Disclosure Day

Next up in my double feature last night was Disclosure Day and I was so excited because it was one of my most anticipated movies of 2026.  It did not disappoint!  With the world on the brink of another war, Daniel Kellner (Josh O'Connor), a cybersecurity specialist for the Wardex Corporation who has stolen a piece of alien technology and multiple digital files documenting secret interactions between aliens and humans, and Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt), a TV meteorologist who discovers latent abilities to empathize with people and communicate with them in languages she doesn't understand including an alien language, form an inexplicable bond based on their own experiences with aliens.  Wardex, a covert arm of the U.S. government, has kept all of these alien interactions a secret in order to reverse engineer their technology for monetary gain and the CEO, Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth), uses the government's vast resources to pursue them in order to recover the files.  Daniel and Margaret are eventually aided by Hugo Wakefield (Colman Domingo), another whistleblower from Wardex, and they decide to release the files to the world after they realize that humanity needs the message offered by the aliens.  I really loved the story because it is filled with so much hope and I think that is something that is desperately needed right now.  The third act, especially, is really affecting and I was absolutely riveted. I also really enjoyed all of the action sequences because Daniel and Margaret have some close calls as federal agents chase them from place to place and having Scanlon use alien technology to form a bond with Daniel's girlfriend Jane (Eve Hewson) to get her to betray their location adds a lot of tension, particularly during a car chase to get away from the farmhouse where they have been saying.  I really liked the more subdued and atmospheric score by John Williams because it creates a sense of unease but it is also incredibly emotional.  Finally, the entire cast is outstanding and Blunt gives a career-best performance but I was incredibly impressed by Hewson (Jane's character arc is my favorite because she wrestles with the theological implications of knowing that we are not alone).  This will undoubtedly be one of my favorite movies this year but people who are expecting a sci-fi thriller about aliens might be disappointed with the more contemplative tone.

The Furious

Last night I went to a double feature for two movies that I have been super hyped about (but for very different reasons).  I started with The Furious and I can't remember when an audience was as vocal (with cheers, laughter, and audible gasps) as they were for this action thriller!  When a journalist named Matia (JeeJa Yanin) is captured by the child trafficking ring she has been investigating, her husband Navin (Joe Taslim) attempts to infiltrate the group in order to find her.  However, his meeting with Mr. Song (Sahajak Boonthanakit), a low-level crime boss for the organization, is interrupted by a mute and mysterious laborer (Xie Miao) looking for his kidnapped daughter Rainy (Yang Enyou).  They eventually join forces (after fighting each other in a nightclub) in their search for Matia, Rainy, and the other missing children until they ultimately meet up with the real boss Pak Lung (Joey Iwanaga) and two of his henchmen, Ho (Brian Lee) and Tak (Yayan Ruhian), in an epic final confrontation.  The action sequences are violent and unrelenting and feature some of the most innovative fight choreography I have seen (I especially loved a scene in which the father fights while holding his daughter above his head).  Characters use a multitude of weapons, both conventional and unconventional, as well as every day objects that are found close to hand (my favorites are a ladder, a bicycle chain, and a large block of ice with a corpse frozen inside).  The cameras put the audience right in the middle of the action and it is exhilarating to see the villains (and they are truly evil) get what they deserve.  I loved the performances from both Taslin and Xie because, in the middle of all of the mayhem, they imbue their characters with a bit of vulnerability.  I also really enjoyed Yang because her character is so feisty!  This is an adrenaline rush from beginning to end and I had so much fun watching it.  Fans of the genre are sure to love it and I highly recommend seeing it with the biggest crowd possible!

Back to the Future at the Eccles

I am not a big fan of adapting popular movies into stage musicals but, since Back to the Future is one of my favorite movies, I thought I would enjoy the Broadway touring production last night at the Eccles Theatre and I did! The musical follows the movie pretty faithfully, with one key change that mostly works, as Marty McFly (Lucas Hallauer) is transported to 1955 after his eccentric friend Emmett "Doc" Brown (David Josefsberg) tests his latest invention, a time machine made out of a DeLorean powered by plutonium. Marty decides to find Doc to help him get back to the future but he inadvertently disrupts the meeting between his parents, Lorraine (Kathryn Adeline) and George (Mike Bindeman), and this puts his own existence in jeopardy. Will Marty be able to get his parents back together? Will Doc be able to get him back to 1985? As with most movie to stage adaptations, most of the songs in this show are contrived and not very memorable (my favorites are "Gotta Start Somewhere," "Something About That Boy," and "21st Century") but it didn't really matter because the production itself is so much fun! The special effects are absolutely incredible, especially when the DeLorean travels to 1955, back to 1985, and then when it flies to June 11, 2026! I actually gasped out loud during these sequences because they are so immersive and I was definitely not alone! The visuals are also a lot of fun and I loved all of Doc's big production numbers, including "It Works," "Future Boy," and "21st Century," because they feature psychedelic projections and dancers dressed in gold lamé haz-mat suits, tuxedos, and futuristic lab coats, respectively. I also really enjoyed the projections used as Doc tries to harness the power of the storm as it hits the clock tower because they replicate the tension during this scene in the movie very well. One of my favorite scenes from the movie is when Marty is chased by Biff on an improvised skateboard through the town square and I wondered how that would be staged. That sequence is actually even more exhilarating in the musical because Biff (Nathaniel Hackmann) chases Marty all over the school and the scene changes happen seamlessly and in the blink of an eye with perfectly executed choreography! The performances are very much informed by those in the movie and Hallauer is incredibly appealing as Marty, Josefsberg is suitably quirky as Doc, and Bindeman is adorably awkward as George but I was most impressed by Adeline because she nails the physical comedy as the love-struck Lorraine and her renditions of "Pretty Baby" and "Something About That Boy" are highlights (she also sounds a lot like Lea Thompson). I didn't love this as much as some of my favorite shows but I definitely had a lot of fun watching it and I recommend getting a ticket (go here), especially to fans of the movie. It runs at the Eccles through June 14.

Bright Star with the JAKS Theatre Company

I was very impressed by JAKS Theatre Company's production of Hadestown: Teen Edition last year so I was very eager to see their version of Bright Star, a favorite of mine, last night at the Regent Street Black Box Theatre. Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing such enthusiastic performances from these talented young performers. After World War II, Billy Cane (Colin West) returns to his hometown of Hayes Creek to see his childhood friend Margot Crawford (Cairi Swenson) but he eventually decides to try writing at a magazine in Asheville for an uptight editor named Alice Murphy (Livy Garner). When the magazine staff teases Alice about her boring existence, she literally transforms back into the wild and rebellious girl she once was in Zebulon during the 1920s and falls in love with Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Dylan Thomas). The narrative goes back and forth between these locations and timelines as Alice learns to deal with heartache and loss and Billy learns the importance of home and the one who really loves him. Some members of the cast are stronger than others but everyone on stage gives it their all and are clearly having a lot of fun. I really enjoyed Garner's performance because her characterization is fantastic, especially her differentiation between the older and younger Alices, and she sings with an incredible amount of emotion in "Please Don't Take Him" (this song always brings me to tears and her rendition was no exception), "I Had a Vision," and "So Familiar/ At Long Last." I also really liked Lauren Hunter as Lucy Grant, because she is completely over the top (almost too much so) but that energy makes her performance of "Another Round" a definite crowd-pleaser, and Caden Feller as Mayor Josiah Dobbs, because his rich baritone voice gives him the gravitas that is needed for "A Man's Gotta Do." However, my favorite vocal performance is from Swenson in "Asheville" (my favorite song in the show) because she imbues it with such longing. The ensemble does a great job with both the exuberant choreography, especially in "If You Knew My Story," "Way Back in the Day," "Picnic Dance," and "Another Round," and the innovative staging, particularly as Billy travels to Asheville in "Bright Star" and as Mayor Dobbs makes a fateful decision on a train in "A Man's Gotta Do (Reprise)." I was also quite impressed with how efficiently they move multiple set pieces on and off stage (my favorite is a rustic wooden cabin). Finally, I love the bluegrass music in this show and I was beyond impressed by the musicians, including Jack Thomas on guitar, Daxton Feller on banjo, Izzie Kewlish on fiddle, and Jacob Stoddard on double bass, because they play live on stage (this was also a highlight of Hadestown: Teen Edition). The audience last night was filled with lots of friends and family members of the cast (I talked to a few of them sitting near me) and they should be very proud because it was a great show. I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) for one of the six remaining performances (including several matinees) through June 13.

Note:  I also really liked Hunter as Persephone and Feller as Hades in Hadestown: Teen Edition.

Power Ballad

I am a huge fan of John Carney (I really like Flora and Son but I absolutely love Once and Sing Street) so I had a lot of fun watching his latest movie, Power Ballad, at the Broadway last night.  Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is an aging American ex-pat who gave up on his dreams of being a rock star to marry Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), an Irish woman, and raise their daughter Aja (Beth Fallon) in Ireland.  He is now the lead singer of a wedding band based in Dublin but he still has dreams of writing and performing his own songs.  While at a wedding gig at a castle, he meets Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a childhood friend of the groom who was once a member of a popular boy band but is now working on a solo album.  They end up jamming all night and share the songs they are working on with each other.  When Danny returns to Los Angeles, his manager Mac Darling (Jack Reynor) tells him that his record label is not confident about his new music because they don't think he has a hit single.  He struggles to write one but, when he starts playing Rick's song "How to Write a Song (Without You)" on the piano, his girlfriend Marcia (Havana Rose Liu) loves it because she thinks it is about her.  He ends up recording it and it becomes a huge hit which reignites his career.  Rick immediately recognizes the song as his but he can't prove that he wrote it and his obsession with getting credit alienates both his band and his family.  He travels to Los Angeles to confront Danny but ultimately remembers his reason for writing the song.  I really loved the message about appreciating the life you actually have rather than mourning the life you thought you would have and I was really struck by the differences in how Rick and and Danny sing "How to Write a Song (Without You)" in the final scene.  I also liked the discussion about the high price that fame exacts when trying to stay authentic and I appreciated that Danny isn't portrayed as a one-dimensional villain.  In between the poignant moments are some hilarious ones, especially a scene in which Rick performs one of his songs at a wedding while fantasizing about adoring crowds in a large arena before realizing that the dance floor is empty.  Finally, Jonas and Rudd have great chemistry and I was really impressed with Rudd's singing chops (I can't decide whose version of "How to Write a Song (Without You)" I like better).  This is not quite as good as Once and Sing Street but I really liked it and would recommend it to fans of Carney.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at Draper Historic Theatre

I was really looking forward to seeing Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at Draper Historic Theatre last night because this show always makes me laugh. Their hilarious production definitely did not disappoint! Lawrence Jameson (Nathan Metcalf), a suave and sophisticated international con man, and Freddy Benson (Ethan Cecil), a two-bit American hustler, both find themselves on the French Riviera. They end up collaborating when Jameson gets in an awkward situation with Jolene Oakes (Madison Twede), an heiress from Oklahoma, but they both take credit when their plan is a success and eventually decide that Beaumont-sur-Mer is not big enough for both of them. They agree that the first one who cons Christine Colgate (Sophie Manzanares), the American Soap Queen, out of $50,000 can stay and the other will leave town. Hilarity ensues when Benson pretends to be a soldier suffering from hysterical paralysis, when Jameson impersonates the famous Viennese psychiatrist Christine hires to cure him, and when Muriel Eubanks (Beth Bollinger), one of Jameson's previous marks, returns to town but who is conning whom? What I enjoy most about this show is all of the physical comedy and this cast does a great job with it. Cecil, especially, is a lot of fun to watch in "Great Big Stuff," "All About Ruprecht," "Ruffhousin' Mit Shuffhausen," and "Love Is My Legs" because he is so over the top and has really funny facial expressions. I also loved Twede's energetic rendition of "Oklahoma" and Bollinger's overly dramatic performance of "What Was a Woman To Do." The ensemble in this show is another highlight and I was very impressed with how well they perform the dynamic choreography in "Give Them What They Want," "Great Big Stuff," "Oklahoma," and "The More We Dance." The costumes are a lot of fun (the ensemble have so many of them) and my favorites are the cowboy and cowgirl outfits in "Oklahoma" and the couture gowns in "Give Them What They Want." Finally, I loved the stage, which is configured as a luxurious resort with marble floors and staircases, chandeliers, and balconies covered with bougainvillea, the set pieces brought on and off stage by members of the ensemble costumed as maids and porters, and all of the projections used to denote various locations. I had so much fun watching this entertaining show ("It was a blast! It was a ball! It was a gas! I loved it all!") and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs at the Draper Historic Theatre on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays through June 20.

Pressure

I always enjoy a well-made movie about a topic I find interesting featuring an actor I like and that is exactly what I got with Pressure last night.  It is June 1944 and General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) is preparing for the D-Day invasion of Normandy which could change the tide of World War II.  Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery (Damian Lewis) is pushing for a launch on June 5 so the Allies do not lose the element of surprise but Eisenhower wants a report from his meteorological team, which consists of Colonel Irving P. Krick (Chris Messina), an American who has successfully advised him during several battles in North Africa, and Group Captain James Stagg (Andrew Scott), a Scottish meteorologist recommended by Churchill, because the operation depends upon a favorable weather forecast.  Stagg is distracted because is wife Liz (Tamsin Topolski) is heavily pregnant and immediately runs afoul of Eisenhower, his personal assistant Kay Summersby (Kerry Condon), as well as the entire team with his prickly behavior.  Frick relies on historical weather patterns and predicts clear skies for June 5, which is what Eisenhower wants to hear, but Stagg uses barometric pressure data from weather stations all around Normandy in real-time and predicts a severe storm system.  Eisenhower reluctantly calls off the invasion on Stagg's recommendation, which is ultimately proven correct, but will he believe Stagg when he forecasts a window of calm on June 6?  Even though I knew the date of the invasion as well as its outcome, I was on the edge of my seat when Eisenhower makes the decision to go or not go and when the officers wait to hear the results of the battle because the editing, which features fast cuts between images of the officers at Allied HQ, the atmospheric conditions, and the soldiers preparing to deploy and then storming the beaches, is very effective at building tension.  I have always been fascinated by World War II so I really enjoyed seeing the events leading to D-Day from a new perspective (I knew about Allied efforts to deceive Germany about the location of the invasion but I never considered the importance of the weather) and, as nerdy as it sounds, I found the process of collecting weather data to be strangely compelling.  Finally, I really like Scott as an actor and his understated performance as Stagg is one of his best, especially when juxtaposed with Fraser's brashness as Eisenhower and Messina's arrogance as Frick (one of the biggest highlights is seeing Frick and Stagg go toe-to-toe).  I thoroughly enjoyed this and highly recommend it.

Harmony at HCT

HCT is the first theatre company to get the rights to produce Harmony after its run on Broadway so I was really looking forward to seeing this new musical last night. It features music by Barry Manilow with lyrics by Bruce Sussman and tells the true story of a vocal ensemble who found great success in Germany during the 1920s but were forced to disband after the rise of the Nazis. It is one of the best productions I've seen at Hale and I loved it! Josef "Rabbi" Cycowiski (Ric Starnes) reminisces about when his younger self (Landon Horton), Bobby Biberti (Brandon LaMar Buckner), Erich Collins (Anson Bagley), Erwin "Chopin" Bootz (Jonathan Avila), and Ari "Lesh" Leshnikoff (Ben Hahn) answer an advertisement placed by Harry Frommerman (Tanner Sumens), form a six-part harmony group, practice in the empty subway, get their first gig singing back-up for Marlene Dietrich from behind a curtain, get their big break singing at a club (a mishap forces them to go on stage dressed as waiters and this gives them their name the Comedian Harmonists), and achieve international success. At the same time, Rabbi, who is Jewish, falls in love with a Christian seamstress named Mary (Megan Yates), Chopin, who is Christian, falls in love with a fiery Jewish revolutionary named Ruth (Tearza Leigh Avila), and the two couples marry despite the challenges. While the group is on a world tour, the Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler come to power in Germany and they briefly consider staying in New York but Bobby convinces them to return home. Eventually, the group must take drastic steps to protect the three Jewish members in the group and the older Rabbi laments their decision to return to Germany in hindsight because he is the only one left who remembers the Comedian Harmonists. The story is moving and surprisingly funny but, more than anything, it is a powerful reminder of what happens when good men stand by and allow evil to happen. I enjoyed the music, especially "Where You Go" when Mary and Ruth tell their husbands that they will follow them everywhere they go (one literally and one figuratively), and the performances are incredible, particularly the tight vocal harmonies in "Harmony," "Lost in Shadows," "How Can I Serve You, Madame?," "Hungarian Rhapsody 20," and "Stars in the Night." The staging is absolutely riveting and I loved the use of multilevel metal platforms, which are configured and reconfigured throughout the show, in "This is Our Time" as Ruth and her revolutionaries protest with signs and red flags while the group simultaneously celebrates an audition above them, the use of projections in "The Wedding" when a rock is thrown through the synagogue window (this is very dramatic), and the use of archival footage in "Tour of the World" as the Nazi Party comes to power while the group performs (this gave me goosebumps). The choreography is also very compelling and I was particularly struck by the use of silks when the group performs as marionettes in "Come to the Fatherland!" The period costumes, especially the Nazi uniforms and evening gowns cut on the bias, are incredibly striking as are all of the Art Deco elements used in the set design. I was so impressed by every aspect of this production and I cannot recommend it enough! Tickets may be purchased here for performances that run on the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Theatre through August 1.

Note:  Don't forget about HCT's loverly production of My Fair Lady on the Young Living Centre Stage through July 11 (go here for tickets).

Backrooms

Last night I went to see Backrooms at a late night screening and I found it very interesting and quite unsettling.  Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is an alcoholic who is angry about his recent divorce and his failed ambition of becoming an architect.  He frequently rants to his therapist Dr. Mary Kline (Renate Reinsve) and she tries to help him see how his patterns of behavior have created an endless cycle of unhappiness from which he cannot escape but she is also suffering from her own never ending loop of trauma stemming from a childhood spent with a mentally ill mother.  Clark, who is now living in the discount furniture warehouse where he works, notices flickering lights in the basement and goes to investigate which leads him to a portal to another reality filled with a seemingly endless space that reflects whoever enters it.  He wanders through a maze of rooms that are connected by long hallways before he is chased out by an unseen entity.  When Mary is skeptical about what he has experienced, he starts spending more and more time in this alternate reality and eventually becomes trapped.  Mary gets a disturbing message from Clark which prompts her to go to his warehouse to find him and she ends up in the space as his hostage.  Can she escape?  While the metaphor is a bit on the nose, I liked the exploration of how you can get trapped inside your head by memories that can be warped by time and a skewed perception.  Both Clark and Mary encounter malformed objects and people within the space because they can't remember them correctly and I was particularly struck by how Mary's experience becomes increasingly more distorted as she moves down through the levels because she has buried her trauma so deeply within her subconscious.  The visuals, which feature a drab monochromatic yellow color palette, uncanny architecture, and harsh fluorescent lighting, are incredibly disconcerting and the sound design evokes a sense of dread that is almost unbearable (I hate the buzzing of fluorescent lights so this just about drove me crazy).  The camerawork is very effective at building tension because it is from each character's POV, especially when grainy found footage is used, and you are never entirely sure what will be lurking around the corner.  Both Ejiofor and Reinsve give highly restrained performances that ground the dreamlike sequences in reality and this kept me engaged even with so much repetition in the space (see also Exit 8).  This might not be for everyone (some might find it too ambiguous) but I can't stop thinking about it!

Note:  I enjoyed this more than Exit 8 (movies about liminal spaces are having a moment) because my attention never wavered.

Tuner

I was so excited to see Tuner with my nephew at the Broadway last night because the trailer reminded me a lot of Baby Driver, a movie I absolutely love, and it definitely did not disappoint.  Niki White (Leo Woodall) was once a promising pianist but hyperacusis, a condition which makes him extremely sensitive to loud noise, forced him to stop playing.  He now works as an apprentice to a piano tuner named Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman), a friend of his late father, and he begins a relationship with a student named Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu) after he tunes a piano at her conservatory.  When Harry has a heart attack and is faced with mounting medical bills, Niki reluctantly starts working for the group of thieves, led by Uri (Lior Raz), who manipulated him into opening a safe using his heightened sense of hearing at a wealthy client's house.  While Niki is able to pay all of Harry's bills and impress Ruthie with a meaningful gift, the heists become more and more dangerous and this threatens his relationships and, eventually, his life.  I think the screenplay is very clever (there are similarities to Baby Driver but it definitely has its own vibe), especially when Niki uses Uri's criminal philosophy against him to pull a heist of his own and when he uses the music he has denied himself for so long to form a real, if bittersweet, connection with Ruthie (the final scene is exhilarating).  I loved Niki's character arc (even though it is a suspenseful heist movie with some fun romantic elements, it is mostly a compelling character study about a young man who has lost himself) and I also loved Woodall's performance because the juxtaposition between his detachment and his joy in the final scene is incredibly powerful.  Finally, I enjoyed seeing all of the moving cogs in the safecracking scenes and hearing much of the action from Niki's POV (the sound design, in both the loud and quiet moments, is incredible because it is so immersive).  This is one of my favorite movies this year and I highly recommend it!

Passenger

The second movie in my double feature yesterday was Passenger and I am definitely happy that I saw it after my most recent solo road trip!  Maddie (Lou Llobell) and Tyler (Jacob Scipio) are a couple who leave everything behind to live the so-called "van life" but it soon becomes apparent that Tyler is more enamored with the lifestyle than Maddie is.  When they are unable to stay at a planned camping spot, they end up driving on an isolated road late at night and witness a car crash.  They stop to help the driver but are unable to save him.  When Maddie looks at their dashcam footage of the crash, she sees a mysterious figure in the passenger seat of the car and then imagines that this same figure is following them.  Tyler thinks that Maddie might be making excuses to quit living on the road but, when they participate in a van life gathering, they learn about a malevolent entity known as the "Passenger" who is believed to be responsible for the disappearance of many people over the years and a woman named Diana (Melissa Leo) warns them about stopping on the road at night.  It ultimately becomes a fight for survival when the Passenger (Joseph Lopez) starts attacking them wherever they go.  There are definitely some issues, most notably the lack of a backstory to explain the origin and defining characteristics of the enigmatic Passenger and a resolution that feels rushed, but I found this to be incredibly atmospheric and scary.  The cinematography uses light and shadow to great effect to evoke a sense of dread about what might be out there in the dark.  There are also several well-composed set pieces that are almost unbearably tense, including a scene in which Maddie hears someone following her while walking through an empty parking lot to get to the van which seems to get farther and farther away, a scene in which Maddie and Tyler use the light from their movie projector to locate the Passenger stalking them at their campsite (seeing Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn's faces, as their characters from the movie Roman Holiday, superimposed on the Passenger's face is incredibly creepy), and a scene in which Maddie and Tyler have to stop to change a flat tire knowing that the Passenger is out there in the dark.  Both Llobell and Scipio do a great job communicating their terror and I liked the dynamic between their characters, especially that he believes her before he actually sees the Passenger.  I enjoyed this, and recommend it to fans of the genre, mostly because I was reminded of all the times I have driven on isolated roads by myself late at night!!

I Love Boosters

Yesterday I had another double feature in the middle of the day and I started with with I Love Boosters because I think Sorry to Bother You, Boots Riley's directorial debut, is absolutely brilliant.  As with his previous movie, I Love Boosters is full of scathing commentary that is as funny as it is thought-provoking.  Corvette (Keke Palmer), an aspiring fashion designer, and her friends Sade (Naomi Ackie) and Mariah (Taylour Paige) regularly steal, or "boost," designer clothes from high-end stores and sell them at a discount to low-income people in their community.  This is a way for Sade to earn a better living for her two children but it becomes personal for Corvette when she discovers that her favorite fashion mogul, Christie Smith (Demi Moore), has stolen one of her designs.  Now Corvette wants to target Metro Designers, a clothing chain owned by Smith, so they get jobs at one of the stores run by Grayson (Will Poulter) and plan to steal the entire inventory.  However, their plan is disrupted by an employee named Violetta (Eiza Gonzalez) who is trying to organize a strike for better working conditions at all of the Metro Designer stores and a factory worker named Jianhu (Poppy Liu) who is protesting against conditions in Smith's sweatshops in China.  They eventually join forces to disrupt Smith's fall fashion show but mayhem is caused by a teleportation device, a mysterious man (LaKeith Stanfield) pursuing Corvette, and a group of media personalities (Don Cheadle, Kara Young, Jason Ritter, and Jermaine Fowler) who are used by Smith to influence opinion.  Much like Sorry to Bother You, this is an indictment of late-stage capitalism, income inequality, workplace abuse, exploitation, and propaganda framed as a comedy of the absurd with a wild and chaotic third act that requires a major suspension of disbelief.  This bold swing for the fences didn't work for me as much as it did in the previous movie but I really liked the surrealistic visual style, especially Smith's tilted office building, and the hyper-stylized costumes, particularly those worn in a boosting montage.  I enjoyed all of the performances (Poulter is a hoot and Cheadle is almost unrecognizable) and, even though some of the characters are not very well developed (Stansfield's character feels superfluous), the friendship between Corvette and Sade is quite poignant.  I didn't love this as much as Sorry to Bother You but I had a lot of fun with it.

Note:  My favorite scene is a documentary about Christie Smith's rise to success as a designer because it is narrated by Viggo Mortensen (I laughed out loud when I realized who it was).

My Fair Lady at HCT

HCT's production of My Fair Lady is loverly (one of the best I've seen) and it put a huge smile on my face last night! When Professor Henry Higgins (Kelton Davis) and Colonel Pickering (Mark Pulham) encounter a Cockney flower girl named Eliza Doolittle (Lisa Zimmerman) outside Covent Garden, Higgins boasts that he could pass her off as a duchess at the Embassy Ball within six months by teaching her to speak properly. Even though Eliza is a success at the ball, she only becomes a lady when she compels Higgins to treat her like one! I loved every member of this amazing cast! Higgins is kind of a problematic character but Davis portrays him with a glint in his eye and a spring in his step that makes him very appealing in the songs "Why Can't the English," "I'm an Ordinary Man," and "A Hymn to Him" and I loved his poignant rendition of "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" as well as his vulnerable delivery of the final line because it really changes the vibe of the ending (in a good way). Zimmerman, who has a beautiful voice, gives an incredibly dynamic performance as Eliza because she is feisty in "Just You Wait," "Show Me," and "Without You," charming in "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" and "I Could Have Danced All Night," and elegant in "The Embassy Waltz." I also really appreciated the gradual change in her accent during "The Rain in Spain" because this makes her transformation more believable (I usually find this to be very sudden in other productions). Duane Stephens is energetic and entertaining as Alfred P. Doolittle and Doug Wadley is absolutely hilarious as the lovestruck Freddy Eynsford-Hill (his version of "On the Street Where You Live," which is my favorite song in the show, is a lot of fun). I laughed out loud at all of their antics. Barta Heiner is an adorable Mrs. Higgins and I really enjoyed her exasperated interactions with Davis. I was impressed by the use of props in the lively choreography, particularly a large flower cart in "Wouldn't It Be Loverly," brooms in "With a Little Bit of Luck," a library ladder in "Just You Wait," and pewter mugs in "Get Me to the Church On Time." I was even more impressed by the spectacular set, especially Higgins' elaborate wood-clad study, which includes wrought iron spiral staircases leading to the second level and lots of amusing details (I tried counting all of the different clocks but eventually stopped at five), and the dazzling chandeliers (that seem to dance along with the waltzing couples) and dramatic staircase at the Embassy Ball. Finally, the costumes are gorgeous and, as expected, the gowns and hats worn at Ascot and Eliza's gown at the Embassy Ball were my favorites (I loved the use of gray rather than the usual black and white in the Ascot costumes). Every aspect of this production is outstanding (it really is one of the best versions of this classic musical that I have seen) and I cannot recommend it highly enough but act quickly (go here for tickets) because many shows are already sold out! It runs on the Young Living Centre Stage through June 11.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Part Two!

Even though I recently crossed seeing an NHL playoff game off my bucket list, a small part of me was sad that I didn't see the Colorado Avalanche compete for Lord Stanley's Cup.  I have been a fan since the Quebec Nordiques relocated to Denver in 1995 and I have so many memories of watching them in the postseason with my dad.  When both the Avalanche and the Golden Knights advanced to the second round, I realized that they might possibly play each other in the Western Conference Final and I got the crazy idea that I could see a game in Las Vegas (it is faster and easier to drive there than to Denver).  I actually started looking at tickets immediately after Vegas eliminated Anaheim and, when I found one for Game 3 that was only slightly more than the dollar limit I set for myself, I bought it in a fit of madness!  The Avalanche were down 0-2 in the series so this game was huge for them and I was both excited and anxious.  I was also a little bit intimidated to walk into T-Mobile Arena wearing the opposing team's jersey but the Vegas fans I interacted with were very friendly (the fans at the Air Canada Centre, as it was called then, were more hostile when I saw the Avs play the Leafs in Toronto) and there were a lot of other Avalanche fans at the game, especially in my section.  The first period was so much fun because the Avs came out really fired up (like the team I watched all season rather than the team I watched in the first two games of this series) and, when Gabriel Landeskog, Nazem Kadri, and Jack Drury scored really pretty goals, all of the Colorado fans around me went crazy and we high-fived each other!  I started feeling really optimistic about their chances to win this game because Vegas couldn't seem to get anything going and their one goal was waved off.  However, all of the momentum shifted from Colorado to Vegas in the second period.  Mark Stone scored a power play goal for the Knights 19 seconds in and the Avalanche completely imploded from that moment on.  William Karlsson and Keegan Kolesar scored to even it up 3-3 to end the disastrous second period.  During the second intermission I tried to resign myself to the fact that the Avalanche were going to lose the game because Nathan MacKinnon injured his knee attempting to block a shot in the last few minutes of the period but I still had a sliver of hope because I have seen them rally many times.  That hope was dashed when Tomas Hertl scored the go-ahead goal at 8:21 and Brett Howden scored an empty-netter in the last minute of the game.  I was so disheartened by the fact that the Avs blew a 3 goal lead to lose 5-3 when they have been the team to beat since the start of the playoffs.  I have never seen a team melt down so spectacularly!  It is highly unlikely that the Avs can come back from an 0-3 deficit to win the series so my only hope is that one of the teams in the east can take down the Golden Knights (they have now become my most hated team).  Even though this game was disappointing (the drive home was a long one), I am still really glad that I took this road trip because it is my goal to be more spontaneous this year.

Note:  I have now seen two Stanley Cup playoff games and, in both of them, my team was defeated by Vegas.  Grrr!

No Time for Sergeants at Parker Theatre

Last night I went to Parker Theatre's production of No Time for Sergeants and I was very excited because it had been a really long time since I had seen it (I think it was at HCT many years ago). Will Stockdale (Truman Schipper) is a simple and guileless country bumpkin from rural Georgia who is drafted into the Air Force. He immediately runs afoul of all the other recruits in his barracks except for Ben Whitledge (Zach Harvey) who is desperate for a transfer to the infantry. Will soon starts asking for a transfer, too, and his exasperated commanding officer Sergeant King (Stu Mitchell) punishes him by giving him permanent latrine duty. Will thinks it is a promotion and cleans the latrine so well that King's commanding officer notices him and learns of his excessive punishment. King must now help Will get through the classification exams or face disciplinary measures himself but Will's naivete leads to a series of misadventures. This results in King's demotion to private and his assignment to gunnery school with Will and Ben. Chaos ensues when Will and Ben are mistakenly declared dead by King after their plane gets lost during their first flight. General Bush (Tyler Oliphant) awards them a posthumous medal but, when they suddenly appear at the ceremony, Will and Ben get the transfer to the infantry that they wanted all along so Bush can avoid public humiliation and, in an ironic twist of fate, King is given a promotion to be their commanding officer. This play is so funny (the audience was laughing out loud the entire show which was a lot of fun) and the action is non-stop. The entire cast does a brilliant job with the physical comedy and I especially loved a scene involving a drunken barroom brawl and another chaotic scene aboard a plane being flown by an incompetent crew (I laughed out loud every time the characters screamed in fear). Schipper is incredibly charming as Will (he is basically the straight man in the midst of all of the mayhem) and Harvey is hilariously overwrought as Ben but Oliphant steals the show as the superficial Bush (I loved hearing him practice the same line from his speech over and over). I was very impressed with all of the elaborate stagecraft, including the lighting design, sound design, and projections, used for the plane crash and I especially loved seeing Will and Ben hanging from a parachute. The set is very clever because it consists of riveted metal panels (meant to mimic 1950s military airplanes) that move to reveal the barracks, a latrine, and various offices and the costumes include authentic-looking military uniforms. This was a great show to see Memorial Day weekend and I thoroughly enjoyed the slapstick humor from a simpler time. I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) for one of the performances on Fridays and Saturdays through June 27.

The Mandalorian and Grogu

Last night my sister, my nephew, and I went to a Thursday preview of The Mandalorian and Grogu.  I am a huge fan of the series on Disney+ and I enjoyed this even though it is basically like watching several episodes of the show on the big screen.  Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his apprentice Grogu are now bounty hunters searching for the last of the Imperial warlords on behalf of the New Republic.  Commander Ward (Sigourney Weaver) asks them to visit the Hut Twins to get information needed to capture the mysterious warlord Janu Coin (Jonny Coyne).  However, the Twins will only disclose this information if they find their kidnapped nephew Rotta (Jeremy Allen White), the son and heir of Jabba.  Djarin and Grogu travel to the planet Shakari to rescue him from the crime syndicate holding him captive but he doesn't want to go back to Nal Hutta (for reasons).  Djarin ultimately finds Coin himself to avoid having to return Rotta to the Twins but complications ensue when they seek retribution for breaking their agreement.  This does have a very episodic feel to it with lots of side quests (I even noticed when each episode could possibly begin and end) and the action sequences become a bit monotonous as Djarin fights one CGI creature after another (my favorite action set pieces are those that reference other films and shows in the Star Wars franchise, such as when Djarin and Grogu take down several AT-AT walkers, when Grogu and the Anzellans attempt to rescue Djarin, and when Ward attacks a droid army with a fleet of X-wing fighters).  I really liked Rotta's character arc as a son trying to move out of his notorious father's shadow (although I thought it was weird that Jeremy Allen White's voice is almost unrecognizable) and I absolutely loved Grogu's development as an apprentice proving himself to his master (I think the scenes in which he cares for Djarin are absolutely magical).  Another highlight is Ludwig Goransson's score, particularly during the scenes on Shakari and the scenes with Grogu on Nal Hutta (the music here is incredible because it evokes such a sense of wonder).  This is a lot of inconsequential fun and, if you are a fan of the series, you will probably enjoy it.

Note:  All I wanted from this movie was to learn how Djarin got the Razor Crest back and the explanation worked for me.

The Wizard of the Kremlin

The second movie in my double feature at the Broadway yesterday was The Wizard of the Kremlin.  I found it very intriguing because I love Russian history but also a bit of a slog to get through (can both things be true?).  An American academic named Lawrence Rowland (Jeffrey Wright) arrives in Moscow to research a Russian author when he is contacted by Vadim Baranov (Paul Dano) and invited to his isolated dacha to interview him about his former role as advisor to Vladimir Putin (Jude Law).  Barasov chronicles his rise from an avant-garde theatre director after the fall of communism to become the producer of trashy reality television during the surge in organized crime and then a media mogul as the new class of oligarchs manipulate the rule of Boris Yeltsin (George Sogis).  When the oligarchs realize that Yeltsin's health is declining, they handpick Putin, the balding and nondescript leader of the FSB, to be his successor because they think he will be easy to manage only to have him take control of the media away from them.  Baranov quickly makes himself indispensable to Putin and helps him manipulate public opinion about the Second Chechen War, the sinking of the Kursk submarine, and the invasion of the Crimea (the start of the war in Ukraine).  He also uses internet trolls to destabilize events in the West and propaganda during the Sochi Winter Olympics to change the world's perception of Russia.  However, it is his love for a woman named Ksenia (Alicia Vikander) that ultimately leads to his downfall.  Baranov is a fictionalized character (loosely based on Vladislav Surkov) who is at the fulcrum of Russian history from the dissolution of the Soviet Union to the formation of the current authoritarian regime but the narrative is simultaneously bloated with too much information and superficial without providing any insight.  My mind wandered multiple times during the endless exposition dumps.  Even though Dano, Law, and Vikander give fascinating performances (their inconsistent accents notwithstanding), their characters are very thinly drawn and I didn't really learn anything new about Putin.  I recommend giving this a miss.

Note:  I think this might have worked better as a limited series.

Omaha

Yesterday I had a double feature at the Broadway in the middle of the day (with a large group of other retired people who are now my new best friends) and I started with Omaha.  When this movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival two years ago, the filmmakers (who are from Utah) invited so many friends and family members that even pass holders were not able to get into the screening. A lot of people were really upset but I knew that it would eventually come to the Broadway so I just got in line for something else.  Needless to say, after all of that drama I was really excited to finally be able to see it but it left me feeling very bleak.  An unnamed father (John Magaro) suddenly wakes his two children, nine-year-old Ella (Molly Belle Wright) and six-year-old Charlie (Wyatt Solis), early in the morning in order to go on a cross-country road trip along with their golden retriever Rex.  Ella is immediately suspicious because he won't tell them where they are going and she starts noticing other clues that lead her to believe that something about this trip is very wrong.  It is implied that their mother is dead and that the bank is foreclosing on their house but it is obvious that their father is on edge and that he is rapidly running out of money.  They have a series of adventures, including flying a kite on the Bonneville Salt Flats, swimming in a motel pool, and visiting a zoo together, but the real reason for their trip is finally revealed when they arrive in Nebraska.  I thought that I knew where the narrative was going because, like Ella, I also noticed the clues but the resolution is somehow even worse than I was expecting and I'm not sure how I am supposed to feel about the father's actions because there is almost no context provided.  The action is very episodic and impressionistic with no exposition and very little dialogue so I was left with many questions, chief among them being why they had to go to Nebraska (this is answered in a closing title card that left me gutted as well as frustrated).  Magaro gives an incredible performance because he becomes more and more agitated as the trip goes on while trying to create happy memories with his children (it is a tightrope of emotion and he balances it well).  I was also very impressed with Wright because you can see the worry on her face even as she tries to give her father the benefit of the doubt and shield her brother from her growing suspicions (it is one of the best performances by a child that I have seen).  This is absolutely devastating but I don't think it goes far enough in its indictment of the father's circumstances.

Fiddler on the Roof at CPT

I went with both of my sisters to see Fiddler on the Roof at CPT last night and we really enjoyed this production. In my opinion, seeing this classic musical is a guaranteed fun night out and I noticed that everyone around me (the theatre was packed) had big smiles on their faces during all of the well-known song and dance numbers. I definitely had to stop myself from singing along with the cast during "Tradition," "Matchmaker," "If I Were a Rich Man," "Sabbath Prayer," "To Life," and "Sunrise, Sunset." I loved the choreography and staging because there are obvious influences from the original Broadway production and the 1971 movie but also some fun new details that keep things fresh, particularly when the women and girls circle around the praying men and boys in "Tradition," when Yente is shown alone in "Sabbath Prayer," when the townspeople come on stage to reprise "Tradition" after Tevye rejects Chava at the end of "Chavaleh," and when the Constable and soldiers escort the townspeople out of Anatevka. As always, my favorite numbers were "To Life" because the Russian dance is very high-energy and exuberant, "The Wedding" because the bottle dance is thrilling, and "Tevye's Dream" because I always eagerly anticipate seeing how Fruma-Sarah will make her entrance (when I played her I came up from Tevye and Golde's bed) and it did not disappoint because she flies and it is pretty spectacular! The set is really beautiful with an elaborate thatched-roof house made of wood that opens up to reveal the interior and other large wooden set pieces that come down from the rafters and in from the wings to become the village inn, Motel's tailor shop, and the railway station. I loved the attention to detail, especially the smoke that periodically comes from the chimney, the barrels inside the inn, and the weathered trees all around the proscenium. The costumes are also very striking and I liked the pops of green and yellow used in the women's dresses and the white tattered gown worn by Fruma-Sarah. The large puppets that feature in "Tevye's Dream" are scary but incredibly cool. Finally, the cast is outstanding! Danny Inkley is a boisterous Tevye who emphasizes the humor in "If I Were a Rich Man" and "To Life" but he is also quite vulnerable in "Do You Love Me?" (Golde is played by his wife Wendy Inkley and their interactions feel very authentic) and absolutely heartbreaking in "Chavaleh" (the crack in his voice brought a tear to my eye). I was also impressed with Jordyn Tracy, Chloe Warnas, and Maren Messerly as Tzeitel, Hodel, and Chava, respectively, because they harmonize beautifully in "Matchmaker." This production is a crowd-pleaser that the whole family will enjoy and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs on the Mountain America Main Stage through June 18.

Note:  I find it amusing that the 2026 season at CPT includes both See How They Run and Fiddler on the Roof because my two biggest acting roles to date are Miss Skillon and Fruma-Sarah (I was also in the chorus of Damn Yankees but I haven't seen that performed since my high school did it in 1985).

Les Miserables at Tuacahn Amphitheatre

Before I became obsessed with Hamilton, Les Miserables had a 30 year run as my favorite musical.  I still absolutely love it and try to see it every chance I get so I took a quick road trip to St. George yesterday for a production at Tuacahn Ampitheatre.  It was an incredible experience to see such an epic story performed against the dramatic red rock of the ampitheatre!  I have obviously seen this show many times so I really appreciated several bold changes in the staging, particularly the use of the natural backdrop in the Prologue when the prisoners in the chain gang cut the red rock into blocks using pick axes and the use of real farm animals as Valjean searches the countryside for work.  I was also struck by the inclusion of Young Eponine on the periphery in the scenes between Valjean and Young Cosette because it really adds to her characterization and I was incredibly moved when the women place articles of clothing worn by the students who died on the barricade at the edge of the stage during "Turning" and then when the students rise up from the pit to claim them during "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" (this song always makes me cry).  I had goosebumps during "Stars" because the stars projected on the red rock are so beautiful and during the final battle on the barricade because the pyrotechnics are pretty spectacular.  I was very impressed with the cast, especially with how Mindy Smoot Robbins as Fantine, Randal Keith as Javert, Kelsey Lee Smith as Eponine, David Toole as Valjean, and Coby Oram as Marius (the understudy) are able to command such a large stage by themselves in "I Dreamed a Dream," "Stars," "On My Own," "Bring Him Home," and "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," respectively.  The large LED screens feature illustrations reminiscent of the ones used by Victor Hugo in his novel and elaborate set pieces are configured and reconfigured to become the factory and waterfront in Montreuil-sur-Mer, the Thenardiers' inn, the streets of Paris, the barricade, and the sewers.  The period costumes are very much informed by those in the original production but I found the wide-legged trousers worn by the guards and sailors to be very amusing.  This is the biggest show I've seen at Tuacahn (it is even bigger than their 2008 production of Les Miserables) and it is so well-done!  It was definitely worth the four hour drive to see it and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).  It is being performed in the Outdoor Amphitheatre at Tuachan in repertory with Disney's Finding Nemo and Grease through October 23.