Target's campaign donations: pro-business or homophobic? Baby slapping at 30,000 ft? Then, T-G-I-FilmWeek! Our critics review the week's new movies including The Switch, The Lottery Ticket, The Tillman Story, and The Agony and Ecstasy of Phil Spector. Later, the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, and, will the summer movie season end with a bang... or a whimper? What films would you like to see come out of Hollywood?
Target store campaign donation policy stirs controversy
Retail giant Target is facing calls to revamp its political campaign contribution policies after shareholders learned of a recent $150,000 donation to Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, who campaigned on an anti-gay-rights platform. A recent Supreme Court decision removed restrictions on corporate donations to election campaigns and Target is the first company to face a backlash for its contributions. Target is facing a boycott from MoveOn.org and strong criticism from gay rights advocates. Would you shop at a store who donates to causes or candidates you oppose? Does Target’s situation present a way to provide public oversight of corporate campaign contributions after the Supreme Court’s decision?
Guests:
Timothy Smith, Senior Vice President, Environment, Social and Governance Group, Walden Asset Management
Tara Malloy, Associate Legal Counsel, Campaign Legal Center
Baby slapping bystander debate
The Associated Press reports that America's latest folk-hero flight attendant might be Beverly McCurley, the Southwest Airlines employee who took a baby from her parents after the mother slapped the crying child across the face. The details are still murky, but the incident raises the question: did the flight attendant do the right thing? And when and how should bystanders intervene when a parent seems to be acting in an abusive way towards a child?
To report child abuse in Los Angeles County, call toll-free (800) 540-4000. In Orange County, call (800) 207-4464.
FilmWeek: The Switch, Lottery Ticket, Nanny McPhee Returns, The Tillman Story and more
Film critics Wade Major of boxoffice.com and Tim Cogshell of Boxoffice Magazine review the week’s new releases including The Switch, Lottery Ticket, Nanny McPhee Returns, The Tillman Story and A Film Unfinished, among others. The 14th annual Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival started Thursday. LALIFF, which continues through August 25th, will showcase feature films, documentaries, shorts, discussions, and industry panels. Festival founder Marlene Dermer joins us to share the highlights. TGI-FilmWeek! For the full list of movies covered this week, check out the FilmWeek page.
Guests:
Wade Major, film critic, KPCC and boxoffice.com Tim Cogshell, film critic, Boxoffice Magazine Marlene Dermer, founder, Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival Live tweeting this week's reviews:
Latino Film Festival hits LA
The 14th annual Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival started Thursday. LALIFF, which continues through August 25th, will showcase feature films, documentaries, shorts, discussions, and industry panels. Festival founder Marlene Dermer joins us to give us the highlights.
More KPCC coverage of the festival at the Multi-American blog. Full schedule of screenings at Latinofilm.com.
Guest:
Marlene Dermer, Founder and Executive Director of the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival
Help us, Hollywood, you’re our only hope
We’ve had our prefabricated blockbusters, an installment of a vampire franchise and the usual romantic comedy fare, but the summer of 2010 has felt… well… uneventful at the local cinema. Maybe even dismal. With a struggling economy and soaring temperatures this is a summer when we need air conditioned escapism the most. Inception and the latest Toy Story adventure doth not a summer movie season make. Has Hollywood left us hanging? Will the summer movie season end with a bang or a whimper? What kinds of films should Hollywood be making that they aren’t?
Guests:
Wade Major, film critic, KPCC and boxoffice.com
Tim Cogshell, film critic, Boxoffice Magazine