18 Apr 2011

A-Stabbin' the Dorks: "Scream 4," "The Conspirator," "Soul Surfer," and "Your Highness"

By Mike Schulz

Neve Campbell in Scream 4SCREAM 4

Directed, as all of the franchise's outings have been, by Wes Craven, and written by Kevin Williamson, Scream 4 is a sequel, a reboot, and a big middle finger to reboots, all in one bloody, meta, mostly tedious package. It opens beautifully and features a bunch of (mostly verbal) horror-comedy pleasures, yet its overall effect is wearying; Craven and Williamson are so focused on deconstructing the genre - the Scream series in particular - for a media-soaked, hipper-than-thou young audience that even its "surprises" are in quotation marks. Watching Scream 4 is like watching a movie with its commentary track running before you've had a chance to experience the film without it.

12 Apr 2011

What's Happenin': Tuesday, April 12, through Wednesday, April 27

By Mike Schulz

The New PornographersMUSIC

The New Pornographers & The Walkmen

Iowa Memorial Union

Wednesday, April 27, 8 p.m.

 

Not to get all bitter-middle-aged-man on you here, but university students today have it so sweet. New fields of study ... new recreation facilities ... New Pornographers ... .

11 Apr 2011

Moore, or Less?: "Arthur," "Hanna," and "Born to Be Wild 3D"

By Mike Schulz

Helen Mirren and Russell Brand in ArthurARTHUR

There were better comedies released in the '80s, to be sure. But I don't think I have a stronger affection for any of them than I do for 1981's Arthur, writer/director Steve Gordon's screwball-farce throwback that featured Dudley Moore's drunken multi-millionaire sharing brilliantly barbed repartee with caretaker John Gielgud. Consequently, I came dangerously close to booing when I first saw the preview for director Jason Winer's Arthur remake. True, Russell Brand seemed the only logical choice to fill Moore's (diminutive) shoes, and while Gielgud is irreplaceable, Helen Mirren seemed a reasonable enough sparring partner. But, I mean, come on - is nothing sacred?!

05 Apr 2011

Talking Outside the 'box: Kim Furness Discusses the Curtainbox's 10-Year History

By Mike Schulz

Kimberly Furness[Author's note: The following was written for TheCurtainbox.com, the Web site for our area's Curtainbox Theatre Company, of which I've been a proud member for nearly a year.]

 

Recently, Curtainbox Theatre Company founder Kim Furness and I sat down over a glass of wine - all right, maybe a couple of glasses - to celebrate her company's 10-year anniversary. She had recently taken over the directing position for the Curtainbox's latest production, Speed-the-Plow (in the wake of original helmer Philip W. McKinley's recruitment as new director of Broadway's Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark), and during our conversation, was happy to share her thoughts on the company's history. (The David Mamet comedy Speed-the-Plow - featuring Erin Churchill, Dan Hernandez, and myself - runs at the Village of East Davenport's Village Theatre from April 10 through 23, with preview performances April 8 & 9.)

03 Apr 2011

Haunted Man's Son: "Insidious," "Source Code," and "Hop"

By Mike Schulz

InsidiousINSIDIOUS

It features every cliché in the haunted-house handbook. It borrows liberally from other, iconic horror movies. It's by the director of the original Saw and the slightly more bearable killer-mannequin flick Dead Silence. And for all of the momentary jolts provided by the loud bangs and shrieking violins on its soundtrack, the most shocking thing about Insidious is how irrationally good it is.

29 Mar 2011

What's Happenin': Tuesday, March 29, through Wednesday, April 13

By Mike Schulz

The Carolina Chocolate DropsMUSIC

The Carolina Chocolate Drops

Englert Theatre

Thursday, April 7, 7:30 p.m.

 

On April 7, Iowa City's Englert Theatre will play host to the latest guests in Hancher Auditorium's 2010-11 Visiting Artists series, The Carolina Chocolate Drops.

Mmmm ... Carolina Chocolate Drops ... .

My Homer Simpson impression doesn't play so well in print, but trust me, it's awesome.

27 Mar 2011

"Punch" and Juvie: "Sucker Punch" and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules"

By Mike Schulz

Emily Browning (center) in Sucker PunchSUCKER PUNCH

In their eternal wisdom, the members of the Motion Picture Association of America's ratings board have bestowed upon Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch a PG-13 rating, meaning that while parental supervision for viewers age 13 and under is suggested, it's certainly not mandatory. I, for one, applaud the board's decision, and think it's marvelous that kids finally have violent fetish porn to call their own.

25 Mar 2011

A Third Space in the World: Arlene Malinowski Creates a Bridge Between the Deaf and the Hearing, April 9 at Augustana College

By Mike Schulz

Arlene MalinowskiNearly everyone who was of TV-viewing age in 1963, it seems, remembers where they were on the day President John F. Kennedy was shot. For writer/performer/instructor Arlene Malinowski, that day is especially memorable, because as she recalls, it was one of the first times that this hearing child of Deaf parents had to act as her parents' translator.

"I'm six, I'm in the first grade," says the Chicago-based Malinowski, "and I remember coming home from school, and they're in a dark living room watching the television, and they're crying. And my father says, 'Tell me what's on the TV,' and my mother says to my father, 'No, no, no, leave her alone - she's a kid.' But I'm like, 'No, I can do this!'

"So I'm listening," she continues, "and the man on TV is using a lot of big words. Words I don't understand, like 'assassinate' and 'motorcade' and 'depository.' I figured out that 'assassinate' was 'killed,' but I couldn't figure out what 'depository' meant. And then I remembered that Daddy deposits money into the bank, so it must mean 'the bank.' So I told my father, 'The president man has been shot, he's dead in his car, and a bank robber killed him.'

"And here's the coda to it: They never [definitively] figured out who shot the president. So I am not necessarily wrong."

20 Mar 2011

Brainy Acts: "Limitless," "The Lincoln Lawyer," and "Paul"

By Mike Schulz

Bradley Cooper in LimitlessLIMITLESS and THE LINCOLN LAWYER

At some point during my double-feature of Limitless and The Lincoln Lawyer, I was reminded, as I frequently am, that we filmgoers don't really need more great movies from Hollywood. We just need more good movies - smart, strong, satisfying releases that only want to entertain, but manage to do so without attempting to overwhelm you, or demanding that you first check your intelligence at the auditorium door.

15 Mar 2011

What's Happenin': Tuesday, March 15, through Wednesday, March 30

By Mike Schulz

Celebrating Ideas: Bridging Communities with Augustana's Liberal Arts through the AGESEXHIBIT 

Celebrating Ideas: Bridging Communities with Augustana's Liberal Arts through the AGES

Figge Art Museum

Saturday, March 19, through Sunday, May 29

 

The Figge Art Museum's latest exhibition is Celebrating Ideas: Bridging Communities with Augustana's Liberal Arts Through the AGES, and the accompanying image is of one of the displayed ceramic pieces, created circa 340-330 B.C.E. Its ascribed title? Red-Figure Dish with Running Female Figure with Wreath & Ivy-Garnished Phiale.

Man, these highfalutin B.C.E. artists with their cryptic titles ... .

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