It’s a bad omen when, early on in Oz the Great and Powerful, we learn that the full given name of its wizard is Oscar, also the ceremony that star James Franco once presided over as calamitously as he does this sagging Disney tentpole, a gargantuan attempt to turn L…
“Why is there evil in the world?” That question and its corollaries — Where does evil come from? Why can so many create and commit it with apparent immunity? — are at the core of the film Bless Me, Ultima, whose 7-year-old hero, Antonio, wrestles with riddles that have likely…
If you happen to have a vacation day to burn, it’s most definitely gonna come in handy during St. Patrick’s weekend. That’s because the annual Irish holiday happens to fall on a Sunday this year, which might ordinarily throw a kink into your plans to engage in a massive Celtic-style…
Twenty minutes into the first full-length movie based on L. Frank Baum’s most beloved novel, a duck pukes into the face of Larry Semon, the star and director. Semon’s 1925 flop, titled The Wizard of Oz, opens and closes with a Geppetto-esque toymaker reading to his granddaughter from a well-loved…
Baseball doesn’t lend itself to nationalism like other sports. England and Argentina will always have bad blood not because of the Falklands, but because of Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal in the ‘86 World Cup. There was a national crisis when USA Basketball took bronze at the 2004 Olympics…
Jaded types who snarkily consider steampunk to be more blasé than all the pirates, zombies, ninjas, and vampires of the world put together probably shouldn’t get within a dirigible-length of Old Tucson this weekend. Frankly, such magniloquent buffoons ain’t gonna be welcome ‘round those parts, especially during the Wild Wild…
Life’s perfect moments sometimes announce themselves in small and subtle ways. If you’re an underpaid, middle-aged waitress, like the heroine of Terrence McNally’s play Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, winding up in bed with a co-worker in your crappy little Hell’s Kitchen walk-up might feel like the…
Triskaideskaphobia might make the hearts of the afflicted jump every time the number 13 pops up, but who better to revel in the creepiest of intergers than the fearless folks who get their thrills skating around the Valley? The 13th Annual Wedge Park Skate Competition beckons skaters of all ages…
You think there’s nothing special about Jim Belushi and the Chicago Board of Comedy bringing their brand of non-stand-up comedy to Stand Up Live? Really? Meet me on camera three.The funniest people we’ve ever seen were Chi-town comics and actors who weren’t even out of school yet. Cheering the Cubs…
Crate diggers, record collectors, and vinyl junkies unite in pressed plastic pleasure when the Beat Swap Meet opens its doors for one afternoon of musical madness. A regular event in Los Angeles, Beat Swap Meet is the brainchild of Robby Powers. This is his first foray into the Valley, and…
If you’re in Scottsdale on Friday, March 8, prepare to get foamed. In celebration of Scottsdale Arts Festival and in partnership with Scottsdale Public Art, Maryland-based artist Scott Pennington will set up his “factory” and invite the public to participate.His work “Pink and Blue Dilemma: The Foam Incident” includes a…
For some, eating local means heading up the street to hit nearest drive-thru. For others, it’s a food movement that celebrates the talents of Arizona food artisans, chefs, and farmers. If you fall into the latter group, you’ll want to head to the Valley’s annual culinary rendezvous, a highly anticipated…
Few works of art have been transformed and interpreted in as many diverse ways as Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. It’s been 100 years since the debut of the ballet and orchestral concert work, but the decades haven’t chilled the fiery music and choreography — nor have the modern adaptations.Just…
Catch the familiar tale of traditional Tevye, Golda, and their newfangled daughters as Theater League presents a weeklong run of Fiddler on the Roof. The Broadway favorite’s run begins at Mesa Arts Center and continues at the Orpheum. Tue., March 12, 7:30 p.m.; Wed., March 13, 7:30 p.m., 2013…
Since pretty much forever, nature has played muse to artists. Forests, flowers, fruit bowls, and whatever artists can get their hands on have been captured and immortalized in all kinds of media for centuries.To celebrate the natural muse, the West Valley Arts Council and the Sci-Tech Festival are teaming up…
We say “gay cowboys,” and automatically you think Brokeback Mountain. We can’t fault you, as Ang Lee’s film adaptation of Annie Proulx’s short story is an obvious cultural touchstone. But if Burton Barr Central Library’s latest exhibit, “Out West,” is any indication, then there’s much more to learn about the…
While we don’t care much for the computerized elements invading our superhero movies, when it comes to the runway we don’t mind it so much. In contrast to obviously fake CGI backgrounds and characters, digital printing on textiles can have an intense, beautiful effect that couldn’t be achieved otherwise.With such…
Thanks to people who give me Christmas presents, I got to indulge my huge irrational Chris Kattan crush last weekend, admiring his sweet smile, sexy bod, warm brown eyes, and dormant career from a mere 30 feet away. A true fan knows that Kattan’s strongest mainstream film performance (except for…
Matt Fahey is no stranger to intense challenges, risk, and life-threatening situations. As a producer and camera operator for Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch, he’s battled many storms and has willingly gone back for more. We talked with Fahey about how he ended up in film production, why he pursued getting…
If you’re fan of Downtown murals, First Friday, Third Friday, the A.R.T.S. Initiative, or the Downtown culture scene in general, then it’s probably time to tip your hat and toss a chunk of change to Roosevelt Row on Thursday, March 28. The organization will host its annual fundraising party at…
Now, we’re not big believers in signs and superstition, but the abundance of bizarre in our own town (of course) and nationwide had us wondering: What’s up with people claiming we’ll be immortal by 2045?, Who thinks leg advertisements are a good idea?, Since when were zombie-hunting trucks a good…
In April, ASU’s School of Geographical Sciences & Urban Planning will set the stage for local creatives, academics, and urban planners for a week of discussion and brainstorming. Phoenix Urban Design Week, from April 4 to 13, will include workshops, lectures, a film screening, a community gathering, and celebration of…
