Cincinnati stars in Ides of March

Oct 10, 2011 by SpaethC

Back in February Cincinnati was abuzz with Clooney fever as he was in town filming “Ides of March”. Ides is a political thriller directed and co-written by George Clooney which stars Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, Marissa Tomei and Jeffrey Wright. The city of Cincinnati also stars amongst these Hollywood heavyweights. Ides of March is the 21st major motion picture filmed in Cincinnati and could join Rain Man and Traffic as Academy Award winners.

Of those movies filmed in Cincinnati, Ides of March features the city most prominently. It’s neat how they used the actual names of the locations they shot at. Head First Sports Café, Millenium Hotel, Miami University and Xavier University are just some of the locations shot at and referred to by name. Throughout the film you see all of the local news stations. When you first meet Evan Rachel Wood’s character she is asked “Are you a Bearcat?…a Cincinnati Bearcat?”. There are times you might find yourself distracted taking in the city sights on the big screen. Most of the film takes place in Cincinnati, so I’m not exactly sure how they forgot to include listing Cincinnati in the end credits.

Of course there is more than just our hometown to enjoy, the movie itself is really well done. Ides of March is the fictional story of Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris’ (played by Clooney) bid for the Democratic Presidential nomination. Even though it’s fictional, at times it feels very real. Across the board the acting is superb which should be of no surprise with this all-star cast. While Clooney got a lot of the attention locally, it is really Ryan Gosling’s (who plays one of Morris’ top aides) movie. He capped off an excellent 2011 with is performance in Ides. The script, score and cinematography are all top-notch as well.

While I don’t think Ides will win multiple Academy Awards like Rain Man and Traffic, it is a really enjoyable movie and should get some Oscar nominations. I’d recommend this film to all movie goers and especially to Cincinnatians.

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Carnival Noir – An Interview with Zahara

Oct 19, 2010 by Loki

The 3rd annual Carnival Noir returns to Cincinnati on Friday, October 22nd from 8pm to midnight. Featuring contortionists, belly dancers, spinners, bands and more, the show shines an artistic light on humanity’s dark side through a blend of filmed and live performances. Tickets are $15 to $20 and include entry to the Voodoo Lounge for shopping, tarot readings, make-up applications and dancing. And yes, you’re more than encouraged to wear a costume. Proceeds from the Silent Auction items will benefit Women’s Crisis Center.

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48 Hour Film Project- Best of Cincy Winner: The Grind, A Musical About Porn

Aug 22, 2010 by Loki

CincyVoices would like to congratulate all the teams who screened videos in last nights Best of Cincinnati for The 48 Hour Film Project.

For your viewing pleasure here is the Best of Cincinnati Winner:

The Grind – A Musical About Porn

-Loki, Founder and Publisher

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Battling An Old Demon

Aug 1, 2010 by classicgrrl

I was 8 when I saw my first opera on PBS  in our tiny living room.  I don’t remember the name but I do remember the finery of the costumes, the majesty of the set and those soaring voices in a language I didn’t understand.  I asked my mom if we would ever see it live.  She laughed, “Honey, opera is for rich people.”

Flash forward 12 years later and I sat in the back of a classroom at Morehead State looking at the score to Mozart’s The Magic Flute my mother’s words echoing in my mind.  My peers were engaged in a lively discussion regarding the piece and I sat frantically trying to write down every word feeling like a spy in a dark alley peering into a lighted window.

This past April I walked into the Fine Art’s Fund BOARDway Bound program these thoughts again flittered just behind my pupils; I was once more crashing the party.  Earlier that month, I had written in my journal all the reasons why I shouldn’t apply for the program: I wasn’t traveled enough, networked enough, rich enough, connected enough, skilled enough…simply not enough.  Who did I think I was doing something like this-me? On an art board?  I put down my pen, wrote a Letter of Intent, updated my resume, filled out the application and dashed off an email.  My justification: I simply wanted to learn something new.

The program consisted of 3 meetings with 8-12 hours of online work between each meeting.  We covered Board Member Responsibilities, Financial Management and Staff Responsibilities, and Fundraising and an Overview of Engagement.  The meetings were informative and focused on application of what we learned on the website.  We heard from various Directors from Clifton Cultural Arts Center, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, and The Carnegie. The idea behind this program is to put together a Board Bank or a collection of individuals who are interested in participating on an art board within the smaller arts organizations in Cincinnati and the surrounding communities.  The Fine Arts Fund appears to be taking more of a community development direction with this program and The Arts Ripple Effect - billed as a “Research-Based Strategy to Build Shared Responsibility for the Arts.”

I learned much from this program; how an art board functions, the mission of an art organization and the how that mission effects financial decision-making.  However, the best was a new defintion of art and how art fits into my own life.

What makes a person rich? seeing a mural on a wall; teaching a child the art of clowning; painting a street; hearing original, independent music on Fountain Square; or seeing an original, contemporary play.  That which makes an individual rich is what makes a community rich.

Last weekend I saw my first Cincinnati opera, La Boheme courtesy of tickets from Enjoy the Arts. 

Hey mom, I’m one of the rich people now.

BOARDway Bound Video

*All photos courtesy of Fine Arts Fund

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4192: It’s All About Heart

Jul 19, 2010 by classicgrrl

Wednesday, July 14 was the local premiere of 4192: The Crowning of the Hit King at AMC Newport on the Levee.  The documentary focused solely on Rose’s on-field accomplishments and left his off-field antics off the screen.  Rose narrated nearly all of the film giving some very in-depth information and stories behind his now mythical statistics.

The movie is gratuitous and fairly sappy;  however the scenic views of Riverfront and the beautiful Crosely Field are outstanding.  This turns out to be not a documentary about a controversial ball player as much a commentary on Cincinnati history.  The Anderson Ferry shot in the beginning of the film is a lovely historical moment and Rose’s narrative is surprisingly witty, poignant and, at times, just fascinating.  When Rose talks of playing with Stan Musial during his last game, the brawl with Harrelson or his respect for Bob Gibson; it’s like listening to a cool grandpa revealing interesting stories while on a tour.  He reminds one of the many small psychological tidbits that make Baseball a study of human interaction. 

The audience at the film was just outstanding: I have never seen so many vintage tee shirts  covered by autographs and I would wager most had not been worn in 20+ years.  Folks were jovial, talking with complete strangers in line and bonding over unique Cincinnati history.

Seeing the film also brings out amusing anecdotes of “where were you” and sure enough, on our way home, Not-A-Hubs told his story of peddling his bike up Purcell Ave. as fast as he could.  His neighbor had called and was making the claim that you could hear the Riverfront crowd from the top of Purcell Ave.  Turns out he was right.  4192 reminded me of playing Knothole softball for 13 years in Trenton.  I played all outfields, third, and catcher (my favorite).  I was not a strong hitter but I could field hard and sprint.  My jersey was #14.   It also reminded me why Rose is such an everyman and gives life to the longing appeal that we do have control of our destinies despite whatever humbling beginnings from which we hail.  The same reason I wore #14 is the same reason I read all of Kurt Vonnegut’s writings.  Pete Rose was truly Fanfare for the Common Man.

If you are a Baseball, Reds, or Cincinnati fan then the up-coming DVD is an essential snapshot of Cincinnati history.  The footage, stories, stats and legacy are all worth the price of admission.  You can keep track of when the DVD is released on Facebook and Twitter.

“I was the 13th player to collect my 3000 and got my hit on 9-11. I’m a weird dude.” (Pete Rose)

While the film was worth the $20 per ticket price, the AMC was not.  No signs told us to check our ticket in on the first floor before treading up to the third where there was once again no signs telling patrons the two theatre numbers.  If you hadn’t bothered to look at your ticket you would not have known which one to go to because you surrendered your ticket downstairs.  We did get the right theatre only to find it labeled with a different movie title.  Rose made an appearance and said a few words that no one understood because the microphone was crackling and for the first 5 minutes of the film the lights were left on.

Barking Fish Entertainment = A

AMC Newport on the Levee = F

Film Premiered in LA

Best Documentary in All Sports Los Angeles Film Festival

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The Chicken Dance – Dr Who Style

Jun 24, 2010 by Loki

I’m a geek, pure and simple. I work online, I love science fiction, I’m a huge fan of technology and I watch Dr. Who.

Purely by chance this afternoon I stumbled across this extremely silly video and felt the undeniable urge to share it with all of my fellow geeks here in Cincinnati. The Doctor Who Chicken Dance.  It works on another level as well: the Doctor has a fine tradition of broadcast and fans here in the Queen City. Just check out this archived article from Cincinnati Magazine back in 1987- The Magnetic Dr.Who.

I know it ends with Happy Easter, oh well. It’s still a hugely amusing piece of work. So, without further ado, The Doctor Who Chicken Dance

This one goes out to Yottaquest Fantasy Gaming, The Southwestern Ohio Gathering of Gamers, CincyCon, Sci-Fi City, The Sci-FiCincinnati Book Club, and all of my other fellow geeks in the Queen City!

-Loki, Founder and Publisher

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