USC – Journo James's Journal

Emperor Carroll Has No Clothes

Post author:journojames
Post published:February 23, 2012
Post category:Op/Ed/Commentary Sports

Originally published Aug. 28, 2011

The emperor has no clothes.

Someone please point this out Friday night when Pete Carroll, emperor of the Seattle Seahawks, leads his offensively-challenged birds out onto CenturyLink Field to face the always-challenged Oakland Raiders.

Pete_Carroll_cbssports — Coach Pete Carroll, Photo courtesy of cbssports

It’s only an exhibition game. It’s the final tune-up for both clubs before the start of the regular season. But this is the NFL, so it will still have all the pomp and nonsense of the regular season. There will be NFL cheerleaders. There will be hours of NFL tailgating. And there will be NFL prices to pay. But in this NFL setting, the man barking orders in the blue hooded sweatshirt along the Seattle sideline isn’t an NFL head coach. (more…)

“Wedding Palace” Director Chris Yoo

Post author:journojames
Post published:February 17, 2012
Post category:Entertainment & Culture Feature Interview

Originally published May 2, 2011

wedding_palace_gallerythetattler — Scene from “Wedding Palace,” Photo courtesy of the Tattler

LOS ANGELES – The swanky 600-seat theater at the Director’s Guild of America in Los Angeles was sold out Friday night. The crowd of mostly Asian-Americans filled the plush red seats. They were there to see the new Korean-American romantic comedy “Wedding Palace.” The movie was part of the 2011 L.A. Asian Pacific Film Festival’s second night of programming. The director of the movie, Christine Yoo, was there greeting viewers and looked delighted by the large turn out.

For Yoo, who was also the producer and co-writer of “Wedding Palace,” this was a special night. It was a culmination of her feature film directorial debut. (more…)

“Summer Pasture” Filmmaker Lynn True

Post author:journojames
Post published:February 13, 2012
Post category:Entertainment & Culture Interview

Originally published Mar. 1, 2011

LOS ANGELES – In the documentary “Summer Pasture,” a hard-working young wife, Yama, points out to her husband with mild annoyance that “no one was watching over our yaks.” Locho, her husband, a herder who seems to spend more time in front of a mirror checking his own complexion than his grazing animals, blames their runaway “naughty horse” for taking him away from his herding duties.

SummerPastureLowResdoc.org — Scene of nomadic life from “Summer Pasture,” Photo courtesy of Documentary.org

“Little things like that are really telling of a typical couple,” said Lynn True with an amused smile, the producer and director of the movie. “That’s what I was looking for.”

There are a number of scenes like this one throughout the movie and it was revealing in many ways.

“Summer Pasture” offered an intimate glimpse of Tibet and traditional nomadic life in the 21st century, which is seldom seen by outsiders. But, it also showed that, despite the faraway setting, the every day struggles, worries, and hopes of the young Tibetan couple and their infant daughter were largely universal and easily recognizable. (more…)