It's been a good summer for films in Michigan. Countless exciting projects are being produced and released, a plethora of film festivals showcased some of the best cinema independent film has to offer, and our friends at Thriller! Chiller! announced some exciting changes for their festival. Well, it's now August, and while summer festivities may be winding down in the next month or so, the Michigan film industry shows no signs of slowing down.
Anyone familiar with the "Jackass" empire knows the professionals involved have one philosophy: the more outrageous the stunt, the better. This is a mantra Steve-O swears by, and one that got him noticed by members of the "Jackass"crew while they still worked with the skateboarding magazine, Big Brother.
Brace yourself for the tee-hees, har-de-hars, chuckles and snorts - once again the funniest festival around will be gracing the streets of Grand Rapids. This spring Gilda’s Laughfest celebrates its fifth anniversary March 5-15, 2015. Spectators can expect to see a variety of comedic acts ranging from stand-up and improv to film, music and much more.
The black comedy Buzzard has been picked up by international sales company Media Luna for worldwide distribution. Buzzard is Grand Rapids-based director Joel Potrykus' latest and final piece in his “animal trilogy." The film was recently scooped up by Oscilloscope Laboratories for US distribution before premiering at SXSW.
Your underwear and Kori Jock need to talk. Jock, who is based out of Kalamazoo, is the underwear fairy Godmother taking forgotten T-shirts and turning them into handmade undies made from recycled and eco-forgiving materials that are also hand screen-printed. Jock has been making her own undies since 2005, and pretty much hasn’t had a wedgie since.
Let’s face it: the winners write the history books. That's why Grand Rapids' history books are filled with the rise of the furniture industry, pictures of Gerald Ford and a whole lot of just good ol’ fashioned niceness. But for local author and history buff Amberrose Hammond, the full story lies beneath the surface.
Everyone loves a good summer sunset over Lake Michigan, and stargazing from a comfy campsite can't be beat. If you're looking to watch something a bit more cinematic, however, the West Michigan film community has got you covered, too.
Josh Sneed is living proof that you can make it big in comedy without having to leave your home and family behind. He grew up in Ohio, and currently lives in the greater Cincinnati area, near the border of Kentucky and Ohio. While life in the Midwest may sound less flashy than New York or L.A. to some, Sneed wouldn't have it any other way.
True story. Lamenting over the perfect bookcase kept me up at night. That is until I ordered a bookcase from Via Logistics and saved myself the time and gas money and had the item delivered to my home and assembled—all for a very reasonable price.
Before he was hired as Kent District Library's Kentwood branch teen librarian, Greg Lewis saw something big at KDL's Grandville branch. It was an event that featured live music from local teen bands. Once he took on his position as teen librarian, Lewis was inspired to take that teen-band concept further. Three years later, Kentwoodpalooza was born.
Let's face it – everyone loves summer. There's the new-found freedom from academic obligations, plenty of chances to soak up that vitamin D and of course, miles of immaculate beachfront on the West Michigan coast. For hardcore film fans though, it can be a tenuous time.
It would be an understatement to say Neil Hamburger is unlike any other comedian on the circuit today. From his claims of performing 400-plus shows per year to hoarding mixed drinks onstage while delivering obscenity-laced lectures to inattentive audience members, Hamburger has effectively carved out his own strange niche in the comedy world.
The Spring Peddlers’ Market in in downtown Zeeland is an artfully curious fare filled with apparel and accessories, household gifts and goods, antiques and repurposed finds, architectural salvage, vintage furniture and décor and other curiosities.
Roberta King has always had a way with words, but after the death of her son, Noah, she found herself suddenly at a loss for them. Despite being born with cerebral palsy, Noah lived happy, healthy and surrounded by a loving family for 16 years. In 2006 – when he was 17 – a bout with pneumonia took his life.
