‘It is excellent to have a giant’s strength, but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant.’
— William Shakespeare, ‘Measure for Measure’
Quote of the day: William Shakespeare
Filed under Quote of the Day
Quote of the day: A new feature
Hello dear readers. Every now and again, I like to add a new feature to ForrestHartman.com, and my latest brainstorm is a quote of the day. Future installments will include an interesting quote that I believe is as relevant now as when it was first spoken. Sometimes the quote will be entertainment-related, but more often it will be something I simply find interesting. I’d love to get feedback (and even quote suggestions) from all of you. Let’s get things started …
‘How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.’
— Henry David Thoreau
Filed under Quote of the Day
Video Verdict: Reviews of ‘Watchmen,’ ‘Coraline’
Jackie Earle Haley plays the masked hero Rorschach in "Watchmen.”
This week’s batch of new DVDs is anchored by two fantasy films, each one aimed at a different audience. One is a stop-motion effort that’s spooky yet family friendly. The other is an R-rated comic book adaptation that is high minded and for adults only.
Filed under Video Verdict
Harry Potter is still magical
Daniel Radcliff play Harry Potter in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."
It’s been two years since boy wizard Harry Potter graced the silver screen, and he’s not so boyish anymore. Fact is, Potter and the now monumentally famous actor who portrays him, Daniel Radcliffe, have become strapping young men, which seems appropriate for a fantasy saga that has grown increasingly bold and dark.
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” draws from and builds on the gloom that’s been creeping into the franchise, but that’s no surprise to fans of the J.K. Rowling novels. The Potter faithful are well aware that “Half-Blood Prince” is packed with nasty dealings, all involving the revival of the evil wizard Voldemort. It’s important to mention the Potter faithful because this movie, more than any of the previous films, requires a primer.
Director David Yates, who also helmed 2007’s “The Order of the Phoenix,” assumes that his audience knows who the characters are, understands what they mean to each other and has at least basic knowledge of the evil stalking the title character. One needn’t read the books to get caught up, but a viewing of the five prior movies will help … a lot.
Click here for full review: http://www.rgj.com/article/20090715/ENT/90715001/1056/Harry-Potter-is-still-magical
Filed under Movie Reviews
Video Verdict: New DVDs for July 14
Virginia Madsen, left, and Kyle Gallner, right, star in the horror thriller “The Haunting in Connecticut.”
It’s a slow week on the home video front with only one major theatrical release making its way to DVD. Fortunately, that mainstream title is being propped up by the DVD debut of a fascinating foreign film that was nominated for an Oscar in 2008.
Filed under Video Verdict
Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival is about more than the great view
Henry Woronicz, new executive producer for Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, says audiences this year should expect a lot more than lapping waves and a great view.
“One of the challenges of this festival is that the venue is so beautiful that you’ve got to make the plays equally interesting,” Woronicz said. “You really have to because if they lose interest in the play, they have these wonderful dinners and glasses of wine. “» Friends of mine, over the years, have seen a play there and I always ask them what they saw, and they can never remember. They talk about the venue. They talk about how beautiful it was sitting on the beach.”
Woronicz says he wants his audiences to walk away talking about the plays.
Click here for full story: http://www.rgj.com/article/20090712/LIV/907120305/1089/Much-ado-about-Lake-Tahoe-Shakespeare
Filed under Features
Video Verdict: New DVDs for July 7
Nicolas Cage, left, and Chandler Canterbury star in the science-fiction thriller "Knowing."
Major DVD releases this week range from a Nicolas Cage drama to an action movie starring Dakota Fanning, and all have roots in science fiction and the supernatural.
Filed under Video Verdict
World Music Series hits Reno July 8
The Wailing Souls will play in Reno July 8.
For years, the Food Bank of Northern Nevada presented a July world music series that ranked among the most popular activities at Artown. So, when the Food Bank decided to try something different, Artown staff stepped in.
“We’ve taken over,” Artown executive director Beth Macmillan said. “It’s a very relevant genre that needs to be offered to the community. I think it really introduces our community to different cultures through the arts.”
That means Wingfield Park will once again play host to world music shows at 7 p.m. each Wednesday. As in the past, admission will be by donation, but this year, cash offerings will help pay Artown’s concert costs.
Click here for full story: http://rgj.com/article/20090706/ENT/907060310/1056/Sounds-from-around-the-world
Filed under Features
Artown opens today in Reno
The 2009 Artown festival kicks off Wednesday, marking the beginning of 32 days of arts and entertainment events spread throughout Reno and Sparks.
The festival officially starts in the morning with a variety of ongoing art exhibitions, but the day’s main event is the opening ceremony — scheduled for 7 p.m. at Wingfield Park — followed by a free concert by folksinger Richie Havens.
Click here for the full story: http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090630/NEWS/90630045&s=d&page=1#pluckcomments
Filed under Features
Video Verdict: New DVDs for June 30
John Cena plays New Orleans police officer Danny Fisher in the thriller “12 Rounds.”
This week’s DVD releases include two amped up action flicks and a concert movie featuring one of America’s top teen acts.
Filed under Video Verdict
