The man was adding new movie titles to the Capitol Theater's glowing marquee when I arrived Wednesday night. Apparently later in the 31st Olympia Film Festival's run I could watch NATURAL LI  E and DI DE  CON CO, so either filmmakers these days really dig inscrutable names for their movies, or I should wait patiently while the man bought a few more consonants and vowels.

Last night's film decided to have a little fun with its own title, calling itself No No: A Dockumentary in honor of its subject, past Pittsburgh Pirates player Dock Ellis. Even the Nos take on multiple meanings as viewers get immersed in this pitcher's colorful career: the "No" stamped on both sides of the big "17" stamped on Dock's jersey; the finger-wagging he endured for behavior considered outlandish during the '60s and '70s, like wearing hair curlers during practice. And guess what they call a pitcher that strikes out every single man at bat?

Dock carved his place in the annals of baseball history by accomplishing his one and only "no no," but we can't forget to add three letters to this story: LSD. To borrow his own description made years later, "I was as high as a Georgia pine" during that fateful game, as well as many more before and after. No No manages to find the jaw-dropping humor in Dock's situation, but still poignantly portrays the pressure that athletes, in particular African-Americans during that era, felt to use almost any drug within reach to stay in the game.

So will I catch No No again as soon as it appears on Netflix? That's an affirmative - times two.  

LINK: 31st Olympia Film Festival schedule

SEE ALSO

Weekly Volcano previews the Olympia Film Festival

First things first: Yes, this is a real movie. No, you did not pass out in a snow drift, the friendly visage of Kirk Cameron beckoning you toward eternal salvation. This is a production that almost certainly involved cameras and crew and some sort of catering company to keep said crew motivated to tell the story of how atheists and the government continue to crusade against your god-given right to say, "Merry Christmas."

I've personally seen two Kirk Cameron-starring religious vehicles (the first two Left Behind movies), so the sudden presence of Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas doesn't quite surprise me. What does surprise me is the tone of this trailer, which must set a record for the time it takes for our atheist strawman to get knocked down by our Christian hero's impeccable arguments. Christian movies, like this one, always have atheist strawmen who need to see the light, but this one seems to be depicting the debate at light-speed.

Kirk Cameron stars as Kirk, and Saving Christmas' writer/director Darren Doane costars as Christian, who is having a crisis of faith. Sitting in a car, together, Christian lays out all the things that are wrong with the holiday (the Christmas tree is based on a Pagan tradition, Jesus wasn't born in December, etc.), while Kirk Cameron condescendingly wonders about what phrases like "season's greetings" even mean. Doane's manic performance feels like a man doing his best impression of Robin Williams riffing, so I can now also blame Saving Christmas for making me think of how much I miss Robin Williams.

Once Christian is shown that Christmas really is all about pretty lights and jubilant breakdancing, everything's in the clear. Which makes me wonder just what the rest of the movie is. If you want to see a truly batshit take on the "War of Christmas" genre of film, I'd suggest Last Ounce of Courage. That one has a cowboy Jesus ghost, so it's automatically better than this garbage.

If you grew up during the late '70s and early '80s in the South Sound, you were blasted with Southern rock - such touchstones as The Allman Brothers' 1971 At Fillmore East and Lynyrd Skynyrd's first album were on constant rotation on "Seattle's Best Rock" KISW 99.9 FM, shuffling in a little Molly Hatchet, Creedence, ZZ Top and the Marshall Tucker Band in between hijinks from DJs John Langan and Mike West. Maybe that's why I have such a sweet spot for Puyallup's SweetKiss Momma. The popular country-rock band takes me back to joyous, carefree times hanging out with friends. Or, it could be the fact SweetKiss Momma is a truly awesome band. Often sliding into country, sometimes stretching into blues, usually jamming live, turning some songs into opuses, the band touches on all the conventions of the Southern rock genre without turning them into cliches.

For the third year in a row, SweetKiss Momma will perform live at the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink. The band will perform all facets of Southern rock from 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 at the ice rink across from the Tacoma Art Museum. Lead singer Jeff Hamel, his brother Jeremy on bass, Aaron Arnold on lead guitar and Jimmy Hughs on drums bring it every year, giving shout outs to skaters and freakin' rocking' the ice.

In 2013, the Weekly Volcano readers named SweetKiss Momma "best band" in our Best of Tacoma issue.

This year, the band has been on fire, which Ernest Jasmin explains in his piece that posted today. E.J. details the band's success this year, including their upcoming spot on regional rock TV show Band in Seattle, which tapes at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14 at Victory Studios in Seattle. Open to the public, tickets for the all-ages show are $5 to $10, and are available online at brownpapertickets.com. Former Weekly Volcano editor and current Seattle Weekly scribe Matt Driscoll will fire questions at SweetKiss during the taping. Australian-born roots rocker Blake Noble are also on the bill. The show will air on a Saturday night in February 2015 on KSTW Channel 11.

SEE ALSO
Franciscan Polar Plaza Ice Rink 2014 live music schedule

Nerd news this week had a bit to do with the Nolan brothers, Christopher and Jonathan. Jonathan Nolan was announced to be in talks with HBO to be adapting Isaac Asimov's classic sci-fi series Foundation. The Nolan stranglehold on (relatively) hard science fiction has continued, after Jonathan's writing partnership with his brother, Christopher, on the likes of Interstellar, as well as HBO's JJ Abrams version of Westworld. Of course, Asimov's brand of science fiction was dense with plotting and impenetrable logic, which has notoriously eluded the Nolan brothers, as staunch opponents of Interstellar, Inception and The Dark Knight will tell you. Still, critics of the Nolan brothers may well point to their frequently impersonal storytelling as quite fitting for Asimov's robotic world.

Christopher Nolan, meanwhile, has signed on to guest edit December's issue of Wired magazine. Ostensibly as a way to shore up viewership amongst intellectuals for the space exploration of Interstellar, Nolan's edit of the magazine will also take advantage of the magazine's format to present a "five-dimension"-based layout, so that as the reader gets deeper into the magazine, the concepts presented will grow further complex. For those not completely invested in getting their minds blown, photos of Matthew McConaughey may or may not be present.

FRIDAY, NOV. 14: ROSEWATER

Last year, Daily Show host Jon Stewart took a few weeks off from his show to make his directorial debut. As anyone who's been paying attention to the comedian over the years from his satirically political hosting duties could've predicted, his filmmaking debut would bear little resemblance to that of his acting roles, in fluffy things such as Death to Smoochy, Half Baked and The Faculty. Instead, Stewart decided to make a pointedly political movie about journalist and one-time Daily Show guest Maziar Bahari.

After appearing on The Daily Show, Bahari went to Iran to document the elections, and was imprisoned for more than 100 days over allegations that he was a spy. The film follows Bahari (as played by Gael Garcia Bernal) as he is tortured for information that doesn't exist, and Stewart emphasizes the dark humor inherent in being stuck in a situation without escape. Bahari survived, but more importantly, he survived with his humanity intact.

Rosewater opens at The Grand Cinema Friday, Nov. 14.

SATURDAY, NOV. 15: TODD BARRY

One of the greatest comedians working is heading to Tacoma. Todd Barry's comedy is defined by his deadpan delivery, which barely conceals an acerbic wit. As anyone who's seen his scathing appearances on Louie can attest, Barry is more than just a measured joke-teller. There is a surging undercurrent to Barry's comedy that elevates him above the level of your standard, low-key wit. Whereas other subtle comedians might come across as meek, Barry never seems other than in full control of his presence and his material, which may make him one of the most frightening stand-ups out there. 7:30 and 10:30 p.m., Tacoma Comedy Club, 933 Market St, Tacoma, $20 253.282.7203

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 12 2014 >>>

1. Dock Ellis is best known as the Major League Baseball player who pitched a no-hitter (aka a "no-no") while tripping balls on acid. He couldn't really see the players, he recalls, just which side of the plate they were standing on. Ellis was baseball's first "militant black athlete," a black player who wasn't simply so grateful to be allowed in the game that he would overlook slights and slurs. Refusing to tamp down his outsized personality and style just to fit in meekly was his contribution to the black pride movement; refusing to temper his drinking and drugging was his downfall. Catch Director Jeff Radice's take on Ellis in the film No No: A Dockumentary at 9 p.m. at the Olympia Film Festival.

2. Simon Kogan is locally famous in Olympia for his World War II memorial on the Capitol Campus and for the larger-than-life statue of a pregnant woman, "Motherhood," at Percival Landing.  He is also well known as a teacher of private art classes. Today is the last day to check out artworks by his students in the art gallery at Pacific Lutheran University. Read Alec Clayton full review of the "Art Students of Simon Kogan" show in the Music & Culture section, then see the show from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

3. Super-team Dr. Erik Demaine, Martin Demaine and Shandra McLane will complete their collaborative Visiting Artist Residency at Museum of Glass today through Sunday, Nov. 16. Assisted by the Hot Shop Team, they will be experimenting with new techniques that blend together printmaking and glassblowing. The Demaine duo is well known in their respected fields at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Martin Demaine has multiple roles at MIT, from Resident Artist to Technical Instructor at the Glass Lab, while his son, Dr. Erik Demaine, is a professor in Computer Science. Their collaborator, Shandra McLane, learned the art of glassblowing at the renowned Pilchuck Glass School, where she served as Print Shop Coordinator for 18 years. MOG opens at 10 a.m.

4. The Taylor Guitars Road Show is all about guitars, giving you a chance to talk shop with a team from the company's factory in El Cajon, California. At each event, Taylor's Road Show team shares insights on the company's guitar-making process and the award-winning Expression System pickup, and demonstrates how body shapes and woods affect tone. After the demonstration, guests are invited to sample a variety of different models, along with rare and custom Build to Order guitars, as part of Taylor's "Petting Zoo." The Road Show hits Music 6000 in Olympia at 7 p.m.

5. Comedy open mics are where comedians cut their teeth, develop their chops and other folksy idioms meaning "possibly suck to get better." Polish is traded for rawness. Comedians nervously testing out premises they thought of while parking. It wouldn't be a true comedy open mic without a few rookies floundering or even some industry veterans filling the room with crushing awkwardness, but Vomity features some damn good performers who more than balance it out every Wednesday at 9 p.m. in Le Voyeur. Host Sam Miller has an infectious enthusiasm for what he does, and the result is a well-organized but natural open mic that doesn't take itself too seriously.

LINK: Wednesday, Nov. 11 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Once upon a time, the city streets in movies belonged to Dustin Hoffman. See him in Midnight Cowboy, his hobbling Ratso bellowing "I'm walkin' heah!" to a careless downtown cabbie; cradling his injured son while sprinting blocks to find the nearest ER in Kramer Vs. Kramer; emerging for the first time in drag on a crowded sidewalk as Dorothy Michaels in Tootsie. In his most iconic roles, the diminutive actor stood for the Everyman dwarfed by a bleak, towering cityscape.

Hoffman has settled into this gritty milieu once again in Straight Time, which played Monday at the Capitol Theater (projected from what the old-timers used to call "35mm") as part of the 31st Olympia Film Festival. First-time OFF Programming Director Kelly Lux finds this trip back to 1978 a treat.

"I really like Seventies films," says Lux, proud to bring this "hidden gem" to a 2014 audience. Olympia Film Society board member Byron Zarp agrees, with the goal always to select films that will appeal to all ages.

Hoffman's Max Dembo, a parolee just released after a six-year stint in the state pen for burglary, combs the streets of Los Angeles with a look of steely resolve, hungry for work, a home, freedom from his past and the untrusting gaze of his parole officer (played by M. Emmet Walsh). An initially friendly reunion with old friend Willy (an impossibly young and subdued Gary Busey) turns sour when Willy's girlfriend (Kathy Bates) politely asks Max to stay away from her family.

Max's resolve to reform unfortunately gets cut short, when an act of violence on a highway literally changes the film's gears and the story heads off in a new direction without looking back. Straight Time spends its latter half as an often tense, though ultimately standard cops-and-robbers flick. I preferred the first part, with its bitter message of life beyond prison walls revealing its own terrors. Attempting to go straight isn't hard time, but it ain't easy either.

Straight Time is available on Netflix.

LINK: 31st Olympia Film Festival schedule

SEE ALSO

Weekly Volcano previews the Olympia Film Festival

TUESDAY, NOV. 11 2014 >>>

1. The historical epoch of Armistice Day began with the Nov. 11, 1918, signing of a ceasefire between Germany and the Allied powers of World War I. President Woodrow Wilson initiated it. In the South Sound, we're reminded of war's impact more often than people in most other cities. But even so, it's not often enough. Our freedoms, our heritage and the way of life we enjoy today are made possible because of our military veterans. Today's 96th anniversary of Veterans Day honors all of America's veterans for their patriotism, service and sacrifice. And for their families, there is no better time than now to recognize them and give thanks for the remarkable sacrifices they have made. For stories and events honoring our local veterans, visit our Veterans Day section.

2. The opening line of Awake: The Life of Yogananda may serve as a general barometer of how viewers will receive this documentary about the revered titular yogi: "I was conscious in my mother's womb." Surely the film will be sought out by disciples of the meditative and (intendedly, at least) deeply spiritual practice of yoga, and they might drag along some skeptics. The former will gasp at the revelation; the latter will snicker. And those who thought they were open-minded will raise eyebrows that may remain continuously arched for the next 86 minutes. Catch the film at noon, 2:15 and 7 p.m. in The Grand Cinema.

3. Nov. 11, 1889, President Benjamin Harrison signed the proclamation admitting Washington to the Union and, with this year marking Washington's 125th anniversary, the Washington State Historical Society and the Office of the Secretary of State are hosting a celebration to honor the milestone from 1-4 p.m. in the State Capital Museum. The event will feature a re-creation of the telegram delivery that announced Washington's statehood at 3:09 p.m. making it precisely 125 years ago, along with music by The Total Experience Choir, Kim Archer and The Oly Mountain Boys, dancing by breakdancers and square dancers, plus speeches, exhibits, cake and more.

4. Have you been enjoy the 11 days leading up to tonight's 1111 Fest? Of course you have. The Peterson Bros. 1111 joint on Hilltop Tacoma has hosted a different brewery since Nov. 1. Tonight, it all aligns into one huge party with live music, raffles and beer.

5. If the music scene in Orange County, California, has one iconic figure, it's Social Distortion. From the first wave of OC punk bands, Social D were initially one of the more ambitious ones, recording several sides of what would become self-defining classics: "The Creeps (I Just Wanna Give You)," "Moral Threat," "1945," "Playpen," and the song (and album) that would've become archetypes no matter what county they were made in. Social D guitarist Jonny "2 Bags" Wickersham and bassist Brent Harding will perform at 7 p.m. in Pint Barn.

LINK: Tuesday, Nov. 11 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Come one, come all to the inaugural run of the Wait-a-Minute Film Competition - a competition designed to involve members of Tacoma Filmmakers as well as other local filmmakers in a competition with a straight-forward goal. The goal - create a one-minute film within the span of a week.

"We hoped that those who were otherwise intimidated about making a film would see that this wouldn't be such a daunting task after all. The whole goal of Tacoma Filmmakers is to encourage local filmmakers to create films and network with others who want to create films," says John Kephart of the Tacoma Filmmakers executive committee.

The contest is pleasantly open and inviting to all Washington state residents. Rules are simple - entered films including their credits must be 60 seconds; films must be written, edited, scored and completed between 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23. To ensure all films are actually created during that week, participants will be granted a mystery element when they register for the contest at Sanford and Son Antiques between 3-4 p.m. Nov. 16.

"The mystery element is what ensures that the film is made between the period of November 16 and November 23," says Kephart. "If teams don't have the mystery element in their films, they either made it ahead of time or somehow forgot to include it. The mystery element will be something simple, non-intrusive to the story the filmmakers are telling - in case they wish to show their film elsewhere the mystery element won't necessarily stand out as something included to satisfy a demand it be there. On the other hand, there IS an award for best use of the mystery element. ..."

Filmmakers can enter the contest solo or with a team. If you seek a team and yet don't know any other filmmakers, you can contact David Ewing at dayviewing@gmail.com to connect with others looking for team members.

There's an entry fee of $5 and there are prizes. Best Film awards will be given both to a film chosen by the executive committee and by the audience - both of these will win a $50 Visa card. There will also be certificates for Best Use of the Mystery Element, Best Editing and Best Youth Film for Filmmaker Under 25. Entries must be in mp4 format and turned in on a flash drive, which will be returned. For more information, visit tacomafilmmakers.com.

Stay tuned for details on the viewing party Wait-a-Minute Film Competition Viewing Party.

FRIDAY, NOV. 7 2014 >>>

1. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band have perfected their blend of jug-band tunes, folk-rock and bluegrass over the past four decades, scoring a number of chart-topping singles on the Billboard country charts, weaving its California sound into the history of country music with "Mr. Bojangles" and "Fishin' in the Dark," the band's most recognizable songs. After many personnel changes over the years, today the core Dirt Band - a quartet now - features original founders Jeff Hanna (guitar) and Jimmie Fadden (drums), along with longtime alums John McEuen (banjo/mandolin, etc.) and Bob Carpenter (piano/keyboard). The band will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Pantages Theater.

The Olympia Film Festival enters its 31st year with style. Opening with a performance from Girl Trouble and Mudhoney tonight, the Olympia Film Festival has an embarrassment of riches with regards to the breadth and variety of the films coming to the Capitol Theater. "The opening night movie is going to be awesome," says Olympia Film Society Marketing and Events Coordinator Harry Reetz. "It's called My Last Year With the Nuns. It's sort of a memoir-comedy-documentary. Sort of like a Spalding Gray movie, where it's basically just a monologue, but it's surprisingly good. It didn't look like something I would enjoy, but it's really funny." The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m.

3. It's too bad Little Women has a stigma for being a "chick" story. Once you get past the four sisters at the center of Louisa May Alcott's novel-turned-stage play, it's hard for everyone - regardless of gender - not to enjoy the sweet, timeless story. Enjoy the Lakewood Playhouse's rendering of the story at 8 p.m. - and if you're a dude who ends up having to wipe a little something out of your eye, there's no shame in it.

4. There's a slinkiness to the Harvey Girls that damn near undeniable. The Portland trio combines a music history lesson's worth of influences into something that resembles a soul-singing diva fronting an art-pop group from the UK or New Zealand. The arrangements are simple and sprightly, forming a skeletally charged structure that hums with energy. Catch the band with Blackstone RNGRS, Tender Age and No Body at 8 p.m. in Northern.

5. Fresh from reincarnating Courtney Love and Hole for Night of the Living Tribute Bands 2014, Oly's all-grrl rock trio Full Moon Radio will blow the roof off the Midnight Sun at 9 p.m. (That's a shame, as Theater Artists Olympia just repaired and repainted the joint.) Even better, the event is free! Even better better, Full Moon Radio kicks major ass, as evidenced by the band's recent album Best Mother. It's also a good chance to catch up-and-comers Globelamp and Jupiter Stripes on the bill.

LINK: Friday, Nov. 7 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TUESDAY, NOV. 4 2014 >>>

1. Over the course of Margaret Cho's ever-evolving career, the world has watched her blossom from an insecure comedian into an empowering yet still-hilarious feminist icon. Flirtations with drugs, kicking the habit and confronting her sexuality - all before the eager eyes of her fans - have transformed Cho into a hilarious force to be reckoned with. Her stand-up films - notably Notorious C.H.O., Assassin and I'm The One That I Want - are among the better examples of the genre, balancing blunt, painful confessional with the political activism that has always been less parallel to and more tangled with her comedy career, into all of which is woven a welcome strain of good old-fashioned folly. Catch her at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. at the Tacoma Comedy Club.

2. If your short attention span craves something friendlier than the standard 90-minute film, then you're in luck, because The Grand Cinema has been chosen to a set of short films, courtesy of one of the most highly regarded film festivals in the land. Showcasing a wide variety of story and style, the 94-minute Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour features both fiction and documentary short films and includes three films that won awards at the 2014 Festival. See the shorts at 1:45 and 6:35 p.m.

3. Kat Cullman, Curtis Koller and Teri Wolf called themselves the Finally Found Trio. They perform traditional country, folk, Americana and acoustic based music, while thinking a lot about Townes Van Zandt, John Prine, Neil Young and Steve Earle. See what the trio is all about from 5-6 p.m. at B Sharp Coffee House in Tacoma.

4. Chris Dixon will talk about his new book, Another Politics: Talking Across Today's Transformative Movements at 7 p.m. in Orca Books. Amidst war, economic meltdown and ecological crisis, a "new spirit of radicalism is blooming" from New York to Cairo, according to Dixon. In his book, he examines the trajectory of efforts that contributed to the radicalism of Occupy Wall Street and other recent movements.

5. Votes have been cast, stickers have been uploaded to Facebook, and now it's time to wait. Stakes are high, so perhaps a little distraction is in order. Don't spend it watching results at some boring, pricey cash-bar party. A good election bash has to have it all: decent, cheap drink options; barbecue ribs; a Bloody Mary called "Devil's Spit"; and a dark room with taxidermy to cry if your candidate isn't elected. The Pierce County Democrats will be watching election results at Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que in Tacoma beginning at 7:30 p.m.

LINK: Tuesday, Nov. 4 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area