East of Wall

My second movie set in the state of South Dakota last night was East of Wall.  I was excited to see this because it got a lot of buzz at Sundance this year (it won an Audience Award at the festival) and I mostly enjoyed it.  Tabatha Zimiga plays a fictionalized version of herself in a semi-autobiographical story about how she comes to terms with her grief by training horses on a ranch in South Dakota (this docudrama format reminded me a lot of The Rider).  After the suicide of her husband John, Tabatha struggles to keep the 3,000-acre ranch he left to their three-year-old son Stetson.  She lives there with Stetson, her mother Tracey (Jennifer Ehle), her older son Skylar, her daughter Porshia, her new partner Clay, and a group of wayward teens who have found a home with her.  She has an affinity for communicating with horses and is just able to keep her head above water by rehabilitating rescue horses and selling them on TikTok and in sale barns but she has less success communicating with her daughter Porshia who blames her for John's death.  She encounters Roy Waters (Scoot McNairy), a wealthy rancher from Texas, at a sale barn after he buys one of her horses for an exorbitant price.  He also offers to buy the ranch but, while this will solve her financial difficulties, she eventually realizes that the horses, her daughter, and the other teens in her charge need her.  The story is really thin (this may have been better as a documentary) and it takes a long time to get going with a resolution that doesn't necessarily feel earned.  I also struggled to keep track of all the many different characters, the majority of whom are people who actually live on the ranch with Zimiga and play themselves, because they mostly appear in random slice-of-life sequences without a lot of exposition.  However, I did enjoy getting an immersive and authentic glimpse into what life is like in the American West, especially for women, and I really admire Zimiga's fierce determination in rehabilitating horses and providing refuge for her found family (she gives an incredibly powerful performance).  I also really enjoyed the beautiful cinematography showcasing the rugged landscape of the Badlands as well as the horses in motion (I especially loved the rodeo sequences) although the use of actual footage from TikTok is jarring in comparison.  I personally found this to be compelling enough to recommend but it might not be for everyone.

Americana

Last night I went to a double feature at the Megaplex with two movies set in South Dakota.  I began with Americana and it was a big surprise to me because I really enjoyed it!  Roy Lee Dean (Simon Rex), a sleazy black marketeer, Dillon MacIntosh (Eric Dane), a petty thief, Mandy Starr (Halsey), MacIntosh's abused girlfriend, Cal Starr (Gavin Maddox Bergman), Mandy's younger brother who believes that he is the reincarnation of Chief Sitting Bull, Lefty Ledbetter (Paul Walter Hauser), a lonely veteran, Penny Jo Poplin (Sydney Sweeney), a waitress who dreams of becoming a country singer, and Ghost Eye (Zahn McClarnon), the leader of a militant Native American group, all become embroiled in the theft of a valuable and sacred Lakota Ghost Shirt in a small South Dakota town.  All of their stories eventually converge in an epic shoot-out on a ranch in Wyoming owned by Mandy's father Hiram Starr (Christopher Kriesa), a radical fundamentalist.  I liked the nonlinear structure featuring chapters that focus on individual characters and it was fun to see how the different narratives come together.  The tone is all over the place because it is really funny with quirky characters, snappy dialogue, and outlandish situations (that get more and more outlandish as time goes on) but there is also an undercurrent of sadness and desperation as the characters attempt to improve their situation and it is quite violent.  However, I think the tonal shifts work and the neo-Western genre serves the story very well (the cinematography is very striking, particularly the wide shots of the vast landscape).  I loved all of the performances, especially the interactions between Sweeney and Hauser because they are so charming together, but the standout for me is Halsey because her character has the biggest transformation and she portrays this arc very convincingly.  I had low expectations for this movie and I ended up being very entertained by it.  I encourage people to seek it out because it seems to be flying under the radar.

Highest 2 Lowest

Last night my nephew and I went to see Highest 2 Lowest at the Broadway.  We both had been looking forward to this for weeks and we couldn't have been more disappointed.  David King (Denzel Washington) is a successful music mogul trying to structure a deal to take back control of the music label he founded.  However, these plans take a back seat when his son Trey (Aubrey Joseph) is kidnapped and a $17.5 million ransom is demanded.  When he realizes that Kyle (Elijah Wright), the son of his driver Paul (Jeffrey Wright), was mistakenly taken instead of Trey, things become more complicated because now he doesn't feel obligated to pay the ransom.  He needs the money to save his record label but ultimately agrees to pay because he doesn't want to be cancelled on social media.  Kyle is eventually released but the police lose track of the money during the handover which puts King's deal in jeopardy.  He decides to search for the kidnapper himself and discovers that the culprit is a disgruntled rapper named Yung Felon (A$AP Rocky) who wanted to be signed to his record company.  After several confrontations with Yung Felon, he relinquishes control of his company to get away from the business and get back to the music.  The plot is an incoherent mess with a very muddled message about class inequality.  There are lots of editing and pacing issues and it features some of the most cringe-worthy dialogue I have heard in a long time.  I still don't know how I feel about Washington's performance because, while it is often very melodramatic, there is no denying that he is a compelling presence.  Wright is absolutely brilliant (one of the few highlights of this movie) and I did like A$AP Rocky (even though he is essentially playing himself) but all of the other performances are almost laughably bad.  Ilfenesh Hadera, as King's wife, and Dean Winters, as a police detective, are the worst offenders.  There are lots of cameos but most of them feel shoehorned in (Ice Spice is on screen for about a minute).  The score is particularly egregious (which is ironic in a movie about the music business).  It feels like it belongs in a completely different movie and it undercuts the tension in every scene because it is so incongruous.  The only reason this isn't the worst movie I've seen this year is because of an incredibly dynamic sequence on a subway filled with Yankees fans and on the street in the middle of a Puerto Rican Day festival but this is not enough for me to recommend it.  You can definitely wait until it streams.

Note:  The only message I got from this movie is that Spike Lee hates sports teams from Boston!

The Wizard of Oz at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

I had a lot of fun at Terrace Plaza Playhouse's production of The Wizard of Oz last night! Dorothy Gale (Maren Messerly) is transported from Kansas to the magical land of Oz by a tornado. When she wants to return home, she seeks help from Glinda the Good Witch (Mailee Halpin) who tells her to follow the yellow brick road to get to the Wizard (David Storm) in the Emerald City. Along the way, she encounters the Scarecrow (Autumn Spangler), who wants a brain, the Tin Man (Trey Montgomery Cornell), who wants a heart, and the Cowardly Lion (David Hales), who wants some courage. They must face the Wicked Witch of the West (Jacci Florence) before they learn that they had the power to achieve their desires within themselves all along. Messerly is a very appealing Dorothy and her rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is beautiful. I was also very impressed by Spangler, Cornell, and Hales because they are outstanding in "If I Only Had a Brain," "If I Only Had a Heart," and "If I Only Had a Nerve," respectively. I especially enjoyed Spangler's dancing because it really seemed as if her body was made of straw. This does not have the same spectacle as some other productions I've seen but it is extremely clever. I especially loved the way the tornado, the snow on the poppies, the melting of the Wicked Witch, and the lift-off of the Wizard's balloon are staged. I also loved the use of puppets for Toto (Beckett Ronnow), the Crows, and the Flying Monkeys. The costumes are fun and whimsical and I particularly liked seeing Dorothy's gingham dress transform from grey in Kanasas to blue in Oz and then sparkly green when she arrives in the Emerald City (a fun detail), all of the colorful costumes worn by the Munchkins, the sparkly pink ball gown worn by Glinda, and the parasols carried by the poppies. The set, featuring a large and circular yellow brick road in the middle of the stage, is one of the most striking I've seen at this theatre and I loved the use of very muted tones in the set pieces for the door of the farmhouse, the picket fence, and a large windmill before an explosion of color happens once Dorothy gets to Oz. The apparatus used by the Wizard, complete with moving eyes and a moving mouth, is also very impressive. I often feel like the second act of this show gets bogged down but I think the pacing in this production is really tight and my attention never wavered. I now count this among my favorite productions at this theatre and I recommend it to families. It runs on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays through September 13 and tickets may be purchased here.

Nobody 2

I really liked Nobody so I was excited to see the sequel, Nobody 2, at a matinee yesterday.  It is not quite as good as the first movie but I enjoyed it.  Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) is still going on missions for "The Barber" (Colin Salmon) to repay the debt he owes after burning the Russian mob's money and his wife Becca (Connie Nielsen) feels that he is neglecting his family as a result.  He decides to take a break so he can take Becca, his son Brady (Gage Munroe), his daughter Sammy (Paisley Cadorath), and his dad David (Christopher Lloyd) to the same amusement park in the small town of Plummerville that he once visited as a child with his dad and brother Harry (RZA).  Hutch eventually runs afoul of Abel (Colin Hanks), the corrupt sheriff, and Wyatt (John Ortiz), the owner of the amusement park who runs a bootlegging operation for the notorious crime boss Lendina (Sharon Stone).  He must ultimately break his promise to Becca to leave the violence behind in order to protect his family from Lendina's henchmen.  The non-stop action sequences, particularly those in an arcade, on a duck boat, and the final confrontation in a booby-trapped amusement park, are really fun, violent, and chaotic and I loved the use of ordinary objects in the fight choreography.  Odenkirk, once again, does most of his own stunts and he is very kick-ass in the role.  I enjoyed all of the humor, especially the needle drops because they are hilariously on the nose, but the villains are so ridiculously evil that it often verges on parody.  What is missing in this sequel is the novelty of an ordinary suburban dad who also happens to be an assassin.  In this version, an assassin tries to be an ordinary suburban dad and, in my opinion, it is not as compelling because it is not as unexpected.  I still had fun with it and fans of the genre will definitely love it.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame at West Valley Arts

Last night I was absolutely thrilled that my performance of The Hunchback of Notre Dame at the West Valley Performing Arts Center was completely sold out because I have long been a fan of this theatre and they are so deserving of this support, especially for this show! I have seen it many times over the years and I can honestly say that this production is my favorite! It is simply amazing and you should probably stop reading right now and get a ticket (if you can). Quasimodo (Taylor J. Smith) has been hidden by his uncle Frollo (Chase Petersen) in the bell tower of Notre Dame Cathedral all of his life because of a deformity. However, he yearns to leave the cathedral and decides that the Feast of Fools would be the perfect opportunity to do so. He is eventually crowned the King of Fools but, when the crowd turns on him, he is rescued by the gypsy Esmeralda (Beatriz Melo). She also catches the eye of Phoebus de Martin (James Carter), the captain of the cathedral guard, and bewitches Frollo who becomes obsessed with possessing her. When Esmeralda rejects Frollo, he orders Phoebus to arrest her but he refuses and they become fugitives. Quasimodo gives them sanctuary in the cathedral which forces a dramatic confrontation in the bell tower. I was blown away by the staging of certain scenes and by the performances of my favorite songs. The childlike wonder and yearning expressed by Smith in "Out There" and "Heaven's Light" is palpable and I was incredibly moved by his performance of both songs.  I really liked seeing the actual portrayal of the trauma experienced by Phoebus on the battlefield juxtaposed with his desire for a bit of fun in the staging of "Rest and Recreation." Melo's entrance in the song "Rhythm of the Tambourine" is very dramatic and she absolutely commands the stage with her singing and dancing. It is easy to see how Quasimodo, Phoebus, and Frollo would be captivated by Esmeralda and I loved seeing the three of them circling her at the end of this number. She gives another incredible vocal performance of my favorite song, "God Help the Outcasts" (it brought tears to my eyes), and I loved her tender interactions with Smith in "Top of the World." In the staging of "Hellfire," Frollo lies prostrate at a statue of the Virgin Mary (Sophia Morrill Mancilla) and this image is unbelievably powerful. Petersen has rich deep voice and does an outstanding job of portraying Frollo's torment in this scene and in the scene where Frollo expresses his love for Esmeralda (I was actually stunned by the physicality of his advances because it is more aggressive than I have ever seen before). The interactions between Quasimodo and Phoebus when they search for Esmeralda are quite amusing and provide a bit of comic relief before the emotional and heartbreaking performance of "Someday" by Melo and Carter.  I loved the way the gargoyles are portrayed by Emily Duncan, Soren Ray, and Scot Struble because they seem like real people who interact with Quasimodo, especially in the passionate performance of "Made of Stone." The staging of Quasimodo's rescue of Esmeralda from the pyre and Frollo's fall from the bell tower are very striking and I loved seeing Jehan (Roman Curiel) embrace Quasimodo and Florika (Sophia Morrill Mancilla) embrace Esmeralda during the final scene. The costumes and sets, especially the bell tower, the bells, and the rose window that appears in the final scene, are all some of the best I've seen from this theatre. Everything about this production is very special and I loved experiencing it with a large and appreciative crowd! I highly recommend getting a ticket for one of the six remaining performances through August 30 (go here).

Freakier Friday

To be honest, I was not very excited about a sequel to Freaky Friday but I eventually decided to see Freakier Friday at a matinee yesterday and, to my surprise, I actually really enjoyed it.  Twenty-two years after Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her daughter Anna (Lindsay Lohan) swapped bodies, Anna is now a single mother to Harper (Julia Butters) with lots of support from Tess and has a job as the manager of a pop star named Ella (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan).  When she becomes engaged to British chef Eric Reyes (Manny Jacinto), both his daughter Lily (Sophia Hammons) and Harper, who have had several confrontations at school, are against the marriage.  On the night of Anna's bachelorette party, all four of them get their palms read by Madame Jen (Vanessa Bayer) and this leads to a four-way swap.  Tess and Anna swap with Lily and Harper, respectively, and mayhem ensues as Lily and Harper try to stop the wedding by reviving Anna's relationship with her high school boyfriend Jake (Chad Michael Murray) and by disrupting an immigration interview for Eric.  Lily and Harper ultimately discover that they are more alike than they are different and that their parents truly love and belong with each other and this realization returns everyone to their own bodies.  There was not a lot for Butters as Anna and Hammons as Tess to do but there are some fun scenes where they rebel during detention (I loved the cameo by Stephen Tobolowsky), ride scooters, and eat as much junk food as they can.  However, Lohan as Harper and Curtis as Lily are absolutely hilarious and so much fun to watch, especially when Curtis attempts to play pickleball and gets lip filler for a passport photo and when Lohan goes to a dance lesson and tries to flirt, but there are also some really poignant moments when they acknowledge that they were wrong, particularly about how much their parents love them.  The two of them have a palpable chemistry with each other and look like they are having a blast in their return to these iconic roles.  The plot does get really convoluted, particularly the subplot involving Ella (although, without it we wouldn't have the reunion of Pink Slip performing "Take Me Away" on stage), with too many characters (many actors are reprising their roles from the first movie).  I also wish that Hammons and Curtis would have switched their British and American accents because I think it would have made their swap easier to follow since their characterizations don't really match.  These criticisms didn't really detract from my enjoyment and I liked this a lot more than I was expecting.

Shrek the Musical at Hopebox Theatre

I was really happy to see Shrek the Musical at Hopebox Theatre last night because it is such a fun show and it is for a very worthwhile cause! Shrek (Gregory Harrison) is an ogre just minding his own business when his swamp is invaded by the Fairytale Creatures banished from Duloc by Lord Farquaad (Justin L. Cook). After some encouragement from Pinocchio (Ace Johnston), he decides to visit Farquaad himself to get his swamp back. Along the way, he saves Donkey (Lance McDaniel) from Farquaad's guards and they end up traveling to Duloc together. Farquaad agrees to give Shrek back his swamp if he rescues Princess Fiona (Dusti Mulder) from a tower guarded by fire-breathing Dragon (Kaylee Echeverria) so he can marry her and become King. Donkey distracts Dragon so Shrek can rescue Fiona but chaos ensues on the way back to Duloc when Shrek develops feelings for Fiona. I was very impressed with the talented cast because everyone gives a performance that will put a smile on your face. Harrison is great in the title role because he is very charismatic but he also shows a lot of vulnerability behind the gruff exterior, especially in the songs "Who I'd Be," "When Words Fail," and "Build a Wall." McDaniel is so much fun as Donkey because his energetic physical performance is hilarious (I laughed out loud at his pole dance in "Make a Move"). Mulder has a beautiful voice and I particularly enjoyed her versions of "I Know It's Today" with Lizzie Abercrombie as Young Fiona and Everleigh Jensen as Teen Fiona (they harmonize so well together) and "This is How a Dream Comes True" with Harrison and McDaniel but I also enjoyed her physical performance in "I Think I Got You Beat" and "Morning Person" because her comedic timing is spot on. I loved Echeverria as Dragon because she can really sing the blues and her rendition of "Forever" is definitely a highlight. However, Cook steals the show as Farquaad because I don't think I stopped laughing whenever he was on stage! I especially loved seeing him dangle his tiny legs from his tower in "What's Up Duloc," ride in on a rocking horse to meet Fiona for the first time (when he dismounted from the rocking horse, it accidentally rolled away from him and his ad-libs had the crowd in hysterics), and walk down the flower-strewn aisle to his wedding. The ensemble is also very strong and I enjoyed the colorful costumes and lively choreography in "Story of My Life" and "Freak Flag." An honorable mention goes to Johnston as Pinocchio because their performance is very heartfelt. I am always impressed with how well the small space is utilized and for this show the stage features a series of steps configured to look like forest that revolve to become Farquaad's castle and the Dragon's keep with Shrek's swamp on one side of the stage and Fiona's tower on the other.  I had such a great time watching this show and I encourage everyone to get a ticket because not only will you be entertained but you will also be supporting the mission of Hopebox Theatre which is to bring hope to families battling cancer through the performing arts (go here to meet the inspiring recipient for this show). It runs Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays (including a Saturday matinee) through September 6 and tickets may be purchased here.

The Bad Guys 2

I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed The Bad Guys so I decided to see the sequel last night as part of my double feature at the Megaplex.  The plot is a little bit silly and farfetched but it is funny and I loved the dynamic animation.  The Bad Guys, including Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina), and Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), are finding it difficult to fit into society after giving up their criminal ways so, on the advice of Governor Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz), they attempt to help the newly promoted police commissioner Misty Luggins (Alex Borstein) capture the Phantom Bandit.  However, they soon realize that the Phantom Bandit is really a criminal gang of Bad Girls, including a snow leopard named Kitty Kat (Danielle Brooks), a raven named Doom (Natasha Lyonne), and a wild boar named Pigtail Petrova (Maria Bakalova), who eventually blackmail them into helping with one final caper.  They steal a smartwatch that controls the MOON-X rocket from the billionaire inventor Mr. Moon (Colin Jost) so the Bad Girls can hijack it to use a substance known as MacGuffinite (this Alfred Hitchcock reference made me laugh out loud) to steal the world's gold from space.  Will the Bad Guys choose the allure of power offered by the Bad Girls and join them or will they choose to be respected rather than feared and stop them?  The story is surprisingly convoluted for an animated movie for children but it has a great message about not being defined by past mistakes and there are a lot of hilarious references to each animal's defining characteristics (I laughed out loud again when Mr. Snake accuses another character of being duplicitous).  I really enjoyed the vivid animation, particularly in the action sequences (which pay homage to the Mission: Impossible franchise and other heist movies).  My favorite scenes include a high-speed chase through the streets of Cairo after stealing a car and a stealthy infiltration into a high security society wedding.  The voice cast is outstanding with the back and forth banter between Rockwell and Brooks as the highlight.  I enjoyed The Bad Guys 2 and I recommend it to fans of the first movie.

Sketch

Last night I saw the movie Sketch as part of another double feature, this time at the Megaplex, and I was very surprised by how much I loved it!  Taylor Wyatt (Tony Hale) is a recent widower who believes the best way for his children Jack (Kue Lawrence) and Amber (Bianca Belle) to move on from their mother's death is to remove all traces of her.  However, Amber begins acting out because she is suppressing her grief.  The school psychologist suggests that she channel all of her feelings into her drawings and she gives her a sketchbook which Amber uses to create terrifying monsters, some of whom specifically threaten a bully at school named Bowman (Kalon Cox) and her father after he disciplines her.  Meanwhile, Jack discovers a mysterious pond in the woods behind their house and, when Amber accidentally drops her sketchbook in the water, all of her drawings come to life.  The siblings must find a way to save Bowman, Taylor, and the rest of the town from Amber's monsters.  I loved the animation of the monsters because they accurately reflect the medium used to create them in the sketchbook (colored pencils, crayons, markers, and embellishments such as glitter and googly eyes) and the images look so cool.  I also really loved the way in which the children ultimately defeat the monsters because, without spoilers, it emphasizes the very powerful theme that one of the best ways to confront the bad is to remember the good (this is definitely one of the best explorations of grief that I have seen).  The performances are fantastic and I was especially impressed by how well Belle is able to portray Amber's simmering rage and Cox made me laugh out loud.  I also think Hale gives one of his very best performances as a father who thinks he doing what is best for his children but must learn to listen to what they really need.  I was really moved by this and I highly recommend it!

Note:  Every year I make the goal to see 100 new releases in the theater and I reached that milestone with this movie a month earlier than last year.

It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley

I love Jeff Buckley's voice and I really loved seeing the documentary about his life and music, It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley, at Sundance this year (it prompted me to listen to his album Grace, which is a masterpiece, on repeat for a month afterwards).  I decided that I needed to see it again now that it is in wide release and it was the second film in my double feature at the Broadway last night.  What I love about this documentary is that is framed from the perspectives of the women in his life who loved him.  His mother Mary Guibert details her struggle to raise him as a single mother and the difficult relationship he had with his father, singer-songwriter Tim Buckley, who abandoned him but also overshadowed him.  His girlfriend, experimental artist Rebecca Moore, recalls meeting him at a tribute concert for his father and describes their time together in the Lower East Side of Manhattan where he would spontaneously play at small cafes, such as Sin-é, which drew huge crowds and eventually brought him a record deal with Columbia.  She talks about his need to prove himself, his fight for complete artistic control, and the demise of their relationship due to his relentless touring schedule.  Another girlfriend, musician Joan Wasser, describes the intense pressure he felt to produce another album after the critical acclaim of Grace, the fight against his inner demons (now believed to be a chemical imbalance), and his move to Memphis in an attempt to find the peace needed to write new music before his tragic death.  These women, as well as friends and band members, provide deeply personal and emotional memories of Buckley and hearing them talk about losing him at such a young age makes his death even more heartbreaking (seeing his mother listen to the last message he left on her answering machine brought a tear to my eye).  I loved the use of never-before-seen footage of his performances as well as his own words and doodles from his journals.  If you are a fan of Jeff Buckley, this is definitely a must-see!

Note:  Stay through the credits for a bonus performance including, among other songs, an acoustic version of my favorite Buckley song "Last Goodbye" (sigh).

Cloud

Last night I decided to see a double feature at the Broadway and I began with Cloud because the trailer was so intriguing to me.  It is an intense and compelling psychological thriller and I honestly had no idea what would happen next at any given moment!  Ryosuke Yoshii (Masaki Suda) has a menial job in a Tokyo factory but he also has a side gig as an internet reseller.  After he scams a couple (Masaaki Akahori and Maho Yamada) desperate to sell their health devices and makes a massive profit after marking them up on his resell site, he decides to quit his job, even after his boss (Yoshiyoshi Arakawa) offers him a promotion, and cut ties with the friend (Masataka Kubota) who introduced him to the resell business.  He moves to a large and luxurious house in a suburb, which angers the locals, with his girlfriend (Kotone Furukowa), who soon grows bored and leaves, and hires a personal assistant (Daiken Okudaira), who he eventually fires for snooping into his business.  As Yoshii becomes more and more unethical in his dealings, several of those with grievances against him are able to connect through an online forum created by his disgruntled customers in order to dox him and this culminates in an epic shootout in an abandoned warehouse.  The first two acts are a very slow burn as Yoshii antagonizes the people in his life in an attempt to create a better life for himself but then the final act turns into a tension-filled action sequence with so many twists and turns that it is almost impossible to keep track of anyone's motivations (there were audible gasps from my audience).  The character of Yoshii is absolutely fascinating because I initially found him to be unsympathetic, especially when he is ambivalent about selling knock-off designer products to unsuspecting customers for exorbitant prices, but then I questioned the extreme response of those with grievances against him and actively rooted for him to succeed in the ensuing battle but then found the ambiguity of his fate to be strangely satisfying (Suda's performance is understated but riveting).  I also found the cautionary tale about digital actions having analog consequences to be fascinating because people often hide behind seemingly anonymous user names to say and do things online they wouldn't have the courage for face to face.  I was captivated by this (even more than I was anticipating) and I highly recommend it!

Hello, Dolly! at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre

Last night I spent a lovely evening under the stars at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre seeing a charming production of Hello, Dolly! This is a really fun old fashioned show with big song and dance numbers and I thoroughly enjoyed it. At the turn of the century, the irascible Horace Vandergelder (Bryan Harper) decides to get married again so he will have someone to do all of the chores at his Hay & Feed Store in Yonkers, New York. His niece Ermengarde (Capri Gallacher) wants to marry an artist named Ambrose Kemper (Coleman Rowberry) but Vandergelder objects because he doesn't have a steady income. His clerk Cornelius Hackl (Jacob Nilson) is longing for an adventure in New York City so he convinces his fellow clerk Barnaby Tucker (Joey Thompson) to come along with him and they vow not to return to Yonkers until they have both kissed a girl. They soon meet Irene Molloy (Chloe Henry), who owns a millinery shop in NYC but wants a rich husband to take her away because she hates hats, and her excitable assistant Minnie Fay (Rebecca Varney). A recently widowed matchmaker named Dolly Gallagher Levi (Allison Brooks) is hired to find a wife for Vandergelder but she decides that she wants to marry him herself. She just needs to convince him! She eventually arranges for all of the couples to meet for a memorable evening at the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant in NYC and merriment ensues. One of the biggest highlights of this show for me was the live orchestra, under the baton of Marden Pond, because they sounded absolutely amazing! Another highlight was Brooks because she gives an incredibly charismatic performance as the irrepressible Dolly. She has a beautiful voice, especially in the song "Before the Parade Passes Me By," and she does a great job with all of the choreography but I loved her facial expressions as she bamboozles Vandergelder at the Harmonia Gardens because they are hilarious. Honorable mentions go to Henry, who also has a beautiful voice in the songs "Ribbons Down My Back" and "It Only Takes a Moment," and Thompson because he is an amazing dancer in "Dancing" and "Elegance" (it is really impressive how high he can kick). The energetic choreography is a lot of fun and the ensemble looks like they are having a blast in "Put on Your Sunday Clothes," "Dancing," and "Hello, Dolly!" (I loved the kickline). The set featuring pastel colored storefronts, several of which open up to become Vandergelder's Hay & Feed Store, Irene Molloy's Millinery Shop, and the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant, in both Yonkers and New York City is fantastic and the period costumes, especially the opulent red gown worn by Dolly at the Harmonia Gardens, are dazzling. I really love these classic musicals and I definitely recommend getting a ticket for this production (go here) before the parade passes you by! It runs at the SCERA Shell on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through August 19.

Weapons

Last night my nephew and I went to see Weapons at the Broadway with a large and enthusiastic crowd and we both really enjoyed it.  Seventeen children from the same third-grade class at Maybrook Elementary School wake up at the exact same time in the early hours of the morning and disappear from their homes.  This event is viewed from the perspectives of Justine Gandy (Julia Garner), the teacher of all of the children who disappeared, Archer Graff (Josh Brolin), the grieving father of one of the missing children who blames Justine for the disappearances, Paul Morgan (Alden Ehrenreich), a troubled police officer involved with Justine, James (Austin Abrams), a homeless addict arrested and then assaulted by Paul, Marcus Miller (Benedict Wong), the principal of Maybrook Elementary School, and Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher), the only student in Justine's class who did not disappear.  All of their stories converge with Alex's great-aunt Gladys (Amy Madigan) when she comes to stay with his family.  This is not as scary as I thought it would be but it is very unsettling and the use of different POVs that continually reframe the information creates an escalating sense of dread.  It is more like a mystery thriller with elements of horror and dark comedy (my audience laughed out loud multiple times) thrown in but the central mystery is incredibly compelling because I really wanted to know what happened to the children and I wanted to know how all of the characters were connected to their disappearance.  Unlike other recent horror films that come undone in the third act after slowly building an atmosphere of unease, the resolution of the mystery really worked for me and the final sequence is both disturbing and oddly satisfying.  The theme that collective trauma can be weaponized to cause even more violence is extremely thought-provoking and I was particularly struck by the need to find a scapegoat.  Everyone in the ensemble cast is outstanding but I especially enjoyed the intense and unhinged performance from Madigan and I was also very impressed by Christopher because he has such a haunting presence.  The hype for this is real and I definitely recommend it to fans of the genre (try to see it with a crowd).

Note:  I loved the use of "Beware of Darkness" by George Harrison in the opening sequence.

Daddy Long Legs at CPT

I fell in love with the musical Daddy Long Legs when I saw a production at HCT several years ago so I was thrilled to see that it was part of the 2025 season at CPT on the second stage. I tried to convince my sisters to get tickets with me to no avail (although they did get tickets to Pride and Prejudice on the second stage later this year) so I went on my own last night. CPT's production is absolutely enchanting and I loved it! At the turn of the century, Jervis Pendleton (Jacob Coates) is a young and wealthy trustee of the John Grier Home. An essay written by Jerusha Abbott (Mackenzie Turner), the oldest orphan at the home, impresses him and he decides to send her to college so she can achieve her dream of becoming a writer. He will pay her tuition and all of her living expenses on the condition that he remain anonymous and that she writes him a letter once a month informing him of her progress. Since she doesn't know his name, she refers to him as Daddy Long Legs because of the tall shadow she saw when he left the orphanage and he finds her letters to be charming. Against his better judgement he meets her without revealing that he is her benefactor and then falls in love with her. Jerusha also falls in love with him but, when she pours her heart out about her feelings for Jervis Pendleton in her letters to Daddy Long Legs, it creates confusion as he struggles to decide whether to reveal himself to her. I really love Jerusha as a character because she has such a thirst for knowledge and for new experiences so I definitely relate to her. I also love her growth and development as a character because, by the end of the show, she proves herself to be her benefactor's equal and he ultimately feels like she has given him far more than he gave her. Both Turner and and Coates, who have beautiful voices, give incredibly dynamic performances because they, quite literally, carry the show by themselves. Turner is so much fun to watch because of her wide-eyed wonder and her palpable yearning for more, especially in the songs "Like Other Girls" (my favorite in the show) and "Things I Didn't Know." Coates is also fun to watch because of his facial expressions, particularly his smitten awkwardness when Jervis and Jerusha first meet, his exasperation when he attempts to write to Jerusha only to throw the letters in the trash, and his jealousy every time Jerusha mentions her roommate's brother. The set features a large curving bookcase and window seat upstage and this creates an elaborate study for Jervis on one side as well as a location for the live band (Jason Anderson on guitar, Risa Bean on cello, and Jackie Ward on piano) on the other side. There are a series of platforms downstage with trunks and suitcases that are configured and reconfigured to become multiple locations for Jerusha. I think this is very clever because it shows Jerusha's transformation throughout the show. Jerusha's costumes and hairstyles are also very effective at showing her growth because they become more and more embellished and elaborate as the show progresses (I loved the attention to detail because her first costume at the orphanage has frayed hems and is too big for her). I had a smile on my face the whole time while watching this delightful show and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs on the second stage through September 2.

Gentri Sings Broadway at HCT

Bradley Quinn Lever, Brad Robbins, and Casey Elliott met each other in 2014 when they were cast as Enjolras, Marius, and Jean Valjean, respectively, in a production of Les Miserables at HCT (I don't remember if I saw them then but I definitely remember seeing them reprise their roles in HCT's 2021 production). The three of them have beautiful tenor voices and, when they realized how well they harmonized together, they formed The Gentlemen Trio (or Gentri as they now refer to themselves). I love them (especially when they sing Christmas music) so, when I heard that they were performing a series of concerts at HCT in honor of their 10 year anniversary as a group, I immediately got a ticket! I had just enough time to get cleaned up from my camping trip for the concert last night and I enjoyed every minute, especially since the program featured all of the songs from their latest album, Broadway. They began with their original song "Dare" and then continued with "The Impossible Dream" from Man of La Mancha. Their Music Director, Stephen Nelson, writes beautiful arrangements for them and I especially loved their version of "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music because the harmonies gave me goosebumps! They dedicated their song "Lullaby" to all of their children and then performed an incredible cover of "Let It Be" by The Beatles (sigh). They performed an emotional rendition of "Home" and then the crowd went crazy when they sang "A Million Dreams" from The Greatest Showman. One of my favorite moments came next when they sang a medley from The Phantom of the Opera including "Think of Me," "The Music of the Night," and "The Phantom of the Opera" and then they blew the roof off the theater with a powerful version of "Defying Gravity" from Wicked to close out their first set. After the intermission, they performed stirring renditions of their original songs "Soldier" and "On the Outside" and then they let the audience vote on the next song ("Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts won but I really wanted to hear "Make You Feel My Love" by Bob Dylan).  Next came "Out There" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame and a moving version of "Somewhere" from West Side Story. To finish the set, Lever sang "Do You Hear the People Sing?" as Enjolras, Robbins sang "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" as Marius (this brought a tear to my eye), and Elliott sang "Bring Him Home" as Valjean. I absolutely loved hearing these songs from Les Miserables and this was definitely the highlight of the show for me (and the rest of the audience judging from the reaction). For the encore, they sang "Make You Feel My Love" and I think it is because I screamed so loud for it when the audience was voting for the next song! They were so charming and had some hilarious interactions with the audience. The Jewel Box Stage is very intimate (I was sitting on the front row) and Lever, my favorite, actually did look at me several times and smile (sigh) but during "Think of Me" he gave a rose to the woman sitting two seats down from me (so close!). They all spoke about the power of theatre to connect people and I loved seeing photos of them from various shows they have been in (even from high school). I really had to rush to get to the show on time (I even left all of my camping gear in my car) but it was worth the effort because it was an amazing concert! They will be in residence on the Jewel Box Stage until August 23 and, if you want to see them, you need to act quickly because most shows are sold out (go here). I also highly recommend getting a ticket for one of their Christmas shows at the Eccles Theater on November 28 & 29 (go here).

A Week of Solo Camping

I spent the last five days solo camping at my very favorite campsite and it was so much fun!  Kristine and Trent bought a new springbar tent and they let me field test it before they use it this weekend.  I was really impressed with it because it has a lot of room inside (I am very tall and I could stand upright in it) and it is very sturdy.

The temperature was very pleasant during the day but it cooled down at night so I built a fire every evening and every morning to keep myself warm.  I really love sitting by a campfire because it is so mesmerizing!

I spent some time exploring the area.  The North fork of the Duschesne River runs in between the Aspen campground (where I was staying) and the Iron Mine campground and there are some beautiful views.  I also had to take yet another picture of "Old Stoneface" because I think it is so cool.  The campground was so quiet at night and I could hear the river as I went to sleep which was very relaxing (I slept really well because I went to bed when it got dark and woke up naturally when it got light).

I took a day trip to Moon Lake (it is a beautiful drive) and I had the beach all to myself for several hours!

It was so wonderful to have nothing to do and nowhere to be (with limited wi-fi).  I loved making and eating every meal outside because I think everything tastes so much better outside and I also loved reading (I finished two books) in my camp chair under a large pine tree while chipmunks and hummingbirds entertained me (I didn't see any deer which I sometimes do at this campground).  This was an incredible experience in so many ways and I am kind of proud of myself (Trent called me a bad ass and I like the sound of that).  I have camped this long by myself before but it was always in the trailer and now I know that I can rough it!

Macbeth at Parker Theatre

When Parker Theatre announced their 2025 season, Macbeth was the show that I was most excited to see and I had the opportunity last night. The production I recently saw at the Utah Shakespeare Festival was absolutely amazing but this was so different that I was able to enjoy it on its own merits and I loved it! When Macbeth (Lucas Charon), the Thane of Glamis, is victorious in battle, he is met by Three Witches (Kathryn Atwood, Madeline Thatcher, and Isabelle Purdie) who prophesy that he will become the Thane of Cawdor and then the King of Scotland. When King Duncan (Stuart Mitchell) bestows the title of Cawdor on him, he starts to believe the prophecy will eventually come true. However, the ambitious Lady Macbeth (McKenna Walwyn) is not content to wait and spurs him on to take matters into his own hands. After the brutal murder of Duncan, his sons Malcolm (Spencer Hohl) and Donalbain (David Oliphant) flee and Macbeth takes the throne but he is forced to kill again and again to keep it. Both he and Lady Macbeth come undone because of their guilt and paranoia over their bloody deeds until another prophecy comes true and Macbeth is defeated by Macduff (Anthony Lovato). What I particularly loved about this production is its emphasis on the time and place, medieval Scotland, with the set and costumes. The stage features imposing stone pillars with wooden tables and benches, a stone fireplace, and arched windows moved on and off stage by the ensemble. A cyclorama upstage is used for atmospheric projections of the rugged Scottish landscape and the castle of Dunsinane shrouded in mist. Most characters wear simple wool tunics draped in tartan (which is very accurate for the period) and the witches are portrayed as old crones rather than supernatural beings. The sound design is incredibly menacing (although I loved the use of bagpipes) and the fight choreography incorporates medieval warfare (an early scene involves a command from the king for Macbeth and his feudal lords to fight for him). This attention to detail really sets the mood for the unnatural deeds that follow and I loved it! I also really loved the choices that Charon and Walwyn make with their performances. Macbeth is extremely tentative and Lady Macbeth is the aggressor (she even slaps him) in their decision to murder the king but then their roles reverse once they begin to regret their actions.  The scene when Macbeth is tormented by the ghost of Banquo (David Hanson) is unbelievably powerful because he dominates her (at one point I gasped out loud).  After her death, he becomes gentle with her again and almost whispers his lines as he cradles her body. He then seems resigned to his fate and meets the invaders while sitting on his throne. I had chills in many of these scenes. I was also struck by the use of the witches because they are a dominant presence (I really liked seeing their shadows), especially in Lady Macbeth's "sleepwalking" scene because they appear to her with the ghost of her child and in the final battle because they appear to Macbeth as if to confirm their final prophecy.  The way that Macbeth is crowned is also staged in a very powerful way. I am thrilled that I have been able to see two brilliant productions of one of my favorite Shakespeare plays this summer and I highly recommend getting a ticket to this one at the Parker (go here). It runs on Fridays and Saturdays (including a Saturday matinee) through August 30.

Hairspray at Murray Park Amphitheater

Last night I saw the musical Hairspray under the stars at the Murray Park Amphitheater (one of my favorite summer activities).  I love this show for its positive message about loving who you are, following your dreams, and standing up for what you believe is right and this production is so much fun!  Plus-sized Tracy Turnblad (Hannah Fellows) dreams of being one of the dancers on the Corny Collins (John "Bobby Jay" Haraden) Show, of having teen heartthrob Link Larkin (Porter Beesley) notice her, of integrating the show so Seaweed (Colton Kraus) and all of her Back friends from detention can dance with her, and winning the Miss Teenage Hairspray crown.  Velma Von Tussle (Julie Blatter), the former Miss Baltimore Crabs who now produces the show, and her daughter Amber (Makayla Conner Marriott) do everything they can to stop her from making her dreams come true but you can't stop the beat!  The cast is really exuberant and their excitement at being a part of this show is palpable and infectious!  Hannah Fellows is an incredibly charismatic Tracy and I particularly loved her hilarious rendition of "I Can Hear the Bells." I also laughed out loud at the antics of Jerrod Dew and Mark Fellows as Tracy's parents Edna and Wilbur Turnblad, respectively, especially when Edna dips Wilbur in "Timeless to Me."  Kraus is a fabulous dancer and I really enjoyed his dynamic version of "Run and Tell That" and Blatter performs "(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs" with a glint in her eye but, in my opinion, the highlight of the show comes from Fantasia Burgess as Motormouth Maybelle because she brings the house down with "I Know Where I've Been."  The 1960s inspired choreography in "The Nicest Kids in Town," "The Madison," "Welcome to the '60s," "The Big Dollhouse," "Hairspray," and "You Can't Stop the Beat" is an absolute blast to watch and the ensemble does a great job with it (I was especially impressed with Jezuz Gomez-Villalobos, Jessica Pierce, and Anna Kaitlyn Burningham as the Dynamites).  The staging is quite minimal but I really liked the backdrops, which feature bold colors and geometric patterns, and the period costumes.  There are five more opportunities to see this cute show (go here for tickets) and I highly recommend it because I loved it!

Note:  I love that there is always a live orchestra for every production at Murray Amphitheater and the one for this show, under the baton of Robert Bedont, is fantastic!  Their performance was another highlight for me!

The Naked Gun

Yesterday my nephew and I went to a matinee of The Naked Gun because we both needed a laugh.  It definitely delivered because we both had a lot of fun with it.  Lt. Frank Drebin, Jr. (Liam Neeson) engages in some questionable police tactics while investigating a bank robbery so he is pulled from the case by Chief Davis (CCH Pounder), head of the Police Squad, and is sent to investigate a fatal car crash involving Simon Davenport (Jason MacDonald) instead.  He accidentally discovers that both cases lead to Richard Cane (Danny Huston), a tech billionaire with a nefarious plan for world dominion using a P.L.O.T. device.  Drebin enlists the help of Davenport's sister Beth (Pamela Anderson) and his sidekick Capt. Ed Hocken, Jr. (Paul Walter Hauser) to conduct a sting operation at a WWE match on New Year's Eve.  Hilarity ensues.  Neeson is absolutely brilliant because he delivers all of the comedy with the seriousness and gravitas of his recent action roles and that makes everything even funnier.  Huston looks like he is having a blast as a sneering villain (all that is missing is a mustache for him to twirl) but it is Anderson who is the biggest surprise because she steals every scene she is in as a vampy femme fatale, especially in a hilarious montage of a romantic weekend getaway and a jazz performance at a night cub.  There are some fun callbacks to the original series and, even though the pratfalls, word-play, and sight gags didn't always make me or the rest of the audience laugh out loud, I did spend most of the movie chuckling to myself (pay very close attention to the names of everything).  There is definitely enough zany humor to make this a fun time at the movies and I recommend it to fans of slapstick comedies.

Together

I was actually in line for a screening of Together at Sundance but I was really tired and decided to skip it so I could be well rested for the four films I had scheduled the next day (festival fatigue is real).  I knew that it would eventually come to the Broadway and my nephew and I were able to see it there at a matinee yesterday.  It is pretty wild!  Tim (Dave Franco), an aspiring musician, and Millie (Alison Brie), a teacher, are a longtime couple whose relationship now lacks intimacy and connection.  They decide to leave the city and move upstate when Millie is offered a job teaching at a small rural school but, instead of a new start, their relationship further deteriorates when Millie proposes and Tim is unable to commit and when Tim starts to feel like a prisoner without a driver's license.  However, after an usual incident in the forest near their house, they become inexplicably drawn to each other and, over time, they start to become physically fused together (in scenes that escalate in intensity).  As they attempt to figure out what is happening, they must ultimately decide if they really do belong together.  Franco and Brie are a real-life couple so their depiction of two people who have been in a codependent relationship for a long time feels very authentic, especially their petty bickering over things of little consequence.  I was also very impressed by their physical performances, particularly in a scene where they contort their bodies while holding on to various objects in order to keep apart as they are literally pulled together like magnets.  The body horror is not as gory as I was expecting but it is very disturbing and unsettling (it features one of the most uncomfortable sex scenes I have ever seen) and there were moments when I had to look away from the screen.  The practical effects are amazing as is the ominous sound design (the less you know the better) but I do feel like the final sequence is a bit rushed because I wanted to know more about what was actually happening and why.  It is really weird but I liked it and would recommend it to fans of body horror.

Note:  The use of "2 Become 1" by the Spice Girls during a key scene made me laugh out loud!

Sorry, Baby

I really liked quite a few movies at the Sundance Film Festival this year but if I had to pick just one as my favorite it would be Sorry, Baby.  I was happy for the chance to see it again at the Broadway with my nephew last night and I loved it even more upon a second viewing.  Agnes (Eva Victor) lives in an isolated farmhouse with her best friend Lydie (Naomi Ackie) while the two of them attend graduate school at a small New England university.  She and Lydie belong to a cohort, including Natasha (Kelly McCormack), Devin (Cody Reiss), and Logan (Jordan Mendoza), led by literature professor Preston Decker (Louis Cancelmi) and, much to the disappointment of Natasha, she is the obvious favorite.  She enjoys the praise she receives from Decker so, even though it is ill-advised, she meets with him at his house to discuss her thesis after he is forced to stay home with his sick child and he sexually assaults her.  She tries to move on from what she calls the Bad Thing by beginning a casual relationship with her neighbor Gavin (Lucas Hedges) but she can't commit and periodically suffers from panic attacks.  It is only when Lydie, who now lives in New York and is married and pregnant, comes to visit four years later that Agnes, who still lives in the same farmhouse, is teaching at the same university, still has the same rivalry with Natasha, and even has the same office that Decker used, realizes that she is stuck and must finally process what has happened to her.  This is a meditative, but often very funny, character study about surviving a traumatic experience and I found the non-linear timeline to be incredibly compelling (even more so the second time around) because the audience sees the effect before the cause.  This is a stunning debut for Victor (who wrote, directed, and starred) and I was particularly impressed by a powerful scene which features a long tracking shot following Agnes walking to Decker's house, then a static shot of the house showing the passage of time, followed by another tracking shot of Agnes leaving the house and walking back to her car.  Both the direction and the performance are absolutely brilliant because you can see that something devastating has happened by just the change in body language alone.  I was also very moved by an intense monologue in which Agnes apologizes to Lydie's baby for being born into a world where bad things happen because it is such a turning point for Agnes (I haven't stopped thinking about it since Sundance).  Finally, I really loved that Lydie simply shows Agnes that she is stuck instead of rescuing her because it is so empowering.  I am sure that this will be among my favorite movies of 2025 and I highly recommend it.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

My nephew and I finally had a chance to see The Fantastic Four: First Steps last night and I really enjoyed it.  On Earth 828, Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), his wife Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), his brother-in-law Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), and his best friend Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) travel to space in 1960 and experience a cosmic anomaly that gives them superhuman abilities.  They become Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing, respectively, and use their powers to protect Earth.  Four years later, Reed and Sue announce that they are expecting a much longed for child when the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), a herald for a world-eating cosmic being known as Galactus (Ralph Ineson), appears to announce that Earth has been targeted for destruction.  The Fantastic Four return to space to negotiate with Galactus and learn that he is willing to spare Earth if they give him the child Reed and Sue are expecting because he believes that the child will have immense abilities.  Reed and Sue consider it to be a price too high to pay but face backlash for choosing their child over the fate of Earth.  Will the Fantastic Four find another way to stop Galactus?  I liked that narrative foregoes the origin story and jumps right into the action and, as someone who does not know much about the Fantastic Four as characters (I haven't seen any of the previous movies), I found it very easy to understand each of their arcs and motivations without it.  I also liked that the story is a simple one about the importance of family and that it is very self-contained.  I absolutely loved the 1960s retro-futuristic aesthetic in the production design, especially with the technology and the spaceship, the costumes, and the score by Michael Giacchino.  The action sequences are great and I particularly liked all of the cool visuals in the space battle and the climactic battle.  Finally, the performances are both fun (a scene involving a car seat in the Fantasticar made me laugh out loud) and poignant with opportunities for every character to have a moment of reckoning.  My favorite was that of Kirby as a fierce mother willing to do whatever is necessary in order to protect her child and I loved her chemistry with Pascal.  I was also strangely moved by Moss-Bachrach's motion capture performance (he has some wonderful scenes with Natasha Lyonne who plays a teacher in his old neighborhood).  Admittedly, the bar is a bit low with recent MCU projects but, between this and Thunderbolts*, my interest has been reignited and I am actually looking forward to Avengers: Doomsday (there is a mid-credits scene teasing the appearance of Victor von Doom/ Doctor Doom).