Tag: Culture

Movie Review

Put Your Hands in the Air for ‘One for All: The DJ Chris Villa Story’

One for All: The DJ Chris Villa Story Rating: 9/10 Director: Jeremy A. Lopez Style: Documentary Time: 110 minutes Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkNlfTSmjRc Review by Mike Szymanski You can figure out how most documentaries will end. There may be facts that surprise and motivate you, but you generally know the slant of the doc and how it’s all going to end up. This is a documentary that … Continue reading Put Your Hands in the Air for ‘One for All: The DJ Chris Villa Story’

Mike Szymanski
Movie Review

Diverse and Edgy Musicians Perform, Dance and Reveal on the ‘Indie Rooftop’

Indie Rooftop Rating: 7/10 Director: Jasmine Allen Tillman Writer: Jasmine Allen Tillman Style: Music Documentary Time: About 20 minutes, 7 episodes Review by Mike Szymanski From Baltimore to Nigeria, Manhattan to Virginia, documentary filmmaker Jasmine Allen Tillman found the most diverse and colorful critically-acclaimed indie musicians who are filmed in Chicago. She had them come up to a rooftop studio and play their music and … Continue reading Diverse and Edgy Musicians Perform, Dance and Reveal on the ‘Indie Rooftop’

Mike Szymanski
Movie Review

‘The Green Oak Guardian’ is A Romance You Can Really Love

The Green Oak Guardian Rating: 9/10 Director: Lana Read Writer: Duane Abel Style: Romantic Comedy Time: 92 minutes Trailer: https://vimeo.com/unitedffilms/the-green-oak-guardian-tease Review by Mike Szymanski Every great romance story involves two unlikely lovers who somehow end up falling for each other against all odds. Since Romeo and Juliet, it’s the same plot, whether you’re talking bout “You’ve Got Mail,” “Casablanca,” or my favorite (and widely underrated) romantic … Continue reading ‘The Green Oak Guardian’ is A Romance You Can Really Love

Mike Szymanski
Classic, Movie Review

A Fitting Tribute to a Legend in the documentary “Burt Reynolds: The Last Interview”

Burt Reynolds: The Last Interview Rating: 9/10 Director and Writer: Rick Pamplin Style: Documentary Time: 103 minutes Trailer: www.imdb.com/video/vi4087333913 Review by Mike Szymanski The first time I was lucky enough to meet Burt Reynolds and interview him as an entertainment journalist, he sized me up and guessed my age and said, “You probably made out during ‘Smokey and the Bandit.’ “ I blushed and recalled my … Continue reading A Fitting Tribute to a Legend in the documentary “Burt Reynolds: The Last Interview”

Mike Szymanski
Comedy, Social Issues

A Dark Comedy with Irrepressible Kids is Family Fun in ‘Daddy’s Divas’

Daddy’s Divas Rating: 7/10 Directors: David Tittone Writers: David Torre and David Tittone Style: Comedy Time: 20 minutes Trailer: youtube.com/watch?v=xHo2XOQ2zlA Review by Mike Szymanski This series of short, clever and funny stories about a widower and his three girls are about 20 minutes long each, and they are cute and enjoyable for the entire family. It’s hard to find edgy family comedy like this today. … Continue reading A Dark Comedy with Irrepressible Kids is Family Fun in ‘Daddy’s Divas’

Mike Szymanski
Movie Review

Some Powerful Film Finds at Slamdance 2023

By Mike Szymanski Don’t think of Slam Dance as an also-ran to Sundance! It is established by a wild bunch of filmmakers who wanted to showcase the unfiltered voice of independent artists, Slamdance is an ongoing experiment that has proven, year after year, when it comes to recognizing talent and launching careers, the independent and grassroots film communities can do it themselves. This year, Slamdance happened from … Continue reading Some Powerful Film Finds at Slamdance 2023

Mike Szymanski
Movie Review

A Bit of Gender Trickery in a Youth Classic Come to Film through the ‘Rickshaw Girl’

Rickshaw Girl Rating: 7/10 Director: Amitabh Reza Chowdhury Writer: Shabari Z. Ahmed Style: Adventure, Family Drama Time: 101 minutes Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2gVkngEg2M Review by Mike Szymanski The vibrant colors in this movie about the slums of Bangladesh make the bleakness of the story so much more palatable. There is beauty, color, vibrance. There are original native costumes in every scene, naturalistic paintings on every wall and beauty … Continue reading A Bit of Gender Trickery in a Youth Classic Come to Film through the ‘Rickshaw Girl’

Mike Szymanski
Arts

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Sundance Institute Award Recipients for Science in Film Initiative

Feature Film Prize Goes to The Pod Generation, Grantees Honored at Reception during the 2023 Sundance Film Festival at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, the Sundance Institute Science-in-Film initiative with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation celebrated this year’s Feature Film Prize winner The Pod Generation directed by Sophie Barthes and the recipients of three artist grants for three projects in development at a reception following the Appetite for Construction panel at Filmmaker Lodge. The … Continue reading Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Sundance Institute Award Recipients for Science in Film Initiative

Dreamweaverarts
Healthy Living

Using The Luna Calendar For Gardeners

By Jannie Vaught For those of us who use a Moon Calendar to garden, January’s new moon will be January 21, 3:55 p.m. Using the Luna Calendar for gardeners. Gardening in harmony with the moon’s phases has been practiced for thousands of years. Farmers determined the best times to plant and harvest their crops. The gravitational pull of the moon affects the ocean tides, and … Continue reading Using The Luna Calendar For Gardeners

Dreamweaverarts
Arts

The Met Announces Co-Chairs for the Spring 2023 Costume Institute Benefit

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced today the co-chairs for The Costume Institute Benefit on May 1, 2023, in New York. Michaela Coel, Penélope Cruz, Roger Federer, Dua Lipa, and Anna Wintour will serve as the evening’s co-chairs. The dress code for the event will be “In honor of Karl.” The Benefit (also known as The Met Gala®) takes place annually on the first Monday … Continue reading The Met Announces Co-Chairs for the Spring 2023 Costume Institute Benefit

Dreamweaverarts
Cultural issues, History, Movie Review, Social Issues

‘Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend’ is the Greatest Basketball Player You’ve Never Seen 

Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend Rating: 7/10 Directors and Writers: Ryan Polomski and Dean Prator Style: Documentary Time: 82 minutes Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NzNpikx070 Review by Mike Szymanski Los Angeles is definitely a city of secrets and after more than three decades here, I’m constantly finding out more about the people and potential stars that came from the city, but never made it as a household name. For example, … Continue reading ‘Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend’ is the Greatest Basketball Player You’ve Never Seen 

Mike Szymanski
Arts

2023 Sundance Film Festival To Go “Beyond Film”Lineup of Conversations Announced

Additional Institute and Partner Programming to Round Out Public Offerings at Festival The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced the lineup for the 2023 Sundance Film Festival Beyond Film conversations, all of which are open to the public. Made up of three series called Power of Story, Cinema Café, and The Big Conversation, Beyond Film rounds out the Festival experience, providing a place for the community to engage through artist … Continue reading 2023 Sundance Film Festival To Go “Beyond Film”Lineup of Conversations Announced

Dreamweaverarts
Arts

Artist Sophie Treppendah

Take Care of Yourself Philip Martin Gallery is proud to present, “Take Care of Yourself,” a solo exhibition of new oil-on-canvas paintings by New Orleans-based artist Sophie Treppendahl. With a keen sense of observation and stillness, Treppendahl’s work creates a narrative on the passage of time. These vivid depictions of simple moments are sourced from the artist’s own life experiences, photographs and drawings. Treppendahl’s lush use … Continue reading Artist Sophie Treppendah

Dreamweaverarts
Arts

Feature Lineup for Slamdance 2023

The lineup for Narrative Features Competition, Documentary Features Competition, Breakouts, and Unstoppable features for the 29th Slamdance Film Festival. With titles hailing from all over the globe and jam-packed with premieres, the 2023 festival continues the legacy of discovering fresh and influential new voices. NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION: The Girl Who Was Cursed – (The Netherlands) North American PremiereDirector: Zara Dwinger; Screenwriter: Zara Dwinger; Producers: Layla Meijman & … Continue reading Feature Lineup for Slamdance 2023

Dreamweaverarts
Healthy Living

Onions Are Here!

By Jannie Vaught At LLano Feed and Supply, onion starts have arrived, The varieties are 1015Y, Yellow Granex, Texas Legend, Sweet Red, White Granex, and White Bermuda. Josh Rhode called to let us know and Hopefully, Leeks will arrive with the next shipment. I have covered the 1015Y in previous columns, Let’s look at the others. The Yellow Granex was developed in Carrizo Texas by … Continue reading Onions Are Here!

Dreamweaverarts
Arts

Indigo Girls to Perform at Sundance Institute’sOpening Night: A Taste of Sundance Presented by IMDbPro

Evening To Celebrate Independent Storytelling and Raise Funds for the Institute’s Year-Round Work; Tickets On Sale Now The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced the Grammy Award-winning folk rock duo Indigo Girls will perform at Opening Night: A Taste of Sundance presented by IMDbPro on January 19 in Park City. The band will also premiere their new documentary, It’s Only Life After All at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Opening Night: A Taste of Sundance … Continue reading Indigo Girls to Perform at Sundance Institute’sOpening Night: A Taste of Sundance Presented by IMDbPro

Dreamweaverarts
Arts, Movie Review

My Sister Liv: Exactly What We Need More of In Film

Very few movies cut you open so finely so soon just by knowing the downward drop of the third act. This is one of them. And what’s for better and for worse is that it’s a documentary. The real evidence of a young life, crashing into the colorless void, not because it was time but because the passing of time was too much. By Austin … Continue reading My Sister Liv: Exactly What We Need More of In Film

AustinCharacter
Healthy Living

In Preparation Of The Freeze

By Jannie Vaught We received a freeze and knowing it was headed our way many of us began the preparation. Even though water pipes were wrapped some had broken pipes inside and outside. And it happened on Christmas there were no stores open. When we are preparing for freezing temperatures it would do us well to have in our preparations items for repair. Needing a … Continue reading In Preparation Of The Freeze

Dreamweaverarts
Arts

Beyond the Light: Identity and Place in Nineteenth-Century Danish Art

January 26–April 16, 2023Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, Galleries 691–693, The Charles Z. Offin Gallery,  Karen B. Cohen Gallery, and Harriette and Noel Levine Gallery Beyond the Light: Identity and Place in Nineteenth-Century Danish Art explores the period formerly known as the Danish Golden Age, a name that belies the economic and political hardships the dwindling Danish Kingdom experienced in the nineteenth century. Denmark suffered through the Napoleonic … Continue reading Beyond the Light: Identity and Place in Nineteenth-Century Danish Art

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