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“Love, Simon” is a film of important milestones. Namely, it’s the first mainstream studio romantic comedy told from the perspective of a gay teen. But perhaps the most extraordinary thing about the Fox release is that it’s so ordinary. It’s a classic high school tale — one that minted millions for John Hughes — set in the kind of anywhere suburbia that most viewers will instantly recognize. It’s a fluffier kind of polemic. Still, the historic nature of “Love, Simon” was front of mind at a tastemaker screening at New York City’s Landmark at 57 West on Thursday night. “Moviegoers...

"I always think that the chances of finding out what really is going on are so absurdly remote that the only thing to do is to say "Hang the sense of it" and just keep yourself occupied. - Slartibartfast, The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy"

Thomas Cole (1801-1848) was the leading American painter of his generation and at the front of what became known as the Hudson River School of landscape artists. Currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, “THOMAS COLE’S JOURNEY: ATLANTIC CROSSINGS” emphasizes his connection to the painters who influenced him and those he influenced. With originality and brilliance, the exhibition ties Cole to England and Europe, giving this major American artist an international context. On the other hand, its “reexamination” of Cole as an agent of environmental awareness is trendy and unconvincing.

I am at the point where I am somewhat prayerfully looking a getting should have a camcorder (though I am still without a cell phone which some can be controlled by). But while I have narrowed down the candidates to 5 (plus a Action Camera in case that would be viable). I am looking for one with the best sharp resolution (color quality is not that important) which would be used outsides as well as in, but I have little idea what the specs mean. I see specs such as 720p, or 1920 x 1080P, or 1920x1080 FHD @15fps, 1280x720...

Lucasfilm announced this morning that Emmy-nominated producer and actor Jon Favreau has signed on to executive produce and write a live-action Star Wars series for Disney’s new direct-to-consumer platform. Favreau is a big Star Wars fan having played roles in both the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series and in the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Story. “I couldn’t be more excited about Jon coming on board to produce and write for the new direct-to-consumer platform,” says Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. “Jon brings the perfect mix of producing and writing talent, combined with a fluency in the Star Wars...

FLEMING: Why were the Oscar ratings down 19% to the smallest viewership level of all time? I found it a most satisfying show. Jimmy Kimmel and producers Mike De Luca and Jennifer Todd did a fine job all the way to the finish line this time, owning last year’s gaffe and ensuring it didn’t happen with foolproof 100-point type on each envelope. Kimmel was hilarious; the film montages and special presenters infused the 90th Oscars with a sense of film history. Compared to the men-are-bad funereal atmosphere of the Golden Globes, this show was fun but still managed graceful moments...

A scientific study claims to shed new light on the decades-long mystery of what happened to Amelia Earhart. Richard Jantz, an emeritus anthropology professor at the University of Tennessee, argues that bones discovered on the Pacific Island of Nikumaroro in 1940 were likely Earhart’s remains. The research contradicts a forensic analysis of the remains in 1941 that described the bones as belonging to a male. The bones, which were subsequently lost, continue to be a source of debate. Earhart, who was attempting to fly around the world, disappeared with navigator Fred Noonan on July 2, 1937, during a flight from...

Obviously still rattled by President Trump mocking his record-low Oscar viewership, a defensive Jimmy Kimmel blamed Netflix for the historic ratings catastrophe. Early Monday morning, Trump poked fun at the Oscars with a tweet that read, “Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don’t have Stars anymore – except your President (just kidding, of course)!” An already defensive Kimmel fired back with this bit of fake news, “Thanks, lowest rated President in HISTORY.” Actually, according to Rasmussen, one of the most accurate pollsters of the 2016 election, Trump is sitting at a healthy 48 percent job approval rating, and...

2CELLOS Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser playing their arrangement of Thunderstruck by AC/DC BaRock style! Video by Kristijan Burlovic Story by 2CELLOS Editing: Ivan Stifanic and 2CELLOS Technical support: MedVid produkcija Produced, mixed and mastered by 2CELLOS and Filip Vidovic (Morris Studio, Zagreb) Audio master for the video by Miro Vidovic Special thanks to Friends of Giostra Society, Poreč, Croatia

MONROEVILLE, Pa. — A woman who posed nude at a suburban strip mall in Pennsylvania last year and the man who photographed her have pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. Police say Guerra wore nothing but thigh-high stockings and high-heel shoes while posing in front of businesses at Miracle Mile shopping Center in Pittsburgh in April 2017. Guerra later told WTAE-TV she did not mean to offend anyone.

Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don’t have Stars anymore - except your President (just kidding, of course)!

Disney is looking into allegations from French artist Hachim Bahous that art he did for a series of albums in 2015 was ripped off for Solo: A Star Wars Story posters. Bahous made the claim over the weekend via a Facebook post that was set to public, but was changed to private on Monday morning. The Hollywood Reporter got a screenshot before the page was changed, which shows Solo artwork next to Bahous' album covers.

The telecast stumbles an unfortunate 19 percent from 2017. A comparatively uneventful Oscar telecast led the way on TV Sunday night — though updated numbers have the telecast somewhat predictably stumbling to an all-time low. The telecast, nearly four hours long, stumbled 19 percent from the previous year to 26.5 million viewers. That's easily the least-watched Oscars in history, trailing 2008 by more than 5 million. Overnight returns had the lengthy ABC telecast averaging a 18.9 rating among households between 8 and 11 p.m. ET. Compared to the same stat for 2017, the night the wrong best picture winner was...

Best actress winner Frances McDormand has been reunited with her Oscar after it was stolen from her table inside the Governor's Ball, the official Oscars after-party. The "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" actress was spotted at the party getting her Oscar engraved. The 60-year-old star realized later that it had gone missing.

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Bucking expectations that this year's Academy Awards would be less stridently political, second-time host Jimmy Kimmel focused almost exclusively on politics, nearly dropping any pretense of humor. His monologue concluded with a call for Americans to attend a pro-gun control rally later this month and featured several barbs directed at the Trump Administration. Just seconds into the 90th annual Oscars, Kimmel introduced Lupito Nyong'o, an actress of Kenyan and Mexican descent. "Let the tweet storm from the president's toilet begin," Kimmel then commented. Concluding, Kimmel made a call for Americans to attend a March 24th rally in support of new...

If your business plan is to find a dark corner of the internet marketplace and sell kitschy anti-Trump art etched in sadness, then you’re too late. Rosie O’Donnell has beat you there. Inspired by her feelings of rage and disappointment, the virulently anti-Trump celebrity has started selling her own personal resistance artwork. What started out as modest doodles on her phone to help her cope with the crushing weight of reality, has become a way for Rosie to make money and donate it to Democrats and other anti-trump causes. These schizoid doodles, titled “scaredTRUMP” have been printed on 8-by-8 inch...

Telemann Concerto in D Major for 3 Trumpets Turner from 1796-1825 Purcell Trumpet Tune and Air Turner from 1826-1850

Growing a bit tired of playing your “Hamilton” soundtrack over and over? Well, here’s Weird Al Yankovic to the rescue. The musical parody king is offering up “The Hamilton Polka,” which, really, is exactly what it claims to be — a polka medley of 14 tunes from the the blockbuster Lin-Manuel Miranda musical. Yeah, raise your hands if you’ve thought, for years, that would “Hamilton” needed was more (or, really, any) polka. We’re with you on that one. “The Hamilton Polka” is available through all digital retailers and streaming services. But you can hear it right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=3v0c6smpHSk