Music, Art, Film, Dance, Theatre, Activities, Talks... I look for any interesting performances & happenings around the Boston area that cost $10 or less.
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The info hit my email about an hour ago, and I'm posting it as soon as I noticed it. (I knew there was a sneak preview of the film tonight, but I wasn't cool enough to know where...)
Director George Romero will introduce his sixth(!) "...of the Dead" zombie movie. Of course, his "Night of the Living Dead" is the touchstone for every zombie movie that followed.
Doors will open at approximately 9:45 PM, so please arrive early for best choice of seats!
I'm guessing you'd want to get there as early as possible. That's how intense Romero fans can be.
* Doors open at 6:15pm, and the show starts at 7pm.
In less than 2 hours, this light-hearted, comedic-disaster flick tells the tale of a flight from Tokyo to Honolulu and provides a glimpse about the hundreds of airline workers involved with its success. (Film is in Japanese with English subtitles.)
The director is well-loved in Japan for his feel-good films. While this isn't going to be on the level of Kurosawa, it should be an enjoyable film.
As an additional treat, the pilot and the flight attendant in the movie (actual ANA employees) will attend the screening. If the goal is to advertise that All Nippon Airways flies to Boston, they got me.
(For the record, I love Japanese culture and would even get a big kick out from watching the judges' table on "Iron Chef".)
You have to RSVP before 5pm on THUR 9/10. Further info should be emailed subsequently.
When they ask, "How did you find out about this event?" -- feel free to write (err, copy-paste) "Cheap Thrills-Boston".
Like the Google calendar, a set of "ongoing cheap fun links" is in the pipeline.
Since the Boston Public Library has a film series (or two) over the next couple months, I might as well start with "Free/Cheap Movies".
This page will be updated and enhanced as time goes on. When it falls off the front page, I'll link it to the right side and probably change the format as time goes by.
I don't always check it, but I've noticed that Joe from Somerville does a good job of keeping up with free films in the Boston area on his Google calendar.
These may or may not make the main list (see "Tommy" tonight!), but it is free air conditioning...
Last Updated: 9/8/09
(Wow, this is woefully out-of-date! I'm taking it off the front page for a day or two...)
There's other Saturday stuff below (including an IFFBoston discussion panel), and I'm putting Sunday cheapness on the event calendar. I'll try to have a Sunday post up after I visit Somerville's Willy Wonka...
Unlike the recent Boston Underground Film Festival, the films at IFFBoston are likely to have screened at many of the major film festivals and have a good chance at getting a local theatrical release. The documentaries are a wee bit more mainstream, and I always think are some of the best overall indie filmmaking just based on the lower budgets required. You might eventually see these films venue down the road, but why not see it now?
These are the ones that jumped out at me based on reading reviews and watching trailers (I do the footwork, so you don't have to!), but check out the schedule to see what else is playing.
Today's (and tomrrow's) screenings are at the Somerville and the Brattle. They move to ICA on Monday and Coolidge Corner for the closing night film, "World's Greatest Dad" (directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, starring Robin Williams).
Don't you enjoy those feel-good commercials from oil companies talking about how much they love and respect the environment? This doc covers a lawsuit against Chevron/Texaco for the damage they've done to the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest. Maybe the oil companies love and respect profits a wee bit more than the planet...
"Invisible Girlfriend" looks so wild that you might think it's staged, but I don't think it's the case (directors in attendance). Here's the setup: a foul-mouthed weirdo is followed on a 400-mile bike ride to New Orleans to visit his "girlfriend", Joan of Arc.
Besides being a lawyer who used his knowledge for Good over Evil by defending so many civil rights icons, I find it interesting that his daughters have put this documentary together. It probably wasn't easy, because he also defended many that were very widely hated.
Directors Sarah and Emily Kunstler will be in attendance.
As more independent record stores close, one could say this is another angle to tell the story of a crumbling American dream of the Little Guy being able to make it -- but they're not going without a fight. Thank goodness, because the diversity of music available on iTunes is based on the support of interesting music by these guys. Maybe bloggers serve that purpose more and more, but it's not the same! Also lots of cool people are interviewed in this doc.
You're probably not going to get in to this film about Luis Tiant going back to Cuba for the first time in over 40 years, because the advanced tickets are sold out.. The good news is that they added a 5pm screening on SUN 4/26 at the Somerville Theatre. (Or it might be on NESN next year...)
Wanda Jackson is the queen of rockabilly. She indeed is a sweet, pretty lady; but she sang with a raw, wild style that one associates with Jerry Lee Lewis or Little Richard. She's still out there rocking with her guitar and was inducted in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame this year.
It fascinates me that violent, psychopathic individuals can be the center of such compelling (even humorous) stories. If you enjoy blood and guts with dry wit, this is based on the life of British criminal who changed his name to Charles Bronson. Looks pretty good... Watch the trailer:
After getting your "Jolly Roger" on all day, it's time to take Harvard Sq by storm. Arrrh! The Brattle claims to have a new 35mm print, so it won't be a grainy, cheesy discount pirate flick -- it'll be a cheesy pirate screening of visual integrity.
In truth, "The Pirates Of Blood River" has a reputation for being a quintessential pirate movie. The pirate captain is played by Christopher Lee who has made a career of being an exemplar bad guy and is best known these days as Count Dooku to Star Wars geeks and Saruman to the fans of Middle Earth. (Some overlap, eh?) Film fans will notice a few other familiar faces in the cast.
It's an action-packed ride that'll be far more rewarding than waiting in line for a ride at Disney World, and you'll clearly know why it's called Blood River before it's over. The style and energy of this film -- along with plenty of twists and turns for the good guys and the bad guys -- might even distract you that most of the action takes place on an island instead of the high seas.
Dressing like a pirate is so easy with little effort, and you basically get in for half-price. Land-lubbers will surely be outnumbered -- and hopefully mocked!
Take notice of this wench who used newspaper for her pirate outfit!
Stealing bits of ideas from various friends, I started to send out a list of cheap things to do around town. I also like to play guitar.
* cheap thrills boston -symbol- gmail dot com *
