After the Hunt

Despite some divisive reviews, my nephew and I decided to see After the Hunt at the Broadway last night.  I was initially very put off by several things but, upon further reflection, I think they were intentional and, ultimately, tremendously thought-provoking.  Alma Imhoff (Julia Roberts) is a well-respected philosophy professor at Yale University who is being considered for tenure along with her colleague and close personal friend Hank Gibson (Andrew Garfield). She and her psychiatrist husband Frederik (Michael Stuhlbarg) host a dinner party for several of her students, including her protege Maggie Resnick (Ayo Edebiri), and colleagues, including Hank, where a heated discussion takes place.  The next day Maggie accuses Hank of sexually assaulting her and turns to Alma for support but she is disappointed by her surprisingly indifferent response.  Hank also reaches out to Alma to protest his innocence but she reports him to the dean which results in his termination.  However, the situation becomes increasingly fraught as information about each of the three, and their motivations, comes to light.  I really enjoyed the juxtaposition between Alma and Maggie who are intriguing foils to each other.  They both may or may not have been assaulted (more about that later) but they each respond according to the social mores of the time in which their attacks occurred.  Alma represses what happened to her and counsels Maggie to do the same if she wants to succeed in the male-dominated world of academia but Maggie sees her victimhood as a way to publicly fight against the patriarchy.  My nephew and I, who roughly correspond to the generations depicted by these women, had an engaging discussion about their differing mindsets.  I did not enjoy the ambiguity of the narrative (Alma, Maggie, and Hank are slowly revealed to be incredibly unreliable narrators) because I wanted to know the truth but Guadagnino is emphasizing that the truth is sometimes difficult to ascertain and that it can be manipulated.  I also disliked the theatricality of the performances (Guadagnino even breaks the fourth wall to yell "cut!" after the last scene) which is further emphasized by an uncharacteristically melodramatic score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross but I think that this is a commentary on the often performative nature of pursuing social justice (which is provocative, to say the least).  Both Roberts and Edebiri are definitely compelling but I was most impressed by Garfield, who is playing against type, because he is very believable as an unsympathetic character.  This will not appeal to everyone (I still don't know what I think about its themes) but I have not been able to stop thinking about it and that might be the point.

Something Rotten at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

Last night I went to the Terrace Plaza Playhouse for my fourth production of Something Rotten this year (it is safe to say that I love this show). As with most community theatres, some productions at the Playhouse are better than others but I would definitely put this one among the best! It is fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Nick and Nigel Bottom (Brock Harris and Bryson Warner, respectively) are playwrights in Renaissance England who are tired of being outshined by William Shakespeare (Nick Balaich). Nick is desperate for a big hit because his patron Lady Clapham (Kassie Winkler) is withdrawing her support, Shylock (Glen Merrell) the moneylender is demanding that his loan be repaid, his wife Bea (Whitney Cahoon) is pregnant, and his brother has fallen in love with the daughter (Julia Green) of a Puritan (Nathan Fawcett) who wants to shut down his theatre for debauchery, so he contacts the soothsayer Thomas Nostradamus (Kaltin Kirby) to see what will be popular in the future. Nostradamus suggests writing a play with singing and dancing. Things go awry, however, when Nick asks Nostradamus to look into the future again to see what Shakespeare's most popular play will be and, instead of Hamlet, Nostradamus sees omelette (so close!). Nick tries to produce Omelette The Musical while Shakespeare, who is suffering from writer's block, tries to steal his own play back! All's well that ends well when Nigel reminds Nick to be true to himself. There are over 60 different musicals referenced in the hilarious numbers "A Musical" and "Make an Omelette" and it is always so much fun when I recognize a new show or line of dialogue. In this production I noticed a line from Ragtime for the first time in "Make an Omelette." I also love all of the allusions to Shakespeare and I was the only one in the audience who laughed when Shakespeare promises that he won't make the judge Falstaff appear foolish in one of his plays. Everyone in the cast is outstanding but I especially loved Balaich (my favorite character in the show is Shakespeare because he is portrayed as a rock star) for his over the top performances in "Will Power" and "Hard to Be The Bard," Cahoon for her spirited rendition of "Right Hand Man," and Kirby for the physicality of all of his antics while trying to see the future and in "A Musical." I also loved the gender swap from a lord to a lady with Winkler as Clapham because it is so funny to see Nick's former patron swoon over Shakespeare. The choreography (especially the tap dancing), costumes, sets, and projections are some of the best I've seen from this theatre and I was very impressed with all of the effort that went into such a great production of one of my favorite shows! Huzzah to everyone involved! It runs Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays through November 15 and you definitely want to get a ticket (go here).

Good Fortune

I thought the trailer for Good Fortune looked hilarious so my nephew and I went to see it last night.  Unfortunately, it was not at all what I was expecting.  Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) is a low-level guardian angel responsible for saving people from accidents when they text and drive but he aspires to be an angel who saves lost souls.  He takes an interest in Arj (Aziz Ansari) after he saves him from an accident and begins watching him.  Arj is sleeping in his car and working temporary jobs because, even though he has a degree, he can't find a job in his field.  He eventually starts working as an assistant to Jeff (Seth Rogen), a wealthy tech investor, but is fired for using a company credit card to pay for an expensive dinner with Elena (Keke Palmer), a co-worker he is trying to impress.  When his car is impounded for unpaid parking tickets, Gabriel decides to intervene to show a despondent Arj that his life is worth living.  Arj is not consoled by seeing his future self because he is still struggling financially so Gabriel has him trade places with Jeff for a week to see that money does not solve all problems.  Chaos ensues when Arj sees that money does, in fact, solve all of his problems and refuses to switch back.  Gabriel's supervisor Martha (Sandra Oh) punishes him by taking his wings until he can get Arj to agree to switch back and both he and Jeff see what it is like to live the life Arj once lived.  This features a very heavy-handed message condemning the increasing disparity between the rich and poor and the inability to change one's circumstances through education or hard work.  However, in my opinion, this message is undermined by an ending that suggests finding joy in the little pleasures of life (such as tacos, dancing, and spending time with friends) as a way to endure the hardship.  This is meant to be uplifting but it is overly simplistic at best and insulting at worst.  I also found the plot to be very meandering with a lot of unnecessary tangents (so many scenes involving cold plunges).  Finally, I was expecting a comedy and I don't think I laughed once (all of the humor is shown in the trailer).  The only highlight for me was Reeves (Rogen and Ansari are portraying characters they've played many times before).  This was a bit disappointing and I recommend giving it a miss.

Black Phone 2

I was really surprised by how much I liked The Black Phone so I was excited to be able to see the sequel, Black Phone 2, with my nephew last night.  I think it takes a lot of the ideas explored in the first movie and expands upon them.  Four years after Finney Blake (Mason Thames) killed the Grabber (Ethan Hawke), his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) is having disturbing dreams about three dead boys at the Alpine Lake Camp, including one in which her late mother Hope (Anna Lore), who worked at the camp, calls her from a pay phone there.  Finney is still traumatized by his experience with the Grabber but he reluctantly agrees to go with Gwen and her boyfriend Ernesto (Miguel Mora), the brother of one of the Grabber's victims, to investigate the camp.  They arrive in the middle of a severe snowstorm and are stranded there with Armando (Demian Bichir), the owner of the camp, who remembers Hope and the three campers who were killed by a counselor and never found.  When Gwen begins having disturbing interactions with the Grabber in her dreams, Finney receives a call on the pay phone from him vowing to kill Gwen as retribution for his death.  They eventually realize that the Grabber was the one who killed the boys and that they must find their bodies in order end his power over Gwen.  What I enjoyed most about this story is that it mirrors the one in the original.  In the first movie, Gwen uses her supernatural ability to help Finney defeat a real monster and, in this one, Finney uses his real ability to help Gwen defeat a supernatural threat.  I also liked the continued use of the phone as a link to those beyond the grave, especially the connection between Gwen and her mother which becomes more significant as the movie progresses.  Gwen's dream sequences have a grainy Super 8 film aesthetic and feature plenty of gory imagery, particularly a decapitation using a windowpane, but my favorite scene is when Finney interacts with the three dead campers while in the phone booth because it is incredibly unnerving.  Thames and McGraw give great performances but Bichir is used mostly for exposition and there are a few other characters who feel a bit extraneous.  I think this is a good sequel but what keeps it from being a great one, in my opinion, is all of the cringe-worthy dialogue (of which there is a lot).  I still really liked it and would definitely recommend it to fans of horror.

National Theatre Live: Inter Alia

Yesterday afternoon I was really excited to see a screening of the National Theatre Live production of Inter Alia which was filmed earlier this year at the Lyttelton Theatre in London and presented by the Tanner Humanities Center and Salt Lake Film Society.  This new play by the same team responsible for the hit Prima Facie is brilliant and I was blown away by Rosamund Pike's powerful performance.  Jessica Parks (Pike) is a ground-breaking Crown Court Judge as well as a wife to Michael Wheatley (Jamie Glover) and a mother to eighteen-year-old Harry (Jasper Talbot).  While she is a rock star in the courtroom (she is backed by a band who performs live on stage during the courtroom scenes) known for refusing to back down from the misogynistic barristers who appear before her and for her tough stance on the perpetrators of sexual violence, she frequently feels compelled to downplay her accomplishments to soothe the ego of her husband, who is a less successful barrister, and defers to him in matters relating to their son because he is a man and she thinks that he can relate to what Harry is experiencing more than she can.  She shoulders most of the responsibilities for running the household (there is an incredible scene in which she frantically prepares for a dinner party as Michael and Harry make demands of her) and often feels guilty about her perceived failures as a mother.  Her professional and personal worlds collide when Harry is accused of rape at a party and her role as a judge who advocates for the rights of victims is at odds with her role as a mother who wants to save her son.  Pike is in constant motion, moving between a platform upstage, which represents her courtroom, an elaborate set center stage, which represents her home, and a large screen downstage, which depicts flashbacks with Harry as a child, as she juggles all of Jessica's many responsibilities (inter alia is a legal term which means "among other things"), and she deftly manages multiple costume changes on stage and a myriad of props.  She also effectively portrays many competing emotions, from a hilarious scene singing karaoke (of course she sings "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!") to a devastating one in which she confronts her husband for not stepping up and helping their son navigate the toxic masculinity on the so-called manosphere.  Both Glover and Talbot are also outstanding and I was especially moved by the latter's final scene with Pike because it is so emotional.  I loved this because, in addition to its clever staging and memorable performances, it is incredibly thought-provoking, particularly the difference between the moral definition of guilt and the legal one, and I know that I will be thinking about it for a long time to come.  The next National Theatre Live productions at the Broadway are Mrs. Warren's Profession on November 8, The Fifth Step on February 21, Hamlet on March 21, and Life of Pi on April 11 (I so excited for this!).

The Woman in Black at Parker Theatre

Seeing Parker Theatre's production of The Woman in Black last year was one of the most frightening theatrical experiences I have ever had (at one point I was so scared I nearly jumped out of my seat and there were multiple times when members of the audience screamed out loud). I was, therefore, excited (terrified?) when I learned that they were bringing this show back for a limited run just in time for Halloween! I saw it last night and, while I was more prepared for when the woman in black suddenly appeared in the aisle next to me, I was still quite unnerved by the whole experience. In other words, I loved it! Arthur Kipps (Michael Hohl) is still traumatized by an encounter with an apparition that he had many years ago while settling the estate of Alice Drablow at Eel Marsh House on an isolated island that is only accessible by a causeway at low tide. He believes that he can rid himself of the nightmares that plague him by telling the story publicly on stage so he hires an Actor (Ben Lowell) to help him. The Actor convinces him that it would be better to act out the story rather than recite it from a manuscript so they begin rehearsing in a Victorian theatre using minimal props, realistic sound cues, and imaginative light design. The Actor portrays a younger version of Kipps and Kipps plays all of the other characters and narrates the play. The action on stage depicts Kipps attending Drablow's funeral, traveling to her house in an old-fashioned pony and trap, working alone in the eerie house, and witnessing unsettling events including the appearance of a strange figure dressed in black. They stop in between scenes to discuss their performances and, during one such break, Kipps promises a surprise. The Actor interprets this to mean that Kipps hired the actress who suddenly appeared on stage with them. The action concludes when young Kipps discovers the identity of the mysterious figure and when the Actor makes a startling realization about the actress portraying her. This is a very clever adaptation of the Gothic novel by Susan Hill because it uses imaginative stagecraft to tell the story. I particularly loved the smoke effects when Kipps is trapped in fog on the causeway, the light from a single torch when he gets lost in the marsh, as well as the shadows on a scrim and the creaking of a rocking chair when he discovers a room that seems to be haunted (people in the audience screamed during all three of these scenes) because the suggestion of something is often much more effective than the thing itself (especially the woman in black because she only appears a few times but I thought I saw her in every shadow). Both actors are outstanding! Lowell's performance really adds to the unease because his terror is palpable and Hohl seamlessly inhabits all of his characters with just the addition of an article of clothing or prop. In my opinion, this is the perfect show to see for Halloween (go here for tickets) but act quickly because it is a limited run with only nine more performances through Nov. 1.

Thriller 2025

Last night I had so much fun at Odyssey Dance Theatre's Halloween-themed dance extravaganza Thriller.  It is one my favorite Halloween traditions and, even though most of the dances are the same every year, I eagerly anticipate every one of them.  My favorites include a group of the undead cavorting in a graveyard in "Thriller" (I love this because it incorporates the choreography from Michael Jackson's iconic music video), a breakdancing mummy and his maidens in "Curse of the Mummy," misbehaving pandas at their first dance recital in "Miss Alli's Nightmare" (I love the one that slowly removes his costume and the once that sits down and refuses to dance), a Pas de Deux that goes horribly wrong in "Frankenstein & Frankenstein" (I love the inclusion of Gene Wilder's overwrought monologue about giving his creation life from Young Frankenstein), tap dancing skeletons that glow in the dark in "Dem Bones," a trio of serial killers who wield a variety of weapons in "Jason Jam" (this is a huge crowd favorite and they seemed even more deranged because they chased a victim through the aisles), scarecrows that terrorize a group of teens in a cornfield in "Children of the Corn" (I love that the cheerleaders' uniforms are from a different school every year), a coven of condemned witches seeking vengeance from beyond the grave in "Salem's Mass" (this is my favorite number), demonic dolls that come to life in "Chucky-Rama" (this features a different youth cast from various dance schools around the valley every night and they are always fantastic), acrobatic vampires stalking an unsuspecting victim in "Lost Boys," and an elaborate costume parade in "Trick or Treat" (my favorite was the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man).  There were also a few new dances and my favorite was a sexy tango in "Gomez & Morticia" (this was especially fun after seeing The Addams Family earlier in the week).  I was happy that Bubbles the Clown once again appeared in between numbers because he is hilarious (I was equally happy that Giggle Girl did not appear this year) and I laughed out loud at a new short film by Scott Winn featuring a dance-off between the wizards from Harry Potter and the vampires from Twilight judged by Gandalf ("You shall not dance!").  There was a large and enthusiastic crowd (it was at the Grand Theatre once again) and I loved cheering along with them for every number!  I highly recommend this for some Halloween fun (go here for tickets) but act quickly because there were very few empty seats last night.  It runs at the Grand Theatre through October 25 and at Tuacahn from October 28-November 1.

Note:  Every year I try to avoid eye contact with the undead who roam the aisles before the show but this did not save me last night because one of them kept sneaking up on me to hiss at me (at one point I jumped a mile out of my seat which made her laugh).  It turns out I was sitting next to her parents.

Utah Opera's The Shining

To say that I was intrigued when Utah Opera announced The Shining as the opening production for the 2025-2026 season would be an understatement!  As a huge fan of the novel by Stephen King, I have been counting down the days until I could see it and I was so excited to finally have the chance last night.  I admit to being a bit skeptical about how well the novel would translate to the stage but this production is outstanding and I think it brilliantly captures the terror of the Overlook Hotel.  Jack Torrence (Craig Irvin) is a recovering alcoholic tormented by the memory of his abusive father and by the fact that he is now perpetuating the cycle of abuse with his own son.  He hopes that a job as the caretaker for the remote and isolated Overlook Hotel while it is closed for the winter will be a new start for him, his wife Wendy (Kearstin Piper Brown), and his son Danny (Bella Grace Smith).  However, Danny immediately senses an evil presence in the hotel with a sixth sense that the hotel's cook Dick Hallorann (Patrick Blackwell), who possesses the same abilty, calls "the shining."  Dick assures Danny that he can use "the shining" to contact him if things get too dangerous for him at the hotel.  Jack finds a scrapbook detailing the hotel's infamous past full of murders, suicides, and Mafia hits and the ghosts haunting the hotel use his insecurities about being a good husband and father to influence him.  Eventually, the ghosts of Delbert Grady (Christian Sanders), the former caretaker who murdered his wife (Stephanie Chee) and daughters (Eva Peterson and Lilah Burrell), and his father Mark Torrence (Christopher Clayton) urge him to murder his family but, in a moment of lucidity, Jack implores them to leave with Hallorann, who has responded to Danny's call for help, and finds redemption by destroying the hotel and its ghosts.  I think the movie adaptation is a cinematic masterpiece but it is definitely the story Stanley Kubrick wanted to tell rather than the one Stephen King wrote so I was pleased that the libretto follows the novel because I prefer the more sympathetic portrayal of Jack.  Irvin gives a powerful performance and, while much of what he sings involves recitative, he does have a soul searching aria where he wishes to be a better husband and father in Act I and it is very affecting.  He also portrays Jack's slow descent into madness with nuance and it is very chilling to watch.  Brown gave me goosebumps with her beautiful performance of the aria "I never stopped loving you" in Act I and I also liked her characterization as both a loving wife and a fiercely protective mother because her Wendy is much stronger than the movie version.  Blackwell has a moment to shine in the epilogue and his deep rich tones in the aria exhorting Danny to be strong was the highlight for me.  The music itself is very atmospheric and it gets more ominous as the opera progresses but the sound design also adds to the unease (particularly the steam coming from the boiler because it foreshadows the tragedy to come).  The stage is configured as the lobby of the Overlook Hotel with a grand staircase leading to an upper level and various rooms made out of scrim to allow for eerie digital projections (some of which replicate the iconic images from the movie).  The costumes for the Torrence family have a fun 1970s vibe but I especially loved those worn by the ghosts attending the New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball.  I thoroughly enjoyed this opera and would definitely recommend getting a ticket to one of the two remaining performances (go here).

A House of Dynamite

The second movie in the double feature at the Broadway with my nephew last night was A House of Dynamite and it is incredibly tense and thought-provoking if ultimately anti-climactic.  The launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile from an unknown country is shown from three different perspectives.  The first perspective introduces the threat as Major Daniel Gonzalez (Anthony Ramos) and his team at Fort Greely in Alaska first detect the missile heading inbound to the United States on radar and attempt, unsuccessfully, to neutralize it with anti-ballistic missiles and as Captain Olivia Walker (Rebecca Ferguson), the senior  officer in the White House situation room, and her team assess the danger to the population and inform all high-ranking government officials.  The second perspective proposes possible responses as General Anthony Brady (Tracy Letts), the senior military officer at STRATCOM (the United States Strategic Command), advocates for nuclear retaliation against all known enemies and as Jake Bearington (Gabriel Basso), the Deputy National Security Officer, urges caution after contacting Ana Park (Greta Lee), the NSA's North Korea expert, and the Russian Foreign Minister (Andrei Kouznetsov).  The third perspective conveys the weight of making an impossible decision as the POTUS (Idris Elba) consults with Secretary of Defense Reid Baker (Jared Harris) and Presidential Military Aide Lieutenant Commander Robert Reeves (Jonah Hauer-King) in order to choose between several devastating options.  One of the things I found most compelling is how the narrative humanizes the characters who are responsible for keeping the country safe, often at the expense of their own families, especially when Walker tearfully advises her husband (Neal Bledsoe) to take their son (Nicholas Monterosso) and drive as far away as possible, when Baker calls his estranged daughter (Kaitlyn Dever) after he realizes that she lives in the targeted city, and when the POTUS calls the First Lady (Renee Elise Goldsberry), who is visiting Africa, to ask her opinion.  However, this is also extremely disconcerting because we see that these very human individuals tasked with keeping us safe are also fallible and are the weakest link in elaborate contingency plans. The action is frenetic as the camera shifts from person to person in the large ensemble cast and the suspense is almost unbearable as the countdown to impact is shown three different times with an unsettling score.  I was on the edge of my seat until the ending which I found very disappointing (I may or may not have uttered an expletive under my breath) even though it is probably the only way it could have ended.  I would recommend seeing this in the theater because it is a visceral experience but it will be available on Netflix beginning October 24.

Orwell: 2+2=5

My nephew was very eager to see Orwell: 2+2=5 so it was the first in a double feature at the Broadway last night.  It is an incredibly insightful (and deeply upsetting) look at the life and writings of George Orwell that is, unfortunately, very relevant in the world today.  It takes a nonlinear approach to show how his life experiences informed his world view and his work, most notably Nineteen Eighty-Four, with Damian Lewis narrating as the voice of the author.  Eric Arthur Blair, who wrote under the pen name George Orwell, was born into what he called the lower-upper-middle-class in which he felt his status very keenly, especially while at Eton, and came to abhor social classes.  His family was unable to afford university and his marks were not good enough for a scholarship so he joined the police force in what was then Burma.  He saw first hand the oppression of the powerless by the British and developed a hatred for imperialism.  He eventually volunteered to fight against Franco's military uprising during the Spanish Civil War where he experienced the evils of fascism and totalitarianism and also worked for the BBC for a time during World War II but resigned after observing media manipulation.  He began writing as a way to call attention to these issues.  The documentary then highlights the themes of Nineteen Eighty-Four by reiterating the motto of Oceania (War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength) and then applying it to the global situation today by highlighting the military invasions of Iraq, Ukraine, and Palestine; the growing income inequality around the world; and the spread of misinformation, anti-intellectualism, AI, and book banning.  For me the most chilling motif, shown multiple times with footage from the various movie adaptations of Nineteen Eight-Four, is when the protagonist Winston is forced to agree that 2+2=5 during his interrogation because I think that people have willingly abandoned what they know to be true in favor of what is expedient in our current political climate.  As distressing as this is to watch, it does end with the belief that people will not abandon their common decency and will eventually heed Orwell's warnings.  I think this is an important documentary for everyone to see and I highly recommend it.

The Addams Family at Draper Historic Theatre

I haven't been to the Draper Historic Theatre since I went with my cousins Emily and Julie to see Once Upon a Mattress in 2009! I returned last night for a production of The Addams Family because is it even October if you don't see this show? I had so much fun (even though I thought it started at 7:30 instead of 7:00 and barely made it after having to park two blocks away). The Addams family is not like other families because they are all obsessed with death and the macabre and rely on their dead ancestors to help them through life. Complications ensue when Wednesday (Olivia Lane) falls in love with Lucas Beineke (Elijah Carillo), a normal Midwestern boy, and wants to introduce his uptight parents, Mal (Jonathan Saul) and Alice (Ayssa Powers), to her father Gomez (Brett Lyman), her mother Morticia (Beth Weber), her brother Pugsley (Kai Sanders), her uncle Fester (Keith Nielson), her Grandma (Laura Shipp), and her family's manservant Lurch (Cameron Hess). She arranges a dinner and begs her family for one normal night but, of course, things go wrong when a mishap involving a poisonous potion occurs during a game of Full Disclosure. It is up to Uncle Fester, with the help of the ancestors, to convince everyone that love is the answer! The cast is fantastic because everyone is perfectly suited to their role! Lyman and Weber have some hilarious interactions with each other and I especially loved their version of "Tango de Amor" because Weber is at least a foot taller than Lyman so their lifts and dips are highly amusing! Lane has both the look (I love that she sports Wednesday's signature braids) and the voice for this iconic character and her renditions of "Pulled" and "Crazier Than You" are really powerful and were the highlights of the show for me. Sanders is adorable as Pugsley (he sings "What If" with a lot of emotion) and Hess is an absolute hoot as Lurch (he is so perfect for the role that he doesn't even wear platform shoes). I also really enjoyed Carillo (he reminded me of the actor George MacKay) because he is endearingly awkward. The choreography is a lot of fun and I liked how the ancestors are integrated, especially in "When You're an Addams," "One Normal Night," "But Love," "Secrets," "Full Disclosure," "Just Around the Corner," and "The Moon and Me" (another highlight of the show). I was really impressed with the costumes and I don't know which I liked more: Gomez's burgundy velvet smoking jacket, Morticia's slinky black lace gown, or Wednesday's black jumper and white blouse. The costumes for the ancestors are also quite elaborate with lots of quirky details to enhance the characterization (I loved the hoop skirt for Marie Antoinette). Finally, the set is minimal but very effective. The stage is configured as a spooky graveyard in the woods with simple pieces brought on stage (my favorites were Gomez's collection of Medieval torture devices) and projections for various rooms in the Addams mansion. I recommend this as a fun show to see with the whole family for Halloween (go here for tickets). It runs on various days through Oct. 30.

Note: I will definitely be back for their production of Elf The Musical because is it even December if you don't see this show?

Kiss of the Spider Woman

I was absolutely blown away by Kiss of the Spider Woman when I saw it at Sundance this year so I was really excited to see it again with my sister Kristine last night.  I loved it just as much, if not more, upon a second viewing!  During a brutal military dictatorship in Argentina in the 1980s, Luis Molina (Tonatiuh), a flamboyantly gay window dresser, is jailed for public indecency and placed in the same cell as a political dissident named Valentin Arregui (Diego Luna).  The Warden (Bruno Bichir) offers Molina early parole if he can get Valentin to reveal important information about his revolutionary activities but this seems unlikely as the two of them take an immediate disliking to each other.  However, the bleak conditions in the prison prompt Molina to begin describing his favorite movie musical starring Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez) as a way to escape their circumstances and they soon form an unlikely bond.  As the musical comes vividly to life in technicolor, Molina starts to feel conflicted about betraying Valentin as life imitates art.  As a huge fan of movie musicals, I love that the characters use the genre as a way to escape from reality and as inspiration and I love all of the old Hollywood musicals that are referenced in the big production numbers (especially An American in Paris, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Singin' in the Rain).  I love the bright and effervescent color palette and the dynamic choreography, especially when juxtaposed with the drab and dreary scenes in the prison, because it really emphasizes the fantasy even if the songs themselves are largely forgettable.  Lopez is brilliant in a role that was made for her and I particularly enjoyed her singing and dancing in "Gimme Love" because she is dazzling. Luna is more subdued but I liked his sensitive portrayal of Valentin’s arc of learning how to love.  I was most impressed with Tonatiuh because he steals the show with an incredibly nuanced performance that is both tender and powerful and his rendition of "She's a Woman" is beautiful.  This might not be for everyone because there are some dark themes but, ultimately, it is about the transformative power of art and I highly recommend it.

Roofman

I have been looking forward to Roofman ever since I saw the first trailer so my nephew and I went to see it with a big Saturday night crowd.  It is funny but it is also much more poignant than I was expecting and I really liked it.  Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum) is at loose ends and estranged from his wife and children after being discharged from the military.  He is especially upset at not being able to give his children everything they want so, after observing the routines and schedules of a local McDonald's restaurant, he breaks in through the roof at night and surprises the early morning shift in order to rob the safe. He continues until he is eventually caught and sentenced to prison but, once again, he exploits the routines and schedules to escape.  He takes refuge in a Toys "R" Us store while he waits for his friend, and fellow soldier, Steve (LaKeith Stanfield) to procure him the necessary documents to leave the country.  However, Steve is deployed and will not be back for six months so he creates a more permanent hiding place behind a display.  He figures out how to stop the CCTV cameras from recording, roams the store at night, subsists on peanut M&Ms, and washes in the employee bathroom but he gets bored so he sets up baby monitors around the store so he can observe the employees.  He surreptitiously intervenes when Mitch (Peter Dinklage), the ill-mannered manager of the store, refuses to accommodate a scheduling request from Leigh Wainscott (Kirsten Dunst) and this eventually leads to a relationship with her and her two daughters, Lindsay (Lily Collias) and Dee (Kennedy Moyer).  When Steve returns and provides his documents, his relationship with Leigh wreaks havoc on his plans for escape.  Tatum gives an outstanding performance, one of his very best, and he handles both the humor and the pathos with a deftness that is sometimes difficult to achieve.  He is so charismatic that you root for him to succeed even though what he is doing is wrong and I really liked his arc as he discovers that people just need love rather than things.  I appreciated the deliberate development of his relationship with Leigh, even if the action does get a bit bogged down towards the end, because it provides a compelling motivation for his actions.  Dunst is also outstanding (she has tremendous chemistry with Tatum) and Dinklage is an amusing villain.  I thought that I would probably enjoy this but I am surprised by just how much I liked it.  I highly recommend it!

The Scarlet Pimpernel at Hopebox Theatre

One of my favorite novels when I was a teenager was The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy (I also loved the movie starring Jane Seymour and Anthony Andrews) so I am obviously a big fan of the stage adaptation. Last night I got to see it at the Hopebox Theatre and I was very impressed by the elaborate production. English aristocrat Percy Blakeney (Ricky Dowse) disguises himself as the Scarlet Pimpernel and recruits a band of followers to save his counterparts in France from the sinister Chauvelin (Dugan Brunker) and the guillotine during the French Revolution. He keeps his identity secret from his new wife Marguerite St. Just (Chrissy Andreasen), a Parisian actress, because he believes that she is helping Chauvelin, her former lover. He is also keeping his identity a secret from the Prince of Wales (Roger Brunker) by pretending to be a foppish nincompoop. His journeys to France are fraught with danger but he must make his most daring rescue when Marguerite is arrested trying to save her brother Armand (Porter Beesley). All three of the leads are fantastic and I loved their voices. Dowse is really entertaining as Percy and I laughed out loud at all of his dandified antics, especially his rendition of "The Creation of Man," but he is also very stirring in his performance of "Into the Fire" (my favorite song in the show) and quite affecting in "She Was There." Brunker is one of the best Chauvelins I've seen because his versions of "Falcon in the Dive" and "Where's the Girl" are incredibly passionate and his exasperation with Percy is a lot of fun. Andreasen is a lovely Marguerite and she sings "Storybook," "When I Look at You," and "I'll Forget You" beautifully and with a lot of emotion. The three of them also harmonize really well together in "The Riddle." The staging of the big musical numbers on such a small stage is extremely clever, especially "Into the Fire" because the boat used by the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel to travel from England to France appears suddenly from the rafters and the wings (I loved that Percy's boat is renamed Rachel's Resolve in honor of Rachel Rounds, the Wall of Hope recipient for this production, because it is such a touching detail), and the choreography is incredibly dynamic, particularly the integration of props (I loved the butterfly net and the cricket bat) in "Into the Fire" and "The Creation of Man" as well as the intricate patterns created by the dancers in "Ouilles Gavotte." This is a small community theatre but they really went all out with the costumes and set. Marguerite's gowns are gorgeous but the outfits worn by the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel take "frou frou" to the next level! The backdrop consists of marble archways and various set pieces for Marguerite's carousel at the Comédie-Française, Percy's study, the garden at the Bakeney estate, a prison, and the guillotine appear on stage by way of a turntable featuring a scarlet pimpernel. The guillotine is especially dramatic and a shadow effect used to show the drop of the blade is very effective. I had so much fun watching this show and I highly encourage everyone to get a ticket because, not only will you be entertained, you will be supporting a very worthwhile cause! It runs Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (with a Saturday matinee) through Nov. 1. Tickets may be purchased here but act quickly because most shows are either sold out or have limited availability (although there is a possibility that more shows will be added).

Anemone

I was thrilled when I learned that Daniel Day-Lewis was coming out of retirement to star in his son's directorial debut, Anemone, and I immediately wanted to see it.  My nephew and I finally had the opportunity at the Broadway last night but, unfortunately, we were both incredibly disappointed.  In fact, the more we talked about it, the more we disliked it.  Ray Stoker (Day-Lewis) was so traumatized by his experiences as a paramilitary officer in Northern Ireland in the 1960s that he left his wife Nessa (Samantha Morton) and infant son Brian to live in self-imposed exile in a remote cottage in the woods.  Now, many years later, Brian (Samuel Bottomley) is struggling after joining the military himself and fears that he will end up just like his father.  Nessa sends Jem (Sean Bean), Ray's estranged brother, to deliver a letter asking him to return and help his son.  Tensions are palpable when Jem arrives because there is a lot of unresolved conflict between the brothers, most notably the fact that Jem is now married to Nessa and has raised Brian, but Ray eventually achieves a reconciliation with his brother and the possibility of one with his son.  Day-Lewis is a compelling presence (and often a terrifying one) on screen during the many scenes of protracted silence but it is in two very powerful monologues, especially the one in which he finally reveals the incident that psychologically scarred him, that he really proves why he is one of the greatest actors of his generation.  Bean and Morton are also outstanding actors but they are not given much to do beyond reacting with stoicism or concern, respectively.  The cinematography featuring the surrounding landscape is beautiful and atmospheric but there are also lots of intricately composed shots that range from vaguely symbolic (I had no idea what many of them were meant to represent, especially the supernatural elements) to utterly pretentious.  Finally, even though the story is slight, the pacing is still extremely sluggish (at least 30 minutes could have been removed from the runtime) and it becomes very boring tedious watching similar scenes over and over again. I really wanted to like this because I am a big fan of Day-Lewis but I wouldn't recommend it.

TRON: Ares

Last night my nephew and I went to an early access screening of TRON: Ares in IMAX and I had so much fun watching it!  Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), the CEO of Dillinger Systems, and Eve Kim (Greta Lee), the CEO of ENCOM, both have access to a generative laser that can reproduce digital structures in the real word.  Dillinger wants to militarize this technology, much to the dismay of his mother Elisabeth (Gillian Anderson) who wants to regain control of the company, and creates a highly sophisticated program known as Ares (Jared Leto) that can be used in battle while Kim wants to use it to solve world hunger and creates an orange tree.  However, the technology is in the early stages and anything created with it degenerates in 29 minutes.  Kim eventually finds a Permanence Code created by Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), the former CEO of ENCOM, and Dillinger will do anything to get it from her.  He sends Ares and another program named Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith) to the real world to capture the code but, when Kim destroys it, they bring her to the grid to extract it from her memory.  Complications ensue when Ares decides to ignore his directive and protect Kim and when Athena decides to do whatever is necessary to complete it.  When I walked into the theater, I was hoping for mind-blowing visuals, an epic score, a story that made sense, and a performance from Leto that wasn't too weird and I definitely got all of that!  We saw this in 3D and I absolutely loved all of the dynamic chase sequences, especially when Ares and Athena are trying to capture Kim in the real world and when Ares and Kim are trying to evade Athena in the digital world because the trails of light are absolutely dazzling, and the final confrontation between Ares and Athena because it is so striking to see the competing red and blue lights on their suits.  I also loved that when Dillinger hacks into the ENCOM server it is portrayed by having Ares and the rest of the programs physically break in to the digital structure.  I am a huge fan of Nine Inch Nails and the score is so propulsive that I could hardly take a breath.  I think the techno-synth music really emphasizes the tension between the digital world and the real world.  The story is so much better than I was expecting and I found the comparisons to Frankenstein, particularly when Ares rebels against his creator and discovers his humanity, to be very thought-provoking.  Finally, I really enjoyed the performances from everyone in the cast, especially Lee.  Leto is not my favorite actor but his surprisingly restrained delivery really works for the character and it often provides a bit of comic relief as Ares learns about the real world (I loved the running bit about his love for Depeche Mode).  This was everything I hoped it would be and I had an absolute blast watching it with my nephew!  I recommend it to fans of the franchise.

Good Boy

The second movie in my double feature at the Broadway last night was Good Boy and I loved the message about the loyalty of dogs.  Todd (Shane Jensen) is suffering from chronic lung disease when he decides to move from New York City to the isolated house in the woods where his grandfather (Larry Fessenden) died and where his grandfather's dog Bandit (Max) disappeared.  When he arrives, his dog Indy (himself) immediately senses a presence and repeatedly tries to warn Todd about the danger.  As Todd's health worsens and his behavior becomes more erratic, especially towards Indy and his sister Vera (Arielle Friedman) who frequently calls to check on him, the presence becomes more malevolent and manifests itself as shadows, unexplained noises, the ghosts of Todd's grandfather and Bandit, and, eventually, a dark entity that stalks and then tries to consume Todd.  Indy must go to extraordinary lengths to protect him.  The story is told entirely from Indy's POV and this is an incredibly clever premise because, as someone who has spent a lot of time around dogs, I know that they can intuit things that their human owners cannot.  It is also quite ingenious because a dog is not necessarily a reliable narrator which allows the audience to interpret the goings-on in several different ways (I choose to see the presence as a metaphor for illness).  It is really scary at times (at one point I jumped out of my seat), with clever cinematography and atmospheric lighting that uses reflections and shadows very effectively as well as an incredibly unnerving sound design, but it is also very emotional because of how Indy's unconditional love for Todd is portrayed.  Finally, Indy gives a fantastic performance (I think he is a better actor than his human co-stars) that is very compelling.  I definitely recommend this to fans of horror (and dogs).

The Smashing Machine

Last night I went to the Broadway for a double feature (there are so many movies I want to see in October).  I started with The Smashing Machine because I love inspirational sports movies and I was really intrigued by Dwayne Johnson's physical transformation in the trailer.  Unfortunately, I found it very underwhelming despite an outstanding performance from Johnson.  Mark Kerr (Johnson) is an incredibly successful UFC fighter who has never lost a match but, for financial reasons, he also fights in the Pride Fighting Championships in Japan.  When he loses a fight against Igor Vovchanchyn (Oleksandr Usyk) in a controversial decision, he spirals into depression which is exacerbated by his worsening dependence on prescription and illegal drugs.  When he overdoses, his best friend and fellow fighter Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader) convinces him to enter rehab.  He gets sober and begins training at a camp run by fellow fighter Bas Rutten (himself) in order to redeem himself at the next tournament in Japan but his dysfunctional relationship with his girlfriend Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt) threatens his comeback.  Johnson completely disappears into this role (I thought it was the hair but he is still unrecognizable when his character shaves his head before a match) and gives the best performance of his career.  In the scene after his first loss in Japan you can see the coiled rage in his body as the camera follows him walking to the locker room and then you can see him release it when he breaks down crying once he is alone.  It is a very powerful moment and Johnson conveys everything that Kerr is feeling without any dialogue.  I also really liked the way the fighting scenes were filmed because we see most of the action through the ropes from the POV of a spectator.  However, I found the narrative itself to be somewhat pointless.  This is a mild spoiler so you may want to stop reading but the first act sets up a revenge match between Kerr and Vovchanchyn since the latter won on an illegal move and the second act sets up a match between close friends Kerr and Coleman (either would have created interest and tension) but neither of these matches happen.  The filmmakers also take great pains to portray Staples as toxic and there is an incredibly satisfying moment when Kerr finally realizes it but an end title says that they eventually reconcile and marry which lessens the impact of that scene.  I understand that the filmmakers wanted to highlight a fighter who impacted the future of his sport without a lot of recognition but, in my opinion, Kerr is not a compelling enough subject for a movie.  I recommend giving this a miss.

Laufey at the Delta Center

I recently discovered Laufey and now I am completely obsessed with her music because she has such a unique sound that blends jazz, pop, and classical elements.  I love her voice because it is so expressive and her orchestrations because they are incredibly lush.  I found out about her concert at the Delta Center quite by accident and was thrilled when I was able to get a ticket at the last minute.  The show was last night and it was incredible!  It is very theatrical with an elaborate set that is a cross between a fairy tale castle and a Busby Berkeley musical with a curved runway to a secondary stage shaped like a clock complete with moving hands and the glamorous costumes are inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood.  The show is divided into five different thematic acts with an introduction on the screen reminiscent of a silent movie and an encore featuring a surprise song specific to each city.  The first act is inspired by romance and fantasy and Laufey wore a sparkly gown with a tulle skirt while performing "Clockwork," "Lover Girl" with the requisite claps from the audience, "Dreamer," "Falling Behind," "Silver Lining" (my favorite Laufey song), "Bored," and "Too Little, Too Late."  The second act is meant to mimic an intimate jazz club so she moved to the secondary stage wearing a 1920s-inspired beaded dress.  She performed a cover of "Seems Like Old Times" and then sultry versions of her songs "Valentine," "Fragile," "While You Were Sleeping," and "Let You Break My Heart Again" with a trio of musicians. The third act is billed as an enchanting interlude and included "Carousel" "Forget-Me-Not," and "Cuckoo Ballet" (featuring ballet dancers in tutus) with whimsical images on the screens.  The fourth act represents vulnerability and heartbreak and she performed "Mr. Eclectic," "Castle in Hollywood," "Promise," "Goddess," "Tough Luck," "Snow White," and "From the Start" (another favorite) in a costume with lots of sequins and fringe inspired by the Ziegfeld Follies.  The fifth act is about self-acceptance and growth so she performed a dramatic version of "Sabotage."  She returned to the secondary stage for the encore and the surprise song was "Street By Street" (she told the crowd that she picked this song specifically for Salt Lake City because she performed her first live show here and she was so surprised that people actually knew the words to it) followed by an emotional performance of "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self."  She sounded amazing live (I would love to hear her in a venue like Abravanel Hall with a full orchestra backing her) and played guitar, piano, and even the cello (during the instrumental "Cuckoo Ballet").  Her interactions with the large and enthusiastic crowd were charming and she was incredibly appreciative of them singing along to every word.  She even commented on the many Laufey-themed costumes (I did not get the memo about wearing bows and felt crowns).  I thoroughly enjoyed this concert and I am so glad that I was able to go!

Note:  Suki Waterhouse was the opening act.  I didn't know anything about her (beyond being Robert Pattinson's girlfriend) or her music but I really liked her set.