A-Town Magazine
For Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, ‘Practical Magic 2’ heals old wounds
LOS ANGELES | Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman view “Practical Magic” very differently today than they did when they made it 28 years ago. In 1998, the film received mixed reviews and had a modest box office performance. It has since become a cult favorite, embraced by a new generation who found the romantic comedy […]
‘Divorce-tok’ fills social media as creators find audiences — and support — by sharing heartbreak
On Instagram feeds that are often teeming with curated, contrived content, a recent post from Monette Wagner stood out for her disarming openness. Looking into the camera, Wagner, a 36-year-old mother of three, said in the video: “Divorce can feel like a death.” In what resembles a digital journal, Wagner has posted videos in real […]
Toyota RAV4 vs. Hyundai Tucson, an Edmunds plug-in hybrid SUV comparison
If you’re looking to reduce your gas bills but buying an electric vehicle just isn’t for you, the 2026 Hyundai Tucson Plug-in Hybrid or 2026 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid might be a smart solution. These are hybrid SUVs that drive like a regular gas-powered hybrid but have a rechargeable battery that lets you drive a […]
A 120-foot burst of genius: Jack Kerouac’s ‘On the Road’ scroll and its wild afterlife
NEW YORK | In the spring of 1951, the muse landed so hard in the caffeinated mind of Jack Kerouac that within three weeks he had hurried out a full-length, single-spaced manuscript — a draft for “On the Road” that he taped together into a scroll some 120 feet long. Published six years later to […]
Nod if you’ve heard this: Bobblehead dolls are an American favorite
NEW YORK | It’s all in the name. Bobble. Head. It’s what the tiny collectible figurines with the spring-laden oversize heads are known for: Give them a tap and watch their tops go, gyrating up and down or side to side. And any head can bobble – entertainers, athletes, politicians, animals, fictional characters, even your […]
Scientists studying cockroach milk and nose-blowing win Ig Nobel prizes for quirky science
Ten research teams were honored Thursday at a satirical science awards ceremony that was hosted outside the U.S. for the first time due to travel concerns. Researchers who studied milk from cockroaches and analyzed soil health using underwear received Ig Nobel prizes celebrating unusual and imaginative contributions to science. The awards organized by a digital […]
Rome mounts a crackdown on golf carts that are increasingly popular with tourists
ROME | Beneath the splendor of its monuments and ruins, Rome is taking aim at a modern-day chariot: the golf cart. Hundreds of them have started carrying tourists through the historic center. Even rolling along at a moderate speed, these golf carts have so far outpaced regulation. But the city is mounting a crackdown. For […]
NASCAR drivers scrambling for cameos after Tom Cruise announces ‘Days of Thunder’ sequel
CHARLOTTE, N.C. | Joey Logano has won 71 NASCAR races and three Cup Series championships during his illustrious career. But the driver of the No. 22 Penske Racing Ford said nothing would make him appear cooler in the eyes of his five children than securing a cameo in the upcoming sequel to “Days of Thunder,” […]
Movie Review: Despite its title, the slasher siege movie ‘Onslaught’ takes its time
Masked soldiers deployed on domestic soil and an air of conspiratorial paranoia give Adam Wingard’s not-quite-grindhouse siege film “Onslaught” a contemporary pulse, even if this lean, B-movie thriller doesn’t deliver much more than a flicker of its throwback promise. Wingard, though, does seem freshly liberated in this return to his low-budget thriller roots (“You’re Next,” […]
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Fall Movie Preview: Russo brothers, maestros of ensembles, test their limits
NEW YORK | Before they were the most-trusted hands behind Marvel’s largest epics, Joe and Anthony Russo presided over a slightly less potent assemblage of talent: the Bluth family of “Arrested Development.” Beginning with “Arrested Development” ( 14 episodes directed ) and “Community” (34 episodes), the Russo brothers established an especially keen sense for the […]