Saturday, Aug. 4

Haywired in Concert

Live music at Heritage Oak Winery, 10112 E. Woodbridge Road in Acampo. For information, visit www.heritageoakwinery.com or call 209-986-2763.

Quite unexpectedly, the first couple months of 2012 continue to offer some quality choices for discriminating movie-goers.

February typically serves as a dumping ground for weak studio films that offer an easy alternative to “mainstream” audiences who don’t see Oscar bait, but this year has brought some welcome surprises.

Millions of years ago the world was a different place. Giant dinosaurs roamed the planets commanding respect wherever they went. Unfortunately for these behemoths, the planet's climate changed and they were no longer equipped to survive - unfortunate for the dinosaurs, but lucky for the auto enthusiasts.

Technical complications at the “Haywire” screening I attempted to attend have left me without a film to review this week (we’ll catch up with that one next time, along with the Liam Neeson survival thriller “The Grey”). But this is just as well, I suppose, considering that the recent Oscar nominations have inspired more controversy than I’ve ever seen associated with the Academy Awards, and of course I have some choice thoughts about that.

Typically, I spend the first six weeks or so of each new year playing catch-up with all the Oscar bait that was released around Christmas. But as it turns out this awards season didn’t produce as many true prestige pictures as expected, so starting next week we’ll be returning to new releases with a look at Steven Soderbergh’s acclaimed action flick “Haywire,” followed by a review of the Liam Neeson vs. wolves survival thriller “The Grey” (I’ll also briefly return to the 2011 awards contenders with a piece on “The Artist,” if it ever opens in the Lodi-Stockton area).

Hope you all enjoyed my top 10 list last week, and gleaned some useful recommendations. This week I’ll take a very quick look at “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” which made my “most promising films I didn’t see” list but ended up being one of the most spirit-crushing disappointments of the year. I honestly don’t have much to say about such an empty film, so I suppose I might as well squeeze in my predictions for the Oscar nominations, set to be announced on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at which point you will surely marvel at my peerless prognosticative abilities.

Recently, I have developed a very bad habit.  I think some of my friends and family will rejoice in the acknowledgment, breathe a sigh of relief and possibly not avoid me next time I call.

Like to gamble? Some think it's illegal in most places, but that is simply not true.

It's sad to see longtime car agencies fall by the wayside. It especially affects us, who grew up in the exciting times of the 1950s and '60s, when American cars ruled the road.

At the bottom of yellow hills, where old wooden windmills creek in the shadows of massive turbines is a town you've probably never visited.

There is something really going haywire in this town.

When Lodi Middle School wrestler Jason Wilson boarded an airplane flight to Holland last month, he was a happy and excited teenager finally on his dream trip.

Lodi's second annual Relay for Life will be Saturday and Sunday at Lodi High School. The Relay is to raise money and awareness through the American Cancer Society for education and research.

Firefighters dismantle newspaper stand to free man

Firefighters dismantle newspaper stand to free man