The Happiest Medium

De Profil: 5 Actresses You Have Never Heard Of

by Anne Jordanova on March 10, 2010

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These Actresses are a MUST SEE! … Even if you have never heard of them.

I feel very compelled to write about foreign actresses. Many I admire, some are colleagues, most are around my age. There is so much young female talent circling around France, my adopted home country. Someone had to write about it! So here is a list, and those to look out for in upcoming films, all coming from France-and hopefully to take the US by storm very soon.

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Posted in Film and Film: De Profil .


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Review- Legs And All (Frigid Festival 2010)

by Antonio Miniño on March 10, 2010

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Summer Shapiro and Peter Musante | Photo credit: Misha Kutuzov

Enter a magical world where language is unnecessary and human relationships are fresh and effective – full of whimsy and enchantment – with a simple encounter between a man, a woman and a box.  With precise physical comedy and crisp clownmanship, Summer Shapiro and Peter Musante deliver a most mesmerizing performance in Legs and All, at the Frigid New York Festival.

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Posted in Manhattan and Theatre and Theatre: Festival and Theatre: Off-Off-Broadway and Theatre: Review .


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NYCIP Presents “New York, The Super-City”

by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 8, 2010

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Press Release from New York Center for Independent Publishing:

POW

New York served as the model for Gotham City, inspired Will Eisner as he created the noirish adventures of The Spirit, and became a recurring character during the 1960s resurgence of Marvel in comics such as Spider-Man and Iron Man. Comics expert Peter Gutiérrez will moderate a high-energy round-table on the relationship between superheroes and their favorite hometown, followed by a wine and cheese reception provided by GraphicNovelReporter.com!

Join us and learn how comics culture has promoted potent and memorable images of New York to readers worldwide.

When:  Tuesday, March 9, 2010, 6:30-8:30 pm
Where: 20 W. 44th Street, New York, NY 10036

Tickets $15 for general admission$10 for CIP Members, and $5 for students – and they’re tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Please email contact@nycip.org or call 212-764-7021 to reserve!

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Posted in Art and Art: Event and Books and Books: Event and Manhattan .


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‘Inglourious Basterds’ A Tarantino Masterpiece

by Anne Jordanova on March 6, 2010

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Once upon a time, in Nazi occupied France…

is the tag line of Quentin Tarantino’s latest masterpiece, which debuted last year at the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival. The film goes by the name “Inglourious Basterds” and its title addresses the many cast of characters in this film who are out for some good Jewish revenge – the main reoccuring theme of this film.

It is no secret that this film was, by far, my favorite film of 2009 and that I am rooting for it to sweep up every Academy Award it’s nominated for this year, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Directing, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Best Original Screenplay.

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Posted in Film and Film: Oscars 2010 and Film: Review and Film: Thoughts on Film .


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No Traveler – It’s A Wonderful Not-Quite-AfterLife (Frigid Festival 2010)

by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 6, 2010

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No Traveler - Contemplating What Lies Beyond (Penny Pollak / photo by Rebecca Chiappone)

No Traveler - Contemplating What Lies Beyond (Penny Pollak / photo by Rebecca Chiappone)

The opening scene of Penny Pollak’s No Traveler (directed and co-created by Samantha Jones) immediately reminded me of The Triplets of Belleville (not the movie, but the weirdly enjoyable music video by M).  Ms. Pollak, or rather her character Abigail, is having a great time dancing around her room to an equally bouncy French tune; she spends much of the song drinking wine, primping, getting frisky with a door, and setting the stage for some grand finale.  Of course, when she pulls out the straight edged razor and steps into the bucket it becomes obvious that this was all nothing but a frivolous preamble to the real task at hand … ending her life.

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Posted in Manhattan and Theatre and Theatre: Festival and Theatre: Off-Off-Broadway and Theatre: Review .


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“Kill The Band” Knocks ‘Em Dead (Frigid Festival 2010)

by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 5, 2010

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Killy Dwyer, Joe Yoga, Mike Milazzo and Bamboo Silva

Killy Dwyer, Joe Yoga, Mike Milazzo and Bamboo Silva

I thought it was a very good sign that my latest obsession, Lady Gaga’s pulsating, driving song Teeth, was blaring as I entered Under St. Marks to get ready to see Killer Killy Dwyer’s latest offering “Kill The Band” which is not just the name of her band, but which is also the name of the show that’s part of Frigid Festival 2010.  I saw it as a good omen not just because I haven’t been able to get the song out of my head these last few weeks, but more because the song is the type of song that gets down into you and makes you bop in your seat and I figured a gal who was serving up Gaga as the appetizer must have the all-you-can-eat-buffet to back it up.  Musically speaking, of course.

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Posted in Manhattan and Theatre and Theatre: Festival and Theatre: Off-Off-Broadway .


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22nd Annual Indie And Small Press Book Fair

by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 5, 2010

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Admission is free!

March 6th & 7th from 10:00 – 5:00

General Society Library
20 West 44th Street
(btw. 5th & 6th Aves.)
10:00 am – 5:00 pm both days

Saturday, March 6th:

11:30 – 12:00 PM
Maria Filice of  Food & Fate Publishing will presents Breaking Bread in L’Aquila
Reviewed in Library Journal as a “wonderful book…will appeal to foodies and cooks looking for effortless Italian cooking.”

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Posted in Books and Books: Event and Manhattan .


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And The Winner Is . . .

by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 5, 2010

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Congratulations to the winner of our Soup Show Giveaway — Nancy Cohen!

Nancy was randomly chosen from those who correctly answered our trivia question. (Q: Who is the director for The Soup Show? A: Lauren Sharpe)

Nancy won a pair of tickets to The Soup Show playing at HERE Arts Center. (For more information check out the official site.)

Thanks to everyone who participated and check back each month as we give away more tickets to more great shows!

Posted in The Happiest Medium Giveaways and Theatre and Theatre: Deals and Theatre: Off-Off-Broadway .


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4 Cents Review: Late Nights With The Boys – A Grown Up Fairy Tale (Frigid Festival 2010)

by 4centsreviews on March 5, 2010

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4 Cents Review – When 2 reviewers each give their 2 cents.

LATE NIGHTS WITH THE BOYS: confessions of a leather bar chanteuse Pictured: Alex Bond in 1977

LATE NIGHTS WITH THE BOYS: confessions of a leather bar chanteuse Pictured: Alex Bond in 1977

Today Diánna Martin and Karen Tortora-Lee give their 4 Cents about Late Nights With The Boys: Confessions Of A Leather Bar Chantuse which is part of this year’s Frigid Festival.

Late Nights With The Boys: Confessions Of A Leather Bar Chantuse was presented as selections read by Alex Bond and David Carson from Ms. Bond’s novel, but aside from that we both didn’t know what to expect.  The Frigid blurb promised that the reading would transport you to Dallas 1977, a magical time before HIV/AIDS, but not before ignorance and prejudice so we were eager to watch this story unfold.

Karen: I really didn’t know what to expect from Late Nights With The Boys, and almost immediately I was charmed.  Didn’t you sense their warmth right away?

Diánna: Absolutely – there was something very natural and calm about Alex Bond and David Carson that affected the audience. I think the fact that they didn’t dim the house lights was interesting toward that end …

Karen: Definitely. I mean, I felt they were having a conversation with us (the audience) as much as with each other, and that sense of immediacy happened automatically.

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Posted in 4 Cents Review and Theatre and Theatre: Festival and Theatre: Off-Off-Broadway .


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“The Ghost Writer” Is A Sleek Homage To Hitchcock

by Anne Jordanova on March 4, 2010

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Brosnan and McGregor

Brosnan and McGregor

“The Ghost Writer” is the latest film by Polish-French genius director Roman Polanski. It is a sleek, stylish, and smart political thriller that has channeled Hitchcock in ways that no one has done, since…well-Hitchcock himself. Like the master, Polanski sets his tone through ominous music, and bases this on a central character-an innocent who struggles to find truth, and gain control of a living nightmare.

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Posted in Film and Film: Review and Film: Thoughts on Film .


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