As a holiday treat, we present the Top 10 versions of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Why that song?
10. Ok Go
Holiday fun, minus the treadmills.
“Hark how the bells, sweet silver bells, all seem to say throw cares away …”
Join the Alabama Symphony Orchestra for a free holiday concert at 7 tonight. Christopher Confessore conducts.
The event takes place at the Guiding Light Church, 1800 John Rogers Drive [map | directions].
Our pal Arik has helped put together a fund-raiser for the Prichard family, in the wake of Michael Prichard’s death in September. I worked with Chris, Michael’s wife, for many years — she shot the beautiful city skyline you see from time to time at the top of this page.
Stop by Rojo tonight to help out a small, but personal, cause.
Local filmmakers pay tribute to colleague, raise funds for family
The Birmingham filmmaking community will gather Thursday to pay tribute to a fallen comrade, Michael Prichard. In addition, the group is raising money to help Michael’s family pay for expenses that continue to mount.
Michael worked as a trusted grip, audio operator, and camera operator for over 10 years. He died at age 40 on Sept. 14 leaving behind his wife and two children.
To help raise money, Southside restaurant Rojo will host “Things That Mike P. Would Have Liked,” a photography exhibit with photos exclusively provided by members of the local filmmaking community. Art and prints may be donated up until the day of the show. All proceeds from the sale of these works will go to Michael’s family.
The tribute and show kickoff begins at 6 tonight, at Rojo, 2921 Highland Ave. S. [map]. Admission is free and open to the public. The show will remain on display until Nov. 9, available during restaurant hours.
For more information, please contact Arik Sokol at 324-3900 or ariks@vazda.com, or Ned Boggan at dembyfilms@hotmail.com.
Another whirlwind weekend of music, movies and parties known as Sidewalk has zipped by. Remember: You can still win swag from the film fest by entering our haiku contest by noon today.
But before we wrap the ninth Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, a few more capsule reviews of hits and misses …
Update: “The Devil Came on Horseback” and “Darius Goes West” added.
With such a wide field of nominees, how will Birmingham voters decide how to cast such an important vote?
The mayoral election? Nah, the Birmingham News’ annual Readers’ Choice Awards, which closes at 11 tonight. More than 500 nominated their faves in 80-plus categories. Now, you can vote among five contenders in each category in the online ballot, broken into three sections: City Life, Food and Drink and Leisure and Entertainment.
But this isn’t about the best of the city.
This is about mocking the regrettable list of candidates (and thereby indirectly mocking the nominating readers and the selection process). How will they stack up against the 2006 winners? Did our pal Matt at Alabama Live make the right call with his picks?
Our catty contenders, after the jump …
Wanna see a movie this weekend? How about 150 of them?
The ninth annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival starts tonight, with the biblical comedic romp, “The Ten.” Tickets for tonight’s 8 p.m. opener are $13 at the door.
It’s $30 for Saturday and Sunday, or $7 per film ($17 for three films). More info on the official site.
So what’s the story on this year’s festival? More previews, more interviews, plus you could win free Sidewalk stuff …
A dish best served cold | Check out “Lunch,” a funny short by first-time filmmaker and Birmingham resident James Brown. His lunch was stolen from the office fridge — now, he wants revenge. But don’t take my word for it as a hired publicist, hear James on WBHM’s “Tapestry” [MP3] from Thursday. And watch this trailer:
Contributing writer Stacy Vance reviewed “Row Hard No Excuses” by director Luke Wolbach:
Two people, 3,000 miles, 100 days at sea.
I love a good adventure story. Man attempts to conquer nature. Nature takes the lead. Man becomes one with nature. Or does he?
In the documentary “Row Hard No Excuses,” John Zeigler and Tom Mailhot set out to travel the open seas in a trans-Atlantic rowing race from the Canary Islands to Barbados.
The film screens Sunday at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.
Contributing writer Stacy Vance reviewed “Overflow” by Birmingham director Jana Harris:
For those of us who miss the guilty pleasure of the ABC after-school special, “Overflow” gives a respectable shot at resurrecting the teenage drama, complete with the valuable lesson to take away.
The film screens Sunday at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.
Craving something serious in bite-size pieces? Try this block of shorts from Alabama filmmakers at this weekend’s Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.
But be warned: It’s heavy slogging through these dainty dramas.
Chance Shirley, co-director of “Hide and Creep” and co-founder of Birmingham-based Crewless Productions, caught a screening of “The Ten” in New York and offers this review.
“The Ten” will be of special interest to fans of “The State,” the MTV sketch comedy show that launched the careers of a group of actors, writers and directors who would go on to work on a variety of television shows and movies, including “Stella,” “Wet Hot American Summer” and “Reno 911!”
The film will open next week’s Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.
As Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival gears up for its ninth outing later this month, you have a chance to see what’s on the lineup tonight.
As part of its monthly Salon, Sidewalk organizers will show trailers and discuss programming. See what goes into putting on a festival and what you can expect as a film fan.
The Salon takes place at 7 tonight at Rojo, 2921 Highland Ave S. [map]. Doors open at 6 for networking and drinks, plus free snacks.
Also, be sure to check out the festival site, which includes new features allowing users to create custom schedules and blogs related to the festival (such as this handsome one).
Look to Wade on Birmingham for more preview coverage of the film festival, including reviews and giveaways.
• • •
Action! Complete Sidewalk 2007 coverage.
Artwalk, downtown’s annual two-day event, takes place Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. If you haven’t been before, maybe you need a reason to attend.
We have 10 …
1. Someday our prints will come … Our pal and friendly printmaker Charles Buchanan will be back at Artwalk, in the tiniest space available. We helped carry his display boards to his car this one time, which kinda makes us like co-printmakers. Or not. You could stop by, just to praise his freshly revamped Web site. Or gush over his My Birmingham essay in August’s Birmingham Magazine. Or buy a print. Or 12.
• James Morgan, esq., 2314A First Ave. N. [map]
The problem: You’re going to Art on the Rocks tonight, but you don’t have a thing to wear.
The solution: Toga. Toga. Toga.
Sorry, we meant … To-ga! To-ga! To-GA!
The summerlong series continues tonight at the Birmingham Museum of Art with a costumed theme, Vulcanalia, in honor of the upcoming Pompeii (caution: sound) exhibit. Those in togas will be in a drawing for … a Vespa. Isn’t it worth reliving your “Animal House” days for a new Italian scooter?
In case you need help with your outfit, watch this 1-minute instructional video:
And a tribute to the movie (caution: sound) that started the craze nearly 30(!) years ago.
Love Artwalk but can’t stand the walking part? Show your support tonight at the Artwalk Preamble, from 6 to 10 at the Finaei Building, 2209 First Ave. N. [map].
The annual fund-raiser keeps the fall downtown art event admission free. Bid on art, dine on selections from Cobb Lane Restaurant and John’s City Diner, and enjoy free wine and beer. Also, jazz by Triad. Cost is $25 at the door.
Artwalk will take place Sept. 7 and 8 between Second Avenue North and First Avenue South between 22nd and 25th Streets.
Find this year’s latest flicks
with our Summer Movie Guide.
The summer’s barely begun, but perhaps you’ve had your fill of pirates, webslingers and crazed killers.
Have we got a deal for you? Check out more than 50 movies coming to a neighborhood near you, and more than half of them for free. Free! FREE!! They’re all in our Summer Movie Guide 2007.
Kick back and enjoy classics and family films, cutting edge and in concert. Whether it’s in the park or in the air-conditioned comfort of the indoors, you’ll find it here. No megaplexes, no inattentive ushers — just the best movies outside of the chains from “The Ant Bully” to “Zoom.”
Updated with Israeli Cann’d Film Festival …
Updated with Movies on the Mall …
As I sit here in my darkened house waiting for the power to come back on, I realize that it ain’t so bad. I haven’t written in a while, and I can put Superphone to the test.
