David Olney and Sergio Webb at White Water Tavern
by Robert Bell, David Ramsey and Lindsey Millar @lindsey_millar
Page 2 of 3
FRIDAY 1/11
'TCHOUPITOULAS'
See movie listings for show times. Market Street Cinema.
Good news for movie buffs who missed the gorgeous "Tchoupitoulas" at the Film Festival last summer: The film is playing at Market Street. Loosely speaking, it's a documentary that follows three young brothers on a dusk-till-dawn night out in New Orleans. Very loosely: Bill and Turner Ross, the filmmakers (and brothers themselves), are more invested in dreamy impressionism than either reportage or narrative. The camera follows the boys and their adventures but also veers away from the protagonists to dabble in slices of night life. Unhurried and lovingly observant, the Ross brothers capture shot after breathtaking shot of strippers, brass bands, drunks, buskers, drag queens at work and at play. All of it is grounded in the rhythms of the city, both the music — from bounce beats to crappy street bands to traditional jazz — and the voices of the folks that taunt, tease and philosophize in the wee hours. The best voice of all is William, the youngest of the three brothers, who peppers the movie with preteen chatter, both in scene and in voice-over. The languid shots and meandering voice-overs have a Terrence Malick vibe, but the Ross brothers are more funky and playful. The result is a small and quiet movie but its exuberance and lightness are unforgettable. "Tchoupitoulas" was the most fresh and vibrant film I saw last year. Don't miss it this week. DR
FRIDAY 1/11
OPENING DAY AT OAKLAWN
1 p.m. Oaklawn Park. $2.
With the new year upon us, it's time for my favorite Arkansas tradition, opening weekend at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, which has been one of the premier sites for live horse racing for more than a century. Fancy sun hats! Corned-beef sandwiches! Racing forms! Friday is opening day and Saturday features those famous sandwiches on sale for $0.50, which means they'll go through about four tons of corned beef (they're actually kind of forgettable, but a little ambience goes a long way — that pickled/salty pile of meat has the taste of history). The mix of debutantes and debauchery leads to the best people-watching of the year as drunken gamblers curse their luck and highfalutin families show up to their box seats dressed like it's Easter in paradise. Oh yeah, and the races — horse racing is one of those athletic spectacles that you just have to see in person. Part of it is the sensory overload as you get a chance to see up close just how big and fast the animals are, plus the rapid-fire live announcing over the speakers, dirt flying from hooves, the smell of cheap beer and manure. Most of all, it's the suspense of each race, as experts and amateurs alike track their favorites around the track and murmurs from the crowd grow to a roar when the horses come down the final stretch. Then the lucky few scream in triumph. The first race I ever saw at Oaklawn, I won $300 on a $2 bet. My advice is pick a funny name with medium odds. Note for the true racing aficionados: Legendary jockey and three-time Kentucky Derby winner Calvin Borel is likely to notch his 5,000th career victory this season, just the 26th jockey ever to reach that mark; Oaklawn will give out free commemorative trading cards when he does. DR
More by Robert Bell
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Lynyrd Skynyrd, Collective Soul, Little Big Town and more to Magic Springs
Collective Soul plays at Magic Springs May 25.
- Mar 26, 2013
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Dreams for a decade, action now: A Q&A with Bob Hupp
An interview with producing artistic director of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.
- Mar 28, 2013
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More by David Ramsey
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Expand-o-meter: Signed, sealed, delivered
Chances of expansion passing, final reading: 100 percentSee here for previous entries on the Expand-o-Meter
- May 2, 2013
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Busy bee open line
Busy day over here. Turning it over to you to discuss Paul Ryan, the people's game, Florida angling for the Arkansas plan for Medicaid expansion, lingering comments from the one million bills filed yesterday, and...what else?
- Mar 12, 2013
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More by Lindsey Millar
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Rounding up potential Arkansas congressional candidates
Roll Call speculates on Arkansas congressional races, wrongly, I think, calling all of Arkansas four districts safe for incumbents.
- Mar 7, 2013
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'Don Jon' to close Little Rock Film Festival
The Little Rock Film Festival has announced that Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut, "Don Jon," will close the festival. The film stars Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore and Tony Danza. Gordon-Levitt plays Jon, a horndog who's obsessed with porn and Scarlett Johansson. Moore plays another love interest, and Danza plays Jon's dad.
- May 8, 2013
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Latest in To-Do List
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Tom Keifer at Revolution
Also, 'J Dilla Change My Life' at The Joint, Nathaniel Rich at South on Main, Good Time Ramblers at Stickyz, 607 Presents: Block Monster Party at Revolution, Running of the Tubs in Hot Springs and 'Buzz-B-Q' at the North Little Rock RV Park.
- May 16, 2013
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Ben Taylor at Juanita's
Also, Thick Syrup Anniversary Shows at White Water Tavern, 'The Main Thing: Wiener Day at the Rollercade' at the Joint, Ola Podrida at Vino's, Arkansas Delta Rockabilly Festival, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra at Robinson Center Music Hall and Kvelertak at Downtown Music.
- May 9, 2013
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Fleetwood Mac to Verizon
Also, Cinco de Mayo at the Clinton Center, the Arkansas Times Heritage Hog Roast in Argenta, the KABF Pledge Drive Launch Party at Revolution, Whale Fire at White Water, Titus Andronicus at Stickyz and The Devil Makes Three at Revolution.
- May 2, 2013
- More »
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