Melinda's Hiatus, My Best Hit/Miss List

While I'm away, for those who stay, what I suggest was best.  For those who stay - what got away.

Melinda's top picks so far:

1.  Shakespeare in Central Park - King Lear (free)
2.  Holler if Ya Hear Me - (Bwy)
     Argh!  What's wrong with you people, this was great; oops to late.
3.  After Midnight (Bwy)
      Ugh - don't get me started - this phenomenal show was overlooked.
4.  Lady Day (Bwy)
     Audra McDonald is one the greatest ladies to grace the Great White Way.
5.  Violet (Bwy)
      Sutton Foster - ditto.
6.  The Who & The What - (Off B'wy)
      Extended but closing soon - get going!
7.  Lincoln Center Festival (gone with the summer wind)
     Free events & ticketed events - Always check out what's going on around Lincoln Ctr Plaza
8.  Savion Glover (Joyce)
     One of the greatest tap dancers & artists.  (Missed it!)
9.  BOYHOOD -Film
     An incredible movie experience.
10. The Kill Team (Doc. Film)
     Tough going but a must see.

See you in September!

THE WHO & THE WHAT- Is for Everyone about What's Acceptable

The Claire Tow Theater (LCT3) @ Lincoln Ctr. is the latest & greatest welcomed addition to Lincoln Ctr.  Although it has been opened for a yr. this was my 1st opportunity as tickets for this intimate theater ($20/show) sell out almost immediately.  The play was extended & I purchased tickets @ "$50 because it was extended."  Still, this show was well worth the dough.  It's a very intelligent play that questions the ability to question everything you were taught to know.  Playwright Ayad Akhtar (Amer. b 1970 to Pakistani Parents) won a Pulitzer in '13 for  DISGRACED.  His new play, THE WHO & THE WHAT is a courageous, brilliant & entertaining play that questions our beliefs, values & priorities.  It has the audacity for blasphemy. WHAT, if anything should be considered sacrosanct? To WHAT extent should religious beliefs be maintained?  This 4 character contemporary play is about an Amer. Muslim family.  The father, Mahwish is from Pakistan & lives with 2 his adult daughters.  Mahwish (Tala Ashue) is a doting but controlling father.  His marriage was prearranged.   He tells his daughters that their marriage became very loving after 3 years.  Mahwish forbade his daughter, Zarina, from marrying the Catholic man she loved because he was not of their faith.  Zarina is strong minded & curious.  Mahwish surreptitiously arranges for Zarina to meet Eli (Greg Keller) who is white and a devout, converted Muslim.  Zarina is arduously working on a book she describes as "gender politics." Her father believes this an euphemism for "sex crazed."  The book is far more tumultuous. The 2nd act begins with Zarina & Eli married and the book completed.  Eli's honest reaction is not what Zarina hoped to hear.  Eli is concerned she desecrated the prophet & they will be ostracized & put in grave danger.  Mahwish becomes hostile & ballistic.  He banishes Zarina from the family.  This play parralleled FIDDLER.  Both Mahwish & Tevyah are good hearted, & open minded but they both drew a line with their religious convictions.  If an artist hasn't won the Pulitzer in consecutive years, Ayad may be the 1st WHO does just THAT.

KING LEAR-The Sovereign Summer Experience in Central Park

The tempests forecast  defied last night by a clear summer wind allowing thespicans the opportunity to experience Shakespeare's timeless eloquence the way it was intended, outdoors, in the round & accessible to all.  (Being that it is free to the public, is also a wonderful gift - but that makes obtaining 2 tickets/person onerous.  (Long ques surrounding the Delacorte Theater are a daily scene starting whilst sleeping under the stars, perchance to dream of nabbing the coveted prize.)   King Lear is not dear to my heart.  It is the story of the King's insanity, sisterly vanity & vying for their "entitled" inheritance, ultimately leading to murder (sisters fighting; tsk tsk.)  The stellular cast brought some celebrity cache to the program:  John Lithgow, Annette Bening, & Jessica Hect.  However, the fault in the stars lay with the substellular performance of Bening whom seemed anachronistic in her role as Goneril and (Tony winning actress) Hecht (Regan,) her voice protests the beauty of Shakespeare's words.  (Not to mention the noticeable flubbed lines by both.)  As for Lithgow, he played a convincing crazy - but then that should be child's play.  I was impressed with the performances of actors, Jay O. Sauders who played Kent and by Steven Boyer who played Lear's Fool with wit & intelligence.  The scenice & lighting designs were first-class.  The choreographed fights were thrilling & convincing.  Shakespeare productions in Central Park art more lovely & more temperate than a summer's day.

The Doc. "THE KILL TEAM" War Makes Killing a Team Sport

My, oh my, another heinous lesson not learned from the Mai Lai Massacre in Viet Nam.  Doing the right thing is not easy, or safe for a soldier in a platoon when the Sgt. is a bully bent on giving orders that are out of order.  You want the truth?  The truth is hard to deliver & harder to handle. Under the guise of honor, code, loyalty, Sgt. Gibbs set up scenarios in which his fellow platoon members were told to shoot "worthless Afghanistans" for the pleasure of the kill & "war souvenirs,"  i.e. bones from the corpses for necklaces.  Gibbs, maintains the killings were in self-defense, but he made his own noose.  Gibbs is serving a life sentence for the killing of 3 Afghan. civilians.  During the Viet Nam conflict, more than 500 Vietnamese civilians were murdered.  Only 1 official was convicted of any crime, Lt. William Calley.  Sgt. Gibbs along with 3 other  soldiers under his command in Afghan. were  found guilty of murder.  This Doc. focuses on Specialist Adam Winfield.  He alerted his parents of a civilian killing in Jan. '10 under the command of his Sgt.  He also made it clear via emails, he feared for his own safety should he become a whistle blower.  Winfield's father attempted to contact army officials only to be told "unless you son's story is corroborated, it's 30 against 1 & there was nothing to be done."  Adam's account of staged, ruthless killings of Afghan. civilians was corroborated by PFC Justin Stoner who paid the price: "snitches get stitches."  The travesty is Winfield did participate in one such murder in May '10, for which he was tried and sentenced to 3 years in addition to 1 year served & a dishonorable discharge.  Acad. Award nom dir./producer ((The Most Dangerous Man in Amer. '10) does a brilliant job of showing the brutalities of war.  It also arouses our sympathy for Winfield, "I never wanted to kill anybody."  Winfield laments, "I wish could go back & fix things."  PFC Stoner, who reported what was happening to his superiors, has utter disdain for American civilians "You train us to kill & then you get pissed off when we do it."  What's worse, "This is a common occurrence, just this regiment got caught."

Mala Hierba @ 2nd Stage Theatre Uptown is a Downer

What's the play about?  It's about $20 & 2 blocks from the Beacon.  The 1 act, 4 character play is by Mexican playwright Tanya Saracho (writer for TV's "Girls" & "Devious Maids") whose characters switch between English/Spanish leaving many in the audience in the dark.  Basically, this is a dark, melodramatic lesbian love affair that turns deadly.  Martiza is the beautiful Mexican trophy wife of a rich TX politician.  She is often seen before her vanity, putting on make-up.  Almost incessantly by her side is Yuya;, her maid, mother figure, punching bag.  The wealthy abusive husband has a daughter, Liliana, a self-centered, manipulative, self-destructive college age daughter (although she has dropped out without notifying her controlling father.)  Liliana, is played by Marta Milans who is making her theatrical debut gave a convincing performance.  Liliana brings home a mysterious, butch woman, Fabiolo whom she knew as an old "friend" of Maritza's.  As it turns out, their friendship is a long running sexual relationship.  Fabiolo pleads with Martiza to flee with her from  TX & move to Chicago with her.  The soap opera conflict, which Yuya reminds Maritza, is her family's total dependence on the money she provides them from her rich husband.  Need I say more?  Well, for $20 this is live entertainment and it's never dull.  And, Mala Hierba is a Spanish u-Tube video of a sexy woman dancing in leather bondage.

Woody Allen's New Movie MAGIC in the MOONLIGHT Touches Old Ground

Woody Allen's newest movie, MAGIC in the MOONLIGHT, is a charming & delightful old fashioned romantic comedy that delves into a redux of Allen's old themes:  death, after life & the meaning of life.  These themes are presented in a refreshing & beguiling new manner.  Sophie (Emma Stone) is a psychic medium who can read minds & speak with the dearly departed.  Stanley (Colin Firth - I'll see  him in anything) plays a curmudgeonly magician who makes a living deceptively entertaining & lives to debunk fellow charlatans.  The cast which includes Marcia Gay Harden as Sophie's mom & British actress, Eileen Atkins as Stanley's crusty aunt are all divine.  The movie is deceptively clever, raising questions of faith, evolution, spiritualism & mysticism.  Stanley speaks to Allen's previous views  "One hopes for super powers but there is only 1 with a black robe."  The transformation & enchantment comes with the epiphany "there is more to life than meets the eye."  There is the "foolish logic" of falling in love which is itself lunacy.  But without this magical lunacy life would be a dreary shambles.  See this old fashioned romantic romp before it disappears from theaters.

Christopher Wiilliams: The Production Line of Happiness @ MoMA

The Production Line of Happiness scheduled to open Monday, is more intriguing for its curatorial format than perhaps the culmination of the work.  Christopher Williams (Amer. b. 1956) love for photography is infectious.  This is largely due to his manipulation of vivid primary colors, particularly yellows & reds which draw you into the photos & sparks your imaginative input.  The exhition consists primarily of Williams' photos but there are playful architectural partitions which enhances the focus onto the works.  Before entering the exhibit, the entrance is painted in stoplight red with large print giving a timeline for Williams works & gallery exhibitions.  There is a stack of red pamphlets that will curate the exhibit as you walk through the galleries.  The artwork inside are mounted without any plaques or written information on the walls except for large architectural structures with large text that is not entirely decipherable.  I glanced at the verbse brochure & chose not to read it or bring it with me. Other patrons were more preoccupied reading their leaflets rather than engaging with the art.  The 1st photo as you enter is of 3 colored buttons, red, yellow, green and a finger on the green button; a witty  start.  There are numerous black/white photos of landscapes & plants, making the singular colorful floral photo appear glowing.  The black/white photos of Hoover dam reminded me of works by Ansel Adams.  There were photos of supergraphic structures which evoked solitude.   These photos were in opposition to the last gallery which held Williams' iconic colored photo of attractive woman with a yellow towel wrapped around exuding radiance.  The last wall of the gallery in the corner, was a black/white photo of a black man in white shirt holding a camera facing outwards with a resplendent smile.  The Production Line of Happiness is a reminder - we are all creators of our own happiness.

Charles James BEYOND FASHION-Creative Designer Surpasses Couture

British fashion designer, Charles James (1906-78) is known "as America's 1st Couturier" which is paradoxical because, a. he's British and b. (I had never heard of him.)  Okay, my not knowing who Charles James was before this show @ the MET's Costume Instit. is irrelevant (this is not about the Melinda Project, still… )  What I did learn from his work as well as his quotes was enlightening & intoxicating.  "All creative work begins by doing something with the hands.  Creation is simply a problem and design is the way out."  James' designs are known for their architectural structure.  Most of  the ball gowns were so elaborate in form, they appeared impractical.   Would the women who wore them be able to do anything other than pose in them?  There are 2 separated galleries for the show making it a maze to transverse.  See the gallerie on the main floor which houses the designer's complex structured & detailed gown from the 40's-50's.  The 1st display has several muslin/black dresses that look like mockups.  They were paradigms for constructing his dresses (they were works in progress; like an artists' sketch.  Inside the dimly lit gallery, the ball gowns are spotlighted.  These gowns look more like costumes than haute couture.  I understood where McQueen, Westwood or Prada may have been influenced by James' designs.  There is an emerald green gown that would have fit in the emerald city.  The satin red dress would have made Scarlett O'Hara blsuh and the black/red velvet ball gown '46 could cast a spell on Angelina Jolie in Malificent.  My favorite ball gown was the Cloverleaf '53.   It was a stunning work of art.  Wearing it would seem sacrosanct.  According to James "Fashion, after all is magic and miracle."  I enjoyed the ballgown room.  It was magical but as fashion, not practical.  Nonetheless, the show was inspiring, "Forget all you know & learn something everyday."  

Sing Me Home - Has Me Singing the Praises of Mandy Gonzalez & Telly Leung

The NYMF presented Sing Me Home in the Laurie Becchman Theatre which is tucked away, literally, below the West Bank Cafe on 42nd/9th.  Unbeknownst to me, this theater is a nightly cabaret.   This production was part of the NYMF & World of Stage.  Sing Me Home was a medley of songs performed winningly by Mandy Gonzalez (B'wy Wicked & In the Heights) & Telly Leung (B'wy Rent, Godspell & star of GLEE.)  Kristy Hanson, the singer/songwriter for this "show" played guitar on stage & narrated the loosely knit plot of Lexi, a former teen pop star, staging her comeback with the support of her best friend, Charlie, her rock, "her home."  Kristy went on to elaborate the unnecessary explanation for what the songs were meant to evoke.  Was this a joke?  No, and it wasn't entertaining.   Fortunately, the talents of its 2 stars Gonzalez & Leung were marvelous.  Gonzalez's voice was beautiful and her interpretations for the songs were phenomenal (not requiring any clarification.)  Leung added his incredible talents & their duets together were magnificient.  Musical Dir. Angela Parrish performed on piano & led the accomplished musicians:  drummer & guitarists (including Hanson.)  This is obviously a work in progress that needs much work.  However, if you have the chance to hear Mandy Gonzalez & Telly Leung perform in anything, you're fortunate.  This was an inexpensive treat ($26) for an hour of fabulous singing.  

SEX with STRANGERS stars Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad) No Stranger to Excitement

Second Stage Theatre scores a major hit with its new 2 act, 2 actor play.  Broadway beckoned Anna Gunn (of Breaking Bad fame) as Olivia and Billy Magnussen (Tony nom. Vanya & Sonia…) as Ethan.    The play is set in the present at an isolated rural inn on a frigid night.  The evening is about to get heated.  Olivia, a prof. & aspiring writer, is there to write in solitude.   A stranger appears at the door pleading to be let in from the blistering cold.  He identifies himself as the expected, late other guest.  He too is a writer with a looming deadline.  A bumptious banter ensues & with wine & no internet or anything else to do, they do what comes naturally.  In between sparring & steamy sex, Ethan a lucrative  blogger/writer for his sexual escapade, plies literary accolades on Olivia's writing. Olivia quickly becomes a "cougar"& they pounce all over each other.  The literary cliches about selling out are heavy handed, but, what strikes a sharp chord are the generational divides between 20 somethings today vs. 40+ yr. olds.  Technology is a major benchmark.  Whereas Ethan can't function without being plugged in Olivia needs mentoring in modern tech applications.  Props abound on the well configurated sets, illustrating archaic relics in today's world:  photos, record albums, books.  Disturbing to Olivia & mundane to Ethan is the lack of social/sexual boundaries on the internet and the callousness in which women are treated as sex objects.  Most perplexing to Olivia is the concept that recognition is omnipotent, content is secondary, at best.  This is a 1st rate production with 2 actors at the peak of their game.  At times, the dialogue seems forced, but the reflections on seismic social shifts over the past 2 decades can be viewed as sexual & strange.    

DEPLOYED - NY Musical Festival @ Pershing Sq.

The NY Musical Festival is the largest annual venue for new musicals in the U.S.  The Festival gives voice to new artists & playwrights.  There are 5 premier productions in the festival at intimate Off-B'wy theaters on 42nd/10th.  The tickets are $25 and are available prior to showtime.  DEPLOYED, is a contemporary Iraq war story/love story/tragedy/comedy set to music performed by an impressive group of young actors.  The book/music/lyrics are by Jessy Brouillard who has written 3 previous screenplays.  Brouillard's compositions were exceptionally well conceived with lyrics that moved the storyline admirably.  The story centers on Corporal Emily & Sgt. Anthony, both Amer. soldiers in Iraq & star crossed lovers.  Emily (Janice Landry) had a beautiful singing voice and flair for dramatics.  I expect to see her on B'wy in the near future.  Sgt. Anthony (Bryant Martin)  looks like a taller, Tom Cruise with acting chops to go with his good looks.  Perhaps, like Cruise, he should stick to drama & forgo singing.  Both Landry & Martin create strong chemistry.  Martin emitted real pathos for war trauma.  Laila (Nina Negron) serve as Emily's interpreter & nemesis, unfortunately her acting was not convincing & her accent came & went.  Her singing voice, however, was quite lovely.  The veteran in the cast & standout performer was by Natalie Toro (Les Miserables.)  Toro plays Sgt. Brook, with wit and poignancy.  The entire handsome cast did an excellent job on a small stage.  The video screen & staging was well conceived. The play itself was predictable & maudlin.  Nonetheless, the fine ensemble elevated the material & Brouillard's music was exceptional.  The Festival is continuing through the 27th and I suggest enlisting to support new artists and for enjoyable, bargain priced theater.

VIOLET - Blooming with Great Music on B'wy

The Broadway Show VIOLET is effusive with fabulous music/singing, a stellar cast and a moving drama that is entertaining throughout the entire 1 1/2 hr. one act play.  The show, set in 1964, traverses the Amer. South via Greyhound bus.  On board is Violet (Sutton Foster, Tony winner Anything Goes) seeking a miracle from an evangelist she wholeheartedly believes will make her grotesque facial disfigurement disappear and restore her looks.  Also on board are Monty (Colin Donnell, Tony nom. Anything Goes)  and Flick (Joshua Henry, Tony Nom. Scottsboro Boys.)  Both Monty & Flick are army buddies, on leave looking for whatever good times there are to be had.  The threesome form a motley group enroute.  The men convince Violet (with little hesitation) to spend a night at their motel.  Tensions & confessions abound as do racial slurs & concerns.  Violet is a beguiling mix of feistiness & insecurites.  Her gullibility evokes sympathy for its futility & her desperation.  The brisk staging deftly  blend past & present with potent musical numbers.  The orchestra remains on stage.  It does an amazing job of performing a barrage of musical styles which help tell the story.  Foster, is a singing & acting sensation.  Her clarion voice is lovely.  Her co-stars, Henry & Donnell are both amazing with excellent voices & deeply stirring performances.  The flashbacks to a young Violet, Emerson Steele, in her B'wy debut, heralds the beginning of new musical talent to grace the Great White Way.  VIOLET is a lovely bouquet, one of the best musicals to grace B'wy.        

Latin Amer. Art Under the Same Sun-Not a Lot of Fun @ Guggenh.

Under the Same Sun:  Art fro Latin Amer. Today tells us "Latin America cannot be reduced to a single homogeneous entity." Who assumed that this was a preconceived notion?  Nonetheless, there was very little that transfixed me with this exhibit which included: videos, sculptures, installations, paintings & mixed media.  The exhibit is housed in the the 2 annexes on level 2 & 4.  This disjointed show left me unmoved except for 2 scupltures by Ericka Verzutti (b. Sao Paulo '71) Venus on Fire & Painted Lady.  The totemic sculpture was cast around indigenous fruits and was quite stunning in shape & composition.  The Painted Lady utilized material that had transformed from pumpkins and then cast.  Although not readily identifiable it was magnificient for its creativity & its molting form.  The other piece worth seeing at the exit on level 4 are 2 etchings by Marta Minujin (b. Buenos Aires '83.)   These are her plans to cover a large scale replica of the Statue of Liberty in McDonald's hamburgers for a temporary installation to be disassembled & then used to feed the population.  Her correspondences with the McD's corp. is framed alongside.   She received a rejection of her request as it is not in line with their mission of aiding only 1 individual in their projects.  Who determined this was only aiding 1 individual?

Garry Winogrand's Photos-Posthumously Developed on Exhibit @ MET

Winogrand's stirring black/white photos are impressive for their powerful impact and for the fact that many of these photos were never seen by this pioneer of modern photography.  Winogrand died in '84 at the age of 56 leaving behind a legacy of photos that hallmark the 50's & 60's in NYC & a broad range of photos that went beyond NYC's urban turmoil.  This is the 1st retrospective of Winogrand's photos in 25 years.  Most of these were developed by Winogrand's friend, John Szarkowski, dir. of photography @ the MoMA.  Szarkowski who passed away in '07 reluctnatly held a minimal exhibit of Winogrand's photos at the MoMA in '88 because he felt the work was unfinished & flagrantly flawed.   The MET presents 1/3 of Winogrand's posthumous plates.  His work challenged the conceit of photos as mechanical works vs. artistic expressions.  This has been debunked by Winogrand & many talented contemporaries of the 20thC such as Arbus, Leiter & Cartier-Bresson.  Winogrand chose to capture NYC life as did Leiter. Winogrand's black/white shots have a sharp focal point in off balanced frame.  Arbus' photos captured eccentric characters who posed for the camera. Winogrand shot spontaneously turning the ordinary into something foreign & explosive.  And, like Cartier-Bresson, Winogrand photographed to capture & reveal a moment in time. "If you didn't take the picture you weren't there."  There are several iconic works to look for: the interracial couple in Central Park carrying chimpanzees, a female strewn on the side of an LA street bypassed by motorists, and Muhamid Ali at a press conf., his white shirt setting him apart from the fray.  Winogrand's photos are social commentaries that are  ambigous, arresting & humorous simultaneously.  "The world isn't tidy, it's a mess."  It's the untidiness of life that makes this exhibit so enticing.  

MTA's Poem Ragtime by Young & Art by Colon

The serendipitous uncovering of poetry, & artwork on the MTA has revealed another glorious gem of poetry by Kevin Young (b. '70. It is paired with Raul Colon's celebratory, colorful illustration.

Young's poem touches on love, life's simple pleasures and contentment.  He is an Amer. poet & prof.  of poetry.  His easy yet stirring poem, Ragtime, possess a melting lyricism:

I like hot food,
I love you,
like warm
bread & cold

cuts, butter
sammiches
or days later, after
Thanksgiving
when I want
whatever's left.

Raul Colon's colorful watercolor of 2 people embraced in dance with eyes closed along the seaside  captures the subdued gaiety the poem evokes.  Colon (Amer. b. '52) moved with his family to Puerto Rico in the 60's and now resides in NY.  He is an award winning illustrator whose textured watercolors hold golden undertones that radiate warmth.

Begin Again - Another Benign Guilty Pleasure

Irish dir./screenwriter (Once) has once again made a romantic story spinning around the music industry.  This cheesy movie has a lot in the mix to make it a hit.  Greta (the beautiful Kiera Knightly) & Dave (Adam Levine) are loving partners & songwriters who are financially strapped.  Dave big break lures them from England to NYC for a major recording deal.  Dave heads out on tour leaving Greta alone in NYC. Dave does not remain alone once he get's a taste of being a rock star.  Greta wanders upon shoulder to cry on & a sofa to crash on after being heartbroken.  Greta's friend drags her along to a nightclub where he is performing and coaxes her onto the stage to perform her original folksongs.  The audience is mostly unreceptive except for Dan (the likable Mark Ruffalo) who happens to be on a  bender as a down & out former record producer, spiraling downward having lost his record company & his wife.  Dan convinces Greta he can make her a star.  But, 1st they need to assemble some musicians to be paid on the backend while filming & recording in adhoc NYC locations.  This film is not merely a romantic love story between couples, it is a serenade of love to NYC & all its many charms.  The music is by Gregg Alexander, grammy winning singer/song writer (The Game of Love.)  Knightly sings convincingly but should keep her day job.  We're treated to a concert by the Adam Levine who may  have another career as an actor.  There are so many cheesy scenes even the actors own up to it.  But give yourself over to this lighthearted, well intentioned film.  Just remember this, it's still the same old story.  A fight for love & glory.  The fundamental joys apply, as time goes by.

Celebrate Madeline's 75th Annv.@ Hisotrical Soc.

That irresistible & indomitable free-spirit, Madeline is being honored at the Historical Soc. with a show of artworks by her creator, Ludwig Bemelmans.  Be prepared to be won over by Madeline whose kind heart & charmed life sparked the imagination of millions of admirers for 75 years.  The cleverly laid out exhibit contains more than 90 original artworks, including several of Bemelmans' oil paintings of his internationally recognized subject.  I felt his rich oil paintings paled in contrast to his simpler illustrations of Madeline & the French countryside drawn with clean lines & limited but vibrant colors. The natural structures in the galleries were cleverly enhanced to create large, breezy window panes.  Children & adults were found seated together in a cozy area before a fireplace, reading aloud from many of the beloved Madeline story books.  The show also featured some of Bemelman's black/white life-size illustrations of French waiters.  Be prepared to smile continuously at the festive exhibit and at the adorable little girls in party dresses.  The museum had an overwhelming response to the Madeline Tea Parties and are completely sold out.  Still, take advantage of this show which is a real sweet treat.

Some Nights I Absolutely Love NYC -Take Tango Night @ Linc Ctr

Oh those summer night, well ah well ah - Thursday night was a perfect summer night in our beautiful city; not too warm, not to cool.  Although, Tango night @ Linc Ctr Festival Outdoors was quite the hot spot.  The Brazilian band, Samba & Forro flew in from Rio to heat up the plaza with lots of Latin music.  Hundreds enjoyed the free music, and free dancing around the enclosed stage.  (The cost to enter the main floor is $17/person.)  There were some serious Tango dancers to watch.  The dancing wasn't limited to those who paid to enter.  Adults & children alike were dancing free style for free along side which made every which way you looked a huge, fun block party.  It was a fabulous night to get out & mix with other New Yorkers & enjoy some dance & music.  To highlight the night, there was a huge fireworks display over Central Park.  Some nights, you just can't beat what NYC has to offer.  It was a jubilant celebration.

BOYHOOD, It's a Wonderful Film and it's Beyond Good

BOYHOOD captures the life of a young boy, Mason, Jr. (an unforgettable Ellar Coltrane) from 6-18 yrs. along with his family in under 3 hrs. of captivating film.  Dir./screenwriter Richard Linklater (After Sunrise) has achieved the extraordinary.  He captures the banalities of life and makes them blazon them on the screen.  Linklater's ambitious conceit to film Mason, Jr., his sister Samantha (Linlater's own daughter) mother Olivia (Rosanna Arguette) and her ex, father to Mason/Samantha, Mason (Ethan Hawke) is omnipotent movie making.  It causes you to reflect on your own experiences.  There is something/someone in the movie that we can all relate to in our lives.  Before heading to college, Coltrane talks of his recentheartbreak with Hawke.  "Believe me," Hawke says, "we've all been there."  Linklater created this masterpiece by filming the 4 main actors, annually for a 3-4 day shoot.  The passage of time flows seamlessly.  Coltrane is the emotional anchor of this family epic.  We see him morph from an angelic faced boy to a handsome adolescent about to spread his wings.  I was smitten with his artistic self-discovery and benign demeanor amidst turmoil.  Prominent events & technological advances are barometers of change as are hairstyles and facial hair.  We see the frumpiness of Arquette, & Hawkes facial wrinkles advance as Coltrane & Linklater take on the blossom of youth. Through Coltrane's eyes, we acknowledge shifting responsibilities, perspectives and priorities as well as the flotsam jetsam in our lives.  Life's unexpected but impactful moments are realized.  Music serves as a backtrack over the years.  Hawke compiles a track of Beatle's music for his son.  These poignant Beatles' lyrics best express the emotional impact of this remarkable film.  "There are places I remember, all my life.  Though some have changed.  Some forever, not for better.  Some have gone & some remain.  All these places have their moments."  A new friend at college tells Coltrane, "People say carpe diem but I think the moments seize us."  Oh blah di oh blah dah life goes on...

Korean Sci-Fi SNOWPIERCER, is a piece of crap

This epic sci-fi piece by Korean dir./screen writer Bong Joon-ho (Host) takes place in the not too distant, apocolyptic future.  Scientists in a major blunder (oops) to solve global warming, cause the entire planet to freeze.  The earth has become uninhabitable.  The only survivors are the fortunate few granted entry onto a life supporting bullet train.  The sleek look of this high-speed train & artic landscape is pretty cool.  The train is fueled by an all powerful engine, OZ like figurehead & the backbreaking labor of the pre-ordained working class kept in the back of the bus.  Up front rides the priviledged upper-class who pamper themselves by day & party all night.  The  preposterous plot is a jumble from the Wizard of Oz, an Orwellian novel with indigent Dickens' characters tossed in the furnace.  A revolt ensues led by an unwilling leader, Curtis (a very handsome & heroic Chris Evans.)  His diabolical duo is played by a fiendishly delightful Tilda Swinton.  The actors aren't to blame for this lame film.  There are too many overblown fight scenes & improbable situations.  Once the fighting begins, the movie rides on thin ice.

Rosas Dance Co. @ Linc Ctr Festival is Nothing to Celebrate

Contemporary, Belgium choreographer Anne De Keersmaeker blazed onto the int'l dance scene in the 1980's.  Last night at the Linc. Ctr Festival, her Fase, Four Movements  (1982) choreographed to Steve Reich's compositions was performed.  De Keersmaeker was 1 of the 2 dancers on stage.  The 1st movement was "Piano Phase."  The dance was annoying & stupefying; 2+2 =3 or 5 or 6 shadows.  Actually, the lighting design by Remon Fromont was the most interesting aspect.  "Piano Phase" had 2 nearly identical women performing identical movements, robotically & repeatedly.  Their turning in circles while bending their arms at sharp angles was insipid.  The echo rippled to the few bars of Reich's relentlessly ponding composition.  The striking similarity of the dancers marked the many missteps.  "Come Out" had it's title on the curtain while the audience waited at length for the performance to commence.  When the 2 lights came on, the 2 dancers were seated on chairs under spotlights and remained in a supine position throughout.  The movements came from their arms.  Again, the dancers performed in synchronization to Reich's music.  The dancers wore army fatigues & the affect was of an intense interrogation.  As a dance piece, it didn't hold up.  After "Come Out" we went out.  

Quilts from the Civil War-Sisterhoods of Solidarity

The New York Historical Society has assembled quilts, fabrics, photos and artifacts from the Civil War.  The exhibit begins as you walk into the Musuem.  Look beneath your feet & discover relics that date back to the 17th C; pipes, whiskey bottle & ammunitions (cannon worm.)  This is a startling & poignant collection of quilts & clothing made by women from both Confederate & Union households. Women were united in their work effort to provide comfort, warmth & connection to their families.  There are legible messages written on the quilts to their loved ones.  The sewing groups provided a social network which united them in purpose & provided support.  The 1st quilt you encounter is monochromatic with candlewick needlework.  It is exquisite. The piece was made by a woman Thankful Williams.  Her bold "signature" is visible on her work from 1820.  The craftsmanship and detailing is remarkable; thankfully it has remained in pristine condition as are many of the quilts & garments on display.  There are harrowing remnants from our history of slavery.  Incased is the noose from John Brown's hanging.  It is a sobering relic of our nation's divisive & destructive history.  There are remnants of fabric used for slave's clothing, "badge of slavery,"  Flags from the Confederacy are startling and unfamiliar.  There is a heinous KKK hood.  It's cowardly, hateful intent is identifiable.  Still, the works of great beauty, skill and dedication from women are astounding and unifying.  Near the end of the exhibit, note the pictorial quilt.  One square depicts a black man telling a slave owner, "Master I am Free."  This exhibit is a must see.

Savion Glover's OM was OMG a Wonder

                        Once inside the Joyce theatre, while I listened to jazz 'til dreary,
                                               Over many minutes I grew leery.
  While I pondered how much longer, suddenly there came a fainting tapping amidst meditators napping
          Quite a vision, with candles burning, and while my heart was yearning, Savion was                      
                                                quitely tapping, slowly tapping
     I remember, it was bleak and somber, almost as if a tomb or shrine, with homage to other's time               who came before, dying embers were wrought ghosts upon the floor.  Only, there was so much more.
                       Deep into that darkness peering, mesmerized, wondering, fearing,
             But the silence did not remain unbroken, hark the pounding loudly sounding,
                                            soft-shoe shall pass, nevermore.
   Much I marvelled at this grim & ominous production.  Thus is lifted the artistry of tap & performance.
                             Quoth this maven, tis the work of genius & so much more.

LIFE ITSELF-Doc. Film on Roger Ebert, Thumbs Up

Life Itself is a doc. film on the life of one of the most beloved & respected movie critics.  Ebert passed away in April '13 but left a legacy of love for the movies & for life.  Steve James is the director of this no holds barred film.  James is the writer/dir. of the doc. films:  Hoop Dreams & Stevie. LIFE ITSELF spans Ebert's life from childhood to his meteoric career as a movie critic.  It also follows Ebert through his grueling illness showing us an his indomitable spirit along with the support of his devoted wife, Chaz.  Ebert went to the @ Univ of IL, his hometown, where he was editor of the school's paper.  After graduating, he became an admired fixture in Chicago where he worked & lived.  Ebert began as a sports writer @ the Daily Sun.  After 5 months at the paper, he was reassigned as a movie critic to fill the position.  Voila, a star was born who brought gravitas & joy to the art of cinema.  Ebert alongside Gene Siskell, his rival critic, debated the merits of movies with excitement & intelligence.  ("Siamese twins joined at their assholes.")  The feuding between them gave ignited everyone's credence as a critic & passions for film.  The footage of outakes between the 2 when hostilities flared was absolutely hilarious & heartwarming.  Siskell passed away at 53 in '99.  This is a doc. about friendship, love for family, film and life itself.  I definitely give this touching & inspiring doc. on Roger Ebert, an amazing advocate for all films, a thumbs up.  I would have given it 2 thumbs had it edited itself down.