‘Brighton Rock’: A Gangster Epic, Then And Now

We’ve been through a summer of movie sequels; now comes a fall of movie remakes. With Conan the Barbarian already open, there’ll soon be fresh versions of Straw Dogs, The Three Musketeers and even television’s Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy. This week’s remake — of a British gangster film called Brighton Rock — is sufficiently reworked [...]

For Vera Farmiga, A Search Leads To ‘Higher Ground’

Vera Farmiga isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. Her new film, Higher Ground, goes to risky territory. Farmiga stars as Corinne Walker, an evangelical woman struggling to deal with the faith that has let her down. And she takes on a second role, as a first-time director. Farmiga might be best known now [...]

Rebels Strengthen Hold On Libyan Capital

Tripoli on Friday enjoyed its calmest day since the rebel takeover nearly a week ago, and hundreds even celebrated with a march chanting: “Hold your head high! You are a free Libyan.” The more relaxed atmosphere was one of the strongest signs yet that Moammar Gadhafi and his loyalists have largely been driven out of [...]

In Chile Protests, A Teenager Is Dead, 1,400 Arrested

A two-day strike culminated in a massive march that left a 16-year-old dead and close to 1,400 arrested in Chile, yesterday. The AP reports: Deputy Interior Minister Rodrigo Ubilla is promising to quickly clarify who fired the bullet that killed 16-year-old Manuel Gutierrez. His friends said police fired at them without cause, while Ubilla suggested [...]

For A Night, Experiencing A Syrian Activist’s Fear

During a recent trip to Syria, I managed to sneak away from my minders one night and spend an evening with a man in the capital, Damascus, who’s an IT engineer by day and an activist by night. I was able to see up close that protesting in Syria is not just a matter of [...]

Memorial Offers Obama Occasion To Address Race

President Obama is getting criticized from all sides lately, and the African-American community is no exception. In an op-ed piece in Friday’s New York Times, Princeton professor Cornel West condemned the president for ignoring homeowners, workers and poor people and, instead, giving “us bailouts for banks, record profits for Wall Street and giant budget cuts [...]

Hurricane Irene Cuts Short Jersey Shore Summer

Rain from Hurricane Irene has started falling off the coast of the Carolinas. All the way up to Maine, residents are preparing for the storm, which is expected to pound much of the East Coast this weekend. On the Jersey Shore, Cape May County officials have ordered a mandatory evacuation. The small community of Stone [...]

Jogging Fights Beer Belly Fat Better Than Weights

Weight training is touted as the cure for many ills. But if the goal is to lose belly fat, aerobic exercise is the only way to go, exercise scientists say. We’re not talking about muffin tops, the annoying bit of pudge that rolls over a woman’s waistline and is featured in those strange Internet ads. [...]

A Dictator’s Choice: Cushy Exile Or Go Underground

Why didn’t Moammar Gadhafi choose a comfortable retirement in exile when he had the chance? It’s an age-old question for faltering dictators. When some are losing their grip on power, they are pragmatic and look for a cushy home abroad rather than face the wrath of their angry compatriots. Tunisia’s Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, [...]

Chuck Brown: The ‘Godfather Of Go-Go’ At 75

If you’ve visited Washington, D.C., or are from the area, you may have heard its signature musical style: go-go. The “Godfather of Go-Go,” Chuck Brown, describes the sound as funk mixed with African and Latin percussion. Brown will be honored by the National Symphony Orchestra as part of the “Legends of Washington Music,” a Labor [...]