By Alex Wukman I guess once “Pole Dancing for Jesus” became a thing it was almost inevitable that someone would write and stage a play about a stripper. And on Saturday, December 2, Frenticore opens one of this Holiday season’s more interesting shows–Tenderina–which happens to be about, at least superficially, a stripper. The Freneticore crew describe Tenderina as “the surreal story of a stripper ballerina and her journey to self-revelation” and “a thought-provoking and humorous show that you can’t bring the kids to.” For the last few months Freneticore has been fighting an uphill battle to bring Tenderina to the ... Read More »

Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China on Taiwan, three new films demonstrate the energy and reinvention of the contemporary era Taiwanese film. This series unwinds at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston this weekend. Juliets Zhu li ye / Dec. 2, 7 pm. Three filmmakers transport Shakespeare’s most famous heroine in different, equally modern directions. The stories complement each other nicely, from Hou Chi-jan’s bittersweet period tale of betrayals and misunderstandings to Shen Ko-shang’s time-shifting tale of heartbreak to Chen Yu-hsun’s contemporary gay farce. Tears Yan lei / Dec. 3, 7 pm. An engrossing ... Read More »

OUR WORST PODCAST EVER! This week a pared down group of guests discuss issues that come close to the heart such as Mac and Cheese, public domain, and even call our mothers. Subscribe to FPH’s weekly podcast via iTunes or directly through any RSS reader, or download now. Read More »

When one searches on the word Hugo you’re likely to end up with Hugo Chavez or Victor Hugo. The Hugo I’m talking about is the new film from Martin Scorsese and it’s a keeper. Detractors who think that Marty has gotten gooey in his old age by making a family film should consider that almost every film he’s made revolves around the concept of family, although in the case of Hugo the idea is a for a film that allows access to those of all ages, as opposed to say a film about the mob. Above and beyond the storyline ... Read More »

By Alex Wukman If there’s one thing the national press likes to report on more than a sex scandal it’s the state of their industry. From the ongoing narrative of conservative victimization and liberal bias portrayed in the right wing blogosphere to left wing organizations’ perpetual perusal of the 168 hours a week of content put out by Fox News for any mistakes or inaccuracies; the news media, by it’s very nature, is self reflective. So it was no surprise when ABC News’ political webcast Topline invited Emmy Award Winning Journalist, NPR Commentator and Associate Professor at the  USC Annenberg ... Read More »

My Week With Marilyn recounts the memoirs of a guy who worked as a gopher on one of Marilyn Monroe’s movies, The Princess and The Showgirl. Actually in the film he’s depicted as the third assistant director, which I guess in the States would be the 2nd second AD. Although in MWWM he seems more like a kind of producer’s assistant what with procuring houses for the stars of the film and accompanying Monroe on shopping trips. Michelle Williams captures the charms and idiosyncrasies of Monroe, just as Kenneth Branagh plays Sir Laurence Olivier to the hilt, ditto Judi Dench ... Read More »

One of the aspects that make documentaries by Werner Herzog so compelling is his inimitable way of pointing out existential quandaries peculiar to his subjects. In Cave of Forgotten Dreams he wonders who left thousands-of-year-old footprints, and in Encounters At The End Of The World he turns his camera to a lone penguin marching off into oblivion. These are Herzog moments that produce smiles as well as quizzical eyebrows. There’s still the Herzog touch in his new documentary Into the Abyss but there’s never a moment of levity. Into the Abyss confronts two men in prison for a brutal series ... Read More »

This Weeks Featured Show Dinner with your family Thursday November 24th Yeah yeah yeah.  There are some good shows this week but c’mon what bigger show is there than sitting down with your crazy-ass family.  Sure you’ve got relatives with some drama, you’ll probably get slapped for cursing at the table, cringe at some weirdo thing your folks say (at least once), and there is always some nasty ass thing your mom makes that you have to pretend you like but, hey, that’s the price of this American tradition.  The bright side is we all get a day off, most ... Read More »

Movies by Lars von Trier always wash over me like a wave. I feel cleansed afterwards albeit with a layer of philosophical dread. Like any name director – Tarantino, Kubrick, et al. – von Trier films are instantly recognizable, only in the case of the notoriously brash Danish director that’s because of their “cinema of cruelty” overtones. I like Melancholia a lot, even though I don’t think it’s as good as von Trier’s previous mind warping genre bender Antichrist. von Trier tells us everything we need to know in the first few minutes of Melancholia; a rogue planet previously hidden ... Read More »

This week FPH explores the MCRib, why the City is urging people to drink and drive, and how neutrinos are going to help us go back and time and fix this podcast.. Subscribe to FPH’s weekly podcast via iTunes or directly through any RSS reader, or download now. Read More »