Billy Joel is back! He went into semi retirement from writing new music before I had been born. Other than a handful of live albums, remixes, and his Fantasies & Delusions instrumental album (which he did not perform on), Mr. Joel hasn’t released a new album since 1993. He has long told journalists and pushy fans he’s musically said everything he has had to say. I never thought I’d get a new single from him, much less within months of a new Beatles track. But as proof we live in the strangest timeline, Billy Joel stepped out of the shadow.
The song’s brilliant lyrics are all about the regrets we live with, and how he is trying to reconcile those feelings. He’s acknowledging the loss of love, and trying to put effort back into rebuilding said relationship. There are clear parallels between Joel’s relationship with the music industry. He’s asking himself, “am I really going to try and do this again?” Will he regain his love of music? It is unsure, but, he’s open to trying again.
Queue it up on Spotify (or Apple Music or any other streamer of your choice), sit back, and get ready to shed some tears.
Please, open the door Nothing is different, we’ve been here before. Pacing these halls, Trying to talk over the silence. And pride sticks out its tongue, Laughs at the portrait that we’ve become. Stuck in a frame, unable to change I was wrong.
I’m late, but I’m here right now. Though I used to be romantic, I forgot somehow. Time can make you blind, But I see you now, As we’re laying in the darkness. Did I wait too long To turn the lights back on?
Here, stuck on a hill. Outsiders inside the home that we built. The cold settles in, It’s been a long winter of indifference. And maybe you love me, maybe you don’t. Maybe you’ll learn to, and maybe you won’t. You’ve had enough, but I won’t give up, On you.
I’m late, but I’m here right now. And I’m tryin’ to find the magic That we lost somehow. Maybe I was blind, But I see you now, As we’re laying in the darkness. Did I wait too long To turn the lights back on?
I’m late, but I’m here right now. Is there still time for forgiveness? Won’t you tell me how? I can’t read your mind, But I see you now, As we’re layin’ in the darkness. Did I wait too long To turn the lights back on?
I’m here right now Yes, I’m here right now Looking for forgiveness I can see as we’re laying in the darkness Yeah, as we’re laying in the darkness Did I wait too long To turn the lights back on?
10. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – To me, this film was a tad unnecessary. I still enjoyed it thoroughly. I am glad to have another adventure of Indiana Jones at my disposal. However, the message of the film is largely a rehash of those from previous films. But in a time where fascism has been weirdly embraced, Dial of Destiny reminds viewers it’s never wrong to punch a nazi.
9. Theater Camp – During my latter half of high school, I spent two summers with one of my best friends at theater camp. She texted me the trailer right as it came out and said “We have to go”. “Naturally,” I replied. But alas! Looking for showtimes I found the closest theater playing it was in Chicago. We thought we wouldn’t have the opportunity to see this indie gem. A few months down the line our local cineplex chain announced a limited release of the movie, and we instantly made plans to attend a screening.
It was a fun time. We grinned ear to ear recognizing all the familiar tropes and eccentricities of theater people. Whispering to each other, we were comparing all of the different characters to people we knew. Reminiscing about all our favorite camp activities. Pointing out how much nicer the camp in the film was and how talented all of the actors in the film are. The soundtrack wasn’t bad either. Though some of the plot points lean predictable, its a comfort being able to just escape for a few hours and relive those old camp memories.
8. Dick Tracy Special: Tracy Zooms In – Warren Beatty reprises his role as Dick Tracy in this sequel to his 2010 TCM outing Dick Tracy Special. Ben Mankiewicz acts as host in this meta zoomer humor comedy, with Leonard Maltin coming back to cash another paycheck. TCM made no announcement of the short and released it to almost no fanfare, sandwiched between a few of the old 1940s/50s Dick Tracy features. Tracy Zooms In puts no effort at hiding what it is, the bare minimum Warren Beatty needs to put in to keep the film rights to the Dick Tracy character.
Dick Tracy wants to set the record straight. In his previous special he said he was too kind and cordial to Warren Beatty. That Beatty gave him the brush off back making his 1990 feature. Tracy wants to say what he thinks a Dick Tracy movie should be and how Beatty got it all wrong. Large portions of the special have Dick Tracy himself making commentary over different scenes of the film, ala Mystery Science Theater 3000. I was about as dumbfounded as Mankiewicz was at the situation.
I don’t want to spoil the ending, so I’ll leave it to you to find. Though I would love a new Dick Tracy movie, if all I get is one of these every 13 years, I’ll be happy.
7. Boston Johnny – The feature with the most originality is unequivocally the Motern Media venture Boston Johnny. Matt Farley plays the titular role with gravitas. Boston Johnny is an ad spokesman fighting for the spotlight and the heart of Tanzy, proprietor of Tanzy’s. His trials and tribulations only grow when his rival, Toronto’s Own Will Sloan, arrives. Boston Johnny must use the sage teachings of The Man of the Woods (portrayed with excellence by Kevin McGee) to rise through the ranks and vanquish his foes to become the greatest ad spokesman in all of the world.
As a producer on this movie I might be a tad bias, but I don’t care! This (As with the rest of the Motern movies) is a a fun romp that hypnotizes and captivates its viewers, taking them on a journey into a world far more pleasant than our own. Find it on Tubi, buy it on Vimeo, and wait idly in anticipation for the blu-ray release of Boston Johnny.
6. Barbie – One of the most original blockbusters I recall seeing in movie theaters. The Barbenheimer phenomenon caught up with me, but wanting to see Oppenheimer on film, I saw Barbie last. This was not the move, as I just spent three hours wallowing in existential dread over nuclear weapons. I wish I was in a better headspace, as I’m sure I would have enjoyed it more. Never the less, Barbie was a delightful romp.
Greta Gerwig’s directing was masterful, and I adored the subtle nuances that Margot Robbie brought to the character. Kate McKinnon was hilarious, and Rhea Perlman’s cameo was nothing short of heartwarming. I hope Barbie‘s success leads to more original women-centric features, rather than the likely spin off movies of other Mattel toys.
5. Oppenheimer – As I just mentioned, I joined in with the masses for the Barbenheimer weekend. However I was quite lucky, as my local Imax theater was one of the few capable of showing the 70mm film version. And in an age where it becomes ever more difficult to watch movies on film, I had to go. The film looked gorgeous on that shimmering 70mm, yet the theatrical experience ended up being a little less than pleasant.
The theater hadn’t ran any film since 2018, and nobody knew how to properly handle the print. Throughout the film audio would desynchronize, the image would cut in and out, and worst of all, (allegedly) the print had fallen off its table, and we would not be able to watch the final 30 minutes. The sold out audience was in an uproar, some having driven hundreds of miles to catch the film version. I felt so bad for the poor, underpaid employee who had to keep coming back to make announcements. It wasn’t his fault the theater shifted to digital only projection a decade prior.
I ended up making it back there a few weeks later. The print was quite beaten by this point, but that didn’t stop them from selling out. At times a solid line would pop up through the upper third of the picture, with artifacts aplenty throughout the runtime. But I was able to catch much more of (and actually finish) the feature on the second watch, and for that I’m grateful.
4. Godzilla Minus One – Toho’s latest foray into Kaiju cinema was this solid period drama. Out of any of the Godzilla films I have seen, I found Minus One to have the most compelling human story. Lots of exciting action, killer score, and characters you can sympathize with. Far more enjoyable than the Lionsgate Monsterverse Godzilla ventures.
3. The Iron Claw – The story of the Von Erich family is a very personal one to me. My father was a huge fan of theirs back in the 1970s and 1980s, and often showed me old WCCW matches growing up. During my myriad struggles with mental health problems, I have felt very connected to the Von Erich brothers.
While I loved this film, it is not without flaws. Writer/director Sean Durkin does the typical date changing/detail omitting commonplace to help biopics fit their narrative. The least forgivable is the total absence of Chris Von Erich. It is my understanding this was done to make the film more palatable for mainstream audiences, his life and story are just as important as the other Von Erich’s. Still, it was a poetic tribute to one of the greatest families in the history of professional wrestling.
2. Killers of the Flower Moon – A thought provoking meditation on the horrific slaughtering of native Americans. It’s always a pleasure to see a new Martin Scorsese movie. It was like a good stew, tons of fabulous ingredients simmering right in your face for three hours. The phenomenal acting, the sharp editing and biting social commentary kept me on the edge of my seat. When the film was first announced Leonardo DiCaprio was set to play an investigator probing the situation. However, due in part to public perception of law enforcement, the film was rewritten and shifted the focus to the exploitative relationships between the white and Osage people. While I am curious what Scorsese’s original vision for this film was, the end product is nothing short of another masterpiece in Marty’s oeuvre.
1. Heard She Got Murdered – From the team that brought you Slingshot Cops, Magic Spot, and Boston Johnny comes the second installment in the life of musician Mitch Owens. He’s trying to shake off the traumatic events of the first film by getting back to recording with his new group, The Mitch Owens Trio. Can Mitch abide by the town’s music standards? Is their sound beefy enough? Will his eccentricities push him farther than we thought possible?
Heard She Got Murdered is a wonderful sequel to one of my all time favorite films, Heard She Got Married. The two films are polar opposites, which I think makes them stronger. I was lucky enough to be in the crowd at the premiere, and everybody in the room was covered with goosebumps as the projector flickered to life. This is a film you must watch multiple times, because you never know what you might have missed.
Honorable Mentions
A Haunting in Venice – Kenneth Branagh does it again! The third in his Poirot series is another moody murder mystery, and possibly the most fun. Certainly the most original of the bunch. If you’re a fan of the genre, check it out!
Cocaine Bear – Elizabeth Banks makes her return to the director’s chair with this hilarious dark comedy. Based (VERY loosely, if I may add) on a true story, Banks pontificates on what would happen if a bear located and consumed several kilos of cocaine. It’s fun, and I can always get behind esteemed character actress Margo Martindale.
Paint – Owen Wilson plays Carl Nargle, a Bob Ross type public television artist who thinks he has it all. But when an upstart younger artist comes along, Nargle loses everything. This movie has been in some form of production since being featured in the 2010 Black List most-liked unproduced screenplays. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
I decided to have a sober weekend, my first in longer than I can remember. When you’re 26 and can say you’ve had substance abuse issues half your life, it was probably long overdue. I still don’t know how I feel. But this is something.
Another day, another loss. On December 5, news broke of Norman Lear’s passing. If you’re too young to understand the significance of his death, Norman Lear was the predominant satirical voice of the 1970s. On any given day of the week, you could find one of any number of his shows topping Neilson charts. And they STILL air in reruns today, over 50 years after they first hit the airwaves.
Norman Lear was the king of the sitcom, the sultan of the spin-off, and the wizard of wit. Beginning with All in the Family (his Americanized version of the British series Till Death Do Us Part), Lear’s empire seemingly multiplied with each passing year. All in the Family gave us Maude (which subsequently the show Good Times spun out of), The Jeffersons (which received its own spin-off, Checking In), Archie Bunker’s Place (another continuation starring Carroll O’Connor), Gloria, and 704 Hauser.
Though he already had quite a full plate, Lear helped his producing partner Bud Yorkin spearhead the remake of another British series, Steptoe and Son. This became the classic Redd Foxx series Sanford and Son. And wouldn’t ya know it, they managed to mine another three spin-offs from the show!
If that wasn’t enough, he concurrently had another universe of shows that took place in the fictitious town of Fernwood. Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman was the first of these, a parody of daily soap operas. In the short span of 18 months, he managed to produce 325 episodes of the series. After Mary Hartman ended, he turned his eye to parody late night talk shows on Fernwood 2-Night. Showcasing the bizarre oddities (and its second season retooling named America 2-Night).
And then there was One Day at a Time. A show about a divorced single mother raising her two teenage daughters. While it originally aired from 1975-1984, Mr. Lear remade the series for Netflix in 2017. Yep, here he was in his 90’s, still vying for laughs.
He remains an inspiration to comedy writers around the world. Without his voice, the laugh of the world gets a bit quieter.
That’s right, time for another of my old Journalism articles, because I am trying to push through my daily battle with writer’s block. So here goes…
Applied Technology Center
By Jesse Shira – Collegiate Staff
It’s time to grab some popcorn and sit back as the Tournées Film Festival comes to Grand Rapids Community College Nov. 3-4.
Each film is free to attend and will be playing at the Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center Auditorium, room 168 in the ATC. The festival began last week, with films showing at the Grand Valley State University Loosemore Auditorium.
Each film is played with English subtitles for those who don’t speak French.
Here is the schedule for films playing at GRCC:
The 1988 film “Chocolat” will be playing at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3. The film revolves around a young French woman who returns to West Africa to think over and contemplate her childhood on a colonial outpost in Cameroon, including her family’s houseboy Protee and the intricate nature of relationships in a racist society.
The festival continues at 4 p.m. Nov. 4 with the film “Jauja”, which is about a father and daughter’s journey to an unknown desert that exists in a realm beyond civilization.
The final film shown will be “Le Grand Homme” or “The Great Man” at 7 p.m. Nov. 4. It is about two Frenchmen toward the end of their tour of duty in Afghanistan as they deal with the legal status of their immigration and their need to help those who save others.
The Tournées Film Festival is brought to the public by the French programs of GRCC and GVSU through a grant from the FACE Foundation in collaboration with the Cultural Services of the French Embassy.
Here comes another in the series of old articles/columns from my foray into journalism at Grand Rapids Community College. As an awkward, insecure, and introverted 19 year old, I was certainly not the most well connected in my class. I had few friends, never went to any big parties, and am insanely indecisive. Nevertheless, it’s hard for me to say no to people, so when I was approached by one of the editors to start up the semester’s “Things to Do” column, I just had to answer in the affirmative.
And so began a stressful months long search to help students kill their boredom. Did I always pick the most exciting events? Maybe not. Did I attend everything I brought up? Definitely not. But it was a fun challenge and turned to be a bit more in my wheelhouse than traditional journalism.
So… Here we go!
All photos by Jesse Shira unless otherwise noted.
9/22/2016-9/25/2016
Dog Story Theater is located at 7 Jefferson Ave, SE
By Jesse Shira – Collegiate Staff
The weekend is coming, and that means one thing: party! But where to go? What to do? Well, look no further. This weekend’s to do list features something for everyone, from the deep thinking intellectual to the craft beer connoisseur and from the family man to those craving ‘70s nostalgia. Take a look.
Dog Story Theater, 7 Jefferson Ave SE, is presenting “The American Lady” by local playwright Max Bush at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday. “The American Lady,” at its core, is a story about a woman’s struggle to understand i the differences between her life and professional alter-ego. Tickets are $12 for general admission seating. The play is not recommended for younger audiences due to adult content.
The Fountain Hill Brewery will open for the first time on campus at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. The brewery will be run by students in the Craft Brewing, Packaging, and Service Operations certificate program. It will remain open from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays throughout the rest of the academic year. The brewery can be found inside The Heritage restaurant, 151 Fountain St NE.
The DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave NW, hosts “The Piano Men” starring the Grand Rapids Symphony along with special guest singer/pianist Jim Witter at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. “The Piano Men” is a tribute show to ‘70s artists Billy Joel and Elton John. The concert is open to everyone and tickets start at $18. Students can get in for $5 with student ID.
John Ball Park, 1300 West Fulton Street, is the location for this year’s Oktoberfest West Michigan hosted by the Edelweiss Club. The family friendly celebration of German heritage will take place from noon until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and will include concerts, a soccer tournament, kids inflatables and more. Additional information can be found at http://www.oktoberfestgr.com
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9/29/2016-10/02/2016
A view of Grand Rapids.
By Jesse Shira – Collegiate Staff
One week comes and another week goes, and that means one thing, another edition of things to do. This week we have everything ranging from a music festival to a haunted walking tour (spooky, I know). So sit back, grab a venti pumpkin spice latte, and read on!
Blue Bridge Music Festival
As any citizen of Grand Rapids might have noticed, Artprize eight is in full swing. Events are happening practically around the clock, including the first Artprize Blue Bridge Music Festival. The event features Artprize musicians and bands from all over Michigan and the free event is open to the public. It starts at 4 p.m. Friday and will continue throughout the day and again on Saturday from noon until 10 p.m. For additional information and list of performers, click here.
Ghosts of Grand Rapids Walking Tour
Do you fear things that go bump in the night? Have you felt the presence of spirits, ghosts or apparitions? Do you want to learn the haunted history of Grand Rapids? The Ghosts of Grand Rapids walking tour takes guests through the streets of downtown while telling spooky stories from the city’s past. Each tour starts at 8 p.m. at Veteran’s Memorial Park, 101 Fulton Street E, and goes about two hours. There are tours happening each weekend through October, and tickets cost $10. To reserve your spot on the tour, go online to http://www.ghostsofgrandrapids.com/index.html
Circus Xtreme
If anyone wants to run away and join the circus, this would be the weekend to do it. That’s right, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey are taking over the Van Andel Arena, 130 Fulton W. The shows begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with additional matinees at 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Ticket prices begin at $12 and may be purchased at the Van Andel Arena box office, www.ringling.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
“Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play”
Actors’ Theatre kicks off their 36th season with “Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play” at Spectrum Theater, 160 Fountain Street NE. The show starts at 8 p.m. with performances Sept. 29 and 30, and Oct. 1, 6, 7, and 8. Tickets are $28 for adults, $22 for students/seniors, with $10 student rush tickets an hour before showtime. They can be purchased online and from the Spectrum Theater box office.
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10/06/2016-10/09/2016
Ariel view of Van Andel Arena courtesy: vanandelarena.com
By: Jesse Shira – Collegiate Staff
ArtPrize Eight may be coming to an end, but fear not, for there are still plenty of great events happening all around this grand city. This week we have a fine selection that includes concerts, comedy, and a Shakespearean play.
ArtPrize Awards Ceremony and Community Watch Party
Every year ArtPrize brings together artists from all over the world globe to show off their shared passion and compete for $500,000 in prizes. Everyone wants to know who will win, and we have the chance to find out. At 5 p.m. this Friday, the eighth annual ArtPrize Awards Ceremony takes place at Rosa Parks Circle. The free event will include concerts, prizes, and some of the most popular food trucks in the city. Grab the family and come down to see if any of your favorite pieces will win.
SiriusXm presents I Love The 90’s at Van Andel Arena
Saturday, Oct. 8 marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Van Andel Arena, and they picked the perfect way to celebrate. Starting at 8 p.m. Vanilla Ice, Salt N Pepa, Kid N Play, All 4 One, Rob Base, and Tone Loc will take the stage performing some of their biggest hits. As an added bonus the Van Andel is offering special $20 tickets and 1996 concession prices. The concert is open to all ages, so whether you fondly remember the 90’s or wanted a glimpse into life 20 years ago, the I Love The 90’s tour looks to be all that and a bag of chips.
Tickets are available online, by calling 1-800-745-3000, and at the Van Andel box office.
Comedian Chris Barnes comes to Dr. Grins
This weekend Dr. Grins at the B.O.B., 20 Monroe Ave NW, welcomes comedian Chris Barnes. Originally from Wisconsin, Barnes has been performing stand up since 1980, and has since been performing throughout the United States. He has five different shows between Oct. 6 and 8 with ticket prices varying from $5 to $15. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door. The show is exclusive for those 21 and older, and requires a two drink minimum.
William Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ presented by Aquinas Theatre
Perhaps you’ve heard of the phrase “All the world’s a stage” but never knew right where it came from. Well, now you have the chance to find out as Aquinas Theatre presents William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.” The play runs from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Oct. 7 and 8 with an additional matinee at 2 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center, 1607 Robinson Rd SE. Tickets are $15 general admission, and $6 for students and are available at the door but you may reserve them by calling 616-456-6656
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10/13/2016-10/16/2016
Fountain Street Church, the location for the GRCC International Guitar Series
By Jesse Shira
This week we’ve seen numerous national days, like National Fossil Day, National Dessert Day, and even the much adored Leif Erikson Day, and the only way to celebrate is to go out and have a good time. From sports to concerts to destruction, Grand Rapids has it all this week.
GRCC International Guitar Series with Pino Forastiere
This year’s International Guitar Series kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain Street NE. General admission tickets to the event are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors and can be purchased online.
Office Space SMASH! At The Pyramid Scheme
Are you feeling stressed out from work, school, politics, or killer clowns? Do you feel like causing some destruction? Have you ever wanted to reenact part of the film “Office Space” all while supporting a good cause? Well this is your chance. From 3-5 p.m. on Friday Oct. 14 at The Pyramid Scheme, 68 Commerce Ave SW, the first ever Office Space SMASH will take place. Office equipment and bats will be provided in this event supporting the American Diabetes Association. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online or at the front bar. Participants can receive $5 off at the door if they donate equipment the day of the event. Office Space SMASH! is only open for people 21 or older.
Grand Rapids Griffins vs Chicago Wolves
The Grand Rapids Griffins start off their season against the Chicago Wolves at 7 p.m. Friday at the Van Andel Arena. There are a ton of opening night specials, including $2 beers and hot dogs, a free magnet schedule for the first 2,500 fans, and a post-game open skate. Tickets start at $16 and are available in person, by phone at 800-585-3737, and at griffinshockey.com.
The 2016 Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastic Champions hits the Van Andel Arena
At 6 p.m. Sunday multiple Olympic Gold Medalists are coming to the Van Andel Arena. Members from the 2008, 2012, and 2016 games will dazzle the crowd with incredible gymnastic feats. Tickets for the event start as low as $29 and go up to special $299 V.I.P. passes that include a pre-show Olympian Chalk Talk and a post show autograph session. To get tickets, call 1-800-745-3000, visit ticketmaster.com, or go to the Van Andel box office.
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10/21/2016-10/23/2016
The 4th annual Grand Rapids Comic-Con will take place this weekend at the DeVos Place Courtesy: Grand Rapids Comic Con
By Jesse Shira
It doesn’t take a mind reader or a superhero to know there’s a ton of great events happening this week in Grand Rapids. There’s festivals, concerts, conventions, basically something for people of all ages.
Grand Rapids Comic-Con
Comic book fans UNITE! That’s right, beginning Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. and continuing through Sunday evening pop culture enthusiasts will be pouring into the DeVos Place for a weekend of gaming, collecting, cosplaying, and learning from panels of experts at the Grand Rapids Comic-Con. This family-friendly event is in its fourth year and looks to be full of fun at every corner. For adults tickets start at $20 and go up to $149 for a special V.I.P. badge. Tickets are available at the DeVos Place box office, at TicketMaster, and by phone at 800-745-3000.
Mentalist Banachek at Calvin College
Do you believe in extra sensory perception? Or perhaps you are a skeptic. Either way, Banachek will amaze you with his mental abilities. At 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 the world renowned mentalist will be coming to Calvin College performing in the main lobby of the Hoogenboom Rec Center, 3195 Knight Way SE. He has been featured on NBC’s Today Show and CNN Live, as well as consulting for Criss Angel, David Blaine, Uri Geller, and many other professional entertainers. Opening for him will be the Calvin Improv troupe. Tickets are $3 for students and $6 for adults.
Grand Rapids Symphony presents DreamWorks Animation in Concert
For over 20 years, DreamWorks has been astounding audiences with their brand of storytelling. And at 8 p.m. Saturday the Grand Rapids Symphony will be taking audiences through some of their most iconic scores including “Kung Fu Panda,” “Shrek,” and “Madagascar.” Along with the live music they will be playing select clips from their films on the screens at the DeVos Performance Hall. Tickets start at $18 and are available online, at the DeVos box office, and by calling (616) 454-9451.
Grand Rapids Feminist Film Festival 2016
This Sunday the third annual Grand Rapids Feminist Film Festival will take place at the Wealthy Theatre, 1130 Wealthy Street SE. The festival is free to attend and begins at noon. There are 40 different short films playing throughout the day, as well as 10 panels with speakers to talk about filmmaking. To find more information and see a list of the films and speakers, go to www.grfff.org
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10/28/2016-10/30/2016
The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre is putting on Louis Sachar’s “Holes” this weekend
By Jesse Shira
Halloween is just around the corner, and along with all the free candy and dressing up that comes with the big day, comes plenty of great events downtown. This week we have concerts, plays, and family friendly Halloween parties.
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s production of “Holes”
The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre is putting on the play “Holes” based on the novel by Louis Sachar. There are performances at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with additional matinees at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets can be purchased onlineand at the box office and range in price from $10-$16. Holes is recommended for audiences eight and up.
Saved by the 90s at the Intersection
At 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29 the intersection brings “Saved by the 90s” to Grand Rapids. There will be covers of all sorts of music from the 1990’s including The Spice Girls, The Backstreet Boys, Third Blind Eye, and The Beastie Boys. This event is for ages 18 and up with I.D. Tickets cost $7 in advance and $10 at the show. Tickets can be bought onlineand at the door.
The GRAM’s Seriously Most Amazing Halloween Party of All Time
From noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 29 the Grand Rapids Art Museum will be hosting the “Seriously Most Amazing Halloween Party of All Time”. There are plenty of activities available for the whole family, including trick-or-treating throughout the galleries, art making in their studio, and a costume parade. Admission is free to members of the GRAM, and non-members can get in for the standard rate of $10 for adults, $6 for children 6-17, and free for kids under five.
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11/04/2016-11/06/2016
E.T. In Concert with the GR Pops Orchestra takes place this weekend. Courtesy: DeVos Performance Hall
By: Jesse Shira – Collegiate Staff
October has ended and as people put away Jack O’ Lanterns and scarecrows, we get ready to see inflatable Christmas trees, giant plastic nativity scenes, mounds of snow, and all the other things the holiday season brings us. But before all of that begins, let’s just enjoy this break before the chaos of shopping mall sales and visiting relatives with these fun events…
“E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial” with Live Score by the Grand Rapids Symphony
Beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, November 4 with additional performances Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon the Grand Rapids Symphony brings the classic film “E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial” to life. The Pops Orchestra will be playing John William’s award winning score as the film plays on a large HD screen. Each concert will take place at the DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave NW. Tickets begin at $18 but there are also student tickets for $5. They can be purchased online, in person at the box office, or by calling (616) 454-9451×4
BaCon: A Bacon and Beer Celebration at the Deltaplex
This year marks the 4th annual BaCon, a West Michigan festival celebrating Bacon and Beer. It begins at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5 and goes until 8 p.m. that evening. With your ticket you get sample tickets where you can try some of the tastiest bacon inspired creations in the state. General admission costs $20 and you get 10 sample tickets, but for the bacon expert there is something a little more flavorful. The “Bacon Master” VIP pass gets 20 tasting tickets and a limited edition BaCon apron, these tickets are $40. To buy tickets and learn more about the event, go to www.baconfestgr.com
River City Improv
Starting at 7:33 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5 and lasting two hours is the River City Improv show at the Ladies Literary Club, 61 Sheldon Blvd SE. The River City Improv is the longest lasting comedy show in West Michigan and contains skits, songs, and games with audience suggestions to make each show a unique entertaining experience. Tickets are available at the door and cost $12 for adults and $5 for children and students. Each show is clean, unoffensive comedy so it will be fun for the whole family. More information is available on their website.
That wraps it up for this week’s Things to do. Until next time, stay safe, stay happy, and stay away from the Alaskan Brown Bear (they are quite dangerous).
For some reason, I can’t get my mind off my days in college journalism. It was the fall of 2016, Obama was still President, most people still acted civilly toward each over. They were just simpler times, and we didn’t know quite how good we had it. I had a lot of responsibilities during my semester. In addition to writing my normal assignments, I was also asked about writing a “things to do” column, which I gladly took on (even though I wasn’t exactly the hippest or most well connected person in the class). But because I like to torture myself, I also offered up services writing up about and then reviewing the theatre department’s shows. In essence, I threw myself in too hard and burned myself out before ever maturing into a good journalist.
As I want to preserve (at least a few of) those articles for posterity, I’m working my way through uploading them, however I will not make any corrections or changes to the articles. They will all be as originally published by GRCC’s The Collegiate. Lastly, I would like to give thanks to my journalism professor Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood and Kayla Tucker, the editor-in-chief of The Collegiate during my tenure.
Review: “American Idiot” receives well deserved standing ovation
By: Jesse Shira – Collegiate Staff
Actors’ Theatre continued their 36th season this week as “Green Day’s American Idiot” opened to an almost full house.
Set after the initial invasion of Afghanistan in 2003, “American Idiot” is about three teens – Johnny, Tunny and Will – from suburban California. The focus is on the boys as they try to find a purpose in life. Johnny moves to New York and battles a drug addiction. Tunny enlists in the military and off he goes to war. Their friend Will ends up staying home in a drunken, depressed state after finding out his girlfriend is pregnant. The musical feels like a modern day opera, not relying on dialogue to carry the plot, but instead the music of Green Day, specifically from their 2004 album that inspired the musical.
When entering the lobby of the Spectrum Theater, there is an interesting display filled with political signs and videos showing compilations of news clips featuring the collapse of Wall Street, mass shootings, Black Lives Matter rallies, and election coverage from this unconventional year. This was done to give the audience a sense of uneasiness toward the establishment and put you in the mindset of the three protagonists.
The show opens with the titular song “American Idiot” and continues with a mix of music that ranges from fast paced songs like “Holiday” and “Favorite Son,” as well as some softer sounding music like “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams,” which is perhaps my favorite musical number in the show.
This show was brilliantly executed. Multiple times the cast jumps out from the stage and sings through the aisles, fully immersing the audience in the experience. The lighting design flowed smoothly and effectively used light and shadows to convey emotion to the audience. And I found the acting to be flawless across the board.
Covering sensitive topics like drug abuse, sex, and featuring lots of explicit language, I would not recommend this for the entire family. However, I believe that this is a fantastic piece of theatre that was excellently put together and is great entertainment for mature audiences.
“Green Day’s American Idiot” will run until Nov. 12 at the Spectrum Theater, 160 Fountain Street NE. Each performance begins at 8 p.m. and lasts roughly an hour and a half. Tickets cost $28 for adults, $22 for students and seniors, with a $10 student rush an hour before each performance.
A recent trip to my mailbox rewarded me with the new Gold Ninja Video blu-ray release of White Zombie. As a gem of the public domain, the 1932 film has been released numerous times from dollar bin VHS Tapes/DVDs to a deluxe remastered Kino Lorber special edition. This charming release sources an old library 16mm print in a new 2K scan. The beauty lies in the imperfections of the frames. The hazy, blurred atmosphere is only enhanced after decades of wear and tear.
To market the disc, the Gold Ninja himself Justin Decloux and his podcasting cohort Will Sloan recorded old fashioned “horror host” segments. These emulated the feelings of watching a town’s schlocky midnight movie screenings. As they played I felt nostalgic and sentimental for my time working in public access TV. More specifically, the now long lost midnight movie show I hosted, Critic’s Choice Theatre.
The bend we took on the program was “I’m going to show you the greatest films of all time!” But because we were a public access station, we could not afford to show any of the great films. So each episode we would instead show a schlocky public domain film. I’d come up with a get rich quick scheme to send my assistant to accomplish in order to license the week’s film. Inevitably, the plan would fail and the money would fall through. We’d promise Citizen Kane and Casablanca and follow through with things like Manos: The Hands of Fate or The Screaming Skull. In total we made two 12 episode seasons. By that point the joke had certainly ran its course. Not to mention we had to prep for the upcoming school year and the myriad concerts/sporting events that come along with it.
Unfortunately, there is almost no proof that this show existed. After asking about putting all the hosting segments together on a DVD, I was informed the hard drives containing the show files were wiped for football season. And just like that, the whole show was gone. After all the months of developing, writing, and shooting I had nothing to show for it, save one lone snippet I shared on snapchat years ago.
I don’t recall which film we were showing that episode, but I do remember the prefacing gag. The previous week’s ploy involved sending my production assistant out to a summer street busking night in Holland. He told me he was a fabulous singer and would be able to rake in the big bucks. However, the lack of tips told me otherwise. So, back to the archive of public domain films we went.
Once I am able to dig this clip up I will be sure to upload it. Though highly unlikely, if any of its three viewers happened to have recorded any episodes, I would love to get in touch about purchasing your recordings. Very few PEG (Public, Educational, and Government for the uninitiated) access shows get properly preserved, and I want to make sure I can keep all those carefree pre-covid-days alive.
Keep checking back as I continue to unearth relics of my past, plant seeds for my future projects, and try to stay sane on this rock in space. I remain always, obediently yours.
It has been far too long since I’ve checked this website, much less thought about posting anything. 2022 was the hardest year of my life. I turned 25, though my quarter life crisis began at 24 with a myriad of career and med changes, a burgeoning eating disorder, and having my car die. Three weeks into 25 my first girlfriend left me, for the first time (three days after Valentine’s Day). The year was a nonstop barrage of problems and truth be told, I feel as though I still haven’t been able to fully recover.
As you’ll note, I said FIRST time she broke up with me. In total she left four times before I gave up hope of salvaging what we once had. I fought to save our relationship and build something better out of it. More than once she had claimed the people in her life would always leave her after two or three years. For the longest time my goal was to prove her wrong. But, after our second anniversary it seemed she was determined to self fulfill that prophecy. Somehow we went from laughing our way through dates and apartment hunting to receiving an automated “Sorry, the voice message box is full and can not receive new messages at this time. Good bye!” message whenever I’d call. I can still hear that robotic voice ring out.
She said she had been considering it since November, but she “couldn’t do it during the holidays”. Then she got kicked off campus and had to move in with me until her new apartment was ready, so she couldn’t get rid of me yet. After that happened she needed help moving in to her new place. She didn’t have anything to sleep on other than her mom’s partially deflated air mattress. It caused her stress, pain, and at least one sad cry. So naturally I bought her a bed. Then my 25th came up and she said she couldn’t break up with me before/on my birthday. Plus she was now afraid if she dumped me I’d take back the bed I bought her (For the record: I did not and would never). February swung around and I felt love in the air. Though in hindsight the bone chilling, crisp winter breeze should have been my sign it was anything but.
Of course nobody wants to be single on Valentine’s Day, so she let the holiday pass first. Or maybe she just didn’t want to miss out on the candle making reservation we had. Either way, the holiday came to pass. I made her a candle infused with rose oil and a few other inviting scents. Hers to me was infused with cigar, smoke, and tobacco scents. It currently resides unlit in a former Xbox 360 box labeled “the ex-box”.
As tempting as it is to continue spouting dribble about the ensuing months and failed attempts at winning her back, I feel there’s no point in it. I have no desire to drag her through the mud or hurt her feelings by drudging up bad memories. But, I will say, to this day I still think fondly of our time together, everything I miss, and what I could have done to change the outcome.
While I was trying to process the final breakup, my grandmother fell at her home. She liked having independence, and had been living alone since my grandfather passed back in 2020 (aside for the first few months where I stayed with her half the week). My aunt Janet constantly worried (something we have in common) about her, and did her best to take care of my Grandma whenever she could. Unfortunately, my Grandma didn’t like to think she needed her life alert button. With nobody to watch her, she had been stuck on the floor for hours before my aunt found her.
This started an exhausting three month battle between visits to different hospitals, surgeons, and eventually, hospice. The only pain I imagine to be worse than the grueling torture of seeing her waste away, was the pain she felt as she lost her self reliance. From powerful matriarch to hollow shell of her former self, living on sedatives and scant bits of jello, pudding, and soup. I couldn’t let it stop me from seeing her in her dying days. After the POOR reactions I had to both of my grandpas’ deaths, I needed to stay strong as I lost my last grandparent. I needed to force myself to stay present.
She ended up passing on December 12 2022, five days before her 95th birthday. To say it put a damper on the holidays would be putting it lightly. Since then there has been constant bickering between her three children about the estate and what all will happen. And despite talks of me purchasing it back in January, I am no longer in the running.
While reading through this update, I’ve struggled to find a positive note to end on, but I don’t think I have one. That said, I don’t feel I have a negative one either. I came across a quote while reading Mark Russell’s Superman: Space Age which read, “There are no such things as happy endings, but there are some pretty magnificent beginnings”. And I guess, though this brings an end to my silence, this is a beginning. It’s me trying to embrace the void of a blank page and turn it into something more. Where the journey will take me I do not know. So until then, much like Orson Welles, I remain always, obediently yours.
Jesse Shira's Rambling Rants 