Fey ‘What If” an Exercise in Irritation
It’s hard for me to put into words just how much Michael Dowse’s What If irritated me. Not so much like fingernails on a chalkboard, which is thankfully only a brief annoyance but more like being on an airplane, sitting in front of small child whose constant yammering and kicking of the back of your seat begins…
“Expendables 3” Too Familiar to Thrill
Having now sat through three Expendables movies, I can safely say that this is the most predictable franchise in film history. Nothing, and I mean nothing comes as a surprise in Sylvester Stallone’s series for geriatric action heroes, as each movie’s plot marches lockstep through a pattern that’s as expected as it is tiresome. Old mercenaries get…
“Cops” Familiar but Fun
I often tell people where popular movies are concerned – “Keep your expectations low and you might end be pleasantly surprised.” Such is the case with Let’s be Cops, a goofy bromance comedy that comes off as a low-rent 21 Jump Street, yet it’s not without its charms. Much of this is due to the chemistry between…
Kindness matters
Robin Williams – yup, here, too — my mind is full of him today. A friend and I had lunch recently. He was troubled deeply, cried as he told me his mother-in-law had killed herself while drunk. There seemed to be no clue — She had a boyfriend, passions to fill her life …. Folks…
Robin Williams (1951-2014)
Speaking about sharing the stage with Robin Williams at the legendary Improv comedy club in Los Angeles, Richard Pryor said, “There was nothing I could do. I was up there, trying to keep up with him but I couldn’t. His mind just works so fast. I just ended up standing there, watching him.” In many ways, this is the…
A look at 311
Springfield’s Thao Le ventured out to Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe this weekend to the 311 concert. Formed in the ’90s, the five-member alternative rock band is wrapping up their summer tour. Le reports that “the show was amazing. From the stunning light production to the lively instrumental solos, 311 knows how to entertain. New and…
When non-profit means non-professional
Imagine this scene: Having recognized that they share a common need, a group of well-intended parents gather and decide to found a Montessori school. They lease classroom space, they buy the necessary materials and furniture, they hire an experienced Montessorian to do the teaching, and they contract with other specialty firms to keep the place…
You had to be there: A column of sour grapes
NIL8 at Downhome Festival Saturday night “Perhaps contrary to accepted wisdom, a lot actually happens in Springfield during any given week. In “You had to be there,” a new recurring feature on the Faingold at Large blog, I will take on the role of reader’s surrogate as I report on musical, theatrical, artistic, or even just spontaneous…
Editor’s Note 8/7/14
Springfield Ward 6 Ald. Cory Jobe has proven himself a pragmatist by withdrawing from the mayor’s race before it has officially begun. Jobe, who has been ambition personified (he broke the six-figure mark in his campaign fund well before any other potential or declared mayoral candidate), hasn’t even finished his first term as an elected…
The silliest catch
PHOTO BY BRUCE RUSHTON I am sitting at the Brick Tavern when I feel someone tug on the back of my t-shirt. It is a fluorescent yellow hue, the color favored by highway workers, Kid Rock fans and the dentally challenged. This one came from Las Vegas, purchased from the back of one of countless…
WOOF!
Sangamon County Animal Control officials have declared dangerous a pair of dogs owned by Sheryle Henry, a member of a county advisory board on animal control. The dogs in June attacked a small mixed-breed dog owned by Christine Groves while Groves was walking her pooch [See “Board member’s dogs attack,” by Bruce Rushton, July 31].…
vermontpoem #38
vermontpoem #38 first night here 2:30 a.m. terrible crying strange not an owl could it be a dog trapped somewhere in the woods no not a dog it’s like nothing I’ve ever heard but what to do I can’t go plowing into the brush but then came quiet next day a report – all had…
Family fun
PHOTO BY ERICKA HINE It’s that time of year again. The Illinois State Fair will be held Aug. 7-17. The Twilight Parade starts at 6 p.m. on Aug. 7. Great days for families are Friday, Aug. 15, which is Futures for Kids Day (activities for young kids and many of the contests take place); Saturday,…
Clare Dunn
From her rural raisings in southeast Colorado, farm girl Clare Dunn came out from behind the plow to plant seeds into country music’s field of opportunity. Once, she spent her time driving trucks and tractors, now she’s traveling the nation singing her songs of real life experiences to country radio audiences. She’s opened for some…
No understanding of Catholic teaching
I was saddened to see how far Chris Britt has gone in his editorial cartoon making fun of Bishop Paprocki (July 24). It is clear that Britt has no understanding of Catholic teaching. Mary Keldermans placed herself outside of communion (excommunicated) with the Catholic Church by attempting to be ordained as a priest. By her…
Positively Pat
Gov. Pat Quinn’s new TV ad is 60 seconds of one positive message after another. “Pat Quinn sees problems, takes action and gets the job done,” the ad claims. “Now, Illinois is making a comeback,” it continues. But the spot is being slammed by longtime campaign insiders in both parties as “spitting in the wind.”…
Brown biopic
Jill Scott and Chadwick Boseman in Get on Up. I’ve often said that film biographies are a no-win proposition and any director foolhardy enough to take one on is just asking for trouble. Sure to disappoint those who are expecting to see a full examination of the subject’s life and likely to run afoul of…
Dummy prize
Curses, foiled againPolice investigating a burglary in Lakewood, Wash., found a plaque on the front lawn of the home naming Alfred J. Shropshire III, 49, as a local car dealer’s “Salesperson of the Month.” When questioned, Shropshire confirmed the award was his and was charged with the crime. (United Press International) Police charged Perry Martin,…
Charming characters
Springfield Municipal Opera’s third show is Shrek the Musical directed by Craig Williams II. Eight shows at The Muni will each come alive with large-scale special effects, say show organizers. Explains Williams, “From his swampy home, Shrek, with his extensive prosthetic makeup, will emerge to fight a 30-foot-long dragon that breathes smoke, flies around the…
Cool off in Mammoth Cave, the world’s longest
Mammoth Dome at the Mammoth Cave National Park rises 192 feet from floor to ceiling. Water dripping through a sinkhole hollowed out the dome, one of the highlights of cave tours. Photo Courtesy the National Park Service Jerry Brandsford knows a thing or two about Mammoth Cave National Park. You could even say his affinity…
Where there’s a will there’s a way
Tickets are still available for the rescheduled Willie Nelson concert taking place on Tuesday night, Aug. 12, at Sangamon Auditorium, UIS. We’re ecstatic Willie’s back in town. The incomparable Nelson continues to create as if there’s a fountain of youth inside his soul. Who else can boast a successful 60-year career with almost 300 albums,…
Family fair memories
PHOTO COURTESY SANGAMON VALLEY COLLECTION It was the lodestone of my childhood summers. The Illinois State Fair was something I looked forward to almost as soon as the previous year’s fair ended. But after our annual Fourth of July picnic, I could think of little else, planning for it carefully as the fair inched closer…
TAYLOR HOUSE RESTORATION
PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE One of the last unrestored pre-Civil War buildings in Springfield is finally getting some love. Workers started tearing asbestos siding off of the Judge John Wickliffe Taylor House at the corner of 12th and Cass streets in Springfield on Aug. 5, and a huge pile of trash had already been removed…
Empty Shelly
My girlfriend of a year is really pretty and sweet, and we love all the same outdoor activities. However, I feel there’s a ceiling on our connection because she lacks a strong personality of her own. Whenever we discuss something to do, she defers to me. Also, I care deeply about politics and ideas, but…
Missing the money
Computer tampering charges have been dropped against a defendant in a bizarre court case involving supposed computer hacking at a defunct Illinois nonprofit. Still, millions of dollars in state and federal grants are missing, and the nonprofit’s director has yet to account for the money. Annabel Melongo of Chicago was found not guilty of computer…
An exciting, eclectic season at Sangamon Auditorium
The April Verch Band performs Jan. 16 PHOTO COURTESY SANGAMON AUDITORIUM From singer-songwriters to international cultural ambassadors, from children’s entertainment to the blues, from gritty rock to glitzy musicals to a beloved comedian, the 2014-2015 season at Sangamon Auditorium runs the gamut. AmericanaSeveral of this year’s musical acts fit neatly in the very popular Americana…
Medical pot regulations approved
Dan Linn, executive director of the marijuana advocacy group Illinois NORML, holds a canister used by the federal government to mail marijuana to one of the last remaining participants in the federal medical marijuana program that began in 1978. In May, Linn and others spoke at a public hearing in favor of making medical marijuana…
Do-nothing Congress takes a vacation
Gosh, has it already been three weeks since Congress took a vacation? Those poor stiffs must be pooped from trying to catch up on all the heavy lifting that piled up while they were away from their lawmaking duties. And – gosh, again – in just a few days, Congress will go back on vacation,…
Gwyneth knows
Matt O’Hara, Illinois Natural History Survey, holds a 15-pound silver carp that had jumped into the boat while O’Hara and his crew sampled the Illinois River’s fish populations. PHOTO BY RACHEL WELLS It is satisfying to contemplate that unbridled capitalism might in some cases be harnessed to rectify the damage done by unbridled capitalism. In…
It’s not all fair
Laurie Morvan rocks the Alamo on Mon., Aug. 11 for the Illinois Central Blues Club’s Blue Monday jam. The Illinois State Fair cannot be denied. When the corn dogs and lemon shake-ups hit town, Springfield becomes a different place. Hotels are at capacity, bars can stay open until 3 a.m. and restaurants pick up extra…
Letters to the Editor 8/7/14
Lindbergh in the biplane he piloted along Contract Air Mail Route #2 between Chicago and St. Louis in 1926-1927. DAYTON WRIGHT FLIGHT I enjoyed Erika Holst’s article “When Lindberg delivered airmail to Springfield” (July 31). I find that there are a few points that need to be clarified. The aircraft that Lindbergh flew on CAM…
