The Phantom Menace

I have very vivid memories of seeing The Phantom Menace with my friend Tony on opening day when it was first released.  We were able to get advance tickets but, because seats were not assigned back in the day, we decided to go really early to make sure we got good ones.  When we got to the theater the line was already stretched out to the parking lot (we still got good seats) but it was so much fun because the anticipation and excitement were palpable!  I remember how thrilling it was to hear the instantly recognizable fanfare while watching a new opening crawl!  I almost couldn't contain myself!  Tony and I (and the rowdy crowd we saw it with) really liked it and we were surprised by the critical response because it sets up the characters Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Palpatine to become who they are in the original trilogy in a really intriguing way and it is dazzling to look at (there has been a big reassessment of the prequel trilogy in recent years but I always liked them).  Episode I is now back in theaters in honor of its 25th Anniversary and it was so much fun to see it on the big screen again last night with a large crowd!  Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) are assigned to negotiate the end of the Trade Federation's blockade of Naboo but are unable to prevent the invasion of the planet.  They eventually rescue the young queen, Amidala (Natalie Portman), and escape but are forced to land on Tatooine for engine repairs.  There they meet a young slave named Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) who helps them get the parts they need.  He also makes a big impression on Qui-Gon who arranges for his release.  They travel to Coruscant where Amidala and Palpatine (Iam McDiarmid), the senator from Naboo, hope to plead their case to the Senate only to discover that the blockade is just the beginning a sinister plot by the long dormant Sith to control the galaxy.  This is a movie that definitely should be seen on the big screen because the worldbuilding and visuals are so spectacular, especially the architecture on Naboo, the underwater world of the Gungun, and the senate chamber on Coruscant, and the sound design during the podrace is absolutely epic.  The action sequences are impressive, particularly the aforementioned podrace, the battle against the droid army, the gunfight in the throne room, and the starfighter battle against the droid control ship.  It also features what is widely considered to be the best lightsaber duel in the entire series when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan fight Darth Maul (accompanied by "Duel of the Fates" which is one of my favorite pieces from all of the Star Wars soundtracks).  Neeson has a suitably imposing presence as the Jedi Master and I think McGregor is an entirely believable younger version of Obi-Wan as portrayed by Alec Guinness.  Lloyd's performance as Anakin has been much maligned but the farewell scene with his mother is genuinely heartbreaking (and really sets his path to the dark side in motion).  Some of the characters are still problematic (although Jar Jar Binks isn't as annoying as I remember him) and the dialogue is really clunky but it is definitely worth seeing while it is back in theaters (especially if you have never seen it on the big screen).

Bryce Canyon National Park 2024

After driving through Zion I kept going on Highway 89 to Bryce Canyon (it is a really pretty drive and takes about two hours).  Unlike Zion, Bryce Canyon was absolutely packed and there was nowhere to park at Sunrise Point or Bryce Point.  I was able to stop at all of the other viewpoints and to find a parking spot at Rainbow Point to walk around so I'm calling it good!

I really loved seeing the snow against the red rocks!  This was a fun weekend road trip and I thoroughly enjoyed both Tuacahn and the national parks!  My next road trip will be to Washington for my niece's wedding later this month!

Zion National Park 2024

Zion is one of my favorite places on Earth and, whenever I am in St. George, I usually drive home through the park.  I hadn't planned on doing that this trip but I woke up early yesterday morning and got packed up very quickly so I spontaneously decided to make the detour.  I am so glad that I did because the temperature was perfect and the park wasn't very crowded.  It has been a long time since I really explored or hiked but I do enjoy driving through because it reminds me of all the times my family visited during my childhood.

It was a really nice morning in the park, especially since it wasn't crowded and I could pull into all of the viewpoints to get a closer look at the formations!

Frozen at Tuacahn Amphitheatre

Yesterday I left on a quick road trip to St. George to see Frozen at Tuacahn Amphitheatre.  Tuacahn is the first regional theatre in the U.S. to be given permission by Disney to produce this musical and it was spectacular!  I have seen the Broadway touring production and I think this version might be better!  A young Elsa (Harper Griffith) and a young Anna (Bentley Nulia) have fun building a snowman together but, when Elsa accidentally freezes Anna with her mysterious powers, the King and Queen tell her that she must hide herself away from Anna and the rest of Arendelle.  When the King and Queen are lost at sea, Elsa (Cayleigh Capaldi) must open the doors of the castle for her coronation.  She loses control of herself, with devastating consequences, when Anna (Daisy Wright) requests permission to marry Hans of the Southern Isles (Preston Taylor) and she flees Arendelle.  Anna follows her, hoping to save Arendelle from the endless winter, and is aided by an ice harvester named Kristoff (Joe Caskey) , his reindeer Sven (William Bishop), and Olaf (Kyle Kemph), the snowman she built with Anna when they were girls.  Elsa fears that she is a monster and Anna is injured again but it is her ability to love that ultimately saves Anna and Arendelle.  Tuacahn is known for its big productions and this is the most ambitious one yet!  The large set pieces, special effects, and projections are absolutely amazing!  I knew that the song "Let It Go" would probably be a highlight but I was not prepared for how epic it was.  There were moving set pieces that looked like giant icicles and projections of snow and ice on large LED panels in sync with all of Capaldi's dramatic gestures and her costume change happens in an instant (people in the audience gasped).  It seemed to snow in the entire amphitheatre and the song, which featured an incredibly powerful performance by Capaldi, concluded with fireworks!  I also really loved Capaldi's renditions of "Dangerous to Dream," "Monster," and "I Can't Lose You" with Wright because she has such a beautiful voice filled with so much emotion.  Wright's performance is also outstanding and I loved her voice, as well, but her physicality was so much fun to watch, especially in "Love is an Open Door" and "Fixer Upper."  The entire cast is fantastic (I was impressed with Caskey because he is the understudy) and it features a strong ensemble who made me laugh at all of their antics during the choreography in "Hygge."  The costumes are slightly different from those of the movie and the Broadway production but they are recognizable and gorgeous.  I also loved the puppets for Sven and Olaf.  This show is magical and I am so glad that I got to see it!  It is being performed in repertory with Anastasia and Jersey Boys through the middle of October (go here for tickets).

The Fall Guy

Last night I went to see The Fall Guy looking for a fun summer blockbuster and that is exactly what I got!  After an accident on set Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), the stunt double for action star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), walks away from the movie business and his camerawoman girlfriend Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt).  Eighteen months later producer Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham) convinces him to return to Tom's latest movie because it is being directed by Jody and she has requested him.  When he gets to set he discovers that Jody is not over their break-up and that Gail really summoned him to locate Tom because he has mysteriously disappeared.  Soon he is being blown up, shot at, and set on fire both on set and in real life as he tries to find Tom.  Eventually, he becomes the fall guy in more ways than one and it takes the stunt coordinator Dan Tucker (Winston Duke), Jody, and the entire crew to help him clear his name in an epic stunt.  The story is an absolute mess (I think they should have spent more time developing the central romance rather than the mystery) but the action sequences, and the accompanying adrenaline-fueled soundtrack, are so much fun.  It is definitely an homage to stunt work, and filmmaking in general, and I enjoyed seeing glimpses of what it takes to create the stunts we see on the screen as well as all of the nods to recognizable stunts from other movies.  Gosling, especially, and Blunt are charismatic as the leads and they have sizzling chemistry with each other (as previously mentioned they should have had more interactions together).  Some of the humor doesn't quite land but I laughed out loud during a relationship montage to "All Too Well" by Taylor Swift and several scenes involving a French speaking stunt dog named Jean-Claude.  There are flaws but it is wildly entertaining and the perfect start to the summer blockbuster season.