In an effort to help cut down on drunk driving, the uptown Epicentre complex is offering vouchers for cab rides to patrons who consume alcohol.
The $10 vouchers are being offered in conjunction with the Mecklenburg County ABC Board and is funded from the sales of distilled spirits in the county. The vouchers are available at the valet stand to adults over the age of 21, and can be used with City Cab, Crown Cab, or Yellow Cab.
So if you're drinking at Blackfinn, Whiskey River, Howl at the Moon, or any of the many Epicentre watering holes, please be responsible and take a cab (or a pedicab, or the light rail). With $10 off, the choice is even easier.
View Larger Map
31 Aralık 2012 Pazartesi
Epicentre offering cab vouchers for those who drink
To contact us Click HERE
Highway 55 opening in north Charlotte
To contact us Click HERE
The new store opening is on Davis Lake Parkway, and will open Dec. 27. Father and son team Greg Hinson, 55, and his 27-year-old son Brad, 27, are opening the franchised store, their first. Their goal is to open six more stores in north Charlotte, Huntersville, and Mooresville over the next several years.
Greg Hinson previously worked as a mechanic for 30 years, and Brad had been a network engineer.
"When my dad and I discovered Hwy 55, we knew that it was a company we wanted to be involved in. Highway 55 has the family feel and dedication to serving their community we were looking for," said Brad Hinson, in an email.
Highway 55 is also opening a new location soon in Gastonia's Franklin Square, though no exact date has been set.
The chain, headquartered in Mount Olive, was formerly called Andy's Burgers.
View Larger Map
A new Highway 55 Burgers, Shakes, & Fries is opening in north Charlotte, the adding another local store for the eastern North Carolina company.
As previously reported here, Highway 55 is hoping to franchise up to 75 locations in western North Carolina over the coming decade. Another local Highway 55 location opened recently in the University Pointe shopping center (details here).
 |
| University Pointe store |
Greg Hinson previously worked as a mechanic for 30 years, and Brad had been a network engineer.
"When my dad and I discovered Hwy 55, we knew that it was a company we wanted to be involved in. Highway 55 has the family feel and dedication to serving their community we were looking for," said Brad Hinson, in an email.
Highway 55 is also opening a new location soon in Gastonia's Franklin Square, though no exact date has been set.
The chain, headquartered in Mount Olive, was formerly called Andy's Burgers.
View Larger Map
Crisp opening Latta Arcade location
To contact us Click HERE
It will be the company's third Charlotte store. There are Crisp locations on 7th Street and East Boulevard. The owners couldn't immediately be reached to pin down an opening date for the Latta Arcade store.
Jerry and Kerin McCarthy opened Crisp in 2007 in the Elizabeth neighborhood.
Crisp will be joining a lineup that includes a Quizno's, Indian, Japanese, pizza, and sandwich restaurants. Latta Arcade is popular with the uptown office crowd as a lunch destination.
Here's a link to Crisp's Facebook page, where they post specials and daily menu options.
View Larger Map
Crisp, a restaurant with a plethora of salads, is opening an uptown location soon, in Latta Arcade off of Tryon Street.
.jpg) |
| Crisp at Latta Arcade |
Jerry and Kerin McCarthy opened Crisp in 2007 in the Elizabeth neighborhood.
Crisp will be joining a lineup that includes a Quizno's, Indian, Japanese, pizza, and sandwich restaurants. Latta Arcade is popular with the uptown office crowd as a lunch destination.
Here's a link to Crisp's Facebook page, where they post specials and daily menu options.
View Larger Map
Vinnie's Grill & Raw Bar closes on South Boulevard
To contact us Click HERE
After 20 years, Vinnie's Grill & Raw Bar has closed up shop at its South Boulevard location.
Former general manager David Luckey said the restaurant's last day of business was Sunday. The closure is permanent, he confirmed.
He said the general economic conditions had caused Vinnie's to struggle. "This economy makes everybody broke," said Luckey, who was helping to clean out the restaurant Thursday afternoon.
There are no plans to close the second Vinnie's location in Mooresville, which remains open, Luckey said.
View Larger Map
What's open on Christmas day?
To contact us Click HERE
For more information, check out a summary of personal finance site GoBankingRates.com's survey of retailers.
If you need a last-last-last-minute gift, some toothpaste, or just to get away from the family for a few minutes on Christmas, there are a few stores that will be open Christmas day itself.
Here's a list of some of the chains that aren't closing:
- Walgreen's
- CVS Pharmacy
- 7-Eleven
- Denny's
- IHOP
- Starbucks
- Waffle House
- McDonald's is reportedly urging its franchised locations to stay open
For more information, check out a summary of personal finance site GoBankingRates.com's survey of retailers.
27 Aralık 2012 Perşembe
Orly's Fails September 20 Inspection
To contact us Click HERE
Orly's/Jalapeno Risk 1 (High) Results Fail
- September 20, 2012 [go here for text of inspection at Everyblock]
- Violations
- 14. PREVIOUS SERIOUS VIOLATION CORRECTED, 7-42-090
Comments:CONTINUED NON COMPLIANCE, EVIDENCE OF RODENTS AND INSECTS ON SITE. NOTED MICE DROPPINGS (APPROXIMATELY 30) SCATTERED IN VARIOUS AREAS BEHIND BAR,IN DRY STORAGE ROOM, IN CORNERS IN DINING AREA,BEHIND BOOTH ALONG WALL BASE,UNDER SHELVES AND ALONG SIDE COOLERS/FREEZERS IN OFFICE/STORAGE AREA,BEHIND EQUIPMENT AND THROUGHOUT. MUST REMOVE DROPPINGS, CLEAN AND SANITIZE AFFECTED AREAS AND HAVE SERVICE FROM PEST CONTROL. ALSO NOTED LIVE INSECTS ON SITE. NOTED APPROXIMATELY 6 LIVE LARGE FLIES IN FRONT STORAGE AREA NEAR UNUSED OVEN,IN DINING AREA AND IN PREP AREA. ALSO NOTED 2 LIVE ROACHES ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE DISH MACHINE. MUST REMOVE INSECTS,SANITIZE AFFECTED AREAS AND HAVE THE PEST CONTROL COMPANY SERVICE AREAS.
32. FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED AND MAINTAINED
Comments:REMOVE RANCID GREASE ON INTERIOR OF FRYERS.
33. FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT EQUIPMENT UTENSILS CLEAN, FREE OF ABRASIVE DETERGENTS
Comments:MUST CLEAN INTERIOR OF FREEZERS AND REMOVE FOUL ODORS. ALSO DETAIL CLEAN WINDOW SILLS AND ALL DIRTY SURFACES THROUGHOUT. CLEAN THE INTERIOR OF THE ICE MACHINE. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN ALL FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT EQUIPMENT FREE OF DUST, DEBRIS, SPIDERWEBS, DROPPINGS, TOOLS, SCREWS, ETC.
34. FLOORS: CONSTRUCTED PER CODE, CLEANED, GOOD REPAIR, COVERING INSTALLED, DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS USED
Comments:MUST PROPERLY REPAIR BROKEN FLOOR TILES IN BAR AREA AND UNDER SMALL PREP COOLER. FLOOR MUST BE SMOOTH, EVEN, EASILY CLEANABLE SURFACE.
41. PREMISES MAINTAINED FREE OF LITTER, UNNECESSARY ARTICLES, CLEANING EQUIPMENT PROPERLY STORED
Comments:MUST PROPERLY CLEAN AND MAINTAIN UNUSED EQUIPMENT OR REMOVE.
Announcing Film Babble Blog's Sister Site: Pop Goes The Babble
To contact us Click HERE
I’m proud to announce my new blog:
I’m overflowing with pop culture material that’s not about movies, so it seemed like it should get its own site. My reviews and features about television shows, and rock ‘n roll will now be the realm of Pop Goes The Babble, which will be a more indulgent blog mainly about whatever I’m into at the moment.
So far there are only 2 posts:
Pop Goes The Babble’s Favorite Album of 2012: Bob Dylan’s Tempest (12/12/12) An essay that I wrote back when the album came out, but never posted gets its proper home here.
An excerpt: “Dylan’s previous album, 2009’s Together Through Life, had its off-the-cuff, live-in-the-studio charms, but Tempest is a vast improvement in arrangement, production, and songwriting, with lyrics that are as sharp as the singing is raggedy.”
Babblin’ about the rocking but exhausting 12.12.12 Concert:
My re-cap of last night’s mammoth rock star-packed concert at Madison Square Garden to raise money for the Robin Hood Relief Fund benefiting victims of Hurricane Sandy.
Hope you check out the site and give me feedback as it goes. Thanks for your support!
More later…
I’m proud to announce my new blog:
I’m overflowing with pop culture material that’s not about movies, so it seemed like it should get its own site. My reviews and features about television shows, and rock ‘n roll will now be the realm of Pop Goes The Babble, which will be a more indulgent blog mainly about whatever I’m into at the moment.
So far there are only 2 posts:
Pop Goes The Babble’s Favorite Album of 2012: Bob Dylan’s Tempest (12/12/12) An essay that I wrote back when the album came out, but never posted gets its proper home here.An excerpt: “Dylan’s previous album, 2009’s Together Through Life, had its off-the-cuff, live-in-the-studio charms, but Tempest is a vast improvement in arrangement, production, and songwriting, with lyrics that are as sharp as the singing is raggedy.”
Babblin’ about the rocking but exhausting 12.12.12 Concert:
My re-cap of last night’s mammoth rock star-packed concert at Madison Square Garden to raise money for the Robin Hood Relief Fund benefiting victims of Hurricane Sandy.
Hope you check out the site and give me feedback as it goes. Thanks for your support!
More later…
Tom Cruise Confidently Strides Through Another Action Thriller Formula In JACK REACHER
To contact us Click HERE
Opening today at a multiplex near you:
JACK REACHER (Dir. Christopher McQuarrie, 2012)
As the tough as nails title character, Tom Cruise confidently strides through this overly familiar yet still solid action thriller formula.
Based on Lee Child’s 2005 bestseller “One Shot,” one of 17 novels featuring the army trained badass Jack Reacher, Christopher McQuarrie’s third film as director, concerns Cruise investigating what, at first, appears to be the random daylight killing of 5 people by a mysterious military sniper at PNC Park in downtown Pittsburgh.
“Get Jack Reacher!” the suspected shooter (Joseph Sikora) writes on a pad instead of confessing right before slipping into a coma, and before you know it, the suspect’s Defense Attorney (the Disney doe-eyed Rosamund Pike) is in Cruise’s company, as they both try to uncover the truth about the killings.
Cruise’s character, a self described drifter living off the grid, arouses suspicion from lead detective (David Oyelowo) and district attorney (Richard Jenkins), who happens to be Pike’s father.
While Pike goes to talk to the families of the victims, Cruise starts sniffing out a conspiracy, especially after being targeted by some thugs in a bar who were paid to put him down. The unflinching Cruise, puts them all down (except for the two that ran), of course, in a street-set fight scene that shows off the characters’ skills. Pretty standard stuff, we’ve seen lots of times before, but still entertaining in a tongue-in-cheek way.
Better is a brutally funny fight set in a tiny skuzzy bathroom, in which Cruise battles a couple of beefy boneheads wielding a baseball bat and a crowbar, but as amusing as this is, it’s a typical example of how the odds are always in our hero’s favor.
Cruise’s chief adversary is the almost as confident Jai Courtney, who’s the henchman of sorts to Werner Herzog, yes that Werner Herzog - the acclaimed German filmmaker, as the one-eyed, one fingered villain (definitely one of the better elements here), so we know exactly who’ll Cruise will have to face down in the construction site climax.
In the midst of the finale, in which Cruise is aided by the grizzled wise-cracking Robert Duvall as the owner of a nearby gun range (their first film together since DAYS OF THUNDER), I had more vivid feelings of déjà vu that I had experienced before in a movie. Its ultra derivative third act was so by-the-numbers, that I swore every single second has been done to death, right down to the dialog and deaths of the bad guys.
Director McQuarrie, who co-wrote VALKRIE also starring Cruise, is working from an established source, but he’s outfitted it to be just another standard movie star action vehicle. It’s got more class and style, largely due to Caleb Deschanel’s gritty yet sleek cinematography, than many of the recent offerings of the genre (the BOURNE re-boot, TAKEN 2, JOHN CARTER, et al), but it never reaches the heights of Sam Mendes excellent 007 entry SKYFALL, my choice for best action film of 2012.
However, if you’re a fan of Cruise, it’s a must see. Now that it seems criticism of his crazy couch jumping, and scientology silliness, has faded, the man stands tall (yes, I know how short he actually is) as a major presence in the movies.
As it was in last year’s far superior MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL, it’s again a blast to go along on a ride with him, even through such a cookie-cutter crowd pleaser like this.
More later...
Opening today at a multiplex near you:
JACK REACHER (Dir. Christopher McQuarrie, 2012)
As the tough as nails title character, Tom Cruise confidently strides through this overly familiar yet still solid action thriller formula.
Based on Lee Child’s 2005 bestseller “One Shot,” one of 17 novels featuring the army trained badass Jack Reacher, Christopher McQuarrie’s third film as director, concerns Cruise investigating what, at first, appears to be the random daylight killing of 5 people by a mysterious military sniper at PNC Park in downtown Pittsburgh.
“Get Jack Reacher!” the suspected shooter (Joseph Sikora) writes on a pad instead of confessing right before slipping into a coma, and before you know it, the suspect’s Defense Attorney (the Disney doe-eyed Rosamund Pike) is in Cruise’s company, as they both try to uncover the truth about the killings.
Cruise’s character, a self described drifter living off the grid, arouses suspicion from lead detective (David Oyelowo) and district attorney (Richard Jenkins), who happens to be Pike’s father.
While Pike goes to talk to the families of the victims, Cruise starts sniffing out a conspiracy, especially after being targeted by some thugs in a bar who were paid to put him down. The unflinching Cruise, puts them all down (except for the two that ran), of course, in a street-set fight scene that shows off the characters’ skills. Pretty standard stuff, we’ve seen lots of times before, but still entertaining in a tongue-in-cheek way.
Better is a brutally funny fight set in a tiny skuzzy bathroom, in which Cruise battles a couple of beefy boneheads wielding a baseball bat and a crowbar, but as amusing as this is, it’s a typical example of how the odds are always in our hero’s favor.
Cruise’s chief adversary is the almost as confident Jai Courtney, who’s the henchman of sorts to Werner Herzog, yes that Werner Herzog - the acclaimed German filmmaker, as the one-eyed, one fingered villain (definitely one of the better elements here), so we know exactly who’ll Cruise will have to face down in the construction site climax.
In the midst of the finale, in which Cruise is aided by the grizzled wise-cracking Robert Duvall as the owner of a nearby gun range (their first film together since DAYS OF THUNDER), I had more vivid feelings of déjà vu that I had experienced before in a movie. Its ultra derivative third act was so by-the-numbers, that I swore every single second has been done to death, right down to the dialog and deaths of the bad guys.
Director McQuarrie, who co-wrote VALKRIE also starring Cruise, is working from an established source, but he’s outfitted it to be just another standard movie star action vehicle. It’s got more class and style, largely due to Caleb Deschanel’s gritty yet sleek cinematography, than many of the recent offerings of the genre (the BOURNE re-boot, TAKEN 2, JOHN CARTER, et al), but it never reaches the heights of Sam Mendes excellent 007 entry SKYFALL, my choice for best action film of 2012.
However, if you’re a fan of Cruise, it’s a must see. Now that it seems criticism of his crazy couch jumping, and scientology silliness, has faded, the man stands tall (yes, I know how short he actually is) as a major presence in the movies.
As it was in last year’s far superior MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL, it’s again a blast to go along on a ride with him, even through such a cookie-cutter crowd pleaser like this.
More later...
THIS IS 40 Is Funny But Enough With Your Family, Apatow!
To contact us Click HERE
Opening today at a multiplex near you:
THIS IS 40 (Dir. Judd Apatow, 2012)
Although it’s being billed as “the sort-of sequel to KNOCKED UP,” I’m considering Judd Apatow’s newest to be the third in the Apatow family trilogy.
We were introduced to married couple Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann (Apatow’s wife of 15 years) and their two daughters Maude and Iris Apatow in KNOCKED UP in 2007, sans Rudd they appeared as different characters in Apatow’s 2009 comedy drama FUNNY PEOPLE, and now they revert back to their original incarnations to take center stage in THIS IS 40.
Set during a week that both Rudd and Mann turn the big Four-O, Apatow’s glorified 134 minute home movie juggles a bunch of fussy threads.
Let’s see, there’s the thread in which Mann is lying about her age - she’s even tells her doctor she’s only 38.
There’s Rudd’s fledging record label thread, staffed with Lena Dunham (HBO’s Girls), and Chris O’Dowd (BRIDESMAIDS), in which he’s trying to revive the career of British rocker Graham Parker (appearing as himself reunited with his great old band the Rumour).
There’s the story-line about the oldest daughter, 13 year old Maude Apatow, getting put on a Facebook “not hot” list by a boy at school, which results in a confrontation with the boy’s mother (Melissa McCarthy).
There’s the subplot about Rudd’s father, the always welcome Albert Brooks, continually borrowing money to take care of his young blonde triplets.
There’s the Mann’s clothing store thread, in which Mann frets over which one of her two employees (Megan Fox and Charlyne Yi) stole $12,000.
There’s the story-line about Mann trying to reconnect with her emotionally distant father (John Lithgow).
In the mix as well is Jason Segel as Mann’s overconfident trainer (returning from KNOCKED UP), Robert Smigel as Rudd’s best friend, and cameos by Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong and North Carolina native singer-songwriter Ryan Adams.
Whew! It’s a good thing that KNOCKED UP’s Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl don’t put in appearances – there wouldn’t be room for them.
THIS IS 40 is Apatow’s most indulgent movie, but it’s packed with enough laughs to make it worthwhile for comedy fans. It’s funnier than FUNNY PEOPLE, maybe about equal to KNOCKED UP and 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN, and the leads’ likability goes a long way.
Language-wise, it’s a hard R. It may actually be as profane as DJANGO UNCHAINED, albeit in a very different context. A scene with Melissa McCarthy (put her in and consider the scene stolen), maybe contains the most amusing usage of profanity in a comedy this year (stay through the end credits to see an extended version of this scene in which Rudd and Mann are about to lose it).
I hope with this movie, Apatow’s family trilogy is complete. Three movies featuring his wife and kids is enough. With this movie, and the inevitable tons of bonus footage that will surely be on its later Blu ray/DVD release, I really hope he can get all the humor derived from his household out of his system, and find the funny in other things.
More later...
THIS IS 40 (Dir. Judd Apatow, 2012)
Although it’s being billed as “the sort-of sequel to KNOCKED UP,” I’m considering Judd Apatow’s newest to be the third in the Apatow family trilogy.
We were introduced to married couple Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann (Apatow’s wife of 15 years) and their two daughters Maude and Iris Apatow in KNOCKED UP in 2007, sans Rudd they appeared as different characters in Apatow’s 2009 comedy drama FUNNY PEOPLE, and now they revert back to their original incarnations to take center stage in THIS IS 40.
Set during a week that both Rudd and Mann turn the big Four-O, Apatow’s glorified 134 minute home movie juggles a bunch of fussy threads.
Let’s see, there’s the thread in which Mann is lying about her age - she’s even tells her doctor she’s only 38.
There’s Rudd’s fledging record label thread, staffed with Lena Dunham (HBO’s Girls), and Chris O’Dowd (BRIDESMAIDS), in which he’s trying to revive the career of British rocker Graham Parker (appearing as himself reunited with his great old band the Rumour).
There’s the story-line about the oldest daughter, 13 year old Maude Apatow, getting put on a Facebook “not hot” list by a boy at school, which results in a confrontation with the boy’s mother (Melissa McCarthy).
There’s the subplot about Rudd’s father, the always welcome Albert Brooks, continually borrowing money to take care of his young blonde triplets.
There’s the Mann’s clothing store thread, in which Mann frets over which one of her two employees (Megan Fox and Charlyne Yi) stole $12,000.
There’s the story-line about Mann trying to reconnect with her emotionally distant father (John Lithgow).
In the mix as well is Jason Segel as Mann’s overconfident trainer (returning from KNOCKED UP), Robert Smigel as Rudd’s best friend, and cameos by Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong and North Carolina native singer-songwriter Ryan Adams.
Whew! It’s a good thing that KNOCKED UP’s Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl don’t put in appearances – there wouldn’t be room for them.
THIS IS 40 is Apatow’s most indulgent movie, but it’s packed with enough laughs to make it worthwhile for comedy fans. It’s funnier than FUNNY PEOPLE, maybe about equal to KNOCKED UP and 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN, and the leads’ likability goes a long way.
Language-wise, it’s a hard R. It may actually be as profane as DJANGO UNCHAINED, albeit in a very different context. A scene with Melissa McCarthy (put her in and consider the scene stolen), maybe contains the most amusing usage of profanity in a comedy this year (stay through the end credits to see an extended version of this scene in which Rudd and Mann are about to lose it).
I hope with this movie, Apatow’s family trilogy is complete. Three movies featuring his wife and kids is enough. With this movie, and the inevitable tons of bonus footage that will surely be on its later Blu ray/DVD release, I really hope he can get all the humor derived from his household out of his system, and find the funny in other things.
More later...
Tarantino's Overlong DJANGO Is Off The Chain
To contact us Click HERE
Opening today at a multiplex near you:
DJANGO UNCHAINED (Dir. Quentin Tarantino, 2012)
Three years after his revisionist World War II epic INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, Quentin Tarantino is back with this blaxploitation Western, which tackles slavery, revenge, and how many times the “N-word” can be said in a 2 hour and 45 minute movie.
Almost as if he’s atoning for playing an evil Nazi in BASTERDS, Christoph Waltz portrays an abolitionist-minded bounty hunter who frees a slave named Django (Jamie Fox) from his sinister masters (James Remar and James Russo) in the deep south of 1959.
Waltz recruits Fox to join him in his bounty hunting (“Kill white people and get paid for it? What's not to like?”), and they set off to rescue Fox’s wife (Kerry Washington) from the clutches of Leonardo DiCaprio as a brutal yet charming Mississippi plantation owner.
Tarantino takes his sweet time getting to DiCaprio’s plantation, as Fox and Waltz make their way across the terrain, beautifully shot by cinematographer Robert Richardson. At times the film comes off like a collection of comedy sketches loosely strung together. One scene, in which a Colonel Sanders-looking Don Johnson as another villainous plantation owner named Big Daddy argues with his men about the badly cut slits in their Klan hoods feels like it could’ve been an outtake from BLAZING SADDLES.
Dinner at DiCaprio’s, with his house slave (an intensely invested Samuel L. Jackson), is also leisurely paced. Fox and Waltz, under the guise of slave traders, are trying to pull the wool over DiCaprio’s eyes and liberate Washington, but Jackson sniffs them out. This is one of those slow burning sequences that can only end in bloodshed, but Tarantino drags it out too much, which calls attention to how slim the narrative is.
The Spaghetti Westerns and ‘70s grindhouse movies that Tarantino is forever paying homage to didn’t have very layered storylines either, so that’s not too terrible an issue, but it’s sometimes tedious how he cares more about hanging out with his characters than putting them into challenging scenarios.
From the retro Columbia studios logo to the RZA’s “Ode To Django” that plays during the end credits, DJANGO UNCHAINED feels like a Tarantino movie through and through. It’s a profanity-laced dialogue-driven violent action comedy with well chosen cameos (look for Jonah Hill, The Dukes of Hazzard’s Tom Wopat, Tarantino (you knew he'd show up, right?) and the original Django himself, Franco Nero), set to a hip soundtrack (a mix of Ennio Morricone, hip hop, and even a little Johnny Cash), that could only come from the twisted mind of the 49 year old former video store clerk.
Fox puts in a solidly stoic performance as the title character, interacting superbly with Waltz, who is obviously having a blast with Tarantino’s way with words. DiCaprio, sporting a devilish goatee, appears to also be having fun, but he’s not given a very interesting character that doesn’t come off as despicable as he’s supposed to be. It’s Jackson who takes that honor.
And, of course, it's a boy's club, so don't expect much from the women present - Washington, at least, makes her presence known.
DJANGO may be more for Tarantino fanatics than casual movie-goers, so if you don’t have much tolerance for the man’s particular brand of abrasive cinema, you won’t be won over. Fanboys will be picking it apart and poring over the inevitable much longer director’s cut (a four hour version may be released to theaters depending on the box office of this one) for years, but I doubt many of them will think its Tarantino’s best film.
So anyway, it's pretty a pretty ballsy move for the Weinstein Co. to release this movie, maybe containing the most excessive use of the N-word in cinematic history, on Christmas Day. It's a move that proves that, these days, a Tarantino movie, however crude the content, is a tent-pole event.
More later...
DJANGO UNCHAINED (Dir. Quentin Tarantino, 2012)
Three years after his revisionist World War II epic INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, Quentin Tarantino is back with this blaxploitation Western, which tackles slavery, revenge, and how many times the “N-word” can be said in a 2 hour and 45 minute movie.
Almost as if he’s atoning for playing an evil Nazi in BASTERDS, Christoph Waltz portrays an abolitionist-minded bounty hunter who frees a slave named Django (Jamie Fox) from his sinister masters (James Remar and James Russo) in the deep south of 1959.
Waltz recruits Fox to join him in his bounty hunting (“Kill white people and get paid for it? What's not to like?”), and they set off to rescue Fox’s wife (Kerry Washington) from the clutches of Leonardo DiCaprio as a brutal yet charming Mississippi plantation owner.
Tarantino takes his sweet time getting to DiCaprio’s plantation, as Fox and Waltz make their way across the terrain, beautifully shot by cinematographer Robert Richardson. At times the film comes off like a collection of comedy sketches loosely strung together. One scene, in which a Colonel Sanders-looking Don Johnson as another villainous plantation owner named Big Daddy argues with his men about the badly cut slits in their Klan hoods feels like it could’ve been an outtake from BLAZING SADDLES.
Dinner at DiCaprio’s, with his house slave (an intensely invested Samuel L. Jackson), is also leisurely paced. Fox and Waltz, under the guise of slave traders, are trying to pull the wool over DiCaprio’s eyes and liberate Washington, but Jackson sniffs them out. This is one of those slow burning sequences that can only end in bloodshed, but Tarantino drags it out too much, which calls attention to how slim the narrative is.
The Spaghetti Westerns and ‘70s grindhouse movies that Tarantino is forever paying homage to didn’t have very layered storylines either, so that’s not too terrible an issue, but it’s sometimes tedious how he cares more about hanging out with his characters than putting them into challenging scenarios.
From the retro Columbia studios logo to the RZA’s “Ode To Django” that plays during the end credits, DJANGO UNCHAINED feels like a Tarantino movie through and through. It’s a profanity-laced dialogue-driven violent action comedy with well chosen cameos (look for Jonah Hill, The Dukes of Hazzard’s Tom Wopat, Tarantino (you knew he'd show up, right?) and the original Django himself, Franco Nero), set to a hip soundtrack (a mix of Ennio Morricone, hip hop, and even a little Johnny Cash), that could only come from the twisted mind of the 49 year old former video store clerk.
Fox puts in a solidly stoic performance as the title character, interacting superbly with Waltz, who is obviously having a blast with Tarantino’s way with words. DiCaprio, sporting a devilish goatee, appears to also be having fun, but he’s not given a very interesting character that doesn’t come off as despicable as he’s supposed to be. It’s Jackson who takes that honor.
And, of course, it's a boy's club, so don't expect much from the women present - Washington, at least, makes her presence known.
DJANGO may be more for Tarantino fanatics than casual movie-goers, so if you don’t have much tolerance for the man’s particular brand of abrasive cinema, you won’t be won over. Fanboys will be picking it apart and poring over the inevitable much longer director’s cut (a four hour version may be released to theaters depending on the box office of this one) for years, but I doubt many of them will think its Tarantino’s best film.
So anyway, it's pretty a pretty ballsy move for the Weinstein Co. to release this movie, maybe containing the most excessive use of the N-word in cinematic history, on Christmas Day. It's a move that proves that, these days, a Tarantino movie, however crude the content, is a tent-pole event.
More later...
20 Aralık 2012 Perşembe
Children's Resources during Teacher Strike
To contact us Click HERE
-posted by chicago pop
A few resources for school age children that we've been asked to publicize, in the increasingly likely event of next week's anticipated teacher's strike (beginning September 10):
From the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club:
(Right-click on image and click 'View Image' to enlarge)
And this, from the Chicago JCC:
-posted by chicago pop
A few resources for school age children that we've been asked to publicize, in the increasingly likely event of next week's anticipated teacher's strike (beginning September 10):
From the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club:
(Right-click on image and click 'View Image' to enlarge)And this, from the Chicago JCC:
Dear JCC Families,
The prospect of a strikein Chicago Public Schools is a frustrating situation for teachers, administration,and most importantly, the families and children impacted by the possibilityof no school. We would like you to know that JCC Chicago will be able tomeet your child care needs with engaging safe and fun day long activities,should a strike go into effect.
JCC will offer specialprogramming at Bernard Horwich JCC, Florence Heller JCC, and Hyde ParkJCC. Programming will run from 8:00am to 3:30pm. If you needto extend your child’s day, late care will be available from 3:30-6:00pm. While engaged in programming, children will travel to Mayer KaplanJCC to participate in daily specialty curriculum including art, sports,swimming, and other educational experiences.
Program costs will be$50/day (8:00am-3:30pm) and late care will be an additional $15/day (3:30-6:00pm). For students enrolled in JCC AfterSchool, there will be no additionalcharge for late care. Services will remain in effect until schoolis back in session; however, JCC will be closed on September 17 and 18.
We will open online registrationfor Monday through Wednesday . Advance registration is recommendedand appreciated as space may be limited. Should the strike not go intoeffect, your registration fees can be applied to other JCC programs orwill be refunded.
For further information,please contact us at any time.
Julie Rash
Manager of JCC AfterSchool
773-938-8342
jrash@gojcc.org
Andrea Berlow
Manager of Vacation DayPrograms
224-406-9207
aberlow@gojcc.org
Andrea Berlow
Manager of Vacation Day Programs
JCC Chicago
p: 224-406-9207
f: 224-406-9272
aberlow@gojcc.org
http://www.gojcc.org
JCCchicago
bringing Jewish values tolife!
Help the environment anddon't print this email unless you really need to!
Orly's Fails September 20 Inspection
To contact us Click HERE
Orly's/Jalapeno Risk 1 (High) Results Fail
- September 20, 2012 [go here for text of inspection at Everyblock]
- Violations
- 14. PREVIOUS SERIOUS VIOLATION CORRECTED, 7-42-090
Comments:CONTINUED NON COMPLIANCE, EVIDENCE OF RODENTS AND INSECTS ON SITE. NOTED MICE DROPPINGS (APPROXIMATELY 30) SCATTERED IN VARIOUS AREAS BEHIND BAR,IN DRY STORAGE ROOM, IN CORNERS IN DINING AREA,BEHIND BOOTH ALONG WALL BASE,UNDER SHELVES AND ALONG SIDE COOLERS/FREEZERS IN OFFICE/STORAGE AREA,BEHIND EQUIPMENT AND THROUGHOUT. MUST REMOVE DROPPINGS, CLEAN AND SANITIZE AFFECTED AREAS AND HAVE SERVICE FROM PEST CONTROL. ALSO NOTED LIVE INSECTS ON SITE. NOTED APPROXIMATELY 6 LIVE LARGE FLIES IN FRONT STORAGE AREA NEAR UNUSED OVEN,IN DINING AREA AND IN PREP AREA. ALSO NOTED 2 LIVE ROACHES ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE DISH MACHINE. MUST REMOVE INSECTS,SANITIZE AFFECTED AREAS AND HAVE THE PEST CONTROL COMPANY SERVICE AREAS.
32. FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED AND MAINTAINED
Comments:REMOVE RANCID GREASE ON INTERIOR OF FRYERS.
33. FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT EQUIPMENT UTENSILS CLEAN, FREE OF ABRASIVE DETERGENTS
Comments:MUST CLEAN INTERIOR OF FREEZERS AND REMOVE FOUL ODORS. ALSO DETAIL CLEAN WINDOW SILLS AND ALL DIRTY SURFACES THROUGHOUT. CLEAN THE INTERIOR OF THE ICE MACHINE. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN ALL FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT EQUIPMENT FREE OF DUST, DEBRIS, SPIDERWEBS, DROPPINGS, TOOLS, SCREWS, ETC.
34. FLOORS: CONSTRUCTED PER CODE, CLEANED, GOOD REPAIR, COVERING INSTALLED, DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS USED
Comments:MUST PROPERLY REPAIR BROKEN FLOOR TILES IN BAR AREA AND UNDER SMALL PREP COOLER. FLOOR MUST BE SMOOTH, EVEN, EASILY CLEANABLE SURFACE.
41. PREMISES MAINTAINED FREE OF LITTER, UNNECESSARY ARTICLES, CLEANING EQUIPMENT PROPERLY STORED
Comments:MUST PROPERLY CLEAN AND MAINTAIN UNUSED EQUIPMENT OR REMOVE.
Ben Affleck's Über-Arresting ARGO
To contact us Click HERE
ARGO (Dir. Ben Affleck, 2012)
Actor/director Ben Affleck more than tops THE TOWN (which topped GONE BABY GONE) in his splendid third thriller, ARGO, a sure-fire Oscar contender that boasts a stellar cast, and an über-arresting story.
Based on a previously little known story about the rescue of six Americans from Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979, Affleck’s film casts its way back machine spell in the first few minutes starting with the use of Saul Bass’s classic ‘70s Warner Brothers logo (also used this year in Steven Soderbergh’s MAGIC MIKE). A few minutes later, we see authentic looking footage of the storming of the American Embassy in Tehran.
After burning and shredding every document they can, a group of U.S. Diplomats flea the embassy and take shelter at the Canadian ambassador's home nearby.
As CIA technical operations officer Tony Mendez, Affleck brainstorms a plan involving disguising the escapees as a film crew visiting Iran to scout locations for a sci-fi flick named “Argo” so they leave the country under cover.
It’s a plan so crazy, it just might work, or as Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston as a CIA higher-up says to an even higher-up Philip Baker Hall (see what I mean by a stellar cast?): “This is the best bad idea we have, sir. By far.”
To make a fake movie, they need a real producer so Affleck gets Alan Arkin as the fictional Hollywood mogul Lester Siegel, who has some of the best lines as well as the film’s catch-phrase, if you will. John Goodman as make-up artist John Chambers (not fictional) is also on hand, and also good for a few choice lines.
We spend a little quality time with the frightened Americans (Tate Donovan, Scoot McNairy, Clea DuVall, Rory Cochrane, Kerry Bishé, and Christopher Denham) holed up at the Canuck’s makeshift safehouse hoping to avoid detection. They understandably are skeptical of Affleck’s idea, but what choice do they have?
Chris Terrio’s no-nonsense screenplay, based in part on Joshuah Bearman’s 2007 Wired article “How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran,” doesn’t strain as it keeps each point of the well-crafted narrative in check.
At first, it might amusingly look like ANCHORMAN, with the Jimmy Carter-era hairstyles and fashions, but that quickly fades into the great grainy look of the film in which cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, BABEL) suitably evokes ‘70s cinema.
Affleck’s film only falters when the mission is almost aborted before the third act, and our leading man sulks until he gets his mojo back. Throughout ARGO, close-ups of Affleck’s bearded mug dominate the screen, but during this bit they are overly omnipresent.
Otherwise, Affleck has made a great movie that could be seen as a salute to the American can-do spirit, as cheesy as that sounds. But primarily it's a movie made by a guy who really loves movies, and really knows how to sell a story.
Watching this guy, with his cast and crew succeeding in selling this story makes for one of the most intensely entertaining movies of the year. And not only is ARGO is Ben Affleck's best movie as director, it's his best work as an actor. By far.
More later...
ARGO (Dir. Ben Affleck, 2012)
Actor/director Ben Affleck more than tops THE TOWN (which topped GONE BABY GONE) in his splendid third thriller, ARGO, a sure-fire Oscar contender that boasts a stellar cast, and an über-arresting story.
Based on a previously little known story about the rescue of six Americans from Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979, Affleck’s film casts its way back machine spell in the first few minutes starting with the use of Saul Bass’s classic ‘70s Warner Brothers logo (also used this year in Steven Soderbergh’s MAGIC MIKE). A few minutes later, we see authentic looking footage of the storming of the American Embassy in Tehran.
After burning and shredding every document they can, a group of U.S. Diplomats flea the embassy and take shelter at the Canadian ambassador's home nearby.
As CIA technical operations officer Tony Mendez, Affleck brainstorms a plan involving disguising the escapees as a film crew visiting Iran to scout locations for a sci-fi flick named “Argo” so they leave the country under cover.
It’s a plan so crazy, it just might work, or as Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston as a CIA higher-up says to an even higher-up Philip Baker Hall (see what I mean by a stellar cast?): “This is the best bad idea we have, sir. By far.”
To make a fake movie, they need a real producer so Affleck gets Alan Arkin as the fictional Hollywood mogul Lester Siegel, who has some of the best lines as well as the film’s catch-phrase, if you will. John Goodman as make-up artist John Chambers (not fictional) is also on hand, and also good for a few choice lines.
We spend a little quality time with the frightened Americans (Tate Donovan, Scoot McNairy, Clea DuVall, Rory Cochrane, Kerry Bishé, and Christopher Denham) holed up at the Canuck’s makeshift safehouse hoping to avoid detection. They understandably are skeptical of Affleck’s idea, but what choice do they have?
Chris Terrio’s no-nonsense screenplay, based in part on Joshuah Bearman’s 2007 Wired article “How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran,” doesn’t strain as it keeps each point of the well-crafted narrative in check.
At first, it might amusingly look like ANCHORMAN, with the Jimmy Carter-era hairstyles and fashions, but that quickly fades into the great grainy look of the film in which cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, BABEL) suitably evokes ‘70s cinema.
Affleck’s film only falters when the mission is almost aborted before the third act, and our leading man sulks until he gets his mojo back. Throughout ARGO, close-ups of Affleck’s bearded mug dominate the screen, but during this bit they are overly omnipresent.
Otherwise, Affleck has made a great movie that could be seen as a salute to the American can-do spirit, as cheesy as that sounds. But primarily it's a movie made by a guy who really loves movies, and really knows how to sell a story.
Watching this guy, with his cast and crew succeeding in selling this story makes for one of the most intensely entertaining movies of the year. And not only is ARGO is Ben Affleck's best movie as director, it's his best work as an actor. By far.
More later...
Announcing Film Babble Blog's Sister Site: Pop Goes The Babble
To contact us Click HERE
I’m proud to announce my new blog:
I’m overflowing with pop culture material that’s not about movies, so it seemed like it should get its own site. My reviews and features about television shows, and rock ‘n roll will now be the realm of Pop Goes The Babble, which will be a more indulgent blog mainly about whatever I’m into at the moment.
So far there are only 2 posts:
Pop Goes The Babble’s Favorite Album of 2012: Bob Dylan’s Tempest (12/12/12) An essay that I wrote back when the album came out, but never posted gets its proper home here.
An excerpt: “Dylan’s previous album, 2009’s Together Through Life, had its off-the-cuff, live-in-the-studio charms, but Tempest is a vast improvement in arrangement, production, and songwriting, with lyrics that are as sharp as the singing is raggedy.”
Babblin’ about the rocking but exhausting 12.12.12 Concert:
My re-cap of last night’s mammoth rock star-packed concert at Madison Square Garden to raise money for the Robin Hood Relief Fund benefiting victims of Hurricane Sandy.
Hope you check out the site and give me feedback as it goes. Thanks for your support!
More later…
I’m proud to announce my new blog:
I’m overflowing with pop culture material that’s not about movies, so it seemed like it should get its own site. My reviews and features about television shows, and rock ‘n roll will now be the realm of Pop Goes The Babble, which will be a more indulgent blog mainly about whatever I’m into at the moment.
So far there are only 2 posts:
Pop Goes The Babble’s Favorite Album of 2012: Bob Dylan’s Tempest (12/12/12) An essay that I wrote back when the album came out, but never posted gets its proper home here.An excerpt: “Dylan’s previous album, 2009’s Together Through Life, had its off-the-cuff, live-in-the-studio charms, but Tempest is a vast improvement in arrangement, production, and songwriting, with lyrics that are as sharp as the singing is raggedy.”
Babblin’ about the rocking but exhausting 12.12.12 Concert:
My re-cap of last night’s mammoth rock star-packed concert at Madison Square Garden to raise money for the Robin Hood Relief Fund benefiting victims of Hurricane Sandy.
Hope you check out the site and give me feedback as it goes. Thanks for your support!
More later…
HITCHCOCK Has The Chops, Yet Doesn’t Quite Cut It
To contact us Click HERE
Opening today at a motion picture palace near you:
HITCHCOCK (Dir. Sacha Gervasi, 2012)
Anthony Hopkins’ impersonation of Alfred Hitchcock is effective in small doses, like, say in this “Turn Your Phones Off” PSA, and in some short scenes early on in Sacha Gervasi’s new biopic HITCHCOCK, but the longer the camera lingers on him, the more he’s just Hopkins in a fat suit with prosthetic make-up.
The makeup, mainly by Howard Berger, is good, some of the best I’ve seen in a recent movie, but I could never forget that it was Hopkins; he doesn’t disappear into the part like, say, Daniel Day Lewis does in LINCOLN, he just does a good but far from pitch perfect impression of the master of suspense, and the best I can say is that it’s slightly better than Toby Jones’ in the HBO movie THE GIRL, which premiered on the channel to little fanfare last month.
But Hopkins’ close-but-no-banana approximation of the movie-making legend isn’t one of the factors that makes this movie an often deadly dull melodrama.
Director Gervasi, who co-wrote one of Steven Spielberg’s worst films THE TERMINAL, yet made the excellent band bio-doc ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL, working from a screenplay by John J. McLaughlin focuses on Hitch’s (hold the cock as he says it), relationship with his wife Alma Reville, splendidly portrayed by a sly Helen Mirren, during the making of his controversial masterpiece PSYCHO in 1959-60.
The storyline is largely a behind every great man there’s a woman scenario as Mirren’s Alma provides Hopkins’ Hitch with every great idea that he needs to make his classic, right down to the idea to kill off the leading lady after the first 30 minutes. The leading lady is Janet Leigh, played by Scarlett Johansson, who doesn’t strongly resemble Leigh, but still captures her iconic image. James D’Arcy has a more accurate depiction of Anthony Perkins going on, but we spend so little time with him that it doesn’t make much impact.
Hitch has to deal with resistance from the studio, because of, you know, “Oh, God, Mother! Blood! Blood!” in the form of evil caricatures of Paramount studio heads (played by Richard Portnow and Kurtwood Smith sneering with all their might), which forces him to have to fund the film out of his own pocket.
This, plus Mirren’s flirtation with writer Whitfield Cook (Danny Huston), strains the marriage, but the stakes never feel very high here.
We don’t believe that Mirren is actually going to cheat on Hopkins, and we don’t think his fantasies about his blond leading ladies is going to be anything but fantasies, so, despite both brilliant British actor’s ace acting chops, neither story-line has much pull.
Only in a scene set during PSYCHO’s premiere, in which Hitch from the theater’s lobby, mimes conducting the audience’s screams along with Bernard Herrmann’s score in the film’s famous shower murder scene, does HITCHCOCK have fun with its material.
Otherwise, it feels like a standard movie made for TV (just a notch above the HBO biopic I previously mentioned), with very little cinematic oomph.
This is extremely evident in the film’s framing device involving Hitch breaking the fourth wall and addressing the camera like on his Alfred Hitchcock Presents to open and close the film, and in a running thread that has Hitch being haunted by Michael Wilcott as serial killer Ed Gein, the inspiration for PSYCHO’s Norman Bates. These are nice ideas, but like everything else here, they never go anywhere.
You don’t need to have seen PSYCHO in order to follow what’s happening in HITCHCOCK, but if you haven’t seen PSYCHO, then what are you doing considering going to see this mediocre movie, this glorified dramatization of a “making of” featurette? Go watch PSYCHO!
More later…
Opening today at a motion picture palace near you:
HITCHCOCK (Dir. Sacha Gervasi, 2012)
Anthony Hopkins’ impersonation of Alfred Hitchcock is effective in small doses, like, say in this “Turn Your Phones Off” PSA, and in some short scenes early on in Sacha Gervasi’s new biopic HITCHCOCK, but the longer the camera lingers on him, the more he’s just Hopkins in a fat suit with prosthetic make-up.
The makeup, mainly by Howard Berger, is good, some of the best I’ve seen in a recent movie, but I could never forget that it was Hopkins; he doesn’t disappear into the part like, say, Daniel Day Lewis does in LINCOLN, he just does a good but far from pitch perfect impression of the master of suspense, and the best I can say is that it’s slightly better than Toby Jones’ in the HBO movie THE GIRL, which premiered on the channel to little fanfare last month.
But Hopkins’ close-but-no-banana approximation of the movie-making legend isn’t one of the factors that makes this movie an often deadly dull melodrama.
Director Gervasi, who co-wrote one of Steven Spielberg’s worst films THE TERMINAL, yet made the excellent band bio-doc ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL, working from a screenplay by John J. McLaughlin focuses on Hitch’s (hold the cock as he says it), relationship with his wife Alma Reville, splendidly portrayed by a sly Helen Mirren, during the making of his controversial masterpiece PSYCHO in 1959-60.
The storyline is largely a behind every great man there’s a woman scenario as Mirren’s Alma provides Hopkins’ Hitch with every great idea that he needs to make his classic, right down to the idea to kill off the leading lady after the first 30 minutes. The leading lady is Janet Leigh, played by Scarlett Johansson, who doesn’t strongly resemble Leigh, but still captures her iconic image. James D’Arcy has a more accurate depiction of Anthony Perkins going on, but we spend so little time with him that it doesn’t make much impact.
Hitch has to deal with resistance from the studio, because of, you know, “Oh, God, Mother! Blood! Blood!” in the form of evil caricatures of Paramount studio heads (played by Richard Portnow and Kurtwood Smith sneering with all their might), which forces him to have to fund the film out of his own pocket.
This, plus Mirren’s flirtation with writer Whitfield Cook (Danny Huston), strains the marriage, but the stakes never feel very high here.
We don’t believe that Mirren is actually going to cheat on Hopkins, and we don’t think his fantasies about his blond leading ladies is going to be anything but fantasies, so, despite both brilliant British actor’s ace acting chops, neither story-line has much pull.
Only in a scene set during PSYCHO’s premiere, in which Hitch from the theater’s lobby, mimes conducting the audience’s screams along with Bernard Herrmann’s score in the film’s famous shower murder scene, does HITCHCOCK have fun with its material.
Otherwise, it feels like a standard movie made for TV (just a notch above the HBO biopic I previously mentioned), with very little cinematic oomph.
This is extremely evident in the film’s framing device involving Hitch breaking the fourth wall and addressing the camera like on his Alfred Hitchcock Presents to open and close the film, and in a running thread that has Hitch being haunted by Michael Wilcott as serial killer Ed Gein, the inspiration for PSYCHO’s Norman Bates. These are nice ideas, but like everything else here, they never go anywhere.
You don’t need to have seen PSYCHO in order to follow what’s happening in HITCHCOCK, but if you haven’t seen PSYCHO, then what are you doing considering going to see this mediocre movie, this glorified dramatization of a “making of” featurette? Go watch PSYCHO!
More later…
16 Aralık 2012 Pazar
Letter to the editor in support of Ray Lodato's First District Congressional Bid
To contact us Click HERE
posted by chicago pop
We have been asked to post this letter to the editor, rejected by the Hyde Park Herald and the Chicago Tribune, from Mr. Alex Gomez. Mr. Gomez is Campaign Manager for Ray Lodato's bid for the First District Congressional seat currently held by Bobby Rush.
posted by chicago pop
We have been asked to post this letter to the editor, rejected by the Hyde Park Herald and the Chicago Tribune, from Mr. Alex Gomez. Mr. Gomez is Campaign Manager for Ray Lodato's bid for the First District Congressional seat currently held by Bobby Rush.
To the Editor,
Democratic Congressional candidate Raymond Lodato has promised to "get the First District back to work." We share his concern with bringing jobs to the district, and are additionally concerned about Congressman Rush's dismal voting record, which was recently explored by The Chicago Tribune newspaper. Rush's claim to 'seniority' is absolutely hollow. He is not the ranking minority member on any committee. Five Democratic representatives who arrived in Washington the same year he did are, as are another four who arrived after him. But ranking minority members, like committee chairs, are chosen by their fellow representatives based on the respect they command. Rush commands little respect from his colleagues, so his constituents don't benefit from his many years in Congress. He has longevity, not seniority. Fortunately, we have an alternative in Raymond Lodato, who will be a forceful, independent and effective Representative for the District.
Respectfully,
Rebecca Janowitz
Joan Merlin Palmer
Linda Swift
Duel Richardson
Judy Jakush
Edward "Ted" Fetters
Shoesmith and Murray Add Reformers to LSC's
To contact us Click HERE
-posted by chicago pop
The results of yesterday's local school council (LSC) elections are in for the two most hotly contested races. At both Murray and Shoesmith, reformers were successful in gaining seats on both councils on the back of extraordinary voter turnout at both locations. This is a strong sign that Hyde Park and Kenwood residents are against two things: backsliding (Murray) and the status quo (Shoesmith). It is an equally strong sign that they are for maintaining and improving the public school options available to residents of Hyde Park and Kenwood - and are willing to put in the time to make it happen.
This could be the local impact of an overall spike in CPS (and Catholic school) enrollment, due in part to a continued sluggish economy that is sending more and more families into the public school system - as opposed to private schools or suburban districts. It could also be the buds of a distinctly local parent activism, akin to similar movements that have taken shape on the North Side, as a core of local parents commit to improving public education options in the neighborhood
At Murray, the reformist Parents for Murray group saw its top four "Slate for Change" parent candidates pull in the most votes, together with a community member endorsed by the group. Together this represents a significant contingent of new voices to agitate for change at HP-K's beloved magnet school:
Parents
Josephine Njoku-Sanders: 240
Thomas Hoffer: 230
Michael Ewing: 227
Julie Hammond: 198
Community Members:
Michael Scott: 81
A similar story at Shoesmith. Here is a school in the heart of the neighborhood that has just signed a new principal. She is open to new ideas and is testing the waters for ways to improve the school's performance and make it an option for more neighborhood children. Unprecedented voter turnout for an LSC election landed two community members on the council who are both education professionals: Lina Fritz and Tom McDougal.
Community Members:
Lina Fritz - 96 votes
Tom McDougal - 78 votes
Camille Hamilton-Doyle - 73 votes
Roxanne Brown - 36 votes
Both of them not only know the data on urban education inside and out, but can collaborate with the administration and demand accountability, to make sure what's being done is what works, and that Shoesmith reaches out to the neighborhood.
Worth noting in both cases were the high numbers of community member (non-parent) voters: out of 153 eligible votes cast in the Shoesmsith LSC election, 81 were cast by community members, 72 by parents. I don't have a similar breakdown for the votes at Murray, but the word is that community turnout there was also very strong. Undoubtedly some of those community votes were parents of children attending other schools.
The message is pretty clear: wherever your students come from, you're in Hyde Park. We all have an interest in how well you do.
-posted by chicago pop
The results of yesterday's local school council (LSC) elections are in for the two most hotly contested races. At both Murray and Shoesmith, reformers were successful in gaining seats on both councils on the back of extraordinary voter turnout at both locations. This is a strong sign that Hyde Park and Kenwood residents are against two things: backsliding (Murray) and the status quo (Shoesmith). It is an equally strong sign that they are for maintaining and improving the public school options available to residents of Hyde Park and Kenwood - and are willing to put in the time to make it happen.
This could be the local impact of an overall spike in CPS (and Catholic school) enrollment, due in part to a continued sluggish economy that is sending more and more families into the public school system - as opposed to private schools or suburban districts. It could also be the buds of a distinctly local parent activism, akin to similar movements that have taken shape on the North Side, as a core of local parents commit to improving public education options in the neighborhood
At Murray, the reformist Parents for Murray group saw its top four "Slate for Change" parent candidates pull in the most votes, together with a community member endorsed by the group. Together this represents a significant contingent of new voices to agitate for change at HP-K's beloved magnet school:
Parents
Josephine Njoku-Sanders: 240
Thomas Hoffer: 230
Michael Ewing: 227
Julie Hammond: 198
Community Members:
Michael Scott: 81
A similar story at Shoesmith. Here is a school in the heart of the neighborhood that has just signed a new principal. She is open to new ideas and is testing the waters for ways to improve the school's performance and make it an option for more neighborhood children. Unprecedented voter turnout for an LSC election landed two community members on the council who are both education professionals: Lina Fritz and Tom McDougal.
Community Members:
Lina Fritz - 96 votes
Tom McDougal - 78 votes
Camille Hamilton-Doyle - 73 votes
Roxanne Brown - 36 votes
Both of them not only know the data on urban education inside and out, but can collaborate with the administration and demand accountability, to make sure what's being done is what works, and that Shoesmith reaches out to the neighborhood.
Worth noting in both cases were the high numbers of community member (non-parent) voters: out of 153 eligible votes cast in the Shoesmsith LSC election, 81 were cast by community members, 72 by parents. I don't have a similar breakdown for the votes at Murray, but the word is that community turnout there was also very strong. Undoubtedly some of those community votes were parents of children attending other schools.
The message is pretty clear: wherever your students come from, you're in Hyde Park. We all have an interest in how well you do.
Orly's/The Big Easy: 'Evidence of Rodents on Site'
To contact us Click HERE
-posted by chicago pop
Despite what was breezily reported in the Herald today ("Fridge Fritz Foils Big Easy," Lindsay Welbers, September 5, 2012), the recent shut-down of the culinary dark-star which, however many aliases it may assume in order to distance itself from its past, will always be known as Orly's, it appears that the restaurant's recent shutdown by the Chicago Department of Public Health was much more than a refrigerator problem.
Highlights of the recent report (dated August 27, 2012), written in mouth-watering detail and sure to annotate the next version of the menu, include but are not limited to: mice droppings in container of corn meal; sewage and waste-water backup on floor; a cooler with internal temperature of 95F; waste-water overflowing from drain; foul odor in women's toilet (and other places); evidence of rodents on site; mice droppings behind the bar, storage rooms, and dining area; my own personal favorite here - 'rodent rub marks'; extreme grease and food debris buildup; dirty surfaces; dust, debris, and spiderwebs (!); and broken tiles
But I guess that's all been fixed now.
Read for yourself below, or here:
-posted by chicago pop
Despite what was breezily reported in the Herald today ("Fridge Fritz Foils Big Easy," Lindsay Welbers, September 5, 2012), the recent shut-down of the culinary dark-star which, however many aliases it may assume in order to distance itself from its past, will always be known as Orly's, it appears that the restaurant's recent shutdown by the Chicago Department of Public Health was much more than a refrigerator problem.
Highlights of the recent report (dated August 27, 2012), written in mouth-watering detail and sure to annotate the next version of the menu, include but are not limited to: mice droppings in container of corn meal; sewage and waste-water backup on floor; a cooler with internal temperature of 95F; waste-water overflowing from drain; foul odor in women's toilet (and other places); evidence of rodents on site; mice droppings behind the bar, storage rooms, and dining area; my own personal favorite here - 'rodent rub marks'; extreme grease and food debris buildup; dirty surfaces; dust, debris, and spiderwebs (!); and broken tiles
But I guess that's all been fixed now.
Read for yourself below, or here:
- August 27, 2012
- Doing business as
- Orly's/Jalapeno
- License number
- 1978
- Facility type
- Restaurant
- Risk
- Risk 1 (High)
- Inspection type
- Complaint Re-Inspection
- Results
- Fail
- Violations
- 2. FACILITIES TO MAINTAIN PROPER TEMPERATURE
Comments:REACH IN COOLER IN POOR REPAIR, INTERNAL TEMPERATURE 50F. INSTD TO MAINTAIN PROPER TEMPERATURE OF 40F OR BELOW AT ALL TIMES. ALL COOLERS ON PREMISES MUST BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN PROPER TEMPERATURES OF 40F OR BELOW AT ALL TIMES OR REMOVE COOLERS IN POOR REPAIR.
10. SEWAGE AND WASTE WATER DISPOSAL, NO BACK SIPHONAGE, CROSS CONNECTION AND/OR BACK FLOW
Comments:SEWAGE/WASTE WATER BACK-UP AND ACCUMULATING ON FLOOR FROM FLOOR DRAIN WHEN 3-COMPARTMENT SINK PLUMBING TURNED ON. ALSO WALK-IN COOLER DRAIN CLOGGED, WASTE WATER OVERFLOWING FROM DRAIN AND ONTO FLOOR. INSTD TO REPAIR SAME. FOUL ODOR NOTED IN SAME AREA.
11. ADEQUATE NUMBER, CONVENIENT, ACCESSIBLE, DESIGNED, AND MAINTAINED
Comments:WOMENS TOILETS IN POOR REPAIR, ONE WITH NO WATER, OTHER UNABLE TO FLUSH. FOUL ODOR NOTED IN SAME AREA. INSTD TO REPAIR SAME.
14. PREVIOUS SERIOUS VIOLATION CORRECTED, 7-42-090
Comments:CONTINUED NON COMPLIANCE, EVIDENCE OF RODENTS ON SITE. NOTED MICE DROPPINGS (OVER 30) SCATTERED IN VARIOUS AREAS BEHIND BAR,IN DRY STORAGE ROOM,(MICE DROPPINGS NOTED IN CONTAINER OF CORN MEAL), IN CORNERS IN DINING AREA,UNDER SHELVES AND ALONG SIDE COOLERS/FREEZERS IN OFFICE/STORAGE AREA, ALSO NOTED RODENT RUB MARKS ALONG WALLBASE NEXT TO DROPPINGS IN DINING AREA. STORAGE AREA BY EXIT DOOR. MUST REMOVE DROPPINGS, CLEAN AND SANITIZE AFFECTED AREAS. INSTD TO HAVE ADDITIONAL SERVICE FROM PEST CONTROL. NOTED REAR DOOR NOT RODENT PROOF AT THIS TIME, APPROX. 1/2 INCH GAP NOTED AT BOTTOM OF DOOR. INSTD TO RODENT PROOF DOOR AND HAVE TIGHT FITTING.
33. FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT EQUIPMENT UTENSILS CLEAN, FREE OF ABRASIVE DETERGENTS
Comments:MUST DETAIL CLEAN INTERIOR OF ALL COOKING EQUIPMENT AND PREP TABLES. MUST REMOVE ALL EXTREME GREASE AND FOOD DEBRIS BUILD UP THROUGHOUT. MUST ALSO CLEAN SODA GUNS BEHIND BAR AREA AND INTERIOR OF ALL COOLERS. ALSO DETAIL CLEAN WINDOW SILLS AND ALL DIRTY SURFACES THROUGHOUT. CLEAN THE INTERIOR OF THE ICE MACHINE. INSTD TO CLEAN ALL FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT EQUIPMENT FREE OF DUST, DEBRIS, SPIDERWEBS, DROPPINGS, TOOLS, SCREWS, ETC.
34. FLOORS: CONSTRUCTED PER CODE, CLEANED, GOOD REPAIR, COVERING INSTALLED, DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS USED
Comments:MUST DETAIL CLEAN FLOORS UNDER COOK LINE,BEHIND BAR, IN DISH WASHING AREAS AND IN ALL STORAGE AREAS. MUST PROPERLY REPAIR BROKEN FLOOR TILES IN BAR AREA AND IN PREP AREA. FLOOR MUST BE SMOOTH, EVEN, EASILY CLEANABLE SURFACE.
35. WALLS, CEILINGS, ATTACHED EQUIPMENT CONSTRUCTED PER CODE: GOOD REPAIR, SURFACES CLEAN AND DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS
Comments:MUST CLEAN WALLS NEXT TO FRYERS, DISH MACHINE, STOVE, & THROUGHOUT. MAKING ALL WALLS AND CEILING SMOOTH-EASY CLEANABLE AND TIGHT FITTING.
38. VENTILATION: ROOMS AND EQUIPMENT VENTED AS REQUIRED: PLUMBING: INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED
Comments:MUST REPAIR LEAKY FAUCET AND PIPES AT 2 COMPARTMENT SINK
41. PREMISES MAINTAINED FREE OF LITTER, UNNECESSARY ARTICLES, CLEANING EQUIPMENT PROPERLY STORED
Comments:MUST PROPERLY CLEAN AND MAINTAIN UNUSED EQUIPMENT OR REMOVE
Children's Resources during Teacher Strike
To contact us Click HERE
-posted by chicago pop
A few resources for school age children that we've been asked to publicize, in the increasingly likely event of next week's anticipated teacher's strike (beginning September 10):
From the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club:
(Right-click on image and click 'View Image' to enlarge)
And this, from the Chicago JCC:
-posted by chicago pop
A few resources for school age children that we've been asked to publicize, in the increasingly likely event of next week's anticipated teacher's strike (beginning September 10):
From the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club:
(Right-click on image and click 'View Image' to enlarge)And this, from the Chicago JCC:
Dear JCC Families,
The prospect of a strikein Chicago Public Schools is a frustrating situation for teachers, administration,and most importantly, the families and children impacted by the possibilityof no school. We would like you to know that JCC Chicago will be able tomeet your child care needs with engaging safe and fun day long activities,should a strike go into effect.
JCC will offer specialprogramming at Bernard Horwich JCC, Florence Heller JCC, and Hyde ParkJCC. Programming will run from 8:00am to 3:30pm. If you needto extend your child’s day, late care will be available from 3:30-6:00pm. While engaged in programming, children will travel to Mayer KaplanJCC to participate in daily specialty curriculum including art, sports,swimming, and other educational experiences.
Program costs will be$50/day (8:00am-3:30pm) and late care will be an additional $15/day (3:30-6:00pm). For students enrolled in JCC AfterSchool, there will be no additionalcharge for late care. Services will remain in effect until schoolis back in session; however, JCC will be closed on September 17 and 18.
We will open online registrationfor Monday through Wednesday . Advance registration is recommendedand appreciated as space may be limited. Should the strike not go intoeffect, your registration fees can be applied to other JCC programs orwill be refunded.
For further information,please contact us at any time.
Julie Rash
Manager of JCC AfterSchool
773-938-8342
jrash@gojcc.org
Andrea Berlow
Manager of Vacation DayPrograms
224-406-9207
aberlow@gojcc.org
Andrea Berlow
Manager of Vacation Day Programs
JCC Chicago
p: 224-406-9207
f: 224-406-9272
aberlow@gojcc.org
http://www.gojcc.org
JCCchicago
bringing Jewish values tolife!
Help the environment anddon't print this email unless you really need to!
Orly's Fails September 20 Inspection
To contact us Click HERE
Orly's/Jalapeno Risk 1 (High) Results Fail
- September 20, 2012 [go here for text of inspection at Everyblock]
- Violations
- 14. PREVIOUS SERIOUS VIOLATION CORRECTED, 7-42-090
Comments:CONTINUED NON COMPLIANCE, EVIDENCE OF RODENTS AND INSECTS ON SITE. NOTED MICE DROPPINGS (APPROXIMATELY 30) SCATTERED IN VARIOUS AREAS BEHIND BAR,IN DRY STORAGE ROOM, IN CORNERS IN DINING AREA,BEHIND BOOTH ALONG WALL BASE,UNDER SHELVES AND ALONG SIDE COOLERS/FREEZERS IN OFFICE/STORAGE AREA,BEHIND EQUIPMENT AND THROUGHOUT. MUST REMOVE DROPPINGS, CLEAN AND SANITIZE AFFECTED AREAS AND HAVE SERVICE FROM PEST CONTROL. ALSO NOTED LIVE INSECTS ON SITE. NOTED APPROXIMATELY 6 LIVE LARGE FLIES IN FRONT STORAGE AREA NEAR UNUSED OVEN,IN DINING AREA AND IN PREP AREA. ALSO NOTED 2 LIVE ROACHES ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE DISH MACHINE. MUST REMOVE INSECTS,SANITIZE AFFECTED AREAS AND HAVE THE PEST CONTROL COMPANY SERVICE AREAS.
32. FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT SURFACES PROPERLY DESIGNED, CONSTRUCTED AND MAINTAINED
Comments:REMOVE RANCID GREASE ON INTERIOR OF FRYERS.
33. FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT EQUIPMENT UTENSILS CLEAN, FREE OF ABRASIVE DETERGENTS
Comments:MUST CLEAN INTERIOR OF FREEZERS AND REMOVE FOUL ODORS. ALSO DETAIL CLEAN WINDOW SILLS AND ALL DIRTY SURFACES THROUGHOUT. CLEAN THE INTERIOR OF THE ICE MACHINE. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN ALL FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT EQUIPMENT FREE OF DUST, DEBRIS, SPIDERWEBS, DROPPINGS, TOOLS, SCREWS, ETC.
34. FLOORS: CONSTRUCTED PER CODE, CLEANED, GOOD REPAIR, COVERING INSTALLED, DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS USED
Comments:MUST PROPERLY REPAIR BROKEN FLOOR TILES IN BAR AREA AND UNDER SMALL PREP COOLER. FLOOR MUST BE SMOOTH, EVEN, EASILY CLEANABLE SURFACE.
41. PREMISES MAINTAINED FREE OF LITTER, UNNECESSARY ARTICLES, CLEANING EQUIPMENT PROPERLY STORED
Comments:MUST PROPERLY CLEAN AND MAINTAIN UNUSED EQUIPMENT OR REMOVE.
12 Aralık 2012 Çarşamba
Men's boutique Silverfly to hold grand opening
To contact us Click HERE
A new menswear store in the Metropolitan complex outside of uptown, Silverfly, is having a grand opening celebration Saturday, Dec. 1.
The store opened its doors in early November. "offers a polished, edited and reinterpreted classic look," according to its description of itself. Silverfly carries menswear brands including DL1961, Joe's, Hudson Jeans, Silver Jeans, Chadburry, Alternative Apparel and Ben Sherman.
The company's grand opening celebration will feature food and drinks with a DJ from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., as well as promotional give-aways with purchases throughout the day.
Here's a link to a CLT Buzz story about the opening with a picture of the store's interior.
View Larger Map
Family Dollar CEO Levine to ABC's 'Nightline'
To contact us Click HERE
Howard Levine, CEO of Matthews-based Family Dollar, was set to appear on Tuesday's edition of "Nightline," talking about the growth of dollar stores and defending the practice of importing cheap goods from overseas.
The "Nightline" story is about the rapid growth of dollar store chains, which have become a $56 billion industry. The major chains, including Dollar General and Dollar Tree, have opened thousands of new stores over the past years.
During the segment, Levine told the interviewer he doesn't mind when he - or his 7,550 stores - are called cheap.
"If somebody told me I was cheap, I would take that as a compliment," Levine said. "That means we are looking for value. That means we don't overpay for stuff."
He also defended the fact that about a third of the goods the company sells are made overseas, much of it in China, as a necessity. "Unfortunately, a lot of manufacturing has gone overseas," Levine said. "They have a cheap way of doing it and consumers accept it. There is no backlash from that so you got to go where you get the value and you got to go where you have the workmanship and the factories to do that."
So, did you see the video? What did you think?
(Editor's note: The show featuring Levine was bumped for extra coverage of a mall shooting in Oregon that happened earlier in the day).
Ben Affleck's Über-Arresting ARGO
To contact us Click HERE
ARGO (Dir. Ben Affleck, 2012)
Actor/director Ben Affleck more than tops THE TOWN (which topped GONE BABY GONE) in his splendid third thriller, ARGO, a sure-fire Oscar contender that boasts a stellar cast, and an über-arresting story.
Based on a previously little known story about the rescue of six Americans from Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979, Affleck’s film casts its way back machine spell in the first few minutes starting with the use of Saul Bass’s classic ‘70s Warner Brothers logo (also used this year in Steven Soderbergh’s MAGIC MIKE). A few minutes later, we see authentic looking footage of the storming of the American Embassy in Tehran.
After burning and shredding every document they can, a group of U.S. Diplomats flea the embassy and take shelter at the Canadian ambassador's home nearby.
As CIA technical operations officer Tony Mendez, Affleck brainstorms a plan involving disguising the escapees as a film crew visiting Iran to scout locations for a sci-fi flick named “Argo” so they leave the country under cover.
It’s a plan so crazy, it just might work, or as Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston as a CIA higher-up says to an even higher-up Philip Baker Hall (see what I mean by a stellar cast?): “This is the best bad idea we have, sir. By far.”
To make a fake movie, they need a real producer so Affleck gets Alan Arkin as the fictional Hollywood mogul Lester Siegel, who has some of the best lines as well as the film’s catch-phrase, if you will. John Goodman as make-up artist John Chambers (not fictional) is also on hand, and also good for a few choice lines.
We spend a little quality time with the frightened Americans (Tate Donovan, Scoot McNairy, Clea DuVall, Rory Cochrane, Kerry Bishé, and Christopher Denham) holed up at the Canuck’s makeshift safehouse hoping to avoid detection. They understandably are skeptical of Affleck’s idea, but what choice do they have?
Chris Terrio’s no-nonsense screenplay, based in part on Joshuah Bearman’s 2007 Wired article “How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran,” doesn’t strain as it keeps each point of the well-crafted narrative in check.
At first, it might amusingly look like ANCHORMAN, with the Jimmy Carter-era hairstyles and fashions, but that quickly fades into the great grainy look of the film in which cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, BABEL) suitably evokes ‘70s cinema.
Affleck’s film only falters when the mission is almost aborted before the third act, and our leading man sulks until he gets his mojo back. Throughout ARGO, close-ups of Affleck’s bearded mug dominate the screen, but during this bit they are overly omnipresent.
Otherwise, Affleck has made a great movie that could be seen as a salute to the American can-do spirit, as cheesy as that sounds. But primarily it's a movie made by a guy who really loves movies, and really knows how to sell a story.
Watching this guy, with his cast and crew succeeding in selling this story makes for one of the most intensely entertaining movies of the year. And not only is ARGO is Ben Affleck's best movie as director, it's his best work as an actor. By far.
More later...
ARGO (Dir. Ben Affleck, 2012)
Actor/director Ben Affleck more than tops THE TOWN (which topped GONE BABY GONE) in his splendid third thriller, ARGO, a sure-fire Oscar contender that boasts a stellar cast, and an über-arresting story.
Based on a previously little known story about the rescue of six Americans from Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979, Affleck’s film casts its way back machine spell in the first few minutes starting with the use of Saul Bass’s classic ‘70s Warner Brothers logo (also used this year in Steven Soderbergh’s MAGIC MIKE). A few minutes later, we see authentic looking footage of the storming of the American Embassy in Tehran.
After burning and shredding every document they can, a group of U.S. Diplomats flea the embassy and take shelter at the Canadian ambassador's home nearby.
As CIA technical operations officer Tony Mendez, Affleck brainstorms a plan involving disguising the escapees as a film crew visiting Iran to scout locations for a sci-fi flick named “Argo” so they leave the country under cover.
It’s a plan so crazy, it just might work, or as Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston as a CIA higher-up says to an even higher-up Philip Baker Hall (see what I mean by a stellar cast?): “This is the best bad idea we have, sir. By far.”
To make a fake movie, they need a real producer so Affleck gets Alan Arkin as the fictional Hollywood mogul Lester Siegel, who has some of the best lines as well as the film’s catch-phrase, if you will. John Goodman as make-up artist John Chambers (not fictional) is also on hand, and also good for a few choice lines.
We spend a little quality time with the frightened Americans (Tate Donovan, Scoot McNairy, Clea DuVall, Rory Cochrane, Kerry Bishé, and Christopher Denham) holed up at the Canuck’s makeshift safehouse hoping to avoid detection. They understandably are skeptical of Affleck’s idea, but what choice do they have?
Chris Terrio’s no-nonsense screenplay, based in part on Joshuah Bearman’s 2007 Wired article “How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran,” doesn’t strain as it keeps each point of the well-crafted narrative in check.
At first, it might amusingly look like ANCHORMAN, with the Jimmy Carter-era hairstyles and fashions, but that quickly fades into the great grainy look of the film in which cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, BABEL) suitably evokes ‘70s cinema.
Affleck’s film only falters when the mission is almost aborted before the third act, and our leading man sulks until he gets his mojo back. Throughout ARGO, close-ups of Affleck’s bearded mug dominate the screen, but during this bit they are overly omnipresent.
Otherwise, Affleck has made a great movie that could be seen as a salute to the American can-do spirit, as cheesy as that sounds. But primarily it's a movie made by a guy who really loves movies, and really knows how to sell a story.
Watching this guy, with his cast and crew succeeding in selling this story makes for one of the most intensely entertaining movies of the year. And not only is ARGO is Ben Affleck's best movie as director, it's his best work as an actor. By far.
More later...
SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS: An Amusingly Meta-Minded Dog Napping Caper
To contact us Click HERE
SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS (Dir. Martin McDonagh, 2012)
It’s not often that a film lives up to the potential of its cast and premise, but SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS does both, and it does something even rarer - it does the “meta” thing right.
Martin McDonagh’s first full length feature, 2008’s IN BRUGES, leaned a little towards meta with lines like “This is the Shootout” and it’s finale taking place on a film set, but here, in his bloody brilliant second film, the Irish writer/director really goes for the gusto in narrative deconstruction.
Colin Farrell, who also starred in IN BRUGES, plays an alcoholic Los Angeles-based writer living working on a screenplay called, you guessed it, “Seven Psychopaths.” Farrell happens to have a few questionable friends including the not-playing-with-a-full-deck Sam Rockwell who’s in the dognapping business with the eccentric ascot-wearing Christopher Walken.
Rockwell, whose fearlessly unhinged and hilarious performance steals the movie, makes the mistake of kidnapping the beloved shih tzu belonging to a ruthless gangster (Woody Harrelson), and this sets off a series of murders, conversations, and stories told through flashbacks – all of which Farrell is considering to add to his script.
If you find yourself thinking that the females in the cast (Abbie Cornish, Olga Kurylenko, and Gabourey Sidibe) are given short shrift, don’t worry, the folks in the film agree as we witness them discuss how Farrell’s female characters are weak.
The finale in the desert (at Joshua Tree National Park) may seem equally as obvious (someone even calls it “the perfect place for a shootout”), but the playful tone doesn’t feel forced and the winks at the audience didn’t make me cringe like in, say, Shane Black’s lesser equally meta-minded KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005).
In the best way possible, there are shades of Tarantino in the hitman banter and comic use of violence, and the Coen Brothers in the increasing absurdity of the situations as they pile on top of each other.
Great grizzled appearances by Harry Dean Stanton and Tom Waits, mostly appearing in the moody recollections that are intertwined with the film’s ongoing scenarios, give “Seven Psychopaths” a bit of gravitas that elevates the material above what usually passes for edgy comedy at the multiplexes these days.
Sometimes it seems as if SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS may be too much in its own comfort zone, but when it’s as cozily clever, and enjoyably in the know as it often is, McDonagh’s movie plays to its strengths more than it reveals its limitations. Or maybe, I was laughing too much to notice them.
More later...
SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS (Dir. Martin McDonagh, 2012)
It’s not often that a film lives up to the potential of its cast and premise, but SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS does both, and it does something even rarer - it does the “meta” thing right.
Martin McDonagh’s first full length feature, 2008’s IN BRUGES, leaned a little towards meta with lines like “This is the Shootout” and it’s finale taking place on a film set, but here, in his bloody brilliant second film, the Irish writer/director really goes for the gusto in narrative deconstruction.
Colin Farrell, who also starred in IN BRUGES, plays an alcoholic Los Angeles-based writer living working on a screenplay called, you guessed it, “Seven Psychopaths.” Farrell happens to have a few questionable friends including the not-playing-with-a-full-deck Sam Rockwell who’s in the dognapping business with the eccentric ascot-wearing Christopher Walken.
Rockwell, whose fearlessly unhinged and hilarious performance steals the movie, makes the mistake of kidnapping the beloved shih tzu belonging to a ruthless gangster (Woody Harrelson), and this sets off a series of murders, conversations, and stories told through flashbacks – all of which Farrell is considering to add to his script.
If you find yourself thinking that the females in the cast (Abbie Cornish, Olga Kurylenko, and Gabourey Sidibe) are given short shrift, don’t worry, the folks in the film agree as we witness them discuss how Farrell’s female characters are weak.
The finale in the desert (at Joshua Tree National Park) may seem equally as obvious (someone even calls it “the perfect place for a shootout”), but the playful tone doesn’t feel forced and the winks at the audience didn’t make me cringe like in, say, Shane Black’s lesser equally meta-minded KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005).
In the best way possible, there are shades of Tarantino in the hitman banter and comic use of violence, and the Coen Brothers in the increasing absurdity of the situations as they pile on top of each other.
Great grizzled appearances by Harry Dean Stanton and Tom Waits, mostly appearing in the moody recollections that are intertwined with the film’s ongoing scenarios, give “Seven Psychopaths” a bit of gravitas that elevates the material above what usually passes for edgy comedy at the multiplexes these days.
Sometimes it seems as if SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS may be too much in its own comfort zone, but when it’s as cozily clever, and enjoyably in the know as it often is, McDonagh’s movie plays to its strengths more than it reveals its limitations. Or maybe, I was laughing too much to notice them.
More later...
Kaydol:
Kayıtlar (Atom)