Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

I am mixed on the franchise (I loved Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade but I didn't care for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and I absolutely hated Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) but I was incredibly excited to see Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny last night.  While it is not quite as good as my favorites, it is loads better than its predecessor and I had a lot of fun watching Harrison Ford don the fedora in his final outing as the iconic character.  At the end of World War II, Indiana Jones (Ford) and fellow archaeologist Basil Shaw (Toby Jones) are attempting to retrieve antiquities stolen by the Nazis.  They eventually claim a part of Archimedes's Dial, which is thought to be able to predict fissures in time, and Indy decides to keep it hidden.  In 1969, Shaw's daughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) locates Indy, who has become a grouchy old man being forced into retirement from his position at Hunter College, and contrives to steal the Dial from him.  He follows her to Morocco where she tries to sell the Dial on the black market but it is stolen by Jurgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), a former Nazi who wants to use it to go back in time to win the war for Germany.  Indy, Helena, and her sidekick Teddy Kumar (Ethann Isidore) decide that the only way to stop Voller is to find the other half of the Dial before he does and an adventure around the world ensues.  I really liked the story, particularly Indy's relationship with time and his preference for history as the world changes around him.  The action sequences are exhilarating, including a thrilling fight on a moving train, a chase on horseback during a ticker-tape parade in honor of the Apollo 11 moon landing, another chase through the streets of Tangier in a motorized rickshaw, and an epic aerial battle for the ages, but I found some of the visuals to be a bit dark and murky at times.  All of the callbacks to the previous movies are a lot of fun (the crowd cheered out loud the first time we heard Indy's iconic theme and again the first time a map showing Indy's route appeared on the screen) and I found the reconciliation between Indy and someone from his past to be very affecting.  Ford at 80 years old is still every bit the action star and delivers a great performance but Waller-Bridge steals the show and her morally ambiguous character is a great foil to Indy.  This is not the best in the franchise but it is certainly not the worst and I recommend it as a fitting farewell to the character.

Note:  Harrison Ford has now reprised the roles of Han Solo, Rick Deckard, and Indiana Jones.  Who should be next?  I'm thinking Jack Ryan...

No Hard Feelings

I'm not usually a big fan of raunchy comedies but the trailer for No Hard Feelings made me laugh and I like Jennifer Lawrence so I decided to give it a go last night.  It is a definitely R-rated but it is not as crude as I was expecting and I really enjoyed it.  Maddie Barker (Lawrence) is a bartender in Montauk, New York who supplements her income by working as an Uber driver.  After her car is repossessed she fears that she will lose her childhood home without that extra money.  When she searches on Craigslist for a cheap used car she finds an intriguing proposition.  Helicopter parents Laird and Alison Becker (Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti) want someone to "date" their awkward and introverted son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) to bring him out of his shell before he leaves for Princeton in the fall and they are providing a car as payment.  She takes them up on their offer but her attempts to seduce Percy go hilariously awry so she resorts to spending time with him to form a connection.  Complications ensue!  This is quite funny with lots of laugh out loud moments but I especially liked the heartfelt interactions between the two characters.  Maddie helps Percy become more social but he also helps her realize that she is just as stunted as he is and that she needs to break free from her dead-end jobs and relationships.  Lawrence has fantastic comedic timing and she really commits to all of the outrageous physical comedy.  She has great chemistry with Feldman and he is sweetly adorable (I loved his "Maneater" scene).  This was a fun time at the movies and I think that studios should make more of these mid-budget comedies (audiences agree with me because the theater was absolutely packed on a Wednesday night during the second week of the run).  Give this one a chance!

You Hurt My Feelings

The second movie in my double feature at the Broadway last night was You Hurt My Feelings, another favorite from Sundance this year.  This is a simple, funny, and honest exploration of the ways in which we deceive the ones we love in order to spare their feelings.  Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Don (Tobias Menzies) are a loving and devoted couple living in NYC.  He is a therapist and she is an author who has just finished her latest novel but, because she is feeling insecure about it, he gives her encouraging feedback.  However, she and her sister Sarah (Michaela Watkins) overhear Don tell Sarah's husband Mark (Arian Moayed) that he doesn't like her work and she is understandably devastated.  She is not appeased when he explains that he was just trying to be supportive but then she realizes how often she has been guilty of telling little white lies to those around her, particularly her son Eliot (Owen Teague).  She also realizes that she doesn't appreciate the unvarnished truth her mother (Jeannie Berlin) tells her.  The dialogue is sharp and very witty and I laughed out loud several times, especially in the scenes involving Don's bickering patients (real-life couple David Cross and Amber Tamblyn) who are juxtaposed with Don and Beth.  The cast is wonderful (I really enjoyed the interactions between Louis-Dreyfus and Watkins because they actually seemed like sisters) and the situations are very relatable because we have all told a little white lie to avoid hurting the ones we love.  This reminded me of the kind of character-driven slice-of-life comedies about quirky New Yorkers that Woody Allen used to make.  It is charming little gem and I highly recommend it.

Past Lives

Not only is Past Lives my favorite from Sundance this year, it is my favorite movie of 2023 so far!  I had the chance to see it again last night as the first in a double feature at the Broadway and I loved it even more!  I can't imagine that another movie will overtake it (but you never know!).  Na Young (Seung Ah Moon) and Hae Sung (Seung Min Yim) are childhood sweethearts (and rivals for the best marks in school) in Seoul, South Korea.  They are separated when Na Young's family emigrates to Canada and she leaves without saying goodbye to him.  Twelve years later Na Young, who has changed her name to Nora (Greta Lee), is in college in NYC studying to be a playwright when she discovers that Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) has been trying to find her on social media.  They happily reconnect and begin spending all of their time talking and reminiscing with each other via Skype.  They eventually discuss the possibility of visiting each other but, because Nora has been accepted to a writing retreat and Hae Sung is about to do a language course in China, she thinks it best that stop talking in order to concentrate on their studies.  Twelve years later Nora is married to Arthur (John Magaro) and working as a playwright in NYC.  Hae Sung has just ended a relationship because he cannot commit to marriage and decides to vacation in NYC as an excuse to see Nora.  They spend several days together and their undeniable connection leads them to speculate about their destiny.  This is a beautiful story about two people who yearn for the past and the life they might have lived together but understand that the lives they now lead are the ones they are meant to have.  Lee and Yoo give highly nuanced performances where just a glance expresses more emotion than pages of dialogue and I especially loved a scene where Hae Sung is nervously waiting to meet up with Nora because you can see everything he is feeling from just a few gestures.  This is definitely a love story but I felt a deep emotional connection to Nora's experience as an immigrant (I even had a childhood friend that I had to leave behind in Canada and I've always wondered about him) and two incredibly poignant moments brought me to tears.  The first is when Nora tells Arthur that she is where she is meant to be because it is where she ended up and the second is when Nora tells Hae Sung that the twelve year old girl he knew was left behind in Korea.  I sometimes wish that I had stayed in Canada but I know that I am who I am today because I left and seeing Nora eventually come to the same realization was extremely cathartic for me.  The hype I felt for this at Sundance is real and I cannot recommend it enough!

Music for a Summer Night at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center

Last night I attended a free Utah Symphony concert at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center and it was a lovely evening for listening to music under the stars (one of my favorite summer activities).  The program was an eclectic one featuring composers and pieces celebrating the Americas.  It included Toast of the Town Overture by Quinn Mason, El Cumbanchero by Rafael Hernandez, Starburst by Jessie Montgomery, Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman by Joan Tower, Four Novelletten by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland, Fanfare on Amazing Grace by Adolphus Hailstork, selections from Othello Suite by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Danzon No. 2 by Arturo Marquez, Cachita by Rafael Hernandez, Huapango by Jose Pablo Moncayo, and "Techno" from Fiesta! by Jimmy Lopez.  I really enjoyed all of these pieces but my very favorite was Fanfare for the Common Man because it is instantly recognizable and the themes played by the brass and the percussion, especially the timpani and the gong, are both dramatic and majestic (despite the name).  The crowd really loved Danzon No. 2 because the rhythms were infectious!  Associate conductor Benjamin Manis was practically dancing on the podium and I particularly liked the seductive solos played by the woodwinds and a playful theme by the piano.  The concert concluded, as summer concerts often do, with an encore featuring The Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa and this got the crowd on their feet clapping along.  The cute little ladies sitting next to me were thrilled when the piccolos and the brass sections stood for their solos.  It was such a fun night!  This same program will be performed again tonight at the Waterfall Amphitheater at Thanksgiving Point.  Tickets are required for this concert (go here) but there will be fireworks afterwards!  Also, last night's concert was the first in a series of free concerts every Monday night during the summer at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center (go here for more information) sponsored by West Valley Arts.

The Last Rider

My sister Kristine has always been a fan of the Tour de France but my whole family eventually became invested in the 1989 race because of her excitement over Greg LeMond and his underdog story.  When I saw the trailer for The Last Rider, which chronicles LeMond and his uphill journey (both literally and figuratively) to win that race, I knew she would love it!  We both went to see it at the Broadway yesterday afternoon and to say that she loved it would be an understatement (I loved it, too).  The documentary briefly describes his childhood in Lake Tahoe, his beginnings in cycling as a way to train for skiing in the off season, his early successes in the sport, his pro contract with a European team, and his Tour de France win in 1986.  Then the narrative delves into the near fatal hunting accident in which LeMond was shot by his brother-in-law.  He was hit by approximately 60 pellets and suffered a collapsed lung and extensive internal bleeding.  Because of the location of some of the pellets an estimated 30 of them had to be left in his body and his recovery was long and painful and he was dropped by his racing team.  He eventually gets back on his bike and, after joining a less competitive team and riding in a few European races, he decides to enter the Tour de France without any realistic prospects of winning.  The rest of the documentary incorporates thrilling footage from the 1989 race as LeMond, two-time winner Laurent Fignon, and the heavily favored Pedro Delgado battle for the yellow jersey with interviews with LeMond, his wife Kathy, Delgado, and his former coach Cyrille Guimard interspersed.  I am a huge fan of feel-good sports stories and, even though this is a very conventional documentary, it is one of the most compelling ones I've seen!  I knew the outcome of the race and I was still on the edge of my seat at the beginning of the final stage along the Champs-Elysees (the filmmakers do a great job of building suspense by emphasizing the rivalry between LeMond and the trash-talking Fignon) and I even cheered out loud at the finish line!  Fans of cycling are sure to love this but I think it is accessible for everyone because of the inspiring story and I highly recommend it!

Note:  I was in France right before the 1990 race (which LeMond also won) and my sister asked me to try and find her some merchandise.  I couldn't find anything until I was on a coach on the way to the airport to come home.  I saw a store window full of Team Z (LeMond's team) jerseys but I couldn't stop to get one for her!

The Force Awakens in Concert

Last night I got to see The Force Awakens while the Utah Symphony played the score by John Williams live and it was so much fun!  Seeing this on the big screen again brought back memories of the excitement I felt when it was first released and hearing the music performed by the orchestra was such an immersive experience!  The First Order has risen from the ashes of the Empire and a new group of Resistance fighters emerges to defeat them, including Finn, a stormtrooper with a conscience, Poe Dameron, a daring pilot, and Rey, a scavenger who gets drawn into an adventure when she meets a droid carrying a secret.  They are helped by Han Solo, Chewbacca, and General Leia Organa but their actions are thwarted by Kylo Ren, a former Jedi apprentice struggling between the forces of good and evil.  The near capacity crowd at Abravanel Hall exploded in cheers and applause when the first dramatic note of the instantly recognizable fanfare played during the opening crawl and the applause continued when Finn, Poe, Rey, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Leia (and the Millennium Falcon) appeared on screen for the first time.  I may or may not have screamed in an embarrassingly loud voice when Kylo Ren removed his helmet!  I really love the music in this movie because it incorporates a lot of the well-known themes from the previous movies, including the ones for Luke, Han, and Leia, but also includes new themes for Kylo Ren, Rey, and Snoke.  I especially love it when the score transitions back and forth between Kylo Ren's theme and Rey's theme during their light saber duel on Starkiller Base.  I also really like the thrilling themes when Rey and Finn escape from Jakku in the Millennium Falcon, when the Resistance arrives on Takodana, and when the Resistance attacks Starkiller Base.  I enjoyed every minute of watching the movie and listening to the music and, if you have never attended a film in concert with the Utah Symphony, I highly recommend it.  The movies for next season are Black Panther, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Frozen, and Casablanca.  Go here for information on subscribing to the Films in Concert series.

Asteroid City

I am a huge fan of Wes Anderson so I have been looking forward to Asteroid City for a long time.  I had the chance to see it last night at the Broadway and it was so much fun because there wasn't an empty seat in the theater and the audience laughed out loud the whole time (so did I).  Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman), a war photographer mourning the recent death of his wife (Margot Robbie), arrives in the desert town of Asteroid City where his son Woodrow (Jake Ryan) is being honored at the Junior Stargazer Convention hosted by General Grif Gibson (Jeffrey Wright), his aide-de-camp (Tony Revolori), and an astronomer named Dr. Hickenlooper (Tilda Swinton).  He soon meets the actress Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson) who is also attending the convention with her daughter Dinah (Grace Edwards), another honoree.  A romance begins between Augie and Midge and between Woodrow and Dinah but an astrological event disrupts the convention.  A quarantine is declared and everyone, including Augie's father-in-law Stanley Zak (Tom Hanks) and his three daughters; the other honorees Shelley Borden (Sophia Lillas), Ricky Cho (Ethan Josh Lee) and Clifford Kellogg (Aristou Meehan) as well as their parents Sandy Borden (Hope Davis), Roger Cho (Stephen Park), and J.J. Kellogg (Liev Schreiber); a teacher named June Douglas (Maya Hawke) who is at the convention on a field trip with her students; and a group of singing cowboys (Rupert Friend, Jarvis Cocker, and Seu Jorge) just passing through town, is detained but given accommodation by a hotel manger (Steve Carrell).  This is a hilarious take on the ultimately futile search for the meaning of life but it is also about the power of art to explain the unexpected because the events in Asteroid City are eventually revealed to be a play.  Since this is a movie by Wes Anderson, the narrative also includes a television show (in black and white and Academy aspect ratio) about the making of the play with a host (Bryan Cranston), the playwright Conrad Earp (Edward Norton), the director Schubert Green (Adrien Brody), the revered acting coach Saltzburg Keitel (Willem Dafoe), and all of the actors (playing roles within roles).  This movie doubles down on everything Wes Anderson is known for and I especially loved the stylized and elaborate production design, the pastel color palette, the symmetrical shot composition, the deadpan delivery which belies deeper emotions (Schwartzman and Johansson are brilliant but the rest of the cast is also outstanding), the subtle humor (the astronomical ellipses made this former English teacher laugh so hard), and all of the title cards. It is a masterpiece (one of Anderson's best) and I loved it but I don't think anyone who is not already a fan of Anderson's idiosyncrasies will enjoy it.

Les Miserables at the Eccles

When I was in high school I wanted to see the musical Les Miserables more than anything I have ever wanted.  I finally had the chance on a study abroad trip to London in college and hearing those opening notes played live for the first time was an experience I will never forget!  I have now seen it at least 30 times (a conservative estimate) and I still get goosebumps when I hear those opening notes.  I had the opportunity to see it again last night since the Broadway touring production is currently at the Eccles Theatre and I loved it as much as I did the first time I saw it.  The story of Jean Valjean's redemption is so inspiring and the music is glorious (I really have to stop myself from singing every single word).  I always anticipate my favorite moments and this cast definitely did not disappoint me!  Haley Dortch (the best Fantine I have ever seen) was so beautiful and heartbreaking in "I Dreamed a Dream" that I had tears running down my face, Preston Truman Boyd (Javert) was incredibly powerful in "Stars," Devin Archer (Enjolras) made me want to stand up and cheer in "Do You Hear the People Sing," Nick Cartell (Valjean) gave a highly emotional performance of "Bring Him Home" which elicited the biggest response from the crowd all night, and Gregory Lee Rodriguez (Marius) reduced me to tears once again in "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables."  My favorite moment in the show is when Eponine sings "On My Own" and I always sit impatiently through the intermission waiting for it!  Christine Heesun Hwang gave a highly nuanced performance full of so many different emotions and I was very moved by it.  I also really enjoyed Christina Rose Hall (Madame Thenardier) because her characterization was a little different than what I have seen before.  This production features the new staging without the turntable and I actually prefer it because the sets and are much more elaborate and true to the events in the novel by Victor Hugo, especially the Prologue and "At the End of the Day."  I only miss the turntable in the scene where the barricade slowly turns after the battle to reveal Enjolras upside down holding the flag because that was so dramatic.  The projections in this newer production are also very effective and I particularly liked the different perspectives when Valjean carries Marius through the sewers and the visual effects used in Javert's "Soliloquy."  Even after seeing this show so many times I had an incredible experience last night (I will be on a high for days) and highly recommend getting one of the very few tickets available for the remaining shows (go here).  I would see it again if I could!

Oliver at HCTO

Last night I saw an absolutely wonderful production of Oliver, the musical adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens novel, now playing at HCTO.  It follows the exploits of an orphan named Oliver Twist (Oliver Bingham) who is raised in a workhouse run by Mr. Bumble (Michael Young) and the Widow Corney (Katherine Trent), is sold to an undertaker named Mr. Sowerberry (Aron Cain) and his wife (Sarah Maxwell Neipp), escapes to London where he meets the Artful Dodger (Bingham Ker) and other members of a gang of pickpockets run by an elderly criminal named Fagin (Jeff Thompson), runs afoul of a vicious burglar named Bill Sikes but is rescued by his lover Nancy (Emma Wadsworth), and is finally reunited with his long lost grandfather Mr. Brownlow (Charles Eads).  All of the big production numbers are fantastic with dynamic and energetic choreography and I especially loved "Food, Glorious Food" with the orphans, "Consider Yourself" with the Artful Dodger, You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two" with Fagin and the pickpockets, "It's a Fine Life," "Oom-Pah-Pah," and "I'd Do Anything" with Nancy, and "Who Will Buy? with the vendors.  This is the biggest cast I've seen at HCTO and the staging is very innovative with so many people on the small and intimate stage.  Speaking of which, the stage is one of the most elaborate ones I've seen at HCTO and is configured with lots of different levels depicting alleys, bridges, streets, pubs, shops, and a proper Victorian mansion.  The period costumes are beautiful and I especially loved Nancy's dress and Fagin's top coat.  Finally, I loved all of the performances!  Bingham melts you heart as Oliver and I actually had a tear in my eye during his sweet rendition of "Where Is Love?" and Wadsworth shows a lot of vulnerability in "As Long As He Needs Me" while blowing the roof off the theatre.  However, Ker steals the show as the Dodger and I was unbelievably impressed with the orphans (Tate McBeth, Travis Hanson, Nat Paxman, Tyson Russell, Leo Smith, and Clara Norris) because they are insanely talented singers and dancers.  I loved everything about this production (the kids sitting near me loved it, too) and I can't say enough about it except that you should definitely get a ticket (go here).  It runs through August 5.

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster

I had never heard of The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster before I happened to catch the trailer.  It looked really interesting so I saw it last night at the Broadway and this contemporary retelling of Frankenstein with a bit of social commentary mixed in is really good.  Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes) is a brilliant teenager with an affinity for science but she has been traumatized by the deaths caused by the gang violence and drug use that has become prevalent in the Black community where she lives.  After her brother Chris (Edem Atsu-Swanzy) is shot and killed while working for Kango (Denzel Whitaker), the local drug dealer, and her father Donald (Chad L. Coleman) begins abusing drugs as a way to deal with the tragedy, she hypothesizes that death is a disease that she can cure.  She builds a laboratory in an abandoned shed once used by the power company, collects bodies from the victims of violence around her, and eventually brings her brother back from the dead.  However, the creature that emerges from her experiment is not her brother but a monster that goes on a killing spree to exact revenge for his death.  This is a provocative take on Shelley's classic story because using the creature as a metaphor for systemic disenfranchisement is extremely effective but I wish that the narrative had explored the notion that the mad scientist is really the true monster a bit deeper than it does (the ending doesn't feel earned in my opinion).  Hayes give a riveting and multi-faceted performance as a young woman who will do anything to save her family but actually causes more harm and I also liked all of the supporting performances.  The visual effects look great, especially when the creature is brought to life, and the creature design as a shadowy hooded figure is menacing more for what we don't see than for what we do.  There are moments that are really scary with some intense body horror elements that are quite disturbing and the score, as well as the absence of sound, adds to the tension.  This is one of the better horror movies I've seen this year but, unfortunately, there has been very little promotion for it (I was the only person in the audience last night).  I definitely recommend seeking it out!

Singin' in the Rain at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

I left the property early in the afternoon yesterday because I had a ticket to see Singin' in the Rain at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse last night. I thought I would have plenty of time but I heard that Parley's Canyon was at a standstill so I detoured to Provo Canyon which was a bit out of my way but was probably faster than sitting in traffic. I had Sean tuck and roll out of my car as I drove past his house (not really), I dropped all of my camping gear in the middle of my living room, and I took the world's fastest shower but I actually made it to the show with a few minutes to spare! I'm glad I made the effort because I loved this production! Don Lockwood (Jeff Erickson) and Lina Lamont (Whitney Cahoon) are silent film stars in the 1920s working on their latest collaboration. However, when the studio decides to transition to "talkies," Lina's obnoxious voice and terrible acting threatens to ruin the picture. Don decides to dub Lina's voice with that of Kathy Seldon (Stephanie Bruckman), an aspiring actress with whom he has fallen in love, and chaos ensues when Lina finds out! I really love all of the big song and dance numbers in this show and the choreography in "Fit as a Fiddle," "Make 'Em Laugh," "Moses Supposes," "Good Morning," and "Broadway Melody" is fantastic with lots of high energy tap dancing! The highlight is definitely the iconic number "Singin' in the Rain" because it actually rains on stage as Don dances around the lamp post. I was really impressed because this is a community theater that sometimes struggles with complicated technical effects. I also really liked "You Were Meant for Me" because it is incredibly romantic (I loved the stars) with tremendous chemistry between Erickson and Bruckman. The set is simple but effective with the logo for Monumental Pictures above a red velvet curtain and an Art Deco proscenium. This becomes a sound stage where the movies are filmed and a theater where they are screened with the addition of a few set pieces. Even though there were a few technical difficulties to begin with (which were handled in a highly amusing way), I loved seeing the movie footage projected on a large screen and I laughed and laughed when Lina struggles to use a microphone.  The 1920s costumes are a lot of fun and I especially liked all of the flapper dresses and headdresses. Erickson and Bruckman are wonderful singers and dancers and, as previously mentioned, have a lot of chemistry and Cahoon is a hoot but Nick Morris, as Don's sidekick Cosmo Brown, steals the show with his comedic timing and physicality. This is definitely among my favorites from the Terrace Plaza Playhouse and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs through July 22.

Note:  When my nephew found out what play I was trying to get home to see, he started singing "Good Morning."

Quick Camping Trip

Sunday morning Kristine, Sean, and I joined Trent at the property for a quick camping trip.  It was only two days but it was so much fun!

Once we got there Sean and I took turns driving the side-by-side up several mountain trails.  It was beautiful because everything was so green from all of the recent rain and there were wildflowers everywhere.

In the evening Trent made burgers on the grill.  Everything tastes so much better outside!

We spent the rest of the evening sitting around the fire talking and laughing.  This is one of my favorite parts of camping.

After Trent made us one of his famous breakfasts yesterday morning, I found a great spot on the property to read and it was so relaxing.  The weather was absolutely perfect because it wasn't too hot and it got cool but not cold in the evening.  I am so glad I spontaneously decided to go on this little trip and I was a little sad to leave and come back home.

High School Musical at Murray Park Amphitheater

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to attend outdoor performances and one of my favorite outdoor venues is the Murray Park Amphitheater.  Last night I went there to see a production of High School Musical and not only was the show a lot of fun but it was a perfect summer night (it was warm but not too hot and, when the sun went down, it got cool enough for a light jacket).  This musical follows the popular movie of the same name and most of the teens in the audience were singing along!  The status quo has been disrupted at East High School when Troy Bolton (covered by the understudy Chase Daynes), the captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella Montez (Brooklyn Tousley), the brainy new student, decide to try out for the winter musical after spending detention with the theater teacher Ms. Darbus (Amber Kacherian).  Troy's best friend Chad Danforth (Chris Bouck), a fellow teammate, and his Dad, Coach Bolton (Kevin Elzey), are worried that his focus won't be on the Championship game and Taylor McKessie (Caroline Drake) wants Gabrielle to participate in the Scholastic Decathlon instead.  Meanwhile, Sharpay Evans (Savana Lowe) and her brother Ryan (Zac Haney), who have starred in every theater production since kindergarten, do not want to be replaced as the leads.  They all conspire to keep Troy and Gabriella from call-backs but then all of the jocks, brainiacs, thespians, and skater dudes realize that they are all in this together!  The young and enthusiastic cast does a really great job and I especially enjoyed the performances in the big song and dance numbers "Get'cha Head in the Game" (the ball handling was great), "What I've Been Looking For" (I loved the jazz squares), "Stick to the Status Quo," "Counting on You," "Bop to the Top," and "We're All in This Together."  Daynes and Tousley have really nice voices and I loved their heartfelt renditions of "Start of Something New," "When There Was Me and You," and "Breaking Free." Kacherian is a hoot as Ms. Darbus and one of the funniest scenes in the show is when she has the students act like animals while in detention (the worm steals the show).  I was particularly impressed with the live band located on stage because they sounded fantastic.  The stage is configured to look like East High School with set pieces for classrooms, the cafeteria, the gym with bleachers, and hallways (Sharpay's locker is awesome) that are moved on and off stage underneath a large red and white "E" that is illuminated after the team wins the Championship game (spoiler alert!).  The red and white costumes, including East High cheerleader uniforms, basketball uniforms, and letterman jackets, are a lot of fun.  I thoroughly enjoyed this show but, unfortunately, last night was the final performance.  However, there are lots of fun shows on the schedule this summer, including Rogers & Hammerstein's Cinderella in July and Seussical the Musical in August as well as some great concerts (go here for tickets and information).

Note:  The Broadway touring production of High School Musical came to the Capitol Theatre many years ago and my friend with whom I had tickets did not want to see it so I got to take my niece Tashena.  She was about six years old and she was thrilled!

Elemental

I went to see Elemental yesterday afternoon and I absolutely loved it because not only is the story incredibly moving (I actually had a tear in my eye during one poignant scene) but the animation is gorgeous.  Bernie and Cinder Lumen (Ronnie del Carmen and Shila Omni, respectively) leave their home in Fire Land, despite great personal sacrifice, to emigrate to Element City for a better life for their daughter Ember (Leah Lewis).  They face xenophobia from the other elements of water, air, and earth so they settle in Fire Town and keep to their own element.  They establish a successful convenience store called The Fireplace and Bernie's greatest wish is that Ember take over when she is ready.  When a water pipe bursts in the store, Ember meets Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie) and they eventually work together to stop the flooding.  They also develop feelings for one another despite Bernie and Cinder's disapproval of him because he is a water element.  Wade discovers Ember's talent for glass blowing and he encourages her to follow her passion but she feels the weight of responsibility to run the family store because her parents worked so hard to build it as a legacy for her.  Will her duty to her parents and their prejudice against water elements keep her from following her dream and finding true love?  This is very obviously about the immigrant experience and what it is like for a second-generation immigrant to grow up with the pressures of keeping the traditions of one culture alive while living in another one and I loved the message that the differences between people can also bring them together.  I also enjoyed the message that love can conquer all, especially in a scene where Ember and Wade realize that love has altered their chemistry so they can touch each other without being vaporized or extinguished (the animation in this scene is so beautiful and it took my breath away).  The world building is incredibly clever (I was especially impressed by how much Fire Town looks like its own separate neighborhood within Element City) and so is the character design (I loved the clothing worn by the fire elements).  I wasn't as impressed with the music as I usually am with a Pixar release but I loved the animation so much it didn't really matter.  This has had a very disappointing opening weekend at the box office so I definitely encourage everyone to go out and see it because, in my opinion, it is one of the best Pixar movies in recent memory.

The Lion in Winter at CPT

One of the first shows I saw at the Utah Shakespeare Festival was The Lion in Winter and I loved it so much I learned everything I could about the historical figures depicted (Eleanor of Aquitaine is fascinating). I was, therefore, thrilled when I found out that it would be performed in the Leishman Performance Hall at CPT because not only do I love the play but I also love the intimate black box theatre. I saw it last night and it is a brilliant production!  It is Christmas Eve 1183 and King Henry II of England (Nathan Riddle) has summoned his family to spend the holiday together. This includes his sons Richard (Matthew Dickerson), Geoffrey (Mark Andrus), and John (Alex Beck) as well as his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine (Leslie Barrett), who has spent the past ten years as his prisoner for staging a rebellion against him. Since the newly crowned King Philip of France (Ryan Kinville) is pressuring him to honor his alliance by wedding his sister Alais (Isabella Giordano) to the heir to the throne, Henry uses this opportunity to decide the succession. He advocates for John simply because he knows that Eleanor wants her favorite son, Richard, to be the next king. This pits brother against brother as they scheme, manipulate, plot, and form and break alliances and it is so much fun to watch! However, the real fireworks come in the scenes between Henry and Eleanor as they spar with each other. Riddle and Barrett give amazing over the top performances because everything their characters say is a calculated performance for an audience of one! They have great chemistry together and I was riveted whenever they were on stage together! The princes are the ultimate pawns in their parents' battle and I love that the characters revert to their defined childhood roles within the family (Richard is held to a higher standard, Geoffrey is ignored, and John is babied) when they are home for Christmas, much like any other family. Even though they are almost caricatures, Dickerson, Andrus, and Beck imbue the princes with moments of vulnerability, especially in a scene when Henry discovers they have all betrayed him. The intimate black box theatre lends itself very well to this family drama and I really enjoyed sitting so close to the action because I could see every facial expression. The stage is configured as if for a Shakespeare play with an upper and lower level and minimal props. I especially liked the use of long fabric panels as tapestries for the characters to hide behind. The period costumes are absolutely gorgeous and I loved all of the embellished fabrics and textures (particularly the chain mail). Everything about this production is stellar and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) for a performance in the Leishman Performance Hall through July 8. It is better than an episode of Succession!

Note:  Don't forget about the delightful production of 42nd Street also playing at CPT on the Barlow Main Stage through July 11.  Go here for tickets.

The Flash

I am a huge fan of the DCEU (I also like the MCU but I prefer DC's characters) and, since my nephew's favorite character is The Flash, we have been planning to see The Flash together for months.  We finally had the chance last night at a Thursday preview and we both loved it!  Barry Allen/ The Flash (Ezra Miller) travels back in time to prevent the murder of his mother Nora (Maribel Verdu) and the wrongful imprisonment of his father Henry (Ron Livingston).  However, when he attempts to return to the present he ends up in an alternate version of 2013 where he encounters a younger version of himself when visiting his mother.  He realizes that his actions have had terrible consequences when he sees a broadcast of General Zod (Michael Shannon) landing on Earth and is unable to locate Diana Prince/ Wonder Woman, Victor Stone/ Cyborg, or Arthur Curry/ Aquaman.  Both Barrys travel to Wayne Manor where they meet an alternate version of Bruce Wayne/ Batman (Michael Keaton) and convince him to help them find Kal-El/ Superman.  They find Kara Zor-El (Sasha Calle), a female Kryptonian and Kal-El's cousin, instead and this reconfigured Justice League has an epic showdown with General Zod and his forces.  Ultimately, Barry learns an important lesson about fate.  I really loved the story and Barry's character arc as he learns how to deal with loss is very emotional.  I am extremely frustrated by Ezra Miller's off screen behavior because they give an absolutely brilliant performance as both versions of Barry Allen/ The Flash and, while it is difficult to praise such a terrible human being, I really enjoyed how they portrayed this character.  Ugh!  I loved seeing Keaton return as Batman (and hearing his iconic theme by Danny Elfman) because I am a big fan of his version of the character!  The audience cheered out loud when he delivered some of his iconic lines.  I also loved Calle as Supergirl (she steals every scene she is in) and I hope we get to see her in this role again.  As a huge fan I really enjoyed all of the nostalgia on display and I think this is a great sendoff to the DCEU.  I also enjoyed the humor and it was really fun to see this in a crowded theater with an audience that laughed out loud many times!  I will say that some of the CGI, especially in the first act, is bad but I still loved most of the action sequences, particularly when both iterations of the Flash team up in the final act.  I am sure that there will be a lot of discourse about this movie (and I understand why) but I think it is one of the better CBMs and I am looking forward to seeing it again!

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

I am not a big fan of the earlier movies in the Transformers franchise (to say the least) but I absolutely loved Bumblebee so I was interested to see where Transformers: Rise of the Beasts would land.  I went to see it yesterday and it definitely doesn't have the same heart as Bumblebee but I didn't hate it.  A world-eating transformer named Unicron (voiced by Colman Domingo) is seeking the Transwarp Key, which can open portals through space and time, on the homeworld of the Maximals, or cyber animals, but a group of them use it to escape to Earth.  A museum intern named Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishbeck) discovers half of the key hidden in an ancient artifact and accidentally activates it which calls Autobots, who are still stuck on Earth, and Terrorcons, who are searching for it for Unicron.  Meanwhile, an ex-soldier named Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) is talked into stealing a Porsche 911 in order to sell it to pay for treatments for his younger brother who is suffering from leukemia.  When the Autobots are summoned, Noah is inside the Porsche when it is transformed into Mirage (voiced by Pete Davidson) and he is eventually recruited by Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen) to steal the key from the museum where he meets up with Elena.  They are attacked by the Terrorcon Scourge (voiced by Peter Dincklage) who steals the key but they are saved by the Maximal Airazor (voiced by Michelle Yeoh).  They eventually head to Peru in search of the other half of the key where they meet Optimus Primal (voiced by Ron Perlman) and the other Maximals.  The humans, the Autobots, and Maximals learn that they must work together to defeat the Terrorcons and keep the key from Unicron.  The story is convoluted with way too much exposition and much of the dialogue is incredibly cringe-worthy but it is still far superior to the Michael Bay movies (in my opinion).  The goofy interactions between Noah and Mirage are a lot of fun (I actually really liked Davidson's performance) and I found the juxtaposition between Noah's motivations and those of Optimus Prime to be very effective.  I also really enjoyed the final battle sequence (I love that Bumblebee now communicates with movie dialogue) because the effects look really good.  I think Bumblebee is still my favorite but I had a lot of fun watching this and recommend it to fans of big action blockbusters.

Sanctuary

The second movie in my double feature at the Broadway last night was Sanctuary.  I really enjoyed this psychological thriller until the ending derailed it for me.  Hal (Christopher Abbott) is the presumptive heir to a billion dollar chain of luxury hotels.  He likes to engage in BDSM role-playing games with a professional dominatrix named Rebecca (Margaret Qualley) but, after inheriting his father's empire, he tries to end their relationship because he feels it is no longer appropriate for such a high profile businessman. She feels that her services are what has given him the self-confidence to be a CEO and wants further compensation. They engage in a tense (but thoroughly entertaining) battle of wills in a hotel suite after one of their games in which they each vie for control with escalating stakes.  What makes this so compelling is that you never know if what is happening is real or just part of an elaborate game.  Rebecca first enters the hotel suite as a businesswoman and begins interviewing Hal for the position of CEO but then he complains that she is not sticking to the script that he wrote.  She proceeds to humiliate him because she believes that she knows what he needs better than he does.  Then a close-up of the script reveals that the entire encounter has been part of the game and this is only the first of many times that expectations are subverted.  You are literally left guessing until the final scene but, unfortunately, I found the resolution to be hurried and anticlimactic (several people in my audience groaned out loud).  The action takes place in one location with only two characters but the production design is incredibly stylish with compelling performances from both Abbott and Qualley.  Ultimately, I had a great time trying to figure out who would emerge victorious (even if I didn’t like the answer) so I would recommend it for a bit of escapist fun.

The Eight Mountains

I was really intrigued by The Eight Mountains because it won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes last year (tying with EO) so I decided to see it last night as the first in a double feature at the Broadway.  I absolutely loved this moving portrait of a 40-year friendship.  An 11-year-old boy from Turin named Pietro (Lupo Barbiero) spends the summer with his parents in a mountain village in the Italian Alps.  He soon meets Bruno (Cristiano Sassella), an 11-year-old living in the village, and they become inseparable as they hike around the mountains with Pietro's father Giovanni (Filippo Timi).  They reunite every summer until they eventually grow apart as the teenage Pietro (Andrea Palma) becomes estranged from his father and stops coming to the village while Bruno (Francesco Palombelli) continues hiking with Giovanni on his visits.  Fifteen years later, Pietro (Luca Marinelli) returns to the village after his father's death and learns from Bruno (Alessandro Borghi) that Giovanni purchased a plot of land with the intention of building a cabin on it.  The two of them spend the summer building the cabin together and, even though adventure takes Pietro around the world and domestic responsibilities keep Bruno busy in the mountains, they vow to spend their summers there.  Pietro relates a story he heard in Nepal about the world being made up of eight mountains separated by eight seas surrounding the tallest mountain.  They have a philosophical discussion about whether it is better to visit the eight mountains or to climb to the top of the tallest one which is an allegory for their lives (this reminded me of the theme in Narcissus and Goldmund by Hermann Hesse).  What I loved most about this movie is that, even though Pietro and Bruno are very different people, the friendship that is forged between them as children is genuine and they support each other through the vicissitudes of life.  Marinelli and Borghi have tremendous chemistry together (as do Berbiero and Sassella) and the friendship feels very lived in and believable.  The cinematography is simply breathtaking with vast mountain landscapes and lakes and I especially enjoyed the Steadicam shots as Pietro and Bruno hike at different times during the year.  The action is very slow (the runtime is 147 minutes) but I was never bored because I was so emotionally invested.  I highly recommend seeking this one out!

42nd Street at CPT

Last night my sisters and I went to see a fun and energetic version of 42nd Street at Centerpoint Theatre. I saw the Broadway touring production several years ago and that was a showy song and dance extravaganza where every number was completely over the top with dazzling choreography and sparkly costumes. I didn't think that a community theatre production could compare to that spectacle but I was really impressed with what CPT did with it! A young dancer named Peggy Sawyer (Kaylee Wheeler) arrives in New York City straight from Allentown, Pennsylvania in order to make her Broadway dreams come true during the Great Depression. She joins the chorus line of a brand new musical produced by Maggie Jones (Amanda Rogers) and Bert Barry (Matt Ford) and directed by Julian Marsh (Brock Harris) called Pretty Lady but when Dorothy Brock (Cynthia Klumpp), the star of the show, has a mishap on stage, she gets the chance of a lifetime! This features lots of well-known Broadway standards, including "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me," "I Only Have Eyes For You," "We're In the Money," "Sunny Side to Every Situation," "Lullaby of Broadway," "About a Quarter to Nine," "Shuffle Off to Buffalo," and "42nd Street." My sisters were really excited because, even though they weren't familiar with this show, they recognized all of the songs and I suspect fans of Broadway will enjoy hearing them, too! The choreography is a lot of fun and the insanely talented members of the ensemble execute it very well! It is so much fun to watch and I especially enjoyed it when the curtain slowly opened to reveal row upon row of tap-dancing feel at the beginning of the show! Wheeler is absolutely delightful as the ingenue Peggy Sawyer because she has a wide-eyed enthusiasm that really works for the character. She is a great dancer and has a beautiful voice (my sister wished that she had been featured more). Harris is bombastic as the impresario Julian Marsh but he has a few really tender moments with Wheeler and I loved his rendition of "Lullaby of Broadway." Klumpp commands the stage as the quintessential Broadway diva Dorothy Brock but she also shows a lot of vulnerability when a younger and more talented dancer threatens to take her place. The set, featuring the stage, back stage area, and dressing room of an Art Deco theatre, is very impressive and I especially liked the various backdrops for the big production numbers in Pretty Lady.  Finally, costume designer Brianna Taylor is to be commended for the sheer number of elaborate period costumes built for this show (and the cast is to be commended for all of the incredibly quick costume changes, too!). This is a toe-tapping old school musical that will definitely put a smile on your face. It runs on the Barlow Main Stage through July 11 (go here for tickets).

The Boogeyman

Movie adaptations of Stephen King's works are really hit or miss with me.  In my opinion, The Shining is the best and The Dark Tower is one of the worst.  Last night I went to see The Boogeyman, the latest adaptation based one of King's short stories, and I think it falls somewhere in the middle of these two extremes because I certainly didn't hate it but I don't think it will have a lasting impression.  Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and her younger sister Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair) are almost debilitated by the recent death of their mother and they are not getting much support from their father Will (Chris Messina) because he is burying his own pain in his work as a therapist.  Will is approached by an unstable man named Lester Billings (David Dastmalchian) who claims that his children were killed by a monster that is now stalking him.  When Lester hangs himself in a closet in their home, this mysterious monster begins terrorizing the family.  Sadie eventually reaches out to Lester's wife Rita (Marin Ireland) and learns that this creature lives in the dark and feeds off feelings of grief and sadness.  This movie is incredibly atmospheric with a menacing sound and light design that makes the buildup to the terror extremely effective even if it does strain credulity (why don't they just turn on the lights?).  One scene in particular, when Sawyer rolls a glowing orb down a dark hall to see if the monster is lurking at the end of it, is so scary that I almost had to cover my eyes.  However, the final confrontation with the monster is very anticlimactic after all of the terrifying shots of dark closets and the message about getting over the trauma of losing a loved one is a bit heavy handed.  All of the performances are outstanding, although the characters are not developed fully, and I was especially impressed by Blair, who is very convincing as a child suffering from night terrors, and Dastmalchian, who is equally affecting and creepy in a brief role.  This is a serviceable horror movie that I enjoyed but it is not very memorable and I recommend waiting until it is streaming.

Puffs at West Valley Arts

I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter franchise (I have read all of the books and seen all of the movies countless times and I even flew to San Francisco just to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) so I was absolutely thrilled to be able to see Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic at West Valley Arts last night! It is a really fun and clever parody of the popular series and I loved it! A Narrator (Brandwynn Michelle) introduces the audience to a brave orphan wizard with a lightning bolt scar named Harry Potter (Sofia Parades-Kenrick) but then tells us that this story is about another orphan named Wayne Hopkins (Grayson Kamel) who is also sent to the school of female magic and male magic after learning that he is a wizard. The story begins with a ceremony that sorts everyone into one of the four houses: Braves, Smarts, Snakes, and Puffs. The sorting hat places Wayne in Puffs and he is soon introduced to the prefect, Cedric Diggory (Adam Packard), and the other outcasts and misfits in this house, including Oliver Rivers (Tanner Larson), Megan Jones (Bryn Campbell), Susie Bones (Natalie Ruthven), J. Finch Fletchley (Oran Marc Di Baritault), Sally Perks (Ally Choe), Ernie Mac (Lucas Stewart), and others. Over the next seven years, Wayne struggles to learn magic and tries to protect everyone from the Dark Lord, Mr. Voldy (Adam Packard). However, he is constantly overshadowed by Harry who steals all of the attention, including the moment when the Puffs are finally allowed to shine during the three wizard tournament. Eventually he starts to feel useless but the Headmaster tells him that everyone is a hero to someone and that friendship is the most important magic! What makes this show so much fun (and so clever) is that all of the well-known characters from the books are alluded to with enough recognizable traits to know exactly who they are without naming them (my favorite is a certain potions teacher) and all of the memorable events still happen but they are shown from the perspective of secondary characters who are not involved in the action. Fans will have a blast spotting all of the references! The action is non-stop (it is almost frenetic), with most of the actors playing multiple roles (I laughed out loud when a different actor played the Headmaster in the second act), and the "magic" happens using ingenious costumes, props, and choreography rather than special effects. The ensemble cast does a great job executing all of the physical comedy with Packard as the standout for me, especially as the bumbling Mr. Voldy. The set, which consists of the great hall and the Puffs' common room on the main stage and a variety of classrooms and corridors in the castle located in areas above the wings, is incredibly simple but effective and I especially loved all of the candles floating in the rafters. I enjoyed this so much and I highly recommend it (go here for tickets), especially for fans of the series!

She Started It

My June Book of the Month selection was She Started It by Sian Gilbert (the other options were The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer, Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs, Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See, and Banyan Moon by Thao Thai). I defaulted to the thriller yet again and this twisty page-turner kept me up all night! Former school friends Annabel, Esther, Tanya, and Chloe are surprised when they receive invitations to an all-expenses-paid bachelorette weekend from Poppy Greer. The four of them often bullied Poppy at school but it was so long ago and she must have forgiven them for their little pranks by now. Besides, who could resist the opportunity to stay at a luxury resort on a private island in the Bahamas? They are discomfited to discover that they are Poppy's only guests but soon settle in for three days of sun, sand, and cocktails. However, it soon becomes clear that Poppy has arranged this weekend to exact revenge but, when one of the four is murdered, Poppy is not the only one with a motive. The narrative alternates between the POVs of Annabel, Esther, Tanya, and Chloe in the present and Poppy's diary entries about past events when they were at school. The four main characters are unlikable and unreliable narrators with lots of secrets that are revealed little by little and the diary entries cleverly inform what is happening on the island and why (although the diary entries read as if they are a creative writing project rather than the words of a young girl). The suspense builds and builds as the island is transformed from a tropical paradise into a literal prison with no way to communicate with the outside world and no way to leave. The plot is quite ingenious (I especially enjoyed how Poppy uses technology to get even with her tormentors) and there are so many twists and turns (it is really fun when the women begin turning on one another) that I actually suspected everyone at one point! I did figure out one of the biggest twists before the big reveal but it didn't detract from my enjoyment because the story is so engaging that I raced through to find out if I was right and I giggled out loud when something happened to confirm my suspicions. This is a quick and easy read that combines Mean Girls with The Lord of the Flies and I recommend it for fans of thrillers.

The Cure at the Vivint Arena

Last night I was at the Vivint Arena once again to celebrate my birthday with The Cure. I have seen them twice before but it has been a while so I was really excited for the show.  It had a completely different vibe than the Duran Duran concert did the night before but it was equally amazing.  The Cure played for almost three hours, with a main set, an encore, and a second longer encore, featuring a career-spanning mix of their biggest hits, deeper tracks, and even a few new songs (including "Alone," which opened the show, "I Can Never Say Goodbye," about the death of Smith's brother, and "And Nothing Is Forever").  My favorites were "Pictures of You," "Lovesong," "Plainsong," "Disintegration," "Lullaby," "Let's Go to Bed," "Friday I'm in Love," "Close to Me," "In Between Days," "Just Like Heaven," and "Boys Don't Cry."  All of these crowd favorites, except for "Pictures of You" and "Lovesong," were performed during the encores so the audience got more and more frenzied just as the concert concluded!  Another noteworthy moment came during "Burn" in the main set because drummer Jason Cooper gave an unbelievable performance that was featured on the screen behind him.  Robert Smith was in his usual black (although he did have a bit of red on his shirt) with wild hair, red lipstick, and eyeliner but, compared to other times that I've seen The Cure, he was positively ebullient!  He interacted with the crowd quite a bit, often walking over to the corners of the stage to make eye contact with people in the upper bowl, and he was even dancing at one point (the last time I saw The Cure at USANA he didn't move away from the microphone and didn't talk to the crowd at all).  He also sounded great with the same expressive voice that he is known for. The stage was very stripped down with just a riser for the drum kit and rows of amplifiers and guitar racks.  However, it was bathed in a wall of lights that looked really cool changing from one color to another and there was a large screen which alternated between a live feed of the band and curated images (my favorite was a large spider web during "Lullaby").  Like most of the capacity crowd, I was wearing the requisite eyeliner and Doc Martens and I had an absolute blast.  It was a great way to spend my birthday!

Duran Duran at the Vivint Arena

I have loved Duran Duran since I was a sophomore in high school but I had never seen them live before last night's concert at the Vivint Arena!  I was so excited I could hardly contain myself!  Even though they didn't play "Union of the Snake" (boo!) I loved every minute and I know I will be on a high for a long time because the show was amazing!  They began with "Night Boat" and played quite a few other songs from their debut album Duran Duran, including "Careless Memories," "Friends of Mine," "Is There Something I Should Know," "Planet Earth," and then "Girls on Film" to end their main set.  They also played "Give It All Up" and "Anniversary" from their latest album Future Past and, even though I wasn't very familiar with these songs, I really liked them.  The rest of the concert consisted of an eclectic mix of their hits, such as "Come Undone," "Lonely in Your Nightmare," "A View to a Kill," "The Wild Boys," "Notorious," "The Reflex" (which was the only song they played from my favorite album Seven and the Ragged Tiger), and "White Lines (Don't Do It)."  My favorite songs in the main set were "Hungry Like the Wolf," because it made me feel so nostalgic, and "Ordinary World," because Simon Le Bon gave such a lovely and heartfelt vocal performance after dedicating it to the people of Ukraine. As I mentioned, I was a little bit disappointed when they didn't play "Union of the Snake" because it is my favorite song by the band but I forgave them because they played "Save a Prayer" during the encore. I also really love this song and it was so cool to hear the crowd singing along and see all of the lights from phones!  They ended the show with a rousing rendition of "Rio" and this was another fun and nostalgic moment!  Simon Le Bon looked really good (sigh!) but, more importantly, he (and the band) sounded great!  I couldn't believe that I was actually so close to him (I splurged on a lower bowl ticket) and every time he interacted with the crowd I would scream like the fifteen year old girl who once had the biggest crush on him!  Compared to other shows I've seen lately they had a very traditional stage but there were giant screens behind them with lots of dynamic visuals.  My favorite was a montage of all of the magazine covers they appeared on during their heyday (I think I had all of them on my bedroom walls back in the day).  I am so glad that I finally had the chance to see one of my favorite bands after all of this time!  It was definitely worth the wait!

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

I was absolutely blown away by Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse so I was already looking forward to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse but all of the early buzz made me even more excited!  My nephew and I saw it last night and the hype is real because it is amazing!  Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is adjusting to life as Spider-Man but is struggling to balance these responsibilities with the expectations of his mother Rio (Luna Lauren Velez) and father Jefferson (Brian Tyree Henry).  Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) is facing similar struggles as Spider-Woman in her universe because her father George (Shea Whigham) is hunting Spider-Woman for the murder of Peter Parker.  When her identity is revealed to her father, she is reluctantly admitted to the Spider Society, an organization charged with protecting the Spider-Verse, by Miguel O'Hara/ Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac) and Jessica Drew/ Spider-Woman (Issa Rae).  When Miles encounters the Spot (Jason Schwartzman), a scientist altered by the explosion of the collider at Alchemax, Gwen joins him in pursuit of this villain to another universe where they are aided by Pavitr Prabhakar/ Spider-Man India (Karan Soni) and Hobie Brown/ Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya).  However, events in this universe show Miles that he must defy all of the other Spider-People to protect those he loves from the Spot. This is one of the best sequels I've seen because it expands the ideas explored in the first movie about who can be Spider-Man to include what it means to be Spider-Man and the stakes for each of the characters are much higher.  I found the narrative to be incredibly compelling because, just when I thought I knew where things were going, my expectations were subverted in the best possible way.  There is also a greater emotional weight to the tone and all of the voice actors really deliver, particularly Isaac.  The images on the screen are absolutely dazzling and, as with the first movie, I loved all of the different styles of animation used for each of the characters, particularly the watercolor palette used for Gwen and the cut-and-paste style of punk rock posters for Spider-Punk (my favorite character).  Finally, all of the Easter eggs are so much fun!  I laughed out loud every time I spotted something (I loved the Lego Spider-Man) but for every one I found my nephew, who loves the comics, found ten more!  We both loved this movie so much (go see it!) and we can't wait for Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse next year!

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical at the Eccles

Last night I saw Tina: The Tina Turner Musical at the Eccles Theatre and I found it to be especially poignant after the recent passing of Tina Turner.  This is a jukebox musical about the life of Tina Turner (Zurin Villenueva) from her humble beginnings as Anna Mae Bullock (Ayvah Johnson) in Nutbush, Tennessee to her rise to success with Ike Turner (Roderick Lawrence) and then her reinvention as a global superstar after overcoming prejudices against her race, gender, and age.  I knew that Tina was physically abused by Ike but I didn't know everything else that she endured in her life so I found the narrative to be incredibly compelling.  However, the best part of this show is the music and I think its use in a thematic order, rather than a chronological one, is very effective in giving context to her struggles and ultimate triumph.  I especially enjoyed how "Let's Stay Together," "Better Be Good to Me," and "I Don't Wanna Fight No More," show her dysfunctional relationship with Ike, how "Private Dancer" shows her years of performing in Las Vegas to pay her debts after leaving Ike, and how "We Don't Need Another Hero" shows the turning point in her life and career.  Villenueva gives a powerful vocal performance and her renditions of "River Deep - Mountain High" and "(Simply) The Best" just about blew the roof off the Eccles (and gave me goosebumps).  The choreography is energetic, to say the least, and Villenueva and Aliyah Caldwell, Reyna Guerra, Takia Hopson, and Parris Lewis (as the Ikettes) are so much fun to watch in "I Want to Take You Higher" and "Proud Mary" (the highlight of the show for me).  Because of Turner's recent passing, I've seen a lot of footage of her performances, especially during her time with Ike Turner, and I was really impressed with how well the real-life choreography and costumes are replicated.  This production makes use of projections and minimal set pieces but the final set depicting the stage of a concert in Brazil is spectacular with amazing lighting effects (it was almost like an actual rock concert with lots of enthusiastic audience participation).  This show is an incredibly moving tribute to a remarkable woman and I highly recommend it (although it features very disturbing scenes of domestic violence, lots of profanity, and the use of racial epithets which some might find upsetting).  Go here for tickets to one of the four remaining performances.

Note:  Stay through the bows for a continuation of the concert featuring "Nutbush City Limits" and "Proud Mary."