As a rule of thumb, I do not go out in NYC on the weekends, especially not to the movies. However, I was willing to elbow my way through the crowds at Regal Cinema Union Square this Friday night to view the New York City Premiere of Splinterheads.

Motivators:a stellar cast including; Lea Thompson, Christopher McDonald, my fave bad boy Dean Winters, Rachel Taylor, and the much buzzed about newcomer- Thomas Middleditch, a frosty Diet Coke, and an after-party at Carnival at Bowlmor Lanes.

The flick deets: Splinterheads introduces Thomas Middleditch as Justin Frost, a twenty-something slacker who has decided that his “thing” is that he has no “thing” at all. When a small-time carnival rolls into town, he meets Galaxy (Rachael Taylor), a gorgeous con artist who has more “things” going for her than anyone he has ever met. Galaxy takes Justin on a geocaching adventure, a GPS based activity that is part hike and part treasure hunt, and he quickly falls for her. Complicating matters are his mom’s (Lea Thompson) floundering relationship with a lovesick local cop (Christopher McDonald) and Galaxy’s insanely jealous boyfriend Reggie (Dean Winters). In order to win her over he’s going to need to step up his game, and maybe even figure out what his “thing” really is.

Move over Jonah Hill, Michael Cera and Seth Rogan. There are some new boys in town that are smashing your schtick. Well, you guys rock as well, but Middleditch, Jason Rogel- who plays Middleditch's best friend, "Wayne Chung", and director/writer Brant Sersen, have brought quirky "man-child" comedies to a whole new level.

The Sersen formula: Take your "sympathetic characters who are sort of out-of-sync with the world", and place them in an unusual subculture. Sersen explains, "A world that coexists within a dominant one will have its own beliefs, rules, and laws. From a comedic viewpoint, the possibilities are limitless because you’re in such uncharted territory. Anything can happen, and anything goes."

That makes sense, especially coming from a man who's first feature, Blackballed, takes place amidst the subculture of paintballing.

Splinterheads, produced by Atlantic Pictures, definitely delivers laughter with up to snuff performances by Thomson, Winters, and McDonald, scene stealers from Lennon Parham, Jason Mantzoukas, Rogel, Pamela Shaw, and Edmund Lyndeck (the 116 year old great grandpa), and a breakout performance by Middleditch, who Sersen discovered at NYC's Upright Citizens Brigade (which is "home to all things comedy in New York City and Los Angeles").

Click HERE for showtimes

*Stills courtesy of Atlantic Pictures

*image 1: Thomas Middleditch as Justin Frost

*image 2: Christopher McDonald as Sgt. Bruce Mancuso

*image 3: Rachel Taylor as Galaxy and Dean Winters as Reggie

*image 4: Jason Mantzoukas as The Amazing Steve and Lennon Parham as Wyoming

Antagonist Art Movement is creating a buzz all throughout NYC. For the past several years, the underground movement, spearheaded by Ethan H. Minsker, has given platform to some of today's very public and very successful NYC artists.

They don't like to brag on their own behalf, but I'm happy to name drop: a one Mr. Jonah Hill, Jonny Vance, Anders Olsen, and Yoshitomo Nara.

This Saturday, October 17th,in conjunction with the Royal Flush Festival, the Mindy Wyatt Gallery presents a curated group show of select artists of the Antagonist Art Movement. The exhibition opens on Saturday and continues through November 14, 2009.

Drawn from over 3,000 artists that have shown with the Antagonist Art Movement, the works of these gifted individuals are diverse and unique. In describing the exhibiting artists, Curator Ethan H. Minsker states: “I feel deeply passionate about every one of these artists. We have worked with some for years, others are new.”

Ted Riederer, artist, musician and Antagonist, adds, “Unabashed, loud, righteous, sometimes careless, and often mistaken, the Antagonists have placed such a high premium on making art that they would never dishonor it by over intellectualization and academic deconstruction. Given the state of the economy and social justice, the works reflect the passion with which the Antagonists react to the world.”

Following the opening exhibition, Mr. Minsker will be screening his independent film, This is Berlin, Not New York, at Anthology Film Archives at 9:30pm.

This is the first public screening of "This Is Berlin" and we are glad it's at the Anthology which has a rich history of supporting local underground legends like Nick Zed or Richard Kern. I think our film will fit great there. At the screening I'll talk a little bit about making the film and the new film we are working. The film was selected because the Royal Flush film festival said "It's what New York artists need right now." Before the screening we are doing an art show at the Mindy Wyatt gallery. It's a full day of Antagonist events. I hope to see you there.

Over the last 10 years I've heard people saying they miss the old New York, well this art show and screening brings back that feeling of doing art for arts sake.

DEETS:

CURATED GROUP EXHIBITION OF SELECT ANTAGONIST ARTISTS
OPENING RECEPTION: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2009
6 pm to 9 pm

MINDY WYATT GALLERY
814 Broadway, 2nd Floor
212-475-7884

Exhibiting Artists:

Pat Conlon: Re-appropriates vinyl advertising posters with expressionistic paintings over the collage surface. 
Sylvia Ortiz: Beautifully grotesque women. 
Jeffrey Beebe: Drawing from cartoon greats like Winsor McKay and the fantasy game Dungeons and Dragons, Beebe’s masterful watercolors read like free jazz comics. 
Jeramy Fletcher: Victorian themed surrealism, Fletcher’s meticulous paintings draw heavily from literature. 
Ted Riederer: Sculptures made from vinyl records, and realist paintings of performable acts which portray the artist’s metaphysical relationship with music. 
Anders Olson: Large self-portrait. 
Alex Passapera: Fineline prints on white paper. 
Daniel York Krupin: A budding master of realism, Krupin’s paintings offer a satirical examination of pop culture.

The show will also feature a selection of dolls from the upcoming Antagonist overseas show, The Dolls of Lisbon.

ROYAL FLUSH FESTIVAL: This Is Berlin Not New York SCREENING:

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2009 at 9:30pm.

ANTHOLOGY FILM ARCHIVES
32 Second Avenue at Second Street

The film is an inspiring look at New York emerging artists making art and friends on the other side of the world. "This film should be shown at art schools or to anyone passionate about art," Arturo Vega (Artistic Director for The Ramones).

As observed in the March 2009 issue of Juxtapoz Art & Culture Magazine, “Original musical scores and animated artwork definitely enhance this provocative
examination of western contemporary art and the ongoing tension between commercialism and creativity for its own sake.”

The artists and the filmmakers will be available to answer questions and discuss their work at both the art exhibition opening and the film screening on Saturday evening, October 17, 2009.

About the Antagonist Art Movement:

The Antagonist Movement began over ten years ago in the East Village of New York City as a community of artists banding together to promote art, music and writing and to create a venue where emerging artists could inspire and help each other while reaching a wider audience. Our artwork stresses our social belief that artists have a responsibility to help their communities thrive and, yet, our artists may find themselves in direct conflict with commercialism, opportunism or the powers that be. There is no standard form or medium for creativity, except the piece should provoke its audience.

To learn more about the Antagonist Art Movement, visit them online at the following places:

Video: The Antagonist Art Movement – For Dummies

Websites: Antagovision and Antagonist Movement

YouTube: Antagonist Movement You Tube

Note:

All the money earned by the Antagonist Art Movement through the sale of artwork, clothes and DVDs goes back into the support of new and emerging artists.

*image 2 by Dan Krupin: The Precious Intellects

*image 4 byDan Krupin: Stacy's Day Parade

*image 5 by Dan Krupin: Chameleons, After All, Survive

Shortly after the turn of the century and post- 9/11, yours truly decided to move back to New York City. It was a strange time, personally and for the City as a whole. We were both growing and our worlds, as we knew them, had been turned upside down- no one was sure how or if we would land on our feet. Like so many of us that move to NYC, I was a struggling artist, trying to break into the notoriously arduous scene. Some may have worried that I would fall into the wrong crowd. Fortunately, during one of my late night ponderous walks around the Lower East Side, I pontificated myself directly into a little bar, Black & White.

Now it is a well-known fact that bartenders often double as shrinks, and have for hundreds of years, but this night, I met a bartender who would change the course my life.

I had finally overdosed on the many nights of brooding and needed to expel my thoughts, so I sat at the bar and kindly asked the bartender for a Diet Coke and a piece of paper, expecting a cardboard coaster or some receipt tape as usually is the case. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised when he placed several sheets of notebook paper and a pen in front of me and proceeded to encircle them with tea lights. "How did you know?" He just smirked and introduced himself, "I'm Ethan."

And just like that, I had fallen into the right crowd who's M.O. was to inspire. A social art movement: compiled of talented individuals who came together as friends and each other's advocates. Antagonist Movement.

The Antagonist is one in whom potential is provoked to creative
emanation, emanation that, in turn, provokes both the creator and
those with whom it comes in contact, to further authentic creativity.
Thus a powerful cycle is unleashed upon the world, one which is fueled
by its own unstoppable spirit, drive, and dynamic energy.

This is the opening paragraph to the Manifesto of the Antagonist Movement. With that in mind, the movement has grown to hold a writers' night on the 1st Sunday of every month at Black & White, one night artslams and live music every Thursday nights at Niagara, a full line of Antagonist gear from jackets to hoodies to wristbands, that you can find at 99x, produced 3 documentaries including the latest- 'This is Berlin Not New York', and Ethan is working on 2 novels.

In addition to the continuum of the aforementioned accomplishments, the Movement also had art shows in Berlin, Rhode Island, and is currently planning their next 10-day show in Lisbon.

So who is this crew and what's their deal? I decided to go back to the man himself, and ask Ethan how it all began...

Scene B Seen: How did the Antagonist Movement start?

Ethan Minsker: Started a night in a bar. Sergio Vega from  ‘Quicksand’ and since played bass with the 'Deftones’,  Anders Olsen, who is fine arts painter- he does photorealism, and myself- who is like a writer/filmmaker, decided we wanted to start a night which was also a venue for all different types of artists. So first, Anders came up with the name, Antagonist Movement, then we decided to actually make it a movement and we wrote a manifesto, which changes every couple of years.

SBS: What year was that?

EM: 2000. Before that, was the Fanzines, which were grouping together writers with artists to make a community. So, the idea of starting into a party, was kind of the next step.

SBS: Psycho Moto Zine? [Ethan nods] And you started it [the party] at Black & White?

EM: Black and White, Niagara, we did like a whole coffee shop, bars, stuff on the street and we did a public access show- which is still on. It was a combination of all the venues together in a whole variety of places. Like NYC, I say this a lot but it’s true, a lot of people move to NYC with hopes and aspirations to do something creative, but what ends up happening is that once you move here, your rent is very expensive, so you have to have a job to be able to survive here. So then you have a lot of people that are talented and creative, but a slave to their job. So what we did, was try to create a venue where there’d be art work being shown or bands being played, or theatre, or performance art, or film, or anything that wasn’t necessarily only being shown because of the money it could generate... we create gallery space that are not reliant on overhead and artists could develop their talent. That being said, we have had a lot of people who have developed through what we’re doing… Like Jonah Hill, the actor?

SBS: Yup.

EM: He may have been there when you were there [2002]- he was the little chubby kid with glasses and now he’s a movie star... but him and his friend/writing partner, this guy Fuji, were walking by the bar and we were like, ‘Hey! come in and and see this writer’s night.’ They came in and saw it… so Mike and Fuji would write these stories and then Jonah would get up on the microphone and do them as if they were 100% real. He’d start out with a story like, “Yeah, my Father used to molest me…” blah blah blah, then it’d turn out it was [a story about] a former catholic priest from Massachusetts.

SBS: Ha!

EM: The crowd totally loved it, they’d go crazy for it. And we’d be like, "Please come back. Keep developing what you’re doing.”  So, they kept doing that, then at one point, these two kids in the audience were like, “Hey, you’re really good. You should come meet my Dad.”  He was like, “Yeah, okay. I’ll meet your Dad. My Dad’s an accountant, so whatever, I’ll go meet your Dad.” So they go to his house, and out from the kitchen comes Dustin Hoffman.

SBS: Wow.

EM: He[Hoffman] was like, “My kids say you’re really great.” Then he gets him [Jonah] into I Heart The Huckabees, a small little role, then 40-year old Virgin, blah, blah, blah, then he started his career. So, if you don’t have a place to practice, you’ll never get to the next level.

SBS: Right.

EM: If you ask Ted [Riederer] about this, he is a professional artists and also works as an art handler. He works within the art community, he’ll tell you, that every week, he’s hanging someone’s art or working with artists and that it’s the first time they’ve shown their art publicly. So that’s seven or more artists at each weekly show, 52 shows a year, that’s thousands of artists who had their first show with us.

What is that like and why would a group of artists band together to give a platform to promote fresh, innovative talent?

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