Talk about Arts - November 2009

11/30/09

Wes Anderson's fantastic return

The idea of Anderson turning to a stop-motion animated film based on Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox filled me with concern. Why would he waste his time on such a time-consuming endeavor? Could it possibly feel like a real Wes Anderson film? And how will super-suave George Clooney fit in the Wes world? But I am thrilled to report how wrong I was.

Posted at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments: 1

11/24/09

The Box Tops? In Niagara Falls?! Friday?!?

I have tickets to see the Box Tops this Friday at the Seneca Niagara Casino. Think about that statement for a second.

The Box Tops? "The Letter," "Neon Rainbow," etc.? With Alex Chilton, the Memphis maestro mystery man behind Big Star? Performing at the Bear's Den? This Friday?!

Apparently, yes, it's all true, and comes on the heels of what has been a time of heavy activity—in Chilton terms. Big Star actually performed in New York last Wednesday—see the New York Times review here—and this is hot on the heels of Rhino's amazing Keep an Eye on the Sky box set, which you may have seen in Spree's just released Holiday Shopping...

Posted at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

11/20/09

Using the space between two languages … Ha Jin ventures to Buffalo

The second installment of Just Buffalo Literary Center’s 2009–10 Babel series featured American-Chinese author Ha Jin. Interestingly, he writes in his second language—English—which he didn't learn until college. He has both adopted it, and America as his home. Today, he is in semi-exile from China, where his books have been banned due to their subject matter. His homeland treats him as a non-native author. Still, until his newest work, A Free Life, all of his previous novels took place there.

His Babel lecture focused mainly on A Free Life, his feelings about language, and the concept of the immigrant in a foreign land. He also spoke about the novel Waiting, taking the audience through its progression. Some of the...

Posted at 10:36 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

11/19/09

Movie Review: An Education

Films opening this week:
The Blindside - Market Arcade; Maple Ridge; McKinley Mall Dipson; Transit, Elmwood, Galleria, Hollywood Regals - REVIEW
An Education - Eastern Hills Dipson
Paris - Eastern Hills Dipson
Planet 51 - Market Arcade; Maple Ridge; McKinley Mall Dipson; Transit, Elmwood, Galleria, Hollywood Regals -

Posted at 03:56 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

11/17/09

Band of Skulls on the rise

Every once in awhile, frequent concertgoers have the chance to see an opening act that’s not just on the rise, but seems capable of headlining a show on its own.

It happened several years ago for me when a young Keane, yet to release an album, opened for Travis in Toronto. Their pounding piano, no-guitar sound was bracing, and a few months later that blew up, State-side. Oasis has often featured openers on the cusp of greatness—Kasabian, Arctic Monkeys, Travis.

Last night’s Metric show at Town Ballroom was opened by a threesome from the U.K. named Band of Skulls, and it was a triumphant thirty-minute-or-so set, one that clearly won over the large Town crowd. “Garage rock” might be the category, but that...

Posted at 08:19 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

11/13/09

Movie Review: The Boat That Rocked [Pirate Radio]

Films opening this week:
2012 - Maple Ridge; Market Arcade; Transit, Elmwood, Galleria, Quaker, Hollywood Regals; Flix - review
Pirate Radio - Amherst Dipson; Transit, Galleria, Quaker Regals

Why must Hollywood retitle a film that was produced in Britain? It’s the same language and frankly The Boat That Rocked sounds so much cooler than Pirate Radio … doesn’t it? Either way, no matter what it’s called, writer/director

Posted at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

11/11/09

Worth pondering—CEPA’s Conversation Pieces

A visit to CEPA is not something best carried out quickly, first because the venerable center for photography-based art is spread out over four floors of the historical downtown Market Arcade building, but also because the work is often so thought provoking that you need time to soak it in.

Posted at 01:20 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

10/21/09

Mo’ film fests, mo’ problems

Quick: Which film festival was most recently held in the Queen City? Was it the Buffalo International Film Festival or the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival?

If you can answer that, I give you a hell of a lot of credit. (The answer is the Buffalo International Film Festival.)

Let’s be honest: These film festivals are cannibalizing each other and confusing the locals. I’m not sure Buffalo can support one film festival, let alone two.

What’s truly frustrating is that both fests have a great deal to offer. The Buffalo Niagara Film Festival offered a pretty interesting film premiere of What Goes Up, starring the great Brit Steve Coogan (he’s Alan Partridge), as well young stars Hilary Duff, Josh Peck, and Olivia Thirlby. That the...

Posted at 01:11 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

	11/30/09 Wes Anderson's fantastic return The idea of Anderson turning to a stop-motion animated film based on Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox filled me with concern. Why would he waste his time on such a time-consuming endeavor? Could it possibly feel like a real Wes Anderson film? And how will super-suave George Clooney fit in the Wes world? But I am thrilled to report how wrong I was. Posted at 10:55 AM \| Permalink \| Comments: 1
	11/24/09 The Box Tops? In Niagara Falls?! Friday?!? I have tickets to see the Box Tops this Friday at the Seneca Niagara Casino. Think about that statement for a second. The Box Tops? "The Letter," "Neon Rainbow," etc.? With Alex Chilton, the Memphis maestro mystery man behind Big Star? Performing at the Bear's Den? This Friday?! Apparently, yes, it's all true, and comes on the heels of what has been a time of heavy activity—in Chilton terms. Big Star actually performed in New York last Wednesday—see the New York Times review here—and this is hot on the heels of Rhino's amazing Keep an Eye on the Sky box set, which you may have seen in Spree's just released Holiday Shopping... Posted at 12:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	11/20/09 Using the space between two languages … Ha Jin ventures to Buffalo The second installment of Just Buffalo Literary Center’s 2009–10 Babel series featured American-Chinese author Ha Jin. Interestingly, he writes in his second language—English—which he didn't learn until college. He has both adopted it, and America as his home. Today, he is in semi-exile from China, where his books have been banned due to their subject matter. His homeland treats him as a non-native author. Still, until his newest work, A Free Life, all of his previous novels took place there. His Babel lecture focused mainly on A Free Life, his feelings about language, and the concept of the immigrant in a foreign land. He also spoke about the novel Waiting, taking the audience through its progression. Some of the... Posted at 10:36 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	11/19/09 Movie Review: An Education Films opening this week: The Blindside - Market Arcade; Maple Ridge; McKinley Mall Dipson; Transit, Elmwood, Galleria, Hollywood Regals - REVIEW An Education - Eastern Hills Dipson Paris - Eastern Hills Dipson Planet 51 - Market Arcade; Maple Ridge; McKinley Mall Dipson; Transit, Elmwood, Galleria, Hollywood Regals - Posted at 03:56 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	11/17/09 Band of Skulls on the rise Every once in awhile, frequent concertgoers have the chance to see an opening act that’s not just on the rise, but seems capable of headlining a show on its own. It happened several years ago for me when a young Keane, yet to release an album, opened for Travis in Toronto. Their pounding piano, no-guitar sound was bracing, and a few months later that blew up, State-side. Oasis has often featured openers on the cusp of greatness—Kasabian, Arctic Monkeys, Travis. Last night’s Metric show at Town Ballroom was opened by a threesome from the U.K. named Band of Skulls, and it was a triumphant thirty-minute-or-so set, one that clearly won over the large Town crowd. “Garage rock” might be the category, but that... Posted at 08:19 AM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	11/13/09 Movie Review: The Boat That Rocked [Pirate Radio] Films opening this week: 2012 - Maple Ridge; Market Arcade; Transit, Elmwood, Galleria, Quaker, Hollywood Regals; Flix - review Pirate Radio - Amherst Dipson; Transit, Galleria, Quaker Regals Why must Hollywood retitle a film that was produced in Britain? It’s the same language and frankly The Boat That Rocked sounds so much cooler than Pirate Radio … doesn’t it? Either way, no matter what it’s called, writer/director Posted at 12:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	11/11/09 Worth pondering—CEPA’s Conversation Pieces A visit to CEPA is not something best carried out quickly, first because the venerable center for photography-based art is spread out over four floors of the historical downtown Market Arcade building, but also because the work is often so thought provoking that you need time to soak it in. Posted at 01:20 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	10/21/09 Mo’ film fests, mo’ problems Quick: Which film festival was most recently held in the Queen City? Was it the Buffalo International Film Festival or the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival? If you can answer that, I give you a hell of a lot of credit. (The answer is the Buffalo International Film Festival.) Let’s be honest: These film festivals are cannibalizing each other and confusing the locals. I’m not sure Buffalo can support one film festival, let alone two. What’s truly frustrating is that both fests have a great deal to offer. The Buffalo Niagara Film Festival offered a pretty interesting film premiere of What Goes Up, starring the great Brit Steve Coogan (he’s Alan Partridge), as well young stars Hilary Duff, Josh Peck, and Olivia Thirlby. That the... Posted at 01:11 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0