A Visual Masterpiece: Wes Anderson's 'Isle of Dogs' Is a Stunning Work of Creativity

Apr 19, 2018 09:30  |  Bob Grimm

If you’ve been sitting around waiting for a Wes Anderson film featuring a stop-motion cast of animated dogs, influenced by Akira Kurosawa and the guys who made Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer … your wait is over!

Isle of Dogs is one of the strangest—and coolest—experiences you will have in a theater this...

Readmore

Tennis Triumph: Shia LeBeouf Turns in Career-Best Work in 'Borg vs McEnroe'

Apr 16, 2018 14:30  |  Bob Grimm

The legendary rivalry between tennis players Björn Borg (Sverrir Gudnason) and John McEnroe (Shia LaBeouf) was insane while it was happening. I’m old enough to remember it—and Janus Metz’s Borg vs McEnroe does a pretty good job of reliving it.

The film does suffer due to the fact that Björn Borg was a ...

Readmore

Silence Is Needed: Logic Flaws Aside, 'A Quiet Place' Features Great Acting—and Lots of Scares

Apr 12, 2018 09:30  |  Bob Grimm

Noise-intolerant neighbors are taken to all-new levels in A Quiet Place , a new horror film from director John Krasinski.

Krasinski also stars as Lee, a father trying to protect his family in a post-apocalyptic world besieged by horrific aliens who will tear you apart if you make so much as a peep. The...

Readmore

Cannabis in the CV: Making Your Own Cannabis-Infused Oil Isn't Easy—but It Can Be Worth the Time and Money

Apr 18, 2018 17:30  |  Charles Drabkin

Spending an afternoon or evening cooking with friends feeds both hunger and the soul—and adding cannabis to the mix can add a whole other layer of sociability and relaxation.

For many home cooks, the idea of first creating cannabis oil or butter, and then making edibles, can seem daunting. In theory,...

Readmore

Getting Away With Murder? California Shields Police From Scrutiny More Than Most States—but a Proposed New Law Would Change That

Apr 13, 2018 10:15  |  Laurel Rosenhall, CALmatters

Cops have a lot of pull in the California Capitol, and over the decades, that’s added up to this startling reality: The Golden State now goes further than many states in terms of protecting police from public scrutiny.

It’s a stark contrast to the state’s “left coast” image. On abortion rights, gun c...

Readmore

Democracy in Crisis: While the National Press Drools Over Trump Gossip, Local Battles Over Policing, Civil Rights Go Largely Unnoticed

Apr 11, 2018 22:55  |  Baynard Woods

When reporter April Ryan asked Trump Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders about the failure of authorities in Louisiana to charge the officers who killed Alton Sterling for selling CDs—only days after the police-involved shooting of Stephon Clark in Sacramento—Sanders did the thing that white peop...

Readmore

The Weekly Independent Comics Page for April 19, 2018!

Apr 19, 2018 07:00  |  Staff

On this week's bombshell-laden weekly Independent comics page: Apoca Clips finds Trumpy discussing his rough week; Red Meat has Earl using some exfoliant; Jen Sorenson ponders what it'll take for some people to believe Donald Trump is corrupt; The K Chronicles wonders what it'd be like if regular citi...

Readmore

Know Your Neighbors: A Seniors' Writing Club Inspires Ideas for Anita's Brand-New Internet Radio Show

Apr 18, 2018 14:30  |  Anita Rufus

I’m starting a new streaming-radio gig on iHub Radio ( ihubradio.com ), That’s Life , after 10 years of doing a call-in talk-show about politics (which I’ll still be doing on iHub as well). That’s Life will be an hour-long show airing weekdays that explores the things that make us all able to relate to ea...

Readmore

Savage Love: My Doctor Blamed My Constipation on Sexual Activities. Is He Right?

Apr 18, 2018 11:00  |  Dan Savage

Background: I, a 21-year-old male, enjoy receptive fisting. I’ve also had constipation problems all my life.

Question: I saw my doctor recently, and he tried to link my enjoyment of anal sex to my constipation. (Granted, I didn’t tell him EVERYTHING I do down there.) My understanding was that there w...

Readmore

The Art of an Icon: Heather James Fine Art Offers a Rare Chance to Experience Paintings by Sir Winston Churchill

Apr 20, 2018 16:35  |  Stephen Berger

Sir Winston Churchill is an iconic giant. He was a renowned statesman, a two-time British prime minister, a Nobel Prize-winning author—and perhaps even a savior of Western civilization.

However, most people don’t know he was also a painter—and few have had the chance to see his art. This makes The Pai...

Readmore

From Mars to 'Rent' and Beyond: The McCallum Theatre Announces Its 2018-2019 Season

Apr 15, 2018 19:04  |  Jimmy Boegle

For lovers of the performing arts who reside in the Coachella Valley, Christmas figuratively comes in April every year—because that’s when the McCallum Theatre announces what gifts it is bringing to town during the upcoming season.

To overextend this tortured metaphor … that makes Mitch Gershenfeld S...

Readmore

The Evening the Stars Come Out: Michael Childers' 'One Night Only' Charity Extravaganza Returns to the McCallum Theatre

Apr 06, 2018 11:00  |  Bonnie Gilgallon

As I sat in Michael Childers’ gorgeous Rancho Mirage home—his award-winning photographs adorning the walls—he told me the story of how the hugely successful One Night Only show came to be.

The star-studded annual event, a benefit for Jewish Family Service of the Desert, will return to the McCallum Thea...

Readmore

Rap for Thought: Al Rossi's Goal Is to Make Music With Meaning—That's Also Popular in the Clubs

Apr 19, 2018 11:00  |  Brian Blueskye

Rap music is arguably the most popular music genre in America—but it’s been slow to take hold in the local music scene.

However, that’s starting to change—and one of the artists leading the way is Al Rossi. He’s quickly picking up followers on Spotify; his music shows clarity and quality—attributes o...

Readmore

The Lucky 13: Elias Texel, Drummer for Brightener

Apr 17, 2018 14:30  |  Brian Blueskye

Local band Brightener had been on a bit of a hiatus, but the band has started to resurface recently, including the CV Independent Presents show at The Hood Bar and Pizza with Haunted Summer on April 12. Behind the drums of Brightener is Elias Texel, who recently got engaged to his girlfriend, Ashley. ...

Readmore

Beyond Being Lee's Brother: Lewis Brice, a Late Stagecoach Addition, Makes His Own Style of Country Music

Apr 16, 2018 16:00  |  Brian Blueskye

If you’ve never heard of Lewis Brice, stop what you’re doing, and check out this new country-music artist.

Brice—he’s Lee Brice’s brother—not long ago left South Carolina for Nashville, and he’s determined to make a name for himself in country music. He will be at Stagecoach on the new SiriusXM Spotl...

Readmore

Vine Social: If a Sommelier Is Just Recommending Expensive Bottles of Wine … He or She Is Not Doing His or Her Job

Apr 17, 2018 16:00  |  Katie Finn

When I took my first sommelier exam 15 years ago (gasp!), it’s safe to say that most people didn’t know what a sommelier was. In fact, I once told someone I was a sommelier, and not being familiar with that word, he was convinced I was trying to tell him I was Somalian.

Fast-forward over the years, a...

Readmore

The Indy Endorsement: The Avocado Fries at Grill-a-Burger

Apr 17, 2018 08:00  |  Jimmy Boegle

What: The avocado fries

Where: Grill-a-Burger, 73091 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert

How much: $8.95

Contact: 760-346-8170; www.grill-a-burger.com

Why: The rich mix of crunch and creamy.

I love avocados. They’re delicious; they’re good for you; and they’re interesting . (For example: Did you know the avocado is ...

Readmore

The Indy Endorsement: The Porto Crepe at Lala's Waffles Crepes and Shakes

Apr 12, 2018 06:00  |  Jimmy Boegle

What: The Porto crepe

Where: Lala’s Waffles Crepes and Shakes, 34041 Date Palm Drive, Suite E, Cathedral City

How much: $8.35

Contact: 760-202-3443; www.eatlalas.com

Why: It’s a treat you don’t find often.

Let’s be honest with ourselves for a moment: What if you heard a new Mexican restaurant was opening near ...

Readmore