New Nightmare on Elm Street trailer
Featuring SA’s own Jackie Earle Haley as none other than Freddy mother-effing Krueger. What do you guys think of Freddy’s new look and the trailer’s serious tone. Discussion questions: Is the world ready for a sympathetic Krueger? Do we like our claw-handed ghost killers to be wise cracking jackasses or solemn mopes? How much would…
Chaléwood No. 21: Aimee Garcia
Aimee Garcia – Trauma By Kiko Martinez San Antonio Current contributing writer kiko@cinesnob.net While doing research for her role on the new NBC show Trauma, Chicago-born actress Aimeé García realized what a big responsibility she had by taking on the role of Iraqi war veteran-turned-EMT pilot Marisa Benez. “I’m not only representing a Latina, I’m…
The Grand Héctor
By Enrique Lopetegui elopetegui@sacurrent.com On July 17, laundry workers, housekeepers, bellboys and other employees at the San Antonio Grand Hyatt Regency Hotel were scheduled to vote whether to unionize, but the vote was canceled after a “union buster” told them, the workers said, “If you vote to become a union, you might lose your job…
Le Rêve: Ron Bechtol on Weissman’s surprise announcement
Pat Sharpe broke the news this afternoon on her Texas Monthly blog: Andrew Weissman will close Le Rêve; the announced wine bar in the Sandbar space will not happen. Though well-off foodies will mourn it, the decision actually means more Weissman in more accessible venues, to hear the chef tell it. Ron Bechtol digs deeper…
U.S. Senate race: Bill White’s comin’ to town
SA native and adorable Mad Hatter stand-in Bill White is coming to town tomorrow in pursuit of the Senate seat being vacated by the next governor of Texas (unless you guys are finally ready for “Ann Richards in drag”). You can press the flesh with Houston’s mayor (and former Deputy Secretary of Energy) — who’s…
We have a winner!
Sure, maybe it was our only real entry, but this defense of Insane Clown Posse’s Dark Carnival mythology probably would’ve won regardless. Rather than taking the tack I expected (i.e., a way too self-serious explanation of all things Juggalo) the author effectively knocks me off my clown-hating high horse by reminding me that it’s really…
Film review: Lord Save Us From Your Followers
Lord Save Us From Your Followers (PG-13) **1/2 Dir. Dan Merchant The question these lefty Christianity docs always prompts is: Who is the audience? You have to assume those nutty religious-righters avoid these things like syndicated reruns of Will & Grace, and there’s something extremely distasteful about the thought of preaching to the converted, of…
Lot 49’s pothead brother
Inherent Vice Release Date: 2009-09-23 Rated: NONE It weighs in at a paltry (by Pynchon standards) 369 pages and features references to obscure surf-rock bands instead of obscure baroque-era French composers or whatever, so go ahead and call Inherent Vice a “minor work.” Everybody else has. But when it comes to Pynchon’s output, that label…
Evangelion 1.0
Critic’s Pick Evangelion 1.0 Director: Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki Screenwriter: Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki Cast: Spike Spencer, Allison Keith, John Swasey, Brina Palencia Release Date: 2009-09-23 Rated: PG-13 Genre: Film Our Rating: 3.50 I’ve never seen an episode of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion anime nor read a single backward-printed page of the manga. With that in…
ATP, Vol. III
ATP, Vol. III Composer: Astex Conductor: Astex Label: Aquired Taste Preferred Release Date: 2009-09-23 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording Several listens in, I’m still not sure exactly what to make of ATP, Vol. III. A 21-track, 37-minute hip-hop album on which most cuts are less than two minutes long (and several don’t make it to the…
Vapours
Vapours Composer: Islands Conductor: Islands Label: Anti- Release Date: 2009-09-23 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording Vapours is a fitting title for the newest Islands record — unlike the heavily arranged, overwrought Arm’s Way, here Nick Thorburn leads a stripped-down lineup (including original Unicorn/Island Jamie Thompson) through a set of synth-pop that’s essentially weightless, almost to a…
The Visitor
The Visitor Composer: Jim O’Rourke Conductor: Jim O’Rourke Label: Drag City Release Date: 2009-09-23 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording Think of the one-track Visitor as the proper follow-up to 1997’s Bad Timing, echoing that record’s approach in every way. Both pieces find the middle ground between O’Rourke’s avant-garde side and his pop work, toning down the…
The Velvet Underground: An Illustrated History of a Walk on the Wild Side
The Velvet Underground: An Illustrated History of a Walk on the Wild Side Release Date: 2009-09-23 Publishing House: Voyageur Press Rated: NONE Genre: Book/Periodical Lester Bangs, arguably the greatest rock critic ever, once wrote, “I always believed that rock ’n’ roll comes down to myth. There are no ‘facts.’” As countless aspiring music writers were…
Gloria Trevi
Release Date: 2009-09-23 Gloria Trevi is the closest equivalent there is to a Mexican Madonna. A one-time street performer/aerobics instructor/quesadilla vendor, Trevi stopped at nothing to achieve fame. After her short-lived girl-group “Boquitas Pintadas” disbanded, Trevi approached talent manager Sergio Andrade and the two struck up a highly lucrative, yet scandalous partnership. In her first…
Art opening: Mark Hogensen: Town and Country
Release Date: 2009-09-23 class=”story”> The 12th annual Manhattan Short Film Festival is titled “One World, One Week, One Festival.” During that one week, there will be 532 screenings in 173 cities on five continents, at which viewers vote for their favorite film. The results will be announced in New York on September 29. This year’s…
Manhattan Short Film Festival
Release Date: 2009-09-23 class=”story”> The 12th annual Manhattan Short Film Festival is titled “One World, One Week, One Festival.” During that one week, there will be 532 screenings in 173 cities on five continents, at which viewers vote for their favorite film. The results will be announced in New York on September 29. This year’s…
Art opening: A Communion of Saints
Release Date: 2009-09-23 For those of you who still haven’t obtained travel visas to visit the David Shelton Gallery in Stone Oak where you can witness art happily living and breathing north of Southtown, you’re missing out. Shelton has an impeccable sense of style and hangs a broad range of work thoughtfully and beautifully. A…
Jamie Foxx
Release Date: 2009-09-23 Noticing that female comics took priority onstage, native Texan Eric Marlon Bishop paid homage to Red Foxx and changed his name to gender unspecific Jamie Foxx. After establishing himself on the stand-up circuit, Foxx joined the television show In Living Color, which also helped launch the careers of Rosie Perez and Jennifer…
The Get Up Kids w/ Youth Group, & Pretty and Nice
Release Date: 2009-09-23 The teen angst energy of Four Minute Mile, The Get Up Kids’ debut album, heavily influenced punk-pop successors like Fall Out Boy. Recently, Pete Wentz told Alternative Press his band would not exist if it were not for The Get Up Kids. While TGUK is frequently credited with bringing emo to the…
We like ’em husky and lusty
Release Date: 2009-09-23 Tamales were around long before Cortez and crew landed on Mexico’s shores, and they’ve been a part of the Tex-Mex canon as long as there’s been a Tex to couple to Mex. But some local entrepreneurs have decided we need to be reintroduced to the time-tested treat. Enter Tamahli: take-out tamales are…
Japan Nite: Peelander Z & The Birthday Suits
Release Date: 2009-09-23 Whether they’re building freaky-realistic robots while we’re still trying to install the batteries in our Big Mouth Billy Basses, or turning a convicted murderer and cannibal into a national celebrity years before The Simple Life hit American airwaves, Japan seems to always be ahead of the curve. Hell, just look at a…
The devil went down to brighton
Nick Cave’s demons come out to play in new book
Desperately seeking Boricuas
Release Date: 2009-09-23 Having spent more than a decade in New York City, I was lucky enough to meet a lot of Puerto Ricans. While living on the Lower East Side, I frequently awoke to the tinny sound of bachata music emanating from parked cars on the street below (yes, I know bachata originated in…
Manhattan takes SA
A nondescript family vehicle approaches a guarded border checkpoint. A bearded man (Alexander Siddig from 24 and Battlestar Galactica) is driving; his wife sits in the passenger seat next to him. Their preadolescent daughter sits in the backseat, playing on her cellphone. The game she’s playing emits a stream of irritating electronic beeps, and her…
Twin pique
Like many San Antonio stories, it begins at Fiesta. In 2005, during a heated mayoral race that then Councilman Julián Castro eventually narrowly lost to Phil Hardberger, Castro and his twin brother, State Representative Joaquín Castro, were accused of purposefully duping the public by having Joaquín stand in on a river-parade float for Julián. At…
Our lady of perpetual sorrow
What’s wrong at Guadalupe? The 29-year-old struggling Westside cultural arts center has been the butt of off-the-record jokes and the subject of on-the-record controversies for years. As soon as something good seems to be happening there, it is invariably stopped in its tracks by yet another accusation, another pointing finger, another grievance. “I love them,…
Lars Ulrich’s nipple
For a long time, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich lived above a San Francisco dance club called Popscene. According to locals, he’d go downstairs some nights just to hang out and mingle with the schmoes. So one time after work I went there with the sole intention of meeting the Danish drummer. I planned on striking…
The Sound & The Fury
My apologies to Aly Tadros, who plays tonight (September 23) at the Candlelight, and to other bands and soloists who will be performing in town this week in town and who are usually featured in this column. But I’m still shaken by what took place in Havana, Cuba, on Sunday. In the middle of transcribing…
Live & Local
If there’s one thing I love in this world, it’s a good circle pit. They’re hard to come by in San Antonio, but Prevail Within, who’ve been playing hard and fast in this town for several years, are looking to revive this nearly forgotten token of fan appreciation. Hoping for the opportunity to indulge in…
Dear Uncle Mat
I am in need of advice, or a reality check. I am a recently out 22-year-old stud. I have been “doing it right” since JV football, though, so I am only new to the scene. I’m just a BooBoo looking for his Yogi. I am attracted to older guys, which only bothers my mom and…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Jonathan Lee Riches is renowned for filing numerous lawsuits in U.S courts. Some of his targets are actual living people, like Martha Stewart, George W. Bush, and Steve Jobs. But he has also gone after defendants like Nostradamus, Che Guevara, the Eiffel Tower, the ex-planet Pluto, the Holy Grail, the Appalachian…
Home on the Range
For six years, I resisted taking my daughter to the movies. What was the hurry? I didn’t go to my first movie till I was 7. And it’s not like she wasn’t being exposed to the joys of cinema — she’s watched a movie on DVD almost every Friday since she was 2 years old,…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: In Garfield strips in the funny pages that appeared earlier this year, Garfield is wearing a sombrero and taking siestas. While cute and all, isn’t that the sort of thing that we have been striving to stop? What was Jim Davis thinking? Maybe he needs a refresher course in not making pendejadas. —…
Mind of the beholder
FotoSeptiembreUSA, the annual month-long celebration of all things aperture organized and curated by SA’s own Michael Mehl, causes both excitement and dread each year: Yes, there will be a few exceptional art shows, but many spaces will resort to showing pedestrian photojournalism, which as brilliant as it can be, isn’t art. So September can feel…
Ask a Mexican! Special SA-Only Edition
I always knew Gustavo Arellano was baaaaad. His early LA and OC Weekly music reviews in the ’90s were the type of stuff that would scare even the most confident music critic. I and my fellow struggling rocanrol writers admired his work and liked him personally (he’s the coolest cat), but silently celebrated the fact…
Artifacts
Franco Mondini-Ruiz was an ebullient ball of free-floating goodwill early Saturday evening as his guests mingled among mix-and-match statuary, lawn torches, and two litters of kittens. San Antonio Museum of Art Curator David Rubin chatted with New Orleans refugee John Davis under a chandelier dangling crookedly from a tree. “Have you had a sandwich?” Mondini-Ruiz…
Chisme y Chicle
Scott Cohen is a busy man. Fresh from opening Brasserie Pavil on Loop 1604 at Huebner, he and financial foundation Pat Kennedy are about to tackle another Loopland property, the recently shuttered Reggiano’s at 1604 and Stone Oak. “It will be a real grill,” says Cohen. And Watermark Grill will feature “prime” seafood from…
Garlic breadth
I haven’t bought garlic since 1996. That’s because I grow enough to eat a bulb of garlic every day, year ’round. While most of my garden adventures are hobby-level attempts at self-sufficiency, my garlic crop is for real. Garlic is an overwintering crop, planted in fall and harvested mid-summer. So if you want to have…
S’Nuff Film
To quote the Floyd (which J-school taught me is the first step toward responsible journalism), “Some stagger and fall, after all it’s not easy/ Banging your heart against some mad bugger’s wall.” It ain’t easy, but director Ricardo Martinez is doing exactly that with documentaryThe Wall</strong, a film chronicling the U.S. guv-ment’s attempts to construct…
Essay contest: Win the new Insane Clown Posse album!!!
UPDATE: This contest is D-E-A-D over, but the ICP’s music will live on in our hearts, and that’s the greatest gift of all. Just kidding — I’m having those parts surgically removed on Friday. True, it’s been out for nearly a month now, so it’s not all that new, and faithful Juggalos and (God help…
