The Rake Magazine

Author: Cristina Córdova

  • "The fourteenth day, we landed all our men"

    We finally have a new Call for Artists page on our website. You can access it directly through the More for Rake Readers links at the bottom of each page. Be sure to check in periodically for new listings. To submit a listing, send your description via email with Call for Artists as the subject line.

    ACTIVISM
    Walk or Bike to Work

    We started out Bike Walk Week with the Great Commuter Challenge, and now it’s Twin Cities Bike Walk to Work Day. Leave the car at home today — or at the very least, carpool with your colleagues. With soaring gas prices, just think of the money you can save — and the great shape your ass will be in if you continue this all summer. If only each day began with a downtown celebration. Today, from 6:30 – 9 a.m., there will be fun for all in both downtown Minneapolis (North Plaza) and downtown St. Paul (Rice Park). Anoka folks, don’t despair; join your fellow pedestrians at the Anoka County Government Center Atrium. After burning up those calories with your brisk morning commute, you can re-fuel with a free continental breakfast — and free Peace Coffee. You really can’t complain.

    LECTURE
    Duality Reality — What’s a Big Ole Company to Do?

    The Rake has been Twittering lately, and exploring social media possibilities all around. Sure, we have a MySpace page — though we really don’t do much with it anymore. And we put an occasional video on YouTube — Dude Weather is there every day. But I just haven’t taken the time to set up a Facebook page. I simply can’t stomach the idea of one more "arm" to maintain. And frankly, I’m not even sure how valuable any of this is to our readers, or to The Rake, in general. But we’re out there. At least we’re out there. Let’s be honest: I’m not sure anyone has any concrete answers. But certainly a panel of leading social media experts ought to shed a little light on the matter. Join MIMA today for Duality Reality: Who Controls Social Media in the Enterprise, and learn how big organizations are or aren’t adopting social media – and who makes the decision to do it.

    5:15 p.m., Solera, 900 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; members $20, nonmembers $45.

    FILM
    Steve Ef’n McQueen

    Need I say more? (OK, I guess so.) The Edina Cinema is bringing Steve McQueen’s 1963 epic World War II adventure, The Great Escape, to the big screen again. Hmmm.. that’s an odd sentence. First off, I say "again" because, well, it was probably on the big screen in 1963 — and surely is has been so many times since then — but not all of us have had the pleasure of seeing it there. No, not I — though I’ve seen it at least a dozen times in smaller formats. OK, let’s continue dissecting my beautifully misleading sentence. Steve McQueen’s epic 1963 World War II adventure — epic, yes; World War II, yes; adventure, definitely; but Steve McQueen’s? He stars in it, OK? Does that make it his? Does that mean he has to share it with Richard Attenborough, James Garner, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, and other stars in the film? And what happens if they don’t play nice? To say it’s a John Sturges film would perhaps be more correct. Why? Does the director own it? Perhaps. Or perhaps the author owns it. But which one? Paul Brickhill, who wrote the original book, or James Clavell, who wrote the screenplay? Frankly, I’d say the allied POWs who made their great escape from the Stalag Luft III German prison camp — via tunnel — in the ’40s probably own the story best. It’s theirs after all. Always theirs, despite a touch of fiction tossed in to appease the Holy Wood.

    1:30, 5, and 8:30 p.m., Edina Cinema, 3911 W. 50th
    St., Edina; 651-649-4416.

    ART WORKSHOP
    How to Think Like an Art Critic—For Fun and Profit

    Psst… Wanna know a secret? We have a new art blog in store this month. For a little glimpse into the mind of one of our Vicious Circle art critics, head over to Pratt Community College this evening for Michael Fallon’s workshop on well-reasoned art critique and how to appreciate the arts from a critically active frame of mind. How to Think Like an Art Critic—For Fun and Profit, brought to you by mnartists and Twin Cities Daily Planet, is open to anyone at all, but if you happen to be interested in freelance art writing, Fallon will help yo get started with pointers, resources, and direction.

    7-9 p.m., Pratt Community School, 66 Malcolm Ave. SE, Minneapolis; $15.

    In celebration of Children’s Week, the University of Minnesota Bookstore, at Coffman Union, is offering 25 percent off all children’s books.

  • Love and Loss in India

    Before the Rains, the
    first English language film by Indian director Santosh Sivan, is a
    surprisingly effective, accessible, and beautiful riff on familiar themes. Set in British-controlled 1930s India during a growing nationalist
    movement, the film is about love and self-destructive ambition in the
    face of a rapidly changing country.

    Despite the two-cultural-groups-that-just-don’t-understand-each-other
    formula, which you can find in the "Oscar-pandering" section of your
    local video store, I was surprised with how even-handedly the film was
    written. I’ve always been a bit bothered by the ease at which
    Hollywood films of this type may be distilled down to misunderstood-saints-clad-in-brilliant-sterling-silver
    versus the incorrigibly wrong/frustrating adjacent cultural group.
    Before the Rains,     by contrast, does an exceptional job of humanizing
    both sides. Sivan certainly injects his own ideas, but leaves
    plenty of room for viewers to draw their own conclusions.

    The success of the film is
    rooted in its simplicity. The photography, characters,and events
    fit perfectly into a concrete theme that is repeated throughout. Clocking
    in at 98 minutes, it feels streamlined and well edited, sustaining a
    well constructed level of tension until its satisfying conclusion.

    A cinematographer-turned-director,
    Sivan paints a pretty picture. HIs mastery of photography is dramatically apparent from the
    first image of sweeping countryside. It is one of the most visually
    masterful films I’ve seen since the tragically mediocre Assassination
    of Jesse James    .

    While it remains to be seen
    how well Before the Rains will perform in the box office, it
    undoubtedly represents the first trickle of a greater overlap between
    Indian and American cinema. Baliwood produces far more studio
    releases than Hollywood does, and they are increasingly being targeted
    at international markets, particularly the English speaking world. Before the Rains isn’t flawless, but if it’s an indication of what’s
    to come, I think we’re in for a real treat.


    Before the Rains opens on Friday, May 16th at Landmark’s Edina Cinema.

  • Warning: This Post Contains Words

    Be sure to check out our Great Commuter Challenge slideshow and find out who won yesterday’s race. We also have a great piece on The Films of Carlos Reygadas, and a new fiction piece by David Dorle (with nudity even — tasteful as it is).

    BOOKS & AUTHORS
    Raking Through Books

    This month’s Rake happy hour book club is designed for sports and book lovers alike. If you’ve been reading The Rake regularly for more than just a few months, you might remember Tom Bartel’s piece, "My Friend Larry," from our January 2008 issue. The Larry to which Bartel refers is none other than Larry Berle, author of A Golfer’s Dream and one of two featured guests for tonight’s happy hour. Berle’s book narrates his quest to play Golf Digest’s top 100 courses. But you don’t have to be an avid golf player to enjoy his book. "It’s not about the golf per se so much as it’s about all the friends he
    made on his quest," explains Bartel. "But that makes it even a better read, because when
    it comes to making friends, Larry is Tiger Woods." Perhaps after this evening, he’ll add you to that great list of friends. And, well, if that doesn’t pan out I recommend you sidle up to our second featured guest (which you should do anyhow), John Rosengren, author of Hammerin’ Hank, George Almighty and the Say Hey Kid: The Year That Changed Baseball Forever. Explore what may arguably be baseball’s most exciting year to date — 1973, when the U.S. pulled out of Vietnam and Nixon tried to explain 18 minutes of silence on White House tapes. (I’d say it was an exciting year all around. Yes, they call it Watergate; but let’s stick to the baseball, eh?) Through the stories of five great men — whose names we all now know (Hank Aaron, George Steinbrenner, Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Reggie Jackson)

    — Rosengren shows us how the game forever changed.

    5:30-7:30 p.m., Kieran’s Irish Pub, 330 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis; free.

    COMEDY
    Stand Uppity with the Funny Guys

    Put your Midwest sense of humor to the test tonight. As a former New Yorker I often complain about missing that New York dry wit I love so well — but then, that’s what New Yorkers do; we complain a lot. Just ask former New Yorker Andy Kindler, who is "now complaining from California," according to the Stand Uppity web page. Kindler is just one of three comedians comprising the show. The others are angry-Woody-Allen-ish Marc Maron and Russia-to-Brooklyn transplant Eugene Mirman. If you have any sense of humor at all (or at least an East-coast one), you’re sure to be in stitches.

    7 p.m., Turf Club, 1601 University Ave., St. Paul; 651-647-0486; $15.

    SPECIAL EVENTS
    Old Minnesota: Song of the North Star

    Join the Elk River Area Arts Alliance tonight for a special Minnesota statehood sesquicentennial celebration — Old Minnesota: Song of the North Star. It’s time you found out why Minnesota isn’t just another part of Wisconsin. Using large scale historic photos from the Minnesota Historical Society collection, original songs, historic readings, dramatic reenactments, and dancing, Warren Nelson and the Big Top Chautauqua Band will tell the history of Minnesota at the time of statehood.

    7:30 p.m., Zabee Theater, Elk River High School, 900 School St. NW, Elk River; 763-441-4725;
    $17.

    ART
    William Yang: Shadows and Reconciliation

    If a singing, dancing history of our fair state sounds just a little too provincial for you (rather than just quaint and fun), I suggest you opt for William Yang’s fierce performance at the Walker. Through narration, music, and photographic images (a slideshow, actually), Yang weaves his own stories into a history of the Australian aborigines. Be sure to check out Yang’s website as well. You have to love the warning on his homepage: "This website contains images of nudity as well as descriptions of sexual activity and drug use. If you are under the age of 18 or otherwise offended by these types of images and references please leave now. Warning : Please be advised that this site contains names and images of Indigenous people now deceased." Warnings aside, the site contains some incredible photographs.

    8 p.m., Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-375-7600.

  • Sauced Again

    Sauced is run by John Conklin, a friend of mine, and is a great
    addition to the Northside. I am, however, puzzled as to why John gets a
    great review     and my restaurant, Papa’s Pizza and Pasta, gets totally
    ignored once again. We have been on the corner of 42nd and Thomas for three
    years, and are still the best kept secret in Minneapolis. We offer East
    Coast Italian American cuisine and have quite the following. However,
    getting the word out that we are here is a full time job. When you
    mention other restaurants in the area and not us, it sure doesn’t help.
    We offer food and service that is second to none, and yet we continually
    get ignored. Stop by sometime and see what we have to offer. Mr.
    Iggers, you were here a couple years ago and still we don’t exist. I find
    that very puzzling.

    Mick Brogan, Minneapolis
    Letter

  • The True Powerhouse Behind KISS

    When the glitz and the flash
    and the devilish showboating are stripped away, Ace Frehley shines as
    the true powerhouse behind KISS. In his legendary band, the "spaceman"
    often got swallowed by Gene Simmons’s fire-spewing antics and Paul
    Stanley’s notorious onstage preening. But it was Frehley’s axe-wielding
    that gave musical credibility to the band’s campy allure. He is
    currently proving his fury on his first solo tour in 13 years.

    Despite his being only one-fourth
    of the ’70s scare-glam troupe, the packed crowd at First Avenue
    lauded Frehley with a fervent welcoming that could only come from hardcore
    KISS fans. We’re talking decades-worth of KISS t-shirts, hazardous
    air-guitar, vocal cord-shredding screaming, and a mass of head bangers
    that would have clogged the stairwells if not for one over-worked club
    employee. Everyone was trying to make it feel like 1975 again. And,
    through squinted eyes, it kind of looked that way.

     


    photo from Space Ace Online

    Frehley’s band emblazons
    the epitome of hard rock attitude: not a stitch of non-black clothing;
    black-rimmed eyes; way too expensive haircuts. Ace is the only one who
    doesn’t fit in. The pale white make up has long been washed down the
    drain. Tonight he’s wearing leather pants and an unfortunate beer
    gut. The only remnants of his past-glamdom showing as he swishes his
    still-long hair about. The sound is different, too. Frehley’s newest
    incarnation is way heavier than KISS ever was. When Frehley is in control,
    it’s a loud beast.

     

    Frehley dabbled in his solo
    material. "Rock Soldier" from his Frehley’s Comet days, was a
    particular sweet spot early in the show, with Ace embarking on a 10-minute blitzkrieg of a solo. Mostly he took from his KISS material.
    "Into the Void" and "Torpedo Girl" were sing-along favorites.
    "Love Gun" was a riotous encore after nearly two hours of KISS deep
    cuts. This was Frehley showing his authentic KISStory, even luring the
    band into the trademark side-to-side bobbing of the original quartet.

    It was another solo tune, however,
    that became the stand-out show stealer. During "New York Groove" Frehley
    played with a blinking Les Paul fitted with LED lights. Nearing the end,
    his band left him, and Frehley switched guitars to a custom-made Les
    Paul that shot out flames and left thick, white clouds of smoke hanging
    over the audience. It was Frehley’s shining moment, as he embarked on
    a solo only rivaled by the top of metal’s elite. It is an onslaught
    of noise, which doesn’t try to have a melody or any kind of chord
    progression. Its only goal is to be loud as hell. And, well, he overshot
    the mark into ear-ringing madness.

    Aside from musicianship, the performance gave a good glimpse at the rest of Ace Frehley. When Simmons
    and Stanley aren’t stealing the spotlight, Frehley proves himself
    to be quite a character. His onstage banter includes talking about his
    favorite science fiction novel from high school, his 1976 onstage (and
    accidental) electrocution, and how he is "having so much fun on tour
    it should be illegal." His candor was awkward, but charming, and often
    interrupted with bouts of his notorious, dorky laughter. He could quite
    possibly be the biggest nerd in rock, but he rolls with it.

  • Insomnia

    Thin are the night-skirts left behind
    By daybreak hours that onward creep,
    And thin, alas! the shred of sleep
    That wavers with the spirit’s wind:
    But in half-dreams that shift and roll
    And still remember and forget,
    My soul this hour has drawn your soul
    A little nearer yet.

    Our lives, most dear, are never near,
    Our thoughts are never far apart,
    Though all that draws us heart to heart
    Seems fainter now and now more clear.
    To-night Love claims his full control,
    And with desire and with regret
    My soul this hour has drawn your soul
    A little nearer yet.

    Is there a home where heavy earth
    Melts to bright air that breathes no pain,
    Where water leaves no thirst again
    And springing fire is Love’s new birth?
    If faith long bound to one true goal
    May there at length its hope beget,
    My soul that hour shall draw your soul
    For ever nearer yet.

    —Dante Gabriel Rossetti (May 12, 1828-April 9th,1882)

    Happy Birthday, Dante!

    COMMUTING
    The Great Commuter Challenge

    It’s Bike Walk Week
    — a celebration of biking and walking on both sides of the river. Start
    your week and your day off with a race of sorts, perhaps even a living
    breathing commentary on urban congestion. Choose a mode of
    transportation — car, bike, bus, or feet (personally, I’d like to see
    some more creative endeavors) — and join the travelers at Merriam Park
    Community Center for a 7:40 a.m. departure. Or simply welcome their
    arrival to the Minneapolis Central Library after 8 a.m. — and put your
    bets in now for the level of sweatiness you’ll encounter. Minneapolis
    Mayor RT Rybak will travel by bike. Ramsey County Commissioner Toni
    Carter will combine foot and transit power. And, well, (I can’t help
    but be amused by this)
    Strib transportation/commuting reporter Lea Schuster and Strib Roadguy blogger Jim Foti will be traveling by car. And that’s not all: they must run errands as well. All contestants must pick up a Wall Street Journal and tickets to Bedlam Theatre’s Romeo and Juliet, and return a book to the Central Library. Who will make the finish line first? Could it be you?

    7:40
    a.m., begins at the Merriam Park Community Center, 2000 Saint Anthony
    Ave., Saint Paul; ends between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m. at the Central
    Library outdoor plaza, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis.

    SPECIAL EVENT
    Goth Prom V: Contrivance, dues ex machina.

    Last year, over 900 people attended the Goth Prom. This year, don’t miss out on the fun. "Contrivance promises to be the ultimate prom experience, one designed specifically for those that are able to appreciate the diversity within the subcultures present in the Minneapolis/St Paul area." Feel left out or restricted by your own prom? Now you can experience the fun. (Or was it even fun back then?) Get decked out, and enjoy the crowds, the wild attire, two-for-one drinks from 9-11 p.m., and some rippin’ good music by DJs Oxygen and Nitrogen. (And Geeks, don’t worry; they’ll be another prom for you soon, too.)

    9 p.m. – 3 a.m., The Saloon, 9th and Hennepin Ave., Downtown Minneapolis; no cover.

    ALERT: If you cannot cope with same sex couples, stay the hell away.

    FILM
    Happy 40th Anniversary, 2001!

    In celebration of the 40 years since Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Heights Theatre
    is showing the 1968 masterpiece, digitally remastered in 70mm, a
    project of Kubrick’s before his death in 1999. This historical
    depiction of the future raised many questions as to the existance of
    life and the mysteries of science and space. And who doesn’t love a
    bunch of monkeys dancing around a mysterious monolith? Follow man from
    his pre-historic ape-man status, when he first uses tools to conquer
    his environments — into the present day (the future, at the time the
    film was made), when man has set out to conquer space, and perhaps even
    life itself. —Hannah Simpson

    3:50 & 7:10 p.m., Heights Theatre, 3951 Central Ave. NE, Columbia Heights; $8.

     

  • Obamania

    photo from Pander Watch

    (read aloud)

    Obama!

    Obama, mama!

    Obama mama, blackjack!

    Obama mama blackjack, jackpot! Smoke a lot?

    Brain rot?

     

    Minnesota

    pep rally, rock show! Let’s go! Cash flow!

    Are we here? Do we know? Where to go? Say so!

    Minnesota slam dunk. In the trunk. No junk.

    Put it in the mix, punk!

     

    Hoosier daddy

    Indiana Tarheel store bought fortune wheel.

    No more vacant lots. Hard fought short shots.

    Jacka lacka jackpot. Spin the lever. Maybe not.

    Don’t forget to get the pot.

     

    Summer winner?

    Who knows? Who cares? Cash flows down stairs.

    Hoosier daddy, where’d he go? Izzy at the rock show?

    Scalpin’ tickets on the street? Where to meet to beat the heat?

    Save the country from the dogs, high hogs, rollin’ logs.

    Save the country sez you, home brew! Who to screw?

    Are we in a hot spot? Be cool, somethin’ new.

     

    Tell a vision

    Sunday morning on the tube. Am I just another boob?

    Tell it to me wholesale. Rock The Nation; find the Grail.

    Are ya lyin’ press corps? Tell me just a little more.

    Over under, what’s the score?

    Who’s a whore?

     

    Revolution,

    is it real? Can you feel?

    Buy a T shirt?

     

    (not to be confused with "God Bless America")

     

  • You Belong — and So Does Mom

    THEATER & PERFORMANCE
    Baby Got Curves

    Certainly the theme of body image is nothing new. In fact, we’ve come to expect it from plays (or any art, for that matter) about women. Why don’t I look like the models in the magazines? Why can’t I be thinner? Why can’t my breasts be larger, rounder, firmer? Why can’t my waist be smaller, flatter, firmer? Why can’t my hair be blonder, straighter, longer? Clearly, we have issues being happy with who we are. Real Women Have Curves, written by Josefina Lopez, follows a young, first-generation Mexican-American woman as she struggles with her body image and tries to find balance between her mainstream ambitions and her more traditional cultural heritage and upbringing. The critically acclaimed play (which inspired the award-winning HBO film with America Ferrera) offers a microcosm of the Latina immigrant experience and celebrates real women’s bodies, the power of women, and the incredible bond that happens when women work together. This weekend, Teatro del Pueblo kicks off their all-female production, which includes a brand new interactive fashion show to promote greater engagement with the play’s themes of body image and how this affects women, both Latino and non-Latino, in our society today.

    Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., The Paul and Sheila Wellstone Community Center, Old Neighborhood House, 179 Robie St. E., St. Paul; 651-224-8806; $18 (students/seniors/frnge $15)

    ART
    Why You Belong

    On the other side of the river, at the Chambers, Beijing and Minnesota artists come together to address a similar theme — belonging. Curator and Chambers Art Director Jennifer Phelps — with assistance from Cheryl Wilgren Clyne, University of Minnesota MFA student — has chosen 28 photographs (from over 400 image submissions) for Why You Belong, an exhibit of photographs from the Beijing Film Academy and the University of Minnesota. Artists include Coo Chang, Dude Guo, Luo Fei Hong, Zhang Jia Qing, Song Jing, Li Ning and Zhu Yu, WEN Min, Shi Pengfei, Chen Ping Ping, Wang Yanshu, Su Zhi Gang, Zhou Tao, Rea Xiao, Zhan Xiao Dan, Tang Xuan, Liu Xiaolong, Gao Xinwei, Sonja Peterson, Tang Meng, James Henkel, Juanita Berrio, Peter Haakon Thompson, Andrew Schroeder, Jan Estep, Gary Hallman, Justin Newhall, Cheryl Wilgren Clyne, Chris Baker, and Andrew Schroeder.

    Opening Reception on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., Burnet Art Gallery, Chambers, 901 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-767-6900.

    MUSIC
    Talib Kweli

    If someone can tell you why he belongs, though, it’s probably Talib Kweli. Talib Kweli — seeker of truth (that’s what his name means). The man is probably one of the best-known rappers in alternative hip hip. Kweli first gained recognition through Black Star, a collaboration with fellow MC Mos Def. While his lyrics contain plenty of street and ghetto in them, like Tupac, Kweli comes from a highly-educated arts background. This, too, is evident in his lyrics, which — again, like Tupac’s — are far more intelligent, strong, and proud than much of the recent watered down dollars-and-ass rap. "Freedom’s a road that’s seldom traveled, watch hell unravel / Right before the eyes of the soldier who fell in battle / The single mother who raised her daughter to bear the sacred water / And not take the hand of every man who make a offer / To black kids wishin they white kids, when they close they eyelids / Like, ‘I bet they neighborhood ain’t like this’ / White kids wishin they black kids, and wanna talk like rappers / It’s all backwards it’s identity crisis." Kweli is in town this weekend to promote his latest album, Ear Drum, which features some hot collaborators (Kanye West, Roy Ayers, Jean Grae, Peter Rock, KRS-One, and even Justin Timberlake and Norah Jones), accessible beats, and Kweli’s staple of insightful, rhythmically drilling lyrics.

    Friday at 10 p.m. (doors at 7), EPIC Nightclub, 110 N. Fifth St., Minneapolis; 612-332-3742; $30.


    An Epic Mother’s Day

    Sunday is Mother’s Day, of course, and I’m guessing Talib Kweli isn’t quite mom’s thing. But Epic’s Sunday show might be. R&B sensation El DeBarge will be performing with his live band. Mom is sure to remember "Rhythm of the Night," "All This Love," and "Who’s Holding Donna Now." Heck, she might even have a warm place in her heart for "Who’s Johnny?" Surprise her by turning back the hands of time — there’s nothing moms love more — and treating her to a night out on the town, VIP style, like she deserves. Ladies in the VIP sections will each receive a complimentary rose and glass of champagne.

    Sunday at 8:30 p.m. (doors at 7), EPIC Nightclub, 110 N. Fifth St., Minneapolis; 612-332-3742; $30, $45 VIP, $60 VIP Table (Bottle Service).

    FILM & MUSIC
    The Plácido Domingo 40th Anniversary Gala Concert

    Ok. Not all moms march to the beat of El Debarge. It’s true. Perhaps Mom would prefer one of the world’s greatest tenors — and a sexy ole bugger at that. This weekend, Plácido Domingo takes the L.A. Opera into movie theatres for the first time, as Landmark Theatres hosts screenings of The Plácido Domingo 40th Anniversary Gala Concert. The concert celebrates the fortieth anniversary of Domingo’s first professional appearance in Los Angeles and features arias and duets sung by Domingo and the internationally acclaimed soprano Patricia Racette. Music Director James Conlon conducts the L.A. Opera Orchestra for a perfect Mother’s Day concert.

    Sunday at 2 p.m., Landmark’s Lagoon Cinema, 1320 Lagoon Ave., Minneapolis.

    FILM
    Annual MCTC Media Generation Cinema Festival

    Of course, there are other great film offerings earlier in the weekend. On friday night, Cinema Division Students at MCTC present their Annual Media Generat
    ion Cinema Festival — like the Oscars, but kinkier. Enjoy a full range of visuals and sounds, popcorn and other yummy treats, two raffles (with a chance to win a $100 gift certificate from Best Buy and a brand new Blue-Ray/HD combo DVD player), awards, and great entertainment — even with adult material.

    Friday from 6-9 p.m., Whitney Fine Arts Theater, Minneapolis Community and Technical College, 1501 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; free.

    Son of Rambow

    And this weekend is also the opening of Son of Rambow. Director Garth Jennings’s (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)
    semi-autobiographical story is sweet and funny with a heartwarming
    narrative about the forming of a true friendship. Jennings made his own
    versions of First Blood as a child and coupled those
    experiences with some stories from producer Nick Goldsmith’s childhood
    to assemble the initial script. Schoolmates
    Will Proudfoot (Bill Milner) and Lee Carter (Will Poulter) are the
    unlikeliest of pairs. They meet by pure chance when Lee gets
    expelled from his classroom for disobedience and encounters Will, who
    is sitting in the hallway because his family’s beliefs, as members of
    The Brethren evangelical christian movement, preclude him from watching
    television or even films shown at school. Lee proceeds to get Will in
    trouble, as well, and blackmails him into paying him a fee for taking
    the blame. Thus, their dysfunctional friendship begins. Lee then guilts Will into coming over to his house, where he is exposed to his first movie … a pirated copy of First Blood that
    Lee filmed at a local movie theater for his brother’s bootlegging
    business. Hilarity ensues when Will gets swept up in the action and
    agrees to star in Lee’s makeshift re-make of the film. —Christopher Kelleher (read his full review)

    Starts Friday at the Lagoon Theater.

    EXPO
    Elder Care Expo

    This isn’t quite a Mother’s Day outing — although it can certainly improve your mother’s well-being — but Minnesota’s first-ever Elder Care Expo is also being held this weekend. Are you responsible for some aspect of finances of healthcare for a family member over 65? Have you experiences stress and frustrations navigating through today’s elder care system? The Elder Care Expo brings together government agencies, nonprofits, private organizations to help provides the answers and support that you so desperately need.

    Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., Education Building, Minnesota State Fairgrounds, 1265 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul; 651.204.0266; $8.

    SHOPPING
    Luna Vinca Mother’s Day Sale

    And don’t let Mother’s Day hit you with nothing in hand. I mean, come on, folks: this woman birthed you (or at least someone, right?)! Not quite sure how to reward her for that? Perhaps the folks of Luna Vinca can help. Jennifer Guion, owner of Luna Vinca and an award-winning floral designer, will be cooking up her fabulous flower arrangements. And Alissa Karges, the creator of FS Jewelry, will work with you to find the perfect piece of jewelry for mom. What mom doesn’t like flowers and jewelry? (Hmm… come to think of it, mine prefers books and music, but… she weird.)

    Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Luna Vinca, 3344 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612.823.6178.

  • Son of Rambow

    The name Son of Rambow
    conjures images of some hot young actor like Shia LaBeouf trekking
    through the mountains of Afghanistan, dodging Taliban attacks while
    searching for a captured Sylvester Stallone. Rest assured, this is not
    what you will get from this refreshingly creative twist on the coming-of-age genre.

    Director Garth Jennings’s (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)
    semi-autobiographical story is sweet and funny with a heartwarming
    narrative about the forming of a true friendship. Jennings made his own
    versions of First Blood as a child and coupled those
    experiences with some stories from producer Nick Goldsmith’s childhood
    to assemble the initial script.

    Schoolmates
    Will Proudfoot (Bill Milner) and Lee Carter (Will Poulter) are the
    unlikeliest of pairs. They meet by pure chance when Lee gets
    expelled from his classroom for disobedience and encounters Will, who
    is sitting in the hallway because his family’s beliefs, as members of
    The Brethren evangelical christian movement, preclude him from watching
    television or even films shown at school. Lee proceeds to get Will in
    trouble, as well, and blackmails him into paying him a fee for taking
    the blame. Thus, their dysfunctional friendship begins.

    Lee then guilts Will into coming over to his house, where he is exposed to his first movie … a pirated copy of First Blood that
    Lee filmed at a local movie theater for his brother’s bootlegging
    business. Hilarity ensues when Will gets swept up in the action and
    agrees to star in Lee’s makeshift re-make of the film.

    The filming of the movie begins with the two friends having a great time acting out scenes from First Blood
    with a reckless abandon that only two young and fearless boys could
    muster, making for some fun and amusing scenes. But things start to get
    complicated as fellow students begin to hear about the film and the
    making of the movie interferes with the boys’ commitments to their
    families, and vice versa.

    Lee
    is constantly on edge due to an undying loyalty to his self-centered
    and manipulative brother who, despite all his flaws, is closer to him
    than his absent parents. Will’s family, on the other hand, wants to spend all their time together in prayerful solitude, but the
    lure of starring in a movies becomes too tempting. His mother is being
    courted by one of the elders of the group, who influences her to take a
    firmer grip on Will’s activities.

    The
    plot gets even more complicated as some of the boys’ fellow students
    hear about the movie and want to participate … notably the popular
    new French exchange student Didier. As their friends begin to get more
    and more involved, mostly at Will’s request, and familial obligations
    present themselves, there becomes a rift in the two boys’ relationship.
    While filming the final scene, an automobile accident threatens to end
    the film and the boys’ relationship altogether.

    The mixture of slapstick humor and heartwarming drama make Son of Rambow a unique fresh treat for moviegoers. The
    rich cast of characters, including the members of The Brethren, Didier
    and his entourage and Lee’s self-centered older brother are a welcome
    homage to some of the great coming of age comedies of the 1980’s like Better Off Dead and Weird Science. But there is a genuineness to Son of Rambow that leaves you laughing, but warm and fuzzy, at the same time … something you wouldn’t have gotten from a Son of Rambo movie.

    Starts Friday at the Lagoon Theater.

  • One-Stop Guide to Development Sites in MSP

    Today was the launch of MetroMSP —  a new Web site that offers companies and site selectors instant access to comprehensive and
    crucial marketplace information about available commercial, industrial
    and retail sites in the 11-county Minneapolis Saint Paul metro region.

    The Web site covers the anchor cities of Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and
    Bloomington, as well as Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota,
    Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright counties.

    The site catalogues and displays more than
    5,000 industrial, manufacturing, office, and retail properties. The
    database includes essential details about each location, including
    taxes, available utilities, legal descriptions, and photographs.

    Each property links to an interactive map that displays important
    information about the surrounding area, such as highways, airports,
    railways, lakes and rivers, educational institutions, retail centers,
    and parks. In addition, existing businesses are mapped by industry, so
    users can view the local landscape for potential partners, customers
    and competitors.

    Users also can click on links to connect them directly with a selected site’s real estate broker or city/county/chamber contact.

    Besides profiling specific development sites, MetroMSP.org showcases
    the region’s exceptional quality of life, including its high national
    rankings in categories ranging from health care to education to
    cultural amenities.