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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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State Fans,
After five-plus months of bringing Oscar-contenders and winners, big crowd
pleasers like "Juno," and indie movies starring the likes of Michael Douglas
and Ralph Fiennes, we at the State Theatre are now in the middle of
presenting a slate of new foreign films on our big silver screen. That would
be, "movies by people from other countries, sometimes in a language we don't
speak."
So our big question is: Will Traverse City show up? Some advised us not to
do foreign movies, at least not until the more "urbane" folks from downstate
and Chicago make their way up here in the summer.
We live an isolated existence as Americans. 80 percent of us will never
leave the country (unless it's to Canada, Mexico or Texas). We speak fewer
foreign languages than any other Western country. International news (unless
it affects US directly) has been drastically reduced in the media. According
to a National Geographic poll, nearly 80 percent of our young adults cannot
find Israel on the map, and 60 percent couldn't find Great Britain.
As for the world of film, only a handful of movies from other countries are
distributed anymore in the United States. When I was younger, we had a
plethora of foreign films to devour: Bergman, Fellini, Kurosawa, Truffaut,
Fassbinder -- the list of foreign auteurs was endless. Quick, can you name
five foreign directors working today?
This loss of exposure to the foreign cinema has been a tragic loss, both
artistically and culturally. Of course, all of the arts have suffered major
losses, such is the level of darkness and ignorance we have stooped to
during this era. Lillian Hellman, in her day, called it "Scoundrel Time." I
don't know what to call this, a seemingly intentional dumbing down of the
citizenry to the point where more than a third still believe Iraq sent the
planes to New York on 9/11, and (back to that National Geographic poll) 11
percent of 18-24 year old Americans can't find the United States on the map.
And yetŠ There is this amazing public library in Charlevoix. Have you seen
it? It's huge and old and very new. I've been in large cities that have
nothing like this. Check it out sometime. You'll be stunned -- it's like
walking into a Harry Potter scene.
And, in a time when people read less (read this wonderful essay from Harpers
last month -- http://www.harpers.org/archive/2008/02/0081907 ), a new
bookstore opened in Suttons Bay! I walked in and was amazed at the selection
and its presentation, literally daring me to crack open a book and be taken
somewhere outside of Suttons Bay. Of course, we just walked across the
street and went to Paris and Iran, thanks to Bob Bahle and the Bay Theater.
Bob was showing "Persepolis," the excellent animated film about a young
Iranian girl that we'll be bringing to this summer's festival. Back in
Traverse City, a Cuban restaurant is opening. And I ran into our former
Mayor with her delightful Scottish brogue. Yes, TC once elected a feisty
Scottish woman! She's still with us.
I think northern Michigan is more than ready for a foreign movie. We just
ended a two-week run of an Irish film, "In Bruges." Today, we begin a
one-week-only run of the Best Picture winner at this past year's Israeli
Oscars, "The Band's Visit." It's a funny and charming film about an Egyptian
police band that gets lost in Israel. Hey, a comedy from and about the
Middle East! You will love this movie. These critics did:
Roger Ebert, Four Stars
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080306/REVIEWS/8
6320705
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
http://www.nypost.com/seven/12072007/entertainment/movies/mideast_tale_israe
li_funny_288211.htm
Michael Sragow, Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/movies/reviews/bal-to.band14mar14,
0,1626103.story
We still have a few tickets for this Saturday's opera -- our last opera till
the fall! If you haven't been, this is your last chance. Don't miss out on
what the whole town is talking about! Call the box office at 231-947-3446
for the tickets we have left, and check out next season's schedule of operas
we'll bring to the State:
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/news/press/detail.aspx?id=3810
Saturday morning we're showing "Ice Age" for the kids for only a quarter,
and Sunday at noon we bring you the first prize winner of the Venice Film
Festival: "Still Life." You can't see this film in Detroit. You have to live
(or visit) here.
Finally, this Monday night, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of our
Interfaith Film Series presents one of the few "epic" documentaries of
recent years: "The Corporation." The film goes after the very concept of
corporations and what their existence means to us mere mortals. I think I'm
in this movie. Dang, it's gotta be good! Hahahaha. Actually, I've never seen
this movie, but I heard I'm in it, so I'm going to see it Monday night. Why
don't you join me? Canadians made this film. And they're foreign, too! Did I
mention we serve Vernors at the State?
That's it for now. I'm gonna go look at a map and try to figure out why it
just cost me $60 to fill up my tank.
Yours,
Michael Moore
State Schedule By Day, April 25-May 1
Friday April 25
"The Band's Visit" (Rated PG-13) 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.
Saturday April 26
"Ice Age" (Rated PG) 10:30 a.m.
"La Fille du Regiment" 1:30 p.m.
"The Band's Visit" 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.
Sunday April 27
"Still Life" (Not Rated) 12 noon
"The Band's Visit" 2:30, 4:30, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Monday April 28
"The Band's Visit" 1:30, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.
"The Corporation" (Not Rated) 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday April 29
"The Band's Visit" 2:30, 4:30, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday April 30
"State of the Union" (All Audiences, 25 cents) 11:00 a.m.
"The Band's Visit" 2:30, 4:30, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Thursday May 1
"The Band's Visit" 1:30, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.
"This American Life" (Rated PG) 8:00 p.m.
Tickets on sale online:
http://www.traversecityfilmfest.org/statetheatre/?page=buytickets
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Fri Apr 25, 2008 10:50 am |
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twotap
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
That's it for now. I'm gonna go look at a map and try to figure out why it
just cost me $60 to fill up my tank.
Hopefully old mike is referring to his vehicle. |
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Fri Apr 25, 2008 11:10 am |
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