Even if you’ve never seen or heard of a movie called She Killed in Ecstasy, isn’t it lovely to know that such a thing exists in the world? That 1971 eroto-thriller was a creation of prolific Spanish-born writer-director Jess Franco, who had a lasting career making florid B movies with…
Director Petter Ringbom takes on the consequences of freedom of expression in Shield and Spear. Following Ringbom’s first feature-length documentary, The Russian Winter, Shield and Spear explores the cultural and artistic tensions in South Africa 20 years after the end of apartheid, the government’s race-based system of segregation. The film is made with…
In the grand scheme of things, 15 years doesn’t seem that significant. But when you’re talking about a city as relatively young and evolving as Phoenix, 15 years is an eternity. Not many have lasted downtown long enough to tell exactly how things were a decade or so ago, but…
There’s no empowerment message embedded in Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella, no “Girls can do anything!” cheerleader vibe. That’s why it’s wonderful. This is a straight, no-chaser fairy story, a picture to be downed with pleasure. It worries little about sending the wrong message and instead trusts us to decode its politics,…
Start at the feet and pan up Adam Sandler: the sneakers, the pants that never quite fit, the sloped shoulders, the furrowed brow and world-weary sulk. He’s a cartoon man drawn the same in every movie, whether he’s in a lonely walk-up or a McMansion crammed with kids. Sandler plays…
For the few, the proud, the comedy fans who toughed it out to endure all three-ish hours of Saturday Night Live’s 40th anniversary special, there were a few memorable highlights. But the brightest and best? It was, without question, when Jerry Seinfeld took questions from the audience (and Larry David)…
You’ve heard of the UFC, yes? Well, think of Rage in the Cage as a farm team of sorts for the larger mixed martial arts fighting league. Founded and operated locally, Rage provides a venue for up-and-coming fighters to prove their skills. And RITC 176, coming March 7, will feature…
This weekend, you can forget what your parents told you about playing in the street. The 13th Melrose on 7th Avenue Street Fair is bringing all kinds of fun activities right smack dab in the middle of Seventh Avenue. The fair will feature live music, food trucks, vendors, kids activities,…
They say it takes two to tango. Well, apparently it also takes two to put on an incredible dance and string show. (We’re talking about the instruments, people.) Mesa Arts Center will host just that when the forces of EPIK Dance Co. and Simply Three join for Simply EPIK on…
One of Arizona’s most popular cultural events celebrates nearly 60 years of artistry and crowd-pleasing activities. Now in its 57th year, the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market brings chefs and dancers alongside nearly 600 artists — ranging from painters to fashion designers, and everything in between.“Celebrating the Art…
For those who fear flight, the Arizona Aloha Festival is bringing the tropical island life to you. The two-day Hawaiian celebration will feature more than 40 performers on three stages, island-inspired fare including laulau, poi, and steamed pork buns, and an Island Marketplace selling everything from flower leis to Polynesian…
Sony Pictures is finally allowing Spider-Man to cross over into Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. While the films are years away, you can see the webslinger fight alongside The Avengers on Sunday, March 8, when the Marvel Universe Live visits the Valley.The Cosmic Cube is the source of ultimate power so,…
Now in its 27th year as a spring staple, Artlink’s Art Detour takes over the galleries and sidewalks in the heart of downtown, featuring more than 100 participating artsy locations. Highlights include a block party by Paint PHX along Fifth Street and “Detour de Grand,” focusing on galleries from Grand…
There’s a lot going on this time of year in the Valley of the Sun, so when we give up coveted print for an event that’s outside of the ‘hood, you know that it’s well worth the nod. And yes, the Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention at Tucson’s coolest —…
Shakespeare frequently wrote about dancing and music, but that Renaissance-y capering isn’t the stuff of Center Dance Ensemble’s Shakespeare at the Herberger, featuring “The Fateful Loves of Hamlet” and new dances inspired by The Tempest, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Macbeth, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (the play with the…
The unseasonably warm temps make us want to remove our clothing, but we’d rather leave it up to the professionals. Burlesque is alive and well in the Balley with new troupes popping up everywhere. Mizz Lucy Morals’ School for Wayward Grrrls is teaching the next generation of striptease artists and…
Ever heard of Roxanne Lowit? Lady wrote the book on Yves Saint Laurent. Or, we should probably say, she shot the book on Yves Saint Laurent, the late and great couturier. Lowit, a renowned fashion photographer, will discuss her her book chronicling the last 25 years of Yves’ career (complete…
In the pantheon of heart-on-sleeve songwriters, most modern musicians of the craft can lean toward trendy aesthetics or cloying sweetness in an effort to get their message across. Joshua Radin, the Ohio singer-songwriter who was pushed into the spotlight by none other than Zach Braff, falls into neither of these…
When Jackalope Ranch issued a 10-question survey asking Phoenicians (and anyone with an opinion of Phoenix) to sound of on the state of the arts in the Valley of the Sun, dozens provided insights on what’s happening in the city’s creative realm. We’ll present a selection of survey responses here…
We dig you, Phoenix. That’s why every spring we hunt for emerging creatives doing exceptional things in metro Phoenix and award the best and brightest with Big Brain Awards and cash prizes. They’re gems, these up-and-coming sculptors, dancers, musicians, and chefs. It’s what makes them Big Brains. For the 2015…
At 5 years old, David Zyla told his mother, who was getting dressed for a night out with his father, to wear a different necklace than the one she had on. He then told his dad to switch ties. “You can mix patterns?” his dad asked. “Of course,” Zyla said…
It’s never fun when the number of good choices we’re faced with outpaces the amount of time we have to enjoy them. But that’s often the case during First and Third Friday in metro Phoenix, when there’s never enough time to explore every exhibit and arts-related event taking place in…
