Category: Art

  • Culture Corner: book review “Seiobo There Below” by László Krasznahorkai

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    By Bernie Langs I would bet that it is safe to say that anyone reading these pages is more than busy in this life and that many of you who continue to read for pleasure are overwhelmed by the truth that there are “so many books and so little time.” You may also feel, as…

  • For Your Consideration – Cannes Preview Edition

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    By Jim Keller Now in its third year, this instalment of For Your Consideration takes a look at those films set to cross the Croisette this month. While the Cannes Film Festival is not primarily known as an Oscar launching vehicle, in recent years it has revealed a glimmer of Oscar’s gold. Last year’s fest…

  • Mistaken for Strangers – A Rock Star’s Brother Peeks Out of His Shadow

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    By Jason Rothauser In the film’s opening sequence, Matt Berninger, nattily dressed in a three-piece suit, fusses with a beach umbrella before finally settling down for an interview in the park. Berninger is the lead singer of The National, an indie rock band who toiled for years in obscurity before making it into the spotlight…

  • For Your Consideration – Crystal ball edition!

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    By Jim Keller Last year’s Crystal Ball edition yielded four of nine eventual Best Picture nominees. Gravity, American Hustle, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Nebraska as well as Best Picture winner, 12 Years a Slave, were all discussed as hopefuls long before they bowed. So if you think spring is too early to talk…

  • Spring Breaks in April

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    By Susan Russo Special Free Events and Short Excursions Manhattan Macy’s Flower Show When: April 1-6 Where: 34th to 35th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues Tartan Day Parade, with bagpipes, kilts and dancers When: April 5, starting at 2:00 p.m. Where: 45th to 55th Street on Sixth Avenue “Pillow Fight in the Park,” teddy…

  • For Your Consideration – And They’re Off! Edition

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    By Jim Keller Last year I equated the Oscar race to a horserace where each studio bets on its thoroughbreds and hopes that they can at least place at the end. I explained that the studio is the owner, the public relations department is the jockey, and the horse is the actor or film in…

  • Midday Melodies

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    By Derek Simon What makes great art? This is a question that thinkers have been pondering ever since civilization’s infancy and I dare not attempt to answer it in less than a page. Instead, I’ll posit what makes a great artist by using, in my opinion, the classical music world’s finest champion: Ludwig van Beethoven.…

  • Culture Corner : music roundup

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    By Bernie Lang In the past couple of months, I’ve been to live concert performances in the major music genres of jazz, rock, and classical music. I found myself reflecting after each show on how these differing types of music are standing up within my own personal test of time. My brother graced me with…

  • Midday Melodies

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    By Derek Simon A friend of mine, who despises classical music, once sniped to me that “the background of movies” is the only fit place for “that kind of music.” Ironically, she hit upon a truth about music, but not in the way that she initially intended. It is true that you often hear classical-esque…

  • Culture Corner – Interview with Michelle Tolini Finamore

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    Interview with a Curator: Michelle Tolini Finamore of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston By Bernie Langs Michelle Tolini Finamore is Curator of Fashion Arts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and she has written a fascinating and wonderful new book, “Hollywood Before Glamour: Fashion in American Silent Film,” that I started to read…

  • For Your Consideration — Ones to Watch Vol. 3 Edition

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    By Jim Keller With the fall film festivals behind us, we’re staring down the barrel of the Oscars’ gun and in a few short months, we’ll have our nominees. Still, it’s a long time until then on the campaign trail. So while the would-be contenders are out hustling and bustling, shaking the right hands and…

  • Looking War in the Eye

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    by May Dobosiewicz Quick—name how many wars are being fought in the world right now. At the time of writing, the Uppsala Conflict Data Program reported 32 ongoing armed conflicts. Is this fighting noble and just, or chaotic and deplorable? Are there good guys and bad guys? Unless we live in the midst of such fighting…