Film

Films Feb 2014

January 30, 2014 | Marisa Bernal

The Loft Cinema
3233 E. Speedway Blvd. 795-7777 (show times recording), 322-LOFT. LoftCinema.com
Mon 3: The Night of a Thousand Cats
Tue 4: Behind The Screens
Wed 5: Coming to Light: Edward S. Curtis and the North American Indians
Thu 6: Sabrina
Fri 7: First Friday Shorts, Love is in the Air
Sat 8: The Internet Cat Video Festival
Sun 9: George Washington
Mon 10: Hospital Massacre
Wed 12: Reaching for the Moon
Thu 13: Funny Face
Fri 14: The Past
Sat 15: In Organic We Trust
Sun 16: The Ghosts in Our Machine
Tue 18: An Uncommon King
Thu 20: Charade, Daisies

“Daisies” shows at The Loft Cinema on Thu, Feb 20.

Fri 21: Fateful Findings
Sun 23: Coriolanus
Thu 27: Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Pima County Public Libraries
594-5500, Library.Pima.Gov
Fri 14: The Trials of Muhammad Ali (Joyner-Green Valley)
Thu 27: The Trials of Muhamman Ali (Oro Valley)

The Screening Room
127 E. Congress St. 882-0204, Facebook.com/tucsonfilm
See the website for schedule.

Exploring The Art of Storytelling

December 30, 2013 | Herb Stratford

Storytelling is one of our oldest and most revered art forms, and cinema at its best and in the right hands can be used to bring great stories to life. Film festivals are usually a great place to find compelling stories, as someone has curated them with an eye towards presenting the best. The 23rd annual Tucson Jewish International Film Festival brings together an amazing group of stories by master storytellers for Tucson audiences Jan. 12-25.

"Brave Miss World" closes the Tucson Jewish International Film Festival on Jan. Film Festival on Jan. 25. Image courtesy of Jewish Community Center

“Brave Miss World” closes the Tucson Jewish International Film Festival on Jan. 25.
Image courtesy of Jewish Community Center

The festival screens at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) Ballroom with a special early kick-off screening at the Desert View Performing Arts Center, 38759 S. Mountain View Blvd. – in Saddlebrooke, on Jan. 12. An opening night screening takes place at The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd., on Jan. 18, leading into a diverse and robust schedule of narrative and documentary films at the JCC. In addition to film screenings, the festival offers panel discussions and Q & A sessions after some films with filmmakers.

Lynne Davis, Director of Arts and Culture for the JCC, expressed praise for the films chosen by the screening committee this year. “There’s such important and powerful films this year,” along with the films that also educate and enrich with their content. Davis said most attendees to the festival see between three to six films, and this year they may feel like seeing a few more based on the lineup.

A few not to be missed films include: the documentary Wagner and Me, an intriguing look at the music of German composer Richard Wagner by actor and writer Stephen Fry. As a Jew, Fry carries guilt for loving the music of Wagner, whose music was co-opted by the Nazi’s and forever besmirched, but the brilliance of Wagner’s “The Ring of the Nibelung“ operas is hard to shake. Wagner was not a Nazi, but his racist attitudes appealed to the Nazi Party, as did his grand operatic works. The film shows once at the JCC on Jan. 19, at 7 p.m.

The touching and poignant drama Any Day Now stars Alan Cumming and Garret Dillahunt as a gay couple in the 1970s attempting to adopt a disabled boy whose family as all but abandoned him. With a career-best performance from Cumming, the bittersweet tale is a real tearjerker with a powerful message of love despite all obstacles. Check it out Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. at the JCC.

Another fascinating documentary is American Jerusalem: Jews and the Making of San Francisco. The film details the unique role that Jews had in the founding of San Francisco during the gold rush of the 1850s. Largely cast out of Europe, the immigrant merchant class found a city of open arms and great opportunity. The legacy of that timely migration was the creation of a new type of American citizen, one both true to their Jewish heritage and also op en to the new world. The film screens Jan. 22 as part of a double feature that starts at 5 p.m. at the JCC.

Wrapping up the festival on Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. is the staggering documentary Brave Miss World. Directed by the daughter of Hollywood great Gregory Peck, Cecilia Peck traces the story of Linor Abargil, a beauty pageant contestant who was raped just months prior to being crowned Miss World by a pageant juror. Abargil’s quest to fight back and raise awareness worldwide of rape and its victims, is awe inspiring. Her passion and dedication to give voice to other victims, and tireless advocacy is remarkable. The film has been the darling of the film festival circuit, and Davis calls it “the most important film I’ve seen all year.” A special free screening of the film is also being planned post-festival at the Hillel campus for students that will feature a SKYPE Q & A with Linor Abargil on Jan. 28.

The 23rd annual Tucson International Jewish Film Festival is Jan. 12-25 at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Rd. and a few other select locations. Tickets are $8-$10 per film with discount, group and festival passes available via the film festival page of the JCC’s website at TucsonJewishFilmFestival.org.

Thirty Years of Eclectic Flicks

December 30, 2013 | Herb Stratford

Casa Video, at Grant Road and Campbell Avenue, in 1983.
photo courtesy Casa Video

For Tucson film aficionados in the early ’80s, a plethora of mom and pop video stores were available to choose from when looking for a specific film on VHS. But in the summer of 1983 an entirely new kind of store opened on Grant Road just east of Campbell Avenue – Casa Video.

But this store wasn’t just another place to try to score a copy of War Games, Trading Places or Flashdance. In addition to popular movies, Casa Video stocked art films, documentaries and best of all, foreign titles. It was almost like a little piece of Manhattan dropped down in Tucson. We could finally locate the films our professors were referencing in class without mail order. Over the years, Casa has become the go-to place for so many film-savvy Tucsonans that it’s almost impossible to visit the store and not see a friend or colleague also browsing the aisles.

Co-owners and siblings Ray Mellenberndt and Gala Schwab’s parents owned a small movie theatre in Iowa, so growing up around the movies made opening a video store a natural occupational choice. Casa even expanded to two locations when they added their Speedway store in 1985, which became their only location when the Grant Road store closed in 1999. Ironically, the rise of streaming and the splintering of content providers is the greatest challenge, but a loyal fan base is unlikely to abandon Casa.

So how has this brother-sister operation survived for thirty years while nearly every other local video store has been taken to the woodshed? We’ve seen Redbox, Blockbuster and a half a dozen other national chains come and go in Tucson, but Casa Video continues to be there for our weekly artistic, cinematic fix.

According to Schwab, the siblings still love the business, and are always looking for ways to improve the customer experience. Lately the addition of new sodas and unique snack candy has been added to the mix, which may provide an edge unseen elsewhere. They have also adjusted to the digital age, offering online ordering for mailing or in-store pick up from their website.

With just 1,000-1,500 independent video stores remaining in the U.S. today, the business is dramatically different from when Gala and Ray began. Gala remembers going to Phoenix to visit distributor’s warehouses where they would “push shopping carts down aisles pulling films down that interested them.”

Casa Video, on Speedway, in 1989.
photo courtesy Casa Video

The pair initially pooled their resources to buy up a closing store’s inventory to start Casa Video, and then focused on what they liked, namely foreign films and documentaries. And in Tucson they found a kindred audience, accumulating customers who also liked those things.

It’s perhaps that experience of “reading the box” while standing in the aisles, looking for a new gem, that makes Casa so special. There’s so much to see, and the way titles are arranged makes the hunt and discovery a fun experience for customers. And to top it all off, the staff is a font of knowledge willing to assist, recommend and discuss titles if asked. In fact, the “staff picks” shelf by checkout is often a great place to see how hip and knowledgeable one is, as well as a great place to grab a last minute film of interest.

When asked if there was one title that truly surprised them for its popularity, a film that was not mainstream but was rented almost to death, Gala offers the 1986 French film “Betty Blue” as a memorable surprise. Most likely this is not a title that would have graced Blockbuster’s shelves.

So do yourself a favor. Go to Casa Video, become a member if you aren’t already, and spend some time exploring. Go upstairs, look for a gem by a favorite director, find a documentary you’ve heard about and take it home. If you’re not going to experience a film in a theatre, at least visit Casa to support a local favorite and likely you will see your friends there. It’s not surprising that a place like Casa can thrive in Tucson. Gala and Ray must have known that when they started their company’s journey 30 years ago.

Casa Video is open daily 10 a.m.–1 a.m. and is located at 2905 E. Speedway Blvd. and online at CasaVideo.com. Call (520)326-6314 for more details.

Abstract Film Bursts onto the Downtown Art Scene

November 25, 2013 | Craig Baker

Dave Sherman outside his cinephile haven.
photo: Craig Baker

When David Sherman and his wife Rebecca Barten ran their first microcinema in the San Francisco area—really, the first microcinema in existence anywhere – it was in an unattached basement adjacent to the home they were renting.

“People could go in without having to go through our house,” says Sherman, “but they did all have to use our bathroom, so it could get pretty messy in there.” Their landlord at the time didn’t know they were using the underground space, says Sherman, so the venture, called Total Mobile Home Cinema, operated rent-free throughout its life the 1990s.

The couple moved with their young son to Bisbee in 2005, and, of course, they brought their passion for artistic film with them. Sherman and Barten operated within the experimental film community there for eight years before coming to Tucson in early 2013 – a move back to Sherman’s childhood roots. In October the couple nabbed a property on Toole Avenue in the Warehouse Arts District and – BOOM! Exploded View Microcinema was born.

Though somewhat tucked away—it would be easy to walk past Exploded View (EV) on a dark night without seeing it—what lies behind the black curtain partition at this rather unusual gallery may well blow your mind. Unlike a traditional movie theater, the downtown microcinema concerns itself more with rare and non-narrative films, that is to say, films with what Sherman calls an “experimental aesthetic.” These films are usually relatively short, often bittersweet with respect to production quality and subject matter, and are almost always intensely abstract—we’re talking out there.

The real appeal of the place, though, is not just in its large collection of celluloid film or its slant toward the abstract (though EV is unique in both respects in Tucson), but rather the charm of the newest cinephile haven lies primarily in its special events. The artist-in-residence installations, for example, offer an exclusive glimpse into the mind of an artist at work. Stop in on Saturday, Dec. 6 to see visual artist Noah Saterstrom’s interpretation of Theo van Doesberg’s 1921 series of visual poems titled Letterklankbeelden (Lettersoundimages).

Look to the left as you enter Exploded View to catch a glimpse of their film wall.
photo: Craig Baker

At their “artists in person” events, anyone is welcome to come and see the walls between artist, gallery space and audience come down. “Animation Explosion” on Saturday, Dec. 14 will feature a rare screening of painter Wayne Thiebaud’s film How to Make a Movie Without a Camera in the original 16mm celluloid format, along with the premiere of artist-in-residence Saterstrom’s film, Wastrels. Film not exactly your thing? The event “<)))Audio as Experience>< Conversation” on Wednesday, Dec. 11 will feature local sound artists Glenn Weyant and Aengus Anderson as they share their experimentations in the realm of all things sonic. EV even has something for run-of-the-mill film junkies that may not be so in to the way-far-out: Carl Hanni, host of KXCI’s “The New World” on Tuesday nights, shows primarily art-based documentaries at his regular Wednesday Cine Club screenings.

But don’t mistake this hole-in-the-wall spot for just another small-time movie theater. The goal is to allow EV to function as a sort of “connective tissue” between not only artists and art lovers, but also to bridge the gap between certain artistic mediums, according to Sherman. Today, where most inter-artist and artist-audience dialogue takes place in the digital sphere, bringing artists and the viewing public together in the same space is increasingly difficult.

Sherman points out that Tucson is a place without an “extensive film art culture,” meaning that EV essentially aims to build the local medium-specific art scene from the ground up. Though the obstacles to this plan are bound to be plentiful, if the movement does take hold Tucsonans may find their community ripe for the development of something completely novel in the world of film art. Sherman is also quick to point out, that despite the lack of a film art scene, “there are just so many creative people in Tucson,” so the possibilities for video expression within our community are truly limitless.

So, the question, then, is this: is Tucson ready to undertake the development of a scene for a medium that is altogether new to this city? If so, Exploded View is waiting with open arms. And who better to start us off than the people credited with coining the term “microcinema” in the first place? Regardless of whether or not downtown Tucson ever becomes a true film art mecca, Exploded View Microcinema promises to add some funky flavor to the local art community mix.

Exploded View Microcinema is located at 197 E. Toole Ave. and online at ExplodedViewGallery.org.

PAINing POORtraits…

November 8, 2013 | Zocalo Staff

A documentary by Adam Cooper-Terán, premieing November 8, 10pm, at The Loft Cinema.

PAINing POORtraits(Adam Cooper-Terán, 2013, 65min) follows painter-performer Steven Leyba Johnson as he reclaims and re-invents his work, giving friends and muses alike the opportunity to destroy his paintings. In his examination of Destruction, Transformation, Reclamation, and Rebirth, Leyba takes on various enemies, from ex-lovers to the Monsanto Corporation, even himself as the Hero/Fool. The film is an allegory for every true artist who creates and is a renegade to the system, fighting globalization, celebrity, consumerism, governments, multinationals, and the growing ineffectiveness of today’s activists.

Rev. Steven Johnson Leyba is a ritualistic, shamanistic painter of Mescalero Apache ancestry. His art is equal parts satanic, holistic, radical, political, and extremely personal. Utilizing various media, Leyba creates a celebration of the sacred and profane. Paint mixes with collage, beadwork, and DNA making bold statements about the world we live in and constantly questioning the very nature of Art.

Since 1989, Steven Leyba has produced 14 handmade books, huge volumes of bound works on canvas. Forms of these have been published by Last Gasp and Coyotel Press in books containing commentary by William S. Burroughs, H.R. Giger, Poppy Z. Brite, Clive Barker, and Genesis P-Orridge. He has been the subject of media attention for his controversial approach and subject matter, and in 2002 a documentary was made about the artist titled, Unspeakable:The Life & Art of Reverend Steven Johnson Leyba.

Leyba’s artwork has been collected by Vincent Price, William S. Burroughs, Stephen King, Clive Barker, David Cronenberg, H.R. Giger, Cornell University, A.I.M. (American Indian Movement), Genesis P’Orridge, Lydia Lunch, and the Black Panther Party.

A Fall Cinematic Classic

November 3, 2013 | Herb Stratford

“Narco Cultura” screens during The Loft’s film festival.
photo courtesy The Loft Cinema

A curious and diverse mix of films – including acclaimed titles from around the festival circuit, as well as a few undiscovered gems – plays out on The Loft Cinema’s screens Nov. 7-11 as part of the theatre’s forth annual film festival.

As in past years, the mix of film speaks to social justice, master storytelling and compelling imagery from both established cinematic voices, as well as a new generation of filmmakers. With a great line up of films over four days, there are many that are well worth the trip, and you may even find yourself having to make some hard choices on what to see.

Strong documentary features, covering a variety of topics, are a major part of the festival this year. Narco Cultura is a breathtaking examination of the dual nature of the drug trade on contemporary Mexican life. The film examines the fascination of the drug world’s signature lifestyle, as glorified by narco corridos, and the terrifying work done by crime scene investigators in Juarez, as they try to keep up with rising tide of collateral victims. Shot beautifully, and full of jaw dropping facts, this is one film not to miss.

On a different note, the sweet and charming film Dear Mr. Watterson traces the history of one of the world’s favorite comic strips—Calvin and Hobbs. The film examines the impact of the strip, which ran for ten years from 1985–1995, on the public and other comic artists. It also examines the legacy of one unique artist who both refused to compromise on his vision, and in the process left a rich legacy unmatched by any other in the field.

Also in the documentary field is the sobering piece by Peter Nicks, The Waiting Room, which looks at an emergency room in Oakland, CA from multiple perspectives and paints a dire picture of modern health care as has never before been seen on screen.

Narrative features from around the world of note include the compelling film A Teacher, about a relationship between a high school teacher and her student; Il Fururo, about an unlikely romance between an aging film star and a would-be burglar in Italy, and the new film from director John Sayles, Go For Sisters, in which a pair of estranged friends unite to try to find one of their sons, who has gone missing in Mexico.

The film Mr. Nobody, originally completed in 2009, is finally seeing the light of day. It stars Jared Leto as the oldest human on earth as he looks back on the choices in his life, intermixed with multiple strands of reality. The film is an interesting mash up of sci-fi and drama. A Case of You is a romantic comedy with a killer cast including Evan Rachel Wood and Justin Long, with great cameos from Brendan Fraser, Peter Dinklage and Vince Vaughn. The film examines love in the modern age when over-sharing of information can lead to imagined perfect relationships.

“Mr. Nobody,” starring Jared Leto and Sarah Polley, shows at The Loft’s fim festival. Photo courtesy The Loft Cinema

But there’s more, of course. One does not go to The Loft expecting to see just normal film festival fare. The odd, unique and special are represented this year with a few signature events. First up is a screening of Willow Creek, which springs from the mind of comedian Bobcat Goldthwait, who last surprised us with the excellent and telling story God Bless America. This time he has created a found footage-style horror film about a couple’s search for Bigfoot. Goldthwait will be in person at the event.

Also look for a special screening of The Nightmare Before Christmas with special guest Pete Kozachik (brother of city councilman Steve Kozachik), who was on the effects team for the film and presents the anniversary showing of Tim Burton’s classic tale. There will also be a screening of The Room, long thought to be the worst movie ever made, which now has a cult-like following.

For a full line up of films in this year’s fest, the schedule of screening times, and costs visit LoftCinema.com/loft-film-fest. The Loft is located at 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Call (520) 795-7777 for showtimes, call the box office at (520) 795-0844 for more information.

Films November 2013

October 30, 2013 | Marisa Bernal

“Singin’ in the Rain” shows at Fox Theatre, Nov. 23-24.

THE LOFT CINEMA
3233 E. Speedway Blvd. 795-7777 (show times recording), 322-LOFT, LoftCinema.com
Times and admissions vary.
Fri 1: First Friday Shorts, Museum Hours, The Last Dragon, Man of Tai Chi
Mon 4: Grand Theft Auto
Tue 5: Nebraska
Thu 7: Loft Film Fest, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Waiting Room, Willow Creek, A Birder’s Guide to Everything, Dear Mr. Watterson: An Exploration of Calvin and Hobbes, Le Week-End, Mr. Nobody.
Fri 8: Delicatessen
Wed 13: Broadway Idiot
Fri 15: Clue, GMO OMG, Blue is the Warmest Color
Sun 17: The Servant
Mon 18: The Video Dead
Fri 22: Oldboy
Mon 25: The Arena
Fri 29: Beetlejuice

FOX THEATRE
17 W. Congress St. Admission is $6-$8. 624-1515, FoxTucsonTheatre.org
Sat 23 & Sun 24: Singin’ in the Rain

PIMA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES
594-5500, Library.Pima.Gov
Fri 1: The State of Arizona (Joyner-Green Valley)
Thu 7: The State of Arizona (Oro Valley)
Mon 18: The Hunger Games (Flowing Wells)

THE SCREENING ROOM
127 E. Congress St. 882-0204, Facebook.com/tucsonfilm
See the website for schedule.

On the Road: An Intersection of Music & Film

October 6, 2013 | Herb Stratford

“The Last Safari,” directed by UofA alumni Matt Goldman.
photo: Elizabeth L. Gilbert

In the hands of a good filmmaker, music and film are powerful storytelling partners.

The 9^th annual Tucson Film and Music Festival (TFMF), un-spooling Oct. 10-13, has once again compiled compelling stories that highlight the intersection of music, film and the human experience. With a line-up featuring Arizona premiere screenings as well as a few Southwestern premieres, festival honcho Michael Toubassi and his crew are bringing intriguing tales to Tucson that shine a light on the travails of the road and the toll it can take on the musicians who spend so much time traveling it.

This year’s opening night documentary, We Always Lie To Strangers, is a fascinating look at the world of Branson, Missouri and the musical families who have built their living performing for tourists. The interconnected family drama that plays out behind the curtain in this film is both poetic and a bit sad – not at all glamorous as one might believe it to be. A stand-out favorite at this spring’s SXSW film fest, the movie is by director AJ Schnack, who made the documentary Kurt Cobain: About A Son, among other films. Schnack brings his unique vision of Branson’s entertainers to the screen with brutal and potent honesty.

I Am Not A Rock Star is an equally captivating documentary by director Bobbi Jo Hart that follows classical pianist Marika Bournaki, from age 9 to 20, as she navigates the difficult path to fame and the toll it takes on her family and everything else in her life. Fame and glory come at what cost? A staggering reminder of the dues paid by child prodigies, this unflinching documentary should be seen by every stage parent.

Festival director Toubassi is “excited about everything” on the schedule, and particularly proud of the perfect storm of films that all coalesced around the theme of travel, movement, the road and music. With any festival, the unknowns of what will be submitted hold programmers hostage, but this year a strong group of films came in that address these topics poignantly.

Other films of note include:

The Last Safari, a documentary that tracks photographer Elizabeth L. Gilbert’s quest through Africa to revisit people she had photographed years ago and the journey’s trials and tribulations.
Don’t Follow Me (I’m Lost) is a “gritty” tour film about folk rocker Bobby Bare Jr.
If We Shout Loud Enough, a documentary about the Baltimore punk scene and the band Double Dagger, is a gem for punk fans.

But it’s not just big film festival feature-length movies on this year’s schedule. A robust shorts program is also on tap, showcasing both local work as well as submitted films and music videos; it is a great opportunity to see local filmmakers’ creations on the big screen.

The TFMF has developed a reputation for presenting films and stories that are strongly character driven and unique; examples are last year’s standouts Strutter and History of Future Folk. These festivals are often the only place to experience films of this nature, and the focus on music as a key element in the films is an homage to the strong relationship of film and music in Tucson.

Tucson Film And Music Festival screenings are at three different locations. Opening night is Thursday, Oct. 10 at La Cocina, 201 N. Court Ave., and features live music. The following night’s screenings are at The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Saturday and Sunday’s screenings are at the Century El Con 20 Cinema, 3601 E. Broadway Blvd. Visit TucsonFilmandMusicFestival.com for the complete schedule and ticket information.

Arizona Underground Film Fest Digs Deep

August 31, 2013 | Herb Stratford

Still from “Loves Her Gun.”
photo courtesy AZUFF

The sixth annual Arizona Underground Film Festival is like a curated trip through several genre film festivals, all rolled into one. With a diverse mix of styles – horror, documentary, narrative, experimental and even animated – the fest is a great way to see the highlights without having to see the other less spectacular films that you might encounter.

Festival director/founder David Pike has done an impressive job again this year with his line up of eclectic titles that are at times mesmerizing and hauntingly beautiful. Not only is Pike nabbing Arizona premieres and screenings of films that have premiered at fests like Sundance and South By Southwest (SXSW), he has also created a name for his scrappy fest on the circuit that enables him to get world premieres occasionally.

According to Pike, the core vision for the AZUFF is “a best of midnight and underground film festival, along with world premiere films.” With submissions increasing every year, and the reputation of the fest growing globally, Tucsonans again are in for a real treat.

Still from “Worm.”
photo courtesy AZUFF

One film in this year’s line up stands out for me as a must-see is the film Worm. I can be a bit jaded as a film writer and critic, seeing between 750-1000 films a year, but occasionally something causes me to rave to anyone who will listen, that they must see what I’ve just witnessed. Worm is that film for a number of reasons. The story itself is that of a man wrongly framed for a murder and his quest to find the real killer and clear his name. But what makes Worm special is the technical and aesthetic sides of the production. The black and white film is shot as one continuous take, a 90 minute shot without edits or breaks. And on top of that it is the first film to be shot entirely with a chest-mounted GoPro Hero 2 camera strapped to its lead actor, Andrew Bowser. The resulting film, a Neo-Noir affair of sorts is mesmerizing.

A strong documentary film in this year’s line up, Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction, is hauntingly beautiful for both its cinematography and at the times when the film’s subject breaks into song. Long used as a character actor by a legion of directors, Stanton has a chance to shine in this film, which serves as a retrospective through his amazing career as well as a look at his personal life. The film debuted at SXSW in March and left audiences stunned. Its screening at the AZUFF will be followed by a wide release from the distributor who bought it at the festival.

Another narrative film of note is Loves Her Gun, which also came out of this year’s SXSW film festival. The story is about a woman who flees New York City following a mugging to start over in Austin, Texas; the film details her struggles to feel truly safe. Before long she falls in with the local firearm culture of Austin and begins to fancy herself an avenging angel. As you can imagine, complications arise. The film has generated some controversy for its portrayal of gun culture and violence. The resulting film is a romantic tragedy of sorts. It features an excellent cast and the soundtrack was done by Tucson’s Howe Gelb.

Additional films of note on this year’s schedule include: White Reindeer about a woman’s quest for “normal” following her husband’s death near Christmas, Very Extremely Dangerous is about singer Jerry McGill’s battle with cancer, In The House of Flies, a new horror film from Henry Rollins and the campy new film Fateful Findings, which premiered this year at the Seattle Film Festival.

The Arizona Underground Film Festival takes place Sept. 13-21 at The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St. Opening night takes place at the Crossroads Cinema at 4811 E. Grant Rd. For more information on films and tickets, visit AZUFF.com.

A Townie’s Guide to Summer in Tucson

July 3, 2013 | Phoenix Michael

Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl

The dog days of summer in sweltering Southern Arizona separate the meek from the mighty like no other natural phenomena. Many quickly depart for cooler climes. The rest of us adopt adaptive techniques like nocturnal workouts and midday siestas. For those who stick around through triple-digit temps, the dramatic population reduction is a boon. No lines to get in anywhere on Fourth Avenue. Quiet neighborhoods with apartments on hold until fall.

Let the snowbirds and students flee to San Diego. Get going? In this town when the going gets tough, the tough stay put. Since we can stand the heat, we don’t have to get out of the kitchen. Here’s what’s cooking in Tucson this season.

At the Tucson Botanical Gardens, summer means the return of their Twilight Third Thursdays series showcasing visual art alongside complimentary live musical performance. On July 18 from 5-8 pm the work of Tucson artists David Kish and Holly Swangtu will be displayed, with the tunes provided by Bisbee indie folk duo Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl. August 15 sees local rockers The Cordials and painter/printmaker C.J. Shane featured in the idyllic outdoor oasis at 2150 N. Alvernon Way. Admission is $9 for adults and $5 for children; food, face painting, Isabella’s Ice Cream and a cash bar will all be available. See membership discounts and details at TucsonBotanical.org.

For the younger set, summer brings free entertainment in the form of Loft Kids Fest (the event formerly known as the Tucson International Children’s Film Festival). Kickoff festivities at Trail Dust Town on Friday, July 19 at 5:30 pm include trick roping by lariat artist Loop Rawlins, followed by a screening of his short The Adventures of Loop & Rhett. Trail Dust Town’s homage to the Old West can be found at 6541 E. Tanque Verde Rd.

Then each day at 10 am from July 20 to 28, family favorites such as Matilda and Shrek will grace nonprofit The Loft Cinema’s big screen at 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Arrive early for groovy giveaways, super surprises and pre-show hijinks hosted by Mildred & Dildred Toy Store! LoftCinema.com has the full Loft Kids Fest film schedule. Crave more air-conditioned independent arthouse goodness? Catch the award-winning Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home for free at The Loft on Tuesday, July 23 at 7 pm.

For over a decade we heard the calls for revitalization and watched as downtown struggled to get started. Fast forward to today, and Congress Street is humming with activity any night of the week. At the Historic Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St., check out New Jersey third wave ska band Streetlight Manifesto on July 3, finely-aged punkers Rancid on July 23 or LA indie rock outfit Cold War Kids on August 18. Club Congress across the street welcomes 1980s alternative rock icons Camper Van Beethoven on July 23. Eateries such as Hub Restaurant and Ice Creamery, 266 E. Congress St., and Empire Pizza & Pub at 137 E. Congress St. have rightfully become popular enough that reservations may be advisable even during the slow summer months. Both of these establishments’ excellent reputations are well-earned.

From August 14 to 18, the Tucson Audubon Society invites any and all birders to investigate our sky islands and riparian zones for ornithological rarities. The third annual Tucson Bird & Wildlife Festival is an opportunity for nature lovers nationwide to participate in workshops, programs and field trips all celebrating the Sonoran Desert region’s astonishing biodiversity. Festival headquarters will be at the Arizona Riverpark Inn, 350 S. Freeway. Register online at TucsonAudubon.org.

Indulging oneself for a good cause is always a win-win; thus the 2013 Salsa & Tequila Challenge. A $40/person ticket price benefits the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance as well as the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. The question is, are you up for it? There’ll be as many as fifty tequila-based mixed drink and menu pairings presented by area chefs with bragging rights at stake, plus creative salsa concoctions galore, so you may want to begin training. The competition takes place at La Encantada shopping center, 2905 E. Skyline Dr., on Saturday, August 24 at 5:30 pm with winning tequilas and salsa announced the same evening. Purchase tickets online at SAACA.org or by telephone at (520) 797-3959 ext. 1.

At Main Gate Square near the University of Arizona, the annual summer exodus leaves behind only the most determinedly heat-resistant portion of the student body. This sturdiest of breeds knows that Irish pub and restaurant The Auld Dubliner, 800 E. University Blvd., continues their happy hour drink specials even during the hottest months. Entertainment at Geronimo Plaza next door comes courtesy of the Friday Night Live! concert series, which on July 5 features the jazzy Butch Diggs & Friends and on July 19 cabaret crooner Heather O’Day. MainGateSquare.com lists current merchant specials.

Longtime residents are familiar with Mt. Lemmon’s charms; day trips to the Catalinas have cooled many a hyperthermic Tucsonan over years past. During recent summers a pleasant scene emerged, with smiling and dancing folk flocking to a big white tent each weekend to simultaneously appreciate local bands and the Coronado National Forest. Music on the Mountain, as it was called, brought thousands of visitors following 2003’s destructive Aspen Fire. Following a year off, the tradition now continues with Top Dead Center on July 27 and Stefan George on August 17 among others. Bring a chair and enjoy the fresh air free of charge! Find the fun each Saturday afternoon from 12:30-4:30 pm at 12901 N. Sabino Canyon Parkway up in Summerhaven (so named for good reason).

De Anza Drive-In may be history, but Tucson’s love affair with watching movies outdoors continues. Cinema La Placita’s longest-running classic-movies-under-the-stars series screens an older Hollywood gem for $3 admission each Thursday evening at 7:30 pm through August. That price includes popcorn, and the courtyard setting at 110 S. Church Ave. is ideal for canoodling. Cinema La Placita will also show a film at 7:30 pm on Saturday, July 13 as part of the month’s Second Saturdays Downtown celebration. Visit CinemaLaPlacita.com for more information.

That’s not all that’s afoot in Tucson this summer. Science Sundays at the Children’s Museum Tucson, 200 S. 6th Ave., are a chance for the little ones to explore hands-on educational exhibits at a discount. Admission is only $2 every Sunday through August; plan your visit at ChildrensMuseumTucson.org. For a flashback, try Flandrau Planetarium’s “Dark Side of the Moon” laser light show on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 pm. The on-campus facility at 1601 E. University Blvd. also offers educational programs like “Exploring Saturn’s Mysteries” and “Tucson Sky Tonight.” Flandrau.org has details.

Above ground kiddie pool: $11.99. Ten-pound bag of ice: $1.79. Summer in Tucson: priceless.