Who doesn’t love raising some money for charity? Having lost a relative to HIV/AIDS, it, in particular, has always been an important cause to me. Being a fashion fanatic (due to the economy, this fanaticism is exhibited internally) as well, DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) is right up my…
As you troll the weekly art listings, the words “highly divergent” might set off alarm bells, but don’t worry. This is no lunatic, 12 Monkeys, “Tell me friend, are you also divergent?” kind of stuff. Sure, Henry Horenstein’s Animalia/Honky Tonk: Two Highly Divergent Series ventures into dark, mysterious worlds. But…
In times of trouble people turn to religion, and if you find yourself in the mood for a little religious shopping (and some pretty cool music) then head to the Global Sacred Music Celebration at the Unity Church in Dallas. It’s one of those international cultural festivals, except instead of…
The use of the side of an 18-wheeler or bus as a message medium has generally been limited in this country to “Show Me Your Hooters”-type sentiments or bland advertising. There’s probably a reason for this. While I’m sure there are plenty of deep-thinking long-haulers out there, for the most…
Natalie Portman is smart. You gotta give her that. She went to Harvard, got straight A’s, etc. But sometimes that chick confuses me. For instance, in the movie Closer (2004), she played a petite stripper who, get this, didn’t strip. No nudity whatsoever. But then in Wes Anderson’s 2007 short…
Fellas–if you see a Barbie doll-lookin’ lady making a bee line for you at the bar, I know it is your instinct to investigate. But listen to me, guys. If you see blond author Cyndi Targosz coming for you, make a lot of noise, raise your arms to make yourself…
Granted, sir, I’ve only been to Strokers once, but I don’t remember it as a hotbed of potential beauty contestants. I assure you, mister, there’s no need to wield that motorcycle chain in such a menacing fashion. I’m simply observing that, bartenders aside, the few females present during my visit…
Personally, I find the idea of running for office exhausting–it’s something about the constant blow-drying, suit-wearing and speech giving. Yet surely there are young women who would love to be the next female political sensation, and it’s a good thing. Last year, the United States ranked 69th in the world…
Of course there is artistry in the creation of literature. We cherish the written word when placed in combinations that speak to our hearts, senses of humor and personal needs. But The Arts Gallery is looking at books just under their covers during the exhibition, Hidden Between Covers: Artists’ Books…
If you think a honeymoon cruise down the Nile sounds like a good idea, be forewarned–some pretty sketchy stuff has been known to go down there. If you find yourself trapped on a boat with your new hubby’s stalker and an odd assortment of other characters, jump ship and head…
Many of the most comforting foods are also the most ancient: bread, beer, wine, cheese. These foods are also astounding in their range, from simple, everyday varieties to expensive, handcrafted examples. But to Americans raised on Kraft Singles, browsing a case of specialty cheeses may be overwhelming. But have no…
Somehow, I missed all the Thomas the Tank Engine stories as I grew up. Though the Reverend W. Awdry’s tales of the plucky li’l anthropomorphic locomotive have been around for six decades, I never heard of him. That’s probably because I spent most of my boyhood playing around on real…
Comedian April Macie is what you might call a looker. A former contestant on Last Comic Standing, the spunky redhead refers to her routine as “a behind-the-scenes look at women’s views on sex,” so naturally she has bits about penis size–“This is how you know it’s small…when you’re headed downtown…
You may recognize Brian Posehn from his role as the perpetually stoned, gay friend on The Sarah Silverman Program. Possibly you know him as the mail guy on the occasionally hilarious Just Shoot Me. If you are old like me, then you first noticed his comedic genius on the greatest…
“Take a Hike! For Your Community” is the greatest name ever for a fund-raiser. It starts as an insult, then softens the blow with an explanation. Other groups should try this formula too: “Take a Long Walk Off a Short Pier! For Swimming Safety,” “Get Bent! For Scoliosis Research” or…
The Joaquin Phoenix “Farewell to Acting” tour comes through Magnolia at the Modern this week with the screening of his “last” film, Two Lovers. After an awkward appearance on Letterman, Phoenix will now embark on his even more awkward rap career. If you haven’t seen his live rapping on YouTube…
The meek don’t exactly inherit the Earth in Hollywood, and with all the noise surrounding Mickey Rourke and Sean Penn at the Oscars this year, it was easy for a little festival film like Thomas McCarthy’s The Visitor to remain under the radar. Richard Jenkins was quietly nominated for his…
Do you ever wish you could buy a time machine on eBay, and go back to a happy memory? Mine would be in 1987, sitting on my grandma’s brown shag carpet, eating homemade nachos while cheering on the infamous man-child, Pee-wee Herman, to find his beloved red bike. Pee-wee’s Big…
Is America’s Next Best Dance Crew not bringing enough culture to your life? I have just the fix. The successful nonprofit institution TITAS will have Parsons Dance Company dance away your blues and that empty feeling inside. The Parsons Dance Company will be busting a move to scores composed by…
Just as we thought the “bromantic comedy” had overstayed its welcome, the genre reaches its high point with I Love You, Man. The subtext is finally the text—it’s right there in the title. The movie delivers an absolutely complete, fully realized, delightfully novel redo of the hoariest of forms: the…
Whether it’s the amnesiac super spy of the Bourne franchise or the weary law-firm fixer of Michael Clayton, Tony Gilroy specializes in characters who wear so many masks that, memory loss or no, they scarcely know who they are anymore. Guided by instinct, his soldiers of fortune patrol a ruthless…
Old television shows never die; they stubbornly live on in cable reruns, DVD boxed sets, online and now as theatrical productions. Like popular movies, from Sunset Boulevard to Shrek, that have been made over into Broadway musicals, some of TV’s best-loved series are returning repurposed as stage material. And why…
