The record, 22 août 2008, Supplément 1

Talk Weekly Guide to Arts & Entertainment in the Eastern Townships INSIDE 0k Bel Canto see Pages 4&5 INSIDE Movie Review seePage THE RECORD, August 22 - August 28, 2008 Paintings invite dialogue between audience and artist Tension is basis of life É By Joe Strizzi Sherbrooke / / I paint what I see, what I think I • • know, but mostly what is unseen but exists nevertheless.” This is how Tom Hopkins described the inspiration behind his works, and for the first time in the Eastern Townships, he showcases his paintings in an exhibit entitled Traversing the Visible.The display covers 25 years of work, and he says that tension is the basis for most of his paintings.“For me, tension is the basis for all life.Certainly tension between two or three colours in a painting is what makes the painting vibrant.All contrasts, warm, cold, broad areas against detail, organic against mechanical create tension.And of course, in many of my paintings, I am interested in the wild versus the tame.” Hopkins work invites visitors on a fantasy voyage to an imaginary country, where a relatively peaceful landscape conceals many underlying tensions.Hopkins is what is known as a figurative painter, creating a dialogue between the artist and his subject, between the work and its viewer.It strikes the audience with what is emanated from the painting as well as the painting itself.He attempts to make it as though the viewer is entering a private space, a waking dream, where everything is possible.Please see Art page 3 wW- : & COURTESY TOM HOPKINS Painting entitled At The Edges, an oil canvas, is an example from Hopkins' private collection.INSIDE: CJMQ- Book Review - Theatre Lac-Brome WMMU BLEU L AY A N LA.VANOB OU QUftltC Experience all the charm of lavender in uniquely beautiful surroundings, tOs Guided tours Interpretation «entre Large boutique Picnic area iTHE, page 2 August 22 - August 28, 2008 RECORD Stampeders visit CJMQ^ studios; rock The Piggery Radio i x Quebec Association of Anglophone Community Radio explained Last week I promised to elaborate on QAACR, Quebec Association of Anglophone Community Radio.This organization regroups all five community radio stations in Quebec that broadcast in English.Of the five stations three are Anglophone in their programming and 2 are a mix of 60/40 Francophone - Anglophone programming.The purpose of this organization is to regroup Anglophone broadcasters within Quebec.Four of the stations share a special link.CFTH- Herrington Harbour, CJRS -St.Augustine and CFBS are all located on the Lower North Shore of Quebec, and CJMQ is of course located in the Eastern Townships.The link these stations share is rooted in our communities.For years students from the Lower North Shore were sent to the Eastern Townships for High School.Naturally this resulted in strong links between us.One of the goals of this organization is to strengthen these links.On the breaking news front last Wednesday August 20, 2008, CJMQ 88,9 FM was delighted to have The Stampeders in our booth at 184 Queen Street Lennoxville for a live interview conducted by CJMQ’s very own Super Dave.The three original members of the Stampeders of early 70’s fame dropped by our studios at 11 a.m.and granted us an exclusive interview.Of course we were thrilled to have them.And of course we attended their performance at the Piggery Theatre in North Hatley.The Stampeders lived up to their reputation and put on a spectacular performance to what looked to me like a sold out crowd.You can always judge a performance by the facial expressions of the audience at the end of the show.Trust me there were enthusiastic smiles all around.The Stampeders are a Canadian legend, with timeless hits to their credit.They are re-united and are touring again.You can check out their bio on their website at www.stampeders.net.They have returned to the studio and have written some new songs, some of which we got to hear Wednesday night.They haven’t lost their ability to write great songs.We will be featuring their new songs on the air, so be sure to tune in to CJMQ88.9 FM.David Teasdale - Station Manager CJMQ 88,9 FM COURTESY DAVID TEASDALE Rich Dodson, Kim Berly, CJMQs very own Super Dave (Dave Savage), and Ronnie King pose for a photo in studio of the original members of The Stampeders, minus Super Dave of course. mu, RECORP August 22 - August 28, 2008 page 3 TALK Art: Cont’d from page 1 The artist says that when looking at a painting, the viewer constructs a scenario based on their own experiences in their own lives.However, it is by invitation only by the artist.“My thinking is that a single figure is more of an icon.In other words, it can’t exist on its own.It needs to interact, to be projected upon.It’s not like a picture of people talking.We experience this as a voyeur.We are invisible to the people in the painting.With the icon, it’s always interactive.” The dialogue he portrays implies a duality in which we find the existence or idea of tension within the objects themselves.For example, some of the visuals in his work include water and vegetation juxtaposed with concrete, or, a knife brushing a fish; images thrust together in stress.The cycle of life represented by the boat in Hopkins’ work is a lifeline, an invitation to travel, an imminent departure but also the security of a return.“I’m interested in all those kinds of ideals, and the idea of illusion, other modes of perception, the idea of a smoky kind of reality in which we appear to live and which is not as real as we think,” Hopkins said.The exhibit at the Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke is ongoing, and ends October 6.For more information, visit the museum’s website at www.mbas.qc.ca, or call 819-821-2115.Letters Looking for Memories of the Derby-Port Drive-In Theatres The Derby-Port Drive-In Theatre in Derby, showed hundreds of movies and created thousands of memories before it was torn down.I am in the final stages of writing a book about one of the owners of the theater - Donald McNally, a Vaudeville showman turned drive-in pioneer, and one of Northern Vermont’s most colorful men.The title of the book is - “Don McNally: From Vaudeville to Drive-In Pioneer”.Many people from the Eastern Townships and beyond came south across the border to visit the theater that stood on the Derby Road between 1950 and 1985.If you have positive memories about Mr.McNally and/or time spent at the theatre, and you want to have the opportunity to have them possibly included in the book, please send them to Scott Wheeler at P.O.Box 812, Derby, Vermont 05829 or email them to northlandjournal@gmail.com.Hopes are to have the book on store shelves soon.- Submitted by Scott Wheeler ATT AT mm IPlfii SSA i I ' TLA.¦A \.vT' jpg Ipfe : ' "L A:- ¦ i .mm Musical Voyage PERRY BEATON Solange Hajanirina performs in the Musique des Nations series on August 22, at 2:30 and 4 p.m., at Place de la Gare.Accompanied by her husband, as well as Andre Simoneau and Christine Fortin, she invites the audience to visit her native Madagascar through song.WEICOME TO THE Ta LOOM! 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AVAILABLE SUNDAY-THURSDAY 9/1-9/26 $1 QÛ / USD *)er * 1 O ?/ double occ.SHOP TIL YOU DROP PACKAGE l'1" page 4 August 22 - August 28, 2008 RECORD ——’—— TALK Setting sail with the Bel Canto festival By Maurice Singfield Record Contributor Last Friday, on Tibbits Hill, cumulus clouds hung in the sky as sunshine warmed members of the Bel Canto production crew on break, and media people waiting in a hayfield for the festival’s opening-day press conference to begin.Added features were a panoramic view of Brome Lake, Foster mountain and the surrounding area, along with the presence of maestro Kent Nagano.After all the questions were answered, the press was treated to a rehearsal of Vincenzo Bellini’s opera Norma (concert version), navigated by Nagano and guided by the Bel Canto operatic spirit of the early nineteenth century.As the maestro lifted his baton, seeking the attention of his shipmates, he said, “see you at the end.” Immediately, a voice from the violin section replied, “bon voyage.” Nagano smiled and repeated, “bon voyage.” So, off they all sailed, the Montreal Symphony orchestra, the MSO Choir, and the opera singers, possessed by Bellini the creator.What does it all mean?And, why is this happening here in Knowlton?Maybe our time has come, and our community has changed.Like Mahatma Ghandi said: “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” The word is, Marco Genoni, former President of the Brome Lake Chamber of Commerce and long-time resident of Brome Lake is a good friend of Nagano’s, and between the two of them they came up with the idea of the Bel Canto festival.Richard Wisdom, mayor of the town of Brome Lake, believes Bel Canto to be the ticket to ride.After all, the commu- nity’s slumping economy needs to be addressed.“Nagano visited the region a while back and loved what he saw.Besides,” Wisdom said jokingly, “he likes duck and when he discovered Brome lake Nagano and MSO rehearse for the big show.duck he fell in love with the area even more.” According to Wisdom, before the festival took root, he pushed for a meeting in Montreal with Genoni and Nagano to get things moving.“We don’t want shopping malls and water slides like they have in Bromont,” explained Wis- dom.“The town’s plan is to make Brome Lake a well- respected cultural center.” For years, people have been complaining about Brome Lake’s lack of support for the arts.Surrounding communities such as Bromont, Sutton, Granby, Cowansville and Waterloo have been investing time, energy and money in cultural programs and have seemingly taken the lead in this area until now.Bel Canto is an annual two week cruise.An expensive cruise that may leave some people wondering if it is out of their league.While neighbouring towns have developed cultural events promoting more regional artists, Knowlton has gone out on a limb to provide a topnotch world-class show.“It is a natural human phenomenon to respond to quality,” stated Nagano in an interview with Maclean magazine’s Paul Wells in 2007.“Given the choice between something of exceptional quality and something of low quality, I think it would be fair to say that most people would choose something of exceptional quality.It’s just human nature to appreciate that which is extraordinarily refined.” “The town will benefit from the festival as it grows over the years.” asserts Wisdom, “Merchants, hotels and bed and breakfasts will all be better off.“There are a lot of volunteers participating in the festival as well, doing a fantastic job of bringing the musicians in from Montreal to Brome lake and putting them up in their homes, helping with the day to day operations of the event.The community is behind it.” Volunteer Joanne Fortin, part of the group providing rides for the artists, pointed out that “we are lucky to have a lot of wealthy people living in the area who are willing to contribute to the festival.” In support of regional artists, the festival’s program offers free concerts including a performance by local area choir Choeur Classique de l’Estrie and master class workshops given by some of the festival’s performers.As well, Layla Claire, one of the sopranos performing in Bellini’s Norma is from British Columbia, and studied voice at l’Université de Montréal.As Nagano spoke with the press, the question of what he thinks of the Please see Canto page 5 MAURICE SINGFIELD ' A -i.- ¦ fYvH TVVy " ¦ «if ™ I jfei;, * >v| * >44 EXPO |*M856 « mp * yLiiiii David Usher Saturday August 30 8 p.m.August 29, 30, 31 Sept.1, 2008 • Free Rides & attractions/Manèges gratuits • Horse & truck pull/Tire de chevaux et de tracteur • Petting zoo/Mini Zoo • Exposition of farm animals/Animaux de ferme • Youth & adult talent shows/Compétition de talents • Restaurants on site/Restaurants sur le site Free Grandstand Shows Spectacles gratuits 29, 30, 31 août 1 sept.2008 Information: web site: www.bromefair.com 345 Stagecoach Rd., Brome Tel.: (450) 242-3976 Agrtcuttm, Pêch+rkts •f Alimentation Québec ÉQUIPEMENT PICKEN'i Waterloo, Qc |THE| THÉÂTRE CENTENNIAL THEATRE fubberbandance i ^ • WkfT mmà *Wi ¦»#L5ag Jag See the list on www.centenmaltheatre.Ga or get the brochure in town or at the Box Office.The Box Office is open from Monday through Friday from 1pm to 4pm.819 822-9692 Québec un ShiT'.rookt RECORD August 22 - August 28, 2008 page 5 TALK Select 4 or more different shows among the Centennial Theatre Series and obtain 4 S off each regular price ticket.Canto: Cont’d from page 4 Brome Lake area forced its way to the surface, and in a wave of the hand, he stroked the distant landscape and our egos when he said, “this is one of the most beautiful places on earth!” It doesn’t hurt to have a big name pat us on the back, and while he’s at it, present some of the finest musical talent in the world, on a stage built by experts from Italy trained in the performing arts and sciences.The production crew arrived a couple of weeks ago and constructed the stage using strategically placed acoustic panels that give an orchestra, choir and opera singers the ambience required to perform on Tibbits Hill.Knowlton has changed forever.“Performing in a tent,” explained Nagano, “can be a problem, because the sound is very dry.The idea behind the festival is to try and rediscover the works of the Bel Canto period in a pastoral setting.” Bel Canto (Italian for beautiful singing) originated in Italy during the late seventeenth century and reached its pinnacle in the early part of the nineteenth century during the Bel Canto opera era, producing great works by composers Rossini (1792-1868), Bellini (1801-1835) and Donizetti (1801-1835).“Nagano has chosen to pare down the orchestra’s violin section,” explained Paul Evans Robinson, a writer, broadcaster and conductor attending the conference, “probably because of the small stage, but as well, not a bad idea considering the 600 seat venue.” He also pointed out the maestro’s choice of period instruments (bass trombones) from the Bel Canto era for the brass section.“This will lend a more authentic tone to the festival’s performances,” he said, “because in those days orchestras didn’t have tubas and relied solely on the trombone for the low-end brass arrangements.” Sitting at the back of the tent, listening and watching world-caliber performers take a voyage onboard the ship Norma, I recognized the Bel Canto festival as being a great achievement for Knowlton.As a result, with Rome as a partner and the Bel Canto performers, we share the aspirations and confidence needed to produce a festival, which adds an international flavour to the event.It’s an example of how we, as a community can become who we are, successful and prosperous, if we put our minds to it.Everyone on stage believes in themselves, as much as the composers who wrote the scores did during their lifetimes as well as the community of Knowlton at this very moment.Bravo! As far as CIDI is concerned, “community radio will be a big help,” said Wisdom, “and we look forward to working with them in regards to the festival and promoting our community.” For all of you living in the Brome Lake area, don’t forget to tune into 99.1 fm this coming November 1st and at Brome Fair this Labour day weekend, and discover who you are.If anyone out there is interested in joining the ranks of CIDI, don’t hesitate to call 1-888-539-2098.For more information on the Bel Canto’s festival events, please call 450-242-2215.Maurice Singfield is vice-president of the board of directors, a volunteer and CIDI’s program director for Radio Communautaire Missisquoi.Email: maurices@videotron.ca «AU CARTE» SUBSCRIPTION TIME! i T II F.i RECORD page 6 August 22 - August 28, 2008 The shadow of Tolkien; Acclaimed Alberta author turns to children's fantasy fiction.Books By Richard Helm Canwest News Service With his boyish looks, Edmonton writer Thomas Wharton has grown used to people reacting a bit quizzically when he tells them he has three kids, including a 16-year-old daughter.In fact the University of Albefta English professor is 45 and remarkably well-seasoned in the rigours and rewards of the fiction trade, having won considerable acclaim for his three previous books.He took home a Commonwealth Writers' Prize for his first novel, Icefields, in 1995 and was a finalist in 2006 for the world's richest literary award, the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, for his collection of short stories, The Logogryph.Readers might be a bit surprised, then, to find Wharton now channelling that momentum into children's fiction.The Shadow of Malabron (Doubleday Canada, $22), the first book in a fantasy trilogy Wharton has dubbed The Perilous Realm, officially hits stores today and its release may well mark a perma- nent change in focus for the author."Sometimes I think maybe I should just stick to this kind of writing, I enjoy it so much," Wharton confessed over coffee recently."Every time I write a book, it ends up turning into a fantastical story in one way or another.I just realized that's kind of the direction I always seem to go in, so it didn't seem like it would be that big of a stretch.And it's kind of taken me back to the reader that I was as a kid - what it was I liked about stories, what kind of things drew me in." There's no mistaking the powerful influence of J.R.R.Tolkien's iconic Lord of the Rings in the pages of The Shadow of Malabron, nor the shadow cast by the Brothers Grimm and the legends of Arthurian literature.Wharton is absolutely transparent about it.His new book opens in the present but doesn't stay there long, as rebellious teen Will crashes his father's motorcycle and wakes up" in a magical world of swords and dragons and talking creatures.The boy learns from an aged lore-master named Pendrake that he's stumbled upon the realm where stories come from, a land newly imperiled by an ancient evil."It is the place where all the tales in your world come from," Pendrake explains."Whatever you might find in a story, you will find here.Adventures, strange encounters, riddles.Goblins, ghosts, wizards, dragons.Heroes and monsters.Bravery, goodness and terrible evil.And many other things that have yet no name in your world." Given the set-up, it's not surprising a few pages later to find Will embarking on a long and arduous quest with a strange company that includes a young knight errant and a laconic wolf named Shade.Nor much of a shock when Will receives a knife forged with a blade "from a story land where a war was fought over a magic ring that made its wearer invisible." Wharton smiles as I tick off some of the other Tolkienisms evident in the Malabron story."There ‘The N.H.Premier Family Fair)’ 6 DAYS - WEDNESDAY, AUG.27th - THRU MONDAY, SEPT.1st 2008 Pay-One-Price Rides $12.00 Wednesday 12-5 and 5-10 p.m.Thursday 12-5 and 5-10 p.m.Monday 11-3 and 3-6 p.m.SATURDAY 2 p.m.opening Act - Chandler Kennedy Main Grandstand 3 p.m.Entertainment Trent Tomlinson Main Grandstand 7 p.m.Entertainment Josh Gracin Main Grandstand I'liiiiiriiiiiiniiiiii.niiim.GIANT MIDWAY • 4-H Exhibits/Shows • Exhibition Halls • Oxen & Cattle Shows * Horse Shows • Horse Pulling - Pony Pulling • Lawn & Garden Tractor Pull WEDNESDAY Annual Cruise Night Classic Cars & Trucks 6 p.m.SUNDAY Oxen Log Obstacle , Course Oxen Ring (Midfield) 10 a.m.Shrek arrives at Kids’ Komer 11 a.m.Big Truck Pull Main Grandstand 1 p.m.4-Wheen Drive Pull 7 p.m.THURSPAV 4-H Horse Show Horse Show Ring 11 a.m.Demolition Derby Paid Grandstand 7 p.m.Tommy Vee Hypnotist Free Talent stage 7 p.m.—-—- FRIDAY Mt.Washington Valley Horse Show Horse Show Ring 9 a.m.^ *|i Freestyle motorcross Paid Grandstand 6 & 8 p.m.MONDAY Farm Tractor Pull Tractor Pulling Area 10 a.m.Draft Horse Show NASHHCS Qualifying Show 9H>m«a.Show Ring 7 p.m.— The Lancaster Fair Advanced Tickets at 1-603-788-4531 or * * vi* iyvi.Dupuis CouuDy stance s konvoitlettcu ^ l^ancsstPFt ^^ai^taBr^s Jstspult jt/ Koovo^tiffttcc ki Vermont Horizon DM, St Mmshury • Campsite Reservations: 1-003-837-0146 You calf bus tickets online ab SHn-lfitnum Imu-athlrfafrhfm was even more of that in the early stages," he says, adding that he's been cobbling together fantasy story elements for years."When I was a kid myself I started working on something that was a Tolkien-in-spired fantasy story.But all I really did was write histories of kingdoms and create maps and make names of characters and made-up words.I never actually wrote the book.I just had all this material, sitting for years and years in a lumber room in the back of my head." The Perilous Realm series has brought a lot of that inventory out into the open air^ Wharton is close to concluding the second book of the trilogy and has been finding the going easier with the framework in place."Unsurprisingly, given the Tolkien connection, it's going in a very epic direction.There's going to be, like, a war to end all wars in the book three.And even just thinking about writing that, I'm getting tired.I know how much work that's going to be." His agent cautioned Wharton early on that advances for children's books aren't as good as they are for adult fiction and that turned out to be accurate.The North American rights together with the British sale amounted to "a respectable amount" in the low six figures, he says."Whenever I think about the hundreds of hours I've put into this trilogy so far, and the hundreds more to go, I realize it makes no economic sense at all to write novels.So I don't think too much about that.Or 1 think about poets, and that makes me feel better." Besides, Wharton is doing this for the kids - his own most of all.He'd been pestered long enough by his three kids (Mary, 16; Conor, 12; and Ronan, six) to write something they could read.With The Shadow of Malabron, he's come through in fabulous fashion. iTIIE, RECORD August 22 - August 28, 2008 page 7 TALK Reviews: Dark Knight outshines Tropic Thunder Movies Tropic Thunder: Rated 4/5 I couldn’t wait to see what all the fuss was about and you’re probably wondering the same.In both good and bad ways the hype and anticipation around “Tropic Thunder” is more exciting than the movie itself.Don’t get me wrong, it’s as good a $90M, star-studded, effects-riddled, mega-promoted movie as any commercial Hollywood produces.But that’s just it.While it’s entertaining and downright funny-bordering-on-brilliant in some scenes, it’s basically commercialized Hollywood at its best making fun of commercialized Hollywood at its worst.Robert Downey Jr.is amazing as the pigment-challenged Australian actor Kirk Lazarus playing a black army sergeant, while Jack Black kind of struggles along before delivering in some hilarious performances towards the end.Ben Stiller is Ben Stiller and the overall story does hold itself together well and keeps you engaged throughout.Other than that, there is nothing that extraordinary about the movie.Really.So I guess we’ll just talk about the hype for a bit and wrap up.Okay, so lets cover “retards” and general tastelessness.I think the whole issue starts with the person at the center and their intentions and in this case I side with Ben Stiller.As much as it pains me to admit it, he truly is one of the great comedians of our times, a man who is at once serious and seriously funny.1 buy his story, that he was not making fun of the mentally disabled - who would do such a thing after all?- but rather of Hollywood actors that play mentally challenged people in roles designed to appeal to the Oscar crowd.After all, the movie is all about making fun of Hollywood, from self-obsessed actors to high-adrenaline agents to power-hungry producers.There are plenty of movies and satirical TV shows that do a far worse job of portraying the mentally retarded.In fact, one of the writers on “Tropic Thunder” - Etan Cohen, not to be confused with Ethan Cohen of the famous Cohen Brothers - wrote and directed a movie last year called “My Wife Is Retarded” that we didn’t hear a peep about.Come on, there is far worse out there to get mad about.As for tastelessness, the “Scary Movie” franchise is much worse if you ask me.“Tropic Thunder” goes a bit too far with the profanity but other than that it’s nothing we haven’t seen and the audience laughed throughout (I almost imagined peoplé were laughing harder at the “retard” scenes just because of all the fuss that is being made).Going back to the story itself, you’ve probably seen the ads or read about how “Tropic Thunder” follows a group of almost-has-been actors making an epic war movie that goes from realistic to real when they encounter gun-totting guerrillas in the jungles of Vietnam.A lot takes place in a short 2hrs and it’s a kudos to the writers that they manage to hold everything together so well.There is plenty of solid dialog for our leads as well as supporting cast from Nicke Nolte as grisly war veteran “Four Leaf’ Tay-back to Tom Cruise as megalomaniac producer Less Grossman to Matthew McConaughey as the eager-to-please agent of action star Tugg Speedman (Stiller).The script actually ventures towards remarkable in some exchanges, notably those involving a convincing Robert Downey Jr.whose nuances of character are mesmerizing.I am not sure I would have thought of him as a black man if I didn’t know better - my wife said she would have - but he does brings real passion and real involvement that sells whatever it is that he does with this role.His Australian accent is superb and noteworthy as well.In addition to the comedy, Although the writing was so good at times that I was sure that Etan Cohen was one of the Cohen brothers until I double-checked, at the end of the day I still have to call a spade a spade and say that BLACK * m * ¦ | ?êà , GET SOME S-IS-M “Tropic Thunder” is just another “good" commercialized Hollywood movie (for want of a better word).The action, effects and comedy while excellent at times are pretty standard and simply lives up to the what you expect from a high-budget film.Go watch “Tropic Thunder” if you have $12 lying around that you just have to get rid of or if you simply want to veg out for 2 hours and work off some job stress.Or perhaps you want to partake in the hype that finally unseated “The Dark Knight” from the top of the box office.Otherwise, there is nothing revolutionary here that can’t wait for the DVD.The Dark Knight: Rated 4.95/5 Did the Joker role drive the late Heath Ledger to his grave?Don’t know.Was his performance - and the new Batman movie - all that it is cracked up to be and eminently worth seeing?Yes.Big, fat, yes.* It’s just as well if you weren’t one of the hordes of fans who ousted Spider-man 3 (2007) off the top rung and propelled The Dark Knight to a record-breaking $66.4 million opening day and $160 million-or-thereabouts opening weekend.Instead of braving the mayhem of long lines at the auditorium, TV cameras and sold out shows one after the other, maybe you can find some time later this week.You probably want to do it sooner rather than later, though, so by the time the fifteenth person asks you too can say, “Yes, I loved it” and get on with things rather than feeling out of the loop.You’ve probably already heard all about Ledger’s unsettling performance - I caught myself doing a Joker twitch with my mouth a little while ago.- and how director Christopher Nolan’s vision of the darker side of Batman that began with Batman Begins (2005) comes to fruition in this movie.About storytelling that transcends the comic book genre and powerful themes that cut to the heart of some the most poignant discussions of our times.It’s true, it’s all true, and I’m simply going to expand on all of this while marveling at how they successfully pulled all this together in a meager 2 hours and 32 minutes (.minus a few minutes for the credits, I suppose).God, where to begin?Let’s take it from the top and talk about movies in general and how The Dark Knight does what they are meant to do by capitalizing on everything available to the Hollywood movie machine in the 21st century.Sound fair?At the risk of sounding corny, let’s start with the premise that movies, like art, are meant to move you.That’s basically what it boils down to, the ability to capture your attention and transport you out of yourself, "break your thoughts" and allow the spontaneous creative forces within you to bubble forth with reactive thoughts and emotions.What makes movies so brilliant at doing this is that they encapsulate several arts forms - if not all - and are the truest imitation of life available to us because they are life Please see Reviews page 8 t