APRIL 2005: NEW STORIES

Fraught with Ambiguity: In 'Palindromes,' has Todd Solondz made an anti-anti-choice film? Or a pro-anti-life one? He won't tell you; audiences will have to decide for themselves. That's the beauty of choice. (Alternet, 4.15.05)
Coming Home: First ever co-byline, written with Kevin Capp. I don't know which one of us brought it up first, but Kevin ran ahead and started developing sources as I got schooled in the Iraq soldiers' experiences while writing the Gunner Palace story for Alternet. That story led to this one. Kevin carried the ball most of the way, but the most adrenalizing part came with the impromptu Q&A, which was totally unplanned. (LVCL, 4.6.05)
Running Red Lights: The children featured in Oscar-winng doc Born into Brothels are growing up fast. Filmmakers Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman hope to give them some tools to navigate with. (Alternet, 3.11.05)
Hollywood East: Is Las Vegas blowing it's chance to become the next moviemaking mecca? Better question: Did it ever have a chance in the first place? (LVCL, 3.9.05)
Brokedown Palace: Stationed in Uday Hussein's bombed-out palace, soldiers spend time swimming in the pool, playing golf on the putting green, and enduring mortar attacks, RPGs and snipers. Gunner Palace tells their story. Plus: Watch an exclusive clip from the film. (Alternet, 3.4.05)
Las Vagrants: This band plays after midnight at Casa Di Amore on East Tropicana Thursday through Saturday. You should hear them, seriously. (LVCL, 3.3.05).
Innocence and Inner Experience: Jessica Yu's documentary explores and empathizes with the vast creative world of outsider artist Henry Darger. (Alternet, 3.1.05)
Donald Glaude: ICE's new Friday-night resident spins house music hymns for the faithful. (LVCL, 2.11.05)
Death of a Salesman: Once upon a time, according to 'The Assassination of Richard Nixon,' an American dreamer tried to kill the 37th president. (Alternet, 1.14.05)
Dying with Dignity: Alejandro Amenbar explores the life of right-to-die activist Ramon Sampedro in 'The Sea Inside.'. (Alternet, 3.1.05)

REVIEWS

Vera Drake: Mike Leigh explodes the myths of back-alley abortionists. (LVCL, 2.3.05)

The Woodsman: Kevin Bacon as child sex offender? First-time director Nicole Kassel pulls it off with restraint on the streets of Philadelphia. (LVCL, 1.17.05)
Merchant of Venice: Pacino's Shylock is amazing. (LVCL, 2.17.05)

Downfall: It's Springtime for Hitler in the overlong, Altmanesque depiction of the last days of the Third Reich. (LVCL, 3.22.05)

Gunner Palace: The party is at Uday Hussein's bombed-out palace in Baghdad: "We live in this movie." (LVCL, 3.22.05)

Primer: While the film veers into techno-babble that can cause one to lose track of the flow of the story, first-time filmmaker Carruth creates an interesting visual atmosphere - a flat, cold look reminiscent of early '70s cinema.. (LVCL, 11.4.04)

The Life Aquatic: I never thought I would write Wes Anderson's name and the words "fell off" in the same sentence. There, I just did. (LVCL, 12.23.04)

A Very Long Engagement: Amélie director Jean-Pierre Jeunet emerges as a true auteur (LVCL, 12.23.04)