Former Gov. Eric Greitens speaks Friday night at the Macon County Lincoln Days dinner. Photo by Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent Former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens showed he still has an enthusiastic following among rural voters Friday night, with his entrance at the Macon County Lincoln Days highlighted by an extended standing ovation. Greitens, who is seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate…
Quixotic performs // Photo courtesy The Westin at Crown Center The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center has announced a full lineup of events including concerts, yoga, and acrobatics. Interest in the hotel’s rooftop has skyrocketed since last year and the hotel is proud of how versatile its outdoor spaces can be. Each of the events requires safety precautions such…
Kye Colors. // Photo by KD The Original His mom is on his case (“I told you to have yo’ ass in this motherfuckin’ house 10 p.m. last night.”) So is his sister (“I know you was doin’ something you shouldn’t have been.“) And his teacher, too (a middle-aged white guy with “stank-ass breath,” upset that Kye doesn’t want to…
My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To. // Courtesy Dark Sky Films Family is the tie that binds. Blood is thicker than whatever the next platitdue is. While we’re here to talk about a vampire film today, the real value in our feature presentation is the harsh but original take on what it means to be bound by…
Photo courtesy of A Merry Band Productions Every now and then a locally made movie catches on nationally even if it features no stars or was made with a budget similar to the price of a car. Herk Harvey’s Carnival of Souls, Kevin Willmott’s CSA: The Confederate States of America and Jill Sixx Gevargizian’s The Stylist have all found audiences…
Below the Fold. // Courtesy RockHaven Films Kansas City has had several home-grown filmmakers stake their claim in the world of genre filmmaking in the last 12 months, in both short and long-form. In addition to Jill “Sixx” Gevargizian’s The Stylist, which continues to rack up regional, national, and international attention, and Ben and Jacob Burghart’s well-received short Suspension, this…
Dangerously Biased // photo by Harrison Brent Hays, Kansas’ Dangerously Biased is a rock duo who pull equally from Death From Above and Foo Fighters, resulting in a potent punch. The pair of Matt Isley (bass/vocals) and Sophi Thompson drums/vocals) put out their self-titled EP last year, but sadly, Covid struck before the two were able to properly celebrate its…
The Atlanta shootings last month joined a list of 3,794 other instances of violence against Asian Americans within the last year, leaving many Asian-owned businesses to face what that means for them. // Image courtesy of Sura Eats In March of 2020, when COVID-19 became a new and increasingly evident threat in the United States, chef Keeyoung Kim faced a…
For Panic Fest 2021, there’s a film that might take the cake when it comes to biting off more than it should be able to chew. That’s Blood Conscious: a film that wants to date on modern race relations, American paranoia, mass shootings, and demonic possession all in one 90 minute chunk. More than once I whispered to myself “Ohhhhhh,…
Courtesy Screenland Armour Theater Boulevard Brewing Co. is partnering with Screenland Theatres to give Kansas Citians an outdoor film experience with many favorite films including Grease and The Sandlot. The Backyard Movies outdoor film series will be located in the back parking lot of Screenland Armour Theater. These screenings require patrons to bring their own chairs but people can park…
Photo by Travis Young In case you missed the April 12 episode of Up to Date with Steve Kraske, our own Liz Cook spoke about the current state of the restaurant industry and her reporting on Port Fonda. Allegations against the service industry aren't new, but why have there been so many in what was already a difficult year for…
This week on the Streetwise podcast we discuss soccer team names, enjoy a reading of Abby Olcese’s “4:20 to Yuma” about stoner films, check out Knife Crime’s track “Kids’ Excuses”, and chat with Aaron Rhodes about music writing and the physical launch of Shuttlecock Music Magazine. Streetwise is hosted by Brock Wilbur, editor in chief of The Pitch. Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify. Subscribe to the Streetwise newsletter, a…
Women’s Flag Football. // Photo by Chris Oritz When people talk about college football and the people that made the game what it is today, many mention Jim Brown, Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, Jim Thorpe, Dick Butkus, Barry Sanders, and Gale Sayers. But in the modern era, there are names like Arce, Jordan, and Steele that are writing a new…
Imagine making your first movie and scoring Udo Kier, Dermot Mulroney, and Vinessa Shaw for your cast. Imagine you’re making that movie during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now imagine you’re barely 30, and not just directing, but also co-writing and starring in said movie. Because I’m a normal human being with crippling self-doubt, I can’t imagine those things. Carlson Young can,…
Clueless When it comes to great movies to watch while enjoying marijuana, there are a few different routes you could take. For Screenland Theatres’ Adam Roberts, the experience has taken a few different forms over time. His most recent bake-and-watch cinema preference, however, might seem unexpected. “I’ve discovered Pixar films work quite well under any influence,” Roberts says. “At the…
Photo by Yue Su on Unsplash Now that spring has finally arrived and the weather is tolerable, Powell Gardens and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art are partnering to host an inaugural spring festival entitled: Bloom Fest: Play Outside. “After a long winter and an even longer year, Powell Gardens invites our community outside to experience the hope and rebirth that comes…
A runner crosses the finish line at the 2019 Trolley Run. // Photo by John Kelly Photos What better way to get back into outdoor races than to take part in a historic race to raise money for children who are visually impaired? On Sunday, April 25, the 33rd annual Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI) Trolley Run will…
Photo by the National Cancer Institute Blood donors are desperately needed due to a dangerously low supply so Starlight wanted to help with a two-day blood drive. Community Blood Center currently has a little more than a four-day supply of blood to donate which is well below what hospitals need. Nearly 600 donations are required each day to treat patients…
Benny Loves You. // Courtesy Darkline Entertainment I have a frustration with a number of movies in the last five years, wherein it feels like the world finally caught up to the brilliance of Edgar Wright. The inner-story references buried deep, the quick cuts, the jokes that live in the fabric of the movie itself with a very particular DNA—I’m…
Senators Josh Hawley and Roger Marshall opposing legislation that would address discrimination isn’t especially new, but it is fairly transparent. // Image courtesy of Josh Hawley A bill approved by the Senate yesterday will ideally take a step toward combating the surge of hate crimes and violence against Asian Americans. Senate Bill 937, the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, will assign…
Night Drive. // Courtesy Dark Sky Films Considering how high-concept it is, it’s interesting that time travel lends itself surprisingly well to low-budget movies. The philosophical and ethical implications of the topic open it up to some pretty fraught discussions. It turns out that makes for compelling cinema even if you can’t afford to actually take someone back in time…
The Missouri House refused to accept the resignation of Rep. Rick Roeber on Thursday, with a bipartisan group of lawmakers arguing that the ethics committee should complete its investigation into allegations that he sexually and physically abused his children. “This is a serious allegation that has been brought forth before this body.” said Rep. Richard Brown, D-Kansas City. “It’s not…
Dear Dan: I’m a female in my late twenties. I broke up with a toxic ex about a year ago and I’ve been walking around (my house!) thinking I was over it. I never missed him and rarely thought about him. A brief backstory: In the final months of us living together, we started having more discussions about children and…
Ghostland. // Courtesy RLJE At this point in his career, Nicolas Cage is a film genre unto himself. The former Oscar winner has three modes. Engaged and manic, reserved and restrained, and barely conscious. Pair him with an inspired story and a celebrated director and the results can be magic. Though Prisoners of the Ghostland only has the former, Sion…
