Most of the ads for “After Earth” have neglected to mention that M. Night Shyamalan co-wrote and directed the film. Movie studios finally seem to be realizing that having Shyamalan’s name plastered above the title will no longer sell tickets. If anything, it will have audiences fleeing from the theater in revulsion. Whenever it looks like Shyamalan can’t embarrass himself any further, he always comes out with a new film that’s even more atrocious than the last. At least with his previous debacle, “The Last Airbender,” Shyamalan hit ground zero. There’s no way he could possibly make a film even more poorly written, effortlessly acted, and bleakly directed, right?


Most of the ads for “After Earth” have neglected to mention that M. Night Shyamalan co-wrote and directed the film. Movie studios finally seem to be realizing that having Shyamalan’s name plastered above the title will no longer sell tickets.

There's a siege mentality about Michael Bay's movies, as though viewers are the enemy holed up in a bunker and he's the guy ordering heavy-metal music around-the-clock to wear down our morale and force us to surrender.

Are you as depressed as I am? No, not about the D-Backs’ up and mostly down season and not about the Cardinals’ inability to find a quarterback or a line to protect him. No, I’m depressed about this year’s election, the most disturbing election in my memory.

The new “21 Jump Street” derives its inspiration from the 1980s television series of the same name that starred a young Johnny Depp. Other than a few key elements though, the film adaptation shares little in common with the original source material. Where the show was mostly a by-the-numbers drama that employed moral messages about drugs and alcohol, the film is an action comedy in the tradition of “The Other Guys.” Keep in mind that any movie that earns comparison to “The Other Guys” is a winner in my book.

The new “21 Jump Street” derives its inspiration from the 1980s television series of the same name that starred a young Johnny Depp. Other than a few key elements though, the film adaptation shares little in common with the original source material. Where the show was mostly a by-the-numbers drama that employed moral messages about drugs and alcohol, the film is an action comedy in the tradition of “The Other Guys.” Keep in mind that any movie that earns comparison to “The Other Guys” is a winner in my book.

The Desert Vista wrestling program entered the year with three returning state champions, two high-profile transfers and the expectations that come along with such individual talent.

In his speech of Dec. 6, 2011, at Osawatomie, Kan., our president said capitalism doesn't work. "Now, just as there was in Teddy Roosevelt's time, there is a certain crowd in Washington who, for the last few decades, have said, let's respond to this economic challenge with the same old tune. ‘The market will take care of everything,' they tell us. If we just cut more regulations and cut more taxes - especially for the wealthy - our economy will grow stronger. Sure, they say, there will be winners and losers. But if the winners do really well, then jobs and prosperity will eventually trickle down to everybody else. And, they argue, even if prosperity doesn't trickle down, well, that's the price of liberty.

The Chandler Basha students rushed the field and just before they got to midfield, heading toward the Mountain Pointe side of the field, a Pride school official stopped them dead in their tracks.

Editor’s Note: This is the final in a two-part series. The first part appeared in the Dec. 23 issue of the AFN.

Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two-part series that will conclude next week.

With the Valley racing season coming up quickly and many marathon training programs in full swing, one of the biggest challenges runners face is making it to the starting line injury free and well rested.

The death of a neighbor is a time for compassion, not snide comments