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Howard Finster Exhibit | Krannert Art Museum Howard Finster might just be the most American artist of the twentieth century (the reader should feel free to contest this in the comments below since your assigned correspondent has a startlingly limited background in Americana). To gloss terms, American is here being used as an amalgam of nationalism, consumerism, religious zeal, prodigious factory-like output, genuine esteem for both Hollywood and the banjo, healthy doses of paranoia and absurdity, and an undying earnest …
| "Everything that I know, I know only because I love." This quote is emblazoned on the screen at the opening of the film and is just one of the simple tenets of the Tolstoyan Movement pioneered by the famed novelist, Leo Tolstoy. Leo Tolstoy (here played by Christopher Plummer) was best known for his career as a novelist, having penned such classes as Anna Karenina and War and Peace. However in his later years he was devoted to a philosophy …
When Gillian told me we were going to the Art to see The Last Waltz last Friday night, I assumed I was in for a boring evening of dance-related arthouse cinema. I was soon pleasantly surprised to learn that The Last Waltz is a concert film of The Band's last live performance, directed by Martin Scorsese (Scorsese also makes several entertaining appearances in the film). Van Morrison (bloated edition, right) and a who's-who of '70s folk rock make cameo appearances. …
The cynical edge of humor, it's been said, rests on mortality. Slip on a banana peel; break your neck; get a few yuks. Station Theatre's staging of Lee Blessing's fairly recent drama, A Body of Water, wedges existential crisis in there along with memory lapse, deception, and willful forgetting. The execution recalls some of the works of English playwright Harold Pinter in its inclusion of odd characters forced, by proximity, circumstance or fate, into confining, absurd situations. Also like Pinter, …
It is 1960s London. On a rainy ordinary weekday, Jenny (Carey Mulligan) stands in the torrential rain at the bus stop, drenched and miserable. Out of nowhere, a sleek car pulls up and a man, identifying himself as a fellow music lover, expresses concern for her cello that she carries in the case beside her. The charming stranger, David (Peter Sarsgaard) convinces her to put the cello in the car and walk beside it. But soon, Jenny, persuaded by his …
Give this book to every adolescent girl you know. For Valentine's Day. For eighth-grade graduation. For just being her. Lindsey Markel's You Are Among Friends is the book I wish I read when I was 13, navigating the oily land mines of puberty: periods, zits, popularity, bullies, and body image. At 20 pages, it's a short read, but it's rich with knowing reassurance and encouragement. She seems to say, yeah, adolescence sucks — but you're awesome and here's what I …
It came as no surprise when Oscar nominations were announced early Tuesday morning that Colin Firth garnered his first nomination for his role as a grieving, gay literature professor in A Single Man, thus singularly dispelling Colin Firth's oft typecasting as the ultimate "Mr. Darcy," originated in 1995 when he portrayed the famed Jane Austen hero in the BBC's beloved production. Indeed A Single Man features Colin Firth as George Falconer, a character on the fringes of a world not …
Bob & Tom Comedy All-Star Tour at the Virginia Theatre Saturday 23 January 2010 Cristy: Brown sugar from the bag. Megadeth. Raunchy, puerile comedy. These are a few of my guilty pleasures. And I got to indulge in the third on Saturday night when Bob & Tom's Comedy All-Star Tour hit the Virginia Theatre. William: I've always held a deep respect for stand-up comics. Armed with only a microphone, their job is to invoke a specific physiological response in the …
"My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on Dec. 6, 1973." These chilling lines start the novel and the subsequent film, The Lovely Bones that debuted #3 this past weekend at the box office. Peter Jackson, best known for directing the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy, delivers a lyrical and hauntingly beautiful adaptation of Alice Sebold's popular novel. Susie Salmon (Sairose Ronan) is just an average 14-year-old girl, the …
Invictus is Latin, a word meaning "invincible." It is also the tile of a poem written by William Henley in 1875. Faced with a devastating illness that included the amputation of his leg, he penned this poem from his hospital bed. Little did he know that years later, Nelson Mandela in a 3 ft. jail cell would use his very words to strengthen himself during the injustice of his imprisonment. And Mandela would once again turn to Invictus to rally …
Most Recent Arts Comments
Zeleni, I had the exact same theory only with the mysterious Man in Black/Smokie granting the wishes. MIB promised Sayid he could have anything in the world he wanted, which turned out to be Nadia. Although he does not necessarily “have” her, she has not died yet…
Zelini, I really like this - I’ll try to follow the theory more closely. As they reveal more about Kate (possibly next week), it might give us more perspective. I agree with your observation about Ben and I think Michael Emerson has done an excellent job conveying his lesser stature.
What if the sideways alternatives are where Jacob actually grants them their wishes, but in ways they didn’t quite expect? The elimination of one regret. Sayid gets to be with Nadia - although through his brother. Maybe he ends up with her at the expense of his…
I understood this totally differently than the other people that posted…this is what I got from it: - the more background you have going in, the more of the allusions you will understand when watching - afterwards, you can do a little research to fill in the…
Jason — I know you are busy with your own thang too, but, whenever you are ready: http://www.smilepolitely.com/contribute/ Word.
Fair enough. This is my second attempt at writing for Smile Politely, and I agree that my playful review did not go over well, or at all like I intended it to. Thank you, Jason, for your advice. I’ll definitely take it to heart.
Tracy, I think there are two halves to this. Even if you are not familiar with the “history of the American film,“ you are always a few Google strokes away from digging up the basics on iconic films and actors that would have registered a big “A-HA!“…
J, I promise I meant no disrespect. The last thing on my mind was disrespecting anyone. I was at a disadvantage because I was reviewing a play whose subject matter I know very little about. And I was trying to be funny. I enjoyed the…
I’ve never read a more pointless article, one so brazenly disprectful to its subject matter and to the reader. Please do not write any longer.
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Ok folks, now that its obvious the wonder bread, gas station eggs, and pasteurized processed cheese food can be marked up sufficiently enough to open two restaurants during a recession and in the same five year span, ya think we can be a little demanding? I’m all…
Everyband in CU - shutup faggot at least this writer is speaking for himself, at least he has a real opinion you spineless capslock drunk fuck. sorry, anyways… what’s good, what’s bad. what’s rock, what’s indie. what’s real what’s not. In 2010, never has this been more…
Indeed, I may also say that some may prefer pop music but some may also like rock music—thus rock music is more alive and cool. Since then, we have lots of good rock bands here, then again we’ll not be compromised and may not be running for…
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WE’RE SORRY JOHN WE’LL TRY HARDER
There went the neighborhood.
Now all you need is large Marge and the picture is complete! Congratulations Tony. I can’t wait. -Manna
I had a great time reading around your post as I read it extensively. Gold Coins
I had a great time reading around your post as I read it extensively. Gold
If you’re bored than you’re boring…damn I must be boring too!
...Papa Bear was applauding.
Zeleni, I had the exact same theory only with the mysterious Man in Black/Smokie granting the wishes. MIB promised Sayid he could have anything in the world he wanted, which turned out to be Nadia. Although he does not necessarily “have” her, she has not died yet…
I like Kaiyo A LOT, but at Sushi Kame (next to the art theatre) you can get an absolute shitload of good sushi, plus miso, and a bit of noodles in a vineagar cucumber salad for $21, and you know it was made just for you. I…
April 9th can’t come fast enough!
To get success, some persons must state if they are willing to compose the article critique writing or just buy custom paper writing service of perfect upper-class.
Pheidippides wasn’t planning on running a marathon; that’s why he died. If he had known ahead of time that he’d be running 26 miles and followed a good training program for a year, stretched properly before the event, had bands and cheering people along the race route,…
Very sad I’ll have to miss this. It sounds sexy as hell & I’ll look forward to the recap.
Doug, I absolutely agree. I think this might have come across focused on rock because, as you say, rock was the 90s, and we had some innovative rock bands here then. But what I’m really trying to get at is that there’s no way Dirty Projectors, Liars…
John, I’m not sure that the current climate for indie rock stardom is all that favorable for bands who simply rock out. Most of the bands doing it well that are also popular have been around for a while and have a tested identity (I’m thinking Spoon…
Keep us posted on the latter!
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I had a great time reading around your post as I read it extensively. Gold Coins