360 December 21, 2017

Thursday, December 21, 2017 - E1

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

Christmas events in the area Page 3

Skagit Valley Herald Thursday December 21, 2017

TUNING UP PAGE 9 Chuck Dingee plays the Longhorn Saloon on Friday MOVIES PAGES 14-15 “Downsizing” comes up short in just about every aspect

E2 - Thursday, December 21, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

NEW ON DVD THIS WEEK Nolan had creative “Victoria and Upcoming flexibility because he Abdul”: The film looks was working in fictional at the later years of DVD releases worlds from the pages Queen Victoria’s rule at Following is a partial of comic books to the the end of the 19th and schedule of DVD releases inner workings of the beginning of the 20th (dates subject to change): mind. He’s treading on centuries. Her constant sacred memories bringconcerns about world DEC. 26 ing events of Dunkirk politics and family issues n The Mountain Beto the screen. have left the queen in a tween Us “The LEGO Ninjadespondent state. This n Flatliners go Movie”: The best changes when a young n The Recall thing — actually the Indian clerk, Abdul n Brawl In Cell Block 99 only good thing — that Karim (Ali Fazal), travels n Jeepers Creepers 3 can be said about “The to England to be part LEGO Ninjago Movie” of the Golden Jubilee.

JAN. 2 is the filmmakers are What is supposed to be a n American Made doing their part to save short ceremony becomes n Battle of the Sexes the planet. The script a deep friendship as n A Question of Faith is cobbled together bits Queen Victoria convincn Breathe and pieces of old “Powes Abdul to become her n The King’s Choice er Rangers” tales while spiritual advisor known — Tribune News Service the action looks like as the Munshi. it was designed from There are only a handrecycled moments from ful of actors who drathe previous “LEGO” movies, not matically increase the quality of a film to support the lackluster plot, but to simply with their presence. Without the distract from all of the problems. Even casting of Dame Judi Dench as Queen the voice work sounds like it is being Victoria, the period film from director reused from past offerings.

Stephen Frears would have been a passEach busted or cracked brick of this able story of how a woman, strangled by movie comes together to form a major the confines of the monarchy, manages mistake. to reach out beyond the palace walls.

The problem with a successful film Dench is such acting royalty that she like “The LEGO Movie” is the inevielevates the tale to a more regal level. table sequels follow. In this franchise, Dench’s acting gravitas is strong the first sequel managed to find a enough to make even the lightest of saving grace in some well-written stories automatically feel like they lines and a healthy dose of nostalgia. have more girth. And that’s what hapThis third offering has nothing to save pens with “Victoria & Abdul.” it because of how the story, design “Dunkirk”: Although “Dunkirk” and voice work lack even an ounce of looks at one of the most amazing miloriginality. itary/civil operations of World War II “mother!”: Jennifer Lawrence and (or maybe any military conflict in history), it’s not a war movie. It’s Christo- Javier Bardem star in the visually arresting psychological thriller. pher Nolan’s view of a war movie.

“Stronger”: Jake Gyllenhaal stars Just as he looked at the broader battle in this film based on the true story of of good versus evil through his “Dark Jeff Bauman, a survivor of the Boston Knight” trilogy, tying the sci-fi genre Marathon bombing. into creative knots with “Interstellar” “Blood Money”: Friendship is and redefined the mystery movie threatened by greed. John Cusack with his mind-twisting “Memento,” stars.

“Dunkirk” has the trappings of a stan“Stan Lee’s Lucky Man: Season dard war movie, but it’s structured more One”: A man (James Nesbitt) learns a to focus on community heroism rather supernatural luck bracelet can be good than the single savior. And it’s designed and bad. more to build suspense than take a “Shattered”: This thriller about powlinear look at the particular moment in er, greed and betrayal in a prominent time. It’s an unorthodox style, but being different has become the trademark of a political family is based on a true story.

Arianne Zucker and Ray Wise star.

Nolan production.

— Rick Bentley, Tribune News Service The gamble is with his past works,

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

ON STAGE / Page 8

Bronn and Katherine Journey entertain at McIntyre Hall tonight

INSIDE

SUBMISSIONS

Email features@skagitpublishing.com Deadline: 5 p.m. Friday for the following Thursday edition Phone 360-416-2135 Hand-deliver 1215 Anderson Road Mount Vernon, WA 98274

Out & About............................................... 4 Travel........................................................... 5 Get Involved........................................... 6-7 On Stage...................................................... 8 Tuning Up................................................... 9 Hot Tickets............................................... 10 Music......................................................... 11 At the Lincoln.......................................... 13 Movies................................................. 14-15

Mailing address P.O. Box 578 Mount Vernon, WA 98273 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 21, 2017 - E3

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

INDEPENDENT WREATH-MAKING 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Dec. 24, Christianson’s Nursery, 15806 Best Road, Mount Vernon.

Wreath forms and greens are available for purchase, or you may bring your own.

Reservations required: 360-466-3821.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT Bronn and Katherine Journey will present their final Christmas concert at 7:30 p.m. today, Dec. 21, at McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. The concert will feature traditional Christmas songs performed on the harp by Bronn, with Katherine joining in song. $20-$24. 360416-7727 or mcintyrehall.org.

WINTERFEST Enjoy free and affordable activities and entertainment through Dec. 31 at the Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St., Seattle. Enjoy free performances of music and comedy, jazz and dance, cultural celebrations, ice sculpting, student showcases, train village and more.

The Winterfest Ice Rink will be open through Jan. 1. Admission/skate rental fee applies. 206-684-7200 or seattlecenter.com/ winterfest.

“SKAGIT CHRISTMAS” Check out special exhibits showing how early Skagitonians celebrated the Yuletide season through

CHRISTMAS

events in the area Christmas is Monday, Dec. 25.

The holiday season in full swing, and numerous events are scheduled over the next several days.

Dec. 31 at the Skagit County Historical Museum, 501 S. Fourth St., La Conner. Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. $5, $4 seniors and ages 6 to 12, $10 families, free for members and ages 5 and younger. 360-466-3365 or skagitcounty.net/museum.

100 local artisans and craftspeople offering handmade products including jewelry, paintings, wearable art, specialty foods, art from found materials and more. Enjoy live music, artist demos and workshops and art projects for kids. 360676-8548 or alliedarts. org.

HOLIDAY ART FESTIVAL The annual Allied Arts Holiday Festival of the Arts will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., through Dec. 24 at 4145 Meridian St., Bellingham. The festival will close at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Sunday, Dec. 24.

The festival features the work of more than

CHRISTMAS DINNER Anacortes Lutheran Church will serve a free Christmas dinner from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 25, at 2100 O Ave., Anacortes. For those who are homebound, home deliveries can be scheduled by calling 360-2939586 by noon Friday, Dec. 22. Contact Anne Barry at 360-299-8443.

CHRISTMAS DINNER The Mount Vernon Moose Lodge will host the 44th annual Vic Cain/Donna Moore Memorial Christmas Dinner from 1 to 3 p.m. on Christmas Day, Monday, Dec. 25, at the lodge, 602 W. Division St., Mount Vernon. Free and open to anyone (donations welcome).

360-336-3662.

THE LIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS More than a million Christmas lights are on display at the annual Lights of Christmas, from 5 to 10 p.m. daily, Dec. 21-23 and 26-30, at Warm Beach Camp, 20800 Marine Drive, Stanwood.

The largest holiday light display in the

Northwest covers 15 acres and features family-oriented entertainment, live music, theater, crafts, food, pony rides, a petting farm, Polar Express Train rides and overnight getaway options.

General admission: $12-$16, free for ages birth to 3 years. Paywhat-you-can nights are offered Dec. 2728. Theater events are extra. 800-228-6724 or thelightsofchristmas.com.

MESSIAHSING Experience the joy of Christmas while singing along with Handel’s Messiah at the 10th annual community MessiahSing at at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church,

1318 Highway 532, Camano Island. Free.

HOLIDAY TREES Hotel Bellwether is hosting its sixth annual Holiday Trees Benefiting Skookum Kids this year at Hotel Bellwether, 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham.

The community is invited to vote for their favorite tree decorated by a local business.

Holiday trees are on display throughout December, and voting will end Sunday, Dec. 31. A donation of new or gently used clothing for children ages 13 and under or a monetary donation must be made in order to receive a voting ballot. Donations go to Skookum Kids. 360392-3100.

E4 - Thursday, December 21, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

OUT & ABOUT ART

ANNE MARTIN MCCOOL: Anne Martin McCool’s paintings are being featured at the Hadrian Stone Studio and Gallery, 5717 Gilkey Ave., Edison, until Jan. 14. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The show also includes Huston Foist and other artists. htroc3.com.

THREE ARTISTS: Julie Paschkis (paintings, illustrations), Warren Dykeman (pencil, acrylic, digital printing, computer projections) and Joe Max Emminger (clay sculptures) are the featured artists in December at i.e., 5800 Cains Court, Edison. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to Sunday.

LUMINOUS POP-UP SHOW: ACME Creative Gallery is hosting the Luminous Holiday Pop-Up Shop through January at the gallery, 705 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. The show features artisans and artists Nikki McClure, M. Bueno Pottery, Isadoro, Barnacle Bags, Phil Elverum, Afterword, 112 James Street, Satterwhite Quilts, Things People Said, Slow Loris and more.

THE GOOD STUFF: The Good Stuff Arts Gallery, 604 Commercial Ave., Anacortes, is featuring watercolorist Peggy Woods in December, as well as 26 regional arts in the show “NW Moody Expressions.” The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Carla Seaton will be the featured artist in

January. She will give a free demonstration of her mixed media pieces during the First Friday Artwalk on Jan. 5.

JENNIFER BOWMAN: Paintings

by Anacortes artist Jennifer Bowman are on display at a show at Scott Milo Gallery in Anacortes through January. Also showing: still-life photos by Randy Dana, photos on canvas by Lewis Jones, pastel landscapes

by Christine Troyer, encaustic paintings

by Marilee Holm and photo encaustic panels

by Kathy Hastings.

The gallery, located at 420 Commercial Ave., is open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday or by appointment. scottmilo. com.

OBJECTIFICATION 10: Smith & Vallee Gallery, 5742 Gilkey Ave., Edison, is hosting its annual Invitational Arts Installation: Objectification 10 during December, focusing on functional and 3-dimensional artwork.

The exhibit is curated as a revolving show, designed for holiday gift-giving that supports the arts, showcasing more 50 Pacific Northwest artists. The gallery is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

SMALL WORKS: The Matzke Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Park, 2345 Blanche Way, Camano Island, is hosting “Honey, I Shrunk the Art,” its 27th annual small works show, until Jan. 14. The gallery is open 11 to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Bowman featured at Scott Milo

MUSIC

MESSIAHSING: Experience the joy of Christmas while singing along with Handel’s “Messiah” at the 10th annual community MessiahSing at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, 1318 Highway 532, Camano Island.

Free.

NEW YEAR’S CELTIC BLESSING: The concert will begin at 5 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 1, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 555 S.E. Regatta Drive, Oak Harbor.

Donations will be accepted to help support Whidbey Homeless Coalition.

Paintings by Anacortes artist Jennifer Bowman are on display at a show at Scott Milo Gallery in Anacortes through January. Also showing: still-life photos by Randy Dana, photos on canvas by Lewis Jones, pastel landscapes by Christine Troyer, encaustic paintings by Marilee Holm and photo encaustic panels by Kathy Hastings. The gallery, located at 420 Commercial Ave., is open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Monday through Saturday or by appointment. scottmilo. com. Pictured: “Sprint for the Finish,” Jennifer Bowman.

and weekdays by appointment (360-3872759). matzkefineart. com.

LECTURES AND TALKS

THAILAND AND NEPAL: The Anacortes Sister Cities Association will present “Whitney Hogge — An 8-Week Journey to Thailand and Nepal” at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 4, at the Anacortes Public Library, 1220 10th St., Anacortes. b.smart@ juno.com.

COMPUTER CRASH: Learn how to back up data and how to restore it in case of a computer

crash at a talk hosted by the Skagit Valley Geneology Society at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, at the Burlington Senior Center, 1011 Greenleaf Ave., Burlington. skagitvalleygenealogy. org or genealogy0715@ gmail.com.

“CREATING A PURPOSEFUL LIFE”: Anatha Attar, M.A.C., a certified state counselor and coach for Creative Life, will talk about the four aspects of making positive change in your life at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, at the Mount Vernon City Library, 315 Snoqualmie St., Mount Vernon.

BAROQUE CONCERT: Join baroque violinist Aaron Westman, baroque bassoonist Anna Marsh and organist Henry Lebedinsky for a fun, illuminating exploration of repertoire at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5, at the Croatian Cultural Center, 801 Fifth St., Anacortes. $25, children free. anacortesartsfoundation. org.

LIVE AT THE CENTER: The Bill Anchell Trio will perform at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, at the Camano Center, 606 Arrowhead Road, Camano Island. $20 adults, free for students. 360-387-0222.

MORE FUN

“IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE”: The holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” will play at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22, at the Lincoln Theater, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon. Free.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and seats are on a first-

come basis.

MODEL RAILROAD OPEN HOUSE: The Whatcom-Skagit Model Railroad club will host an open house from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23, at Alger Community Church, 1469 Silver Run Lane. Admission is by donation, which are used to maintain and expand the layouts. Directions and details: whatcomskagitmrc.org.

CHRISTMAS DINNER: Anacortes Lutheran Church will serve a free Christmas Dinner from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 25, at 2100 O Ave., Anacortes. For those who are homebound, home deliveries can be scheduled by calling 360-293-9586 by noon Friday, Dec. 22. Contact Anne Barry with questions: 360-299-8443.

CHRISTMAS DINNER: The Mount Vernon Moose Lodge will host the 44th annual Vic Cain/Donna Moore Memorial Christmas Dinner from 1 to 3 p.m. Christmas Day, Monday, Dec. 25, at the lodge, 602 W. Division St., Mount Vernon. Free and open to anyone (donations are welcome). 360-336-3662.

PARENT NIGHT OUT: Ground Zero Gymnastics Booster Club will host Parent Night Out from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday Dec. 23, at Ground Zero Gymnastics, 2201 Continental Place, Mount Vernon. The event is for ages 6 and up to enjoy open gym time, pizza, making crafts, and watching the movie “Elf.” facebook.com/

Thursday, December 21, 2017 - E5

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

TRAVEL

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

Warming up to winter fun FamilyTravel.com

2. Juneau, Alaska: Visit this world-class winter destination and trade long lines and crowded restaurants for endless views and pristine solitude.

Pop on your skis and put things in perspective when you glide across Mendenhall Glacier Lake.

With a massive glacier as your backdrop, your whole family will enjoy speeding across the flat terrain while taking in some of the most majestic scenery imaginable.

Check out the groomed Nordic trails at Eaglecrest, a community-owned ski resort on Douglas Island just minutes from Juneau.

The most adventuresome families will find challenging terrain and untouched routes along with insider knowledge through experienced heli-skiing operators in the area.

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. For information or to register, call 360-336-6215.

RECREATION WITHOUT BORDERS: The organization offers recreational trips, tours and adventures throughout the Northwest and British Columbia. 360-7667109 or recreationwithoutborders.com.

By LYNN O’ROURKE HAYES

Warm up to the wonders of winter adventure. Here are five ideas to consider: 1. McCall, Idaho: Bring your favorite furry friends for a day of outdoor fun in this forested mountain town located two hours north of Boise. Dogs are welcome on Nordic trails in several locations throughout McCall, where views of Payette Lake are paired with fresh air and contagious enthusiasm for adventure. At Jug Mountain Ranch, discover the Lyle Nelson Nordic & Snowshoe Trail system, designed by the local Olympian. Skate ski tracks for all abilities send explorers through open meadows and pine-scented forests. Fido will enjoy romping through the snow as you and the family navigate trails at the Tamarack Resort, where lessons and guided tours are also available. tamarackidaho.com; jugmountainranch.com; visitidaho.org.

Local travel briefs

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

WHATCOM SENIOR TOURS: Whatcom Senior Tours hosts a series of trips for seniors. Sign up by calling 360-733-4030, ext. 1015 or visiting the tour office at 315 Halleck St., Bellingham.

BRIAN J. CANTWELL / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Morning Glory Pool, Yellowstone National Park.

traveljuneau.com; alaska.org 3. Yellowstone National Park: Discover the magic of our first national park cloaked in her winter finery. New snowfall serves as the perfect backdrop for a Nordic adventure to a steaming backcountry geyser, a snowshoe around Old Faithful or wildlife viewing in the Lamar Valley. Venture to and from your overnight at the Snow Lodge via snow coach, stopping en route to observe animals on the move, icy waterfall formations and the evening alpenglow on the mountains.

Guided adventure and snowmobile tours are available. yellowstonenationalparklodges. com; visitmt.com 4. Winter Park, Colo.: Explore more than 60 miles of groomed trails on skate skis when you visit this family favorite in the Colorado Rockies. In addition to making the most of free skiing lessons offered

by the Nordic Center at the YMCA of the Rockies’ Snow Mountain Ranch, expect good times ice skating, playing broomball, tubing, sledding and creating arts and crafts. Get cozy for story time, with hot chocolate and s’mores by the fire. ymcarockies.org; visitgrandcounty. com; colorado.com 5. Kingfield, Maine: Explore more than 80 miles of trails via cross-country skis or on snowshoes in the backcountry of western Maine. Enjoy your off-the-grid adventure by day and then relax in a comfortable hut overnight where a warm bed and tasty meals await.

Considered “boutique hostels,” the huts, run by a nonprofit organization, feature state-of-the-art green-energy systems that generate and store their own power. Make tracks from hut-to-hut on your own or with a guide. mainehuts.org

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.

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.

E6 - Thursday, December 21, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

GET INVOLVED ART

CALL FOR ARTIST: The Anacortes Arts Commission is calling for entries for its second annual outdoor scultpture exhibition to be held in the madrona grove and surrounding area of the Depot Arts & Community Center, 611 R. Ave. in Anacortes.

Sculptures must be durable enough to withstand outdoor conditions and should have means of being secured to a concrete platform. All sculptures should be for sale. Artists need to live in Washington state. Entries are due Feb. 13. anacortesartscommission.com CALL FOR ARTISTS: The Mount Vernon Downtown Association is looking for artists to participate in a Birds

THE JOURNEY’S CHRISTMAS BRONN JOURNEY THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21

TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA MCINTYRE HALL PRESENTS SATURDAY, JANUARY 20

FLUID CREATIVITY TALK

TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA FRIDAY, JANUARY 19 1PM

360.416.7727

mcintyrehall.org

of Winter Art Walk on Saturday, Feb. 10. dep. mvda@gmail.com.

ARTS COMMISSION: The Mount Vernon Arts Commission meets at 4:30 p.m the third Tuesday of each month at the Hillcrest Park administration office, 1717 S. 13th St., Mount Vernon. 360-336-6215.

CALL FOR SCULPTURES: San Juan Islands Sculpture Park invites sculptors to submit entries for its ongoing juried sculpture review.

All sculptures must be deemed “safe” and should be suitable for exhibition in an outdoor setting and capable of withstanding occasional high winds, rain and possible snow. Accepted sculptures will be installed for a two-year period (if not sold sooner) in the 20-acre park located near Roche Harbor on San Juan Island.

For complete submission guidelines, visit sjisculpturepark.com.

CALL FOR INSTRUCTORS: Burlington Parks and Recreation seeks qualified instructors to expand its enrichment classes for youths and adults. To download an instructor’s packet, visit

burlingtonwa.gov and click on the “Instructors Needed” tab. 360-7559649 or recreation@ burlingtonwa.gov.

ART CLASSES

3D DRAWING AND PERSPECTIVE FOR KIDS: 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, Burlington Community Center, 1011 Greenleaf Ave., Burlington. $50, ages 7 to 12. Register at burlingtonwa.gov by Jan. 4.

BEGINNING MOSAIC ART CLASS: 10 a.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 10, Anacortes Senior Activity Center, 1701 22nd St. Runs for several Wednesdays. Supplies, $50.

CLASSES: The Good Stuff Arts Gallery, 604 Commercial Ave., Anacortes, offers classes by Greg Dugan in drawing, pen and ink, colored pencil and watercolor, from beginning to advanced.

On Jan. 20, Golden Company representative Barbara De Pirro will present a free lecture on a multitude of Golden products. Attendees will receive information packets and free samples.

Reservations required.

360-755-3152.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST QUILT AND

Pacific

Arts

Market

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.

ART CLASSES: 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. 360466-0110 or gailcreativestudies.com.

ART CLASSES: Choose from painting, photography, fiber and 3D art workshops taught by professional artists at the Pacific NorthWest Art School, 15 N.W. Birch St., Coupeville. 360-6783396 or pacificnorthwestartschool.com.

FIRST FOUR WEEKENDS IN DECEMBER Friday - Sunday 10am to 6pm Dec. 1-3, 8-10, 15-17, & 22-23

Closed December 24th.

Locally crafted by Northwest artisans!

Jewelry · Illustrations · Knitting · Soap Photography · Crochet · Metal Works Woodworking · Glass Etching • and more!

Sunset Square

1125 E. Sunset Drive

Take exit 255 in Bellingham http://pacificartsmarket.com

ART CLASSES: Dakota Art Center offers a variety of art classes and workshops at 17873 Highway 536, Mount Vernon. 360-416-6556, 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.

360-629-2787 or stanwoodcamanoarts.com.

AUDITIONS

CANTABILE CHAMBER CHOIR AUDITIONS: Rehearsals are 6:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays at Bethany Covenant Church, 1318 S. 18th St., Mount Vernon. Dues are $150 per year. Auditions are by appointment.

Information: Jennie Bouma at 425-312-4565 or cantabilechamberchoir@ gmail.com.

DANCE

SQUARE DANCING: 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland Ave. $4. All levels welcome. 360-424-4608 or rosie@valleyint.com.

BEGINNING SQUARE DANCING: 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, starting Jan. 9, Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland St. Couples and singles welcome. First two evenings are free, $4 thereafter. 360-4244608 (leave a message) or rosie@valleyint.com.

BEGINNING LINE DANCING: 7 to 8 p.m.

Tuesdays, through Feb. 27, Burlington Community Center, 1011 Greenleaf Ave. $6 drop-ins,

$20 per monthly session.

Adults and teens. recreation@burlingtonwa.gov and 360-755-9649.

FOLK DANCING: Skagit-Anacortes Folk Dancers meet Tuesdays at Bay View Civic Hall, 12615 C St., Mount Vernon. Learn to folk dance to a variety of international music. Instruction begins at 7 p.m. followed by review and request dances until 9:30 p.m.

The first session is free, $5 thereafter. All welcome. No partners needed. For information, contact Gary or Ginny at 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.

JOLLY TIME CLUB: Dance to live music from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Thursdays at Hillcrest Lodge, 1717 S. 13th St., Mount Vernon. For information, contact Gisela at 360-424-5696.

CLOG DANCING FOR BEGINNERS: Free lesson from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by regular clog dancing from 11 a.m. to noon Thursdays, Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland St., Mount Vernon. No fee, no partner needed. First three lessons are free. Wear comfortable shoes. For information, call Rosie at 360-424-4608.

Thursday, December 21, 2017 - E7

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

GET INVOLVED MUSIC

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.

206-790-4862 or yogaheartspace0@gmail. com.

BARBERSHOP HARMONY: Join the An-OChords, a four-part 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.

360-466-0109.

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.

SHELTER BAY CHORUS: Practices are held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Thursdays at the Shelter Bay Clubhouse, 1000 Shoshone Drive, La Conner. New members welcome. No need to be a Shelter Bay resident.

360-223-3230.

LOVE TO SING?: Join the women of Harmony Northwest Chorus from 6:30 to 9 p.m. every Monday at the Mount Vernon Senior Center,

1401 Cleveland Ave. Seeking women who like to sing a cappella music. All skill levels welcome.

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.

BRING YOUR OWN GUITAR: 6:30 to 8 p.m. first and third Wednesdays, North Cove Coffee, 1130 S. Burlington Boulevard, Burlington.

360-707-2683 or jauman@northcovecoffee. com.

BRING YOUR OWN UKULELE FOR BEGINNERS: 6 to 6:30 p.m. second and fourth Wednesdays, North Cove Coffee, 1130 S. Burlington Boulevard, Burlington. 360-7072683 or jauman@northcovecoffee.com.

PLAYS

WHIDBEY PLAYHOUSE 2017-18 SEASON: The remaining schedule for Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Blvd, Oak Harbor: n “The Producers” (musical), Feb. 9-March 4. n “The Hollow” (mystery/thriller), April 13-29. n “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka” (musical), June 1-24.

360-679-2237 and whidbeyplayhouse.com.

PRESENTATIONS, LECTURES, TALKS “CREATING A PURPOSEFUL LIFE”: Anatha Attar, M.A.C., a certified state counselor and coach for Creative Life, will talk about the four aspects of making positive change in your life at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, at the Mount Vernon City Library, 315 Snoqualmie St., Mount Vernon.

COMPUTER CRASH: Learn how to back up data and how to restore it in case of a computer crash at a talk hosted by the Skagit Valley Geneology Society at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, at the Burlington Senior Center, 1011 Green-

leaf Ave., Burlington. skagitvalleygenealogy. org or genealogy0715@ gmail.com.

RECREATION

TAI CHI: 6 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 1, Hillcrest Park Lodge, 1717 S. 13th St., Mount Vernon. The free class will be presented by Bob Shapiro of Cloud Hands Tai Chi and Qigong Association. No experience required.

Participants should wear loose, comfortable clothing. 360-3366215.

FIRST-DAY HIKE: 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 1, Sand Dunes Interpretive Trail at West Beach, Deception Pass State Park. The paved, ADA-accessible trail is about .6 miles long.

E8 - Thursday, December 21, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

ON STAGE in the Skagit Valley and surrounding area December 21-28

THURSDAY.21

BRONN AND KATHERINE JOURNEY 7:30 p.m., McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $20-$24. 360-416-7727 or mcintyrehall.org.

Thursday.21

Friday.22

Saturday.23

Sunday.24

Thursday.28

MUSIC Bronn and Katherine Journey: 7:30 p.m., McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon. $20-$24. 360-416-7727 or mcintyrehall.org.

BALLET ”The Nutcracker”: Northwest Ballet, 7:30 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $12-$35, $10 for under age 12.

360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

BALLET ”The Nutcracker”: Northwest Ballet, 2 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $12-$35, $10 for under age 12. 360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

BALLET ”The Nutcracker”: Northwest Ballet, 2 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $12-$35, $10 for under age 12.

360-734-6080 or mountbakertheatre.com.

MUSIC Brian Setzer Orchestra: 7:30 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $45.50-$99.50.

360-734-6080, briansetzer. com or mountbakertheatre. com.

Thursday, December 21, 2017 - E9

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

TUNING UP Playing at area venues December 21-28 Thursday.21

Monday.25

Friday.22

Tuesday.26

Shawn Bullshields: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. $5. 360445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Cascadiacs: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Angel of the Winds Casino, 3438 Stoluckquamish Lane, Arlington. angelofthewinds.com.

Thunder Creek: 8 to 11 p.m., Evelyn’s Tavern, 12667 Highway 9, Clear Lake. 360-399-1321.

Steve Rudy Trio: 5 p.m., Hotel Bellwether, 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham. 360-3923100 or hotelbellwether. com.

Kurt Lindsay: 8 p.m., Rockfish Grill & Anacortes Brewery, 320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. Free. 360588-1720 or anacortesrockfish.com.

Blake Angelos: 6 p.m., Hotel Bellwether, 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham. 360-3923100 or hotelbellwether. com.

Bleeding Tree: 9 p.m., Skagit Casino and Resort, 5984 Darrk Lane, Bow. 877275-2448 or theskagit. com.

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

360-848-8882.

Sneaky Bones: 7:30 p.m., Anelia’s Kitchen and Stage, 513 First St., La Conner.

360-399-1805 or aneliaskitchenandstage@ gmail.com.

Jimmy Wright Band: 8:30 p.m., Big Lake Bar & Grill, 18247 Highway 9, Mount Vernon. 360422-6411.

Wednesday.27 Fidalgo Swing: 6 p.m., Rockfish Grill & Anacortes Brewery, 320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. Free. 360588-1720 or anacortesrockfish.com.

THURSDAY.28

BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA 7:30 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $45.50-$99.50. 360-7346080, briansetzer.com or mountbakertheatre.com.

Chuck Dingee: 8 p.m., Longhorn Saloon, 5754 Cains Court, Bow. Free. 360-7666330.

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

Ben Starner: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. $7. 360445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Blake Angelos: 6 p.m., Hotel Bellwether, 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham. 360-392-3100 or hotelbellwether.com.

The Wingmen: 9 p.m., Angel of the Winds Casino, 3438 Stoluckquamish Lane, Arlington. angelofthewinds.com.

Saturday.23

Ebb, Slack and Flood: 8 p.m., H2O, 314 Commercial Ave., Anacortes. anacortesh2o.com or 360755-3956.

Bleeding Tree: 9 p.m., Skagit Casino and Resort, 5984 Darrk Lane, Bow. 877-2752448 or theskagit.com.

Joe and Carol Young: 7:30 p.m., Anelia’s Kitchen and Stage, 513 First St., La Conner.

360-399-1805 or aneliaskitchenandstage@ gmail.com.

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

Dean Reichart Band: 8 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. Voices of the Children Toy Jam benefit at 7 p.m. 360445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Thursday.28

Brian Setzer Orchestra: 7:30 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. $45.50$99.50. 360-734-6080, briansetzer.com or mountbakertheatre. com.

Cascadia Groove: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. $7. 360445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Highway 9: 8 p.m., Angel of the Winds Casino, 3438 Stoluckquamish Lane, Arlington. angelofthewinds.com.

Miller Campbell: 7 p.m., Angel of the Winds Casino, 3438 Stoluckquamish Lane, Arlington. angelofthewinds.com.

Swil Kanim: 7:30 p.m., Conway Muse, 18444 Spruce/ Main, Conway. Free.

360-445-3000 or conwaymuse.com.

Jody Taylor Band: 9 p.m., Loco Billy’s, 27021 102nd Ave. NW, Stanwood. $8. 425-7375144, 360-629-6500 or locobillys.com.

The Wingmen: 9 p.m., Angel of the Winds Casino, 3438 Stoluckquamish Lane, Arlington. angelofthewinds.com.

FRIDAY.22

CHUCK DINGEE 8 p.m., Longhorn Saloon, 5754 Cains Court, Bow. Free. 360766-6330.

E10 - Thursday, December 21, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

HOT TICKETS seattlesymphony.org.

PONCHO SANCHEZ LATIN JAZZ BAND: Dec. 31, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

NEARLY DAN: Jan. 5-7, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com. ”NEWSIES”: Jan. 5-Feb. 4, Village Theatre, Everett.

425-257-8600 or villagetheatre.org.

PICKWICK: Jan. 6, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

360-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

MARTIN TAYLOR AND ALLISON BURNS: Jan. 9-10, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

MARK HUMMEL’S CHICAGO BLUES HARMONICA BLOWOUT: Jan. 11-14, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-4419729 or jazzalley.com.

G3 FEATURING JOE SATRIANI, JOHN PETRUCCI, PHIL COLLEN: Jan. 11, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 360-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

PETER WHITE: Jan. 1114, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

RAILROAD EARTH: Jan. 12, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 360-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

MARKIPILIER: Jan. 13, Moore Theatre, Seattle.

360-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

RYAN HAMILTON: Jan. 13, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 360-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

XTREME INTERNATIONAL ICE RACING: Jan. 13, Angel of the Winds Arena, Everett. 866-3328499 or angelofthewindsarena.com.

STUFF YOU SHOULD

G3 FEATURING JOE SATRIANI, JOHN PETRUCCI, PHIL COLLEN Jan. 11, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 360-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

KNOW: Jan. 15, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 360-7453000 or ticketmaster.com.

WAR: Jan. 18-21, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle.

206-441-9729 or jazzalley. com.

ST. VINCENT: Jan. 18-19, Moore Theatre, Seattle. 360-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

HIPPO CAMPUS, SURE SURE: Jan. 19, Neptune

Theatre, Seattle. 360-7453000 or ticketmaster.com.

STEVEN WRIGHT: Jan. 20, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 360-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

LEWIS BLACK: Jan. 20, Moore Theatre, Seattle.

360-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO: Jan. 21, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

360-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

ADAM SANDLER: Jan. 22, Benaroya Hall, Seattle.

216-215-4747 or seattlesymphony.com.

HAROLD LOPEZ-NUSSA, RUY NUSSA: Jan. 2324, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

LUNA: Jan. 23, Neptune Theatre, Seattle.

360-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

JOSH RITTER & THE ROYAL CITY BAND: Jan. 13, Neptune Theatre, Seattle. 360-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE: Jan. 25, KeyArena, Seattle. 360745-3000 or ticketmaster. com.

NAJEE: Jan. 25-28, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

HADRIAN STONE DESIGN STUDIO FEATURED ARTISTS Alejandra Gos • Anne Martin McCool

Wednesday-Sunday • 11-5pm Closed on Mondays & Tuesdays Free & Ample Parking Available 5717 Gilkey Avenue, Bow-Edison, WA 98232

1697113

NORMAN BROWN WITH BOBBY CALDWELL, MARION MEADOWS: Dec. 21-23, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle.

206-441-9729 or jazzalley. com.

SARA GAZAREK: Dec. 26-27, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle. 206-441-9729 or jazzalley.com.

BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA: Dec. 28, Mount Baker Theatre, Bellingham. 360-734-6080 or briansetzer.com.

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS: Dec. 28, Angel of the Winds Arena, Everett.

866-332-8499 or angelofthewindsarena.com.

BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA: Dec. 29, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. 360-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

BEETHOVEN SYMPHONY NO. 9: Dec. 2830, Benaroya Hall, Seattle.

Thursday, December 21, 2017 - E11

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

MUSIC REVIEWS LUKE BRYAN, “What Makes You Country” — Country bro king Luke Bryan sounds a little defensive on the title cut to his sixth album, whose cover shows the 41-year-old singer sitting by a riverbank, gazing soulfully into the distance.

Bryan is the massively popular successor to Kenny Chesney as Nashville’s preeminent country-pop party starter. He lays the country signifiers on thick — he’s forever “runnin’ bird dogs through the Georgia pines” or driving his truck across the Tennessee line — while making music far removed from traditional country, in his case with smooth R&B, a touch of hip-hop, and lots of songs about how much he likes sex added to the mix. That makes him an amiable good ol’ boy with a savvy understanding of his fan base to his admirers, and an enemy of all that is authentic to detractors.

So on “What Makes You Country,” Bryan feels the need to reestablish his “dirt road cred” before getting on with making music that, if not for the Deep South in his voice, is indistinguishable from mainstream pop. Crowd-pleasing comes naturally to him, and he has some decent ideas, like the waiting-on-a-text romance “Light It Up” and the live-and-letlive optimism of “Most People Are Good.” But he’s also a cliche-monger, and “Country” is ultimately a patchy,

too-long 15-song collection that mixes cringe-worthy howlers like “She’s a Hot One” with well-constructed hits-to-be (“Drinkin’ Again,” “Hungover in a Hotel Room”) that never let guilt or remorse get in the way of pursuing a good time.

— Dan DeLuca, The Philadelphia Inquirer BJORK, “Utopia” — Bjork albums are often easier to admire than to love. She is a canny artist who chooses a stark sonic palette and theme for each project (strings for 2015’s discomforting “Vulnicura”; voices for 2004’s lovely “Medulla”), but sometimes the concepts make longer-lasting impressions than the songs themselves. “Utopia” is still rigorously conceptual — it’s full of flutes, birdsong, human choirs and abrupt electronic sounds (she again collaborates with the producer Arca) — but, as its title suggests, it’s inviting and idealistic.

“Utopia” finds Bjork embracing hope and love in songs with unusual contours but emphatic messages.

Her voice swoops and soars, rarely settling into a distinct chorus or refrain but always conveying earnest emotion. “I care for you,” she repeats in “The Gate,” a hymnlike song full of space and depth. “Imagine a future and be in it,” she sings in the floating, transcendent “Future Forever.” This is future-forward music, slightly unmoored

but beautiful.

— Steve Klinge, The Philadelphia Inquirer G-EAZY, “The Beautiful & Damned” — Sometimes on his fifth album, G-Eazy is stunningly good.

Other times, though, he sounds like he’s phoning it in.

It’s a weird dynamic, considering this didn’t have to be a double album and there is so much accumulated star power here that its breakout status was almost guaranteed.

The hard-hitting first single “No Limit,” featuring A$AP Rocky and Cardi B, has already crashed the Top 10, while the more pop-leaning “Him & I,” featuring G-Eazy’s rumored girlfriend Halsey, seems set to surpass it on the strength of her haunting chorus.

A plaintive Charlie Puth makes “Sober” a standout, as does Kehlani on the stately “Crash and Burn,” which sounds like the sequel to Eminem and Rihanna’s “Love the Way You Lie.” With so much strong material to choose from, including “Charles Brown,” which features Bay Area legend E-40 and Jay Ant, and the jazzy “Summer in December,” there’s no need for throwaway songs like “That’s a Lot” or throwaway lines like “To the beach, I don’t bring sand,” in “The Plan.” A little smart cutting and rewriting would turn “The Beautiful & Damned” from good to great.

— Glenn Gamboa, Newsday

E12 - Thursday, December 21, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

NEW YEAR’S EV EVE WITH

Gin Gypsy

featuring uring

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Farmstrong rong Brewing Company Valley Shine Distillery Pelican Brewing Company

December 31, 2017 | 9 pm $

IN STORE & ONLINE AT EAGLEMONTNYE.COM

$

25 advance | 30 at the door

4800 eAGLEMONT dRIVE - mOUNT vERNON - wASHINGTON - 360.428.1954

EaglemontNYE.COM Sponsored by

B R E W I N G

C O M P A N Y

terrace

1700782

Thursday, December 21, 2017 - E13

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

AT THE LINCOLN

DINING GUIDE NEW YEAR’S EVE SPECIAL Prime Rib and Roasted Jumbo Prawns Dinner

NBC reportedly eyeing ‘The Office’ revival

By CAITLYN HITT New York Daily News

Time to clock back in, Dunder Mifflin employees.

According to TV Line, NBC is considering revisiting “The Office” in the 2018-19 season. The series would be a continuation of the previous one, which went off the air in 2013.

Sources claim “The Office” revival would feature a mix of old and new cast members, though it’s not clear which original stars will be returning to the show.

TV Line reported that

Steve Carell, who played Dunder Mifflin, Scranton, Pa., office’s regional manager Michael Scott for seven of nine seasons, will not appear.

NBC executives are reportedly hard at work looking for his replacement.

The network declined to comment on reports that a “The Office” revival is in the works.

Bob Greenblatt, the network president, told reporters a month before the premiere of the “Will & Grace” reboot that “The Office” was on his wish list for future reboots, along with “30 Rock.”

At the time, Greenblatt told Deadline he’d spoken with show creator Greg Daniels about the possibility of bringing the show back several times.

“We often talk about ‘The Office,’” Greenblatt told the publication.

“I’ve talked to Greg four times over the past few years. It’s always, ‘Maybe someday, but not now.’

There is certainly an open invitation, but we don’t have anything happening right now. If he wants to do it, I would do it.”

Little else is known about the alleged “The Office” continuation at this time.

La Conner Whitney Rd. & Hwy. 20

Coming up at The Rockfish Grill and H2O:

WEDS. 12/20 6PM WAYNE HAYTON FRI. 12/22 8PM KURT LINDSEY WEDS. 12/27 6PM FIDALGO SWING FRI. 12/29 8PM RANDY NORRIS FRI. 12/22 10PM and JEFF NICELY DJZ SAT. 12/23 8:30PM EBB SLACK and FLOOD SUN. 12/24 1:25PM SEAHAWKS vs COWBOYS SAT. 12/30 8:30PM NIGHT KICKS anacortesrockfish.com / anacortesH2O.com

1698575

Call for reservations.

360.466.4411

CURIOUS CHEF

HOMESTYLE CUISINE RESTAURANT

Family Friendly

20% off any dinner entree

Coupon applicable after 4pm Located in the Outlet Shoppes at Burlington

360.757.0300 232 Fashion Way Burlington, Wa 98233 1585064 1474688

1702948

7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec 22 This is director Frank Capra’s classic bittersweet comedy/drama about George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart), who wishes he had never been born, and an angel (Henry Travers) who is sent to Earth to make George’s wish come true.

George starts to realize how many lives he has changed and impacted, and how they would be different if he were never there.

Capra’s first production through

his newly formed Liberty Films, “It’s a Wonderful Life” lost money in its original run, when it was perceived as a fairly downbeat view of small-town life. Only after it lapsed into the public domain in 1973 and became an art house staple and a Christmastime TV perennial was it recognized as a holiday classic.

Rated PG; admission is free.

— The Lincoln Theatre is located at 712 S. First St., downtown Mount Vernon. lincolntheatre.org or 360-336-8955.

50% off

LocaL RestauRants and moRe

Tired of Christmas shopping and errands?

Take a break and have a hearty meal or holiday treat or drink.

CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY So that our employees may enjoy the holiday with their families, we will be closed on Christmas Day.

onLy at goskagit.com/deaLs

360.466.4411

La Conner Whitney Rd. & Hwy. 20

1698570

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’

With soup or salad, choice of potato, vegetables, Farmhouse bread & Glass of Champagne or Sparkling Cider $28.95 plus tax

1697965

‌

The Lincoln Theatre will show “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Friday.

Schedule Your Holiday Banquets and Catering!

Gift certificates available

E14 - Thursday, December 21, 2017

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK

MINI-REVIEWS

Alexander Payne makes big mistake with small story

By RICK BENTLEY Tribune News Service

Director Alexander Payne got our votes when he offered a brilliantly satirical look at politics and popularity with his insightful high school-based comedy “Election.” He showed with “Sideways” that he could present a story as firm and dry as a prized red wine.

He’s done neither with his latest offering, “Downsizing.” All the Oscar-winning filmmaker has shown with the production is how he came up short whether trying to make social commentary, dealing with political satire or attempting just to be funny. The film is a massively muddled mess of ideas that might have made more of an impact if Matt Damon’s performance wasn’t so painfully bland.

It probably wouldn’t have mattered with another actor, but it sure couldn’t have hurt.

The downsizing here has nothing to do with the cutting of employees that seems to have become a favorite corporate pastime.

In this case, it’s very literal.

A Norwegian scientist has discovered a way to shrink a person who is 6 feet tall to 5 inches. A world of Lilliputian-sized people would put less strain on the ecology and be a financial boom because houses, cars, food, etc., would all be so small, a person’s personal wealth explodes to gargantuan size.

After living a life of mediocrity, Paul (Damon) and Audrey (Kristen Wiig) Safranek decide to spend the money to be downsized.

Things don’t go as planned, and Paul finds himself

PARAMOUNT PICTURES VIA AP

Matt Damon stars in “Downsizing.”

living a miserable existence in the tiny world. It gets worse when he meets Ngoc Lan Tran (Hong Chau), a Vietnamese dissident who was shrunk against her will as punishment for her protests. Now she cleans up after the rich and famous.

There are multiple places where the film appears to be ready to take some kind of stand but then crumbles in indecisive writing. Just before Paul and Audrey go for their transformation, they are confronted in a bar by a man who wants to know why people who are only 5 inches tall should have the same right to vote as normal-size people. His argument is those who have been downsized are spending less and killing the economy. Debates on the bigotry of this thinking could have filled the movie, but Payne brushes it off with little discussion.

And, the idea the small population is hurting the world economy makes absolutely no sense. Yes, they can make one steak last for a year, but there has to have been a boom in miniature technology, since all the residents have cars, TV sets, tables, clothes and any other item a full-sized person would need.

It’s the off-target way Payne presents Ngoc that provides the film’s most brutally bad moments. Instead of making her the focal point of the idea that size doesn’t matter, the director strips away any power Ngoc might have by making Chau play the character with an accent in which every word she speaks sounds like a cat dragging its claws down a chalkboard making a baby cry while a car alarm goes unattended.

It’s not the accent that is so disruptive. It’s the way Payne has directed Chau to deliver the lines. The delivery is so mechanical that Chau’s range of emotions go from annoyingly angry to obnoxiously irritating.

This comes across as even more painful to watch because Damon shows so few genuine emotions as he gets verbally smothered by Chau.

The only person who looks to be enjoying the process is Christoph Waltz, who plays Damon’s noisy neighbor. He’s loving the small life and has even found a way to make it financially work for him. It’s such a pleasure to get to see Waltz play such a character who is so in love with life, since he so often plays the

dark antagonist.

Payne’s main theme is there will be haves and have-nots no matter what size the population. Chau’s character should have been the spokesperson for a small community that has been reduced to struggling to find food. Even that world is so poorly presented that the movie shows a darkness that isn’t part of the story.

The idea of there always being a class system would be far more realistic if Payne had not made the poor and downtrodden only minorities. There has to be at least one or two white people who had problems and ended up on the wrong side of the wall. But, by showing only minorities, Payne has turned this element into a heavy-handed slap in the sociological face.

“Downsizing” needed a smarter and lighter touch to make it a rich satire. But that doesn’t happen. Or, Payne could have just gone full-blown sight gags and made this a broad comedy.

There are a few funny bits of physical humor, such as the moving van of mementoes, but the moments are way too sparring.

All the problems flow back to Payne, as he not only directed the mess, but co-wrote the script with Jim Taylor. The film has more big effects and visual elements than anything Payne has directed before, and it looks to have been a distraction. What should have been his next big movie ends up being a project with little to say.

— 2:15. Rated R for language including sexual references, some graphic nudity and drug use. ½ star

Compiled from news services.

Ratings are 1 to 4 stars.

“Hangman” — At 77, Al Pacino admirably commits to the pulpy material and his seen-it-all character, a retired detective enlisted to help stop a serial killer. In its own cheesy and entertaining way, this lurid B-movie kept me guessing throughout. Crime thriller, R, 98 minutes. HHH “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” — Although it doesn’t pack quite the same emotional punch as “The Force Awakens” and lags a bit in the second half, this is still a worthy chapter in the “Star Wars” franchise, popping with exciting action sequences and sprinkled with good humor. Surprises big and small abound. Fantasy/sci-fi action, PG-13, 152 minutes. HHH½ “Darkest Hour” — This look back at Winston Churchill’s leadership during the early days of World War II is filled with authentic touches, large and small. Most authentic of all is Gary Oldman’s performance as a flawed but deeply passionate man who summoned all of his courage, all of his oratory skills and all of his love for Britain at just the right moment. Historical biography, PG-13, 125 minutes. HHH½ “Wonder Wheel” — Knowing what we know about Woody Allen, it’s impossible not to think his film about an aspiring playwright (Justin Timberlake) romancing both a married waitress (Kate Winslet) and her stepdaughter (Juno Temple) is a commentary about the Mia Farrow/ Soon-Yi story. On its own merits, though, it would still be a dud, a sluggish, uninspired retread of so many earlier and much better Allen films. Drama, PG-13, 101 minutes. H½ “The Shape of Water” — Sally Hawkins gives a sweet and moving performance as a maid in a top-secret government facility who falls in love with a mysterious sea creature in captivity there. Gorgeously color-coordinated, this fairy tale from director Guillermo del Toro is one of the most romantic and most breathtakingly beautiful movies of the year. Fantasy adventure, R, 118 minutes.

HHH½ “Thirst Street” — Comedy drama, not rated, 83 minutes — Lindsay Burdge is nothing short of sensational as a damaged soul who hooks up with a Paris bartender and determines they’re destined to be together. “Thirst Street” is a strange and sometimes chilling, lurid little gem. HHH “The Newspaperman” — In this documentary, the late Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee expresses regrets about some of his decisions. But overall, this is the story of an (admittedly) exciting, admirable and difference-making life, as told by ... the subject of the story.

Documentary, not rated, 90 minutes. HHH “Gilbert” — In Neil Berkeley’s fascinating, very funny and sometimes quite melancholy documentary, we get to see the hunched-over, eccentric, surprisingly thoughtful man behind the comedic myth. Documentary, not rated, 99 minutes. HHH½ “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” — After a long career of working behind the scenes for L.A.’s downtrodden, a socially inept legal savant (Denzel Washington) goes to work at a law firm run by a slick shark (Colin Farrell) who represents everything he despises. The strong performances are ultimately lost in the fog of a strange and confusing and bumpy and sometimes implausible story line. Crime thriller, PG-13, 129 minutes. HH

Thursday, December 21, 2017 - E15

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

MOVIES

MOVIE REVIEW

At area theaters ANACORTES CINEMAS Dec. 22-28

The Greatest Showman (PG): Friday-Saturday: 12:30, 3:30, 6:50, 9:20; Sunday: 12:30, 3:30, 6:50; Monday: 3:30, 6:50, 9:20; Tuesday-Thursday: 12:30, 3:30, 6:50, 9:20 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (PG-13): Friday-Saturday: 12:15, 3:00, 6:40, 9:15; Sunday: 12:15, 3:00, 6:40; Monday: 3:00, 6:40, 9:15; Tuesday-Thursday: 12:15, 3:00, 6:40, 9:15 Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PG-13): FridaySaturday: 12:00, 3:15, 6:30, 9:40; Sunday: 12:00, 3:15, 6:30; Monday: 3:15, 6:30, 9:40; TuesdayThursday: 12:00, 3:15, 6:30, 9:40

BLUE FOX DRIVE-IN Oak Harbor Dec. 21-23 Coco (PG), Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (PG-13) and Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PG-13): First movie starts at approximately 4:30 p.m.

360-941-0403 STANWOOD CINEMAS Dec. 22-28

Pitch Perfect 3 (PG-13): Friday-Saturday: 12:25, 3:35, 7:10, 9:50; Sunday: 12:25, 3:35, 7:10; Monday: 3:35, 7:10, 9:50; Tuesday-Thursday: 12:25, 3:35, 7:10, 9:50 The Greatest Showman (PG): Friday-Saturday: 360-293-7000 12:35, 3:45, 7:00, 9:25; Sunday: 12:35, 3:45, 7:00; Monday: 3:45, 7:00, 9:25; Tuesday-Thursday: CONCRETE THEATRE 12:35, 3:45, 7:00, 9:25 Dec. 21-25 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (PG-13): Miracle on 34th Street: Thursday: 7 p.m.

Friday-Saturday: 12:55, 4:05, 6:45, 9:25; Sunday: Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PG-13): Friday: 12:55, 4:05, 6:45; Monday: 4:05, 6:45, 9:25; 7:30 p.m.; Saturday: 4 (3D) and 7:30 p.m.; Monday: 5 p.m.

Tuesday-Thursday: 12:55, 4:05, 6:45, 9:25 360-941-0403 Ferdinand (PG): Friday-Saturday: 12:45, 3:55, 6:30, 9:00; Sunday: 12:45, 3:55, 6:30; Monday: OAK HARBOR CINEMAS 3:55, 6:30, 9:00; Tuesday-Thursday: 12:45, 3:55, Dec. 22-28 6:30, 9:00 Pitch Perfect 3 (PG-13): Friday-Saturday: 12:30, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PG-13): Friday3:30, 7:00, 9:25; Sunday: 12:30, 3:30, 7:00; MonSunday: 12:15, 3:25, 6:40; Monday: 3:25, 6:40; day: 3:30, 7:00, 9:25; Tuesday-Thursday: 12:30, Tuesday-Thursday: 12:15, 3:25, 6:40 3:30, 7:00, 9:25 Star Wars: The Last Jedi in 3D (PG-13): FridayJumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (PG-13): Saturday: 9:25 p.m.; Monday-Thursday: 9:25 p.m.

Friday-Saturday: 12:15, 3:00, 6:45, 9:15; Sunday: 360-629-0514 12:15, 3:00, 6:45; Monday: 3:00, 6:45, 9:15; Tuesday-Thursday: 12:15, 3:00, 6:45, 9:15 CASCADE MALL THEATERS Star Wars: The Last Jedi (PG-13): FridayBurlington For showings: amctheatres.com/showtimes/ Saturday: 12:00, 3:15, 6:30, 9:40; Sunday: 12:00, all/2017-06-23/amc-loews-cascade-mall-14/all 3:15, 6:30; Monday: 3:15, 6:30, 9:40; TuesdayThursday: 12:00, 3:15, 6:30, 9:40 360-279-2226

“The Man Who Invented Christmas” — As Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) writes “A Christmas Carol,” the characters come to life — and in the case of Scrooge (Christopher Plummer, sensational), mocking him and challenging him. This unabashedly sentimental story is a lovely antidote to crassly commercial lumps of coal like “Daddy’s Home 2.” Holiday, PG, 104 minutes. HHH “Coco” — Disney-Pixar’s “Coco” is a bouncy and heart-tugging adventure told through the experiences of a 12-year-old boy (Antho-

* Times are subject to change

ny Gonzalez) who crosses over, while alive, from his village in Mexico to the Land of the Dead, an exciting metropolis populated by deceased humans. The visuals jump off the screen.

Animated adventure, PG, 104 minutes. HHH½ “Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond” — Whether you come to this documentary steeped in Andy Kaufman lore or with little or no knowledge of the background, this is a fascinating, suitably meta look at his mad genius and the mad extremes Jim Carrey indulged as he played

Kaufman in “Man on the Moon.” Documentary, not rated, 93 minutes.

HHH½ “Mudbound” — In 1940s Mississippi, the lives of a mean, stubborn farmer (Jason Clarke), his exhausted wife (Carey Mullilgan), his alcoholic brother (Garrett Hedlund) and the family’s sharecropper tenants (Rob Morgan and Mary J. Blige) are inextricably and tragically linked. If it sounds bleak, yes. It is. But when redemption and hope eventually shine through, it’s a beautiful thing. Drama, R, 134 minutes. HHH½

‘Greatest Showman’ is a great big mess

By KATIE WALSH Tribune News Service

When the 2018 Golden Globe nominations were announced last week, “The Greatest Showman,” which had yet to be released or reviewed, garnered a nomination for “Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy,” seemingly just for being a musical. “The Greatest Showman” is definitely a musical, but there’s nothing “greatest” or “best” about it.

This wild and wacky musical biopic of circus impresario P.T. Barnum is a profoundly confused and muddled film, with a story that’s at once too thin and too busy, a period piece making a halfhearted gesture towards modern-day values, with everything pasted into place using a mixture of frantic pop music and Hugh Jackman’s flop sweat.

The songs, which are pervasive, and endless, are ear worms that are catchy as all get-out. They’re written by the Oscar-winning songwriters of “La La Land,” Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, so it makes sense they would be so infectious. But there’s a deeply strange cognitive dissonance in watching performers in period dress sing and dance to contemporary pop songs. The anachronistic soundtrack worked well in “A Knight’s Tale” and “Marie Antoinette,” but it just doesn’t work here, when the characters burst into modern songs, especially to move the story forward or describe their emotions.

There’s a particularly jarring number billed as “opera” that’s actually a Celine Dion-style ballad.

The story follows the rise of circus impresario Phineas Taylor Barnum (Jackman), a dreamer and a go-getter always trying to improve his station in life to impress his upper crust in-laws.

He risks it all on a show, turning his museum of oddities into a live freak show with curious characters, animals, acrobatics, song and dance. But his constant striving for acceptance drives him to the breaking point. He abandons his wife (Michelle Williams), daughters and show as he becomes obsessed with attaining high-brow status (and a good review from a cranky theater critic), with a tour for opera singer Jenny Lind

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX VIA AP

Zac Efron (left) and Hugh Jackman star in “The Greatest Showman.”

(Rebecca Ferguson).

Michael Gracey makes his directorial debut with “The Greatest Showman,” with a script by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon. The script doesn’t know what era it’s in, especially with regard to the circus performers. Barnum delights in the different and strange people he hires, who draw large crowds — both ticket buyers and protestors. Some of his “freaks” have genetic differences (a dwarf, a giant), some have body modifications (tattooed guy), and some are just different because of white Western standards of beauty (a bearded lady, people of different races). Barnum brutally exploits them, leaves them high and dry, and is then celebrated for putting diverse performers on stage. All is forgiven with a rousing, foot-stomping number celebrating individuality.

It’s almost impossible to recover from that moral whiplash, especially when Barnum is clearly a narcissist lacking in empathy.

At the center of all this chaos is a rather sweet love story between richie rich producer Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron) and trapeze performer Anne Wheeler (Zendaya). Their strippeddown aerial duet is simply stunning and demonstrates both the possibilities of a circus-based musical, as well as the magnetic chemistry and charisma of these two performers. It’s also a treat to watch Efron return to his musical roots.

You wish that “The Greatest Showman” focused on this couple and got rid of the rest of the mess.

— 1:45. Rated PG for thematic elements including a brawl. H½

E16 - Thursday, December 21, 2017

10

$

Skagit Valley Herald / goskagit.com

New Club Members Receive:

FREE-PLAY

y! a d To p U n g i S

December 30

$250/$500 3 Winners, Hourly

3 – 9 PM

CASINO-WIDE

$5K

Grand Prize 10 PM

December 31 $1,018 Drawings Every 15 Minutes!

12 – 5 PM

January 1

$5K

4 Grand Prize Winners

1 AM

DECEMBER WINNERS LOUNGE LINEUP

BLEEDING TREE DECEMBER 22 & 23 Rock

29, 30 & 31 Harmonious Funk,

Funk

C A S I N O • R E S O R T

theskagit.com • On I-5 at Exit 236 • 877-275-2448 Must be 21 or older with valid ID. Details at Rewards Club. Management reserves all rights. ©2017 Upper Skagit Indian Tribe dba Skagit Valley Casino Resort.