Blog archives

Reviews stories in our blog

'Lars and the Real Girl' (Ryan Gosling movie, 2007)

January 9, 2012

Ryan Gosling stars in Lars and the Real Girl as a delusional man in love with a sex doll.

'I Love You Phillip Morris' (Jim Carrey movie, 2009)

December 17, 2011

Jim Carrey stars as Steven Russell in this wild, true story — which feels less true because it stars Jim Carrey.

Philip Seymour Hoffman: 'Jack Goes Boating' (2010 movie)

November 3, 2011

Philip Seymour Hoffman gives us several strong moments of humans close to the breaking point.

'Once Upon a Time,' 'Grimm': New TV series spun from old tales

October 31, 2011

TV shows that both feature imagination, writing, acting, and production — and are both rooted in the world of fairy tales.

'The Kids Are All Right' (2010 movie)

August 11, 2011

Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo add exceptional performances to a very good script, making for a little treasure of a film about family.

'Public Enemies' (2009 Johnny Depp movie)

August 8, 2011

A couple strong scenes of gun violence, but a weak story and characters make for a mediocre movie which should have been much better.

'Crazy Heart' (2009 Jeff Bridges film)

July 25, 2011

Performances by Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal turn what might otherwise be a Hallmark TV movie into a deeper portrait.

'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' (1988 movie)

April 7, 2011

Based on Milan Kundera’s 1984 novel, this American movie stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, and Lena Olin, and feels like a foreign film.

Movie review: 'Spring Forward' (1999)

December 19, 2010

Ned Beatty and Liev Schreiber star in this little-known but outstanding movie about two guys working for a small town parks department.

Alejandro Escovedo's songs of love at Turner Hall

October 23, 2010

The range of material Escovedo performs is astonishing, and besides his unique and compelling voice as a songwriter, he’s also a passionate performer with both genuine warmth and real fire.

Inkjet printer to laser printer: The switch that saved our sanity

September 4, 2010

Dell Color Laser Printer 3130cn: Cheaper in the long run than inkjet, with much more professional-looking results and no grueling hours of waiting.

Topiary star Pearl Fryar: 'A Man Named Pearl'

May 8, 2010

A warm and inspiring movie about Pearl Fryar — Bishopville, South Carolina’s world-renowned master of topiary.

Cafe Manna: Vegetarian restaurant in Milwaukee burbs

February 16, 2010

Cafe Manna is a vegetarian restaurant located in Brookfield, WI. What a great little place!

'Vicky Cristina Barcelona' (Woody Allen movie, 2008)

October 11, 2009

I keep waiting for something matching Woody Allen’s previous brilliance, but ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ is not it.

Blogging how-to: 'The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging'

July 13, 2009

Perhaps not the best blogging book if you’re looking to make money blogging, but still an entertaining and inspiring read.

How to make money blogging: 'ProBlogger' book review

June 22, 2009

Not a dense book full of moneymaking secrets, but a halfway-decent overview of what blogging involves.

Flip Ultra HD: Our first camcorder

June 1, 2009

After a couple of days of playing around with it, I really like the $200 Flip Ultra HD camcorder.

'Neil Young: Heart of Gold' (movie, 2006)

May 11, 2009

A simple, functional, and timeless piece of work from Neil Young and Jonathan Demme.

Deli Station: Racine's new Jewish-European delicatessen

March 8, 2009

Delicious, authentic, reasonably priced peppered beef and corned beef sandwiches.

Word-of-tweet recommendation for local business excellence

February 25, 2009

I was happy with Hoernel Key Shop so I Twittered that, and people responded.

'The Darjeeling Limited' (Owen Wilson, Wes Anderson, 2007)

February 19, 2009

Wes Anderson’s movie about three brothers on a trip to India is awkward, but beautifully shot.

'No Country for Old Men' review (2007 movie)

January 30, 2009

Not just another masterpiece of an action thriller, but a meditation on futility and death.

If U seek Amy, she's probably eating a Pink Lady or a Piñata

January 22, 2009

Can Piñata apples compare with Amy’s favorite apple, the Pink Lady? Yes they can.

Barack Obama loves Dixie Kitchen on 'Check, Please!' (updated)

January 7, 2009

A lost episode of ‘Check, Please!’ featuring restaurant reviewer Barack Obama will finally air on Chicago’s WTTW before the inauguration.

Pressure cookers, recipe books for Indian food, beans, stew

January 5, 2009

Oh, yes — there is delicious Indian food in Racine. It’s at our house, thanks to our Kuhn Rikon Duromatic pressure cooker.

'The Digg Reel'

December 18, 2008

You should watch ‘The Digg Reel’. It showcases popular Internet videos, and Andrew Bancroft is a funny host.

Four weeks wandering Web 2.0

September 11, 2008

My four weeks playing with Twitter, Rejaw, Ping.fm, Delicious, Digg, StumbleUpon, MySpace, Facebook, Google Reader, FriendFeed and etc.

Summerfest: Lucinda Williams, Drive-By Truckers, Alejandro Esovedo

July 6, 2008

A full day of music, including Drive-By Truckers, Romantica, Alejandro Escovedo, and Lucinda Williams on Milwaukee’s lakefront.

'Pan's Labyrinth' (Guillermo del Toro movie, 2006)

June 30, 2008

Guillermo del Toro’s companion piece to ‘The Devil’s Backbone’ is not quite as brilliant as that film, but it’s still very worthwhile.

'Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie'

May 6, 2008

If you like food, Gourmet’s ‘Diary of a Foodie’ is an outstanding show — and you can download it to iTunes.

Warren Zevon: 'I'll Sleep When I'm Dead' by Crystal Zevon

April 1, 2008

Warren Zevon’s former wife has put together a joyous and heartbreaking account of his life — including, as he requested, the bad parts.

'Shine a Light': Martin Scorsese's new Rolling Stones movie

March 30, 2008

Yes — another Stones movie, this time on the big, big screen. It turns out to be a very enjoyable show.

Jacob Weisberg: 'The Bush Tragedy' (book review)

March 24, 2008

An insightful and detailed sketch of the man and his motivations. Can you believe Bush read 87 books in 2006?

José Andrés: 'Made in Spain'

March 7, 2008

This very unique PBS foodie series is both fun and fascinating.

'Volver' (Penelope Cruz movie, 2006 )

March 5, 2008

Penélope Cruz is stunning in this well-crafted Spanish story from Pedro Almodóvar.

Tapas restaurant in Racine, Wisconsin: 'Olde Madrid'

February 17, 2008

Tapas and paella have come to historic 6th Street at a busy little restaurant serving lunch and dinner.

Gael García Bernal, 'The Motorcycle Diaries' (film, 2004)

January 22, 2008

An atmospheric buddy picture about a South American road trip taken by Alberto Granado and Che Guevara.

Memphis, Tennessee: Civil Rights Museum at Lorraine Motel

January 21, 2008

The former Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed now houses the long and moving story of the civil rights movement in the United States.

Fleece jacket by Patagonia is lightweight, warm in winter

January 18, 2008

Review: Men’s fleece jacket from Patagonia is lightweight, warm, available as a women’s fleece jacket, too.

Milwaukee seafood shop: Empire Fish Company

December 27, 2007

Fine fish and seafood in Milwaukee: Empire Fish is one of the Top 10 seafood markets in the United States.

Canon PowerShot A570 IS ordered

December 12, 2007

Digital Photography Review helped me find the camera I was looking for — a Canon PowerShot A570 IS.

A history of Christmas in America: 'The Battle for Christmas'

November 24, 2007

Why Christmas is commercial: All about Christmas in the USA and the rich men who made it that way.

Kohl Children's Museum in Glenview, Illinois

November 17, 2007

An enjoyable kids’ museum in Glenview, Illinois that we’ll probably visit again now and then.

Movie review: 'The Departed' (2006)

October 18, 2007

Martin Scorsese’s exciting, suspenseful remake of a Hong Kong thriller with a great performance from Jack Nicholson.

'V for Vendetta' movie (Natalie Portman, 2006)

September 19, 2007

A hokey adaptation of a graphic novel that is nevertheless impressive for its oppresive political atmosphere.

A frozen pizza that doesn't suck

September 18, 2007

Amy’s Mediterranean Pizza with Cornmeal Crust is more delicious and healthy than most frozen pizzas.

'Jesus Camp' movie review

September 13, 2007

This documentary follows three children attending an unsettling and militant Christian camp.

Michigan Upper Peninsula travel guide

August 27, 2007

Hunts’ Guide to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula helped us find some interesting things around Iron Mountain.

'The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada' (Tommy Lee Jones, 2005)

July 11, 2007

A little masterpiece from Tommy Lee Jones. Fantastic storytelling.

'An Inconvenient Truth': The movie about Al Gore, global warming

April 27, 2007

There’s too much hagiography of Al Gore, but this is still a very worthwhile movie about the very survival of our planet.

French recipes, bistro cuisine fill Thomas Keller cookbook 'Bouchon'

April 26, 2007

What is a bistro? Thomas Keller’s cookbook bundles French recipes, cooking techniques, and bistro style details.

Joseph Campbell on mythology, religion, and art

March 26, 2007

Mythological stories of the hero journey fill the history of religion. Joseph Campbell taught the power of myths.

Thursday night TV

March 1, 2007

‘My Name is Earl,’ ‘The Office,’ and ‘30 Rock’ have us tuning to NBC every week.

'Tsotsi' movie review (Presley Chweneyagae, 2005)

February 19, 2007

High-quality work, neatly made, and engaging both to watch and to listen to.

Movie review: 'Blogumentary'

February 11, 2007

Watch the full movie online — a look at the blogging phenomenon and a number of the most well-known bloggers.

'Misquoting Jesus': The Bible and Bart Ehrman

January 25, 2007

Ehrman does an outstanding job of summarizing the history of Biblical texts in simple language.

'Memoirs of a Geisha' movie review

January 16, 2007

A typical soap opera, enhanced by Japanese scenery and costumes.

Movie review: 'North Country' (2005)

January 9, 2007

A satisfying, quality version of a fairly standard type of story.

Braunschweiger vs. liverwurst: Kemen sausage taste test

January 2, 2007

It’s hard to detect much difference between Kemen Liver Sausage and Kemen Braunschweiger. They’re both delicious.

Movie review: 'Junebug' (2005)

December 11, 2006

There are words and gestures so quietly and deftly delivered that you almost hold your breath hoping it won’t be ruined.

Movie review: 'Howl's Moving Castle' (2004)

December 11, 2006

Visually impressive at times, this animated tale is unfortunately unfocused — and includes the voice of Billy Crystal.

Movie review: 'Brothers' (2004)

August 18, 2006

Fine directing and performances turn an ordinary script into a good movie.

Movie review: 'Step Into Liquid' (2003)

August 11, 2006

This so-so surfing documentary showcases the sport at several unusual locations.

Movie review: 'Tokyo Story' (1953)

August 3, 2006

An excellent depiction of the same small slights and kindnesses, awkwardness and grace, pride and humility that we all experience every day.

Movie review: 'Sin City' (2005)

June 22, 2006

It is really violent and gruesome from beginning to end. At the same time, it actually is a good deal of fun.

Restaurant review: Taqueria Azteca in Milwaukee

April 30, 2006

Overall, while it wasn’t anything amazing, Taqueria Azteca is a restaurant we may return to.

Restaurant review: Main Moon 2 in Racine

April 25, 2006

A popular strip mall place serving up typical food court Chinese food.

Honada Sushi & Hibachi

April 10, 2006

Wonderful sushi in Kenosha? Kenosha, Wisconsin, the city of tattoos, taverns and pizza parlors? It doesn’t seem possible, and yet here it is at Honada.