RACHEL HERGETT
For the Chronicle
A‘Repetition of Histories’
esthetically, one of the latest installations at Tinworks Art on Bozeman’s north side, is simply not very pleasing. Yet.
“A Repetition of Histories,” created by artist in residence Wills Brewer, is a greyish brown five-foot clay cube located near Ida Street on the nonprofit arts’ orginazation’s property. It is already deteriorating. But come spring, Brewer hopes the cube will be teeming with new life, covered in green and home to a variety of animals. Maybe a tree will even grow from it.
In his tenure at Tinworks, which ended in October, Brewer explored traditional earth-building and brick-making techniques. As a final parting thought, he considered an old method of Tunisian house building where clay structures were turned into their own kilns and fired from the inside. But Montana is not Tunisia. A clay house would probably not make it through more than a couple winters before the extreme temperature changes and freezeinduced expansion would turn the thing into a pile of rubble.
“It was also kind of logistically a nightmare to start a giant fire for 36 hours,” Brewer said.
Before the cubic form was finalized, Brewer had also considered
building a long wall to separate the non-profit art center’s space from nearby development.
“But then I realized, I personally don’t agree with walls,” Brewer said. “They’re perpetuating the idea of keeping people out of a place.”
Instead, his walled in area will keep people out and protect the natural processes within. “A Repetition of Histories” is in many ways a large planter. The four outer walls are made of a combination of bricks Brewer constructed with sand from bgs found on the property and local wheat straw, and century-old fired bricks from the nearby historic brewery property. Gravel from across the street and some concrete slab pieces from an old patio provide a bit of foundation to the walled structure — but not too much foundation. Brewer wants to encourage life into the cube,
hoping ground squirrels burrow beneath and the thing fills with bugs and worms. And in the center, some two- or three-hundred square feet of compost donated from Happy Trash Can is littered with wildflower seeds, cottonwood logs to encourage mycelium growth and peach pits, just in case a tree decides to take root.
“Internally, there’s going to be generations of things that are born and die inside of it, which is the type of history we want repeated so we can still live on the planet,” Brewer said.
“A Repetition of Histories” also uses Brewer’s history as an artist. Materially, it is ceramics — using clay and sand and forms of flux. The cube would become terracotta if fired.
“It’s all essentially the same stuff, but just, I’m not trying to make it last,” Brewer said.
Brewer calls the cubic construction a “very human writing of form” that nature will change.
Artist-in-residence
Wills Brewer’s work space at Tinworks, where he used traditional brickmaking techniques.
PHOTO BY RACHEL HERGETT, FOR THE CHRONICLE
1) Zach Bryan “The Great American Bar Scene”
2) Sabrina Carpenter “Short n’ Sweet”
3) Lord Huron “Strange Trails”
4) Chappell Roan “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”
5) Rainbow Kitten Surprise “How To: Friend, Love, Freefall”
6) Noah Kahan “Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever)”
7) Hozier “Hozier”
8) Jack Johnson “In Between Dreams”
9) Twenty One Pilots “Vessel”
10) Mac Miller “Circles”
1) “The Serviceberry” by Robin Wall Kimmerer, $20
2) “Wind and Truth” by Brandon Sanderson, $39.99
3) “The Backyard Bird Chronicles” by Amy Tan, $35
4) “James” by Percival Everett, $28
5) “Small Things Like These” by Claire Keegan, $20
6) “The Mystery of Mystic Mountain” by Janet Fox, $17.99
7) “Revenge of the Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell, $32
8) “The Women” by Kristin Hannah, $30
9) “The God of the Woods” by Liz Moore, $30
10) “Tell Me Everything” by Elizabeth Strout, $30
countrybookshelf.com
What’s Available NOW On
“Law & Order” - Seasons 1-20 (Dec. 16)
In Dick Wolf’s legendary procedural, detectives and prosecutors work to convict criminals. On air since 1990, the series takes stories ripped from the headlines and chronicles the investigations that go into some complex cases. Series regulars include Sam Waterston, S. Epatha Merkerson, Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin, Steven Hill, Leslie Hendrix and Anthony Anderson.
“Cuckoo” (Dec. 17)
Reluctantly, 17-year-old Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) leaves her American home to live with her father (Marton Csokas), who has just moved into a resort in the German Alps with his new family. Arriving at their future residence, they are greeted by Mr. Konig (Dan Stevens), her father’s boss, who takes an inexplicable interest in Gretchen’s mute half-sister Alma (Mila Lieu). Something doesn’t seem right in this tranquil vacation paradise. Gretchen is plagued by strange noises and bloody visions until she discovers a shocking secret that also concerns her own family.
“Ilana Glazer: Human Magic” (Dec. 20)
Taped at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre in Toronto in May of this year, comedian and actor Ilana Glazer’s newest stand-up special makes its streaming debut. Releasing as part of Hulu’s new “Hularious” comedy brand, the special is directed by Jeff Tomsic and produced by Rotten Science and Starrpix.
in focus
“Dunk the Halls” (Disney+ — Dec. 25, Special Premiere)
Disney, ESPN and the NBA are teaming up to present the first real-time animated NBA game using Sony’s Beyond Sports technology. Streaming on Christmas Day, the special sees the New York Knicks — led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns — host the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul at a virtual Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World. As the real-life game plays out, iconic Disney Characters including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Chip and Dale, plus Santa Claus and Elves from “Prep and Landing,” provide addition entertainment.
“Darkness of Man” (Dec. 20)
Russell Hatch (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a washed up, former Interpol operative who vowed to protect the son (Emerson Min) of an informant killed years earlier in a raid gone wrong. When merciless street gangs start an all-out turf war and the kid is caught in the middle, Hatch will stop at nothing to keep the him safe and fight anyone who gets in his way. Kristanna Loken also stars.
CROSSWORD
Across
1.“O Brother, Where ___ Thou?” (2000)
4.Cost-of-living stat.
7.__ __ no good
11.“What a no-brainer!”
movie review
BY JAY BOBBIN
ABC offers ‘The Sound of Music’ for the season
For many people at holiday time, “The Sound of Music” is indeed one of their favorite things.
And why shouldn’t it be? Having endured for more than a half-century, and likely adding to its already vast fan base every time ABC televises it — which will happen again Sunday, Dec. 15 — veteran filmmaker Robert Wise’s splendid, Oscar-winning 1965 version of the Rodgers & Hammerstein stage staple remains a delightful experience for viewers of all ages, even when broken up by
12. “Sunday Night Baseball” commentator
13.Close
14.“The Simpsons” grandpa
15.Long-running TV series set in Colorado
17.Setting for “The Vampire Diaries”
19.Hospital staffer
20.Black-maned ruminant
21.Pickling need
23.Pontiacs of yore
27.___ Swanson (“Parks & Rec” character)
28.Knot-tying words
29.High school mil. group
31.Widely known
mountainside, she has you in her charming grasp.
33. Curve
36.Oviedo stew
37.Setting for “Gilmore Girls”
41.The Log Lady lived there
43.Risk a perjury rap
44.Composer Bartok
45.Some health warnings: Abbr.
46.Chi. railroads
47.2011 Viola Davis film, with “The”
48.Old possessive
49.Empire St. paper since 1851
Down
1.Brody of “The O.C.”
2. Jewel
3.1960s Roger Moore TV series
4.“I Got a Name” singer Jim
5. Light whiff
6.One way to learn someone’s name
7.Render powerless?
8.Soup vegetables
9.2022 Cate Blanchett film
10.Mork’s planet
12.Out of the way
16.CNN offshoot
18.Solder ingredient
21.Cold call?
22.Friend of Owl and Rabbit
24.“Home Improvement” star
25. Dedicated work
26.Turf
30.Forty winks
31.Dentist’s suggestion
32.“Agatha ___ Along”
Seance sound Moved stealthily Gershwin musical whose name sounds like an approval Threshold Brownie accessory Slick, physically or relationally Dominic of “The Wire” “Candidly,” in textspeak Itsy-bitsy Solution on page 1
numerous ads meant to grab the attention of last-minute gift shoppers.
Much credit for retaining the audience has to go to Julie Andrews, ideally cast as Maria, the spirited nun-intraining sent to serve as governess to the seven children of the stern Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer, doing a fine job in the role, though he maintained for many years that he wasn’t as fond of the film as others are). Right from the classic opening sequence of Andrews crooning the title tune on an Austrian
While such stalwarts as Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn and Peggy Wood are also in the cast, the seven actors who play the von Trapp offspring are also essential to the movie’s success. Sadly, two — Charmian Carr and Heather Menzies (the latter becoming the wife of actor Robert Urich later) — have passed, but they’ll be remembered forever for what they did here. Among the others, so will Angela Cartwright, who had just started her “Lost in Space” television gig at the time. And Nicholas Hammond would grow up to be TV’s live-action “Spider-Man.”
Set against the pre-World War II backdrop that the actual von Trapp family dealt with, prompting the stirring finale underscored by “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” (which sent more than a few patrons out of theaters with tears rolling down their cheeks), “The Sound of Music” is undeniably old-fashioned. That’s not a bad thing, since that also keeps it timeless.
Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in “The Sound of Music”
What’s Available NOW On
“Beast Games” - Season 1 (Dec. 19)
From the mind of social media sensation and entrepreneur MrBeast comes a new, record-breaking competition series. A staggering 1,000 players compete in nail-biting, physical, mental and social challenges for a chance to win a whopping $5 million cash prize. Week by week, players use their strength and wit to stay in the game, with the hope of being the ultimate prize winner.
in focus
“Christmas Gameday” (Netflix — Dec. 25, Special Premiere)
Fill the holiday season with excitement when Netflix hosts the NFL’s two Christmas Day marquee games: the Super Bowl LVII-winning Chiefs face the Steelers at 1 pm ET; then at 4:30 pm ET, the Ravens take on the Texans. Plus, fans will be treated to the highly-anticipated halftime show during the Ravens-Texans game, featuring a dazzling set from global superstar Beyoncé.
“Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story” (Available Now)
This four-part documentary penetrates the neon-hued world of Lisa Frank Inc., a brand that defined girlhood for a generation of Americans only to seemingly disappear overnight. Behind the rainbows and psychedelic illustrations, we unravel a nostalgia-soaked, stranger-than-fiction tale that takes us into the hidden world that has been lurking at the heart of the company for decades. The series features never-before-seen footage and over twenty interviews with Lisa Frank, Inc insiders, enthusiasts, and journalists.
“Across the Universe” (Available Now)
In this romantic drama set to the iconic musical hits of the The Beatles, young British worker Jude (Jim Sturgess) sets sail for the United States in search of his father in the 1960s, and ends up meeting carefree college student Max (Joe Anderson) and his lovely sister, Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), along with a cast of eccentric characters. As Jude and Lucy fall for each other, their relationship is threatened by the social upheaval that accompanies the Vietnam War.
“Good Will Hunting” (Available Now)
The most brilliant mind at America’s top university isn’t a student, he’s the kid who cleans the floors. Will Hunting (Matt Damon) is a headstrong, working-class genius who is failing the lessons of life. After one too many run-ins with the law, Will’s last chance is a psychology professor (Robin Williams), who might be the only man who can reach him. Finally forced to deal with his past, Will discovers that the only one holding him back is himself.
Solution on page 1
This just in @ Bozeman Library
BETH BOYSON Library columnist
LIBRARY EVENT
The Bozeman Public Library Book Club discusses “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coehlo on Wednesday, Dec. 18. Take a journey with young Sandalusia as he searches for treasure in Egypt. Will he find a buried treasure within himself?
Borrow a print copy at the Library, or listen to English actor Jeremy Irons read an unabridged recording of the book on Hoopla. No waiting! Book Club meets at 3-4 p.m. in the Barnes & Noble Cafe at Gallatin Valley Mall, or 6:30-8 p.m. in the Cottonwood Room at Bozeman Public Library. For more information,
please call 406-582-2410.
BOOKS FOR THE ADULTS IN THE ROOM
The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No by Carl Elliott. Nonfiction. The author is a Bioethicist at the University of Minnesota who witnessed a psychiatric research study there lead to a vulnerable patient losing his life. Whistleblowing proved nearly fatal to himself and his career, and then
people started coming to him with stories. A cautionary tale indeed.
The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. Maclean. Fiction. Alia works in a zoo filled with magical creatures. She loves the birds there, the Zoo’s humane practices, and most (but not all) of the visitors. When the zoo she works at is a candidate for a repopulation project for her favorite species, Alia thinks her time may have finally come. This fantasy takes place in a cosy world built by the
author and it is an entertaining place to visit.
Desperately Seeking Something: A Memoir about Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls by Susan Seidelman. Biography. Susan Seidelman, award winning movie and TV director who brought the world ‘Desperately Seeking Susan’ and ‘Smithereens’, tells her story. The chapter titles are also song titles, to set a certain mood. The early years are interesting as the author searches for a place in the creative world.
BOOKS FOR THE KIDDOS
The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee; art by Dan Santat. Juvenile Fiction. O M goodness. Too funny for words. Young Cobin knows she has some issues. But, did she really
need to be dropped off at a former castle turned prison that is a “reforming arts school”? She and a few misfits team up to save the school, the only place that’s ever welcomed them home. Great read-aloud chapter book. Something about the Sky by Rachel Carson and illustrated by Nikki McClure. Juvenile Nonfiction. Northwest U.S. artist Nikki McClure was asked to illustrate a “lost” essay by Carson, the script to a 1956 TV program on the importance of understanding clouds, both science-rich and lyrical. It’s clear sailors and farmers know all about clouds. Wouldn’t you like to know, too, and teach young minds? Here it is living color.
What’s Available NOW On
“Ronny Chieng: Love To Hate It” (Dec. 17)
Emmy-winning actor and comedian Ronny Chieng returns with his third Netflix stand-up special. Filmed over a five night sold-out run in Honolulu at the historic Hawai’i Theatre, this extremely personal special hilariously unpacks the indignities of the IVF process, the pitfalls of being a man on the internet, American politics and the place of the older generation in today’s world.
Library/from 7
The Dream Train: Poems for Bedtime by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Anuska Allepuz. Picture Book. Thirty poems sorted into three stages: Night Arrives, Shut-Your-Eyes Time, and Dreams Wheels Turning with train imagery throughout. Lots to look at and point out in the illustrations. Sean Taylor’s poetic language and playful imagery calm young minds and get them ready
“Julia’s Stepping Stones” (Dec. 18)
Throughout her career, pioneering filmmaker, the late Julia Reichert, gave voice to the voiceless. In a final collaboration with her husband, Steven Bognar, Julia shares the intimate story of her own journey, from her youth as a working-class girl who dreamt of a larger life for herself to her discovery of documentary filmmaking and her own voice along the way.
for a restful night’s sleep.
The Magical Yet: words by Angela DiTerlizzi; art by Lorena Alvarez Gomez. Early Reader. This book teaches kids to be patient with their progress because if it hasn’t happened ’yet’, it may in the future, just not yet. Definitely not a bedtime book as the meter of the rhymes is very rah-rah and high energy. Pretty pictures, very arty, with a wide representation of kids, by race, gender, size and ability.
“Virgin River” - Season 6 (Dec. 19)
Against the backdrop of Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack’s (Martin Henderson) romantic spring wedding season, this sixth installment promises fresh twists and turns, escalating love triangles, delightful wedding drama and uncovered secrets from Mel’s father’s past, which will transport viewers to the magic and mystique of Virgin River in the 1970s.
FOR THE TEENS AND TWEENS
Bless by Yukino Sonoyama. Young Adult Graphic Novel. Aia is a former male model dreaming of becoming a makeup artist. Jun is the newest ‘It’’ girl who finds success as a runway model. This manga is illustrated perfectly to characterize the fashion industry, the teen angst that comes with popularity, and navigating a complex world. First in a fast paced series.
“The Dragon Prince” - Season 7 (Dec. 19)
As Aaravos and Claudia seek to destroy the cosmic order and invert life and death in this new season, our heroes must literally be ready to sacrifice anything and everything they love and believe in to save the world. This season is more thrilling, magical and heartbreaking than ever. Jack De Sena, Sasha Rojen, Erik Dellums, Raquel Belmont, Paula Burrows and Jesse Inocalla voice star.
Our Shouts Echo by Jane Adia. Young Adult Fiction. Niarah is something of catastrophist type teenager. When she moves to Los Angeles for the summer, she meets Mac Torres, who is all about chill, surfing, breakfast burritos and bonfires. The plot sounds light, but the author, who is a L.A. native, definitely goes there on some tough mental health issues for teens.
Living Simply: A Teen Guide to Minimalism by Sally McGraw. Young Adult Nonfiction. Consumerism is not the path to happiness. Stuff = stress. What’s a teen to do? Reduce, reuse, recycle! This book has tips such as secondhand shopping, gifts that are not objects, tracking and enjoying what you actually own, and brief interviews with minimalist bloggers.
Beth Boyson is a Programming Librarian and Cataloger at Bozeman Public Library. She can be reached through the Library website at www.bozemanlibrary.org.
trivia crossword
The solution to the question is found within the answers in the puzzle. In order to discover this hidden solution, unscramble the letters noted with asterisks within the puzzle.
Across 1. “ER” network
4. Michelin product
8. Kind of operation
11. Remain
12. Aggravate
13. Digital readout, for short
14. Nostalgia-inducing songs
17. Vex
18. A billion years
19. Stretch
21. Penny
24. That guy
25. 2001 Spielberg sci-fi film
26. Belonging to
27. “___ American in Paris” (1951)
28. Ukraine’s capital
30. Milieu for Lemieux
32. Hawaiian wreath
34. Red ___
35. “The Old Oaken Bucket” painter
41. Dine
42. Building block for kids
43. Get behind
44. Nice hot drink?
45. “Return of the Jedi” (1983) critter
46. Clear Down 1. Hound
2. Sis’s sib
3. Whoopi’s role in “The Color Purple” (1985)
4. “Star ___”
5. Saturn model
6. “Flying Down to ___” (1933)
7. Lui’s partner
8. “Crazy” singer Patsy
9. Sew up
10. Spots
15. Attain the same level as 16. 1962 James Bond film
Primate
problem-solvers: Animal intelligence takes center stage in new Apple TV+ documentary
19. “Now I understand”
20. S&L offering
22. Indian bread
23. “Peter Pan” fairy, for short
29. Make beam
31. Fight announcement
33. Empty
34. Crazily
35. Dig
36. “Go team!”
37. Copy cats?
38. Earlier
39. Yeanling producer
40. Hardened
Humans may be smart, but we’re not the only intelligent beings on Earth. From using tools to building complex societal structures, see how the animal kingdom outsmarts and adapts to Mother Nature during “The Secret Lives of Animals,” making its debut Wednesday, Dec. 18, on Apple TV+. Narrated by SAG Award winner Hugh Bonneville (“Downton Abbey”), this in-depth look at the animal kingdom highlights, “77 unique species in 24 countries over three years,” says Apple. Throughout a 10-episode journey, viewers will be invited to witness never-before-seen animal behaviors that illustrate the intelligence of the natural world, moments captured in high definition for the very first time.
Joining the ranks of Apple TV’s previous nature-focused series — including “Earth at Night in Color,” “Tiny World” and “Big Beasts” — “The Secret Lives of Animals” is said to “[inspire and delight] viewers with its vibrant exploration of extraordinary animal behaviors,” according to the streamer. “Each episode delves into pivotal moments in the life cycles of various animals — from birth and leaving home to raising a family, and from finding food to growing old — showcasing their striking intelligence and adaptability.”
From the smallest critters and “creepy crawlies” to massive mammals and primates not so different from ourselves, the series has managed to capture footage
of species across the globe, including orb-weaving spiders, self-sufficient mice, basking basilisk lizards and clever chimpanzees. Footage of these animals, which are often seen but misunderstood, offers insight into the tools and tricks species use to survive in the wild — such as the veined octopus, which utilizes emptied coconut shells as a hiding place; the colobus monkey, which will often use charcoal to aid in digesting difficult mango pits and skins; capuchin monkeys, which show unyielding loyalty to their pack in order to keep themselves protected; and sun bears, which have learned to climb high into trees to escape pests down below. Produced for Apple TV+ by BBC Studios Natural History Unit — with Matt Brandon (“Planet Earth”) acting as showrunner and Roger Webb (“Big Cats 24/7”) as executive producer — this stunning series marks the third collaboration between the BBC and Apple TV+, following “The Year Earth Changed” and the Emmy-nominated “Prehistoric Planet.”
Hugh Bonneville narrates “The Secret Lives of Animals”
What’s Available NOW On
“The Simpsons” - O C’mon All Ye Faithful (Dec. 17)
Exclusive to Disney+, this two-part Christmas special sees the Simpson family, along with their fellow Springfield residents, search for some holiday cheer. Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Julie Kavner, Harry Shearer, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Pamela Hayden and Tress MacNeille voice star.
celebrityfacts
“Blink” (Dec. 17)
When three of their children are diagnosed with an incurable disease that leads to severe visual impairment, the Pelletier family embarks on a journey to see the world’s beauty while they still can. As they experience breathtaking destinations and once-in-alifetime encounters, their love, resilience and unshakeable sense of wonder ensure that an uncertain future does not define their present.
“ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series” - Season 1, New Episodes (Dec. 18)
Every day is a surprise at Seabrook High — whether you’re a cheerleader, a zombie, a werewolf or even a vampire! Inviting viewers into the daily lives of Zed (Milo Manheim), Addison (Meg Donnelly), Eliza (Kylee Russell), Willa (Chandler Kinney) and the entire Seabrook crew, this musical, animated spinoff discovers that this gang may have figured out each other, but they haven’t quite figured out how to survive high school. And this means some pretty wild adventures — from the cafeteria to the football field — because sometimes the scariest thing you have to face is high school.
“SuperKitties” - Season 2, New Episodes (Dec. 18)
Adorable and packed with adventure, this animated series follows four fierce and furry superhero kittens — Ginny, Sparks, Buddy and Bitsy — who are on a mission to make their town of Kittydale a more caring and “pawesome” place. Geared to kids ages 2-7 and their families, each episode features two 11-minute stories that highlight the SuperKitties as they receive a “SuperKitty Call” from one of their animal friends with a problem that only the SuperKitties can help with.
Christian Slater of “Dexter: Original Sin” on Paramount+ With Showtime: He began his professional career as a youngster, playing parts in the ABC daytime serials “One Life to Live” and “Ryan’s Hope,” and appearing on Broadway with Dick Van Dyke in a revival of “The Music Man.”
Sir Elton John of “Elton John: Never Too Late” on Disney+: With longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, he composed the score for the movie “Friends” (1971), then returned to film music by working with lyricist Tim Rice on songs for “The Lion King” (1994).
Smokey Robinson, seen recently on “A Motown Christmas” on NBC and Peacock:
After leaving the group Smokey Robinson and the Miracles in 1972, he launched a solo career the following year, while he also was serving as a vice president of Motown Records.
Eats, feasts and treats
Questions:
trivia quiz
BY STAFF WRITERS
1)In “Home Alone” (1990), what is Kevin’s favorite kind of pizza?
2)In “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946), what topping does a young George encourage Mary to add to her chocolate sundae?
3) What did Ralphie’s decoder ring tell him to drink in “A Christmas Story” (1983)?
4)He took the Who-pudding! He took the roast beast! What other “icebox” item did the Grinch take in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”?
5)Don’t feed mogwai after midnight — what late-night snack did Billy serve up in “Gremlins” (1984)?
6)In the movie “Elf” (2003), what kind of “sauce” does Buddy add to his spaghetti?
7) Aside from her cat, what did Aunt Bethany bring as a gift in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989)?
8) Which snack was Sgt. Powell (Reginald VelJohnson) buying for his pregnant wife in “Die Hard” (1988)?
9)In “The Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992), what feast does Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine) offer to Bob Cratchit (Kermit) on Christmas morning?
10)“Put that cookie down! Now!” What holidaythemed movie is this line from?
10)“Jingle All The Way” (1996)
9)a turkey dinner
8)Twinkies
7)a jello mold (“it’s lime”)
6)maple syrup
5)leftover fried chicken
4)their last can of Who-hash
3)Ovaltine
2)coconut
1)cheese pizza
Answers:
l e b
Whoopi Goldberg
Q: I’m used to seeing Whoopi Goldberg as a co-host of “The View,” but didn’t she once have a comedy series?
A: A couple of them, in fact. The first was a weekly CBS version of the movie “Bagdad Cafe” that ran for two seasons (1990-91), teaming Goldberg with “All in the Family” veteran Jean Stapleton. They played very dissimilar people who operated a rundown combination of gas station, diner and motel in the Mojave Desert. Cleavon Little (“Blazing Saddles,” 1974) was also in the cast as the Goldberg character’s husband.
Goldberg had much more of a creative say in her next try at a sitcom, as indicated by the show’s name ... “Whoopi.” It lasted a single season (2003-04) on NBC and had a certain thematic link to “Bagdad Cafe,” since Goldberg played a hotel operator, albeit one in Manhattan. The humor of the show often was topical, with politics and ethnicity among the subjects as Mavis Rae (Goldberg) dealt with her employees and guests. One episode reunited Goldberg with her fellow “Ghost” (1990) star Patrick Swayze, while another teamed her again with Eli Wallach, with whom she worked in the movie “The Associate” (1996).
Though they weren’t comedies, Goldberg also did ongoing duty on several other programs. She portrayed Guinan in a recurring role on the syndicated “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987-94); she made an early attempt at a talk show with the syndicated “The Whoopi Goldberg Show” (1992-93), which ran for a half-hour on weeknights, as opposed to the usual hour-long length of such ventures; and she was the narrator of “The Con” (2020-22), an ABC series recounting true crimes and compiling interviews with people who were involved in the featured situations.
celebrity q&a
Solution on page 1
BY ADAM THOMLISON
Vivica A.
Fox
OF A COZY CHRISTMAS INN ON HALLMARK
Q: I just saw Vivica A. Fox from “Soul Food” in a new Christmas movie and she was great! Has she done others? Does she plan to do more?
A: If you love the mere idea of NAACP Image Award-winning star Vivica A. Fox doing a Christmas movie, I have great news for you.
Fox established herself first as a soap star (“Generations”; “Young and the Restless”) and later as an acclaimed film star (“Independence Day,” 1996; “Soul Food,” 1997). But in more recent years, she’s made a firm claim on being the face of holiday TV.
She dove into the genre headfirst, with a pair of holiday movies: “A Royal Family Holiday” and “Royal Family Christmas,” which aired weeks apart on TV One in 2015. She’s done at least one every year since. Her output peaked at three in 2022: “A Cozy Christmas Inn,” “Dognapped: Hound for the Holidays” and “A New Diva’s Christmas Carol.”
And so we can guess that she’s going to do more, though nothing has been announced yet. To be fair, it’s still a little early, and these movies tend to come together pretty quickly.
The fact that they’re quick to make helps explain why Fox has been able to do so many in just a few years. But it’s also because there is an ever-growing demand for them. It seems like every cable channel — and now streaming service — is producing its own Christmas programming. For example, all three of Fox’s 2022 movies aired on different channels (Hallmark, Ion and VH1, respectively)
Macaulay Culkin in “Home Alone”
BY JAY BOBBIN
‘Soylent Green’ goes back to the then-future
One of the best movies of Charlton Heston’s later career, the 1973 sci-fi drama “Soylent Green” is part of a morning and afternoon of sci-films that Turner Classic Movies presents Monday, Dec. 16. Since it’s set in 2022, some viewers may get a rueful chuckle out of what was its prediction of a densely polluted, overpopulated New York. But, there’s also something quite moving about its rumination of the world the way it used to be.
Heston plays a policeman whose investigation of a tycoon’s (Joseph Cotten) murder exposes him to the good life the slain man lived. That encompasses such then-novelties as fresh beef and strawberries, some of which the cop spirits away to share with his friend and assistant – or “book,” in the parlance of this tale. That role marks the final performance of Edward G. Robinson, who’s thoroughly moving and simply wonderful, very particularly in his last scene. Leigh Taylor-Young, Chuck Connors and Brock Peters are among other familiar faces here.
Puzzle Solutions
more retro rewinds
“Wild” (Hulu, streaming): Reese Witherspoon is excellent in this 2014 drama based on the memoir by Cheryl Strayed, who undertook a hiking trip on her own in honor of her late mother (played by Laura Dern in flashbacks). The journey turns out to be the revelation Strayed had anticipated, though sometimes in ways that she hadn’t expected, thanks largely to surprises supplied by nature.
“The Bob Newhart Show” (Catchy Comedy, Sunday, Dec. 15): Part of a day of holiday-themed episodes, “Bob Has to Have His Tonsils Out, So He Spends Christmas Eve in the Hospital” is a title that leaves little question of what the story is about. Indeed, Dr. Bob Hartley (Bob Newhart) suddenly has to go to the hospital for the stated operation, and his stay is complicated by the fact that one of the staff members treating him used to be a psychology patient of his. The tale was directed by sitcom legend James Burrows.
“Home Alone” (Freeform, Sunday, Dec. 15-Saturday, Dec. 21): Home-invading thieves (Daniel Stern, Joe Pesci) come to regret crossing paths with resourceful young Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) — who accidentally has been left behind by his relatives when they go on a holiday vacation — in writer-director John Hughes’ enormously popular 1990 comedy, which is getting a major workout this pre-Christmas week. It’s being shown in conjunction with the first sequel, “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” (1992).
Jennifer Morrison celebrity update
OF TRACKER ON CBS
Q: I just watched the 1990s remake of “Miracle on 34th Street,” and was surprised to see Jennifer Morrison as an elf — I didn’t realize she was in that. Then it occurred to me that I haven’t seen her a lot lately. What’s she up to?
A: Being a remake of one of the best-loved Christmas movies of all time, 1994’s “Miracle on 34th Street” pulled together a pretty famous cast. But it also featured quite a few people before they were famous, including Jennifer Morrison.
In 1994, Morrison was still 10 years away from her star-making turn as Dr. Allison Cameron on “House,” which she followed up with another long-running TV hit, “Once Upon a Time.”
BY ADAM THOMLISON
But since that one ended in 2018, she’s been a little scarcer. She’s dabbled with films — most notably 2019’s award-winning “Bombshell” — and a few small TV guest roles, including a long-running arc as an ex-U.S. Marine on “This Is Us,” but she’s mostly pivoted towards directing. For example, in 2023, she helmed a handful of episodes of Peacock’s “Dr. Death” and an episode of the Paramount+ musical-comedy series “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.” This year, she directed a recent episode of CBS’s crime hit drama “Tracker” (she also starred in the show’s Season 1 finale) and is doing the same for a couple of episodes of Showtime’s horror mystery “Yellowjackets.”
But she hasn’t totally given up on acting. This fall she wrapped filming on the big-screen indie comedy “BFFs,” which is now working out distribution.
Charlton Heston stars in “Soylent Green”
BY ROBERTO JOZEF
Superstars clash as the Minnesota Timberwolves host the New York Knicks in prime-time matchup
Get your popcorn ready, folks. It’s a star-studded NBA regular-season matchup as Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks visit Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday, Dec. 19, at Target Center in Minneapolis, with all the action airing live on TNT.
Last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves reached the Western Conference final for the second time in franchise history. This year, the Timberwolves have set their expectations even higher, with superstar Anthony Edwards already putting up incredible numbers to start the 2024-25 NBA campaign. At press time, Edwards averaged 28.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, while shooting a career-high true shooting percentage of 58.4 percent.
Despite trading longtime Timberwolves player Karl-Anthony Towns during the offseason, the team’s play has remained more or less the same. Now, they’ll be looking to improve on their 56 wins from last season.
Against the New York Knicks, the Timberwolves will need to continue their dominance on defense. Allowing 111 points per game this season, the Timberwolves were ranked among the league’s best, with Rudy Gobert’s presence on the boards remaining a key factor in their defensive line.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference third-place New York Knicks are coming off a strong four-game winning streak. Star point guard Jalen Brunson averaged 27.8 points and 9.5 assists during that stretch, including a dominant 138-122 victory over the Phoenix Suns, led by Brunson’s 36-point performance. At press time, the Knicks rank 10th in three-pointers made per game this season.
Full name: Anthony Edwards
Birthdate: Aug. 5, 2001 (23)
Birthplace: Atlanta
Height/weight: 6-4/225 pounds
Team(s): Minnesota Timberwolves (2020-present) Honors and achievements: 2x NBA All-Star (2023, 2024), All-NBA Second Team (2024), SEC Rookie of the Year (2020), McDonald’s All-American (2019)
TOWN & COUNTRY FOODS: GINGERBREAD PANCAKES
Ingredients:
2 cups pancake mix
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger, divided
1-1/4 cups water (or as directed on pancake mix package)
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp confectioners sugar
Gingerbread cookies, crushed, for serving Maple syrup, for serving
Directions:
Combine pancake mix, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp of ginger in a large bowl. Add water, molasses, and vanilla and whisk until just combined.
Preheat a nonstick skillet or griddle over
Find
All
the
Ingredients For this Recipe at
medium heat and lightly grease with butter or oil.
Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and edges start to set, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, until edges are browned and pancakes are cooked through.
Meanwhile, combine heavy cream, confectioners sugar, and remaining ginger in a medium bowl. Beat using an electric hand mixer until sti peaks form.
Stack pancakes onto serving plates and dollop generously with whipped cream. Garnish with gingerbread cookies and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Serve and enjoy!
“I’ve been telling people I had to make a pile of dirt into a cube so people would consider the importance of a pile of dirt,” Brewer said.
The piece is intended to interact with the area around it, commenting on how humanity’s idea of growth leads to a loss of natural spaces similar to this summer’s installation by Agnes Denes, “Wheatfield — An Inspiration. The seed is in the ground.”
According to the Tinworks website, the summer 2024 exhibition, “The Lay of the Land,” “included artworks connected to land and place through their physical materiality — wheat, sediment, soot, clay, the sound of passing trains — and subject matter — the natural or industrial forces that have shaped the land of the West and depictions of western places shaped by memory or technology.”
Knowing nearby greenspace is dwindling and slated to be almost entirely developed, Brewer wanted to create something that would be “regenerative and beneficial to the nonhuman community.”
In some ways, the piece is an acknowledgement of our own impermanence, with Brewer placing the art within a geologic time frame.
“There’s so many people whose art practices involve using plastics and resins and stuff that’s going to be around forever, but not in a good way,” Brewer
said. “Even light degrades, you know?”
And humanity, as a whole, attempts to hinder these natural processes. Nearby, on the back wall of Tinworks’ main building that abuts a section of a local trail, Brewer has created a more permanent piece. Replacing an old, covered window is a backlit collage printed on polycarbonate with an image created from wildflower and stone circle photos illustrating a fictionalized indigenous history as a backdrop to painted tornado imagery and the word “proposito” — meaning “purpose” in Spanish and Italian and “with purpose” in Latin — overlaid in red.
Growing up in Oklahoma, and drawing on Cherokee roots, Brewer felt tornadoes as a constant opposing force that people are always attempting to stop.
“But there’s no reason to stop a tornado, because they have purpose,” Brewer said. “They wouldn’t exist in nature if they didn’t have a purpose or a function.”
This is similar to
wildfires, which may seem entirely destructive, but serve a natural purpose in clearing out debris from forest floors, adding nutrients back into the soil and encouraging new plant growth. Tornadoes, Brewer explained, are exceptional at spreading seeds.
“My favorite thing about it, the passing of a tornado, is the flowers you’ll get the next year,” he said.
Like “Proposito,” “A Repetition of Histories” teaches us to let go and trust in the process, to let nature (and humanity) take its course. Maybe people will carve their names in it, or kick in the corners.
“If someone gets some enjoyment out of destroying part of it, then I’m glad I could bring them enjoyment,” Brewer said. “You can’t hurt it. It doesn’t get destroyed. It just changes form.”
“My favorite thing about it, the passing of a tornado, is the flowers you’ll get the next year,” he said.
For more information, visit www.willsbrewer. com.
PHOTO BY RACHEL HERGETT, FOR THE CHRONICLE
Pieces by artist-in-residence Wills Brewer in his work space at Tinworks.
in focus
“Blended Christmas” (BET+ — Dec. 25, Movie Premiere)
After a freak accident, a new bride cancels her tropical Christmas honeymoon to take care of her husband’s ex-wife and kids with a little help from a holiday angel. Jennifer Freeman, Anthony Dalton, Dream Doll and Victoria Rowell star.
celebrity
BY JAY BOBBIN
Thanks to Barry Manilow, it’ll be “A Very Barry Christmas” again this year.
The Grammy, Primetime Emmy and Tony Award-winning singer-songwriter draws upon seasonal tunes, as well as his own enduring catalog of hit singles, in his 2023 special that gets an NBC repeat Thursday, Dec. 19. Taped at the International Showroom of The Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino (formerly the Las Vegas Hilton), where Manilow broke Elvis Presley’s record for doing the most shows there, the hour has a musical menu ranging
sportsquiz
BY ALEX HENDRY
PWHL: Year Two
Questions: Answers:
1)On Sept. 9, 2024, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) revealed the names and logos for all six franchises. Who enters the 2024-25 season as the defending league champions?
2)The PWHL’s Original Six franchises includes four cities that were also part of the NHL’s Original Six. Name all four matching locations.
3)Who was the inaugural recipient of the Billie Jean King MVP Award?
4)Taylor Heise was selected as the top pick at the 2023 PWHL Entry Draft — who was drafted 1st overall in 2024?
5)Which 4-time Olympic gold medal winner currently serves as the commissioner of the PWHL?
6)She led her team in goals with 11 during her rookie campaign — who was named the PWHL’s Rookie of the Year for the 2023-24 season?
7)Which venue hosted the record-setting attendance of 21,105 fans on April 20, 2024?
8)What PWHL franchise finished 1st overall in the 2023-24 regular season standings, only to be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs?
9)The first goal scored in the PWHL occurred on Jan. 1, 2024, with a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle. Who made PWHL history as the league’s first goal scorer?
10)What is the name of the league trophy awarded to the PWHL championship winners?
from “Jingle Bells” and “White Christmas” to “Mandy” and “Copacabana.”
“A whole bunch of NBC people came to see the regular show I do at the Westgate, and they were interested in filming that,” the friendly Manilow recalls. “During the conversation after the show, they said they were looking for Christmas stuff because they couldn’t create anything until after the [2023] writers’ strike, which was going on then. I said, ‘I’ve got a Christmas show.’ They said, ‘You do?’ And I said, ‘Yeah. And it’s all ready to go if you want it.’
“We do it in various places every year,” notes Manilow, “and I sent them a video of it, and they loved what they saw. They came to The Westgate with their cameras, we had a big audience, and off we went. The only problem was me, because I kept forgetting to do certain things, but they made the show even more beautiful than it was before. There were many more lights and more Christmas trees, and it was just gorgeous.”
The holiday season has great meaning to Manilow, who gets support in “A Very Barry Christmas” from a 24-piece band. “I love my Christmas albums,” he says of “Because It’s Christmas,” “A Christmas Gift of Love” and “In the Swing of Christmas.” “I loved doing them. I don’t usually listen to my albums, but now and again, if I’m going to listen to any of them, it’s those. I love the arrangements and the orchestrations and the songs that I chose.”
Birthdate: June 17, 1943
Birthplace: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Current residence: Palm Springs, Calif.
10)The Walter Cup
9)Ella Shelton
8)Toronto Scepters
7)Bell Centre (Montreal)
6)Grace Zumwinkle
5)Jayna Hefford
4)Sarah Fillier (New York)
3)Natalie Spooner
2)Boston, Montreal, New York and Toronto
1)Minnesota Frost
Marital status: Married; he has a stepdaughter and an adopted granddaughter
Other television credits include: “Christmas in Rockefeller Center,” “The 76th Annual Tony Awards,” “Cranberry Christmas,” “Family Guy,” “Will & Grace,” “Unconditional Love,” “A Capitol Fourth,” “Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives,” “Ally McBeal,” “Murphy Brown,” “An Audience With Barry Manilow,” “The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards,” “American Idol,” “Dancing With the Stars,” “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” “Manilow: Music and Passion,” “One Night With Barry Manilow,” “A Barry Manilow Christmas: Live by Request,” “Ultimate Manilow!,” “Arista Records’ 25th Anniversary Celebration,” “Live by Request: Barry Manilow,” “American Bandstand’s 40th Anniversary Celebration,” “Because It’s Christmas: Barry Manilow,” “Barry Manilow: Big Fun on Swing Street,” “Copacabana,” “The Barry Manilow Special,” “The Second Barry Manilow Special,” “The 3rd Barry Manilow Special” Singles include: “Could It Be Magic,” “Mandy,” “It’s a Miracle,” “I Write the Songs,” “This One’s for You,” “Tryin’ to Get the Feeling,” “This One’s for You,” “Weekend in New England,” “Looks Like We Made It,” “Daybreak,” “Can’t Smile Without You,” “Even Now,” “Copacabana (At the Copa),” “Ready to Take a Chance Again,” “Somewhere in the Night,” “When I Wanted You,” “I Don’t Want to Walk Without You,” “I Made It Through the Rain,” “The Old Songs,” “Somewhere Down the Road,” “Read ‘Em and Weep,” “When October Goes,” “Keep Each Other Warm”