"Battle of the Sexes" Nets a Grand Slam Win for Women's Equality with Emma Stone and Steve Carrell

The long overdue accolades owed to Billie Jean King (BJK) and top female tennis players in the '1970s' who were groundbreaking advocates for equal pay & opportunities for women in sports has finally arrived on the big screen is a crowning achievement.  As entertaining as this movie is from start to finish, it represents an iconic tennis match between BJK and Bobby Riggs that turned the tides in tsunami fashion, paving the way for women athletes from young girls, to college & prof. athletes to have equal opportunities, resources & financial compensation as male competitors.  The film is directed by the filmmaking couple, Johnathan Dayton & Valerie Faris ("Little Miss Sunshine").  BJK (Acad Award winner Emma Stone) has been frustrated with the disproportional tournament prize money and recognition allotted to women athlete as compared to the men on the prof. tennis circuit.  The 3 ring circus of a match brought on by taunts from Bobby Riggs (Steve Carrell "The Office") a former top world tennis player, now deep in debt due to a gambling.  There is much more at stake here than the cash prize for the event, it's the future positioning of female athletes.  Knowing the outcome of the match does not dim the drama.  The backstory of BJK's life is a fascinating, fast paced portrait of a heroic warrior whose battles broke barriers for the benefit of other women while struggling with her own sexual awakenings.  The entire ensemble cast is award winning.  Special mention is owed to Sarah Silverman and Alan Cummings whose small roles add color and spark to a multi-layered, biopic pic.  Life is a gamble & talk is cheap but this movie is a sure bet to win plenty of nominations come awards season.   This is movie is an ace, served up with plenty of love & grace.    

MoMA ITEMS: Is Fashion Modern? This Mess Isn't Worth a Mention or a Moment of Your Time

The less said, the less to dread about this show of fabrics & threads of time.  It's a cheap smorgasbord  of fashion that is trying to fashion itself after the MET's Costume Institute.  However, it's not clever in the least.  It's not worth a spool of your time or mine.  "Driven first and foremost by objects, not designers, the exhibition considers the many relationships between fashion & functionality, culture, aesthetics, politics, labor, identity, economy & technology."  In its ambitious but poorly curated cross section of every stitch in design & time there is no clear or compelling purpose.  Is this fashion exhibit at MoMA meant to be an attendance motivator for making money?  My guess is yes and my advice is not to spend a moment on this shameful dispense of space.  Any social, political commentary referenced with pret-a-porter is a cheap rip-off.  In fact, juxtaposes items of clothing that have garnered social significance are tattered by being tossed into this majority meaningless mess.  Do go see the Louise Bourgeois exhibit on floors 2 & 3.  Should you go to ITEMS don't blame me.

British Playwright JB Priestly's TIME and the CONWAYS with Elizabeth McGovern-Timeless in Many Ways

J.B. Priestly (b UK 1894-1994) was a playwright & prolific crime novelist.  He wrote more than 100 novels & mainly noted for The GOOD COMPANION (1945).  An INSPECTOR CALLS is one of his most renowned plays in addition to TIME and the CONWAYS (1937) now being revived on B'wy. Priestly's writings in the crime genre also served to espouse his strong political & philosophical views.  He is credited with originating a time warp contrivance: moving the plot along fluid time lines  that are not chronological.  This gimmick is seen in the TV show THIS is US where storylines lead you to wonder what were precursors to events.  The future is revealed.  The mystery arouses curiosity for the revelations to outcomes.  TIME and the CONWAYS is craftily constructed.  The play set in Britain with captivating characters and a carpe diem mentality.  It also proffers staunch class divides and a socialism stance.  The Conways are a well to do, aristocratic family.  The widowed matriarch, Mrs. Conway (an excellent Elizabeth McGovern "Downton Abbey") is entertaining guests at her estate with a costumed charade on the 18th birthday of her daughter, Kay.  The year is 1919 & Britain is rebounding from the pangs of WWI, eager to celebrate.  The motley mix of siblings consist of Alan the oldest benign brother and Robin, the prodigal son & dashing veteran.  The sisters include Kay, an aspiring writer, Hazel a great beauty (Anna Camp "Pitch Perfect" series), Madge a staunch socialist and the youngest, cherished sibling, Carol (Anna Baryshnikov-Mikhail's talented daughter).  The pastiche of players are joined by friends of the family Gerald & Joan.  Gerald brings along an uninvited guest, Ernest (Steven Boyer B'wy Hand to God).  Hazel has noticed Ernest eyeing her. He fesses to his infatuation at the party.  Ernest is rebuffed & humiliated by the family as déclassé' but for Alan & Carol.  After the guests departed, the narcissistic & insensitive Mrs. Conway pronounces predictions for her progenies.  In Scene 2, Act I now 1937, the original set from 1919 recedes upstage behind a diaphanous screen where an omnipresent Carol remains.   The clan is gathering to galvanize over present financial constraints.  Oh how times have changed.  Unfortunately for the Conways, time has not proved kind.  The enticing enigmas of how & why circumstances have changed are answered in Act II.  Priestly hosted a radio show '1940s, to bolster morale during the Battle of Britain but his leftists view got his fired but worked towards forming a Welfare State in the UK.  He turned down the offer of  a Lordship and remained an advocate for the working class.  "I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start with perhaps a bit of magic working somewhere behind the morning."  TIME and the CONWAYS is timeless, magical & miraculous.  Man was made for joy & woe.  And when this we rightly know Thro the world we safely go.  Joy & Woe are woven fine.  A clothing for the soul divine.  (William Blake)

Julliard School Recital Winners of the 2017 Piano Competition-Two Immensely Talented Artists

Last night Julliard presented the two winners of the 2017 Gina Bachauer Piano Competition.  They performed for a packed auditorium of admiring guests.  Chaeyoung Park (b Korea) was first to perform.  She received a silver medal in the 2016 competition & a gold medal from the Nat'l YoungArts Fdtn in 2014.  In 2012, she was the youngest finalist in the Emilio Del Rosa Int'l Young Artists Piano Competition.  Her playing is sublime.  Park played Bach's Prelude in B Minor and Bartok's Out of Doors.  This was an interesting pairing.  Bach's piece demonstrated her nuanced musicality & the Bartok, a strong forte revealing an expressive, accentuated playing style.  The lovely Park wore a simple but stunning white jump suite with her hair pulled back in a long pony-tail.  I mention her shimmering appearance because if listening with your eyes closed, you would be hard pressed not to assume you're hearing a world renown recording artist.  No doubt, Ms. Park's virtuosity is limitless and her future in music, boundless.  My congratulations to Ms. Park who is staying for her BM at Julliard.  The 2nd recipient of last night's award ceremony/performance was Yun-Chin Zhou (b China). In 2013, Zhou won 1st prize at the Young Concert Artists Int'l Auditions & 1st prize in the Bachauer competition.  Zhou performed Liszt's Reminiscences de Norma, a very demanding & daunting piece. Mr. Zhou was dressed in a smart suit, tie & pocket-chief.  These two artists take their music seriously & simultaneously bring a joyous ebullience to their music.  Zhou is in the MM program at Julliard.  I compare his playing to Vladimir Horowitz.  Ms Park & Mr Zhou performed a duet of William Bolcom's (b Amer 1938) Recuerdos for two pianos (1991).  This was an interesting choice in the program.  It had a mix of ragtime and classical.  The individual pieces were both very different & the melding of the 2 melodies was astonishing.  The two artists shared a warm embrace following their duet to uproarious applause.  An Award from the McGraw Family Fdtn was presented to fellow Julliard student violinist Ariel Horowitz.  Ms Horowitz spoke of the unifying humanity wrought through music & of her summer experience bringing music lessons to young people on a Navajo Indian Reservations.  Last nights' concert was recorded for broadcast on Wed., Oct. 4th at 9 PM. I will be listening again and I encourage everyone to listen in on a special program of extremely talented & admirable young artists.  You won't have to close your eyes but don't be surprised at the level of playing you will hear from both Ms Park & Mr Zhou.  

"Loving Vincent" is a Visual Masterpiece and a Sensitive Bio of Vincent Van Gogh I LOVED the FILM

"Loving Vincent" is a stunning film of grandeur and depth.  The film's Polish born director Dorota Kobiela is an artist & filmmaker.  She's received Warsaw's "Minister of Culture scholarship" multiple times for outstanding achievements in painting & graphic design.  "Loving Vincent" is truly an outstanding work of art.  The film brings Vincent Van Gogh's (VG) magnificent paintings to life.  It also evokes empathy for this tormented genius & delves into the uncertainties surrounding his death.   There are quandaries pertaining to VG's death attributed to a self-inflicted gun wound to his stomach.  Had this been a silent film, it would be compelling for its stunning beauty that captures the people, places and perceptions as seen through the eye & works of VG, an artistic genius.  More than 100 painters were enlisted to achieve this astonishing & creative personification of VG's paintings.  The phenomenal artists behind the scene gave life to VG's paintings & to the man himself.  Postmaster Roulin whom VG has immortalized in a portrait, asks his son Armand to ensure the delivery of VG's letter to his beloved brother, Theo, posthumously to Theo's widow.  VG first began painting in his late 20's never having had any formal training.  In the 8 years VG painted, he was prolific having created more than 800 works in less than 8 years.  During his life, VG battled mental illness & the strains of poverty.  The postmaster (Chris O'Dowd) was familiar with the painter & epistolarian.  VG wrote daily letters to his beloved brother.  Theo was VG's lifeline & art dealer although he only sold 1  painting during VG's life.  While assuming the solemn task of delivering the letter to Theo's widow (Theo died 6 months later of syphilis) Armand  uncovers inconsistencies in the stories he hears from the locals.  The postmaster disbelieved VG would have taken his own life.  At the time VG appeared stable and eager to return to his art.  What could have caused such a dramatic shift in such short time?  The movie pans into an intriguing mystery.  It raises doubts as to the veracity of VG taking his own life (true he cut off his own ear).  Many of VG's iconic paintings take on a life of their own: VG's room, town's pool hall, local landscapes & portraitures of locals.  In the town where VG last lived & perished, Armand pursues a line of questioning that debunk the supposition VG shot himself.  The portrait Dorota paints of VG is both tender & troubling; lonely & misunderstood.  "One day, I'd like to show what this non-entity has in his heart".  The inhabitants VG captured on canvas are astonishingly personified.  Actors blended into the colorful palette are Acad. nominee Saoirse Ronan and Aidan Turner & Elanore Tomlinson (both starring "Poldark" on PBS).  I can't conceive of a more loving tribute to one of the greatest painters of all time than this crowning achievement.  VG signed his letters to Theo, Your Loving Vincent.  I was starry eyed with every frame.

"Stronger" Jake Gyllenhal Stars as a Boston Marathon Bombing Survivor It's a Hell Hole of Propaganda

"Stronger" is weak dramatization of the fallout from the Boston Marathon bombing in April of 2013. This terrorist act by 2 deranged brothers killed 3 people, injured hundreds; 16 people lost limbs.  Jeff Bauman, waiting near the finish line for his on again/off again girlfriend to cross was unfortunately caught in the explosions that left him a double amputee.  Jeff is played heroically by Jake Gyllenhaal but the major problem with the movie is the capitalizing of Jeff's terrible misfortune to be standing where he became an innocent victim of a heinous plot.  But, what of the mixed messages the movie makes.  The ad nauseam ironic "Boston Strong" trope feels somehow wrong.  I'm not blaming the victims.  But I'm befuddled with the biopic focus on Jeff & his beer guzzling, tough working class family/friends who feed of the fame & perks that came with the loss of his limbs.  Jeff's mother is played by the brilliant British actress Miranda Richardson.  She doesn't pull any punches portraying Jeff's mom as a brassy, alcoholic who's crushed by Jeff's refusal to be interviewed by Oprah.  Jeff's estranged girlfriend at the time of the bombing Erin (an admirable Tatiana Maslany, "Orphan Black") becomes his steadfast supporter through all the misery he suffers & inflicts on her.  There are plenty of perks that Jeff & his wolf-pack reap:  Boston Bruins' box & a starting pitch at a Red Sox game.  I blame the media & filmmakers for well intentioned films meant to inspire & unify our nation by aligning our righteous anger at a common enemy but miss the strike zone.  Both the films "Stronger" & "The Tillman Story" shamefully lionize men for jingoist purposes while clearly missing the mark of what should be the rallying cry.  We must stand united against prejudice & inequalities here at home and stop sending our soldiers into senseless foreign battles.  

Pultz. Prize Playwright Patrick Shanley's "The Portuguese Kid" Stars Jason Alexander & Sherie Renee Scott

Patrick Stanley (b. Amer 1950) is a Pulitizer Prize & Tony Award winner for his play "Doubt".  He earned an Acad. Award for his screenplay for Moonstruck.  He's written numerous plays & movie scripts.  Stanley skillfully manages both serious & comedic material. "The Portuguese Kid" now at MTC is a (long) 1 Act comedic play that has a first rate cast that elevates the material into a light, entertaining diversion.  It was obvious by the overblown guffaws from the audience the show was a crow pleaser. Those who kept more of a poker face(myself included) it won me over with Shanley's clever writing & clarion Trump bashing (bravo)!  The 5 card cast all delivered on the script they were dealt.  The king & queen of the cast were TV celebrity Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) as Barry and Tony winner & B'wy veteran, Sherie Rene Scott as Atalanta.  Barry & Atlanta have known each other since she was 10 & he 15.  The story of their 1st encounter; Barry being beaten by a Portuguese punk & Atlanta came to his rescue was recounted ad nauseam.  The two are middle-aged star crossed lovers.  Barry has been Atalanta's atty. advising her through the estates left her from 3 dead husbands.  The tempest off stage is carried onstage in Barry's law office. Atalanta is attired in chic style; black dress showing décolletage, long white gloves, & dark glasses.  Barry employs his mother, Mrs. Dragonetti, played straight up, uproariously funny by B'wy veteran Mary Testa (2 Tony noms. & 5 Drama Desk noms. & an Obie award).  Tensions are combustible & hysterical when Barry's mom enters & the no holds barred contempt between Atalanta & Mrs. Dragonetti turns into a ballistic battle of wills. There's another pair of star crossed young lovers, Patty a sex kitten married to the much older Barry and Freddie (Pico Alexander, currently starring opposite Reese Witherspoon in Home Again) who is having an affair with the much older, wealthy widow Atalanta.  The tells for outcome of this comical romanic romp make the foregone ending obvious.  Shanley's play is no royal flush but it holds 2 pairs & an ace (Mary Testa), enough to make it a winning pot.    

Irish Author Sebastian Barry Discusses His Book "Days Without End" at the Irish Arts Center

Sebastian Barry (b Ireland 1955) is an author, poet & playwright.  He's amongst an elite group of major Irish writers.  His literary honors are bountiful.  He's received the Man Booker & Costa Book of the Year (twice).  "Days without End" earned the Costa Award ('16).  This epic novel follows the journey of a young Irish lad, John Cole from Ireland to escape the famine to the US where he's orphaned & must fend for himself in during the brutal Civil War & the harsh western expansion.  The most trying of times is told through John's uneducated but pure voice.  His stark & lyrical descriptions harken unto Huck Finn; beautiful in its poetic candor.  John finds a companion his age, Thomas.  With Thomas by his side will take on an amazing journey through the savageries of slavery, war and the annihilation of the indigenous native Indian population.  Spliced throughout these unendurable times, John & Thomas will maintain a profound love & commitment.  The humanity of their love is juxtaposed against a harsh, cruel world. Together they form a family adopting a native Indian girl whose people John & Thomas were compelled to kill as soldiers or face treason.  Barry began his blarney by singing a short ballad.  It was a lovely & startling start for what was one of the most intimate & appealing conversations I've attended by authors.  Admittedly, I had some trouble deciphering him clearly.  But his humanity illuminated his talk.  Barry spoke of his love for his own family.  And, he spoke of his duress during his son's depression.  After Troy told his parents he was gay the shroud of darkness lifted and they were relieved.  Barry shared a very personal talk with the packed house at the IAC.  John's character in the novel was inspired by his son.  Barry deferred to his wife Ali in the audience several times in an endearing & jesting manner.  He reminisced about Troy & his twin sister as infants and how tortuous sleep deprivation was.  He said Ali had been up for several nights & he knew he was now on duty for the night.  He stood & mimed soothing a crying  infant.  "I held her away for a moment, she looked at me & vomited all over me.  When I got back to bed my wife Ali said {You're a good dad.  You never got angry.}  This memory has stayed with me."  He went on to say in writing Days without End I was writing about a family, John, Thomas & Winona the Indian girl they adopted and the former slaves who came to live & work with them on their farm.   This was not a conventional family but a family is made by choosing to love & care for one another.  Sebastian Barry's novel Days without End reads like a heroic poem through very traumatic, historical events.  Listening to the Barry's blarney broque broke my heart with tenderness.

Morgan Library "Poussin, Claude: French Drawing in the Classical Age" - The Library is simply amazing!

The Morgan Library on Madison Avenue is a jewel of a museum. It was the NYC residence for JP Morgan.  Like the Frick, the palatial homes have been converted into art & antiquities museums.    The Morgan Library is foremost a bibliotheca housing priceless first editions of literary giants (Austen, James & Hawthorne to name a few).  It houses an original Gutenberg Bible in mint, legible condition under glass.  There are other bibles with precious jewels on their covers; a treasure to view.  The most wondrous of all is the official library off what was the main entrance to the JP Morgan mansion.  I felt like Belle when first reveling in the Beast's bounty of books.  The grandeur and craftsmanship of the interior that has been retained is transporting.  There are handwritten correspondences (a dying art) from past presidents (Jefferson), authors (Austen) and artists (Pollack). While these may not be decipherable, their origins are certifiable and incredible.  The modern addition to the building adjoins fittingly to the original wing but it's nothing like the real thing.  The present exhibit is Nicolas Poussin (b France 1594-1665), Claude Lorrain (b France 1600-1682):  French Drawing in the Classical Age.  Poussin's drawings were commissioned works by his royal patrons Louis XII & Louis XIV.  Poussin's artistic works were constrained to noble portraitures, religious & mythology themes.  The works by Lorrain show a freer range and venture outside to capture the splendor of the landscape and provincial life.  Belle may have wanted more than her provincial life but there is wonder to behold in books of old and the expansive envisioning of the countryside.  Belle's sentiments mirror mine, "Your library makes our small corner of the world feel big."  "Oh, isn't this amazing."  Oh, yes indeed!

Louise Bourgeois "An Unfolding Portrait" at MoMA is an Unforgettable Show so Go

The Louise Bourgeois (LB) exhibit opening at the MoMA is an exhilarating & eye opening look at the work of one of most significant artists of the 20th C.   LB (b France 1911) was a prolific artist into  her late 80's into the 21st C.  She died in NYC in 2010, the city she called home for most her adult life.  On view are works made in 2006 - 2009.  Known primarily as a sculptor, especially for her large spiders, her work spanned many mediums & styles.  The unifying theme to her work cannot be confined to any one idea, image or emotion.  However, her works do evoke strong emotional responses unfolding from tension to serenity and fair to say, female sexuality.  Art historians claim Bourgeois' art germinated from traumatic childhood experience.  How mundane & inane to make these claims.  LB explained, "It is not an image I am seeking.  It's not an idea.  It is an emotion you want to recreate."  This fascinating exhibit elicited strong visceral responses from me.  On MoMA's 2nd floor is one gargantuan spider sculpture sitting atop a cage.  The limbs of the spider are fascinating & ferocious as are the objects confined within the cage, including a decaying chair & fraying tapestries.  LB's most recent etchings (2006-2009) line the walls of the gallery.  The etchings are of nature motifs, a trope throughout her career.  They are beautiful in their grace & simplicity.  Some resemble Ellsworth Kelly & Georgia O'Keefe works.  Her clever titles include "Look Up".  In case you haven't, there is a large spider suspended high on a wall.  The third floor expands the unfolding portrait of LB's work.  The entrance shows rows of 4 X 9 equal sized watercolors.  The childlike images depict the female form & spiders.  The palette is simple and the composition as a whole vibrates with energy.  I favor LB's totem structures.  There are several in the exhibit.  A wall-mounted totem is named "Jean-Louis Portrait" (1947-49).  It's a narrow, oblong form that looks like a skyscraper on top of a large tooth.  "I wanted my son to be beautiful as the skyscraper."  Architectural buildings are often represented in LB's body of work; a tribute to her affinity for NYC.  There are several sculptures that express topiaries.  They are organic & vibrant forms.   Included are her iconic Saint Sebastian drawings.  These depict of the female body assailed by arrows.  Many of the images show a tigress image as an attached head.  Double imageries and spiral shapes appear in multiple galleries.  There is so much to take in with one visit I struggled to digest its full emotional impact.   "An Unfolding Portrait" is wound with fluctuating tension & serenity.  This is an exhibit I will need to come back to see.

Ad Reinhardt's BLUE PAINTINGS at David Swirner Gallery

Ad Reinhardt (b Amer 1913-1967) is a painter who embraced minimalism or as he would put it "purity."  "The first rule and absolute standard of fine art, and painting which is the highest and freest art, is the purity of it.  The more uses, relations and additions a painting the less pure it is.  The more stuff in it, the busier the work of art, the worse it is.  More or less."  (AD) Other artists who cull from this philosophy might be Agnes Martin, Brice Marsden and Mondrian.  The exhibit of BLUE PAINTINGS at the David Swirner Gallery in Chelsea contains many of Reinhardt's paintings that were first shown at the Stable Gallery between 1950-1953.  In addition, there are several paintings outside this epoch and several paintings from private collections that have never been exhibited.  The plethora of these paintings is cause for celebration.  The expansive collection however, appears deceptively monochromatic and flat.  The saturation of his paintings render, upon closer reflection, tonal differentiation.  The paintings geometrical shapes begin to oscillate and there appears optical illusions of colors moving forwards & then receding.  Less is more is oftentimes a sagacious approach.  The collection in its entirety offers a splendid means to contrast, compare & concentrate on Reinhardt's artistic techniques and intentions.  Seen together the paintings are absorbing.  As individual works, I find they lean towards boring.  

Steven Soderbergh's Crime Caper "Logan Lucky" Stars Channing Tatum and Adam Driver-Takes the Long Road

"Logan Lucky" is a crime escapade that escalades along the fast track and the slow turns.  Steven Soderberg, (b Amer 1963) is an Acad Award winning dir whose film credits include "Oceans Eleven."  Soderberg knows how to mount a grandstand robbery and "Logan Lucky" makes the cool cons in "Oceans 11" look like  'Heehaw heroes' in comparison.  Still, "Logan Lucky" lingers too long in places and needed to pick up the paces.  The film needed editing to keep it on course.  Regardless, this is a joy ride especially with its the multi-talented cast.  Logan brothers Jimmy (Channing Tatum) & Clyde (Adam Driver) are lovable brothers who love one another & their sister, Mellie (Riley Keough) and Jimmy's daughter Saddie (an adorable Farrah McKenzie) with his ex-wife played by Katie Holmes.  Clyde is a slow talking, sure footed vet who lost a hand while serving.  Clyde doesn't bemoan the loss of his loan but bemoans the lousy hand his family's been dealt, 'The 'Logan Curse'.  Things get worse when Jimmy is let go from his mining job in West VA to minimize the company's insurance premiums.  Jimmy comes up with a plan to scam for big bucks but first needs to enlist a cast of shady characters including scene stealer Daniel Craig as inmate Joe Bang currently behind bars.  Nothing is insurmountable when Driver, Craig & Tatum combine their star power.  Makes you wonder why their characters are not more successful from the get go, but then Soderbergh would have no where to go with his madcap, charming & enormously entertaining movie.  Still, the film gets a little too ambitious.  It crashes into overdrive with a grab bag of nascar racing, "Little Miss Sunshine" and "The Shawshank Redemption".  The Acad Award nominated film "Hell or Highwater" (2016)  is a more compelling & convincing story about brothers (Ben Foster & Chris Pine) bonding   being outlaws.  But, "Logan Lucky" is meant as lighter fare and Adam Driver & Channing Tatum making a winning pair.

"Brad's Status" Stars Ben Stiller as a Narcissist with a Grandiose Cast Including Michael Sheen and Luke Wilson

"Brad's Status" stars the talented comedic actor/screenwriter Ben Stiller.  Here Stiller shows his talented acting chops with a very distasteful character.  Mike White (b Amer 1970) is a multi-talented, award winning screenwriter ("School of Rock"), actor & director.  White  wrote & directed this movie that is a searing study of a self-destructive narcissist, Brad (Ben Stiller).  Narcissism is a personality disorder where the individual feels & behaves in distressing ways that are self-destructive & cause irreparable damage to healthy relationships and pose problems in social settings.  Some of these irritating, noxious traits include a sense of entitlement, inability to take criticism, resentment at not receiving special treatment, anger & envy towards others perceived as more successful or better in some way.  These people are often moody & depressed & harbor hidden feelings of insecurity or humiliation while behaving in a boastful or superior manner.   Simply put, this is someone draining to be around if you can even tolerate being around them.  These self-grandiose individuals are the ones who monopolize the conversation & take up all the oxygen in the room.  White wrote a sharp script that hits all the power points of a person with this disorder and Stiller delivers an Oscar worthy performance of a father, husband, 'Friend' who personifies this abhorrent personality.  Who can be around someone who personifies these traits?  Not anyone who is able to steer clear.  However, Brad has maintained a lasting marriage despite blaming her for his failures.  He also has a bond with his son Troy (a totally engaging Austin Abrams) who is headed off to visit Ivy League colleges.  Brad runs a futile, non-profit agency connecting donors & charities. He's free to fly from CA to Boston with Troy while his mother is tied up with take her govt. job (which foots the family bills).  Brad seems surprised & jealous to learn his son stands a good chance to gain admittance to Harvard.  Over  the course of the college trip, Brad reminisces about his friends from Tuft's.  He ruminates over their  fame & fortune far surpassing his own status.  Furthermore, the old group of friends have moved on without him fueling his animosity & need to prove his prowess.  The alumni class cast includes:  Mike White, Luke Wilson, Jermain Clement, Jenna Fisher and a marvelous Michael Sheen.  The trip has its highs & lows for both father & son.  At one point Troy asks his dad if he's having some sort of nervous breakdown.  The movie gets on your nerves & under your skin as intended.   If I were a prof. of literature I would give Mike White an A+ for his thesis, Ben Stiller an A+ for delivery and a WTF to the film.  Why Torture yourselF with this excruciating study of a narcissist?  Because Brad is the cad we love to hate.

World Premiere The Rape of the Sabine Women by Michael Crowley at the Duke-Worthwhile, See It

The world premiere of Michael Yates Crowley play is entitled "The Rape of the Sabine Women by Grace B. Matthias." The famous Renaissance painting "The Rape of the Sabine Women" was painted by Pietro de Cortona (b Italy 1596-1669).  The painting depicts the mythological tale of ancient Roman founded on the abduction & rape of women from nearby provinces.  In the painting Sabine is trapped between the clashing of her husband who abducted her & her father attempting to save her.  This painting is the omnipresent background for the play.  The heroine is high school student Grace B. Matthias (a riveting Susannah Perkins).  She is a victim of "date" rape.  The cleverly staged play compiles contemporary media & technology to provide news, information & a search engine for human contact.  Google goes into overdrive with info of numerous facts; overwhelming & opposing in content.  Crowley's courageous & inventive play is about rape & its aftermath and after that, it's multi-layered & complex.  The one Act plays is set in a small town high school focused on football its players.  The mascot for the school is the Romans; a common squadron for high school athletes.  The mildly amusing first half of the play feels sophomoric.  It depicts high school stereotypes:  football jocks, cheerleaders, disillusioned but well intentioned teachers/counselors.  Grace doesn't fit into any preconceived category nor does she fit in at school.  She's an only child of a single mother who works nights. Grace is wide eyed innocence, adrift but for her friend Monica (a terrific Jeena Yi). Monica is a pretty cheerleader who keeps her smarts & troubles to herself.  When one of the football players, Jeff, pays attention to Grace she becomes drawn to him.  Jeff says he only wants to do the opposite of causing her pain.  Bobby, Jeff's football buddy bullies Grace & belittles gays.  But Bobby protests too much masking his homosexuality.  Half-way through the tides turn to rough terrain.  Bobby finds Grace & Jeff together & instigates trouble & intoxication for the couple.  Grace gives into peer pressure to consume alcohol.  Jeff does the opposite of protecting & loving Grace.  He  has sex with her without her consent.  The aftermath of litigation, victimization of the victim & media frenzy are carried downfield with blazing impact.  The art teacher (an outstanding Andy Lucien) is a life-line for Grace.  His understanding & candor light a fire of perseverance & compassion in her.  The real saving grace comes from Jeff's father whose eulogy at his son's funeral calls into question the wrong message fathers are passing down to their sons regarding how men treat women.  Crowley has written an illuminating play.  It shouts against the violence & hatred that continues to scorch humanity.

Pulitz Prize Poet Galway Kinnell Leaves Hidden Treasures in MTA Poetry "Hide-and-Seek" - Take a Peek

Recently I came across a poem on the subway cars (always a pleasurable find) by Galway Kinnell (b Amer 1927-2014).  I remembered reading & enjoying his "Hide-and-Seek" poem.  Yesterday, I saw a different poster with Kinnell's poem entitled "Hide-and-Seek" so I took another peek, my interest being piqued.  This poem was not what I spotted previously in the subway with the same title.  Kinnell was awarded the Pulitzer Prize & the Nat'l Book Award for Poetry.  The Nat'l Book Award judges deemed him "America's pre-eminent visionary."  I took extraordinary delight in this sprightly written succinct poem that is filled with mirth & sorrow.

Once when we were playing hide-and-seek
And it was time to go home,
The rest gave up on me before it was done.
And I forgot I was I was still hiding.
I remained hidden as a matter
of honor until the moon rose.

I think of children gaily playing outdoors but surreptitiously excluding one whose pride outlasted the fun.  I think of adults with cruel intentions or disregard that cut away & ostracize. The heart goes last.

I only just discovered Kinnell's poetry.  I'm so enamored with his poetry I have purchased his last collection (2001) of poems entitled "Strong is Your Hold."  Kinnell's writing holds a place alongside the great poets:  Frost, Rilke & Whitman.  I'm surprised I only now discovered his work.  The title of his last poetry collection "Strong is Your Hold" is taken from a poem of Whitman's:
Strong is your hold, O mortal flesh
Strong is your hold, O love.

Wendy Whalen Dances a Solo "Sophie" Choreographed by Kathy Westwater at 92ndY

The 92ndY offers incredible "Fridays at Noon" dance programs with exceptional int'l artists exploring interdisciplinary dance noms.  The program offers live performances followed by an open discussion.  Today was the premiere presentation of the series which featured the phenomenal Wendy Whelan.  Wendy danced an unprecedented 30 years with the NYC Ballet; 23 as principal dancer.  "Restless Creature" is an intimate doc. of Wendy's life, dance career and her transitioning from performing classical ballet on a world stage to modern dance in various venues.  The doc. was released earlier this year.  After the Wendy's performance she & Kathy Westwater spoke about their friendship that dates back to Louisville, KY as young dancers in the 1970's.   They said this was the first time they have collaborated.  Kathy's dance, "Sophie" - a solo in two parts experimented with choreographing one work to two very different scores.  The first part the music was an operetta song by Maria Callas.  Wendy was barefoot & dressed in a simple white frock.  With her eyes closed & her hair loose, the aesthetic was dreamlike & flowing.  Upon waking, the opening her eyes, Wendy's movement's become more energetic with a playful, childlike energy.  There was a section choreographed against the mirror which gave a duplicate imagery.  It was reminiscent of "Alice Through the Looking Glass".  Part two used the same choreography set to a contemporary score that was harried & electrifying.  Wendy was dressed in black, track pants & an ordinary green t-shirt and shoeless.  The lighting was the same except for a futuristic light module backstage.  Ironically, the more contemporary score affixed itself tighter with the choreography.  After the 1/2 hour dance performance there was a 1/2 hour of discussion & Q&A with Wendy & Kathy.  The women talked about their long friendship & shared some early photos of themselves as young ballerinas.  Kathy said the freedom of modern dance "fit her skin the moment she tried it on."  Wendy said she was driven by the structure of classical ballet (Balanchine's technique) and was motivated to achieve the precision and extensions demanded.  Wendy also said this was her "first" foray into improvising and is exploring that outlets this provides. And, she is still trying on her bare feet.  The next Friday at Noon dance program is Oct 20th:  Merian Soto, Noemi Segarra (both b. Puerto Rico) & Patti Bradshaw known combining dance with puppetry.

Dir/Screenwriter Taylor Sheridan's "Wind River" Stars Jeremy Renner but Fails to Deliver a Winning Script

Taylor Sheridan (b Amer 1970) is an actor, dir. screenwriter.  His exceptional screenplay for the exceptional multiple Acad Award nominated film "Hell or High Water" & earned an Oscar nom. for best original screenplay.  "Wind River" is a murder mystery set on an Indian reservation in Wyoming.  The film's stars Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen & Graham Green all deliver superior performances.  The supporting cast is also outstanding.  The 2 stunning actresses Julia Jones ("Twilight Series") & Kelsey Chow ("Spider Man") are both wonderful in their roles.   The cinematography of the frozen tundra of the barren reservation is splendid.  The landscape is captured in all its harsh, frigid beauty.  It's Sheridan's flawed script which fails to be convincing or emotionally riveting.  Cory Lambert (a terrific Jeremy Renner) is a Wild Life Service Agent.  He discovers the body of a young woman (Kelsey Chow) from the reservation who was the best friend of his daughter.  Lambert's own daughter was murdered 3 years prior.  The mystery of what happened to Lambert's daughter, Wilma (Julia Jones) was never resolved.  FBI agent Jane Banner (a sensational Elizabeth Olsen) is assigned the case & enlists Lambert for his tracking expertise.   The Sheriff on the reservation (the incomparable Graham Green) is sorely understaffed & overburdened by the limited opportunities afforded the people of his community.   The outline of the plot showed promise.  The family members of the 2 murdered girls evoke our sympathy for their grief.  Sadly, the big blowout is an overwritten high noon shootout.  Everyone is shooting at everyone else.  It becomes too difficult to track.  The flashback to the events prior to the young girl's death cuts so abruptly into the story that it kills off the  intrigue.  Sheridan wrote a first rate script with "Hell or High Water" but "Wind River" doesn't hold water.   The story gets lost in drifts.

Tea Obreht Reads from her Unreleased Novel at Hunter College Distinguished Writers Series

Tea Obreht (b Serbia 1985) moved with her mother to the US in 1997.  She studied in CA & published her first novel with great acclaim "The Tiger's Wife" in 2011.  This amazing debut novel received an Orange Prize & was a finalist for the Nat'l Book Award.  This stunning work is a complex & creative story.  The heroine, Natalia, is a young female Dr.  Natalia lives in an unspecified Balkan country during the recent Balkan wars. The story traverses Natalia's life in the present coping with the casualties of war while trying to return home to her gravely ill beloved grandfather.  The clever storytelling travels back a 1/2 C through tales told her as a young girl by her grandfather.  These tales are historic & mythical.   The miring of fact/fiction is an artful way of recording monumental events & making them into imposing, unforgettable legends.  The genius of Obreht's writing is found in her descriptive prowess & haunting magical imageries.  We fortunate guests at the Distinguished Writers Series at Hunter College were treated to a reading by Tea Obreht of her yet to be released second novel entitled "Inland."  Even with this small sampling by Obreht's exhilarating reading, it's clear "Inland" shares her fascination of historic events & family sagas while blurring fable with crystal descriptive prowess.  Her writing mysteriously merges two young boys living in the US in the mid 19th C.  One lad comes to the US from Turkey just prior to the Civil with his father.  The two find work as grave robbers until his father's death which sets him on ventures out west where he runs afoul of the law.  The other leading character is a boy living with his mother & 2 older brothers in the rustic landscape of what will become AZ.  This boy has a vivid imagination that may or may not be founded in reality. Obreht serves as an excellent orator of her enticing work.  She was kind enough to answer a few Q&A's with pensive responses.  She spoke of her love for research particularily reading journals & old maps.  Obreht is currently a Prof. at Hunter College.  This was a very rare & special preview to Ms. Obreht's next novel.  Hopefully, her novel will be published & available next year.  My curiosity & anticipation for "Inland" is immense.

"Year by the Sea" A Chick Flick that Made Me Sea Sick based on Joan Anderson's Memoirs

"Year by the Sea" is a cliched chick flick of an older woman searching for her inner strength.  Joan (Karen Allen, "Raiders of the Lost Ark") is a domestic goddess, wife & mother of 2 grown sons.  The opening montage of the 2 brothers growing up together was the most credible & delightful segment in the film.  From there the movie tanks.  No amount of duck tape could salvage this wreck.  At her son's wedding Joan ponders where the adventure & excitement has gone within her life & marriage to Robin (Michael Cristofer).  Cristofer is a Pulitzer Prize & Tony Award winning playwright ("The Shadow Box").  The omnipresent wine doesn't serve to soften the tension or disillusionment in their marriage.  It comes as an indignant surprise that Robin has sold their family home without consulting her & relocated his business & their future home from NY to KS.  (Really? Who does that in a marriage?)  Still, the blame game & innuendos of infidelity do not propel this sinking chick flick ship.  "Year by the Sea" is based on the memoirs of Joan Anderson.  Anderson (b Amer 1943) is a best-selling author of self-help books for women to empower them in their lives.  Having appeared on Oprah, Anderson "Oh" moments are oh so laughable despite the intent to be enlightening.  The movie is buried in cheesy cliches that tackle serious subjects of physical abuse, alcoholism, senility, aging and of course, learning to like one's self.  The cast includes the exceptional S. Epatha Merkerson as Joan's friend & literary agent and British actress Celia Imrie as the older & wiser Joan who is just silly in her holier than though as a wistful spirit.  The cinematography of the ME coastline with lighthouses, seals and breathtaking sunsets is lovely.  However, the musical score by Alexander Janko just hanks your chain.  Janko wears too many captain's hats for the film.  In addition he's its dir/writer/prod.  Alexander Janko drowns his film in mawkish slop.  Janko's other films include: "The Girl on the Train" & "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."  I'll throw you a lifeline, stay away from this cliche of a woman finding inner strength & fulfillment.  The film is overflowing with sentimental flotsam & jetsam.

Found a New Poem Peeking Out at Me on MTA Poetry "Hide-And-Seek by Serbian Poet Vasko Popa

It's always a welcome surprise to find a new poem to lighten the doldrums of a subway ride.  Vasko Popa (b Serbia 1922-91) is the most recent poem to be revealed on the subway cars apropos to an enigmatic, whimsical find.  Papa was born in Serbia but is of Romanian descent.  His poetry is intentionally mystifying and often contains cryptic references to nature, Serbian folklore and myths.  Popa's poetry is also known for its socialistic realism commentary post WWII.  "Hide-And-Seek" appears more delightful than socially insightful.  Regardless, it is also somewhat beguiling in its clever & resplendent eloquence:

Someone hides from someone else
Hides under his tongue
The other looks for him under the earth

He hides on his forehead
The other looks for him in the sky

He hides insides his forgetfulness

The other looks for him in the grass

Looks for him Looks

There's no place he doesn't look
and looking he loses himself.


Childlike & innocuous, perhaps there is a double entendre regarding the overshadowing of political forces & censorship mounting at the time.

Amy Herzog's "Mary Jane" at NY Theater Workshop-Powerfully Written and Acted; Unforgettable

Contemporary Amer playwright, Amy Herzog, is a brilliant & forceful writer.  Her previous plays have earned Pulitzer & Whiting Award nominations.  Her new production "Mary Jane" at the NY Theater Workshop was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.  A simple summation of the plot is a single mother contending with a severely handicapped son.  Disarmingly, there's nothing simple or light about the oppressive struggles caring for a bedridden child with constant needs who is  unable to communicate or fend for himself.  Mary Jane (MJ) will regale anyone willing to listen to her, the pre-mature birth of her son Alex & the never ending administrations necessary to keep him alive.  Mary Jane (an excellent Carrie Coon) seems unflappable & irrepressible.  But, MJ is no saint.  There are clever, layered  themes interwoven throughout this provocative, thoughtful play.  MJ has mastered the art of passive aggressive manipulation in order to obtain anything that will in anyway benefit her son.  Amelia, the niece of MJ's reliable care giver calls MJ out for mirroring her every expression as they converse.  Although, MJ denies it, it's clear she's masterful in eliciting empathy for manipulative gains.  Dr. Toros, Alex's hospital physician is patient as MJ voices her  concerns.  Dr. Toros (a superb Liza Colon-Zayas) commends MJ for the balance she has drawn between advocating for her son & listening to the medical staff.  MJ succeeds in making small strides on behalf of her son but there is little to be won.   The virtues of listening & empathy are the crux of  the play.  MJ is forthcoming with advice to another parent seeking help for her child with disabilities.  The Hasidic woman with a sick child in the same ward & the Buddhist priest provide solace to MJ. They both provide a sympathetic ear & exemplify the miraculous healing of human compassion.  Religious beliefs of faith & perdition prove irrelevant.  This stirring play magnifies the essence of empathy & communal support.  Herzog's brilliant play is both uncomfortable & rewarding.  The ensemble cast take on multiple roles and they all give staggering performances.  I recommend Herzog's outstanding play.   It's a compelling examination of the indefatigable human spirit & normal tendency towards kindness.

"Rebel in the Rye" Why JD Salinger Remains an Intriguing Literary Legend-Kevin Spacey & Nicholas Holt Star

"Rebel in the Rye" is a biopic movie about JD Salinger's life & the germination & tribulations connected to his masterpiece "Catcher in the Rye."  The movie doesn't belabor the tedium of writer's blocks or idiosyncrasies.  It's a fascinating depiction of J.D. Salinger's (JD) life beginning in 1939; a time when he was at odds with himself & uncertain of how to become a professional writer. Becoming a writer was the one thing he was certain he wanted to do with his life although unsure how to hone his talent or if he possessed the talent to have his work published.  The dashing & sarcastic JD (a magnetic Nicholas Holt, "X-Men Series") is newly enrolled in a creative writing class at Columbia taught by Prof. Burnett (Kevin Spacey in another Oscar worthy performance).  The banter between the upstart student & his sagacious mentor is salty & irreverent.  Burnett is a prof. & publisher with the genius to uncover & propel great writers but lacks his own literary talent.  He  provides a steadfast balance to Salinger's well being & volatile temperament.  There's plenty of factual material in Salinger's life that would seem fictitious.  JD enlists in WWII and is among the troops that landed on D-Day in Normandy.  JD continued working on his novel during the war.  The movie doesn't dwell over the atrocities of war, yet its harrowing scenes of recruits' apprehensions & the liberation of camp survivors are indelible.  JD's is humiliated by the termination of his torrid love affair with Oona O'Neill, Eugene O'Neill's daughter, while serving in the war.  Her marriage to the much older, world renown Charlie Chaplin made major headlines.  Post WWII, JD spends time in a psych ward dealing with PTS.  Smatterings of Holden Caulfield can be garnered from JD's life.  But it's the powerful storytelling & clairvoyant voice of its star, Nicholas Holt, the keeps us glued to the screen.  The trappings of society prove too distracting for JD to pursue his art & his self-imposed ostracism is somewhat understandable.  Holden Caulfield was a fictional character that tapped into many people's pain.  This thoughtful and beautifully shot film gives us a glimpse into the mind of a genius; its relentless drive shooting for perfection.  The film poses the question does the compulsion to create a masterpiece destroy the heart required for normalcy?  The terrific supporting cast includes Hope Davis & Victor Garner as his parents and Sarah Paulson as his stalwart & supportive publisher.  JD Salinger is arguable one of the most influential writers of the 20th C.  Danny Strong is the dir/screenwriter/producer of "Rebel in the Rye" based on Kenneth Slawenski's biography "JD Salinger, a Life."  I was enraptured by this graceful film about this groundbreaking writer who led a fascinating life & became a notorious recluse.

SATC Production "The Baroness Isak Dinesen's Final Affair" by Krebs

SATC (Scandinavian Amer Theater Co) presents Danish playwright/actor Thor Bjorn Krebs' (b 1974) play "The Baroness Isak Dinesen's Final Affair" at the Clurman Theater.  SATC founded in 2009 is a NYC based non-profit theater co. that supports & promotes contemporary playwrights & artists from the Nordic region.  Isak Dinesen is the nom de plume for the notorious & highly regarded Danish writer Baroness Karen von Blixon-Finecke,  known for her beloved novels "Out of Africa" & "Babette's Feast."  She's highly regarded for her short stories; "Seven Gothic Tales."  Dinesen's fascinating life (b Denmark 1895-1962) is revealed from the narrative of the Danish poet/writer Thorkild Bjornvig (b 1918-2004) who maintained a 7 yr relationship with her from 1948-55.  They were first introduced by the wife of Bjornvig's major patron when he was 29 & she was 62.  Dinesen exudes great admiration for his poetry & captivates him.  She entices him to remain as her houseguest & push asunder his wife, child & anything that may deter his creative genius.   Bjornvig (well played by Conrad Ardelius) is easily manipulated by the overpowering  Dinesen (an overblown Dee Pelletier "Osage County").  He resides with her shunning almost everyone & everything else besides his writing, their intoxicating drinking, discussions & dalliance.  Dinesen's persona which Bjornvig claims to be a facade imitates Gloria Swanson's performance in "Sunset Blvd".  This is disruptive to the play's intent to examine the exacting toll to being a great artist.  "Great artists are not peaceful souls."  Chopin's nocturnes are played on the gramophone & the set is continuously pared down to resemble a minimalistic, Mondrian painting.  Dinesen speaks of leaving a legacy opening the gate to divinity through art.  Unfortunately, the pact she insists between them, replete with blood & dagger smears the essence of what could have been an enlightening, esoteric biopic of two talented writers whose paths meshed.  "A great artist is never poor." (ID) And, I would add less is more.

John Cassavetes' "Faces" MoMA Film Series - Failed to Fascinate Me

The MoMA is a leading contemporary art museum.  There are numerous film series available to the public in their spacious screening rooms on the lower level; free to members.  Currently there is a John Cassavetes (JC) film series.  Today's film was "Faces" written & directed by JC & stars his wife Gena Rowlands.  I am unfamiliar with JC's movies and this was my first foray into any of MoMA's film series. There most have been more than 100 people in the audience with an average age above 75. The usher made an announcement to turn off phones & no snoring allowed.  "Faces" first released in 1968 earned JC an Acad. Award Nom & Writer's Guild Nom for best screenplay.  The legendary dir/screenwriter has been credited with being at the forefront of independent film making and is regarded by many as one of the most influential Amer. directors of the 20th C.  The black/white film is grainy & raw.  The mood is very dark & disturbing.  The beginning starts out like stereotypical madman segment with a brutish boss who lords over fawning secretaries.  The room begins to fill up with other male executives and one elderly female who seems to usurp the alpha male.  The group has gathered to screen a film "Faces" which is lauded by several executives & compared to "La Dolce Vita".  The film screened is also a black/white female which features the beautiful Gena Rowlands (JC's muse & wife) with 2 other male actors.  All 3 are extremely intoxicated.  Their boozing spills over into a taxi taking them to the Jeannie's home.  Jeannie is a high priced hooker & the men, Freddie & Richard (played by John Marley) jostle each for Jeannie's attentions.  The movie has a provocative stylistic look.  It's a hellish "La Dolce Vita" with a dark & disturbing aesthetic.  Richard returns home to his wife where the 2 seem at odds with themselves and each other.  I found the film irritating & off-putting.  I left shortly after the couple sat down to a salacious & awkward conversation and I decided to exit.  Perhaps, JC was a seminole director who inspired future filmmaker to break free of pandering to Hollywood cronyism & commercialism.

French/Russian "Polina" a Dancer's Artistic Dilemmas

"Polina" is a Russian/French film of a Russian girl who dreams of becoming a prima ballerina. As she meanders from her classical Russian training so too wanders the film.  For dance lovers, this movie is a delightful diversion.  For non-dance aficiandos, I say don't go.  Even those who enjoyed "Black Swan" will find the melodrama in "Polina" so mixed-up you'll wonder, what's up?  Ironically, the lead actess/dancer Anastasia Shevtsova resembles Mila Kunis.  Shevtsova is mesmerizing on screen and her dancing breathtaking.  But, the dance scenes, both classical & modern, are interspersed with so many cliched pirouettes it grows wearisome.  The film starts off promisingly.  We follow a young Polina who along with her parents have high hopes for her future with the Bolshoi School & to accepted into the elite company.  The young Polina is fetching as the stalwart young dancer who can't be deterred.  The most magical scenes are of a young Polina dancing to her own beat out on the wintry streets at dusk in Moscow.  The cinematography in the film is stunning.  Polina captures the attention of the brooding, demanding artistic dir.  Her beloved father is involved in nefarious work to pay Polina's training.  Thugs break into their happy home with menacing threats.  Unsurprisingly, as a young woman, Polina finds a place within the Bolshoi Co.  She also finds romance with a French dancer & finds fascination with modern dancing.  She leaves Russia, the Bolshoi & heads to France with her boyfriend to explore her creativity curiosities and carnal awakenings.  The course of love & artistic pursuits do not run smoothly.  An ankle injury waylays her promising career with a modern company headed by Juliette Binoche.  Binoche is a brilliant actress but an unconvincing dancer.  Will Polina find her true artistic calling?  Who cares? The dance scenes are lovely but the movie is lousy.  Seen through Polina's eyes, we are aware of artistry &  choreography in the world arounds us.  "The artist longs for perfection." This is a far from perfect motion picture.

Salonen conducts Sibelius and Julliard Orch, Roozeman on Cello

Last evening Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen (b Finland 1958) led the combined Sibelius Acad Symphony & Julliard Orchestras at Alice Tully Hall.  Guest cellist Jonathan Roozeman (b Finland 1997) played exquisitely on Salanen's own composition "Mania."  I find it interesting to hear musical compositions by artists known for conducting.  "Mania" is a seductive & complex piece that continuously builds tonal layers without pause. I found it exciting but not frenzied as the title might suggest.  The orchestration relied heavily on strings & a robust percussive section.  The vibraphone laid a stirring underlying tintinnabulation.  The virtuosity of the piece came from the cello solo which flared with gusto in multiple modes.  Roozeman's interpretation of "Mania" was magnificent.  Conductor Salonen was very pleased with Roozeman's performance.  He left the stage allowing him to play an encore piece after a rousing round of applause.  Unfortunately, I didn't know the composer of the marvelous encore performed by Roozeman.  Neither could I find the answer although I inquired.  The Sibelius Symphony performed Jean Sibelius' (b Finland 1865-1957) Lemminkainen Suite after the intermission.  Perhaps, the solo was a composition by Sibelius or Salonen.  However, I'm not sure.  The first composition on the program was "Radical Light" by Steven Stucky (b Amer 1949-2016) so it wasn't an entire Finnish based program.  This was my first time hearing "Radical Light" and I was delighted by its subtle sounds to begin & end.  The main body of the work was filled with whimsy and robust energy.  It would serve well as a score to majestic scene in a film.  The work was jubilant and the combination of Julliard students with members of the Sibelius Symphony Orch in Alice Tully Hall highlights the talent & opportunities afforded the Julliard students.    

Italian Arch/Designer Ettore Sottsass - So Expansive in Styles & Mediums it's a Mishmash Exhibit

Ettore Sottsass (b Austria 1917 - 2007) is an iconic & prolific architect & designer of the 20th C.  He was born in Austria but received his education & training in Italy.  Sottsass created masses of architectural drawings, many of which became major buildings.  He is also well known for his avant garde furniture designs; several of his iconic pieces are on view in the Met Breuer's show "Design Radical."  Nonetheless, there is more on the top floor by other artists that I couldn't help wonder why the MET didn't attribute the show to artists & artifacts that had a major impact on Sottsass' own designs.  The expansive Rauschenberg now at the MoMA is aptly titled "Among Friends."  The compilation of antiquities, drawings, textiles and paintings are so interspersed as to displace the Sottsass' work.  Some of the prominent artists of the 20th C whose works are included (and likely appropriated) are Judd, Lichtenstein, Gottlieb, Mondrian, Kandinsky & Kuramata to name but a sampling.  Most noticeably missing is Warhol who pop art "Brillo Boxes" and "Campbell Soup Cans" were precursors to Sottsass' consumerism designs.  The red valentine Olivetti typewriter is the heart of the show & the key reason to go.  Having just seen the film "CA Typewriter" Sottsass' original prototype was fascinating as was Sottsass' comment on his creation.  "I worked 60 years of my life, and it seems the only thing I did is this fucking red machine.  And it came out a mistake.  It was supposed to be very inexpensive & portable to sell in the market.  Then the people at Olivetti said you cannot sell this"  (1993). Perhaps, there may be renewed interest in mass producing the only item Sottsass credits for himself.  Still, Sottsass was also influenced by ancient antiquities, religious artifacts & various cultures from Buddhism & Christianity dating bake to the 3rd C and objects by the Hopi Indian tribes.    Two other groupings I found compelling were the industrial ceramic totems that resemble nuclear missiles and his whimsical, yet surprisingly functional furniture pieces.  The Carleton Room Divider (1981) resembled a child poised as if king of the hill and his "Cabinet de Curiositie" (1988) which has a suspended in air aesthetic.  Sottsass' designs commissioned for it "MoMA's 1972 exhibit "Italy - The New Domestic Landscape," felt forced & disingenuous.  "I mean designs dropped without explanation into the midst of millions of other designs, the logic and connections of which will never be known to me."  (ES) The overall sense I got from the show is being dropped within massive flotsam & jetsam and needing to come up for air.  The MET Breuer would like have to make their stop at the gift store for "limited edition items designed by Sottsass.

US Open Federer Match Opened 2 1/2 Hours Behind Schedule Leaving Fans out in the Rain

Yes, the tail end of Harvey came up the east coast bringing heavy rains but I'm not one to complain when so many have lost so much from the Hurricane.  Well, I do have a champagne complaint.  Ticket holders for 7PM were forced to wait outside Arthur Ashe Stadium before the men's match with  Roger Federer.  Federer is arguably the best player ever to pick up a racket.   Federer beat Feliciano Lopez of Spain in straights sets.  The wait for the match was twice as long as the delay to the start of the match.  The match lasted just over an hour & a half.  While the majority of fans were forced to wait outside in the showers, I was comfortably ensconced inside with a dry martini.  Once inside, at court side, my haute attitude rose to the heights of the newly covered main court.  I became irritated above & beyond with the non-stop selfies & filming fanatics who were obtrusive.  What's wrong with you people?  You're not living & enjoying the play as it happens.  You were in the room where it happened but thew away your shot to focus by watching behind a lens.  By the way, Lin-Manuel Miranda was in the stands.  When spotted on the big screen, he was a good sport & seized the moment to kiss his wife.  Another smashing couple in the stands was Justin Timberlake & Jessica Biel.  Justin & Jimmy Fallon treated the audience to an impromptu dancing duet to "Single Ladies."  Their box was next to Federer's wife, Mirka's box.  Mirka is the mother of their double set of identical twins.  Seated behind Mirka was the ubiquitous Anna Wintour wearing her customary shades & typical 50's style dress & dated hairdo. Time to try a new style Miss self-entitled dictator of fashion.  Where was I?  Oh yes, the dumbing down of the stadium crowd.  Okay, I get it's exciting to get onto the jumbo screen but that doesn't mean you need to go to absurd extremes.  And, I don't need T-shirt man dancing like a clown stripping down his T's to reveal a US Open shirt & I (heart) NY shirt.  I think he's the same guy who dances at the Knick's games to the amusement of the masses (and not the rigid asses).  Still, I'm asking you people to stop filming & watch the live competition you're fortunate enough to attend.  The level of play at the US Open is omnipotent.  I think we'd all benefit with less silliness.  I challenge buffoonery to be banned in the stands.  Welcome to NYC and the US Open.

Yankees Put All They Got into the 1st Inning Only-If Only We'd Make the Playoffs

Last night's Yankee game against the Boston Red Sox went against the home team after the 1st inning.  The game got off to a great start with Judge hitting a stand-up double earning him a RBI with led off batter Gardner on base.  That was the single run on the scoreboard for the Yankees who lost to the Red Sox 4-1.  Boston's starting pitcher Doug Fister (4-7) is only recently up from the minors.  The Yanks had only 4 hits in the game.  The Sox had only 3 more hits at 7 but 3 were homers.   Sonny Gray (8-9) pitching for the Yanks threw a lot of heat.  He had 9K's & a high strike to ball count giving up only 1 walk.  But mistakes were made by Gray & the Sox connected with them scoring 4 runs.  Relief pitcher strike out the 1st Sox batter in the top of the 8th but served Nunez a ball sent over the wall giving Boston their 4th run of the game.  The Red Sox now hold a 5 1/2 game lead over our New York Yankees.  Yikes!

MTA Poetry Posts "Leave it all up to Me" by Major Jackson Left Me With a Breathless Romantic Breeze

On the subway to the Bronx to watch the Yankees end up losing to the Red Sox, I spotted a recent MTA Transit Poem by Major Jackson "Leave it all up to Me."  This remarkable poem by Jackson (b Amer 1968) awoke in me the electric currents of a new love that causes everything around you to blossom in sparkling colors.  Jackson has received many illustrious literary honors.  His collection of poems "Leaving Saturn" received the Cave Canem Poetry Prize & was a Nat'l Book Critics finalist.  He's been honored by the NAACP with an Image Award for outstanding literary work in the field of  poetry.  Currently, Jackson is a prof. at the Univ. of VT.  I was dazzled by his bold & unabashed expression of falling in love with an ode to romance in NYC.  I was elated by Jackson's exuberance.  "Leave it all up to Me" is love poem that rekindles passion & delight:

All we want is to succumb to a single kiss
that will contain us like a marathon
with no finish line, and if so, that we land
like newspapers before sunrise, halcyon
mornings arrived like blue martinis.  I am
learning the steps to a foreign song; her mind
was torpedo, and her body was stir,
a kind of WOW.  ll we want is a metropolis
of Sundays, an empire of hand-holding
and park benches.  She says, "Leave it all up to me."

And, women - be fearless in love!