Ian McKellen, one of cinema's grand old men, was once young. This obvious observation was brought home by the DVD release of “Country Matters,” a 1972 British television series starring McKellen as an Edwardian art instructor in an idyllic rural setting.
McKellen's character is admittedly a mediocre painter but is an artist at romance. Avid for his female students, he lays a discrete hand on their shoulders during lessons and kisses them madly in the studio after class or in the seculsion of nearby wooded glens. The production values seem quaint, like elaborately furnished stage sets; the editing is sometimes clumsy but the acting is first rate throughout. McKellen was a very young man when “Country Matters” was made but was already an accomplished thespian, even if age had not begun to lend gravity to his form.

Fall 2008 Human Trafficking Awareness Week
Become Aware and Take Action
Come Join Trafficking Ends with Action for Fall 2008 Human Trafficking Awareness Week. Monday Dec. 1st "Trafficking in South East Asia." Tuesday Dec. 2nd "Human Trafficking: Two Sides of the Same Coin." Thursday Dec. 4th "Gina Allende Speaks on Human Trafficking in Wisconsin." All events will be held in the UWM Fireside Lounge starting at 7pm an
Although separated by an ocean and multiple time zones, the Australian Outback bears remarkable resemblance to the American West. Both encompass mesas towering over rocky, dusty deserts shimmering like a mirage under unforgiving sunlight. Whip-snapping co
It can't touch Harry Potter for scope of popularity but in some pockets of pop culture, the Twilight series has reached Beatlemania in intensity. The "young adult" novels about a handsome teenage vampire boy and the mortal girl who loves him have sold 17
No, we didn't ask for an album featuring another recording of "Breathe," leading into "Time," leading into "Breathe (Reprise)," as happens on tracks two through four on Live in Gdansk. But Pink Floyd completists (we are legion) will want it anyway. Howeve
Jorge "El Guero" Hernandez may be the best-known regional Mexican artist with Milwaukee roots. Most of a decade has passed since he and brother Rogelio moved to San Antonio, but El Guero's Banda Centenario still nurtures a unique take on the often-manic D
The last decade has not been kind to Milwaukee’s German restaurants, as names like Ritter’s Inn, the Bavarian Wurst Haus and even the venerable John Ernst have all closed their doors. In fact, only two of the old-timers remain: the oldest, Mad
If you’re not from Waukesha, you’ll want to check MapQuest for directions, but it’s worth the ride. The Rochester Deli (143 E. Broadway, 262-522-9611), wedged within the labyrinth of downtown Waukesha across from the Freeman offices, is







