Reviews

Bluegrass film and performing arts: October 3

Outside of the biggest blockbuster films, Lexington is oftentimes skipped over when it comes to attracting a diversity of films here.  In the spirit of wishing upon a star, I want to initiate a new series of Films We Would Like to See (in Lexington) in the hopes that someone might actually work to ensure these upcoming films get a release here:

Films we would like to see (in Lexington):

Promised Land (USA: Gus van Sant, 2012)

Stoker (USA/UK: Chan-Wook Park, 2013)

The literary world this week celebrated the 30th anniversary of Alice Walker’s 1983 Pulitizer Prize winning novel The Color Purple (1982), which was later made into a film by Steven Spielberg in 1985 and most recently a successful touring musical production.  Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman celebrated the anniversary with a full show with Alice Walker discussing the book and the cinematic/theatrical adaptations as well as current events and issues.

Bright Lights Film Journal recently published an earlier banned Joseph McBride interview of Gore Vidal discussing American politics on the eve of the release of Tim Robbin’s political satire Bob Roberts (1992).  Exhausted from the current absurdities of the two political brands competing to be our nation’s Decider-in-Chief, I feel this might be a good time to revive Robbin’s very relevant film

 

A listing of local events from October 3 – 13:

October 3: Bluegrass Film Society
My Neighbor Totoro (Japan: Hayao Miyazaki, 1988: 86 mins)
Bluegrass Community and Technical College Auditorium: 7:30 PM

October 3: Rosa Godard International Film Festival
Weekend (United Kingdom: Andrew Haigh, 2011: 97 mins)
Kentucky Theater: 7:15 pm

October 3: Alan Thompson (7PM)
Red Barn Radio (ArtsPlace, 161 North Mill Street)

October 6: 5th Annual Bike Prom: Bike to the Future (5:30 pm)
Living Arts & Science Center

October 6: Kentucky Freethought Convention (8:00 AM to 6:45 PM)
UK Student Center Grand Ballroom: 3rd floor

October 7: GLSO Queer Film Series
North Sea Texas (Belgium: Bavo Defurne, 2011)
The Lexington Public Library in the Farish Theatre: 2PM

October 8: Caroline Herring and Shel
Audience must be seated by 6:45PM
Woodsong’s Old Time Radio-Hour (Kentucky Theatre, 214 Main St.)

October 8: Peace & Earth Justice Fall 2012 Speaker Series: Judy Logback, Kallari Fair Trade Chocolate  (a cooperative of indigenous Kichwa, a people who live in the Napo River Valley of Ecuador)
6:30-7:45 p.m.: Oswald Building Auditorium (OB 230), BCTC – Cooper Campus (470 Cooper Dr.)

October 8: Political Ecology Film Series
Bread and Roses (UK/France/Germany/Spain/Italy/Switzerland: Ken Loach, 2000: 110 mins)
7:30PM Bingham-Davis House, part of the UK Gaines Center, 232 E. Maxwell St.

October 10: Bluegrass Film Society
Sleeping Beauty (Australia: Julia Leigh, 2011: 101 mins)
Bluegrass Community and Technical College Auditorium: 7:30 PM

October 11-13: BCTC Theatre program presents the world premiere of SCRAMBLED by Beth Kander. Shows are at 7:30 pm, at the Lucille Little Theatre at St. Peter and Paul Regional Catholic School (423 West Short Street). SCRAMBLED is the winner of the 2012 Charles M. Getchell New Play Award. Sara is wisecracking, single, broke and secular. Neshama is serious, married, infertile and Orthodox. When fate, God and Sara’s Episcopalian roommate bring these two Jewish women together, each must question what really matters, what they really want – and what they’re willing to do to get it. As Sara considers donating her eggs, and Neshama ponders accepting them, both women find themselves unexpectedly scrambled.

 

Ongoing

September 29 – October 6 is Banned Books Week, an annual event of the American Library Association. It celebrates the freedom to read that is protected under the First Amendment, while also bringing awareness and attention to the dangers of censorship by highlighting actual or attempted book bannings that have occurred across the United States, both now and in the past. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week. Help us celebrate Banned Book Week at the Bluegrass Community and Technical College Learning Resource Center (Library), by reading a “banned book”! The BCTC Learning Resource Center (Library) will be featuring many resources related to Banned Books Week, including bookmarks you can print from our website related to Banned Books Week, and a Banned Books Display.

 

Exhibit

Paracosmos: In the same way the scientific method is used to test and observe the natural world, Renee Robbins approaches painting as a means of exploration and discovery. Compelled by the beauty of nanoparticles, cells, and botanicals, as well as the expansive mysterious architecture of celestial bodies, Robbins creates beautiful evocations using rich color and forms that depict an inner and outer vision of the natural world.
Showing: Now – November 4, 2012
Where: Ann Tower Gallery (141 East Main Street)

Willie Rascoe: The Core of Nature’s Beauty
On Display: Now through October 16, 2012
Living Arts & Science Center (362 N. Martin Luther King Blvd.)

 

Opportunities

2012 Day of the Dead Festival/Festival Del Dia De Los Muertos
An Invitation to Create an Altar

If you would like to be included in the weekly listing of events, contact Michael Benton by Monday (I’m usually compiling the list on Tuesday afternoon) at mdbento at gmail dot com

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