Category > From the Box
The special features section of popular DVDs has become a place for a film’s creators to advance an argument for the quality of their film. The behind-the-scenes features and exclusive interviews are little more than propaganda, insisting sometimes despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary that the film you have purchased or rented is worth your time and money. Steven Spielberg does more than his share of evading, equivocating and fibbing on the new Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the …
There was once a video game known as Captain America and the Avengers for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Game Systems. Playing the game as a child, I always chose the stalwart Avenger Iron Man and despite my professed dorkiness, this was the extent of my experience with the character of Tony Stark/Iron Man before I saw Jon Favreau’s Iron Man. So, unlike most of my analyses of superhero media, my perspective on Iron Man was rather neutral: I …
Have you ever been to a party and hovered awkwardly around a group of the party-goers, trying to engage in the conversation but feeling completely left behind, without anything resembling a frame of reference by which to understand the particulars of language, gestures, euphemisms, and the very subjects of their talk? That’s what Sex and the City: The Movie was for me. While watching it, I felt excluded, like I was standing at a party to which I was not …
It has often occurred to me that there existed a time as recently as my early adolescence when television shows were not regularly released in DVD box sets. I wonder how people survived in the days before you could sit down for five or six hours with your favorite TV show without commercial breaks and before you were able to skip the intro you’ve seen a million times — back when you had to start watching your show at precisely …
Bigger releases (i.e. films that you remember being in the theaters) this week include Tina Fey’s venture into movie stardom, Baby Mama, and Jackie Chan and Jet Li’s collaboration The Forbidden Kingdom. The consistently disappointing and yet never-ending Smallville sees its seventh season come out today, along with David Caruso’s latest operatic television masterpiece CSI: Miami, which has also somehow made it to a seventh season and beyond. Assuming you’re not into CSI (and all apologies if you are), this …
In autumn, Tuesdays are exciting as summer blockbusters, Cannes and Sundance films, and straight-to-video horror titles all find their way to DVD. But autumn is still a few weeks away and some weeks, like this one, are pretty dry. Sure, Season Four of The Office is out today, but as much as I’d like NBC to convince me that Jim and Pam aren’t just the Ross and Rachel of the 00s, my busy schedule doesn’t allow for the dedication a …
An interesting thing I noticed while going through this week’s DVD releases: although this last TV season was shortened by the writer’s strike, television on DVD is as expensive as it ever was. Thus you can own 10 episodes of The Shield for $59.95 or 18 episodes of the resurrected One Tree Hill for the same price. Considering the addictive nature of television, it’s not surprising that the studios would try to crank up these prices as high as they …
Most Recent Arts Comments
Local, I forgot to offer you a piece of sage advice. Don’t bag on 39 south because they represent your potential collector pool. Even though I haven’t lived in Champaign since 1997, 39 south is still the only arts entity that has promoted my work as an…
Lest 39 South feels picked on: Check this from the Urbana City Public Arts Program: “Calling all Champaign County Artists! We’re pleased to announce a Call for Entries for a new initiative called Murals on Glass, which will feature artwork reproduced in adhesive vinyl displayed on the…
You forgot Jonathon Fineberg was also personal pals with the Christo’s. I’ll agree that Dr. Fineberg has done a tremendous job communicating to undergrads why this stuff is important, but I won’t kiss the ring because he also contributed to the dismantling of crafts at the U…
And boom goes the dynamite.
I think the best and most exciting arts programming in Champaign-Urbana is at the Krannert Art Museum. The depth and quality of the museum’s permanent collection speaks highly to the intelligence of the art history faculty at the University. I have to say taking Art History with…
Another mystifying thing is 39 South touts the fact that when you consider all things that are considered “art”, i.e. music, exhibits, movies, performances, craft fairs, circuses, ect; art in Champaign County apparently generates $60 million dollars of “economic activity” every year, so says 39 South. And…
I have to agree, I’m a bit confused as to the purpose of 40 North, although I am aware that the organization is in a period of restructuring and re-examination. And yes, the “staff of 1” does work tirelessly to keep the operations afloat, but the fact…
“Making art accessible to everyone and cultivating the art and artists in Champaign County is 40 North’s main mission.” FACT: When the Urbana City Council proposed to form a new public arts council of its own in 2008, 39 South actually sent letters from board members Cody…
On behalf of the New Art Film Festival, I’d like to thank you for highlighting our event in this article. It is our pleasure to put together this showcase for the community and the recognition is highly appreciated by all of us involved in the NAFF. Also,…
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Most Recent Comments
Looking forward to trying this place!
I’m in the middle (or the beginning or end, depending on how you look at it) of re-reading Slaughterhouse Five. What a great companion column.
Get yours early. The Rave’s CD will be available at Exile and at The C-U Flea on Saturday. C-U Flea details here: http://www.smilepolitely.com/news/sp_radio_podcast_c-u_flea_arrives/
I don’t know about Gerard and a random police sargeant. My (mild) outrage is based on this: “...he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225…
Local Yocal pretty much nails it here. I suspect there will be merchants who oppose food trucks because they arguably don’t pay their fair share to locate their trucks in high traffic (high rent) areas. The food trucks take away business from rent payers, park in city…
Oh nice! I’d totally vote for Matt Campbell!
“Smile Politely sports writer announces candidacy for city government.”
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet. John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…
What? Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?
This weekend will mark the first appearance of Kayla Brown’s Fire Doll Candle booth at the Market. Check it: http://www.facebook.com/firedollcandles
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Thanks for the sage advice Mary Anna, but I’m long done with the sucking up and being thankful for the scraps. The most important thing an artist can do to live with yourself is tell the emperor he’s got no clothes, and spray paint something on his…