Discover More from This Author: James Kent

‘One of Them Days’ struggles to make the rent

March 19, 2025
“One of Them Days” is the first theatrical R-rated female-driven Black comedy since 2017’s “Girls Trip,” and that is a shocking statistic. Released in theaters in mid-January of this year, “One of Them Days” was a modest hit, making $49 million off a budget of $14 million. The movie’s high-concept premise, two friends/roommates have just…

Noam Pikelny fashions a homecoming at the Paramount Theatre, and he’s bringing some friends along

March 19, 2025
By James Kent March 28 at 7:30 p.m.—RUTLAND—Grammy-Award-winning banjo virtuoso Noam Pikelny hits the stage at the Paramount Theatre for a bluegrass extravaganza on Friday, March 28. This time around, Pikelny is bringing along some friends. Playing with Pikelny is a crack group of amazing players, with Jake Eddy playing guitar, Teo Quale playing mandolin,…

Rutland’s Team 2370 – The IBOTS gears up for a new season of robotics competition

March 19, 2025
By James Kent In a region better known for its mountains than its machines, a team of high school students is proving that rural Vermont is embracing STEM in a major way. Team 2370, known as The IBOTS, is part of Rutland Area Robotics, and this past weekend, they headed to Springfield, Massachusetts, for their…

Kaleidoscope Art Supply continues to delight and surprise in downtown Rutland 

March 12, 2025
By James Kent Nearly a year after opening Kaleidoscope Art Supply on Center Street in downtown Rutland, Raven Crispino continues cultivating a welcoming and inclusive space where artists of all levels can explore their creativity. Despite the economic challenges of maintaining a small business, Crispino remains deeply committed to fostering a vital arts community and…

Bong Joon Ho returns to dystopian sci-fi in the visually stunning ‘Mickey 17’

March 12, 2025
Those whose familiarity with director Bong Joon Ho starts and stops with his Oscar-winning “Parasite,” his follow-up film to that 2019 breakout hit may be confused. Those with a more profound knowledge of Joon Ho’s filmography will recognize the same over-the-top sensibilities that mark his work in the sci-fi genre with movies like “Snowpiercer” and…

Pop art meets Matchbox cars in Pietro Landi’s BMW-RAV4 mashup

March 12, 2025
By James Kent Woodstock-based artist Pietro Landi is gearing up for the next phase of his BMW-RAV Art Car project, transforming his 2012 Toyota RAV4 into a bold, Hot Wheels/Matchbox cars-inspired creation. Drawing inspiration from BMW’s renowned Art Car series—where artists like Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol have turned race cars into canvases—Landi is taking…

‘Our Town’ awakens the community spirit of Randolph

March 5, 2025
By James Kent If you’ve ever lived in a small town, you understand its closeness. It’s more than the people who inhabit it; there’s a flowing sense of community woven into the fabric of the town hall, the post office, the school, shops, and restaurants—all the components of everyday life tighten together, securing its inhabitants.…

‘The Monkey’ shines as an absurdist horror comedy

February 26, 2025
If you’ve seen one possessed toy horror movie, you’ve seen them all. And if you are still seeking these films out, and judging from the scores of fans of films like “Annabelle” and “Child’s Play,” there is a market. If you like your horror kills doled out with gobs of gore and twisty Rube Goldberg…

Is this the year for Oscar surprises?

February 26, 2025
In this day and age of endless film awards shows and scores of internet Oscar prognosticators, the winners are all but a foregone conclusion by the time the Academy Awards ceremony takes place; if you even watch the show anymore, all you can hope for is perhaps one surprise win and some years that doesn’t…

Downtown Rutland hotel project moves forward as mayoral election looms

February 20, 2025
By James Kent At a press event Thursday morning, Feb. 20, Mayor Doenges and developers from Center & Wales LLC signed a letter of intent, marking a formal commitment to move forward with the $40 million investment that will reshape the corner of Center and Wales streets. The project will bring a seven-story, mixed-use building…

A classic rewind: PEGTV revives Rutland’s history through rediscovered video archives

February 19, 2025
By James Kent For nearly 30 years, PEGTV has served as Rutland County’s public access television station, documenting local events, high school sports, and community life. Executive Director Tom Leypoldt, who has been with the station for most of its existence, recently led a project to digitize and preserve hundreds of long-lost videos—bringing a treasure…

‘Sing Sing’: When ‘To be or not to be’ turns into more than a question

February 19, 2025
Director Greg Kwedar’s film finds the humanity living within the souls of men who society has locked away If you’ve heard of the film “Sing Sing,” it’s likely due to the critical attention placed on its two lead performances, Colman Domingo, playing the real-life "Divine G," and Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, portraying a version of…

A vision in the clouds: Scandinavian-inspired luxury living at 2,400 feet

February 12, 2025
By James Kent At one of the highest buildable elevations in Killington, a new vision for mountain living is taking shape. This two-home compound offers a rare blend of modern Scandinavian design, cutting-edge energy efficiency, and breathtaking panoramic views. Envisioned by architect and developer Erik Rhoden, this project brings Nordic craftsmanship and innovation to Vermont’s…

Revitalizing Rutland: Local housers seek to rehab vacant properties for affordable housing

February 12, 2025
By James Kent Affordable housing remains one of Vermont’s most pressing issues, and Rutland County is no exception. While much of the conversation focuses on building new housing, a group of local housing advocates known as “housers” is taking a different approach—revitalizing vacant and distressed properties to bring them back online. Rutland City alone has…

Killington area skier Doris Reed prepares to turn 90

February 12, 2025
By James Kent Doris Reed is no ordinary skier. At 89 years old, she proves age is but a formality. You’ll find her resilience, determination, and passion on the slopes of Pico and Killington most days of the week. Reed’s story is more than skiing; it’s about living life to the fullest every year, every…