Opinion

Men In Black 3: Movie Review by Bernie and Sand Pilarski (May 28, 2012)

What could be a better way to start off the long weekend than with popcorn and greasy aliens from outer space?

The Submission: Book Review by Wendy Robards (May 21, 2012)

Two years after the destruction of the World Trade Center towers, a jury is selected to choose a memorial design. Amy Waldman's provocative novel "The Submission" examines our prejudices and fears surrounding one of the most traumatic events in American history.

Battleship: Sinking Fast by Bernie and Sand Pilarski (May 21, 2012)

Aliens, explosions, and kids' toys ... well, the popcorn was fresh, at least.

A Beautiful Place To Die: Book Review by Wendy Robards (May 14, 2012)

Set in apartheid South Africa, Malla Nunn's mystery novel "A Beautiful Place To Die" examines the injustice of the laws that governed racial discrimination, unveiled by a murder investigation.

Dark Shadows: Movie Review by Bernie and Sand Pilarski (May 14, 2012)

Director Tim Burton takes on the legendary vampire soap opera "Dark Shadows" in this remake with Johnny Depp and Eva Green -- we just had to look ...

The Snow Child: Book Review by Wendy Robards (Apr 30, 2012)

A Russian fairy tale forms the core of Eowyn Ivey's novel, "The Snow Child," a story of grief and recovery.

Pirates! Band of Misfits: Avast, Ye Lubbers! by Bernie and Sand Pilarski (Apr 30, 2012)

With high hopes and lots of popcorn, Bernie and Sand skip merrily off to the theater for this long-awaited animated film.

Destructo-Week by Sand Pilarski (Apr 30, 2012)

Yes, we noticed that we were dead in the water for a week! Now we're back ...

Let's Pretend This Never Happened: Book Review by Wendy Robards (Apr 23, 2012)

Who wouldn't love to read the memoirs of a woman who can't resist dressing up dead weasels?

Birds of A Lesser Paradise: Book Review by Wendy Robards (Apr 16, 2012)

"We cannot detach ourselves from our biology or from the world in which we live." High praise for "Birds of a Lesser Paradise" by Megan Mayhew Bergman.

One More Year: Book Review by Wendy Robards (Apr 9, 2012)

The immigrant experiences of hope, struggle, and the search for a better life color the stories of Sana Krasikov in her book "One More Year."

The Gods of Gotham: Book Review by Wendy Robards (Apr 2, 2012)

New York City, 1845 -- the city must build a police force to stop the rise in crime, and a mysterious child-killer. Wendy Robards reviews Lyndsay Faye's novel, "The Gods of Gotham."

Mirror, Mirror: A Reflection by Bernie and Sand Pilarski (Apr 2, 2012)

Seeking chuckles and popcorn, the pair of movie reviewers hit the first showing of "Mirror, Mirror."

A Good American: Book Review by Wendy Robards (Mar 26, 2012)

Author Alex George explores how we define our families, and how they shape us in his debut novel, "A Good American."

The Hunger Games: Movie Review by Bernie and Sand Pilarski (Mar 26, 2012)

Sand has read the "Hunger Games" trilogy; Bernie has not. How will that affect their perceptions of this blockbuster movie?

11/22/63 : Book Review by Wendy Robards (Mar 19, 2012)

Stephen King tackles one of the most infamous days in the Twentieth Century in his weighty novel about time travel and the assassination of JFK.

Half-Blood Blues: Book Review by Wendy Robards (Mar 12, 2012)

Esi Edugyan places her characters in the volatile world of jazz in 1939 in the novel, "Half-Blood Blues."

John Carter: Movie Review by Bernie and Sand Pilarski (Mar 12, 2012)

On a fine spring day when it was too cool to sit in the sunshine, Bernie and Sand go to Mars instead.

Blue Monday: Book Review by Wendy Robards (Mar 5, 2012)

Nicci French's new series of psychological thrillers begins with "Blue Monday."

The Artist: Movie Review by Bernie Pilarski (Mar 5, 2012)

A silent film in 2012? A black and white silent film? What can this movie possibly have to attract moviegoers?

No Mark Upon Her: Book Review by Wendy Robards (Feb 27, 2012)

An Olympic rower hopeful is found dead. Wendy Robards reviews the mystery, "No Mark Upon Her," by Deborah Crombie.

The New Man: Book Review by Bernie Pilarski (Feb 27, 2012)

Bernie Pilarski reviews "The New Man," a collection of essays about the nature of man, by Thomas Merton.

This Means War: Movie Review by Bernie and Sand Pilarski (Feb 20, 2012)

Off to the movies for breakfast popcorn, and the comedic "This Means War!"

Come In and Cover Me: Book Review by Wendy Robards (Feb 20, 2012)

Wendy Robards reviews Gin Phillips' second novel, "Come In and Cover Me," a story of grief and the enigmas of archeology.

Running the Rift: Book Review by Wendy Robards (Feb 13, 2012)

A novel informed by the Rwandan Genocide, "Running the Rift," by Naomi Benaron, gets high approval in Wendy Robards' review.

The Invisible Ones: Book Review by Wendy Robards (Feb 6, 2012)

Wendy Robards reviews the novel, "The Invisible Ones," by Stef Penney, about an investigation into the disappearance of a Romany girl in England.

Chronicle: Keep the Camera Rollin' by Bernie and Sand Pilarski (Feb 6, 2012)

Sand and Bernie go for the popcorn, not the movie, but stop crunching, drawn into the super-powers story, "Chronicle."

Swamplandia! : Book Review by Wendy Robards (Jan 30, 2012)

Wendy Robards reviews the book "Swamplandia!" by Karen Russell. Alligator wrestling? Ghosts? You may find them in this book.

Haywire: Hey, Yeah! by Bernie and Sand Pilarski (Jan 30, 2012)

Sand and Bernie go to see "Haywire," but only for the popcorn, not for the action, and certainly not for the woman. "What woman?" Bernie asks.

The Artist of Disappearance: Book Review by Wendy Robards (Jan 23, 2012)

Wendy Robards reviews the collection of novellas set in India, "The Artist of Disappearance" by Anita Desai.