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!

Rock of Ages at the Empress

Last night I went to the Empress Theatre for a double dose of 80s nostalgia and it was so much fun!  First up was Rock of Ages, which I saw when the Broadway touring production came to SLC about ten years ago but haven't seen since.  It is a jukebox musical featuring songs from 1980s glam rock bands and I may or may not have been singing along during every number!  Sherrie (Benzley Tinney), a small town girl living in a lonely world, and Drew (Aaron Allred), a city boy born and raised in south Detroit, both come to Hollywood to make their rock and roll dreams come true and end up working at the Bourbon Room on Sunset Boulevard.  The owner, Dennis Dupree (Brian Fuller), is desperate to generate some income because a German developer (Cassie Hurt-McLarty) wants to tear it down so he convinces Stacee Jaxx (KC Cook), who's seen a million faces and rocked them all, to perform one final concert with his band Arsenal at the Bourbon Room.  Drew opens for Arsenal and gets a record deal and Sherrie hooks up with Stacee Jaxx.  Complications ensue but, if they don't stop believing, their dreams might eventually come true!  I love all of the music in this show, especially "Nothin' But a Good Time," "Sister Christian," "Too Much Time On My Hands," "I Wanna Rock," "Waiting For a Girl Like You," "Wanted Dead or Alive," "I Want to Know What Love Is," "Shadows of the Night," "Pour Some Sugar on Me," "High Enough," "Oh, Sherrie," and "Don't Stop Believin'."  Both Tinney and Allred are fantastic and bring a lot energy and attitude to their performances (although Allred occasionally struggled to hit the high notes) but Cook absolutely steals the show as Stacee Jaxx (I could not stop laughing at his rock star poses).  The choreography is amazing and the ensemble does a good job with it.  I especially enjoyed the aerialists in the scene at the strip club.  The costumes feature as much acid wash denim, neon, and big hair as you would expect from an 80s show and the set of the Bourbon Room includes a stage and bar with vinyl records and posters advertising Arsenal's final concert on the wall.  I loved this show so much and it was really fun to be with a crowd that cheered louder and louder as it went on.  If you are a fan of the 80s, make sure you get a ticket (go here) for one of the remaining performances because it's nothin' but a good time!

Head Over Heels at the Grand Theatre

Last night I went to the musical Head Over Heels at the Grand Theatre.  I didn't know anything about this show beyond the fact that it features the music of the Go-Go's but that was enough to get me there because they were one of my favorite bands when I was a teenager.  I am so glad that I spontaneously decided to get a ticket because I loved it.  The story is an adaptation of The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia by Sir Philip Sidney and it has a wonderful message about acceptance and living authentically.  Basilius (Zac Freeman) rules the peaceful and prosperous kingdom of Arcadia but he is incredibly rigid and refuses to deviate from long-held traditions to the detriment of his family.  His youngest daughter Philoclea (Elizabeth Petrucka) is in love with her childhood friend Musidorus (Michael Scott Johnson) but he doesn't approve of the match because he is a lowly shepherd.  He also expects his oldest daughter Pamela (Michelle Lynn Thompson) to marry well but she keeps rejecting all of her suitors while her handmaiden Mopsa (Madison Melia) pines away for her.  His wife Gynecia (Melody Baugh) is unhappy with her role but he refuses to give her a voice in ruling the kingdom.  He is summoned by the Oracle Pythio (K.J. Leuthauser) who gives him four prophecies of doom.  In order to save the kingdom, Basilius has the family go on a journey to Bohemia filled with mistaken identity, love triangles, sexual awakening, and self-discovery along the way.  Philoclea is eventually allowed to marry Musidorus, Pamela discovers her love for Mopsa, Basilius and Gynecia rekindle their love for each other, and Basilius gives up the crown in favor of Gynecia which creates a more open society.  Of course I loved all of the songs, especially "Mad About You" when Musidorus proposes to Philoclea, "Good Girl" when Philocea is forced to refuse him, "Our Lips Are Sealed" when both couples get together but decide to keep their love secret, "Head Over Heels" when both Basilius and Gynecia develop feelings for Musidorus who is posing as an Amazon warrior named Cleophila, "Heaven is a Place on Earth" when Basilius and Gynecia have an encounter but both believe that they are with Cleophilia, and "We Got the Beat" when the kingdom is saved.  I was really impressed with all of the performances, especially Petrucka because I loved her voice and Johnson because he is hilarious (especially as an Amazon warrior).  Everyone in the ensemble does an outstanding job with the choreography, particularly when they portray Musidorus' sheep.  The elaborate Elizabethan costumes worn by the main cast and the set featuring thatched cottages, stylized trees, and pastel tents give the production a fairy tale vibe that is very effective.  This show is so much fun (I had a hard time stopping myself from singing and dancing along with the cast) but it is also a wonderful reminder to accept people for who they are.  I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) to one of the remaining performances through June 18.

Jurassic World: Dominion

I liked Jurassic World so, even though I was very underwhelmed by Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, I decided to conclude the trilogy by seeing Jurassic World: Dominion last night.  Unfortunately, I brought my sister and niece with me (and for that I am most profoundly sorry).  To say that the three of us hated it would be an understatement!  Four years after the events of Fallen Kingdom, humans are struggling to coexist with the dinosaurs that have reproduced and now roam the Earth.  Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) are trying to protect as many dinosaurs as they can while keeping Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon), the clone created by Hammond's business partner to replace his daughter, safe.  Dr. Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott), through his company Biosyn, has created a sanctuary for dinosaurs in order to study their genetic makeup for the benefit of mankind but he has much more nefarious intentions and employs mercenaries and black marketeers to capture the dinosaurs.  He masterminds the kidnapping of Maisie (for reasons) and a baby velociraptior being cared for by Owen so he and Claire attempt to rescue them.  Meanwhile, Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) has discovered that prehistoric locusts are destroying every crop except those genetically engineered by Biosyn and recruits Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) to help her find evidence.  After Claire and Owen make a detour to Malta where they are harassed by the mercenaries and black marketeers and then recruit a pilot for hire named Kayla Watts (DeWanda Wise), everyone ends up at the Biosyn headquarters to rescue Maisie (whose backstory is retconned to fit the new narrative), find evidence about the locusts, and fight a bunch of dinosaurs.  Are you confused?  This is a bloated and convoluted mess that doesn't make sense half the time and is boring the other half of the time.  It doubles down on everything I disliked about Fallen Kingdom and emphasizes the evils of genetic engineering and corporate greed rather the compelling story of how humans and dinosaurs would actually coexist (the ending where humans and dinosaurs have suddenly found a way to coexist is so convenient and unearned that I actually laughed out loud).  Much of the action is derivative and literally copies exact sequences in The Bourne Ultimatum (a chase on the rooftops of a Mediterranean city), Raiders of the Lost Ark (running through an underground tunnel with a torch and a fedora), and Skyfall (characters trapped in a fighting pit except with dinosaurs instead of a komodo dragon).  It was fun to see the original characters (Goldblum is probably the highlight) but there is absolutely no reason for Dr. Grant to be a part of the narrative other than for the nostalgia factor (and Neill is definitely phoning it in).  There are some fun sequences with the dinosaurs but they are few and far between (if you remove the dinosaurs the story would essentially remain the same) and the characters evade them so easily that it is almost laughable.  Let me echo Dr. Malcolm's sentiments when he says, "Jurassic World?  Not a fan."  Skip this and see Top Gun: Maverick again for a legacy sequel done well!