Scream

Last night my plans were unexpectedly canceled so I decided to see Scream instead.  I had initially been on the fence about seeing it because I am just a casual fan of the franchise but I have to admit that I had a blast with this latest installment!  Twenty-five years after the original murders in Woodsboro, someone wearing the Ghostface mask is once again terrorizing a new group of teens.  After her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega) survives an attack, Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) returns to Woodsboro with her boyfriend Richie Kirsch (Jack Quaid) and reveals that she is the biological daughter of the original killer Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich).  After subsequent attacks, she realizes that the victims all have a connection to the original killers so she contacts Dewey Riley (David Arquette) for help.  He then notifies Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and the three of them come to suspect Tara's group of friends, including Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding), Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown), Amber Freeman (Mikey Madison), and Liv McKenzie (Sonia Ben Ammar), because that is the formula used in the Stab movies based on events in Woodsboro.  Of course this leads to an epic, and very bloody, conclusion revealing the identities of the killers!  I absolutely loved how meta this movie is about the horror genre and the discussion that Tara has with Ghostface over the phone about the elevated horror found in The Babadook, Hereditary, and The Witch had me laughing out loud (because I love those movies).  I also found the motivation for the killings to be incredibly clever and a spot-on reflection of movie culture today (unfortunately).  Arquette, Campbell, and Cox each have a poignant moment as legacy characters but I really appreciated the fact that they play a secondary role in the plot and that the young cast is allowed to shine (I especially enjoyed Ortega and Barrera).  The kills are absolutely brutal and there were a few moments when I actually jumped in my seat.  I correctly guessed the identity of one of the killers fairly early on (I followed the formula used in the Stab movies) but I enjoyed this movie so much more than I was expecting.  I suspect that hard-core fans of the franchise will love it!

Belle

I am not a huge fan of Japanese anime, mostly because I haven't seen very much of it, but I found the trailer for Belle to be absolutely beautiful so I went to see it last night.  It is a modern retelling of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast and I loved it!  Suzu (Kaho Nakamura) is a quiet and mousy high school student who is still mourning the loss of her mother who died saving the life of a drowning child.  She used to enjoy singing and writing songs with her mother but, since her death, she has lost her love of music.  Her friend Hiro (Lilas Ikuta) encourages her to join a virtual world known as "U" because she can be completely anonymous there.  She is able to channel all of her emotions into writing songs and performing them as her avatar Belle and she becomes very popular until an avatar known as Dragon (Takeru Satoh) interrupts her performance.  A vigilante group, let by Justin (Toshiyuki Morikawa), wants to unveil him (reveal his identity) but Belle is drawn to the pain she sees in him and wants to protect him.  When she and Hiro locate Dragon in the analog world, she realizes that she must reveal her true identity to him in the digital world in order to reach him.  There are so many themes explored in this movie but the one I especially enjoyed is that it is better to be your true self than to hide behind a persona.  This is a theme that really resonates with me (go here, here, and here) and it is portrayed so beautifully when Suzu sings a song in U as herself and Belle's millions of fans support her by singing along with her.  This moment literally took my breath away!  I also enjoyed it when Suzu uses her newly acquired confidence to stand up to some cyberbullies who are harassing her for her friendship with Shinobu (Ryo Narita), the most popular boy at school, and to approach Ruka (Tina Tamashiro), the most popular girl at school.  This suggests that the online world is not necessarily such a bad place because being Belle has helped Suzu find her voice in more ways than one.  Finally, I loved that Suzu's decision to find Kei (the boy using the Dragon avatar) helps her to understand her mother's actions and make peace with her death.  The animation is dazzling (I especially loved all of the fantastical creatures in the virtual world and the ballroom in Dragon's castle where he and Belle have their iconic dance) and the music is incredible (especially "Lend Me Your Voice").  I loved this movie so much and I highly recommend it!

Note:  I saw the subtitled version (which I tend to enjoy more) but there is also an English dubbed version.

Reckless Girls

I enjoyed the Book of the Month so much I decided to renew my subscription again this year. My January selection was Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins (the other options were Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson, Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly, Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho, and The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis). I enjoyed The Wife Upstairs (a contemporary retelling of Jane Eyre) by Hawkins so I was really looking forward to this selection. Lux McAllister was at loose ends and working as a waitress in San Diego after dropping out of college to care for her dying mother when she met a wealthy and charming playboy named Nico Johannsen. He planned on sailing around the world on his boat, the Susannah, and she impulsively followed him to Hawaii to join him on his voyage. However, things don't work out as planned and she is now stuck working as a housekeeper at a resort hotel while he makes desultory attempts to repair his damaged boat. Their luck seems to change when they meet two college students named Brittany and Amma who want to hire Nico to take them to Meroe Island, a mysterious and deserted atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a grisly past. The $50,000 they are offering will repair the boat and allow them to resume their journey so Nico accepts and Lux, who is dying for an adventure, comes along. When they arrive at the island, they are dismayed to see a catamaran anchored in the harbor belonging to a wealthy Australian couple named Jake and Eliza. They all eventually become friends, especially after the four of them partake of the food and wine offered by Jake on his luxurious boat, and they enjoy their time in paradise. Soon they are joined by a mysterious stranger and the tension mounts as the island becomes less and less hospitable and secrets about each of them are revealed. The narrative alternates between Before, when each character's backstory and motivations are slowly revealed, and After, when the events on the island take place. There are also articles and interviews pertaining to the history of Meroe Island interspersed throughout which add to the foreboding atmosphere and sense of unease. Most of the characters are unsympathetic, including the main narrator Lux, but they are compelling and I was definitely invested in finding out what happens to them. Some elements of the plot do require the suspension of disbelief but I enjoyed it for all of the twists and turns and I appreciated the commentary on class and gender. I would definitely recommend this to fans of thrillers with the proviso that there is quite a bit of profanity (which, in my opinion, is used for shock value rather than character development).

A Hero

Last night I went back to the Broadway to see A Hero, another independent foreign film on my list, and I found it to be incredibly compelling and thought-provoking.  Rahim (Amir Jadidi) has been in debtors' prison in Iran for several years after being unable to repay a loan.  His girlfriend Farkhondeh (Sahar Goldust) found a purse full of gold coins at a bus stop and wants him to use them to pay back his creditor Bahram (Mohsen Tanabandeh).  He is allowed two days leave from prison and attempts to sell the gold coins but, because of fluctuating prices, it isn't enough to pay the entire debt and he doesn't have anyone to provide a guarantee for the remaining balance.  He starts to have second thoughts and decides to find the owner of the purse and return it.  When the administrators of the prison learn about what he has done, they contact the media to interview him for a human interest story because they need some good publicity and he becomes a celebrity of sorts.  He is given leave from prison again, a charity raises money to help him pay back the debt, and the local council offers him a job.  However, several minor inconsistencies in the story come to light which threaten to turn public opinion against him and things quickly spiral out of control.  I found the character of Bahram to be the most fascinating because he is viewed as the villain of the story just for wanting what is rightfully his and questions why Rahim is being celebrated for simply doing the right thing.  I also really enjoyed the moral ambiguity surrounding all of Rahim's actions because he often does the right thing but for the wrong reasons and it made me think about what I would do if faced with a similar situation.  I think the emphasis on social media is really interesting because it gives an exaggerated view of both Rahim's heroism and duplicity and it shows how easy it is to change public opinion with a rumor.  Jadidi is incredibly appealing in this role and he is somehow very sympathetic even when Rahim makes one bad decision after another.   This is a simple story with complex themes and I highly recommend it.

Drive My Car

There were quite a few new releases at my favorite art house theater this weekend but Drive My Car has received so much critical acclaim lately (including the Golden Globe for best foreign language film) that it was on the top of my list last night.  Yusuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima), a theater actor and director, and Oto (Reika Kirishima), a television screenwriter, are a married couple with a complicated relationship living in Tokyo.  He eventually discovers that she is having an affair with a young actor named Koji Takatsuki (Masaki Okada) but he chooses to ignore it and rebuffs her attempt to discuss it.  When she dies unexpectedly of a brain hemorrhage, he takes a job directing a multilingual version of the play Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov at a prestigious festival in Hiroshima.  He requests accommodation an hour away because it is his practice to review his lines by listening to a cassette tape of the play recorded by Oto while driving but, for liability reasons, the festival organizers insist that he have a driver at all times and hire Misaki Watari (Toko Miura), a taciturn young woman who is also mourning the death of a loved one, to drive him.  Yusuke casts his wife's lover to play Vanya, a role he once played to acclaim but can't bring himself to reprise because of the emotional weight of it, and rehearsals are fraught with tension.  As Misaki drives Yusuke to and from rehearsal, they help each other to live with their guilt and grief.  This film is three hours long, with a slow and meditative pace, but there is so much to unpack that I hardly noticed.  I was absolutely captivated by the use of Uncle Vanya as a symbol for the regret Yusuke and Misaki feel about the death of their loved ones, the use of Yusuke's Saab 900 as a symbol of both sanctuary and escape, and the use of multiple languages within the play as a symbol for the understanding the characters seek.  I loved the emotionally restrained performances of Nishijima and Miura because their journey to self-discovery and healing is all the more poignant when it happens.  I also loved the ethereal mood of this film and the many profound silences that permeate it, including a scene where Yusuke and Misaki simply hold their lit cigarettes out of a sunroof in a moment of solidarity that needs no dialogue.  I loved this film so much and highly recommend it because it is definitely a journey worth taking.

Hamilton at the Eccles (Again)

Even though I recently saw a performance of Hamilton at the Eccles Theater, I decided that I had to see it again during the SLC run so I bought another ticket for last night.  I don't think I will ever get tired of seeing this musical and I actually anticipated every song even more than I usually do!  The standouts for me were, once again, Julius Thomas III as Hamilton and Darnell Abraham as George Washington.  Thomas has a beautiful voice and I always love his versions of "Dear Theodosia" and "Hurricane" every time I see him perform.  Abraham (one of my favorite actors in the role) is incredibly powerful in "Right Hand Man" and "One Last Time" and both of these songs gave me goosebumps and earned thunderous applause from the audience.  The role of Aaron Burr was played by the understudy, Manuel Stark Santos, and I think he did a great job.  I was especially impressed with his performance in "The Room Where It Happens" because there was a mishap with the table and he handled it so well.  I also really enjoyed his versions of "Your Obedient Servant" and "The World Was Wide Enough" because I could really feel his anger and then his remorse.  The role of Eliza was also portrayed by the understudy, Milika Cheree (she played Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds the last time I saw it), and I honestly preferred her to Victoria Ann Scovens.  Her characterization of Eliza was different than any I have seen before and I loved her renditions of "Helpless" and "That Would Be Enough" but her performance of "Burn" was so powerful that I had a tear in my eye (that has never happened before).  I was less than enthusiastic about Rick Negron as King George when I saw him last time and, while he is definitely not as flamboyant as others I have seen in the role, he grew on me last night.  I laughed at his shenanigans during "I Know Him" and "The Reynolds Pamphlet."  I also really enjoyed watching Paris Nix as Thomas Jefferson.  I thought he was fine in his previous performance but last night he really seemed to feed off of the crowd, especially in "What'd I Miss," "Washington On Your Side," "The Reynolds Pamphlet," and "The Election of 1800" (I loved his reaction to winning the election).  The crowd last night was really boisterous and appreciative and even applauded in the middle of songs, particularly when Washington stormed the stage in "Right Hand Man" and during the dance break in "Yorktown."  I loved the energy and it was so much fun to be a part of it.  I am so glad that I had the opportunity to see it again!

Note:  I love that I ended 2021 and began 2022 by seeing my favorite musical!

Robert Trevino Conducts Walker, Grieg & Stravinsky

I was so happy to be back at Abravanel Hall last night for my first Utah Symphony concert of 2022 because it was absolutely amazing!  The orchestra began with Sinfonia No 4 "Strands" by George Walker.  I was not at all familiar with this piece (or this composer) but I really enjoyed it because it is very dramatic.  I particularly loved a theme played by a solo cello as well as themes played by the timpani and percussion, especially the gong at the end.  Next came Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto.  I was really excited for this because it is one of my favorite pieces and the orchestra and soloist Benjamin Grosvenor performed it brilliantly.  The instantly recognizable opening notes played by the piano gave me goosebumps and each successive repetition of the theme during the first movement was equally thrilling (the entire audience gave a rousing round of applause after this movement).  The second movement was my favorite because it is a just a bit melancholy and I loved the interaction between the piano and the solo horn.  I also really enjoyed all of the Norwegian folk dances featured in the third movement.  Grosvenor's fingers literally flew up and down the keyboard so he was very entertaining to watch.  He received a well-deserved standing ovation after which he performed a beautiful encore featuring Dance of the Beautiful Maiden by Alberto Ginastera.  After the intermission, the concert concluded with Petrouchka by Igor Stravinsky.  This ballet tells the story of three puppets who are brought to life at a fair in St. Petersburg and Stravinsky's music is incredibly stirring.  I could almost picture the action in my head as the orchestra played.  I especially loved the fanfare played by the brass to announce the carnival barker, the drum roll that announces the puppet show, and the theme played by the flutes as the puppets are brought to life.  All of the Russian folk music used as the puppets dance is quite exhilarating and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole piece.  This program will be performed again tonight and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).

The 355

I am a huge fan of espionage movies so I have been looking forward to The 355 for weeks.  I had the chance to see it last night at a Thursday preview and I was really disappointed because it is an absolute mess.  After a computer drive capable of hacking into every secure system around the world is stolen, Mason "Mace" Browne (Jessica Chastain), a CIA agent, Khadijah Adiyeme (Lupita Nyong'o), a former MI6 agent, Marie Schmidt (Diane Kruger), a German BMD agent, and Graciela Rivera (Penelope Cruz), a psychologist with the Colombian DNI agency, decide to join forces to try to recover it.  After they are betrayed by members of their own agencies, they find an unexpected ally in Lin Mi Sheng (Fan Bingbing), a Chinese MSS agent, and go rogue to recover the drive and exact revenge.  The premise is really intriguing but the execution is terrible.  The characters are very thinly drawn and there are some major pacing issues because every time I thought there was a resolution something else would happen (I lost track of how many times the agents capture, lose, and recapture the world-ending device).  By the third act I didn't care about the fate of the device or any of the characters because I just wanted it to end.  I also predicted a major plot twist early on and I was almost disappointed when I was proven right.  All of this might be forgiven if the action sequences were exciting and engaging but the cinematography and editing are some of the worst I have ever seen.  The shaky hand-held camera work (I also lost track of how many times the camera makes a 360-degree sweep around the characters) and the disorienting split-second changes in focus gave me an actual headache.  The all-star cast is completely wasted here but at least they look good in fabulous costumes (the only good thing I can say about this movie).  I definitely recommend giving it a miss!

American Underdog

I am a sucker for inspirational sports movies and I have very vivid memories of watching Kurt Warner win Super Bowl XXXIV so I spontaneously decided to see American Underdog last night.  It is a very average biopic but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it.  Warner (Zachary Levi) dreams from a very young age of becoming the MVP in the Super Bowl after watching his idol Joe Montana in Super Bowl XIX.  However, he faces many seemingly insurmountable obstacles such as being benched until his fifth year as a college athlete, not being selected during the college draft, being cut by the Green Bay Packers on the first day of training camp, being forced to stock shelves at a grocery store to make ends meet, giving up on the NFL to play in the Arena Football League, and having to prove himself over and over again to the antagonistic offensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams.  Through it all, it is his relationship with his wife Brenda (Anna Paquin) and her disabled son Zack (Hayden Zaller) that inspires him to never give up.  He is finally given an opportunity when the Rams' starting quarterback is injured in a preseason game and, despite throwing an interception during his first play, he goes on to achieve his dream.  This movie focuses more on Warner's personal life than it does on football and, while I did appreciate seeing his struggles off the field, I wish it had included more of him on the field.  The few football sequences we get are a lot of fun, especially the requisite training montage featuring "Boom" by P.O.D. and the trash talking from Ray Lewis (Nic Harris) during his first game, but the depiction of his success with the Rams feels very rushed.  I also think the use of actual footage from several key games is sloppy.  Levi and Paquin give very affecting performances but nobody else makes much of an impression (Dennis Quaid has little more than a cameo).  There are flaws but there are also quite a few stand up and cheer moments (my favorite is when a stock boy who worked with Warner puts the Sports Illustrated with him on the cover out for display) and I did enjoy it.  This might be one that you can wait to see on a streaming platform but it is worth seeing.

Note:  The one and only time I waited at the stage door was for Zachary Levi after She Loves Me on Broadway.  He signed autographs and posed for pictures with everyone in line (Jane Krakowski flounced after only a few) and I found him to be incredibly charming.

The Tragedy of Macbeth

Last night I saw my first film of 2022, The Tragedy of Macbeth, at the Broadway and I could not have picked a better one to start the year because it is a brilliant adaptation of Shakespeare's Scottish play.  After Macbeth (Denzel Washington), the Thane of Glamis, is victorious in battle, he is met by Three Witches (all played by Kathryn Hunter) who prophesy that he will become the Thane of Cawdor and the King of Scotland.  When King Duncan (Brendan Gleeson) bestows the title of Cawdor on him, he starts to believe the prophecy will eventually come true.  However, the ambitious Lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand) is not content to wait and spurs him on to take matters into his own hands.  After the brutal murder of Duncan, his son Malcolm (Harry Melling) flees and Macbeth takes the throne but he is forced to kill again and again to keep it.  Both he and Lady Macbeth come undone because of their guilt over their bloody deeds until another prophecy comes true and Macbeth is defeated by Macduff (Corey Hawkins).  This adaptation is quite faithful to the original text but the action is stripped down to just the essentials and the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are much older and the motivation for their actions is informed by their age and the notion that time is running out for them to achieve their ambitions.  Both Washington and McDormand give riveting performances and the rest of the cast is also outstanding, particularly Stephen Root in a small role as the Porter.  This film is very moody and atmospheric with black and white photography, menacing sound design, and sets that feel more theatrical than cinematic.  I loved the use of light and shadow against stark geometric shapes, especially as Macbeth walks down a long corridor to reach the king's chamber.  I also enjoyed the staging of Birnam Wood coming to Dunsinane and the fight between Macbeth and Macduff on the ramparts of the castle.  Finally, the use of birds as a portent of danger in the opening scene, as a representation of the Three Witches, and as a representation of the ghost of Banquo (Bertie Carvell) is incredibly unsettling and, therefore, highly effective.  I love the play Macbeth and this adaptation is one of the best I've seen (the people in my audience applauded at the end) so I highly recommend it.

2021: Year In Review

This has been an extremely difficult year for me (in some ways it was even harder than 2020) but there have been a few noteworthy moments with lots of outdoor performances, a few road trips, and some outstanding theatre productions.  Here are some of the highlights!

Utah Shakespeare Festival

Zion National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

Weekend Camping Trip

Capitol Reef National Park

Alanis Morissette Concert

Cats in Las Vegas

Frozen at the Eccles

Mean Girls at the Eccles

My Dad's visitation

Hamilton at the Eccles

I don't have any big plans for 2022 but my goal is try to get back to being me!  I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year!

Hamilton at the Eccles

It has been 783 days since I last saw Hamilton (in San Francisco) and I really missed it, especially since all of the plans I had to see it in 2020 had to be canceled.  The Broadway touring production is currently making a stop at the Eccles Theater and I was so happy to be back in the room where it happens again last night!  I love this musical so much and I eagerly anticipated every single song as much as I did the first time I saw it!  I was practically hyperventilating by the time I heard the opening notes of "Alexander Hamilton."  I really enjoyed Julius Thomas III as Hamilton.  When I saw a production in Las Vegas a few years ago, I was really looking forward to seeing Joseph Morales in the lead role and was a bit disappointed to learn that the understudy was performing.  However, I immediately changed my mind because the understudy was Thomas and he has a beautiful voice!  Last night I was especially impressed with his versions of "Dear Theodosia" and "Hurricane."  I was also quite moved when he put is head on Eliza's shoulder during "It's Quiet Uptown" and I saw several people sitting near me wipe tears from their eyes at this moment, as well.  Donald Webber, Jr., who played Aaron Burr when I saw it in San Francisco, gave an incredible rendition of "Wait For It" and the transition from the verses to the chorus was so powerful that it received spontaneous applause!  He also sang "The World Was Wide Enough" with a great deal of remorse and that made it even more poignant than other versions I have seen.  When Darnell Abraham, as George Washington, stormed the stage during "Right Hand Man" he gave me goosebumps and this also received spontaneous applause ("We are outgunned, outmanned, outnumbered, outplanned.  We've got to make an all out stand").  I had to check to see if the roof was still attached to the Eccles Theater after "One Last Time" because his version just about blew it off.  I saw Paris Nix, as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson, in the Chicago production and I laughed out loud once again when he did the running man in "Cabinet Battle #1" last night.  With all of the discourse about understudies, standbys, and swings performing on Broadway lately, I am happy to report that DeAundre Woods, a standby, and Milika Cheree, a swing, were fabulous as Hercules Mulligan/Philip Hamilton and Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds, respectively.  I thought that Victoria Ann Scovens was a little bit weak as Eliza and Rick Negron portrayed King George as regal rather than pompous and angry rather than petulant and, as a result, much of the comic relief that the character usually provides was missing.  When I saw the filmed version on Disney+ I saw lots of little things that I had never noticed on stage before so I paid very strict attention last night.  I actually saw it when The Bullet (performed by a member of the ensemble) misses Hamilton at the beginning of "Stay Alive" and when Philip stands in the background at the beginning of the duel in "The World Was Wide Enough" and this, for some reason, thrilled me!  I really loved seeing this last night and I am happy that I had the chance to end a difficult year on a good note (literally).  Hamilton runs at the Eccles Theater through January 23 but there are very few tickets available (go here).

Favorite Movies of 2021

This year I ended up seeing 105 new releases and all but 3 were in a theater.  I really enjoyed most of what I saw so it was actually quite difficult to compile my annual list of top ten favorites but I finally narrowed it down!  As in year's past, my ranking is not based on the critical response or on box office receipts but, rather, on how much I enjoyed each movie and, as ever, it is an eclectic list.  (Click on the title to read my original review).

10.  CODA

Even though CODA is the type of formulaic coming of age story that we have all seen many times before, it is incredibly heartwarming and I absolutely loved it.  This feel-good movie features an exceptional lead performance by Emilia Jones as a young woman trying to find her place in the world as the only hearing member of a deaf family completely dependent on her for its livelihood.  It also features a delightful ensemble cast made up of deaf performers who add authenticity to the story.  I laughed out loud many times and was reduced to tears by the moving conclusion.

9.  Pig

I was not expecting to love Pig as much as I did but this powerful meditation on finding meaning in a meaningless world surprised me.  Nicolas Cage (who is hit or miss with me) plays Robin Feld, a man who goes in search of his prized foraging pig after it has been stolen, and he gives one of the best performances of his career.  This movie is a complex character study rather than a traditional revenge thriller, which might be disappointing to some, but I think it is absolutely brilliant.  While it is definitely a slow burn, everything that happens builds upon the central idea and the resolution is more hopeful than I was expecting.

8.  C'mon C'mon

Another movie that really surprised me this year was C'mon C'mon.  It took me awhile to become invested but, once I did, I found it to be an immensely moving story about what kids can teach adults and what adults can do to help the kids in their lives.  Joaquin Phoenix gives an incredibly warmhearted performance and his chemistry with Woody Norman, who is extraordinary, feels really honest and natural.  Not a lot happens but it is a beautiful film about human connection.

7.  The Power of the Dog

Many scenes in The Power of the Dog do not seem important on the surface, and could almost be called mundane, but they are fraught with tension leading to a resolution that took me completely by surprise.  Benedict Cumberbatch, in one of his best performances, is unnerving and captivating as someone who feels compelled to assert his masculinity at all times and Kirsten Dunst, in one of her best performances, is haunting as a woman who comes undone after unknowingly changing the status quo between two brothers.  I loved the beautiful cinematography and atmospheric score but, more than anything, this is one of the most thought-provoking movies I saw this year.

6.  The French Dispatch

I am a huge fan of Wes Anderson and The French Dispatch is the most Wes Anderson-like movie that he has ever made!  When the editor of the Sunday supplement to the Liberty Kansas Sun located in the French city of Ennui-sur-Blase dies, his staff picks four of the best articles to reprint for its final issue and each story has its own distinct visual style and mode of communication (my favorite is Revisions to a Manifesto).  The cast is made up of Anderson's usual roster of actors (with a few new faces) who all give humorous and quirky performances.  It is incredibly witty and I laughed out loud through the entire movie.

5.  The Last Duel

When I found out that my favorite actor Adam Driver was starring in The Last Duel, I immediately read the book upon which it is based by Eric Jager and I was captivated by the true account of the last legally sanctioned trial by combat in France during the Middle Ages.  I think the structure of this movie is brilliant because it shows each character's view the same events and the subtle differences are very powerful.  Jean de Carrouges believes he is the hero demanding justice for his wife, Jacques Le Gris believes his actions are justified, and Marguerite de Carrouges believes that she is the victim of both men.  The performances are excellent and the scenes involving medieval warfare are spectacular, especially the duel.  It is a shame that more people didn't see this because, in my opinion, it is outstanding.

4.  Eternals

The critical response to Eternals was very mixed but I loved it!  In fact, it is probably my favorite entry in the MCU.  I particularly loved how the character arcs and motivations for each of the Eternals are informed by the mythology surrounding their names.  I also loved the relationships between the characters and how they are developed in a nonlinear way throughout ancient history to build the narrative cumulatively.  Finally, I loved the philosophical debates between the characters about whether humanity deserves to be saved and I think the resolution of this question is beautiful and poignant.  Like most movies in the MCU the visuals are gorgeous, the action sequences are a lot of fun, and the score is amazing but it also the most thought-provoking entry in the franchise and I am looking forward to seeing more of these characters.

3. Dune

As a huge fan of the book Dune by Frank Herbert, I think Denis Villeneuve's adaptation is absolutely brilliant.  The message about the evils of colonialism, the oppression of indigenous peoples, and the destruction of the environment in pursuit of a valuable resource is supported by a scope that is epic with some truly spectacular and visually stunning sequences (I loved the depiction of the ornithopters and the sandworms).  The entire cast is outstanding but I was especially impressed by Timothee Chalamet's portrayal of Paul's journey from resistance to then acceptance of his destiny and Jason Momoa's depiction of Duncan's loyalty to Paul and House Atreides.  Hans Zimmer's score is incredibly atmospheric, particularly the chanting of the choir, and adds to the grandeur.  I can't wait for the next installment!

2.  The Green Knight

I love literary adaptations and The Green Knight is a bold retelling of the classic legend.  I usually do not like it when liberties are taken with the source material but the final sequence is incredible and left me sitting in the theater pondering what it means to live with honor long after the final credits rolled.  The cinematography is beautiful and atmospheric and the literal and figurative journey taken by Gawain is shown through powerful imagery and symbolism.  Dev Patel is riveting in the role and and I was spellbound by his performance.  It is a masterpiece and I love it more with each viewing.

1.  Annette

My favorite movie this year is the musical Annette.  The romance between Henry McHenry, a provocative comedian, and Ann Defransnoux, an international opera star, is incredibly surreal and fantastical as the lines between reality and performance are continually blurred.  The use of a puppet to portray their daughter Annette is absolutely brilliant because she is used by both of her parents for their own ends and becomes a real little girl only after she refuses to perform for them ever again.  Adam Driver gives a tour-de-force performance that is arguably the best of his career.  I was so impressed by his physicality in an expletive-laden and rage-fueled rant during a comedy routine and by his singing ability, especially in the emotionally charged "Stepping Back in Time" and "Sympathy for the Abyss."  This is one of the most thought-provoking movies I have ever seen with music (written by Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks) that I can't get out of my head.  Every time I watch it, I find something new that blows my mind!

Honorable mentions:  Judas and the Black Messiah, In the Heights, West Side Story, The Sparks Brothers, and Raya and the Last Dragon.

Licorice Pizza

I have had the movie Licorice Pizza on my list for quite some time but, after all of the negative discourse about the age gap between the main characters and the use of racial stereotypes, I became ambivalent about it.  I eventually decided to see it last night and I ended up liking it more than I thought I would.  It is 1973 in the San Fernando Valley and fifteen year old Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman), a former child actor turned entrepreneur, is having his picture taken for the yearbook at school when he notices Alana Kane (Alana Haim), the photographer's assistant who is 25.  He is wise beyond his years, even employing his mother in one of his businesses, and she is still trying to figure life out while living at home with her parents and sisters (played by Haim's real-life family).  He asks her out to dinner and they begin a tumultuous friendship and have a series of misadventures as he starts a waterbed business and builds an arcade while she auditions for a movie role and works for a politician.  This is, essentially, a hang-out movie where not a lot happens but Haim and Cooper give incredibly charismatic and appealing (much more than I was expecting) performances so I was always invested in their fate. I also really enjoyed several hilarious cameos, particularly Sean Penn as Jack Holden, a middle aged actor who goes to great lengths to impress Alana, and Bradley Cooper as Jon Peters, Barbra Streisand's boyfriend who buys a waterbed from Gary.  The period costumes are fabulous (I was five years old in 1973 and I had a dress very similar to one Alana wears) and the soundtrack is very nostalgic (I especially loved "Let Me Roll It" by Paul McCartney and "Life on Mars" by David Bowie).  I didn't mind the age gap because the tone is so lighthearted and the romance mostly consists of an endless cycle of flirting and fighting.  I did, however, find the exaggerated Japanese accent to be quite cringe-worthy (and not really needed in the story).  I don't necessarily think this is worthy of a Best Picture nomination but I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

Nightmare Alley

Last night I went back to my favorite art house theater to see Nightmare Alley, a neo-noir thriller by director Guillermo del Toro that I really enjoyed.  After disposing of a body and setting fire to his house, Stan Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) takes a bus going anywhere and joins the traveling carnival at the end of the line owned by Clem (Willem Dafoe).  At first he does odd jobs but soon he is drawn to a clairvoyant named Madame Zeema (Toni Collette) and her mentalist husband Pete (David Strathairn).  He assists with their act and asks that they teach him their techniques for conning the audience.  When he becomes involved with Molly (Rooney Mara), a fellow performer, he suggests that they leave the carnival and use these techniques in a more lucrative setting and she eventually agrees.  After a psychologist named Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett) attempts to expose him during a performance in a swanky nightclub, Stan conspires with her to con Ezra Grindle (Richard Jenkins), a wealthy but dangerous businessman with a secret only she knows.  But who is conning who?   Del Toro once again effectively emphasizes that monsters are often not who or what we think they are and I loved the juxtaposition between the grotesque at the carnival and the glittering Art Deco interiors in the city.  I also really enjoyed the stylized cinematography, the atmospheric lighting design, and the menacing sound design.  The entire cast is outstanding but Cooper is particularly good as a man who cannot outrun his past (his performance in the final scene is absolutely devastating) and Blanchett is the perfect femme fatale.  It is absolutely fascinating to watch them manipulate each other.  If you are a fan of del Toro, you are sure to enjoy this mesmerizing tale about the dark side of human nature. 

The Lost Daughter

During the week between Christmas and New Year's I love going to see as many movies as I can and, now that I have seen most of the big Christmas releases, I have quite a few independent films on my list.  Last night I returned to my favorite art house theater for the first time since the pandemic began to see The Lost Daughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut.  Leda Caruso (Olivia Colman) is a professor of comparative literature on holiday alone at a resort on a Greek island.  While she is sunbathing peacefully, the beach is invaded by a large and boisterous family and she immediately becomes fixated on a young woman named Nina (Dakota Johnson) and her three-year-old daughter Elena (Athena Martin).  She sees that Nina is unhappy in her role as a mother and this brings up memories of her own claustrophobia as a young mother (played by Jessie Buckley) juggling her responsibilities to her daughters with a promising academic career.  When Leda sees Nina becoming involved with Will (Paul Mescal), an employee of the resort, she fears that Nina will repeat the mistakes of her past when she chose an affair with a scholar (Peter Sarsgaard) who admired her work over her daughters.  Colman gives a brilliant performance as a complex and somewhat unsympathetic character because, even though there is not a lot of dialogue, she conveys everything that Leda is thinking and feeling with just an expression.  Johnson and Buckley are also superb at portraying the feeling of being trapped by the responsibility of motherhood and the societal expectations that come with this role.  Gyllenhaal infuses every shot with a tension that is palpable, especially with regards to a certain prop.  There were many times when I felt that Leda was in danger and this uncertainty kept me completely riveted.  To be sure, this is a psychological character study with a narrative that is often very ambiguous rather than straightforward but I liked it and would recommend it.

Sing 2

Last night Marilyn and I took Sean and Tashena to see Sing 2 and we had so much fun.  I really enjoyed the first movie but I think I liked this one even more!  Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) and his troupe have a hit show at his newly renovated theater but he aspires to greater things.  When a talent scout named Suki (Chelsea Peretti) dismisses him as a small-time player, he is encouraged by his patron Nana Noodleman (Jennifer Saunders) to take the show to Redshore City and audition for an entertainment mogul named Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale).  When Crystal rejects their act, Gunter (Nick Kroll) pitches his idea for an elaborate production starring Clay Calloway (Bono), a legendary rock star who has not performed for fifteen years.  Crystal enthusiastically backs this show because of Calloway's supposed participation but each member of the troupe faces a crisis of confidence during rehearsals.  Rosita (Reese Witherspoon) is scared of heights and is unable to perform the stunts required for the show so her role is given to Crystal's spoiled daughter Porsha (Halsey), Johnny (Taron Egerton) clashes with choreographer Klaus Kickenklober (Adam Buxton), Meena (Tori Kelly) is nervous about performing a romantic duet with the self-absorbed Darius (Eric Andre), Ash (Scarlett Johansson) is disillusioned when her idol refuses to perform, Calloway must overcome the devastating loss of his muse, Porsha has something to prove to her father who believes her to be an embarrassment, and Buster feels intimidated by Crystal and wants to cancel the show.  Does this ragtag group have what it takes to make it big?  As a huge fan of Bono, I really loved Clay Calloway and, while every character has a similar arc, I especially enjoyed watching him find the confidence to perform again after a long absence.  I had a tear in my eye as he listens to the crowd sing one of his songs after fearing that he had been forgotten.  I loved all of the songs used in this movie but my niece had to tell me to stop singing when "Where The Streets Have No Name," "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of," and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" were performed and I immediately downloaded the new U2 song "Your Song Saved My Life" which was written especially for the movie.  Sean and Tashena liked this movie as much as I did (they were singing "There's Nothing Holding Me Back") so I highly recommend it as a fun movie for families to see over the Christmas break.

Christmas 2021

Christmas was a little bit subdued this year because we were missing the one member of our family who loved Christmas the most and it wasn't the same without him.  We all had fewer presents because we didn't have as much free time to prepare but we were all very happy to be together and spent a lot of time reminiscing about past Christmases.

We really enjoyed having Thanksgiving dinner from Cracker Barrel this year so we decided to do it again for Christmas dinner.  This time we chose Olive Garden and it was delicious!  Later in the evening we played Shanghai rummy again (we love playing cards).  This time Kristine won (I have had a streak of bad luck).  It ended up being a really nice day.

I hope you were able to have a wonderful Christmas with the ones you love.

Christmas Eve 2021

We have a tradition of opening one present each on Christmas Eve and it is always new pajamas.  My Mom was pretty excited about her pajamas but Sean was absolutely thrilled because his have the Flash (his favorite comic book character) on them.  After opening presents, we once again played Shanghai rummy (and ate so many treats).  It got pretty boisterous and at one point we were all laughing so hard we couldn't breathe.  It felt really good because we haven't had many opportunities to laugh for the past few months.  Trent beat all of us again but we have all vowed that he is going down when we play again tonight!