THE COAST NEWS
MARCH 15, 2013
A RTS &ENTERTAINMENT
A17 Send your arts & entertainment news to arts@thecoastnews.com
Painter continues the tradition of California Impressionism physical rigors involved in plein air painting.” Williams has received Best of Show and First Place awards in prominent local and regional shows including the Southwestern Art Association and La Jolla Art Association, and is a Signature Member of American Impressionists Society. She is also an acti ve member of the California Art Club, Oil Painters of America, Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, and San Diego Plein Air Painters. Currently represented by Art Expressions Gallery and the San Diego History Museum, her work can be seen locally in the Rancho Santa Fe Gallery and online at toniwillamsart.com.
KAY COLVIN A Brush With Art
Do you believe in magic? From left: Steve Buscemi is Anton Marvelton, Olivia Wilde as Jane and Steve Carell as Burt Wonderstone in "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone.” Photo by Ben Glass By Noah S. Lee
It’s impossible to disr egard the impr essive smoke and mirrors as demonstr ated by the inexhaustible talents of “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone,” although the same can’t be said for the weak script and hollo w laughs. The film begins b y introducing us to Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi), superstar magicians who ha ve reigned supreme in Las Vegas for many years. The duo’s overwhelming commercial success, however, doesn’t match their friendship, which has taken a turn for the w orst due to Burt’ s overgrown ego. After Burt injures Anton during a performance, they sever ties. Anton embarks for the Far East, and if losing a friend isn’t enough, Burt finds himself facing off against guerrilla street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey), whose outrageous feats and growing cult f ollowing threaten to r ender old school illusions obsolete. Out of a job and out of friends, Burt encounters Rance Holloway (Alan Arkin), the man who inspired him to become a magician. Burt sees a chance to sa ve his act and rekindle his friendship with Anton, but the only way he can accomplish those goals is by rediscovering what compelled him to learn magic when he was a child. Any fan of magicians is in for a sho w. As someone who isn’t a diehard admirer but still enjoys watching the occasional perf ormance, I couldn’t take my eyes off the magic tric ks performed by many of the cast members. On the one hand, we have Carell and Buscemi executing stage acts that r ange from the simplistic to the comple x. There are also a couple small but li vely illusions performed by Arkin, who at times is more of a magician maestro than his co-stars. On the other hand, there’s Carrey providing us a street-oriented approach to magic tricks, often resorting to e xtreme daring that
Jim Carrey as Steve Gray. Photo by Ben Glass
demands the viewers’ attention. Whether it r evolves around shooting fireballs out of his mouth or sleeping on a bed of hot coals or burning the w ords “Happy birthday” into his f orearm, you can’t deny the effectiveness of Carrey’s charisma. But even a con vincing illusion cannot disguise a flimsy script. Burt and Anton’s friendship has a solid start during their childhood, but when the y reach adulthood, the camera devotes more of its time to the magic tricks instead of their relationship. Seeing 30 years of friendship get poured down the drain due to Burt’s ego was an interesting turn of e vents that should have received more development than what was observed in the film. In addition, the dynamic between Burt and his assistant Jane (Olivia Wilde) comes off as f orced. One moment she is the only woman in Burt’s life with a mind of her o wn, and in another, she’s more than willing to succumb to his Don Juan eccentricities. And while Ste ve Gray’s exploits are a sight y ou wouldn’t want to miss, there isn’t really a storyline of his for us to follow. I also think the film’ s comedy element f ails to reach its true potential;
there are few moments in which the humor feels funny. Carell’s one-liners are as stiff as car dboard; Buscemi doesn’t get man y opportunities to express his own witty side. In contrast, Carrey and Arkin are having the times of their li ves; they’re the onl y ones her e who know how to get in touch with comedy. Steve Carell and Ste ve Buscemi make a good magician team, but their effectiveness as a comedy duo is questionable, to say the least. Olivia Wilde is merely eye candy. James Gandolfini is —w ell, himself running a pr estigious Las Vegas casino. You can expect “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” to excite those interested in an entertaining magic tric k extravaganza. As for everybody else, the lack of a solid story and catchy jokes might be enough r eason to convince you to wait to rent.
MPAA rating: PG-13 for sexual content, dangerous stunts, a drugrelated incident and language. Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes Playing: General release
The Encinitas Arts Alive banner project,now in its 14th year, has again attracted outstanding participants in its annual outdoor exhibit along Coast Highway 101. A notable banner painted by Solana Beach plein air painter Toni Williams is on display through mid-May at the corner of South Coast Highway 101 and G Street in Encinitas. Williams is known for her opulent use of color as she carries on the tradition of California plein air Impressionism. Her banner, a landscape depicting eucal yptus trees against a backdrop of warm terrain and ric hly colored sky, is representative of her distinctive painting style. Raised in Port Jervis, New York, Williams came to San Diego in 1974 as a student at UCSD, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual Arts. Although her formal training was oriented towards expressionism, she never lost her lo ve of landscape oil painting. Through the years she w as mentored by figurative painter Marileigh Schulte of Rancho Santa Fe, while studying through workshops led by notable painters Greg Carter, Calvin Liang, Mark Kerckhoff, Tom Balderas, Ray Roberts and Peggi Kroll Roberts. Williams, whose first oil painting was accomplished at age 7 under her mother’s tutelage, says,“My parents completely influenced my creative life.They were constantly creating whether it be building a home, creating furniture, painting or reinventing objects for visual pleasure. Everything revolved around using one's hands to cr eate beautiful and exciting things.” Her parents’ penchant for old objects led to an antique business conducted from their 1860s farmhouse. Williams in turn collects antiques and has a fondness for American Arts & Crafts Movement Art Pottery and furniture. She comments, “It all lends itself to m y plein air painting style which would decorate the walls of this style of home.” Willliams states, “My message through my work is totally encompassed by color harmony, lush pure color and grays that emphasize warm and cool temperatures rendered in an identifiable scene or human form.” Her work continues the tradition of the renowned California Impressionists, including William Wendt, Maurice Braun, Charles Fries, and Frans Bischoff. She com-
Toni Williams’ plein air banner is on currently display at the corner of 101 and G Street in Encinitas. Photo courtesy of Stephen Whalen Photography
ments, “Marion Whactel was personal favorite, being a woman plein air artist in a man's world.” A repeat participant in several annual events including Torrey Pines Docent Society’s “Art in the Pines” and Borrego Springs Plein Air Invitational, Williams says, “A woman's success transcends into today's world of outdoor painting as one must be willing to enjoy the
Kay Colvin is an art consultant and director of the L Street Fine Art Gallery in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. She specializes in promoting emerging and mid-career artists and bringing enrichment programs to elementary schools through The Kid’s College. Contact her at kaycolvin@lstreetfineart.com.