
“Special” effects
While England's top Premier League teams will remain the same, their pecking order will change.

Old ghosts
"Punishing" Syria might satisfy an instant gratification planet, but solves less than nothing.

Palate cleansers
The "Mutation" compilation from Italy and half-a-20th-century of Greek instrumentals.

The Lamborghini, II
Italian tax authorities will soon profit from unprecendented bank information.

Pain of pains
Silvio Berlusconi's ongoing defiance is an insult to an Italian public that deserves better.

Lakeside
If the seashore seems too "staged," head for a mountain lake, and the woman with a cigar.

No nutmeg
On vacation with Italians would not have been up Thoreau's "anti-social" alley.

Unspecial needs
Expecting people to eat what's in front of them with a smile is a thing of the past.

Galaxy Quest
Few parodies manage the enduring amiability delivered by this "Star Trek" spoof.

Ground zeroed
Up close, America is all about what goes up and what comes down — constantly.

Kick-Ass 2
The second installment of the KA franchise is fun — minus the newfound moralizing.