Martin Scorsese's "The Irishman" is Interminable with Robert De Niro

"The Irishman" Martin Scorsese's latest film is an interminable regurgitation of his gangster genre made with A list geriatric stars.  Scorsese's inimitable talent as a director does not make him sacrosanct or untouchable.  "The Irishman" is an irrefutable leaden mobster mess that sinks like a stool pigeon imbedded in cement.  Scorsese calls back his winning score card cast:  De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci.  Martin must of called in favors only he didn't do his wise guy crew any favor.   Martin's montage of mobster movies does a grave dishonor to his genius in this 3 1/2 hour epic dating back to the 50s.  It should've remained unreleased rather than submit audiences to this thuggish rubbish.  The plodding plot of good fellows climbing the pecking order by following hit orders follows Frank (De Niro) as a working schlub who comes under the protection of Russel (Joe Pesci) while rising up the ranks doing dirty work for Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino).  The packed cast of  acting legends portray such poor caricatures of their former tough guy persona they come across as  pathetic.  These roles should be handed over to a new crop of actors like Jesse Plemons ("Breaking Bad") who plays Hoffa's son.  Buzz kill - Hoffa's son may or may not have been an accessory to the mystery of his missing teamster father.  The wearisome "Irishman" robbed 3 hours of my time I can't get back.  I'd complain about the cost of a ticket but I watched it for free on Netflix and still I was taken for a ride.  "The Irishman" is an interminable & abominable film that squanders the talents of its actors and taints Scorsese's irrefutable record of having made movie greats.

Ford v Ferrari - A Race Car Movie that Drags with Matt Damn and Christian Bale

Ford v Ferrari is a film based upon true events spinning around the competition on/off the runways between cars, drivers, business executives and innovators.  The film fails miserably at being innovative, exciting or credible.  It's true the world renown Le Mans 24 hour car race in France had never been won by an American built car until 1966.  Oops! Does the buzz kill for which company wins the race in 1966 spoil the film?  No. The faults lie in the staged friendship between 2 American race car fanatics that flounders between Ken Miles (Christian Bale) and Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon).  Both actors portray their characterized film personas with their sleek take but British dir. James Margold should have put the brakes on the heavy handed scenes between these frenemies and the self-promoting Ford exec. Leo Beebee (Josh Lucas) and the staunch Shelby.  Shelby knows Miles is the driver & engineer whose the man that can get the job done if winning is the ultimate aim for the Ford Co.  Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts in a wasted stock performance) as the besieged head of Ford when their car sales were going through a steep downturn.  Ford turns to his flashy executives (including Lee Iacocca) for a return road to glory.  Sexy, sleek & fast is what sells along with great PR.  Beebee sees Miles & Shelby as obstacles in his path and plays the evil self-promoter with a PR plan that pits friends Shelby & Miles against each other and robs Miles of the deserved win at the Le Mans in 1966.  There are two scenes that needed to be ejected:  Miles and his wife having an argument while she drives their family sedan like a mad man and Miles & Shelby having a tussle using wonder bread to beat each other while Miles' wife looks on amused in a beach chair.  Credit British actor Noah Jupe who plays Miles son for his winning performance.  The parts in the movie are much better than the clunky, weighted down finished project.  This car racing movie is slow going.  "Ford v Ferrari" was thrust in low gear and in need of a lube job.  The real buzz kill is the fatal race car accident involving Miles that feels hammered on at the end of the movie just months after Ford company's triple crown win at Le Mans.  Ford v Ferrari is a disaster on and off the tracks.

TRIO Capriccio-Classical Program in Cloverdale

"It's easy to play any musical instrument:  all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself." (J. S. Bach) One of the clever quotes on the program notes for TRIO CAPRICCIO at the Cloverdale Performing Art Center in Sonoma.  A Bach composition "Prelude Cello Suite #1" was on the program after the short break.  I didn't stay to hear it as I made a break for it.  This was my 1st time at this contemporary & intimate venue.  The house seats 100 and serves as a local musical & theatrical forum.  I didn't purchase the $25 open seating ticket beforehand assuming I could buy a ticket at the door.  I was when I got there they were sold out.  I said "That's great.  I'll try another time."  "Wait." said the congenial ostiary.  "Try the box office they 'may' have tickets".   It turns out tickets were available & there were vacant seats.  The 1st piece of the evening was "Merryton Townhall" by Purcell (1659-16950).  It's folk-song jig meant to be played molto allegro.  Here' where things went wrong.  The cellist played off-note and the 2nd violinist was flat.  "Sonate" in 4 movements by Handel (1685-1759) came next & was played more proficiently albeit somewhat off-key.  Still, the audience whose median age I estimated at 75 (and 40% asleep by intermission) voiced their pleasure by forte clapping between all 4 movements.  My favorite piece came next, "Duet in G Major" by Mozart (1756-1791) a duet for viola & violin.  Dr. Parthasarathi, the 2nd violinist, told us Mozart composed the duet while visiting family. The only instruments on hand were a viola & violin and he swiftly composed the duet.  Tingting Gu, the 1st violinist switched to viola for this piece.  Gu was born in China & studied at the Beijing Central Conservatory.  She spent 3 years with the Guanzho Symphony.  Gu came to the US in 2010 to attend the Thornton School of MUSIC at USC on full scholarship.  Her musical viruosity was remarkable.  Mozart's duet played in one movement was lovely and the applause was well deserved and well placed.  I note the disservice to harshly critique the talents of the cellist and the violinist but it's hard not to perceive the inequity amongst the musicians when performing with Gu who would be welcomed to join any major US Symphony.  I offer a rousing ovation to both Ms. Gu's playing and the Cloverdale Performing Art Center for enlisting such a gifted musician.  I urge the community to support the Art Center to encourage a flourishing cultural venue.  The reasonably priced tickets are a plus but there's no fuss with buying them at the door.  "Whoever is most impertinent has the best chance." (Mozart).

Branford Marsalis Quartet - Marvelous!

The Branford Marsalis Quartet performed an evening of cool & contemporary jazz along with surprising arrangements and older jazz standards.  The concert was held at Sonoma State University (SSU).   Judy Sakaki, SSU Pres., welcomed the audience giving special thanks to our firefighters & first responders and expressed support for our community.  Branford Marsalis (BM) also paid tribute to our local heroes.  BM has led a very interesting & illustrious career as a jazz & classical saxophonist, composer, arranger and band leader.  He's won a Grammy for "Contemporary Jazz" ('10) and received a Tony nom. for Best Original Score for "Fences" the same year.  In addition to performing with his brother Wynton, BM has accompanied legendary jazz artists Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis.  The BM Quartet released their latest album "The Secret between the Shadow and the Soul" earlier this year.  The first 2 numbers of the set were from the album: "Cianna" and "The Snake Hip Waltz" composed by Eric Revis who played the bass.  Justin Faulkner was sensational on drums and Joey Calderazzo on piano was astounding.  He proved competent playing & chewing gum simultaneously.  BM showed amazing virtuosity on both soprano & alto sax.  He joked the set-up placed him too close together "and I'm not that sure I like you guys enough."  The jest was a jab at the erroneous staging that squished the quartet on top of each other.  BM admitted having a cold which might explain his extended breaks from playing on every number.  The trio carried the jazz but BM's playing gave the compositions excitement &  luster.   "The Snake Hip Waltz" was my favorite piece.  It had 3 distinctive sections all having surprising rests that accentuated a syncopated tempo.  It began with a slithering flow, the middle had a menacing cadence in a lower key with an underlying bass.  The end section highlighted BM's trilling sound which morphed into an innovative rendition of "My Funny Valentine."  Other than the 2 recent recordings the Quartet played classic standards from the 1930s & 40s including an irresistible interpretation of I. Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek" and Sidney Bechet's "Petite Fleur" with an old-time New Orleans aesthetic.  The Quartet played a Bossa nova from a tour requested in Brazil despite forewarning of gringoizing their sound.  True to form,  BM's sexy Bossa nova morphed into a jazzy rendition of Ellington's "Don't Mean a Thing."  The concert was an exuberant performance.  Every number was a precious jewel.  Perhaps the Quartet will perform more of their own compositions versus more jazz classics of the mid 20th C. Jazz is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get.  It's all good!

Nat'l Theater HANSARD a Play by Simon Woods

"Hansard" is a new play by playwright/actor Simon Woods (b UK 1980).  The National Theater Live films live productions at the National Theater and made available on large screens throughout the world.  The broadcast of this production was at the Rialto theater in Sebastopol, CA.  "Hansard" is the name of a collective of British laws dating back centuries dictating societal norms.  The play is set in 1988 in a country home belonging to a long & embittered married couple Diana & Robin Hesketh.  Diana (a stirring Lindsay Duncan) is an alcoholic & angry wife who lives outside London while her husband Robin (an animated Alex Jennings) remains in the city as a parliament member of Thatcher's Tory Party.  There is a brief prologue narrative & short film highlighting major political turmoils in the UK in 1988.  A Hansard Law passed in 1988 barred the teaching, publication or promotion of homosexuality as acceptable.  This ruling is pivotal within the play.  "Hansard" mirrors American playwright Edward Albee's "Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf."  The barbs sling at each other swiftly & harshly.  The grueling, incredulous dialogue calls into question why they've remained married.  Robin's vitriol attacks Diana's drinking & slovenly dress.  Diana harangues Robin for his faux image & poor acquiescent voting under Thatcher.  Diana tells people not to vote for her husband.  She tells Robin if she carried "the weight of his words" she'd know how to utilize them.  The combative sparring depicts their unhappiness with each other and their opposing political views.  Diana derides Robin and his elite entitlement embedded in Britain's aristocratic society.  For all the couple's mounting animosity the underlying tragedy that forged their fissure packs as a poignant punch near the end of the play.  This revelation  offers the audience empathy and hope for their reconciliation.  However, it's too late in the game to mitigate contempt for this couple whose belligerent blows furiously unfurled.  Still, Duncan's & Jennings' tour-de-force performances maintain a sonorous ambience too entrancing to disengage from this feuding train-wreck.