Nathaniel Bell

In his latest movie review, writer Nathaniel Bell reviews Dead for a Dollar, an action film made by American film director, screenwriters and producer Walter Hill. Hill recently received a special “Glory to the Filmmaker” award at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month. Does his newest film live up to his action and western genre legacy?

“As artists grow older, their vision expands, or at least changes,” writes Bell. “Walter Hill’s has pretty much stayed the same. Now at the ripe old age of 80, Hill has once again made an action film as preoccupied with loners and their codes as any of his previous films—western or otherwise. This time around, the budget is slimmer and the dramatic texture thinner. Dead for a Dollar misses the mark as a drama, a genre exercise, and a philosophical statement. It saunters when it should sprint and trots when it should gallop.”

Read more on LAWeekly.com here.

Dead for a Dollar Corrals Countless Western Cliches

Pink Floyd’s own Roger Waters finally played his much-anticipated show at the Crypto.com Arena last week, after years of pandemic delays keeping him from the LA stage. Artistic talent aside, Waters has made a name for himself using his platform to air his political opinions, to both the delight and chagrin of his fans (and former fans) alike. He says what he wants – but is he apologetic for any of his more controversial takes?

“[Roger Waters’] fielding accusations of antisemitism, and of showing support for Russia over the Ukraine,” writes Callwood. “The former, he vehemently denies. His criticism of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians is there for all to see, he hasn’t tried to hide it. Where the line is regarding a step into bigoted territory, well, that’s for you to decide dear reader. As for the latter, he certainly made some clumsy missteps when criticizing the Ukraine for essentially defending itself. For the record, he also wrote an open letter to Putin asking him to stop the war. Again, you get to decide how much is too much.”

Read more on LAWeekly.com here.

Rogers Waters Answers Critics in LA

15-year-old high school student Ava Cuevas of Riverside County is passionate about student access to plant-based foods. As a member of the Youth Leadership Council of Farm Sanctuary, America’s first farm animal sanctuary and advocacy organization, she is advocating for federal funding to be approved for making such meals available to students nationwide. In her opinion piece for L.A. Weekly, she writes on her appreciation of the state of California for being the first state to fund plant-based meals, and presents her argument on why similar allowances should be supported on a federal level.

“For the first time, legislation for Congress’ Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) process includes language for creating a voluntary plant-based school meal pilot program and expanding student access to plant-based beverages,” writes Cuevas. “While this may seem like a small step, it’s actually a critical opportunity for Congress to improve the health and well-being not only of students in K-12 schools, but workers, communities, animals, and the planet. Including this language in the CNR is monumental for everyone – even those who eat meat – because plant-based meals cause significantly less harm in ways that benefit our communities.”

Read more on LAWeekly.com here.

Why Fund Plant-Based School Meals? A Teen Tells Us

In his latest piece for Marina Times, Michael Snyder shares a love and knowledge of fall favorite fruit: apples. With apple-picking season upon us, its a great time to familiarize yourself with all the varieties of this versatile produce.

“The old saying — the one insisting that an apple a day keeps the doctor away — may not be irrefutable,” writes Snyder. “Nonetheless, the fruit does have undeniable, identifiable health benefits. Apples are high in fiber, vitamins C, E, and B1, and an important group of antioxidants known as polyphenols — compounds that protect your cells from molecules that can contribute to chronic destructive conditions in the human body. There are other virtues to the regular consumption of ripe, raw apples, peel and all, that involve proper weight maintenance, a healthier gut, and a sharper brain, although my brain already worked well enough to assure membership on Team Malus Domestica (the species of tree that produces edible apples).”

Read the full article on Marina Times here.

Knowing your apples

In her latest piece for Marina Times, teen columnist Madison Farrell gives advice guardians, lending a voice to what this generation of teenagers wish their parents knew. Writing on the joys and challenges of a modern teenager, parents may find Farrell’s words a source of both comfort and wisdom.

“Teenagers can be tough to figure out,” writes Farrell. “As one myself, I know that parenting us is no easy task. There are good days and some bad days. We struggle with trying to balance strong emotions, relationship problems, academics, and extracurriculars all while trying not to disappoint you, our parents.”

Read the full article on Marina Times here.

What teens wish their parents knew

In his latest piece for Irvine Weekly, Evan J. Lancaster reports that the All American Asphalt facility located in Irvine, CA, has had its emissions declared “no threat” despite concern over odors. The South Coast Air Quality Management District, the facility’s regulatory agency, recently looked into the issue and presented data that could potentially quell neighborhood fears of bad odors signaling toxic emissions. 

“We’re nearing completion of a framework to identify a settlement process to resolve the current legal dispute between the city and AAA. We hope to have that framework presented for City Council review at our second meeting in September,” said Irvine City Manager Oliver Chi. “The route we’ve been working toward is how do we identify interim mitigations that AAA would have to institute to reduce some of the odors and impacts that residents have brought up, while simultaneously working on an identified process to manage a possible relocation of the facility – out of the city.”

Read the full article on Irvine Weekly here.

In his latest piece for Irvine Weekly, Evan J. Lancaster reports on the progress of the Orange County veterans cemetery. Whilst it has been a long process, there has been positive movement forward thanks to diligent and steadfast work of local veterans groups and their families. Legislators have now successfully moved the supporting bill for the OC-based cemetery, AB1595, which now awaits California Governor Gavin Newsom’s approval. 

“On Thursday, August 25, AB1595 received unanimous bipartisan support on the Senate floor with a 75-0 vote,” writes Lancaster. “While no specific site is mentioned in the legislative language, AB1595, which is authored by Assemblymembers Tom Umberg and Sharon Quirk-Silva, opens the door for two potential sites in Orange County.”

Read the full article on Irvine Weekly here.

In his latest piece for Irvine Weekly, Evan J. Lancaster reports on some local Costco stock that’s causing some giggles: college merch mistakenly branded “UC Urvine.” 

“The wardrobe malfunction was originally posted to Reddit by redditor u/ucfinsta on Saturday, Aug. 27, and has since been upvoted hundreds of times,” writes Lancaster. “However, it seems Costco caught on to the fashion blunder quickly, and removed them from the shelves, according to several users.”

Read the full article on Irvine Weekly here.

In her latest piece for the Village Voice, Katherine Turman reports on the revival the 1970s magazine Creem, a take-no-prisoners mouthpiece for the rock ’n’ roll generation led by gonzo rock writer Lester Bangs. In its revival, will Creem prove to be the antidote to the “unrelenting, ridiculous positivity” of today’s review culture?

“Old-school readers of the Detroit-bred Creem are skeptical but hopeful,” writes Turman. “The June 1 release of the mag’s entire archives online (224 issues, 69,000 photos) reminded music fans that, yes, Creem was as good as its unapologetically self-referential (and reverential) boasting—which sets the bar pretty high for new content under the ethos of honest, heartfelt rock criticism. (Not sure if there actually was an official founding credo, beyond the R. Crumb mascot’s ubiquitous ‘Boy Howdy!’ salutation—but I think of it as Viv Savage’s succinctly stated maxim in Spinal Tap: ‘Have … a … good … time. All the time.’)”

Read the full article on the Village Voice here.

In their latest piece for the Village Voice, Charlie Vascellaro writes about a new museum that has opened in NYC, dedicated to honoring the legacy of baseball great Jackie Robinson. Robinson is known for having positively changed the culture of baseball, propelling America’s civil rights movement. 

“Fifty years after his death and 75 years since his pioneering efforts as Major League Baseball’s first African American player—with the Brooklyn Dodgers—Jackie Robinson’s life and legacy continue to have an enduring impact on both the sport and society,” writes Vascellaro. “At the corner of Canal and Varick Streets, in Lower Manhattan’s Tribeca, the newly opened Jackie Robinson Museum memorializes the man who broke through MLB’s color line. Starting at first base, on April 15, 1947, Robinson scored the go-ahead run to help the Dodgers defeat the Boston Braves 5-3—and ultimately became one of the sport’s most societally important players.”

Read the full article on the Village Voice here.