Battle of the Sexes

While Battle of the Sexes is a crowd-pleasing biopic about about the iconic tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973, it is also a powerful statement about equality between the sexes and the right to be who you are and love who you want.  That is what had me cheering!  I was a child in the 1970s so I never had to experience the chauvinism and condescension that so many women faced back then (there are a few scenes in this movie that were incredulous to me, especially when Bill Pullman's character spoke, because I can't imagine men actually speaking to women that way).  For that I am profoundly grateful to pioneers like Billie Jean King who advocated for women's rights.  King (Emma Stone), wanting to bring attention to the disparity between male and female tennis players, agrees to an exhibition match against a former champion player, Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell).  In addition, each of them are fighting other battles off the court.  King is conducting a passionate affair with her hairdresser (Andrea Riseborough) which she feels the need to hide and Riggs is a man past his prime fighting for relevance with a controlling wife (Elisabeth Shue).  Really, this film is not about a tennis match but rather the journey that each athlete takes to get there.  The script is much more emotional than I was expecting and I think King's sexuality is handled with intelligence and sensitivity (although a few people walked out of my screening after a sex scene).  Stone gives another wonderful performance, almost disappearing into the role.  Carell is perfect as the goofy and frenetic Riggs and I found him to be a sympathetic character rather than the villain portrayed in the trailers.  I also, rather surprisingly, really enjoyed Sarah Silverman's brassy portrayal of a tennis promoter but I thought Alan Cummings was a bit wasted as a designer of tennis dresses (did he really have to accompany the women on tour to dress them?) and only exists to give a moving speech at the end of the movie about LGBTQ rights.  Finally, I enjoyed the 1970s verisimilitude in this movie and I laughed out loud when I heard "Crimson and Clover" playing in a bar scene!  I recommend this movie, not just as a feel-good sports story, but for its powerful message. 

Blade Runner Double Feature

I have been looking forward to the release of Blade Runner 2049 for months so when I found out that a local theater was going to screen the original along with the sequel I bought a ticket immediately!  Double features are so much fun because I feel like you bond with your fellow audience members!  I love the original Blade Runner so much!  I remember watching it over and over again late at night on HBO when I was 15 or 16 so it was a thrill to be able to watch it again on the big screen!  In Los Angeles in the year 2019 a police officer, or blade runner, named Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is tasked with hunting down four replicants, or synthetic beings engineered to be used as slaves in the off-world colonies, who have returned to Earth to extend their lives.  He also falls in love with Rachael (Sean Young), a replicant who has been implanted with false memories to make it harder to detect her.  In my opinion it is a brilliant commentary on the nature of humanity that definitely stands the test of time and its influence can be seen today in so many movies.  By the time it was over I was so excited for Blade Runner 2049 that I could hardly contain myself!  Let me just say right now that it is brilliant and it might even be better than the original because it explores the themes of what it means to be human on a deeper level.  Thirty years later the newest replicants have been integrated into society.  Ryan Gosling plays one who works as a blade runner hunting down older replicants who have gone rogue.  He discovers a secret which leads him to hunt down Deckard (Harrison Ford, reprising his role) to learn the truth.  There are many twists and turns as the truth is slowly revealed (although I still have a major question!) and there were a couple of times when I figured something out an instant before it was revealed!  Like the original, it is visually stunning and you literally cannot take your eyes off the screen.  Denis Villaneuve continues Ridley Scott's world-building to its logical progression with dark and gritty scenes of claustrophobia on the streets of L.A. and orange-infused shots of a decimated Las Vegas.  Gosling is outstanding in the role because he is somehow able to show absolutely no emotion until a key scene which left me absolutely gutted.  It was also so much fun to see Ford play yet another iconic character once again.  I think my favorite aspect of the of the film is the score because it mimics the original in that it creates almost unbearable tension which doesn't let up until the final scenes.  I really loved Blade Runner 2049 and, unbelievably, it lived up to all of my expectations!  I highly recommend that you see it on the biggest screen possible.

American Made

I saw American Made last night and I have to say that I really liked it.  I am not a big fan of Tom Cruise but Barry Seal is the kind of role that he excels at playing and he gives an outstanding performance, one of his best in years.  After a while I stopped wondering how much of the story was actually true and I stopped thinking about the consequences of Seal's actions and just enjoyed the wild ride!  The film tells the true story of TWA pilot Barry Seal (Cruise) after he is recruited by a CIA operative (Domhnall Gleeson) to take aerial photographs of Sandinista bases in Central America.  Seal is so good at getting into and out of Central America he eventually becomes the bag man for General Noriega and begins running guns to the Contras for the CIA while smuggling cocaine for the Medellin cartel on the side.  Seal makes so much money he can't launder it fast enough in some highly amusing scenes.  However, the CIA eventually disavows him and he is cornered by local and state law enforcement, the DEA, and the FBI in another highly amusing scene.  He eludes prosecution by becoming an informant against the Medellin cartel for the White House in its war on drugs (with some great footage of Nancy Reagan) which leads to the inevitable conclusion.  Through it all Cruise gives his high-wattage smile and struts across one airport tarmac after another.  Director Doug Limon uses actual footage from the 80s, close-up shots, and hand-held camera work to create a gritty documentary-style film that feels very nostalgic and the 80s music keeps the adrenaline pumping (I loved "Wah-Wah" by George Harrison in the credits).  To be sure, there are flaws in this movie (don't get me started on how Seal's wife Lucy, played by Sarah Wright, is portrayed) but it is just so entertaining that I would definitely recommend it!

Tangled

AMC Theatres are sponsoring a film festival entitled Dream Big, Princesses which include screenings of the following Disney (and Pixar) classics:  Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, and Brave.  (Go here for more information).  I am rather late to the party because I've been so busy and missed Beauty and the Beast and Mulan but I made sure to make time to see Tangled last night because I absolutely love it.  It is one of my very favorite Disney animated movies (along with The Lion King and Moana).  It was so much fun for me to see it again on the big screen and I think I liked it even more than I did the first time I saw it!  Tangled tells the story of Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) and how she leaves her tower to discover her true identity with the help of Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi).  Both Rapunzel and Flynn are fantastic characters, Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy) is one of the best Disney villains ever, and Pascal just makes me smile!  I love all of the songs, especially "I See the Light."  It is visually stunning and I get goosebumps during the lantern scene every time.  I love practically everything about this movie and I loved having a chance to see it again on the big screen (I watch it all of the time at home because it makes me so happy but it isn't the same).  I highly recommend revisiting Tangled which will be screened at AMC Theatres until Oct. 5.

Note:  I have so many fun memories of seeing Tangled for the first time in the theater.  We were staying in St. George in the motor home over Thanksgiving break.  My sister, a family friend, and I decided to see it Thanksgiving night and the tiny theater in St. George couldn't handle the massive crowd.  It was kill or be killed to get a seat and someone spilled their drink on my sister trying to climb over us but we had so much fun!

Frozen The Musical in Denver

My friend Rachel and I decided to drive to Denver over the weekend to meet our friend Larry to see the new musical Frozen, which is having its premiere in Denver before it transfers to Broadway next spring.  I had Friday off as compensation for parent teacher conferences so we left mid-morning and got in to Denver right at rush-hour (my favorite).  We saw the matinee on Saturday afternoon, went to my very favorite place to eat in Denver in the evening, and then drove home yesterday.  It was a quick trip but it was so much fun (it was really great to meet up with Larry who is awesome) and I am so glad that we did it!

I am a big fan of the movie so I was excited to see the show and it definitely didn't disappoint!  I loved it (we all did)!  The story does not veer too far from the movie but there are a few new songs which I really loved, especially "Dangerous to Dream" and "Monster" because I think they both really help to add a deeper layer to Elsa's character.  Even though I loved the new songs, my absolute favorite moment in the show was "Let It Go" which is just spectacular.  Caissie Levy has an amazing voice and she really belted it out to the rafters of the Buell Theatre.  It gave me goosebumps!  The special effects are incredible, especially when Elsa waves her arms and ice crystals flash across the stage in perfect synchronization.  She also has a really quick costume change into a beautiful blue dress covered in sparkles (all of the costumes are wonderful, very much informed by the movie).  I also really loved the special effects after Elsa's coronation, particularly when she touches objects and they freeze.  It is mesmerizing!  As previously mentioned, Levy, as well Patti Murin who plays Anna, do a really great job with their characters and I also loved the actresses who play the young Elsa and Anna (Brooklyn Nelson and Audrey Bennett, respectively).  My other favorites were Jelani Alladin as Kristoff and Greg Hildreth as Olaf (who sounds exactly like Josh Gad).  However, I would have to say that my very favorite character in the whole show is Sven (much like in the movie), played by Andrew Pirozzi.  Sven reminded me a lot of the animals in The Lion King.  I loved everything about this show and I'm so glad that I got to be one of the first to get to see it (we are already planning to go to New York and see it on Broadway).  It was another amazing adventure (one more road trip to go this year!).

Note:  Rachel dressed up as Elsa and it was fun to watch the reactions of all the little girls around us!