You Were Never Really Here

You Were Never Really Here was the very first film that I saw at Sundance this year and it has haunted me ever since.  I knew that I would need to see it again. Luckily it is being screened by the Salt Lake Film Society and I got to see it yesterday afternoon.  Joe (Joaquin Phoenix) is a brutal and ruthless hit man, whose weapon of choice is a hammer.  He is clearly tormented, attempting suicide multiple times, and through flashbacks we learn that he is suffering from PTSD from a violent childhood at the hands of an abusive father, from combat duty in Iraq, and as a former FBI agent.  He is hired to rescue the daughter of a New York State Senator who has become the victim of a sex trafficking ring.  The operation to rescue the girl goes wrong and everyone involved in her rescue, except Joe who manages to escape, is brutally murdered which prompts him to seek revenge.  What I loved about this film is that a tragically flawed character is ultimately redeemed by the very person he sets out to save.  This is a theme that really resonated with me because, while this film is dark and gritty, it does end on a optimistic note.  Joaquin Phoenix gives a brilliant central performance.  There is not a lot of exposition or dialogue but you can instantly feel Joe's pain and desperation.  One scene, in particular, is incredibly powerful when he realizes that the girl he has been hoping to save will now be as damaged as he is and I was almost in tears as she attempts to comfort him.  Jonny Greenwood's pulse-pounding score adds to the almost unbearable tension and Lynne Ramsay's script is a powerful exploration of suffering.  It is beautiful in its brutality.  It is profound in its simplicity.  It is a masterpiece!

Prom 2018

Last night Tashena went to Bountiful High School's Prom with her date Noah, her best friend Channing, and their group.  I love how her group always seems to coordinate the color of their dresses!

I really loved Tashena's dress this year.  She always picks something really classic!

Tashena with her date Noah.  He was adorable!

The other couples.

The guys.

The girls.

The whole group!

Grieg's Piano Concerto with Alexandra Dariescu

I have to admit that I bought a ticket to last night's Utah Symphony concert because I am a huge fan of Sibelius but I ended up loving all three of the pieces performed and enjoyed myself immensely!  The orchestra began with Carl Nielsen's Helios Overture and I loved it!  It began with a beautiful and contemplative theme, representing the sun rising above the sea, and then became very powerful with a soaring melody played by the horns followed by a triumphant fanfare by the trumpets.  The piece ended just as mysteriously as it began as the sun set and I found it to be quite breathtaking!  Then the orchestra was joined by Alexandra Dariescu for Edvard Grieg's spectacular Piano Concerto.  Dariescu may have been wearing a sparkly gold dress but it was her playing that dazzled the audience as her fingers flew up and down the keyboard.  From the instantly recognizable opening notes to the dramatic conclusion, I absolutely loved it!  After the intermission came the piece that I had been waiting for: Symphony No. 2 by Jean Sibelius!  In my opinion, Sibelius is every bit as passionate and emotional as the Russian composers but he is a bit more stately and restrained.  Symphony No. 2 is incredibly dramatic and I especially enjoyed the theme played by the cellos in the first movement because it is very atmospheric.  I found the second movement to be filled with tension and I loved the energy in the third movement.  There was a full house at Abravanel Hall last night with good reason!  This concert is not to be missed and, luckily, it will be repeated tonight (go here for tickets).

Note:  When I bought this ticket I thought that I was unfamiliar with Grieg but I immediately recognized the Piano Concerto as soon as I heard the opening notes!

Throwing Things

On Thursday I went to one of Tashena's track meets at Viewmont High School.  I didn't get to go to very many of her meets last year so I was really excited to see her in action.  She was entered in discus, shot put, and javelin but it was so cold and windy that the javelin event was canceled.  The wind makes the throwing events really difficult so I thought Tashena did a great job under the circumstances but she was disappointed.  She ended up winning the discus event with a distance of 109.1 and she took second place in the shot put with a distance of 30.1.  I was so proud of her!

I'm looking forward to going to more of her meets since I don't have as many commitments at school this year!

Hamilton at the Eccles

Last night I got to see Hamilton for the fourth time in two years and this musical has definitely not lost its magic for me.  In fact, the more I see it the more powerful it becomes!  I can honestly say that I was just as excited as I was when I stood outside the Richard Rodgers Theatre!  I am so glad that I got to see this production because it is fantastic!  This cast is actually tied with the original Broadway cast as my favorite!  Joseph Morales is absolutely phenomenal in the title role.  He reminded me so much of Lin-Manuel Miranda (he played Usnavi in the touring company of In the Heights) but I think he is a stronger singer, especially in "Dear Theodosia" and "Hurricane."  He did quite a few things to make the role his own but I think my favorite bit of business is when he wipes away his tears in "It's Quiet Uptown."  Nik Walker is so powerful as Aaron Burr and I think his is my favorite performance of "Wait For It."  Ta'rea Campbell is an incredible Angelica because she not only raises the roof of the Eccles Theatre during "Satisfied" but she also gives such an emotional rendition of "It's Quiet Uptown."  Marcus Choi is very different from the other actors I've seen play George Washington and his interpretations of "History Has Its Eyes on You" and "One Last Time" are also quite different but I really liked what he did with the role.  Jon Patrick Walker is absolutely hysterical as King George and his performance is so completely over the top.  He totally hams it up and I almost died laughing when he stomps his foot in "What Comes Next?"  I've not seen this character portrayed at such a pitch before but it was hilarious!  Shoba Narayan, as Eliza, has an unbelievably emotional response to Philip's death which made me start crying then instead of during "It's Quiet Uptown" like I usually do.  Finally, every Jefferson I've seen has has done something completely different in "What'd I Miss" and Kyle Scatliffe dances a little jig, which Hamilton imitates during "Cabinet Battle #1"  I also loved Jefferson's expression at the end of "The Election of 1800." I really loved every aspect of this production but what made it so much fun is that I have been hyping this show up to  the couple who sits in front of me, with whom I have become very good friends, all season long and, after the bows, they told me that it was everything I said it was!  The hype is real!  If you were not able to get tickets for the show during its run in SLC, you can enter the lottery daily for the chance to buy up to two $10 tickets!