Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, DEC. 26, 2013
For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide check out:
♦ “Notable NYC Events-Dec.”, (because the holiday season kicks into high gear in December)
and also “on Broadway”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
For Your Consideration: Documentary Oscar Hopefuls (last day)
See the documentaries that made this year’s Oscar shortlist, and somehow I almost missed this series.
This year, 147 nonfiction films officially qualified for the Best Documentary Oscar. After a preliminary round of voting, members of the Academy’s Documentary Branch whittled that list down to just 15. For one week only, Film Society presents all 15 of the shortlisted titles for your consideration. The five nominees will be announced on January 16.
You won’t see these films at your local multiplex. Today’s screenings:
The Act of Killing 1:30PM
Joshua Oppenheimer | 2013 | 115 mins
What is one to make of men who freely admit their involvement in the mass killing of millions of Indonesians in a bloody anti-Communist campaign in the 1960s? The Act of Killing bypasses the usual documentary tropes of exposing injustice, instead provoking the viewer to consider the murderers’ sense of responsibility for their crimes.
The Armstrong Lie 4:00PM
Alex Gibney | 2013 | 124 mins
The Armstrong Lie presents a riveting, insider’s view of the unraveling of one of the most extraordinary stories in the history of sports. As Lance Armstrong says himself, “I didn’t live a lot of lies, but I lived one big one.”
Dirty Wars 6:30PM
Rick Rowley | 2013 | 87 mins
Investigative reporter Jeremy Scahill traces the rise of the Joint Special Operations Command, the most secret fighting force in U.S. history, exposing operations carried out by men who do not exist on paper and will never appear before Congress. Dirty Wars is a battle cry for the soul and conscience of an America few of us know exists.
The Crash Reel 8:30PM
Lucy Walker | 2013 | 109 mins
This eye-popping, yet intimate, story of U.S. champion snowboarder Kevin Pearce uses years of vérité footage to expose the potentially high price of participating in extreme-action sports.
The Film Society of Lincoln Center, Broadway at 65th St.
$13 general public; $9 senior
Sofía Rei, Argentine Singer
Sofía Rei of Buenos Aires inventively explores and charismatically connects the various traditions of South American folklore, jazz and electronic sounds. With a new creative series described as “philosophical wanderings,” she delivers a haunting yet uplifting performance, sharing with us Latin American stories filled with loneliness and laughter, religious doubt, political protest and true love.
David Rubenstein Atrium, 61 W. 62nd St.
At 7:30 pm / FREE
Performances at the DR Atrium are popular, so show up early.
WILLIE NILE
“One of the most brilliant (and most confounding) singer-songwriters of the last thirty years, Nile released his self-titled début album in 1980. It was hailed as a masterpiece of the form, and his follow-up a year later, “Golden Door,” was almost as strong. After that, Nile vanished for a decade, returned for another brief period of recording, and then vanished again. Like a comet, though, he reappeared this year with “American Ride,” another stellar album of tough, insightful rock and roll.” (NewYorker mag)
Highline Ballroom, 431 W. 16th St.
At 8PM / $25-$50
212-414-5994.
Wynton Marsalis Septet* (through Dec. 31)
“Every now and again the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center steps into the center spotlight as a composer-bandleader, reminding everyone why he became such a force in the first place. Taking over the organization’s in-house club, Wynton Marsalis regroups the ensemble with which he has made some of his finest albums, like “The Marciac Suite,” from 2000.
It’s a special booking, with a special price structure: $125 per person includes $35 cover and a tax-deductible contribution of $90 (except of course on New Year’s Eve, when you’ll drop a cool $375 for the 7:30 p.m. set and $550 for the 11 p.m. set).” (Chinen-NYT)
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St. and Broadway,
Tonight at 7 and 9:30 p.m.
258-9595, jalc.org
Nutcracker Rouge through Jan 12, 2014
Company XIV delivers a sexy Nutcracker for adults
Even the most traditional “Nutcrackers” are treated as a young woman’s coming-of-age story with either a student or company member as the slipper-throwing mice slayer who saves her prince. Company XIV director Austin McCormick’s “Nutcracker Rouge” is no different…EXCEPT there are no mice, kids or snowflakes. They are not missed.
Pretty Marie Claire (Lauren Careless) gets lost in a snowstorm on Christmas Eve and wanders into a Burlesque House. Why not? They like celebrating, especially when performing their “Waltz of the Flowers” – a genuine waltz dressed in violet and danced with big smiles. The dancing, singing and acrobatic feats McCormick integrates has the same effect as opening presents on Christmas morning. His ability as a choreographer/director is so confident and creative that in the first act he sets dances to Tchaikovsky’s original score and adds an accompanying one from a pastiche of Big Band numbers, the Ellington/Strayhorn “Nutcracker”, and bawdy French songs (translations not necessary).
One example being Candy Cane (Courtney Giannone), who performs with and inside her Cyr wheel to the “Russian Dance” and a ballad about being someone’s candy cane. The second act is when he adds extra delicacies of champagne, macaroons, and cake. The other sweet Marie Claire discovers the Sweet Spot. There’s nothing new with sexing up the classics, but “Nutcracker Rouge” is different.” (Patricia Contino, Flavorpill)
Minetta Lane Theatre, 18-22 Minetta Ln, (btw W3rd St/Bleecker), just E of 6th ave
At 8PMM / $48-$124
companyxiv.com/productions
Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change. ===========================================================================================
A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating places – West Village
Corner Bistro / 331 W. 4th St.
Sometimes you just need a beer and a burger. If so, Corner Bistro is the place you want. Located just outside the hip Meatpacking district, this corner bar and grill is decidedly unhip, but it’s not uncrowded, especially at night. Seems that everyone knows this place has one of the best burgers in town.
In the maze of streets known as the West Village, where West 4th intersects with West 12th (and West 11th, and West 10th, go figure), you will eventually find Corner Bistro on the corner of West 4th and Jane Street. An unassuming neighborhood tavern, it looks just like dozens of other taverns around town. The bartender tells me that the Corner Bistro will be celebrating it’s 50th anniversary next year. The well worn interior tells me that the place itself is much older.
Corner Bistro has outlasted many of those other taverns around town because they know how to keep it simple — just good burgers and beer, fairly priced. The classic bistro Burger is only $6.75, and should be ordered medium rare, which will be plenty rare for most folks. Actually, it will be a juicy, messy delight – make sure you have extra napkins. I like to pull up a stool and sit by the large front window in the afternoon, where I can rest my burger and beer on the shelf, and watch the Villagers walk by.
Corner Bistro seems to attract very different groups of patrons depending on time of day. While it’s crowded with locals in the evening, in the afternoon you hear different foreign languages, and watch groups of euro tourists wander in, led by their guidebooks and smartphones.
For the classic Bistro experience, order your burger with a McSorley’s draft, the dark preferably. This is the same beer that you can get over at the original McSorley’s in the East Village, the pub that claims to be the oldest continually operating bar in NYCity. The only difference is that this McSorley’s ale is served with a smile by the bartenders here. Or you can get a Sierra Nevada, Stella, or Hoegaarden on tap if you want to go upscale a bit. Either way this is a simple, but quality burger and beer experience that is just too rare these days (sorry for the pun).
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Website: cornerbistrony.com
Phone #: 212-242-9502
Hours: 11:30am-4am Mon-Sat; 12pm-4am Sun
Happy Hour: NO
Music: Juke Box
Subway: #1/2/3 to 14th St. (S end of platform)
Walk 2 blk W. on 13th St. to 8th Ave.; 1 blk S. on 8th Ave. to Jane St.
Update:
NYCity 1-2-3 : What's Happening / Manhattan's WestSide 