The DC Events Calendar Has Moved

The DC Events Calendar Has Moved
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Monday, February 15, 2010

Red Riding Trilogy

I missed the Red Riding Trilogy's brief run at the Landmark E Street Cinema.  Luckily the films were all available on demand.  Still are, actually, until some time in April.

I'll leave the criticism to the professionals.  But I really, really liked these films.  Strong performances throughout.  Particularly Paddy Considine in "The Year of Our Lord 1980" and David Morrissey in "The Year of Our Lord 1983."  The first two films together recall Roberto Bolaño's 2666.  (Yes of course the Red Riding books were written first.  But whatever.)  The third film stands a bit apart in my mind, perhaps because it has to wrap up all the threads.  The trilogy requires quite a bit of patience until those threads came together.  But the wait is definitely rewarded. 

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Super Bowl XLIV Commercials - Q4 Winners and Losers

WINNERS
Vizio Internet Apps
Taco Bell (but only for Sir Charles)

LOSERS
Emerald Nuts / Pop Secret
Budweiser: Bull / Clydesdales (one too many times at this well)
Denny's: Damned screaming chickens
Audi TDI: Green police (smug alert)
Doritos: Stolen Doritos from locker
Bud Light: Book club
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Super Bowl XLIV Commercials - 3Q Winners and Losers

WINNERS
VW: Slug bugs
HomeAway.com: Chevy Chase / Vacation
Coke: Serengeti sleepwalker
e*trade: "Milk-a-what?"
Google
Kia Sorento: Toys fantasizing

LOSERS
MotoBlur: Megan Fox (too easy)
Bridgestone: Wife/Life pun
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Super Bowl XLIV Commercials - Q2 Winners and Losers

WINNERS
Budweiser: Human bridge
Letterman: With Leno and Oprah
CareerBuilder.com: No pants
Hyundai: Brett Farve 2020 retirement. Or not.
Dove: Men+Care
FTD Flowers
TruTV: Punxsutawny Polamalu

LOSERS
Dockers: "No pants" song immediately after CareerBuilder.com commercial
Bud Light: "Lost" gimmick
Dodge: "I'm a guy who does crap that girls want ... So I get to drive a Dodge. Ugh ugh ugh."
Dr. Pepper: Little Kiss
N.O. Decision to go for it on 4th & goal
FloTV: "Guys, you don't like shopping, so take one of our TVs with you. Ugh ugh ugh."
Intel: Robot foot in mouth

Super Bowl XLIV Commercials - Halftime Winners and Losers

WINNERS
FloTV: "We Didn't Start the Fire" / "My G-g-generation" makes constant TV viewing seem imperative

LOSERS
Carmax: Dramatic animals (maybe they'll do a wedding dance video next)
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Super Bowl XLIV Commercials - Q2 Winners and Losers

WINNERS
Budweiser: Human bridge
Letterman: With Leno and Oprah
CareerBuilder.com: No pants
Hyundai: Brett Farve 2020 retirement. Or not.
Dove: Men+Care
FTD Flowers
TruTV: Punxsutawny Polamalu

LOSERS
Dockers: "No pants" song immediately after CareerBuilder.com commercial
Bud Light: "Lost" gimmick
Dodge: "I'm a guy who does crap that girls want ... So I get to drive a Dodge. Ugh ugh ugh."
Dr. Pepper: Little Kiss
N.O. Decision to go for it on 4th & goal
FloTV: "Guys, you don't like shopping, so take one of our TVs with you. Ugh ugh ugh."
Intel: Robot foot in mouth
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Super Bowl XLIV Commercials - Q1 Winners and Losers

WINNERS
Snickers: Tackling Betty White and Abe Vigoda
Doritos: Keep your hands off (1) my mama and (2) my Doritos
Coke: Simpsons
Bud Light: AutoTune with T-Pain and guacamole
Bridgestone: Killer whale rescue
Cars.com: Birthing a baby tiger

LOSERS
Bud Light: Bud Light house
Doritos: Dog collar
Bud Light: Scientist nookie
Monster.com: Fiddling beaver
Monster.com: Danica massage

Snowpocalypse II: The Aftermath

 
 
 

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Washington, DC - Hypothermia Hotline

It's cold and wet out there in the District. If you see a homeless person who could use some help, please call the shelter hotline:

(800) 535-7252

They can help transport homeless persons to a local shelter, distribute blankets, or otherwise render assistance.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Mass DC Theater Cancellations

Because of SNOWPOCALYPSE 2010, so far the following DC theaters have cancelled shows tonight and/or tomorrow. Please check the individual theater's website for more information about cancellations, postponements, etc.

Ford's Theatre
The Rivalry
Friday, February 5, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 6, at 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 6, at 7:30 p.m.

Shakespeare Theatre Company
Henry V
Friday, February 5, 8 p.m.
Saturday, February 6, 2 p.m.

Synetic Theater
Antony and Cleopatra
Friday, February 5, 8 p.m.
Saturday, February 6, 2 p.m.
Saturday, February 6, 8 p.m.

National Theatre (Saturday Morning's Performance)
Meet Her Royal Majestie, Queen Elizabeth I
Saturday, February 6

Warner Theatre
Jimmy Fallon
Friday, February 5 (POSTPONED)
Yes
Saturday, February 6 (POSTPONED)

Woolly Mammoth
The Last Cargo Cult
Friday, February 5
Saturday, February 6

Atlas Performing Arts Center
WAM!
Sunday, February 7

Washington Shakespeare Company
The Miser
Friday, February 5, at 8 p.m.

Strathmore
ALL EVENTS
Friday, February 5
Saturday, February 6
Sunday, February 7

Round House
Permanent Collection
Friday, February 5
Saturday, February 6

Kennedy Center
ALL EVENTS
Friday, February 5
Saturday, February 6

GALA Teatro
Beauty of the Father
Friday, February 5
Saturday, February 6
GALita Children's Filmfest
Saturday, February 6

Arena Stage
Stick Fly
Friday, February 5
Saturday, February 6

As of now Theater J and Studio Theatre think they are going full-steam ahead with performances as scheduled. Studio's >gulp< annual gala is proceeding tomorrow as well. It'd be tough to cancel that one.

I'll update this list as more information becomes available. And before you do anything rash, please check with the theater. The goal of this post is to make information as readily available as possible. But I can offer no guarantees as to its accuracy.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Synetic Theater: Antony and Cleopatra

Peter Marks raves about Synetic Theater's Antony and Cleopatra in today's Post.

Synetic's dance spectacle always offers something very unique to DC art and theater. Host and Guest and Dante were very engaging, interesting shows. The former shed some light on the South Ossetian conflict then raging in 2008. The latter shed some light on the Inferno and, well, some of DC's renowned sexy bodies. But I haven't been quite as blown away by Synetic as I was at my first experience there: Carmen. Certainly the novelty played a big factor in my Carmen experience. I'd never seen anything like it before. But also the over-the-top love affair at Carmen's heart made a perfect match for Synetic's singular style. So I'm greatly looking forward to seeing what Synetic does with Antony and Cleopatra. Love affairs don't get much bigger than that one. Plus, it will be nice to see what Synetic can do with the resources available to them at the Lansburgh. It should be an upgrade over their usual digs at what Marks aptly dubs "an ill-fitting conference center in Rosslyn."

National Arboretum: National Bonsai and Penjing Museum

Washington's best-kept secret has been outed in today's Post. Adrian Higgins writes about the National Arboretum, specifically the arboretum's National Bonsai and Penjing Museum. I spent an amazingly tranquil October afternoon at the arboretum last year. It's remarkable to find a place so secluded and serene within the district's boundaries. Fantastic spot for a picnic. Far off the tourist-beaten path of monuments and public spaces downtown.

The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum is certainly one of the highlights, and Higgins gives a great profile of the collection's crown jewel: a 1625 white pine bonsai. Higgins aptly dubs the tree a "survivor." The 385-year-old tree, which hails from Hiroshima, lived through the atomic bomb that detonated mere miles away.


Also at the National Arboretum is a collection of columns from the eastern portico of the U.S. Capitol. On the top of a hill, amid a meadow central to the arboretum, the columns stand strikingly against the open sky. In print, the whole concept seems a bit contrived. But in person, the columns' effect is quite captivating. As you approach them, it feels as if you've stumbled upon the hidden ancient remains of a lost civilization. Like Machu Picchu or Mesa Verde. Or maybe Lothlórien. Only these remains aren't quite so ancient. And the (lost) civilization is our own.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

DC: Best Looking State

Leaving aside for a moment the injustice inherent in DC's exclusion as a fully fledged state of the union, let's revel in one glorious recognition of the people of DC. And their right ... to be foxy.

The Daily Beast ranks DC as the #1 best looking state in the U.S.

Thanks Katherine Heigl.



UPDATE: And who knew that Brad Pitt is a native of Oklahoma?

National Gallery of Art East Building Renovation

Slate's slideshow on architectural failures caught my eye this morning.

Apparently the current renovations to the exterior of the NGA's East Building were made necessary by an architectural flaw, and will cost $85 million to fix. (WSJ)

The engineer in me delights when architects, rather than engineers, get their share of blame for failed designs. But we're looking at another 3 years of scaffolding on the NGA East Building while they finish renovations. So, really, nobody is happy.