Category Archives: Music

American Symphony

American Symphony                      4 ½ stars

The 2023 film American Symphony by filmmaker Matthew Heineman started as a project to follow musician Jon Batiste as he worked on his classical composition “American Symphony” but turned into a much bigger story about life. In 2021 The band leader of Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show had just been nominated for 11 Grammys and granted Heineman access to his life as he worked on this piece. Batiste was writing a classical piece but making it more modern using new styles and musicians from a variety of backgrounds to make it avant-garde compared to traditional classical music. It was quite unusual for a pop musician to enter this genre let alone a black musician, but Batiste gives it all the attention and effort he can. But while this is transpiring on screen, it is discovered that Batiste’s girlfriend/wife Suleika Jaouad has had a recurrence of bone cancer and must undergo lengthy chemotherapy treatments. So, on top of writing the new piece and preparing for the Grammys, Batiste was dealing with the crisis of supporting Suleika through this new crisis. Jaouad is herself a writer and painter producing her own works of art, continuing her efforts through the treatment. The two of them go through tough challenges, encouraging each other, while surprisingly still granting the filmmaker access to their lives. One type of film I especially enjoy is those that show the unfolding creative process of writing music. In American Symphony we see not only Batiste’s struggles with creating his masterpiece, but also the intimate look at a couple going through a difficult time in their lives. The film ends with the finished product being performed for one time only in front of a packed crowd in Carnegie Hall. It is a triumphant finish to a very emotional story. The movie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the song It Never Went Away which is played at the end of the movie.

Christopher Robin

Christopher Robin            3 ½ stars

Christopher Robin brings us a new chapter in the story of the boy who went on adventures in the Hundred Acre Woods with his slow witted friend, Winnie the Pooh and his many friends.  This Disney movie picks up the story thirty years later when Pooh seeks out Christopher (Ewan McGregor), now a grown man with his family living in London and working for a luggage company.  It’s a charming story with a good family message about friends supporting each other through their trials.  The animal characters are done with CGI effects that make them look like talking stuffed animals and they keep their familiar characteristics from the cartoons.  This animation is much preferable to the new trend in Disney movies that make animals look as real as possible.  The character of Eeyore, the depressed donkey is especially entertaining as he always puts himself down and sees the worst side of every situation.  Christopher Robin isn’t quite as good as the original animated movies based on A. A. Milne’s children’s stories, but it is entertaining.  The audience is probably older than the children that enjoy Winnie the Pooh as there is certainly a darker tone of Christopher dealing with his family and work troubles.

The Color Purple

The Color Purple              4 stars

In 1985 Steven Spielberg made the movie The Color Purple based on the 1982 book. Then in 2006 it was made into a Broadway musical and revived in 2015. In 2023 it was again brought to the screen. I just recently came to view it. By now the story of Celie, a poor uneducated black woman in early 20th century rural Georgia who suffers brutal abuse at the hands of her father and then her husband is familiar to audiences. In this musical version the role of Celie, originally done by Whoopie Goldberg in the Spielberg movie, is performed by Fantasia Barrino of American Idol fame. Her voice in her musical numbers and her acting in scenes as she quietly endures abuse from the men in her life are the best things about the movie. (She is actually reprising the role from the Broadway production and is certainly right for the part.) She is equally engaging in the moments of expressing joy when she is with her sister, Nettie (Halle Bailey and Ciara) and others that she loves. (According to Fantasia’s resume, this is her only notable film role.) Other actors of note are Danielle Brooks (Clemency) as the outspoken Sofia (originally done by Oprah) who won’t stand for the abuse heaped on women by men, but is later beaten into quiet submission by the blatant racism of the South, as well as Taraji P. Henson as blues singer Shug Avery who brings hope to Celie by showing her the sheer joy of living when one is near the ones they love. Also excellent is Colman Domingo in the part of Mister, Celie’s abusive husband who only sees her as the equivalent of a slave that must be regularly beaten into obedience. Not only do we experience his cruelty but get a sense of how he came to be this way, enduring his own pain, and we eventually see how he realizes the error of his ways and seeks to make amends. The musical numbers are lively and cinematic, but they tend to overshadow the central message of the story, which is love of family and treasuring time together. This movie directed by Blitz Bazawule is almost entirely focused on Celie as she overcomes adversity and finds her voice. Though I enjoyed the movie, I find that I prefer the original Spielberg film over this reimagining.

Bohemian Rhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody       2 ½ stars

I finally got the chance to see Bohemian Rhapsody, the 2018 biopic about Freddy Mercury, the lead singer of the legendary rock group Queen of the seventies and eighties.  It has much in common with other biopics about music legends we have seen in the past twenty years, the genius of a young performer, the troubled relationships with family, the flashes of genius and the downward spiral.  One type of movie I really love are those that show the creative process of writing a new song, how it gradually gets put together.  Here the formula is applied to We Will Rock You and Another One Bites the Dust,(both I remember well from the eighties) but it’s like the song is instantly put together in the heat of an argument.  Rami Malek does a good job as Mercury, but the look of his teeth was overdone.  There was some mention of his life style and his contracting AIDS, but for the most part the movie was not about this aspect of his life.  It did serve as a reminder of what the eighties was like, when gay people had to remain hidden even in the music industry and AIDS was ripping through the gay community.  The final scene of the LIVE AID concert was certainly entertaining even though much of it had to be lip synced.  If you watch it on DVD there is an extended version of the concert scene that is even more enjoyable.  There are other musical biopics I liked much better.  The ones about Elton John and James Brown come to mind.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues                3 stars

It has been forty-one years since director Marty DiBergi brought us the documentary (or rockumentary) This is Spinal Tap that followed the legendary rock band Spinal Tap as they went on a meandering tour facing some rocky times and ended with a peculiar performance of their hit Stone Henge. The three rockers: Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins and Derek Smalls continued to perform, but eventually, fifteen years ago they split up and went their separate ways having not spoken to one another in all that time. But ultimately, these talents couldn’t stay apart and started to explore the possibility of returning to the stage for an ultimate performance. That’s where Marty picks things up and follows their journey once more. The resulting sequel captures many moments of them reuniting in New Orleans where Nigel, David and Derek discuss the future of the group and rehearse for the big show. (The house they choose to rehearse in is thought to be haunted and is open to tours.) There are certainly some familiar things about them that many can remember from the original documentary including their odd sound system (“It goes up to eleven!”) and the many arguments and conflicts between them. This time there is a foot pedal contraption that goes beyond ridiculous. David and Nigel once again start their comical open hostility over the chords in a song they are writing. They even get Paul McCartney, who stops by for a visit, to (accidentally) join the arguments! There are some familiar faces that they run in to including Bobbi Flekman “The hostess with the mostest” and Artie Fufkin. Their manager has passed away so now it is his daughter, Hope Faith who assumes the manager role. You may remember the trouble that the band had finding a drummer because they keep dying in peculiar ways. (We learn that they lost a total of eleven drummers.) This time around they find a very talented drummer named Didi Crockett who fills the role. There are many chuckles in the movie, but it’s not exactly gut busting. Back in the eighties the group had a real over-the-top approach to things and their music was actually good. Now the aging rock stars are shadows of their former selves, but still fun to have around. They perform some of their hits that include All the Way Home, Hell Toupee and Listen to the Flower People. Be sure to stick around till the end. Do you remember the mini Stone Henge in the original movie? Well, it makes a return appearance in the final act and it is a real showstopper for sure!

Blaze

Blaze                     4 stars

Blaze is a sad biopic about Texas singer songwriter Blaze Foley, a promising but tortured talent in folk/country music in the seventies and eighties. This film, written and directed by Ethan Hawke explores the music and life of this little-known musician through three different periods told in nonlinear fashion. We see his early life with Jewish girlfriend/wife Sybil (Alia Shawkat), his later days performing in local bars and diners shortly before his untimely death and a later radio interview where his songwriter friends, Townes and Zee talk about the almost legend. I had never heard of Blaze before who is compared to Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. I am not really a fan of this type of country music, but the songs sung by star Ben Dickey, himself a rock/country artist are done well and are mesmerizing. The story of a talented musician who shows signs of greatness but whose life is destroyed by his own ego, addiction to drinking and a short temper are all too familiar in the long list of musician biopics we have seen. The largest part of the story is about his relationship with Sybil who does everything in her power to support Blaze and their marriage but is eventually doomed to failure. The tall and large Ben Dickey who is a friend of Ethan Hawke, does a nice job as Blaze making him appear like a poet/philosopher about life. This film seems to be his only acting credit. I recommend the movie to anyone who enjoys folk and country music and would like to learn about this near legend. Fans of Alia Shawkat (Maeby from Arrested Development) would enjoy the movie as well.

The Lion King

The Lion King     2 stars

Disney felt the need to redo the animated beloved movie The Lion King from 1994 only this time with modern CGI effects and a new all star cast. The movie is a technical achievement in visual effects with very realistic looking animals and background terrain, but the feelings of the emotions are missing as none of the facial expressions of the original animated characters can’t be duplicated. I also found it hard to tell some of the characters apart based on their appearance. The familiar story is very much the same as the original so of course there is no new territory covered here. There were good comedic performances by Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner as Pumbaa the warthog and Timon the meercat. The music was impressive with some original songs being sung by an African choir. I am just not convinced that this movie needed to be made even though it had impressive theater ratings.

Frozen II

Frozen II               4 stars

Six years after we met Elsa and Anna, the sister princesses of Arendelle, comes Frozen II, the sequel that finds the kingdom in danger from some unleashed magical spirits from the enchanted forest (if I understand this correctly). We again see the Disney magic with many colorful scenes and musical numbers that made the first movie such a hit. This time around the characters are dealing with some darker forces that have to do with magical spirits that threaten this land and it all has to do with a conflict in the past between the kingdom and another civilization that is now hidden in the enchanted forest. There is plenty of comedy provided by Olaf, the snowman and the lovable oaf Kristoff who is trying to figure out how to propose to his love, Anna. The story is definitely more complicated than the original Frozen and would be hard for young minds to follow, but that may not be all that important. There is a long hidden secret concerning Elsa and Anna’s dead parents that helps to explain the old conflict and why it is that Elsa has magic powers. It was all a little too confusing for me to follow, even. The outstanding cast of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad and Jonathan Groff is expanded with Sterling K. Brown and Evan Rachel Wood. The movie has a positive message for the kids about sticking together through challenges. Overall, it’s a good Disney movie suitable for young minds despite some of the darker moments.

Bill & Ted Face the Music

Bill & Ted Face the Music              2 stars

Those dimwitted time traveling rockers Bill and Ted (Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves) are back 29 years after their last film and are on another adventure, this time to save the universe throughout time by finding their greatest song and uniting the world. This time around they are married to princesses Elizabeth and Joanna and each have a daughter, Thea and Billie who adore their dads even though their dads’ band Wyld Stallyns have not written a good song in all this time. The two girls even sound like their dads saying things like “Woa, dude”. The characters then embark on parallel adventures with Bill and Ted traveling to future years in search of their future selves who may have written great song that will unite the universe through all of time, while their daughters travel back in time trying to put together an incredible band composed of history’s greatest musicians with the likes of Jimi Hendricks, Louie Armstrong and Mozart. The film has some truly funny moments but for the most part it is full of glitzy special effects and loud retreads of the material from the original movie. There is an amusing reappearance of Death in the movie when Bill and Ted try to persuade him to let them leave hell. They finally agree to letting him join their band so they can make their escape in a SWAT van. George Carlin makes a magical appearance as Rufus from the future. I would rather not mention the robot sent from the future. Other than that there was not a lot to get excited about as many routines fall flat after a while. I would recommend revisiting the original Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure to get more entertainment.

The Prom

The Prom            2 ½ stars

The Prom is the new Ryan Murphy directed musical comedy on Netflix that brings together the talents of Meryl Streep, James Corden and Nicole Kidman performing a string of Broadway type musical numbers. The premise is that this group of narcissistic actors after bombing in their latest production (about Eleanor Roosevelt and FCR) need a charitable cause to give them new credibility. They land their sights on a young lesbian teen girl who is being denied her right to go to the high school prom with her girlfriend because of the intolerance of the community (the PTA, of course). The school happens to be in a small Indiana town, since the writers see Indiana as a bastion of intolerance, I suppose. I just hope that their perception doesn’t reflect reality at this point. This group of New York actors are joined by Juilliard graduate Trent Oliver (Andrew Rannells of The New Normal) and proceed to try to persuade the parents to allow the all-inclusive prom that Emma (Jo Ellen Pellman) is asking for. While there are a few well done songs, most of them are forgettable. Much of the movie is what I imagine High School Musical must have been like if I had seen it. There is some unnecessary padding of the story with the personal problems of the self-centered actors that takes focus away from the plight of the young kids. Meryl Streep puts in her usual best effort as a privileged diva. Keegan Michael Key is notable as the high school principal who wants to keep the peace while also getting acquainted with his idol, Dee Dee Allen (Streep). Tracey Ullman makes a worthwhile cameo as the estranged mother of Barry Glickman (Corden). Newcomer Pellman does a creditable job as the poor teen who is the center of the scorn of her classmates. The subject of the intolerance of gay people coming out would seem to be out of date in 2020, so I hope it would really apply to an earlier time in the Midwest, but that may be my wishful thinking.