THUR 5/22: Updates to Weekly List + WebToons

One screening was cancelled, so I added another funnier one that's not about soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners...

Hey, it's almost Friday! I should have a sneak peek up soon. Maybe around lunch time...

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THUR 5/22

7pm
"Standard Operating Procedure"
at Harvard Film Archive, 24 Quincy St., Cambridge (Harvard campus)
FREE

Errol Morris was going to attend for a post-film discussion with Homi Bhabha, director of Harvard Humanities Center, but I guess he can't stand interviews without his giant interrogating film-machine in between... You can still see his Abu Graib documentary though.

Maybe Errol read my comments and took his print back, but this screening is cancelled.

THUR 5/22

7pm
Animation WebJam 2008
at Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St, Brookline
$8.50

I'm somewhat ambivalent about this, but I know that I'd LOL, ROFL, LMAO, etc. This is a chance to see the best web cartoons at one time without going to a dozen websites and waiting for the video to laod. It's also on the big screen. Hmmm, at first I was wondering why I'd pay $8 on top of my monthly internet service, but it doesn't seem so bad after all...

Expect to see cyber-humor from Happy Tree Friends, JibJab, 30 Second Bunny Theater, Odd Todd, Joe Cartoon, Xeth, Low Morale, Its JerryTime! and more. (No bizarre, wordless Weebl and Bob...?)

Hosted by Jerry & Orrin Zucker from "Its Jerrytime!" will host tonight.

Two midnite screenings on FRI 5/23 & SAT 5/24 for $7.75

THUR 5/22

5pm to 7pm
Rock Climbing Wall Open House
at Fitness and Recreation Center, 915 Comm Ave, Boston (BU campus)
FREE w/ Registration

This is a good chance to try rock climbing at no cost -- and you don't need to crack your head open at the quarry where no one will find you for days. For some reason, BU is offering their climbing wall for free. Warning: This is may be exhilarating, and you'll want to pay to do it again.

I think you can still register here. There are a few steps, but maybe you'll want to do something free again in the future. You'll be halfway there for the next time...

THUR 5/22

Air Traffic (11:30pm), The Douglas Fir (10:30pm), Senor Happy (9:30pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$9

Air Traffic are an English rock band with some musical variety; nothing immediately hummable for me, but they sound good as they try to be Coldplay and The Kooks at the same time. It's near the end of the American smallish-club tour, they could be on the verge of something medium-sized. Even if these guys are running a B&B back in Bournemouth a few years from now, you won't be disappointed. Thankfully, we're in a period where the excellent Douglas Fir is playing some gigs again. With an English, noir post-wave sound, they've stuck out on the Boston over the years -- and others are starting to catch on to their wave. If that isn't enough, you should dig the rootsy pop-rock of Senor Happy.

THUR 5/22

Varsity Drag (11:45pm), Two Saints (10:45pm), lump (9:45pm), The Von Ehrics (9pm)
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
$8

It's kinda one of those mish-mash lineups that usually bother me, but this one is so interesting. What can I say -- Varsity Drag is my favorite new-old band. The songs are so catchy, and the guitars churn loudly yet tunefully. Leader Ben Deily was also the co-main Lemonhead for the first 3 albums. Two of the other bands are reunited from the 90's: the boozy-punkish rock of Two Saints and noisy post-punk of lump who played SXSW this year. Back in '93, The Noise described them as "Husker Du on diet pills". The Texas cow-punk of The Von Ehrics will get you in the mood to rock.