By: Mackenzie Lambert

Without a doubt, Tilda Swinton is the most versatile actress in movies today. Comic book fans may remember her as the androgynous Gabriel in Constantine. She was the White Witch in Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. She's also been in Broken Flowers, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Burn After

On October 9, 464 Gallery will be reviving a fall celebration that first began five years ago at Off the Wall on Elmwood Avenue with it's very own "Rocktoberfest."

"This event was borne out of a love for live music, Hilary's German heritage and of course beer," said Marcus L. Wise of 464 Gallery.  Partnering with the event's original creators, locals Hilary Salmon and Keith Harrington, Wise will be bringing several DJs and visual artists to the gallery to celebrate the autumn season in a unique way.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. and will run until 12 a.m.  Complimentary

By: Mackenzie Lambert

What are two things that shouldn't be mixed together? Pepsi and mayonnaise? Care-wolves and sparkly vampires? Diet soda and double bacon cheeseburgers? Columnists who know little or nothing of the content they cover and an independent Buffalo website? How about Sam Raimi's debut, The Evil Dead, and musical numbers? Well, if successful showings in Tokyo, Toronto, Seoul, Austin, and Kalamazoo are any indication, it's more like combining chocolate with peanut butter.

Starting last night and running through November 6th, Evil Dead:

By: Mackenzie Lambert

Fifty years ago, we first checked into a secluded motel off the Arizona highway. Fifty years ago, we were introduced to Norman Bates, a shy, quiet, charming young man. Fifty years ago, we met his mother. And thus, Alfred Hitchcock unleashed the film that would mark his career, the careers of others, and inspiration for many more, with his film, Psycho.

NOTE: As a famous critic once said something along the lines of  "I envy people who are seeing Psycho for the first time and don't know what it's about." Continue to read

One year ago, Dan Gigante watched an interview with Blake Mycoskie, an American traveler who after witnessing children in Argentina going without shoes decided to create TOMS Shoes, a company that gives one pair of shoes to a child in need every time they sell a pair to one of their customers. This concept of one-for-one giving inspired Gigante to start his own company based on the same concept, but with its own unique product.

Today, Gigante is steadily building the foundation for You and Who, an internet-based company that produces artistic t-shirts with the one-for-one mission at

By: Tom Dooney

You can't copy anybody and end with anything. If you 
copy, it means you're working without any real feeling.
- Billie Holliday

 
The production of Lady Day At Emerson's Bar And Grill being presented by Paul Robeson Theatre Company is doubly historic. The play itself creates with verisimilitude by Billie Holiday. The PRT production reintroduces the performance of Joyce Carolyn as Holiday, a role she first took on in 1989 in a show produced by Theatre Of Youth and staged by Thomas Martin in the warehouse space TOY then occupied (now Buffalo

By: Mackenzie Lambert

As a break from the Buffalo International Film Festival, I thought it warranted mentioning of what has become a cinematic tradition in Buffalo. The Fall 2010 Buffalo Film Seminar screened Frederico Fellini's 8 ½ last night at the Market Arcade. For future reference, I recommend visitors of BIFF from out of town take an opportunity to check out this insightful, entertaining evening at the movies with UB Professors Diane Christian and Bruce Jackson.

I must admit that up until this showing, I had never seen a Fellini film. I've heard many people reference

The Shakti Yoga studio located on 133 Grant Street is an ideal space for meditation and reflection with its high ceilings and calming atmosphere. With great acoustics, it also happens to be the perfect venue for live music.

On Saturday, October 9 from 8 to 11 p.m., Shakti Yoga will host a live performance by Family FUNKtion and Sitar Jams.  There will be a suggested $7 donation at the door to benefit the musicians.

The group is comprised of the three Padmanabha brothers--Ravi, Naryan, and Aneal--who have been making music together for the past 20 years.  Their style

By: Mackenzie Lambert

Anyone my age has a favorite Disney movie. Usually, it's from the early 1990s and it is either The Lion King or Aladdin. Personally, I thought Robin Williams as the Genie was the height of ideal characterization in an animated Disney film. Little did I realize how much trouble it was to get that movie off the ground, as it was for most of the Disney productions at that time.

Some of the company's best films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King, were considered to be big gambles at the time they were

The Sabres open their regular season in 3 days. We're all thankful for that, of course, since the Bills have put the entire region on suicide watch.  If you're not already excited for the Sabres season, the NHL has rolled out a new ad campaign featuring NHL stars including our own Ryan Miller.  The video is after the jump. . .


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By: Mackenzie Lambert

Being a fan of The Addams Family, I was looking forward to seeing the documentary, Funny Business. According to the BIFF schedule it was to be a film about Charles Addams. Having started out as a comic strip, the Gothic brood has since been adapted into a TV show, feature films, video games, a cartoon, and a musical and has featured prestigious actors such as John Astin, Raul Julia, Tim Curry and Nathan Lane.

You can imagine my surprise when I found that the documentary focused much more on cartoonists who were fortunate to have their work

By: Mackenzie Lambert

Religious cults can be violent in nature and intention. After hearing about it from Edward Summer, founder of the Buffalo International Film Festival, and knowing that it was worked on by director Preston Miller and star Shing Ka, the screening of God's Land intrigued me. Additionally, learning that shards of a real life cult from Lockport, NY served as the basis for the film increased my interest. What Preston presented in God's Land was an interesting story about conflicting cultures, assimilating into a new place, faith, and how the media focuses

By: Mackenzie Lambert

Why does nobody seem to go to the Market Arcade theater? They offer slightly lower prices. They have food that looks appetizing. The seats are comfortable. Is stadium-style seating in the McPlexes really that much of a deal breaker? Market Arcade is a great venue for films, and it deserves our support.

On another note, Friday night officially kicked-off the 4th annual Buffalo International Film Festival with the one-night-only screening of HBO Films' Temple Grandin starring Claire Danes. It was an Emmy Award-winning film and a good case for why

Holly Hue is emblematic of renegade fashion.
 
Combing through the aisles of every thrift store imaginable, masses of hand-me-downs and even modern apparel are dissected, seam to seam, and resurrected into affordable one-of-a-kind pieces.
 
Founded in 2005, the DIY punk-inspired line of custom made clothing and handbags has branched out to retailers in Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and shops in Washington and Kentucky.

Saturday, October 9, Holly Hue Clothing is bringing it home to Buffalo with the "Sound

By: Mackenzie Lambert

Thanks to IMAX, 3-D has returned. Most movies released today will throw-in 3-D effects after the fact just to get a little extra cash. The studios often come off as being opportunistic and do very little with the enhancement.

Christopher Nolan is one movie-maker who illustrates the art that can be made when a creative mind meets the entertainment technology of the 21st Century. But whether or not 3-D has any real staying power remains to be seen. Well-respected movie critic Roger Ebert considers it

Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Staff Review by Pat Covley:

Poor Claire Webster - just when she should be on the top of the world, her husband dumps her.  He chooses to do this on the very day when Claire gives birth to their first child.  To add insult to injury, she discovers that James is leaving her for an older woman.  Claire decides to leave London and return to her family in Dublin.  There she lives with her parents and sisters.  Her family, though quirky, helps sustain her while she regains her confidence.

Written in

This just in from the organizers of the Infringement Festival:

The Buffalo Infringement Festival (BIF) is seeking entries for its Logo Design Contest. The winning logo will be used for the 2011 Festival posters, brochure, and video; the designer will receive credit for logo. Designers can submit as many logos as they would like. Images must be digitally rendered, at least 300dpi, TIFF format, and submitted via email: tologocontest@infringebuffalo.org.

All submissions are due by January 1, 2010 and must include designers name(s) and contact information to be eligible.

Dear Arts Workers and Arts Audiences:
 
You knew this day was coming, right?
 
Since January 2008 when Christopher Collins assumed the office of County Executive, his behavior made clear he intended to establish a financial agenda that would not include the region's arts and cultural institutions. These are the organizations that entertain us and educate us and edify our lives. And, lo, the sword that has been hanging over us all since then has fallen this week.
 
Only ten organizations will receive fiscal support from Erie County, a total of $4.41

By: Joseph DiDomizio, Hugh O'Donnell and Tony "Slick" Wilson

The days are getting cooler, but concert season is still going strong! The Set List is back with Joseph, Tony, and Hugh discussing the most notable concerts scheduled for October 2010.

In this episode: Joseph discusses We Were Promised Jetpacks and Sweatin' Like Nixon, Tony tells us all about Rodrigo & Gabriela, Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu, and Hugh talks about Shonen Knife and Ron Hawkins. The featured artist for this episode is The Failure's Union, who will be opening for We Were Promised Jetpacks on October 16th.
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By: Mackenzie Lambert

The fourth annual Buffalo International Film Festival unofficially kicked off last Friday with a screening of the complete Metropolis at the Market Arcade theater. At 7pm tonight, October 1st, it officially begins with a gala screening of the Emmy-award winning Temple Grandin starring Claire Danes, Julia Ormand, David Strathairin, and Catherine O'Hara. The movie will be shown as part of a fundraiser supporting