Cover Your Eyes! A Guide to What's Opening This Weekend
After six weeks of near nothingness at our local movie theaters, Hollywood has decided to reward us by releasing some 23 movies this weekend for us to choose from (actually there are eight, but it seems like more). Couldn't some of these have come out during September, when we actually had time to see them? Sigh. Chances are, you've already heard about Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. And we're sure you would never see Beverly Hills Chihuahua. With that in mind, here's a handy guide to this weekend's other new releases.
Religulous
What's the story: Bill Maher's lightening rod documentary about religion (duh) from director Larry Charles (Borat) has been open in New York since Wednesday, but most likely you haven't seen it. Our esteemed colleague calls it "entertaining and somewhat disheartening." Like the vice presidential debate? Sounds good to us!
Who should see it: Sasha Baron Cohen
Flash of Genius
What's the story: Greg Kinnear stars as Robert Kearns, the man who invented the intermittent windshield wiper, only to have his idea stolen by Detroit automakers. Seriously. At least Lauren Graham shows up as Mr. Kinnear's onscreen wife.
Who should see it: Fans of Tucker: A Man and his Dream.
Blindness
What's the story: In an unnamed city, an epidemic of blindness infects all citizens, except for one, played by Julianne Moore. Mark Ruffalo and Gael Garcia Bernal co-star in Fernando Mersailles' latest (City of God, The Constant Gardner). The reviews have not been kind. Our Rex Reed closes his review by saying Blindness is a film where "sightlessness might be a virtue." Ouch.
Who should see it: People who thought Children of Men was too uplifting.
Rachel Getting Married
What's the story: Jonathan Demme's latest film has gotten so much positive buzz that it seems set to be the darling indie hit of the fall. This is Anne Hathaway's coming out party as an actress, and apparently she doesn't disappoint as Kym, a recovering drug addict going home for her sister's wedding.
Who should see it: Us! We've watched the trailer some 50 times over and cannot wait!
An American Carol
What's the story: Airplane! director David Zucker returns with a Red State take on A Christmas Carol, about a Michael Moore-like director who wants to abolish the 4th of July.
Who should see it: The Palin family.
Upcoming Dance Performances
"Tarantella - Spider Dance"-I Giullari di Piazza
American Theater of Actors/Chernuchian Theater, New York
Starting: 12/20/2008
Box Office:
Buy Tickets |
212-868-4444
Dance On Camera Festival
Walter Reade Theater, New York
Starting: 1/7/2009
Click here for more info >>
Sugar Salon - Jane Comfort and Company, Heather Olson, Deganit Shemy, and Anna Sperber
Baryshnikov Arts Center, Howard Gilman Performance Space, New York
Starting: 1/7/2009
Click here for more info >>
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Presented by The Observer
Dear Christopher Rosen:
Please list this Oct 15th concert. It will be a memorable evening of music and music making. Thank you. Sonia
DANIEL ABRAMS' Opera For Piano concert on Oct. 15, at the Mannes College of Music, will include the American premier of his Musical Portraits from Wagner's 'Ring' (each"Portrait" is based on the musical motif of that character, a particular scene of importance, and/or a verbal statement of consequence).
The program also includes ABRAMS' Chaconne on "Dido's Lament" from Dido And Aeneas , Variations on "Voi Che Sapete" from The Marriage of Figaro, and Variations on "Ein Engel Leonora" from Fidelio. Opera For Piano retains each pieces original style, preserving its complex moods and subtle powers -- as if the composers themselves might have written it as piano music. They are not transcriptions, but music that Abrams' deeply loves and wished to be able to play on the piano. Abrams considers this series his most important legacy to music and feels that Opera For Piano is adding some glorious music to the performing pianist's repertoire.
DANIEL ABRAMS has been internationally acclaimed as both a pianist and as a composer. He had a double Fulbright in piano & composition (which was renewed for a second year) to the Royal Academy of Music, and performed extensively throughout Europe as an American Cultural Ambassador. His highly heralded New York debut at Town Hall in 1957 brought him major management and years of concertizing. Also, appearances on many TV and radio shows (including The Today Show, the Mike Wallace show, Joe Franklin, Pegeen Fitzgerald, etc.) In 1962, shortly after surviving a plane crash while on a concert tour in S. America, Abrams accepted a teaching position at Goucher College and The Johns Hopkins University. While in Baltimore, he founded and conducted (for 16 years) the Goucher/Hopkins Community Symphony. He has continued to perform as soloist with orchestras and in recitals, but has restricted his appearances to the area in which he lives.
Among my favorite reviews was the one he received from The New York Herald Tribune for his four concert cycle of the Mozart piano sonatas at the Kaufman Y: Mr. Abrams, as has been noted before, is born to the piano; he cannot help but make beautiful sounds and he brings to whatever he tackles not only musicianship, technique and interpretative prowess, but a very special kind of intellectual radiance that quite sets him apart. In short, the five sonatas heard contained a veritable galaxy of refinements--indeed, the sort of refinements that seem slowly to be creeping out of contemporary piano playing.
More information: www.Daniel-Abrams.com/Opera-For-Piano
Concert information: Mannes College of Music, 150 West 85 St (bet. Columbus & Amsterdam)
Wednesday, October 15 8 pm No charge: seating begins at 7:30 pm