Frumpy, Fugly Fun: Ugly Christmas sweater parties – the new intentionally tacky holiday tradition

Posted inCulture

Frumpy, Fugly Fun: Ugly Christmas sweater parties – the new intentionally tacky holiday tradition

Mike Bookey

Oh so tacky.Great aunts, grandmothers and the overzealous knitters in your family
sometimes have the misguided idea that everyone should own a holiday
sweater. While some are more "tasteful" in their selection process,
others feel that nothing says "Happy Holidays" better than a blazing
red knit creation complete with three dimensional snowmen, glitter,
sewn-on ribbons and bells and, if you're lucky, some battery-operated
lights. While this attempt to spread holiday cheer is typically
well-meant, this nightmare apparel is about as subtle as Santa Claus
beating you over the head with a sack of broken Christmas lights
screaming "Merry Christmas" and about as desirable as an STD - until
now that is. Holiday sweaters have a new purpose in life and are a
reason for celebration with the increased popularity of ugly Christmas
sweater parties. So get excited when you unwrap the latest holiday
sweater from Aunt Gertie - you no longer have to fake acting thankful
and now have a perfectly acceptable way to show it off and even win
prizes.

Posted inCulture

The Right Stuff: Bleak Swedish vampire tale hits all the right veins

Mike Bookey

Oh, the sad plight of the young vampire.While it stands on its own as an atmospheric art movie, Let the Right
One In could be interpreted as the ragingly popular Twilight's polar
opposite - human boy meets vamp girl instead of the reverse. Adolescent
love grows between pre-pubescent 12 year olds instead of
hormone-frenzied 17 year olds, the plot and direction being realistic
and bleak, rather than fantastical and uplifting.

This movie sucks
you in from the eerie opening scene: through a window an anemic-looking
blonde boy Oskar (Kare Hederbrant) brandishes a knife in front of a
mirror, pretending he is telling someone to "squeal like a pig."
Oskar's morbid side stems from the bullying he confronts in school on a
daily basis. He's a weird kid for sure, but not as weird as his
neighbors. Eli (Lina Leandersson) and her "dad" (Per Ragnar), move in
next door, revealing a relationship that is bizarre beyond belief. Set
in a remote Swedish town, most of the action takes place in a park
between an apartment complex and an elementary school.

Posted inCulture

Bad Humans, No Planet: Latest in end-times Keanu melodramas works…as a sleep-aid

Mike Bookey

Dude, I don’t need this. I was in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.If you're like me, you may have serious concerns about the Keanu
Reeves/apocalyptic-star-vehicle industry. Is the stock spiking?
Plunging? Should we ask Congress for a bailout?

Well, with The Day
the Earth Stood Still, an impossibly boring, humorless, pedestrian
remake of the 1951 sci-fi classic, I am proud to inform you that
industry is receiving a stimulus of sorts. Turns out crappy Keanu
movies are like Detroit sedans: quality doesn't matter, as long as they
sell.
Reeves is back in Neo/Messiah mode, as Klaatu, an alien
diplomat who travels across the cosmos with his robot, nicknamed
"GORT." Klaatu takes human form in an effort to observe people, and
ready Earth for his plans.

Posted inMusic

Smashing Up the Midtown

The Source Staff

What the hell is the "Domino Ron"?Those who've driven by the Midtown Music Hall in the past week may have noticed the boarded up window of the ballroom. Wondering what happened? Well, here's how we heard it: some dude - and we're guessing a rather drunken dude - tossed what is believed to be a pint glass through one of the six-foot-tall windows and also smashed out the iconic florescent Domino Room sign.

Posted inMusic

Prime Timers: Local musicians Bo Reynolds and Carl Ventis prove they have staying power

Mike Bookey

We spend a lot of ink on the up-and-coming local musicians, sometimes
forgetting about the legions of older, more experienced musicians. Bo
Reynolds and Carl Ventis are two older and wiser artists that have just
released new albums. Both have been on the scene for a while. Both have
released albums for one simple reason: the love of music. So while they
may not be contenders for Teen Choice Awards anytime soon, they have
managed to produce albums that showcase their musical knowledge and
dedication. 

Posted inMusic

Running (or not) On Empty: The B Foundation provides some roadside assistance

The Source Staff

This is a little more serious than the out-of-gas scenario.The B Foundation has AAA. And this is a damn good thing because the Los
Angeles-based surf rock band has run out of gas and found itself
stranded on the side of the road somewhere outside of Pueblo, Colo.
This is unfortunate, but bassist Jason Moorehead, leaning up against
the band's 24-foot RV, says it's not a big deal. In fact this is the
second (and almost the third) time the band has run out of gas in the
last year.

Rather than hoof it the two miles to the nearest gas
station, purchase gas and a can in which to carry it before carrying
said gas back another two mile back to the RV, Moorehead and company
are waiting it out and the bassist uses the time to relay over the
phone some details about his band and the nine months they spent on the
road this year. During this trek the band opened a string of shows for
Sublime descendents Slightly Stoopid, including a packed show at the
Midtown Ballroom on a strangely snowy October night.

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