Symkus

Summer is here. Time for summer vacation. Oh, right, due to a certain widespread virus, summer vacations have been canceled this year. That’s a big bummer at our house. We had plans to fly to England, do the big-city London thing, make our way to Liverpool for some homage-paying to the Beatles, then hop a… … Read More

This final entry in a three-part series that’s been celebrating big anniversaries of all sorts of films gives a shout-out – and in some cases, a thumbs down – to movies that have already turned or are turning 60 this year – films that were released all the way back in 1960. It was a… … Read More

For this second entry in a three-part series of films celebrating big anniversaries, we tip the hat to – or issue a warning about – some of those that have already turned or will be hitting 50 this year. There’s a great deal of agreement in camps ranging from film scholars to movie nuts that… … Read More

As the days and nights without movie theaters slog along, and the only way to see the paltry number of new releases is on the stream, in the living room, we film critics – feel free to call us film addicts – are desperately searching for ways to scratch that infernal itch.So, we focus on… … Read More

Many film critics have a tendency to procrastinate when it comes to assembling annual top-10 lists, often waiting till the December blowout of big movies begins. I broke that habit years ago, jumping on the task with a mid-year start. But here we are, with that point approaching, few films opening, and the specter of… … Read More

Memorial Day is one of those holidays that comes with traditions attached: a parade through small towns, a cookout in the backyard, hanging a flag in front of your house. Well, our flag is still folded and ready to make its annual appearance, but we won’t be seeing any parades or attending any cookouts this… … Read More

Movie studios traditionally depend on huge summer seasons, featuring big box office draws, and are always hoping to top the previous summer season. It’s been that way since 1975, when Steven Spielberg made the first blockbuster, “Jaws,” which, to date, has brought in $485 million at box offices around the world. But with most theaters… … Read More

A year ago, this week, Major League Baseball was in full swing. Spring was already headed toward summer, and stadiums that were home to the most popular teams and attracted the most diehard fans were filing to near-capacity. The Tampa Bay Rays were in first place in the American League East, the Minnesota Twins held… … Read More

There are so many ways to celebrate moms on Mother’s Day which, if you haven’t been keeping track of your calendar, is on May 10. You can send a card, you can make a phone call – don’t you DARE text her – you can, if everyone is masked up to the max and keeping… … Read More

It looks like, in the words of that old Alice Cooper song, school’s out forever. Or at least for the rest of the year. And with spring still not in the air, lots of high schoolers, as well as adults who wish things were as simple as they were in their own high school days,… … Read More