How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
Arts & Life
- Details
- Written by: Tim Riley
BY THE GUN (Rated R)
At the cinemas, we’re in the quiet period before the major holiday releases that are just around the corner, where “Annie,” the adorable little orphan, goes up against “The Hobbit,” which is rumored to also involve a lovable smaller person in the central role.
Until then, we have to satisfy our cinematic cravings by revisiting the latest “Hunger Games” or taking in a horror film that a major studio hardly bothered to promote, knowing there’s a built-in audience that flocks to this genre regardless of any consequential artistic qualities.
The other alternative is to catch, if you can, “By the Gun,” a somewhat limited release of a formulaic yet gritty gangster story that could easily find its way to the DVD shelves of your local Walmart before it ever reaches a nearby theater.
“By the Gun” is a crime thriller that so desperately wants to recapture the essence of the graphic, coarse brutality of “Goodfellas” that one of the criminal characters actually mentions the film as a poke to another’s fascination with gangland tropes.
Set in the Boston’s North End community, “By the Gun” takes a jaundiced look at the dwindling empire of the veteran Italian mobsters.
Suitably, Harvey Keitel is Sal, the big capo, who is losing his grip to other wiseguys, while also engaged in turf battles with sleazy criminal kingpin Tony (Ritchie Coster).
Against the wishes of his disapproving father (Paul Ben-Victor), Ben Barnes’ Nick is a petty thief and street hustler consorting with his thuggish buddy George (Slaine), a trigger-happy goon far too eager to settle minor disputes with violence. Nick is devoted to his younger brother, and wants to help him to afford college.
While George may be fine with strong-arm tactics, Nick is anxious and determined to become a “made man,” willing to pledge faithful allegiance to Sal’s mob at a ceremony that naturally involves a blood oath. This will become Nick’s path to greater financial rewards, which he’ll use to help his family.
To please his new mob boss, Nick volunteers for an apology tour to address perceived slights that have greatly offended the outraged Tony, a psychopath who is greatly motivated to take down Sal and his vicious henchman (nicely played by British actor Toby Jones).
While Harvey Keitel predictably chews the scenery as a wretched, ferocious mafia don, Ben Barnes flails around in his efforts to be the credible tough guy.
Barnes’ Nick comes across as someone unsure and lacking confidence, even tongue-tied at the most unfortunate times, such as when trying to court a rival’s daughter.
Indeed, the romantic angle intrudes in a big way. Leighton Meester’s Ali, a barmaid with ambition, is the daughter of the despicable mobster Tony. She wants nothing to do with the criminal life, and so Nick is at first glance not someone she wants to start dating.
Notwithstanding Ali’s reservations, Nick is fairly persistent and soon the courtship gains traction. Before you know it, Nick becomes anxious to leave behind his criminal ties so that he and Ali can begin a life together.
Of course, as it comes as no surprise to anyone with even a modicum of knowledge of mobster stories, a desire to leave the mob is not an option. No one just walks away unless they end up in a witness protection program.
“By the Gun” may provide some excitement for its rather mechanical approach to the mobster genre.
Certainly, there are thuggish violence and double-cross betrayals that keep the action moving along, if not to the more exalted standards of better gangster films.
The various actors in the mob roles are, at least, sincere in their attempts to appear as if they were auditioning for a “Goodfellas” remake.
They all try hard to deliver the appropriate menace and threatening bravado. Fans of the gangster genre may find that just enough until something better comes along.
One thing for certain is that “By the Gun” won’t be mistaken for a holiday film designed to bring us glad tidings and good cheer.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Second Sunday Cinema's final presentation of 2014 on Dec. 14 will be “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.”
The film will be shown at Clearlake United Methodist Church, 14521 Pearl Ave.
Doors open at 5:45 p.m., with the film beginning at 6 p.m.
This delightful film, starring Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson and Maggie Smith, was listed as one of “the most spiritually literate” films of 2012 by the Web site, Spirituality and Practice.
The film takes viewers along with a small group of English retirees who cannot afford to fade away in rainy old England.
So they sign up to move into what they expect to be a luxurious hotel in sunny India – and indeed, it was once the palace of a raja. But it has seen better days, as has so very much in India. And these English people have seen better days as well.
Some of them are determined to hold on to those “better days” – at the expense of the present. But others find ways to open to exciting new possibilities in an old and exciting land.
Seen from a certain perspective, these folks – with varying degrees of eagerness and consciousness – embark on a quest, a calling, an adventure into the unknown that will, for the few, lead them into unanticipated, joyous new life.
With this charming, funny and heartfelt film, Second Sunday Cinema closes out a full eight years in Clearlake.
Second Sunday Cinema will reopen in the Kelseyville Methodist Church on Jan. 11 – as always, on the second Sunday of every month but at 3 p.m.
For more information call Shannon Tolson at 707-889-7355.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Konocti Unified School District Drama Department this week is performing “A Fairy Tale Christmas Carol.”
The musical will be performed at 7 p.m. in the Lower Lake High School multipurpose room on Thursday, Dec. 11, and Friday, Dec. 12.
Tickets are $5 and everyone is invited for an entertainment-filled evening.
With seven Christmas Carol songs blended into this performance, watch and be entertained as fairy tale characters take on the roles of the famous Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol.”
The story follows Big Bad Wolf as he is visited by the three ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.
Led by Tracy Lahr, the cast includes Malajiahna Robinson, Grace Matthies, Amanda Adamcyk, Samantha Hughes, Kei-Lani Cabreros, Donte Price, Carley Pesonen, Christina La Rose, Josh Harris, Tawnie Nell, Joseph Hughes, Emily Larson, Arriana Kawamura, Caden Kouninos, Maddy Rowe, Anthony Klein, Ashley Gonzalez, Justice Snow, Makena-Lani Ferdolage, Tiffany Balandran, Austin McGrath, Jerrilyn Crespo and Rebecca Laurenson.
Don't miss an opportunity to celebrate the holiday season with the family with this whimsical and adorable musical. Come out and support our local youth performing arts.
For more information please contact Tracy Lahr at 707-295-7806 or 707-994-6471, Extension 2735.
- Details
- Written by: Ted Kooser
For every one of those faces pictured on the obituary page, thousands of memories have been swept out of the world, never to be recovered. I encourage everyone to write down their memories before it’s too late.
Here’s a fine example of that by Margaret Hasse, who lives in Minnesota.
Truant
Our high school principal wagged his finger
over two manila folders
lying on his desk, labeled with our names—
my boyfriend and me—
called to his office for skipping school.
The day before, we ditched Latin and world history
to chase shadows of clouds on a motorcycle.
We roared down rolling asphalt roads
through the Missouri River bottoms
beyond town, our heads emptied
of review tests and future plans.
We stopped on a dirt lane to hear
a meadowlark’s liquid song, smell
heart-break blossom of wild plum.
Beyond leaning fence posts and barbwire,
a tractor drew straight lines across the field
unfurling its cape of blackbirds.
Now forty years after that geography lesson
in spring, I remember the principal’s words.
How right he was in saying:
This will be part of
your permanent record.
American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation ( www.poetryfoundation.org ), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Introduction copyright 2014 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. They do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.