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    Sundance Film Festival 2013

    Dick Cheney, Anita Hill and late-term abortion doctors are focus of Sundance documentaries

    Jane Howze
    By Jane Howze
    Jan 20, 2013 | 3:30 pm

    PARK CITY, Utah — The Sundance Film Festival is in full swing, with lots of stars (Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Naomi Watts) and filmgoers eager to offer instant analysis of the movies they just saw as they wait in line for shuttle buses or at theaters and restaurants.

     

    After finding opening night drama May in the Summer, the story of a young American-Jordanian woman with second thoughts about her wedding, to be predictable, I decided to purge myself of the experience by only attending documentaries for the next 48 hours.

     

    And how can you go wrong with documentaries at Sundance when four of the nominees for Best Documentary at next month's Oscars were showcased at last year’s festival?

     

    Among the more thought-provoking documentaries I have seen at this year's edition of the festival are:

     

     After Tiller

     

    In 2009, George Tiller, one of only five U.S. physicians who perform third-term abortions, was murdered at his church in Wichita. Filmmakers Martha Shane, in her directorial debut, and Lana Wilson, in her first film, let the remaining four physicians tell their stories in After Tiller.

     
     

      For the first time I can remember at Sundance, we had to go through metal detectors to enter the theater and there were armed guards everywhere.  

     
     

    For the first time I can remember at Sundance, we had to go through metal detectors to enter the theater and there were armed guards everywhere.

     

    The film allows you to hear in the words of the patients and their physicians the personal, professional, ethical and spiritual struggles that they face. As moving and emotional as the film is, it could have been tightened up for maximum impact and benefited from a more experienced editor.

     

    Even so, I fear this film will not see the light of day commercially given its controversial topic. And that is a shame.

     

    Whatever your views may be on late-term abortion, this film will challenge them. And isn’t that what a good documentary is all about?

     

     Anita

     

    In 1991, law professor Anita Hill was propelled into the center of national politics when she accused Supreme Court Justice nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. Hill was attacked in public hearings before the all-male Senate Judiciary Committee and Thomas was confirmed.

     

    In Anita, a documentary tribute to Hill, Oscar-winning filmmaker Freida Mock revisits these events which seem incomprehensible in retrospect. We learn there were corroborating witnesses that were not allowed to testify and are reminded that Hill successfully passed a lie detector test.

     
     

      Though the film tends to lionize Hill as "St. Anita," it is a powerful film and history lesson. 

     
     

    It is painful to watch how the accuser became the accused. Interestingly, Hill shows no bitterness.

     

    Although she at first tried to quietly retreat into the private life, Hill has taken on the public role of shining a light on sexual harassment and bringing about change through legislation and education.

     

    Hill, her longtime boyfriend and many of her family members attended the showing and most of the audience questions afterwards were from grateful women thanking her for making a difference. Though the film tends to lionize Hill as "St. Anita," it is a powerful film and history lesson.

     

     The World According to Dick Cheney

     

    Some might think there could not be a less welcome subject at Sundance, with its liberal constituency, than Dick Cheney. Not true. Sundance has never shied away from polarizing figures be they on the left or the right. One of Sundance’s most popular documentaries was Reagan, shown in 2011.

     

    I was excited about gaining a better understanding of Cheney in the hands of award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler (The September Issue). It starts off promisingly enough with Cheney giving short answers to questions.

     
     

      During a question-and-answer session, some in the audience took Cutler to task for being too easy on Cheney while others complained the film didn't reveal anything new. 

     
     

    His favorite meal? Spaghetti.

     

    His favorite virtue? Integrity.

     

    When asked to name his greatest fault, Cheney replies, "I don't spend a lot of time thinking about my faults, would be the answer."

     

    Oh-oh.

     

    I gained hope again as Cheney opened up about flunking out of Yale University, landing in jail twice for DUI, and working as a lineman for an electrical utility before getting his life together. Twelve years later, in his early 30s, he was the youngest White House chief of staff in U.S. history.

     

    But the rest of the film reveals little we didn't already know about Cheney. It ignores such topics as his loving relationship with his family (he is supportive of his gay daughter) and his controversial tenure at Halliburton, instead spending way too much time on his mentor, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

     

    A long sit-down interview with Cheney, which is interspersed throughout the movie, yields precious little new information. One suspects that Cutler agreed to stringent ground rules to snag the interview and shied away from confrontation.

     

    During a question-and-answer session, some in the audience took Cutler to task for being too easy on Cheney while others complained the film didn't reveal anything new. You can judge for yourself as it will premiere on Showtime on March 15.

     

     The Summit

     

    For some reason any film about dangerous mountain climbing always draws audiences. Maybe it's the scenery that attracts us or the opportunity to experience the thrill and danger vicariously. The Summit is an absorbing tale of a doomed 2008 expedition to Pakistan’s K2, the second highest peak in the world, in which 11 people died.

     

    Filmmaker Nick Ryan has some amazing footage from the climbers but seems ambivalent how to approach the story.

     
     

      Filmmaker Nick Ryan has some amazing footage from the climbers but seems ambivalent how to approach the story.  

     
     

    The narrative moves from the mystery of what really happened, to reenactments, to interviews with survivors, the heroism of Sherpa Pemba Gyalje and finally interviews with Italian mountain climber Walter Bonatti's whose 1954 expedition was the first to summit K2.

     

    I had whiplash trying to figure out which one of these of these angles to focus on. In trying to please too many, The Summit ended up falling short of the peak.

     

    Ah, but I must be making a mountain of a molehill since, the film was picked up by Sundance Selects.

    The World According to Dick Cheney drew fire from some audience members for being too soft on the former vice president.

    Dick Cheney, Sundance Film Festival, January 2013
      
    Courtesy photo
    The World According to Dick Cheney drew fire from some audience members for being too soft on the former vice president.
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    weekend event planner

    These are the 14 best things to do in Houston this weekend

    Craig D. Lindsey
    Jul 16, 2025 | 6:30 pm
    Goo Goo Dolls
    Photo courtesy of Goo Goo Dolls
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    This weekend, it’s all about music, comedy, celebration, and getting free chicken.

    The Goo Goo Dolls and Kam Franklin will have live concerts. Mo Amer and Kym Whitley will be doing back-to-back stand-up shows. Little Jewford will pay tribute to Kinly Friedman with a live show. Karbach Brewing is bringing back Frida Fest. And Nando PERi-PERi will salute Nelson Mandela Day by giving free chicken and fries to whoever donates some canned goods.

    So, let’s ease on down the road and see what’s popping this weekend.

    Thursday, July 17

    Little Jewford's Sentimental Journey: Remembering Kinky Friedman
    Little Jewford's Sentimental Journey will highlight songs from Kinky Friedman's catalog and the Great American Songbook. Little Jewford will also share a few of his favorite memories of Kinky and stories from their travels. Little Jewford was eight years old when he met Kinky Friedman at Echo Hill Ranch in 1958. They began a friendship and musical pairing that would last more than 60 years. Little Jewford is also an accomplished pianist with a unique, entertaining style all his own. 7 pm.

    River Oaks Theatre presents Film Strip: Barbarella
    Grimm and Ghoulia, headmistresses of The Sisterhood of Lili St. Cyr, present another monthly screening of a cult movie, preceded by a rotating cast of burlesque beauties. This time around, we have Jane Fonda starring in this erotic, space-age, comic-book adaptation from 1968, where she’s a space traveler tasked with finding and stopping the evil Durand-Durand. BTW, quoting and singing along with the film is encouraged. Surprise gags and performances may take place during the film. 8 pm.

    Goo Goo Dolls in concert
    You can go back to the 2000s this weekend, as rock band Goo Goo Dolls will be performing in Sugar Land's Smart Financial Centre. Currently on the road for their Summer Anthem Tour, the Grammy-nominated, diamond-certified rockers (best known for “Iris,” one of many millennial pop ditties guitar-playing frat guys played for sorority girls at parties back in the day) are also at work on their 15th studio album. Dashboard Confessional, another rock outfit who rose to prominence during the Bush II era, will be the opening act. 8 pm.

    Friday, July 18

    Nelson Mandela Day at Nando’s Peri-Peri
    In honor of Nelson Mandela Day on Friday, Nando’s Peri-Peri is turning compassion into action with a nationwide food drive, rewarding guests with free flame-grilled chicken and Peri Chips in exchange for non-perishable food donations. At the Houston locations in Post Oak and Katy, donations will go to Second Servings, the city’s only perishable food rescue organization. Second Servings is also collecting donations to support those affected by the devastating floods that recently impacted Central Texas. 3 pm.

    Mo Amer: El Oso Palestino Tour
    Palestinian-American stand-up comedian (and hometown boy made good) Mo Amer may have wrapped up the second and final season of his acclaimed Netflix show Mo this year. But that doesn’t mean the man hasn’t stopped bringing the funny. Before he heads off to do two back-to-back shows at the Dubai Comedy Festival, he’ll do an early show right here in H-Town, as part of his El Oso Palestino Tour. As of press time, only a limited number of standing room only tickets remain. 7 pm.

    Punch Line Houston presents Kym Whitley
    Kym Whitley knew she was blessed with the gift to make people laugh after Redd Foxx told her she had “the comedic goods.” The comedienne and former host of BET talk show Oh Drama! has appeared in such movies as The Nutty Professor and Next Friday. She’s also done guest shots on My Wife and Kids, Two Broke Girls, That’s So Raven, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, on an episode that saved a man from going to death row. She even appeared in a Netflix documentary about it. 7:30 and 9:45 pm (7 and 9:15 pm Saturday).

    A.D. Players presents The Wizard of Oz
    Since we’re all still in a Wicked frame of mind, A.D. Players presents a stage version of the L. Frank Baum classic. Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion, and Toto travel the universe of Dorothy’s imagination, crossing over the rainbow to the beautiful land of Oz. To find her way home, Dorothy must follow the yellow brick road to find the Wizard. But the Wicked Witch of the West threatens to destroy these newfound friends as they make their journey. Through Sunday, August 10. 7:30 pm (2 and 7:30 pm Saturday; 2 pm Sunday).

    Saturday, July 19

    Houston Pets Alive! And Trust Guss Injury Lawyers present Puppy Palooza
    Houston Pets Alive! and Trust Guss Injury Lawyers team up for Puppy Palooza this weekend, at the Houston Pets Alive! headquarters. Houstonians are invited to a family-friendly adoption event where attendees can meet up to 50 adorable puppies of all sizes, breeds, and personalities, looking for their forever homes. The event not only offers a chance to welcome a new furry friend into your life, but also supports Houston’s local shelters by helping reduce overcrowding and giving at-risk pets a second chance.

    Moody Center for the Arts presents Summer Jam
    Moody's annual Summer Jam will feature art activities, galleries to explore, an indoor farmer’s market, local food vendors, and more. The event includes access to Figurative Histories and Collective Memories as well as programming with Black art/culture reference library The Reading Room. In addition to a scavenger hunt, face painting, and bubble play, Red Bird Press will lead a printmaking activity for the duration of the event. Noon.

    Karbach Brewing Co. presents Frida Fest
    Karbach Brewing Co. is bringing back its annual Frida Fest, a two-day celebration honoring art icon Frida Kahlo through art, fashion, and community. In partnership with nonprofit MuXerhtx, Karbach’s biergarten will transform into a vibrant cultural hub. Saturday’s festivities will include an art show, a fashion show, and a lookalike contest, while Sunday will have a mariachi performance, a flower-making workshop, and a DJ playing beats. Saturday attendees will get first access to exclusive Frida Fest glassware. 1 pm (11 am Sunday).

    The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston presents Iolanthe
    The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston, Houston’s longest-running opera company, will present Iolanthe, a hallmark of Gilbert and Sullivan’s signature satire that cheerily blends fantasy and pointed social commentary. It skewers the British legal system, the House of Lords, and Victorian sensibilities with clever wit and a charming score. Iolanthe (pronounced "eye-oh-LAN-thee") is a comic opera sung in English and is enjoyable for all ages. Through Sunday, July 27. 7 pm (7 pm Friday, 2:30 pm Sunday).

    Sunday, July 20

    National Ice Cream Day
    National Ice Cream Day is this Sunday, and these are just some of the several places around town marking the occasion with deals and specials. The Sunrise House in Montrose has both an ice cream-topped waffle and an affogato. Both locations of The Pit Room will take $2 off any creation made with Blue Bell ice cream. Asian American diner Agnes and Sherman will be serving root beer floats and banana splits. Houston-area locations of Lick Honest Ice Creams will donate 10 percent of sales to Buffalo Bayou Partnership. All four Houston-area locations of Jeni’s will add its new sundae fudge sauce for free to any scoop. (Times and locations vary.)

    The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore
    Marlee Matlin became the first deaf actor to win an Oscar for her performance in Children of a Lesser God. In this new documentary, she discusses her personal and professional struggles — including her meteoric rise to fame in a predominantly hearing industry, a tumultuous high-profile relationship, getting sober, and years of being overlooked by Hollywood. Through split-screen interviews with both deaf and hearing contributors, the film weaves a poignant narrative of Matlin’s career, highlighting her tireless fight for inclusion. 5 pm.

    Dan Electro’s presents Kam Franklin & Friends
    Kam Franklin and a bunch of her musical pals will be performing this weekend at Dan Electro’s. Best known for belting powerful vocals as the lead singer of Gulf Coast soul band The Suffers, this dynamic interdisciplinary artist is also a passionate activist for justice and equity — amplifying Black, queer, femme, and non-binary voices across the arts. She’ll be joined by Sergio Trevino, Louis Morales, Sara Van Buskirk, Uncle Tino, and Blacknintendo. 7:30 pm.

    Goo Goo Dolls
      
    Photo courtesy of Goo Goo Dolls

    Goo Goo Dolls will play in Sugar Land July 17, 2025.

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