Articles written by Tom Knapp - Page 3

Where Knowledge Rules

What is Helium

About me - Tom Knapp

I'm a newspaper reporter in Lancaster, PA, and run on the online review site Rambles.NET. I'm also the fiddler and bodhranist in an Irish band, Fire in the Glen.

+ more bio information

RSS Feed

Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: Circle of Friends: 1 of 1
I approached the film with a bit of wary skepticism. After all, this Irish coming-of-age story starred American and English actors (as Irish characters, mind you), and I feared Hollywood's influence. In this case, I shouldn't have worried; U.S. native Chris O'Donnell and London-born Minnie Driver are up to the challenge. Dri... More..
Entertainment > Celebrity Commentary Media frenzy: Anna Nicole Smith's death receives disproportionate news coverage: 48 of 86
Let me ruminate for a moment on the Cult of Anna. I don't wish to dismiss the sadness with which all feeling people greet the news of an individual's death, particularly a young person (she was only 39) who leaves behind a young child (5 months old). It's a shame and, given her fame - or notoriety, if you prefer - she certai... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: Casino Royale: 32 of 55
"Casino Royale" is an exceptional reboot of the James Bond franchise. After 20 successful Bond films starring five actors in the title role, Daniel Craig takes over in a film that takes place at the very start of his career as a 00 agent. M, played by the masterful Judi Dench, hands him his promotion and his fabled "licence ... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: Spiderman 3: 47 of 80
Disillusioned by negative press, I was almost reluctant to pay movie-theater prices to see Spider-Man 3. But my unwavering love for the first two films in the series was impossible to resist, and soon I found myself taking my wife and two kids to see it despite my misgivings. I left with mixed feelings about some aspects of ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing (Other) Quotes on writers & writing: 12 of 18
Writing about writing is, by its nature, a dodgy business, because in what venue are your words more likely to be examined, explored, poked and prodded until every shade and nuance has been exposed? And yet, the practice of writing has generated some of the best quotes I've collected. Robert Benchley spoke to anyone who has ... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain(Amelie): 6 of 8
Amelie Poulain is a Parisian eccentic. She grew up with a cold father (Raphael Poulain), a tense mother (Lorella Cravotta) and a suicidal goldfish (Blubber). Now a young, independent woman with a flat of her own, a job as a waitress and a detached amusement towards sex, she seems content to drift through life distanced from ... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: Learning a new instrument as an adult: 15 of 19
I chose the violin as my instrument in third grade, and I stuck with it through graduation. But, once high school was behind me, I decided the violin was no longer for me; I tucked it away in a closet and vowed to learn something new. It wasn't a quick process. And, admittedly, I went about it all wrong. I never signed up fo... More..
Travel > United States Massachusetts: The Best Tourist Spots: 4 of 5
Historians don't really know if there were any real witches in Salem, Mass., in 1692. But anyone who spends more than a few minutes in that quaint, coastal New England town today can tell you one thing for sure: there's witchery afoot in Salem now. No matter how Salem might try to promote its historical importance as an earl... More..
Relationships & Family > New & Old Friends Harsh realities: Outgrowing friendships: 103 of 124
We'd been friends, it seems, forever. We met in kindergarten. My memories back then are vague, although I know he used to horde the cardboard brick-like building blocks during playtime. And, as we grew through elementary school, we became better and better friends, spending as much time together in and out of school as possi... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: The Bridge to Terabithia: 22 of 26
It's been 24 hours since I finished watching "The Bridge to Terabithia," which I watched on a whim with my wife and daughter with little foreknowledge of the plot. I'd never read the Newbery Award-winning book by Katherine Paterson, and I'd seen only one trailer for the film, which left me with the impression it would be a "... More..