Barney’s Weekend Picks
But First: Reports in another weekly that
Ty Warner is 99.9 percent close to polishing off a
deal to sell the Miramar are untrue, according to a source close to
Ty. True, Ty and his people are talking to possible buyers of the
Montecito beach resort (now in sad shape) but are nowhere near a
deal, I’m told. Any deal, if any, is “weeks away,” at best.
The Magic Lantern: The world may be going to
hell in a hand basket, making humankind’s movies seem trivial
compared to global problems, so people want to get away from it all
but also learn in dramatic fashion about those same problems by
watching the silver screen.
Not only is there an outstanding array of films showing this
weekend on South Coast screens, but (whoa!) the 22nd Annual Santa
Barbara International Film Festival kicks off Thursday night.
The fest features many films from around the world that you
never heard of because they’re premiere showings, and may (sadly)
never be heard of again because some of these gems never surface
again, except maybe with Netflix.
First, on 
local screens this weekend are movies in
which actors being honored at the Film Fest appear. Like
The Queen,
starring Helen Mirren, who’ll receive the
Outstanding Performance Award for her role in the film on Jan. 26.
The Pursuit of
Happyness features Will Smith, who’ll be
presented the Modern Master Award Jan. 27 — by none other than
Tom Cruise. The Last King of
Scotland, at the ever-lovin’ Riviera, stars Forest
Whitaker, a Golden Globe Award winner who’ll received the
American Riviera Award on Feb. 3. More information at
www.sbfilmfestival.org.
The Painted
Veil, at Plaza de Oro and based on a Somerset
Maugham story, is another Golden Globe winner. One I’m
anxious to see is a film not featured at the Fest. Letters from
Iwo Jima 
is Clint Eastwood’s
story of the Japanese side of the World War II battle for the
island of Iwo Jima. Eastwood filmed it while making Flags of
Our Fathers, taken from the book about U.S. Marines and their
bloody battle.
Music: Multi-talented actor Anthony
Hopkins has written a piece of music, Stella Aria, in
honor of his wife, Stella, and it will be performed Saturday night
and Sunday afternoon by the Santa Barbara
Symphony. (The Hopkinses aren’t expected to be there.)
Also on the program, under the baton of guest conductor
Grant Llewellyn are Robin Holloway’s Scenes
from Schumann; cellist Daniel Mueller-Schott
performing Schumann’s Cello Concerto and Hayden’s Drum
Roll Symphony 103. On Friday Cartier, Bryant &
Sons and the Symphony are sponsoring a cocktail reception
and private 
and cellist Mueller-Schott, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Info at 898-9386. Each
guest will receive a Cartier gift and the chance to win a Cartier
watch.
Hey, Nineteen: Ah, the 70’s. Steely Dan is back, reelin’ in the
years, at the Chumash Casino
Friday night. Alas, it’s sold out. And as long as you’re in the
North County, PCPA Theaterfest is staging An Evening of Guitar, a
benefit for PCPA’s scholarship fund. Saturday at 8 p.m. at Allen
Hancock College in Santa Maria.
Our Companion: Garrison
Keillor brings his
Prairie Home Companion show to the Arlington Tuesday at
8.
Outdoors: You’ll never forget the two hours
you’ll spend on Lake Cachuma on a nature cruise. Fridays and
Saturdays 963-0691.
