Aftersun

I was able to check off another movie on my impossibly long list by seeing Aftersun last night at the Broadway.  I loved it but it is one of the most quietly devastating movies I've seen in a long time.  Calum (Paul Mescal) takes his 11-year-old daughter Sophie (Frankie Corio), who lives with her mother most of the time, on a holiday to a run-down resort in Turkey that he cannot really afford.  He is a very young father and he seems to be struggling with life in general but it is obvious that he loves his daughter and is doing the best he can to give her a fun holiday.  There are sun-dappled vignettes where Calum and Sophie seem to be enjoying the pool, the beach, and various tourist destinations, which are often captured by and replayed on Calum's video camera, but there are also moments where Calum is alone and succumbs to despair.  Sophie is still a child but there are subtle indications that she is starting to break away from her father and to notice the darkness that he tries to hide from her, especially in a scene where she arranges for a group of tourists to sing for his birthday to cheer him up.  Interspersed between these memories are sequences in a dark nightclub with disorienting strobe lights where an adult Sophie (Celia Rowlson-Hall) searches in vain for her father (shown at the age he was when she was a child).  These seem to imply that he is no longer in her life and I kept waiting for something dramatic to happen during their holiday.  However, in my opinion, the haunting final shot is more heartbreaking than something more explicit would have been.  It can sometimes appear as if nothing is happening (it is definitely more character driven than plot driven) but I think most people's memories of childhood are episodic and fragmented so this structure is highly effective.  The hazy cinematography is also quite brilliant because images of Calum are often reflected (through mirrors, windows, water, TV screens, and table tops) to emphasize how distorted Sophie's memories of her father are.  Both Mescal and Corio, in her debut, give highly nuanced performances that beautifully capture the complexities of a relationship between a father living with regret and a daughter just starting to live.  I was absolutely gutted by this movie but it will probably be one of my favorites this year!

Cash on Delivery at the Empress

Last night I went to see the British farce Cash on Delivery at the Empress Theatre and it was so much fun!  Eric Swann (Alexander Richardson) has been defrauding the office of Social Services by accepting payments for nonexistent lodgers at his house ever since he lost his job at the Electric Company two years ago.  When Social Services becomes suspicious of so many payments being sent to the same residence, a Mr. Jenkins (Jeremy Jonsson) is sent to investigate.  Swann must enlist the help of his actual lodger Norman McDonald (Tanner Larsen) and his uncle George (Bob Skeen) in order to fool not only Jenkins but also his wife Linda (Cheryl Richardson), Norman's fiancee Brenda (Michelle Gardner), a grief counselor (Audrey Jones), an enthusiastic undertaker (Jennie Jonsson), a marriage counselor (Crystal Ahlemann), and Jenkins' uptight supervisor Ms. Cowper (Emily Jameson).  Chaos ensues as each of them are forced to tell one outrageous lie after another as well as impersonate fictional characters, including one who is supposed to have gout, one who is supposed to be deaf, and two who are supposed to be dead, until the whole thing unravels with hilarious consequences!  This show is so funny because eventually you can't remember who is impersonating whom and I, along with the entire audience, laughed and laughed at all of their antics!  Every member of the cast has brilliant comedic timing, but Richardson and Larsen are particularly fun to watch because they become more and more overwrought as their plans go awry. The fast-paced physical comedy is an absolute hoot, especially when one of the characters who is pretending to be dead is stuffed into a window seat and when all of the characters run around slamming doors.  I thoroughly enjoyed this show and I highly recommend it but it is a limited engagement so get your tickets (go here) soon.

Stephen Hough Performs Rachmaninoff

Last night I got to hear Stephen Hough, one of my favorite soloists, perform Rachmaninoff, one of my favorite composers, with the Utah Symphony and it was simply amazing!  Before the Rachmaninoff the orchestra played two pieces by Richard Wagner and I really enjoyed them both.  The first was the Overture to Tannhauser, an opera about a Medieval singer and songwriter named Tannhauser who has a virtuous maiden and a goddess vying for his love.  The music portrays his downfall into the profane and then his redemption and I found it, like much of Wagner's music, to be incredibly stirring, especially the themes played by the brass.  Next came Das Rheingold which serves as the prologue to the operas in the Ring cycle.  The piece begins with a long and sustained note from the basses which is then joined by the oboes then the horns and, finally, by the rest of the orchestra as it builds and builds.  This is meant to represent the depths of the Rhine River which hides the gold that is eventually used to make a ring to rule the world and it is quite dramatic.  I loved the sudden climax of this note followed by the introduction of the ring theme played by the woodwinds.  I also loved all of the percussion, especially the use of anvils which represents the enslavement of the Nibelungs, and the four harps which represent the churning of the Rhine in the epic conclusion.  It was so cool!  I would really love to see the Ring cycle someday (it is definitely a bucket list item).  I spent the entire intermission anticipating what was to come because I love Rachmaninoff!  Piano Concerto No. 3 by Sergei Rachmaninoff is considered by many to be the most difficult piano piece in the repertoire but Hough made it look easy with his fingers gliding up and down the keyboard at the speed of light!  I think this piece is incredibly moody and atmospheric and I especially love the main theme, which is introduced by the piano in the first movement and then repeated in variations by the orchestra throughout, because it is so quintessentially Russian.  It is very melancholy but also dignified!  I also love the romantic theme played by the piano in the second movement because it becomes increasingly more passionate and, of course, the conclusion is unbelievably exhilarating!  I loved this performance because Hough was absolutely brilliant and, as always, I highly recommend getting a ticket for the same program tonight (go here for tickets).

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Last night I went to a Thursday preview of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and I don't think I have anticipated the release of a Marvel movie more since Avengers: Endgame and I don't think I have had a more emotional experience watching a Marvel movie since then, either.  I absolutely loved it!  One year after the sudden death of King T'Challa, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) informs the U.N. of her decision not to share vibranium with the world after attempts are made to steal it.  The CIA then makes use of of a vibranium-detecting machine to search for deposits in the Atlantic Ocean but, when everyone involved in the expedition is killed by Namor (Tenoch Huerta) and his people, the U.S. government blames Wakanda.  Namor is the king of Talokan, an underwater ancient Mesoamerican civilization rich in vibranium, and he is determined to protect his people from the surface world.  He reaches out to Shuri (Letitia Wright) to form an alliance with Wakanda but she refuses because he wants to kill Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), the young M.I.T. student responsible for the vibranium-detecting machine.  In retaliation for her refusal, Namor and his people attack Wakanda with devastating consequences.  It will take the reemergence of Black Panther in order to save Wakanda.  I loved the story which features powerful themes of grief and vengeance as well as commentary on the injustice of enslaving an indigenous people for the sake of a resource.  Bassett and Wright are incredible, particularly in the scenes where they mourn T'Challa (I had tears streaming down my face multiple times and I heard audible sobs all around me) and when they show their rage.  Huerta is also outstanding and Namor, like Killmonger before him, is a compelling villain because, while he is ruthless, his motivation is understandable.  The images on the screen are absolutely gorgeous, especially the sequences under water, and I loved the world building for Talokan.  The costumes, as in the first movie, are so beautiful and I was surprised by how moved I was by the atmospheric score!  Finally, I loved the footage of Chadwick Boseman used in the Marvel title card and in a lovely montage at the end.  These scenes are a fitting tribute to the late actor and, once again, there were audible sobs from the audience.  My only criticism of this movie would be the length.  I think the CIA subplot involving Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is a bit superfluous because its only function is to set up further Marvel properties.  However, this is a worthy successor to the original movie and I'm sure that fans will love it as much as I did!

Note:  There is only one mid-credits scene (but it is really good).

Dave Matthews Band at the Vivint Arena

I used to consider myself a casual fan of Dave Matthews Band (I loved the song "Crush" and really liked quite a few others but I was never obsessed with them) but that changed when I saw them at USANA with my sister and brother-in-law a few years ago because it was one of the best shows I've ever seen.  When I found out that they were stopping in SLC on their latest tour I couldn't resist getting a ticket and the show last night was as amazing as ever!  What I really loved about the show at USANA was the band's spontaneity!  There were lots of long pauses between songs and it almost seemed as if they were deciding what to play next right there on stage and it looked like they were doing that again last night!  Since I had no idea what to expect, I was absolutely thrilled when they played my favorite song "Crush."  This was my first time hearing it performed live and it was epic because they played a 20 minute version!  This left me on a high for the rest of the concert (and I don't think I've come down from it yet!).  They also performed rousing renditions of "Don't Drink the Water" and "Ants Marching" which are some of my other favorites and I loved hearing them, as well!  I listen to Come Tomorrow all of the time so I was happy that they played "That Girl Is You" (they started the night with this song) and "Can't Stop" from this album and I also enjoyed their cover of "Fool in the Rain" by Led Zeppelin.  They played quite a few songs that I didn't know very well but that hardly mattered to me because they were jamming (every song, not just "Crush," featured long extended solos) and they sounded great, especially the horn section.  Matthews was incredibly charming and spoke to the crowd every few songs or so telling us how happy he was that we could all be together once again.  I agree with him because I loved every minute of this concert!  I now consider myself a huge fan of Dave Matthews Band!

Shucked at PTC

I didn't really know much about Shucked, other than it is a Broadway try-out for a new and original musical here in SLC, but everyone has been giving it rave reviews so I knew I had to see it! I had the chance last night at PTC and I loved it! Two Storytellers (Ashley D. Kelley and Taylor Trensch) introduce us to the small town of Cobb County where the tall stalks of corn, which provide the main source of income, keep people in and keep people out. This is exactly how the townspeople, including engaged couple Beau (Andrew Durand) and Maizy (Caroline Innerbichler), Beau's brother Peanut (Kevin Cahoon), and Maizy's cousin Lulu (Alex Newell), like it until the corn crop starts to fail. Maizy decides, against the objections of Beau, that she should go out into the world to get help and ends up in the big city of Tampa where she meets a conman named Gordy (performed last night by the understudy Quinn VanAntwerp). He is not very good at being bad but he is able to convince the naive Maizy that he is a corn doctor so she brings him home to the consternation of the townspeople, especially Beau who sees him as a rival. Hilarity ensues! Many of the jokes are very "corny" but they definitely land because I don't think I stopped laughing during the entire show (and neither did the audience). Much of the comedy comes from the Storytellers, who are not only the narrators for all of the goings-on but they also periodically become supporting characters (sometimes two characters at the same time). Trensch, especially, is absolutely hilarious with perfect comedic timing and over-the-top facial expressions. Cahoon is also the source of much laughter as Peanut frequently regales us with his deep thoughts. The original songs by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally are a lot of fun and are really catchy. I especially loved the song "Walls" because it is about finding the courage to leave your comfort zone and I think it could stand alone like most of the great songs from Broadway do. Innerbichler, who recently made an appearance in Utah as Anna in the Broadway touring production of Frozen, sings it with so much emotion! The songs "Somebody Will" performed by Durand and "Independently Owned" performed by Newell are absolute show-stoppers and both gave me goosebumps! The staging of this show is so clever because the cast is seated in a semi-circle inside of a crooked barn with corn stalks all around and featured performers use minimal props stashed in bushel baskets around the stage as well as wooden barrels during each number. Artistic Director Karen Azenberg mentioned that some changes had to be made to accommodate the last minute addition of VanAntwerp before the show began but I think that just involved the placement of music stands in front of the actors (VanAntwerp seemed to be the only cast member to have a score in front of him and he rarely used it).  I didn't really know what to expect with this show but I had so much fun watching it! I can't wait until it is a big hit on Broadway because I can say that I was one of the first to see it! There are only a few more performances left so act quickly so you don't miss out (go here for tickets).

Armageddon Time

My nephew really wanted to see Armageddon Time so I took him to see it last night.  I enjoyed this coming of age story about racism, guilt, and white privilege but the ambiguous ending kept it from being great (my nephew was even more disappointed with the ending than I was).  It is 1980 in Queens and it is the first day of school for Paul Graff (Banks Repeta), a young Jewish boy with middle class parents, Esther (Anne Hathaway) and Irving (Jeremy Strong), and immigrant grandparents, namely Aaron Rabinowitz (Anthony Hopkins), who all want a better life for him.  He befriends a Black student named Johnny (Jaylin Webb) and they both cause mischief in class but Paul notices that Johnny seems to be punished more severely.  After the two of them get caught smoking marijuana in the bathroom, Paul's parents decide to send him to an expensive prep school to get him away from Johnny.  Paul tries to fit in at his new school but he is dismayed by his classmates' comments about Black people and feels guilty for not defending his friend.  Eventually, the two of them get in trouble with the law but Paul is able to escape the consequences while Johnny is not even though Paul is to blame.  His father tells him that life is not fair and he should take advantage of the opportunity to learn from his mistake but he also remembers his grandfather's advice to always stand up to prejudice when he sees it.  The performances are amazing, especially Repeta and Hopkins (they have a scene together that is absolutely brilliant), the production design is very effective at evoking the time and place (my family had the exact same dishes in the 1980s) without a lot of the nostalgia attendant upon most movies that depict this era, and the story is very compelling.  Watching everything that happens to Johnny was incredibly emotional for me, especially sitting next to my nephew, and I was most invested in him as a character.  I was, therefore, disappointed in the ending because I feel like Johnny just disappears after having done his part to teach Paul a lesson about the injustices of the world.  I wanted Paul to learn a bigger lesson and finally, at long last, stand up for Johnny.  That may not be the story that James Gray is telling but I can't deny that I left the theater a bit deflated despite my overall enjoyment of the movie.

The Banshees of Inisherin

The second movie in my double feature last night was The Banshees of Inisherin and, while it is incredibly depressing, it is also diabolically funny and strangely profound!  I loved it!  On an island off the coast of Ireland in 1923, Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson) and Padraic Suilleabhain (Colin Farrell) have been friends and drinking buddies for years, mostly due to proximity because they are so different.  One day, Colm suddenly decides that he no longer wants to be friends with Padraic and simply stops talking to him.  Padraic is understandably devastated and demands to know why.  Colm finally explains that he finds Padraic's company dull and that he wants to spend his time on more meaningful pursuits, such as his music, so that there will be something to remember him by.  However, Padraic refuses to accept the situation and, despite the best intentions of Padraic's sister Siobhan (Kerry Condon) and the sheriff's son Dominic (Barry Keoghan), tensions escalate between them with unexpectedly violent and tragic consequences.  The goings-on descend into the absurd at times and there are some genuinely hilarious moments (I frequently laughed out loud) but this movie has some thought-provoking things to say about depression, isolation, loneliness, mortality, and the desire for a legacy and I think McDonagh strikes the perfect balance between the comedy and the tragedy.  The parallels to the civil war raging on the mainland are highly effective because the conflict between Colm and Padraic is, ultimately, just as futile with no winners.  I actually found both main characters to be incredibly sympathetic (How can Colm be so cruel?  Why can't Padraic just leave him alone?) and that is definitely what made this movie so compelling for me.  Both Farrell and Gleeson deliver incredible performances (Farrell won the Volpi Cup at Venice this year) and Condon and Keoghan (he steals every scene he is in) are also superb.  The cinematography is simply breathtaking and I loved the haunting score.  I think this movie is brilliant, definitely one of my favorites this year, and I highly recommend it.

Till

I missed out on seeing several movies that I had planned because I was sick last week so I decided on a double feature to make up for it last night.  Even though I knew it would be very difficult for me, I started with Till.  After her 14-year-old son Emmett Till (Jalyn Hall) is brutally murdered for whistling at a white woman named Carolyn Bryant (Haley Bennett) while visiting his cousins in Mississippi, Mamie Till-Bradley (Danielle Deadwyler) turns her grief into activism.  She insists that Emmett have an open casket at his funeral so that the world can see what was done to him, she travels at great personal risk to testify against the men accused of Emmett's murder, and then devotes her life to the civil rights movement.  I was really worried about how Emmett's murder would be portrayed and I spent much of the first act steeling myself for what I knew was coming.  Thankfully, it is very sensitively done.  Emmett is shown being forcibly taken from his uncle's house and then there is a brief scene where his muted cries are heard from inside a barn but, instead of focusing on the murder, director Chinonye Chukwu focuses on Mamie's response and it is very powerful.  There were several scenes that brought me to tears, including when Mamie meets Emmett's casket at the train station and when she sees his body for the first time, and there were also several scenes that made me very angry, such as when a child fires a cap gun at Mamie on the courthouse steps and then laughs at her and when the verdict is announced.  Deadwyler gives a brilliant performance (she is getting a lot of well-deserved Oscar buzz), especially in the aforementioned scene at the train station and during her testimony, but I was also really impressed with Whoopi Goldberg, who plays Mamie's mother.  This is definitely a movie that is hard to watch but it such an important story that is, sadly, still very relevant today.  I highly recommend it.

Ballet West's Rodeo

Even though I usually prefer seeing full-length ballets, I was excited for Ballet West's latest production featuring Concerto Baracco, Return to a Strange Land, and Rodeo last night.  I really enjoyed the program, especially since my favorite dancer, Katlyn Addison, was featured in two of the ballets!  The first piece, Concerto Baracco, is a classical ballet with choreography by George Balanchine and music by Johann Sebastian Bach and it was my favorite of the evening.  Two female soloists, the aforementioned Addison and Emily Adams, interact with each other by coming together and pulling apart with a corps of eight female dancers who mimic their movements.  When a male soloist, Hadriel Diniz, joins them, it appears that he is dancing with with all of the women because of the intricate patterns they form around him.  The vivid cerulean blue backdrop and the flowing white costumes add to the beauty of the performance and I loved it!  Next came Return to a Strange Land which is a more modern piece with choreography by Jirí Kylián and music by Leoš Janáček.  The solo piano music is haunting and, instead of telling a story, the ballet evokes a feeling of loss.  Two groups of three dancers are featured, including Amy Potter with Hadriel Diniz and Brian Waldrep, and Addison with Tyler Gum and Robert Fowler, and the choreography is incredibly innovative with shapes and silhouettes that I had never seen before.  The moody atmosphere is enhanced by the earth-toned leotards worn by the dancers and the autumn leaves flowing across the stage (fallen leaves always symbolize loss to me).  This was absolutely brilliant and it elicited thunderous applause from the audience.  The program concluded with Rodeo featuring choreography by Agnes de Mille and music by Aaron Copland.  A Cowgirl (Chelsea Keefer) wants to show the cowboys that she is just as skilled on a horse as they are but she also wants to catch the attention of the Head Wrangler (Brian Waldrep).  Unfortunately, he is more interested in the more feminine Rancher's Daughter (Victoria Vassos) but a Champion Roper (David Huffmire) notices her.  When she arrives at the hoe-down wearing a dress, she has both the Wrangler and the Roper vying for her affections.  The choreography is so much fun with movements that realistically mimic roping, riding, and square dancing  (it reminded me of the type of dancing you would see in a Broadway musical) while the music is instantly recognizable, especially during the hoe-down.  I was so impressed with Keefer because ballerinas are usually the epitome of grace and elegance but she appears awkward and uncoordinated!  The colored jeans worn by the cowboys, the calico dresses worn by the womenfolk, and the set of a large ranch house add authenticity to the story.  This was another big crowd-pleaser!  I think I will always prefer the full-length ballets but I am so glad that I got to see this triple-bill!  It continues at Capitol Theatre for three more performances including a matinee on Nov. 10 (go here for tickets).

Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1

I have been fighting a cold for most of the week and it pretty much had me down for the count but I was bound and determined to make it to the Utah Symphony concert last night because one does not miss Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 if one can help it!  I am glad that I made the effort because the performance was amazing!  The orchestra, under the baton of guest conductor Ludovic Morlot (a last minute replacement for the injured Thierry Fischer), began with the Overture to Prima la musica poi le parole by Antonio Salieri.  I have to admit that I was very excited for this piece because of the fictional rivalry between Salieri and Mozart in the movie Amadeus (which is not only one of my favorite movies but it is also the reason I became a fan of classical music).  Salieri's music is portrayed as pedestrian in comparison to Mozart's in the movie but I think this operetta, which debates the relative merits of music and drama in opera, is really charming and exuberant.  Then the orchestra was joined by soloist Andrei Korobeinikov, making his U.S. debut, for one of my very favorite pieces, Piano Concerto No. 1 by Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.  Those instantly recognizable opening notes by the brass get me every time because they provide such an explosive burst of energy to begin a highly emotional piece!  The themes played by the solo piano are sometimes incredibly passionate and tempestuous and then almost unbearably beautiful and romantic!  There were many times when I found myself holding my breath because I was so overcome!  Korobeinikov played it with so much feeling and expression and earned a well deserved standing ovation!  After the intermission, the orchestra performed a new piece by Augusta Reed Thomas called Dance Foldings (she was there to introduce it) which is meant to mimic the dance of proteins within the body.  There are random bursts of sound from every section but I especially enjoyed all of the percussion and the emphasis periodically provided by the brass.  The concert concluded with Symphony No. 2 by Charles Ives.  I think of Ives' music as quintessentially American and it was really fun picking out snippets of other American classics, such as "Bringing in the Sheaves," "America the Beautiful," "Camptown Races," and "Turkey in the Straw," throughout.  I loved this concert as much as the previous ones this season, which has been spectacular so far, and I definitely recommend getting a ticket for tonight's performance of the same program (go here).

Ticket to Paradise

My sister and I used to have the tradition of seeing a movie on Halloween but we haven't done it for a few years.  We decided to revive the tradition last night and took Sean and Tashena with us to see Ticket to Paradise.  I'm not a big fan of romantic comedies (my sister picked the movie) but I ended up really liking this!  After Lily Cotton (Kaitlyn Dever) graduates from law school she goes on vacation to Bali with her best friend Wren (Billie Lourd).  She falls in love with island life and with a local seaweed farmer named Gede (Maxime Bouttier).  When her bitterly divorced parents Georgia (Julia Roberts) and David (George Clooney) learn that Lily wants to give up her law career to marry Gede, they put aside their differences and race to Bali in order to stop her from making the same mistake they made all those years ago.  Hijinks ensue!  This movie is formulaic and totally predictable but I have to admit that it is really enjoyable!  There are several things that elevate it above its commonplace premise.  First, the tropical scenery is absolutely gorgeous and provides a nice bit of escapism.  I can certainly see why Lily wants to give up her law career and stay there forever.  I especially loved the scenes where the characters are swimming with dolphins!  Second, Billie Lourd adds a lot of comic relief (she often steals the spotlight from Dever) and I laughed out loud at many of her antics.  I propose that she be cast as the free-spirited sidekick in every comedy from now on!  Finally, mega-stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts are unbelievably appealing and their chemistry together is palpable!  I loved all of their bickering and all of the slapstick comedy (especially during an epic round of beer pong).  The two of them were actually the reason I agreed to see this movie and they did not disappoint.  The four of us had a lot of fun watching this (we all agreed that we knew exactly what was going to happen but that it didn't matter) and I recommend it to fans of romantic comedies!

Decision to Leave

Have I mentioned that I want to see just about everything that screened at the fall film festivals this year?  It seems that they are all getting a wide release within the next few weeks (I am going to be really busy) so I went to see one of them, Decision to Leave, last night at the Broadway.  This neo-noir thriller about mutual obsession is complex but ultimately very compelling.  Hae-jun (Park Hae-il) is a world-weary police detective suffering from insomnia in Busan with a so-called "weekend marriage" to a woman who lives in Ipo.  While working on another case, he and his partner Soo-wan (Go Kyung-pyo) are called to the scene of a mountain climbing accident that may or may not involve foul play.  The victim's wife, a Chinese immigrant named Seo-rae (Tang Wei), becomes a suspect but, after conducting extensive surveillance, Hae-jun becomes infatuated with her and eventually finds evidence that seems to exonerate her.  However, nothing is what it seems and the narrative takes an unexpected turn when Hae-jun becomes the object of Seo-rae's obsession during another case.  What I really enjoyed is how Park Chan-wook plays with perception.   Images come into and go out of focus in the same scene, particularly during an interrogation scene involving a mirror, which emphasizes that the characters do not see each other clearly and the use of technology, especially video and audio recordings, reveals a disconnect between them.  I also enjoyed the clever editing and innovative camera work used in the surveillance scenes because you never really know where each of the characters are in relation to one another.  While the story is essentially a straightforward police procedural, these stylistic choices, as well as multiple subplots, keep the audience guessing until the haunting conclusion.  Tang Wei gives an enigmatic performance worthy of Hitchcock's best femme fatales and the chemistry between her and Park Hae-il is absolutely smoldering.  Finally, the images on the screen, including overhead shots of mountain peaks and crashing waves, are gorgeous and the woodwind heavy score is incredibly evocative.  This is one of the best movies I've seen this year and I highly recommend it!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 in Concert

The very first Film in Concert that I saw with the Utah Symphony was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and I absolutely loved it!  I have since seen the next five movies in the franchise on the big screen with the orchestra playing the score live and was thrilled to see the penultimate movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, yesterday afternoon.  One of the things I love about these concerts is all of the audience participation!  There was the usual house roll call (three cheers for Ravenclaw) and lots of applause (or boos as the case may be) for all of the characters when they appeared on screen for the first time (the loudest was for, rather appropriately, Hagrid after the recent passing of Robbie Coltrane).  These movies have been getting progressively darker in tone with higher stakes and this one finds Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) on the run in search of the Horcruxes that will enable them to defeat Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes).  The score for this movie, composed by Alexandre Desplat (who is one of my favorite film composers), is incredibly moody and atmospheric.  All of the music for the action sequences, including "Sky Battle" when Harry and his friends are attacked by Voldemort as he is moved by members of the Order of the Phoenix, "The Ministry of Magic" when they are attacked by Death Eaters, "Bathilda Bagshot" when Harry and Hermione are attacked in Godric's Hollow, "Captured and Tortured" when Harry and his friends are chased by the Snatchers through the forest, and "Rescuing Hermione" when they escape from Malfoy Manor, are menacing and intense.  There are also some incredibly plaintive themes, including "Oblivion" when Hermione erases all trace of herself from her parents' memories, "Godric's Hollow Graveyard" when Harry finds his parents' graves, and "Farewell to Dobby" when they bury their friend after he saves them (this always brings a tear to my eyes).  My favorites are "Destroying the Locket" with beautiful themes played by the woodwinds when the Patronus appears in the woods and "The Elder Wand" with dramatic timpani and brass when Voldemort opens Dumbledore's tomb.  This was so much fun, especially during Halloween weekend, and I am now eagerly anticipating the final movie in the franchise.

Note:  If you have never attended a Film in Concert with the Utah Symphony, I highly recommend it because it is so immersive!  The remaining concerts include The Nightmare Before Christmas, An American in Paris, and The Force Awakens.  Go here for more information.

Hamilton in Las Vegas (Again)

I was not really planning on seeing Hamilton at the Smith Center in Las Vegas (I have seen it many times including at the Smith Center) but I decided that I would be really sad if I didn't go and ended up getting a ticket.  I went on my first road trip with my new car yesterday to see it and I loved it as much as the first time I saw it!  Alexander Hamilton was played by the understudy Manuel Stark Santos (he was Aaron Burr when I saw it in SLC) and I really enjoyed his interpretation of the role.  He has a beautiful voice so his renditions of "Dear Theodosia" and "Hurricane" were lovely and I had tears in my eyes when he kissed Eliza's hand during "It's Quiet Uptown."  He brought quite a bit of originality to his performance in "Non-Stop" and many of his facial expressions and gestures where hilarious ("I was chosen for the Constitutional Convention!").  I saw Donald Webber, Jr. as Aaron Burr in San Francisco and SLC and last night his rendition of "Wait For It" was incredibly powerful but the phrasing was a little bit different.  I have often wondered whether the actors change their performances from city to city and it seems that he does!  The same could be said for Paris Nix (who I saw as Marquis de Lafayette/ Thomas Jefferson in Chicago and SLC) because he changed the running man to wiping his feet (which Santos imitated) in "Cabinet Battle #1."  His interactions with Brandon Louis Armstrong (as Hercules Mulligan/ James Madison) were absolutely hilarious and I laughed out loud at his antics during "What'd I Miss," "The Reynolds Pamphlet," and "The Election of 1800" because he seemed even more over the top than usual!  Darnell Abraham was an incredibly commanding George Washington when I saw him in SLC and he gave me goosebumps, and earned thunderous applause from the crowd, once again when he stormed the stage during "Right Hand Man" (which is one of my favorite moments in the show).  Eliza was played by the understudy Milika Cheree (she also played the role as the understudy in SLC) and her performance of "Burn" brought a tear to my eye once again (she had a huge flame when she set the letter on fire!).  Finally, last night I noticed for the first time that when Eliza reads the letter about John Laurens' death, Lafayette and Hercules Mulligan are up on the balcony reading letters as well.  I've always been focused on Hamilton's reaction in that scene so I have never seen them before and it was very moving!  I loved every minute of this performance (I honestly don't think I will ever get tired of it) and I am so glad that I decided to get a ticket!

Note:  Since this is such a popular show, patrons were only able to select a section on the website and then seats were randomly assigned.  I selected the main floor and was thrilled to discover that my seat was a few rows from the stage in the exact center of the theater!

My Policeman

Yesterday afternoon I decided to cross another movie off my very long list by seeing My Policeman.  I was quite moved by this heartbreaking story about the consequences of being forced to live a lie.  In the present, Patrick Hazlewood (Rupert Everett) suffers a debilitating stroke and goes to convalesce with his estranged friends Marion and Tom Burgess (Gina McKee and Linus Roache, respectively).  They seem to have a lukewarm marriage and Tom bitterly resents Patrick's presence, refusing to see or speak to him.  The timeline then shifts to 1957 when Tom (Harry Styles), a policeman from a working class background, begins seeing a sophisticated schoolteacher named Marion (Emma Corrin) and starts trying to improve himself to impress her.  When Tom meets a museum curator named Patrick (David Dawson), the three of them are soon spending all of their time together because Patrick and Marion have a lot in common. However, it turns out that it is Tom who Patrick loves and they begin a secret affair.  Tom is conflicted about their relationship because he is a policeman and homosexuality is illegal in Britain so he decides to marry Marion for protection while continuing to see Patrick.  Marion eventually learns the truth and takes drastic steps to keep Patrick out of their lives.  Back in the present, Marion, Tom, and Patrick must finally reconcile their past actions in order to live more authentically.  The story is so tragic (and compelling) because all three characters are faced with an impossible situation due to the repressive era in which they live and there were several moments that brought tears to my eyes.  I loved the cast, including Styles who has been much maligned for his acting.  I thought he was fine in Don't Worry Darling but I think he is much better in this role because he is incredibly charismatic and has so much chemistry with both Dawson and Corrin.  They also give really solid performances and there is a particular scene where Corrin is absolutely devastating without even saying a word.  McKee, Roache, and Everett do a great job as the older versions of these characters but I wish that they had more to do because I wanted to know more about them.  I loved the aesthetic of this movie because everything, including the setting along the coast, the production design, and the costumes, looks gorgeous (I love period movies).  This is another story about a forbidden same-sex relationship like we have seen many times before but it is an important one and is definitely worth watching, especially when it streams on Prime Video starting Nov. 4.

Black Adam

Last night I saw Black Adam with a large and rowdy crowd and, even though there are some flaws, I really enjoyed it!  When archaeologist Adriana Tomaz (Sarah Shahi) goes looking for the Crown of Sabbac once owned by the tyrannical King Ahk-Ton, Teth-Adam (Dwayne Johnson) is awakened from the tomb he was imprisoned in for 5,000 years.  He discovers that his home of Khandaq is being oppressed by an organized crime syndicate known as Intergang and brutally slaughters many members.  Adriana believes that he is the Champion, endowed with the powers of Egyptian gods by an ancient wizard, who ended the reign of Ahk-Ton and hopes he can liberate Khandaq once again.  However, his violent actions alarm Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) and she contacts the Justice Society of America, including Carter Hall/ Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Kent Nelson/ Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Al Rothstein/ Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), and Maxine Hunkel/ Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), to capture him.  When Ishmael Gregor (Marwan Kenzari), the leader of Intergang and the last descendant of Ahk-Ton, gains control of the Crown of Sabbac and its powers of Hell after kidnapping Adriana's son Amon (Bodhi Sabongui), the JSA forms an uneasy alliance with Teth-Adam to defeat him.  While there is a lot of exposition which sometimes becomes very convoluted, I really liked the exploration of what it means to be a hero with an interesting twist about the role of fate.  The introduction of the JSA characters, particularly Doctor Fate, is a lot of fun and I hope we see more of them in the future.  Johnson's performance is a bit more subdued than we usually see from him but I think it works for the character as he reconciles who he was with who he needs to be and I loved his deadpan humor, especially in his interactions with Hodge's Hawkman (I enjoyed their conflict more than the conflict with the main villain).  Brosnan is another standout for me because he steals every scene he is in and I enjoyed his relationship with Hawkman.  Finally, the non-stop action sequences had my late night crowd cheering out loud and, even though there is more spectacle than substance, this kept me actively invested in the outcome.  I get some of the criticism of this movie but I had a lot of fun with it and I recommend it to fans of the DCEU.

Note:  You have no doubt heard by now that there is a very exciting cameo in a mid-credits scene!  This elicited cheers from my audience (and from me)!

Triangle of Sadness

Another film that has received a lot of buzz from the fall film festivals (it won the Palme d'Or at Cannes) is Triangle of Sadness and I finally had a chance to see it at the Broadway last night.  I laughed out loud during the entirety of this dark comedy and I was not alone!  A fashion model named Carl (Harris Dickinson) and his influencer girlfriend Yaya (Charlbi Dean) are given a free luxury cruise in the Mediterranean Sea aboard a $50 million superyacht.  The head steward Paula (Vicki Berlin) insists that the crew indulge the whims of the wealthy passengers, even when one of them insists that every member of staff go down the slide into the water which delays dinner, while the intoxicated captain, Tom (Woody Harrelson), hides in his cabin and the mostly Filipino cleaning crew slave away behind the scenes.  After an attack by pirates, a small group of passengers including Carl and Yaya, a Russian oligarch named Dimitry (Zlatko Buric), a debilitated stroke survivor named Therese (Iris Berben) who can only speak one sentence in German, and a lonely tech millionaire named Jarmo (Henrik Dorsin) land on what they believe to be a deserted island with a member of the cleaning crew named Abigail (Dolly de Leon) and a mechanic named Winston (Oliver Ford Davies).  The power dynamic of the group shifts with comedic results when Abigail is the only one who has any survival skills.  This is an absolutely hilarious social satire taking aim at the vacuous and shallow idle rich.  My favorite scene is when the passengers are invited to an incredibly pretentious dinner with the captain during a violent storm causing many of them to become seasick which, despite the fact that it involves just about every type of bodily fluid, is a lot of fun and serves to dismantle class divisions in an absurdly amusing way.  I really appreciated the message that people should not be judged solely on their wealth or looks but rather their knowledge, abilities, and experience and that it pays to treat the people who serve you with kindness and respect.  The cast is fantastic but de Leon gives a standout performance in the third act and I am still thinking about her character's actions in the final scene.  I recommend seeing this wildly entertaining film with the biggest crowd possible!

Happy Birthday Tashena

Last night we celebrated Tashena's birthday early (it is actually at the end of the week) by going to dinner (Chuck-A-Rama), having cake (the traditional ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins), opening presents, and playing Shanghai Rummy!

I can't believe that she will be 22!