The Real Reason No One Saw 'Pan'

Logo for the movie Pan:
Can you tell what it's about?

I didn't see Pan. 

Did you see Pan? No. You didn't. Because you, like me, didn't even know there was a movie called Pan out there. Let's talk, shall we? Let's learn about Warner Bros bombing at the box office and about movies called Pan...

Me: Have you heard of the movie 'Pan'?

You: You mean that dark otherworldly Oscar winning movie of 2006? Pan's Labyrinth** or something? Is it a follow-up to that?

Macklemore is Back: Will He Change Us Again?

Ryan Lewis and Macklemore (Ben Haggerty)

The last time we heard from the Ryan Lewis and Macklemore team, we were left with inspiring messages of not just hope, but the rewards of courage, compassion and hard work. Sobriety has never before been painted in such an amazing array of colors.

It made the rest of us working jocks and slaving artists feel better about having a job, keeping a budget and laughing at ridiculous marketing plays for not just our wallet, but our souls.

Instead, we wanted to jump out of a window with them, feel the rush of the cold fast wind blowing past our faces, and revel in the fact that we could feel that wind with every pore - taste it with every taste bud and embrace it fully into the depths of our hearts because we weren't high. We weren't drunk. We weren't shackled.

Elisabeth Moss: The Scientologist at Your Daughter's Graduation

Why You Don't Want Elisabeth Moss at the
Acting Academy's Graduation

Elisabeth Moss is beautiful. Talented. Truly gifted. And up until a few nights ago, one of my favorite young stars of Hollywood by far. In fact, I'd just watched The One I Love because of her, and found myself basking in the glow of... well... the fact that it made sense.

And was well written.

And told a great story.

And made you think.

And as far as I was concerned, the fact that Ms. Moss outshone her co-star in nearly every way was something I was more than happy to neglect and declare it as one of the best movies an all-American cast (let's face it - our best young faces these days are sexy imports from countries that don't raise their kids on the Disney channel) has released in years.

Usually, I'm simply happy that a movie made sense. That first check-mark is all I'm looking for these days. (Aren't you?)

But alas, I won't be watching another Moss movie. As a victim of severe child abuse, I am careful about placing my hard-earned dollar in the coffer of those who fund and protect all forms of it- like human trafficking, pedophilia, malnutrition, intense labor and any other kind of child slavery and neglect.

Beyond 'Going Clear': The Terrors of the David Miscavige Family

Picking up where Going Clear left off:
The David Miscavige Family

While Going Clear is "going global" for its enormous revelations about Scientology, the real scandal is just how much Going Clear didn't tell you.

Be it time limits, legal limits, or financial limits, the bottom line is that Alex Gibney had a four hour documentary when he made his first cut... and we only saw the 2 hour version. No wonder those of us who already knew Scientology inside and out walked away feeling like it only covered half of the story.

As one expert wrote, when asked if things were "really that bad," they responded,"Oh, it could have been much much worse. Imagine every story, make it twice as scary, and then you'd been just a hair closer to how it actually happened."

And so, in honor of that sentiment, we've decided write for you a series of shocking articles that pick up where Going Clear left off.  A sort of one-stop-shop, if you will, that will introduce you to a myriad of names and references you will hear along the way as you Google yourself into Scientology oblivion. It can be daunting, but these quick articles should get you started on the path to expert with ease and grace.

Are you ready for this? Then let's begin.

Leonard Nimoy: What We Lost and Now Mourn

Today we lost Leonard Nimoy. Which is a lot more than one might think. We lost a generation, a hope and a kind of hero that we have nowhere... not even on the famous Marvel movie screens.

No... we lost a lot more than a man today.
We lost a hero.

A hero who stood for humanity and civilization - two such things we never thought would part - never thought would go - but go they are... they are so far off in the distance, that Nimoy is now closer to his true home.

I envy him. I want to be up in those stars - up with him tonight. I want to shake the hands he'll shake - of the men and women who came before and shaped an entire generation of adventurers, enthusiasts for life and freedom fighters who just knew what was right - knew what to do - with laughter and less fear.

The Secret Sauce in Charlie Day's Amazing Speech

Of all the 2014 commencement speeches, the clear front-runner is Charlie Day. Speaking at his alma mater, Merrimack College, he managed to hit the ball so far out of the park, that his words are going viral.

That's right. We non-grads are tuning in too.

Why? Well, it's not because of his jokes, which were aplenty and it's not because he used the word, "sh!t," which is what all the reporters seem to think.

No, we have heard talented jokes before. And the use of a single bad-word does not a viral video make. (Well, not this word anyway.)  So I'm sorry, but I'm afraid it's the front-runner because of what he actually said. And meant. And taught.

Because we don't hear people being honest about the "permanent" nature of things today, or the new and terrible fears such things create - down, down deep below. Or perhaps, when we do, we don't hear it written, nor delivered, just-so.

This is why he's going viral:

No Doubt: Jr's Sexism Spanked Abramson Out of NY Times

Power Plays vs Nepotism Bring NY Times Down

Women battle to break through the glass ceiling. After that, what comes is walking on broken glass. -Frida Ghitis

___

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that Jill Abramson, the first female editor of the NY Times, was fired because she is a woman.

Or maybe it does?

Because people seem to think it's up for debate, especially men. They are certainly voicing their opinions. One man thought the entire disaster wasn't a disaster at all. He didn't think it was an action worth any ink on the page. Wow. I guess Ryan Gosling's character in the movie Crazy Stupid Love was right: "The war between the sexes is over. We won the second women started doing pole dancing for exercise."

Sigh. I can see Mr. Arthur Sulzberger Jr sitting for a lap dance right now. Can't you? But the quote, in my opinion, has always proved that not only is the war is still on, but that few of us, even some women, seem to notice or even care about it anymore. So often I hear mature women shocked at the actions of young women today. They are in awe. "Don't they know how hard we had to fight for these rights? Don't they know what stereotypes we faced, or the sacrifices that were made to change them?"

They don't. And perhaps that's what Arthur Sulzberger Jr was counting on. Maybe. But I don't really think he really "thought" anything at all. All facts point to a knee-jerk grudge kill, not a plan. But more on that later.