The 50th New York Film Festival just unveiled its golden anniversary with two epic tales during its first weekend. For opening night there was the 3D premiere of Ang Lee’s adventurous “Life of Pi,” the compelling story of a young Indian lad being shipwrecked with a ferocious tiger.

I still have not recovered from some of the spectacular ocean scenes and the perception that a tiger does not master emotional ties with humans. An interesting crouching tiger in this film.

That first weekend gained more prestige by featuring another epic film from Hollywood’s glorious past. The restored version of David Lean’s riveting “Lawrence of Arabia” played on Sunday morning to a most enthusiastic audience.

Instead of a protagonist being overcome by water on Friday night, we empathized with Peter O'...

Fifty-two years ago, student leader Julian Bond was a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and leading groundbreaking protests against segregation in public facilities in the South. He never stopped being involved through the decades and in recent years has taught the history of the civil rights movement in universities.

Last week, the veteran activist was honored at a star-studded array of comedians, singers and television personalities at a Plaza Hotel Gala in New York City. The evening was not only a celebration of his legacy; it was also fundraiser for the Julian Bond Professorship of Civil Rights and Social...

Some of the nicest touches at the 2012 SAG awards broadcast were the segues mentioning local actors who had appeared in movie shoots based in their home town.

The Tony Awards could learn a thing or two from these shout-outs at the SAG ceremony. Local theater productions benefit greatly from casting homegrown thespians.

We in Washington D.C. have Ed Gero, known principally for his fine work in Michael Kahn’s Shakespeare Theatre and currently for his brilliant run as Mark Rothko in John Logan’s "Red" at the Arena Stage in colaboration with Goodman Theatre in Chicago.

Amidst a stage dressed as...

A sports story is unfolding in Washington, D.C., that would make a great old fashioned Hollywood movie.

Ever since third baseman Ryan Zimmerman’s mother Cheryl was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1995, the Washington Nationals star has continued to devote his time and efforts towards raising funds to find a cure for the disease.

Cheryl Zimmerman, herself a two-sport athlete in lacrosse and field hockey, showed symptoms of the disease when Ryan was only eleven years old. He and his brother helped to care for her by doing household chores.

When Ryan grew up to be a major leaguer he decided to raise awareness for his mother’s disease. At age twenty he established a charity to...