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10 must-see films from each of the Florida Film Festival categories
CATEGORY: OPENING NIGHT FILMThe Lobster(119 minutes; 3 stars)showtime: 7 p.m. Friday, April 8, Regal Winter Park Village A A whimsical parable loaded with ultra-dry comedy and off-kilter romance, Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Lobster is set in a totalitarian society where single people are rounded up and sent to “The Hotel.” If they fail to find a…
Amber Tamblyn brings acclaimed poetry to Barnes and Noble for a free reading
Although you might recognize Emmy-nominated actress Amber Tamblyn from her work on television shows like House or Joan of Arcadia, this Hollywood hotshot doesn’t just perform other people’s words; she writes her own. Tamblyn has had three acclaimed collections of poetry published since 2005. Join her as she reads from her latest work, a haunting…
New U.S. citizens excited about voting in 2016 elections
Youra Demshin has lived in this county 22 years, but for the first time this November, he will actually get a choice in who becomes president. The native Russian was one of 25 people who became U.S. citizens at a naturalization ceremony inside the Orlando Public Library on Tuesday. Demshin and several other participants say…
Controversial alimony-reform bill causes clash at Florida Capitol
The scene outside Gov. Rick Scott’s office Tuesday may have been even more acrimonious than the alimony bill awaiting his action. Men, women and a handful of children crammed into a waiting room, some bearing posters and balloons, attempting to bully each other into changing their positions on one of the legislative session’s most controversial…
Comedian David Cross sets out to Make America Great Again on first tour in six years
But if Amber Tamblyn’s poetry doesn’t speak to you, maybe the stand-up comedy of her husband, David Cross, is more your speed. The 52-year-old comedian, actor and writer is more than just a trophy husband; he was involved in several critically successful television shows in the late ’90s and early 2000s, like Arrested Development and…
CEO of Florida Citrus Sports says NFL ‘guaranteed’ to come to Orlando
Move over Miami, Tampa and Jacksonville; Orlando is breaking into the NFL market. Steve Hogan, the CEO of Florida Citrus Sports, the company that oversees the Citrus Bowl, told the Orlando Sentinel that he is guaranteeing NFL games will be played in the stadium starting next year. “I promise you, I guarantee you, we will…
The City of Orlando is considering decriminalizing marijuana under 20 grams
Following in the steps of Tampa and Volusia County, Orlando city officials are considering a measure that would decriminalize the possession of 20 grams or less of marijuana, making it a violation of city code. The Orlando Sentinel reports both Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orlando Police Chief John Mina support the measure. “I think, in…
Missing Ocala dog found nearly 2 years later in Detroit
Two years on the lam, a lost Florida pup has been reunited with its owner after being found more than 1,000 miles away. Last week, the Dearborn Animal Shelter in Dearborn, Michigan, came across a pug-nosed terrier, and luckily it was microchipped, according to CBS Detroit. Dearborn Animal Shelter contacted the owner, Debi…
EMEFE draws from wide musical palette, somehow makes it all stick, shakes a bunch of asses (Will’s Pub)
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Because the basic rundown on what they do immediately shades them long before the verdict is delivered, New York City’s EMEFE (April 11, Will’s Pub) is one of those bands that presents an expository dilemma. In theory, their wildly inclusive mash of pop, afrobeat, funk, rock, soul and electronic looks suspiciously fusion. I…
Although better than the national average, the wage gap for Florida women still sucks
With so many women in the workforce, it might be hard to remember that even though men and women share offices, lunch breaks and water coolers, the numbers on their pay checks are grossly different. It’s the reason why the National Committee on Pay Equity has designated today as Equal Pay Day, the symbolic date…
Apalachicola River named ‘most endangered’ river in America
After decades of legal battles between Florida, Georgia and Alabama over a river system they share, an environmental group on Tuesday warned that the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Basin is “at the breaking point.” American Rivers —- which releases a yearly list of the country’s 10 most-endangered rivers —- named the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint system its number one for 2016.…
Florida-based Prince Rama debuts new music video
Prince Rama, the synth poppin’, exercise video and concept album makin’, installation constructin’, energy drink slingin’ sibling duo Taraka and Nimai Larsen (from Florida originally, no less) have just premiered a new music video today. The video is for the track “Now Is the Time of Emotion” off new album Xtreme Now and the best thing…
Plan to attend Taste of Pointe Orlando on Sunday, April 17
If you haven’t noticed, the International Drive area has been dishing out some pretty good grub recently, including Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, Tapa Toro, Itta Bena and other openings that have turned the historically avoided tourist trap on its gridlocked head. This weekend, the Megacomplex-That-Could, Pointe Orlando, is hosting an afternoon of live music,…
Gogol Bordello, Frank Turner announce upcoming show at the Beacham
Today Gypsy punk troupe Gogol Bordello announced a show at the Beacham Theater as part of a brief slate of shows through the South and Southwest. The show will take place on Saturday, June 11, with the intriguing support choice of singer/songwriter Frank Turner, usually a headliner in his own right. Get tickets here. Related Stories
Arguably the largest squirrel in Orlando was caught on camera last weekend
A local golfer captured footage of what has to be the biggest squirrel in the metro Orlando area. I mean, come on. Just look at that squirrel. It is the king of all squirrels. The video, which was upload last Sunday, April 10, was shot at the Rio Pinar Country Club in Orlando…
New details on Joshua Wallack’s upcoming I-Drive projects
Ahead of an I-Drive Chamber luncheon where Joshua Wallack will be giving details on the progress of his Skyplex development, we have numerous new specifics about all of his I-Drive area projects. Skyplex, being the largest of his local projects, has gotten the most attention. The $460 million development has been pushed back by 4…
Poor people live longer in Miami, study finds
Maybe it’s the warmer weather, better services or having survived the Miami Cannibal attack of 2012— either way, a new study finds that the poor live longer in Miami than the rest of Florida and much of the country. The New York Times reports a study published Monday in The Journal of the American Medical Association found…
Don’t pigeonhole DoveCote, downtown’s newest brasserie
Chef Clayton Miller talks of his latest venture – a soon-to-open 150-seat brasserie in the Bank of America building downtown – like it’s the culmination of all his years in the business. As majority partner in DoveCote, along with Gene Zimmerman (Courtesy Bar) and James & Julie Petrakis (Ravenous Pig, Cask & Larder, Swine &…
DCF backtracks new rules that would protect Florida’s LGBT foster youth
After high-profile backlash in several Southern states that have introduced anti-LGBT legislation, Florida officials are also coming under heavy criticism after backtracking on a proposal that would protect LGBT foster youth from discrimination. The Department of Children and Families had proposed rule changes that would have banned anti-LGBT bullying, discrimination and conversion therapy, which attempts…
More reviews from the 2016 Florida Film Festival
Orlando Weekly has already offered you reviews of 19 of this year’s features (here and here), in addition to a summary of some of the best short films. But there’s so much more to see. Here’s a sampling: Love & Friendship (3 stars on our zero-5 scale), set in England in the 1790s and based…
Do your part for Earth Day: Eat lionfish at Cress Restaurant in DeLand
While there’s angst and concern over our waters after the recent fish die-off in Brevard county in the Indian River Lagoon, invasive species continue to plague the warmer, more tropical waters to our south. Chef Hari Pulapaka, who recently cooked at the James Beard House in New York City (an honor bestowed only to a…
Orlando resident to compete on Stone Cold Steve Austin’s reality show
The obstacle course on Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge isn’t for the weak of heart, but one Orlando resident is making it his mission to conquer it on the show’s upcoming episode. Police corporal and former Army reservist Jay Garcia will be thrown into the show’s mix with seven other participants, says a press release. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Orlando…
35 Years Later: Public Image Ltd – ‘Flowers of Romance’
The speed with which John Lydon moved past “punk rock icon” and into “post-punk iconoclast” was as impressively rapid as it was astoundingly complete. On January 14, 1978, Lydon delivered his infamous final set with the Sex Pistols, declaring “Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated” after playing just one song (the Stooges’ “No Fun”),…
There’s a rumor that Tower of Terror will become a Guardians of the Galaxy ride, and it’s not completely full of crap
With all rumors, you need to take ’em with a grain of salt, but the latest Disney rumor you might need an entire salt lick. The latest rumor regarding Disney’s Hollywood Studios has the park turning one of its most signature attractions, Tower of Terror, into a Guardians of the Galaxy ride. The rumors are…
Disney’s latest tour is basically just an old tour with better food and it costs 3 times as much
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge cancelled the Sunrise Safari in 2014, but they are now offering a similar tour; the Sense of Africa Tour. The new tour switches out a buffet at Animal Kingdom’s Pizzafari for one at the lodge’s Boma restaurant, and with this move, the price has increased from $75 to $249 per person.…
The heavy, freaky congress of Napalm Death, the Melvins and Melt-Banana (Plaza Live)
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Besides being one serious mouthful, the Savage Imperial Death March Tour (April 8, The Plaza Live) was the storming congress of Napalm Death, the Melvins and Melt-Banana. Add up all this legendary marrow from the undergrounds of England, America and Japan and you’ve got one berserk multinational army of heaviness. Napalm Death…
Bruce Springsteen cancels North Carolina concert in protest of “bathroom law”
Bruce Springsteen just cancelled a show scheduled for this weekend in Greensboro, NC in protest over the state’s recent passage of the infamous HB2 “bathroom law.” He published a statement on his official website and Facebook page that reads in part: Taking all of this into account, I feel that this is a time for…
A Solar Bears fan sank an impossible shot last night and won $100k
That feeling when you take a shot for $100,000….and you make it 🏒🚨😱🙌🎉 #Unreal #SolarBears pic.twitter.com/GEDuJ18xxT — Orlando Solar Bears (@OrlandoHockey) April 8, 2016 Last night, Nick Giovanelli went to a minor league hockey game, and left with $100,000 in his pocket. In a video posted to Twitter by the Orlando Solar Bears, Giovanelli sinks…
Eat this now: cannoli at Epcot’s Tutto Italia
The weekend weather is looking mighty fine. In fact, with skies like these, it might be just the weekend to head to the Flower & Garden Festival at Epcot. If it’s been a while since you’ve been out to the FGF, things are a little different now. It’s more like a mini International Food &…
Eight is enough: 8 more movies screening at Florida Film Festival ranked from best to worst
The 25th annual Florida Film Festival runs from tonight (April 8) through April 17. Click on movie titles for showtimes and locations. If American TV sitcoms were Mount Olympus, Norman Lear would be Zeus. Described as the most influential producer in tube history, Lear started as a writer at the dawn of the industry and…
Watch this shark plow into a Florida paddle boarder
A 5-foot spinner shark knocked a paddle boarder into the ocean in Jupiter, Florida, Thursday afternoon, suggesting this particular shark hates paddle boarding. At around noon on April 7, Port St. Lucie resident Maximo Trinidad was paddle boarding at a local surf spot near Corners Beach when he says he spotted a 4-foot to 5-foot spinner…
Taste cuisine that bridges East and West at the Turkish Food Festival
Americans, get ready to experience life on “the bridge between East and West.” Turkey lies directly between Eastern Europe and Western Asia, and it represents a mix of cultural mores that make it unique. As Istanbul Cultural Center Orlando brings its third annual Turkish Food Festival to Orlando, our community can get a taste of…
New political ad for Rick Scott attacks ‘latte liberal’ who yelled at him
After the viral confrontation Gov. Rick Scott had with a woman who called him an asshole at a Gainesville Starbucks, a political committee for Florida’s governor is pushing back with an attack ad. The Miami Herald reports Cara Jennings, a former Lake Worth city councilwoman, confronted Scott about his approval of legislation that increases restrictions…
Remembering Merle Haggard through his songs
There’s a warm fuzzy feeling that comes with letting go. It’s easy to miss, though. The sting of relinquishing control over an idea, a person or, worse, your own life is often the focus in moments when life pushes you around until you’re powerless. Merle Haggard’s songs shifted audiences away from the bitter and into…
Sadistik breaks rap conventions, wins hearts and minds (Backbooth)
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND In an age where rap is the mainstream, plenty of people have appropriated it for all sorts of wayward purposes, some of them disgraceful. But Seattle alt-rapper Sadistik (April 6, Backbooth) is part of the class of modern rap renegades that demolishes the genre’s conventions while keeping it real even by rigid…
Relive your pre-teen years, only worse, at Uncomfortable Brunch’s screening of ‘Welcome to the Dollhouse’
Movies are powerful. Blazing Saddles has made audiences laugh for decades. For some reason, A League of Their Own makes people cry. One night you’ll be cheering on the unforgiving Ellen Ripley and the next you’ll be praying for the demise of the seemingly indestructible T-1000. Cinema can summon a Pandora’s box of thoughts and…
Emperor X filters folk through electronics at the Space Station
Floridians will be happy to claim left-field pop savant Emperor X as one of their own. Jacksonville native and current Berlin resident Chad Matheny has created a deep and variant body of work, dealing in disparate styles and even more disparate lyrical themes. Local pride alert: He even titled one (admittedly good) album The Orlando…
Two for one: Food Truck Friday at Dr. Phil today, plus food trucks and a free concert tomorrow
You’ll need extra napkins for today’s Food Truck Friday (11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Seneff Arts Plaza in front of downtown’s Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts) – here are the participating trucks: Pepas Arepas Messy Delights Kalbi Haus Korean Mexican Grill Also, tomorrow, country band Jill’s Cashbox plays for free (sponsored…
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was allegedly watching YouTube while driving
A Lee County resident snapped a photo of what appears to be a Florida Highway Patrol officer watching YouTube videos while driving. According to WFLA, the incident occurred while Lee County resident James Peebles was on his way to work and a FHP trooper pulled up next to him at an intersection. “He was…
Rick Scott approves ‘Legacy Florida’ money for Everglades, Lake Apopka
Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday signed a bill known as “Legacy Florida” that opens a tap of cash to help restore the Everglades, the state’s natural springs and Lake Apopka. The measure (HB 989), which was a priority of legislative leaders and had the support of conservationists, could annually set aside more than $250 million…
What to expect from the Sarasota Film Festival
As Orlando cinephiles gear up for the 25th annual Florida Film Festival, which begins Friday, there’s a similar event already in full swing on the Gulf Coast, and it’s arguably just as good. The Sarasota Film Festival has been going strong for 18 years. With an annual attendance of just over 50,000, a slate of…
Orange County Sheriff’s Office is looking for information on woman found dismembered
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says its looking for people who may know more about a woman found partially dismembered in the wooded area near the intersection of Old Winter Garden Road and Cottage Hill Road. The Sheriff’s Office identified her as Ethel Shannon McCarson, 42, according to a press release. A witness called law enforcement…
148 years later, shacking up is finally legal in Florida
For the first time since shortly after the Civil War, it is no longer a crime for unmarried men and women to shack up in the Sunshine State. Gov. Rick Scott signed 20 bills into law Wednesday, including a long-discussed repeal of the state’s rarely enforced ban on unmarried men and women living together. The…
World’s largest sperm bank opens first egg center near UCF
Cryos, the world’s largest sperm bank, is celebrating their one-year anniversary in Orlando by launching its first egg bank right down the road from UCF. The new 2,600 square-foot facility, located on N. Alafaya Trail, includes a full embryology lab and a surgical center, according to a company press release. Because of the large population…
Someone stole this New Smyrna Beach sign 30 years ago and just returned it because they felt bad
Because teens love stealing signs, someone stole a metal sign from New Smyrna Beach 30 years ago, and now, because of a guilty conscience, it has been returned. The sign — which says, “New Smyrna Beach Says No to Drugs” — was returned to the New Smyrna Beach Police Department along with a $50 money order…
Beard in Baldwin: The highlight (so far) of the 2016 culinary calendar
Last December’s James Beard Foundation Celebrity Chef Tour at the Four Seasons Resort was easily the highlight of the 2015 culinary calendar, and this Saturday’s Beard in Baldwin event (7-10 p.m.) will easily be the highlight (so far) of 2016. Lake Baldwin and Harbor Park provide the picturesque backdrop to this one-day “food and wine…
Witness the spectacle of Florida’s experimental scene at Central FL Antifest
Coming hot on the heels of last week’s MultipleTap tour, which featured legends of Japanese noise, we now have the first (perhaps only) Central FL Antifest, a one-night gathering of newer noisemakers and miscreants from all around the South. The interesting thing at an event like this is in hearing the way that noise music…
Master of modern percussion Zakir Hussain dazzles on the tablas at the Bob Carr
Does he bear a faint resemblance to Fred Armisen? He does, Portlandia fans, but try not to be distracted by it; this show is not another Armisen prank in the vein of his “Jens Hannemann’s Complicated Drumming Technique” bit. Zakir Hussain is the real deal, a living treasure and a supreme master of the tabla…
Renowned film composer Hans Zimmer helps UCF celebrate the arts at the Dr. Phillips Center
If you’ve seen any big-budget Hollywood film in the past 20 years, chances are you’ve almost been brought to tears by a score written by renowned composer Hans Zimmer. From The Lion King to The Dark Knight, Zimmer has composed music that transports his listeners right into the action of the movie, into another dimension…
Sonic plans to sell square milkshakes … because Instagram
More proof that Instagram is the only thing that matters in life: burger chain Sonic will sell square milkshakes at Coachella, designed for and only orderable on Instagram. The milkshakes come in six amazing-sounding flavors – vanilla bean, buttered toffee, dark chocolate, bourbon brown sugar, dulce de leche, and wild berry and lavender – and…
20 free concerts in Orlando this week (4/6-4/12)
Wednesday April 6 Bringin’ Down the House: Chloe Hogan, Diamond Dixie, Rosse, Ben Torres, Simply, Bothering Dennis 6 pm at House of Blues, Disney Springs, Lake Buena Vista. Eugene Snowden’s Ten Pints Of Truth 10 pm at Lil Indies, 1036 N. Mills Ave. Hazardous Folk Wednesday 10:30 pm at Tanqueray’s, 100 S. Orange Ave The…
RIP Merle Haggard (1937-2016)
In a sad twist that wouldn’t be out of place in one of his own songs, country music titan Merle Haggard has passed away due to complications from pneumonia on his 79th birthday. One of THE seminal figures in country music, whether you know him from “Okie From Muskogee,” “If We Make It Through December,” duets…
Local authorities are now ticketing people for aggressive driving on I-4, for once
Because the I-4 has basically turned into Florida’s version of Fury Road, local law enforcement is finally cracking down on reckless driving. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Florida Highway Patrol and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office announced the crackdown last Friday and have already written 417 citations, made eight arrests and gave out 164 warnings. …
Arguably the largest gator to ever be caught in Florida was hunted down last weekend
A monster alligator, that some are saying is the largest to ever be caught in the state of Florida, was hunted down near Okeechobee last weekend. According to CNN, Outwest Farms owner Lee Lightsey, along with his son Mason, his guide Blake Godwin and two hunters came across the monster while hunting for hogs on the…
Cleveland’s Lady Butchers visit the Rusty Spoon April 21 for charcuterie dinner
The Rusty Spoon is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a series of delicious events, and the latest one to be announced is a special #tbt event featuring chef Kathleen Blake’s besties Penny Barend and Melissa Khoury, better known as the Lady Butchers of Cleveland. It’s neither a Dexter nor an American Psycho reference – these women have…
Savage Imperial Death March brings Melvins, Napalm Death and Melt Banana to the Plaza
While many lineups load up on the noise and heft, very few have ever packed as much wild variety and sheer freakishness as the Savage Imperial Death March Tour. This road show for the ages brings the hat trick of England’s groundbreaking grindcore fountainhead Napalm Death, Pacific Northwest sludge experimentalists the Melvins and Japanese noise-rock…
‘Mind of Mencia’ and ‘MADtv’ alum Pablo Francisco headlines the Orlando Improv
Pablo Francisco is not a highbrow comedian, nor does he aspire to be one. The former MADtv featured player became well-known during his stint touring with Ned “Carlos” Mencia and appearing on Mind of Mencia. And while Francisco’s comedy isn’t quite as dependent on exploiting racial stereotypes and scatological humor as Mencia’s, that influence is…
Brunch begins at Canvas Restaurant & Market, 5 new restaurants and more in local foodie news
Another week, another brunch service. Canvas Restaurant & Market’s brunch goes from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every Sunday in Lake Nona. OPENINGS Makis Place, specializing in large temaki, or hand rolls, has opened an outpost in Lake Nona near Union Burger … Pi Pizza opens later this month on Church Street near Amway Arena, and on East Colonial Drive…
We make like Alsace-Lorraine and blend German and French influences to remix the Spritz
While “spritz” is a generic name for a type of cocktail – a bitter aperitif plus wine plus carbonation – the Aperol Spritz has come to own the title. The coral-colored, fizzy blend of prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) with Aperol (a less-alcoholic, not-as-bitter version of Campari) became widely popular around World War II, and to…
Picks This Week: Ricardo Montaner, Sadistik, Rebirth Brass Band and more
Sadistik A night of left-field and expansive hip-hop headlined by Seattle’s Sadistik, the self-proclaimed “cigarette burn rap king,” supported by Bleubird, Early Adopted and more. 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, at Backbooth, $12 Ricardo Montaner This Venezuelan singer-songwriter has over 15 albums under his belt, dating back to the ’70s, with the majority of his…
The writing’s on the walls around Orlando, from an Art31 installation to new construction barriers at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Walls have been much debated of late: where to build them, who should pay for them, how beautiful they will be. Well, you don’t have to go all the way to Mexico, because we’re already putting up plenty of walls right here in Central Florida, and putting them to better use, to boot. Last weekend…
This Little Underground: The elite MultipleTap Tour brings state-of-the-art noise, Spacebar opens for more live music
There’s new booking blood at Spacebar that may mean an infusion of live music into the Milk District. Although Happy Camper Booking has been one of the promoters putting on shows at Spacebar for a while, its principal, Dave Hanson, has recently been put in charge of the venue’s calendar. What’s more, the bar is…
Opening in Orlando: The Boss, Before I Wake and Hardcore Henry
The Boss Talk about ripped-from-the-headlines: Anybody up for a comedy that’s based on Martha Stewart’s jail stint? Jesus, that’s so antiquated it’s almost retro. (Then again, if OJ can make a comeback…) The Martha manqué here is Melissa McCarthy, playing a businesswoman who gets sent up the river, then has to rehabilitate her reputation upon…
Savage Love (4/6/16)
I am a 20-something, straight, cis-female expat. How long do I have to wait to ask my German lover, who is übersensitive about the Holocaust, to indulge me in my greatest – and, until now, unrealized – fantasy: Nazi role-play? He is very delicate around me because I am a secular Jew and the descendant…
Free Will Astrology (4/6/16)
ARIES (March 21-April 19) French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954) is regarded as one of the greats, in the same league as Picasso and Kandinsky. Even in his 80s, he was still creating marvels that one critic said seemed “to come from the springtime of the world.” As unique as his work was, he was happy…
Gimme Shelter (4/6/16)
Are you looking to adopt a new furry friend? Adopt Meesha! Meesha (A345077) is a 2-year-old dog who was recently surrendered to our shelter because his owner could no longer keep him. He is a laid-back pup who is very friendly. Meesha loves to be petted and is a calm dog. He enjoys eating treats,…
Lulu Eightball (4/6/16)
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Selections: Our picks of the week’s best events, April 6-12
Wednesday, 6 They Might Be Giants MUSIC “Istanbul, not Constantinople. Istanbul, not Constantinople. Istanbul, not Constantinople.” Ahhh, remember listening to that song in school and then having it stuck in your head until one of your friends introduced you to flavored vodka? John Flansburgh and John Linnell of alternative rock band They Might Be Giants…
