‘Arts’ Archives
Unconventional Stories from a Firebrand
Arts, No Chaser By DWIGHT HOBBES David Daniels. Photo by Mitch Olson Quintessential firebrand David Daniels is that rarity, a performance artist who, instead of self-righteously blowing hot air, actually utilizes spoken word to send messages of consequence. An auspicious debut was his play Malcolm X Meet Peter Tosh, premiering at South Minneapolis”™ Cedar Cultural Center (1993), moving to a 2-year stint in Denver (Mercury Cafe), its popularity there and at other venues starting his career off with considerable traction. He made his home here and recalls, “I feel fortunate to have been part of a rich counter-cultural history...in Minneapolis. My time living on the West Bank and working at the New Riverside Cafe brought me into it. The West Bank was Haight-Asbury long after the Haight was just a memory for the counter-culture. Its blend of artists activists and [...]
Loss of Two Landmark Theatres a Tragedy
By HOWARD MCQUITTER II In 2003, Loews Cineplex gave way to Landmark Theatres as the new owners of the Edina Cinema at 50th and France in Edina. Altogether the Edina Cinema had been in operation for 87 years, but then came COVID-19 to force the prize of Edina closed for "good". What a loss for us cinephiles and all other regular moviegoers who just wanted to see perhaps an art-house film or even a dashing big budget movie. I think of the countless screenings I saw there or decided to take a 6B or 6C bus to view a film of my liking (always with a pen and notebook in the dark to write my reviews). The Edina (four screens and 1300 seats) had been remodeled some time ago - beautiful, yet not gaudy. There may be hope, all may not be lost for Edina. Suzanne Haugland, the building owner, told FOX 9 she's optimistic about finding a new private partner to restart showing movies there again. [...]
Movie Corner: A Quiet Place II
Paramount Pictures ★★★★★ By HOWARD McQUITTER II A Quiet Place ll is the real deal judging from the stellar original A Quiet Place (2018) which puts us on edge often and with oompah such not to be easily forgotten. Not long ago, my faith in the horror genre stood near nadir, well, at least since the days of John Carpenter's Halloween (1978) and Sean S. Cunningham's Friday the 13th (1980), both palatable horror films. But my confidence slowly returns with horror pictures such as the Spanish film The Orphanage (2007), It Follows (2015) and Get Out (2017), all intelligent films. The second installment of Quiet Place starts off on Day 1, with Lee Abbott (John Krasinski) living, cars going to and fro, electricity is on, American flags rippling in the wind, and boys playing baseball, townspeople drawn out on a sunny summer day. Strange [...]
