See What Happens When You Whine

It seems Bangor does negotiate with terrorists. After my earlier complaints that during the slow months of cinema Bangor had let a potentially good movie pass them by, and I was rewarded with concessions.

Playing at the local Theater, two months after its initial release was Be Kind Rewind.

And guess what? It wasn’t that bad. I do like comedies, despite what a few people think. This movie just possessed a basic charm. It also helped that it had a ton of 80’s nostalgia and Danny Glover.

The plot is rather simple, but the director Michael Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) keeps it fun and the entire movie has a spontaneous feel. You're just not sure what is going to happen next despite a somewhat familiar formula. An aging Danny Glover is holding on to his video store, holding back time and developers. Protegé Mos Def works there and gets tangled up with Jack Black who works at a near by junk yard. After an accident Jack finds himself magnetized and ends up erasing all the videos in the store.

It is up to Mos Def and Jack to fix the problem. When the two friends get together and add the neighbors it creates characters and scenes that will have you laughing into the parking lot.

It does start out slow, and probably isn’t for everyone, I suppose that why it works.

After you finish the movie go online and watch "Sweded" movies.

Be Kind Rewind - How To Swede

~Seth Davis

A Modern Disney Remake

One of my gal pals and I decided to order pizza and rent a movie this weekend. We chose a new release titled Sydney White - mostly because it seemed to be the kind of stupidly funny comedy we were in the mood for. It wasn't until after the movie that I realized we were watching what was intended to be a modern remake of Disney's Snow White. Let me explain the movie and you'll see...

Sydney White is a young woman ready to enter her freshman year at Southern Atlantic University. Her mother, who died when she was just nine, was part of the Kappa Phi Nu sorority at the same college years ago. Sydney goes off to college with plans to pledge the same sorority as her mother to carry on her legacy. She soon finds out that greek life isn't what she thought and is banished to live with seven dorks in a house called The Vortex where outcasts at the university reside. Standing up against sorority President, the evil Rachel Witchburn, and with the love of fraternity cutie Tyler Prince, Sydney vows to run for Student Council President and give the university back to the students and away from greek row. At one point in the film, Tyler even kisses Sydney to wake her up in time for the debate after she had fallen asleep finishing a paper.

See the similarities now? The tag line of the film is even "freshman year is no fairy tale." Somehow I completely missed these hints and didn't discover the Disney undertones (though I doubt Snow White ever pledged a sorority). I discovered online through imdb.com that the working title for this film was "Sydney White and the Seven Dorks." It becomes obvious then, right?

It's a fun film. Like any college fraternity/sorority bit of its type, the plot is similar and there are certainly cheesy moments. But it was fun to watch all the same. Amanda Bynes used to annoy me during her Nickelodeon days, but she has grown as an actress.

Jillian

-photo courtesy of movies.yahoo.com-

An Art Crime Oxymoron

Graffiti wall - Portland, Maine

Legal graffiti.

Sounds like an oxymoron, huh? But it's not anymore. Graffiti artists are now being asked, in some cases, for their decorative services.

It's always a little frustrating for me to see graffiti sloppily splattered across cement walls, bridges and even public landmarks. To me, this is defacing and vandalism of public property. For these reasons, graffiti has always arisen negative thoughts or associations in my mind. But after an online search, I find many of these pieces to be art.

"Most of the opposition to graffiti art is due to its location and bold, unexpected, and unconventional presentation, but its presentation and often illegal location does not necessarily disqualify it as art," writes George C. Stowers. Stowers is a student in an Aesthetics class at the University of Miami. I discovered a paper of his online in which he tackles convincing the reader that some forms of graffiti are art.

I feel that there are two forms of graffiti: that which is conducted illegally without permission and when a graffiti artist is asked by an owner to paint a building or surface. An article I discovered online tells the story of a Los Angeles graffiti artist who was asked to decorate the 10,000 square feet of concrete wall along the bank of the river. It was a public event and many families came to watch the artist. But once it was finished, concern arose among local politicians who wondered why the city should now allow a practice that has formerly cost them so much money to clean up. There was also question as to whether some of the graffiti was obscene.

The wall was whitewashed.

Graffiti is a subject that can create a great deal of controversy. The question I pose to you? Is graffiti an art or an art crime?

Jillian

-photos courtesy of http://www.graffnews.com/?p=761 and flickr.com-

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs

The popular audience was not introduced to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs until their appearance on the VMAs on MTV a few years back. With their performance of “Maps,” I believe MTV made a bold move and that it is one of the reasons they have a more wide variety of music on their station today. Where Rap and Rock dominates, they had finally filled a space for the not-so-normal artists to show the world that they deserved respect. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs got some negative feelings from their fans about performing on a television station which was said to be the major contributor to the slaughtering of music. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs kept on doing what they were doing, playing indie shows and appearing mostly on alternative stations. I think that without that performance, which confused and at the same time intrigued the audience that night, MTV would have not known how experimenting with style is most certainly a very, very good thing. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs is a musical group that oversteps many boundaries with their style, and you actually have to think deeply into their lyrics to find meanings to their songs. Some find it annoying, but most people have a brain and like to exercise it. Listen to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Maps” and tell me that it belonged on MTV in 2005. You would be wrong, and that’s why it’s so utterly amazing how well the pop genre responded to this group’s talent. Believe me, I'm one of the people who get annoyed when bands sell out just for money, but in this case I do not believe they sold out at all, let alone for cash. They did it for the music and the sake of its slow evolution into something with meaning.

-Kassandra Small

Reminders of Spring

Daffodils on kitchen counter

I guess you can tell that we're all a little excited about spring here at the A-List. Susan's post leads wonderfully into mine, as I want to share my recent experiences in the way flowers can act as art --- brightening a room, drawing positive focus and being little reminders that spring is here or, if you're in Maine, on it's way!

For me, this season brings the need to open the windows once it gets warm enough to let all the stale winter air out and the fresh spring breeze in. Since it's not yet warm enough, my boyfriend and I decided we could do something else to bring spring in. So we went on a search for flowers.

At Shaw's, we found daffodils that had not yet bloomed. Three bundles for $6. I was skeptical because they weren't pretty yet. I needed instant gratification. But the next morning I didn't regret the $6 and actually began to consider what a bargain it was. We placed a bundle of daffodils in the bathroom, the kitchen, and the entryway next to the door. In the morning, they had opened up and vibrant yellow flowers filled the vases, lifting our moods and bringing a certain brightness to each room.

Daffodils as bathroom art

Flowers are art. Especially after a long and cold winter.

Jillian

Celebrating Books

A celebration of the written word. Who would want to attend such a celebration and how exactly, would the written word be celebrated? Well, people who read books of course might enjoy the 2nd Annual Maine Festival of the Book which is set for May 15-17th in Portland.

According to promoters, the festival's goal is to encourage dialog between authors and their readers. They intend to accomplish that goal through readings, performances and panel discussions.

Opening night features David Baldacci, bestselling author of Stone Cold, performer Michael Maglaras and poet Annie Finch. Most of the events are free to the public. Books will be on sale and as many as forty Maine authors will be in attendance to sign their books. Kids will be well entertained too by children's entertainer and author of Hey, Little Ant Phil Hoose, Paul Janezko and Lyn Plourde.

The Maine Festival of the Book will also offer writing workshops and the Theater of the Unexpected will feature work of emerging playwrights at the Portland Stage Company.

To find out more about the festival's offerings log on to www.mainereads.org

by Susan Patten

graphics compliments of:
www.DavidBaldacci.com
www.philliphoose.com

10, 9, 8 And I'm Breaking Away...

Founded in 2002, Shiny Toy Guns is a musical group of the electronica, punk and indie genres. Up-tempo dance beats mixed with the singers’ rock voices makes them unique. Starting their fame locally in California and gaining fans on their Myspace page, this band began abruptly and became successful just as quickly. The indie music world needed something to dance to, as slow and sad is what had occupied its charts. Shiny Toy Guns is talented in not only music but presenting themselves as brave and free-spirited. Their first album We Are Pilots captured me with the first note of track 1, “You Are The One.” My favorite song by this group, by far, would have to be “Don’t Cry Out” from this same album. Their style is filled with intriguing and explosive sound effects and they mix indie rock culture in with dance eloquently. With a girl as one of the lead singers, Carah Charnow, the sound couldn’t be more perfect. Accompanied by the other lead singer and guitarist Gregori Petree, a contrast is evident in some of their songs and it makes listening a strong experience. The other members consist of Jeremy Dawson with the bass and Makey Martin on drums.

-Kassandra Small

Entertainment Garden Style

You've got to remember that I'm the old fart on the A-List. It's really quite apparent when you read my posts, compared to those of my team. I blog about the Symphony of Spring and the Expression of Nature while others are blogging about Buckethead.

So now that I've shaped your perspective with that reminder, I want to tell you how truly entertaining it is to stroll through the Bangor Garden Show every year. The show is this weekend and come hell or high water, snow, sleet or hail, I'll be there.

The beauty of the landscape exhibits always make me conjure up images of my little frog pond, meticulously adorned with colorful flora, waterfalls, fountains and gnomes. Then I think about how expensive landscaping can be and I quickly snap out of it! Perhaps some day I may be able to afford my fantasy landscaping but until then I've got the garden show.

After I take in the talent and creativity of Maine landscapers and tantalizing fragrances of daffodils and hyacinth, I make my way over to the Civic Center to stroll through the vendors. I do throw down a little cash in exchange for things like pickled brussel sprouts and fiddle heads from Stanchfield Farms and no trip to the garden show is complete for me until I buy a bouquet of ornamental lilies.

You can also educate yourself at the garden show. Now that's really entertaining! This year my mission is to find out more about backyard composting.

If you're looking for something to do this weekend, entertain yourself at the Bangor Garden Show.

by Susan Patten

Photos compliments of Bill Shepard

Yes! The Art of Spring Cleaning!

Piece chosen by Collins for her bedroom

Cleaning is never a fun thing to do, unless you're me. And even then, it's fun to clean because you know how nice and dust or germ-free everything will be afterwards. I know, I'm an odd duck. But I guarantee that if you were a spring cleaner like myself you would find it enjoyable. Of course, there's an art to it.

I was roaming around online when I came across an article written by a writer by the name of Anna Collins. Collins writes that she decided to hire someone to clean her house this spring, instead of doing it herself. This lead her to her new spring makeover idea --- Collins decided to take down all her old artwork and replace it with new and fresh art. She points her readers to art.com to find inexpensive but great art. Once, she strays from the site and incorporates old postcards into the new scenery in the bathroom.

"The Bathroom. You may not think of this as a place for art, but let’s face it, we spend a lot of time in the bathroom, so why not make it interesting? Who wants to look at those same dumb watercolors of a bathtub and vanity that seem to be so popular amongst the masses. I’m already in the bathroom; I don’t need to be reminded that I’m in the bathroom. This was the only area where I diverted from Art.com. Instead, I took some vintage Florida postcards and framed them for a lovely vertical piece of artwork. I purchased the frame, which is specifically fashioned for 4”x 6” postcards from HomeGoods and the postcards I got at a yard sale." - Anna Collins

Collins goes on to describe her choices for each major room in her home and how each piece of art carries a desirable and appropriate feel to the space in which is resides. I find her article very interesting as an individual ready for spring cleaning and, at the same time, embarking upon the tiring yet rewarding journey of redecorating my apartment. I learned from this article to, not only buy art that makes sense, but buy art that fits. And yes, those are two different things.

Happy Spring Cleaning!

Jillian

-photo and quote courtesy of http://www.annacollins.com/art-of-cleaning.htm# -

HBO Generation Kill

The Wire has now ended . . . and John Adams despite being entertaining is no Rome or Deadwood. Now HBO has just advertised an encore presentation of the final 8 Sopranos episodes. Wasn't that a year ago?! And wasn't it not all that good? Anyway. It seems the network I have grown to love has been losing more than it is gaining.

Giving us more 1/2 hour shows of varying quality, like Entourage and In Treatment and less of the epics we have grown to love. Don’t hold your breath waiting for a Deadwood movie. Then they quietly announced they had canceled their longest running show -- Inside the NFL. We are still waiting for the Spielberg/Hanks sequel to the epic WWII drama Band of Brothers.

Thankfully someone at HBO has found a good book and has turned it into a miniseries. (See past posts for references about turning books into movies) Generation Kill: is a book by embedded journalist Evan Wright of Rolling Stone. The series will be 7 episodes and is “inspired” by true stories of marines fighting in Iraq in 2003.

Sound interesting? Wait there is more. Remember that show The Wire? Well David Simon and Ed Burns both writers and producers of that show are deeply involved in Generation Kill. The show will start in July. In the meantime enjoy John Adams, and Soprano reruns.

Generation Kill (2008) Miniseries Trailer - HBO

*The image above is the cover of the book. A book I might try to read before July to make a better judgment of the show.

~Seth Davis