Making a movie is hard. Making a good movie? That’s really hard. Making a good mystery? These days that appears to be damn near impossible, given the relative scarcity of mysteries. Horror movies, superhero flicks, action, and dramas are all doing well in theaters and multiplexes. A good old whodunit? They’re a rare breed. But why? Is it because, as a society, we’re dumber? I imagine that some people of a certain age would sneeringly point to Millennials and the rise of social media and claim their attention spans have been irrevocably damaged.* Yet the average American reads somewhere in... Read More

One of my favorite things to do around Christmas is to see all the different light displays! I’m too lazy to ever put lights up myself, but boy is it magical to see a bunch of Christmas lights brighten up a street or scene that looks quite normal in the daylight. These are some cool Christmas light attractions that are sure to dazzle you!   Mile High Tree This is a new attraction to Denver this year: a massive electronic tree on the side of Speer Boulevard! It’s a nice take on a big tree attraction for Denver, resembling something like a sister to the Rockefeller Christmas Tree in... Read More

After a 76-64 victory over LMU and a 7-0 start to the college basketball season, it’s easy to be excited about the Colorado Buffaloes chances of making the NCAA Championships this year.  The Buffs brought back practically the entire roster from 2018-19, including two First-Team All-Pac 12 selections in McKinley Wright IV and Tyler Bey, as well as D’Shawn Schwartz, Lucas Siewert, Evan Battey, and Shane Gatling. But let me tell you a little story.  The year was 2011, and the family gathered around the television to watch Selection Saturday and the 64 teams that would be invited to the Big Dance. ... Read More

What is cinema? Is cinema only cinema when you’re watching it in a movie theater? While their methods have changed throughout the years, ultimately a sculpture remains a sculpture and a painting stays a painting. Most of the arts have resolutely remained themselves, but cinema has a kind of protean quality, whether its worshipers choose to admit it or not. Consider that the first movie theater opened June 19, 1905, in Pittsburgh. 96 seats were dragged into an empty store located on Smithfield Street, and when it opened, admission was a nickel. At their height, theaters bore the more grandiose... Read More

One of the keenest pleasures found in moviegoing is that of competence porn. A great comedy can flood your brain with endorphins, a solid horror movie can unnerve you days after you saw it, and the right drama can restore your faith in the essential decency of humanity. Even the much-maligned superhero genre can, when executed properly, provide viewers with something mythic. That’s all well and good, but I really dig films about smart people doing a particular job with intelligence and competence. Consider Apollo 13, a film I absolutely adore. On the one hand, I understand perhaps 25 percent... Read More

In celebration of the Denver Nuggets hot start and with next week being Thanksgiving, I’ve decided to name my 2019 NBA All-Thanksgiving Team.  Apologies to Aaron, Justin (both on the Pacers), and Jrue Holiday (Pelicans), who were just too obvious to make the cut, but there’s always next year. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets The big man makes the All-Thanksgiving squad because he loves to dish, is lousy at stuffing, and often gets burnt on the defensive end. Dragan Bender – Milwaukee Bucks   I don’t know about you, but every Thanksgiving I tend to go on a Bender, and for the rest of... Read More

“Someday, even the experts will figure out, that crime is not caused by rap music…or even my music, but by a power structure of self-absorbed property owners so brain dead and stupid they won’t even see that if you’re too goddamn greedy to pay taxes for schools and services, they’re not going to be any good anymore! And that uneducated time bombs are a very poor investment as a future workforce. And if you go on teaching people that life is cheap, and leave them to rot in ghettos and jails, they may one day feel justified in coming back to rob and kill you. Duh!” Jello... Read More

In a battle against the Cleveland Browns two weeks ago, the Denver Broncos (3-6) won the game but lost ground in the race to secure a top pick in next year’s NFL Draft.  But with a rookie quarterback and facing a difficult remaining schedule, look for Denver to battle it out with the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, and others at the bottom of the league for the potential top prize. Whether Denver goes winless the rest of the season and manages to secure the top pick or wins a game or two and finishes with a top-ten selection, here is how Denver’s draft will go, no matter where they land. First... Read More

When you’re staring down piles of boxes after arriving in a new city, it’s hard to know where to start. Before worrying about furniture placement and interior decorating, there are a few important tasks you need to take care of. Here’s what you should knock off your to-do list during the first week in a new home. 1. Unpack the Essentials During the first day in your new home, focus on unpacking the essentials. Children’s bedrooms should come first, followed by beds for the rest of the family, linens for a hot shower after your long day, and kitchen supplies. You might rely on take-out... Read More

Sometimes it feels like franchises never end. There’s a bunch of films in the Fast and Furious series, the James Bond movies have been trucking along since 1962, and the MCU will end at roughly the same time that our sun goes supernova and wipes out all human life on our fragile planet. But franchises end. Consider the little-remembered Francis the Talking Mule series. Based on a 1946 novel, seven films were made during the 1950s about a mule in the Army that could talk. Presumably, they were profitable—for a while, anyway. As time went on, audiences either a) searched for new diversions in... Read More

Predicting how the Denver Nuggets will finish in the NBA West may take a mathematical algorithm that includes statistical analysis of teams and players.  Or maybe chemistry, or the lack thereof, will provide a better answer.  Will Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and the LA Clippers dominate as expected?  Is one ball enough for James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and the Houston Rockets?  Can Lebron James accept playing second-fiddle to Anthony Davis for the LA Lakers?  Welcome to the Wild West Kristaps Porzingis, Ja Morant, and Zion Williamson. With all the moves and roster overhauls, here’s a... Read More

Anything can be funny, right? There are two schools of thought, there. The first is the theory that anything has the potential to be amusing. Comedy is all about puncturing bubbles of pretention, going after targets that deserve skewering. As long as the joke teller is punching up instead of punching down, the only limitation is their imagination. The other school of thought is that some subjects are too sacrosanct to be mocked and to even attempt them is, at best, in poor taste. We wouldn’t dream of making fun of the Nazis, right? Ah…as a matter of fact, we would! There’s a long and... Read More

It’s hard to predict the future, but after losing to the Indianapolis Colts and losing quarterback Joe Flacco to injury, the 2-6 Denver Broncos appear to be in familiar territory: a sputtering offense, questions at quarterback, a coaching staff without answers, and another season of disappointment.  General manager John Elway still insists that the team is built for winning now and is not interested in a rebuild. That’s always nice to hear, but with four straight losing seasons and not much of a game plan, the bigger question is what Denver will look like three years from now when Elway’s... Read More

  I remember the first time I unrolled a yoga mat. I was eighteen years old, shy, and slightly terrified. This feeling is not uncommon. In fact, it’s quite normal when tackling unfamiliar territory of any kind. Yoga, as a discipline, is made up of several unique layers, with Asana (physical postures) being one of, if not the most popular (alongside meditation: Dhyana). As a multifaceted practice, it may feel overwhelming to know where to begin if you’re a new student. What approach do you take first in order to reap benefits in the long run without hindrance? For the purposes of introducing... Read More

The worst job I’ve ever held was working in an aluminum factory. I’d gone through a nasty divorce and needed a job immediately. The workers at the local aluminum factory were on strike, and the facility was hiring scabs. You didn’t need to be qualified, or even particularly intelligent. You just needed to be smart enough to not accidentally light yourself on fire. Being in a position of serious financial jeopardy, I immediately jettisoned my principles and crossed the picket line.* My job didn’t require much in the way of finesse or analysis. It was simple—I’d stand in front of a foundry... Read More

1. Deck the Mall at Pearl Street Mall 10/26-10/27 10 am to 5 pm Start your holiday season off right with a holiday arts and crafts fair. There will be a variety of one of-a-kind seasonal items, unique holiday gifts, and handmade treasures crafted by local artisans. There will also be free live music and a free holiday craft design area. This is the perfect time to stock up on gifts for the whole family! 2. Halloween Carnival at South Boulder Rec Center 10/25 3 pm to 5 pm This annual Halloween carnival is a fun, family-friendly event with a bouncy castle, carnival games, crafts, a photo backdrop,... Read More

General Manager John Elway has tried everything to find an answer at the quarterback position, with laughable results.  In honor of the man who wore number seven on his jersey, we count down the seven worst (and sadly, only) choices that Elway has made to fill the position since Peyton Manning retired. 7)  Chad Kelly – It’s difficult to fault Elway for selecting Kelly with the last pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.  The nephew of legendary Buffalo Bills quarterback, Jim Kelly, Chad was a low-risk, high-reward selection that showed good arm strength, size, and athleticism that Elway was willing... Read More

An eagerly awaited health study regarding the safety of fracking has been released. The study, conducted by consulting firm ICF International, found that oil a gas drilling caused health risks at distances greater than the currently established “setback” distance of 500 feet from single family homes and 11oo feet from high occupancy buildings. The study found that there were negative health effects from fracking ranging from 300 feet to 2000 feet. “Exposure to chemicals used in oil and gas development, such as benzene, may cause short-term negative health impacts…during ‘worst-case’... Read More

I love going to eat in Boulder (I love going out to eat in general—who doesn’t?) I love a restaurant with a great atmosphere (a great vibe in a restaurant is my SCENE) and affordable food and drink that is quality! Winding down the day at a nice place with a few friends and drinks is one of my favorite pastimes. Sometimes picking out a new restaurant can always feel like a gamble; you never really know what you’ll get, especially because there are plenty of options in Boulder. Well, I got you, because these are some restaurants you certainly must try in Boulder; you really can’t go wrong... Read More

A winter storm warning has been issued across Colorado after a temperate Tuesday. By this afternoon, there will be a strong cold front and scattered rain showers. By sunset, the rain will have changed to snow and is expected to snow throughout the night in some areas. There will be little snow in northeast Colorado, but heavier snow is possible in the foothills. The Winter Storm Watch has been issued across the Palmer Divide between Denver and Colorado Springs, with the potential of 5-8 inches of snow with isolated higher totals. By Thursday and Friday, the weather should clear up, moving all the... Read More