Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Quick Catch Up: Ocsar Nominated Short Films at Harvard Exit


Quick Catch Up: Ocsar Nominated Short Films at Harvard Exit

18 hours, 53 minutes. That's the combined run time of the nine films nominated for Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards. For those of us who haven't been watching said movies as they came out, the prospect of catching up before the awards ceremony is a daunting one. But for those who want to catch up on ten other films up for awards in a little over the time it takes to watch The Wolf of Wall Street, there's always Landmark's presentations of the Oscar nominated short films at Harvard Exit Theatre, which open this Firday, January 31. The shorts are split up by category—Best Live Action Short Film and Best Animated Short Film—with each program showcasing all five nominated works in under two hours. It's quality over quantity (of time).


Oscar Nominated Short Films 2014
Open Jan 31, Harvard Exit Theatre, $8–$11




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Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Cheap Week Seattle: Best Bang-for-Your-Buck Events Jan 20–26


Cheap Week Seattle: Best Bang-for-Your-Buck Events Jan 20–26





Grooving to the sounds of McTuff



San Francisco may have excellent music, but they don’t have it for this cheap. As far as my research shows, they do not have a Mario Kart 64 tournament on a movie theater screen this week. They don’t have as much rain as Seattle or affordable housing larger than shoeboxes.  Oh yeah, they also don’t have a spot in Super Bowl XLVIII...


Monday, Jan 20
Destroying the Middle Class One Word at a Time
“Food stamp president” and “welfare queen” are terms designed to trigger immediate reactions connected to persisting racial stereotypes. UC Berkeley Professor of Law Ian Haney Lopez examines the use of these “coded racial appeals” in his book Dog Whistle Politics, specifically how they undercut liberal ideas and weaken the economic security of the middle class. Town Hall, $5.     


Tuesday, Jan 21
McTuff at Seamonster Lounge
McTuff plays every Tuesday night at Seamonster Lounge, but nobody has thought to charge a cover yet for this incredible jazz/funk. The members (Andy Coe on guitar, Joe Doria on keys, and Tarik Abouzied on drums) have played with some of the greats like Carlos Santana and John and Ravi Coltrane. They aren’t to be missed, especially with their frequent special guest the talented and well-toured Skerik on saxophone. Seamonster Lounge, Free.


Wednesday, Jan 22
Mario Kart 64 Tournament
All those countless hours dodging shells, holding R around turns, tossing bananas as you cross the finish line--was it all a waste of time? Of course not because Central Cinema is holding a big screen Mario Kart 64 tournament hosted by MAP Theater. Official entries are sold out, but you can still watch and bond with other players as you race for pride at the other game stations set up in the theater. Shotty Yoshi. Central Cinema, $5.


Thursday, Jan 23
Marmalade at High Dive
A band with 13 pieces (and sometimes more) including two DJs on turntables is really more of a party onstage that just happens to be playing music for you. Marmalade will continue their first month of residency at High Dive as exactly that. Catch them this Thursday and any other you’re seeking out the groove. High Dive, $6.


Saturday, Jan 25
Vaudeville Etiquette presents: Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours”
If you could see Rumours by Fleetwood Mac covered in its entirety, naturally certain questions should arise. First, “Will they live up to the legacy of Stevie Nicks and the band?” Luckily yes, the talented folk, rock, and blues band Vaudeville Etiquette will certainly give a worthy performance with their floor-stomping energy and vibrant stage presence. The next questions should be when, where, and how, which we’ve made sure to answer. Sunset Tavern, $8.




For more on Seattle arts and culture, sign up for our weekly On The Town newsletter, subscribe to our RSS feed, and follow us on Twitter @SeattleMet. Visit our Arts & Entertainment Calendar for our editors’ event picks.







Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Riffing with Comedian Charlie Murphy


Riffing with Comedian Charlie Murphy

It's hard having your comedic voice be heard when your brother (Eddie) happens to be a comedy legend, but that hasn't stopped Charlie Murphy. In 2004, he burst onto the scene narrating “True Hollywood Stories” on Chappelle’s Show, segments where he described his (now famous) encounters with a coked-out Rick James and a basketball playing Prince. Soon after he tried his hand at standup, and he’s been on the circuit ever since. Before his Acid Trip Tour heads to the Neptune Theatre this Friday, January 11, we caught up with the comedian for a full Passing Through Q&A. The natural storyteller provided so much material that we thought we'd share some bonus excerpts.