He has a radio program on WXOU out of Oakland University
Wild At Heart
This is a day of mixed sports news as the Detroit Tigers finally find a way to win at least one important game against the Minnesota Twins (the magic number is 11 which is the largest in any division) and the Lions find a way to lose to the Minnesota Vikings after taking a 10-0 lead in the first half. However, the Detroit Shock where able to defeat the Atlanta Dream in game 2 of their series 94-79 lead by Nolan's 22 and Zellous's 21 point efforts. The Dream gave the Shock a scare after Nolan was hit in the head in the 3rd quarter followed by 8 straight Atlanta points giving them a 58-57 edge. But not to be denied, the Shock struck and never looked back. They will face Indiana at the Palace on Wednesday for game 1 of the conference finals in hopes of getting back to the WNBA Finals for the fourth straight year. You go girls!
Der Baader Meinhof Komplex (The Baader-meinhof Complex) was Germany's entry for the 81st Academy Awards and retells the formation and early years of the West German militant group Red Army Faction (RAF) particularly from its beginnings in 1967/1968 at the time of the German student movement to the German Autumn in 1977. The film takes a look at this group of young adults of the RAF who look are comitted to saving Germany from repeating the path which allowed Hitler to come to power. These men and women were protesting involvement in Vietnam and other percieved injustices in Germany and took a hardline stance of terrorism against the state which including bombings and bank robbery. While most of the portrayals are towards the bland, I really enjoyed both Martina Gedeck as reporter Ulrike Meinhof who joins the RAF for the right reasons but eventually comes to questions their methods and Moritz (Run Lola Run) Bleibtreu as ringleader Andreas Baader who can appear as charismatic, appealing, and mean all in the same scene. The film ends with the "Death Night" where the three ringleaders are found dead in their cells which still remains a mystery today if it was suicide or murder. The film does a good job on showing what can happen if a society starts to lash out at those in power and reminds me of themes gleamed upon in the new Michael Moore film on Capitolism (basically stating the people have to hold government accountable). While not as action packed as some might hope for a film like this, I believe it captures the spirit of the era which it represents and is a good starting point for discusion if what these people did was right or wrong. I give the film a grade of B-.
Here is a brief history of the events that are depicted in the movie from the website http://www.baader-meinhof.com/timeline/timeline.html. "The crisis years between 1968 and 1977 represented the most tumultuous era in West Germany's entire internal social-political history. The student protests of 1968 that promised so much hope, quickly fizzled into riots. Many of the leftist students would follow Rudi Dutschke's clarion call and begin their "long march through the institutions" (a decade later many of these former radical students were the main force behind the Greens party). But a select few of the radicals had no time for any nebulous march -- they wanted Revolution now, and sought to kickstart the cause through terrorism. For a time, it seemed as if the West German flavor of leftist urban guerrilla warfare might have a measure of success. German polls showed an extraordinary number of Germans supported their cause in one way or another (only 10 to 20%, but a remarkable number nonetheless). But the support fizzled to almost nothing when the West German terrorists stopped merely robbing banks and began killing people.
Most of the leaders of the most famous West German terrorist group, the Baader-Meinhof Gang, were captured in mid-1972. Their followers would kidnap and kill close to a dozen people over the next five years in an effort to secure their leaders' release from prison, but it was all in vain. The German government had no intention of releasing them. The German government used the terrorist crisis to approve new laws giving them broad powers in combating terrorism. Hard-core leftists grumbled, but the majority of the German people were firmly on the side of the government.
Late in 1977, after an airplane hi-jacking by Palestinian comrades failed to secure the release of the three imprisoned leaders of the Baader-Meinhof Gang, the terrorists saw the writing on the wall. Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, and Jan-Carl Raspe all committed suicide deep in the night of October 17, 1977." ©1997-2009 Richard Huffman.
BTW, Michael Moore was in town Sunday to talk to audiences after 4 screenings of his new film "Capitalism: A Love Story" at the REN Center. The film premiere had a number of big names including United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur along with members of local film students and the Young Democrats. While I can't tell you much about the film until it comes out Oct 2nd, it was interesting to hear Michael Moore speak to the audience who seemed supportive. I talked to a few people who really saw this film as his most accessible to members of both parties since these hard economic times hit everyone regardless of their voting affiliation. I have recorded the Q&A after his first screening and will play it during my radio show on WXOU 88.3FM (online at www.wxou.org) on this Saturday morning (8-10AM) so you can hear what he had to say about the film and what he thinks of Obama and the environment.
Another movie out this week is the new animated film by Columbia Pictures entitled "Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs" (based on the 1978 children's book by Judi Barrett). The film focuses on a town which used to be the sardine capitol until people realized they taste yucky. Faced with the closing of the local sardine factory, the mayor decides to open a theme park based on sardines. However, Flint Lockwood, a young inventor who dreams of creating something that will improve everyone's life, has been working on a machine that can create food from water. After an accident which sends his invention into the atmosphere and ruins the mayor's opening, Flint is depressed. Sam Sparks, a weathergirl covering the phenomenon and who hides her intelligence behind a perky exterior, finds him on the pier depressed until the sky starts raining hamburgers. The mayor then convinces Flint that his invention can save the town by having it rain food three times a day. Things are going well despite the worries of his technophobic father and Brent, the town bully who has plagued Flint since childhood and worries his invention will make him obsolete. Even the town cop starts to side with Flint until greed takes a hand and a food storm theatens everyone and only Flint and his friends can stop it. The film while not up to Pixar standards, this is a rather enjoyable film for the kids and most adults will enjoy the carefree spirit of the film. The films uses the vocal talents of Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Mr T, Bruce Campbell and Al Roker who do a good job at bringing the characters to life. I can easily recommend the film though with a grade of B- so take the kids out and enjoy yourself in this world. I think I would like it to rain jello if I had the chance which also seems to be a favorite of one the characters in the film.
For concert goers, this should be a good week starting with Tuesday (9/22) where we see the Kings Of Leon w/Glasvegas @ Palace Of Auburn Hills. I'm not sure how big the crowd will be but the show is worth it for Glasvegas alone which is a very nice band. On Wednesday (9/23) you can see ...and you will know us by the Trail of the Dead @ the Majestic, Willie Nelson @ Stranahan Theatre (in Toledo) or see local band Child Bite opening for These Arms Are Snakes @ Pike Room. This Thursday (9/24) I was searching for something but nothing stood out for me. Friday (9/25) is a wonderful day with girl power diva Ani DiFranco @ Michigan Theatre, local boy Craig Owens @ The Factory (in Rochester), and superstars KISS w/ Buckcherry @ Cobo and oldies powerhouse the Spinners @ Motor City Casino. I usually only recommend shows where I have seen the artist in question but Friday has a bunch of shows of interest where I haven't seen the artist but would be interested in doing so and those include Christian heavy metal band Stryper @ Hayloft, alt-rocker Sufjan Stevens @ the Crofoot and Detroit rock band Death @ the Magic Stick. Saturday (9/26) sees repeats of Craig Owens & KISS but also sees Sponge @ TNT's, Secondhand Seranade w/Parachute @ Crofoot and the School Of Rock doing a KISS tribute @ the Crofoot. Sunday (9/27) sees a repeat of the School Of Rock but also highlights Marshall Crenshaw @ Magic Bag, the Javelins opening for The Soft Pack @ Pike Room and local singers Audra Kubat and Justine Blazer among the line-up @ the Memphis Smoke's Lamb's Singer-Songwriter Showcase. Monday (9/28) starts the work week with Streelight Manifesto @ The Majestic and Brandi Carlile @ Michigan Theatre.
Last week, I went to see an exciting Regina Spektor show but I also stopped by the University of Michigan Art Museum and took in a couple of nice exhibits. Warhol fans will enjoy an exhibit of his photographs that capture the spirit of the seventies and eighties. The snap shots depict various friends, followers and fellow denizens of the underground. A lot of these photos are the same as the Cranbrook Exhibit but there are a few different ones so if you missed them here is a second chance. Museum lovers, will enjoy an exhibit of photographs by Richard Barnes. This series of photographs entitled "Animal Logic" examines the role the museum plays in our understanding of ourselves through the acts of collecting, preservation, and display. The images were taken at various collections including the Smithsonian and the Museum of Comparative Anatomy in Paris. The photos mostly look at the animals in storage and as they are being set up for display which gives a unique look at the behind the scenes work museums use. This is well worth a look if you are in the area.
I also recommend the lobster BLT at Sava's which is located right around the corner from the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor. The onion rings weren't that good but that BLT was delicious.
Lastly, non-smokers will rejoice as The Royal Oak Music Theatre will become a smoke-free venue for all shows beginning September 26th. This new policy goes into effect the evening of “The Kemon Nights” event that features “The Tiffany Awards” for Hairdressing. Proceeds for this event will go towards the American Cancer Society, making it the perfect event to launch the theatre’s new smoke free policy. Smoking will be permitted in a designated area outside of the theatre for any patrons wishing to smoke.
Have a good week make sure to do something fun this week.