Monthly Archives: April 2019

It didn’t happen by accident. It never does. With gay marriage rights off the ballot, a civil right endorsed by the states and ratified by the Supreme Court, conservative think tanks needed something to rile and fire up “the base” … Continue reading →

All these people gravitated to Laurel Canyon until the canyon walls were lined with the likes of Jackson Browne, members of The Byrds, Mamas, Papas, CSNY, The Beach Boys…all giving birth to “The California Sound.” Jakob Dylan is our tour … Continue reading →

A truism — actors want to play Jesus. All of them. It’s practically a complex. Joaquin Phoenix gets to go where Willem Dafoe (the best actor to tackle the part) went before in this version of the story of Mary … Continue reading →

You hear the movie’s about a “caveman” cloned to life in modern America, and the jokes pretty much write themselves, right? You see the image of Will Brittain in Neanderthal makeup and you giggle, maybe just a little. But “William,” … Continue reading →

Whaddaya think? The critters are still animated. James Earl Jones is still Mustafa. Great voice cast, as you’d expect. Looks lovely. And…pointless? July 19,  a “Lion King” without Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella and Jeremy Irons hits theaters.

I had higher hopes for “Little” than the movie that wound up on the screen. A “Big” flip  with a “Black-ish” vibe, it’s built around Issa Rae, destined to be this year’s Tiffany Haddish breakout Black funnywoman thanks to her … Continue reading →

What do we know about “Little,” the latest version of “Big” (see “Shazam!”) to make it into a screenplay and then a star vehicle? We know it stars Issa Rae as the flunky stuck with an evil boss (Regina Hall) … Continue reading →

We don’t see punk rocker Becky Something imbibe. We don’t need to. It’s in her manner, manic — antic, peppered with breathless profane patter. It’s in her eyes — weepy and bloodshot, alternately crazed and compassionate. Bipolar much? Hell, it’s … Continue reading →

And we can, right? Just based on the trailer. The scent of Courtney Love practically wafts off the screen in this performance. Hats off to Moss, who is having the most challenging and daring post “Mad Men” career of anybody … Continue reading →

“Stuck” is a high concept musical that doesn’t have, on paper, much more going for it than that. Passengers trapped on a subway car, breaking into song, lamenting their woes, expressing their hopes, bickering over race, poverty, immigration, “privilege” and … Continue reading →