Smile Politely. Speak Directly. A Champaign-Urbana Culture Blog

Critically and commercially, Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is turning out to be the biggest hit of the year, maybe of all time. Both the amount of box office records it has broken and its staggering 94 percent rating on rottentomatoes.com has surprised nearly every industry analyst; no one expected it to be so good or so successful. It is a very lengthy sequel to a moderately successful (in the world of superhero movies, anyway) reboot of a franchise based on a character who had already had six films based on him — eight if you count the 1940s serials. Everyone knew it was going to be big, but it had enough working against it that no one thought it would be this big.

It’s no secret that Urbana Free Library has a great collection of films on their shelves for borrowing. But, tonight, — and this might be lesser known — the library is pulling out their projector for a showing of The Bothersome Man as the last selection of Art Flicks Film Series.

Cynthia Oliver's proverbial plate is piled high. In no particular order, she's a mother, professor, poet (with her body and on paper), dancer, an artist, choreographer...the list seems endless and demanding — yet she always appears calm and collected. On her website, a quote she wrote reads, "In my work I want to get dirty, acknowledge demons, hail the angels, tell secrets and celebrate conflicted, complicated, glorious lives fully lived." And oh — does she ever.

On that note, Smile Politely brings you Cynthia Oliver.

Consumed by: My passion for art, making it, performing in it, seeing it and talking about it.

The Dark Knight descended on the box office this past weekend breaking records by amassing more than $155 million and doing more than its fair share to reinvigorate a decidedly mediocre offering of summer movies. Director Christopher Nolan created a more than worthy sequel to Batman Begins, continuing the saga of Batman, the reluctant tragic hero. Evil never looked so glamorous in large part due to a hauntingly beautiful Chicago, luminescent and eerie, ably appropriating the crime besieged Gotham City.

Watching Wanted a few weeks ago, I was amused and surprised to see a bar I have passed every day on the train during my summer in Chicago featured prominently. I chuckled aloud in the theater, only to see heads turn my way, the faces expressing their disdain for someone so easily excited by familiar sights on the big screen. I realized that people from Chicago must see stuff they recognize all the time in films and that it was totally not cool of me to think anything of it.

I can't help it, though: I'm from Champaign-Urbana, which somehow ranks below Peoria and Decatur on the "Illinois towns people recognize" rankings. On the rare occasion we get mentioned in a film, we throw parties, like the birthday party for the HAL 9000 that kicked off Ebertfest ten years ago. So here I present a list, albeit a short one, of films that make me go, "Hey! I'm from there!"

The history of female comedic duos is a mighty short list: Ethel and Lucy, Laverne and Shirley, and now, one for the 21st century, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Reared in the school of belly laughs — Chicago’s famed Second City — the Saturday Night Live players (Fey as alum), put forth their first offering on the big screen as a team.

The film, Baby Mama, unspools under the stars tonight on the Quad as part of the Summer Quad Cinema Series hosted by the Illini Union Board.

Jason Patterson's at it again — showing his artwork in local coffee shops. This time around, his pieces of art deck the walls at Cafe Kopi in downtown Champaign with new ones added into the mix from his last shows at Art Coop and Caffe Paradiso. Right when you walk into the cafe, you are forced into a viewing. A new piece of Patterson's, "Malcolm X Triptych" is a portrait of the civil rights leader in white pastel and charcoal on raw canvas including a lesser known quote from Malcolm, "I don't believe in any form of unjustified extremism, but I believe if a human being is exercising extremism in the defense of liberty, it's no vice. And when one is moderate in the pursuit of justice for human beings, I say he's a sinner." It stands seven feet high and 15 feet long, "Malcolm X" is the largest and one of the more complicated pieces he has had to finish. It took two and a half months to pump out.

If you didn’t read Where the Wild Things Are as a kid, then you are probably either a.) too cool to read, or b.) illiterate. Next you’ll tell me that you missed out on Dr. Seuss, as well.

However, those who are not yet acquainted with the story of Max and his band of mythical beasts need not fear; Maurice Sendak’s childhood classic is making the jump to the big screen in 2009. I, for one, don’t know whether I should jump for joy or sneer in disgust. It’s definitely a well imagined story, but is Where the Wild Things Are destined to join the leagues of other books that never should have been made into movies?

What is art? It's a seemingly innocent question that doesn’t offer an immediate response. While few could debate the pastel enchantment of a Monet, the brooding introspection of a Hopper, or even the cultural relevance of a Warhol — abstract art has always been a less defined arena. Does art have to relate a cohesive narrative? Does the scene have to clearly depict people and places or can there be lines, patterns, non-discernible images or even scribbles? Can it be labeled art if a child is capable of its creation?

Elise McAuley can be found dancing her little heart out in the ballet (she's been at it for 17 years), behind the camera or occasionally photo blogging on Things and Stuff. Write her an e-mail and her response will drip with color, sweetness and sincerity. These characteristics of her personality are definitely reflected in her photographs, which closely resemble the most candid elements of our society; her eye is trained to take in the emotion that most people omit in their everyday lives.

Now Elise opens up for Smile Politely.

Consumed by: Nostalgia, comfort and exoticism.

When I was 18, I brought my first real boyfriend home from Champaign for Easter weekend. I was thrilled — my parents a little less so. After I had gotten "D" settled on our pull-out couch downstairs, I came upstairs — and my father swiftly locked the door behind me. I protested vehemently, but my dad insisted that "D" had a bathroom, a refrigerator and anything else he needed downstairs (i.e. away from his daughter's room). It didn't seem prudent to remind my father that I had a single dorm room, so I set my alarm for 6 a.m. with full intention to open the basement door so "D" wouldn't feel like he was trapped in a bad horror flick.

There is more than meets the eye lurking in the back alleys of downtown Champaign.

A life drawing class at the Boneyard Pottery was started years ago by Bill Baher. After Baher's passing, Ron Karlstrom, an artist and good friend of Baher's, and Michael Schwegmann — owner of Boneyard and artist — decided to keep it going. Now called M.E.L.D. (Monday Evening Life Drawing), the group meets every week at 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. inside Boneyard Pottery on 403 S. Water St. in Champaign. The class costs a mere $7 and newcomers are always welcome.

Set in the back room of Boneyard Pottery, the studio space is cozy and raw, the group is lively and come from various levels of drawing skills. They provide chairs, stools, table space and tray tables — and if you prefer an easel, you can bring yours along.

Through the end of July, the Orpheum Children's Science Museum will proudly host their first, but not last, art show. Local students have created the artwork on display and their collection represents one of the larger social purposes of art — art therapy. The majority of the paintings are a copy of one of Leonardo Da Vinci's most widely-recognized painting — the Mona Lisa. Another aspect of the show asks its viewers to interact with the exhibit — the viewer can select a piece of photocopied artwork and color it in. The viewer's artwork can then be displayed on an easel alongside of the paintings in the Museum.

Colleen Montgomery, curator of the show and an associate at the Museum, brought "The Mona Show" to the Museum last week and so far, it's been well-received. Smile Politely interviewed Montgomery about the exhibit and its success. Click the jump to read her answers.

A little bit of rain didn't stop the show last Wednesday night at Mike 'N Molly's. Opening up the show was Dave Samuel's side project Mordechai in the Mirror, followed by Peoria's Tina Sparkle, and closing with The Living Blue. Expect an iTunes release of The Living Blue's new record Walk, Talk, Rhythm, Roam this August.