet. Playing opposite the fantastical puppets are Millsaps students, portraying the witch and Hansel and Gretel's parents.

Be Transparent, Mitt (and Haley)

Amid all the clamor recently over Gov. Mitt Romney's financials—shell companies in Bermuda, Swiss bank accounts, apparent control of Bain Capital well after he says he left the company—one critic's voice rang a little hollow.

David Kelly

David Kelly is asking west Jackson residents to be open minded about a proposed development he and Chartre Consulting want to build near Jackson State University.

No. 23, February 21 - 28

<b><em>The Phantom Flip-Flopper</b></em>

On the episode following Mr. Tim Russert's testimony in the Libby trial, where Cathy Martin revealed the Bush administration's tactics to manipulate the media, Mr. David Broder of The Washington Post came on "Meet the Press" Sunday and said: "I was struck at a conversation at the last Republican Convention with Haley Barbour, the former party chairman, now governor of Mississippi, who told me that he had taken (Rudolph) Giuliani to Hattiesburg, Miss., and he said he was like a rock star in Hattiesburg. I figure if he can make it in Hattiesburg, he can make it almost anywhere."

Parties Push 'Nonpartisan' Judges

Mississippi has nonpartisan judicial elections in name, if not in practice.

Can Charters Plug the 'Pipeline'?

Officials in Meridian and Lauderdale County appear to be running a school-to-prison pipeline.

Hal White

Harold Taylor White, Jr. is as much a fixture in Hal & Mal's as his 28-year-old restaurant is of downtown Jackson. On most days, patrons will find White perched at the corner of the bar, where he can watch the kitchen, dining room and behind the bar.

Miss. Reps. Split on Auto Bailout

Mississippi's congressmen are divided on the prospect of a bailout for the domestic auto industry. Reps. Gene Taylor (D) and Bennie Thompson (D) voted for a $14 billion rescue package for General Motors and Chrysler yesterday, while Reps. Chip Pickering (R) and Travis Childers (D) voted against it. Now the bill travels to the Senate, where its chances look less favorable. Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker have already indicated their opposition to a bailout. This morning, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell's spoke out against the bill on the Senate floor.

Mississippi House: Jan. 16, 2003 Weekly Recap

By Rep. Erik Fleming -- Haley Reeves Barbour's inauguration and first address to the citizens as Mississippi's 63rd governor and the announcement of committee assignments in the House of Representatives highlighted the second week of the 2004 Legislature.

The Palins: What They Earn and Own

The Anchorage Daily News today reports on financial information about Sarah and Todd Palin that hasn't previously been disclosed, and prior to her federal tax records, which she has not yet released. Love those socialistic oil royalties:

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