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Published: 18 October 2012

Created: 18 October 2012

Last Updated: 18 October 2012

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It’s opening day today. And, you know I’m not talking baseball. I’m talking about that other American past-time…the movies. I had the privilege of screening several new releases at the Hamptons International Film Festival, also known as HIFF. The weekend was an absolute blast, and I can’t wait for next year. I know. I’m getting ahead of myself. So, let’s get down to business.

My husband Mark and I embarked on our weekend adventure, with fellow cinephiles and close friends, Dayna and Steve, ready to devour one film after the other. While the boys played a punishing 36 holes of golf on Friday, Dayna and I set out to see our first flick, Between Us. We sat down full of artful anticipation, and hopeful the air conditioning would kick-in at any moment. That theatre was a sauna. The Director, Dan Mirvish, outfitted in his straw-fedora, bounded to the front of the theatre and introduced the film. He was so excited. I was so excited for him. The cast stars Julia Stiles, Melissa George, Taye Diggs and David Harbour. Put it all together, and I thought we had a winner.

Not the case. Oy. I hate to do this. But, I have to. The movie was painful. Painful to sit through, painful to watch, and just plain painful. At one point, I leaned over to the woman at my left and asked, “Do you like this?”

She sighed, and said, “No.”

I whispered back, “If I wanted to spend more money to examine all the ways marriage sucks, I would have spent an extra day in therapy this week.”

The movie explores the state of two marriages at varying stages in their “marriage-cycle.” When one couple is happy the other one is miserably volatile, and when that couple seems to work things out, the once happy couple is teetering on destruction. It is a “talky” film that promised a darkly comedic portrayal of marriage. Well, there was no comedy in any of those relationships. I can definitely tell you that much.

When the lights finally came back on, Dayna and I high-tailed it out of there. No Q&A for us. So, what are two girls to do with time on their hands? You got it. Shop.

The best part of Between Us…shopping at Nili Lotan. So, we went right next door to Nili Lotan and took a look around. Dayna bought a shirt and I made friends with the manager of both the Tribeca and East Hampton stores, Melanie Dardik. I found out she’s a Venezuelan Jew, she loves New York, and her Uncle was one of the Knesset members to hand down Eichmann’s death sentence in 1961. What can I say? People tell me stuff.

Later that evening, we hit the screening of Martin McDonagh’s Seven Psychopaths. This film is great. The acting is amazing, which shouldn’t be surprising considering the all-star cast. We’re talking Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, Tom Waits and Woody Harrelson. As the title implies, a fair amount of psychotic behavior is displayed throughout the film in plenty of bloody gory detail. Yet, it’s a feel-good film. And, I walked away with a big smile.

Colin Farrell plays Martin, the screenwriter with writer’s block who ends up crashing at his friend’s place after his girlfriend kicks him out. His friend, Billy, is played brilliantly by Sam Rockwell. Billy is a sometime actor, co-operating a dog-kidnapping business with his partner Hans, fantastically played by Christopher Walken. Only, this time, they stole the wrong canine, because now they have a local crime boss on their heels. Oh, and in the middle of all this, Billy is trying to help Martin write his screenplay, Seven Psychopaths, by putting out a newspaper ad calling all psychopaths to contact Martin with their story. Fabulous.

Seven Psychopaths takes an almost parody-like approach to the “killing-spree” film and the screenwriting process itself. All in all, a bloody fun romp.

Saturday was our movie-marathon day. I wasn’t sure if Mark, Dayna and Steve could keep up with me, but I couldn’t wait to see them try.

Our first film of the day was a special screening of the Terrence Malick classic, Days of Heaven (1978), starring Richard Gere, the recipient of the 2012 Golden Starfish Award for Lifetime Achievement in Acting. This movie is majestic and poignant and soulfully beautiful, with powerful Biblical overtones. Days of Heaven received an Academy Award for cinematography, and is currently preserved in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. This is a powerful film of love and loss that everyone should see at least once.

We immediately headed down the street to our next movie, SMASHED. It was just Mark and I, and we were both beyond excited for this film. (Dayna and Steve left us for lunch, but we powered on.) I thought it looked awesome, and Mark, being a huge Breaking Bad fan, was psyched to see Aaron Paul’s (he plays Charlie) performance. And, he did not disappoint. He’s unbelievable in this film.

Before I go any further, I’m going to simply say…See this movie! It’s fan-freakin-tastic. If I were to pick the indie Oscar film of the year, it’s Smashed. This movie is so incredible and left such an indelible mark on my heart and mind that I’m still absorbing it a week later. This movie was made for around $500K in roughly 19 days, and it couldn’t be any better.

The Director, James Ponsoldt, gives us an honest look into a marriage, where both people are functioning alcoholics and completely co-dependent. His approach to addiction is so true-to-life and comedic that you can’t help but relate to the characters and their struggles. It’s what he has to say about who we choose to surround ourselves with that affected me the most. Just because you love someone doesn’t mean they’re good for you, or healthy for you to be around. And, sometimes, relationships have to die so you can live.

But, it’s Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s performance, as Kate, that held me captive. After throwing up in front of her first grade students, she’s persuaded to attend an AA meeting by one of her work colleagues, Dave (Nick Offerman from TV’s Park’s and Recreations). Winstead’s gritty portrayal of a functioning alcoholic is mesmerizing. If she doesn’t get nominated for an Oscar then there is just something wrong with the Academy.

We’re totally with Kate on her journey to sobriety, bumps and all. She forges a relationship with fellow AA member, Jenny (Oscar winner Octavia Spencer from The Help), who eventually becomes her sponsor. Octavia Spencer provides another level of perfection to an already seamlessly perfect movie.

Along with her strengthening sobriety, Kate’s friendship with Jenny is another thorn in her already tenuous marriage to Charlie, played by Aaron Paul.

When the movie was over, the audience applauded. I haven’t been to a film where the audience applauded at the end, in well, I don’t know how long.

Mark and I stayed for the Q&A session with James Ponsoldt and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. They were so nice and friendly and amazing. Of course, I gushed over the film and Mary’s performance, which I informed her deserved an Oscar nod, at the very least. (I hope she doesn’t mind that I’m calling her Mary.)

Smashed is honest, humorous, and all heart. See Smashed, and drink responsibly.

Our last film of the festival, was Oscar winner (Hotel Rwanda) Terry George’s Whole Lotta Sole, starring Brendan Frasier. Unfortunately, after Smashed, we all went to The Blue Parrot, and, well, got smashed. They have these jalapeno infused margaritas that I just couldn’t resist.

I made it through the first 20 minutes of the film and passed out. The movie started after 9pm and I was tired. What can I say? It looked cute. And, Terry George and Brendan Frasier seemed really nice. Oh well. Next year, I’ll plan it all out better, like getting my drink on after all the movies on my list and not before.

Anyway. I think you’re armed with the necessary information to go forth and purchase the right tickets. So, this weekend, while others are going ga-ga over Argo, you know where you’ll be, right? Getting Smashed and seeing Seven Psychopaths. Happy movie-going!

Contributor Sharon Lippmann, writes about her "so called suburban life" as a proud resident of Scarsdale, NY. She is a writer, blogger, mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend and one sassy chick. She loves exploring the interesting, strange, perplexing, vexing, ridiculous and funny that life offers up frequently. Enjoying more of what she has to say about nothing, and, well, everything at mydailypill.com.

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Published: 11 October 2012

Created: 11 October 2012

Last Updated: 11 October 2012

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Greenacres resident Deborah Skolnik attended the press screening of Argo. Here’s her review. It’s 1979, and our country is struggling through an energy crisis and some of the worst hairstyles in history. It’s even tougher being an American abroad. Especially in Iran, where — as we learn in Argo’s mercifully brief history-lesson intro — the population is newly radicalized under the Ayatollah Khomeini, and spitting mad at the U.S. for harboring their deposed Shah.

Those of our countrymen unlucky enough to still be there are feeling the wrath, big-time. Argo’s opening sequence features alternating shots of angry Iranians pressing against our embassy’s gates, and the trapped workers inside, squirming and sweating bullets as they wait for help that will never come. It’s impossible to watch without your own blood pressure rising.

We all know the rest: The gates got breached and 52 hostages were held for 444 days. But maybe you didn’t realize (nor did I) that six other Americans quietly escaped onto the street, then hid in the Canadian embassy. There, the Houseguests, as they were called, spent weeks lying low, terrified they’d get ferreted out and beheaded in some bleak town square.

All that stands between them and that fate is the CIA’s top evac man, Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) and a bunch of bad ideas. The best of the harebrained schemes? For Mendez to pose as a Canadian filmmaker, fly to Iran, and escort the Houseguests out by telling everyone they’re his crew. He sets about giving the project street cred by buying the rights to a piece of sci-fi dreck called—good guess!—Argo, and recruiting a pair of wisecracking Hollywood movie guys to back it (John Goodman and also Alan Arkin, who deserves a Best Supporting Actor nod). One exquisite scene unfolds when Arkin’s haggling skills land him Argo’s script for $5,000 less than he’d even offered. It’s funny, but it isn’t: Ultimately, everyone’s in for a lot more than they bargained for.

Don’t worry, you won’t spent the next two hours watching people in tin-foil costumes saying things like “I am Zoblorg from planet Gleeb!”. Argo never gets shot (though one unfortunate person does). The film really just focuses on the prep work for the evac mission, and the two tense days Mendez spends in Iran, trying to earn the trust of local officials and, less easily, the nervous folks he’s trying to save.

The Houseguests themselves may be the movie’s weak point. We don’t know much about them—and certainly it’s hard to look behind their dated LensCrafters glasses and Farrah bangs for a deeper glimpse into their true natures. Kept at arm’s length from us, emotionally, they’re tough to root for on a personal level. Yet that may be the point: Mendez didn’t know them either. The movie isn’t really about the evacuees, anyway—it’s about who Mendez is, and who he decides to be when he finds himself in the crosshairs of his mandates and his morality.

This is more than a suspense movie; suspense is when you don’t know what’s going to happen next. Here you do, but you’ll still find yourself holding your breath as Mendez and the Houseguests navigate angry mobs and skeptical airport officials. And when that blessed Swissair flight lifts off, it’s an elevating moment for the audience too—everyone around me burst into applause and whoops of glee. Yep, it’s more than a suspense movie. It’s a thriller.

Deborah Skolnik is a senior editor at Parenting magazine and lives in Greenacres with her husband and two daughters.

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Published: 26 September 2012

Created: 26 September 2012

Last Updated: 26 September 2012

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While some Scarsdale High School alumni come home to live rent-free with the folks, Robert Kissner, a 2006 graduate of Scarsdale High School, returned to this area with a much bigger idea. Kissner had spent time working in the music business and managed a recording studio in Long Island – he also did computer training and worked at the genius bar at the Apple Store.

He saw a need for digital training, for both kids and adults, and noticed that courses in video and audio production, animation, graphic design and digital skills were not readily available under one roof in Southern Westchester. He spent a few years doing market research, writing a business plan and scouting out potential locations for his new facility, The Digital Arts Experience, (DAE), and found the perfect site on Hamilton Avenue in White Plains. In addition to 8,000 square feet of light, built out space, the building even offered parking.

After much planning, the state-of-the-art facility opened this summer and now provides a “one of a kind environment where students will learn and develop skills with personal computers and cutting edge digital arts technologies.”

We toured the DAE and were wowed by what we saw. The site is inviting … designed in bold colors and featuring many workspaces, classrooms and studios. There’s a full recording studio that soloists or bands can use to cut a track --- and another photo studio perfect for shooting stills or video. These facilities are used for classes in audio and video production which are available for kids ages 11 and up and adults. Then there are the computers – eight rooms of Mac desktops where classes are offered in graphic design, computer illustration, digital photography, and web design.

Class offerings are extensive – and can be tailored to meet your needs. For those who need to get up to speed on using the computer, the DAE will teach you how to use Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook – as well as Quicken for banking, Evernote to organize your life and Dropbox and “the cloud.”

More sophisticated teens and adults will find much to enjoy. Here are just a few of the classes that are offered:

• Video: Editing with iMovie: take your home movie footage and turn it into an entertaining home movie.
• Design: Learn to design your own print or web brochures and ads using Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
• Web Design: Create your own website, blog or e-commerce site and promote it with social media.
• Photo Restoration: Now even the oldest of photographs can last forever. This course covers how to digitize and restore old prints in Adobe Photoshop.
• Photographing Items for Sale: Bring products you wish to sell to their photo studio and learn to shoot them with proper backgrounds and lighting.
• Animation: Develop a character from concept to completion and create comic illustrations.

In addition to classes, The DAE is hosting networking events. On October 10th at 6:00 pm there will be one on Cause Marketing and technology’s role in fundraising for not-profits. Larchmont’s Holly Fink, The Culture Mom, is the featured guest speaker along with brand marketing specialist James Higgins and Jon Chattman, Director of Communications at the Music Conservatory of Westchester. The event is free and open to the public.

Plus, the large central room at the Digital Arts Experience is available for large group gatherings. It has already been the scene of a battle of the bands and business networking events and can be rented for parties, shows and other gatherings.

Check out the versatile Digital Arts Experience in White Plains and let us know what you learn!

Digital Arts Experience
170 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 100
White Plains, NY 10601
914-644-8100
www.thedae.com
info@the dae.com

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Published: 19 September 2012

Created: 19 September 2012

Last Updated: 24 September 2012

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Although not quite as well-known as America’s Got Talent, last Friday night three Edgemont kids took to the stage to show their stuff and wowed the crowd. The Open Mic night at The Purple Crayon in Hastings-on-Hudson has been a monthly draw for adults and young teens alike who are looking for a cool place to let their inner rockstar out.

The relaxed vibe of this small converted church, painted purple and located on Main Street, is like a little piece of Haight -Ashbury in the heart of Westchester. Owners Sarah and Adel Hinawi’s vision of The Purple Crayon being “a community resource of programs to help both youth and adults actualize their passions and potential” could be seen very clearly on Friday, September 14th.

Edgemont 6th-grader, Will Buckser-Schulz, a young, but passionate musician, performed “Home,” by American Idol winner, Phillip Phillips and “Hey Soul Sister,” by Train.

Local rising star, 16-year old Chloe Gordon, performed both and original and a cover tune to a cheering crowd. Gordon, known for her achingly beautiful vocals and her stunning songwriting is not only becoming a major draw at the Open Mic nights, but she will be opening for Afro-Jersey, a band that blends West African music with American folk, this Saturday the 22nd at a Purple Crayon concert event.

But perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the evening was 7th-grader, Simon Cadel, who became the first ever Stand Up Comedian to perform at an Open Mic night. Some may equate a kid doing comedy with knock-knock jokes, but Simon worked the stage like Chris Rock as he delivered sharp, observational humor like Jerry Seinfeld. The adult crowd may have been tickled by this pint-sized comic, but the laughter was loud and genuine. As they say in the world of comedy—he killed. Watch him here : 

Open Mic night takes place the second Friday of every month and all are welcome. Unlike America’s Got Talent, you may not be performing to win a million dollars, but getting a chance to channel your inner Dylan or Diva is priceless.

Learn more about events at the Purple Crayon here.