Saturday, November 30, 2019

Seussical at HCT

It is no secret that I do not like the musical Seussical.  In fact, when I saw the Broadway touring production a few years ago I thought it was the most ridiculous thing I had ever seen and, if I hadn't been with a friend who drove, I would have left at intermission.  I wasn't very happy when HCT announced this show as part of the 2019 season because I vowed to never see it again.  The only reason I decided to see it last night is because I really loved what Dave Tinney, the director, was able to do with Matilda and Cinderella, two other shows that are not my favorite.  He turned the dark and dreary Matilda into something fun and whimsical and he made me giggle out loud at the magic of Cinderella so I had high hopes for his version of Seussical.  Jojo (Parker Burnham) is a young and imaginative boy who sometimes gets in trouble for the thinks that he thinks so the Cat in the Hat (Ryan Simmons), acting as a Master of Ceremonies, takes him on an adventure where he meets Horton the Elephant (Travis Anderson), Gertrude McFuzz (Kelly Coombs), the Amayzing Mayzie (Bailee Morris) and her Bird Girls (Kennedy Johnson, April Kerr, and Tianna Maxwell), the Sour Kangaroo (Mack) and the Wickersham Brothers (Abrin Tinney, Jason Buonforte, Ben Butters, Sam Cooper, Patch Wendel, and Josh Lee), the Mayor of Who-ville (Cameron Garner) and his wife (Morgan Western), and General Genghis Khan Schmitz (Zac Zumbrunnen).  Jojo ultimately learns that anything is possible and that he can go anywhere he wants just by thinking his thinks.  I don't think I will ever really like this show because the story is nonsensical, convoluted, and loses focus in the second half but I was really impressed with what Tinney was able to do with it.  The staging and choreography are incredibly imaginative and visually spectacular, particularly the aerialists (Jessica Bird, Olivia Lee, Jessica Kehl, and Jane Jackson) in "It's Possible" and "Alone in the Universe" because there was always something to draw my eye everywhere I looked (I loved the fish).  I also really enjoyed the Wickersham Brothers in "Monkey Around," the circus performers in "Circus McGurkus," and the cadets in "A Message From the Front."  The costumes are bold, colorful, and fun and I especially loved the fanciful feathered costumes worn by Mayzie, Gertrude, and the Bird Girls and I thought it was really clever that the Wickersham Brothers were dressed like an adolescent street gang.  The puppets used by the Whos are absolutely ingenious and I really enjoyed them in "Here on Who."  The sets come straight out of a Dr. Seuss book and are incredibly whimsical.  The entire cast is very strong but I was most impressed with Coombs as Gertrude because she is so endearing and Anderson as Horton because he is quite sympathetic.  Simmons is absolutely hilarious as the Cat in the Hat, particularly when he spontaneously interacts with the audience (I loved the Les Miserables reference).  I didn't love this show but I enjoyed it and I definitely recommend it for families this holiday season (the children in my audience were riveted).  It runs on the HCT Main Stage until January 18 (go here for tickets).

Friday, November 29, 2019

Thanksgiving 2019

Yesterday my family celebrated Thanksgiving and it was such a fun day!  My Mom, Marilyn, Tashena (she is home from college for the weekend and it is so good to see her), and I went out in the snow to see Frozen II in the afternoon and I loved it even more the second time!  They really liked it, too!
After the movie we had the traditional Thanksgiving dinner including both turkey and ham, cheesy potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, pomegranate salad, rolls, and a relish tray.  Everything tasted so good!  Here are the usual awkward photos that I get every year because my family won't cooperate.  You're welcome!
After dinner we all took a little nap and then played our favorite card game, Shanghai rummy!  Tashena won (but I came in second place).  After cards we had pie and then Marilyn, Tashena, and I went to see Frozen II yet again (because we are crazy).  It is so much fun going to movies late at night and we were quite giddy by the time we got home!  I really enjoyed spending time with my family yesterday and I am so glad that they are all as crazy as I am!  I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends doing the things you love!

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Frozen II

I have taken my nephew Sean to a movie over the Thanksgiving break every year since he joined our family so it was fun to continue the tradition by seeing Frozen II together yesterday.  Both Sean and I really enjoyed it!  Several years after Elsa (Idina Menzel) is crowned as Queen of Arendelle, she is trying to enjoy a normal life with Anna (Kristen Bell), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Olaf (Josh Gad), and the reindeer Sven.  However, she hears a mysterious voice calling to her and decides that it is coming from the Enchanted Forest where her grandfather, King Runeard, signed a treaty with the Northuldra people to create a dam.  This resulted in a war which angered the elemental spirits of air, water, fire, and Earth, causing them to surrounded the Enchanted Forest in a mist trapping everyone inside.  Elsa and the others travel to the Enchanted Forest where she searches for answers about Arendelle’s past, what happened to her parents, and where her powers come from.  She and Anna must ultimately work together to right the wrongs between the people of Arendelle and the Northuldra.  There are two other amusing subplots involving Olaf, who is confused about growing up, and Krisfoff, who struggles to find a way to propose to Anna.  I found the story to be quite compelling with sophisticated themes about colonization, the treatment of indigenous peoples, and respect for the environment interspersed with the same themes of female empowerment and freedom to be who you are that I loved in the original.  The animation is absolutely stunning and I especially loved the Enchanted Forest with its autumn leaves shrouded in mist and the use of ice sculptures to represent past events.  I also really liked the giant Earth spirits.  Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez return with some fantastic songs including "Into the Unknown," "The Next Right Thing," and "Show Yourself."  These songs are very powerful but I have to admit that my favorite is "Lost in the Woods" sung by Kristoff in a sequence that looks like the greatest 80s music video ever!  I pretty much giggled throughout the whole thing which caused Sean to lean over and give me the "look."  I loved this movie and I would recommend it for the whole family this holiday season.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Knives Out

Along with Little Women, Knives Out is my most anticipated movie this holiday season.  I couldn't wait to see it so I did so at my earliest opportunity which was last night.  It is an absolute hoot and I laughed out loud from beginning to end.  Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), a successful mystery writer, assembles his dysfunctional family together for his 85th birthday and is found dead the next morning.  His death is ruled as a suicide but a world-renowned detective, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), is anonymously hired to investigate and he immediately suspects foul play.  He, along with a local detective (Lakeith Stanfield) and a state trooper (Noah Segan), begins interviewing the family members and staff in a hilarious crosscutting scene where they all turn on each other.  We meet his daughter Linda Drysdale (Jamie Lee Curtis), her ne'er-do-well husband Richard (Don Johnson), and their playboy son Ransom (Chris Evans); his son Walter "Walt" Thrombey (Michael Shannon), his wife Donna (Riki Lindhome), and their internet troll son Jacob (Jaeden Martell); his lifestyle guru daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Collette) and her social justice warrior daughter Meg (Katherine Langford); his elderly mother Wanetta (K Callan); his housekeeper Fran (Edi Patterson); and his nurse and confidant Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas).  They discover that everyone has a motive to kill Harlan and that everyone has an alibi but, after more twists and turns than you can keep track of, Blanc finally discovers whodunit!  It is basically a hilarious spoof of the mystery movies of the 1970s but the script is incredibly clever (with just a bit of social commentary thrown in for good measure).  It is quite suspenseful, with shocking clues that change the entire narrative, and it kept me guessing until the very end!  The ensemble cast is fantastic and everyone looks like they are having so much fun playing these over-the-top characters!  I especially loved Collette's portrayal of the flaky Joni and Evans's against type portrayal of the naughty boy Ransom.  This movie is so entertaining and I highly recommend it for a fun night out!

Note:  There is a quote from the musical Hamilton and I was the only one in the packed theater who got it because I was the only one who laughed (rather loudly!).

Sunday, November 24, 2019

My Favorite Team vs. My Hometown Team

I have been watching hockey with my Dad for as long as I can remember and we always try to go to at least one Colorado Avalanche game in Denver in the fall and one in the spring.  For our annual fall trip we decided to see the Avalanche play the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Even though both of us are from Ontario, we never cheer for the Leafs (we even cheered for the Avalanche against the Leafs when we were in Toronto a few years ago).  We got up really early yesterday morning and drove to Denver in time to relax before the game.  I always like to get to the Pepsi Center early so I can watch the practice skate, see the starting lineup, and hear the national anthem.  Because the Avs played a Canadian team, we got to hear "O Canada" and both my Dad and I sang really loud!  The Avalanche started really well with a goal from Nathan MacKinnon in the first 31 seconds of the game!  They kept on the attack for the first five minutes of the game and the Leafs couldn't do anything.  Then all of a sudden Toronto scored four goals during the rest of the first period (including one by former Avalanche player Tyson Barrie).  It kind of deflated the crowd a little bit.  During the second period the Avalanche changed goalies from Grubauer to Francouz and he was able to stop the offense.  The Avalanche got a goal by Andre Burakovsky in the second period and another one by Valeri Nichushkin in the third period to get within one.  The Avalanche pulled their goalie during the last few minutes and they really tried to put the puck in the net (it was very exciting) but the Leafs ended up getting an empty net goal to win the game 5-3.  So in the battle between my favorite team and my hometown team, my hometown team won!  Even though the Avalanche lost this game it was still so much fun!  I love everything about hockey, especially watching games with my Dad!

Note:  My favorite player, Mikko Rantanen, didn't play tonight because he is still recovering from an injury (he is close to returning because he has been attending practice skates) but I finally got to see the young phenom, Cale Makar, play in person and he is amazing (he scored in his first game in the NHL which happened to be during the Stanley Cup playoffs).

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The Rite of Spring

I always look forward to attending a Utah Symphony concert but I was particularly happy to be at Abravanel Hall last night after a long and difficult week.  I really needed something to take away my stress and last night's performance did not disappoint!  A small chamber group performed Symphony No. 10 by Joseph Haydn while standing (it looks so cool when the musicians play standing up).  This piece is light and effervescent and I especially enjoyed the finale because it really gets going.  Next the full orchestra was joined by pianist Till Fellner for Piano Concerto No. 20 by Mozart, my favorite composer.  I became enchanted with Mozart after watching the movie Amadeus when I was in high school and listening to him was my first introduction to classical music.  I especially love this piece (it is rumored to be one of Mozart's favorites as well) and I added this concert to my season package just so that I could hear it.  The second movement is absolutely beautiful (it is featured during the end credits of Amadeus) with a melody played by the solo piano that is so tender and romantic.  In addition to the beautiful melodies that Mozart is known for, I think this piece is also a bit moody and tempestuous, especially in the restless third movement.  I loved Fellner's performance because, in my mind, his tempo was absolutely perfect (many soloists have a tendency to rush the second movement).  After the intermission, the orchestra performed The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky and it was epic!  It is rumored that a riot broke out during its premiere and I certainly understand why!  The music depicts a pagan ritual involving the sacrifice of a virgin who dances herself to death and, oh my goodness, it is so frenzied!  I loved it, especially the dramatic themes played by the strings in unison, the fanfares played by the brass, and the wild timpani (I enjoy watching Eric Hopkins play and during this piece it seemed like he was in constant motion).  This will probably end up being one of my favorite concerts of the season so I definitely recommend getting a ticket (go here) to tonight's performance of the same program.  You'll think me later!

Friday, November 22, 2019

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Last night I had the opportunity to see a Thursday preview of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and, as a big fan of Mr. Rogers, I knew I would enjoy it but I absolutely loved it!  Since I basically sobbed through the documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor?, I was prepared with tissues for this movie and I definitely needed them!  Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) is a journalist for Esquire magazine known for hard-hitting exposés designed to discredit his subjects.  He reluctantly takes an assignment to interview Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks) and his wife Andrea (Susan Kalechi Watson) warns him not to write anything negative about Mr. Rogers because it will ruin her childhood.  Whenever Vogel attempts a question, Rogers turns it back on him and gets him to reveal his concerns about being a new father and his inability to forgive his own father Jerry (Chris Cooper), who has recently made a reappearance in his life, for walking out on him and his dying mother.  Through his friendship, Rogers is able to get Vogel to change his perspective on life and become a more involved parent as well as reconcile with his father.  The story sounds very emotionally manipulative but it doesn't come across that way at all.  What I always loved about Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood is that he could always explain difficult and scary things in a way that a child could understand and he provided a way for children to express and deal with their feelings and that is exactly what he does for Vogel.  In fact, this movie uses the framing device of having Rogers tell Vogel's story as an episode of his show which is absolutely brilliant.  I love that all of the transitions between scenes involved the trolley moving through models of the locations.  Hanks gives an incredibly heartwarming performance as the beloved television star and, after a while, I forgot that I was watching Tom Hanks.  It is not so much an imitation as it is an embodiment of Fred Rogers.  Rhys also gives a powerful performance as a broken man in need of a little kindness.  I had one of the most profound viewing experiences of my life (which required all of my tissues) during an especially poignant scene.  Rogers asks Vogel to take a moment of silence to think about all of the people who loved him into being and you could literally hear a pin drop in my screening as everyone in the audience, including me, did as he asked.  When a tear falls from Vogel's eye I think everyone in the audience was crying, too!  I really loved this wonderful movie and I highly recommend it to everyone, but especially to those who grew up watching Mr. Rogers.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Good Liar

Despite feeling a bit under the weather, I decided to see the movie The Good Liar last night because I was afraid it would be leaving theaters soon to make room for all of the big Thanksgiving releases and I just couldn't pass up an opportunity to see Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen spar with each other on the big screen.  Roy Courtnay (McKellen) is a career con-artist who sets up elaborate (and fraudulent) investment schemes with his partner Vincent (Jim Carter) to scam people out of their money.  He begins chatting with Betty McLeish (Mirren), a wealthy and recently widowed woman, through an online dating service and the two eventually meet for dinner where they both confess to a few white lies on their dating profiles  They form an instant attachment and soon he introduces her to Vincent, who suggests that she open a joint off-shore investment account with Roy (which Roy will then use to steal all of her money).  Betty naively agrees but her nephew Steven (Russell Tovey) is suspicious and investigates Roy's past.  He discovers that Roy has been lying about much more than his investment scam.  However, Roy soon finds out that Betty has been lying about her past, too.  Who is scamming whom?  This movie is definitely a slow-burn and I predicted the big plot twist well before it happened (although not the details which are, quite frankly, a bit convoluted and seem like they belong in a different movie).  What makes this movie so enjoyable are the performances of Mirren and McKellen.  The two of them are, as you might imagine, absolutely riveting and they have such great chemistry as they match wits against each other.  They are just so much fun to watch and I particularly enjoyed McKellen, who plays Roy with a glint in his eye.  This is a very average movie but it is elevated by its two stars and I recommend it for them.

Monday, November 18, 2019

The Report

I am a huge fan of Adam Driver (I find him to be strangely appealing) so I was very eager to see the political thriller The Report at Sundance this year.  I wasn't able to get a ticket but I knew that it would eventually come to the Broadway.  I saw it yesterday and I found it to be incredibly compelling and disturbing.  Senator Dianne Feinstein (Annette Bening) is the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee and she asks Daniel Jones (Driver), a member of her staff, to investigate reports of the CIA's use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" on detainees after the 9/11 attacks.  He spends the next five years obsessively studying over 6 million pages of documents from the CIA and determines that the torture of terror suspects yielded nothing that the CIA didn't know already.  His 6,700 page report is blocked by CIA director John Brennan (Ted Levine) who vehemently disagrees with his interpretation of events and by White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough (Jon Hamm) who says that Obama wants to be perceived as a non-partisan president and doesn't want to go after Bush and his policies.  What is eventually released is a 525 page executive summary that is heavily redacted and does not result in any disciplinary measures against the CIA.  This movie is sometimes really difficult to watch because it includes many flashbacks of detainees being tortured (the waterboarding sequences are especially brutal) as Jones uncovers information.  This movie reminds me a lot of All the President's Men and Spotlight because, as with both of these movies, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the next revelation and was horrified when it came. Driver gives a riveting performance as a naive and idealistic staffer (he takes a picture of the Capitol Building on his first day in Washington) who becomes more and more jaded as he becomes emotionally invested in his investigation.  I especially loved the intensity of his scenes with Bening who is pitch-perfect as Feinstein.  I highly recommend this movie because it shines a light on a troubling period in our history that should not be forgotten.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Midway

The second movie in our double feature last night was Midway and both my Dad and I really enjoyed it.  Intelligence officer Edwin Layton (Patrick Wilson) predicts that Japan will eventually attack the U.S. but he is ignored by Washington.  After the devastation of Pearl Harbor, Chester Nimitz (Woody Harrelson) is appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet and he decides to listen when Layton predicts that the next attack will be at Midway even though Washington believes that the location will be the Aleutians.  He orders the USS Enterprise, under the command of Admiral Halsey (Dennis Quaid), to leave the Coral Sea to regroup near Midway.  Layton is correct and the Japanese are caught unaware.  Ultimately, because of the bravery of Squadron Leaders Wade McClusky (Luke Evans) and Dick Best (Ed Skrein) in a series of aerial dogfights, all three Japanese aircraft carriers are damaged and they withdraw from battle which turns the tide of the war in the Pacific.  The script is very rudimentary with lots of cliched dialogue (but that is to be expected with a Roland Emmerich blockbuster).  There is not a lot of characterization beyond that of Best but every character is portrayed as heroic, even the Japanese, and the actors do a good job with the material they are given.  As a devotee of historical novels, especially those having to do with World War II, I enjoyed learning about the events leading up to the battles portrayed in this movie.  However, this movie really delivers with spectacular visual and sound effects which are intense, to say the least.  From the attack on Pearl Harbor, to the Doolittle (Aron Eckhart) raid on Tokyo, to the actual Battle of Midway, the audience feels completely immersed in the action.  There were moments when I felt like I was in the cockpit with the pilots as they are diving from a nearly vertical angle to drop a bomb on the Japanese aircraft carriers.  This movie delivered exactly what I expected and I recommend it to fans of action blockbusters.

Ford v Ferrari

There are so many movies that my Dad and I want to see so we decided on a double feature last night and it was epic!  We began with Ford v Ferrari and we both absolutely loved it!  When Enzo Ferrari (Remo Girone) humiliates Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) by refusing an offer to purchase his bankrupt company, Ford is determined to build a car that will defeat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal), Vice President of Ford Motor Company, enlists the help of Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), who won the Le Mans in 1959 but has since retired from racing because of a heart condition and now designs cars.  Shelby asks Ken Miles (Christian Bale), a hot-tempered British race car driver, to help him.  They test the Ford GT40 and Miles suggests many modifications to get it ready for the 1964 Le Mans but Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas), Executive Vice President of Ford Motor Company, doesn't think that Miles represents the ideals of the company and demands that another driver race it.  After they lose Ford promises Shelby total control as they attempt the race again but, once again, Beebe interferes to oust Miles.  Shelby bets his entire company on Miles to win the 24 Hours of Daytona which convinces Ford to let him race at Le Mans.  This leads to a thrilling 1966 Le Mans race in which Miles pushes the car past 7,000 RPMs for a stunning conclusion.  This movie is fantastic!  It has a compelling true story about two outsiders who overcome their own personal demons and corporate interference to do something that had never been done before.  It makes you want to stand up and cheer even if you are not a fan of racing!  Both Damon and Bale give brilliant performances that are generating a lot of Oscar buzz.  The two of them have great chemistry as they play off each other and I especially enjoyed their knock-down brawl!  Bale, especially, is incredible and I loved it when he talked to the car as if it was a woman.  Finally, the racing sequences are an adrenaline-fueled rush with squealing tires, shifting gears, and fiery crashes.  We saw it in IMAX and these sequences were thrilling, to say the least.  I cannot recommend this movie enough (see it in IMAX).

Note:  At one point my dream car was a Dodge Daytona Shelby.  I thought Shelby was just the name of the car until my friend Michael explained to me that Carroll Shelby designed it!

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Rhapsody in Blue

Last night I spent an absolutely delightful evening at Abravanel Hall listening to the Utah Symphony and guest soloist Kevin Cole play the music of George Gershwin.  It was a lovely way to end a very busy week!  The orchestra began with Gershwin's Cuban Overture.  I really enjoyed all of the percussion and Latin rhythms.  I was practically dancing in my seat!  Next the orchestra was joined by Kevin Cole on piano for Gershwin's Second Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra.  I liked how the main theme was repeated by the various sections in the orchestra.  After the intermission Kevin Cole joined the orchestra once again for "I Got Rhythm" Variations for Piano and Orchestra.  It was a lot of fun listening for all of the different versions of this popular song.  Next came Promenade "Walking the Dog" which Gershwin wrote for the scene in the movie Shall We Dance where Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire walk a dog on a luxury liner.  It was very lively and I heard the man sitting in front of me giggling at the end of it!  The orchestra and Kevin Cole concluded with the main event, Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.  I waited all evening to hear this piece and I loved it!  I especially enjoyed the instantly recognizable opening solo played by Principal Clarinet Tad Calcara because it is so whimsical.  It was very entertaining watching Cole's fingers flying up and down the keyboard and he received a thunderous standing ovation (which prompted, not one but, two encores).  Gershwin can always be counted on for a wonderful concert and I recommend getting a ticket for tonight's performance which will be less formal (go here for information and tickets).

Note:  The orchestra also played a piece called Sacred Geometry by Andrew Norman, the Composer in Association with the Utah Symphony.  I must admit that I didn't really care for it because I found it to be quite jarring.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Charlie's Angels

Last night I went to a Thursday preview of the latest installment of Charlie's Angels.  This movie is basically just an excuse to watch girls kick ass around the world with some fun gadgets while wearing fabulous clothes but I am so there for that!  The Townsend Agency has gone global with multiple teams of Angels and Bosleys running missions around the world.  A computer scientist at Brock Industries named Elena Houghton (Naomi Scott) discovers that the Calisto Project, a technology she created which taps into the Earth's magnetic core to produce clean energy, can be weaponized.  When her concerns are ignored by her boss Alexander Brock (Sam Claflin), she enlists the help of Angels Sabina Wilson (Kristen Stewart) and Jane Kano (Ella Balinska) to investigate.  After stopping an assassination attempt on Elena, they discover a conspiracy within Brock Industries to sell Calisto to the highest bidder.  With the help of Rebekah Bosley (Elizabeth Banks), the Angels try to stop this powerful weapon from getting into the hands of an unexpected enemy.   This movie is exactly what I was expecting and I really enjoyed watching it.  I am a big fan of Kristen Stewart (I think she is very underrated) and it was a lot of fun seeing her in a more lighthearted role.  She is great in the action sequences and I found her to be surprisingly funny with some fabulous throwaway lines.  The themes of female empowerment and teamwork really worked for me and I like the fact the Angels are strong and capable rather than overtly sexual (this idea is hilariously spoofed in the opening sequence).  In my opinion, the action sequences are fun rather than spectacular, especially when Elena worries about dying during a car chase and when Sabina verbally spars with an assassin during hand-to-hand combat.  I liked Charlie's Angels and I recommend it as the perfect girls night out movie.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Harriet

Whenever my Mom and I would see the trailer for the movie Harriet, she would whisper to me that she really wanted to see it.  Of course I told her that I would take her the week it came out and we made plans to see it last Wednesday.  When I went to pick her up, I realized that she wasn't feeling up to going out but she was really distressed at the thought of missing the opportunity to see it.  I promised her that I wouldn't see it without her and we made new plans for last night.  We both loved it!  Araminta "Minty" Ross (Cynthia Erivo) is a slave owned by Gideon Brodess (Joe Alwyn) in Dorchester County, Maryland in the mid-1800s.  When she learns that Brodess intends to sell her further south, she decides to run away to freedom.  After a harrowing escape, she makes it hundreds of miles on her own to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she meets abolitionist William Still (Leslie Odom, Jr.) and a boardinghouse owner named Marie Buchanan (Janelle Monae).  She begins a new life (and changes her name to Harriet Tubman) but she is uneasy about the fact that she is free while her husband and family are still slaves.  Against the objections of William and with the help of Marie, she returns to Maryland to get her husband John (Zackary Momoh) but she learns that, thinking her dead, he has remarried and is expecting a child.  She wonders why she was directed by God to save her husband and decides to rescue her brother instead but he brings eight other people with him.  She ultimately leads all nine to safety.  William is astonished by what she has done and introduces her to members of the Underground Railroad where she becomes one of the most successful conductors.  This is an amazing movie about the courage and tenacity of one woman who believed that she was being directed by God to save as many people as she could and I love that it didn't shy away from portraying her faith.  Even though I was familiar with Harriet Tubman's story, I found the scenes where she and the other slaves are being pursued to be incredibly intense because of the quick-cut style in which they were edited.  I found myself holding my breath many times.  Erivo gives a powerful and heart-felt performance that is definitely worthy of the Oscar buzz it is generating.  The scene where she learns that her husband has remarried is gut-wrenching.  I also love the beautiful song "Stand Up" performed by Erivo in the final credits.  It gave me goosebumps.  This is an inspirational movie about a courageous woman that both my Mom and I highly recommend!

Note:  After the Fugitive Slave Act was passed, Harriet had to lead the escaped slaves to Canada.  She brought many of them to St. Catharines, Ontario which is where my Grandma Johnson lived!

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Lifespan of a Fact at PTC

Last night I went to see The Lifespan of a Fact, the current production at PTC.  The premise of this play was very intriguing to me so I was eager to see it.  When a powerful essay written by John D'Agata (Ben Cherry) lands on the desk of magazine editor Emily Penrose (Constance Macy), she knows it has the potential to impact her magazine's bottom line and possibly win some major awards.  She wants to use it as the cover story but she is on a tight deadline.  She enlists a young Harvard-educated intern named Jim Fingal (John Kroft) to fact-check it over the weekend.  All she wants is a good-faith effort to keep the lawyers happy but Fingal, wanting to do a good job to impress her, obsessively researches every minute detail.  He even goes so far as to fly to Las Vegas to verify some details and to get clarification from the author himself.  D'Agata does not take kindly to having his work questioned so Penrose eventually ends up in Las Vegas to play referee between the two of them (in some highly amusing scenes).  D'Agata argues that he is trying to find a universal truth about the meaning of life through the story of a boy who commits suicide and that the details do not matter.  Fingal argues that, in an age when anyone with a smartphone can verify every fact, he will lose credibility if anything is proven to be false thereby lessening the impact.  I really enjoyed the verbal sparring between the two characters and I found myself agreeing with both sides of the argument (I love and hate it when that happens).  My favorite scene occurs near the end of the play when, after a night of arguing back and forth, Penrose must make a decision whether to publish or not.  The three of them read the paragraph about the boy's final moments before jumping off a building aloud and are incredibly moved.  The audience is left to wonder if the emotional impact of that paragraph would be diminished if the prose was amended to correct a bit of minutiae.  The topic is particularly salient in the age of "fake news" and I think it is very powerful.  All three characters are interesting and compelling and the actors give wonderful performances.  Even though it is very cerebral without a lot of action, the narrative moves at a very steady pace (there is no intermission) so I was always completely engaged.  This play will definitely give you a lot to think about and I highly recommend it!  The Lifespan of a Fact runs at PTC until November 16 (go here for tickets).

Monday, November 11, 2019

The Godfather Part II

I had never seen The Godfather Part II before (I had never seen The Godfather until it was screened as part of the TCM Big Screen Classics series a few years ago) so I was really excited to see it yesterday.  This movie tells the parallel stories of how a young Vito Corleone (Robert DeNiro) comes to America and rises to become the Don of the Corleone crime family and how his son Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), after eliminating all of his rivals, consolidates his power as the Don by eliminating anyone who betrays him, including family members.  I think the story is a little bit convoluted and I had a hard time following who was playing whom.  However, Michael Corleone is such a complex and compelling character and I enjoyed seeing his arc in this film.  He was absolutely ruthless in the first film but that was nothing compared to what he does in this one.  The scene where he tells his associate to assassinate his brother Fredo (John Cazale) at the funeral of his mother (Morgana King) is pretty chilling but shutting the door on his wife Kay (Diane Keaton) is particularly harsh.  I think the young Al Pacino is incredibly handsome and he gives a riveting performance.  Pacino keeps his face very stoic but you can see everything he is feeling by looking into his eyes, especially during the final scene where he is alone and bitter.  Equally captivating is DeNiro as the young Vito (he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance).  I loved the scene where he takes his revenge against the man who murdered his family and I was especially impressed with how well he mimicked the mannerisms of Marlon Brando (who played Vito in the first film).  The cinematography and score are moody and atmospheric and I especially enjoyed the period verisimilitude, especially in the scenes in Cuba (even if I didn't really understand what Michael was doing there).  Many people say that this is the best sequel in movie history and I can understand why because it brilliantly portrays the natural progression of Michael Corleone's corruption begun in the first movie.  I highly recommend seeing it on the big screen (go here).

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in San Francisco

I bought a ticket for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child the day they became available online and it seems like I have been waiting forever to see it!  This was actually the reason for my trip to San Francisco and seeing it yesterday was absolutely magical!  It is nineteen years after the Battle of Hogwarts and Harry Potter (John Skelley) now works for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and his wife Ginny (Angela Reed) writes for The Daily Prophet.  Hermione Granger (Yanna McIntosh) is now the Minister of Magic and her husband Ron Weasley (David Abeles) manages Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.  Their daughter Rose Granger-Weasley (Folami Williams) and Harry's son Albus Potter (Benjamin Papac) are on their way to Hogwarts when Part One begins.  Albus soon forms an unlikely friendship with Scorpius Malfoy (Jon Steiger), the son of Harry's nemesis Draco (Lucas Hall).  Both boys are unpopular and bullied.  Albus is bothered by his father's notoriety and feels that he is a disappointment while Scorpius is plagued by unfounded rumors that he is really Lord Voldemort's son.  Feeling that they have something to prove, the boys decide to steal a time-turner from the Ministry of Magic and they go back in time to save Cedric Diggory (William Bednar-Carter) from his fate.  This act changes the future so now Lord Voldemort rules and Dolores Umbridge (Katherine Leask) is Headmistress of Hogwarts.  Darkness has descended as Part Two opens and Scorpius must enlist Hermione, Ron, and Severus Snape (Andrew Long) to help him go back in time to change the future.  However, the mysterious Auguery (Emily Juliette Murphy), who hopes to fulfill a prophecy that will bring back Lord Voldemort, forces Albus and Scorpius to use the time-turner once again to restore the alternate timeline leading to an epic confrontation in Godric's Hollow.  I loved this show so much!  I loved the continuation of Harry's story and the exploration of father-son relationships.  I loved all of the choreography, especially the Wand Dance where the new students at Hogwarts learn how to use their wands.  I absolutely loved the staging of the magic, especially running into Platform 9 3/4, traveling by flue powder, Harry and Draco dueling, using the polyjuice potion, and the Dementors flying through the audience (which was amazing).  I loved the set, especially all of the House Banners, the Forbidden Forrest, and the moving staircase.  I loved the music, which was composed by Imogen Heap, especially "Unbroken Friendship" which plays when Harry forbids Albus to see Scorpius again (it is so haunting).  Finally, I loved all of the performances but my favorite was Steiger as Scorpius because he is hilarious!  This was such a fun and immersive theatre experience because all of the ushers wore vests denoting their House affiliation during Part One and then wore vests with the Dark Mark for Part Two (all of the banners in the lobby changed from the Houses to the Dark Mark, as well).  Many in the audience also showed their House affiliation (I proudly supported my House, Ravenclaw).  I am so glad I got to see this show and I highly recommend it to fans of the Harry Potter series.

Note:  In between Part One and Part Two I went to dinner at a fabulous restaurant and most of the people sitting around me had also just come from the show.  We all talked to each other about how much we were enjoying it.  It was a lot of fun!

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Hamilton in San Francisco

I honestly do not think that I will ever get tired of seeing Hamilton because I love it so much!  I planned this trip to San Francisco almost a year ago to see another show but, when I found out that Hamilton would be playing at the same time, I had to get a ticket.  I have now seen it nine times in seven cities and I was just as excited last night as I was standing in line at the Richard Rodgers Theatre before seeing it for the first time. Last night's production featured the And Peggy Tour, which I had never seen before (the only company I have not seen now is London and I think that needs to happen).  When the Philip Tour was in SLC, I really enjoyed Joseph Morales as Alexander Hamilton and I got a ticket to see the show in Las Vegas because I knew it was the Philip Tour and that I would get to see Morales again.  However, on the night I was there, Morales was out and the understudy went on.  I was initially really disappointed but Julius Thomas III happened to be the understudy and he was phenomenal!  Thomas is now Alexander Hamilton in the And Peggy Tour so I was really looking forward to seeing him again.  I think he has a beautiful voice and his renditions of "Dear Theodosia" and "Hurricane" were beautiful.  I also like how emotional his version of "Quiet Uptown" was (I had spontaneous tears streaming down my face through the whole number).  I enjoyed the rest of the cast but three really stood out to me.  First, Donald Webber, Jr. just might be the best Aaron Burr I've ever seen.  His version of "Wait For It" was so powerful it gave me chills!  I also loved all of his facial expressions in "The Room Where It Happens."  Second, I thought Brandon Louis Armstrong was a riot as Hercules Mulligan/ James Madison.  He incorporated more physical comedy in the role than any other actor I've seen.  He made me laugh multiple times.  Finally, I was so impressed with Colby Lewis because he was the understudy for George Washington.  He is very tall and quite handsome so he gave the character a different energy than I've seen before.  I loved "Right Hand Man" because he almost seemed like a rock star!  Because I've seen it so many times I have started noticing the ensemble more and I particularly loved them in "Ten Duel Commandments," "Guns and Ships" (especially sending the letter from Washington to Hamilton), "Washington On Your Side," and "Hurricane" last night.  I am so glad that I got to see it again!

Note:  I got talking to a woman sitting in front of me on the plane and she mentioned she was going to Hamilton.  I told her that I was going too and she actually found me in the theatre!

When in San Francisco...

I am in San Francisco for a weekend of theatre.  I have been to San Francisco before and, to be honest, it is not my favorite city.  I had no intention of doing any sightseeing (I have tickets to Hamilton and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) but once I got to my hotel I spontaneously decided to head to the Golden Gate Bridge.
My Uber driver warned me that I might not have a very good view because it was really foggy but I thought the effect was really cool.
Stay tuned for more from my trip to San Francisco!

Friday, November 8, 2019

Doctor Sleep

I really liked Doctor Sleep, Stephen King's sequel to The Shining (one of my favorite King novels), so I really hoped that the film adaptation would be good.  I had the chance to see a Thursday preview last night and I think it is fantastic.  Dan Torrence (Ewan McGregor) is all grown up and is just as traumatized by the events at the Overlook Hotel as you would imagine he would be.  In a flashback, the ghost of Dick Hallorann (now played by Carl Lumbly) helps the child Danny (now played by Roger Dale Floyd) lock the ghosts of the hotel into boxes within his mind.  As an adult he has become an alcoholic to suppress his "shining" so Dick intervenes in his life once again and tells him to get sober.  Dan moves to a small town, joins AA and stops drinking, gets a job as an orderly at a hospice, and begins using his "shine" to comfort the dying patients which earns him the nickname "Doctor Sleep."  Meanwhile, a sinister cult led by Rosie the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) has found a way to become immortal by feeding off of the essence of children who "shine" as they are tortured to death.  Now that Dan is using the "shining" again, he is able to communicate telepathically with a girl named Abra (Kyliegh Curran), whose "shining" is even more powerful than his.  Rosie detects Abra's powers and her cult eventually tracks her down which alerts Dan.  Dick meets with Dan one last time and tells him that, just as he once helped him, Dan must help Abra.  This leads to an epic confrontation back at the Overlook Hotel.  Some people may disagree with me but what I liked most about this movie is that it strays a bit from the source material and returns to Stanley Kubrick's version of events so it is not only a sequel to the novel but also a sequel to the film (which I think is a masterpiece).  I really enjoyed all of the callbacks, especially the use of the music from the opening credits (based on Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz) which gave me chills.  I think McGregor is at his best when he is confronting the ghosts of his past at the hotel, particularly in an incredibly poignant scene with his father (now played by Henry Thomas).  Ferguson is also excellent and I found her performance to be terrifying but strangely compelling.  The visual effects are quite good and really bring the book alive (I sometimes had a hard time picturing in my mind just what was happening when the cult members would "feed" off the children in the book).  This is as unsettling as I hoped it would be and I highly recommend it.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Ninth House

I have really enjoyed the Barnes & Noble Book Cub and I was particularly looking forward to last night's meeting because I absolutely loved the October selection, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. This novel presupposes that the members of the eight secret societies at Yale University (Skull & Bones, Scroll & Key, Book & Snake, Wolf's Head, Manuscript, Aurelian, St. Elmo's, and Berzelius) use magic to achieve success in politics, business, and entertainment. After one of the rituals ended badly, a fictional ninth society (Lethe) was created to have oversight over the other societies and to ensure that the rituals are performed correctly.  Daniel Arlington III, or Darlington as he is known, is the student leader of Lethe and he is responsible for training his replacement. Galaxy Stern, or Alex as she is known, has been chosen to replace him but he considers her to be entirely unsuitable because she has a troubled past. When a murder happens on campus, Alex can't shake the feeling that one of the societies is involved. Against the orders from everyone in Lethe, she uses several of Lethe's magic rituals to investigate (forming an alliance with a ghost) and discovers a connection to another unsolved murder from the past. I must admit that I had a difficult time getting into the story at first because it begins right in the middle of the action with the narrative alternating between the past and present. There are so many people, places, and events that I couldn't figure out what was going on. However, once I did figure it out I found the story to be incredibly compelling and I couldn't put it down. One of the things that I really liked about it is that, while this is a story about the supernatural, it seems very plausible. No one really knows what goes on in these secret societies and, because so many real-life members have achieved wealth, power, and success (George H. W. Bush, George H. Bush, John Kerry, John Ashcroft, Bob Woodward, Jodie Foster, Anderson Cooper), it makes you wonder! I also really enjoyed Alex as a character because she is a fish out of water at Yale but still manages to hold her own and I admire that. The relationship between Alex and Darlington is very dynamic because they each make assumptions about the other that prove to be false and they come to rely on and then respect each other. I also liked the murder mystery aspect of the story. The resolution took me completely by surprise, which is rare for me. We had a great discussion last night and one of our topics was which society would we most want to belong to. I would definitely want to belong to Aurelian because they have power over language and one of their magic rituals involves having words literally enter your body (it is painful but worth it) so that you can become a best-selling author! I highly recommend this book (with the proviso that it is quite dark and there are a few very disturbing scenes).

Note:  The next selection is The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. I am quite excited to read this because I found her last novel, Then She Was Gone, to be incredibly suspenseful. Join me on January 7 at the Layton Barnes & Noble if you are local or at any other participating location (go here for information and to sign up) to discuss it!

Monday, November 4, 2019

Jojo Rabbit

I have wanted to see Jojo Rabbit ever since the trailer made me laugh out loud and I had the opportunity yesterday as the second half of my indie double feature.  I know that some people might be offended by this movie but I thought it was hilarious and surprisingly poignant.  Johannes "Jojo" Beltzer (Roman Griffin Davis) is a ten year old fanatical member of the Hitler Youth who suffers from low self-esteem and is often given pep talks by his imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi).  After being injured at a Hitler Youth training camp, Jojo investigates noises he hears coming from the attic and discovers that his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl named Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie).  His first thought is to turn her in to the Gestapo but realizes that his mother would be arrested for helping a Jew.  Instead, he decides to interview her so he can write a book about Jews to help the Gestapo find them.  As he gets to know Elsa, he realizes that everything he has been taught about the Jews is false and eventually risks his life to save her.  I laughed and laughed during this movie, as did the audience at my screening.  The humor is incredibly irreverent which is something I very much enjoy.  I have heard criticism about the way the Nazis have been portrayed but, in my opinion, they are bumbling and incompetent for comedic effect (it reminded me of the British comedy 'Allo 'Allo), particularly Captain Klenzendorf (Sam Rockwell) who is bitter about leading the Hitler Youth after being wounded in battle, Finkel (Alfie Allen) who is the sycophantic second-in-command to Klezendorf, Fraulein Rahm (Rebel Wilson) who is a fanatical instructor at the Hitler Youth camp and has had 18 children for Germany, and Deertz (Stephen Merchant) who is an astonishingly unobservant Gestapo agent.  To me, it is obvious that this is a satire and that these portrayals are not meant to be taken as accurate historical representations.  Jojo's version of Hitler is meant to be viewed as an imaginary friend who acts the way he needs him to.  He is initially very funny and jovial to help Jojo feel more confident but eventually becomes more menacing to help him reject the Nazis  I have also heard criticism that it does not accurately portray the dangers of war but, in my opinion, this is definitely the worldview of a child who thinks of the Nazis as heroes until he discovers the truth and becomes disillusioned by them.  Finally, I loved the relationship between Jojo and Elsa.  I especially loved it when Elsa tells him that he is not really a Nazi but a scared little boy who likes playing dress up.  The ultimate message about learning to understand your enemy is incredibly touching but it just happens to in be one of the funniest movies I've seen all year.  I highly recommend it to people who enjoy satire.

Parasite

Yesterday I decided to see an independent foreign film from South Korea called Parasite because I had heard so many good things about it (the film won the prestigious Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival).  It is an absolutely brilliant social satire that, in my opinion, is one of the best films of the year because it kept me guessing until the haunting final frame.  Kim Ki-taek (Song Kang-ho) lives a hand-to-mouth existence with his wife Chung-sook (Jang Hye-jin), his son Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik), and his daughter Ki-jeong (Park So-dam).  They live in a basement apartment and work temporary jobs when they can get them.  One day Ki-woo's friend Min-hyuk (Park Seo-joon) comes to see him and offers to recommend him for his job as an English tutor for the daughter of the wealthy Park family while he studies abroad.  Ki-woo forges some credentials and soon has the job.  He is dazzled by the family's luxurious home and lavish lifestyle and recommends his sister Ki-jeong as the son's art tutor.  The two of them conspire to have the chauffeur and the housekeeper fired so Ki-taek and Chung-sook can take their places.  Eventually the four of them infiltrate every aspect of the Park's lives but, when the family leaves for a camping trip, they learn that they are not the only ones who have done so and a tense and suspenseful confrontation ensues.  At first the movie is an amusing story about a group of con artists who take advantage of a gullible family but in the final act it takes a 180 degree turn and becomes a scathing indictment of how the wealthy survive on the labor of the poor (who exactly are the parasites referred to in the title?)  It is absolutely brilliant!  The final resolution left me stunned and I was not alone because the audience in my packed screening sat in silence even after the credits finished rolling and the lights came on.  I loved the shot composition in this movie because the division between the rich and poor is found in almost every scene, especially the juxtaposition between the cramped and claustrophobic basement hovel where the Kims live and the open and spacious modern house (which is almost a character) where the Parks live.  All of the performances are fantastic, especially Cho Yeo-jeong who plays Mrs. Park.  I loved this movie and I suspect that I will be thinking about it for days.  Don't let the subtitles stop you from seeing this masterpiece!  I highly recommend it!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Volleyball Road Trip

Whenever I would go to one of Tashena's volleyball games, basketball games, or track meets, I always envisioned going on a road trip to see her play one of these sports on the college level some day.  Yesterday that actually happened!  Tashena is on the volleyball team at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Washington and the Vikings had a road game against Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Oregon (which is a five hour drive from SLC).  We decided to surprise her and go to the game so Kristine and Trent rented a van and my Mom, Marilyn, and I joined them.  It was such a fun road trip.
Tashena had no idea that we were coming and I will never forget the look on her face when she saw my Mom walk in the gym!  She ran over to her and hugged her with tears in her eyes!  Every minute of the five hour drive was worth it for that moment!  She was so happy to see all of us and I have to admit that I also had a tear in my eye because I have really missed her.  Big Bend ended up losing in three sets but they were close and it was a lot of fun to watch them play.
We sure do love this girl and we are so proud of her!
It was really hard to say goodbye but we will get to see her again soon at Thanksgiving!  We are already planning some epic games of Shanghai rummy!

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Coco in Concert

Last night I celebrated the Day of the Dead by watching the movie Coco while the Utah Symphony played the score by Michael Giacchino live.  It was so much fun because I think Coco is such a magical movie!  It is about the importance of family as a twelve year old boy named Miguel travels to the Land of the Dead on Dia de los Meurtos to uncover a mystery about his ancestors.  I loved seeing this on the big screen again because the images are so vibrant and colorful, especially the marigold petals that are used to guide family members to their loved ones and the spirit animals.  The music in this movie is absolutely wonderful and features some incredibly beautiful themes that incorporate Spanish guitars, a festive mariachi band, and the full orchestra.  The Utah Symphony, under the baton of Associate Conductor Conor Covington, performed it beautifully and I often found myself watching the two guitar players rather than the screen.  My favorite parts of the score are "Crossing the Marigold Bridge," "Cave Dwelling on the Past," and "Reunion Familiar de Rivera" because I find the story to be so moving in these scenes and the music really adds to the pathos.  I also really enjoyed the many version of the song "Remember Me," particularly the version by Miguel and Mama Coco (I may or may not have been crying at that point).  The crowd, many of whom were in costumes with sugar skull makeup, was so much fun because they cheered out loud multiple times.  I really love the Utah Symphony's Films in Concert series and this was such a fun movie to include.  I enjoyed it so much and I recommend getting a ticket for tonight's performance (go here).

Note:  There was a fantastic mariachi band performing before the show and there was an ofrenda in the lobby featuring pictures of famous composers (so clever).

Friday, November 1, 2019

Terminator: Dark Fate

I am a huge fan of The Terminator (it is one of my very favorite movies from the 1980s).  I used to watch it over and over late at night on HBO and it was one of the first VHS tapes that I owned.  I also really enjoyed Terminator 2: Judgement Day but I found the subsequent sequels to either be forgettable or awful.  When I heard about Terminator: Dark Fate, I was initially very skeptical but I really liked the trailer and, when I heard that James Cameron was involved and that it was a direct sequel to the first two movies, I started to get excited!  Last night, after having our traditional Halloween chili (my family has had chili every year on Halloween since I was a little girl), I went with my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew to see it and, while there is absolutely no reason for this movie to exist, it is completely awesome!   Twenty-two years after Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) defeats the T-1000 and stops the rise of Skynet, another AI called Legion has risen and sends a new Terminator, the Rev-9 (Gabriel Luna), from the year 2042 to kill Danielle "Dani" Ramos (Natalia Reyes).  The Human Resistance sends a cybernetically-enhanced soldier named Grace (Mackenzie Davis) to protect Dani.  In order to stop the Rev-9 (not only can it shape-shift but it can also separate from its metallic skeleton to create two relentless killing machines), Grace reluctantly teams up with Sarah and a rehabilitated T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger).  This movie is very derivative of the first two in the franchise but I really didn't care because it was so much fun to see Hamilton and Schwarzenegger reprising these iconic roles and they both give great performances with some fun callbacks that had the audience cheering.  Both my sister and I were literally giggling out loud when Sarah makes her first entrance in an action sequence (she is just so badass).  I also really like both of their character arcs in the story because they are authentic.  Sarah is exactly who you would expect her to be given what she has gone through.  There are a few unexpected twists, including the reason why Dani needs to be protected, that I really liked, as well.  The action sequences are absolutely thrilling, particularly a high-speed chase on a highway in Mexico City and a fight on a military cargo plane.  I think this move has a very satisfying conclusion for Sarah and, while there is the possibility of a sequel, I really hope that there isn't one.  I had so much fun watching this movie and I recommend it to fans of the franchise.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...