Encounters At the End of the World
(Image Entertainment)





Werner Herzog has been shot at during an interview on a LA street corner, has led a film crew through a possible Loch Ness Monster sighting, worked with and nearly killed the actor Klaus Kinski (more then once) and has been to, directed and written this documentary about Antarctica, Encounters At the End of the World.

This is a two-hour travelogue of amazing views with Herzog’s commentary. Whether he was filming spectacular sights in water under miles of frozen ice, at the rim of an active volcano and ‘spelunking’ through snow caves, I found myself wanting Herzog to just film the beauty and “shhh” most of the time. He keeps the camera trained for what seems a lifetime on interviews with scientists and workers, the “professional dreamers” working in this unforgiving place. Even when we are watching seals, penguins, guitar-playing scientists, miles and miles of frozen ocean-even some footage of a famous expedition attempted a century ago-Herzog just can’t help philosophizing.

One of the best moments of the film happened near the beginning when Herzog showed (and did not talk over) mandatory training exercises for anyone venturing into the Antarctic wilderness. A group was attached to a thin line, sent only a few feet across relatively calm and easy snow, but with buckets on their heads to simulate complete white-out conditions. This experiment was as dramatic and interesting as anything Herzog later filmed or pontificated over, illustrating a real life and death possibility in this dangerous place.

Encounters At the End of the World contains two discs, the second one featuring a Jonathan Demme interview with Herzog and featurettes like “Under The Ice, Over The Ice” and “South Pole Exorcism.” The entire exercise is a solid study of an imposing place made by an imposing (or at least he thinks he is) filmmaker.

Ralph Greco, Jr.

Happy Wale-days!


With it's ample upper-tier seating, two huge bars, and gigantic standing room only, the Highline Ballroom proved to be the perfect stomping ground for breakthrough rapper Olubowale Victor Akintimehin, otherwise known as Wale. What makes this D.C.-bred artist revolutionary isn't his swagger, or his infectious rhythms, or even the sheer fact that he reminds us that cooler things can come out of the nation's capitol (si, se puede). No, what makes this son of Nigerian immigrants revolutionary is that he combines the street cred and lyrical prowess of his fellow 'college drop-outs' without the pretension (which is an incredible feat when your producer and opening act is Mark Ronson).

Backed by a 13-piece band, Wale hit the Highline stage with guitars wailing, horns blaring, and vinyl whirling. A true man of the people, he sated the crowd with shout-outs and some D.C. go-go music, easily noted by the incorporation of African drums and cowbells. Wale is truly D.C.'s first rapper to get mainstream attention and be worth a closer listen...and when you do, you'll find that Wale's lyrics might deliver an ode to Nike boots, a jab at college football coaches, or a rant on business suits. He mixes pop references with obscure details--most of which relay some story about his own life cleverly redone for universal appeal. A great example of his storytelling is a mixtape released in 2008 title, "The Mixtape About Nothing," a clever disc of original rhymes set to the backdrop of audio clips and jokes from Wale's favorite sitcom, "Seinfeld." Whether by mixtape or live concert, the moral of this story is that Wale is no joke. Instead he's the kind of rapper we've been waiting for: someone who is astute, determined, and unabashed about serving up rhymes that are stone cold.

Nicole Velasco

Band of Brothers [Blu-ray]
(HBO Home Video)





Based on the true story of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment’s tour of duty in Europe throughout World War II, HBO’s Band of Brothers mini-series is a truly extraordinary piece of work. The series goes beyond groundbreaking with its writing, acting, and attention to detail as well as its serious production value, which helped the series ring in as one of the most expensive television shows in history. The cost and efforts were not in vain and the series, produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, will stand as the high water mark for the mini-series in addition to being one of the greatest television productions in history.

The story, adapted from the book written by Stephen Ambrose, follows the soldiers from their basic training in Georgia to the end of the war in Austria. The story itself, compellingly told through the men of E (or “Easy”) Company and the 10 installments, begins with interviews from the actual soldiers portrayed in the series. Easy Company is seen jumping over Normandy on D-day, getting beat up during Operation Market Garden, turning the tide at the Battle of the Bulge, and raiding Hitler’s “Eagles Nest” towards the end of the war. The film is an honest depiction of war and the historical accuracy is another highlight of the series.

The true heart of the film lies in the characters and it’s these eclectic personalities (in life and in fiction) that are the real strength of the production. The ensemble cast is brilliant in their portrayals of the eclectic group of volunteer soldiers that came together to form America’s first parachute company. The series wanders through the group of men but the most consistent focus lies on Major Richard Winters played by Damian Lewis. The character is an embodiment of the American World War II ideal and Lewis rises to the occasion in his performance. His best friend and confidant is Captain Lewis Nixon who is brilliantly played by Ron Livingston (well known from his lead role in the cult classic Office Space). The two tie together the pieces of the story weaving in humor, earnestness, and contemplation when necessary.

The series is at times: moving, funny, thoughtful, and devastating and the balance of tempo is one of its greatest achievements. Each installment offers the audience a different, but equally interesting viewpoint from the day-to-day life of a soldier in Episode 4, “Replacements,” to a look at the reality of war amidst the chaos in Episode 6, "Bastogne." Overall the series is an amazingly well crafted look at an integral moment in history and a stirring work of art.

Tim Needles

Location: East Village
Dumpling Man
100 St Marks Place, New York, NY 10009
Tel: (212) 505 2121

Two doors down from De La Vega and across the street from an East Village bookstore is a round, white cartoon figure that bears striking resemblance to a cuddly, tuxedo-less penguin. Welcome to the Dumpling Man, a casual dumpling bar that serves a focused selection of the northern Asian delight. Founded by Taiwanese entrepreneur Lucas Lin, Dumpling Man's commitment to its graphic identity sets it apart from other dumpling establishments. While waiting to order, customers can peruse the ample apparel selection, which ranges from t-shirts and baby wear to a hot pink thong. Just $6.50 gets you ten dumplings filled with juicy pork or chicken and a front-row seat to the centuries-old tradition of wrapping dumplings. The dumplings, which come seared or steamed, are a generous mouthful of meat, herbs, and spices. Don't miss out on their weekly "Surprise Dumpling," which can contain anything from fiery Korean kimchee to delicately crisp fresh water chestnuts. To long-time dumpling fans, a second surprise arrives as the "Sweet Dumpling," a fusion-style dumpling stuffed with pumpkin pie filling. Although Dumpling Man sits on the (barely) pricier end of the dumpling bar spectrum, its innovative fillings and colorful decor keep the regulars coming back for more.

Lauren Wang

Spend the weekend with Coney Island's freaks! Photo By Laure Leber

Friday January 2

Location: Chelsea, NYC
Event: Coney Island Circus Sideshow Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Highline Ballroom
Food: Il Bastardo
Drink: Brite Bar
Miscellaneous: Café Grumpy

Now that most of Coney Island has “For Rent” signs where businesses like the Sideshow used to be and where these performers called home, now you can see them at the Highline Ballroom. Now a traveling sideshow, you can see a ten in one (10 performers for 1 price) including Donny Vomit, Serpentina, Insectivora, Heather Holliday, and more. With an interesting menu of cosmos and cocktails like the Fother Mucker, made with Zygo, a locally distilled energy vodka, Brite Bar is a gorgeously designed bar that looks like a lounge but is way more fun. One of my favorite coffee houses due to the fact that they are doing a great job of reinventing the wheel when it comes to making coffee, is Café Grumpy. Here, every cup is freshly pressed and the latte’s are thick and rich tasting.

Friday January 2

Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Band: Grand Masters of Gypsy Music
Show time: 9 PM
Venue: Mehanata Bulgarian Bar
Food: San Loco
Drink: Max Fish
Miscellaneous: Sugar Sweet Sunshine

Looks like there’s a new bar on the block called Menahata Bulgarian Bar (113 Ludlow St.), which seems to center around Balkan music and Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hutz who spins records often there. But they also offer live Gypsy music as the Grand Masters of Gypsy Music perform. It’s world music with a punk aesthetic! Let’s face it, San Loco does not serve the greatest Mexican food ever. But it certainly isn’t bad. The prices are inexpensive, you can get a heaping amount of nachos for as little as $3.75, and telling by the heavy traffic, the place is doing just fine. What I like about Max Fish is that it’s a local bar for local artists. It’s walls play host monthly for art exhibitions, there’s a pool table in the back, and drinks aren’t pricey, like many new bars springing up in this neighborhood. For one of the best cupcakes in the city, Sugar Sweet Sunshine has 10 varieties, on top of cakes. Try the Sexy Red Velvet or the Bob, a yellow cupcake with chocolate almond buttercream.

Saturday January 3

Location: West Village, NYC
Band: Afrika Bambaataa
Show time: 11 PM
Venue: (le) poisson rouge
Food: Koo Sushi
Drink: Blind Tiger Ale House
Miscellaneous: Peanut Butter & Co.

One of the founders of hip-hop, Afrika Bambaataa has influenced several decades worth of music and musicians with his electro-funk style. So catch this legend live. Plus anyone who helped introduce Kraftwerk to the U.S.A. is alright by me! A little known sushi joint, Koo Sushi offers affordable and fantastic fish with an impressive number of specialty rolls. For a bar that looks like any other, Blind Tiger Ale House offers an impressive number of beers including draught, bottled, cask and one called Louise’s Bloody Beer. Try it if you dare! If you’re in the mood for some comfort food, Peanut Butter & Co., offers some PB heavy hitters like the Elvis, a PB, banana, and bacon sandwich that tastes better than it sounds.

Saturday January 3

Location: Meatpacking District, NYC
Comedy: Todd Barry
Show time: 8 & 10:30 PM
Venue: Comix
Food: Spice Market
Drink: Plunge
Miscellaneous: Little Pie Company (located at 407 W14th St.)

Todd Barry has been doing standup for a while now and tends to stick to what he knows best, the awkward stuff and Manhattan. With his laid back style and fearless approach he’s been on countless TV shows and even his own Comedy Central special plus has a role in the recently released film The Wrestler. For dinner, if you can get a table, check out Spice Market. Chef and owner Jean-Georges Vongerichten converted this HUGE space into one of the sexiest Asian restaurants in NYC. Serving up exquisite dishes like the onion and chili crusted short ribs with egg noodles and pea shoots ($22), Spice Market impresses. If you choose not to stay at APT for drinks, close by is Plunge. Located at the top of the Hotel Gansevoort, this rooftop lounge offers stunning views of the city. If dessert is your thing, stop over at Little Pie Company, where pies are baked on premises. Whether you’re in the mood for sour cream apple, southern pecan, or Mississippi mud pie, you can’t go wrong here.

Sunday January 4

Location: Upper West Side, NYC
Bands: Under the Sign of Fincher
Show time: 7:30 PM
Venue: Walter Reade Theater
Food: Rain
Drink: Prohibition
Miscellaneous: American Museum of Natural History

Filmmaker David Fincher sits down with Kent Jones to discuss his film career (Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac) as well as the technical aspects behind his current film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which will also be playing earlier at 3 at the Walter Reade Theater. In the mood for pan-Asian food? Rain is a great bet, with it’s rather large Japanese themed wood paneled space, it has devised dishes like the Jungle Curry Wild Boar with kaffir lime, Thai eggplant, and Shanghai bok choy ($24). Prohibition harkens back to that 20s era full of illegal activity. Fortunately, the bar has an excellent drink menu including 12 different martinis. With pool tables in the back and exposed brick walls covered with paintings of people imbibing drinks, the theme may be prohibition but everyone is having too good a time to notice. Afterwards, check out the American Museum of Natural History's state of the art ice skating rink, open till March 1, 2009.

The independent film Slumdog Millionaire is about to receive an Oscar nomination. Is it:

a.) a heartwarming rags to riches tale of a boy from the slums.
b.) a predictable plot-driven story which relies on an old school gimmick.
c.) an exotic tale of romance, which spotlights the diverse change in a growing region.
d.) all of the above.

Well, as you may have guessed the answer is d.) all of the above, but despite it’s shortcomings the film is a great success and a big winner just like it’s heroic main character, Jamal Malik. The film, which was directed by Englishman Danny Boyle, follows the lives of three young children from the slums of Mumbai, India (formerly known as Bombay) as they come of age in a changing nation.

The story begins on the set of India’s version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” where the protagonist, Jamal sits about to win 20 million rupees and the plot is told through a series of flashbacks as the police forcibly question him about how he knew the answers. The main character Jamal is played by Dev Patel as an adult and Tanay Chheda, and Ayush Mahesh Khedekar as a youth and he is something like a smarter Indian version of Forest Gump. The object of his affection is Latika (played by the gorgeous Freida Pinto as an adult and the adorable Tanvi Ganesh Lonkar and Rubiana Ali as a youth) who is lost throughout much of the film vying to survive. Jamal’s less honorable elder brother Salim (played by Saurabh Shukla as an adult along with Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail as a youth) acts much like a counterpoint to Jamal at every critical moment and completes the main trio of characters.

The story is complex as the film occurs over many years but underneath it all the film is a classic tale of absolute determination and love amidst impossible means. It is a film about believing in one’s destiny and it is this theme, which results in the audience’s willingness to suspend their disbelief. The acting is often necessarily flat but the younger actors deserve mention because it is through them, that the audience grows attached to the characters. Without question the film is a gimmick, but an extremely well crafted gimmick and although the voyage is as impossible as the result is predictable, the film remains fun to watch.

Tim Needles

Starting off 2009 by swimming in the waters of Coney Island is not for everyone


Location: Coney Island, Brooklyn
Bands: Coney Island Polar Bear Swim
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Coney Island
Food: Nathan’s Famous
Drink: Ruby's Old Tyme Bar and Grill
Miscellaneous: Brooklyn Cyclones

Today is generally known as national recovery day as most are hung over from celebrating NYE into the wee hours of the morning. But if your feeling like starting 2009 off with a shock to the system, or say you made a crazy bet while drunk off your ass, then you’ll most likely be heading for the water with the Coney Island Polar Bear Swim, where mobs of people in bathing suits storm Coney Islands waters. I have no idea why they do that either. While you may not be Kobayashi, eating a hot dog, a corn dog, or even cheese fries at Nathan’s Famous goes back several generations. Expect long lines, but it’ll be worth it! Not just a tradition but an institution on the boardwalk, Ruby’s is a great dive bar for cheap drinks and watching local drunks belt out Rat Pack songs. Even if this minor league Mets team isn’t playing a baseball game, The Brooklyn Cyclones stadium is worth the short walk over on the boardwalk to check out it’s size and beauty.