(MOVIE FREAK) RE-views of Warm Bodies; Hansel & Gretel; Girls Against Boys!

by Sara Michelle Fetters

Warm Bodies

Rating: PG-13
Distributor: Summit Entertainment

Warmly Invigorating Dead Full of Life!

(MOVIE FREAK) Re-views from PARKER and QUARTET!

by Sara Michelle Fetters

Parker

Rating: R
Distributor: FilmDistrict

Parker Walks the Walk, Doesn’t Talk the Talk!

(NW Arts Weekly) Did the Gaga Tour Hype live up in the Pacific NW?

Lady Gaga Hit the Pacific NW, Three Times in the Past week. Twice in Vancouver, BC at Rogers Arena on Jan 11th and 12th, which were her first in North America for the Born This Way Tour and then on Monday the 14th at The Tacoma Dome, south of Seattle. How did she do? Below are reactions from 6 publications (including Vancouver and Seattle). The NW has its unique perspective on the Hyped up Born this Way Tour. Did it Live Up? You be the judge!

(MOVIE FREAK) RE-views of LAST STAND and MAMA!

by Sara Michelle Fetters

The Last Stand

Rating: R
Distributor: Lionsgate

Schwarzenegger’s Back in Giddily Cartoonish Last Stand!

Concert RE-view; It was 'Ladies Night' at Sno Casino and a Kool 'Celebration' with the Gang!

by MK Scott

Remembering back to New Year's Eve 1980, and watching Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, My strongest memory was the 'Celebration' of the new decade with the song, "Celebration" by the group, Kool and the Gang. 33 years later I am seeing this group and hearing this song!

Kool and the Gang played this past Friday at the Snoqualmie Casino near Seattle. The audience made up of mostly women and an over 40 crowd, stayed in their seats mostly during such hit Ballads as Cherish, Joanna, Fresh, and Misled, as well as their older funkier, Jungle Boogie and Hollywood Swinging.

Debut! (NW ARTS WEEKLY) What the NW is saying about the 'Book of Mormon'!

This is a new column that will showcase Arts events in the Pacific NW; reviewed and covered by other outlets in the NW. This Week we Highlight the 'Book of Mormon', now Playing at Seattle's Paramount Theater through January 20th.

The Book of Mormon is a religious satire musical with a book, lyrics, and music by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone. Best known for creating the animated comedy South Park, Parker and Stone co-created the music with Lopez, who co-wrote and co-composed Avenue Q. The show lampoons organized religion and traditional musical theatre, reflecting the creators' lifelong fascination with Mormonism and musicals.

(MOVIE FREAK) RE-views of Promised Land; Barbara; Not Fade Away!

by Sara Michelle Fetters

Promised Land

Rating: R
Distributor: Focus Features

Beautifully Acted Land Doesn’t Fulfill Its Promise!

(MOVIE FREAK) Best Films of 2012!

by Sara Michelle Fetters


Back at the tail end of June I wasn’t too sure 2012 was going to be all that great a year for cinema. Sure there were some terrific and ballsy flicks that I liked one heck of a lot (Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, Kill List, Moonrise Kingdom, Safety Not Guaranteed, a handful of others) but there wasn’t a ton I was completely over the moon about. I loved The Hunger Games. I enjoyed John Carter more than most. But other than some intriguing foreign titles, and the emergence of Channing Tatum, of all people, as a bona fide superstar with legitimate talent to burn, I wasn’t crowing about much, and I was starting to think coming up with ten titles to list as the year’s best was going to be an impossibility.

 
Channing Tatum in Magic Mike © Warner Bros

Fast forward through the next six months and how things have changed. By my count there are 52 films worthy of discussion and debate in regards to being amongst the year’s top efforts. More than that, at any given moment there are 15 or so titles that could easily enter in my own best-of countdown. For my money, that doesn’t make 2012 a great year it makes it a borderline spectacular one, and I’m more or less positive that we’re going to be talking about a number of these releases for many years to come.

With that in mind, here are my picks as the best movies to hit theaters in 2012. I’m more or less happy with the list, if not with actual placements, and at any given moment films just outside of the upper echelon could easily sneak in displacing some of those currently in residence within. Like all art, one’s feelings and interpretations are fluid and in a constant state of flux, and while I’m content at the moment who’s to say five, ten years from now when I look back on all of this I’ll have rearranged things considerably. With that out of the way, onto the list!

(MOVIE FREAK) RE-views of Les Misérables; Django Unchained; Zero Dark Thirty!

by Sara Michelle Fetters 

Les Misérables

Rating: PG-13
Distributor: Universal Pictures

Lush, Operatic Les Misérables an Emotional Maelstrom!

(MOVIE FREAK) RE-views of The Guilt Trip; This is 40; Jack Reacher!

by Sara Michelle Fetters

The Guilt Trip

Rating: PG-13
Distributor: Paramount Pictures

No Guilt in Enjoying Streisand and Rogen’s Trip!

(MOVIE FREAK) RE-views of ANY DAY NOW; HOBBIT; HYDE PARK!

by Sara Michelle Fetters

Any Day Now

Rating: R
Distributor: Music Box Films

Melodramatic 'Any Day Now' Sings a Stirring Song!

(MOVIE FREAK) RE-views: Playing for Keeps, Lay the Favorite, The Central Park Five!

by Sara Michelle Fetters

Playing for Keeps

Rating: PG-13
Distributor: FilmDistrict

Overly Earnest Playing for Keeps Fails to Score!

CONCERT RE-view: SMC returns to its Campy Best for 'Baby, its Cold outside'!

courtesy of SMC

by MK Scott

It is that time of year again when the Seattle Men's Chorus brings out the Yultude and Gay apparel for it annual Holiday Concert.

As a former SMCer, it is hard not to be objective, but I try to separate what happens onstage as completely different to any of the Backstage drama. (No Comment)

First of all, I have been seeing the Holiday concerts for the most part in 14 years. Some have been too serious, traditional, Political, Uneven, Campy. The last 2 years have been uneven with too much (Big Bang Theory skit in 2011) or Not enough (Glee skit in 2010). This year was a nice mix of Camp and Fun, the theme of heading to the tropics was captured throughout the show.

(MOVIE FREAK) RE-views of Killing Them Softly; Price Check; The Collection!

by Sara Michelle Fetters

Killing Them Softly

Rating: R
Distributor: The Weinstein Company

Satirically Dense Killing Doesn’t Tread Softly!

(MOVIE FREAK) RE-views of LIFE of PI; HITCHCOCK; RISE of the GUARDIANS!

by Sara Michelle Fetters

Life of Pi

Rating: PG
Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Visually Audacious Pi Another Triumph for Lee!

(MOVIE FREAK) RE-views of BREAKING DAWN 2; ANNA KARENINA!

by Sara Michelle Fetters
 

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part II

Rating: PG-13
Distributor: Summit Entertainment

Last Twilight Signals Breaking of New Dawn!
 

FILM RE-view: Playing SCRABBLE at the 2012 SLGFF!

by MK Scott

Last night ended this years Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. This was the 17th Year and the 1st for its new ED, Jason Plourde. Jason has been the Face of the Festival for several years and this job was earned. This years theme was 'Come Out and Play'. I saw OVER 20 films and have given a LETTER Grade from A to D! 

FASHION: Carole McClellan Wins at Independent Designer Runway Show!

BELLEVUE, Wash.  (Sept. 27, 2012) – After years as an experienced leather and fur fashion designer, Carole McClellan was selected as the winner of the Fashion Funds prize the first Independent Designer Runway Show at The Bellevue Collection’s Fashion Week on Sept. 26th.  McClellan’s prize package includes $5,000 in Fashion Funds to help build her business donated by The Bellevue Collection, Fashion Group International Seattle Chapter and Femfessionals in Seattle. 

As the first fashion event of this year’s weeklong Fashion Week at The Bellevue Collection, The Independent Designer Show showcased the inspiring and creative designs of eight local fashion designers in a dynamic and spectacular runway event. In partnership with Fashion Group International (FGI) and Femfessionals in Seattle, the show was a culmination of months of work by the designers, organizers and a judging panel to bring a spotlight on the strength of the independent designer movement in the Puget Sound area. 

COMEDY RE-view: Jordan at Re-Bar was 'Stitches Funny'!

by MK Scott

Seattle Welcomed back Leslie Jordan to Seattle last night for night one, of a 2 night gig at Re-Bar. (He was last here in 2008 with the Seattle men's Chorus). Jordan, 57, came out to a nearly sold out crowd and jumped from one story after another, and talked mostly about his relationship with his overly-supported mother. The "Sordid Lives' star also joked about his journey with "Lives" the play in a small theater in Hollywood to Iconic film. From when he first hit New York from Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1982 to his Emmy win for 'Will and Grace" in 2006 as Beverly Leslie  (Karen Walker's Nemesis).  Jordan also joked how they wanted Joan Collins, but after she turned the part, the producers want a short, southern, flamboyant male in a white suit! HALLO!

COMEDY RE-view: OUTscene Fave, Tony Tripoli brings Sexy Back to Seattle!

Tripoli had the "Guns and the Goods'!

by MK Scott

OUTscene NW warmly welcomed Tony Tripoli Back to Seattle for a 2 night gig at Re-Bar this past weekend. Tony gave credit to his pal, Dina Martina for introducing him to her Seattle stomping grounds. Before Tony came out, Seattle's Own, Lily Armani warmed up with her brand of sexy humor. Tony was once again introduced by the spirit of his mentor, Joan Rivers and started off with all the Joan Rivers and Fashion Police dirt, including this weeks episode with special guest, Ryan Lochte and how he stripped down his spandex swim suit and ended up 'Peeing' in the E! Fountain with Joan! Tony was able to get the famed spandex (autographed) from Ryan, himself! The Crowd was wowed when Tony held them up!