Movie winners, losers, and Oscar predictions

Tomasz Kot in Cold War. He won't win an Oscar (especially since he's not nominated), but he wins my heart.  Please read below.

 In alphabetical order: 

 At Eternity's Gate about Vincent van Gogh is a movie only for the hardcore.  It has too many scenes of the painter reaching for the sky, for wheat stalks, and thrusting his hands and arms to catch raindrops.  Too much rain and too much filler. Yawn.

Yes, Willem Dafoe's performance definitely warrants his nomination for Best Actor, and he may win. The visuals and scenics could win for Best Cinematography (not nominated). I read that the award for Best Makeup was being discontinued or relegated to commercial breaks, but the makeup department (22 artists) and their outstanding work fashioning the cast into keen likenesses of the people Van Gogh painted, especially at Arles like Madame Ginoux and Joseph Roulin, must be applauded. I would hire them in a New York minute for my next film.

The film is almost a documentary.  

Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant/IMDB

Melissa McCarthy's Can You Ever Forgive Me? is almost as boring as the title with the best part, the performance by Richard E. Grant who has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor. I hope he wins.  There is no chance she'll win Best Actress.


Cold War...uh, uh, uh, uh. I ain't never experienced love like this!  Wowee. This is passionate stuff, but a critics' fancy, which, understandably, lasted about two days in D.C. theatres, totally unappealing to Clint Eastwood, Tom Wilson types, but a chick flick for arty-farties.  I dig Tomasz Kot. He's the man.

The Favourite, oh please.  The "Most Boring" is the title I put on it.  Go here for a most unfavourable review. (British only spelling, please.)

It was easy to predict that Green Book would receive 2019 Oscar nominations for Best Actor (Viggo Mortensen), Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali), Best Original Screenplay (Brian Hayes Currie,

Peter Farrelly, and Nick Vallelonga), and Best Picture, and I thought it would earn one for Best Director (Peter Farrelly), too.
I don't know if it will win Best Picture. I don't think it is a "Best Picture."  I haven't seen all the nominees, but this does not quite match par.

It was a Christmas "feel-good" movie of which we could always use more, especially given the national climate since Santa came to town. Without the bad words, Green Book would be good family fare.

It's an excellent story, crafted from a real one starring a black classical pianist who is on a Southern tour in the early 1960s, chauffeured by a white boxer. The old signs, cars, motels, apparel are fun to see.

Too much time (and repetition) is spent on aerials of the car driven on two-lane country roads.

Both subjects, the gentlemen in the movie, died in 2013.


Oh, dear, If Beale Street Could Talk was another big bore.  Loaded with too many pregnant pauses and needing a chopping block to cut about half of it.  Obligatory breasts, included, natch. 

The only good part was the families' fight scene which occurs early on, and it's downhill from there.  Try seeing this and reading American Prison by Shane Bauer at the same time to send you in a downward spiral.

Maria by Callas is a must for opera fans but even for this newbie faux fan, the first half includes too much music.  Huh?  It's about the diva Maria Callas, right?  I went hoping to learn more about her life.  

It does cause one to question anew: Why did Jacqueline Kennedy marry Aristotle Onassis? At the time, "everyone" said it was money. He didn't have the courtesy to give Maria the news, that he was marrying Jackie. Ms. Callas had to find out the worst way, via public notification. Onassis did return to her while he was married to Jackie, according to reports.

Maria Callas died at age 53, a victim of a heart attack. 

RBG is, without question, a slam dunk to win Best Documentary given its quality, the political climate and the absolute detest Hollywood feels for the occupant of the White House.  Highly recommended.

Shoplifters, oh, what a bore. What a merry-go-round of the same constant scenes.  Please! For earlier review, go here.

Stan and Ollie is a pleasant time, another good one for nursing homes. Without checking, I would wager that most of it is based on fact. A "sweet" film.

Tea With Dames is excellent documentary fare, again for the diehard film fan whose stars are the  quartet of bevies, the crème de la crème of actors: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Eileen Atkin, and Joan Plowright.

No script was necessary as they are of the age when they speak their minds.  What do they have to hide?

Widows, yes!  I loved it. For an earlier review, go here.

Mr. Rogers' movie, Won't You Be My Neighbor?  was nice and sweet like he was. It's not a surprise it was not nominated for Best Whatever given it is a bit of a bore, but I know most liked it and it hung around a while, a great sign for revenue. Zzzzzzzzz.  Good for nursing homes, if occupants can stay awake. It lacked much about his younger life.
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Folger's fab 'Nell Gwynn' is delightful fare

 Alison Luff is Nell Gwynn at Folger Theatre whose hat is bigger than your hat/Photo by Brittany Diliberto, Bee Two Sweet Photography

Sex, tarts, and miscellany! 

So much of it is true.  The whole thing is a delight, I dare say. 

We have to thank King Charles II (1630-1685) for restoring theatre and fun, post-Puritans, to England. Had playwright Jessica Swale included all 13 of his mistresses in her play, we'd still be watching them at the theatre. 


As it was, she only included three, 'twas enough and spirited they are!

Alison Luff is Nell Gwynn and Quinn Franzen is Charles Hart in Folger Theatre's Nell Gwynn/Photo by Brittany Diliberto, Bee Two Sweet Photography
 
The king's wife, Queen Catherine (1638-1705) (Zoe Speas in the role and a musician in the show) stayed married to him 'til death did them part, but that's another story to be told anon. She is the angry woman in black, although in real life (Wikipedia), she comes across as rather mousy. Nevertheless, her witchiness (portrayed in Nell) is quite understandable, given that she had many competitors (a practice, I understand, which still continues to this day). 

Peter Lely (1618-1680), Catherine of Braganza, Queen of England, c. 1665/Wikimedia.org

R. J. Foster is the haughty king who does not overplay his role.

John Michael Wright (1617-1694), Portrait of Charles II in Garter Robes, National Portrait Gallery, London/Wikimedia Commons

Nell Gwynn, the play, is about Nell Gwynn (1650-1687), the actress (!) who is Alison Luff at Folger's, star of the king's stage and at the Folger, too.  

And what bloomin' buffoonery it all is!
  
At the Folger (the East Cost premiere) and in real life, Ms. Gwynn did have an amour, Charles Hart, acted by the dashing Quinn Franzen, who does his squiring duties with Ms. Nell quite handsomely and gets her to the stage on time.

It doesn't take long for Thomas Killigrew (Nigel Gore) theatre manager and actor's broker, to succumb to the marvelous abilities of Ms. Gwynn and put her up in the "lights" (had there been any  then).  

She's got talent!

An experienced actor, the most dynamic Mr. Christopher Dinolfo,  is Edward Kynaston, the female substitute in the theatre before King Charles II pardoned the women and let them act, too.  The nerve of it all!   Women acting as women! 

Mr. Dinolfo was on stage far too short a time.  He lost his parts.

The heartiest laughs sprang from the appearances by Catherine Flye, who has earned 13 (matching the king's mistress counts)  Helen Hayes Award nominations, winning one. She has dual Folger roles as Nancy, a lady-in-waiting of sorts, and, briefly, as Nell's mom.

Her lines and mannerisms produce gales of glee, her roles crying for smiles all around as soon as the audience gets used to her antics and one-liners. (It didn't take long to realize she was the constant comic.)

A "tenured" mistress, Lady Castlemaine (Regina Aquino who plays dual roles) has her charms ripped asunder by new women on the block, including the prissy French token, Louise de Kéroualle (also Ms. Aquino) who exudes hilarity the short time she sashays down the promenade in regal "Frenchiness."

Because the audience is busy keeping up with the quick dialogue and fast scene changes, the excellent costuming by Mariah Anzaldo Hale does not receive the sufficient attention the designs warrant. They indeed help make the show and are breathtaking, under closer scrutiny by audience members who sit in proximity near the aisle where actors parade up and down.

Tony Cisek, set designer, hangs rich, red velvety drapes on either side of the stage which close and open and define the backdrop for some scenes which shift from front stage to back stage and back again with characters moving fore and aft.  (You have to be there.) 

The last ear count heard strolling musicians on banjos, guitars, mandolins, accordion, triangle, cello, and (I think) keyboard, all who added pleasant depth without dominating. I can't image the show without this music and applaud the composer, Kim Sherman.

Go and enjoy! You won't be the worse for it, but, like me, laughing lots more! I can't wait to see Ms. Swale's film version of Nell, now on the writing block.

Other members of the cast are Caitlin Cisco as Rose Gwynn, Nell's sister; Kevin Collins, musician; Michael Glenn, John Dryden, playwright who rapidly scribbled down lines for Nell Gwynn and was named poet laureate by the king.

Also, Jeff Keogh, Lord Arlington, the king's secretary of state; Alex Michell, who starts and ends the play theatrically.

Directing is Robert Richmond, who is also the chair and director of the University of South Carolina's department of theatre and dance.
 
Other members of the creative team are Andrew F. Griffin, lighting; Matt Otto, sound; Diane Healy, production stage manager; Jessica Short, assistant stage manager; Michele Osherow, resident dramaturg, Janet Alexander Griffin, artistic producer; and Beth Emelson, associate artistic producer.  

What: Nell Gwynn by Jessica Swale

When: Now through March 10, 2019

Where: Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol Street, S. E. Washington, D.C. 20003

Tickets: Buy online, by phone (202-544-7077), or at the box office. Tickets start at $42 with discounts for groups, persons under age 30, students, seniors, educators, members and family of the military.

Open-captioned performances: Sunday, March 3, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., sponsored by Vinton and Sigrid Cerf

Free Folger Friday, March 1, 6 p.m. Before Nell Gwynn at 8 p.m., scholar Deborah Payne and actors will speak and share excerpts from the long-lost manuscript, The Country Gentleman, found in the Folger archives in 1973.
 
Metro station: Capitol South or Union Station

For more information: 202-544-4600 or info@folger.edu

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Gala Theatre premieres 'The Old Man, the Youth and the Sea'

Victor de la Fuente, left, and Horacio Pena star in Gala Hispanic Theatre's The Old Man, The Youth, and The Sea or El Viejo, El Joven Y El Mar/Photo by Stan Weinstein

 Who was Miguel de Unamuno?

If you, like me, are unaware of the Spanish poet, novelist, teacher, rebel, and a member of the "Generation of 1898," you'll want to get a ticket to the world premiere of The Old Man, The Youth and The Sea or El Viejo, El Joven Y El Mar now on stage at Gala Hispanic Theatre.

The scholar and sage bears some resemblance to Ernest Hemingway who receives "an homage" in the subtitle.


It is likely that Mr. Unamuno (1864-1936) and Mr. Hemingway (1899-1961) never met, but they shared a love of writing, of Spain (Mr. Unamuno's birthplace) and attitude towards war and its soul-searching after-effects.

In a Gala commissioning, playwright Irma Correa focuses on Mr. Unamuno's philosophies about existence and reason, in contrast to a youth's idealism.

The old man (Horacio Pena as Mr. Unamuno) and the young man (Victor de la Fuente) meet on the island of Fuerteventura in the Canaries where Mr. Unamuno has been confined because of political differences with the dictator Primo de Rivera.
 
Cisco, the young man, is assigned caretaking responsibilities for Mr. Unamuno who stays in one bedroom for the entire length of the play.

They exchange pleasantries and ideas about life, their conversations which stand opposite stark plywood walls, floors, and few pieces of furniture which permit no distraction from the dialogue.

The two discuss existence and meaning. Cisco dreams the impossible, that of capturing the largest whale in the ocean which he calls "Moby Dick." He holds and moves a chair up and down as he crosses the room, back and forth, much like a great fish would do while threshing through waves.

Unamuno's wife, Concha (Luz Nicolás), briefly joins her husband to provide support. Soon, Unamuno's friend and writer, Dumay (Delbis Cardona) arrives, bringing an elaborate plot to escape, but Unamuno will have none of it!

Later, the general (Cardona in dual roles) puts the squeeze on any escape plans, but the dictator issues a pardon to Unamuno who rejects it. The prisoner continues making other escape plans and encourages Cisco to join him.

The two strive to hold fast to their own ideals and searches, but they clearly are affected by the other's beliefs.

The night I attended, the audience gave the actors and crew a standing ovation, proud to be part of a performance which recognizes the talents of another Spanish writer. 

The director, José Luis Arellano, won the 2016 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Direction for Gala's Yerma which also received another Helen Hayes Award, for Outstanding Set Design by Silvia de Marta.  For the Old Man, Ms. de Marta designed the set and costumes which perfectly match the suit Mr. Unamuno is wearing in the portrait below.
 
By Ramon Casas i Carbó - Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, ePublic Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org


The proximity of the sea enabled sound and lighting designer Jesus Diaz to capitalize on its nature to produce visualization of a cabin at the shore.

The lighting is particularly effective as a single light from one side of the room casts a large shadow on the wall to create sharp black angles and define a prison.

A Gala statement quotes Ms. Correa:

"It is time to revive Unamuno....[who] represents the power of reason and empathy, and...Cisco, the dream of tomorrow, the drive of being alive...the General defends the fulfillment of duty [and]...unbreakable morality. He is Trump's wall." 

Mr. Pena, a persuasive Unamuno, is "Argentina's leading stage film and television actor," says Gala.  He and  Mr. de la Fuente (from Madrid) are making their Gala debuts. 
 
Others production team members are Iñaki Salvador, music composition; Elvira Zorita, video design; Alicia Tessari, properties; Catherine Nunez, stage manager; Devin Mahoney, technical director, Hugo Medrano, producer; Tony Koehler and David Peralto, production coordinators. 

Presented in Spanish with English subtitles. To read subtitles comfortably, English-only guests should request seating in rows E through H.
 
What: The Old Man, The Youth and The Sea or El Viejo, El Joven Y El Mar by Irma Correa

When: Now through March 3, 2019, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.

Where: Gala Theatre, 3333 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20010.

Tickets: $48, regular; $30 for seniors (65+), military, students, and those ages 30 and under; $25, group sales (10 or more) with additional discounts for groups of 10 and more. Go online and order at GALA Tickets.

Student Matinees: February 28 and March 1 at 10:30 a.m. For more information, email education@galatheatre.org.

Duration: A little over two hours with one intermission

Metro stations: Columbia Heights or McPherson Square and take a bus or the Circulator from McPherson Square up 14th, or walk two miles and save money while using calories! Lots of places to eat along the way.

Parking: Available nearby

For more information: Call (202) 234-7174 and/or email info@galatheatre.org  

The production was made possible with support from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Embassy of Spain in Washington, DC, SPAIN arts & culture, and Acción Cultural Española (AC/E) through its Programa de Internacionalización de la Cultura Española (PICE).
 
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'Gordon Parks' exhibition closes Monday

Gordon Parks, Two Negro boys shooting marbles in front of their home. November, 1942, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.  Southwest of the U.S. Capitol, the area's homes were soon torn down in an urban renewal project and replaced by temporary government buildings and new housing, The destruction of housing for impoverished people still leaves a bad taste among many in the nation's capital and often comes up for discussion in local news, even today.

In conjunction with Black History Month, the National Gallery of Art  has hosted the first exhibition of early works by one of the nation's finest social photographers, Gordon Parks (1912-2006), who overcame poverty and discrimination to excel at photography, music, writing, and film making. 

Gordon Parks, Self-Portrait, 1941, gelatin silver print, private collection, courtesy of and copyright, the Gordon Parks Foundation

 Gordon Parks, Dinner Time at Mr. Hercules Brown's Home, Somerville, Maine, February, 1944, National Gallery of Art, Corcoran Collection

The exhibition, Gordon Parks: The New Tide, Early Work 1940–1950, closes Monday with more than 150 pictures Mr. Parks made of glamour queens, coal miners, Langston Hughes, and black life.  Documents from his own life are included.

Before Mr. Parks became the first black photographer at Life magazine, he worked for the U.S. government in Washington in the 1940s where he made life of black poverty visible to many through his pictures.

Gordon Parks, Washington, D.C. Young boy standing in the doorway of his home on Seaton Road in the northwest section. His leg was cut off by a streetcar while he was playing in the street, June, 1942, the Gordon Parks Foundation.  Mr. Parks was shocked by the discrimination he found in Washington:  young children forced to play in streets and excluded from "whites only" parks, playgrounds, and recreational centers.

Gordon Parks, a portion of Death Room, Fort Scott, Kansas, 1950, National Gallery of Art, Corcoran Collection

Gordon Parks, a portion of Tenement House, Arsonia, Connecticut, 1949,
National Gallery of Art, Corcoran Collection

Gordon Parks, a portion of Death of Babe Ruth, Inside Yankee Stadium, New York City, August, 1948, the Gordon Parks Foundation. Photographing the funeral of Bath Ruth was one of Mr. Parks's first assignments for Life magazine which published three of his pictures but not this one.  Why do you guess it was omitted?

Mr. Parks was a self-taught professional out of Kansas who was influenced by Charles White, Roy Stryker, Langston Hughes, Richard Wright, and Ralph Ellison. After his mother died, he moved to St. Paul to live with his sister, but her abusive husband drove Mr. Parks to the streets where he lived homeless and sought warmth in streetcars where he slept.

He was one of the first to join the Civilian Conservation Corps and worked as a waiter on a railroad where a fellow waiter gave him a magazine that changed Mr. Parks's life.  In the magazine he saw photographs which awakened him to another life and a way up and out.  He began reading everything he could find about photography and took classes.

On Sunday, February 17 at 2 p.m. in the National Gallery's East Building Auditorium, Harry Allen, Nelson George, Adrian Loving, Miles Marshall Lewis, and Vikki Tobak will discuss Hip-Hop’s Great Day: Gordon Parks and a Legacy of Photographic Inspiration.

Films made by Gordon Parks will be screened at 12:30 p.m. February 22, February 27, and March 8, 2019, also in the East Building Auditorium. 

A signature catalogue ($48) of more 300+ pages and 168 of his photographs, which was produced and published by the Gordon Parks Foundation and Steidl working with the National Gallery, is available. Included are an extensive chronology of Mr. Parks's life, copies of pages of his photographs which ran in the St. Paul Recorder in Minnesota, and papers of his application for a fellowship to the Julius Rosenwald Fund which made Mr. Parks the first photographer to receive an award.

Nearby in other rooms at the National Gallery are pictures by another black photographer, Dawoud Bey, who has his own show,  The Birmingham Project, ending April 21, 2019:

Working in collaboration with the Gordon Parks Foundation in Pleasantville, N.Y., the National Gallery of Art organized both exhibitions.  Philip Brookman was the Parks's curator.

After Washington, the exhibition travels to the Cleveland Museum of Art, March 23–June 9, 2019; Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, August 31–December 29, 2019; and Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy, Andover, February 1–April 26, 2020.


What: Gordon Parks: The New Tide, Early Work 1940–1950

When:  Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Open on Presidents Day.

Where: The ground floor of the West Building between Third and Ninth streets at Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. On the Mall.

Admission charge:  No charge 

Metro stations closest to the National Gallery of Art are the Smithsonian, Federal Triangle, Navy Memorial-Archives and L'Enfant Plaza.

For more information: 202-737-4215 

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