Even though Pixar films are expected to look great, “Cars” takes visual excellence to a whole new level. While characters are obviously cartoony (they are human-like cars, after all), the landscapes they inhabit are nothing short of photorealistic. Read more...

The setup of “A Prairie Home Companion” is classic Robert Altman, who’s long been a master of juggling multiple character arcs and story lines (“Nashville,” “Short Cuts”). Read more...

From “Water Down Drains,” by Mark Burnham, winner of the Shirle Dorothy Robbins Creative Writing Award: Not to say my dad didn’t look out for me. Read more...

Now that the 2005-2006 TV season has come to a close, the summer doldrums begin. For the most part, summer is used by many to catch up on what they missed through on-demand video and DVD rentals and purchases. Read more...

Fathers, garbage men and seduction gurus are all people from different walks of life. But in UCLA’s English department, these characters are the subjects of three award-winning short stories written by fourth-year English students Aaron Fai and Mark Burnham and English graduate Erika Herman. Read more...

Diana Ross “Blue” MOTOWN RECORDS Most mothers soothe their newborns to sleep with nursery rhymes or seemingly innate lullaby standards. In 1971, just months after leaving The Supremes, Diana Ross lulled her month-old Rhonda to dreamland by singing light-hearted versions of songs about domestic violence, depression and betrayal popularized by Billie Holiday. Read more...

“The Break-Up” Directed by Peyton ReedUniversal pictures*** Like people do after a real breakup, “The Break-Up” focuses on all the bad times. The film explores what happens after most romantic movies end with a kiss. Read more...