Monday, November 19, 2018
Legendary ski and snowboarding film maker, Warren Miller's new film Face of Winter is coming to The Loft for one day only and we have your chance to go for free! Enter for your chance to win two tickets to the show, a poster to decorate your walls and a DVD of last year's film, Line of Descent.
To enter to win, tag your plus one, follow Tucson Weekly on Facebook and comment the name of your favorite Warren Miller film. Good luck!
Everyone attending the show (giveaway winners and paid tickets) will receive a free lift ticket to Arizona Snowbowl, Purgatory or Taos, plus 2-for-1 tickets from Jackson Hole and Angel Fire.
The show will be held at The Loft Cinema at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 6. Winner must be able to come to the Tucson Weekly office to pick up their tickets.
Find out more about the event here.
Entrants must be over 18 to win. Full contest rules are listed here.
Tags: cinema , film , warren miller , ski , tickets , giveaway , the loft , snow , Image
Monday, November 12, 2018
Rami Malek gives it his all as Freddie Mercury, the late lead singer of Queen, in the new biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. That, and a competent recreation of Queen’s Live Aid domination, are just about the only good things you can say about this mostly embarrassing effort to memorialize an incredible person and his sadly short life. The movie basically takes Mercury’s legacy, completely screws with his life’s timeline and makes up a bunch of unnecessary events to pad its 135-minute running time.
So much of this film isn’t true, and the fact that they took this hard-living rock star’s life and homogenized it for a PG-13 film doesn’t help make it feel anything close to authentic. Mercury died from pneumonia while battling AIDS in 1991. He wasn’t diagnosed with the illness until 1987. This film, partially directed by Bryan Singer and then finished by Dexter Fletcher, has Mercury learning of his diagnosis before his incredible 1985 Live Aid performance, even telling the band of his illness shortly before they went on stage. This is complete bullshit and a total injustice to Mercury and his band’s legacy.
Malek, acting through a big set of fake teeth made to capture the look of Mercury’s four extra incisors, is decent in the role. He actually sang on set, his voice blended with a Mercury sound-alike to keep the movie from being a completely lip-synched affair.
The musical sequences, including the Live Aid gig, are fun to watch. But, hey, if I want good Queen music, I can just watch the videos of Queen. There’s a movie happening between those musical sequences, and that movie is terrible, a messed-up bit of fakery that prompts a lot of unintentional laughter. There’s a great, truthful movie to be made about the life of Freddie Mercury. Bohemian Rhapsody doesn’t even come close to being that movie.
Tags: Bohemian Rhapsody , Queen , Freddie Mercury , film , movie , cinema , review , Image
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix join forces as the title characters, guns for hire, contracted to find a prospector (Riz Ahmed) with a scientific trick for finding gold in rivers.
Reilly plays Eli, the nicer of the two brothers, who is starting to consider life after riding and killing. Phoenix plays Charlie, perfectly content to be a bounty hunter of sorts, as long as the mission includes hookers and lots of booze.
When another man (Jake Gyllenhaal) intercepts the prospector with intent of turning him over to the brothers, he has a change of heart, and the hunt takes on a new dimension. Reilly and Phoenix are great together, creating a palpable fraternal bond.
This is a dark period western speckled with some funny moments, but don’t be tricked by the commercials for the film. It’s a mostly dark affair, acted well by all involved. Jacques Audiard (A Prophet) has made a moving, absorbing, appropriately nasty western that gives the impression everybody on screen smells really bad.
Phoenix, having a banner year, turns out to be perfectly cast as a gunslinger, something I wouldn’t have believed going in. He and Reilly give this film a ton of soul, and it doesn’t hurt having the likes of Gyllenhaal and Ahmed in their supporting roles. They are all equally good.
"The Sister Brothers" is now playing in local theaters.
Tags: The Sister Brothers , theater , movies , new release , Image
Thursday, October 4, 2018
Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick star in director Paul Feig's new drama "A Simple Favor."
The film had every member of the audience on the edge of their seats when I saw it. With at least three twists that I didn't see coming, I really didn't know how this one was going to end, and that's how a movie should be.
Anna Kendrick plays a seemingly innocent single mom named Stephanie who streams cooking videos and shares her recipes for other moms around the country. One day at school, her son (Miles) and his friend (Nicky) ask her if they can have a playdate, but Stephanie says she needs to check with Nicky's mom.
At that moment, Blake Lively, whose character's name is Emily, steps out of her Porsche in a fancy business suit. Stephanie is in awe when they meet, but the boys get their playdate.
Stephanie and Emily become best friends because of their sons' relationship. Emily is enigmatic, inconsistent and loves her cocktails. One day, Emily asks Stephanie to pick Nicky up from school, which wasn't abnormal. However, Emily never comes to pick Nicky up that day, or the next day, or the day after that. After a few days Stephanie and Emily's husband file a missing person's report with the police, but they don't have any luck for weeks.
The rest of the movie is a flurry of twists and turns and it does not disappoint. I don't want to give anything away, but I have to say "A Simple Favor" is one of the better movies I've seen in a while.
Another good comparison, aside from "Gone Girl," could be "Ex Machina." If you've never seen any of these movies, do yourself a favor and watch them. You won't regret it.
Tags: movie , film review , cinema , movies to see , A Simple Favor , Image
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
The films will be shown Friday, Oct. 12 and Saturday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Pima County Pavillion on Jácome Plaza.
Films include Selena, a sing-along to the 1997 musical drama written and directed by Gregory Nava about the life and career of Tejano (folk and pop music primarily of Mexican and Mexican American artists in Texas) music starring Jennifer Lopez as the late Tejano star Selena Quintanilla-Perez (127 min.) and RUMBLE: The Indians who Rocked the World, a 2017 feature documentary about the role of Native Americans in popular music history featuring music icons Charley Patton, Mildred Bailey, Link Wray, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Jimi Hendrix, Jesse Ed Davis, Robbie Robertson, Redbone, Randy Castillo, & Taboo (103 min).
This is the second year Tucson Meet yourself is in partnership with the Loft working with Loft directors Jeff Yanc and Zachary Breneman to choose films that have meaning and significance at a folklife festival.
RUMBLE focuses on the influence of native musicians on rock and roll. This is an important story to tell at a folklife festival because “so often people think of "folklife" only as something that celebrate static traditions. That's not true,” said Kimi Eisele, Communications Director for Tucson Meet Yourself.
“Folklorists are interested how traditions are expressed and shared and passed on, and especially in how they change and evolve and make their way into contemporary expressions,” said Eisele.
She believes this film will open a lot of people’s eyes and ears to the influence of indigenous musicians on popular music and be a fun way to bring people together at the festival.
The films are free and open to the public.
Tags: Selena , rumble , films , documentary , Tucson meet yourself , music , sing-along , cinema , The Loft Cinema , tejano , folk , folklife festival , festival , icons , traditions , musicians , expression , indigenous , Image
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Festival organizers say while food is often what draws the public to the festival, it’s the music, dance and folk arts that keep them there.
This year there will be 56 food booths for dishes $12 and under representing Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Greece, India, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Peru, Russia, Somalia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Laos, Hawaii, New England, the U.S. South, and the Tohono O’odham and Pascua Yaqui people who are indigenous to the Sonoran Desert region.
Tucson Meet Yourself is produced by the Southwest Folklife Alliance and presented by Casino del Sol Resort. Special partnerships with AIDSWALK Tucson, The Loft Cinema and Low Rider Show & Shine will be sharing culture and heritage of our region.
Join the fun at this free, three-day festival for all ages and enjoy the music, food, films, arts, cultures and much more!
Keep an eye out for our festival highlights blogs coming up on The Range up until the festival!
Tags: Tucson , Tucson meet yourself , festival , culture , folklife , food , tradition , annual , fun , music , outdoors , arts , community , southwest , Image
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
“The main difference this year is that we’re a lot bigger.” said Herb Stratford, director of the event. “Instead of just being at one location, we’re at three locations.”
Film Fest Tucson will show their films on Oct. 12 and 13 at the Historic Scottish Rite Cathedral, the Fox Tucson Theatre and the AC Marriott Hotel, with the latter two being new venues. There will also be four free outdoor screening options nearby.
The event website describes the festival as a “destination festival, a place for filmmakers and audiences to meet, discover and experience unique and important stories told on film.”
This year includes 38 films screenings with 26 being features, and 12 being shorts. This is an upgrade from the previous year where there were only 27 films.
“Sometimes it’s really hard to take the films that you want to show and cut them down to the number of slots,” Stratford said. “So, we wanted to make sure that we had enough locations to show all of the great films that we had.”
Stratford is also a film critic and is the centerpiece in choosing which films feature in the festival.
“I do the first pass,” he said. “And then I have a committee that I share those films with before we pick what is going to be shown. It’s kind of a group effort.”
The film festival will also include a tribute event for the first time where they will highlight the work of three women in film. They will do this by showing clips of their work and have conversations with the women about their work. This year’s special guests include Catherine Hardwicke, Haley Lu Richardson and Sophia Mitri Schloss.
The event does not carry a special theme in terms of content, but Stratford believes that there is rather an overarching theme.
“We are all about collaboration and sharing audiences and shining the light on other fellow non-profit arts organizations here in town,” he said.
Every year Film Fest Tucson collaborates with six to ten local arts and cultural institutions in town to help with films. Stratford expects the festival to keep expanding over the years.
“We are growing a festival that will take over downtown eventually, so our idea is that we’ll eventually be in even more venues,” he said. “We just have to grow it at a sustainable pace.”
Tickets start at $10 for individual shows and Stratford hopes that despite it being a busy weekend, people will come and have fun.
“If you look at the program, I think people will find something they are interested in and we just hope that everybody will join us,” he said.
For more information, visit filmfesttucson.com
Tags: things to do , film festival , film fest Tucson , movies , theater , art , Image
The showing dates are Friday, Sept. 28 and Saturday, Sept. 29 from 10 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. The Loft Cinema is located on 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Tickets for general admission will be $6 and Loft Members admission is $5.
Find more details here.
Tags: Loft Cinema , movie , showing , tickets , film , Image
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Rivers and Tides. The critically-acclaimed documentary is a vision of the natural world molded by currents, driftwood, ice and mud, all modified with human hands. Andy Goldsworthy’s art forms sculptures from the natural world and inherently degrade and return to the soil. Hosted by the Loft Cinema, in partnership with Sky Island Alliance and UA Water Resources Research Center. Also featuring a panel discussion from the aforementioned groups. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 31. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Regular admission prices. Details here.
Mars Magnified. Tuesday, July 31 is a special day, and not just because it’s Harry Potter’s birthday. Cosmically speaking, Mars is going to be closer to Earth on this day than it has been in many years, and Flandrau and the Steward Observatory are celebrating by pointing their telescopes up to the Red Planet and opening up to the public. Planetary scientist Steve Kortenkamp will start off the night with a “Mars Madness” presentation, explaining why Mars is so close right now, and what other planets you can look out for in the night sky. After his talk, there will be planetarium shows every hour. There will also be telescopes pointed up at the other planets, so you can get a planet fix even if Mars doesn’t do it for you. Fair warning, the telescope viewing is weather permitting, because there’s hardly a point in staring up at the clouds through a telescope. 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday, July 31. Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium, Steward Observatory, UA Mall. Telescope viewing is free, and the “Mars Madness” presentation, planetarium shows and laser music shows are $5. Details here.
The Western Attraction. The Wilde Meyer Gallery is hosting a month-long group show featuring artwork that’s all about the West and why we love it. From contemporary cowboy and Native American interpretations to western landscapes to some of the area’s most iconic features, you’ll walk through the gallery and be reminded of why we love where we live, even in the heat of summer. With artists like Karen Bezuidenhout, Judy Choate, Ka Fisher and Jim Nelson, there will also be plenty of variety. Through the month of August. Gallery summer hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, but open until 7 p.m. on Thursdays, when there is a weekly art walk from 5 to 7 p.m., and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Wilde Meyer Gallery, 2890 E. Skyline Drive, Suite 170. Details here.
Events compiled by Emily Dieckman, Dylan Reynolds, BS Eliot, Ava Garcia and Jeff Gardner.
Tags: things to do , events , Tucson , today , July 31 , family , fun , movies , cinema , Image
Thursday, July 26, 2018
The Effect. Ah, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of new love: Pounding heart, sweaty palms, libido through the roof, thinking for the first time in a long while that maybe the world’s not all that bad. You know the drill. Unfortunately, the lead characters and lovers in this show, Connie and Tristan, aren’t totally confident that all of these symptoms aren’t just side effects of the antidepressants they’re taking as clinical trial participants. This clever look at love, attraction and all the mysteries that come with them is the second show in Live Theatre Workshop’s 2018 to 2019 season. Thursday, July 26 through Saturday, Aug. 25. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays and 3 p.m. on Saturdays. $15 to $20. Details here.
Cinema La Placita Outdoor Movie. It's time for a classic. Get out and enjoy the cooler evening temperatures and beautiful Tucson sunsets at La Placita tonight with "Cabin in the Sky" (1943). $3 admission includes popcorn! Grab a blanket and snuggle up under the stars for this classic film starring Ethel Waters, Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson, and Lena Horne. The event runs 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at 140 North Main Avenue. There will be movies shown every Thursday night through August as part of the Cinema La Placita series. Details here.
Events compiled by Emily Dieckman, Dylan Reynolds, BS Eliot, Ava Garcia and Jeff Gardner.
Tags: things to do , Tucson , Thursday , July 26 , events , family friendly , movie , Christmas in July , adult event , dancing , Hotel Congress , Live Theatre Workshop , Image
