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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The 1968 sci-fi epic, “2001: A Space Odyssey,” starring Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood, screens at the Soper Reese Theatre on Tuesday, Jan. 22, at 1 and 6 p.m.

Entry to the film is by donation.

One of the most influential of all sci-fi films, and one of the most controversial, Stanley Kubrick's opus is a delicate, poetic meditation on the ingenuity and the folly of mankind.

The movie’s finest moments are the space ballet of a capsule docking to the strains of Strauss’ “Blue Danube” waltz, the man-machine struggle with supercomputer “Hal,” and the surreal, mind-blowing imagery of the final scenes, a visual effect that has to be seen on the big screen to be appreciated.

The movie is sponsored by Mike Bielenberg and Val Schweifler. Rated G. Run time is 2 hours and 19 minutes.

The Soper Reese Theatre is located at 275 S. Main St., Lakeport, 707-263-0577, www.soperreesetheatre.com.
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‘AQUAMAN’ Rated PG-13

The half-human, half-Atlantean superhero, a DC Comics character known as Aquaman, finally gets his due for his very own feature length film, the sixth installment in the DC Extended Universe.

“Aquaman,” swims along for over two hours in an extravaganza of stunning visual effects in a deep sea adventure, but it does allow for an origin story for the half-man (Jason Momoa) who would be king of the undersea nation of Atlantis.

The story begins with Massachusetts lighthouse keeper Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison) rescuing Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) when washed ashore during a storm. They fall in love and end up bringing a boy named Arthur into the world.

The love story turns to tragedy when Atlanna, a princess from Atlantis, has no choice other than to abandon her interspecies child after being forced to return to the ocean where she’s betrothed to the King of the undersea world.

Young Arthur, raised by his human father, grows up to be the fearsome Aquaman, muscle-bound with tattoos and long hair, an imposing marvel that seems so fitting given the combination of Jason Momoa’s Hawaiian heritage and superb physique.

From his childhood visit to an aquarium where he demonstrates a surreal connection with sharks to his first encounter with ruthless pirates at sea, Arthur is a force to be reckoned with.

It’s only natural that Arthur would be drawn to the sea where a whole new world awaits him. Atlantis is a wondrous place where the inhabitants speak our language and resemble the landside humans they consider to be somewhat inferior.

A haughty attitude seems be what motivates King Orm (Patrick Wilson), the younger half-brother of Aquaman, to organize the other oceanic kingdoms to join his quest for world domination.

Maybe it’s not a coincidence that smug King Orm, whose blond hair and chiseled solid frame suggests a disturbing Aryan context, is driven by an imperialistic vision of planetary conquest.

While Orm’s jealous rage erupts when his half-breed brother ventures into the sea, Aquaman would have easily been willing to be left alone but for the treachery that Orm has unleashed with his petty familial grievances.

Joined by ocean Princess Mera (Amber Heard), Aquaman embarks on a journey to the seven undersea kingdoms in pursuit of the magical trident that would prove his rightful claim to the throne.

Flexing not only his muscles, Aquaman utters enough witticisms to undergird his undeniable charisma, such that rooting for this superhero easily surpasses any thoughts of dismissing the overall silliness of the underwater battles.

“Aquaman” gets plenty of mileage from Jason Momoa’s irresistible charisma and his credible physical strength so easily displayed in the mammoth underwater fight sequences elevated by impressive technical innovation.

Have you ever seen a movie where an octopus plays drums or soldiers ride giant sea horses into battle? These are just a couple of the many special effects that bring a sense of fun to “Aquaman.”



‘I FEEL BAD’ ON NBC NETWORK

The feeling that sitcoms on network television are in a state of decline is palpable when looking at the crop of new series of the current season.

About five or so minutes into the first episode of ABC’s new comedy “Single Parents,” the show was so unfunny and the characters so annoying or unrealistic that it was clearly time to move on.

Thus, I decided to take a look at NBC’s “I Feel Bad,” if only because the title was weirdly uninviting, causing wonder of why the network made this choice, or maybe suggestive of something entertainingly subversive.

In reality, the title of “I Feel Bad” is evidently tongue in cheek, given that an empowered woman of Indian heritage juggling work and motherhood doesn’t really seem to feel bad that she wants to take care of herself before her family.

In the first episode, Emet Kamala-Sweetzer (Sarayu Blue) is dreaming of being on the beach in the loving embrace of some hunk, before waking up with a voiceover of how she sometimes cheats on her husband in her sleep.

Her husband David (Paul Adelstein) is a caricature of the man who is often either clueless or disengaged. Engaged in a whirlwind of activity, Emet is constantly seeking “to preserve my precious 20 minutes” of alone time.

Working at a video game company, Emet is older than her all-male coworkers, Chewey (James Buckley), Norman (Zach Cherry) and Griff (Johnny Pemberton), each one a parody of the typical nerd.

This trio of millennial gamers wear their nerdiness as a badge of honor, with Griff proclaiming that “nerds are cool now. We date models,” a notion unlikely to apply to any of them.

In this age of Harvey Weinstein-type sleaze, it seems odd that a network show runs with a lot of sex jokes. After all, what’s up with Emet asking her male colleagues if she’s “still doable?”

Watch “I Feel Bad,” if you wish to give it a try. At least, it has funnier moments than the ABC show I gave up on.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Art Center’s Restore project provides Lake County residents with low-cost art classes and the opportunity to learn or refine skills in a variety of materials and techniques.

Classes take place most Saturdays through May 2019.

Classes include monthly writers workshop, alternating dry point etching, and block printing, and introductions to plaster, woodworking, felting, concrete, welding and more.

Late winter and spring classes will focus on a collaborative project for Phase I of a new Art Trail on Rabbit Hill, and on developing personal work for consideration for Restore exhibits around Lake County, at MAC, and at the EcoArts Sculpture Walk.

Restore classes will resume on Jan. 5 with printmaking, followed by writers workshop on Jan 12. The following weeks will be dedicated to mixed media and sculpture.

Preregister at www.middletownartcenter.org/restore.

Restore writing workshop participants will have the opportunity to contribute to MAC’s second chapbook of writings and images, and to participate in quarterly readings or exhibitions.

The first chapbook, “Resilience – a Community Reframes Disaster through Art,” is available for purchase at MAC or from the MAC Web site.

The Restore project was made possible with support from the California Arts Council, a state agency, with additional support from local organizations, businesses and individuals.

Visit www.ca.arts.gov to learn more about the California Arts Council’s important work in communities and schools throughout California.
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Ted Kooser. Photo credit: UNL Publications and Photography.

Ryler Dustin of Bellingham, Washington, is a graduate student in our creative writing program at The University of Nebraska, and this lovely poem is from the manuscript of a book for which he's hoping to find a publisher.

To Make Color

Every morning, my grandmother cleaned the Fischer stove
in the back of the trailer, lifted ash in a shovel, careful

not to spill the white-gray dust. Precious, she said, her breath
smoking in the cold. Precious in winter's first lavender

not-quite-light––and you could smell it, the faintest acrid hint
of ash, a crispness calling you from bed. You could watch her

cap it in a chicory coffee can to stack among others, back bent
from a long-gone fever. For the garden in spring, she said.

American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2018 by Ryler Dustin, "To Make Color." Poem reprinted by permission of Ryler Dustin. Introduction copyright ©2018 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006.
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Sukay’s Pachamama Band. Courtesy photos.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Sukay’s Pachamama Band opens the 2019 Contemporary Chamber Music Series at the Soper Reese Theatre with a performance on Sunday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $20 with open seating. Youth 18 and under are free.

This performance features chamber music with a world music influence featuring two-time Latin Grammy nominee and virtuoso of the charango, Eddy Navia.

He is joined by renowned violinist Georges Lammam, master guitarist Freddy Clarke and Sukay's founder Quentin Navia.

They come together in this inspired and unique performance of rumba, flamenco, Latin American, Middle Eastern and Andean music where each player brings his unique musical tradition to create an extraordinary and beautiful collaboration of international musical fusion.

Sponsored by Kirsten Olson and by the Tallman Hotel and Blue Wing Saloon.

Tickets are available online at www.soperreesetheatre.com or at The Travel Center, 1265 S. Main, Lakeport, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The theatre is located at 275 S. Main St., Lakeport.

For more information call 707-263-0577.

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