I attended the Kelly Clarkson “My December” concert in Boston at the Orpheum Theater on Tuesday, October 23rd. I had been expecting to have a good time. I have always enjoyed her music and adored her sweet personality. But the concert was exponentially better than even my best expectations. It didn’t hurt of course the the venue was smaller than your massive stadiums and that my seats were nearly front and center. Kelly was her usual charming self, and her voice was as crystal clear as it is on her albums. She had amazing presence and energy which really reverberated through the crowd. It all made for a very fun evening!

What a beautifully intricate and poignant story! It is a complex tale of love and land and the relationship of the individual to their environment. Tragic but full of hope and faith, Willa Cather successfully paints a portrait of the American West and the pioneering spirit of its first settlers.

Choreography: George Balanchine
Music: Peter I. Tchaikovsky

This was an absolutely beautiful ballet, both in choreography and in performance. While “plot-less”, the ballet remained beautiful, poignant, mysterious, and even occasionally erotic. It was both visually and audibly superior to any other ballet I have seen.

Boston Ballet
MUSIC: Herman Løvenskjold
CHOREOGRAPHY: Sorella Englund after August Bournonville

This ballet was performed in two acts. After the first, I was feeling pleasantly entertained and found the performance quite charming. I did however feel there was a serious lack of presence by lead Lorna Fiejoo (the Sylph) and a fairly obvious lack of chemistry between Lorna and male lead Carlos Molina (James). This was emphasized even further by the excellent chemistry and presence eminating from John Lam (Gurn), Melissa Hough (Effie, James’ fiancée), and Melanie Atkins (Madge, a witch). I was hopeful however, for the second act. Much to my chagrin however, there was no improvement of performances and still less in the plot-line itself. The curtain closed rather anti-climatically and I found myself largely disappointed.

While I did list this as worth consuming, I am still only rating it with three stars (It’s OK). There are a great many aspect of this film that are beautiful such as the scenery and the dialogue. I didn’t feel that any of the character portrayals by big-name actors was particularly well done. Ironically, it was the smaller characters (e.g. Rainey, Jan, Tracy, Ron) who really emitted the most emotion and sincerity.

I watched this film having been intrigued by an article shared with me by a friend, being that I am from Alaska. I happen to be of the opinion that this kid was out of his mind. Nonetheless, I thought perhaps this film would have a beautifully painted ideology I could appreciate. And ultimately it did. His (the film character) was a tragic story, characterized by arrogance and cowardice. I was very pleased the the movie ended with a poignant epiphany: “Happiness is only real when shared.”

Admittedly, I am a rather biased listener…Chevelle is my favorite rock band! And this album is no less becoming, featuring its usual beautifully melodic vocals, cryptic lyrics, and stunning musical tracks. There are some obviously superior songs (Saferwaters, Well Enough Alone, I Get It) as well as those that are perhaps less memorable but still worth listening to on repeat (Antisaint, Straight Jacket Fashion). This album, like others Chevelle as put out, comes highly recommended for Chevelle and rock fans alike!

While I am listing this with three stars, I have also listed this as not worth consuming. This is largely because while the movie was not bad… it was not particularly good enough that I would ever purchase or watch it again. While the acting by lead Karl Urban (Lord of the Rings) was believable, the remaining cast members were less so. And while the cinematography was quite stunning, the plot was sensationally boring and predictable. Ultimately it seemed like your average movie about the-prodigal-son-turned-hero with the cliche sex scene and exaggerated violence and blood. So again, not bad (I’ve seen worse) but… not really any good either.

Read: Benito Cereno

I have started reading this a second time. I love it as much as the first – but sometimes Whitney and Clayton frustrate me so much I just want to rip the pages out. Gasp Blasphemy!

Really… what can you say about this movie? It is cheesy, not well acted, and not well scripted… but indeed, it is a load of fangs and fun (be sure to notice Ben Affleck’s small part on the basketball court).