Get Out March 14 2013 by The Times

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Gainesville pianist celebrates ‘Year of the Piano,’ page 14

The heat is on! Annual Lula Bridge Race pits paddlers on Lake Lanier, PAGE 5

Thursday March 14, 2013

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on the web

www.emergencycompliment.com Feeling down? Bad hair day? Boss on your back? Get an emergency compliment (or as many as you need) to brighten your day and get on with your life. Bonus: They’re free!

arts

The works of Tennessee artist Jessica Wohl are on display at Mason-Scharfenstein Museum of Art at Piedmont College in Demorest. PAGE 6

movies

“The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” is anything but. On the bright side, at least this movie skips the potty humor. PAGE 10

music

Associated Press

Piedmont singers perform works by four ‘Great Composers’ PAGE 14

Summer camp spectacular!

on the cover

Paddlers will take to the lake Saturday for the annual Lula Bridge Race. Courses range in length and fnish at the Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club. PAGE 5

Send us your summer camp events for the special April 4 issue of Get Out. Listings due by April 1. Send to getout@ gainesvilletimes.com with “camp” in the subject line. Include all information such as time, date, location, contact info and fees. Submissions subject to approval.

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Clarkesville hosts folk author Luncheon event with Linda Anderson to benefit library From staff reports The Friends of the Clarkesville Library welcomes acclaimed folk artist and author Linda Anderson as the featured speaker at its annual Book and Author Luncheon at noon Saturday, March 16, at Piedmont Colleges Brookside Dining Room. Anderson, a self-taught artist, was raised in the shadow of Mount Yonah, and many of her works depict scenes from her childhood.

etc events This week

‘Fighting the Fires of Hate: America and the Nazi Book Burnings,’ Dahlonega. Through March 15. University of North Georgia’s Dahlonega campus, Library Technology Center. Free. 706-864-1521, bmorris@ northgeorgia.edu. Rape Prevention Course, Gainesville. 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 16. East Hall Community Center, 3911 P. Davidson Road, Gainesville. $25. 678-450-1540, georgiamountainkravmaga. com. North Hall Area Neighborhood Watch meeting, Clermont. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 16. North Hall Lions Club, 200 Spring St., Clermont. Hall County Sheriff’s Office will attend. 770-329-9704 or rickfrommer@hotmail.com. Author luncheon, Demorest. Noon. March 16. Piedmont College, 165 Central Ave., Demorest. Folk artist Linda Anderson will speak following a catered lunch. Her book, “Flashes of Memory: An Appalachian SelfPortrait” will be available

Her book, “Flashes of Memory: An Appalachian Self-Portrait,” is a collection of paintings and comments as presented in her one-woman show at the High Museum of Arts Folk and Photography Galleries in the winter of 2004. The book, produced by Kennesaw State University Press, will be available at the luncheon for purchase and autographs by the artist. Anderson’s work is in the permanent collections of Atlanta’s High Museum of Art and New York

for purchase. Deadline is March 13. $25, includes lunch. 706-754-4413. 49 Years of Square Dancing, Gainesville. 7:3010 p.m. March 16. First Presbyterian Church, 800 S. Enota Drive, Gainesville. Lakeshore Squares members free, visitors $6. 678-956-0287, acoley@ mindspring.com or www. lakeshoresquares.com. Farmers market registration, Suwanee. Applications due by March 18 when Suwanee Farmers Market annual meeting will be held at 7 p.m., Suwanee City Hall, 330 Town Center Ave. Guidelines and applications are available at www.suwanee.com. The Mountain Laurel Quilters Guild Meeting, Clarkesville. Noon. March 19. Clarkesville United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 1087 Washington St., Clarkesville. 706-7826020. Flower Arranging Unit 4: Fruit and Vegetable Design, Athens. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 20. Visitor Center, Classroom 2, The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2450 S. Milledge Ave., Athens. $45. 706542-6156. Lanier Women’s Club, Gainesville. 10 a.m. Every

City’s Whitney Museum of American Art. A resident of Habersham County, she has been featured in a series presented by Georgia Public Television, and was one of the authors honored at the 2011 Georgia Literary Festival. Tickets for the event are $25 and include a buffet lunch. They may be purchased at the Clarkesville Library. For more information, contact the Clarkesville Library at 706-754-4413, clarkesvillelibrary.org.

second Thursday. First Presbyterian Church, S. Enota St., Gainesville. $15. 678-960-4172.

Upcoming

Organic Farming in Georgia, Gainesville. 12:30 p.m. March 21. Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. Series of three talks by guest speakers sharing knowledge in natural history and environmental policy. Bring lunch; $10 donation requested. 770-535-1976, www.elachee.org. “A Taste of the Mountains,” Dahlonega. 6-8 p.m. March 21. Lumpkin County High School, 44 School Drive, Dahlonega. $15 adults, $5 ages 5-12, and children 12 and younger eat free. 706-8677047. Free Self Defense Seminar, Gainesville. 7-9 p.m. March 26. East Hall Community Center, 3911 P. Davidson Road, Gainesville. Free. 678-450-1540, georgiamountainkravmaga. com. “Free China: The Courage to Believe,” Gainesville. 7 p.m. March 28. Smithgall Arts Center, 331 Spring St. SE, Gainesville. $7 adults, $5 students and seniors

includes film and filmmaker Q&A reception. www. theartscouncil.net/ free-china.html. Janie Dempsey Watts Book Signing, Gainesville. 1-3 p.m. April 3. Peach State Bank, 325 Washington St., Gainesville. Her novel, “Moon Over Taylor’s Ridge,” nominated for the Georgia Author of the Year Award. Free. www. negawriters.org. Georgia Poetry Circuit Reading, Gainesville. 12:30 p.m. April 9. John S. Burd Center for the Performing Arts, Banks Recital Hall, 429 Academy St., Gainesville. Free. 770-5346179. Flower Arranging Unit 5: Creative and Miniature Design, Athens. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 10. Visitor Center, Classroom 2, The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2450 S. Milledge Ave., Athens. $45. 706542-6156. Fourth annual Cars For A Cure, Lula. 10 a.m. April 13. Country Living Ace Hardware, 4336 Cornelia Highway, Lula. $20 per vehicle. All proceeds benefit Hall County Relay for Life. 678-316-3109, lori_armour@ucbi.com. The Brenau Student Fashion Show, Gainesville. 4:30 p.m. April 13. Pearce

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To have your event listed, we must have the following information: ■■ The name, time and date of the event, and a short description ■■ The location, street address ■■ Admission and contact information ■■Send to getout@gainesvilletimes.com ONLY emails will be accepted. No faxes, flyers, mailers or phone calls. The deadline to have your event listed in Get Out is the FRIDAY before the next publication. Listings run at the discretion of the editor. If you would like to purchase an ad, call Betty Thompson at 770-532-1234 or email bthompson@gainesvilletimes.com

Auditorium, Brenau University, 500 Washington St. SE, Gainesville. Free. 770-534-6240. “Strong,” Gainesville. 7 p.m. April 18. Smithgall Arts Center, 331 Spring St. SE Gainesville. The Tour of Independent Filmmakers. www.theartscouncil.net/ independentfilms.html. Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festival, Cornelia. April 19-20. KCBS sanctioned BBQ competitions. 17th annual Bear on the Square Mountain Festival, Dahlonega. April 19-21. 244 Wild Turkey Trail, Dahlonega. Celebrates Southern Appalachian music, art and culture. Free. 706-864-9007, www. bearonthesquare.org. 2013 Flowery Branch Spring Festival, Flowery Branch. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 20. Free. 678-8254228, festivals@troop228. info or www.troop228.info. Symposium: Inter-

disciplinary Approaches to Problems in Healthcare Delivery, Gainesville. 12:306 p.m. April 20. Brenau University East Campus, 1001 Chestnut St. SE, Gainesville. Free. 678-7076414 or 678-707-5029. Genealogy Day, Homer. 2-5 p.m. April 20. Ga. 51 N, Homer. Guest speaker Mildred Grafton will introduce both beginning and intermediate levels of how to conduct genealogical research. There will be staff and volunteers available to provide assistance as needed. Free. 678-971-9390, bankscountyhistorical society.org. Spelling Bee 2013, Gainesville. 7 p.m. April 23. Pearce Auditorium, Brenau University, 500 Washington St. SE, Gainesville. Adults $5, children $2. 770-531-4337, www. allianceforliteracy.org.

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Prepare to be paddled! From staff reports Paddlers will again take on the waters of Lake Lanier for the annual Lula Bridge Race on Saturday, March 16. The event is sponsored by the Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club, headquartered at the Lake Lanier Olympic venue, 3105 Clarks Bridge Road in Gainesville. Registration begins at 8 a.m., followed by an athlete meeting at 9:30 a.m. The cost is $25 per person. Participants can choose between five different race distances ranging from 4.3 to 25.8 kilometers (2.7 to 16 miles), with an added distance this year of 12.8K. The course will end at the finish tower at Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club. Divisions are offered for single and double canoe and kayak in male, female, bantam, juvenile, junior, senior, Master 1 (ages 30-

Lula Bridge Race

When: Saturday, March 16; registration begins 8 a.m., athlete meeting 9:30 a.m., race begins 10 a.m. Where: Lake Lanier Olympic venue, 3105 Clarks Bridge Road, Gainesville How much: $25 More information: Lanier Canoe & Kayak Club, 770-287-7888

FILE PHOTO | The Times

A paddler competes in practice races for the USACK Sprint National Championships at Clarks Bridge Park in Gainesville.

50) and 2 (50 and older), coed and parent/child (under age 14). Racers will also have the opportunity to take

outdoors events This week

Suwanee Kiwanis 5K Shamrock Run, Suwanee. 8 a.m. March 16. Town Center Park, 330 Town Center Ave., Suwanee. 770-235-6803. 3rd annual Clarkesville Shuffle 5K, Clarkesville. 8:30 a.m. March 16. North Georgia Performance Training, 435 Jefferson St., Clarkesville. Garden Irrigation Workshop, Cumming. 9:30-11:30 a.m. March 16. Forsyth County Extension Office, 875 Lanier 400 Parkway, Suite 158, Cumming. Free. 770-887-2418, uge1117@uga.edu. Flies and Fly Water, Helen. 9:30 a.m. to noon. March 16. Smithgall Woods State Park, 61 Tsalaki Trail, Helen. Register in advance. $5, children 12

advantage of bypass portages if they are not interested in competing in the International Canoe Federation category.

and younger free and $5 parking. 706-878-3087. Annual Lula Bridge Race, Gainesville. 10 a.m. March 16. Lake Lanier Olympic Venue, 3105 Clarks Bridge Road, Gainesville. Registration and athlete check-in 8-9 a.m. Preregistration is recommended. $25. 770-287-7888, www.lckc.org. Advanced Beekeeping, Athens. 1-3 p.m. March 16. Meet at Shade Garden Arbor, The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2450 S. Milledge Ave., Athens. $25. 706-542-6156. Stars Over Elachee, Gainesville. 7:15-9:15 p.m. March 16, 7:30-9:30 p.m. April 13 and 8-10 p.m. May 18. Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. Learn about astronomy and how to use a telescope to view the night sky. Bring a flashlight and pencil.

In addition to a signed waiver, participants will also have to provide proof of their USA Canoe/Kayak membership. If racers aren’t a part of USACK, they can pay a $10 eventonly membership fee. Spectators will be able to view the entire race from the grandstands at the venue.

Reservations are required. $10 adults, $5 children ages 2-12 and Elachee members free. 770-5351976, www.elachee.org. “Walk-a-Weigh” health and fitness program, 9:30-11 a.m. Wednesdays beginning March 20. Central Park Recreation Center, Cumming. $25. 770-887-2418, www.ugaextension. com/forsyth.

Upcoming

Beekeeping is all the buzz goo

outdoors

Athletes sprint for glory in annual Lula Bridge Race

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From staff reports

Got a bee in your bonnet? The Northeast Georgia Mountain Beekeepers Association will hold a hands-on course for individuals who would like to learn the craft of keeping bees. This one day program Saturday, March 23, will be in two sessions. A morning session beginning at 8:30 a.m. stock.xchng at the Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center in Clarkesville will include honeybee biology, basic equipment requirements, colony management, honey production, pollination and the use of other hive products. The afternoon session will be held at the bee yard of Carl Webb in Clarkesville, where actual hands-on experiences will be provided by some of the club’s experienced beekeepers. Topics will include hive manipulation, spring management, queen rearing, making splits and honey harvesting. Honeybees contribute more than $15 billion of pollination services to our nation’s agriculture industry. Beekeepers are vital to the agriculture community in providing pollination services as well as producing honey. Registration is limited and includes one-year membership in the beekeeping club, “First Lessons in Beekeeping” book and lunch. Cost is $35 per person, $15 for each additional family member. The Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center is located at 120 Paul Franklin Road in Clarkesville. Registration begins at 8 a.m. For more information or to pre-register, call Carl or Virginia Webb at 706-754-7062.

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Tennessee artist’s ‘home’ on display at Piedmont From staff reports The works of Tennessee artist Jessica Wohl are on display at MasonScharfenstein Museum of Art at Piedmont College in Demorest. A house is more than the objects it holds, says Wohl. A house holds the memories of the people who lived there long after they are gone. Wohl’s artwork reflects the idea by turning the exhibit space into a “home” with installations and found family photographs altered with stitched sunburst “masks.” The exhibit will be on display now through April 4, with a reception set for 6 p.m. the final day. The museum is located at 567 Georgia St. in Demorest and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Admission is free. Visitors are asked to use the back entrance during sidewalk construction. Originally from

arts events This Week

Fiber Arts with Debra Paff, Sautee. March 14, 21, 28. Sautee Nachoochee Center, 283 Ga. 255 N, Sautee. 706-768-6311, jevans@snca.org. 2013 Kiwanis Visual Arts Showcase, Gainesville. March 15- April 13. Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. Hall County and Gainesville City middle and high school students were invited to participate. Cash scholarships will be awarded for Best of Show for 10th, 11th and 12th grade artists. 770-536-2575, www. quinlanartscenter.org.

Upcoming For Get Out

Minneapolis, Minn., Wohl received her BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in 2001 and her MFA from The University of Georgia in 2010. Originally trained as an illustrator, her current studio practice includes drawing, painting, collage, installation and performance. Her work has been exhibited at venues in New York, Miami, Atlanta, Kansas

City, Nashville, Finland, Norway and Italy. Wohl has taught at UGA, Maple Woods Community College and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. She currently lives in Sewanee, Tenn., where she is an Assistant Professor of Art, teaching drawing and painting at The University of the South.

Youth art event at Inman Perk The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hall County is holding a Youth Art Month exhibit at Inman Perk Cafe through March. The club offers visual arts instruction for all children kindergarten through fifth grade following the National Standards Lesson Plans. The third through fifth grade students will visit the Quinlan Visual Arts Center on Tuesday, March 19, to view artwork by middle school and high school artists, and to learn from local master artisans. Inman Perk Cafe is located at 102 Washington St., on the downtown Gainesville square and is open daily 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission for the exhibit is free. More information and examples of the art can be found at www.boysgirlsclubs.com. From staff reports

“Mountain Matters,” Helen. Opening reception 5-7 p.m. March 21. Helen Arts and Heritage Center, 25 Chattahoochee St., Helen. 706-878-3933, www.helenarts.org or info@ helenarts.org. Works by Jessica Wohl, Demorest. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. April 4. MasonScharfenstein Museum of Art, 567 Georgia St., Demorest. Free. The 2013 Brenau Collaborative, Gainesville. April 5 through May 5. Opening reception 5:30-7 p.m. April 13. Brenau University Galleries, 500 Washington St. SE, Gainesville. Featuring

undergraduate juried and senior projects and portfolios. Free. 770-5346263. Art Journaling with Debra Paff, Sautee. April 11, 18, 25, and May 2. Sautee Nachoochee Center, 283 Ga. 255 N, Sautee. 706768-6311, jevans@snca. org. Mery Lynn McCorkle “Cell Biology,” Atlanta. Opening Reception 7-9 p.m. April 18. Through May 25. 263 Walker St. SW, Atlanta. Free. 404827-0030, marciawood@ marciawoodgallery.com. Duncan Johnson, “Colorcode,” Atlanta. Opening Reception 7-9 p.m. April 18. Through May 25. 263 Walker St. SW, Atlanta. Free. 404827-0030, marciawood@ marciawoodgallery.com. Drawing in Nature, Athens. 4-6 p.m. April 30. Visitor Center, Classroom 1, The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2450 S. Milledge Ave., Athens. Free. Preregistration is required. 706-542-6156. “Imaginary Worlds: Plants Larger Than Life,” Atlanta. May through Oct. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, Nov. through March; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. April through Oct. Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Ave. NE, Atlanta. $18.95 adults, $12.95 children 3-12, free to children 3 and younger and to Garden members. 404-876-5859, atlantabotanicalgarden.org. Brenau Family Ties exhibit, Gainesville. May 9 through

July 7. Simmons Visual Arts Center, Presidents Gallery, 500 Washington St. SE, Gainesville. Opening reception 5:30-7 p.m. June 6. Free. 770534-6263. Botanical Watercolor Illustration, Athens. 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 11. Visitor Center, Gardenside Room, The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2450 S. Milledge Ave., Athens. $75. 706-542-6156. Exhibit: President’s Summer Art Series, Gainesville. May 16 through June 30. Simmons Visual Arts Center, Presidents Gallery, 500 Washington St. SE, Gainesville. Opening reception 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. May 16. Featuring Patricia Burd, Jane Hemmer, Jean Westmacott and Mary Hart Wilheit. Free. 770-5346263.

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New twist on an old tale A rivalry at Riverside Big Bad Wolf on trial in Piedmont children’s play From staff reports The Big Bad Wolf will huff, and puff and blow the audience away when Piedmont College students present “The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf” at 4 p.m., Saturday, March 16, at the Swanson Center in Demorest. Admission is free. The play is appropriate for all ages. Written by Joseph Robinette, the play is a twist on the classic fairy tale. Wallington Wellington Wolf the Third has been accused of destroying the Three Little Pigs’ houses. This time, audiences hear both sides of the story. The play is directed by Piedmont theatre student Abbie Strickland, who will be graduating with a double major in Theatre for Youth and Theatre Education. As part of her senior

theater events This week

“Alice In Wonderland,” Hoschton. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. March 16 and 23, 7 p.m. March 22. Heather Waynes, 5370 Thompson Mill Road, Hoschton. $8. 770-967-9010, www.heatherwaynes danceacademy.com. “The Drowsy Chaperone Show,” Lawrenceville. 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays. March 14 through April 7. Aurora Theatre, 128 E. Pike St., Lawrenceville. $15. 678-226-6222, www. auroratheatre.com. “Almost, Maine,” Flowery Branch. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays March 15-17. Fifth Row

‘The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf’ When: 4 p.m., Saturday, March 16 Where: Swanson Center for Performing Arts, Demorest Cost: Free More info: 706-778-8500, ext. 1355, astrickland0116@lions.piedmont. edu.

capstone project, Strickland organized a group of 15 Piedmont students as the “Barrel of Monkeys” players and they have presented “Wolf” for some 500 elementary school students in Habersham and Banks counties. For more information call 706778-8500, ext. 1355, or email astrickland0116@lions.piedmont.edu. The Swanson Center for Performing Arts and Communications is located at 365 College Drive, Demorest.

Center Studio, 5509 Main St., Flowery Branch. $10-$15.678-357-7359, FifthRowCenter.com. “The Secret Agent,” Atlanta. March 15-17. Conant Performing Arts Center at Oglethorpe University, Atlanta. Opera with music by local Atlanta composer Curtis Bryant and libretto by Allan Reichman. www. ccityopera.org. “The Waffle Palace,” Atlanta. 8 p.m. Wednesdays to Fridays, 3 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturdays, 5 p.m. Sundays. Through March 17. Horizon Theatre, 1083 Austin Ave., Atlanta. $20-$40. 404-584-7450, boxoffice@horizontheatre. com. “The Rivals,” Gainesville. 7:30 p.m. March 19 and 21, 1 p.m. March 23. Sandy Beaver Center Theater, Riverside Military Academy, 2001 Riverside

Drive Gainesville. Free. www.riversidemilitary.com for more information. “Galapagos George,” Atlanta. 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturdays; 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sundays. March 19 through April 7. Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring St. NW, Atlanta. $9.25 members, $16.50 nonmembers includes the performance, museum admission and the Create-A-Puppet Workshop. 404-873-3391, www.barefootpuppets. com.

Upcoming

“The 12 Dancing Princesses,”Oakwood. 7 p.m. March 21-23. West Hall High School Theatre, 5500 McEver Road, Oakwood. $7 adults, $5 students and senior citizens. 770-967-9826 ext. 7350.

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Cadets to perform a comedy of manners For Get Out

Riverside Military Academy’s Fine Arts Department will perform “The Rivals” at 7:30 p.m. March 19 and 21 and at 1 p.m. March 23 in the Sandy Beaver Center Theater on the RMA campus in Gainesville. The classic comedy of manners, written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, is set in the 18th century society of Bath, England. Captain Absolute, the young protagonist, is destined for trouble as his plans to woo the impulsive Lydia Languish go awry. The play features a cast of eccentric and wily characters who end up in love triangles, duels and other entertaining escapades. RMA cast members include cadets Elijah Holyfield, Demarko Hooper, Tucker Pearson, Christopher Rosato, Skyler Toney, David Vandiveer, Runyi Wang, Gibson White and Seyaki Williams. Community cast members include Bailey Armour, Charissa Bailey, Kayla DelPizzo and

‘The Rivals’ When: 7:30 p.m. March 19 and 21; 1 p.m. March 23 Where: Riverside Military Academy’s Sandy Beaver Center Theater, 2001 Riverside Drive, Gainesville Cost: Free More info: www. riversidemilitary.com

Danielle Tucker. The play is directed by Mike Smith, RMA drama teacher. Admission to each performance of “The

Rivals” is free and open to the public. Visit www. riversidemilitary.com for more information.

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family

movies

music

St. Patrick’s Day Week, Gainesville. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 14-15. Interactive Neighborhood for Kids, 999 Chestnut St. SE, Gainesville. $1 with paid admission to museum, INK Members are free. 770-536-1900.

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“The Adventures of Mighty Bug,” Atlanta. Tuesdays-Fridays 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., Saturdays noon and 2 p.m., Sundays 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Through March 17. Mainstage Theater, Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring St. NW at

The Clinton Gregory Bluegrass Band, Cumming. 8 p.m. March 15. Sawnee Mountain Music, 1540 Dahlonega Highway, Cumming. $15$20. 770-887-7635.

The Piedmont College Singers will present works by Benjamin Britten, Leonard Bernstein, Eriks Esenvalds and Ralph Vaughn Williams in a concert at 7:30 p.m. March 16 at the college chapel..

Piedmont singers.

Associated Press

revIeW, 10

The filmmakers don’t go the way of Judd Apatow, Adam Sandler and so many contemporary screen comedians who demean us with gross-out humor. But shouldn’t we expect a little more than that? “Wonderstone” is a formulaic Hollywood comedy. Its only reason to exist is to make us laugh, and it doesn’t do that enough to justify the price of admission.

‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone’

For Get Out

THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

weekeND plANNeR

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For Get Out

“Free China: The Courage to Believe,” Gainesville. 7 p.m. March 28. Smithgall Arts Center, 331 Spring St. SE, Gainesville. $7 adults, $5 students and seniors includes film and filmmaker Q&A reception. www.theartscouncil. net/free-china.html.

Annual Easter Egg Hunt, Gainesville. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 23. Brenau University Amphitheater, 500 Washington St. SE, Gainesville. $5 per person. brenau.phimu.org.

Taming the Gaming, Gainesville. 6:30 p.m. March 20. Lakeview Academy Student Center, 796 Lakeview Drive, Gainesville. Hear an expert panel discussion about the pros and cons of online gaming.

mARcH 28:

For Get Out

lOOkING AHeAD

“The Drowsy Chaperone Show,” Lawrenceville. 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays. March 14 through April 7. Aurora Theatre, 128 East Pike St., Lawrenceville. $15. 678-226-6222, www.auroratheatre. com.

“Almost, Maine,” Flowery Branch. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays March 15-17. Fifth Row Center Studio, 5509 Main St., Flowery Branch. $10-$15.678-3577359, FifthRowCenter.com.

The Mountain Laurel Quilters Guild Meeting, Clarkesville. Noon. March 19. Clarkesville United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 1087 Washington St., Clarkesville. 706-782-6020.

TUeS: weD: mARcH 23: mARcH 21:

theater

arts

Boys & Girls Clubs of Hall County Youth Art Month, Gainesville. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. March. Inman Perk Café, 102 Washington St., Historic Downtown , Gainesville. www.boysgirlsclubs.com.

2013 Kiwanis Visual Arts Showcase, Gainesville. March 15-April 13. Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. 770-536-2575, www.quinlanartscenter. org.

18th, Atlanta. 404-873-3391, www.puppet.org.

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Conjuring an incredibly lazy comedy JEFF MARKER jeffmarker@rocketmail.com

Film Review For the second week in a row, a movie fails to live up to the superlative in its title. “Oz the Great and Powerful” was neither great nor powerful, and “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” is a far cry from incredible. The story is agonizingly predictable. Magicians Burt (Steve Carell) and Anton (Steve Buscemi) have been best friends and partners since childhood. They’ve headlined a Vegas show for years, but the act has become stale. Meanwhile, street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey) is gaining a following by Ben Glass | AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures staging one over-the-top stunt Steve Carell, left, and Olivia Wilde appear in a scene from “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone.” after another. The new generation of shock each time they’re on screen. Carell. Certain moments in “The no more than a few lines. A performers (can you say David That is, unfortunately, about the 40 Year Old Virgin” and “Little nameless paramedic (John Blaine?) is pushing out the most positive thing there is to Miss Sunshine” are brilliant. He Francis Daley of “Freaks and old generation of venerable say about “The Incredible Burt pulled off an amazing feat by Geeks”) deadpans a hilarious magicians. Wonderstone.” reinventing Ricky Gervais’ lead line in one scene. In another, a Burt must lose his enormous The movie does deserve character on the British version reporter (Vance DeGeneres of ego to resurrect his career and credit for what it is not. The of “The Office” and making it “The Daily Show”) provides the become a character we care filmmakers don’t go the way of completely his own. perfect, mortified reaction to about. He gets help from young Judd Apatow, Adam Sandler And lately Carell has shown a Anton’s misguided humanitarian magician and required love and so many contemporary willingness to take on thankless efforts to bring magic to starving interest Jane (Olivia Wilde) and screen comedians who demean supporting roles (“Hope Cambodian children. his boyhood hero, legendary us with gross-out humor. Even Springs”) and lead roles in littleArkin, Carrey, Wilde and the magician Rance Holloway (Alan when Carrey ventures into that seen but daring indie movies numerous supporting players Arkin). territory, it is in a clever way. (“Seeking a Friend for the End of supply the modest laughs in I never did care about Burt. But shouldn’t we expect a the World”). “Burt Wonderstone,” while Carell Nor did I believe that Jane, little more than that? All of this makes Carell’s sleepwalks through this tired an intelligent, beautiful young “Wonderstone” is a formulaic ineffectual, forgettable movie. woman, would care about him, Hollywood comedy. Its only performance in “Wonderstone” Perhaps I’m being too hard either. reason to exist is to make us baffling. Buscemi, also on this movie, but here’s why. Nor did I believe Jane really laugh, and it doesn’t do that enormously talented, doesn’t Movies are no longer cheap needed Burt’s help to build her enough to justify the price of fare much better, but he entertainment, not when a movie career. The movie’s gender roles admission. somewhat gets a pass because date costs at least $20 before are as out of date as Burt and The truly incredible thing he is supposed to be the straight you even buy a snack, at which Anton’s act. about “Wonderstone” is that man. point you really get fleeced. Carrey, Arkin, Wilde and Carell is the least funny actor in On the other hand, some And yet Hollywood keeps James Gandolfini, as a shallow the movie. of the movie’s biggest laughs pushing these lazy, paint-byand greedy casino owner, shine I have enormous respect for come from characters with numbers comedies and expects

‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone’ Starring: Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Olivia Wilde, Jim Carrey, James Gandolfini Rated: PG-13, for sexual content, dangerous stunts, a drug-related incident and language Runtime: 1 hour, 40 minutes Bottom line: Worth a rental at best

us to salivate like Pavlov’s dogs simply because there are big names above the title. Then when the movie performs poorly, the entertainment press ponders why, inevitably citing changing demographics and increasing competition, as if it is the audience’s fault. There is no magic formula or sleight of hand to fix the problem, Hollywood. The movies are bad. Plain and simple. Jeff Marker is head of the Communication, Media & Journalism Department at the University of North Georgia. His reviews appear weekly in Get Out and on gainesvilletimes.com/getout.

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gainesvilletimes.com/getout | Thursday, March 14, 2013

Disney’s ‘Oz’ earns $79.1M

Bargain shows denoted by parenthesis ( ). Movie times are subject to change; check with theaters for updated schedules.

Hollywood Stadium Cinemas 770-539-9200 120 Green Hill Circle NW, Gainesville

21 and Over (R) Thu. 5:30-7:4510:00 Fri.-Sun. 1:00-3:15-5:307:45-10:00 The Call (R) Thu. 10:00 Fri.-Sun. 2:00-4:45-7:30-10:00 Dark Skies (PG-13) Thu. 7:45 Fri.Sun. 6:45-9:15 Dead Man Down (R) Thu. 4:007:00-9:45 Fri.-Sun. 1:15-4:007:00-9:45 Escape From Planet Earth (PG) Thu. 5:30-7:45-10:00 Fri.-Sun. 1:003:15-5:30-7:45-10:00 A Good Day to Die Hard (R) Thu. 4:00 Fri. 2:15-4:30 Sat. 4:30 Sun. 2:15 Identity Thief (R) Thu. 4:15-6:459:15 Fri.-Sun. 1:30-4:15-6:459:15 The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (PG-13) Thu. 10:00 Fri.-Sun. 1:454:30-7:00-10:00 Jack the Giant Slayer (PG-13) Thu. 4:30-7:15-9:45 Fri.-Sun. 1:304:30-9:45 Jack the Giant Slayer 3D (PG-13) Thu. 4:15-7:00-9:30 Fri.-Sun. 7:15 The Last Exorcism Part II (PG-13) Thu. 5:30-7:45 Fri.-Sun. 2:154:45-7:30-10:00 The Metropolitan Opera: Francesca da Rimini Live (Not Rated) Sat. 12:00 Oz the Great and Powerful (PG) Thu. 4:30-6:30-7:30-9:30 Fri.Sun. 1:15-2:00-4:15-7:15-8:009:30 Oz the Great and Powerful 3D (PG) Thu. 4:00-5:00-7:00-8:00-10:00 Fri.-Sun. 1:00-4:00-5:00-7:009:45 Safe Haven (PG-13) Thu. 4:157:00-9:45 Fri.-Sun. 1:30-4:157:00-9:30 Silver Linings Playbook (R) Thu. 4:00-6:45-9:30 Fri.-Sun. 1:154:00-6:45-9:30 Snitch (PG-13) Thu. 4:30-7:159:45 Fri.-Sun. 1:45-4:30-7:159:45 Warm Bodies (PG-13) Thu. 5:30

CMYK

GREG GAYNE | Sony Tri-Star /AP

Halle Berry appears in a scene from “The Call,” opening Friday.

Regal Mall Of Georgia Stadium 20 678-482-5858

3333 Buford Drive, Suite 3000, Buford 21 and Over (R) Thu. 11:45-12:552:00-3:15-4:15-5:35-7:00-8:1010:30 Fri.-Sat. 10:10-12:403:15-5:35-7:55-10:15-12:35 Sun. 12:40-3:15-5:35-7:55-10:15 The Call (R) Fri.-Sat. 10:25-11:3012:50-2:00-3:15-4:25-5:35-7:008:00-9:25-10:20-11:50-12:40 Sun. 10:25-12:50-2:00-3:154:25-5:35-7:00-8:00-9:25-10:20 Dark Skies (PG-13) Thu. 12:052:30-4:50-7:40-10:05 Fri.-Sat. 10:20-12:50-3:20-5:40-8:0510:25-12:45 Sun. 12:50-3:205:40-8:05-10:25 Dead Man Down (R) Thu. 12:102:50-5:30-8:10-10:50 Fri.-Sat. 10:40-1:30-4:15-7:05-9:55-12:40 Sun. 10:40-1:30-4:15-7:05-9:55 Escape From Planet Earth (PG) Thu. 11:50-2:05-7:15 Fri.-Sun. 11:201:50-7:15 Escape From Planet Earth 3D (PG) Thu. 4:35 Fri.-Sun. 4:30-9:30 A Good Day to Die Hard (R) Thu. 12:20-2:45-5:05-7:25-9:45 Fri.Sat. 12:10-2:30-4:55-7:20-9:4012:05 Sun. 4:55-7:20-9:40 Identity Thief (R) Thu. 11:55-2:355:10-7:45-10:20 Fri.-Sun. 12:002:35-5:10-7:40-10:20 The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (PG-13) Fri.-Sat. 12:15-2:45-5:156:45-7:45-9:15-10:15-11:45 Sun. 12:15-2:45-5:15-6:45-7:45-9:1510:15 Jack the Giant Slayer (PG-13) Thu. 12:15-2:50-5:25-8:00-10:35 Fri.-

It was a golden opening for “Oz the Great and the Powerful.” Disney’s 3-D prequel to the classic tale “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” debuted in first place and earned $79.1 million at the weekend box office, according to studio estimates. The top movies at theaters Friday through Sunday: 1. “Oz the Great and Powerful,” $79,110,453 Sun. 11:45-2:30-5:10-7:50-10:30 Jack the Giant Slayer 3D (PG-13) Thu. 11:45-2:20-4:55-7:30-10:05 Fri.-Sat. 10:30-1:15-3:55 Sun. 1:15-3:55 The Last Exorcism Part II (PG-13) Thu. 11:50-2:10-4:30-6:50-9:15 Fri.-Sat. 11:50-2:20-4:40-7:109:30-11:55 Sun. 11:50-2:204:40-7:10-9:30 Oz the Great and Powerful (PG) Thu. 12:00-3:05-6:05-7:30-9:0010:25 Fri.-Sat. 12:30-3:30-6:307:30-9:30-10:30-12:10 Sun. 12:30-3:30-6:30-7:30-9:30-10:30 Oz the Great and Powerful 3D (PG) Thu. 1:10-1:45-2:10-4:30-4:455:05-7:15-7:45-8:00-10:00-10:40 Fri.-Sat. 11:00-11:45-2:00-2:455:00-5:45-8:00-8:45-11:00-11:45 Sun. 11:45-2:00-2:45-5:00-5:458:00-8:45 Oz the Great and Powerful: An IMAX 3D Experience (PG) Thu. 1:30-4:15-7:00-9:45 Fri. 10:001:00-4:00-7:00-9:55-12:45 Sat. 1:00-4:00-7:00-9:55-12:45 Sun. 10:00-1:00-4:00-7:00-9:55 Quartet (PG-13) Thu. 12:00-2:254:45-7:25 Safe Haven (PG-13) Thu. 1:554:40-7:35-10:20 Fri.-Sun. 11:101:55-4:40-7:30-10:10 Silver Linings Playbook (R) Thu. 1:40-4:25-7:20-10:10 Fri.-Sun. 10:45-1:40-4:25-7:20-10:05 Snitch (PG-13) Thu. 12:05-2:405:15-7:55-10:35 Fri.-Sun. 12:052:40-5:15-7:50-10:30 Warm Bodies (PG-13) Thu. 9:30 Wreck-It Ralph (PG) Thu.-Sun. 11:55-2:25-4:55

2. “Jack the Giant Slayer,” $9,839,135 3. “Identity Thief,” $6,334,220 4. “Dead Man Down,” $5,345,250 5. “Snitch,” $5,098,235 6. “21 and Over,” $5,091,384 7. “Safe Haven,” $3,753,384 8. “Silver Linings Playbook,” $3,618,171 9. “Escape From Planet Earth,” $3,218,923 10. “The Last Exorcism Part II,” $3,167,040 Associated Press

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7:15-9:55 Fri.-Sun. 1:30-4:007:00-9:40 Escape From Planet Earth (PG) Thu. 4:45-7:20 Fri.-Sun. 4:25-10:00 Identity Thief (R) Thu. 4:10-7:159:50 Fri.-Sun. 1:40-4:10-7:159:50 The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (PG-13) Thu. 10:00 Fri.-Sun. 12:00-2:30-4:55-7:20-10:00 Jack the Giant Slayer (PG-13) Fri.Sun. 1:35-4:20-7:20-9:55 Jack the Giant Slayer 3D (PG-13) Thu. 4:30-7:20 The Last Exorcism Part II (PG-13) Thu. 5:00-7:15 Oz the Great and Powerful (PG) Thu. 4:00-8:00-10:00 Fri.-Sun. 12:30-4:00-7:10-9:40 Oz the Great and Powerful 3D (PG) Thu. 7:00 Fri.-Sun. 1:00-7:00 Phantom (R) Thu. 5:10 Safe Haven (PG-13) Thu. 4:057:10-9:45 Fri.-Sun. 1:30-4:057:10-9:45 Snitch (PG-13) Thu. 4:05-7:309:45 Fri.-Sun. 1:30-4:05-7:109:45

go o movies

Habersham Hills Cinemas 6 706-776-7469

2115 Cody Road, Mount Airy

Dead Man Down (R) Thu.-Fri. 4:107:15-9:55 Sat.-Sun. 1:30-4:107:15-9:55 Identity Thief (R) Thu.-Fri. 4:457:15-10:00 Sat.-Sun. 1:45-4:457:15-10:00 The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (PG-13) Thu. 10:00 Fri. 4:30-7:159:30 Sat.-Sun. 2:00-4:30-7:159:30 Jack the Giant Slayer (PG-13) Thu.Fri. 4:00-7:05-9:30 Sat.-Sun. 1:15-4:00-7:05-9:30 The Last Exorcism Part II (PG-13) Thu. 5:00-7:20 Oz the Great and Powerful (PG) Thu.-Fri. 4:00-7:00-10:00 Sat.Sun. 1:00-4:00-7:00-10:00 Safe Haven (PG-13) Thu.-Fri. 4:157:00-9:45 Sat.-Sun. 1:30-4:157:00-9:45

Dawson 400 Stadium Cinemas 706-216-1622

189 North 400 Center Lane, Dawsonville

21 and Over (R) Thu. 4:50-7:059:20 Fri.-Sun. 12:10-2:30-4:507:05-9:20 The Call (R) Thu. 10:00 Fri.-Sun. 12:05-2:25-4:45-7:25-9:50 Dark Skies (PG-13) Thu. 9:30 Dead Man Down (R) Thu. 4:10-

Movies 400 678-513-4400

415 Atlanta Road, Cumming

21 and Over (R) Thu. (12:05-2:304:55) 7:30-9:55 Fri.-Sun. 9:50 The Call (R) Thu. 10:05 Fri.-Sun. (12:05-2:30-4:55) 7:20-10:00 Dead Man Down (R) Thu. (1:104:10) 7:15 Fri.-Sun. 9:30 Escape From Planet Earth (PG) Thu.-Sun. (12:30-2:50-5:10) 7:30 A Good Day to Die Hard (R) Thu.Sun. (12:15-2:45-5:15) 7:4510:15 Identity Thief (R) Thu.-Sun. (1:154:00) 7:20-10:05 The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (PG-13) Thu. 10:00 Fri.-Sun. (12:10-2:40-5:10) 7:40-10:10 Jack the Giant Slayer (PG-13) Thu.Sun. (1:00-3:45) 7:10-9:55 Jack the Giant Slayer 3D (PG-13) Thu. (12:30-3:15) 6:30-9:15 Fri.Sun. (12:30-3:15) 6:30 Oz the Great and Powerful (PG) Thu. (1:00) 7:00 Fri.-Sun. (1:00) 7:10 Oz the Great and Powerful 3D (PG) Thu. (12:00-3:05-4:00) 6:20-9:2510:00 Fri.-Sun. (12:00-3:05-4:05) 6:20-9:25-10:15 Safe Haven (PG-13) Thu.-Sun. (1:05-3:50) 7:00-9:45 Silver Linings Playbook (R) Thu.Sun. (12:35-3:45) 7:00-9:55 Snitch (PG-13) Thu.-Sun. (1:304:15) 7:25-10:10

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Thursday, March 14, 2013 | gainesvilletimes.com/getout

now showing Movie reviews from Associated Press, McClatchy-Tribune News Service. Stars out of four.

OPENING

‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone’ ■■ Review, 10

Continuing

‘Oz the Great and Powerful’

HH (PG, sequences of action, scary images, brief mild language). “Oz the Great and Powerful” would probably knock ‘em dead as the basis for an attraction at Disneyworld. Director Sam Raimi’s reinterpretation of “The Wizard of Oz” universe is loud, eye-poppingly colorful, and thanks to 3-D, there’s enough stuff hurtling at the audience to make you feel like you’ve stepped into a meteor shower. But it doesn’t make for a very good Disney film. Mildly diverting and clever in spots, this “Oz” is certainly no bookend for the 1939 classic that introduced author L. Frank Baum’s fanciful adventure to a wider world. Raimi’s prequel conceit, based on a script by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire, is to tell the wizard’s origin story. So the film opens in black and white as Oz (a miscast James Franco) lives one step above criminal. He’s a low-rent Kansas magician and charlatan who gets by on the carnival circuit through charm and moxie. While on the run from the strongman and his clown sidekick for some infraction, Oz hops into a hot-air balloon, gets swept into a tornado and lands, of course, in the magical kingdom of Oz, where the film blooms into CGIenhanced lollipop color. He is met by Theodora (Mila Kunis), one of the

JOHN BAER | Film District/Associated Press

Colin Farrell appears in a scene from “Dead Man Down,” a thriller now playing at area theaters.

witches of this kingdom, who informs him that he must be the wizard that has been prophesized to rescue them from the clutches of the one she dubs the Wicked Witch (Michelle Williams). But then he finds out that Theodora, along with her sister Evanora (Rachel Weisz), may not be telling him the truth. Along with his new sidekicks — Finley (Zach Braff), a flying monkey with a hint of attitude; China Girl, a small girl made of china (Joey King), and a parade’s worth of tinkers, farmers, and munchkins — Oz has to man up, slay whomever is the evil one, fall in love, and live if not happily ever after, then at least live comfortably enough until Dorothy comes along. Because Raimi (“Spider-Man”) couldn’t tread too closely to the original without infringing copyright, part of the film’s fun comes from how the well-known concepts are reimagined. There’s a lion but he’s not cowardly, there

are scarecrows but they’re not alive, and the biggest Tin Man of all just may be Oz himself, who needs to find a heart. Yet, like so many big-budget movies these days, it’s hard to care much about what’s going on, especially as the film builds to its special-effectsdriven conclusion. Franco’s smirking performance doesn’t help much. There may be enough here to keep younger children entertained, but with “Oz’s” 130-minute running time even they might get twitchy. (Plus, parents take note, the Wicked Witch’s menacing flying baboons are a little on the scary side.) “The Wizard of Oz” certainly deserves a better successor. But the amusement-park ride will be awesome. ‘Dead Man Down’

H½ stars (R for violence, language throughout and a scene of sexuality). With all that attention focused on the original Swedish “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,”

very little of it seemed to have spilled over onto the director. Was its success simply due to story and settings and Swedishness? Maybe. “Dead Man Down,” a Hollywood production directed by “Tattoo’s” Niels Arden Oplev, is no ringing endorsement of his contributions to the “Tattoo” trilogy. A weirdly

eccentric character thriller, “Dead Man” boasts his original “Girl,” Noomi Rapace, playing a character almost as bizarre as Lisbeth Salander, but unevenly so. It’s hard to decide which is worse, the sometimes manic, badlyscarred car crash survivor who wants revenge on the drunk driver who ruined her life, or the actress clumsily playing her. Colin Farrell is Victor, a secretive low-level mob enforcer. Rapace is Beatrice, a French woman living with her quirky mom (the great Isabelle Huppert) in an apartment just across the way. Beatrice, scars and all, flirts with Victor, balcony to balcony. Then it’s cellphone to cellphone. That’s followed by an awkward first date, all silences and non-sequiturs. But darned if Beatrice doesn’t blurt out that she knows what Victor does, and that he’d better get her revenge for her, or she’ll rat him out to the cops. And Victor, unlike any other mobster/ hit man you’ve ever heard of, lets her get away with it. Maybe he’s got a soft spot for French women. Maybe he sees a connection to her, a connection that hints

at his own motives for doing what he does. The kingpin Victor and his pal Darcy (Dominic Cooper) work for keeps losing henchman, and getting messages — clues, snips of a photograph that will eventually tell him who is tormenting him and stalking him. Since that mob boss is played by Terrence Howard, we’re pretty sure he’s going to break down in tears at some point. Just how miscast the actor is in this part is obvious in a single scene with veteran character actor Armand Assante, who demonstrates how a mob boss carries himself and sounds. The somewhat confusing plot meanders toward a laughably predictable conclusion, but not before director and screenwriter try their hand at moments so random they don’t belong in the film, at flourishes so deft that they belong in a better movie. Rapace is all over the place with her performance — needy, then self-assured, enraged, then in love. The always feral Farrell seems as dismayed by her as the rest of us.

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goo movies ‘Phantom’ HH (R, violence). On March 8, 1968, about 1,800 miles northwest of Oahu in the Pacific Ocean, the diesel-powered Soviet submarine K-129 exceeded its crush depth and imploded, for mysterious reasons a screenwriter would find intriguing on which to speculate. All 98 of its crew members died. The sub sank with three ballistic nuclear missiles as well as two nuclear torpedoes. How close did the world come to a serious, serious problem that day? What really happened? Did the commander go rogue, and why? Regarding “Phantom,” here’s another matter of speculation: How did this submarine movie turn out so unseaworthy? Facts first, then opinions. This is a no-dialect movie. Nobody does a Slavic accent; rather, the American actors, chiefly Ed Harris (as the delusional, haunted captain), David Duchovny (as a KGB agent on board for a fateful trip) and William Fichtner (as the captain’s loyal No. 2), swap ethnicity for relatability, though Fichtner can’t help himself from here and there adding a slight foreignness, a weary Russian cadence to his lines. Just back from a three-month tour of duty, Capt. Dmitri Zubov takes command of the aging nuclear-armed missile, which is equipped with a sonar-repelling device being tested by the cryptic operatives onboard. These men have “ruthless secret service who don’t take nyet for an answer” written all over their foreheads, and they want the sub for their own high-risk purposes. Harris’ captain, in between visions of flames and dying men, refuses to give ground, setting a long, narrow, clammy stage for a showdown. The screenwriter and director Todd Robinson

gainesvilletimes.com/getout | Thursday, March 14, 2013

amuse kids, thrill actionhungry adolescents and entertain adults. Instead it feels like a film made by a committee, for a demographic rather than an audience. It’s a tale full of sound and fury (and flying bodies) signifying nothing. Bryan Singer, who gave us “The Usual Suspects,” two good “X-Men” films and “Valkyrie,” usually makes innovative movies humming with intelligence. Here he directs in the standard swoosh-and-slash syntax of blockbusters, leaving not a fingerprint of individual style on the product. It’s difficult to inject new life into an ages-old folktale (only last summer’s vibrant “Snow White and the Huntsman” succeeded in recent years). This project is about as fresh as a gas-

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station burrito. Our Jack is Nicholas Hoult, not the sly scamp of the fairytale, but a goodhearted fellow with a too-trusting nature. After swapping his family horse at the market for a few allegedly priceless beans, he accidentally rotates the farm’s main crop with a forest of skyscraping beanstalks. The giants above make off with the kingdom’s sweet, eye-batting Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson). There are several good gags as the humans skirmish against their oafish yet dangerous goliaths. The film promises to settle into a princessand-pauper romance, but “Jack” is afflicted with the contemporary movie disease of multiple redundant endings.

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Ashley Bell appears in a scene from the horror film “The Last Exorcism Part II.” hasn’t made a bad film with “Phantom,” merely a stiff one. Would rhetorical questions such as “Do you think we can be redeemed for the things we’ve done?” come across better in Russian, subtitled into English? If so many lines are followed, like clockwork, by a footnote-type add-on (“Ah, yes, your father ... he commanded the first submarine brigade of the Baltic Fleet”), then can “Phantom” ever really get going as human drama? Robinson is undone partly by his own workmanlike touch as a writer, and partly by matters of casting. I like Harris, and he’s quite moving here, but every time Duchovny reappears the overall energy level sinks to crush depth. Fichtner, a longtime supporting player, clearly appreciates the opportunity to tackle a larger and more sympathetic role than usual. He conveys that enjoyment to the audience, in the service of his character. Nice job. All around him, though, “Phantom” makes a middling suspense case for its fictional scenario of what happened, down there in the depths of the Cold War.

‘The Last Exorcism Part II’

H (PG-13 for horror,

violence, terror and brief language). OK, so it wasn’t “The Last Exorcism” after all. Here’s “Part II,” an 88-minute bore without the nervy, shaky-camera found-footage conceit, without the doubting exorcist’s moment of truth, without the chills of demonic possession thrills that the low-budget original film served up. “Part II” is every bit as cheap and far more generic, nothing more than a run of the mill ghost story masquerading as “The Devil Made Her Do It.” Ashley Bell, as Nell, the teen lusted after by Lucifer, seems exhausted, frazzled, out of her acting league and nowhere near her teen years in this sequel. Nell has stumbled into New Orleans, hounded during Mardi Gras even as she tries to convince doctors and those in a mental health halfway house that “I’m not crazy.” But she’s seeing her dead daddy (Louis Herthum). She’s hearing voices. Dogs bark at her passing, gorillas in the zoo act up. And every Mardi Gras reveler in a scary mask stares her down. Frank (Muse Watson), who runs Deveroux Halfway House,

could not be more wrong when he assures her, “Whatever you’re running from won’t find you here.” “Last Exorcism II” is a slower than slow thriller built around Bell, who isn’t at her most subtle or empathetic here. It’s a film of cheap shriek scares and fizzing frights that pack no punch. The tropes of the genre — exorcists who have the tools but face long odds, bleeding walls, birds that fly into a house where Nell hides out (hey, it was ALIENS who caused that in “Dark Skies”) — are there. But the effects are skimpy and cheesy. The dull acting doesn’t hide that there’s not enough story to justify setting this in Voodooville, USA — New Orleans. So one can only hope that when they say “The Last Exorcism,” they mean it. ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’

HH (PG-13 for intense scenes of fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief language). Fee, fie, ho hum. “Jack the Giant Slayer” doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. Like the recent “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters” and 2011’s “Red Riding Hood,” it struggles to find the right balance of elements to

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go o music

Thursday, March 14, 2013 | gainesvilletimes.com/getout

Classical concert by Cat

concert calendar

Musician helps Brenau celebrate ‘Year of the Piano’

This week

From staff reports Continuing what has come to be known as ‘The year of the Piano’ at Brenau University, guest artist Cat Massey will perform a recital of classical music including her Rachmaninoff Variation and other pieces at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 15, at the John S. Burd Center for the Performing Arts on the Gainesville campus. The concert, in the intimate Banks Recital Hall, is free and open to the public. With the university's renewed emphasis on a widening array of musical performance arts, music department chairwoman Barbara Steinhaus said her department has taken special pains to showcase pianists and accompanists this year. "With the acquisition of our first instrument in the 'All-Steinway' Initiative, this is truly the year of the piano at

Brenau," she said. Well known to Gainesville audiences, Massey, who began playing the piano at age 4 and the violin at age 9, has performed in the United States and Taiwan. She studied under renowned teachers Eugene Barban of South Carolina and Tzong-Kai Kuo of Taiwan. She has also worked with pianists Ju Ying Song, Joseph Banowetz and Walter Hautzig. Massey, who’s primary instrument is piano, received her master’s degree in piano performance from Tung Hai University in Taiwan, but also minored in the violin while in a four-year music program at 10 years old, and has accompanied a wide variety of instruments. “Studying, preparing and actually performing piano is hard work in itself, but playing for a live audience is an incredibly thrilling For Get Out experience,” Massey said. Currently, she teaches lessons at her Gainesville studio, Cat Massey Piano Studio, and accompanies locally for various forms of the arts, from choirs to musicals. For information regarding the concert and Brenau’s Music department, please contact 770.538.4764 or www.brenau.edu/ music.

Junior Recital Shelby Brooks and Erica Schiller, Atlanta. 8 p.m. March 14. Rialto Center for the Arts, 80 Forsyth St. NW, Atlanta. Free. 404-4135901, www.music.gsu. edu. The Clinton Gregory Bluegrass Band, Cumming. 8 p.m. March 15. Sawnee Mountain Music, 1540 Dahlonega Highway, Cumming. $15-$20. 770887-7635. Graduate Recital Chelsea Smith, Atlanta. 8 p.m. March 15. Rialto Center for the Arts, 80 Forsyth St. NW, Atlanta. Free. 404-413-5901, www. music.gsu.edu. The Skillet Lickers, Dahlonega. 8:30 p.m. March 15. The Crimson Moon Cafe, 24 N. Park St., Dahlonega. 706-864-3982, www. thecrimsonmoon.com. “New Kid in Town,” Toccoa. 6 p.m. March 16. Toccoa Elks Lodge,14 Remsdale Road, Toccoa. $10. 706-886-6531. Emerald Rose Concert, Dahlonega. 8 p.m. March 16. The Historic Holly

Theater, 69 W. Main St., Dahlonega. $15. www. hollytheater.com. “Great Composers,” Demorest. 7:30 p.m. March 16. Piedmont Chapel, Piedmont College, 165 Central Ave., Demorest. $10 general admission, $5 students and seniors, free to all Piedmont students, faculty and staff. Sweetwater Creek Band, Dahlonega. 8:30 p.m. March 16. The Crimson Moon Cafe, 24 N. Park St., Dahlonega. 706-864-3982, www. thecrimsonmoon.com. The Irish Brothers, Dahlonega. 7:30 p.m. March 17. The Crimson Moon, 24 N Park St., Dahlonega. $12-$15.

Upcoming

Lanier Chamber Singers “Animalia,” Gainesville. 7:30 p.m. March 22 and 4 p.m. March 23. Gainesville First Presbyterian Church. lanierchambersingers. org. Evan Christopher Trio, Gainesville. 8 p.m. March 23. The Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center, 331 Spring St. SE, Gainesville. Series tickets

Piedmont Singers to present ‘Great Composers’ From staff reports The Piedmont College Singers will present works by Benjamin Britten, Leonard Bernstein, Eriks Esenvalds and Ralph Vaughn Williams in a concert at 7:30 p.m. March 16 at the college chapel. The concert is part of the continuing “Great Composers Series” at Piedmont. Admission is $10, $5 for students and seniors, free to all Piedmont students, faculty and staff. Dr. Wallace Hinson, chair of the Department of Music, will conduct the performance by the 53-voice Piedmont Singers, with

accompanist Louise Bass on the Sewell organ. The performance also will feature harpist Monica Hargrave and percussionist Taylor Sexton. The concert will include Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” commissioned in 1965 for the Three Choirs Festival, held at Chichester Cathedral since 1700. Composed for chorus, boy alto, organ, harp and percussion, each movement of the work includes an entire Psalm, with excerpts from another Psalm as commentary or contrast. “Rejoice in the Lamb” by Benjamin Britten is a multisection

work written for chorus, soloists and organ based on the poem “Jubilate Agno,” written by Christopher Smart about 1759. The poem was not published until 1939 and features Smart’s ode to “My Cat Jeoffry.” Esenvald’s “Long Road” is the English translation of a poem written by Paulina Barda for her husband, the Latvian poet Fricis Barda. The final selection, “Five Mystical Songs,” composed for chorus, baritone solo and organ, is a setting of poems by George Herbert from his 1633 collection, “The Temple: Sacred Poems.” The work was first

$125 and include all five performances. Individual tickets $30, $25 each with the purchase of six or more tickets. 770-534-2787, www. TheArtsCouncil.net. E.G. Kight, The Georgia Songbird, Dahlonega. 8:30 p.m. March 23. The Crimson Moon, 24 North Park St., Dahlonega. $12 in advance, $14 day of concert. www. thecrimsonmoon.com. Senior Recital Nick Elward, Atlanta. 6 p.m. March 25. Fulton County Central Library, One Margaret Mitchell Square, Atlanta.

performed in 1911 with Vaughn Williams conducting. The concert will feature numerous soloists, including 11-year-old Matthew Blouin Davidorf of Atlanta, who has performed with the Atlanta Opera and son of Piedmont graduate Beverly Blouin. Student soloists will include Lily Landeros, Mitchell Auger, Brett Bellamy, Chris Sudderth, John Wright, Vince Buchanan, Lindsey Brakhage, Kelly Hood, Ben Rikeman, Sky Ross, Jennifer Pitt, Allison Criswell, Brianna Foley, Rebekah Staton and Nicholas Johnson.

This Weekend March

15Th, 16Th, & 17Th Friday: 9-5, saTurday: 9-6 sunday: 10-5

anTiques, collecTibles, hoMe decor

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Japanese pianist Concert travels through time University Vocal Chamber Ensemble comes to Athens Brenau set to perform ‘Bach, Brahms and Bernstein’ goo From staff reports

The Performing Arts Center will present award-winning pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii at 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, in Hodgson Concert Hall in Athens. Blind since birth, Tsujii captured the attention of the world when he won the Gold Medal at the 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. A native of Japan, Tsujii has earned an international reputation for his live performances. He has played sold-out recitals in New York at Carnegie Hall, as well as in Berlin, Munich, Boston and Washington. A live DVD recording of his 2011 Carnegie Hall recital has recently been released and is distributed by Naxos in the U.S. and Euroarts in Europe.

He has appeared as a soloist with all the major Japanese orchestras, including NHK Symphony, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony, Tokyo Symphony, Japan Philharmonic and Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa. Nancy Riley, a graduate teaching assistant in music at UGA, will give a pre-concert lecture 45 minutes prior to the performance. It is free and open to the public. Tsujii’s recital will feature works by Debussy and Chopin and will be recorded for broadcast on American Public Media’s Performance Today. Tickets are $20-$34 with discounts for UGA students. They can be purchased online at pac.uga.edu or by calling the box office at 706-542-4400 or toll free at 888-289-8497.

From staff reports

The Brenau University Vocal Chamber Ensemble, under the direction of music professor Bobby Ivey, will perform “Bach, Brahms and Bernstein” in the John S. Burd Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 18. The event is free and open to the public. From the Baroque to the contemporary, “Bach, Brahms and Bernstein” provides audience members with a diverse evening of vocal performance spanning centuries of musical development. For information regarding the concert and Brenau’s music department, please contact 770-538-4764.

music

For Get Out

The Brenau University Vocal Chamber Ensemble performs during the 2012 Alumnae Reunion and May Day celebration on the Gainesville campus.

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get out

• gainesvilletimes.com/getout

FRIDAY

Thursday, March 14, 2013

MONDAY

TUESDAY

march 15, 7:30 pm

march 18, 7:30 pm

march 19, 1:00 pm

John S. Burd Center for Performing Arts

Brenau University’s Pearce Auditorium

What is Accompaniment...

Really?

piano recital

Cat Massey

BRENAU UNIVERSITY

An afternoon of accompaniment challenges for high school pianists, under the mentoring of Brenau University’s Ben Leaptrott. Guest violinist: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra member Kenn Wagner.

All three events are free and open to the public. For info call 770.538.4764 www.brenau.edu