Friday news and reviews
Art
Walker Art Center explores the surrealist psychology of dreamland in a brilliant new show drawn mostly from its collection.
- MARY ABBE, Star Tribune
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Dome Light: At Home with Artist Martin Woodrich
Andy Sturdevant profiles a prolific community-supported Minnesota artist noted more for his unusual home than for his moody paintings: the Metrodome's artist-in-residence since the sports facility's opening in 1982, Martin Woodrich.
- mnartists.org
Art on the chopping block for 'Exit Rogue Citizen'
"Exit Rogue Citizen" focuses on the American justice and prison systems, sentencing, and capital punishment. The artists who make up the art collective known as Rogue Citizen--Shawn Dalsen, Eric Mattheis, Matt McGorry, and Matt Wells--even went as far as to partition off their art, displaying it in three separate cells. The closing reception, "Reprieve," on Friday, April 1 will see unsold artwork from the show executed, literally.
- Coco Mault, City Pages
Books
Once Upon A Crime hosts its 9th annual author open house, Write of Spring
Signs of spring are popping up all over the place; buds are on the trees and the body on the Once Upon A Crime shop sign is pushing up daisies.
- Coco Mault, City Pages
Dance
Lightsey Darst had an epiphany at the latest performance by ARENA Dances, "I hate myself. Will you please love me?" She says she's been all wrong about the company (led by Mathew Janczewski) up to now - read on to find out why.
- mnartists.org
"Stomp": The title of the show pretty much says it all
My attention drifted--and by "drifted," I mean "in my head, I wrote this entire review as well as two blog entries on unrelated subjects."
- Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet
General
The perils of parody: KDWB and why humor is worth taking seriously
A joke is never just a joke. Not if you care about comedy it isn't.
- Max Sparber, MinnPost.com
Movies
'Win Win' grapples with grown-up issues
High-school sports is just a backdrop in the quirky Paul Giamatti comedy "Win Win."
- Colin Covert, Star Tribune
Review: Director's gift is telling it like it is, and that's no small feat
"Win Win" is about real people at their imperfect best.
- Chris Hewitt, Pioneer Press
'Source Code' has a one-track mind
A train wreck leads to government secrets, recovered memory and a classic love story.
- COLIN COVERT, Star Tribune
Fast-paced 'Source Code' wants to be a mind-bender of the highest caliber
My favorite thing about 'Source Code' is that it trusts us to pay attention.
- Chris Hewitt, Pioneer Press
Review: Vibrant love fantasy pulses with imagination
The vibe of the French-Canadian "Heartbeats" is better conveyed by its original title, which needs no translation: "Les Amours Imaginaires."
- Chris Hewitt, Pioneer Press
Skillful adaptation of Algerian struggle uplifting and draining at the same time
The first half of "Outside the Law" is shaky, but once it gets going, watch out.
- Chris Hewitt, Pioneer Press
'Hop': This bunny tale is sweet and funny
A standard plot gets hopped up with humor that works across various age levels.
- COLIN COVERT, Star Tribune
'Hop' springs eternal (we're talking franchise here)
A man and a bunny bond over their quarter-life crises in "Hop."
- Chris Hewitt, Pioneer Press
Agenda-driven 'Miral' lacks human spark
Filmmaker Julian Schnabel has stirred up considerable controversy with his memoir of a motherless Palestinian girl.
- COLIN COVERT, Star Tribune
Disorganized movie just as messy as the political fray surrounding it
I found the fact-based "Miral" much harder to swallow -- and to get into -- than the sci-fi-ish "Source Code."
- Chris Hewitt, Pioneer Press
The spirits moved them -- but only them
Sloppy, embarrassing and not scary for a moment, "Insidious" is an attempt at subtler, haunted-house-style horror from the folks behind "Saw."
- Chris Hewitt, Pioneer Press
Music
McGegan's reunion with the SPCO brings out their best
The SPCO doesn't play baroque and classical-era music any better than when McGegan is on the podium
- Rob Hubbard, Pioneer Press
The long, harsh winter made for a fitting end to Chris Koza's ambitious four-album project.
- CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER, Star Tribune
Ticketmaster faces the music, especially in Twin Cities
First Ave, Cabooze, Varsity turn to Ticketmaster rivals.
- CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER, Star Tribune
A flock of SXSW musicians migrate north
Plenty of local bands head south for the event, but the real benefit for Twin Cities music fans is the post-SXSW effect. Many of those young bands use the festival to launch a nationwide tour.
- Ross Raihala, Pioneer Press
Volcano Choir at the Cedar Cultural Center: Total eclipse of Eau Claire
There are certain things in life that happen so few times that you feel pretty damn lucky to have seen with your own two eyes in person: an albino bald eagle, a meteor shower, a total lunar eclipse. You can add a Volcano Choir live performance to that list.
- Kyle Matteson, TC Daily Planet
Ruth Adams memorialized with video, photos, and memories
Thanks to local documentarian Sonya "Sonny" Tormoen, we have a few sweet memories of Adams to share with our readers in honor of her memory.
- Andrea Swensson, City Pages
Minneapolis finally gets into the Black
Texas' hard-boogie-ing Honeybears finally make it to Minnesota, which frontman Joe Lewis briefly called home.
- Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune
Diamond Rings at the Triple Rock Social Club: Fun, artistry, and a sexy sternum
Oh my goodness, go see a Diamond Rings show. Whether or not 80s-influenced dance pop is "your thing," his stage presence is undeniably entertaining and the live performance was just plain fun.
- Sarah Heuer, TC Daily Planet
Stage
Man Of La Mancha by Ten Thousand Things Theater
In La Mancha none of the performers, terrific though they are, sings with the operatic machismo that this material so often inspires. Musically, this cast gets by, but just.
- John Olive, HowWasTheShow.com
Mo Perry learns to keep the drama onstage
Disillusioned, Perry dropped out of theater for a while. Luckily for us, she's back in it, and has become one of the best actors in the small-theater scene.
- GRAYDON ROYCE, Star Tribune
Henry Rollins at the Cedar Cultural Center: "I am not funny"
Regardless of the topic, every story Rollins shares is an adventure to be dazzled and humbled by.
- Brenda Karunya Peters, TC Daily Planet