Film: Independent

In the Family

Today @ Cinema Village

The definition of family is called into question in Patrick Wang's affecting naturalistic drama, In the Family. At the film's open we meet six-year-old Chip and his two dads, Cody and Joey, who reside happily in a small town in Tennessee. But tragedy isn't far off, as Cody dies suddenly following a car accident. While trying to rebuild their family nucleus, news comes that Chip's care has been gifted to Cody's sister. Joey once a trusted insider, finds himself in a lonely and desperate predicament. A timely, heartbreaking and inspiring story, Wang's first effort may set you back about 169 minutes, but it's well worth it.

Special Event: Volunteer

Little Care Box

Today @ Various NYC locations

Since Hurricane Sandy devastated New York City and its surrounding communities, we at Flavorpill have been so inspired by the many projects motivated New Yorkers have created to raise funds, volunteer, and provide hope to people who have lost so much. The clean-up isn’t done, and one Manhattan creative digital firm—Reindeer Agency—has launched a donation and volunteer based project called Little Care Box. For $35, hard-hit families get a box filled with clean-up supplies (think Home Depot gear) aiding in home and surrounding area clean-up. Reindeer is also harnessing the power of volunteers to assemble and distribute the boxes throughout neighborhoods in need. The agency is giving 100% of proceeds to this effort, and even ensures transparency by posting records of donations on a Tumblr page.... 

Performing Arts: Theatre

Falling

Today @ Minetta Lane Theatre

There's a reason Falling, by Deanna Jent, won St. Louis, Missouri's 2012 Kevin Kline Award for Best New Play and has been picked up for production in the Big Apple. The story of a family struggling to decide whether or not they can keep their autistic son Josh at home, Falling is a sharply observed drama about the challenges of parenting when things don't turn out as they should. Josh (the remarkable Daniel Everidge) has recently turned 18 and is increasingly volatile, and when his grandmother comes to visit, the precariously balanced home life his parents work hard to maintain is suddenly overturned. Astutely directed by Lori Adams, Falling navigates family dynamics with a genuine sensitivity, aided by all-around solid performances from a committed cast.... 

Art: Photography

Faking It: Manipulated Photography Before Photoshop

Today @ The Metropolitan Museum of Art

"Photoshopped!" The very word can send an analog photographer’s snobbery and/or justified pride into overload. Photoshop? How dare they! But while we’re cringing at HDR skylines, erased freckles, and contrast tweaks that are all too common today, photographers have been manipulating images since way before the digital age. And so, the Met presents Faking It: Manipulated Photography Before Photoshop. Featuring over 200 photographs created between the 1840s and the 1990s, the show offers up a bevy of curiosities and ah-ha moments. Explore multiple exposures, combination printing, photomontage, overpainting, and retouching of negatives. See Stalin’s purged enemies disappear from news photos right before your eyes! Check out Weegee’s contorted and twisted portraits of important men! See monochrome scenes dotted with pigment to imitate life! Fairies! Catwomen! Dali-like landscapes! Be amazed....