Arts & Entertainment

Published
December 18, 2011

Movies: With ‘Mission: Impossible,’ director leaves comfort zone

Brad Bird has made some of the more brilliant and thrilling animated movies of the past two decades, if not of all time. He pushed the boundaries of feature animation with “The Iron Giant” and won best-animated-feature Oscars with “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille,” merging commercial and critical success. But Bird scorns complacency, quoting Steve Jobs’ […]
Published
December 18, 2011

Art Review: Wood show in touch with viewers

One of the first things I noticed when I walked into “Maine Wood 2012” was a small sign on Gregory Crispell’s “Four Drawer Box” that reads: “Please handle with care.” The usual operating assumption in museums and galleries, of course, is a giant, imaginary sign that says “DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT TOUCHING THIS OR ANYTHING […]
Published
December 18, 2011

Movies: ‘Young Adult’ a film of grown-ups

You probably knew someone like Mavis Gary in high school. If you didn’t date her, then you most likely hated her. Beautiful, statuesque, popular, occasionally cruel and not unintelligent, girls like Mavis ruled the school — and seemed poised to rule the world. But Mavis’ life didn’t turn out that way. At the start of […]
Published
December 18, 2011

Book ideas will have you barking up the right tree

It’s hard to pick up gifts when your dewclaws get in the way. Luckily for pets, humans have a great crop of recent books to choose from for gift-giving this season. Here are a few sure to make the pet-lover on your list all warm and cuddly. “Betty & Friends: My Life at the Zoo,” […]
Published
December 18, 2011

Arts Dispatches

AUGUSTA Belfast, Waterville win grants for revitalization The Maine Arts Commission announced last week that Belfast and Waterville each will receive $50,000 grants to assist with community revitalization. The grants are designed to support dialogue and partnership among municipalities, businesses and the cultural sector, and were awarded through the commission’s Creative Communities = Economic Development […]

Published
December 18, 2011

Ruff and ready

Author Paula Benoit and illustrator Thomas Block will launch their new children’s book, “Baxter in the Blaine House,” with a signing on Sunday at L.L. Bean. In “Baxter in the Blaine House,” Baxter the dog serves as tour guide of the mansion that’s been home to Maine governors and their families since 1920. Gov. Paul […]
Published
December 18, 2011

Take Heart: A Conversation in Poetry

Edna St. Vincent Millay was born in Rockland on Feb. 22, 1892, and remains one of America’s best-known poets. In today’s poem, she speaks to Christ about the way his birthday is celebrated in the modern world. TO JESUS ON HIS BIRTHDAY By Edna St. Vincent Millay For this your mother sweated in the cold, For this you bled […]
Published
December 11, 2011

Dine Out Maine: A-1 indeed – Gardiner diner takes flavor to new heights

Housed in an authentic Worcester lunch car (the original food truck) and set on pilings over a gully, the A-1 Diner in Gardiner remains a classic. There are no additions or extensions, no up-to-date decor. It’s a stainless steel box with a couple of neon signs, 16 round stools at the counter and a row […]
Published
December 11, 2011

Arts Planner

• A new theater company in Portland offers its first show this week. Snowlion Repertory Company presents “The Christmas Bride” at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Dec. 18; and 8 p.m. Dec. 20-21 at Lucid Stage, 29 Baxter Blvd., Portland. The story, written by MK Wolfe with music […]
Published
December 11, 2011

Audience Calendar

Art “Madeleine de Sinety: Photographs,” Portland Museum of Art. 775-6148; portlandmuseum.org. Through Dec. 31. “Gather Up the Fragments: The Andrews Shaker Collection,” Shaker works, Portland Museum of Art. 775-6148; portlandmuseum.org. Through Feb. 5. “Paul Caponigro: The Hidden Presence of Places,” photography, Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland. 596-6457; farnsworthmuseum.org. Through Jan. 5. “Focus on India,” photos by […]

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