Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante at St. Mary's Church

I always look forward to the Utah Symphony concerts at St. Mary's Church in Park City every summer because they always end up being absolutely wonderful.  St. Mary's is a beautiful church with amazing views of the mountains through a wall of plate glass windows and it is a fantastic venue for chamber music.  Last night's concert began with Mother Goose Suite by Maurice Ravel and I really enjoyed this whimsical piece.  I especially loved the second movement about Tom Thumb because I was transported to a magical forest (it helped that I could see trees all around me through the windows) with the sound of birdsong performed by the flutes and piccolo.  Next came Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola, and Orchestra by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with Kathryn Eberle and Yuan Qi as soloists.  I have always really loved Mozart and this piece is amazing.  I absolutely loved the second movement because the solo violin plays a moody and atmospheric theme meant to express grief and then the viola answers with a theme of consolation and this interplay between the two instruments is incredibly moving.  After the intermission the orchestra played Sinfonietta by Francis Poulenc.  This piece is light and breezy with really beautiful melodies but I really loved the dramatic ending, especially the timpani.  It was a lovely evening listening to the Utah Symphony in a beautiful setting and I highly recommend one of the remaining concerts at St. Mary's Church (go here for tickets).

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

Last night I went to see Marcel the Shell With Shoes On and I was definitely surprised by how much I loved this heartwarming story about a one inch shell!  Marcel (Jenny Slate) lives with a close-knit community of shells in a large house until there is a mysterious incident after the owners, Mark (Thoas Mann) and Larissa (Rosa Salazar), have a fight and move out which leaves him alone with just his grandmother Connie (Isabella Rossellini).  The house becomes an Airbnb and a documentary filmmaker named Dean (Dean Fleischer Camp) moves in after a divorce.  He soon discovers Marcel and becomes enchanted with his charming existence.  He films him for his Youtube channel in order to try and find his family with both unexpected and joyful results.  Marcel is one of the most adorable and endearing characters I've seen in a long time and the way he views the world is so refreshing.  I loved all of the clever and innovative ways he uses everyday objects, especially the tennis ball he uses to get around the house and the stand mixer he rigs to shake fruit from the trees, and I was laughing out loud multiple times (and so was the large crowd at the Broadway).  I was also incredibly moved because there are some really powerful themes explored, which really resonated with me, involving being a caregiver for a family member and then being at loose ends when that role ends.  In fact, I actually had tears in my eyes during this subplot.  The portrayal of internet culture was really interesting and I found all of the people taking selfies in front of Marcel's house to be highly amusing.  I really enjoyed the mockumentary narrative device and the combination of live action and stop-motion animation is extremely well-done.  I didn't have a lot of interest in seeing this movie when I first heard about it but I'm so glad that I changed my mind because I loved it and I highly recommend it.

Sister Act at Murray Park Amphitheater

Last night I saw a production of Sister Act at the Murray Park Amphitheater.  I love seeing outdoor performances (I haven't seen very many this summer for some reason) and this show was so much fun!  A singer named Deloris Van Cartier (Kortney King-Lives) inadvertently witnesses her gangster boyfriend Curtis (Tyson Jensen) kill someone.  A love-struck cop named Eddie (Tommy Kay) places her in the Queen of Angels Convent to keep her safe until she can testify against him but she disrupts the orderly way of life at the convent until the Mother Superior (Cindy Swan) puts her in charge of the choir to keep her out of trouble.  The new and improved choir's unorthodox performances bring people back to the church but all of the attention puts the convent in danger after Curtis and his henchmen see Deloris on TV.   King-Lives is really understated as Deloris but she has an incredible voice and I enjoyed the pathos she brings to the role, especially in the reprise of "Fabulous, Baby."  Courtney Byrom is absolutely hilarious as Sister Mary Patrick because she is so flamboyant and over the top.  Chloe Cox, as T.J., Eric Lash, as Joey, and Jacob Crosby, as Pablo, almost steal the show in the songs "When I Find My Baby" and "Lady in the Long Black Dress" because they have some great disco moves!  The audience also laughed out loud during Kay's version of "I Could Be That Guy" because it features several costume changes and back-up dancers composed of homeless people from an alley.  The choreography is a lot of fun in the songs "Raise Your Voice," "Take Me To Heaven," "Sunday Morning Fever," and "Spread the Love Around," which are sung by the choir, and I especially enjoyed it whenever Sister Mary Theresa (Wendy Johnson Richhart), an older nun, incorporated her cane.  It is also really amusing when the Monsignor (Shan Lloyd) comes out into the audience with a collection basket during the nuns' performances (he made quite a bit of money!).  The costumes are absolutely fabulous and I loved how the Monsignor's vestments and the nuns' habits get more and more elaborate as the show goes on (I especially loved the purple sequins).  The set is very simple with a backdrop of stained glass windows with various pieces moved on and off as needed but it is effective.  I had a great time because the crowd for this show was really loud and animated (people were dancing in the aisles during the final number).  There are three more performances next weekend (go here for tickets) and I highly recommend it.

Note:  There were very ominous clouds in the sky as I was driving to the amphitheater and it actually rained a little bit before the show but, luckily, it cleared up just as it started!

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

Paris is my very favorite city in the world so I was really excited to see Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris last night.  Ada Harris (Lesley Manville) is a war widow in 1950s London who works as a cleaning lady.  When she sees a Dior gown owned by one of her wealthy clients she dreams of owning one herself and even takes in sewing in an ill-fated attempt to save enough money for one.  However, a series of fortuitous events makes her dream possible and she heads to Paris.  Claudine Colbert (Isabelle Hupper), the imperious director of the House of Dior, refuses to let her in but the rest of the staff is impressed by her cash and she is invited to a show.  She chooses one dress but, when she learns that it is promised to an exclusive client, she settles for another one.  After she learns that she will have to stay in Paris for fittings, she ends up having a series of adventures and, when she returns home, she has more than just a pretty frock because she discovers her self-respect (and a certain je ne sais quoi).  This movie is such a charming feel-good story about following your dreams no matter how outlandish they may seem to others and, even though a lot of it is extremely far-fetched, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Manville gives a delightful performance (which is a complete departure from Cyril Woodcock in Phantom Thread despite the fact that both movies are about haute couture in the 1950s) and I loved watching her go toe to toe with Huppert.  The costumes are absolutely gorgeous, especially all of the Dior gowns in the fashion show, and I loved the few scenes shot in Paris (I really want to go back).  This movie put a smile on my face and I recommend it!

Both Sides of the Blade

Director Claire Denis won the Silver Bear for Both Sides of the Blade this year at the Berlin Film Festival so I was really excited to see it last night at the Broadway.  Sara (Juliette Binoche) and her husband Jean (Vincent Lindon) have a blissful holiday at the sea but, when they return home to Paris, she catches a glimpse of a man on the street and this has a profound affect on her.  It turns out that he is Jean's former business partner and Sara's former lover Francois (Gregoire Colin) and he has come back into their lives after an absence of ten years with a business proposition for Jean.  Sara expresses concern but Jean ultimately accepts because he needs employment to support his son Marcus (Issa Perica) who lives with his mother (Bulle Ogier).  Sara continually professes her love for Jean but is completely undone when she inevitably meets with Francois at a company event.  Jean is jealous but she cannot deny the love she has always felt for Francois and begins an affair with him leading to an explosive confrontation and an ending that took me completely by surprise.  This is a slow burn without exposition so details about the three main characters are revealed very slowly (or not at all because I still have so many questions).  Binoche and Lindon give very understated performances in the first two acts with interactions that seem almost polite as they circle around each other in the claustrophobic environment of their apartment but every look and gesture is fraught with meaning.  The tension builds and builds until an incredible scene in the third act where they both give vent to all of the feelings they have been repressing and the performances are riveting.  I enjoyed the story about a marriage that seems very happy but eventually comes undone; however, many of the subplots, including Sara's job as a radio personality and Jean's troubles with his son, seem very superfluous with themes about race that are very underdeveloped.  This is an interesting psychological drama with compelling performances but I found the lack of detail to be very frustrating.

Where the Crawdads Sing

Several of my friends recommended Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and I finally had the chance to read it during the lockdown (when I spent all of my free time reading).  I absolutely loved it so I was a bit worried when I heard about the upcoming adaptation because the movie is rarely as good as the book.  However, after watching a Thursday preview last night, I have to admit that I really enjoyed it.  Catherine "Kya" Clark (Jojo Regina) grows up in extreme poverty with an abusive father in a North Carolina marsh.  Eventually her mother, all of her siblings, and even her father abandon her leaving her to fend for herself.  Kya (now played by Daisy Edgar-Jones) grows up to be incredibly resourceful and intimately acquainted with the flora and fauna of the marsh but she is wary of outsiders who treat her with disdain.  Tate Walker (Taylor John Smith) is able to break through her reserve by giving her specimens from the marsh and they begin a romantic relationship.  When he leaves to go to college, she feels as if he has abandoned her like everyone else in her life.  She turns to a wealthy young man from town named Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson) who woos her with promises of marriage but she soon realizes that he is just using her.  Things turn violent when she ends the relationship so, when his body is found at the base of a fire tower, she is the prime suspect.  The timeline alternates between the story of her life in the marsh and her murder trial with a big twist at the end.  The movie is very faithful to the book so if you enjoyed the story you will probably love this adaptation (and the reverse is also true so if you didn't like the book you should probably avoid this).  The beautiful cinematography brings the marsh to life and I was absolutely mesmerized by the images on the screen, particularly the scenes involving flights of birds against a vivid sunset.  Edgar-Jones gives an incredibly nuanced performance and she is exactly how I pictured Kya as I was reading.  I also really enjoyed David Strathairn as a kindly lawyer who comes out of retirement to defend Kya, although I will admit that the courtroom scenes are less compelling than the scenes in the marsh.  Both Smith and Dickinson are a bit bland as Kya's love interests but it almost doesn't matter because Edgar-Jones is so captivating in their scenes together.  My only real criticism of the movie is that the extreme poverty in the book is portrayed very unrealistically, especially in regards to her picture-perfect appearance and her stylishly appointed cabin.  I suspect that this will appeal to a very specific demographic because my audience was packed with enthusiastic middle-aged book club types.  As a member of said demographic, I recommend it!

Upgrade

My July Book of the Month selection was Upgrade by Blake Crouch (the other options were First Born by Will Dean, The Bodyguard by Katherine Center, You're Invited by Amanda Jayatissa, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin). I had never read anything by this author before but the premise was really intriguing to me so I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did! In a dystopian future where genetic engineering has wreaked havoc on the environment, Logan Ramsay works for the Gene Protection Agency out of a sense of guilt because his mother was the cause of the catastrophe. He helped her create a genetic modification that was meant to improve the rice plant's resistance to a virus but it ended up destroying the world's supply instead and caused millions of deaths. Genetic modifications are now outlawed. In the course of an investigation for the GPA he is unwittingly exposed to a virus which changes his genome and dramatically improves his strength and intelligence but takes away his ability to feel emotion. His agency sees him as a threat but this upgrade might be a way to save the human species from the disaster he and his mother set in motion. This is a tense science-fiction thriller, to be sure, but it is also a cautionary tale about the fate of the planet because the description of a world not too far in the future shows the logical progression of the problems we face right now, including climate change, environmental disasters, and the scarcity of resources, and it is quite sobering. I enjoyed the inclusion of specific details, such as the use of electric cars and innovative mass transportation systems as well as synthetic food sources, because they are so clever (some of the brand names are very amusing). All of the action and plot twists kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen but I also found the discussion about intelligence vs. empathy to be incredibly thought-provoking. The science is absolutely fascinating! Even though it is extremely complicated, I never felt like it was over my head enough to detract from my understanding and enjoyment (it reminded me of Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir in that respect). This is one of my very favorite selections from Book of the Month and I highly recommend it!

Note:  While I was reading this I kept thinking that it would make a great movie so I was excited to learn that the film rights have been acquired by Amblin!

Lost Illusions

The French film Lost Illusions was nominated for fifteen Cesar Awards and won seven, including Best Picture.  I was really intrigued because it beat Annette, my favorite movie last year, so I decided to see it last night at the Broadway.  It is nearly three hours long, is adapted from a nineteenth century novel by Honore de Balzac, and is in French with subtitles but I was absolutely riveted for the entire runtime.  Lucien de Rubempre (Benjamin Voisin) is a young and idealistic poet living in Angouleme.  His patroness and lover Marie de Bargeton (Cecile de France) convinces him to come to Paris with her but he is completely out of his depth in society and, when he makes a faux pas at the opera, her cousin Marquise d'Espard (Jeanne Balibar) and friend Baron de Chatelet (Andre Marcon) convince her to sever all ties with him or face being shunned by society.  Alone and penniless, Lucien attempts to find a publisher for his poetry but meets an editor named Etienne Louseau (Vincent Lacoste) who convinces him to abandon his artistic ambitions and become a journalist for a corrupt newspaper where favorable (or unfavorable) content is sold to the highest bidder.  Soon Lucien is famous for his scurrilous anti-royalist articles condemning the members of society who cast him aside but he regrets the loss of his integrity when he meets the writer Nathan d'Anastazio (Xavier Dolan).  I was fascinated by this story because there are so many parallels to today's media, especially when so-called "influencers" shape public opinion for compensation.  I also really enjoyed the commentary on criticism vs. art.  The images on the screen are beautiful with gorgeous costumes, sumptuous production design, and dynamic camera work that puts the audience in the middle of the streets of Paris, back stage at the theatre, and in the chaos of a newspaper office.  The performances of the three lead actors are outstanding.  Voisin brilliantly portrays both Lucien's wide-eyed innocence and his disillusionment, Lacoste allows a hint of danger to show beneath Etienne's charm, and Dolan (sigh) conveys a kind of sexual tension whenever Nathan acts as a foil to Lucien.  The camera lingers on all three of their faces just a bit longer than necessary and this is captivating.  I loved this film (although I still prefer Annette) and I highly recommend it.

Big Fish at CPT

Last night my sister and I went to a production of Big Fish at Centerpoint Theatre. I think this story about a son trying to understand his father and a father trying to make his son proud is very moving and CPT does a great job with a very complicated show. Will Bloom (Doug Wadley) has always been exasperated by all of the outlandish stories that his father Edward (Scott W. Butler) has told him all his life. These include having his fortune told by a witch (Claire Glaittli) in a swamp, learning how to swim from a mermaid (Samantha Millward), going on the road with a giant named Karl (William Maguire), joining a circus owned by a werewolf (Matthew Price), wooing his future wife Sandra (Tara Wardle) with daffodils, and thwarting an assassination by Red Fang (Josh Lee) during the war. As he is about to become a father himself, Will learns that Edward is dying of cancer and returns home to attempt a reconciliation with him. After a Wild West confrontation between the two of them, Will discovers that the truth about his father is more extraordinary than the stories. I really enjoy the songs in this show because they bring all of Edward's fantastical stories to life and the staging of these numbers is very well-done. The choreography is incredibly whimsical, especially in "I Know What You Want" with the witch, "Favorite Son" with the townspeople of Ashton, "Closer to Her" with the circus (I loved the use of the cannon), and "Red White and True" with the USO (I am always impressed when the ensemble tap dances). Both Butler and Wadley are outstanding as Edward and Will Bloom, respectively. Butler portrays Edward's zest for life with an enthusiasm that is palpable while Wadley portrays Will's journey from skepticism to appreciation of his father's stories with heartfelt emotion, particularly in the song "What's Next." The set consists of large moving panels upon which projections are used to denote the riverbank, the swamp, the town of Ashton, the circus, Auburn University, and a field of daffodils. This is very effective at creating an immersive experience for the audience, particularly when Ashton is flooded because it seems as if the entire theater is under water, but some of the projections are a bit blurry (this could be because of the angle of my seat). I was very impressed with the costumes in all of the big musical numbers, most notably the lights on the costumes worn by the creatures in the swamp, the vintage circus costumes, and the Wild West costumes. My favorite production of this show remains the one I saw at HCT several years ago but I thoroughly enjoyed CPT's version and I recommend it (go here for tickets).

Note:  My sister and I are subscribers but the show on our original night was canceled due to Covid.  We rescheduled for last night but we had to sit apart. During intermission several patrons moved seats so we could have moved to be together but we chose to stay where we were!

Thor: Love and Thunder

Yesterday afternoon I had the chance to see Thor: Love and Thunder and it is definitely very entertaining.  Gorr (Christian Bale) becomes disillusioned after losing his daughter so he begins wielding the Necrosword to take revenge against the gods for allowing it to happen and becomes known as the God Butcher.  Meanwhile, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is fighting along with the Guardians of the Galaxy and Korg (Taika Waititi) when he learns that New Asgard is Gorr's next target.  He returns with Stormbreaker to help King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) fight Gorr and his shadow creatures but is disconcerted to see his former girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) wielding a reconstructed Mjolnir after coming to New Asgard for reasons.  Thor, Valkyrie, Jane, and Korg are able to defeat Gorr but he escapes with all of New Asgard's children.  They appeal to Zeus (Russell Crowe) for help from the other gods but they must eventually travel to the Shadow Realm themselves to rescue the children and stop Gorr before he can reach Eternity to ask for the destruction of all of the gods at once.  This is very silly in tone (maybe a bit too silly in some places) but it has several powerful messages about choosing to love despite the possibility of loss and pain as well as the responsibility those in power have towards the people they are meant to serve.  I really enjoyed the beginning sequences recapping Thor's early history, his relationship with Jane, and his time with the Guardians of the Galaxy but the scenes with Zeus and the rest of the gods started to lose me.  Luckily, the third act is fantastic with great action and a resolution filled with more pathos than I was expecting.  Gorr is one of the best villains I've seen in the MCU (along with Killmonger from Black Panther) because, even though he is terrifying, Bale imbues him with a bit of humanity and I actually sympathized with him to some extent.  Hemsworth has great comedic timing but he also has quite a few moments that are quite touching and Portman does an outstanding job with her character's arc.  The visuals are sometimes inconsistent but I loved the use of Guns N' Roses throughout, especially the guitar solo from "November Rain" during a climactic battle.  Despite a few flaws, I had a lot of fun with this and, if you liked Thor: Ragnarok, I suspect you will like it, too!

Note:  The actors in the play all reprise their roles!  My favorite is still Loki but the addition of Hela made me laugh out loud!

The Forgiven

The trailer for The Forgiven looked really interesting to me and, since I am a fan of Ralph Fiennes, I decided to see it last night.  David Henninger (Fiennes) and his wife Jo (Jessica Chastain) are traveling from London to attend a house party at a lavish villa in Morocco owned by an old school friend named Richard Galloway (Matt Smith) and his lover Dally Margolis (Caleb Landry Jones).  David is cynical and Jo is bored (which is established in the first shot before they speak a word of dialogue) and they can barely conceal their contempt for each other as they travel through the desert.  While arguing over which direction to go they hit and kill a Muslim boy who steps into the road to sell them a souvenir.  They cover up the details and, once they reach the villa, Richard bribes the police to rule it an accident so as not to ruin the weekend.  David seems unconcerned because he believes that the boy is just a nobody from nowhere but Jo is genuinely upset.  The next morning Abdellah (Ismael Kanater), the boy's father, arrives at the villa and demands that David accompany him to his remote village to attend the burial of his son.  David initially refuses but Richard convinces him to go because he does not want trouble with the locals.  The narrative then alternates between David's journey to redemption and Jo's descent into debauchery with Richard's guests, including a British aristocrat (Alex Jennings), a French journalist (Marie-Josee Croze), an Australian model (Abbey Lee), and an American financier (Christopher Abbott), at the house party.  This is a fascinating commentary on classism and racism because all of the guests, who are truly despicable people, view the Muslim servants at the villa as lowly and primitive as they stoically serve them and clean up all of their messes.  I felt uncomfortable watching certain scenes but I couldn't look away.  I found the juxtaposition between David and Jo to be incredibly compelling because I despised David and sympathized with Jo during the first act but my opinion about them slowly reversed.  I especially loved a powerful moment between David and his interpreter Anouar (Said Taghmaoui) and another one with a servant named Hamid (Mourad Zaoui) near the end.  Chastain is fantastic (a certain scene where she says that the accident should remain in the past gave me chills) but Fiennes gives a brilliant performance because you can literally see his transformation happening in his eyes.  This is a slow burn that is more character driven than plot driven but I found it to be very thought-provoking (although I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending).

Mr. Malcolm's List

Last night I went with my sisters and my niece to see Mr. Malcolm's List and we had a great time watching it together!  Lady Julia Thistlewaite (Zawe Ashton) sets her sights on the wealthy Jeremy Malcolm (Sope Dirisu) but he rejects her publicly.  Feeling hurt and humiliated, she sends her cousin Lord Cassidy (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) to investigate and he discovers that Mr. Malcolm has a list of requirements for a bride and that she has been found wanting.  She devises a plan for revenge which involves having her old school friend Selina Dalton (Freida Pinto) portray all of the qualities he is looking for and, when he falls in love with her, ruthlessly reject him with her own list.  Complications arise!  This is a very lighthearted Regency romance that had me (and my sisters) laughing from beginning to end.  However, having said that, I really enjoyed the journey that Julia takes because, even though she is vindictive in her desire to make Mr. Malcolm suffer, she realizes that she has been just as dismissive of her own suitors, especially where a certain Captain Henry Ossory (Theo James) is concerned.  Ashton is fantastic in the role and her reactions to the goings-on provide much of the comedy but also a few tender moments. Pinto and Dirisu have tremendous chemistry, particularly during a dance at a masquerade ball (dancing is often the turning point in Regency romances), and, even though you know how their story will end after their very first scene together, it is so entertaining watching them realize it.  As much as I loved the main cast, Divian Ladwa steals the show as a footman in the Thistlewaite household because his facial expressions are hilarious. Finally, I really enjoyed the colorblind casting (as I did in The Personal History of David Copperfield) and I hope this trend continues. The gorgeous Regency-era costumes, lavish interiors (my favorite is the opera house), bucolic outdoor settings, sweeping score, and witty banter all provide a bit of escapist fun.  The four of us loved it and I recommend it as a delightful way to spend an evening with a group of friends.

Official Competition

The trailer for Official Competition made me laugh out loud and that was enough to convince me to see it last night at the Broadway.  Humberto Suarez (Jose Luis Gomez) is a wealthy businessman contemplating his legacy after turning  80.  He briefly considers building a bridge so that it can be named after him but then decides to finance a prestigious art house film.  He acquires the rights to a Pulitzer Prize winning novel at great expense, which he admits he has not read, and hires a brilliant but eccentric auteur named Lola Cuevas (Penelope Cruz) to adapt and direct it.  She chooses Ivan Torres (Oscar Martinez), a pretentious legend of the stage known for his extreme method acting, and Felix Rivero (Antonio Banderas), a vain but insecure action movie star, to play two estranged brothers and requires them to join her for several weeks of rehearsal where she subjects them to several increasingly bizarre and seemingly irrelevant exercises to help them discover their characters' motivation.  Both Ivan and Felix let their egos interfere with their performance as they compete with each other over whose acting technique is most effective and chaos ensues. This is a biting satire about the creative processes involved in making a film and it is absolutely hilarious because it totally rings true.  Lola reminded me of many of my favorite directors, especially when she spends seven hours picking out fabric for a sofa to be used in the movie (Wes Anderson), when she reacts with hostility to a question posed at a film festival press conference (Ridley Scott), and when she has the actors read a line of dialogue over and over until she is satisfied for no discernible reason (Noah Baumbach).  It also calls to mind the ridiculous lengths to which some actors will go in preparing for a role (Daniel Day-Lewis) and the outrageous demands big stars make on set via their personal assistants (Tom Cruise).  Cruz, Bandaras, and Martinez give pitch-perfect performances and watching the three of them spar with each other is so much fun.  I can't remember when I have laughed so much during a movie and, if it weren't for a few pacing issues and a somewhat underwhelming ending, this would definitely be one of my year-end favorites!  I recommend it to all fans of independent film.

Silent Sky at HCT

Last night I went to see HCT's beautiful production of Silent Sky and I loved this incredibly moving play so much! It tells the true story of Henrietta Leavitt (Becca Ingram) who begins working at Harvard University in 1900 as a human computer in the astronomy department along with a "harem" of women, including Annie Cannon (Tamari Dunbar) and Williamina Fleming (Samantha Beyer). She is very eager to use the university's refracting telescope to find answers to all of her questions about the universe but she is not allowed to because she is a woman. She may only use the images on photographic plates taken from the telescope to map the stars and she must keep her analysis to herself. Despite these obstacles she is able to make an important discovery that allows future astronomers to calculate the distance between galaxies but her dedication to her work puts her at odds with her sister Margaret (Madeline McBeth) over family obligations and with her supervisor Peter Shaw (Dallin Bradshaw) over their romantic relationship. One of the things I really loved about this play is the juxtaposition between the two sisters because Margaret believes in home, family, and religion while Henrietta believes in hard work, exploration, and science but they both find the light they seek. The story is simple but incredibly compelling and that is due in large part to the lovely performance by Ingram. She portrays many different emotions very convincingly such as exasperation at her lack of opportunity in the department, singleminded determination to succeed, giddiness at the possibility of love, and wonder at the infinite nature of the universe. Her final monologue about her legacy is delivered so powerfully I had a tear in my eye. The rest of the cast is equally strong and I particularly enjoyed Beyer's sassy Scottish brogue and Bradshaw's awkwardness as he tries to get Henrietta's attention. As usual, the set for this production is amazing. The stage features a map of the constellations upon which sits a large wooden box (it reminded me of a large old-fashioned card catalog) with cupboards and drawers that open to reveal desks, chairs, and other items found in an academic office. The box rotates several times for Margaret's home in Wisconsin or Henrietta's apartment in Cambridge during different scenes. Many characters stand on top of the box, accessed by drawers which are converted into stairs, when communicating with Henrietta through letters. Above the box is the outline of a large lens of a telescope and during a poignant moment in the show it is lowered to display projections from space and this gave me goosebumps. There are also projections of stars throughout the theater and I found myself looking up with wonder multiple times! I honestly had no idea what to expect when I walked into the theater last night but I ended up loving this beautiful play and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).  It runs on the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Stage through August 27.

Note:  Don't miss out on seeing the delightful production of Singin' in the Rain on the Young Living Main Stage through August 13 (go here for tickets).

Mary Poppins at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

I really love the musical Mary Poppins so I've been looking forward to seeing it at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse for quite some time. I had the opportunity last night and, other than some wonderful performances from the main cast, I thought it was a very disorganized and messy production. Mary Poppins (Annie Ferrin) comes to 17 Cherry Tree Lane to look after Jane and Michael Banks (Daphne Dixon and Owen Talbot, respectively) but, after a few adventures with Bert the chimney sweep (Josh Curtis) to teach them a lesson, she ends up saving their father, George Banks (Jon Talbot), as well. I really enjoyed Ferrin's performance as Mary because she has a beautiful voice, especially in "Practically Perfect," "A Spoonful of Sugar,"and "Feed the Birds," and she has wonderful chemistry with Dixon and Talbot, who are adorable as the Banks children, especially when she is being stern with them.  Curtis is extremely charismatic as Bert and I really liked all of his facial expressions. Talbot is quite sympathetic as Mr. Banks, even when he is being disagreeable, and Karlie Ady portrays Mrs. Banks's character arc from a woman who does not know her role to one who provides strength for her family very well. While the main cast is outstanding, there are some additions to the cast that seemed very odd to me. There are a trio of characters in colored costumes with hair to match (they reminded me of the fairies in Sleeping Beauty) who seem to serve no purpose other than standing around (or sitting) on stage. Even more perplexing are the toys (a Raggedy Andy, teddy bear, ballerina, and toy soldier) that come to life when Mary has the children clean the nursery and appear throughout the entire show with their stuffed counterparts rather than briefly during "Playing the Game" as they usually do (I could never figure out what they were doing). The ensemble is incredibly large and even seems to include the very young children of ensemble members (who do nothing but stand there and look cute). It is almost as if anyone who auditioned was allowed to be a part of the show. The choreography for the big song and dance numbers "Jolly Holiday" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" is really good but the staging, with so many cast members on such a small stage, is chaotic. I was sitting in one of the side sections and I could hardly see Mary, Burt, or the Banks children (who are meant to be the principals in these numbers) because there are so many people blocking them. I was most disappointed by "Step in Time" because it is usually a show-stopper involving Burt, Mary, the Banks children, and the chimney sweeps tap dancing on the roofs of London. In this production the entire cast is used, including the statues from the park, the fairies, the toys (a break dancing teddy bear definitely took me out of the moment), as well as Mr. and Mrs. Banks (which makes no sense because they are supposed to be angry when Mary and the others return through the fireplace) and it is so messy. Once again, I couldn't see Mary or Burt at all which was frustrating. The set consists of the nursery and the bank on either side of the stage above the seats (I am always impressed with how every part of the theater is used) but the sitting room and kitchen are located down stage so the large fireplace and chair block everything that happens up stage.  Furthermore, the chair, inexplicably, faces away from the audience so Mr. Banks is frequently hidden from view. The costumes are great, especially Mary's iconic dress in "Jolly Holiday" and all of the Edwardian dresses worn by the female ensemble, but I do not understand the reasoning behind having Mrs. Banks wear large hoop skirts (a more Victorian silhouette).  Finally, I certainly do not expect a community theater to have the same special effects as the production I saw recently at Tuacahn but this is a show that requires some magic. I do not think it is unreasonable to expect Mary to fly because it is one of her defining characteristics (I've seen high school productions, including Hunter High, with characters flying) but at the very least the kites should fly in "Let's Go Fly a Kite." I know that it sounds like I am being overly harsh but after seeing outstanding productions of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The Scarlet Pimpernel at this theater I was definitely expecting more from this show.

The Phantom of the Open

Apparently I like true stories about quirky British underdogs because I really enjoyed Dream Horse and The Duke and, after watching it yesterday, I can now add The Phantom of the Open to that list.  Maurice Flitcroft (Mark Rylance) has many dreams and ambitions but he gives them up and works as a crane operator at a shipyard like his father and grandfather, marries Jean (Sally Hawkins), adopts her son Michael (Jake Davies), and raises his twin sons Gene (Christian Lees) and James (Jonah Lees) instead.  When he hears a rumor that there might be layoffs at the shipyard after decades of working there he decides that the time is right to find a new dream.  He inexplicably picks golf despite never having played the game before and buys the cheapest golf clubs available, finds a second-hand argyle sweater, practices a bit on his own, and receives permission to play at the British Open due to a little white lie on his application.  He plays the worst round of golf in the history of the Open which gets him banned from competitive play for life and embarrasses his son Michael but he also becomes a folk hero to the masses who think of golf as an elitist sport and encourages his sons Gene and James to follow their dreams.  This is a stand up and cheer story with the unusual message that it is just as important to take part as it is to win and I found that to be incredibly refreshing.  Rylance plays the character straight with an affable naivete and this is absolutely brilliant because you never doubt for a moment that Flitcroft believes in what he is doing and that he has a chance to win!  Hawkins shines as a loving wife willing to do anything to support her husband and Rhys Ifans is hilarious as the snobbish official who runs the golf course for the British Open.  I liked all of the needle drops, especially "Build Me Up Buttercup" by the Foundations during the ubiquitous training montage and "Ride Like The Wind" by Christopher Cross as Flitcroft steals a golf cart to elude capture.  The sequences involving magical realism are fun and really effective in establishing Flitcroft's belief that anything is possible.  This charming movie is perfect for a Sunday afternoon and I recommend it to those who like true stories about quirky British underdogs as much as I do!

In the Heights at West Valley Arts

Before Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote and starred in another Tony Award winning musical called In the Heights. I have seen it several times (two different productions at PTC as well as the Broadway touring production in San Diego) and I really love it (maybe not quite as much as Hamilton) because it is a very powerful story about community and the family you make with the people around you. Last night I had a chance to see it at the West Valley Performing Arts Center and I think it is their best production yet! The story revolves around a woman named Claudia (Sonia Maritza Inoa-Rosado Maughan) who acts as an abuela (grandmother) to everyone in a small neighborhood in Washington Heights. Usnavi (Pedro Flores) owns a bodega beset with problems, such as a broken refrigerator, while trying to keep his wayward nephew Sonny (Scotty Fletcher) in line. He dreams of returning to the cool breezes of the Dominican Republic. Vanessa (Micki Martinez) is hoping to escape the barrio, and her abusive mother, to move downtown but a credit check for her new apartment stands in her way. Nina (Beatriz Melo) is the pride of her parents (Monte Garcia and Sophia Davis) and the whole neighborhood because she received a scholarship to Stanford but college is a lot harder than she thought it would be, especially since she has to work two jobs to make ends meet, and she is thinking of quitting. Abuela Claudia has looked after them all of their lives and she just might find a way to help them make all of their dreams come true. The entire cast, which is entirely made up of POC, is incredibly strong and I really enjoyed every performance.  However, my favorites were Luseane Pasa as Daniela because she is so sassy in "No Me Diga" and she just about blows the roof off of the theater in "Carnaval Del Barrio" and Melo because you can really feel her pain for disappointing everyone in the neighborhood in "Respira (Breathe)" and her rendition of "Sunrise" (with Kiirt Banks as Benny) is lovely. I was also struck by how much Flores sounds like Lin-Manuel Miranda but I also appreciated that he made the character his own.  Besides the cast, I was also quite impressed with the choreography by Izzy Arrieta and I loved the big ensemble numbers "In the Heights," "96,000" (which was a big crowd-pleaser), "Blackout," and "Carnaval Del Barrio." I also loved the staging of "Alabanza" (my favorite song in the show) because the candlelight processional is incredibly beautiful. The cast executes the choreography very well and it was really fun to watch them dance with so much energy and exuberance! Finally, I think the set by Jason Baldwin is fantastic and does much to enhance the story. The main stage is a courtyard with brick walls covered in graffiti and the dispatch, salon, and bodega are located in the corners (with additional set pieces rolled on as needed).  The aisles function as streets and are used by the cast for entrances and exits. The areas above the wings are configured as fire escapes (I loved the laundry hanging across the windows). This is definitely one of my favorite productions this year (and I have seen quite a few) so I highly recommend this wonderful show (go here for tickets).

Note:  I was so happy to see such a large crowd last night!

Elvis

I am a huge fan of Baz Luhrmann!  I didn't especially care for Australia, but Strictly Ballroom, Moulin Rouge, and The Great Gatsby are some of my favorite movies.  I have lost count how many times I have watched them but I am sure that it is an embarrassingly high number!  I have been looking forward to Luhrmann's latest project, Elvis, for so long and my excitement only grew after it was screened at Cannes to positive reviews.  I finally had the chance to see it last night and it is everything I expected from a Baz Luhrmann movie (and that is a good thing)!  The story of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) is told through the filter of his troubled relationship with his manipulative manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).  Parker narrates from his deathbed to set the record straight about his perceived responsibility for Elvis's death.  He meets the young Elvis while managing Hank Snow (David Wenham) and Jimmie Rodgers (Kodi Smit-McPhee) on the carnival circuit and, after seeing a performance in which Elvis captivates the audience, he convinces his naive parents Gladys (Helen Thomson) and Vernon (Richard Roxburgh) to let him take over his management and business affairs.  He forces Elvis to tone down his provocative act to be more family friendly, to be drafted into the military rather than be arrested for indecency, to appear in a series of third rate movies, to appear in a Christmas special, and to perform exclusively at the International Hotel in Las Vegas rather than tour.  He also alienates Elvis from the two woman who love him:  his mother Gladys and his wife Priscilla (Olivia DeJonge).  Elvis defies him as often as he can to be true to himself and his roots and, in so doing, he becomes the King of Rock and Roll.  However, he eventually ends up bloated, addicted, and alone after a final capitulation.  Luhrmann is known for his dazzling over the top style and the visuals are absolutely gorgeous even if some of his signature montages are a bit frenetic.  The narrative, which may or may not be completely accurate, is incredibly compelling and I was particularly interested to learn that Parker manipulates Elvis into the Las Vegas residency to cover his own debts.  I loved how all of Elvis's performances are staged, especially his first performance of "Baby Let's Play House" as the girls in the audience lose their minds over him, his 1968 comeback special performance of "Jailhouse Rock" (the black leather outfit!), and the Las Vegas performance of "Suspicious Minds."  Butler gives a performance that is nothing short of amazing, especially when he is on stage (he even sings as the younger Elvis), and I am sure that he will be in the running for every Best Actor award.  Hanks gives one of the most bizarre performances I've ever seen with weird prosthetics and an inconsistent accent (which is unfortunate because he is the narrator) but I appreciate the fact that I never once saw the actor in the character.  Every other character, including Priscilla, is relegated to the background but it almost doesn't matter because you simply cannot take your eyes off of Elvis!  It is an entertaining spectacle and I absolutely loved it!

The Black Phone

Horror movies are a hard sell for me but I was really intrigued by the trailer for The Black Phone so I decided to see it last night.  Despite a few decent jump scares and an unhinged performance from Ethan Hawke, this is not really a horror movie (as the marketing campaign implies) but more of a psychological thriller and I really enjoyed that aspect.  A serial killer known as The Grabber (Hawke) is responsible for the disappearance of five teenage boys in a suburb of Denver.  His next victim is Finney (Mason Thames), a shy thirteen year old who is often bullied at school and terrorized by his alcoholic father (Jeremy Davies).  After being kidnapped, he wakes up in a soundproof basement with an old fashioned  phone that suddenly begins ringing despite being disconnected.  All of the former victims of The Grabber begin communicating with Finney through the phone to help him escape their fate.  Meanwhile, Finney's sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) has had unsettling dreams about all of the crimes and, when her brother is kidnapped, she also receives clues from the victims which she uses to help the police with their investigation.  All of the elaborate instructions given to him do not seem to work at first until, in a brilliant final act, Finney finally learns to stand up for himself.  I really loved the message about self-empowerment (it was much more emotionally satisfying than I was expecting) which is why the subplot involving Gwen's dreams didn't really work for me (I wonder if her character was expanded from the short story by Joe Hill for the movie).  Because Gwen rescues him from a bully in the first act, I think his character arc would have been a lot stronger if Finney had not had to rely on her once again to lead the police to him.  The sepia toned cinematography adds much to the sinister atmosphere and the 1970s period details are nostalgic in an unnerving sort of way.  Hawke, who wears a creepy mask most of the time, is absolutely terrifying because he creates volatile shifts in tone by using just his body language and voice.  Thames does a great job conveying so many different emotions as he discovers his inner strength and McGraw shines, especially in an incredibly powerful scene, even if her character feels superfluous to the story being told.  While this isn't as scary as expected, it is compelling and I would recommend it.

The Drowsy Chaperone at HCTO

Last night I saw another production of The Drowsy Chaperone (go here for my review of the Empress Theatre's production) at HCTO.  This show has become one of my favorites because, as a fan of musical theatre, I love the message about its power to transport you away from the real world and all of your problems to a place where happy endings are possible for a few hours.  Man in Chair (Daniel Fenton Anderson) is feeling a bit blue so he decides to listen to his cast recording of The Drowsy Chaperone, a popular musical from 1928 which features mix-ups, mayhem, and a gay wedding (which, he explains, had a different meaning back then).  As he listens to the record, the actors appear in his apartment and bring the show to life with frequent pauses, during which the actors freeze, for his wry commentaries on the musical theatre tropes found therein.  Mrs. Tottendale (Liz Whittaker) and her Underling (Dayne Joyner) are hosting the wedding of wealthy oil tycoon Robert Martin (Preston Taylor) and Broadway star Janet Van De Graff (Brittany Sanders) who is giving up her glamorous career to marry a man she barely knows.  Robert is leaving the wedding details to George (Josh Valdez), his best friend and best man, while Janet's Chaperone (Amelia Rose Moore), who gets drowsy when she drinks champagne, is charged with keeping the couple apart to prevent bad luck.  Broadway producer Feldzieg (Benjamin J. Henderson) is unhappy about losing his biggest star and sets out to stop the wedding by convincing a Latin lover named Aldolpho (Jacob Thomason) to seduce the bride.  An investor in the Feldzieg Follies is also worried about losing its biggest star and hires two gangsters (Preston Harmon and Ethan Freestone), disguised as pastry chefs, to stop the wedding but a ditzy chorus girl named Kitty (Amanda Baugh) is hoping to take Janet's place.  Mayhem ensues but a happy ending comes when Trix the Aviatrix (Aria Love Jackson) marries four couples on her plane while flying to Rio.  Man in Chair puts the wrong record on at the beginning of Act 2, because the woman who cleans for him puts his records back in the wrong sleeve, and the cast, as completely different characters, perform "Message From a Nightingale" from a different musical until he realizes his mistake.  This production is extremely well done and I laughed and laughed through the whole thing.  The cast is incredibly strong but my favorites were Moore and Thomason because they are completely over the top in "As We Stumble Along" and "Aldolpho," respectively.  I also really enjoyed Anderson because he interacts with the cast more than I have ever seen before and I especially loved it when he does a soft shoe routine along with the tap dancing Taylor and Valdez during "Cold Feets" and when he steadies the blindfolded and rollerskating Taylor during "Accident Waiting to Happen."  The choreography is fantastic (I am always so impressed with how effectively the small space is utilized at HCTO) and I particularly enjoyed "Show Off" (the quick wardrobe changes are a lot of fun), "Toledo Surprise" (I loved it when the record gets a scratch and the cast performs the same steps over and over), and "Bride's Lament" (the monkeys!).  The 1920s costumes are fabulous (I especially loved all of the feathers used on the Chaperone's costumes) and the set of Man in Chair's apartment is very effective because the cast enters through a large armoire.  This show makes me so happy (for a few hours, at least) and I loved what HCTO did with it!  I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).

Singin' in the Rain at HCT

I have been looking forward to HCT's production of Singin' in the Rain ever since the 2022 season was announced because I just knew it would be amazing. I had the chance to see it last night and it certainly lived up to all of my expectations because I had a smile on my face from beginning to end! Don Lockwood (David Paul Smith) is a silent film star in the 1920s along with his bubble-headed partner Lina Lamont (Erin Carlson). When the studio decides to transition to "talkies," Lina's obnoxious voice and terrible acting threatens to ruin the picture. Don decides to dub Lina's voice with that of Kathy Seldon (Debra Weed Hahn), an aspiring actress with whom he has fallen in love, and chaos ensues when Lina finds out! This production is very much informed by the wonderful 1952 movie of the same name and all of the big song and dance numbers are just as spectacular. I really enjoyed the choreography in "Fit as a Fiddle," "Make 'Em Laugh," "Moses Supposes," "Good Mornin'," and "Broadway Melody" because they feature fantastic tapping (which always impresses me) and the use of set pieces and props which are integrated into the dancing. However, I was especially enchanted by "You Were Meant for Me" because it takes place on an empty soundstage with a lot of different lighting effects and other special effects. I think I gasped out loud at an effect featuring Kathy and a backdrop of shooting stars. It is simply magical! The highlight of the show is definitely the iconic number "Singin' in the Rain" because Don dances around the lamppost as rain actually falls around him! It was absolutely thrilling to watch this sequence, especially since I was sitting on the first row in the splash zone! The young girl sitting next to me squealed with excitement every time we were splashed and I think this caused Smith to be a bit more exuberant whenever he was kicking puddles in our section! The set is quite simple with elements brought in from the wings and coming down from the rafters but I was impressed by the attention to detail. The marquees above each entrance to the theater feature the logo for Monumental Pictures, the stage is outlined with plexiglass in the shape of a filmstrip, and the LED screens look like the red velvet curtains you would find in Art Deco movie theaters. Large screens come down from the rafters to show the movie Don and Lina are filming and I loved it whenever we would see Lina's version and then the version dubbed with Kathy's voice because the sound design is quite impressive in these scenes. The 1920s costumes are dazzling with flapper dresses and headdresses that feature more sequins than you can count! Hahn and Smith are great singers and dancers and have a lot of chemistry, especially when they are fighting, and Carlson (who is one of my favorite actresses at HCT) is an absolute hoot, but Alex King, as Don's sidekick Cosmo Brown, steals the show with his comedic timing and physicality! I loved everything about this show and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) but you need to act quickly because many shows are already sold out (with good reason).

Note:  Even the bows are entertaining because the entire cast returns to the stage wearing rain coats, hats, and boots while the rain falls once again!

Matilda at Murray Park Amphitheater

For the second time in less than a week I was in the audience for a musical adaptation of one of Roald Dahl's beloved children's books last night!  This time it was Matilda at the Murray Park Amphitheater.  When I saw the Broadway touring production of this show I didn't especially like it but, now that I have seen it a few times, it is starting to grow on me and I enjoyed this production very much!  Matilda Wormwood (Maevah Hiatt) is a precocious five year old with a penchant for reading, telling stories, and being just a little bit naughty.  She is ignored by her mother (Alina Mower), an amateur Latin ballroom dancer, and father (Adam Wilkins), an unscrupulous used car salesman, and is terrorized by Miss Agatha Trunchbull (Brinton Wilkins), the former Olympic champion in hammer throwing who is now the headmistress of her school.  With the help of a sympathetic teacher named Miss Honey (Hailee Christensen) and a story about an Escapologist (Mark Williams) and an Acrobat (Sylia Seitz), Matilda triumphs over the neglectful adults in her life!  One of the elements that I always enjoy in this show is the use of typography and I liked the innovative way that large alphabet blocks are used in multiple scenes, particularly in the number "School Song."  I was also impressed by how projections are used as an interactive chalk board.  My favorite song in this show is "When I Grow Up" and I loved the choreography involving all of the kids on swings (I always get a tear in my eye during this song because it is so poignant).  I also enjoyed the choreography in "The Smell of Rebellion" (the tumbling got a lot of applause) and "Revolting Children."  Other crowd favorites were "Loud," because Mrs. Wormwood and her dance partner Rudolpho (Eric Lash) are completely over the top, and "Chokey Chant," because there is a fun effect involving a child being thrown into the chokey.  Hiatt is absolutely adorable as Matilda and I enjoyed her renditions of "Naughty" and "Quiet."  Christensen has a lovely voice as Miss Honey and her scenes with Hiatt are so endearing.  All of the kids in the ensemble do a wonderful job but I especially liked Gwenyth Nielsen as Lavender and Zander Weir as Bruce because their antics are so much fun to watch.  Miss Trunchbull often steals the show and Wilkins was definitely the highlight of this production for me!  I laughed out loud during "The Hammer" and "The Smell of Rebellion" because of his facial expressions and gestures.  This show is a lot of fun and I thoroughly enjoyed myself because last night was perfect for an outdoor performance (it was cool but not too cold).  I highly recommend bringing the whole family to one of the two remaining productions (go here for tickets).

Brian and Charles

Another favorite from Sundance that is now playing at the Broadway is Brian and Charles and it was the second film in my double feature last night.  This is a mockumentary about Brian (David Earl), a lonely and eccentric handyman in a small village in Wales, who has a penchant for inventing unusual items which sometimes work but mostly do not.  One day he finds a head from a mannequin in a pile of rubbish on the side of the road and decides to make a robot by attaching it to an old washing machine and using other sundry parts found in his cowshed.  The resulting robot, named Charles Petrescu (Chris Hayward), comes to life during a thunderstorm and he and Brian become the best of friends.  Trouble arises when Charles wants to explore (he is especially keen to see Honolulu after watching a travel program on the telly) but Brian wants him to stay at home to keep him safe from the harsh world.  Charles ultimately plays matchmaker between Brian and a lonely woman (Louise Brealey) who lives with her mother, helps Brian find the courage to stand up to a bully (Jamie Michie) who has been terrorizing the village, and convinces Brian to let him live his dream of traveling the world.  This might not be everyone's cup of tea but I absolutely love British humor and I think it is hilarious.  It reminds me of all of the old British comedies that I used to watch on PBS when I was a teenager and I laughed out loud through the whole thing.  I am so glad that I decided to see this on the big screen (Sundance was completely virtual this year) because it was definitely a lot more fun watching it with a crowd that was laughing as much as I was!  It is as heartwarming as it is funny and I highly recommend it!

Note:  Stay through the credits to hear Charles Petrescu rapping!

Cha Cha Real Smooth

The Broadway is currently showing two of my favorite films from Sundance this year so I decided to see them both as a double feature yesterday.  I started with Cha Cha Real Smooth, which was the darling of the festival, and I think I enjoyed it even more the second time.  After graduating from college, Andrew (Cooper Raiff) is at loose ends because his girlfriend has moved to Barcelona to study and he living at home in the suburbs with his mom (Leslie Mann), stepdad (Brad Garrett), and younger brother David (Evan Assante) while working a dead end job at the food court in the mall.  When asked to drive David to a Bat Mitzvah, he crashes the party and eventually gets everyone dancing.  He meets Domino (Dakota Johnson) and impresses her when he is able to get her autistic daughter Lola (Vanessa Burghardt) out on the dance floor.  All of the other mothers are impressed with his energy and enthusiasm so they hire him to be a party starter for all of their upcoming Bat and Bar Mitzvahs which keeps him in frequent contact with Domino.  They eventually form a complicated friendship.  Domino flirts with him because, even though she is engaged, he makes her feel young and carefree and he believes that he is in love with her because he feels needed by both her and Lola.  Their relationship eventually runs its course after Domino finds the courage to commit to her fiance and Andrew finds some direction in his life.  This is a heartfelt and charming coming of age story with incredibly appealing performances from Raiff, who is as irrepressible as a puppy, Johnson, who is absolutely luminous, and Burghardt, who steals every scene she is in.  Even though I am a bit older (ahem) than the target audience I really related to the main character because I also felt completely lost during this period in my life.  I loved everything about this film (the attention to detail with all of the Bat and Bar Mitzvah themes is a highlight) and I left the theater with a huge smile on my face.  Go see it!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Eccles

Last night I had the chance to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a musical based on the beloved book by Roald Dahl, and I thought it was a lot of fun.  Willy Wonka (Cody Garcia), the world's greatest chocolatier, laments that making chocolate has become bitter for him and he wants to find someone to take over his chocolate factory.  Charlie Bucket (Kai Edgar) is an imaginative boy who loves chocolate but, because his family is desperately poor, he can only afford one chocolate bar a year on his birthday.  Wonka decides to invite five lucky children who find a golden ticket in one of his chocolate bars to tour his factory and soon four children from around the world, Augustus Gloop (David Nick), Veruca Salt (Angela Palladini), Violet Beauregarde (Zakiya Baptiste), and Mike Teavee (Jacnier), find tickets.  Charlie dreams of finding a golden ticket but, even though Grandpa Joe (Steve McCoy), Grandma Josephine (Jenna Brooke Scannelli), Grandpa George (Stanton Morales), and Grandma Georgina (Nicole Zelka) encourage him, his mother (Claire Leyden) warns him not to get his hopes up.  Charlie doesn't find one in his birthday chocolate bar but Wonka contrives to give him another one with a golden ticket inside.  The children join Wonka in the world of pure imagination but four of them give into their negative impulses.  The greedy Augustus falls into a chocolate waterfall after being warned not to drink from it, the obsessed Violet blows up into a giant blueberry after being warned not to chew an experimental piece of gum, the spoiled Veruca is pulled apart by the squirrels who sort the nuts after demanding one for herself, and the addicted Mike is shrunk inside a TV after misusing WonkaVision.  The imaginative Charlie gives into his desire to look at Wonka's inventions but this convinces Wonka to take Charlie on the Great Glass Elevator and give him his factory.  I loved the colorful projections, sets, and costumes (especially inside of the factory), the full body puppets used for the Oompa Loompas (they are hilarious), and the performances (especially the adorable Edgar as Charlie and the charismatic Garcia as Wonka).  However, I didn't think that any of the songs were particularly memorable.  There were only a couple that made an impression on me, including "Willy Wonka!  Willy Wonka!" and "The Oompa Loompa Song," and I liked them because of the choreography and the performances by the ensemble.  I also felt that the second act got bogged down with all of the special effects.  It was really cool to see Violet transform into into a giant blueberry and to see Mike shrink inside of a TV in front of our eyes but the execution of these and other stunts slowed the action down considerably.  I enjoyed this show and I am glad that I got to see it but I do not count it as a favorite.  It will be at the Eccles Theatre through June 19 (go here for tickets).

Lightyear

Last night I got to see an early access screening of Lightyear and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie that inspired Andy to ask for the toy!  Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) is a Space Ranger on a mission in uncharted space 4.2 million light-years from Earth when his ship is diverted to a planet.  He and his commanding officer Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Udubo) explore the planet, determine that it is hostile, and attempt to leave but they become stranded when the ship is damaged after Buzz ignores the advice of the autopilot navigator.  The crew eventually decides to search the planet for an energy source needed to achieve hyperspace so they can go home.  Buzz, who feels responsible for marooning the crew, conducts many test flights for each energy source but they last a few minutes for him and several years for everyone else.  After many years and many failed tests, he finally finds the correct energy source but when he returns he discovers that Alisha has died and the planet has now been overtaken by alien robots ruled by Emperor Zurg (James Brolin).  To rid the planet of these robots and get everyone back home he must accept the help of a ragtag group of inexperienced volunteers, including Alisha's granddaughter Izzy (Keke Palmer).  What I enjoyed most is that, while there are similarities to the Toy Story franchise (Buzz is a cocky and arrogant pilot who must learn to work with others as part of a team in order to succeed), this is a standalone movie with a powerful message about being so focused on a goal that you miss out on living your life and there is a montage where Alisha gets married, starts a family, grows old, and dies while Buzz flies the same test missions over and over again that will pull at the heartstrings.  Evans does a wonderful job voicing Buzz because he displays such a broad range of emotions.  I'm not sure why there is so much discourse about continuity because Tim Allen's version of the character is a toy inspired by the movie character so they are meant to be different (in my opinion).  The rest of the voice cast is also really good with Peter Sohn as the robotic cat Sox as the standout (this character is hilarious).  The animation is fantastic and the action sequences in space are thrilling (I loved all of the visual cues to other space movies, especially 2001: A Space Odyssey).  Finally, the score by Michael Giacchino (he is having a good year) really compliments the visuals.  I wouldn't call this a top-tier Pixar movie but I had a lot of fun watching it (and so did all of the kids sitting near me) so I would definitely recommend it.

Benediction

I have a fascination with World War I and I am always drawn to movies set during this historical period so I went to see Benediction, a biographical drama about the war poet Siegfried Sassoon, last night at the Broadway.  After receiving the Military Cross for bravery, Siegfried Sassoon (Jack Lowden) speaks out against how the government is prosecuting the war.  Rather than be court-martialed, his mother (Geraldine James) and a family friend (Simon Russell Beale) use their influence to have him declared mentally unfit and sent to a psychiatric facility against his will to recuperate.  Despite his therapy sessions with the sympathetic Dr. Rivers (Ben Daniels) and his friendship with fellow poet Wilfred Owen (Matthew Tennyson), his experiences on the Western front plague him for the rest of his unhappy life.  He has a series of doomed love affairs with men, including the musician Ivor Novello (Jeremy Irvine), actor Glen Byam Shaw (Tom Blyth), and socialite Stephen Tennant (Calam Lynch), he enters into a loveless marriage with Hester Gatty (Kate Phillips), he has a tense relationship with his son George (Richard Goulding), and he has a crisis of faith after converting to Catholicism.  It is his tortured existence that informs his brilliant and haunting poetry which eventually brings him the acceptance he so desperately craved but never found in life after his death.  With its non-linear narrative and beautiful cinematography, this movie almost feels as if it is one of Sassoon's poems and, even though it is incredibly slow, it is ultimately very moving.  The use of Sassoon's poems read by Lowden and Peter Capaldi, who plays the older Sassoon, along with archival footage of the war interspersed throughout is very effective in showing that Sassoon is never free from the horrors of war.  The performances are all excellent (I especially enjoyed Irvine's version of "And Her Mother Came Too") but Lowden's subtle portrayal of grief is absolutely captivating.  The scene in which Sassoon says goodbye as Owen leaves to return to the front and the final closeup on Sassoon with the voiceover of Owen's poem "The Disabled" almost destroyed me.  This is a heartbreaking but beautiful movie that was so compelling I immediately wanted to know more about Sassoon and read more of his poetry after watching it.  I recommend it to fans of biographical dramas.

The Wedding Singer at the Empress

The next show in the 1980s double feature at the Empress last night was The Wedding Singer.  After a brief intermission, the set for the Bourbon Room used in Rock of Ages was quickly transformed into a New Jersey reception center where Robbie Hart (Caden Terry) sings with his band.  At his latest wedding gig he announces to the crowd that he will be getting married himself the next day but his fiancee Linda (Brenna Moody) dumps him at the altar.  Julia Sullivan (K'lynn Reid), one of the waitresses at the reception center, tries to console him but his next wedding gig is a disaster.  He begins to have feelings for Julia but she is engaged to a rich, handsome, and charming (but sleazy) Wall Street banker named Glen Guglia (KC Cook).  Robbie decides to give up trying to be a rock star and gets a job with Glen but Julia is not impressed because she is having second thoughts about marrying Glen and Linda wants him back.  Will Robbie finally be able to win Julia's love or will Linda and Glen ruin things for them?  I have to be honest and say that I am not a big fan of The Wedding Singer (I saw it at HCT a few years ago) because, as is the case with many musicals adapted from popular movies, the music is incredibly contrived.  The songs often seem as if large sections of dialogue from the movie have simply been set to music, particularly "A Note From Linda" which Linda reads to dump Robbie, "A Note From Grandma" which Robbie's grandma writes to cheer him up, and "Come out of the Dumpster" which Julia sings after a disgruntled groom throws Robbie in a dumpster after he ruins his wedding.  None of the songs are particularly memorable but the cast is more than game and their exuberant performances are a lot of fun to watch.  My favorite in the cast was, once again, Cook because he looks like he is having a blast playing the shady Glen.  There are many elements of this production that I really enjoyed, such as the wedding dress Linda wears to dump Robbie (which resembles the one Madonna wore for her performance of "Like a Virgin" at the VMAs), the Halloween costumes worn by the guests at the wedding Robbie disrupts (the twins from The Shining, Princess Leia, Wonder Woman, and Indiana Jones), the scene at the mall where Julia buys her wedding dress as Robbie's grandma power walks around the perimeter of the entire theater, and the awkward dancing of the young guests at the bar mitzvah where Robbie performs (I laughed out loud at this).  This show is the first Empress All Night production (shown as a double feature with Rock of Ages on Friday and Saturday nights) and I loved being a part of the rowdy late night crowd!  The excitement was definitely infectious and I am glad I stayed for it!