Reel Talk: Life of Pi: ?Life of Pi? is a powerful and visually astounding story?even on DVD

Posted by Sean van der Heijden

Life of Pi is a spiritual journey that contemplates the meaning and existence of religion through telling the miraculous, imaginative tale of Pi's survival at sea for more than 300 days. After his family decides to leave India, Pi gets stranded in the Pacific Ocean during a terrible storm, left on a small boat with minimal supplies and, of all things, a Bengal tiger.

The relationship between Pi-who is brilliantly acted by Suraj Sharma-and the tiger is one of the most fascinating aspects of this film. Having only each other for company, the two must learn to cooperate instead of living in constant fear of one another. This relationship is at times terrifying, at times heartwarming and at times rather tragic. Director Ang Lee depicts this vivid range perfectly, using many close-ups to capture the characters' emotions, as well as sweeping wide shots that accentuate the beautiful imagery he was able to capture and create.

The film is, in one word, beautiful. The scenery is incredibly gorgeous, and all the more impressive considering a large majority of Pi's time at sea was filmed using a green screen. In fact, much of the film is computer-generated, including many of the landscapes and, for the most part, the tiger, who is given a personality of his own. He is what truly makes 'Life of Pi' a technical masterpiece. He is so lifelike; it is impossible to tell when they used a real tiger, which they did for a few scenes, and when he was computer-generated.

Considering the visual effects, this film is a massive triumph, albeit much of its success must be attributed to Mychael Danna's hauntingly beautiful score and Lee's masterful direction. (Both men earned Oscars for their work). Although this film is primarily visual, and I certainly regret not going to see it in the theaters, it still worked just as well on a smaller screen, and is definitely worth watching.

Film Forum: Silver Linings Playbook: Catch the Oscar-nominated movie at the Saratoga Film Forum this weekend!

Posted by Kathryn Butler

After an eight-month stint in a state mental institution, bipolar Pat Solatano's (Bradley Cooper) life seems to have fallen apart-he has lost his wife, his job, his house and even his independence. Following the terms of his plea-bargain, he moves in with his Philadelphia Eagles-obsessed parents and starts a healthy living routine based on a positive outlook.

Solatano is determined to turn his life around and ultimately win back his estranged wife, proving to her, to his family and to himself that he has changed. However, his plans go awry when he meets the beautiful, but equally complex Tiffany (Oscar-winning Jennifer Lawrence), a young widow who uses her sexual appetite to conceal her grief. Tiffany soon sets her sights on Pat, proposing a deal he can't resist: she offers to deliver a letter to his wife, but in return Pat has to be her partner in a ballroom dancing competition. As Pat and Tiffany train, they form an unexpected bond, finding solace and strength in one another's quirks.

Following the ups and downs of their relationship, the hilarious misunderstandings and the occasional football brawl, this movie is definitely not just another romantic comedy-it will keep you rolling on the floor while reaching to your heart. Silver Linings Playbook defies categorization as it manages to be simultaneously dramatic and hilarious.

Silver Linings Playbook will screen at the Saratoga Film Forum at 320 Broadway this Thursday, March 21th and Friday, March 22th at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, March 24th at 3 p.m. Admission is $5 for students.

One of the world's best drummers to play March 22 with the Fellowship Band at Zankel

Drummer and composer Brian Blade's Fellowship Band will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, March 22, at Skidmore's Zankel Music Center. Blade has played alongside musical luminaries from Joni Mitchell and Emmylou Harris to Chick Corea and Daniel Lanois. Considered by many critics to be the most important contemporary jazz band in the modern world, his group, the Fellowship Band, consists of Jon Cowherd (piano), Christopher Thomas (bass), Melvin Butler (tenor sax), Myron Walden (alto sax), and Blade (drums).

Blade formed Brian Blade Fellowship in 1998 with pianist Jon Cowherd. Also joining the group were saxophonists Myron Walden and Melvin Butler, guitarist Jeff Parker, pedal steel guitarist Dave Easley, and bassist Chris Thomas. This group released a self-titled debut album before replacing Parker with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel for 1999's Perceptual. Easley departed before 2008's Season of Changes, which was released under the name Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band.

The Fellowship revolves around the writing of Blade and Cowherd, whose concepts tend toward the pastoral, elegant, and cathartic. Colors float in and out of focus; Blade and Cowherd score sounds like pedal steel guitar, harmonium and bass clarinet. The Fellowship Band will be playing tracks from their newest album, Landmarks, during the current March tour, which is taking the band from New Orleans to Chicago to Saratoga Springs.

Admission the Friday, March 22, Fellowship Band performance is free for students and children, $8 adults, and $5 seniors and Skidmore community. For advance reservations visit www.skidmore.edu/zankel or call the Zankel box office (518) 580-5321 for more information.

Pianist Gabriela Montero to bring improvisational gifts to Zankel March 21

Gabriela Montero will perform 8 p.m. Thursday, March 21, at the Arthur Zankel Music Center.

Montero's visionary and nuanced interpretations have won her a rapidly expanding and devoted following. Audiences worldwide applaud her unique personal style and improvisational gifts. According to a recent New YorkTimes review, "Montero's playing had everything: crackling rhythmic brio, subtle shadings, steely power...soulful lyricism...unsentimental expressivity."

Her concert repertoire extends to 33 works for piano and orchestra, including Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini," which she performed with the New York Philharmonic.

In addition to brilliant classical interpretations, Montero has a signature personal style.  She has said, "I connect to my audience in a completely unique way - and they connect with me.  Because improvisation is such a huge part of who I am, it is the most natural and spontaneous way I can express myself."

It has long been her desire to take her improvisations to the next logical step of composition. She has enthusiastically embarked on this new phase of her career by composing a work titled ExPatria for piano and orchestra. The composition received its premiere performances in London and on tour in Germany with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields orchestra. Montero will revisit ExPatria this season with orchestras in the United States and Europe.                           

Admission to the Thursday, March 21, Gabriela Montero concert is free for students and children, $8 adults, and $5 seniors and Skidmore community. For advance reservations visit www.skidmore.edu/zankel or call the Zankel box office (518) 580-5321 for more information.

Alumnus Melissa Schlobohm to debut "Adorned" at Pink Raven: Schlobohm's imaginative exhibit poses young girls in elaborate costume.

Posted by Rebecca Orbach Between March 2 and March 30,Skidmore alumnus Melissa Schlobohm is hosting her first solo show, "Adorned," since graduating last year at at Pink Raven, 55 Beekman St.

The show features two large printed installations, both of which are made entirely from woodblock and linoleum cuts through a technique called relief printmaking.

The main installation is called "Adorned," and is comprised of a series of girls "adorned" in animal headdresses with handmade wallpaper behind them.

Her inspiration for "Adorned" spawned from a smaller print she made that was based on a picture of her aunt as a child. She added the owl mask later.

"I thought it would be beautiful to see full, life-sized children wearing invented, larger than life masks. I used old family photos as reference for the girls' dresses," she said.

The second installation, "Infestation," is comprised of a few thousand hand colored beetles in a large swarm.

"I hoped the two installations would complement one another because they share similar themes of repetition and are playful yet creepy," she said.

Schlobohm says she is very attracted to repetitive processes and enjoyed printing and cutting out all of the wallpaper and beetles for her works.

"The installation was very labor intensive and took about two months to finish, but the outcome becomes that much more satisfying when so many small pieces come together to make a stunning whole," Schlobohm said.

Stop by Pink Raven at any point this March to catch Schlobohm's innovative and unique work during its' limited exhibition.

Skidmore horn trio to perform world premiere sonata at Zankel

The Skidmore Horn Trio, featuring faculty members Evan Mack, Patrice Malatestinic, and Josh Rodriguez, will present the world premier of Mack's Sonata for Violin and Piano during an upcoming concert at Arthur Zankel Music Center.

Mack is an accomplished composer and pianist who has produced five full musicals (three of them for children's theater), as well as numerous popular songs and classical works. His choral suite, "Langston Hughes' Dream of Freedom," was a selection winner of the National Association of Composers in San Francisco and the UCM New Music Festival.  Mack's "Pinocchio," which premiered in the Charleston Civic Center by the Charleston Ballet, has been hailed as the "Springtime Nutcracker."

Mack's performances have included recent appearances with the Kentucky Symphony, the Cincinnati Symphony Chamber Players, the Dayton Philharmonic, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; including a performance in Carnegie Hall. He holds a doctorate of musical arts in piano performance from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music and is on the faculty of the College of Saint Rose and Skidmore.

Malatestinic and Rodriguez, both lecturers at Skidmore, are the other trio members. Malatestinic is a French horn player and holds a master of music degree from the College of Saint Rose. She has been a horn instructor, brass coach, and director of the horn ensemble at Skidmore for 23 years.

Violinist Rodriguez, a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music, has toured internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. He was one of the first Western musicians to tour China and performed the Butterfly Lover's Concerto in a live television broadcast from Shanghai. He won the assistant concertmaster position for the Glens Falls Symphony in 2003. Currently a private instructor, he coaches one of Skidmore's string chamber ensembles and performs with the Skidmore Orchestra along with several area symphony orchestras.

Free and open to the public, the concert begins at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 7, in Zankel. For advance reservations visit www.skidmore.edu/zankel or call the Zankel box office (518) 580-5321. For more information, please visit www.skidmore.edu/zankel. 

Reel Talk: Oscar Highlights and Low Points: Glamour, excitement, and drama: The 2013 Oscar's did not disappoint!

Posted by Sean van der Heijden

Overall, Oscar night was spectacular. Seth MacFarlane was a hilarious host-he has in his repertoire some classy Hollywood acts, as well as some borderline inappropriate humor. Although some wins were expected, there were still plenty of surprises to keep the night interesting. Of course, not everything was perfect: there were some serious mistakes made by the Oscar voters, in this writer's opinion, but there were also some fantastic choices. This is why I'm listing what I believe to be the top five most deserving winners as well as the top five least deserving winners. Let's start on a high note:

The Top Five Most Deserving Winners:

5. Sound Editing: Per Hallberg, Karen M. Baker for "Skyfall" and joint winner Paul N.J. Ottosson for "Zero Dark Thirty"
While this is more of a technical category, what's so curious about this tie is that both candidates actually deserved to win. Sound editing is a post-production process that essentially controls the volume and timing of most of the sounds in a film. This was done perfectly in both Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty. Ties may be rather unprecedented in Oscar history, but this one couldn't have been more right.

4. Costume Design: Jacqueline Durran for Anna Karenina
Another category that is often overlooked; the costumes in Anna Karenina were exquisite. They were able to capture the film's feel of a confined, fairy-tale atmosphere while still staying true to the Russian aristocratic fashion of the time. The costumeswere perfectly suited for each of the characters' emotions.

3. Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway for Les Mis??rables
Sure, all Anne Hathaway really did was cry, look sad and sing, but she did it well. Besides (spoiler alert), a deprived prostitute who has to give up her only daughter and then dies fits the Academy bill perfectly, even more so given that she was only in the film for about half an hour or so.

2. Original Song: Adele and Paul Epworth for Skyfall
Everybody knew this song was going to win, but that's because it deserved it. Not only is it one of the best Bond theme songs but it's also arguably one of the best songs ever to win this category, at least in recent history.

1. Direction: Ang Lee for Life of Pi
Yes, Ben Affleck should have been nominated here but even if he was, Lee still deserved to win. Most of Life of Pi was done on a green screen, yet he was still able to bring the story to life in a truly remarkable way. While this was one of the bigger surprises of Oscar night, it is nonetheless one of the most deserved wins.

Top Five Least Deserving Winners:

5. Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio for Argo
This movie was great, but too historically inaccurate to be Oscar-worthy. Both Life of Pi, which was considered un-filmable by many, and Lincoln, which had some fantastic dialogue, would have been better choices here.

4. Animated Feature: Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman for Brave
Brave was good, but I believe it won because of the powerful studios backing it. Pretty much every other film, possibly with the exception of The Pirates! Band of Misfits, were more deserving of the prize here.

3. Cinematography: Claudio Miranda for Life of Pi
Life of Pi was brilliantly shot, but just not the best this year. Skyfall, which was done by Roger Deakins, was easily the best-shot and most visually astounding film of the year, and there is much injustice in the fact that Deakins has been nominated ten times now without a win.

2. Original Score: Mychael Danna for Life of Pi
Danna, with a few exceptions, pretty much swept the award season and I don't get why. The soundtrack for Life of Pi, while a good fit for the movie, is largely forgettable. Meanwhile, Thomas Newman gave arguably the best Bond score ever for Skyfall and Dario Marianelli's classic yet unique score was perfect for Anna Karenina.

1. Leading Actress: Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook
Say what you will about Jennifer Lawrence, but she didn't deserve this one. Sure, she's a great actress, but Naomi Watts gave a powerful and emotionally gripping performance in The Impossible that should have been rewarded. Unfortunately, that film as well as Watts' performance, was overlooked by the Academy.

Film Forum: Hitchcock: For lovers of the cinema, horror, and romance: Sacha Gervasi's Hitchcock offers all of the above.

Posted by Kathryn Butler

Acknowledged as the "master of suspense", Alfred Hitchcock made classics that continue to thrill audiences around the world. Hitchock (2012), directed by Sacha Gervasi, opens in 1959, with Hitchock's studio pressuring the man himself, portrayed by Anthony Hopkins, to retire as he scrambles for a sensational new plot to salvage his career and reputation with the help of his devoted wife. From his early days at Paramount's London studio to his meteoric rise to world-famous director, Hitchcock's wife, Alma Reville, played byHelen Mirren, served not only as his long-suffering companion but also as a behind-the-scenes partner and collaborator. At this crucial point in Hitchcock's career, it took two great minds and talents to pull off the controversial masterpiece that no studio wanted to make: Psycho. The Hitchcocks' complex and unorthodox romance comes to life at this legendary moment in cinema history, revealing a hidden side of the famous director and the most important relationship-and partnership-of his life. This deeply personal and tension-filled backstory about the making of Hitchcock's greatest masterpiece "grabs you by the lapels like a Hitchcock classic," saysRex Reed of the New York Observer. Hitchcock will be showing at the Saratoga Film Forum this Thursday, Feb. 28th and Friday, March 1st at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 3rd at 3 p.m. Admission is $5 for students.

Banu Ogan helps us remember the Legendary Merce Cunningham: Dancers were reminded of Cunningham's influence and talent during the Dance Department's event.

Posted by Tara Lerman

 Friday, Feb. 15th at 7:00 p.m., students and faculty gathered in the Dance Theater for a film screening of BIPED and a question-and-answer session with former Merce Cunningham dancer Banu Ogan.
The event, which was sponsored by the dance department, focused on the uniqueness and modernity of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. BIPED was filmed in France in 1999, and marked the first time that a motion capturer was used in a dance performance.
The film stood out from Cunningham's other works, as the slow movement the dancers exhibited is uncharacteristic of his work. The choreography was robotic and futuristic; the dancers held their balance and showed off their flexibility.
The film's modern feel was enhanced by the lighting, which shadowed the dancers in a creative and abstract way. The walls and the floor changed color from gray to light blue to black, and the music chosen for the film dramatized the performance. Each dancer had a partner at one point or another, and by the end of the film, there were fourteen dancers on stage simultaneously.
The Merce Cunningham dance company began at Black Mountain College in 1953. It was one of the first groups to experiment with creative movement, taking unusual approaches to the relationship between dance and music.
Merce's company toured around the world for the first time in 1964, and featured no more than six dancers and two musicians. Merce Cunningham constantly put his innovation to work through the mediums of film and performance until his death in 2009. The company's final shows were held at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City in 2011.
During the question-and-answer session, Ogan expressed the stress that she felt and the lack of sleep that she experienced as a dancer for the Merce Cunningham dance company. To overcome these obstacles, she and her dance partner would pretend they were Rose and Jack from The Titanic during the projection of the lights and the melodramatic music that was played.
She revealed that the dancers had no view of the audience while they were dancing; it was as if they were inside a bubble. Ogan explained that unlike other dancers,,, Merce Cunningham's dancers were not entirely in unison with the music. Cunningham's timing was intentional, because he wanted his choreography to be viewed as natural.
Ogan, who is now a dance professor at The Julliard School, admits that she didn't fully master Cunningham's choreography until about four years after she learned it. Distinctively, Merce Cunningham did not hold auditions for his dancers. Instead, he watched the dancers in his class and chose which of his students would best benefit from working with his company, as well as who would most nurture as a dancer. He didn't teach his students how to dance; they learned by doing. "Merce was certainly ahead of his time," Ogan said.
Merce Cunnigham will be remembered as a creative and innovative preserver of the arts. He brought a sense of nature and humanity to his choreography, which is admired by dancers and non-dancers alike.

Howard Fishman to present "No Further Instructions"

"No Further Instructions," a performance by Howard Fishman with New York Times travel journalist and photographer Michael Benanav, gets under way at 8 p.m. Friday, March 1, in the Arthur Zankel Music Center on the Skidmore College campus.

"No Further Instructions" seeks to unravel the complexities of the American Jewish identity. The songs work to develop an introspective narrative about the rich experiences and eccentric people that the pair encountered in Eastern Europe. As Fishman explains, "At its core, 'No Further Instructions' is about community and spirituality in the 21^st century - about what it means to live a mindful life, and what connects us all as humans and citizens of the world."

Fishman uses his music to develop a more profound understanding of his heritage and identity as a Jewish American. The content is personal, the voice is Jewish, and the music is incredibly American. A critically acclaimed singer, guitarist, composer and bandleader, Fishman filters a deep passion for jazz, soul, open-hearted country, blues, and gospel music through an original, experimental aesthetic to create a unique sound.

Fishman's most recent recording, his 10^th, is The Howard Fishman Quartet Vol. III: Moon Country, released in 2011. The Frozen North, his original score for the Buster Keaton silent film of the same name, was programmed and performed as part of the 2012 New York Guitar Festival at Merkin Hall in New York City. He has recently been working on a new project titled A Star Has Burnt My Eye, an examination of the life and music of Connie Converse.

"No Further Instructions" is part of the Jacob Perlow Series of events presented at Skidmore College by the Office of the Dean of Special Programs.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors and the Skidmore community, and free for students and children. Please visit www.skidmore.edu/zankel for ticket information.

Students from far and near share laughs at Skidmore's 24th Annual Comfest: Despite blistery weather, Skidmore's Comfest was a definite success.

Posted by Tara Lerman and Sara Gagnon

On Friday, Feb. 8 and Saturday, Feb. 9, Skidmore hosted the 24th Annual National College Comedy Festival ("Comfest") in the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater. Created by the producer of "30 Rock" and Skidmore alumni David Meiner, the sold-out event included hilarious performances by both collegiate and professional groups.

Friday's show opened with Emerson College's sketch-comedy group "Jimmy's Traveling All Stars," who garnered laughs by poking fun at the upper class with a country club skit and acting out a modern-day God-Jesus father-son relationship. Up next from Emerson was "Stroopwafel," a short-form improvisational group , created while its members were studying abroad in the Netherlands. They formulated their skit's comical story and ridiculous characters from the word "mail," which was provided by the audience..

Skidmore's own Sketchies followed with hypersexual skits involving both abstinence clubs and kissing cameras, ending with a humorous self-deprecating song about sexual repression. It was a crowd-pleaser, hitting home with the the audience, the vast majority of whom were college students. The Sketchies were followed by Brown's sketch-comedy group "Out of Bounds," who transformed into pretentious college question-askers, unintelligent One Direction band members and Bible Belt dwellers mystified by a Hebrew-speaking Jesus.

Cornell University's "Whistling Shrimp" improvised an unusual sequence of events at a shooting range that featured talking animal mounts and uncomfortable newlyweds. Skidomedy concluded Friday's college performance with skits featuring a Jewish Dora the Explorer and a climactic Lion King performance, that earned roars from the crowd.

Stand-up comedian James Adomian and sketch-comedy duo "The Templeton Philharmonic" performed the night's professional comedy portion. Knowing his audience, Adomian played on the attributes of theater professors and included a bit on stereotypical gay villains. The Templeton Philharmonic performed a handful of sketches, including an incident of grandmothers getting high after accidentally ingesting marijuana. Their innovative sketches, including high-powered dances in between acts, ended Friday's performances on a spirited note.

The festival's energy certainly did not die down on Saturday. The second night opened with Emerson's improvisational group "This is Pathetic." After receiving the word "Disneyland" from the audience, the group energetically crafted a funny and twisted story with hilarious and exaggerated characters. Next to take the stage was Brown's improvisational group "Starla & Sons," who performed with only two out of their six members. They concocted out of a humorous dentist's office visit gone wrong. Based on the significant amount of laughs from the audience, the group was definitely a fan favorite..
All of the college improvisational groups came together before intermission to play a game of "freeze," combining their different talents onstage. Yale University's Sketch group, "Red Hot Poker," followed with a skit mocking Disney' s adaptations of the tales of the Brothers Grimm. The group's skits offered a darker element to the night of comedy, winning laughs across the auditorium. The last college group to perform at the festival was Skidmore's improvisational group, The Ad-liberal Artists, who impressed many with their fast-paced comedy and concluded the show with a comedic routine set to music.
Later that night, the Improvised Shakespeare Company, a four man professional group from Chicago, performed a one-act play for the audience. The play was based entirely off of "Sex and Candy," a title given to the actors by an audience member. The group performed only in theShakespearean style, and received a standing ovation for their exceptional performance. Their wit, timing and hilarious bridging of Shakespearean language with modern-day one-liners were a great way to end the festival.
Though not all comedy groups invited to the festival were able to make it due to the weather, Skidmore's Comfest was a great success. Duncan Gregory of the "Ad-Libs" was pleased with the weekend's outcome, saying, "Comfest is not only a place for audience members to see some of the best comedy in the collegiate network, but it also a chance for those comedians to make long-lasting relationships that enhance our overall experience."
The event showcased a range of comedic talent, both improvisational and sketch-based. Each group brought different personalities and senses of humor to the show, making Skidmore's last Comfest one to remember.

A Weekend With The Roosevelts: Film Forum Presents "Hyde Park on Hudson": Franklin Roosevelt struggles to balance personal and political life in Roger Miller's charming film.

Posted by Kathryn Butler This Thursday, Feb. 14 and Friday, Feb. 15 at 7:30 PM and Sunday Feb. 17 at 3 PM, the Saratoga Film Forum will present Roger Miller's charming historical film "Hyde Park on Hudson." The film is set in June 1939, in which Europe is on the brink of war, and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Bill Murray) is trying to balance personal and political skirmishes of equal bedlam in his summer home, Hyde Park on Hudson, in upstate New York. Mitchell's movie centers around one turbulent weekend as the President hosts the first-ever visit of a British monarch, King George VI (Samuel West)and his wife Queen Elizabeth (Olivia Colman), who are desperately seeking America's support in the looming war against Germany. However, they are not the only guests during this weekend stay, and the tension in Hyde Park is not merely political. Seen through the eyes of FDR's distant cousin, close confidant and mistress, Margaret "Daisy" Suckly (Laura Linney), FDR's personal entanglements complicate the royal visit as his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams), mother Sara (Elizabeth Wilson) and secretary Missy (Elizabeth Marvel) contribute to a memorable weekend. Relationships are formed as others are tested, and Daisy gains new insights on the nature of love and friendship while providing a very human perspective on one of the most famous presidents in our history. Skidmore's American Studies Professor Gregory Pfitzer will follow the Sunday showing with a conversation about Roosevelt and Hudson River valley culture. History and American Studies majors will definitely want to attend, as admission is only$5 for students.

Photographer Gregory Crewdson to give Malloy Lecture Feb. 22 at Skidmore

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Photographer Gregory Crewdson will present the Malloy Visiting Artist Lecture at Skidmore College on Friday, Feb. 22. Free and open to the public, the illustrated lecture will start at 6 p.m. in Filene Recital Hall, in the Filene Building.

Crewdson is known for producing "large-scale, elaborately constructed photographs taken in and around the town of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where the Crewdson family has forever had a small log cabin in the woods," according to a 2008 New York magazine story.

His work has been included in many public collections, most notably th e Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum ofAmerican Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. A retrospective of his work, spanning his career from 1985-2005 was shown as a traveling exhibition from 2005-2008 at major museums around Europe. Another traveling exhibition was featured in February 2011 at the Kulturhuset Museum, Stockholm, followed by Sorte Diamant, Copenhagen and Berlin, among others.

His many awards include the Skowhegan Medal for Photography, a National Endowment for the Arts Visual Artists Fellowship, and the Aaron Siskind Fellowship.

Skidmore's Malloy Visiting Artist Lecture Series annually brings to campus a distinguished contemporary artist of international stature. The series is endowed by artist Susan Rabinowitz Malloy, who earned a B.S. degree in art from Skidmore in 1945.

Reel Talk: "Side Effects": Steven Soderbergh's film is an intriguing, complex psychological thriller

Posted by Sean van der Heijden

Steven Soderbergh has decided to end his career with what can only be described as a pharmaceutical, psychosexual thriller that deals with several morally ambiguous characters, all revolving around one horrible incident. Out of fear of giving away the intelligent, twist-filled plot written by Scot Z. Burns, that's really all that I can say. However, I can tell you that Soderbergh's confidence in directing shows in the final product. He is able to convey a sort of quiet chaos with his frequent close-ups, and by shifting in-and-out of focus throughout the screen, he was able to draw attention to the many small, yet important details of the film.

The real strength of this film is not necessarily the story itself but how it is presented. By releasing only one small piece of information at a time, we are kept waiting through interviews, court hearings, false trails, and many psychiatrist visits until, finally, everything comes together into one neat conclusion. While the entire film is very subdued, the viewer is rewarded in the end if they have paid attention to the details provided.

Of course, the story would not have turned out so well without the impressive performances that carry it all the way through. Rooney Mara is once again stunning as Emily Taylor, a woman who starts taking prescription antidepressants to cope with her husband's release from prison. Without giving much away, Emily is far more complex than she first appears, a complexity that Mara plays this perfectly by retaining a dark mysteriousness about her throughout the film. She truly steals every scene she's in and displays such a range of emotions that, at times, it's difficult to tell what her character is actually thinking. This is unfortunate for Channing Tatum, who does a fine job playing her loving and sympathetic husband trying to make everything right after being released for insider trading but who doesn't have close to enough material to compete with Mara.

Jude Law, on the other hand, is arguably an equally crucial figure as Dr. Jonathan Banks, Emily's psychiatrist whose career is launched into a scandal when his patient is involved in a tragic accident after taking an antidepressant that he prescribed. His sanity slowly unravels as his decisions come back to haunt him and he eventually has to cross several moral boundaries in order to get his life back on track. Law displays this frustration with expert skill, giving one of the best performances of his recent career. The same can be said for Catherine Zeta-Jones, who,as Emily's former psychiatrist Dr. Victoria Siebert, gives a delightfully complex performance, and does it brilliantly despite her lack of screen time.

To give away any more would be to say too much, as the film is so perfectly structured thatit is difficult to discuss without giving away the whole thing. All I can add is that "Side Effects" is not as simple and straightforward as it may appear. It is a complex labyrinth of characters and their motives, and the consequences of their actions. Despite taking a while to get started, it is truly a spectacular, thrilling and intricate journey that should not be missed.

Overall: 8 out of 10.

A Whirlwind of Passion and Tragedy: Film Forum Presents Anna Karenina: Joe Wright's theatrical adaptation of Tolstoy's opus is like nothing you've seen before.

Posted by Rebecca Green This Thursday, Feb. 7 and Friday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 10 at 3 p.m., the Saratoga Film Forum will present the epic drama "Anna Karenina," based on Leo Tolstoy's great Russian novel.

Joe Wright's theatrical adaptation of Tolstory's opus begins with Anna's journey to Moscow to help save her brother's marriage. The wife of Count Karenin (an imperious Jude Law), and the mother of two children, Anna (Keira Knightley) hopes to advise the genial Oblansky (Matthew Macfadyen) against his compulsive adultery and betrayal of his wife, Dolly (Kelly MacDonald). However,Anna's life is turned upside down when she meets the charismatic Count Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and falls hopelessly in love. The affair becomes the scandal of Moscow high society, and when Karenin discovers the infidelity, his unrelenting rage and scorn torments Anna, culminating in a dramatic finale.

Unlike other film and theatrical renditions of "Anna Karenina," Wright beguiles the moviegoer with much more than a love triangle. His vision, sharpened by Tom Stoppard's screenplay, depicts many scenes in an old Russian playhouse, and he lavishes attention on Tolstoy's peripheral and often extravagant characters. Wright pays close attention to Anna's in-law Kitty (Alicia Vikander), once herself besotted with Vronsky, and to Kitty's slow-growing romance with a country landlord, Levin (Domhnall Gleeson from "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"). The swift set transitions on the playhouse stage, which transform it from government hall to office to bedroom suite to horse track in the blink of an eye, work their own kind of magic, too.

As if the glittering magic of Wright's depiction of Anna's tragic story isn't enticing enough, History, English, and Art majors alike should be compelled to see this screening. Admission with Student ID is $5.

Triple Threat Comedy Show Packs Filene: Skidmore's comedy groups entertained audience with jokes about sex, drugs, and parenting methods.

Posted by Gabrielle Gignoux-Wolfsohn

On Saturday, Feb 2, The Triple Threat comedy show delivered what it promised-a whole lot of laughs. Filene Auditorium was completely packed with an enthusiastic crowd of Skidmore students.

 The first act of the night was four sketches presented by Skidomedy, one of which was performed three times. Peter Johnston '14 played a Princeton professor on NPR reading an erotic short story. Johnston's act was followed by Emily Moler '15, Laura Cornachio '14 and Julia Romano '13, who discussed their favorite L'Oreal Kids shampoos while taking intermittent breaks in their conversation to objectify passing men. The punch line for this sketch involved Ben Jurney '14 as the first man to hear the women's catcalls and responding with a vulgar comment. The women retorted with hypocritically insulted looks on their faces, which scares Jurney off the stage, leaving one of the women to say, "I kind of liked it." The sketch that was presented three times involved "Coach John Carter on Mars," a hybrid of Coach Carter and John Carter, combined to give us "Coach Carter on Mars."

The Ad-libs provided improvisation, beginning their set with their usual Whose Line is it Anyway? set up, asking the audience for one-syllable words. The audience shouted out things like "cow" and "cat" which the Ad-libs would then rhyme with, to comedic effect. Following the opener, they conjured a scene in which Dan Shure '14 raised his child with a muzzle. The child, Becca Baruc '15 was then shown at voice lessons and the prom. Next, Olivia Nielsen '13 and Jurney raised their child (Shea Shonsky '15) to be a king, serving as peasants under their two-year-old's monarchical rule.

The scheduled half of the night finished with Sketchies, the group that wears all black and never fails to evoke a laugh. The Sketchies provided the audience with Skidmore-relevant material, which seems to be their strong suit. There was no doubt that making fun of orientation, Wiecking, and plaid-wearing vegetarians would receive plenty of laughs when presented to an audience filled with Skidmore students who are all in on the joke.

The second, equally enjoyable half of the evening was the auction, featuring hot-ticket items such as 60 seconds of truth with a comedian ($5), a cameo with the group of your choice ($50), love advice ($12), a $20 bill ($25), a passionate on-stage kiss between Alex Brodsky '13 and Alex Kallner '13 ($30), and a date with the bidder's pick, Rigel Harris,'16 ($100). The auction was a fun, creative way to raise money for Comedy Fest, which is scheduled to take place next weekend, Feb. 8th and 9th. It intends to deliver the same great comedy that was seen this Saturday, as well as numerous other acts, including performers from other schools.

The Tang Teaching Museum Welcomes New Spring Exhibits: The works of Cortia Kent and Carrie Moyer draw in crowds from the Skidmore and Saratoga community.

Posted by Rebecca Stern

At six p.m. on Saturday January 26th, the Tang Teaching Museum held its annual reception for the new spring exhibitions. These included Someday is Now: The Art of Cortia Kent, and Opener 24: Carrie Moyer: Pirate Jenny.
When its doors opened, the Tang quickly filled with a blend of students, faculty, fellow artists, and members of the Saratoga community. Excitement was palpable through spectator conversations about the introduction of two of the new main exhibitions.
Someday is Now is Kent's first curated show, which displays a variety of her work from the late 1940's to the mid 80's. Over two hundred of Kent's drawings, prints, photographs, and serigraph prints express her statements about war, racism, poverty, and religion . These works incorporate cultural mediums from advertisements, which she uses as a basic way to communicate with viewers.
President Glotzbach agrees that Kent's work is not only a great choice for the Tang's spring exhibit, but that it could not be more relevant: "The issues brought up in her work, are unfortunately still evident. It [the exhibit] will be perceived with young eyes that were not present when the messages were first introduced."
Along with Someday is Now, Kent is debuting an additional exhibit with Carrie Moyer,is Opener 24: Carrie Moyer: Pirate Jenny. The show features large multimedia works using acrylic paints, graphite, and a unique use of glitter.
When asked about her function of glitter in her work, Kent responded that the material relates her work to gay culture, an area of activism she channels in her art.
Carrie Moyer, also present at the exhibition, said that the Tang's teaching component excites her, as does the possibility to further her activist efforts within the college community.
Moyer and Kent's works join the on-going exhibits of Paul Shambroom (We the People) and Yoko Ono (Elevator Music 23 Yoko Ono: Listen).
The Tang's diverse offering of art can virtually appeal to any viewer. Freshman art student Hannah LeBonte, expressed her excitement over the different aesthetics and diversity of the work being displayed: "Even being here for two semesters there has been dance performances, film, movement, sculptures, and 2-D[art]. And [the fact] that there isn't a fear of abstract forms [of art] makes me excited to be a part of the community."

Skidmore's Schick Art Gallery to feature Juried Student Exhibition: A celebration of the creativity, imagination and skill of Skidmore art students

Skidmore College will showcase the 2013 Juried Student Exhibition from Thursday, Feb. 7, to Thursday, March 21, at the Schick Art Gallery, located in the Saisselin Art Building. An opening reception is planned from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at the gallery.

Guest juror Kathryn Price, curator of special projects at Williams College Museum of Art in Williamstown, Mass., will give a lecture at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, in Davis Auditorium. Both events are free and open to the public.

A highlight of the Schick Art Gallery calendar, the annual Juried Student Exhibition celebrates the creativity, imagination, and skill of Skidmore art students.

Skidmore Alumna's Documentary Celebrates Diana Vreeland: A Car Chase and a Kiss: Admittedly Optimistic Reviews of Upcoming Films at the Saratoga Film Forum

Posted by Eric Stumpf

"Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel" plays at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 13and Friday, Dec. 14 at the Saratoga Film Forum at 320 Broadway. The film will also be shown at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 16.

The student body will take great pride in the fact that one of the season's hottest documentaries was written and directed by Skidmore alumna Lisa Immordino Vreeland. This week, the Saratoga Film Forum will bring the documentary downtown. 

"Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel," explores the legacy of one of the fashion industry's most prolific icons. A woman who singlehandedly created and promoted modern fashion in many ways, Diana Vreeland (1903-1989) discovered countless fashion models and made an enduring mark on women's fashion.

Vreeland was the fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar for twenty-five years, after which she became the editor-in-chief for Vogue. In addition to holding these high profile jobs, she also cultivated an image of celebrity. Vreeland's friends included notable figures like Jackie Kennedy, Cecil Beaton, Cole Porter, Coco Chanel and Lauren Bacall. Nicknamed the "The Empress of Fashion," Vreeland was regarded as a visionary, and the trends she launched then are still popular today. Her passion and philosophy about art and fashion remain unparalleled.  

Skidmore art history major Lisa Immordino discovered the inner world of haute couture when she married Diana Vreeland's grandson. Her newfound family tie enabled her to get incredible firsthand accounts that give this documentary an insider's immediacy and vibrancy. 

"But it's not the access that mattered for me," Immordino Vreeland said. "It was the openness of the people of Cond?? Nast, Harper's Bazaar and the Costume Institute. Just people wanting to tell their stories, being generous with their time and really wanting to embrace this." 

This film is lively, well imagined and informative. Viewers don't have to be a fashionista to enjoy it. More than a story about Vreeland's singular career, it will appeal to anybody interested in the workings of drive, passion and nerve. As Sandra Hall of the Sydney Morning Herald says, "She wanted you to look and look again, and this film is full of images which make you do just that."

Relevant Majors: Art History, Business, English, Dramatic Arts, Fashion, Philosophy, Psychology and Studio Art.

"Perks of Being a Wallflower" Aptly Captures Young Adulthood: A Car Chase and a Kiss: Admittedly Optimistic Reviews of Upcoming Films at the Saratoga Film Forum.

Posted by Eric Stumpf

Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being at a Wallflower" plays at the Saratoga Film Forum at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6 and Friday, Dec. 7, and again at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9.

 Based on the bestselling novel and directed by its author, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" captures the spirit of youth and romanticizes enduring friendships.

 In high school, you might have been a cool kid or an athlete, a drama kid or a geek. Regardless of which group you belonged to (or didn't), this film will surely resonate with you. It accurately captures the general feelings and moods of young adulthood: confusion, frustration and exhilaration.

The film centers on a shy high school freshman named Charlie (Logan Lerman), who has a tough time meeting new people. Although his teacher Mr. Anderson (Paul Rudd) tries to console him, Charlie feels lonely and invisible - like he doesn't belong. But when Charlie runs into two seniors, the mysterious and alluring Sam (Emma Watson), and the eccentric Patrick (Ezra Miller), his life is turned around. Laughs are had, love and fighting ensues, and Charlie is finally able to feel comfortable in this new group of friends, who refer to themselves as "Island of Misfit Toys."

 "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" allows Watson to show her polished abilities as an actress outside of the Harry Potter franchise, and Miller and Lerman also prove to be excellent performers. Furthermore, Chbosky demonstrates that a novelist with a vision can be an equally skilled director in an excellent and unexpected breakout performance.

Andrew L. Urban of Urban Cinefile proclaims "Chbosky's adaptation from his semi-autobiographical best selling novel is a zinger of a screenplay, and he directs it with verve and sensitivity. Charlie's journey is beautifully conveyed and it's done without sentiment."

Relevant Majors: English, Dramatic Arts, Psychology and Education.

 Stay tuned for next week's review of "Diana Vreeland," which comes to the Film Forum on Dec. 16.