Archive: August, 2010

New cult movie/burlesque series announced for Bob & Barbara's

POSTED: Friday, August 6, 2010, 8:00 PM

Filed Under: Movies screening

Bob & Barbara's is really the only spot in the city that deserves to screen the east coast premiere of the Canadian movie Dead Hooker in a Trunk. But deceased ladies of the night aren't all that Greg Christie is interested in. "Mounting repertory film in Philadelphia has always been difficult," says Christie. "I think its struggling right now in the wake of Netflix because showing the film, even if it's on 35 mm, isn't enough." The former TLA Video manager recently got back from a stint in Austin, where he was impressed by the formidable Alamo Drafthouse. "They have programming every night and it's always sold out because it's not just film," says Christie, siting the ATX moviehouse's drinks service and their penchant for activities on the side, like quote-a-longs. So when it came to putting on his own weekly screening series at the lovable South street dive, Christie thought outside the box. "I'm trying to film events that are more interactive parties," Christie says, "rather than just film screenings." Christie's solution is to bring in the Swellco & Swellco Video Circus, aka the minds behind Anti-Bestiality Educational Awareness and similar exploits, to perform burlesque once a month during his events. For their first mutual offering on Tue., Sept. 14, Christie and Swellco will present the aforementioned Dead Hooker in a Trunk (watch the trailer above). Along with the movie screening and performance there will be a dead hooker costume contest and a performance by the one and only filthy Neil Diamond impersonator Dirty Diamond. Other events include a screening of Cory McAbee's sci-fi/Western/musical Stingray Sam and a film from the makers of Tokyo Gore Police and The Machine Girl, with a special presentation by Japanese burlesque group Tokyo Dolores. "I don't want to get pigeonholed," Christie says about his film choices. "I want to program films that will work in a bar setting. We want to make Bob & Barbara's a premier setting for independent and foreign film."

Posted by Molly Eichel @ 8:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

FirstGlance Film Festival announces Philly line-up

POSTED: Friday, August 6, 2010, 6:47 PM

Filed Under: Movies Film Fest

The FirstGlance Film Fest celebrates its 13th anniversary this year by screening more films — from features to docs to music videos — than ever before. All official selections will receive a prize, with a chance to compete for a spot at the Las Vegas version of the fest. Philly's FirstGlance takes place Oct. 14-17. All official selections are posted after the jump, with locally-filmed productions in bold — including Joshua Coyne's video for Johnny Popcorn's "Next Episode," embedded above.

Features

Baseline — Berndon O'Loughlin Charlie Valentine — Jesse V Johnson Consent — Ron Farrar Brown) The Romantic — Michael Heneghan Feature Documentaries What does Trouble Mean? — Jim Seguin 10 Mountains, 10 Years — Jennifer Yee Shorts The Macabre World of Lavender Williams — Nicolas Delgado Squatter — Thomas Lorne Takeo — Omar Samad Jesus Comes to Town — Kamal John Iskander One Day — Thomas Leisten Schneider Midlife — Michael Swingler You Know Where to Find Me — Jaesang A. Lee Love Me Tender — Matthew Morgenthaler The Cycle — Roy Clovis Rat's in the City — John Wolfe Freaky Saturday Night Fever — Etienne Goldet Level Up (Greg Koorhan) Shorts Too S&M — Daniela DeCarlo The Show — Cynthia Graner Special Delivery — David Hawk Little Big Kid — Kathleen Jayme Trumped — Michael Whitton Mini-Documentaries Sand — Cari Ann Henderson Bike & Build: Be the Change — Ashley Berkman The Creation of Torrit Smoke — John Francis Student Shorts PING — Jason Oshman Chemical 12-D — Mac Eldridge Animation Alex & the Ghosts — Varic Warin The Lift — Robert Kohr Sketchi — Lily Sun Music Video GOLEM ASYLUM — Joy Vaccese "Switch Hit Resistor" Woodward — Adam Sztykiel "Next Episode" Johnny Popcorn — Joshua Coyne

Posted by Molly Eichel @ 6:47 PM Permalink | Post a comment

CRITICAL MASS WEEKEND OMNIBUS: Party Dude Weekend

POSTED: Friday, August 6, 2010, 6:04 PM

Filed Under: Weekend Omnibus

Friday: Calm your weary soul at Going Green, a collection of videos and photos from Taiwanese artists that aim to showcase their unique medium of environmental art. Check out the Westward Ho! exhibit at the Rosenbach Museum and Library and learn the real deal about cowboys and Indians, wives tales and fact. Saturday: You are booked solid today: First, the Women's Empowerment Initiative Film Festival shows you documentaries about women changing the world. Lauren Macaluso gave you a review of each doc earlier today.Continue post-event feelings of do-goodness with Fuck the Crude, Let's Party Dude at the FDR Skatepark. Don't worry the coarseness has a cause — all proceeds to this party go the Gulf clean-up. Images of Philly in the Summer ain't your typical gallery. This image theater workshop lets you act out photos taken of Philadelphians in theater exercises. Sunday: See the best 'strips the Philadelphia Alternative Comic Con has to offer at The Rotunda. Later, bring out the child in you to celebrate El DÃÂa del NiÃ±o at Philadelphia's Magic Gardens. Better yet, bring your kid. We won't tell if you participate in the piÃ±ata.

Posted by Katy Bergen @ 6:04 PM Permalink | Post a comment

MOVIE REVIEWS: Women's Empowerment Initiative Film Fest tomorrow at the Leeway Foundation

POSTED: Friday, August 6, 2010, 3:00 PM

Filed Under: Movies | Movie Review screening

CREDIT

Avery Klein-Cloud from Off and Running, who will be on a panel at the Leeway Foundation's Women's Empowerment Initiative Film Fest

Tomorrow afternoon the Leeway Foundation, Independent Television Services, and WHYY will screen the five documentaries as part of the day-long festival that I told you about in this week's Agenda section. All of the films profile women who transformed their communities, governments, and social circles through their right of free expression. Following the films there will be a panel discussion with Rocky Ooto from Bronx Princess and Avery Klein-Cloud from Off and Running. After the jump, check out my reviews of each of the five movies complete with movie trailers.

Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai @ 12 p.m. Directors: Alan Dater & Lisa Merton In 1977, Wangari Maathai turned the words "let's plant trees" into a 30-years-strong environmentalist movement in Kenya. Maathai's simple idea not only taught women how to nurture the land but also resurrected stories of Kenyan history. Deforestation began when the British colonized the land and now local people are dealing with the symptoms. The filmmakers' research pays off when they delve into Kenyan history; instead of the film resting solely on interviews we see black and white photographs of Kenyan tribes and footage of the Land Freedom Army as it is organized in 1952 to fight British rule. The film also proves Maathai is more than just a tree hugger — she organized a hunger strike in Nairobi for the release of political prisoners and led Kenyan people in their fight for a better government. In their hands during these protests were not weapons, but seedlings.

Made in L.A. @ 1:30 p.m. Director: Almudena Carracedo You may never shop at Forever 21 again after watching this film — and for good reason. This doc is gives a platform to three women who work in garment factories in Los Angeles who call for better working conditions and higher pay. Maria has three children and is from Mexico, Lupe ran away from Mexico City as a teen and Maura left El Salvador to provide for her three children who she hasn't seen since 1987. Their sacrifices are met with long hours and pay that equals around three bucks an hour. Director Almudema's low-profile approach allows for the crux of the film to depend on these women's triumphs and failures — he knows how powerful of a narrative it is on its own. Maria, Lupe and Maura organize boycotts of Forever 21s around the country and, even when their hopes wane, continue to fight the unfair exploitation they have received for years.

The Education of Shelby Knox @ 3:30 p.m. Directors: Marion Lipschutz & Rose Rosenblatt Supposedly, the only thing to do in Lubbock, Texas is have sex. High school student and teen activist Shelby Knox, along with the Youth Commission in Lubbock, petition to have sex ed in their public schools. Filmmakers follow Shelby for three years as she battles with the school board and the folks in her primarily Southern Baptist, conservative community. Despite the touchy subject and the opposition of what seems like the entire town, Shelby speaks her mind like a true liberal. Only, she doesn't appear liberal. She's a Christian who has promised sexual purity until marriage through a program called "True Love Waits." Admitting she has never seen a condom, let alone touched one, her naivety and strong-willed stance on safe sex are equally captured by the filmmakers. In one scene, she sits among an AIDS advocacy group and watches them role a condom on a dildo. Sure it's amusing, but the film always returns to the real issue: Kids need to be educated on how to wrap it up.

Bronx Princess @ 5:30 p.m. Directors: Yoni Brook & Musa Syeed A dose of Ghanaian culture might do Rocky Otoo some good. At least that's what her strong-willed mother would like to think. Following Rocky's high school graduation she decides to visit her father in Ghana and expectations are high — he's the chief of Nii Okaiman area, after all. But she quickly learns Ghanaian tradition calls for respecting your elders. The film, though short, follows Rocky on the path to independence before she heads off to Dickinson College as a first-generation college student. Her parents may not understand her, but because of the documentary medium and the directors' fly on the wall approach, we see filming has had a positive impact on this family's relationship. When Rocky's mother drops her off at school the tears start flowing despite any past tiffs.

Off and Running @ 6:30 p.m. Director: Nicole Opper In a synthetic style using home video and voiceover, this doc represents a change in the coming-of-age genre. Avery Klein-Cloud — who actually received a writing credit on the film for her scripted voiceovers — is a 17-year-old African American teenager and the adoptive daughter of two white Jewish lesbians. Locally based director Nicole Opper's decision to include childhood footage adds to the film's overall message that Avery is from an unconventional family. In one such video Avery sits in her fifth grade Hebrew class among her white classmates as her voice over questions her upbringing. Through Avery's voice and the conversations she has with her parents, her Korean and mixed race brothers and her friends she begins to feel an inability to "identify with the African American side" of herself. Avery begins to lash out against her adoptive parents, and while her decision to leave the house for a period of time seems sudden, Opper's cinematic and controlled direction allows Avery's moments of clarity to feel all the more genuine.

Sat., Aug. 7; Taking Root, noon; Made in L.A., 1:30 p.m.; Shelby Knox, 3:30 p.m.; Bronx Princess, 5:30 p.m.; Off and Running, 6:30 p.m.; panel discussion 7:45 p.m.; free (reservations requested), Leeway Foundation, 1315 Walnut St., eighth floor, 215-351-0511, leeway.org.

Posted by Lauren Macaluso @ 3:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

POETIC LICENSE: Horoscopes, Aug. 6-12

POSTED: Friday, August 6, 2010, 2:00 PM

Filed Under: Poetic License

Critical Mass welcomes devoted poet/avid concert-goer/nerd-grrrl extraordinaire Jane Cassady to the fold; her weekly horoscopes will run in this space every Friday morning. Starring Arcade Fire, Dancing Sufis and Don Draper Leo (July 24-Aug. 23): This is your time to rest. Turn the volume down on your chattering spouse. Put aside all talk of revenue and e-mail lists. Listen to the soft hum of fans, the murmur of televised baseball. Virgo (Aug. 24-Sept. 23): You don't have to be inspired every single minute. Relax. Reread old novels. Get caught up on your history. Take a nap in the blank spaces, you'll be busy soon enough. Libra (Sept. 24-Oct. 21): When I told one of my most favorite Libras that I was sad not to be at the National Poetry Slam this week, he told me he'd call my voicemail with disappointing poems so I'd feel less left out. It did make me feel better, but I still wish I was at Nationals. Scorpio (Oct. 22-Nov. 22): The Arcade Fire song "Keep the Car Running" is a wonderfully paranoid song about always being vigilant, but as I continue my decades-long struggle to learn the clutch, the song sounds to me like a struggle-and-determination anthem/pep talk. "It's coming but when/ is it coming/ keep the car running." Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 22): The House on the Rock, outside Madison, Wis., not only contains the most berserk collection of calliopes, musical machines, models ships, crazy-looking Santa Clauses and so much more, it is also a labyrinth you can't easily leave if you get claustrophobic. Stay calm and avoid the Doll Carousel. Just trust me. Capricorn (Dec. 23-Jan. 20) : You've been collecting sea monsters, and why shouldn't you? I thought of you last month when I was photographed next to a giant squid. As we learned in the movie Inception, the unconscious is hard to control, least of all yours. Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19): The other night while I was blissfully whoh-oh-ohing with thousands of fans at the Arcade Fire concert, I though of my Aquarius friend who's visiting Istanbul right now, trying to get tickets to watch the Sufis dance, about how empathic experience helps keep life from becoming claustrophobic, just like having a well-traveled friend does. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20): In Nick Hornby's book How to Be Good, the protagonist has the following epiphany: "The plain state of being human is dramatic enough for anyone; you don't need to be a heroin addict or a performance poet to experience extremity. You just have to love someone." Aries (March 21-April 18): Last summer I worked at a summer camp. Every morning we had a singing and dancing time called Harambee (Swahili for "all together") during which no one was allowed to be shy. I thought this was unfair to introverts so I tried to add a meditation, quite unsuccessfully. But this week, be like those sing-alongs — belt it out, dance your heart out, never mind who might be laughing. Taurus (April 19-May 18): It's August, but on Mad Men, it's Christmas. Mix yourself a holiday martini, pass an orange from chin to chin, engage in some secretarial role play. Walk around with you archetypal armload of gifts. Spare no expense. Gemini (May 19-June 21): "Children wake up, hold your mistake up, before they turn the summer into dust." says Arcade Fire. Mistakes can either disappear in the rearview or crack you open. Let's confess and move onto the next thing, shall we? Cancer (June 22-July 23): The beginning of this summer broiled my garden. The only flourishing things were the tenting spiders who seemed to be eating all the flowers. When the weather broke, though, everything started blooming again—now there are lobelias, red butterfly flowers, zinnias, and two Carefree Delight roses I can smell from inside. PREVIOUSLY >> POETIC LICENSE: Horoscopes, July 30-Aug. 5

Posted by Jane Cassady @ 2:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

PRINTED MATTER: August 5

POSTED: Thursday, August 5, 2010, 8:32 PM

Filed Under: Printed Matter

Here's what you missed if you didn't pick up the print edition of City Paper this week.

From Scott Chasse's Mustache Bar

FEATURES!

Carolyn Huckabay interviews with visual artist Scott Chasse on his traveling exhibit "Mustache Bar." The '70s themed exhibit comes complete with an acrylic of Burt Reynold's 'stache, vintage stereo equipment and more.

COLUMNS!:

Peter Burwasser wants listeners to give Aretha Franklin a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T for crossing over into the classical realm of music.
Justin Bauer reads his way through Dennis Tafoya's The Wolves of Fairmount Park, Adam Langer's The Thieves of Manhattan and Don Winslow's Savages.

REVIEWS!:

Sam Adams gives Orlando an A -, applauding Tilda Swinton's flirtation with androgyny and the costume designs of Sandy Powell.
Movie shorts includes Mr. Adams on The Concert and Drew Lazor on The Other Guys.

And then there's...:

Kaleidoscope satiates every art lover's fancy from The Pod F. Tompkast, to human hair sculptures from Julius Scissor to Anonymous Theater, which is, according to Mark Cofta, "a Russian sleeper agent's theatrical wet dream."
Patrick Rapa urges us to give a listen or five to some homegrown talent from Turning Violet Violet.
Music Picks include Fol Chen and Here We Go Magic.
While the Art Picks scream Westward Ho! and Going Green
And don't forget to check out what's on the Agenda this week, complete with a women's empowerment film festival, snapshots of Philly in the summertime and a funnies convention.

Posted by Jen Rini @ 8:32 PM Permalink | Post a comment

ICECUBE: The Simpleton Edition, featuring John Mayer, the Jersey Shore kids and more

POSTED: Thursday, August 5, 2010, 7:01 PM

Filed Under: Ice Cubes | Movies | Music | TV

©Scott Weiner 2010

John Mayer at Studio Q

This week Icepack's got an abbreviated WHOWHATWHERE section, but trust me, it's a doozy. First up: Possibly-racist-maybe-misogynist-definitely-dumb John Mayer (pictured) at Q102's studios for its (kinda) new Studio Q performance series. Mayer, who we last saw comparing bellies and abs with The Situation in New York City, mashed a version of Justin Beiber's "Baby" into Mayer's own tame-boy anthem "Your Body is a Wonderland" and covering Katy Perry's vivacious "California Gurls." Mayer also did some of his own milquetoast tunes and took station jock Maxwell up on a Rocks-Paper-Scissors match. What else? âº Sticking to the musical tip Freeway, Beanie Sigel and Peddi Peddi were at the Unity in the Community block party on Snyder Ave. âº Before doing his Lulu bit in a ball gown with ostrich feather shoulders at the Mann, Rufus Wainwright hit the Art Museum to marvel at the Rocky impersonators. âº After his Black Keys jammed the outre-blues at Penn's Landing's Great Plaza (check out Patrick Rapa's pics!), Dan Auerbach hit Silk City. âº I'm bored of music — what's good with the cinematic tip? âº Are Lili Taylor and Amy Madigan here yet? The queens-of-indie-flick-dom are starring in the laugh-fest Future Weather that starting lensing the other day. âº Guess we'll have to make due with Michael Cera, Jason Schwartzman and Anna Kendrick — the cast of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, out Fri., Aug. 13 — who supped at Parc while on break from promoting the film. In more Oh-My-God-Celebs-Eat-Food news, the Ruby Tuesdays on Chestnut Street got a visitor from its Liberty condo-dwelling porn-tape-having football widowing neighbor Kendra Wilkinson. She stopped by and ate at the restaurant twice last week.

Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi (top) and "J Woww" Farley on August 3

And to round out Icecube's simpleton edition, we found our exquisitely accented friends from the MTV series Jersey Shore (the second ep of the season 2 premieres tonight at 10 p.m., with special Kanye West video preview) filming season 3 in Seaside Heights, NJ mere days after Snooki face-planted herself in the sands and got arrested for drunken dis-awwwwwwwwwwwwder.

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino

betty

Posted 2010-08-05 14:44:25

I just read your first paragraph and can't be bothered to read the rest. What garbage! If you don't have the intellect, humour, and analysis to understand someone as sophisticated as Mayer, then please be quiet. Attacking someone for absolutely no reason except that he provided witty, fun banter for his fans, is nasty on your part.

John Mayer

Posted 2010-08-09 11:27:37

All I can say,
About the performance,
I saw that day.
It was simply marvelous.
I wish you may,
have a real chance,	
to watch and you'll reply,
That it's just fabulous.
If y worry about tickets,	
You can check Ticketsinvetory.com

John Mayer Tickets

Posted 2010-08-12 06:17:50

This was my husbands and my third John Mayer concert. 1st at the Hollywood Bowl, 2nd at the Verizon in OC, CA. This was definitely the best, we were very happy. his choice of songs was greatI used to get John Mayer Tickets easily through Ticketwood.com. Whatever. I will always be a fan, believe me, there is nothing like a Justin Bieber show — mind blowing.

Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 7:01 PM Permalink | Post a comment

COVETED: It's a mad, mad Mad Men world

POSTED: Thursday, August 5, 2010, 5:30 PM

Collectors of pretty things, take note: Every week, we're rounding up a what's-what of what we [heart], culled from the scores of design blogs, artist sites and Etsy treasuries we stalk on the regular. We're only about halfway through the first season of Mad Men (no spoilers, please!), but we're already completely enchanted by the aesthetic. The other day, the crafty folks over at papernstitch rounded up the Etsy-ish site's best early-'60s-inspired goods, which we're reprising below. Visit the site to peruse and snag yourself a whole new old-school getup.

Pretty Things fine-art print, $18, The Light Fantastic
Katherina print, $20, No Side Up

Dare to Be Great vintage briefcase, $49.99, Vintage By Alex Keller
Olive vintage velvet crush purse, $28, laur

PREVIOUSLY >> COVETED: Renegade Craft (no) Fair

Posted by Carolyn Huckabay @ 5:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Fox picks ups movie rights to Adena Halpern's 29

POSTED: Thursday, August 5, 2010, 4:45 PM

Filed Under: Movies Books

Halpern

Philly is becoming quite the bastion for chick lit cinema. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Fox has picked up the rights to the Philly-set 29, written by Bala Cynwyd-bred Adena Halpern. 29 is about a 75-year-old woman who gets to be the titular age for a day. Chaos ensues, life lessons are learned. John Davis is attached to produce, whose credits this year hilariously involve both Marmaduke and Predators. There are no writers or directors attached yet, nor any word if the local setting will remain. We're gonna bet yes, considering the Film Tax Credit Act of 2007 was retained in the state's budget and Halpern seems quite passionate about the book's locale. In a June interview with A.D. Amorosi, Halpern talked about how the city is an integral part of her novel:

CP:: Are you trying to show off the splendor of Philadelphia, making it a character like Candace Bushnell did with Manhattan in Sex in the City? AH:: Just like Woody Allen does with New York, or John Irving does with New Hampshire, I want the world to see Philly through the same rose-colored glasses that I do. I've always thought of Philly as a best-kept secret. If people want American history, they're going to go to D.C. If they want a city, they're going to go to Manhattan. What they don't know, unless they've visited Philly, is how incredibly beautiful and unexpectedly vibrant it is.

h/t /Film

Posted by Molly Eichel @ 4:45 PM Permalink | Post a comment

GET LIT: Win a copy of Alicia Bessette's Simply from Scratch

POSTED: Thursday, August 5, 2010, 4:00 PM

Dutton, 313 pp., $25.95, Aug. 5

Today's the official release date of friend-of-City Paper Alicia Bessette's debut novel, Simply from Scratch — though we've already seen it popping up on local bookshelves. No matter: We're giving away two copies to celebrate this Collingswood author done good. Here's a bit about the book, from Alicia's website:

Rose-Ellen "Zell" Carmichael Roy wears her late husband Nick's camouflage apron even when she's not in the kitchen. She can't remember the last time she wore a bra, and she speaks to her dog in the voice of a pirate. That's her widow style. It's been over a year since Nick died tragically during a post-Katrina relief mission in New Orleans. Long enough, according to the grief pamphlets, to have begun moving on with her life. But Zell is still unable to enter her attic, which is full of Nick memories. She hasn't even turned on her oven because cooking was Nick's chore. That is, until she decides to enter celebrity chef Polly Pinch's first annual Desserts that Warm the Soul baking contest ...

To win a copy, answer the following trivia question:

What's the name of the dessert Zell enters in the baking contest? Can you name five ingredients?

E-mail me at carolyn.huckabay@citypaper.net for a chance to win.

Posted by Carolyn Huckabay @ 4:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

« PREVIOUS | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Q&A with SHARI SOLANIS: "The goal isn't pornography"
What we're trying to do this weekend
SEXY TIME Q&A: I've never had an orgasm during sex with a man — and I'm 30!
Coming soon to Philly: Two cockamamie movie promotion schemes
Q&A with Tony Goldwyn: "Life is gray, and relationships are, too"
ICE CUBE: In Memoriam: Joe Tartaglia
CONCERT REVIEW: Primus (3D & quadraphonic sound) @ The Tower 10/17
NOW SEE THIS: Transit cop arrests marijuana activist for alleged disorderly conduct.
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: The Archbishop meets the Geator, the Mayor goes suit shopping, Le Bec Fin fin.
NOW SEE THIS: Tim and Eric direct Terry Crews for Old Spice

About this blog

Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

Follow Critical Mass editors Patrick Rapa and Emily Guendelsberger on Twitter:

@mission2denmark | @emilygee

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