12 Sep 2007

Plugging Away: The Actual, at Lumpy's on September 17

By Mike Schulz

The Actual "Make a left, Rob. This left right here onto 101 south. Left turn, 101 south. Left!"

I've obviously caught Max Bernstein at a bad time.

12 Sep 2007

Moral Minority: "3:10 to Yuma" and "The Brothers Solomon"

By Mike Schulz

Christian Bale in 3:10 to Yuma3:10 TO YUMA

James Mangold's dramatic Western 3:10 to Yuma, the remake of a Glenn Ford oater from a half-century ago, is a tough, effective, frequently powerful piece of work. Yet despite its authentic period design and supremely intelligent performances, it feels a little lightweight; a few hours after seeing it, you may not remember much about the experience except having had a good time. Especially considering Hollywood output of late, 3:10 to Yuma is hardly a disappointment, but for all of its thematic richness, the movie is rather generic - it's a modern-day action blockbuster in Old West attire. The film is everything except moving, and I have a sneaking suspicion that Mangold desperately wants it to be.

12 Sep 2007

Make 'Em Laugh: "Shoot 'Em Up"

By Mike Schulz

Paul Giamatti and Clive Owen in Shoot 'Em UpSHOOT 'EM UP

Frequently unpleasant and almost pathologically violent, Michael Davis' action thriller Shoot 'Em Up is a joke, and the film's biggest detriment is that is takes too long for it to be an intentional one.

12 Sep 2007

What's Happenin': September 12 - 18

By Mike Schulz

Ray Blue

The Redstone Room

Sunday, September 16

 

05 Sep 2007

Do You Lo-o-o-ove Them?: The Contours Featuring Sylvester Potts, at Riverfront Pops, September 8

By Mike Schulz

The Contours featuring Sylvester Potts (left) Excepting a brief hiatus at the tail end of the 1960s, recording artists The Contours have been performing and touring every year since 1960. It's just that, as original group member Sylvester Potts says, "People just didn't hear of us.

"But we was workin'," he continues. "Playing, goin' overseas, you know. We kept doing that 'til Dirty Dancing came out. And that shot us back out there." And how.

05 Sep 2007

Rotted Pumpkin: "Halloween" and "Balls of Fury"

By Mike Schulz

Tyler Mane in HalloweenHALLOWEEN

On the list of 1970s horror films that absolutely, positively did not demand a remake, John Carpenter's spare, suggestive, and deeply frightening Halloween would have to place right near the top. If, however, a 21st Century revamp was inevitable (and, Hollywood being Hollywood, it was), I would have thought Rob Zombie the ideal choice for the task, as the director's House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects were relentless, darkly funny, and unapologetically nasty entertainments with a low-rent style that captured the spirit of '70s exploitation terror to perfection. Who better suited to bring Michael Myers back to life?

Having seen Zombie's offering, I'm thinking the answer might be: just about anyone else.

05 Sep 2007

Dog Days: "The Nanny Diaries," "Resurrecting the Champ," "September Dawn," and "Mr. Bean's Holiday"

By Mike Schulz

Scarlett Johansson and Laura Linney in The Nanny DiariesTHE NANNY DIARIES

There are two wholly different films at war in Shari Springer Berman's and Robert Pulcini's The Nanny Diaries, and unfortunately, the wrong one wins.

05 Sep 2007

What's Happenin': September 5 - 11

By Mike Schulz

Saints & Sinners

Figge Art Museum

Thursday, September 6, 7 p.m.

 

29 Aug 2007

Ballet Under a Star: Ballet Quad Cities' New Artistic Director, Steve Beirens

By Mike Schulz

When Ballet Quad Cities Executive Director Joedy Cook was looking for a new artistic director earlier this year, she quickly rejected Steve Beirens.

"I would get all these résumés," says Cook of her search to replace Matthew Keefe, the company's artistic director for the 2006-7 season. "And I'd watch the DVDs they sent, and I would have all these little piles. And Steve went into this 'no' pile."

29 Aug 2007

Up and Autumn!: Area Theatre, September through November

By Mike Schulz

Hairspray at the Adler Theatre On August 17, the Richmond Hill Barn Theatre's production of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia marked the last theatrical production I'd see this summer - the 29th show I caught over the span of 12 weeks - and in truth, I'm kind of bummed that the season is over. But it will be nice to have a few days when I'm, you know, not working, so I'm also looking forward to the fall, when instead of 29 shows, theatre-goers only have the opportunity to see ... 38.

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