text:
Monkey business gets deadly serious when cute baby chimp becomes adult
Home > News & Alerts > Chimpanzees, Primarily Primates, Animals in Entertainment, Sanctuaries > Monkey business gets deadly serious when cute baby chimp becomes adult
Reversal sought in parakeet case
NYT Editorial: Primates Aren't Pets
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN Editorial — Waterbury CT
BY TRACEY O'SHAUGHNESSY
When the panicked Hollywood screen writer Joe Gillis flees into Norma Desmond's gaudy mansion in the 1950 classic "Sunset Boulevard," he is greeted by a peculiar sight: Desmond, played by Gloria Swanson, mourning over the corpse of her dead chimp.
As a preface to the Babylonian creepiness to follow, the chimp functions brilliantly: Something is decidedly deviant in the home of Desmond, director Billy Wilder suggests, epitomized by a ghoulish funeral for a dead chimp.
When Stamford police shot Travis, a 14-year-old chimpanzee which brutally mauled Charla Nash, many wondered whether it was actually possible to own a primate as a pet, and still more wondered why anyone would.
The questions were made all the more piquant by statements by the chimp's owner, Sandra Herold, that the male chimp "couldn't have been more my son than if I gave birth to him." The Associated Press reported that Herold, 70, fed the animal "the finest food, and wine in long-stemmed glasses. They took baths together and cuddled in the bed they shared. Travis brushed the lonely widow's hair each night and pined for her when she was away."
While dressing a dog in a pumpkin outfit at Halloween raises nary an eyebrow, having a chimp brush its teeth with a Water Pik leads many to recoil. Nevertheless, says Harwinton's Peter Brazaitis, former curator of the Central Park Zoo, the impulse is similar. "If you work with (chimps), you realize they're little people in monkey suits," says Brazaitis, who also served as superintendent of reptiles at the Bronx Zoo. "They're intelligent. They have emotion. They parent their young. You're dealing with something that is manifesting human behavior. It's easy to impart affection and give affection. If you're a lonely person, a chimp is going to be nice to have around."
Herold acquired the chimp legally in 1995. News reports indicate she bought it in Missouri. On Feb. 16, the animal attacked the 55-year-old Nash. Herold had asked Nash to help lure the chimp back into her house. The chimp subsequently attacked Nash, who sustained massive head and hand injuries in the 12-minute attack. Police, who shot and killed the chimp, said it appeared Nash's face was ripped away. Four teams of surgeons operated on Nash for more than seven hours to stabilize the woman before she was transferred to the Cleveland Clinic.
Owning an exotic pet like a chimpanzee is not as difficult as it may appear. Although current laws prevent them from being brought across state lines, a chimp could be bought in a state if the owner bred the chimp in captivity and had legal possession of the animal, said a spokesman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement Division. "People breed them; people have them in private ownership," the spokesman said. It is typically left to the states to enact legislation about ownership, she said.
"There are many sources, both legitimate and casual," said Brazaitis of exotic animals. The problem comes when animals bought in states with less stringent exotic-animal laws are transferred into states like Massachusetts, which legally prohibits primate ownership. Even in Connecticut, permission to possess wild animals is left to the discretion of the Department of Environmental Protection. Herold did not have a permit for Travis.
"In a state like Massachusetts that's trying to protect the public, it can be frustrating because someone can buy a non-endangered primate in Florida and bring it in to Massachusetts, which makes enforcement difficult," said Chris Dowd, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Owners often are attracted to chimps because of their human characteristics. Others see them as "cute." Still others believe the exotic animal gives them some kind of cachet, experts say.
"They're convinced they're doing something good, that they're doing the right thing," said Dowd. "There's this thing that they're special, that they have some special relationship that allows them to bond with the animal. And among some people, it's a status symbol."
"When you see chimps, you're usually seeing them in a beer commercial or a soda commercial," said Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals, an international animal advocacy group based in Darien. "They're all under the age of 6. They look adorable. What you don't see is what happens 10 years later. These animals become sexually mature and extremely strong."
Friends of Animals runs Primarily Primates, a 30-year-old sanctuary that houses, protects, and rehabilitates 450 non-native animals, particularly apes and monkeys. About 60 percent of the animals come from the pet trade; the remaining 40 percent are from biomedical research institutions. Some of the chimps arrive addicted to alcohol, Feral said, because their owners habitually serve them alcohol. Chimps can fetch as much as $30,000 to $50,000.
Before 2003, state law required people to get permits to own quadrupeds, such as deer, but the language was changed that year to the broader term of "mammals" after someone asked about owning bats. In 2004, the General Assembly amended the statute, exempting anyone from the permitting requirement if they had owned a non-domestic mammal, such as a primate, before October 2003, as long as it weighed less than 50 pounds.
But a permit, says Feral, is not a ban, which she and Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal are now seeking. The state needs a complete ban on the possession of a wild animals, Feral said. "The state has no idea how many apes and monkeys are kept," she said. "It has no idea how many bobcats or other wild animals are kept as pets….There is no prohibition. There were town officials, including police, who knew about this state. No chimpanzee can be considered un-dangerous."
Blumenthal agreed. "We require a permit, but there are no legislative standards for how permits should be granted," he said. "Nobody knows whether a snake or a chimp will behave violently. It's a wild animal."
In 2003, New York Police removed a 450-pound Siberian tiger from the Harlem home of Antoine Yates, after the 31-year-old Yates tried to pass off his arm and leg injuries as having come from a pit bull.
Many animals, including chimpanzees, are protected under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species, an international agreement to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. But before its passage in 1973, hundreds of wild animals were brought in without any controls.


text:
<?php

namespace Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\Tests\Compiler;

use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
use Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\Compiler\ResolveParameterPlaceHoldersPass;
use Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\ContainerBuilder;

class ResolveParameterPlaceHoldersPassTest extends TestCase
{
    private $compilerPass;
    private $container;
    private $fooDefinition;

    protected function setUp(): void
    {
        $this->compilerPass = new ResolveParameterPlaceHoldersPass();
        $this->container = $this->createContainerBuilder();
        $this->compilerPass->process($this->container);
        $this->fooDefinition = $this->container->getDefinition('foo');
    }

    public function testClassParametersShouldBeResolved()
    {
        $this->assertSame('Foo', $this->fooDefinition->getClass());
    }

    public function testFactoryParametersShouldBeResolved()
    {
        $this->assertSame(['FooFactory', 'getFoo'], $this->fooDefinition->getFactory());
    }

    public function testArgumentParametersShouldBeResolved()
    {
        $this->assertSame(['bar', ['bar' => 'baz']], $this->fooDefinition->getArguments());
    }

    public function testMethodCallParametersShouldBeResolved()
    {
        $this->assertSame([['foobar', ['bar', ['bar' => 'baz']]]], $this->fooDefinition->getMethodCalls());
    }

    public function testPropertyParametersShouldBeResolved()
    {
        $this->assertSame(['bar' => 'baz'], $this->fooDefinition->getProperties());
    }

    public function testFileParametersShouldBeResolved()
    {
        $this->assertSame('foo.php', $this->fooDefinition->getFile());
    }

    public function testAliasParametersShouldBeResolved()
    {
        $this->assertSame('foo', $this->container->getAlias('bar')->__toString());
    }

    public function testBindingsShouldBeResolved()
    {
        list($boundValue) = $this->container->getDefinition('foo')->getBindings()['$baz']->getValues();

        $this->assertSame($this->container->getParameterBag()->resolveValue('%env(BAZ)%'), $boundValue);
    }

    private function createContainerBuilder(): ContainerBuilder
    {
        $containerBuilder = new ContainerBuilder();

        $containerBuilder->setParameter('foo.class', 'Foo');
        $containerBuilder->setParameter('foo.factory.class', 'FooFactory');
        $containerBuilder->setParameter('foo.arg1', 'bar');
        $containerBuilder->setParameter('foo.arg2', ['%foo.arg1%' => 'baz']);
        $containerBuilder->setParameter('foo.method', 'foobar');
        $containerBuilder->setParameter('foo.property.name', 'bar');
        $containerBuilder->setParameter('foo.property.value', 'baz');
        $containerBuilder->setParameter('foo.file', 'foo.php');
        $containerBuilder->setParameter('alias.id', 'bar');

        $fooDefinition = $containerBuilder->register('foo', '%foo.class%');
        $fooDefinition->setFactory(['%foo.factory.class%', 'getFoo']);
        $fooDefinition->setArguments(['%foo.arg1%', ['%foo.arg1%' => 'baz']]);
        $fooDefinition->addMethodCall('%foo.method%', ['%foo.arg1%', '%foo.arg2%']);
        $fooDefinition->setProperty('%foo.property.name%', '%foo.property.value%');
        $fooDefinition->setFile('%foo.file%');
        $fooDefinition->setBindings(['$baz' => '%env(BAZ)%']);

        $containerBuilder->setAlias('%alias.id%', 'foo');

        return $containerBuilder;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Parenting, Philosophy, Work and Life
When Your Child is as Big as You
August 18, 2017 manoj
My mom used to say that when your child is as big as you, you have to treat them with respect. What she actually said was that you had to address them using a respectful form of "you," which doesn't make any sense in English, but may work in Hindi or French. It worked poetically well in Malayalam. I was reminded of this maternal pearl of wisdom recently when I was watching a movie with my son.
The protagonist in the movie, who felt like a human punching bag, was feeling low and getting drunk in a bar. And then he gets snubbed by a stranger, and walks away muttering something like, "Do I have an Everlast sign pasted on my forehead?"
My son, accurately guessing that I wouldn't have gotten the reference, explained to me that Everlast was a boxing brand, and that they had punching bags with the name prominently painted on them. He had seen them in his Muay Thai gym. I remembered then that this was exactly the kind of tidbit that I would have loved to share with my dad, while watching a movie or a tennis match or whatever. The wheel had come full circle. Almost.
I say "almost" because I also remembered a time when the references would become just too many to share, and the sons would turn quiet. In the next five or so short years, I can imagine that my son will also find it overwhelming to keep explaining every little reference that flies past me. He also will turn more and more silent. While dreading that inevitable age of silence, I enjoy this moment for now, when his repertoire of interesting tidbits has grown beyond mine. And remember some other things that I wrote a while ago, in a moment of melancholy inspiration.
The Sony radio plays on, impervious to these doleful musings, with young happy voices dishing out songs and jokes for the benefit of a new generation of yuppie commuters full of gusto and eagerness to conquer a world. Little do they know — it was all conquered many times over during the summers of yester years with the same gusto and passion. The old vanguards step aside willingly and make room for the children of new summers.
The new generation has different tastes. They hum to different iTunes on their iPods. This beautiful radio receiver, with most of it seventeen odd short wave bands now silent, is probably the last of its kind. The music and jokes of the next generation have changed. Their hair-do and styles have changed. But the new campaigners charge in with the same dreams of glory as the ones before them. Theirs is the same gusto. Same passion.
Previous PostContradictionsNext PostAmerican School Shooting

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In a few weeks, blogger Linda Ikeji will become a mother for the first time and it is an understatement to say she is excited.
The media mogul is over the moon with joy and she is not hiding it.
37 year old Linda who is already in Atlanta with her mom expecting her bundle of joy has revealed that her son would be called 'Baby J'.
Apparently, J is the initial of her unborn son, the blogger is also already being called Mama J by close family members. However, what J means is still a mystery. Joseph, James, John, we have to wait and see.


text:
Daniel Garber talks with director Andrew Gregg about Skymaster Down
Posted in 1950s, Canada, Cold War, documentary, Mystery, US, Yukon by CulturalMining.com on January 15, 2022
https://danielgarber.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/garber-january-15-22-interview.mp3
It's a cold winter day in January, 1950 in Yukon. A US military plane, the Douglas C54-D, known as the Skymaster, is flying between Montana and Alaska, when it suddenly loses contact. Flight #2469 disappears from the skies. And when they searched for survivors among the 44 crew and passengers, no-one was found and the plane itself has completely disappeared. What became of the Skymaster?
Skymaster Down is a new, in-depth look at the plane's disappearance and the friends and families of the missing crew and passengers today. The feature-length film is the work of award-winning documentarian Andrew Gregg. You may have heard him previously on this show talking about diverse topics including the new far right in Skinheads (in 2017), problems in our prisons in State of Incarceration (2014), and new archaeological advances in The Norse, an Arctic Mystery, way back in 2012.
I spoke with Andrew Gregg in Toronto via Zoom
Skymaster Down premiers on CBC's Documentary Channel on Sunday, January 16th.
Tagged with: Andrew Gregg, CBC, CBC Gem, CIUT 35th Anniversary, Documentary Channel, Skymaster Down
Point of View. Films reviewed: Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes, Only The Animals, My Missing Valentine
Posted in France, Japan, Mystery, Romance, Taiwan, Thriller, Time Travel by CulturalMining.com on November 6, 2021
https://danielgarber.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/garber-november-6-21-review.mp3
A story can change a lot depending on who tells it. This week I'm looking at three new movies — from Japan, Taiwan and France — that retell their stories from different points of view.
There's a woman in a French village who disappears in a blizzard; another woman, in Taipei, who wakes up to find a whole day is missing; and a guy in Tokyo who finds he can talk to himself on a video monitor… two minutes in the future.
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (ドロステのはてで僕ら)
Dir: Yamaguchi Junta
It's closing time in Tokyo. Kato (Tosa Kazunari) is an ordinary young man in his twenties who runs a small cafe and is in an amateur rock band with his friends. He also has a crush on Megumi (Asakura Aki), the woman next door, who he's never had the nerve to approach. He rents a room upstairs in a 5-storey walk-up. But everything changes when he discovers he's not alone in his room. Someone is talking to him through his computer screen from the monitor in the cafe downstairs. What's really weird is he's the one talking on the screen… but from two minutes in the future.
He tests this by running back downstairs to the cafe and speaking into the monitor there. Sure enough, it's him in his bedroom from two minutes in the past. A nifty trick perhaps, but what use is it? Well for one thing, maybe he can finally ask Megumi for a date? Soon his friends from the band drop by and are mesmerized by the phenomenon. They up the ante by bringing the upstairs screen down to the cafe, facing the other monitor. Now, the images are repeated endlessly on both screens; one into the past and the other into future, two minutes at a time, revealing secrets that no one should know. Like an angry yakuza gangster who appears in the near future wielding a sharp knife. Can they right the wrongs and reset time? Or have they permanently upset the cosmic space-time continuum?
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is a brilliantly-made, low-budget sci-fi comedy. It's almost like a stage play, as the action rarely strays from the apartment and the cafe. It also manages to convey — credibly — the concept of time travel with virtually no special effects.
This movie is a lot of fun.
Only The Animals (Seules les bêtes)
Co-WriDir: Dominik Moll
Alice (Laure Calamy) is a married woman who lives in a tiny mountainous French hamlet. She makes her rounds along cliffside roads to handle insurance claims for farmers who live there. She lives with her grumpy husband Michel (Denis Menochet) but is having a torrid affair with another farmer, Joseph (Damien Bonnard), a young reclusive farmer on a downward spiral since his mother died. She sees him once a week on her rounds. But everything changes when a rich woman, who lives in a rented stone house with her husband, disappears in a blizzard.
Turns out Evelyne (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) was having a fling with a beautiful young waitress, half her age, she met at a seaside resort. Marion (Nadia Tereszkiewicz) is in love and follows her to her country home. But now Evelyne is gone. Is she dead or merely missing? And who is responsible — Alice, Michel, Joseph, Marion, or Evelyne herself…? Or perhaps someone else? (There's a subplot involving a young man (Guy Roger 'Bibisse' N'Drin) who runs a catfish scheme out of Côte D'Ivoire.)
Only The Animals is an intriguing and actually quite moving mysterious drama about a possible murder in a picturesque mountainside village. It's gripping and shocking, without losing sympathy for any of the characters, no matter how bizarre or tragic some of them are. The mystery is gradually revealed as each scene is retold in chapters, Rashomon-style, from the point of view of each of the main characters. And each retelling reveals more about what happened before and after the scene — even though you've watched it already — explaining some of the characters' seemingly erratic behaviour. This is a very cool look at the dysfunctional lives of a group of French farmers.
My Missing Valentine (消失的情人節)
Wri/Dir: Chen Yu-Hsun
Yang Hsiao-chi (Patty Lee) is a young woman in her late twenties who leads an uneventful life. Originally from a small town, she works at a boring job in a local post office in Taipei, Taiwan. She sees the same people everyday, like the weirdo who buys one stamp to mail a letter, and an irate middle aged man who complains about everything. Her only friend is a faceless late-night radio host she listens to in her tiny rented room. Until… she meets a handsome prince who promises her the world. Not a prince exactly; Liu Wen-sen (former HK fashion model and windsurfer Duncan Chow) is a dance-aerobics instructor in a local park with a day job in the blockchain industry. He's rich, kind, generous and modest — raised an orphan he devotes his life to helping needy kids. And he likes Yang Hsiao-chi, who has never had a boyfriend before. Their big date will be on Valenitine's day, the next day. Is this all too good to be true? Alas, she awakens the next morning to discover her new boyfriend has disappeared, and so has Valentine's day: it's been completely erased. What is going on?
This is where the second point of view enters the picture. We discover there's another man who likes Hsiao-chi. Wu Kui-Tai (Liu Kuan-ting) is a local bus driver who sees her everyday. And he's also the guy who stands in her line to buy a single stamp at the post office. And he knows exactly what happened to her during that missing day.
My Missing Valentine is sort of a romantic comedy, a rom-com, but its plot is so off the wall that it actually qualifies as a romantic fantasy or science fiction pic. Throw in a human lizard who lives in Hsiao-chi's closet and you've got one of the weirdest romances you've probably ever seen. It's very cute without being gushy and very entertaining to watch.
My Missing Valentine and Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes are both playing at the Reel Asain Film Festival, which runs from November 10th-19th; Only The Animals opens this weekend in Toronto; check your local listings.
This is Daniel Garber at the Movies, each Saturday morning, on CIUT 89.5 FM and on my website, culturalmining.com
Tagged with: ドロステのはてで僕ら, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes, Chen Yu-Hsun, Dominik Moll, Mongrel Media, My Missing Valentine, Only The Animals, ReelAsian Film Festival, Seules les bêtes, Yamaguchi Junta, 消失的情人節
Family Crises. Films reviewed: Our Friend, Phobic, Falling
Posted in 1960s, 2000s, Disease, Drama, Family, Friendship, Horror, LGBT, Mental Illness, Mystery, Police, Psychological Thriller by CulturalMining.com on January 29, 2021
https://danielgarber.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/garber-january-29-21-review.mp3
It may be cold, but February is offering some film festivals to enjoy in your own warm homes. TBFF Toronto Black Film Festival is coming mid-month, showing unique and dynamic black voices in Canada. JFF Plus is showing Japanese features shorts and anime, all free beginning in a week. And Hot Docs is running its annual Podcast Festival right now. But this week I'm looking at three new movies that explore family troubles. There's a police detective chasing a serial killer; a journalist taking care of his dying wife; and an airline pilot dealing with his father's dementia.
Dir: Gabriela Cowperthwaite
(Based on an article in Esquire by Matthew Teague)
It's the early 2000s. Matt (Casey Affleck) is a print journalist at the New Orleans Times-Picayune. He's married to Nicole (Dakota Johnson) a stage actress starring in musicals. They have two young kids. Matt's career is taking off, and while he's a foreign correspondent covering wars in Pakistan and the middle east, Nicole has stayed home to care of the kids. But both their lives are disrupted by shocking news: she has cancer. They soon find the two of them can't handle the triple threat of job, kids and cancer, never mind their own relationship. So they call for help from a good friend. Dane (Jason Segal) is an actor and a comic who has known them with for ages. His relationship is shaky and so is his job status. So he agrees to bunk at their home and help ease the burden. He soon becomes a part of the family, a second mom and dad to the kids, and a comfort to Matt and Nicole dealing with the pains of illness and the threat of death.
Our Friend is a dramatization of Matthew Teague's personal memoir of a decade living with his wife's cancer with the help of their friend. It's told in flashbacks explicitly dated by the number of years before or after Nicole Teague's diagnosis. As such, it holds very few surprises. Even when she's healthy we all know that in a year a two she's going to get sick and eventually die. Almost preordained. So there's a melancholy inevitability to the story, as we're walked through anger, denial, and stages of diagnosis, chemo, remission, metastasis, psychosis, palliative care and finally death. This is a sentimental and sad movie told in a clean, palatable way. It's all about family relationships and friendships. Surprisingly though it's not a tearjerker so it didn't give me the deep emotional purge I was expecting. Apparently, the magazine article it was based on was amazingly popular, and the acting is good enough, but this movie didn't move me.
Wri/Dir: Bryce Clark
Riley Sanders (Jacque Gray) is a police detective in Utah. She has blonde hair a svelte body and a stern expression on her face. She's rejoining the force after recovering from a violent incident. Her new partner is Paul (Devin Liljenquist) has a lantern jaw and soap opera looks. Is there a spark between them? They've never met but their fathers worked together in the past; they're both second-generation cops. Their first case? A serial killer with a strange M.O. The victims are all found chained to a chair in a locked room. One is in a place painted red. Another with snakes writhing around his feet. What do they have in common? They were scared to death.
Turns out the victims are all patients of the same psychiatrist, a certain Dr Holden (Tiffani DiGregorio) who uses new techniques to cure "phobics" of their darkest fears. First she diagnoses them using Rorschach inkblot tests, then, through therapy and the use of a strobe light, unlocks her patients' inner strength to conquer their irrational phobias. But she's highly protective of her files and won't let the detectives see them. Meanwhile, Riley has a phobia of her own, a fear of the dark. What is Dr Holden's role in these grisly deaths? What is her connection to Riley? Are Riley and Paul a thing? And can they catch the elusive killer before the killer kills them?
Phobic is ostensibly a psychological thriller about a serial killer that preys on the victims' worst fears. An interesting concept. The problem is, it's not thrilling. It's about as scary as an old episode of CSI. It's too slow, clumsily directed, and badly edited. Even the props seem to be done on the cheap. The story looks promising at first but goes totally off-kilter toward the end. Sorry to say, this movie is a mess.
Wri/Dir: Viggo Mortensen
It's the early 1960s. Willis (Sverrir Gudnason) is young man from Boonville, NY, who lives on a farm with his wife Gwen (Martha Gross). He likes hunting, horses and fishing, but not much else. On the day his son Johnny is born he says he's sorry he brought the little stinker into this world. Fifty years later, John (Viggo Mortensen) is an airline pilot happily married to his husband Eric (Terry Chen) with their inquisitive daughter. He lives in sunny California, not far from his younger sister Sarah (Laura Linney). Willis is old now (Lance Henricksen), and Gwen is long gone, so his adult children are trying to find him a place near them to live out his final years. The problem is he's still the same rude, angry and violent sonofabitch they remember from their childhood. If not worse. He's a smoker and a drinker. He's xenophobioc, paranoid, racist, misogynistic and homophobic. He's rude and lecherous, ogling women and swearing at men. He says all women are whores, and calls his adult son, an airforce vet, a fairy. On top of that, he's losing it — prone to wandering away, forgetting where he is or why he's there. How long can John keep calm and put up with his father? And will Willis ever make peace with the world… and himself?
Falling is a drama about a father and son, set in the past and the present. It jumps back and forth through memories shared by John and Willis, as their stories, and how they ended up how they are, are gradually revealed. This is a great movie, directed and written by actor Viggo Mortensen who plays John, but it's really about Willis. It's a fascinating and realistic character study about this hateable, but totally watchable, man and his cringeworthy but funny behaviour and motives. It's a character study but not a caricature. Gudnason is great as the young Willis, but Henricksen as the old Willis fighting dementia is stupendous. It's beautifully shot among nature at a wintry, snow covered farm, and beneath the hot pacific sun. Falling is harshly funny, cruel, constantly surprising and quite touching. This is an excellent movie.
Our Friend and Phobic are now playing, and Falling opens next Friday.
This is Daniel Garber at the Movies, each Friday morning, on CIUT 89.5 FM and on my website, culturalmining.com
Tagged with: Bryce Clark, Directed by Women, Elevation, Falling, Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Mongrel Media, Our Friend, Phobic, TIFF Bell Lightbox, Viggo Mortensen
Two Ladies and a Gentleman. Films Reviewed: Love Sarah, Promising Young Woman, Lupin
Posted in Crime, Disguise, Family, Food, France, Movies, Mystery, Psychology, Thriller, UK, US, Vengeance by CulturalMining.com on January 15, 2021
Doug Ford's latest rules to fight the pandemic say don't leave home… except when you do But don't worry, there's lots to see without going outside. This week I'm looking at two new movies and a TV series. There's three woman in London opening a bakery, a Parisian thief who's a master of fakery, and a vengeful woman exposing predators by pretending to be drunk when she's actually wide-awakery.
Love Sarah
Dir: Eliza Schroeder
It's present-day London, in Notting Hill (before the pandemic). Sarah is a chef who comes from a family of very talented women. Her daughter Clarissa (Shannon Tarbet) is a professional dancer, and her mum, Mimi (Celia Imrie), is a retired trapeze artist. She plans to open a gourmet bakery/cafe with her best friend Isabella (Shelley Conn). They studied cooking together in Paris. But right after they secure the property, Sarah is killed in a bicycle accident, and her whole family is in disarray. Depressed Clarissa can't dance anymore, and her dancer-boyfriend kicks her out. Mimi was already estranged from Sarah before she died. And Isabella without a real chef, is forced to go back to her office job. The three manage to overcome their differences and open the cafe in Sarah's name. But where will they find a baker? In walks Matthew (Rupert Penry- Jones). He's a two star Michelin chef who studied with Sarah and Isabella in Paris and slept with each of them (he's a notorious womanizer.) Perhaps he's also Clarissa's birth father… And does he still carry a torch for Isabella?
Love Sarah is a charming, low-key drama about the joys and trepidations of running a business in honour of someone who died. It's full of vignettes about cooking and baking in a quaint and colourful neighbourhood. There are also chances of romance for each of the three women. The plot is threadbare but the characters — and the actors who portray them — are quite endearing, in that understated English way. Love Sarah is a cute, but inoffensive, picture.
Wri/Dir: Emerald Fennell
Cassandra (Carey Mulligan) is a promising young woman at med school with her best friend Mimi. They've planned to become doctors since they were kids. But then something terrible happens. Mimi gets drunk at a party and is raped by another student and the university sides with the man. Mimi commits suicide and a despondent Cassandra quits school, moves in with her parents and drops out of life. She works by day at a dead end job, while her nights are spent in a drunken stupor at tawdry pick-up bars, going home with whatever guy asks her. But things aren't what they seem. Whenever her "date" inevitably throws
Carey Mulligan stars as "Cassandra" in director Emerald Fennell's PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features
himself on this seemingly drunken woman, she jumps into action to teach the predator a lesson. This secret heroin will never be a victim. But can she single-handedly avenge all the people to blame for Nina's suicide? And will she ever start living a normal life again?
Promising Young Woman is a vengeance thriller that's full of shocks surprises. Carey Mulligan is fantastic as Clarissa, a multi-leveled character who is both depressing, and funny with a dark, deranged streak running through her. Bo Burnham plays a self-effacing nerd — and potential boyfriend — who challenges her theory that all men are douches; and comic relief is provided by Jennifer Coolidge as her mom, and Laverne Cox as her boss. Promising Young Woman is shocking and deeply disturbing while also reassuringly moralistic. This movie keeps you guessing — and your heart pumping — till the very end.
Assan Diop (Omar Sy) is a young boy who lives with his Senegalese father in a palatial estate in Paris. His dad's a chauffeur for the Pellegrinis, a very rich but ruthless family. He gives Assan a book — classic stories of Arsene Lupin, the eponymous gentleman thief and master of disguises — and tells him to read it carefully and learn from it. Lupin is ingenious and conniving but always a gentleman (they use the English word in this French drama) But when his father is arrested for stealing priceless jewels, Assan is left alone, penniless and orphaned. Luckily an anonymous donor pays for his education at an elite academy. Years later he emerges as a modern day Lupin, reenacting his most audacious thefts and reaping its rewards. He's married now and has a teenaged son. But when the jewels his father was accused of stealing reappear at an auction, he is determined to get the necklace, prove his father's innocence and get revenge on Pellegrini, whom he believes set his dad up. But to do this he must outsmart the police, evade Pellegrini's hired killers, even while he continues to carry out his intricately planned heists.
Lupin is a delightful new TV series full of capers and adventures, a new take on a classic character. It follows multiple sub-plots: his relationship with his wife and son; his various capers; his war against Pellegrini, and the cat & mouse game he plays with the police. Omar Sy is wonderful in the main role, so much so that there's little screen time given to the supporting actors — the buffoonish cops and naive millionaires are mainly there as foils for his exploits. Yes, it's an unbelievable fantasy, and yes, it's purely light entertainment, but I like it a lot. And after one week with only 5 episodes, it is already trending at #1.
Lupin is now streaming on Netflix. And Love Sarah and Promising Young Woman both open today digitally and on VOD.
Tagged with: Eliza Schroeder, Emerald Fennell, Focus Features, Love Sarah, Lupin, Netflix, Promising Young Woman, Vortex Media
Not about the US election. Films reviewed: The Crossing, The Kid Detective, Major Arcana
Posted in 1940s, Addiction, Canada, Coming of Age, Crime, Drama, Homelessness, Kids, Mystery, Norway, Romance, Rural, Thriller, WWII by CulturalMining.com on November 6, 2020
https://danielgarber.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/garber-november-6-20-review1.mp3
I'm recording this on Thursday before the US election has been settled. So with all the tension and stress, it's a perfect time to watch some entertainment entirely unrelated to politics. This week I'm looking at three new movies about growing up. There are Norwegian children facing adult responsibilities; a grown-up kid detective fighting real crime; and a man trying to grow up and act his age.
The Crossing (Flukten over grensen)
Dir: Johanne Helgeland
It's Christmastime in 1942. Norway is occupied by Nazi Germany with the blessings of the Quisling government. Food is rationed and times are tough but life goes on. Gerda (Anna Sofie Skarholt) is a little girl with rosy cheeks and blond hair. She's obsessed with the Three Musketeers and wears a floppy hat, a cloak (made from an old apron) and brandishes a pie cutter: en garde, rogue! But one day she spies her older brother Otto (Bo Lindquist-Ellingsen) through a window –he's at a Nazi meeting! Their parents are firmly opposed to the occupation… why is Otto there? Meanwhile, strange things are happening at home –the cocoa is disappearing… and their arents keep talking about sacks of potatoes. Things come to a head when the police bang on the door in the middle of the night. As they're taken away their parents shout the Christmas presents are in the basement! Take them to your aunt Vigdis! What do they mean? Turns out there are two kids their age hidden behind a wall. Daniel (Samson Steine) and Sarah (Bianca Ghilardi-Hellsten) a brother and sister just like Otto and Gerda except they're Jewish. With their parents in jail, now it's up to Gerda and Otto to take them across the border to neutral Sweden. Can they take Daniel and Sarah to safety? Or will they be caught?
The Crossing is an adventure story about friendship and family in a wartime setting. It's a kids-against-grown-ups situation – most of the good adults have been arrested, while the bad ones – Nazi and local collaborators – seem to be everywhere. They are real life villains, almost witches and monsters in the children's eyes. There are good people too, but it's hard to know who to trust. Gerda is excited by their journey, Otto is reluctant to join them, while for proud Daniel and innocent Sarah it's a matter of life and death. Though made for children, the movie is full of action, close calls and near escapes. It's also a tear jerker, with some every emotional scenes. Though fictional and clean-scrubbed, it's an exciting look back at adventures in occupied Norway.
The Kid Detective
Wri/Dir: Evan Morgan
When Abe Applebaum was little (Adam Brodie) he was the smartest kid in town. He solved mysteries at school, figuring out who broke into a locker or cheated on a test. He worked out of his treehouse. His fame grew – the pop shop owner promised him free icecream for life, and the town chipped in to get him a real detective's office. But people grow up and things change. A 10 year old caught snooping for clues in a little girl's closet is adorable; for a man in his thirties it's not cute at all. His reputation tanked when he failed to solve the mystery of a missing girl. Now, Abe is an alcoholic detective, eating alone in neon-lit diners, and addicted to anti-depressants. But things take a turn when he is approached by an innocent student named Caroline (Sophie Nélisse). They soon uncover clues – a photo of a naked woman in a tiger mask and some origami roses – that harken back to the disappearance 20 years earlier. Is he just a wash out? Or will the former kid detective solve this new, terrible mystery and regain his self worth?
The Kid Detective is a totally watchable and cute comedy drama. It starts as a high concept movie – what happens to heroes from kids' books (like Encyclopedia Brown) – when they grow up? It's full of kid-ified versions of cinema noir clichés, seen through a mist of bittersweet adult nostalgia and small town life. It starts out a bit slow and silly, but picks up quite nicely. I saw this at TIFF immediately after a shockingly violent horror movie, and it left me with just the right combination of watchable entertainment and warm feelings (with an unexpected and shocking twist). I thought I'd hate it, but I actually liked this movie.
Wri/Dir: Josh Melrod
Dink (Ujon Tokarski), who is far from dinky, is a tall and rangy alcoholic drifter travelling across America looking for work as a carpenter. He's a fit man in his thirties, with long hair, a scraggly blond beard; sort of a homeless Jesus. Four years ago, he left his depressed town in rural Vermont under a dark cloud, vowing never to come back. But like the prodigal son, here he is again. His father died leaving him a broken-down shack, some cash and 50 acres of forest. And he's off drugs and alcohol now, living clean and sober. So he decides to turn his life around.
He pitches a tent and thinks about his future. In the morning he begins, spontaneously, to build a wooden home from scratch with his bare hands. He fells trees with an axe and chainsaw, cuts beams and clears a field dragging lumber across the forest floor. He survives on aerosol cheese and uncooked hotdogs. But his past still haunts him: his shrewish, gambling mom (Lane Bradbury) and his former lover, Sierra (Tara Summers). She's voluptuous but tough, slapping his face for past transgressions on one night, but showing up at his tent on another. And Dink is still helplessly in love with her. Will he complete his task? Will Sierra leave her boyfriend? And can he show his face in a town that hates him?
Major Arcana — the title refers to a tarot card reading that Sierra does for Dink – is about major changes, life lessons and destiny. It's a bumpy love story, and a drama about a man trying to redeem himself. While there are some revelations and conflicts this is mainly a meditative look at a man building a cabin in the woods. It sounds kinda dull, but it's actually a really soothing, healing and life-affirming film. There are hints at spirituality, but it's not sanctimonious or heavy handed. There's enough nudity, sex, pain and misery — this is no Sunday school – to keep you watching. The measured pace and natural beauty makes this movie an incredibly relaxing and pleasant experience.
Not my normal choice of film, but I quite liked it.
The Crossing is one of many movies that played digitally at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, Fall edition; The Kid Detective opens theatrically today across Canada; and Major Arcana is available for viewing on VOD.
This is Daniel Garber at the Movies each Friday morning on CIUT 89.5 FM and on my website culturalmining.com.
Tagged with: Evan Morgan, Flukten over grensen, Johanne Helgeland, Josh Melrod, Major Arcana, The Crossing, The Kid Detective
Creepy small towns. Films/TV shows reviewed: Hammer, Curon, Ragnarok
Posted in Canada, Crime, Family, Italy, Mystery, Norway, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller, TV by CulturalMining.com on June 26, 2020
https://danielgarber.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/garber-review-june-26_mixdown.mp3
In light of the pandemic, many people are thinking of cities cities as crowded, dirty and dangerous places, compared to smaller towns. But are small towns any better? This week, I'm looking at three new productions – one film and two limited series – that look at the darker side of family life in small towns. There are nogoodniks in Newfoundland, taboos in Tyrolia, and felonious fat cats among the fjords.
Wri/Dir: Christian Sparkes
It's a paper-mill town somewhere in Canada (possibly Newfoundland).
Chris (Mark O'Brien) is a young man, down on his luck. He deals in drugs and stolen jewels, both valuable commodities, but somehow is deep in debt. Luckily, there's a big operation – involving satchels of cash to be exchanged deep in the woods – about to go down with a sketchy guy named Adams (Ben Cotton). It should leave him rich. But something goes wrong. Now someone is dead, their body lost in a corn field, and Chris is on the run with Adams on his trail.
So in a chance encounter, he turns to his estranged family — his younger brother Jeremy, his disapproving mom and his angry dad Stephen (Will Patton) – for help. He hasn't talked to them for years, but they're his only hope. Can his father help him secure the cash, rescue a hostage, and protect him from Adams? Or will everything fall apart?
Hammer is a short, fast moving drama about a criminal act pulling a small-town family apart. It's a well-written and well-acted movie. It's a very of-the-moment, what you see is what you get style movie. No excess dialogue, no wasted scenes, no deep back story, just high-tension thrills. There's violence but not gratuitous violence, gun battles, chase scenes and a few surprising twists. A noir-ish style but in a natural setting. And an ominous symbol – the ourusborus, a snake swallowing its own tail – gives this crime drama a darker, more sinister feel.
Created by Ezio Abbate, Ivano Fachin, Giovanni Galassi, Tommaso Matano
A picturesque town in Italy. Mauro and Daria are 17-year-old twins from Milan. Mauro (Federico Russo) is shy and introverted with a hearing impairment. He's a natural target of bullies. His sister Daria (Margherita Morchio) is tough and self-confident. She's sexually adventurous, can out-drink anyone she meets, and will likely win in a fistfight. She always looks out for her brother. The two are used to life in the big city, but their divorced mom moves them back to her hometown of Curon. It's in German-speaking Tyrolia right by Austria and Switzerland. Very different from Milan, where the twins grew up. Curon's main landmark is a man-made lake with a church bell tower in the middle; the only thing left of the old town they flooded to built a hydro dam. And they say if you ever hear the church bells ring, it means you're going to die.
Soon after they arrive their mom disappears, so they move into their grandfather (Luca Lionello)'s spooky old hotel (like in The Shining). And they meet some of the popular locals at their highschool. Micki (Juju Di Domenico) and her bullyish boxer brother Giulio (Giulio Brizzi) are the two kids of a highschool teacher… They both hate Curon and want to head south to Milan. Will they be friends or enemies? And then there's Micki's wimpy friend Lukas (Luca Castellano) who goes through a strange transformation. Lukas has a crush on Micki, while Micki and Giulio have crushes on someone else. They also find out Micki and Giulio's dad and Mauro and Daria's mom share an old history. Will they ever find their mom, discover Curon's secrets, and escape this creepy old town? Or will it ensare them in its mysterious and sinister ways?
Curon is a good, spooky TV drama, with sex, drugs and hints of horror every once in a while. It's also full of dopplegangers, disappearing bodies, and strange sounds in the dark. Netflix seems to have created its own sub-genre – big city highschool kids returning to a picturesque town full of dark secrets. No spoilers here, but it's worth watching. It's scary but not terrifying, never boring, and with a good, attractive cast.
Created by Adam Price
Here's another TV series about a mom and her two kids moving back to her hometown. This time it's a picturesque, fjord-filled village in Norway called Edda. Magne (David Stakston) and his brother Laurits (Jonas Strand Gravli) arrive by car. Magne has blond hair and glasses. He takes meds each day, has terrible vision and is dyslexic, and is fond of tossing hammers. Laurits has black hair and a pointy nose; he likes playing tricks on his brother. They quickly make friends at school. Magne meets Isolde, a young woman whose dad is their school teacher. She's an enviroronmental activist who knows all the Edda's secrets. Toxic wastes dumped into the pristine fjords are ruining the town's ecology.
Laurits gravitates toward the son and daughter of an elitist family, the Jutals, headed by Vidar (Gísli Örn Garðarsson). They own the toxic chemical plant and have control over the police the school, nearly everything. Only the activists – and the town drunk – dare to defy them. And the girl Magne has the hots for is already dating Fjor Jutul, from the same rich family. It looks as if the town, and possibly the world, is heading toward ecological Armageddon, or Ragnarok as they say in Norse mythology. Can Magne learn in time who this family really is… and his own importance in confronting them?
Ragnarok is a TV series partly about ordinary people standing up to elitist authority figures to protect the environment. But that's not all. There's a Harry Potter-type backstory as well, where ordinary people learn about extraordinary things. I really liked this show – beautiful scenery, great acting, suspence, tons of fascinating and endearing characters, with lots of twists and surprises. Sort of a myth or fairy tale set in modern- day Norway. And it's the work of Adam Price who also wrote Borgen, that popular Danish political drama that was on broadcast TV here a few years back.
Ragnarok is one of the best TV series I've seen so far this year.
Season One of Curon and Ragnarok are both streaming now on Netflix; Hammer opens today on Apple TV, Google Play and VOD.
Tagged with: Adam Price, CFC, Christian Sparkes, Curon, Ezio Abbate, Giovanni Galassi, Hammer, Ivano Fachin, Netflix, Ragnarok, Tommaso Matano
Daniel Garber talks with filmmaker Albert Shin about Disappearance at Clifton HiIll
Posted in Animals, Canada, Crime, Mental Illness, Movies, Mystery, Noir, Thriller, Women by CulturalMining.com on February 21, 2020
https://danielgarber.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/garber-february-21-20-interview.mp3
Abby is a young woman returning to her hometown of Niagara Falls. She's figuring out what to do with the rundown motel she inherited with her sister. Should she make a go of it? Or sell it to a rich local patriarch. But as she goes through old photos and films, she starts to remember hidden memories from the distant past. And with the help of eccentric locals she finds herself digging deeper and deeper, the more dirt she uncovers. Dirt that involves some of the most powerful figures in the city. Most troubling of all is an image from her childhood, still stuck in her brain. A boy with one bleeding eye who disappeared right in front of her. Was he kidnapped? Was he killed? Or was it just a false memory. What really happened happened in Clifton Hill?
Disapearance at Clifton Hill is also the name of a new movie opening February 28th across Canada. It's been nominated for multiple Canadian Screen Awards, and is a fantastic film. It's co-written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Albert Shin. I last interviewed Albert six years ago alongside his collaborator and colleague Igor Drljaca about In Her Place.
I spoke to Albert by telephone at CIUT 89.5 FM.
Disappearance at Clifton HIll opens across Canada on February 28th.
Tagged with: Albert Shin, David Cronenberg, Disapearance at Clifton Hill, Elevation, Niagara Falls, TIFF19
Daniel Garber talks with producer Robert Lantos about The Song of Names
Posted in 1940s, 1970s, Holocaust, Hungary, Judaism, Mental Illness, Morality, Movies, Music, Mystery, Poland, Religion, UK, US by CulturalMining.com on December 13, 2019
https://danielgarber.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/garber-december-13-19-interview.mp3
Photo of Robert Lantos by Jeff Harris.
Martin is an aspiring youg musician, the only son of a concert impresario in prewar London. Then Dovidl, a Jewish-Polish boy his age – who is also a violin prodigy – is left in the care of his family. As war rages across Europe, the two boys grow up together, first as rivals, best friends and almost like brothers. Then, on the evening of his solo debut in a sold out concert, Dovidl just disappears. Where has he gone, Is he living or dead, will Martin ever see him again, and what is this "Song of Names" that may be the reason behind his disappearance?
The Song of Names is the title of a new film that looks at identity, family, friendship, memory, and mourning. It's directed by Francois Girard, stars Tim Roth and Clive Owen, and its producer is Robert Lantos.
Robert Lantos is one of Canada's most famous producers – he founded and ran Alliance Communications and later Serendipity Point Films. His production credits are a veritable history of Canadian cinema: Atom Egoyan's Exotica and The Sweet Hereafter; David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises; Jeremy Podeswa's Fugitive Pieces, Istvan Szabo's Sunshine; an adaptation of Mordechai Richler's Barney's Version, among many many others.
I spoke with Robert Lantos in studio at CIUT 89.5 FM.
The Song of Names opens in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver on Christmas Day.
Tagged with: Francois Girard, Photos by Jeff Harris, Robert Lantos, Serendipity Point Films, The Song of Names
Top to Bottom. Films reviewed: The Kindness of Strangers, The Two Popes, Knives Out
Posted in Argentina, Catholicism, comedy, Crime, Family, Homelessness, Movies, Mystery, New York City, Poverty by CulturalMining.com on November 29, 2019
With the awards season coming up, Hollywood is starting to release the big ones with famous stars and directors. This week I'm looking at three such movies. There's a drama about the downtrodden, a biopic about religious leaders at the top, and a comedy mystery about a large group of suspects caught in the middle… of a possible murdet.
Wri/Dir: Lone Scherfig (An Education, The Riot Club, One Day)
Manhattan is a lonely place, especially for people down on their luck. Alice (Andrea Riseborough) is an empathetic ER nurse who volunteers at a soup kitchen and moderates a forgiveness group. But her long hours are taking a toll on her psyche. Clara (Zoe Kazan: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, The Big Sick) is a wide-eyed young mom from Buffalo on vacation with her two boys _ well thats what she tells them. In fact she's penniless, fleeing her husband, a cop Richard (Esben Smed: Lykke Per) who beats up their kids. She keeps them fed by shoplifting, dumpster diving and stealing hors d'oeuvres from parties. Marc (Tahar Rahim: A Prophet, The Past) is an ex-con, recently freed from prison by a lawyer, who lands a job managing a Russian restaurant. And Jeff (Caleb Landry Jones: Byzantium, Contraband, The Last Exorcism) is an earnest simpleton who can't hold onto a job. If he doesn't pay his rent soon, he'll be out on the street.
Luckily, some strangers are kind. But will Alice find happiness, Clara find refuge, Marc find friends, and Jeff find a job? Or are they just more victims in the Naked City?
The Kindness of Strangers follows seemingly unrelated stories as they gradually come together in unexpected ways. Danish director Lone Scherfig's movies are always good, even the bad ones. And this is a good one. It's basically a Christmas movie but without any santas or angels. Lots of snow, but no presents. Church basements but no preaching. Some criticism: Only 7% of homeless in NY City are white, but in this movie it's 100%. Although it veers into corn territory once or twice, this tear jerker is miles beyond any Hallmark movie, and seems genuinely sympathetic to the downtrodden. It deals with real problems, and leaves you feeling warm inside.
Dir: Fernando Meirelles
Jorge Bergoglio (Jonathon Pryce) is a popular priest in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He loves soccer, pizza and dancing the tango. He preaches humility and compassion to the poor, and though he's a Cardinal, dresses in plain clothes. He is flying to the Vatican to request early retirement. Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) is a conservative German, whothis the Vatican was moving in the wrong direction and has to be fixed. He loves the pageantry and finery of the Vatican, from the fancy clothes to the elegant trappings. He likes eating alone, a bowl of plain broth with Knödel. And he invites Bergoglio to join him at his country retreat. There conversation goes nowhere, with one asking to retire, and the other refusing. They disagree on practically everything. Why are they meeting and will they ever find common ground?
The Two Popes is a dramatization of a meeting between – not a spoiler! – two Popes: Benedict who stepped down amid scandal, and Francis, the first pope from the Americas, who took his place. It's a highly visual film, shot in a semi-documentary style. It gives us a "Pope's-eye view" of the inside of the Vatican, with all its sumptuous finery and grandeur. I once saw Pope John Paul II appear at the window; in this movie you're inside the window looking down at the crowd, which is very cool. And the larger-than-life characters – as imagined by Welsh actors Hopkins and Pryce in effective performances – are humanized and normalized. They're just like you and me.
But I think you have to deeply care about the doctrine, policies, politics and rituals of the Catholic Church to truly appreciate this movie.
Count me out.
Wri/Dir: Rian Johnson
Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is a hugely successful mystery novelist. He lives in a gothic mansion with his nurse Marta (Ana de Armas). All of his descendents are in town to celebrate his landmark birthday. There's hard-boiled Linda, a real-estate agent with her hanger-on hubby and playboy son (Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Chris Evans). Flaky, new-age entrepreneur Joni (Toni Collette) with her college-age daughter (Katherine Langford) and alt-right son (Jaeden Martell). Goateed Walt's family (Michael Shannon) handles the publishing side of his dad's burgeoning book empire. And Greatnana (K Callan) who observes all but says nothing. There are the usual family squabbles, But by morning, everything has changed. Thrombey is found dead in his bedroom in a pool of blood, an apparent suicide… but is it? And if it's murder, whodunnit?
Investing the crime are two hapless cops (LaKeith Stanfield and Noah Segan) and a private detective named Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). Blanc has an eagle eye and a deep southern drawl. Everyone is a suspect and has something to hide. Everyone but Marta, who is allergic to lying. She actually throws up if she says anything untrue.
Knives Out is an extremely entertaining mystery comedy, in the style of Agatha Christie and Murder She Wrote. Almost every line is clever, overflowing with biting cultural references: Benoit Blanc is referred to as CSI from KFC, and there are pastiches of everyone from Gwynneth Paltrow to Ben Shapiro. I've seen this one twice already and I could easily watch it again next year.
Knives Out is now playing in Toronto, and The Two Popes opens today at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. The Kindness of Strangers opens next Friday; check your local listings.
Tagged with: Fernando Meirelles, Knives Out, Lone Scherfig, Rian Johnson, The Kindness of Strangers, The Two Popes, TIFF Bell Lightbox, TIFF19
Exploding. Films reviewed: Atlantics, The Mystery of Henri Pick, Waves
Posted in Africa, African-Americans, Books, Death, Drama, France, High School, Movies, Mystery, Poverty, Romance by CulturalMining.com on November 22, 2019
Toronto Fall film festivals this weekend include Blood in the Snow, featuring Canadian horror and genre films, with the festival's first short film from Newfoundland called New Woman. And CineFranco features French-language films from Ontario and around the world.
This week I'm looking at three new movies about metaphoric explosions. There's a literary explosion in France, spontaneous combustion of a marital bed in Senegal, and a highschool wr3stle4 in Florida who feels ready to explode.
Atlantics
Wri/Dir Mati Diop
It's Dakar, Senegal.
Ada (Mame Bineta Sane) is a pretty young woman set to marry a guy named Omar. He drives a swank car, lives in an expensive apartment and comes from a rich family. So why isn't she happy? Because she's in love with Suleiman (Traore) a handsome construction worker, building a monstrous tower in the city. She made out with him in the sand just yesterday – they're a committed couple. Ada wants to hang with her friends Fanta and Dior at a beachside bar, not cooped up in a kitchen as a good pious wife.
But what she doesn't realize is Suleiman has disappeared. None of the construction workers ever got paid, so they all hopped aboard a sailboat for a chance at better work in Europe. This means the kiss on the beach may have been their last one. So she goes ahead with the wedding, until… weird things start to happen. Their marital bed burst into flames. Strange-looking people appear inside high-security condos demanding retribution. And a diligent police inspector thinks Ada and Suleiman are behind it all. Will Ada marry her true love or the arranged marriage? And what is the cause of these supernatural events in downtown Dakar?
Atlantics is a fascinating study of life in urban west Africa seen through the eyes of a young woman. It combines contemporary problems – wealth distribution, the spread of viruses, and migrant workers – with a dose of magic realism. It's shot around the Atlantic beaches of Dakar giving it all a glowing and haunting feel, an entirely new image unseen in west African films.
Atlantics is Senegal's choice for best foreign film Oscar.
The Mystery of Henri Pick
Wri/Dir: Rémi Bezançon
Daphné and Fred are a young couple in Brittany with a literary bent. Daphné works for a major publisher and Fred is promoting his first novel. They have high hopes. So when Jean Michel Rouche (Fabrice Luchini) – the hugely popular TV literary critic – skips the promised review of his book (sorry, we're out of time) they are both deeply disappointed. To pull herself out of the dumps, she visits a unique bookstore only for the "refusée". That is, manuscripts that have been rejected by publishers.
And after looking at shelf after shelf of terrible writing she finds a masterpiece, a passionate love story about the dying days of Russian poet Alexander Pushkin! It's erotic and sublime, a literary gem. She rushes it to her publisher, an instant bestseller. What's especially intriguing is it was written by a certain Henri Pick, a pizza maker who died two years earlier. To promote the book, Daphné brings Henri's widow and his adult daughter Joséphine (Camille Cottin) to Paris for an interview with the book critic, live on TV.
But things go awry when Rouche says he doesn't believe a pizza maker – who owns no books and has never written a word in his life – could have penned such a masterpiece. In the mayhem that ensues he's fired from the TV show and his wife leaves him. But he won't let it drop. Soon he's travelling across the country to find out who really wrote the novel. Was it Henri Pick? And will Jean Michel's obsession lead to his ruin?
They Mystery of Henri Pick is a light comedy with a literary twist. It's cute, somewhat funny, and well acted, with lots of cameos by greats like Hanna Schygulla. And it gives you a peek into the complex and arcane world of the French literary obsession.
Entertaining movie.
Wri/Dir: Trey Edward Shults
Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr) is a Florida high school senior headed for glory. He's a champion wrestler, a top student and in love with his girlfriend Alexis. He lives in a beautiful upper middle class home with his father (Sterling K Brown) his mom (Renée Elise Goldsberry) and his sister Emily (Taylor Russell). Hhis doctor tells him to take it easy – he's straining his body to the point of permanent injury, and the pain is getting worse. But his dad is pressuring him to win! win! win! for ultimate success. And the opiates he's popping to stop the pain are messing up his mind. Until…he can't take it anymore and it all explodes in a terrible event.
But wait… the movie is only half over!
Waves is basically two short films played back to back. The second film takes place later on, this one focussing on Tyler's sister Emily. Emily is still at a school where her brother's name is a pariah. She's pursued by the sympathetic Luke (Lucas Hedges), one of Tyler's wrestling teammates. What does he want from her?
Meanwhile her father finally opens up to his neglected daughter: was everything his fault for pushing his son too hard?
Waves is an unusual family drama, told in two related stories. Does its two-part structure work? Ultimately yes, though at first it left me feeling confused and puzzled. Beautifully shot with nice music, Waves also has a uniformly good cast, but Kelvin Harrison Jr in particular is terrific. Following his great performances in It Comes at Night and Luce, Harrison is once again playing a teenaged boy with a dark side, each time creating an entirely different (and almost unrecognizable) new character.
Shults with Harrison is a force to be reckoned with.
Waves opens today in Toronto; check your local lostings; Atlantics starts at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, and The Mystery of Henri Pick is playing at the Hotdocs Cinema as part of Cinefranco.
Tagged with: Atlantics, Mati Diop, Rémi Bezançon, The Mystery of Henri Pick, TIFF Bell Lightbox, TIFF19, Trey Edward Shults, Waves


Mercedes-Benz has just begun the production of the new C-Class at its lead plant, Bremen, Germany.
The assembly of the new C-Class uses state-of-the-art digital production technologies and forward-looking Industry 4.0 solutions. These makes it possible to optimize the material flow, further increase efficiency and flexibility and further improve ergonomics for employees.
For example, preloaded shopping carts are delivered to the production line by driverless transportation systems and paper documentation is replaced by mobile devices such as tablets, Mini-PCs and Smart PDAs in accordance with the "paperless factory" concept.
Closer to home, while nothing has been firmed up, consumers in Malaysia can look forward to the launch of the new C-Class at the end of this year. The popular C200 is reported to feature the new 1.5-litre engine with mild hybrid and digital instrument panel. New head lamps, tail lamps and steering wheel are the biggest indicators for the new C-class.
Learn more in details about the new Mercedes-Benz C-class and the new 1.5-litre engine here.
There is still a chance to purchase the current locally-assembled C200 with the 2.0-litre engine from RM2,405 per month through the innovative Agility flexible financing, as dealers continue to record orders, but delivery is far from assured as the queue is rather long thanks to the surge in demand in line with the reduced pricing from zero-rated GST.
Since 2014, the C-Class has been produced at four locations on four continents at the same level of Mercedes quality: Bremen, Germany; East London, South Africa; Beijing, China; and Tuscaloosa, USA. Production was launched at all four plants within just six months. The Bremen plant is responsible for managing global production of the C-Class.


text:
Portage-du-Fort Mayor Lynne Cameron recognized for 20 years of service
22 December 2022 à 1:20 pm
At the MRC Pontiac council of mayors meeting on Wednesday evening (December 21), Warden Jane Toller presented Portage-du-Fort Mayor Lynne Cameron with a plaque of recognition from the Fédération québécoise des municipalités (FQM) recognizing her 20 plus years of service as a municipal elected official. Cameron received the award from Toller alongside her husband and son.
Cameron is currently in her fourth term as mayor of the small municipality, and prior to that served nine years as a councillor. She said that her inspiration was Gerald Manwell, who convinced her to enter municipal politics and has served 45 years himself. She said that there was plenty going on in the region when she first took the helm, from issues over regional garbage dumps to replacing the town's water filtration equipment.
She encouraged anyone that was interested to join municipal politics because there's some great learning opportunities and there's a lot more happening at local councils than meets the eye.
Caleb Nickerson


Pack your imagination and let Park's library guide you on a global reading adventure! Throughout the fall, the library is highlighting elements of our diverse collection that celebrate the joys of world discovery: maps and atlases, international books, books in translation, immigrant and refugee narratives, and children's stories from around the world. The librarians are brushing up our geography skills, and we're eager to help all Park families in their learning travels. If your family has a favorite children's book that provides a window into another part of world, we welcome your recommendations.
Additionally, each librarian has picked two favorite, very recent publications that inspire us through their art and story to see the world from other points of view. All of these titles are available for check out in our library.
In this graphic short story collection, a young Chinese girl and her grandfather navigate the challenges and joys in their small neighborhood in Beijing. Imagination and compassion characterize each tale, and curious readers will be rewarded with a gentle visual and textual introduction to Chinese culture and history.
Atlas Obscura is a definitive source for the world's most wondrous places, and this tantalizing treat of a guidebook is written just for children. Set up as a triptick travel planner for the adventurer and curiosity seeker, the book zigzags all over the world highlighting the marvels and the oddities that our extraordinary planet has to offer.
Where does one begin to talk to children about the crisis in Syria? Brown's exceptional non-fiction work would be a place to start. Brown uses the graphic form to both show and tell the human side of this global crisis. Facts are not shied away from but are presented with sensitivity for a young audience of Grades 5 and up.
St. Thomas is the island setting for this coming of age tale with a touch of magical realism. Born during a hurricane, Caroline has always been unlucky, but her circumstances shift when she meets a new student, Kalinda. Lush descriptions of the Caribbean environment add a vivid component to this character driven middle grade novel.
This graphic biography is a poetic snapshot of the life of photographer Graciela Iturbide, who was born in Mexico City and would travel throughout Mexico taking iconic pictures of the land and the people. Iturbide's photographic journey continued to the United States, India, and beyond. The memoir also contains reproductions of the photographer's work.


text:
Mr BUCHHOLZ (Wright) (4.38 pm)—I rise to inform the parliament and all Australians of the situation as it is unfolding in the Lockyer Valley, which is in my seat of Wright, after the horrible devastation that was endured in the electorate as a result of the recent floods in January. My community is slowly rebuilding…
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS – Australian Arts Community
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS – Australian Arts Community Mr BUCHHOLZ (Wright) (6.43 pm)—It is my pleasure to take this opportunity to speak on a subject that I am extremely passionate about—that is, the promotion of the arts. It takes me back to my childhood days, in particular some of the first television shows that I recall on…
On behalf of the people of Wright I offer my condolence
Mr BUCHHOLZ (Wright) (4.25 pm)—On behalf of the people of Wright I offer my condolence. I will tell you a quick story about Darren and Sue Steinhart, just to give you a bit of an idea how quickly the water came up. Sue went down into the laundry to check the washing. There was about…
Girl and Woman of the Year Dance
Wright Electorate: Girl and Woman of the Year Dance Mr BUCHHOLZ (Wright) (1.51 pm)—I rise to inform the House that the spirit of regional Queensland is alive and well. And there is no better place to witness an event of country hospitality than the Girl and Woman of the Year dance at Tamrookum Memorial Hall,…
Mr BUCHHOLZ (Wright) (9.52 pm)— We have heard many calls for greater regulation of banks, but I am not convinced that it is quite so simple. We should be careful in proposing increased regulation of the banking sector because we cannot be certain what the outcomes might be. The Greens claim that greater regulation will…
Mr BUCHHOLZ (2.29 pm)—My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to her statement during the election campaign that she opposed increases in the age pension in Cabinet because, and I quote: 'We are talking about expenditure of more than $50 billion over the next 10 years. That's a lot of…
Mr BUCHHOLZ (Wright) (7.20 pm)—I rise to acknowledge the random acts of kindness that happen continually in my electorate of Wright and, as I noted in my maiden speech, the numerous generous acts that happen on a daily basis throughout my electorate by the silent majority who go quietly about their business. However, it would…
MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS – Afghanistan
Debate resumed, on motion by Mr Stephen Smith: That the House take note of the document. Mr BUCHHOLZ (Wright) (4.30 pm)—I stand to lend my support today to our engagement in the Afghanistan conflict. I make the point that war is a terrible thing, and that any loss of life due to the hand of…
Wright Electorate: Food Security Mr BUCHHOLZ (Wright) (4.24 pm)—According to the 2010 Intergenerational Report, Australia will have a population of 35 million by 2050, with over six million of these people living in South-East Queensland. In my electorate of Wright there are at least two new cities on the planning agenda, one at Yarrabilba and…
Coal Seam Gas
Wright Electorate: Coal Seam Gas Mr BUCHHOLZ (Wright) (9.50 pm)—I rise in the House to draw the attention of my colleagues to some matters which affect my electorate. I note that I have received advice from the Queensland Farmers' Federation and wish to acknowledge their contribution in this speech. The minister has recently announced approvals…


text:
Rodessa dance bands
Looking for a band that will get your guests up and on their feet? GigMasters has a wide selection of Dance Bands that you can book for live performances at weddings, birthdays, clubs, and more. Bust a move and see who's available for shows in the Rodessa, LA area.
Louisiana /
Rodessa, LA Dance Bands
Please note these Dance Bands will also travel to Mc Leod, Ida, Vivian, Bivins, Hosston, Doddridge, Bloomburg, Jefferson, Atlanta, Smithland, Gilliam, Oil City, Queen City, Belcher, Plain Dealing, Kildare, Linden, Mooringsport, Fouke, Bradley, Lodi, Douglassville, Karnack, Benton, Dixie, Garland City, Blanchard, Genoa, Woodlawn, Redwater
Top Dance Bands Near Rodessa, LA
Are you planning a wedding in Rodessa, LA? We can help you find the best vendors and entertainers for your upcoming wedding.
Variety Band from Benton, LA (26 miles from Rodessa, LA)
The Mix provides exciting and fun live music for all ages and all occasions! Our band specializes in creating a good-time atmosphere at any event with hit songs and plenty of energy! We cover popular tunes from all eras, with an emphasis on dance music! Please check out some of our demo material...you will find us to be a talented, professional, friendly band that loves to perform! And the variety of music we do covers everything from Elvis to Outcast....pop hits, motown, dance, R&B, rock and... (more)
SiDE fX
Variety Band from Shreveport, LA (35 miles from Rodessa, LA)
Do you want your event to be memorable and leave people talking? Then check out Side Fx NOW! Side Fx brings high energy and professionalism to every performance. They take pride in entertaining and performing a wide variety of music from George Strait and Otis Redding to Journey and Bruno Mars, they do it all. Side Fx plays something for everyone to enjoy. No matter what the occasion, Side Fx will bring the party and fun to all your guests. The band has performed at weddings, casinos,... (more)
SmackWaterBand
Variety Band from Monroe, LA (114 miles from Rodessa, LA)
The "wedding specialists"! Smackwater is a 5 piece band based in the Monroe, LA area. The members extensive song list and combined 200+ years of experience in playing live music will bring the best in music to any setting, weddings, night clubs, balls, casinos,conventions and festivals. Any place where fun and music are present! The band moves quickly and easily from song to song leaving no "down time" between songs and giving the venue more music for their money! The bands playlist consists... (more)
Johnny Earthquake and The Moondogs
Variety Band from Natchitoches, LA (96 miles from Rodessa, LA)
Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs is one of those legendary bands. We can say that because, any band that lasts over 20 years and still rocks crowds has earned the privilege. The band's leader, Johnny Earthquake, also known as Rodney Harrington, has been the frontman for the band for it's entire run. In the band's career, they have worked with greats such as Rick Derringer, Mitch Ryder, Joe Stampley, Percy Sledge, Sam the Sham, James Burton, and New Orleans greats- Trombone Shorty and Papa... (more)
CG Thomason with THE CG JAZZ TRIO
Jazz Band from Pineville, LA (146 miles from Rodessa, LA)
THE CG JAZZ TRIO, NEW TO GIGMASTERS, IS A PERFECT FIT FOR YOUR EVENT! Featuring the very best in Musical Performance, with or without Vocals- From Pop Standards to Jazz/Blues to Swing, to Latin Rhythms of Bossa, Samba, to Country. "CG and his merry band are probably the most talented group of musicians in Louisiana."Brad Y. - "CG JAZZ TRIO, they are a first class act!" Jay S. "I was blow away by the pure musicianship..." John C. "You were amazing performers..." Wendy S. We are THE CG... (more)
Dave Washburn Jazz Band
Dixieland Band from Terrell, TX (135 miles from Rodessa, LA)
We present traditional/dixieland jazz, smooth jazz selections and standards from American songbook along with some swing tunes from the Big Band Era. Also, we play Sinatra "croon" tunes, some older counry, some "fifties" like Elvis and Chuck Berry and more.We play Mardi Gras parties and wedding receptions where we marched the newlyweds to the reception site. We perform for corporate or private parties, weddings, festivals, funerals and for smaller events as well. We also perform weekly in the... (more)
Groove Factor
Dance Band from Baton Rouge, LA (248 miles from Rodessa, LA)
Groove Factor is a high energy party band that perform all genres of music from the 60's, 70's, 80's though todays top hits. They are defiantly the life of the party and will keep you and your guest dancing all night long. Rather it be a wedding, private event, birthday, prom, or a college function, Groove Factor has the right style to fit any of these events and cater to your entertainment needs. When hiring Groove Factor expect to be treated with the upmost care. we value all of our... (more)
The Company Band
Dance Band from Dallas, TX (165 miles from Rodessa, LA)
The Company Band is one of the Dallas's premier bands known for its versatility and talented members. The Company Band is putting its own spin on the music industry by giving people a combination of music genres creating delectable sounds the ear can only imagine. These incredibly talented musicians all come from different musical backgrounds to form one of the most requested bands. They offer an eclectic blend of Motown, R&B, pop, current hits, dance classics, oldies, beach and jazz. With... (more)
Something Blue Band
The Something Blue Band is a band that ALWAYS gets the crowd dancing!! Guaranteed! With a huge songlist of funk, swamp-pop, rock and roll and dance favorites how could we miss? Our Experienced Musicians and Excellent Vocals make the difference! Every song performed is well rehearsed to capture the unique styling that creates the characteristic sound your guests will easily identify. Great Vocals and Music = Great Party! People will know within the first few seconds of a song which dance... (more)
Maxx!
Dance Band from Carrollton, TX (167 miles from Rodessa, LA)
MAXX! is an eight piece cover band with 4 Male and Female lead vocalists,bass, guitar,drums, keys,percussionist,horns, pro lights, and pro-sound. Material is very dance oriented and includes: Bon Jovi, Lover Boy, White Snake, Def Leppard, Pink, Wynona, Gary Moore, KC. James Brown, Paul Simon, Phil Collins, Robert Palmer, Toto, SRV, Cher, Cristina Agular, Hewie Lewis, Heart, Gloria Gaynor, Melanie Brnach, Janet Jackson, No Doubt, Chicago, Van Halen, Gran Funk RR, led Zepplin, Incognito,... (more)
Rewind Band
Crowd interaction, packed dance floors, top notch musicians!! REWIND creates unforgettable events that will have everyone raving well after your event is over! Known for delivering a fun and interactive show that appeals to groups of ALL ages! Reliable, quality entertainment, with great customer service. Our #1 goal is to ensure your event is a HIT! The Band Consisting of 8 professional musicians, including a 3 piece horn section - which brings energy and life to the music! Three male... (more)
Hunter Gibson & the Gators
Dance Band from Jackson, MS (229 miles from Rodessa, LA)
Hunter & the Gators from Jackson, Mississippi, have been together for 26 years and have been called "The Best Variety Band in the South." Their show is made up of Rock, Pop, Soul, Motown, Alternative, Country, and Blues covers. The band's strongest appeal is in its vocal presentation, with lots of rich harmony. All of the members sing lead as well as harmony vocals. In 2011, Hunter & the Gators received a Jackson Music Award for "Pop Group of the Year" and were finalists for BEST... (more)
Dance Band from Houston, TX (241 miles from Rodessa, LA)
The Company Band is one of Texas premier bands known for their versatility and HUGE song list. The band's song list ranges from Frank Sinatra to Bruno Mars. These incredibly talented musicians all come from different musical backgrounds to form one of the most requested bands. They offer an eclectic blend of Motown, R&B, pop, current hits, dance classics, oldies, beach and jazz. With horns on the left, the very best vocalists on the right, and a killer rhythm section holding it all together,... (more)
Lara Latin
Dance Band from Denton, TX (182 miles from Rodessa, LA)
Lara Latin is a high energy band that can play Classic/Contemporary Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, Bachata, Chacha, and Latin Fusions. We are also able to break down into a smaller instrumental, Latin Jazz ensemble that works great for dinner/cocktail music. The band has played for many types of events including weddings, festivals, corporate parties, quinceñeras, birthdays, and even backyard parties. With Lara Latin you can expect to hire a professional band that understands how to adapt to each... (more)
The Tommy Morse Band!!!
The Tommy Morse Band is THE high energy "Dance-Variety Band" that plays all of your favorite tunes. We pride ourselves on making your event the most memorable party in town! Get ready for the best party and entertainment experience when you book The Tommy Morse Band!!! Weddings, company events, and private parties are our specialties with a fair and honest price that can't be beat! Let us help make your special event simply unforgettable!!! FYI: We perform well over 100+ events... (more)
To The 9s
Looking for a band for your Wedding, Gala, fundraiser, destination weddings or other event? Look no further. Alabama's best event band is here and ready to bring life to your party. To The 9s is a 12 piece band with a horn section and 5 lead singers! These diverse singers bring flexibility to the band's performance like you've never seen! The musicians making up this band have played thousands of private events over the past decade and now have combined forces to bring an unmatched experience... (more)
RADIO EDIT
Dance Band from Garland, TX (151 miles from Rodessa, LA)
RADIO EDIT is a Dallas/Ft. Worth TX based PARTY BAND covering RADIO HITS from the 50's to CURRENT CHART TOPPERS. We play a mix of TOP 40, POP, DANCE, ROCK, R&B, and COUNTRY, performing for CLUBS, CONCERTS, PRIVATE EVENTS, WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARIES, FESTIVALS, or YOUR NEXT EVENT! RADIO EDIT'S mission is to create a PARTY ATMOSPHERE that will make YOUR EVENT ROCK and create LASTING MEMORIES! Our MAIN LINE-UP is a FOUR PIECE BAND consisting of a Female Vocalist, Guitarist/Vocalist,... (more)
Wow Me! Events
Wow Me! Events, LLC — Simply. Fun. Charm your guests during cocktail, dinner, and dance. Treat your visitors to a country experience. Participate in a sing-along gathering. We make fun look simple. (more)
David Whiteman and The King David Band
King David and The David Whiteman band is one of the most versatile and entertaining dance/party bands in America. Led by vocalist/guitarist David Whiteman, this 14-piece band cuts no corners entertaining, combining the finest available mix of musicianship, vocals, sound and lighting. Covering the widest range of songs around, featuring Current Top 40, Pop, R&B, Funk, Hip Hop, Rock and Dance variety music, and many of your favorite classics. The band features the finest male and female vocals... (more)
THE ZIGGY BAND
Party music designed by you! Create Your Own Playlist! This unique party band works with you in designing the perfect mood for every moment of your special event. The Ziggy Band specializes in customizing music from Your song list! Like a DJ, but, with the added dynamic energy of professional singers and musicians. You design it,The Ziggy Band brings it to life! All Styles of Music! The Ziggy Band offers complete wedding and event packages, covering, light Jazz, Classical or Pop... (more)
The Adam Levowitz Rock Orchestra
Not your ordinary wedding band! We normally play live shows at venues like BB Kings Blues Club in New York City or The Howard Theatre in Washington, DC. But now we are looking for a few weddings a year for people who want amazing parties and who are tired of hearing the same old songs played in the same way as all the other weddings. Our full group features the hottest horn section around-- guaranteed along with the most rocking rhythm section and best singers around. We are a performing band... (more)
The Wonderfuls
Cover Band from Dallas, TX (162 miles from Rodessa, LA)
Thank you to all of our clients for helping us to win the GigMasters "Best of 2018" award!! That is 7 consecutive years you have helped us achieve that award and we are most honored! Hire The Wonderfuls and you will be hiring a professional band that will make all of your guests glad they came to the celebration! The Wonderfuls expertly cover groups like Black Eyed Peas, Chain Smokers, Maroon 5, Sia, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Jason Derulo, The Commodores, Shawn Mendes, Daft Punk, Robin... (more)
SVK Band
Variety Band from Houston, TX (246 miles from Rodessa, LA)
SVK BAND is an 11 piece ~ Fun, High Energy ~ Variety Showcase Party Band with "D J" providing a continuous nonstop musical experience. We perform a variety of Musical Genera; Current Top 40, Classic Rock, Pop, Motown, 70's – 90's Party Hits, Classic Funk/R&B/Soul, Country, Line Dancing, Second Line, Zydeco, Latino Pop/Rock, Smooth-Jazz, Big Band (swing), Easily listing and many more Musical Icons; appealing to various age generations. However High Energy Dance Floor Party Band Music is our... (more)
Hale Baskin and her Jazz Addiction
Jazz Band from Dallas, TX (163 miles from Rodessa, LA)
There's a good reason they're the most popular Jazz band in Texas. San Francisco-born Hale Baskin and her Jazz Addiction certainly live up to their name. They are addicted to exemplary musicianship, hip changes and deep grooves which enhance the vocal stylings of this talented young chanteuse. Hale Baskin is endowed with a clear, beautiful voice, a sure sense of swing, and a seemingly innate sense of the nuances of Jazz phrasing. She moves effortlessly from channeling the stompin' swing of... (more)
Blue Silk Band
Variety Band from Jackson, MS (227 miles from Rodessa, LA)
MOST REQUESTED BAND FOR WEDDINGS & PARTIES!!!~Eby Band Agency--Our Price Quotes Are Negotiable!! Top Dance Band!!! No hype needed on this band!! Performing the best live band music from Motown to now!!!Super Hot DJ mixes!!! Soft Dinner Cocktail Music To A Packed Dance Floor!!! We saw Blue Silk band take the stage behind two larger popular bands with horns and background singers at the Peabody hotel one night (they were both great bands)but this 4 piece band just blew... (more)
The Southpaw Preachers
Soul Band from Dallas, TX (162 miles from Rodessa, LA)
The Southpaw Preachers are a high-energy, highly funky act who draw their inspiration from an eclectic mix of soul, funk blues, jazz, hip hop, R&B, and hard-hitting rock n' roll. Their mission is to update and honor classic and contemporary soul music, incorporating their own unique and deeply groovin' flare. Offering band sizes ranging from three to eight members, their versatility and flexibility can't be beat. The Southpaw Preachers are comprised of dazzlingly skilled musicians from... (more)


Ten years ago today, the Committee to Protect Journalists honored iconic CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite for 25 years of service as CPJ's honorary chairman. MrB and I were there! Here's a goofy photo someone took with my camera.
And here's Getty Images more serious, action shot, in which I'm identified as "guest." LOL.
If Brian Williams ever tells you he was there too, he ain't lying. There's photographic evidence.
Walter Cronkite died on July 17, 2009, at age 92. If you're too young to be familiar with Cronkite's work, you can see seven of his most memorable moments here, including his reporting on the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
Walter Cronkite was very tan!!


The U.S. tax law that would force financial institutions worldwide to report to U.S. tax authorities will increase expenses and modify global banking culture, financial experts said today.
"From 2014 we will have another way of banking," said at a press conference the specialist in risk consulting firm Deloitte, Ramon Arosemena.
During the talk about U.S. tax law for foreign accounts (FACTA), another expert from Deloitte, Domingo Latorraca, said all financial firms (from banks to brokerage firms) must abide "voluntary" that norm.
Financial institutions must abide U.S. law to register with the tax authority of that country between July 15 and October 15 and report U.S. citizens accounts before December 31, 2013.
Experts pointed out that those financial companies that refuse to submit to the law will face a retention of 30 percent of their cash flows from the United States.
Moreover entities who choose to accept the agreement must meet certain requirements to prevent sanctions of withholding 30 percent.
According to experts, Panamanian banks are preparing to implement new systems from 2014 to identify American clients.
Latorraca noted that financial firms need to change their processes, develop new technology platforms and prepare their personnel, but mostly accept the costs to comply with U.S. demands.
With this legislation, the United States "will transfer part of their responsibilities to others," said Latorraca on the initiative of the American tax authorities intended to secure the payment of taxes from US citizens.
Arosemena said that avoiding U.S. clients "is not a strategy", which is right to confront U.S. domestic legislation with.
But also, Latorraca said the U.S. standard may be a deterrent for U.S. citizens to prevent tax evasion.