Local

Witness is an eclectic, five-night series exploring the African American independent filmmaking scenes in New York, Los Angeles, and beyond. Witness offers a much-needed focus on the pioneers who created landmark, often radical films with meager resources: from classics by Charles Burnett, Kathleen Collins, Spike Lee, Spencer Williams, and Billy Woodberry, to more recent works by Arthur Jafa and Khalik Allah. Spanning more than 70 years, the series explores a wide range of subject matter—poverty, faith, civil rights, and cultural identity—as told through a variety of distinctive directorial perspectives. Made at a time before African American directors received Hollywood support, the films featured here are not just major works of cinema, but vital acts of honesty, defiance, and in some cases, creative revolt.

http://wexarts.org/series/witness-black-independent-film

Thursday, January 21
7 pm: She’s Gotta Have It, Spike Lee, 1986
8:35 pm: Field Niggas, Khalik Allah, 2014

As someone who has a doctorate in American history, it always makes me nervous to hear people declaim that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and the First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion. It is all I can do to hold my tongue when folks say that the Constitution guarantees the separation of Church and state, and when they start talking about a Constitutional amendment requiring prayer in the public schools–as long as I’m a professor, students will be praying in school!–well then, Katie bar the door! The first assertion is an oversimplified story about Pilgrims, Puritans and the Mayflower Compact, written in 1620. The second statement is flat out wrong, and the third one, well whatareyagonnado?

Mon, Jan 18, 8am-12noon, First AME Zion Church, 873 Bryden Rd.
Police Officers for Equal Rights sponsors the annual Martin Luther King Jr. holiday event. Free breakfast from 8-10am. Gospel music, videos, and keynote speaker, Reverend Arthur L. Holloway II in the sanctuary, 10am-12noon. The theme of the breakfast is “Is Racism Terrorism?” Free Press Editor Bob Fitrakis will be one of the speakers. Tyrone Thomas, 614-668-4837. Please send check or money order donations to: Police Officers for Equal Rights, P.O. Box 27040, Columbus, OH 43227.

It is truly banal to say that we have never seen a First Lady like Michelle Obama; she is, as they say in the fashion world, a one off. Historically, the role of the president’s spouse has always been ill defined. First Ladies–Jacqueline Kennedy hated the term because it sounded like the name of a saddle horse–have no constitutional authority and do not answer to the electorate. However, just by virtue of being the president’s wife, they have tremendous influence. Consequently, American people project their expectations about many things such as gender roles and family values onto America’s Queen Consorts, and the public can be quite fickle when those expectations are not met. No more has this been the case than with Michelle Robinson Obama.

Nominations for the Academy Awards are due out this week, but a couple of the prime Oscar candidates are just now making it to Central Ohio.

  As of last weekend, we can bask in the angst and atmosphere of Carol, a lush period drama directed by Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven). Set in New York in 1952, it stars Cate Blanchett as Carol, a divorced mother, and Rooney Mara as Therese, a young store clerk who catches her eye.

  Carol is attracted to women, and Therese apparently is too, judging by the fascinated gaze she directs at this glamorous individual who shows up in her store’s toy department. Nevertheless, Carol proceeds cautiously, not only because this was a more conservative era but because she wants to remain on good terms with Harge (Kyle Chandler), the jealous ex who still supports her and her young daughter.

  The film also proceeds cautiously, to the extent that viewers may grow tired of waiting to see just where it’s headed.

The New York Times is no match for Gov. John Kasich's slick manipulation.

  We already know that The Columbus Dispatch is an easy mark for the governor turned presidential candidate.

  In a NYT Sunday Magazine article Jan. 3, reporter Robert Draper lets Kasich have his way, failing to immediately counter misstatements.

  Some for-instances:

  Kasich quote: "I don't spend any time thinking about him" (rival and front-runner Donald Trump).

  Truth not reported:  Kasich interrupted and harshly criticized Trump a few debates ago and Trump slapped him down like a bug.

  Kasich quote: "I don't like divisiveness. I don't like negativity."

  Truth not reported: See above attack on Trump and recent brickbats Kasich hurled at rivals Chris Christie and Marco Rubio.

  Kasich quote: "I don't care what the polls say."

Centuries ago in the epic Indian literature of ‘Mahabharat,” there is a story of a boy named Eklavya who passionately wants to learn archery from a teacher named Drona. When he approaches Drona, the teacher refuses to teach him. Eklavya makes a statue of Drona, teaches himself archery and becomes the best archer that ever existed. When Drona finds this out, he asks for his tuition fees from his student. Eklavya readily agrees to give whatever his teacher wants. The teacher Drona asks Eklavya to cut his right thumb and give it to him. Eklavya, bound by his promise and love for his teacher, cuts his thumb and offers it as his fees.

Ecstasy--pure human ecstasy, not the cheap drug--is a beautiful, necessary thing. Living the modern life of civilized apes, we sometimes either impoverish ourselves of the ecstasy of life or outright outlaw it. Not good; not right. Seeing visions was essential to a great many of America's original people. How they got 'em seems natural enough--fasting, dancing, natural stimulants, worship of nature, etc...
  To which I say: Beatles = liberation.

  Thus it was at the sixth annual 'Beatles-a-thon', 12 hours of live Beatles music provided by Joe and Matt Peppercorn and their band of highly proficient deep believers in the Beatles canon. I was ecstatic simply waiting in line half-an-hour before it began at the Blue Stone at 12:30 p.m. December 26. Liverpool and nirvana, here we come!

I predict the New Year will probably include a presidential election.

  Sorry, that was a joke.

  You want to hear about music?

  Deerhunter performed at the Skully’s Music Diner December 17th. This show was about a year after singer and multi-instrumentalist Bradford Cox was involved in a car accident that hospitalized him and resulted in him taking stock of his life.

  Deer Hunter’s latest release, “Fading Frontier” is a reflection of this.

  Well, it’s weird because if you look at the photos of Cox in the hospital and compare it to the amount of sounds and movement on stage one would one remark that he recovered from depression induced from immobilization quite well.

  Musically the Atlanta group operated poppy hooks, on occasion upbeat, at intervals melancholy, but eventually optimistic with layered tales of bored inertia turned motivation. Deer Hunter is aurally some place in between indie-rock, jam-band land and Neu!