The Art of Self-Defense

Last night I found myself at yet another dark comedy!  This time it was The Art of Self-Defense and I thought it was an incredibly original social satire that is destined to become a cult classic.  Casey (Jesse Eisenberg), a mild-mannered accountant, is brutally attacked one night and decides to learn karate as a form of self-defense.  The mysterious sensei (Alessandro Nivolo) of his dojo improves his self-confidence and teaches him to, literally, become what he fears.  However, all is not what it appears to be at the dojo.  This movie is a scathing indictment of toxic masculinity that is often very brutal to watch but it is also hilarious!  I laughed out loud many times, especially when the sensei tells Casey to listen to metal music instead of adult contemporary, to get a German Shepherd instead of his Dachshund, and to start learning German instead of French (because the French are known primarily for surrendering).  The ending is absolutely bonkers and took me completely by surprise but everyone in my audience cheered out loud!  Jesse Eisenberg is very hit or miss with me (I often grow weary of the twitchy-talk-as-fast-as-you-can-in-a-monotone-voice characterization that he employs for many of his roles) but, in my opinion, this is one of his best performances.  He fully commits to the absurdity, especially as Casey becomes more and more aggressive.  I had a lot of fun watching this movie but it is definitely not for everyone!

Stockholm

I love a quirky dark comedy, especially if it stars Ethan Hawke, so I have been eagerly anticipating the release of Stockholm for months.  This movie tells a fictionalized version of the 1973 bank robbery in Stockholm from which the term "Stockholm Syndrome" originated.  An ex-con named Lars Nystrom (Hawke) shoots a gun in the lobby of a bank with the goal of getting Gunnar Sorensson (Mark Strong), his former partner in crime, released from prison.  He takes several hostages, including Bianca Lind (Noomi Rapace), Klara Mardh (Bea Santos), and Elov Eriksson (Mark Rendall), and demands money and a getaway car (like the one Steve McQueen drove in Bullitt) in addition to Sorensson's release.  The incident becomes a media frenzy and the Swedish Prime Minister, Olof Palme (Shanti Roney), refuses to comply with his demands and the Chief of Police (Christopher Heyerdahl) seems more concerned with his own reputation than the welfare of the hostages. As law enforcement becomes more and more desperate and erratic in their attempts to resolve the situation, the hostages, especially Bianca, begin to cooperate with Nystrom.  Besides being an entertaining heist movie that becomes increasingly more bizarre, it is an interesting psychological study that explores the unusual relationship that can develop between captive and captor.  The tone is a little bit uneven but I enjoyed it mainly because of Ethan Hawke, who gives another brilliant performance (I think he is so underrated).  It is so much fun to watch him become completely unhinged!  Rapace also gives a strong performance, especially in a scene where she nervously gives her husband instructions on how to make dinner for their children when she is briefly allowed to speak with him.  I also really liked the 1970s aesthetic and the use of Bob Dylan in the soundtrack.  I had a lot of fun watching this movie and I suspect fans of dark comedies will enjoy it, as well. 

Glory

I have always loved the movie Glory but seeing it again yesterday as part of the TCM Big Screen Classics series reminded me of why!  It is incredibly powerful and moving!  Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) is the son of wealthy abolitionists in Boston serving in the Union army when he is wounded during the Battle of Antietam.  While recuperating at home he is offered a colonelcy to lead the Massachusetts 54th Infantry Regiment made up of black freemen and runaway slaves, including John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman), Thomas Searles (Andre Braugher), and Silas Trip (Denzel Washington).  At first he is skeptical about their ability to fight and trains them relentlessly.  Eventually, Shaw comes to respect his soldiers and they him, especially when he and his second-in-command, Major Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes), refuse their pay until the black soldiers receive the same amount as their white counterparts  After their training, the 54th is used mainly for foraging and for manual labor until Shaw advocates for them to be allowed to fight.  They acquit themselves with honor in their first battle and then Shaw volunteers the regiment to lead the charge on Ft. Wagner in an important campaign to secure Charleston Harbor in South Carolina.  They know that they will suffer serious casualties but Shaw leads them himself and their bravery inspires many other black men to enlist, turning the tide of the war.  I think Denzel Washington is a tremendous actor and he is absolutely brilliant in the role of an embittered former slave who doesn't know what he is fighting for.  I found myself with tears in my eyes several times, especially during the scene where he is being flogged for deserting and a single tear rolls down his cheek and the scene where he picks up the flag from a fallen soldier to continue taking it up the ramparts of the fort.  He is definitely deserving of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, in my opinion.  I was also very impressed by Broderick's performance.  I tend to think of him more as a comedic actor but he conveys so much emotion in his eyes as Colonel Shaw!  The battle sequences are intense, especially the Battle of Antietam, and the attention to period detail is impressive.  Finally, I was incredibly moved by James Horner's stirring score, particularly the haunting voices of the Harlem Boys Choir.  It was an emotional experience watching this movie again and I highly recommend seeing it on the big screen!  You have one more opportunity on Wednesday (go here for tickets).

Renee Elise Goldsberry at Deer Valley

Another favorite summer tradition is to see a Utah Symphony concert at Deer Valley as part of the Deer Valley Music Festival.  I love coming to these concerts because it is so beautiful and relaxing up in the mountains and I really enjoy bringing a picnic and listening to music under the stars.  I usually try to see at least one concert every summer (this year I picked two of them) and last night's concert featured the amazing Renee Elise Goldsberry, who originated the role of Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton (Have I mentioned that I saw the original Broadway cast of Hamilton?  Oh, I have?  Several times?  Just checking.).  I have been looking forward to this concert for months because I loved her as Angelica and it was wonderful!  She began with a medley of "On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)" and "I Can See Clearly Now" which got the audience cheering!  Then she mentioned how impressed she was the the Utah Symphony could play the blues and sang very sultry versions of "People Get Ready" and "I've Got to Use My Imagination."  Next, she performed an arrangement of "We Can Work It Out" by the Beatles that I really enjoyed.  She thought it would be appropriate to sing "Up to the Mountain" in such a beautiful setting and then turned Deer Valley into an old time revival by singing "Tell the Lord I'm Coming Home Someday."  She had her backup singers (who were fabulous) join her for an a capella version of "We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest" that was incredibly powerful!  She spoke about wanting to have children for a long time and dedicated Bob Dylan's "Lord Protect My Child" to all of the children who are here and who are on their way.  She ended her first set by singing an incredibly beautiful version of "Bridge Over Troubled Waters."  After the intermission she sang "Beat Out Dat Rhythm on a Drum" from Carmen Jones, "How Glad I Am," "Misty," and "Peter Gunn."  My favorite part of the concert came next when she sang the Broadway hits.  Her first starring role was in The Lion King and she sang the most beautiful version of "Shadowlands," which is my favorite song from the show, that I have ever heard!  In fact, it reduced me to a sobbing mess!  Of course, she sang a few songs from Hamilton, including "Satisfied" and "The Schuyler Sisters," and I noticed that just about everyone in the audience was singing along.  It was incredible!  She also starred in the musical RENT and she ended her second set with moving renditions of "Without You" and "No Day But Today."  For the encore she performed "It's Quiet Uptown" from Hamilton which I have never been able to sit through without crying and this was no exception.  Her final song was "You'll Never Walk Alone" because she wanted to go out on a happy note!  I loved every minute of this concert and I can't wait to come back to Deer Valley in two weeks to see Kristin Chenoweth!  Go here to see the rest of the lineup at the Deer Valley Music Festival.

Note:  I was also able to see Leslie Odom, Jr., who originated the role of Aaron Burr in Hamilton, with the Utah Symphony a few years ago.  I think everyone in the whole original cast should come perform a concert at Deer Valley!

Mamma Mia at Sundance

One of my very favorite summer traditions is to see a musical at the Sundance Mountain Resort performed in conjunction with the UVU Theatre Department.  I have been coming for years and I absolutely love it!  The setting could not be more beautiful with the smell of the pine trees and the fresh mountain air.  It is so nice to feel a cool breeze when the temperature is so hot in the valley.  They always do a really great job with whatever show they are performing and this year is especially fun because the show is Mamma Mia!  How can you resist listening to the music of Abba up in the mountains?  Sophie Sheridan (Rylin Gardner) is getting married and wants to have her Dad walk her down the aisle.  The only problem is she doesn't know who he is!  After reading her mother's diary, she finds three possibilities:  Sam Carmichael (Shawn Stevens), Bill Austin (Matt Dobson), and Harry Bright (Sanford Porter).  Without telling her mother Donna (Dianna Graham), she invites all three of them to her wedding and, when they all show up, chaos ensues!  I really enjoyed Graham as Donna and Stevens as Sam and they are especially strong in their songs together, including "One of Us," "SOS," and "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do."  Jocelyn Hansen, as Rosie, and Kerilyn Johnson, as Tanya, are also a lot of fun and I enjoyed their renditions of "Chiquitita" and "Dancing Queen."  Hansen steals the show with her performance in "Take a Chance on Me" with Dobson and hoots of laughter greeted their antics!  I thought that Gardner faltered a little bit as Sophie in the beginning of the show but she finished strong, particularly with "I Have a Dream" at the end.  The choreography in this show is fantastic and I particularly liked it when the male ensemble danced with fins in "Lay All Your Love on Me" and I thought the dream sequence in "Under Attack" was quite innovative (it's one of my favorite numbers in the show).  The costumes are a hoot and feature lots of spandex and sequins!  I had so much fun watching this show and I may or may not have sung along with some of the songs!  I highly recommend it.  Mamma Mia runs at the Eccles Outdoor Theatre on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through August 10 (go here for tickets).