Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Australian actor Ben Lawson (“13 Reasons Why,” “The Good Place,” “Designated Survivor”) loves his homeland, but says there are parts he has yet to explore. “The Great Barrier Reef is so beautiful,” says Lawson, 38, who resides in Los Angeles. “And I recommend Uluru, although I’ve never been myself. It’s on my bucket list to go to what we call the Red Center. Actually, I’d love to drive across the Nullarbor Plain and experience that part of the country, too.”
“It’s Okay, That’s Love” is sold as a wacky K-Drama about a psychiatrist and a playboy celebrity author. And the first couple episodes did little to disprove that storyline. But as it progressed, the series laid out the plot in a beautiful, languid way that was full of love and heartbreak, before culminating in the kind of glorious truth that is both liberating and intoxicating.
“Because This Is My First Life” is a bittersweet series about two broken people who decide to cohabitate for financial reasons. It is also a story that is heartwarming, funny and romantic. The melancholy start to this Korean drama gave me the same feels as “Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food” (in a good way).
After meeting in acting class, Michael Pugliese and Prem Singh decided to create roles for themselves that they’d be proud to portray on screen. So like Matt Damon and Ben Affleck did before them, the Canadians wrote their own screenplay and looked for backers for what would become “Tiger.” They won the interest of Mickey Rourke, who agreed to act in the film. “Tiger” tells the real-life tale of boxer Pardeep Singh Nagra (portrayed by Singh). A Canadian flyweight amateur boxing champion, Nagra wasn’t allowed to compete at nationals, because he refused to shave his beard — an important part of his Sikh faith.
Musician/producer Lay is celebrating his recent 27th birthday with the release of his latest solo album, “NAMANANA,” on Oct. 19. Born Yixing Zhang in Hunan, the EXO star recorded each song, including his self-produced single, “Give Me a Chance” — in both English and Mandarin. A workaholic who says he’s happiest when he’s busy, he made his solo United States festival debut this past summer at the Chicago stop of Lollapalooza.
“My Love, Don’t Cross That River” is a love story that shows there is beauty to be found in everyday life, even with death looming. A languid documentary about an elderly couple that has been married for more than 70 years, the 86-minute film — which is both tranquil and heartbreaking — is deftly directed by Jin Mo-Young.
As “Twilight” celebrates the 10th anniversary of its theatrical release this year, Jackson Rathbone — who portrayed broody vampire Jasper Hale — is busy. He is one of the stars of the film “Heart, Baby!” and has a new single out, “Young and Tragic.” Born in Asia, the actor-musician says he traveled so much as a child that he feels “only at home when I’m traveling. I find myself residing mostly on airplanes, usually between Los Angeles and Austin. However, I’ve been known to fly all over the world for work, from Mexico to South Africa, Colombia to France, and even as far as the exotic plains of Canada!”
I am feeling salty today. So grab a cup of hot tea (and maybe a slice of delicious cake to make this all go down better). There’s no shame in not speaking English perfectly as a foreign language. But it is obnoxious to use a person’s words specifically for the intent of shaming them.
I watched this series, because I was curious to see how well Lee Jong-Suk acted early on in his career. Answer: He was very good, even in a so-so K-Drama. “School 2013” tackles many serious topics — bullying, suicide, overbearing parents — but if you want to watch a superior film about Korean high school students, opt for “Once Upon a Time in High School.”
“Mythbussters” star Kari Byron says her favorite destination is “somewhere I have never been. I am an adventurer at heart. I rarely go to the same place twice. That being said, I spent a couple weeks in Egypt sailing down the Nile in a felucca and couldn’t help going back for more. All together I was there for almost a month. The travel was definitely challenging, but seeing the Valley of the Kings with my own eyes was worth it.”