The Choral

Last night my nephew and I went to see The Choral and it should come as no surprise to anyone that I thoroughly enjoyed a British period drama (my favorite genre of movie) set during World War I (a historical period that fascinates me) about the power of art to heal (one of my favorite themes) starring Ralph Fiennes (one of my favorite actors).  Bernard Duxbury (Roger Allam), an alderman in the Yorkshire town of Ramsden, hopes to revive the Choral Society but many of their members, including their choirmaster, are now at the front.  The committee reluctantly appoints Dr. Henry Guthrie (Fiennes), despite his unpatriotic love of German composers, as the new choirmaster, opens membership to anyone willing to sing no matter their social class, and decides to perform The Dream of Gerontius by Edward Elgar (Simon Russell Beale).  Complications ensue but, when Elgar objects to the changes made to his composition in order to include a wounded soldier who has recently returned home, they lose hope.  However, it is the power of the music that ultimately overcomes all obstacles.  This is a slow and gentle movie (my nephew likened to something that would be shown on PBS) but it is ultimately very heartwarming with an incredibly poignant final scene that mirrors the theme of Elgar's oratorio.  I loved how the impact of the war on everyone in the town is portrayed and I was especially struck by two different scenes at the train station in which soldiers go off to war with much fanfare and cheering followed by the more somber arrival of soldiers coming home with devastating injuries.  I also loved a montage showing the various members of the choral society practicing in different locations around town because it shows the unifying influence of the music.  Fiennes gives an incredible performance because he is able to show so many conflicting emotions on his face at the same time, particularly a scene where he simultaneously receives permission from Elgar and news of the probable death of his lover, and I also really enjoyed Amara Okerete as a Salvation Army volunteer who performs a solo because her voice is so angelic (all of the scenes featuring music are outstanding).  Finally, the production design is absolutely beautiful and the costumes are very authentic.  I loved this and recommend it to fans of period dramas.

Is This Thing On?

Last night I went to the Broadway to see Is This Thing On? and, even though it is very predictable, there was enough humor and pathos to keep me invested.  Alex Novak (Will Arnett) is a middle-aged man who has recently separated from his wife Tess (Laura Dern) after years of growing apart and is now struggling with how to co-parent his sons Felix (Blake Kane) and Jude (Calvin Knegten) and maintain relationships with the couple's shared friends Balls (Bradley Cooper), Christine (Andra Day), Stephen (Sean Hayes), and Geoffrey (Scott Icenogle).  After an especially tense evening with Tess and their friends, he decides to get a drink but, when he doesn't have the money to pay the cover charge at a comedy club, he puts his name down for open mic night in order to get in free.  He uses his divorce as inspiration for his routine and, because he gets a few laughs, he soon has the confidence to perform regularly and finds catharsis and a new lease on life.  Meanwhile, Tess begins coaching volleyball after retiring from playing on the national team years ago to have a family.  Complications ensue when Alex and Tess start to see each other in a different light after years of taking each other for granted.  I enjoyed the dynamic handheld camerawork, particularly during the comedy routines, and the naturalistic sound design, especially in a scene at a birthday party between Alex and Balls, because they really add to the authenticity of the narrative.  The performances from both Arnett and Dern are incredibly poignant and I loved their interactions as a couple who have lost themselves but somehow find their way back to each other (they have tremendous chemistry) because they feel so honest.  I also loved Cooper as the goofy best friend because he is a perfect foil to Arnett.  Finally, I found this to be very heartwarming but it is also quite funny, especially when Alex and Tess try to hide that they are breaking up from their friends in an early scene and then conceal that they are back together in a later one.  I enjoyed this charming take on navigating a divorce and would definitely recommend it.

Note:  When I first saw the trailer, the plot reminded me of how the comedian John Bishop got his start (which I heard him talk about on The Graham Norton Show).  It turns out that the character of Alex is loosely based on his experiences and that he is also an executive producer.

Father Mother Sister Brother

I am a huge fan of Jim Jarmusch as a director and Adam Driver as an actor (their first collaboration, Paterson, is one of my very favorite comfort watches) so I was excited to see Father Mother Sister Brother at the Broadway with my nephew last night.  I thoroughly enjoyed this gentle exploration of complicated family relationships.  Siblings Jeff (Driver) and Emily (Mayim Bialik) travel to visit their eccentric and reclusive father (Tom Waits) because they believe he is lonely and are worried about how he is supporting himself after the death of their mother.  It is revealed that Jeff has been secretly helping his father financially, perhaps to the detriment of his own marriage which is now over, but his father's situation may not be what it seems.  Sisters Timothea (Cate Blanchett) and Lileth (Vicky Krieps) arrive for their annual visit to have afternoon tea with their mother (Charlotte Rampling).  Their interactions, which appear overly polite and genteel on the surface, are fraught with tension because they are all hiding the true circumstances of their lives.  Twins Skye (Indya Moore) and Billy (Luka Sabbat) reunite after the mysterious death of their parents to go though their apartment and are surprised by some of their belongings.  All three narratives in this anthology have a similar theme about loving a family member without really knowing them but there are also quite a few recurring motifs that connect them (I was especially struck by all of the long awkward silences because I think that this is something most people have experienced with family members).  Jarmusch is known for his observational storytelling and this might be his most subtle (and most affecting) film yet.  I particularly loved the changing landscape outside of father's window, the overhead views of mother's flawless tea table, and the use of mirrors in the twins's apartment because these perfectly composed shots show the audience, rather than tell them, that things are not necessarily how they appear.  I also loved all of the performances because every actor uses minute changes in body language and facial expressions to convey what their character is feeling instead of dialogue and I found this to be riveting (Blanchett is absolutely heartbreaking when Timothea tries to compose herself in a bathroom mirror).  This might not be for everyone but I loved it and recommend it to fans of the director.

Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 1 & Mozart with Awadagin Pratt

My favorite composers are Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Mozart so I was thrilled to attend a Utah Symphony concert featuring all three of them last night.  The orchestra, under the baton of newly appointed Principal Guest Conductor Delyana Lazarova, began with Fantasy for Orchestra "The Rock" by Sergei Rachmaninoff.  This is a tone poem based on the short story "Along the Way" by Anton Chekhov which tells of a chance meeting between a young girl and a troubled older man who have both stopped at an inn seeking refuge from a winter storm.  The man spends the evening recounting stories from his life which reveal all of his regrets and the young girl pities him but, when the morning comes, she continues on her journey leaving him standing in the snow staring after her.  I loved the ominous motif played by the lower strings to introduce the old man, the light and airy melody played by the flute to represent the young girl, and the melancholy march played by the brass to depict the old man's sobs of desperation as she leaves him.  Next, the orchestra was joined by Awadagin Pratt for Piano Concerto No. 23 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  Pratt was very charismatic and entertaining the last time he appeared with the Utah Symphony so I was looking forward to seeing him again.  He is very creative and agile so I enjoyed watching his fingers fly up and down the keyboard, especially during the third movement.  This piece, like most of Mozart's work, is incredibly beautiful and lyrical but I particularly love the second movement because it is much more poignant with almost mournful themes played by the piano along with the clarinet, flute, and bassoon.  After the intermission, the concert concluded with Symphony No. 1 "Winter Daydreams" by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.  I had never heard this piece before but, to me, it was quintessentially Russian and I loved the inclusion of folk songs.  The first movement evokes a sleigh ride through the snow and I really enjoyed the melody played by the flute and bassoon which is then further developed by the clarinet (in my mind I could see the horses galloping as I listened).  The second movement calls to mind the vast loneliness of the countryside and I loved the stately theme played by the horns.  The third movement is playful and unpredictable (the timpani near the end was my favorite) while the final movement is almost triumphant after a somber melody played by the bassoons is followed by boisterous themes played by the entire orchestra and a dazzling conclusion featuring timpani, cymbals, and brass!  I feel like this concert was programmed just for me with all of my favorite composers (it was just missing Sibelius!) and I loved every minute!  I highly recommend getting a ticket to tonight's performance (go here).

No Other Choice

Last night my nephew and I saw No Other Choice at the Broadway and we both loved this hilarious dark comedy!  Yoo Man-su (Lee Byung-hun) is living an affluent lifestyle with his wife Lee Mi-ri (Son Ye-jin), teenage son Yoo Si-won (Kim Woo-seung), and neurodivergent daughter Yoo Ri-won (Choi So-yul) until he is fired from his job at Solar Paper after an American company buys it out.  He assures his wife that he will find another job within three months but after more than a year of unemployment she gets a job as a dental hygienist and the family is forced to cut back on all of their activities, including cello lessons for their daughter who is considered a prodigy, put their house on the market, and re-home their two beloved dogs.  Man-su finally gets an interview with Moon Paper but he is devastated when the job is given to Choi Seon-chul (Park Hee-soon) so he attempts to kill him.  However, when he realizes that the job might not go to him even if Seon-chul is removed, Man-su forms an ingenious plan to find all of the other more qualified candidates and plots to kill them, as well.  Absolute mayhem ensues but Man-su believes that he has no other choice.  I laughed out loud at all of Man-su's bumbling attempts to get rid of the competition, especially a long drawn-out sequence with his rival Goo Beom-mo (Lee Sung-min), but it is even more compelling to watch him get better and better at it.  I absolutely loved Lee Byung-hun's brilliant performance because he nails the physical comedy but he also imbues the character with a desperation that is palpable.  I also enjoyed Kim Woo-seung's multilayered performance, especially the moving scene in which she comes to the conclusion that her husband had no other choice but to do what he did.  As funny as this is, it is also a biting satire condemning corporations for discarding loyal workers, particularly in favor of automation, in the pursuit of a better bottom line and I found the commentary on late stage capitalism to be very thought-provoking.  Finally, the color palette, the dynamic camerawork, and intriguing transitions between scenes make this a visually striking movie.  I highly recommend it!