rakemag Reservoir Dogs made him the hipsters’ darling, but it was 1994’s Pulp Fiction that, for better or worse, anointed Quentin Tarantino as The New Genius Who Will Change Moviemaking Forever. Nobody, of course, can stand up to that level of hype, and QT certainly later proved himself capable of graceless junk. (Exhibit A: Four Rooms.) … Read more
Jack Nicholson has certainly confirmed many times over his place as a master of the big screen. Who can forget his classic role as Jack Torrance in The Shining, or more recently his deft and hilarious portrayal of neurotic Melvin Udall in As Good as It Gets? Still, we think this is by far his … Read more
It’s been almost 20 years since the original release of one of the strangest films to become a cult classic. Koyaanisquatsi is really just a collage of moving images, but there is real structure and direction to the non-narrative movie. Moving from pure natural environments to completely fabricated, manmade settings, it is a visual dictionary … Read more
The thing about Tom Stoppard is that you have to bring your brain to the theater. All of it. Stoppard, whom most know as the author of Shakespeare in Love, is the preeminent English playwright of ideas. His normal modus operandi is to take some small bit from his exhaustive knowledge of history, literature, or … Read more
For 10 years, this Minneapolis-based troupe has been working to bridge the gap between Asian and American cultures through the power of the stage, mixing Western-style dramas with Eastern music, dance, and drumming. Their latest offering, “Of Hope and Courage,” is a double shot of one-acts by local Asian-American playwrights, both taking their inspiration from … Read more
Ragamala Music and Dance Theater is one of the gorgeous, hidden jewels of Twin Cities dance. Exploring and expanding classical Indian dance (based in Bharatanatyam, the ancient classical dance of southern India) with a blend of contemporary choreography, Ragamala has enjoyed 10 seasons of performances that have garnered international attention. Srishti (Creation) begins the new … Read more
Arm thy wallet with cash and thy chariot with a full tank of gas, for the Minnesota Renaissance Festival is in full regalia once again in its 30th anniversary of entertainment. Twelve stages with everything from the traditional fairy tale of Cinderella told in spoonerisms from the Tory Steller, to a full-contact Armored Joust. You’ll … Read more
More a collection of vignettes than large-scale narrative, Seed: Awesome Vessel of Power is a rumination on a simple, oft overlooked object of nature. Initiated by Associate Artistic Director Beth Peterson in collaboration with four other puppeteers and three musicians, Seed was first performed two years ago at HOBT. Peterson’s vision came in response to … Read more
Well, it’s about time. Nine years since the fondly remembered First Avenue reunion shows, 15 since their breakup, and 22 since In Combo first popped up in the vinyl racks, Beej and the boys’ original albums are finally out on CD. It’s a fine opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with the ’Burbs’ brand of buzzy and … Read more
We’ve been big fans of Greg Brown for a long time now—for almost as long as he’s been obsessed with the Driftless, that rugged beautiful part of the country down where Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota all come together, the land the glaciers forgot to plow under. Seems most of the music-making world is a fan … Read more