Director Robert Eggers’ re-imagining of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent classic “Nosferatu,” which itself was a thinly disguised ripoff of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” sneaked into theaters Christmas Day, just in the nick of time to give all the Goth kids nighttime refuge from all the family holiday parties, to sink their teeth into some counter-programming. For…

By James Kent Soup Dog, a cozy seasonal eatery nestled behind Domenic’s Pizzeria near the Killington ski resort, has been warming up the slopes for three winters now, and its kettles are ready to fill bellies with soup for its fourth season. Run by Matt Buck, a former commercial photographer turned soup artisan, Soup Dog…

By James Kent On its website, the newly renovated Grey Bonnet Inn boasts an array of amenities: a restaurant serving breakfast and dinner, an on-site bar, a game room, a seasonal outdoor pool, premium rooms, and executive suites. With Killington and Pico buzzing with winter activity, one might expect the Grey Bonnet’s return to include…

As 2024 draws to a close, it would seem fitting to offer up a top-ten best-film list and maybe throw in a worst-of-the-year list, too. However, I live in Vermont, which is not a large market for the film industry, and we hardly have any theaters in the state where new films can be seen,…

In keeping with the spirit of the holiday season, I found it only fitting to review some current holiday film offerings. The biggest holiday movie offering of the season, at least in terms of cast and Hollywood budget expenditures, is the Rock vehicle “Red One.” It’s streaming now on Amazon Prime after a less-than-stellar box…

By James Kent There is exciting news in the culinary world. The Rutland area has two new eating destinations with Latin-inspired flavors that will expand palates and stuff tummies with delicious treats from regions such as Peru, Venezuela, and Argentina.  Pao Pao is a Peruvian restaurant that opened on Dec. 6 at 124 Woodstock Ave.…

Mac Steel’s Tyrannosaurus Rex, T-Rextroyer, donned a festive holiday look as he watched over Route 7 in Rutland on Friday, Dec. 13, accompanied by others.

Jacques Audiard’s musical thriller can’t achieve its lofty ambitions but still offers more than most films Acclaimed French film director Jacques Audiard delivered one of the best crime films of the past 20 years in 2009’s “A Prophet.” Audiard returns to the crime world once more, but this time, he travels from the French prison…

Travel along Pleasant Street in West Rutland, and you’ll come across this well-decorated home, which invites visitors to drive along an entranceway through an enchanted scene that loops back around to Pleasant Street. 

By James Kent RUTLAND—On Sunday afternoon, Dec. 8, the Paramount Theatre filled wall-to-wall with people ready to usher in the holidays with the annual tradition of a “Holiday Pops” concert performed by the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. Conductor José Daniel Flores-Caraballo and his 100-plus musicians and chorus singers set the tone in this two-hour performance that…

By James Kent Catholicism and its many mysteries and secret rituals are on full display in “Conclave” (in theaters and on-demand.) The pope is dead. And the process of transferring the powers of God from one human vessel to another begins. Depending on one’s faith and knowledge of the subject, that process, the subject of…

By James Kent RUTLAND CITY—Not even the rain on a drizzly Tuesday morning could dampen the mood of the small crowd gathered at 76 Baxter Street, a once-condemned property in Rutland City. This day was one of celebration. Collaborative efforts between multiple community, city, and state officials, led by local developer Stephen Box, have transformed…

“Wicked,” the global musical sensation based on author Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, arrives in theaters some 20 years after its Broadway debut. Even if you haven’t seen the musical, you know about it, and chances are, you knew this movie was coming out around Thanksgiving. It would be near impossible not to know because the…

By James Kent Walter and Lynn Manney, owners of Mendon’s Maple Sugar & Vermont Spice and Rutland’s Jones' Donuts, like to go out to eat on Monday nights. There’s only one problem: a lack of options in downtown Rutland. Some restaurants are open in Rutland on Monday evenings, but not enough. The Manneys devised a…

By James Kent The Vermont Symphony Orchestra (VSO) will brighten the holiday season with its beloved Holiday Pops concert series on Dec. 8 from 3-5 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, 30 Center St., in Rutland. This cherished annual tradition will feature the VSO orchestra alongside its 70-voice chorus, delivering a blend of sacred holiday classics,…