There’s a lot of dance and film going on around here lately: Tomorrow night Miro Dance Theatre presents Miro Through the Lens, a dance film and video workshop featuring works by Miro’s own Tobin Rothlein. The works include several local artists, including dancers from the Pennsylvania Ballet and Phrenic New Ballet, and the evening is moderated by award-winning experimental filmmaker Maria Teresa Rodriguez; after the screenings she will lead a discussion with the audience about......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY Jazzy: Nick Colionne, part of Smooth Jazz Summer Nights at the Great Plaza on Penn’s Landing (Chestnut and Columbus Blvd), 7:30PM. Free Nebula: Nebula, Totimoshi, Serpent Throne, and El Toro de Oro at the Khyber (56 S 2nd), 9PM. $10 Benefit for Philadelphia Jobs with Justice: NYC-based Rude Mechanical Orchestra joins locals Tha Truth, Old Goats, and International Anthem for Irrational Numbers at LAVA Space (4134 Lancaster),......

It’s bringing Tina Turner to mind: Do we really need another hero? When it comes to Philly sports, the answer is always yes; does Cole Hamels really fit the bill? It’s Fringe’s first sell-out! Good for them, crappy for us. There’s so much there, they needed an added web exclusive. Cupcake Bandit! We’re all about it, and eagerly await the Film Bandits premiere (if you can’t wait, check out their film festival). Yet another reason......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Nobody’s Fool: Camp Bette continues with an outdoor screening of All About Eve at the International House (3701 Chestnut), 8PM. Free Jazzy: The Friends of Malcolm X Memorial Park present Barbara Walker at the Summer Heritage Jazz Series in the Park (52nd and Pine), 7-9PM. Free Transform Your Mind: Introduction to Buddhist psychology presented by the Menlha Buddhist Center at the Ethical Humanist Society of Philadelphia (1906 S......

We like dance. We like film. Put ‘em together and you got a series preview. Bryn Mawr Film Institute will be screening two offerings from the Bolshoi Theatre: The Pharaoh’s Daughter tomorrow night and Bolt next Thursday, both at 7:30PM. The screenings serve as a preview of the BMFI fall series of ballet and film, which we await in a pool of anticipatory drool. Pharaoh’s Daughter is unique in that it was originally mounted with......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Drive-In, City Style: The Lawn Chair Drive-In presents Buster Keaton in Seven Chances at Liberty Lands Park (3rd and Poplar), 8PM. Free Are You Experienced?: The Erotic Literary Salon invites you to share your original or favorite erotica at L’Etage (624 S 6th), 8:30. $10 (registration required: 215-840-5830) LAVA Feminist Film Night: This week: Bill Forsyth's Housekeeping at the LAVA Library (4134 Lancaster), 7PM. Free ARGH!: Classic pirate......

Just in case there was any doubt left, yes, Robert Downey is in blackface for almost the entirety of Tropic Thunder. And no, I didn't feel guilty about laughing at him. That's because Downey, who plays the Russel Crowe-like Kirk Lazarus, is laughing at himself. It's a ridiculous premise: a multi-time Oscar winner, Lazarus undergoes controversial (you don't say!) skin pigmentation-altering surgery to play the African-American sergeant of the American platoon featured in the Vietnam......

Hey football fans: know how that long stretch from the Superbowl to the first official game of the season (pre-season doesn't count; neither does Arena football, but congrats again to the Soul, anyway) totally sucks, and you're forced to watch re-plays on ESPN Classic and the occasional airing of The Replacements? And know how after a while, you get really tired of watching the same great moments in football and feeble attempts by Keanu Reeves......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Andrew’s Video Vault: With a theme of ''Let’s not forget you-know-who was elected,'' a screening of Hans-Jurgen Syberberg’s Hitler – A Film From Germany at the Rotunda (4014 Walnut), 6PM. Free If You’d Rather Be Outside: Screenings Under the Stars featuring Spider-Man 3 at the Great Plaza on Penn's Landing (Chestnut and Columbus Blvd), 6:30PM (movie at dusk). Free Music on the Mall: Free summer concert series on......

As the credits rolled on Get Smart, I thought to myself: "Ah. Well that makes sense." The missing piece to the puzzle? Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, the creators of the original series, served as consultants on the film. My guess is that they're the reason things in the film, although silly, never got too over-the-top, and that as things began to near the top, there was just a little bit of restraint used. Which......

I entered the Ritz East with a mixture of trepidation and excitement. Excitement because, well, this was Sex and the City the movie. Fear because after six seasons of a fun (albeit not always well-written) show and a surprisingly satisfying finale, how could doing a follow-up movie possibly be a good idea? Turns out that both emotions were perfectly justified. There was plenty to be excited about: a reunion of four of my favorite television......

We want to go swimming. REELBLACK: SHOWCASING SHORT FILMS BY PEOPLE OF COLOR Sometimes, International House needs only to go interstate to find talent and creativity. The Reelblack Showcase gathers together some of the best work by African-American filmmakers in the tri-state area. Reelblack brings black filmmakers together to share their distinct perspectives and style. Tonight's event is a two-hour display and will include a Q & A session with many of the filmmakers. WHO:......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY Flamenco Jam: First Friday Juerga, a flamenco jam session featuring collective playing, singing, and dancing hosted by Pasion y Arte at the Casino Free Philadelphia Office (230 N 2nd), 7PM. Free Bossa Nova: Bucks County native Avi Wisnia celebrates the release of his new Brazilian Bossa Nova inspired album at Tin Angel (20 S 2nd), 7:30PM. $10 The N Crowd: Improv comedy troupe the N Crowd perform......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY Going Underground: The Underground Film Series at the Ukrainian League of Philadelphia (800 N 23rd) presents Radiophobia and Have You Ever Heard About Vukovar? at 8PM. Free Cellos Are Cool: Cellist Monica McIntyre performs at The Philadelphia Society for Art, Literature and Music (5841 Overbrook Ave), 8PM. $10 SATURDAY National Pretzel Day: In honor of this auspicious holiday Philly Pretzel Factory will be giving out three free......

Local music, a film screening with the director and an open casting call for a scary new reality show with a devilish prize. Tuesday is no longer the plain-Jane it has been wont to, uh, be, in the past. And the price tag is pretty nice, too. FOOLING APRIL AND WMMR AT DOC WATSON'S PUB We mentioned Fooling April in our Countdown to 2008 because they're an incredible local band. And the bar tends......

It's Monday. And there isn't much to do but work. MOVIE MONDAY AT THE TROC PRESENTS: JUNO We already told you how good we thought this movie was, and now we're telling you that it will be even better at the Troc. The folks over there have Monday night on a veritable lockdown. And you just can't beat the price. WHO: 21+ WHERE: Upstairs @ The Trocadero, 10th and Arch Streets (map) WHEN: Doors......

Provocative documentary director and activist Morgan Spurlock is at it again, this time turning a critical eye (and lens) on Al Qaeda with Where in the World is Osama Bin Ladin? After years of hype, chase and dire predictions of imminent showdowns, this public enemy #1 is still on the loose, and we're apparently no closer to apprehending him (or blowing him away). Not content to buy the Bush administration's rhetoric on the subject, Spurlock......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Rise and Fall of the Comics: Author David Hajdu discusses his latest book, The Ten Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America, at the Central Branch of the Free Library (1901 Vine), 7PM. Free Fancy Pants: Fancy Pants Cinema, short films by local filmmakers, in the Lounge at North Third (801 N. 3rd), “starting long after 10PM.” Free every Tuesday (if you have a......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: The Music of Regret: Artist Laurie Simmons introduces her The Music of Regret, a mini-musical in three acts, as part of the ICA Puppet Show, at the International House (3701 Chestnut), 7PM. $6 Thinking Is Hard: "Critical Thinking," a panel discussion of Philly’s One Film The Emperor of the Sun, at World Café Live (3025 Walnut), 7PM. Free Drinking Is Not: Test your knowledge of The Emperor of......

A steaming hot pile of our favorite things from around the internets. Check out this sweet poster for Takashi Miike's latest project, Sukiyaki Western Django. Here's hoping they manage to get a copy of this one for the Philadelphia Film Festival... We think we've already said this before, but each successive trailer for Iron Man makes us exponentially more excited about seeing the film, and the latest one is no exception. Hot damn, this movie......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Friday: Better Late Than Never: Anne Lamott reads from her latest book Grace (Eventually) at the Free Library of Philadelphia Central Branch (1901 Vine), 7PM. Free Don’t Shoot First: Space 1026 (1026 Arch) converts their space into the Mos Eisley Cantina for their food show and potluck tonight from 7-10PM. $5 (Free with a dish to share—they request special brownies) Feeling Like Some Lebanese: "Improvisation and Emotion in......

It's cold out today, so don't plan on any of that trendy "frolf" you and your phellow Phishers like so much. No, today is definitely an inside day, so we have done our best to bring some most excellent indoor activities in which you may indulge the warmth-loving tendencies of your evening self. THE ENGLISH BEAT AT THE TROC We'll admit that we don't know much about The English Beat, but if they're touring......

Well, The Philadelphia Experiment, at least. (In fairness, it does really look awful.)......

Sometimes, there are videos that, while not really relevant to Philadelphia, just cannot go without posting. Gary Busey's behavior on the Oscar red carpet last night is one such video. Enjoy.......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Combat Footage: “Steven Spielberg, Special Effects, and the War Film,” a workshop examining Spielberg's use of special effects in Empire of the Sun and other works, at Scribe Video Center (4212 Chestnut, 3rd Floor), 6PM. Free (Part of One Film, One Philadelphia) Die Actor Die: Die Actor Die, comedy of many stripes, standup, sketch, and “other silly brick-a-brac” hosted by (Phillyist) Don Montrey at the Khyber (56 S.......

Ah, the teen comedy. It's one of those genres that just won't die, and why should it? When we're younger, we get a glimpse of what might be. When we're actually teens, we're able to gaze upon an alternate reality: "Mine's not like this, but maybe someone else's is." And upon reaching adulthood, we can view the films and laugh at how unrealistic their premises are, and yet how real some of their characters seem......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY Famous Films II: The Secret Cinema presents a second installment of their Famous Films series, including A Trip to the Moon (you've seen clips, trust us), at the Moore College of Art and Design (20th and Race), 8PM. $7 Jeannie Gagne: Jeannie Gagne at the Unitarian Society of Germantown (6511 Lincoln Drive—West Mt. Airy), 8PM. $10 Cold: Absolute Zeros, Parsnip Revolt, and Dylan McGuire at Fergie’s Pub......

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend. Most Likely to Rule: Be Kind Rewind Expect our review of this Michel Gondry comedy, starring Jack Black, Mos Def, and Danny Glover, later on this morning. Trailer - Freshness Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse The Band's Visit A fish-out-of-water comedy about the Ceremonial Police Band of Alexandria, Egypt arriving for a gig in Israel, only to find that their hosts and transportation have failed......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Chicken!: Wissahickon Chicken Shack at the Dawson Street Pub (100 Dawson), 9:30PM. Free One Film to Rule Them All: Kick off One Film, One Philadelphia with a screening of Empire of the Sun at Moore College (N. 20th and the Parkway), 6PM. Free New Idioms: Ongoing concert series by Bowerbird, featuring artists working in composed, electronic and electroacoustic music, free improvisation, and other creative, genre-defying forms, at the......