FILM
The Orphanage
After falling more and more in love with Pan’s Labyrinth every
day for the past year, I’m fairly certain I’d go see anything with
Guillermo del Toro’s name behind it. Yet I do have to admit that I was
somewhat disappointed when I finally realized that he didn’t actually
direct the soon-to-be-released film, The Orphanage. While Del
Toro is, in fact, executive producer, the film holds true to his style,
his beautiful dream-like quality. Juan Antonio Bayona’s "chilling first
feature" reflects many of the same preoccupations: "the dream-life of
children, strong but broken female characters and, most importantly,
the modernization of gothic horror." Taking Del Toro’s seemingly
classic tales into more unstable terrain, Bayona manages to surprise
and scare us. The story takes place, of course, in an abandoned
orphanage — the site of fascist "horrors" during Franco’s reign — where
a former resident returns to live with her family. Well, you can only
imagine, and then you can share in the imagination of a upcoming
master. This is one sneak preview you don’t want to miss — and free at
that.
7:30 p.m., The Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak Street SE, Minneapolis, 612-331-3134, free.
FILM
All City Youth Film Showcase
As a supplement to their March Girls in the Director’s Chair film festival, which only features work done by female filmmakers, The Walker Art Center has opened up its director’s chair to the boys for an All City Youth Film Showcase, featuring over 20 short films by Minnesota youth (under 18) of any gender. In partnership with Twin Cities Youth Media Network (TCYMN), the event is free to the public and includes a question and answer session with the young filmmakers following the screenings. —Kate McDonald
7 p.m., Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-375-7600; free.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
The Tallest Radical Humorist in the Midwest
At this point Bill Holm
probably qualifies as a literary lion. He looks the part, certainly
(Garrison Keillor has described him as “the tallest radical humorist in
the Midwest”), and has a pretty unconventional lifestyle by Minnesota
lit standards. Holm is an outsized personality, yet he’s also something
of an outstate recluse and a rambler. When he’s not hunkered down in
his little hometown of Minneota, Holm’s generally … well, somewhere
exotic else. He’s capable of writing about anyplace—and anything,
really—in an amiable yet erudite style in which, time and again, his
sui generis personality comes through loud and clear. His latest book, Windows of Brimnes: An American in Iceland,
is a dispatch from his favorite summer retreat, an Icelandic fishing
village, and is a sharp and often very funny study in cultural
contrast. —Brad Zellar
7 p.m., Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 612-630-6170.
MUSIC
Pierre-Laurent Aimard Conducts Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony
Artistic Partner and world-acclaimed pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard will conduct The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra this evening in a performance of Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony, Webern’s Concerto for 9 Instruments, and Schoenberg’s Three Pieces for Chamber Orchestra. After intermission Aimard will perform and conduct from the piano on Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor. If you like what you see, you can return in January for Aimard’s performance with soprano Dawn Upshaw.
8 p.m. (Friday at 10:30 a.m. & 8 p.m., Saturday at 8 p.m.), Ordway Center, 345 Washington St., St. Paul; 651-224-4222; $11-$59.
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