360 December 13, 2018

Thursday, December 13, 2018 - E1

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

Anacortes Arts Foundation presents ‘A Lautenwerck Christmas’ PAGE 4

Spooky spirits in ‘ChristmasTown’ PAGE 3

Skagit Valley Herald Thursday December 13, 2018

TUNING UP PAGE 11 Cascadiacs play Big Lake Bar & Grill ON STAGE PAGE 10

Theatre Arts Guild presents “Annie” at the Lincoln Theatre

E2 - Thursday, December 13, 2018

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

NEW ON DVD THIS WEEK “VENOM”: The story would have worked better if the central casting wasn’t so far off the mark. Tom Hardy (“Mad Max: Fury Road”) has established himself as one of the most intense actors on the planet, but he never seems comfortable playing Eddie Brock, the man who merges with the alien to give life to Venom.

It’s not the superpowers that win over an audience, it’s the amount of sympathy that can be created for the hero.

Hardy’s performance as Brock stumbles from an uncomfortable love interest to renegade reporter to a Jekyll and Hyde situation with Venom. There’s not a point in the movie where Brock’s plight is compelling enough to make him a relatable reluctant hero.

Director Brock Fleischer has shown an ability to present action with just the right touch of humor in the film “Zombieland” and the TV series “Santa Clarita Diet.”

His efforts in “Venom” never blend smoothly, which leaves the comic moments coming across like they don’t belong.

It is possible that what looks to be comedic moments are actually dramatic scenes that just didn’t work.

“THE PREDATOR”: If this film was to be evaluated on action alone, it would get high marks, as there is little respite from the carnage the Predator brings. The explosions are big, the gun battles relentless and the alien technology out-ofthis-world cool.

But, if you are looking for a shred of intelligence in the story, prepare to be disappointed.

It’s sad that the overall script is so lacking because there are a few glimmers of brilliance.

There’s both a nod to the original film with a classic line of dialogue and several connections to other Predator tales.

In the end, “The Predator” is a killer when it comes to action. But, when it comes to the script, it’s dead on arrival.

Upcoming DVD releases Following is a partial schedule of DVD releases (dates subject to change):

DEC. 18

n Venom n The House with a Clock

SONY PICTURES VIA AP PHOTO

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“LIFE ITSELF”: Dan Fogelman has used the same approach as he has with his TV series “This Is Us” with this feature film that he both penned and directed. He’s taken the format of looking at a family through different periods in their lives, making sure to caress every major milestone. The film, just like Fogelman’s TV series, makes no excuses for its overly sentimental approach to life, leaving it up to the audience to either be pulled into the multigenerational tale or dismiss it as too cloying.

His skill is being able to create what appears to be three very different stories and weave them into one cohesive family album. In the final moments, all the diverse family themes combine to create a feeling of the movie coming full circle. There’s plenty of manipulation along the way, but no more than Fogelman’s used to make “This Is Us” one of the biggest surprises in network TV in a decade.

“A SIMPLE FAVOR”: Mommy vlogger (Anna Kendrick) looks to uncover the truth behind her best friend’s (Blake Lively) disappearance.

“REVENGE”: Good Samaritan trains a man who is determined to get revenge.

“OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT: SEASON ONE WITH WORLD CLASS AMENI-

TIES”: Animated series that looks at life inside the White House under Cartoon President Donald Trump.

“CHARLIE STEEL”: Private investigator infiltrates a gang to save a kidnapped girl.

“MARS: SEASON 2”: The National Geographic series blends a fictional story of the first travelers to Mars and interviews with noted scientists and experts.

“THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS”: Young boy who goes to live with his uncle ends up in a magical world.

“MONSTER PARTY”: A robbery goes horribly wrong when the thieves realize the dinner guests are not as innocent as they seem.

“THE SINNER: SEASON 2”: Jessica Biel stars in this series that revolves around a young mother who commits a deadly act of violence on a crowded beach.

“AN AFGHAN LOVE STORY”: A couple must deal with the aftermath of going against rules about intimacy.

“THE JERK”: The Steve Martin comedy is being rereleased to mark the 40th anniversary.

“COBY”: Family deals with preconceived notions and prejudice toward gender transition.

“NOVA: TRANSPLANTING HOPE”: Examination of

in its Walls n A Simple Favor n The Predator n Fahrenheit 11/9 n Life Itself n Assassination Nation n Little Women n 1985 n Air Strike n Mars Season 2 n The Sinner: Season Two n Super — Tribune News Service

families navigating both sides of the transplant journey.

“THE COMEDIANS”: A magic ring makes a man wealth but his greed is uncontrollable.

“STARMAN COLLECTOR’S EDITION BLU-RAY”: John Carpenter’s romantic science fiction odyssey starring Jeff Bridges is being rereleased.

“NEANDERTHAL”: Twopart series raises questions about our ancient ancestors and our misperceptions of who they really were.

“THE SUPER”: Former cop believes a murder is lurking the halls of an apartment building where he has taken a job.

“DRACULA: PRINCE OF DARKNESS”: The 1966 film features Christopher Lee’s second performance as the noted vampire.

AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL HD DEC. 18 “BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE”: Seven strangers meet at a rundown hotel with a dark past. Will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on Jan. 1.

“WEIGHTLESS”: Father must deal with the problems facing the obese son he has never met.

– Rick Bentley, Tribune News Service

YOUR ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION GUIDE TO WHAT’S GOING ON IN SKAGIT COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS

Inside Out & About........................... 4-9 On Stage....................................10 Tuning Up.................................11 Get Involved.............................13 At the Lincoln..........................15 Travel.........................................14 Movies................................. 17-19 SUBMISSIONS Email: features@skagitpublishing.com Deadline: 5 p.m. Friday for the following Thursday edition Phone 360-416-2135 Address Skagit Publishing 1215 Anderson Road Mount Vernon, WA 98274 Online events calendar To list your event on our website, visit goskagit.com and look for the Events Calendar on the home page

HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact Features Editor Craig Parrish at 360-416-2135 or features@skagitpublishing.com

TO ADVERTISE 360-424-3251

Thursday, December 13, 2018 - E3

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ELVES TO THE RESCUE IN ‘SAVING CHRISTMASTOWN’

SUBMITTED PHOTO

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SUBMITTED PHOTO

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By SKAGIT VALLEY HERALD STAFF

BELLINGHAM — ChristmasTown is in danger and only the elves

can save it.

Find out how the elves will ward off the ne’er-dowells from Oogie Boogie Land at The Dance Stu-

dio’s production of “Saving ChristmasTown” this weekend at the Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St.

Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, and 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15.

“Saving Christmas-

Town” is an original work

by The Dance Studio; this is the production’s seventh year, according to a news release. It

features numerous songs and dance numbers, with elves, Santa, and the holiday forces of naughty and nice.

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Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

OUT AND ABOUT

ART

Unique sounds for Lautenwerck Christmas

INSPIRED BY DESIGN: Art from local artists is on display at WaterWorks Gallery, 315 Argyle Ave., Friday Harbor, through Jan. 5.

JOSEPH GOLDBERG: The memorial exhibit “Joseph Goldberg: The Night Has Eyes” is on display at i.e. gallery, 5800 Cains Court, Edison.

By Skagit Valley Herald Staff

ANACORTES — It’s never too early for an early music concert.

“A Lautenwerck Christmas” is put on by the Anacortes Arts Foundation and features a Baroque keyboard instrument. The instrument has gut strings, each tied to an individual bridge on the soundboard, kind of like a lute.

David Buice, an East Coast musician who relocated to Anacortes, will be playing the lautenwerck.

The show starts at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, at the Croatian Cultural Center, 801 Fifth St. Tickets are $25, free for children 15 and under when accompanied by a paying adult. Cash or check at the door.

I.E. GALLERY: The work of Victon Sandblom and Launi Lucas is featured at i.e. gallery, 5800 Cains Court, Edison.

ARTWOOD: The work of dozens of local artists is on display in December at Artwood Gallery, 1000 Harris Ave., Bellingham.

PAPERCUTS: Honey Salon and Gallery presents “Papercuts,” a new collection by artist Aaron Brick, at the gallery, 310 W. Holly St., Bellingham.

JENNIFER BOWMAN: The work of Jennifer Bowman is on display through Jan. 22 at the Scott Milo Gallery, 420 Commercial Ave., Anacortes.

HOLIDAY ART EXHIBIT: Art from Signature Members of the Northwest Pastel Society and others is on display at the Schack Art Center, 2921 Hoyt Ave., Everett, through Dec. 29.

RISING: Fourth Corner Frames & Gallery, 311 W Holly St., Bellingham, presents a new exhibition of work ranging from traditional

to avant-garde. The exhibition will be available until Dec. 31.

MOUNTAINEERING EXHIBIT: Western Washington University’s Libraries Heritage Resources is hosting an exhibition exploring the relationship between humans’ love of high altitudes and issues of gender, race and class until March 22 in the Special Collections floor of the Wilson Library, 516 High St., Bellingham. Free.

SURGE: The Museum of Northwest Art, 121 First St., La Conner, hosts an exhibition designed to draw attention to climate change featuring 21 artists. The exhibit is open until Jan. 6.

HONEY I SHRUNK THE ART: Matzke Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Park presents its 28th Annual Small Works Show until Jan. 13 at 2345 Blanche Way, Camano Island.

PEGGY WOODS: Watercolor artist Peggy Woods of Anacortes is featured at the Good Studd Arts gallery, 604 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. Work from gallery artists on the theme “Why the NW?” is also on display during December.

MUSIC

SHELTER BAY CHORUS: The chorus will present “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14 and 3 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Shelter Bay Chorus

clubhouse, 1000 Shoshone Drive, La Conner. $10 donation; students and kids free. ”AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS”: View an opera in one act at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 18-19, at the Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. $10-$22. lincolntheatre.org. ”A CHILD IS BORN”: The Stanwood-Camano Chorale and small ensemble Trouvere will sing the songs of an Emerald Christmas at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Stanwood Methodist Church, 27128 102nd Drive NW, Stanwood.

HOLIDAY MAGIC: The Whatcom Symphony Orchestra will pres-

ent a holiday concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16, at Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N Commercial St., Bellingham. mountbakertheatre.com.

THE GRETA MATASSA QUARTET: Attend a special holiday dinner concert featuring the Greta Matassa Quartet at 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 19, at the Camano Center, 606 Arrowhead Road, Camano. $40 general, students $20.

JEFFREY ELVIS BLUE CHRISTMAS TRIBUTE: Hear the hits of Elvis performed by a tribute artist in full costume with vocal and saxophone accompaniment at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21, at Firehouse Arts & Events Center, 1314 Harris Ave., Bellingham.

$20-$23. elvis.media “BELL RINGER”: Symphony North will present “The Bell Ringer” at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Historic Everett Theatre, 2911 Colby Ave., Everett. 425258-6766. Admission: d{span}onation of shelf stable dry good

THEATER

”A CHRISTMAS CAROL ... MORE OR LESS”: This twist on a Christmas classic written by Stefano LoVerso and Mary Irey is playing both as dinner theater and as a matinee during the Lights of Christmas Festival at Warm Beach Camp & Conference Center, 20800 Marine Drive, Stanwood. $38-$59.

Schedule at thelightsofchristmas.com.

Thursday, December 13, 2018 - E5

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

OUT AND ABOUT

Peggy Woods art at The Good Stuff

PHOTO BY KARI MARTTILA TAYLOR JONES

The Northwest Ballet Theater presents the 20th Anniversary of “The Nutcracker.” Performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, and 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $12-35.

”THE NUTCRACKER”: The Northwest Ballet Theater presents the 20th anniversary of “The Nutcracker” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 15-16, at McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $12-$35.

are on stage celebrating the season at Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth’s production of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1415, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 15-16, at 1509 N. State St., Bellingham.

”A H O L I DAY W I S H F O R PACO ”: Day-toDay Dance presents a one-night-only event of dance and cheer at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Blaine Performing Ar ts C enter, 975 H St., Blaine. $10.

LECTURES & TALKS

”A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS”: Charlie Brown and his friends

R2AK: Daniel Evans will present what he learned participating in the Race to Alaska, a no-motor boat race from Port Townsend to Ketchikan, at 4 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Anacortes Public Library, 1220 10th St., Anacortes.

PEGGY WOODS

“Tide Pool Girl” watercolor, by Peggy Woods

By Skagit Valley Herald staff

ANACORTES — Detailed and lifelike watercolor works from a local artist are features at the Good

Stuff Arts Gallery this month.

Peggy Woods captures natural scenery in her watercolors with fine execution. Other work in the

gallery was produced on the theme “Why they NW?” The gallery is located at 604 Commercial Ave.

Amahl and the Night Visitors an opera in one act by

Gian-Carlo Menotti

Special Guest Artist Charles Robert Stephens Baritone Produced by Peterson Conservatory Sharyn Peterson, Director

Tues & Wed, December 18 & 19 • 7:30pm

Lincoln Theatre, Mount Vernon • www.pcmusical.org

$22/$10 student 16 & under Lincoln Box Office: 360-336-8955

E6 - Thursday, December 13, 2018

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

OUT AND ABOUT

MORE FUN

WINTERFEST: Cama Beach State Park will host a month full of holiday fun in December. Most events are free, but a Discover Pass for parking is $10. n Dec. 14: Dinner with Cama beach cafe and music by Heartstrings from 6 to 9 p.m.

Reservations required: camabeachcafe.com. n Dec. 15: Crafts on the beach from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; music in the Cama Center from South End String Band from 6 to 9 p.m. n Dec. 22: Crafts on the Beach from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. n Dec. 29: Music in the Cama Center with The Whateverly Brothers from 6 to 9 p.m.

THE LIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS: Enjoy the holiday season at this festival boasting over 1 million lights at Warm Beach Camp & Conference Center, 20800 Marine Drive, Stanwood.

The festival is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Dec. 6-9, 13-16, 19-23 and 26-29. $16. thelightsofchristmas.com.

SANTA TRAIN RIDE: Take a train ride and meet Santa at Miniature World Family Fun Center, 4620 Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Blaine. It opens at 5 p.m. Dec. 14-19. $12$16.

TOUR OF LIGHTS: Cedarcrest Gold Course becomes an after-dark winter wonderland in December. See the lights from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 13-15, and Wednesday through Saturday, Dec.

Celebrating Bowman Bay

By Skagit Valley Herald staff

Celebrate the holidays and the beauty of state parks all at once at the Bowman Bay Holiday this weekend.

This third annual fundraising event will be held from 4 to 8 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 16, at Bowman Bay. 19-22. Suggested donation $5 adults, $3 kids.

The course is at 6810 84th St. NE Marysville.

360-363-8400.

WINE TASTING: Sample offerings from four wineries from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13, at The Hotel Bellwether, 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham. $30.

BOWMAN BAY HOLIDAY: Celebrate the holiday by the water at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at Bowman Bay at Deception Pass State Park. $5 suggested donation.

SOCRATES CAFE: Join a moderated philosophical discussion at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Anacortes

It costs $5 for each car. A Discover Pass ($10) is required for parking. Proceeds go to the enhancement of the park.

Cabins will be lit up, the fire will be lit up, and children’s faces will be lit up when they see Santa Claus hanging out at the festivities.

Dress for cold weather and bring a flashlight.

Public Library. 1220 10th St., Anacortes.

BREA KFA S T W I TH S A NTA: Enjoy breakfast and have a picture taken with Santa from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 15, at Eaglemont Golf Course, 4800 Eaglemont Drive, Mount Vernon. $10 children, $12 adults.

CO M M U N I T Y C H R I S T M A S PA R T Y: T h e C hu rc h of Je s u s C h r i s t of L at t e r D ay S a i nt s w i l l h o s t a c om mu n it y C h r i s t m a s p a r t y w it h mu s i c , a r t a n d s t or i e s of t h e n at i v it y a n d S a nt a C l au s at 5 : 3 0 p. m . S atu rd ay, D e c . 1 5 , at t h e c hu rc h , 3 7 2 0 H Av e . , A n a c or t e s .

CAROLING ON COMMERCIAL: Join the community in caroling in Anacortes at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21, on Commercial Avenue.

SURVIVAL SKILLS CAMP FOR KIDS: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27, Burlington Parks and Recreation Center, 900 E. Fairhaven. $42.

Thursday, December 13, 2018 - E7

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

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E8 - Thursday, December 13, 2018

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OUT AND ABOUT BABYSITTING BASICS: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28, Burlington Parks and Recreation Center, 900 E. Fairhaven. $42. 360755-9649.

NOON YEAR’S EVE: Ring in the NOON Year with crafts and games from 11 a.m. to noon on New Year’s Eve, Monday, Dec. 31, at the Burlington Public Library, 820 E. Washington Ave., Burlington.

LOOKING AHEAD GATHERING: Kulshan Chorus will present the winter concert “Gathering” at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 12, at the Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $7-$22.

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A DA M B I L L I N G S: The B ellingham Festival of Music will present composer Adam Billings at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, at First C ongregation Church, 2401 C ornwall Ave., B ellingham. $15, free for students.

Salmon and the holidays

By Skagit Valley Herald staff

ARTIST & SCIENTIST PANEL: A moderated panel featuring scientist and artist teams who contributed to the Surge exhibition at the Museum of Northwest Art will be featured at 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 5, at the museum, 121 First St., La Conner. Free.

GERMANS FROM PRUSSIA: Skagit Valley Genealogy Society will present a talk by genealogy expert Dave Obee at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, at the Burlington Public Librar y, 820 E Washington Ave., Burlington.

ARTIST & SCIENTIST PANEL: A moderated panel featuring scientist and artist teams who contributed to the Surge exhibition at the Museum of Northwest Art will begin at 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 5, at the museum, 121 First St., La Conner. Free.

VISIONS AND VOICES: The forgotten films from cinema’s female directors will be played in this silent film series presented by CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival at 2 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 6, at Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N Commercial St., Bellingham.

NORTHWEST STREAM CENTER

TREATY DAY FILM FEST: This film festival showcases the resilience of indigenous peoples in honor of the Point Elliot Treaty of 1865 and features short films and a panel

discussion. The festival will be held from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, and 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, at the Pickford Film Center, 1318 Bay St., Bellingham.

HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE: The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Human Rights Conference is a space for the community to come together and renew commit-

EVERETT — The Northwest Stream Center, 600 128th St. SE, is offering free admission Thursdays through Sundays until Dec. 23.

Explore the 20-acre forest and wetland preserve, stroll a half-mile to fish exhibits and take in the natural world.

For the holidays, the center is having a “Live & Wild” Holiday Trees for Salmon sale. Trees from 3 to 5 feet are available in pots including sitka spruce, western red cedar, grand fir and Douglas fir.

After the holidays, all trees returned to the center will be planted next to streams to help the salmon run.

Everyone who buys a tree during this time receives an Adopt A Stream Foundation membership. The annual membership allows free entry to the center and plenty of discounts on stream events.

ments to the ideals of King from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, at the Syre Student Center at Whatcom Community College, 237 W. Kellogg Road, Bellingham.

Thursday, December 13, 2018 - E9

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

OUT AND ABOUT Table Meeting from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 19, at Bellingham Technical College, 3028 Lindbergh Ave., Bellingham. $45-55. sustainableconnections.org/events.

VINTAGE RADIO EVENT: Listen to vintage radio music and shows from the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s on Saturday, Jan. 19, at the Caregie Gallery, 1305 Eighth St., Anacortes.

There are two sessions: 3 to 4:30 p.m. and 7 to 8:30 p.m. RSVP: 360293-1915.

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE CONFERENCE: Five award-winning children’s and young adult book authors and illustrators will speak from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m Saturday, Feb. 23, at Western Washington University’s Performing Arts Center, 516 High St., Bellingham. $175. wwuclc.com.

MARYSVILLE WEDDING SHOW: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, Marysville Opera House, 1225 Third St., Marysville.

FARM TO TABLE: All food businesses, artisans and growers are invited to the NW Washington Farm-to-

NORDIC ROOTS: The Skagit Valley Ge-

nealogical Society will host a seminar featuring experts on Scandinavian and Viking research from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23, at First United Methodist Church, 1607 E Division St., Mount Vernon. $50$60. skagitvalleygenealogy.org.

VISIONS AND VOICES: The forgotten films from cinema’s female directors will be played in this silent film series presented by CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 8, at Firehouse Cafe, 1314 Harris Ave., Bellingham.

‘Papercuts’ art shows at Honey Salon

By SKAGIT VALLEY HERALD STAFF

BELLINGHAM — Pacific Northwest local artist Aaron Brick is bringing his art to Honey Salon and Gallery.

The collection is called “Papercuts” and is primarily composed of cut paper pieces based off of portraits of women. The paper is detailed and the cuts controlled to depict vulnerability and power in the work and representation of the women.

Brick also has paintings that contrast to the paper work.

He uses many colors and represents males creatives from the underground culture.

See “Papercuts” throughout December at the salon, 310 W Holly St.

“Truly beautiful.”

425 Magazine

“Let me count the ways my family loved this musical.”

The Seattle Times

(425) 257-8600 AARON BRICK

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E10 - Thursday, December 13, 2018

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

ON STAGE in the Skagit Valley and surrounding area December 13 – 20 Thursday.13 MUSIC MOUNT VERNON HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUMENTAL & CHORAL MUSIC: 7 p.m., McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. 360-4167727 or mcintyrehall.org.

THEATER ”NOEL NOIR”: 7:30 p.m., ACT Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $20. 360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

SPANISH BRASS CHRISTMAS CONCERT: 7 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $22-$43. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com. ”THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER”: 7:30 p.m., Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor.

360-679-2237 or whidbeyplayhouse.com. ”ANNIE”: 7:30 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org. ”A CHRISTMAS CAROL ... MORE OR LESS”: 6 p.m., Warm Beach Camp, 20800 Marine Drive, Stanwood. $38-$59.

800-228-6724 or thelightsofchristmas.com.

Friday.14 DANCE “SAVING CHRISTMASTOWN”: 7 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $16. 360-7346080 or mountbakertheatre. com.

MUSIC SHELTER BAY CHORUS: “IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS”: 7 p.m., Shelter Bay Chorus clubhouse, 1000 Shoshone Drive, La Conner. $10 donation; students and kids free.

SUBMITTED PHOTO CRAIG PARRISH / SKAGIT VALLEY HERALD

Thursday-Saturday.13-15

“ANNIE” 7:30 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org.

BALLET ”THE NUTCRACKER”: Northwest Ballet Theater, 7:30 p.m., McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $15-$40. 360-416-7727 or mcintyrehall.org.

THEATER ”NOEL NOIR”: 7:30 p.m., ACT Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $20. 360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

”THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER”: 7:30 p.m., Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor.

360-679-2237 or whidbeyplayhouse.com. ”ANNIE”: 7:30 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org. ”A CHRISTMAS CAROL ... MORE OR LESS”: 6 p.m., Warm Beach Camp, 20800 Marine Drive, Stanwood. $38-$59.

800-228-6724 or thelightsofchristmas.com.

Saturday.15 DANCE “SAVING CHRISTMASTOWN”: 2 and 7 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $16.

360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

MUSIC SHELTER BAY CHORUS: “IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS”: 3 p.m., Shelter Bay Chorus clubhouse, 1000 Shoshone Drive, La Conner. $10 donation; students and kids free.

BALLET ”THE NUTCRACKER”: Northwest Ballet Theater, 2 p.m., McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $15-$40. 360-416-7727 or mcintyrehall.org.

THEATER ”NOEL NOIR”: 7:30 p.m., ACT Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $20. 360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

”THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER”: 7:30 p.m., Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor.

360-679-2237 or whidbeyplayhouse.com.

”ANNIE”: 7:30 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. 360-336-8955 or lincolntheatre.org. ”A CHRISTMAS CAROL ... MORE OR LESS”: 6 p.m., Warm Beach Camp, 20800 Marine Drive, Stanwood. $38-59.

800-228-6724 or thelightsofchristmas.com.

Sunday.16 BALLET ”THE NUTCRACKER”: Northwest Ballet Theater, 2 p.m., McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $15-$40. 360-416-7727 or mcintyrehall.org.

THEATER ”NOEL NOIR”: 2 p.m., ACT Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $20. 360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

”THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER”: 2:30 p.m., Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor.

360-679-2237 or whidbeyplayhouse.com.

Thursday.20

THE JOURNEY’S CHRISTMAS CONCERT 7:30 p.m., McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $20-$24. 360-416-7727 or mcintyrehall.org. Pictured: Bronn and Katherine Journey

”A CHRISTMAS CAROL ... MORE OR LESS”: 4 p.m., Warm Beach Camp, 20800 Marine Drive, Stanwood. $38-$59.

800-228-6724 or thelightsofchristmas.com.

Thursday.20 MUSIC THE JOURNEY’S CHRISTMAS CONCERT: 7:30 p.m., McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $20-$24.

360-416-7727 or mcintyrehall. org.

THEATER ”NOEL NOIR”: 7:30 p.m., ACT Theatre, 918 M Ave., Anacortes. $20. 360-293-6829 or acttheatre.com.

”A CHRISTMAS CAROL ... MORE OR LESS”: 6 p.m., Warm Beach Camp, 20800 Marine Drive, Stanwood. $38-$59.

800-228-6724 or thelightsofchristmas.com.

Thursday, December 13, 2018 - E11

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

TUNING UP Playing at area venues December 13 – 20 Thursday.13

BRENT JENSEN AND FRIENDS: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. 360445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

ALLEN STONE, STEVE SWATKINS AND THE POSITIVE AGENDA: 8 p.m., Wild Buffalo, 208 W. Holly St., Bellingham.

360-746-8733 or wildbuffalo.net.

COUSIN MARVIN WITH DROWN THE MOUNTAIN: 9 p.m., Firefly Lounge, 1015 N. State St., Bellingham. thefireflylounge. com or facebook.com/ thefireflybham.

MIDLIFE CRISIS & THE ALIMONY HORNS: 9 p.m., Winner’s Lounge, Skagit Casino and Resort, 5984 Darrk Lane, Bow. 877-275-2448 or theskagit.com.

Friday.14

Saturday.15

WAYNE HAYTON AND FRIENDS: Benefit for Mount Vernon Neighbors in Need Food Bank, 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/Main, Conway.

360-445-3000.

BENNY SIDELINGER: 7:30 p.m., Anelia’s Kitchen & Stage, 513 First St., La Conner.

360-399-1805 or aneliaskitchenandstage. com.

J.P. FALCON: 9 p.m., Longhorn Saloon, 5754 Cains Court, Bow. Free. 360-766-6330.

BOB FOSSIL: 9:30 p.m., Brown Lantern Ale House, 412 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-2932544 or brownlantern. com.

LEVI BURKLE: 7:30 p.m., Anelia’s Kitchen & Stage, 513 First St., La Conner.

360-399-1805 or aneliaskitchenandstage. com.

LEE HOWARD: 6:30 p.m., Mount Vernon Elks Lodge, 2120 Market St., Mount Vernon. Members and signed-in guests only.

360-848-8882.

NAUGHTY BLOKES: 9 p.m., Firefly Lounge, 1015 N. State St., Bellingham. thefireflylounge.com or www.facebook.com/ thefireflybham.

CABIN FEVER NW: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. 360445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

LITTLE MOUNTAIN BAND: 8:30 p.m., The Old Edison, 5829 Cains Court, Bow. 360-766-6266 or theoldedison.com.

CASCADIACS: 8:30 p.m., Big Lake Bar & Grill, 18247 Highway 9, Mount Vernon.

360-422-6411.

RED FANG, R.I.P., DRYLAND: 8 p.m., Wild Buffalo, 208 W. Holly St., Bellingham. 360-7468733 or wildbuffalo.net.

Saturday.15

CASCADIACS 8:30 p.m., Big Lake Bar & Grill, 18247 Highway 9, Mount Vernon. 360-422-6411.

MIDLIFE CRISIS & THE ALIMONY HORNS: 9 p.m., Winner’s Lounge, Skagit Casino and Resort, 5984 Darrk Lane, Bow. 877-275-2448 or theskagit.com.

Tuesday.18

Sunday.16

Wednesday.19

ALICIA DAUBER QUARTET: 4:30 p.m., Hotel Bellwether, 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham. 360-392-3100 or hotelbellwether. com.

THE ATLANTICS: 5:30 p.m., The Old Edison, 5829 Cains Court, Bow. 360-7666266 or theoldedison. com.

CRAFT AND CACKLE: 5 p.m., Firefly Lounge, 1015 N. State St., Bellingham. thefireflylounge.com or facebook.com/thefireflybham.

BLUES UNION: 6 p.m., Rockfish Grill & Anacortes Brewery, 320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-588-1720 or anacortesrockfish.com.

MICAIAH SAWYER: 9 p.m., Brown Lantern Ale House, 412 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-293-2544 or brownlantern.com.

Thursday.20

PAUL KLEIN: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. 360445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Friday.14

ALLEN STONE 8 p.m., Wild Buffalo, 208 W. Holly St., Bellingham. 360-7468733 or wildbuffalo.net. Bill also features Steve Swatkins and the Positive Agenda.

E12 - Thursday, December 13, 2018

Shellebration time in Blaine

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

By Skagit Valley Herald staff

BLAINE — It’s been two years since shellfish harvesting restrictions were lifted and Drayton Harbor is celebrating.

The Drayton Harbor Shellebration will take place from DRAYTON HARBOR OYSTER COMPANY 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, at includes plenty of refreshthe G Street Plaza, Blaine.

The event is free and ments, activities, community

awards and, of course, oysters.

The event is a collaboration between the Whatcom County Public Works, Whatcom Conservation District and the folks at the Drayton Harbor Oyster Company.

Come prepared for Washington weather, as the event will be held outside.

A N A LY S I S

Why the perfectly reasonable Grammy nominations feel like something of a letdown

By MIKAEL WOOD Los Angeles Times

One of the most nominated songs at the 61st Grammy Awards first reached many listeners as part of the 60th Grammy Awards.

A three-way pileup involving a young country singer, an established EDM star and an up-andcoming dance-pop production team, “The Middle” premiered during January’s annual telecast in a splashy music video sponsored (and shamelessly branded)

by Target.

Now the catchy track billed to the unlikely trio of Maren Morris, Zedd and Grey will vie for record of the year and song of the year at the Recording Academy’s next ceremony.

And it’s far from the only nominated work with a strong attachment to a familiar visual property.

In the record and song categories, “The Middle” is up against Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s sleek “All the Stars,” from the “Black Panther” soundtrack, as well as “Shallow,” Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s power-ballad duet from “A Star Is Born.” The competition also includes Childish Gambino’s “This Is America,” which became an overnight sensation when it arrived in a dramatic video about race and gun violence that’s been viewed nearly half a billion times on YouTube.

Then there’s album of the year, with its nods for the full “Black Panther” collection; “Invasion of Privacy” by the Instagram

personality turned rapper Cardi B; and Janelle Monáe’s futuristic soul-funk opus “Dirty Computer,” which came out in tandem with what the singer called an “emotion picture” of the same name.

Music in 2018 lacks a center.

Once-sturdy genre lines are dissolving at ever-increasing speed, while the boom in digital streaming has created a kind of continuous now in which new songs coexist alongside the old ones that helped inspire them.

So perhaps it’s no wonder that Grammy voters gravitated toward music with built-in pictures: In a world of instant access — and sometimes criticism that comes even faster — it’s natural to rely on the most-viewed.

If this year’s Grammy crop reflects anything, it’s sprawl. Two of the other nominees for album of the year — Drake’s “Scorpion” and Post Malone’s “Beerbongs & Bentleys” — are ultra-lengthy double-disc affairs that blend hip-hop with additional styles such as R&B and rock.

The pop duo/group performance category pits a synthed-up tune from the reunited Backstreet Boys against an old-fashioned Gershwin duet by Tony Bennett and Diana Krall.

And consider that Bebe Rexha, up for best new artist, is a pop singer who spent most of the year atop the country chart with “Meant to Be,” her genetically engineered collaboration with Florida Georgia Line.

When a focused statement risks alienating one community or another, it might be safest to

avoid a thesis altogether.

This was partly by design. For the 2019 edition, the Grammys — set to take place Feb. 10 at Staples Center in Los Angeles — upped the number of nominees in the major categories to eight from five, which inevitably was going to result in a deluge.

Why the expansion? Like its counterparts in movies and television, the Recording Academy is eager to present a diverse vision of its business; more to the point, the academy is eager to avoid criticism that it minimizes work by women and people of color.

So widening the categories can be seen as an easy way to recognize more voices — which indeed it has.

More than half the nominees for album of the year — the remaining titles are Brandi Carlile’s folky “By the Way, I Forgive You,” Kacey Musgraves’ psychedelic-country album “Golden Hour” and the self-titled debut by the R&B singer H.E.R. — were recorded by women.

What’s more, best new artist has six female acts: Rexha along with H.E.R., Jorja Smith, Margo Price, Dua Lipa and the sister duo Chloe x Halle. (The category’s male acts are the country singer Luke Combs and the retro-rock band Greta Van Fleet.)

That’s an improvement for sure, and not because women are entitled to some kind of affirmative action at the Grammy Awards; rather, these gender proportions are encouraging because it’s been women who’ve made much of the most interest-

ing music in the last few years.

To the extent that it’s important for awards shows to do anything, they should at the very least depict their fields in ways that are recognizable to those inside them.

Yet for all the progress here, it’s possible to view these nominations — timely, reasonable, ostensibly hard to argue with — as something of a letdown.

The more unwieldy pop music as a whole becomes, the more we need strong curatorial authorities to make sense of what’s happening on Spotify and Soundcloud and at Coachella and Stagecoach and in those few surviving record shops where folks still turn up to hold pieces of vinyl in their hands.

And this year you don’t sense the academy’s authority so much as its determination not to offend. It’s telling a story about music in 2018, yes, but making no argument.

To paraphrase that song from the Target spot, the Grammys want to meet us in the middle — only there is no middle anymore.

Scroll through the categories and you get a feeling of bases being covered. Viral rap hit? Here’s “God’s Plan” by Drake. Artisanal roots music? Brandi Carlile’s will do. Song featured in a proven Hollywood blockbuster? Everybody knows Lady Gaga.

Oh, and how about something from the hip-hop genius nominated three previous times for album of the year but never given that award even when he clearly deserved it?

Well, Lamar’s “Black Panther”

soundtrack counts as an album, right?

It’s not that these projects aren’t individually worthy of praise.

Many of them are among the year’s best recordings — including the thrilling “Black Panther” compilation, for which Lamar as executive producer exerted precisely the type of control over chaos this era requires.

But to properly honor them would be to single them out when the stakes are as high as they can be — higher, anyway, than those the academy set for itself when it nearly doubled the size of its tent.

To be sure, the newly inclusive Grammys haven’t corrected all their blind spots. Snubs of vivid albums by Troye Sivan and Charlie Puth — and nominations in only the pop categories for Ariana Grande, whose “Sweetener” deserved a shot at the big prizes — demonstrate yet again Grammy voters’ reflexive dismissal of proudly shiny Top 40 pop.

And how strange that the academy would choose this year finally to shut out those old frenemies Taylor Swift and Kanye West, both longtime Grammy faves, from the major categories.

It’s true that her “Reputation” and his “Ye” turned off some listeners with their harsh rhetoric and their very bumpy rollouts.

But each album also felt in some way like the purest possible distillation of each artist’s highly personal worldview.

In a year of let’s-hear-it-foreverybody, maybe that’s just why they were scorned.

Thursday, December 13, 2018 - E13

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

GET INVOLVED

ART

CALL TO FILMMAKERS: The Whidbey Island Film Festival seeks short films (five minutes or less) on the theme “Femme Fatales of Film Noir.” The deadline is Dec. 20, and the festival is Jan. 12-13.

Submit at whidbeyislandfilmfestival.org.

CALL TO ARTISTS: The city of Anacortes is looking for entries for the third annual eight-month outdoor sculpture exhibition. Sculptures must withstand outdoor conditions.

Information: anacorteswa. gov.

ART CLASSES

GRUMBACHER DRAWING AND WATERCOLOR CLASSES: 6:30 p.m. each Thursday and Tuesday, through Dec. 27, at Michael’s, 1567 S. Burlington Ave., Burlington. Each class is $15.

360-757-6404.

A GUILDED GALLERY: Art classes on a variety of topics are available at A Guilded Gallery, 8700 271st St. NW, Stanwood. aguildedgallery.com. n Watercolor Class: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays, Jan. 17-Feb. 14. $150. n Basic Drawing: 9 a.m. to noon Fridays, Jan 18Feb. 8. $150. n Head Drawing: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays, Jan 18Feb. 8. $175. n Mosaics in Vintage China and Stained Glass: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays Feb. 2 and 9. $95. n Pastel Basics: 9 a.m. to noon Wednesdays, Jan. 16-Feb. 6. $150.

TRI DEE ARTS WORKSHOPS: Art classes on a variety of topics are available at Tri Dee Arts, 215 S. First St., Mount Vernon. trideearts.com.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST QUILT AND FIBER ARTS MUSEUM: Varied exhibits and classes are available to the public at 703 S. Second St., La Conner. Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday through Sunday.

Admission: $7, $5 students and military, free for members and children ages 11 and under. 360-466-4288 or laconnerquilts.org. n Fiber Fridays: bring any type of fiber art project, quilting, knitting, embellishing, etc., to work on while visiting with other fiber artists from 9 a.m. to noon every Friday. Free and open to all.

GAIL HARKER CENTER: Gail Harker Center for Creative Arts offers a variety of art classes and workshops for artists of every level at 12636 Chilberg Road, Mount Vernon.

Online courses are also available. For information and a complete schedule: 360-466-0110 or gailcreativestudies.com.

PACIFIC NW SCHOOL: Choose from painting, photography, fiber and 3D art workshops taught by professional artists at the Pacific NorthWest Art School, 15 NW Birch St., Coupeville. For information and a complete schedule: 360-678-3396 or pacificnorthwestartschool. com.

DAKOTA: Dakota Art Center offers a variety of art classes and workshops at 17873 Highway 536, Mount Vernon. 360-4166556, ext. 5, or dakotaartcenter.com.

STANWOOD CAMANO ARTS GUILD: A Guilded Gallery, 8700 271st St. NW, Stanwood, offers a variety of art classes and workshops. For information or to register:

360-629-2787 or stanwoodcamanoarts.com.

AUDITIONS

”SHE LOVES ME”: Auditions for the Whidbey Playhouse production of the comedy “She Loves Me” will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 3-4, at the Star Studio, 730 SE Midway Boulevard, Oak Harbor.

To schedule a 10-minute audtion, contact Gaye at whidbey995@comcast.net. whidbeyplayhouse.org.

CALL FOR DIRECTORS AND PLAYS: Whidbey Island Playhouse is seeking seasoned directors for the 2019020 Playhouse Season. whidbeyislandplayhouse.com or email kevinwm.meyer@ gmail.com with questions.

BOOKS

SILENT BOOK CLUB: Share a book you have read and silently read another at 4 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at Pelican Bay Books, 520 Commercial Ave., Anacortes.

GREAT BOOKS READING GROUP MEETING: The Great Books Reading Group examines passages from important writings in history from 6 to 8 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month at the Burlington Public Library, 820 E. Washington Ave. 360-9411437 and shunji.asari@ gmail.com.

POETRY OPEN MIC: The Anacortes Poetry Group meets the second Saturday of the month for poetry open mics at 7 p.m. in the Anacortes Public Library meeting room, 1220 10th St., Anacortes. Poets, songwriters, acoustic musicians, storytellers, a capella singers welcome.

DANCE

BEGINNING LINE DANCING: 7 to 8 p.m.

Tuesdays, Burlington Community Center, 1011 Greenleaf Ave., Burlington. $6 drop-in, $25 for five classes. Adults and teens 13 and older. Register: burlingtonwa.gov/recreation or 360-755-9649.

FOLK DANCING: Skagit-Anacortes Folk Dancers meet Tuesdays at Bay View Civic Hall, 12615 C St., Bay View. Learn to folk dance to a variety of international music. 7 to 9:30 p.m. first session free, $5 thereafter. No partners needed. Gary or Ginny, 360-766-6866.

SCOTTISH DANCING: Bellingham Scottish Country Dancers meet from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Fairhaven Library auditorium (upstairs), 1117 12th St., Bellingham.

Wear comfortable clothes and soft-soled shoes without heels. $8 per class.

For information, call Mary Anderson at 360-933-1779 or visit bellinghamscd.org.

SCOTTISH HIGHLAND AND IRISH STEP DANCE: The Clan Heather Dancers offer yearround Scottish Highland and Irish step dance classes in Bellingham, Everett and Mount Vernon. clanheather.com.

THURSDAY DANCING: Dance to the The Skippers or Good Vibrations from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Thursdays at Hillcrest Lodge, 1717 S. 13th St., Mount Vernon. Everyone welcome. Information: 360-424-5696.

MUSIC

SCOTTISH MUSIC SESSIONS: Musicians from around the valley

meet at 3 p.m. the first Sunday of each month at Littlefield Celtic Center, 1124 Cleveland Ave., Mount Vernon. The jam session generally focuses on Scottish music.

MUSIC LESSONS: Three professional instructors at the Peterson Conservatory of Music & Arts, 314 S. Section St., Mount Vernon, are offering a variety of classes for music students from youth ages 6-10 ($10) to ages 11 to adult ($40-50). pcmusical.org.

UKULELE FUN & SONG CIRCLE: 1 to 2 p.m.

Wednesdays, Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland St. Free. Beginners welcome and loaner ukuleles available. Song sheets provided. 206-7904862 or yogaheartspace0@ gmail.com.

BARBERSHOP HARMONY: Join the An-O-Chords, a fourpart barbershop harmony group that meets at 7 p.m.

Thursdays at Bethany Covenant Church, 1318 18th St., Mount Vernon.

No experience necessary, no auditions required.

Learn by rote, you don’t have to read music. All ages welcome. anochords. org. 360-679-7473.

TIME FOR FIDDLERS: The Washington Old Time Fiddlers play at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Fridays of each month at the Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland. St. Free; donations accepted.

360-630-1156.

ANACORTES OPEN MIC: 9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Brown Lantern Ale House, 412 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. 360-293-2544.

OPEN MIC: Jam Night,

9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Thursdays, Conway Pub & Eatery, 18611 Main St., Conway. 360-445-4733.

RECREATION

GUIDED HIKES: The Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center will be hosting guided hikes along the Skagit River to view wildlife and bald eagles.

Dress for the weather and muddy conditions. Hikes leave from the center in Howard Miller Steelhead Park, Rockport.

GUIDED HIKES: The Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center will be hosting guided hikes along the Skagit River to view wildlife and bald eagles.

Dress for the weather and muddy conditions. Hikes leave from the center in Howard Miller Steelhead Park, Rockport.

FLOW YOGA: 5:30 to 6:45 Thursdays, through Dec. 27, Burlington Parks and Recreation Center, 900 E. Fairhaven Ave., Burlington. Ages 13 and up. $10 drop-in. burlingtonwa. gov/parksandrec.

WINTER-SPRING WALK PROGRAM: The Friends of Camano Island Parks are hosting a series of winter-spring walks for the public on Camano Island trails. All walks are on Saturdays and start at 9:50 a.m., done by noon.

No dogs. n Jan. 5: Cama Beach State Park, 3.9 miles. Meet at the junction of Ivy Road and Dry Lake Road. n Feb. 2: Camano Ridge Forest Preserve, 2.4 miles.

Meet at the new Cmano Ridge’s West entrance parking lot. n March 2: Cama to CISP, 3.3 miles one way with shuttle service available. Meet at Ivy Road and Dry Lake Road junction.

E14 - Thursday, December 13, 2018

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

TRAVEL

FA M I LY T R AV E L FI V E

Vacations that are epic trips

By LYNN O’ROURKE HAYES

FamilyTravel.com (TNS)

There are family vacations. And, then there are epic adventures that may qualify as the experience of a lifetime. Here are five to consider: 1. PLAN A FAMILY SAFARI Visit northern Tanzania’s Serengeti for a wildlife viewing and cultural extravaganza.

Home to more than 3,000 lions and 1,000 leopards as well as zebras, wildebeests, warthogs and waterbuck, it’s a magical sanctuary best known for the great migration. With the Four Seasons Serengeti as your base camp, choose to explore via half- and full-day jeep tours, walking safaris, or from the basket of a high-flying, hot air balloon. The excitement doesn’t end when you return to the Lodge, where a watering hole, just beyond the Infiniti pool, serves up hydrating sustenance to elephant families on a daily basis. Dine on the veranda, with sweeping views of the plains, where giraffe, eland and topi graze in the distance. Kids can visit the on-site discovery center to learn about Maasai history and culture, the significance of the Serengeti Cheetah Project and life in the bush.

Relax at the spa, take a family cooking class

and be amazed by a live performance of tribal dance and song offered by local Maasai. fourseasons.com/ serengeti; tanzaniatourism.go.tz/destination/ serengeti-national-park 2. REVEL IN A EUROPEAN RIVER CRUISE Unpack. Settle in and let the adventure begin.

Explore the Rhine, Danube or Seine river valleys with your family or multigenerational group from aboard a luxury AmaWaterways ship. With itineraries crafted to your family’s preferences, each day you’ll take part in active adventures or culturally immersive experiences in compelling destinations. Well-trained and knowledgeable Disney adventure guides, paired with local storytellers, combine talents to ensure each member of the family gets maximum enjoyment from the trip. That may mean engaging youngsters in evening activities so the adults may opt for a fine dining experience or a musical performance.

Wander through medieval castles, sample local cuisine, pedal along the river bank and enjoy private tours and insider access to popular attractions. Expect an all-inclusive, curated, backstage pass-style adventure through the heart of Europe. adventuresbydisney. com/europe/danube-river-cruise

3. EXPLORE ALASKA Our sparsely populated and endlessly captivating 49th state lures those who yearn for epic scenery, spouting whales and glaciers the size of small countries. Experience rugged Alaska via boutique yachts and expedition ships that set sail for adventure beginning each spring.

Aboard smaller vessels you’ll have meaningful cultural experiences, find your way to natural nooks and crannies, opt for hiking and kayaking and discover rarely visited wilderness areas, increasing the chance for up-close wildlife viewing. Those who venture to America’s last frontier will be rewarded with Mother Nature in all her glory. uncruise.com; windstar.com 4. DISCOVER MINNESOTA’S BOUNDARY WATERS Ease your canoes into the pristine water near Ely, Minn., and look forward to peaceful days of paddling amid a sparsely populated, 1 million-plus acre expanse of wilderness. Listen to the waves lapping against the shoreline and the haunting lullaby offered by local loons as you drift to sleep in one of 2,000 secluded campsites that dot the lake region. Wake to the sounds of birds chirping in the birch trees and enjoy breakfast over a

campfire. Then set out to explore more of the 1,500 miles of canoe routes that crisscross the waterways. boundarywatersoutfitters.com; exploreminnesota.com 5. RELISH ECUADOR’S GALAPAGOS ISLANDS Given the island’s location on the equator, air and water temperatures remain relatively stable, making the Galapagos Islands a desirable destination any time of the year. Within this pristine and diverse eco-system, your family will thrill to the site of cliff-diving blue-footed boobies and the waved albatross known for an elaborate courtship dance that can include 20 minutes of bowing, honking, whistling and bill clacking. You’ll want to know about Darwin’s 13 finches, creatures that were central to the scientist’s evolutionary theories. Learn more about the volcanic island’s winged population as well as the abundance of sharks, sea lions, mantas and iguanas via a live aboard vessel (popular with scuba divers), a cruise or a hotel-based tour. expeditions.com – Lynn O’Rourke Hayes (www.LOHayes. com) is an author, family travel expert and enthusiastic explorer.

Gather more travel intel on Twitter @lohayes, Facebook, or via FamilyTravel.com

Local travel briefs OUTDOOR ADVENTURES: Skagit Guided Adventures offers a variety of birding tours daily through March in the Skagit Valley and surrounding areas. Reservations required: 360-4747479 or skagitguidedadventures.com.

SKAGIT SENIOR TOURS: Skagit Guided Adventures offers a variety of local nature and hiking day tours for seniors. Reservations required: 360-474-7479 or skagitguidedadventures.com.

SKAGIT GUIDED ADVENTURES: Offers a variety of local nature and hiking day tours. 360-474-7479 or skagitguidedadventures.com.

WHATCOM SENIOR TOURS: Sign up by calling 360-7334030, ext. 1015, or visiting the tour office at 315 Halleck St., Bellingham.

SHORT TRIPS: Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation offers travel opportunities for ages 8 and older (adult supervision required for ages 17 and younger). Trips depart from and return to Hillcrest Park, 1717 S. 13th St., Mount Vernon. 360-336-6215.

RECREATION WITHOUT BORDERS: The organization offers recreational trips, tours and adventures throughout the Northwest and British Columbia. 360-766-7109 or recreationwithoutborders.com.

OAK HARBOR DAY TRIPS: The Oak Harbor Senior Center, 51 SE Jerome St., offers day trips for members. For details, call the travel desk at 360-279-4587.

STATE VISITOR CALL CENTER: The Washington Tourism Alliance’s ExperienceWA Call Center is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. 1-800-544-1800 or tourisminfo@watourismalliance.com. Staff members assist travelers who have questions, refer them to specific destination marketing organizations and other travel resources across the state for more detailed information, and take orders for the Washington State Visitors Guide.

PASSPORT APPLICATIONS: Anacortes Public Library, 1220 10th St., Anacortes, accepts new passport applications and applications for passports that have been expired for more than five years by appointment from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Passport forms and information on fees and how to apply are available at travel.state.gov, or pick up an application and passport guide at the library.

Burlington Municipal Court accepts passport applications from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 311 Cedar St., Suite A, Burlington. New and renewal forms are available. 360-755-0492.

Post offices in Mount Vernon, Sedro-Woolley and Oak Harbor accept passport applications by appointment. Contact individual offices for available days and times.

Oak Harbor Senior Center, 51 SE Jerome St., Oak Harbor, accepts passport applications Monday through Friday. Appointments are recommended. 360-279-4580.

Thursday, December 13, 2018 - E15

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

AT THE LINCOLN

DINING GUIDE !

ly ir end

Coming Up:

ly aF mi

F

WEDS. 1/2 6PM JOAN PENNEY

FRI. 1/4 7:30PM SEAN BENDICKSON

$5 OFF!

Purchaseorone burger Come to the Conway Boxcar and receive $5 off the 8630 271st NW, Stanwood WA 98292 Conway Pub & Eatery second burger.

***BLOODY MARY’S*** SUNDAY SPECIAL $6.00 9amto $4.50 11:30am to close $2.50 tillclose 11:30am

320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes

360-588-1720 anacortesrockfish.com

1587619 1839663

‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’

7:30 P.M. TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY, DEC. 18-19 The Peterson Conservatory presents “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” an opera in one act by Gian-Carlo Menotti, featuring the Starry Night Chamber Orchestra and directed by Sharyn Peterson.

A young boy lame at birth, and his widowed mother, living in abject poverty in the Middle East, are visited by the Magi on their journey to the newborn Christ Child. $22 adults; $10 students 16 and under.

— The Lincoln Theatre is located at 712 S. First St., downtown Mount Vernon. lincolntheatre.org or 360-3368955.

conway Pub & Eatery • open mon-sun 9am-2am 18611 main, conway wa 98238 • 360.445.4733

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LOCAL LIVE MUSIC

Celtic Yuletide 2018

3 P.M. SUNDAY, DEC. 16 Three generations of the Boulding family are joined by the Tara Academy Irish Dancers, fiddler Jocelyn Pettit, guitarist Colm MacCarthaigh, vocalist Prescott Breeden and percussionist Matt Jerrell. $17-$26, seniors, students and children receive $2 off, and Lincoln members receive an additional $2 off.

ExpiresJanuary 9,2019

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onLy at goskagit.com/deaLs

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9:55 A.M. SATURDAY, DEC. 15 Met music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Giuseppe Verdi’s timeless tragedy “La Traviata.” Diana Damrau is the doomed heroine Violetta, opposite Juan Diego Flórez as her lover, Alfredo, and Quinn Kelsey as Alfredo’s protective father, Giorgio Germont. $17-$23, Lincoln members receive $2 off.

WEDS. 12/26 6PM FIDALGO SWING

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SPECIALS HAPPY OYSTERS ONTHE 1/2 SHELL • Mondays $10 Burgers HOUR SATURDAY & SUNDAY

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7:30 P.M. THURSDAY-SATURDAY, DEC. 13-15 Theater Arts Guild presents “Annie,” based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray and the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. $15 Thursday; $20 and $25 Friday and Saturday.

WEDS. 12/19 6PM BLUES UNION

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Celtic Yuletide 2018 will be presented at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Lincoln

FOOD • OYSTERS • BURGERS STEAKS • SEAFOOD • SALADS

E16 - Thursday, December 13, 2018

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

HOT TICKETS TENACIOUS D: Dec. 14, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 800745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

KURT VILE AND THE VIOLATORS: Dec. 15, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

MYLES KENNEDY & CO: Dec. 16, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

ALLEN STONE: Dec. 16-17, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 360745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

JOHN LEGEND: Dec. 18, WaMu Theater, Seattle. 800745-3000 or livenation.com.

RAILROAD EARTH: Dec. 29, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

360-745-3000 or ticketmaster. com.

PONCHO SANCHEZ LATIN JAZZ BAND: Dec. 31, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

STRAIGHT NO CHASER: Dec. 31, McCaw Hall, Seattle.

360-745-3000 or ticketmaster. com.

DELVON LAMARR ORGAN TRIO: Dec. 31, The Triple Door, Seattle. 206-838-4333 or thetripledoor.net. ”THE SOUND OF MUSIC”: Jan. 4-6, 2019, 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle. 206-625-1900 or 5thavenue.org.

KAT EDMONSON: Jan. 8-9, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle.

206-441-9729 or jazzalley. com.

MARTIN TAYLOR, LAURENCE JUBER: Jan. 15-16, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle.

206-441-9729 or jazzalley. com.

38 SPECIAL: Jan. 25, Tulalip Resort Casino Orca Ballroom, Tulalip. 360-716-6000 or ticketmaster.com.

DIERKS BENTLEY: Feb. 1, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma. 800745-3000 or livenation.com. ”ROCK OF AGES”: Feb. 1-24, 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle. 206-625-1900 or 5thavenue.org.

KISS: Feb. 2, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma. 800-745-3000, livenation.com or kissonline.com.

JAMES HUNTER SIX: Feb. 5-6, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

REVEREND HORTON HEAT, BIG SANDY, VOODOO GLOW SKULLS: Feb. 6-8, Tractor Tavern, Seattle. 206-7893599 or tractortavern.com.

MANHATTAN TRANSFER: Feb. 7-10, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND: Feb. 9, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma. 800-7453000 or livenation.com.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: Feb.

SARA KAUSS PHOTO

DIERKS BENTLEY Feb. 1, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma. 800-745-3000 or livenation. com.

10-11, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma. 441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

800-745-3000 or livenation.

TERENCE BLANCHARD, com.

E-COLLECTIVE: Feb. 26-27, RONAN FARROW: Feb. 11, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle.

McCaw Hall, Seattle. 844-827206-441-9729 or jazzalley.

8188 or uniquelives.com. com.

DELFONICS FEATURING JOEY ALEXANDER: Feb. GREG HILL: Feb. 12-13, Dimi28-March 3, Dimitriou’s Jazz triou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or 441-9729 or jazzalley.com. jazzalley.com.

THE BAD PLUS: Feb. 19-20, JOE LOVANO TRIO TAPESDimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle.

TRY: March 12-13, Dimitriou’s 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.

Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441com.

9729 or jazzalley.com.

ARTURO SANDOVAL: NICK MASON: March 13, Feb. 21-24, Dimitriou’s Jazz Paramount Theater, Seattle.

Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or 800-745-3000 or livenation. jazzalley.com. com.

SINNE EEEG: Feb. 25, DimCATHERINE RUSSELL: itriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206March 14-17, Dimitriou’s Jazz

Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

SARAH BRIGHTMAN: March 16, Paramount Theater, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

AZIZ ANSARI: March 19, Paramount Theatre, Seattle.

360-745-3000 or ticketmaster. com.

STEVE WOZNIAK: March 25, McCaw Hall, Seattle. 844827-8188 or uniquelives.com.

TOWER OF POWER: April 11-14, 2019, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

HYPOCRISY, FLESHGOOD APOCALYPSE: April 13, El Corazon, Seattle. 206-2620482 or elcorazonseattle.com.

ELIZABETH GILBERT: April 14, McCaw Hall, Seattle. 844827-8188 or uniquelives.com.

KENNY G: April 18-21, 2019, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

BILL AND HILLARY CLINTON: May 3, WaMu Theater, Seattle. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK: May 6, McCaw Hall, Seattle. 844827-8188 or uniquelives.com.

THOMAS RHETT, DUSTIN LYNCH: May 18, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma. 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

BOB NEWHART: May 20, McCaw Hall, Seattle. 844-8278188 or uniquelives.com.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: June 1, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

TRAIN, GOO GOO DOLLS: June 7, White River Amphitheatre, Auburn. 800-745-3000 or livenation.com.

WILLIAM SHATNER: June 10, McCaw Hall, Seattle. 844827-8188 or uniquelives.com.

JEFF LYNNE’S ELO: June 28, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma.

800-745-3000 or livenation. com.

ERIC CHURCH: June 28-29, Gorge Amphitheatre, George.

800-745-3000 or livenation. com.

OZZY OSBOURNE: July 13, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma. 800745-3000 or livenation.com.

JON BELLION: July 16, WaMu Theater, Seattle. 800745-3000 or livenation.com.

BACKSTREET BOYS: July 29, Angel of The Winds Arena, Everett. 866.332.8499 or angelofthewindsarena.com.

IRON MAIDEN: Sept. 5, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma. 800745-3000 or livenation.com.

ELTON JOHN: Sept. 17-18, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma. 800745-3000 or livenation.com.

Drama series on Audrey Hepburn’s life is in the works

By GINA SALAMONE New York Daily News

The illustrious life of legendary actress Audrey Hepburn will be the focus of a new drama series that will begin shooting in 2020.

It’s from Italian production company Wildside, the team behind the Emmy-nominated show “The Young Pope,” which aired on HBO in 2016, accord-

ing to Variety.

Hepburn is best known for starring in films like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “My Fair Lady” and “Roman Holiday.” She also starred in the 1951 Broadway play “Gigi,” and has the distinction of having won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award.

The upcoming untitled show will be based on writing by Hepburn’s son

Luca Dotti and Italian journalist Luigi Spinola, who previously teamed up to co-author 2015’s “Audrey at Home,” a mix of anecdotes, excerpts from the star’s personal correspondence, drawings and even her favorite recipes that she jotted down.

Hepburn, born in Brussels, Belgium in 1929, died in 1993 at age 63 of cancer.

In addition to her acting

career, she was recognized for her sense of style and became known for her little black dresses, and pairing pants with ballet pumps. Hepburn was also celebrated for her humanitarian work, having been a Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF and being presented with a Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work with the organization.

GETTY IMAGES

British actress Audrey Hepburn on the set of “Sabrina,” which came out in 1954.

Thursday, December 13, 2018 - E17

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK

Portman, Law and Corbet on the complex portrait of modern celebrity in ‘Vox Lux’

By MARK OLSEN Los Angeles Times

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.

— “Vox Lux” is a movie full of big ideas. So big and so full, in fact, that the movie requires a secondary title, “A 21st Century Portrait.”

Meaning, it is both a portrait of a character from the era and, in many ways, a portrait of our no longer quite so young century.

Written and directed by Brady Corbet, the movie opens in 1999 with a mass school shooting. A teenage girl wounded in the attack, Celeste (Raffey Cassidy), sings a song at a vigil that puts her on the path to fame. Jumping to 2017, adult Celeste (Natalie Portman) is a turbulent global pop star shaken by news of a terrorist attack in Europe in which the assailants wore masks similar to those in one of her music videos. With her longtime manager (Jude Law), sister/minder Eleanor (Stacy Martin) and teenage daughter Albertine (also played by Cassidy) all in tow, Celeste attempts to relaunch her career with a big show in her hometown.

In taking on pop stardom, gun violence and world events, “Vox Lux” looks to bring together untethered strands of culture and politics. It’s a film aiming for the heart of right now.

“I think this film certainly has a lot of echoes in terms of the time we’re living in,” said Portman, sitting with Corbet in a hotel suite in Beverly Hills.

“It is a very unstable time with rapidly chang-

ing technology, rapidly changing media and culture, and it definitely affects us,” she said. “This has that aura of the moment we live in, in a way that I don’t feel like I’ve ever worked on before in a film.”

Celeste’s music in the film is co-written by pop songstress Sia, including the plaintive ballad “Wrapped Up,” which launches Celeste to her first acclaim, and the glam-pop disclosures of “Private Girl,” with its chorus of “I’m a private girl in a public world.” The movie’s score was composed by Scott Walker, a pop star in his own right in the ’60s and ’70s before he turned to more rigorous, avant-garde work.

Corbet, 30, has one of the more curious resumes in contemporary cinema.

As a teenager, he appeared as an actor in Catherine Hardwick’s “Thirteen,” Jonathan Frakes’ “Thunderbirds” and Gregg Araki’s “Mysterious Skin.”

Among his other acting credits are Michael Haneke’s English-language remake of his own “Funny Games,” Antonio Campos’ “Simon Killer,” which Corbet co-wrote, Olivier Assayas’ “Clouds of Sils Maria” and Ruben Östlund’s “Force Majeur.”

Corbet’s debut as a feature filmmaker was 2015’s “The Childhood of a Leader,” another fictionalized take on history that examined the rise of fascism between the two world wars. He says the essayistic bold takes of his movies are in some way their purpose.

“I actually am finding it more and more difficult

NEON VIA AP

Natalie Portman (left) and Raffey Cassidy are shown in a scene from “Vox Lux.”

to write drama because I don’t know how to make audiences invested in literally anything,” Corbet said, “And maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but it’s not too far off because I do find that nothing shocks us anymore.

“And I think that we actually have to reach for bigger ideas in order to move anyone, because we’re all just so accustomed to seeing the same thing over and over and over again. It’s rare that something really shoots for the moon. And since things are so tough right now, we should really attempt to try and make stories better and be bolder.”

“Vox Lux,” which features a droll voice-over narration from Willem Dafoe, often feels as if it should come with an attached syllabus or some form of map for the dense thicket of allusions and references created by Corbet and his collaborators.

Portman noted that the way she exaggeratedly works a lozenge in her mouth during a conten-

tious press interview was inspired by Madonna in her tour documentary “Madonna: Truth or Dare.” Corbet in a single answer managed to use both Robert Musil’s 1940s modernist novel “A Man Without Qualities” and Jonathan Demme’s 2016 concert film “Justin Timberlake + the Tennessee Kids” to illustrate a point.

Production began in February and the movie was shot in 22 days, with Portman shooting for 10 days. The film’s climactic concert sequence was shot in only a day and a half.

The full-scale stage set for Celeste’s homecoming show was created just for the film on a soundstage in Portman’s hometown of Syosset, N.Y. Law, playing a character known simply as “The Manager,” shepherds young Celeste on her way up the ladder of stardom only to become trapped by the machinery of the industrial-celebrity complex just as she does. Law’s performance might be twoparts sleazy and besotted, one-part sympathetic and

protective. (Or maybe the other way around.)

“He’s committed and he’s loyal and I think he’s decent early on,” Law said recently, on the phone while stuck in London traffic. “And then by the time you jump forward, when Celeste has become a brand, he’s as much a part of that as she is, as the sister is, and there’s a co-dependency. He’s the pimp, he’s the prostitute, he’s the dealer and the junkie all rolled into one.

And weirdly I also think he’s the only one left who’s got her back and understands her.

“So it’s convoluted, it’s complicated, and I don’t know that I understand it all myself,” he said of the dynamic.

While the screwball sass of Portman’s performance as the older, superstar Celeste gives the movie some necessary fizz, it is Cassidy’s turn as young, wounded Celeste that provides it with much of its initial heart and sense of emotional grounding.

For Cassidy, switching from young Celeste to playing Celeste’s daughter Albertine made an odd sort of sense.

“I think Albertine and Celeste have a connection, I think it’s important that they feel the same things when they’re younger,” Cassidy during a phone call while in Los Angeles.

“Celeste, her innocence is taken away from her, and that also happens with Albertine. She’s forced to grow up.”

For Martin, who along with Law had to go from performing opposite Cassidy as young Celeste to opposite Cassidy as

Albertine, it was Cassidy’s performance that made the transition easier.

“The physical manifestation of what Raffey did was so was so strong, it was almost like a different actress and I was really shocked,” said Martin on the phone from Budapest, where she was shooting a movie. “I sort of had my vision of Raffey and what she was playing and then had to reassess everything because she metamorphized herself completely.

It made sense and it was really strange because she suddenly became Albertine.”

“Vox Lux” first premiered in Venice and then went on to the Toronto International Film Festival, just like another 2018 release dealing with contemporary pop stardom and its repercussions: “A Star Is Born.” While the Lady Gaga-Bradley Cooper drama became a surprise box office mega-hit and “Vox Lux” is only now entering arthouse theaters, comparisons in film circles have been inevitable.

Both Portman and Corbet said they had seen (and liked) “A Star Is Born” and welcome the connection. The films even share small details, such as scenes of a rising ingenue learning how to sing and perform dance choreography or a bit of business about not knowing who has the key to a star’s luxurious hotel suite.

“They’re obviously such different films,” said Portman. “There are probably more differences than similarities dealing with the same subject matter.”

E18 - Thursday, December 13, 2018

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK

MINI REVIEWS

‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’: No tangled webs here

By MICHAEL PHILLIPS Chicago Tribune

We’ll begin with an unfair apples-and-oranges comparison because, let’s face it, a lot of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has a way of unrolling like an endless roll of Fruit by the Foot.

Unlike the hugely profitable, hugely dull live-action Marvel smash “Avengers: Infinity War,” the animated “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” gives ensemble superheroism a good name while giving audiences a really good time.

It’s zippier than “Incredibles 2” and nearly as witty as the first “Lego Movie,” with whom it shares a very funny screenwriter, Phil Lord.

Maybe we just needed this dangerously familiar mythology to find the right animated incarnation to make it feel fresh.

“Into the Spider-Verse” doesn’t go for hardedged photorealism in its computer animation style. Instead, it goes for bright, nimble illustration, not quite 2-D, not quite the clinical digital product we’re all too used to consuming. Watching it is like flipping through your favorite Spider-Man spinoff comics while you’re on your third Mountain Dew. Spider-Man, as many have noted, is among the most relatable of superheroes, with his

SONY PICTURES ANIMATION VIA AP

From left: Peni (voiced by Kimiko Glen), Spider-Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld), Spider-Ham (John Mulaney) Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), Peter Parker (Jake Johnson) and SpiderMan Noir (Nicolas Cage) are shown in a scene from “SpiderMan: Into the Spider-Verse.

baked-in teen angst, his concerns about how he looks in Spandex and his dreams, realized, of magical urban flight. “Into the Spider-Verse” derives most of its story from the character of Miles Morales, an Afro-Latino Brooklyn teenager whose father is a vigilante-hating cop. Exploring the subway tunnels with his uncle Aaron, Miles is bitten by a genetically altered problem spider. Soon he learns that he, like Peter Parker (killed off, temporarily, early in the picture), has been chosen to take on the Spidey mantle. He’s not alone. In “Into the Spider-Verse,” a delightfully varied rogue’s gallery of alternate-universe Spideys jostle for our attention, in the guise of different characters playing out different Spidey destinies in different time zones.

A rip in the space-time continuum (never as well-made as you’d expect) throws everyone together,

in New York, including Spider-Gwen; anime-style Peni Parker; a fedora-sporting, black-clad wiseacre, Spider-Noir; a Warner Bros.-looking cartoon pig, Spider-Ham; and the deadbeat edition of Peter Parker, whose marriage to Mary Jane has gone kaput and who is living an aimless, sweatpants-at-dinner existence.

Directed by Peter Ramsey, Robert Persichetti Jr. and Rodney Rothman, working from a script by Rothman and Lord, the movie hangs its Spidey masks on a few simple virtues. One: Miles, as voiced

by Shameik Moore, makes for a swell young protagonist. Two: To a large extent “Into the Spider-Verse” is an extended training montage, with Peter Parker (voiced by Jake Johnson) prepping Miles for battle with various adversaries and a collider that must be destroyed in order for Earth to survive.

Despite that doomsday

scenario, for once the cobwebs of leaden seriousness have been shaken off. This film is full of quips, generously distributed. (For reasons best left unexplained, one of the biggest laughs arrives in the middle of a chase sequence on the line: “He took a bagel!”) The action scenes, especially in the marvelous first half, excite and amuse without the usual pummeling overkill.

All the voice work shines, chiefly that of Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen), Mahershala Ali (Aaron) and Nicolas Cage’s splendidly droll turn as Spider-Noir.

The second half ’s a bit of a letdown, with pro forma and protracted world-saving combat that goes on. But by the end, we’re back where we need to be: captured, happily, by Miles’ story, and the “Spider-Verse” notion of the mask being for everyone up to the task. The movie year in superheroes began with “Black Panther” and now ends, or nearly, with this latest “Spider-Man,” which is second only to Sam Rami’s “Spider-Man 2” for quality.

So I guess we didn’t sit through “Infinity War” and the DC Comics “Justice League” for nothing.

– 2:00.PG (for frenetic sequences of animated action violence, thematic elements, and mild language). HHH½ (out of four stars)

Compiled from news services.

Ratings are 1 to 4 stars.

“Asher” — At an age when he’d be long overdue to take his pension, if they had pensions for guys like him, Ron Perlman’s former Mossad operative turned Brooklyn hit man performs his job with cold-blooded efficiency and discovers there’s still a spark of warmth in his heart in this sparkling black diamond of film noir. Crime drama, R, 117 minutes. HHH½ “Dumplin’” — Jennifer Aniston does nuanced work as a former pageant winner shocked to see her plus-size daughter (a winning performance by Danielle Macdonald) pursuing the same crown. The sugar-sweet comedy works thanks to the feel-good story, the likable cast and an absolute treasure of a Dolly Parton soundtrack. Comedy drama, PG-13, 110 minutes. HHH “Roma” — Writer-director Alfonso Cuaron gives us a deeply personal 1970s period piece inspired by his own childhood in Mexico, and yet there’s a universality to the characters and their stories. You know that feeling when you’re watching a particular scene in a movie and everything just clicks? “Roma” is an entire film of such scenes. Drama, R, 135 minutes. HHHH “The Favourite” — During the 18th-century reign of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman), her longtime friend (Rachel Weisz) and a new servant (Emma Stone) vie for the monarch’s affections. The three stars bring out the best in each other in a bawdy, darkly funny, sharp-edged, foul-mouthed comedy of very BAD manners. Comedy biography, R, 121 minutes.

HHH½ “Robin Hood” — A miscast Taron Egerton plays the key outlaw in a re-imagining of the legend. From the often anachronistic dialogue to the over-the-top pyrotechnics to the overwrought performances, it’s a serious contender for Worst Movie of the Year. Adventure, PG-13, 116 minutes. H “Creed II” — Just as Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is enjoying his champion status, who should come along but a challenger: the son of Ivan Drago, who killed Creed’s father in the ring. Though we’ve seen this movie before (and more than once), there’s a strong beating heart to this franchise.

Sports drama, PG-13, 128 minutes. HHH Ralph Breaks the Internet” — The hapless video game “villain” (John C. Reilly) from “Wreck-It Ralph” and his sharp-witted friend Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) venture out of the arcade into the World Wide Web in search of a replacement part. There were times when the sweet-natured animated adventure was brimming with so much stimuli, I had to remind myself to laugh. Animated adventure, PG, 112 minutes. HHH “Green Book” — Viggo Mortensen plays a thick-headed lunk from the Bronx and Mahershala Ali is the musician he’s driving through the South in 1962, and both are nothing but believable. This is a friendship story, and one of the best times I’ve had at the movies this year. Comedy drama, PG-13, 130 minutes. HHH½ “The Front Runner” — Jason Reitman directs a whipsmart and funny and poignant look back at the infidelity allegations that ended the 1988 presidential campaign of Sen. Gary Hart, a scandal that forever changed the political landscape. Hugh Jackman does a solid job of capturing Hart’s impressive grasp of the issues — but also his arrogance and his unbounding ego. Political biography, R, 113 minutes.

HHH½

Thursday, December 13, 2018 - E19

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

MOVIES

‘Bumblebee’ is a sweet, refreshingly small-scaled ‘Transformers’ prequel

By JUSTIN CHANG Los Angeles Times

For the past decade or so the “Transformers” pictures have existed so completely in their own crass, bombastic universe — one packed with giant fireballs, vacuous characters and orgies of mass demolition — that it has seemed sensible to speak less of quality than of bearability. And few directors have pushed the boundaries of what is bearable like Michael Bay, a visually incontinent action stylist who attacks his big-screen canvases like a Jackson Pollock of pulverized metal.

Mercifully, Bay’s wrecking-ball aesthetics are little in evidence in “Bumblebee,” which, compared with its bigger, noisier brethren, turns out to be a mercifully short, smooth ride. The movie, a prequel to the

“Transformers” saga rather than a continuation, was written

by Christina Hodson and directed by Travis Knight. The difference is immediate: You can actually see and follow what’s going on for a change when those giant Hasbro robots go at it, as they do in a smoothly executed opening sequence on the distant planet of Cybertron.

As pleasing as it is to hear the sonorous tones of Optimus Prime (voiced once again by Peter Cullen), the real hero of this story is, of course, Bumblebee, that scrappy Transformer with the striking yellowand-black paint job and a heart of sweetest honeycomb. But before he comes by his Earthling moniker, he is B-127, one of several rebel Autobots waging an intergalactic war on the dastardly Decepticons.

“Instant Family” — Without thinking it through, a married couple (Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne) decides to foster three troubled siblings. The well-intentioned but disappointing result is an uneven mix of broad comedy and sometimes heavy-handed melodrama. Comedy drama, PG-13, 118 minutes. HH “Widows” — Viola Davis deserves a best actress nomination for her performance as a criminal’s wife plotting a heist of her own. Even the relatively peripheral characters are unforgettable in this film — part political thriller, part family drama, part race and class commentary. This is one of the best movies of 2018. Crime thriller, R, 128 minutes.

HHHH “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” — While the performances are solid, the sequel to J.K. Rowling’s “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” sinks under the weight of too many intersecting storylines and not enough focus on the fascinating, fractured relationship of wizards Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) and Dumbledore (Jude Law). Fantasy adventure, PG-13, 134 minutes.

HH½

Severe losses conspire to send B-127 to planet Earth circa 1987, where he has the bad luck to crash-land near a U.S. military training base and lose his voice (supplied briefly by Dylan O’Brien) in a violent clash with a Decepticon tracker. But he survives and quickly learns to disguise himself as a battered yellow Volkswagen Beetle in an old Bay Area junkyard. There, he is found and driven home by Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), a teenage car enthusiast who has no idea that her new ride is a centuries-old shape-shifting robot.

She finds out soon enough. And although Bumblebee cannot explain to her what he is and where he came from, his soulful blue eyes and shy, sensitive demeanor — in charming contrast with his clunky, oversized physique — tell

her all that she needs to know. At this point “Bumblebee,” following the superior models of “E.T.” and “The Iron Giant,” becomes a sweetly amusing, semi-Spielbergian tale of intergalactic friendship. (Steven Spielberg is credited as an executive producer here, as he is on all the “Transformers” movies.)

Steinfeld, as appealing here as she was in “The Edge of Seventeen” and the “Pitch Perfect” movies, goes some way toward making Charlie more than just a regulation misfit heroine.

When we first meet her she is indifferent toward her mom (Pamela Adlon), her stepdad (Lenny Jacobson) and her little brother (Jason Drucker), and ruthlessly picked on by the hot guys and mean girls who seem to exclusively constitute her high school’s student body. (One exception

is her dorky neighbor Memo, played by Jorge Lendeborg Jr., who nurses a hopeless crush from afar.) The family garage has long been her personal refuge, the space where she used to spend hours working on an old convertible with her father before his untimely death.

Now the garage is B-127’s refuge as well, and “Bumblebee” gets lovely, low-key comic mileage out of his scenes with Charlie, if also more than its necessary share of era-specific pop-cultural references. Even the most ardent ’80s nostalgists may wonder at a certain point how many “Breakfast Club” shoutouts and Smiths T-shirts are enough. Still, the Rickrolling soundtrack does serve a key narrative purpose, as Bumblebee’s radio, picking up and shuffling song lyrics across the FM spectrum,

in effect becomes his replacement voice.

“Bumblebee,” for its part, has just enough wit, playfulness and charm to develop a voice of its own. The relatively intimate scale of this picture offers a welcome reassertion of the less-is-more principle.

It’s startling to see the delicacy of the rapport between the two leads — a delicacy thrown into relief by a tense, humorous sequence in which Bumblebee accidentally lays waste to an entire house — and realize just how little the five earlier “Transformers” movies invested in the human element, how rarely they captured the simple wonderment of cross-species bonding.

– 1:54. PG-13, for sequences of sci-fi action violence

At area theaters ANACORTES CINEMAS Dec. 14-20 Ralph Breaks the Internet (PG): FridaySaturday: 1:00, 3:35, 6:30, 9:05; SundayTuesday: 1:00, 3:35, 6:30; Wednesday: 1:00, 3:30, 6:30; Thursday: 1:00, 3:30 Widows (R): Friday-Saturday: 12:50, 3:45, 6:40, 9:30; Sunday-Tuesday: 12:50, 3:45, 6:40; Wednesday: 12:50, 3:50, 6:50; Thursday: 12:50, 3:50 Can You Ever Forgive Me? (R): Friday: 1:15, 3:55, 6:50, 9:20; Saturday: 1:40, 3:55, 6:50, 9:20; Sunday-Tuesday: 1:15, 3:55, 6:50 Mary Poppins Returns (PG): Wednesday-Thursday: 12:40, 3:40, 6:40 The Metropolitan Opera: La Traviata (NR): Saturday: 9:55 a.m.

Aquaman (PG-13): Thursday: 6:30 Bumblebee (PG-13): Thursday: 6:30 360-293-7000

CONCRETE THEATRE Dec. 14-16 Instant Family (PG-13): Friday: 7:30 p.m.; Saturday: 5 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday: 5 p.m.

360-941-0403

OAK HARBOR CINEMAS Dec. 14-20 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (PG): Friday-Saturday: 1:20, 4:05, 6:45, 9:25; Sunday-Thursday: 1:20, 4:05, 6:45 Ralph Breaks the Internet (PG): Friday: BLUE FOX DRIVE-IN 1:10, 3:50, 6:30, 9:05; Saturday: 3:50, 6:30, Oak Harbor 9:05; Sunday-Tuesday: 1:10, 3:50, 6:30 360-675-5667 Robin Hood (PG-13): Friday-Saturday: 1:00, 3:35, 7:00, 9:40; Sunday-Wednesday: CASCADE MALL THEATERS 1:00, 3:35, 7:00; Thursday: 1:00, 3:35 Burlington The Metropolitan Opera: La Traviata For showings: amctheatres.com/show(NR): Saturday: 9:55 a.m. times/all/2017-06-23/amc-loews-cascade- Aquaman (PG-13): Thursday: 6:40 mall-14/all Mary Poppins Returns (PG): Wednesday-Thursday: 12:30, 3:30, 6:30 STANWOOD CINEMAS 360-279-2226 360-629-0514 *Times subject to change

E20 - Thursday, December 13, 2018

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

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