Carrie McCarthy
Zomba Moves
The undead take over the mall, and it ain't pretty
Bring someone you love to Santa Fe Dead, because it's a creative, fun, spooky Halloween adventure. But also bring someone you hate to Santa Fe Dead, because it will scare the crap out of them. Maybe no one with a heart condition though, because we don't want any actual Santa Fe dead.
The Santa Fe Playhouse revives its interactive-theater zombie-apocalypse haunted house from last year (which we loved) with new characters, a new plot, and a new location: They've taken over an empty Zumba studio in the Santa Fe Place mall. (Yes, some of the walls are still jaunty fluorescent colors.)
In groups of up to six people, everyone gets a Nerf gun with neurotoxin darts that kill the zombies. Resistance teams depart every 20 minutes for the 45-minute experience, and you're led through an impossibly spooky, dimly lit labyrinthine maze of walls, tarps and rubble by a trained guide who tells you everything you need to know. Of course, the undead (called "tourists" here) come at you at every turn and do everything in their power to stop you from assembling a massive weapon that will wipe out all the zombies in the city.
It's not recommended for kids under 12 (and, in this writer's case, maybe not kids under 35), and guests under 16 need to have an adult with them. Impulsive folks, be cool and don't punch or kick anyone. Don't arrive drunk or be a jerk. And we gotta disclose that the experience's director, Matthew K Gutierrez, sometimes contributes to SFR's movie section—but check out Santa Fe Dead and you'll see we'd have recommended it no matter who was running it. (Charlotte Jusinski)
6:40-9 pm (missions depart every 20 minutes) Thursday-Sunday Oct. 18-21 and 25-28 and Tuesday Oct. 30; 1-4 pm Saturday and Sunday Oct. 27 and 28; 4-9 pm Wednesday Oct. 31. $20-$25.
Santa Fe Place Mall (near JC Penney),
4250 Cerrillos Road;
tickets available at 988-4262 or santafeplayhouse.org.
Hey, Stiles!
Courtesy Atlantic Releasing Corporation
In the year of our lord 1985, Michael J Fox went from small-screen little guy to feature film hero with a pair of releases so flawlessly brilliant that the world would never be the same. And while Back to the Future remains Fox's biggest hit, Teen Wolf was unleashed in '85 as well. The totally true story of a high school dweeb's meteoric rise to werewolf basketball superstardom, the film featured such cinematic benchmarks as van surfing, teen angst and the lesson that even werewolves get the blues. Pints for Parkinson's New Mexico hosts a special screening of Teen Wolf whereupon 100 percent of sales from special donated kegs go to the Michael J Fox Foundation. (Alex De Vore)
Pints for Parkinson's: Teen Wolf
8 pm Wednesday Oct. 17. $8-$12.
Violet Crown Cinema,
1606 Alcaldesa St.,
216-5678
Rolling!
Public Domain
You'll of course find reviews and interviews from and about the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival a little deeper in this issue, but let's just give it up to the organization for hitting its 10th year! That's no small task in a sea of film festivals, and Santa Fe's version has not only grown in terms of size and scope, but in reputation. Who would have thought a small gathering at the original Warehouse 21 in 2008 could grow to such a nationally recognized player in the world of cinema? Find dozens of full-lengths, shorts, documentaries, panels, awards, parties and more throughout the week—see something new, learn something different, spot a celeb or two and get to know your town's movie theater scene a little better. We promise it's all worth it. (ADV)
Santa Fe Independent Film Festival
Various times and locations Wednesday-Sunday Oct. 17-21.
For more info, visit santafeindependentfilmfestival.com.
Unwilling Luddites, Fret Not
Courtesy rawpixel.com
There are so many ways to get an education. Sure, you could go to college like a nerd and pay tuition, or you could also be a wizard and get educated for free online. You can even learn lucrative, job-friendly skills like programming, web design, copy editing and more. Still, there's a barrier for entry, and you might not know where to look. Is it Khan Academy, or Code Academy? If it's free, why is it asking for my credit card and social security number? Learn to navigate the ins and outs of free online education, and potentially change your life with experts who host this monthly series. (Layne Radlauer)
Tech Talk: Free Online Learning Opportunities
10:30 am Monday Oct. 22. Free.
Santa Fe Public Library Main Branch,
145 Washington Ave.,
955-6780
