Thursday, 28 March 2024

Arts & Life

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UPPER LAKE – Lake County’s Tallman Hotel will present its third season of monthly “Concerts with Conversation” beginning Jan. 30 and extending through May 29.


Ten percent of all proceeds from the concerts will benefit the Soper-Reese Community Theatre Fund, which is in the process of converting the old single-screen movie theater in Lakeport into a state-of-the-art performing arts center.


The Tallman series brings some of Northern California’s finest musical talent to this delightful and intimate venue.


Beginning at 6 p.m. each evening, guests will enjoy a reception with the musicians in the parlor of this 1890s hotel, recently listed on the California Register of Historic Resources.


The reception features hearty hors d’oeuvres prepared by Chef Mark Linback and paired with wines from a different Lake County producer each month.


The reception is followed by an informal concert and dialogue with the musicians in the charming Riffe’s Meeting House next door to the Hotel.


The 2009 season kicks off on Friday, Jan. 30, with pianist and entertainer Spencer Brewer.


For more than three decades, Brewer has been a composer-pianist-producer with 18 solo and duet albums to his credit. His latest CD, called “Cinematic,” was just released this fall to rave national reviews.


Brewer is an active promoter of Mendocino County music events including Ukiah’s Sundays in the Park, the Acoustic Café and the annual Professional Pianists Concert at Mendocino College.


Winemaker Matt Hughes will pour his Zoom and Blue Wing Wines.


The remainder of the 2008 season features the following eclectic group of accomplished musicians:

 

 

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Bob Culbertson will perform on the Chapman Stick at the Feb. 27, 2009, event. Courtesy photo.

 


Friday, February 27 – Lakeport’s Bob Culbertson is one of the world’s masters of the Chapman Stick. An early adapter of this unique stringed instrument, Culbertson is notable not only for his many recorded albums, but also for his extensive teaching and touring. Together with inventor Emmett Chapman, Culbertson created an acoustic version of the instrument featured on his new CD “AcouStick.” Barney Fetzer will pour wines from Ceago Vinegarden.


Friday, March 27 – An evening with the Lake Wind Ensemble. Featuring Beth Aiken on oboe, Ann Hubbard on bassoon and Nick Biondo on clarinet, this accomplished trio has long been featured as part of the Lake County and Ukiah Symphonies. A unique blend of talent, the ensemble will present a wide variety of classical and original pieces. Pam Prisco will pour Steele Wines.


Friday, April 24 – An upbeat evening with the “Queen of Boogie Woogie,” Wendy DeWitt. DeWitt spreads the gospel of Chicago-based blues piano and boogie woogie to enthusiastic audiences around the world. In addition to her solo appearances, DeWitt has played alongside such blues greats as Otis Rush, Steve Freund, Charlie Musselwhite and Jimmy Thackery. Joey Luiz will pour wines from Shannon Ridge Vineyards.

 

 

 

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Alex de Grassi will return to the concert series on May 29, 2009. Courtesy photo.

 

 


Friday, May 29 – Back by popular demand, steel-string guitar soloist Alex de Grassi has helped define the contemporary fingerstyle movement. His evocative compositions with jazz, folk and classical influences are the perfect musical vehicles for his lyrical and virtuosic guitar work. This promises to be a great finish to the 2009 Tallman series. Valerie Ramirez will pour Wildhurst Wines.


Tickets to any or all of these events can be obtained by calling the Tallman Hotel reception desk at 707-275-2244. The cost for each reception and concert is $40, or $160 for the entire five concert series.


The Hotel also has a special package of hotel room plus two reception and concert tickets for $235.


Further information can be obtained by calling the Hotel or checking the Hotel Web site at www.tallmanhotel.com.


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Ron Keas' work is featured in a collector's edition inaugural calendar. Courtesy photo.

 

 

LAKE COUNTY – A local artist's work is being featured in a collector's edition inaugural calendar.


Lucerne resident Ron Keas was invited to display his original oil paintings of Barack Obama at the Manifest Hope Gallery in Denver during last summer's Democratic Convention.


As a result, his paintings were noticed by the right people, and Keas' charming original oil portrait of the Obama family was selected by the publishers of this collector calendar to be featured as the illustration for the month of August, which happens to be President Obama’s birthday month (Aug. 4) This calendar will be for sale at the inauguration ceremony.


Anyone wishing to have a copy of this beautiful collector’s item can order it online at Keas' Web site, www.3dviewmax.com, for just $15, including free shipping.


Keas is believed to be the most prolific known painter of Obama, having done 12 portraits, each one uniquely different, all of which can be seen at his Web site. One of the portraits features Obama in a basketball shirt and shorts with “D.C. One” written on it.


When Keas first offered limited edition photographs of some of these paintings on his Web site, he was amazed to receive orders from around the world after Obama won the presidency in November.


Ron’s photo artistry is well known in the county and appears in several official Lake County promotional brochures and websites. He is currently working on a DVD slideshow of the four seasons as seen at Ceago Wine Garden which will be finished soon.

 

 

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Ron Keas has completed 12 portraits of Obama. Courtesy photo.
 

 


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PAUL BLART: MALL COP (Rated PG)


What happens when a comedian, Kevin James, best known for his nine-year run in “The King of Queens” TV series, plays a bumbling mall cop trying to emulate Bruce Willis in “Die Hard?” The result may not be the funniest movie of the year, but it doesn’t need to be when you have a likable central character with a great talent for physical humor.


As the lumbering, unlikely action hero, Kevin James has an undeniable charismatic quality even at his most inept, shambling and awkward moments. “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” for reasons almost immediately clear, is the right vehicle for James’ prodigious comic abilities.


In the titular role of Paul Blart, James employs his considerable heft as a comic vehicle. A single, suburban dad trying to make ends meet as a security officer at a massive New Jersey mall, Blart aspires to become a state trooper.


Ever-so-close to passing the exam, he continues to fail due his hypoglycemia kicking in at the most inopportune time. Still, he takes his job as mall cop very seriously, even when no one else does, including his lazy, apathetic new partner Veck Sims (Keir O’Donnell) and all his colleagues, for that matter.


Blart is on the front lines of mall safety, going so far as to flag down an elderly disabled gentleman for exceeding the speed limit on his motorized scooter. He can apprehend such scofflaws with the advantage of patrolling the expansive mall on his Segway. Blart puts to good use, at least for comedic effect, this personal transport vehicle that never caught on with the general public. The Segway is used so frequently that it should qualify for a supporting role in the credits.


Once married to an illegal immigrant who only wanted her green card, Blart lives at home with his young daughter Maya (Raini Rodriguez) and his mom (Shirley Knight), whose solution to most problems is the offering of another slice of pie. Blart observes that pie “just fills the cracks in the heart,” as he merrily slathers a big piece with peanut butter.


Though lonely and socially awkward, Blart nonetheless has his eyes on pretty Amy (Jayma Mays), who sells hair extensions at a mall kiosk. She seems amused by his attentions, even when he runs the Segway into the back of a minivan on display.


In an effort to mingle with his co-workers, Blart has too much to drink at an after-work party, turning unusually obnoxious and somewhat aggressive. Apparently, he has no capacity for alcohol, and as a result ends up with tattoos all over his back.


Even more trouble ensues when he must confront a belligerent, loud-mouthed female shopper who just happens to be as fat as he is. One unfortunate remark leads to a full-on fight, where Blart gets beat up because he won’t hit a girl.


Now that we know Blart has his foibles and weaknesses, we can only imagine what may go wrong on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when shoppers invade the mall en masse.


The film shifts abruptly into an action picture when an extreme team of villains take over the mall in order to steal customers’ credit card information. The criminals include skateboarders, BMX riders and free runners. I am not familiar with free runners, but these people display unusually agile, athletic abilities.


As part of their operation to seize control of the mall, these X-Games thugs take a few hostages, including Amy, the object of Blart’s huge crush. For his part, Blart is at first oblivious to the takeover, since he’s playing video games in a store.


To foil the dastardly scheme and to save the girl, Blart goes completely Rambo inside the mall, adapting to his natural environment in clever ways to thwart and defeat the criminals. Not surprisingly, Blart becomes a reluctant hero, even impressing the obnoxious SWAT team leader (Bobby Cannavale) who has less than fond memories of Blart from high school.


Emanating from the Adam Sandler production factory, “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” is the kind of slapstick comedy one would expect, and it doesn’t disappoint. But more than just laughs at the expense of Kevin James’ girth, the movie veers off into full-blown action turf topped off with a heavy dose of sentimentality.


What makes “Paul Blart” endearing for the audience is the undeniable likability of its plus-sized hero. Kevin James just might succeed as the comic successor to the late, lovable John Candy.


DVD RELEASE UPDATE


It’s fitting that appended to a movie review with the increasing rare PG rating, we should offer up an animated family film for consideration in its DVD release.


“Igor” features a stellar ensemble cast of celebrity voices. The hilarious animated twist on the classic monster movie, “Igor” has its titular character (John Cusack), as the nice-guy assistant to a mad scientist (John Cleese), creating a female Franken-monster.


But Igor’s creation, Eva (Molly Shannon), is sweet and sings show tunes. That is, until she falls into the clutches of Dr. Schadenfreude (Eddie Izzard) and his shape-shifting girlfriend (Jennifer Coolidge).


Igor and his sidekicks (Steve Buscemi and Sean Hayes) have to save Eva and their country from the evil King Malbert (Jay Leno).


Another DVD release worth mentioning is that for “The Rockford Files: Season Six, The Final Season.”


Starring James Garner, this TV series is at the top of my list, right alongside “Mannix,” for the best in crime shows.


All six seasons are good to have, but I would forget the “Rockford” TV movie specials that made a comeback about 15 years after the series ended.


Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.


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Inkheart traces a family's magical journey. Photo courtesy of New Line Cinema.

 

 

INKHEART (Rated PG)


For a fantasy adventure film, based on the best-selling book by Cornelia Funke, “Inkheart” sends out a most curious message about the danger of reading books aloud to children.


As it happens, if a person happens to be a “Silvertongue,” he or she possesses the powerful ability to bring characters of literature to life when reading aloud. This, of course, can be a scary thing, particularly when reading to a small child.


Even with its PG rating, “Inkheart” may be too dark at times for the younger children who may not fully grasp the fictional nature of unsavory characters brought to life.


The decidedly mixed-blessing of being a “Silvertongue” plagues bookbinder Mo Folchart (Brendan Fraser), who discovers his unique talent when reading to his young child.


Fast forward about a decade, and Mo and his 12-year-old daughter Meggie (Eliza Hope Bennett) are driving through Europe in a VW camper in search of books. For Mo, the search is focused on an elusive copy of “Inkheart,” a book that is filled with illustrations of medieval castles and strange creatures. It so happens that when fictional characters are set loose on the real world, the book claims a real person to disappear into its pages.


The exchange of literary characters for the living explains why Mo’s wife and Meggie’s mother, Resa (Sienna Guillory), has been MIA for roughly nine years. In her place, Dustfinger (Paul Bettany), possessed of a carnival worker’s talent to juggle fire, has been roaming the countryside with his pet weasel.


Through the years that Mo has been hunting for a copy of “Inkheart,” Dustfinger has never been far behind. The fire juggler believes that Mo can read him back home to his family if Mo finds the book. On the other hand, Mo is terrified he may lose another loved one to its pages.


Meanwhile, another escapee from the novel is Capricorn (Andy Serkis), suitably sinister as a character who didn’t have much going for himself in the fictional world, but has figured out how in the real world to amass a fortune and build an evil empire in a remote castle in the Alps.


Capricorn is eager to capture Mo to further his nefarious schemes, but first must send his thugs to locate him at the ornate Italian lakeside villa where Mo’s daffy aunt Elinor (Helen Mirren) lives a reclusive life amidst a huge collection of books.


The clash of the real world with the villains from the printed pages leads to interesting events.


Capricorn has several uses for Mo’s talents as a reader, none of them altruistic. First, he has Mo reading about the hidden treasures of “1,000 Arabian Nights,” and soon it is raining down gold, silver and jewels.


But, something unexpected usually happens, in this case a young boy named Farid (Rafi Gavron) shows up. At first terrified at being transported from an ancient desert cave, Farid soon decides the modern world is more to his liking.


The world of “Inkheart” is populated with an assortment of eccentric, oddball characters, thanks in part to a timid little man named Darius (John Thomson) who was used by Capricorn to conjure up some of the characters.


As a reader, the stuttering Darius was not very effective at speaking Capricorn’s cohorts out of the pages, as mostly evidenced by the lines of writing left scrawled on their faces as they were bounced through the pages. Still, this doesn’t explain Flatnose (Steve Speirs), with a snout five times bigger than Jimmy Durante’s.


With ambitions grander than that of a James Bond master criminal, Capricorn is emboldened when he learns that Meggie has inherited her father’s gift of a “Silvertongue.” So when Mo eludes his grasp, the villain decides to use her to summon up the terrifying force known as the Shadow. Expectedly, this sets up the climactic showdown that takes place in the mountaintop castle, but it is a less than fitting end to what had been an intriguing story about characters transporting to and from different realms.


Nevertheless, “Inkheart” is a fun fantasy adventure that has plenty of magical moments. The result is a pleasing family entertainment, though it may prove too scary for the impressionable very young kids.


DVD RELEASE UPDATE


I have always considered the early Woody Allen films, including “Take the Money and Run” and “Bananas,” among my all-time favorite comedies. Then he lost me through a series of semi-serious, or semi-humorous, efforts that never clicked.


In recent years, Woody has redeemed himself, and “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is proof that his writing and directing ability still shines.


Using the vibrant energy of Barcelona, Spain, as his canvas, Allen paints a sexually-charged but hilarious portrait of love starring Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem.


“Vicky Cristina Barcelona” tells the story of a pair of young American women vacationing together in Spain, where they both meet and fall for the same local bohemian painter. The situation becomes increasingly difficult when his tempestuous ex-wife (Cruz) makes her way back into his life.


It’s now being released on DVD, just as Penelope Cruz has been nominated for the Academy Award in the best actress in a supporting role category, following on the heels of the film’s taking of a Golden Globe Award for best comedy.


Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.


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LAKE COUNTY – Lake County Theatre Co.'s (LCTC) spring musical will be “The Pajama Game.”


LCTC is teaming up with Mendocino College again to put on a production which is both a class (or two) and a great community theater experience.


One class is in performance and the other is in stage production (lights, scenery, costumes, back stage, etc.). If any of this interests you, contact Mendocino College and sign up, only $33 per class per transferable unit – education as well as enjoyment. Highs school youth only pay $11 per class and are definitely welcome.


This wonderful musical comedy is scheduled to rehearse on the stage of Little Theatre at the Lake County Fairgrounds on Martin Street in Lakeport on Tuesdays and Thursdays with performances to be held in May, but auditions are taking place right away, also at the fairgrounds at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20 and Thursday, Jan 22.


The music of “The Pajama Game” by George Abbott and Richard Bissell is well known to many (“Hernando's Hideaway,” “Hey There” and “Steam Heat” to name just a few), but the plot and the characters may need to be re-introduced.


The story revolves around a pajama factory which is about to go on strike over a seven-and-a-half-cent raise. Of course the hero represents management and the heroine represents labor and, well, the course of true love never runs smooth, does it?


The cast will include a huge number of singers, dancers and actors (around 30 of them!) of all adult ages. Unfortunately, there will not be any kids under 12 in this one.


This will be a great musical for the beginner in theater as well as theater veterans. Give it a try!


For more information, call 279-2595.


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LAKEPORT – Cafe Victoria will mark its third anniversary this Saturday, Jan. 17.


The milestone occasion will be celebrated with music and poetry from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.


Local talent will include poet Lorna Sue Sides; singer-songwriter Karen Priest and Clear Lake Park Symphony Orchestra; musician-singer, Phil Mathewson; and many other performers.


Special pasta menu will be offered to celebrate this third year in business.


A Chamber of Commerce representative will be doing the ribbon cutting.


There will be free entertainment all day long, so stop by 301 Main St., on the corner of Third and Main St. in downtown Lakeport.


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Upcoming Calendar

30Mar
03.30.2024 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Lakeport Community Cleanup Day
30Mar
03.30.2024 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Second annual Bunny Brunch
30Mar
03.30.2024 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Lake County poet laureate inauguration
31Mar
03.31.2024
Easter Sunday
31Mar
03.31.2024 1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Lakeport Rotary Club Easter Egg Hunt
1Apr
04.01.2024
Easter Monday
1Apr
10Apr
15Apr
04.15.2024
Tax Day

Mini Calendar

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