Gus Chan/The Plain DealerJohn Ewing, right, is dubbed a Chevalier in France's Order of Arts and Letters by Josh Knerly, honorary French Consul of Cleveland.
John Ewing could be called many things. Film fanatic. Movie maven. Sultan of subtitles. After Thursday night's ceremony at the Cleveland Institute of Art, the longtime director of the Cinematheque can now lay claim to a more formal moniker: Sir.
Ewing was officially dubbed a Chevalier (knight) in France's Order of Arts and Letters.
Recognized for his "significant contribution to the arts" in bringing French films to Cleveland for the past 25 years, Ewing joins the likes of Robert Redford, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rudolf Nureyev, and David Bowie in the Order of Arts and Letters.
"Merci," said Ewing, which was the extent of his French. After an enthusiastic standing ovation from a crowd of about 400, a choked up Ewing thanked his family and many supporters over the years. Being recognized by France was significant, he said, because the country has been a guiding force in film for more than a century.
"France is where movies were first exhibited publicly in 1895," said Ewing, "and Paris remains the world capital of cinephilia."
Billed as a "Night for a Knight," the event was co-hosted by the CIA and its University Circle neighbor, the Cleveland Musuem of Art.
"John is one of the top film programmers in the country," said Grafton Nunes, president of the CIA. "This international recognition shows that people do pay attention to what is happening culturally in Cleveland, Ohio."
Ewing has been programming films at the Cinematheque for 25 years, and at the art museum for 24. He estimates that of the more than 8,500 films he has shown, at least 600 have come from France.
"There are people in this community who view film as an art form as important as painting and sculpture," said C. Griffith Mann, deputy director and chief curator at the art museum. "John is such an asset. He allows the museum to become much more multi-faceted."
Ewing joked before the ceremony that he wasn't quite sure how his new "Knightly" status would rate. "I'd like to think that some French producers will now return my emails, or give me a break on prices."
The Order of Arts and Letters has three levels: Commander, Officer, and Knight. Ewing was notified of the honor last summer, but had to wait for the official ceremony to receive his Chevalier medal. It was supposed to be presented by Marie-Anne Toledano, cultural attach for the French Consulate in Chicago, which oversees the Midwest. Weather intervened, however, and Toledano's flight was cancelled.
She was replaced by Josh Knerly, honorary French Consul of Cleveland. Knerly explained that "the medal, like the cultural attach , is sitting in 21 inches of snow at O'Hare airport. But we are in an art school." A temporary replica was quickly created Thursday and pinned on Ewing.
Then he got to do what he enjoys most, show a movie: French director Jean Gremillon's "Le ciel est a vous" (The Sky is Yours) from 1944.
Pat Tillman surprised the sports world when he gave up his highly paid, successful career as an NFL player and joined his brother in the U.S. Army Rangers in 2002. He was called the most famous soldier in America. When he died in the line of duty in Afghanistan in 2004, the Pentagon turned him into a hero. This explosive 2010 documentary tells how the Tillman family didn't accept the official story of his death and instead exposed the U.S. military for using what turned out to be a friendly-fire incident as war propaganda. R, 95 minutes. DVD and Blu-ray extras: commentary by director Amir Bar-Lev. From Sony. In stores Feb. 1.
"Skin"
Sandra is the daughter of white Afrikaners. Oddly, she has dark skin and African features, a genetic reminder of ancestral behavior generations earlier. In South Africa during the apartheid regime, this poses a problem. She is cast out of school and shunned by society despite her father's efforts to defend her. This strong 2008 drama, based on a true story, stars the wonderful Sophie Okonedo, an Oscar nominee for 2004's "Hotel Rwanda" and a Golden Globe nominee for 2006's "Tsunami: The Aftermath." Sam Neill and Alice Krige play her parents. PG-13, 107 minutes. DVD extras: deleted scenes, outtakes, a behind-the-scenes featurette and script development workshops. From E One Entertainment. In stores Feb. 1.
"Let Me In"
If you aren't drained already by vampire stories, here's a good one. Bullies at school won't leave Owen alone. A new girl next door offers her support, and they develop a strange connection. The only trouble is that she needs blood to survive. The 2010 horror fantasy film stars Kodi Smit-McPhee, who played the boy in "The Road," and Chloe Grace Moretz, dazzling as Hit Girl in "Kick-Ass." And it co-stars the always good Richard Jenkins, an Oscar nominee for 2007's "The Visitor." R, 115 minutes. DVD and Blu-ray extras: deleted scenes, director commentary, a poster gallery and three making-of featurettes. The Blu-ray version comes with a second disc, a digital version for portable players. From Anchor Bay. In stores Feb. 1.
"Monsters"
Creepy alien creatures have invaded Earth, and half of Mexico has been cordoned off as an infected zone.
This 2010 British science-fiction thriller follows a frightened tourist being escorted through the danger area to the safety of the U.S. border by a cynical journalist.
R, 94 minutes. DVD and Blu-ray extras include deleted scenes, commentary and extras.
From Magnolia Home Entertainment. In stores Feb. 1.
"Night Catches Us"
Old friends are suspicious when a man returns home in 1976 to Philadelphia, where he came of age as a member of the Black Power movement.
This 2010 romantic drama with political overtones stars Anthony Mackie and Kerry Washington.
R, 90 minutes. DVD and Blu-ray extras: deleted and alternate scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and a photo gallery.
The Blu-ray adds a featurette.
From Magnolia Home Entertainment. In stores Feb. 1.
"Lincoln and Douglass: An American Friendship"
Just in time for Presidents Day comes this very good collection of four animated tales from Scholastic Storybook Treasures. The title story, about President Lincoln and former slave Frederick Douglass and narrated by Danny Glover, shares some important themes, especially about racism, but the execution is a bit stiff. Fortunately, next up is "John, Paul, George & Ben," an amusing look at the childhoods of American patriots named Hamilton, Revere, Washington and Franklin. It's narrated by James Earl Jones. The other episodes are "The Journey of the One and Only Declaration of Independence" and "The Pilgrims of Plimoth." This collection is for kids ages 4 to 9. 81 minutes. DVD extra: an interview with "Lincoln and Douglass" author Nikki Giovanni. From New Video. In stores Feb. 1.
"A Woman, A Gun and a Noodle Shop"
A noodle shop owner wants to kill his unfaithful wife and her lover in this 2009 Chinese remake of the Coen brother's first film, 1984's "Blood Simple."
R, 90 minutes.
DVD and Blu-ray extras: more than 100 minutes of behind-the-scenes features.
From Sony. In stores Feb. 1.
"Guilia Doesn't Date at Night"
Valerie Golina stars as a swim instructor with a secret past who proves irresistible to a married author seeking inspiration. Unrated, 106 minutes. No extras. From E One Entertainment. In stores Feb. 1.
"Friend Pack" and "Action Pack"
Two new four-DVD sets of TV shows for preschoolers appear divided up for boys and girls. "Friend Pack" comes in a pink box, so it probably is aiming for girls. It features "Angelina Ballerina" in "Love to Dance," "Barney" in "Let's Play School" and "Everyone is Special," and "Fifi and the Flowertots" in "Fifi's Talent Show." This marks the DVD debut for "Fifi." Bonus features include sing-alongs and music videos. The set is 273 minutes of fun. Then comes "Action Pack," in a blue box, so we're guessing it's mainly for boys. It contains "Thomas & Friends" in "Steamies vs. Diesels" and "Track Stars," "Bob the Builder" in "Heavy Duty Diggers" and "Fireman Sam" in "Help is Here." DVD extras include games and Web links. Total time is 182 minutes. From Lionsgate and Hit Entertainment. In stores Feb. 1.
"Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2"
One bad movie deserves another. This Disney entertainment about the uninspiring antics of too-cute talking dogs. Critics absolutely hated the 2008 original starring Piper Perabo and Jamie Lee Curtis. It cost $20 million and made $94 million, thus ensuring this direct-to-video sequel. The plot involves puppies rescuing their humans and saving the day. It stars George Lopez, Ernie Hudson, Olivia Newton-John, Susan Blakely, French Stewart, Morgan Fairchild, Odette Yustman and Madison Pettis. G, 84 minutes. The DVD-Blu-ray combo pack comes with bloopers and a music video on both formats. The Blu-ray adds a game show. From Buena Vista. In stores Feb. 1.
"Chain Letter"
Don't you just hate getting those stupid chain letters that threaten you with bad things, even bodily harm, if you don't pass them on to friends?
Now you can hate this horror flick, too.
It involves one of those darn chain letters and a lot of blood and gore.
Starring Nikki Reed, Keith David, Brad Dourif and Betsy Russell.
Unrated, 89 minutes. From Image Entertainment. In stores Feb. 1.
"Lucky Lady"
Gene Hackman, Liza Minnelli and Burt Reynolds form a boring menage-a-trois of bootleggers in the Prohibition Era.
Despite the glittering cast and the efforts of top-rung director Stanley Donan, this 1975 comedy is flatter than stale champagne.
PG, 118 minutes. DVD extras: vintage featurettes, original trailers and a TV spot.
From Shout Factory. In stores Feb. 1.
"Life As We Know It"
Katherine Heigl is now officially in a rut. The once-promising star of "Grey's Anatomy" keeps appearing in syrupy, predictable romantic comedies, including "Knocked Up," "27 Dresses," "The Ugly Truth," "Killers" and now this mess. She and Josh Duhamel star as single adults who meet on a blind date and take an instant disliking to each other. That would be that, except a few years later, their married friends who set up the blind date are killed in an accident, leaving behind a precious little girl. The enemies have to move in together and make nice for the sake of the orphaned child. Can you guess what happens? The 2010 comedy made $53 million in U.S. theaters. PG-13, 114 minutes. DVD extras: three featurettes and deleted scenes. From Warner Bros. In stores Feb. 1.
Roadside AttractionsJavier Bardem stars in "Biutiful."
Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu said he was exhausted after making "Babel" in 2006. The multilingual, multicontinent, multistory-lines drama starring Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt was an overwhelming undertaking. For his next film, he vowed to focus on one character, one point of view and one place.
The result is "Biutiful," a heavy-duty drama about love, fatherhood and spirituality. The centerpiece is Uxbal, played with a penetrating sincerity by Javier Bardem, recently nominated for a best actor Oscar.
Uxbal trolls the streets of Barcelona cutting deals with criminals, paying off cops, matching recent illegal immigrants with low-paying jobs. He's raising a young daughter and son, mostly without the help of their estranged mother (Maricel Alvarez), who drinks and sleeps around and struggles with psychological issues. In between shady deals, Uxbal gets his children to school, helps with homework, makes their meals.
REVIEW
Biutiful
Who: With Javier Bardem, Maricel Al varez, Eduard Fernandez. Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
Rated: R for disturbing images, lan guage, sexual content, nudity and drug use.
Running time: 148 minutes.
Language: In Spanish with subtitles.
When: Opens Friday.
Where: Area theaters.
Grade: B+
But there is a larger problem, as common as a 1950s melodrama: Uxbal is dying of cancer. He doesn't have a lot of trustworthy family to turn to, so he must determine what's best for his children's future while battling his failing body.
There are many strands running through "Biutiful," the most powerful being a father's love for his children. But it also serves as a compelling commentary on the plight of immigrants. Uxbal helps several poor Chinese find work. Their pay is lousy, their living conditions squalid and prisonlike. It humanizes the politicized issue much in the same way Rick Linklater did with Mexican slaughterhouse workers in "Fast Food Nation."
Inarritu deftly delivers both the noisy grime at sweaty street level, and the hushed calm of the hovering ethereal.
Uxbal's mortality is underscored by his special gift: talking with the dead. People hire him to communicate with recently departed family members.
That Uxbal possesses rare insight into what exists beyond this life is not as comforting as one might think. His concerns are much more here and now. Ages 9 and 7.
'Footloose' meets real life: Top 10 high school dance controversies (videos) | cleveland.comSign in | Register for freeSign in to cleveland.comUsername PasswordRemember meI forgot my username or password »Don't have an account?
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AIM Google OpenID Site SearchSearch Local Business Listings HomeNewsBusinessSportsEntertainmentInteractJobsAutosReal EstateRentalsClassified AdsShoppingEntertainmentEventsMoviesDine/DrinkMusicTVArtsBooksFriday!Going OutLivingTravelTasteStyleMorePeople Home > Entertainment > Popular Culture'Footloose' meets real life: Top 10 high school dance controversies (videos)Published: Tuesday, February 01, 2011, 3:30 PM Updated: Tuesday, February 01, 2011, 4:08 PMBy John Kroll, The Plain Dealer FollowTweetShareSharecloseGoogle BuzzDiggStumble UponFarkShareEmailPrintView full sizeKraig Scattarella, The OregonianA style of dance called "grinding" prompted Cleveland High School in Oregon to call off the winter formal because the dance is too provocative.
It's a familiar story: A school gets upset about student behavior, and the crackdown comes -- on the dance.
In one of the latest examples, the school is Medina High School, and the crackdown includes a dress code ("no hats"), a ban on "inappropriate" dancing and a breath analyzer check for everyone who attends.
In the grand tradition of "Footloose," the iconic movie chronicling the return of teen dancing to a dusty town, Medina teens are fighting back with their own dance.
The Medina controversy touches on several issues that have recurred across the country, which got us thinking about what the most common or famous problems are. So here's our list (entirely subjective):
Also-ran: Prom themes
Las Vegas prom theme stirs controversy (Cougar Print) ... "Seven Deadly Sins" theme criticized. (John Burroughs School) ... California school tells Class of '99 that "Party like it's 1999" has drug connotations. (Los Angeles Times)
10. Prom on a school night
Where: Pearl River High School, Pearl River, N.Y.
When: 2010
Issue: "Debauchery"
Good Morning America reported:
This year's Pearl River High School junior prom was Wednesday night. And students were expected in class this morning -- or else.
The controversial prom was Principal Bill Furdon's answer to last year's prom debauchery, where students pulled a drunken all-nighter and posted pictures on Facebook.
"We had one bus come back with a girl that was nonresponsive," Furdon said of an event where 50 teens were cited for underage drinking. "Paramedics were called here to the school. And you go, 'Wait a minute.' "
9. Muslim values
Where: Fordson High School, Dearborn, Mich.
When: 2006
Issue: Mixed-sex dancing
Arab-American News reported:
[Imad] Fadlallah was hired in 2004 to lead Fordson High, one of the largest high schools in the region. It is estimated that over 90% of Fordson's almost 2,500 students are Arabic-speaking Muslims. The Senior Prom is an annual "rite of passage" for American high school students. ... It is no secret that the evening often leads to students drinking, abusing drugs, and engaging in premarital sex.
Fadlallah's head shook in confusion as he described his initial reaction after having attended last year's prom. "It was culture shock. I tried to swallow it but I couldn't. Any way you look at it it's not right. American values are higher than this." Fadlallah was disgusted by the nature of the dancing and interaction between students of the opposite sex.
Same tune, different schools: California Muslims create their own prom, for girls only. (New York Times) ... Toronto-area Muslims establish single-sex dances. (Toronto Star) ... 7 things Muslim communities can do about proms (Sound Vision) ... University of Minnesota Islamic cultural center runs high school prom, bars boys and nonbelievers. (Education Wonks) ... Creating a prom without boys (American Muslim)
8. Pranks and misbehaving
Where: Jackson High School, Mill Creek, Wash.
When: 2009
Issue: Withholding prom as a punishment
The Seattle Times reported:
Andrew King got a text message in his third-period class: There's gonna be a food fight at lunch.
Other Jackson High School students heard the rumors in the halls. So when first lunch period began around 11 a.m. Thursday, students at the Mill Creek school say, tension filled the air...
Then a carton of milk flew through the air and splattered on the floor.
Before it was over, a package of Cup Noodles had been launched, along with fruit, chocolate milk, Tater Tots, sandwiches and coffee cake. One student emptied a condiment tray of relish over another student's head, according to one witness.
"Once food started flying, it was all over the ceiling and floor," said King, a junior, who estimated that more than 100 kids took part. "It was pretty great."
Same tune, different schools: Half Moon Bay High in California threatens to cancel prom after graffiti appears protesting the school's use of video cameras to watch students (Half Moon Bay Review). ... St. Peter's School in Exeter, England, threatens to cancel prom unless students give up name of boy who wolf-whistled at female teacher during assembly (This Is Exeter).
Gus Chan/The Plain DealerJohn Ewing, right, is dubbed a Chevalier in France's Order of Arts and Letters by Josh Knerly, honorary French Consul of Cleveland.
Roadside AttractionsJavier Bardem stars in "Biutiful."
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Home > Entertainment > Popular Culture'Footloose' meets real life: Top 10 high school dance controversies (videos)Published: Tuesday, February 01, 2011, 3:30 PM Updated: Tuesday, February 01, 2011, 4:08 PM
By John Kroll, The Plain Dealer
SharecloseGoogle BuzzDiggStumble UponFarkShareEmailPrint
View full sizeKraig Scattarella, The OregonianA style of dance called "grinding" prompted Cleveland High School in Oregon to call off the winter formal because the dance is too provocative.