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Arts & Entertainment Tribute Never Stands Still Modern Dance Documentary Pays Tribute to Jacob’s Pillow Festival Review by Kam Williams Special to TheSkanner News T he Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festi- val traces its roots back to the Thirties when it was founded on a farm nestled in the Berkshire Mountains by the legendary Ted Shawn (1891-1972). He envisioned the retreat as an oasis where modern dance might be practiced, choreo- graphed and performed as a legitimate art form independent of classical bal- let. Other than being derailed by a tem- porary setback during The Depression, the festival’s stature grew steadily over the ensuing years. In 1942, Shawn built a theater in a converted barn so that patrons could enjoy modern for modern’s sake, independent of the dis- tracting trappings of a big city opera house. Now celebrating its 80th anniver- sary, Jacob’s Pillow is a veritable mecca recognized as America’s longest-running dance festival. Direct- ed by Ron Honsa, ‘Never Stand Still’ is an enchanting tribute destined to delight both modern dance devotees and the curious alike. Narrated by Bill T. Jones, this alter- nately educational and entertaining documentary divides its time between concert footage and informative inter- views with industry icons like Merce Cunningham, Bill Irwin, Paul Taylor, Judith Jamison and Suzanne Farrell. We learn that dance is definitely a call- ing and not a life for anyone who wants a secure career path, since you’re always just an ingénue or an injury away from losing the limelight forever. Jamison reminds us, however, that to reach the top, you have to be more than merely technically adept. You need to be among those rarest of tal- ents also capable of touching the human spirit. Modern dance appreciated as a sacred endeavor enabling one to fly above the fray, if not literally, vicari- ously, at the very least. Excellent (4 stars) Unrated Running time: 74 minutes Distributor: First Run Features Never Stand Still Battleships fight Space Invaders International Armada Defends Earth from Aliens in Epic Naval Showdown Review by Kam Williams Special to TheSkanner News T hough ostensibly inspired by the Hasbro board game of the same name, “Battle- ship” is a special f/x-driven, sci-fi adventure that actually has much more in com- mon with bombastic blockbusters like “Armageddon” (1998), “Transformers” (2007) and “Independence Day” (1996). To its credit, this variation on the theme does devote consid- erable attention to developing a back story before letting all hell breaks loose. That gives the audience a reason to care about the characters upon the breakout of war with bloodthirsty invaders from outer space. Anoth- er positive is director Peter Berg’s capable cast, led by veteran thespian Liam Neeson, Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard and Brooklyn Decker. Along for the roller coaster ride is pop icon Rihanna, who more than holds her own in an auspicious acting debut as Petty Officer Cora Raikes. However, the diva’s diehard fans might be disappointed that she doesn’t get to sing here, unless whispering a few bars of “Sentimental Journey” counts. Furthermore, her curvy physique is kept camouflaged for most of the movie under unflattering military fatigues. The picture’s point of departure is 2005, which is when we meet Stone (Skarsgard) and Alex Hopper (Kitsch), two brothers seemingly headed in opposite directions. The former is serving his country as captain of the destroyer USS Sampson, while his ne’er-do-well sibling lands in jail over an attractive blonde (Decker) whose father (Neeson) is in charge of the entire Pacific fleet. Fast forward to the present where we learn that Alex has not only enlisted in the Navy, but that he’s already risen to the rank of Lieutenant. He is also dating Samantha over the objections of her disapproving dad who doesn’t 100 per- cent trust that her hot-headed suitor has turned a new leaf. Alex is in the process of summoning up the courage to ask Admiral Shane for permission to marry his daughter when five vessels arrive from planet G and proceed, without provoca- tion, to decimate an international armada on maneuvers in the middle of the ocean. Sudden- ly, wedding plans have to take a back seat to defending the planet. Furthermore, as the most senior officer aboard his ship to survive the initial attack, Alex assumes command of the USS John Paul Jones. This affords the former bad boy an opportunity to exhibit his bravery (in the tradi- tion of Revolutionary War hero Jones’ “I have not yet begun to fight!”) as well as a much- needed chance to redeem himself in the eyes of his future father-in-law. The epitome of a summer blockbuster: a dizzying display of derring-do, patriotism and fearlessness in the face of an overwhelming alien invasion on the high seas. And the guy even gets the girl. Very Good (3 stars) Rated PG-13 for profanity and intense vio- lence. Running time: 131 minutes Distributor: Universal Pictures WE’RE ONLINE W W W. T H E S K A N N E R . C O M ALL THE NEWS MUSIC REVIEWS BIDS & CLASSIFIEDS BLOG AND RSS EVENT LISTINGS Page 14 The Portland Skanner May 23, 2012
