A Really Super Book About Squirrels is a sincere tale of a man’s unrequited love for a squirrel. Not a children’s book, but rather a simple-minded book for adults, it’s an odd piece of commerce. It’s tough to figure out which target demographic Andrews McMeel had in mind when they published this over the summer.
Category: Arts & Culture
Inventive acts draw students to Spring Fling
Spring Fling features three days of events for students to enjoy right before finals. On Friday night, Loki, Parabellum, The Monolith, Po-Town Underground and Aries 12 created an all-encompassing compendium of rock and funk, performing sets until almost 2 a.m. “We like the funk,” declared Greg Rothwell, bassist for the jazz trio The Monolith.
Nicholson has seen better days
Knowing what Nicholson is capable of, watching “Anger Management” becomes frustrating. Here he plays a great character with seemingly sinister motives (at least during most of the movie) and the filmmakers fail to recognize the potential they are throwing into the garbage. After starting off well, the film limps to an unsatisfactory conclusion thanks to the timidity of the script.
Organic Ketchup?
I’m talking about a little place called O’Naturals. Yeah, O’Naturals, they just opened up a new store in Portland. And in all honesty, there isn’t anything little about the joint. From the high ceilings to their marketing plan, there are big things happening down on Exchange Street these days.
Slow, jam-band has skill, no direction
Musicians Chris “Roadie” Rodahoffer (guitars), Kyle Lawrence (bass), and Wes Medeiros (drums), met during their time at Boston’s Berklee School of Music. This three-piece band mixes in loosely-based jams, country and bluegrass flavors, and simplistic vocal parts very much akin to the likes of the Grateful Dead and Phish.
Vivian’s: Burger nirvana realized
Opening Day at Hadlock Field didn’t rattle me, crocuses jumping up didn’t shake me, and even the recent appearance of skirts didn’t phase my winter blues. It didn’t really feel like spring until Tuesday. Which made me want to go spring camping. Which made me want to eat Jordan’s “Red Snapper” hot dogs. Which made me go to Vivian’s in Portland. Oooh, baby!
Meaning through movement
Dancin’ dancin’ dancin’. They’re all dancin’ machines, but it’s no Saturday Night Fever. It’s Dance USM!, the only annual dance show on campus. Maria Tzianabos, lecturer in theater, is directing a crew of choreographers and performers in this year’s culturally diverse program that aims to create meaning out of movement.
Gimmick thriller makes good
Director Joel Schumacher has had a very uneven career that includes more crap than caviar, but perhaps now he has produced his best work to date with the tense “Phone Booth.”
The Bad Plus: An acquired taste, or just bad?
“These Are The Vistas” is the title of the major label debut release from post modern jazz trio The Bad Plus. Having one small label release under its belt, this highly touted jazz group landed a deal with Columbia Records after being heard at New York City’s Village Vanguard.
Students dream of festival scene
So it’s the end of the year and most students are hustling to finish their final projects. The fate of most final projects is most likely the bottom of a cardboard box if you’re a packrat; the garbage can if you’re happy to feed the trash monster; or, for a few students, your professor’s archives to be presented to future pupils.
Bull Feeney’s taps Joe out
Spanking new food critic Joe Reynold is out on the prowl for copious amounts of food. His search brings him to Bull Feeney’s
The Ataris: mindless pop to please the “easy”
“So Long, Astoria” is the major label debut for former indie rockers The Ataris. Having several independent releases under their belts with sales in the hundreds of thousands, Columbia Records has given The Ataris a shot. This move will most likely pay off big for Columbia and give The Ataris much more fame, notoriety, and airtime.
Rent a flick: It’s cheaper!
Sometimes films slip through the grasp of the faithful moviegoer. While it is preferable to see a film on a big screen as it is intended, it is impossible to see everything that hits the theaters, especially those films that fail to find an audience in their first week and are hurried out of town to make room for the next one.
“Words & Images” expansion unveiled
The staff at “Words & Images,” USM’s literary magazine began their year with a vision, a vision of expansion. They had hopes of expanding their circulation from Maine to nationwide.
Punky’s: more than just a sandwich shop
Punky’s, a name drawn from co-owner Joe Estes’s childhood, is just minutes from campus. Estes, who described himself as a moody and mouthy youth, said, “I went from ‘the punk’ to affectionately being called ‘Punky’ by my parents.”
Acting barely saves crummy plot
Filled with contrived plot devices, “Bringing Down the House” dangles on the edge of typical Hollywood high concept failure and is rescued only by the strength of its stars and supporting cast. The melodramatic moments sporadically jerk the film away from its amusing premise and execution
Local band to rock the State with CD release
Take a walk down any of the streets in the Old Port and one is bound to find a flyer on a telephone pole or wall that bears the name Rocktopus. One look in Casco Bay Weekly or The Phoenix and one is sure to see when and where to go to one of their shows. Their name is all over town, but it was not until now that Rocktopus put their efforts into a studio, and released a compact disc of original music. Their debut album “Something Fierce” will be officially available April 12, kicked off with a release party at the State Theater.
What it takes to understudy
Ok–so its opening night and the lead in the musical falls off a roof! What happens now? Wil Kilroy book director of the upcoming “Cabaret” has dealt with this exact scenario. His solution? Take the stage himself. Kilroy, on more than one occasion has swooped in and saved the day–even when it required playing the role of the stepmother in “Cinderella.”
Subs, wraps… and Pepto Bismol
When I moved here from Oregon, I inquired one day if there were any good sandwich shops around serving healthy fresh ingredients. I was told about the West End Grocery at 133 Spring Street. “Their sandwiches kick ass,” the unidentified student told me. So I walked to Spring Street and fell instantly in love with the place.
Caine picks a good ‘un
Michael Caine has made some real crap movies over his long career. Who hasn’t tried to forget his terrible performances in “Jaws: The Revenge” or Steven Seagal’s directing debut, “On Deadly Ground”? But for all of his poor choices, he has made some truly excellent pictures (“Hannah and Her Sisters,” “The Cider House Rules”), and has picked up two Best Supporting Actor Oscars along the way.
Poet and playwright Jackie K. visits campus
Award winning Scottish poet, novelist and playwright Jackie Kay opened up Women’s History Month this past week lecturing at several classes and speaking about Bessie Smith, a favorite blues singer, in her keynote address for Women’s History Month.
Review and interview with musician Jabe Beyer
Jabe Beyer fronts the band that bears his name, whose influences are as diverse as country, bluegrass, punk, and good old-fashioned rock and roll. The great thing about rock music is that it is possible to blend together several styles of music, mix it up, and serve it in a unique way. In order for a band to pull this off, there must be a high level of talent present. Jabe’s third release, “Drama City,” is a good example of making this formula work.
Fat Tuesday WMPG Style
Last Tuesday, WMPG hosted an all-day Mardi Gras party in the Woodbury Campus Center. The sounds of Zydeco, Cajun, Jazz, and Funk music filled the room throughout the day, as more than 500 people danced and dined New Orleans style. The eighth annual Fat Tuesday celebration included a Gumbo and Jambalaya contest hosting entries from the Bayou Kitchen, Uncle Billy’s, Beal Street Bar BQ, Bleacher’s, and the Bake House Caf?.
Cellist plays catch-up to win
Timothy Garrett, senior music performance major, is a so-called late bloomer. Not until he was into his teens did he begin studying the cello. Eight years later, those closest to Garrett’s playing assert he is a talented individual who has made tremendous strides in his musical endeavors. “It’s been a game of catch-up the whole way,” said Garrett.