Book Subscription Box Selections — October 2024

So, as you can tell, I have taken a little break from making any posts recently.  But with the seasons changing outside and the fall weather creeping in, why not make a comeback by talking about one of my favorite things – getting a new book every month!

 

I have loved being a member of Book of the Month and Aardvark Book Club over the last few years, as I have rediscovered a love for reading and get the satisfaction of getting two new books every month.  I am not a huge book-buying person, so opening up these beautiful boxes every month is the perfect thing to scratch that itch instead of spending way too much money at Barnes and Noble (which I do every now and then anyway).

 

Let’s take a look at this month’s selections!

The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke

Genre: Gothic Fiction

Short Blurb: A mysterious hiking accident kicks off this spooky tale of witchcraft, revenge, and a mother’s search for answers.

The Wild Huntress by Emily Llyod-Jones

Genre: Young Adult

Short Blurb: Enter an enchanting, monster-filled forest and join the deadly hunt in this stunning tale invoking Welsh mythology.

Dearest by Jacquie Walters

Genre: Horror

Short Blurb: Voices on the baby monitor, animated toys, creepy crawlers – motherhood’s hard, but has never been quite this horrifying.

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden

Genre: Thriller

Short Blurb: After a dating losing streak, she thinks she’s found Mr. Right.  But is he a dream come true or a nightmare in disguise?

The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Short Blurb: In this seductive tale of rival assassins and thieves, a desire for revenge might just ignite a dangerous romance.

When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Short Blurb: The Fall siblings live in hot Northern California wine country, where the sun pours out of the sky, and the devil winds blow so hard they whip the sense right out of your head.

The Lightning Bottle by Marissa Stapley

Genre: Thriller

Short Blurb: A love letter to rock ‘n’ roll and star-crossed love, we follow Jane Pyre’s road trip around Europe as she attempts to find out what really happened to her partner in love and music, who disappeared without a trace years earlier, leaving Jane to pick up the pieces.

This Cursed House by Del Sandeen

Genre: Horror

Short Blurb: In this Southern gothic debut, a young Black woman abandons her life in 1960s Chicago for a position with a mysterious family in New Orleans, only to discover the dark truth – they’re under a curse, and they think she can break it.

 

My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine

Genre: Romance

Short Blurb: Nothing sucks more than fake dating a vampire in this paranormal romantic comedy.

Where I End by Sophie White

Genre: Horror

Short Blurb: Aoileann desperately wants a family, and when Sarah and her three young children move to the island, Aoileann finds a focus for her relentless love.

The City in Glass by Nghi Vo

Genre: Fantasy

Short Blurb: The demon Vitrine loves the dazzling city of Azril.  She has mothered, married, and maddened the city and its people for generations, and built it into a place of joy and desire, revelry and riot.  And then angels come, and the city falls.

Let me know which books you are thinking about picking up from these subscription boxes!

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” Movie Review

General Information

Directed by – Wes Ball

Written by – Josh Friedman

Release Year – 2024

Starring – Owen Teague (Noa), Freya Allen (Mae), Kevin Durand (Proximus), Peter Macon (Raka), Eka Darville (Slyva), and William H. Macy (Trevathan)

Synopsis – 300 years after the reign of Caesar, Noa is determined to fight for his clan alongside a human he is surprised is more evolved than previously believed.

 

Review

Now, I have to admit, I was never interested in any of the Planet of the Apes movies until I saw the trailer for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.  I just thought they were silly monkey movies with obnoxiously long titles.  It was my boyfriend that said they were actually pretty good films.  So we indulged in watching the trilogy and man were my original thoughts wrong.  I fell in love with these films – how they were able to tell such human stories while not being told by humans.  We start with humans being the main characters, but as the trilogy continues, the apes take center stage.  By the conclusion of this story arc, the apes have taken over with their leader, Caesar, passing away.  While this was a perfect and beautiful ending to these impressive films, I was excited to see how this next group of movies would take the story, and it is already off to a strong start.

 

Generations after Caesar’s passing, apes are the dominant species with humans believed to be mostly gone with those remaining being feral.  This film follows its new protagonist, Noa (Owen Teague), a young ape who is a part of a clan that raises eagles.  They are a generally peaceful group of apes that keep to themselves.  As soon as the film starts, its visuals stand out.  Since these movies first released in 2011, how realistic the apes look has always been a standout.  With some special effects trying to be so realistic that they come off looking more fake, it is so nice to see a studio and artists who put dedication into making sure the film looks as stunning as it does.  And with this film specifically, most of the human buildings and creations have been overgrown, so there are so many beautiful landscapes of jungles and beaches that take over the world.  How stunning everything looks is reason enough to check out this film.

As part of his clan’s coming-of-age ceremony, Noa and his friends, Soona (Lydia Peckham) and Anaya (Travis Jeffery), have to collect eagle eggs and keep them safe until the ceremony.  After the collection, Noa notices a human scavenger has invaded his clan to steal things and he tries to catch them.  In their scuffle, Noa’s egg breaks and unless he gets a new one before the ceremony, he will have to wait a whole year to get his eagle.  Noa decides to sneak out at night to get a new egg, but as he does that, he runs into another clan of apes who like to raid other ape clans.  These apes claim to do damage in the name of Caesar and travel to Noa’s clan to destroy it and kidnap his people.  When I heard them mention Caesar’s name after their killing and destruction, I audibly gasped in the theater.  It just came as a shock to me because after falling in love with Caesar, I knew this is not what he would have wanted.  While I think that Caesar and his legacy should stay within the original three movies, I did not mind that his ideas are still a driving factor for the war-hungry apes is a great way to transition to this new world we are exploring.

 Noa, having survived the massacre and capture of his clan, seeks revenge and wants to bring them home.  His journey takes him all over the beautiful landscapes the apes have created over the last 300 years.  Along his trek, he runs into two individuals that would impact major aspects of his actions for the rest of the film; Raka (Peter Macon) who teaches about what Caesar’s word really meant and Mae (Freya Allen), the human scavenger who ends up not being as feral as originally believed who is also seeking the same clan as Noa.  Together, they will venture in hopes to take down King Proximus (Kevin Durand) and save the clan.  One of the most interesting components of this trio is how much Raka seems to do in the name of Caesar just like Porximus’ clan.  But both have a completely different interpretation of what he stood for.  A lot of figures in history have had their works dissected for centuries, but we will never know what the true meanings of their works are as we can never talk to them.  We can assume, but in the end, interpretation is up to the individual.  Both Proximus and Raka follow the words of Caesar but in two extremely different ways.

Just like the previous installments, there are so many appealing aspects to this world.  The first, Rise of the Planet of the Apes had a great story that set up the premise for what would become this reboot franchise while the second and third, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes, respectively, had masterful direction to tell the rest of Caesar’s story.  All three together make for one of the strongest film trilogies ever created.  Rumors have it that there will be a total of nine movies in this fresh take on the original story broken up into three trilogies similar to the Star Wars franchise.  If that is true, this has the potential to be one of the strongest franchises of all time that deserves its flowers.

One of the most frustrating things about these movies – along with others that focus heavily on motion-capture technology – is that the actors never seem to get as much praise as the actors never seem to get as much praise as the “human” actors. Owen Teague as Noa gives one of the greatest performances of the year.  There is so much naivete and hurt that jumps out during his scenes you forget it is a human being with a bunch of dots on their face in a skin-tight suit.  Every ape actor has so much dedication to their role and it is so easy to tell.  If anything, they have to work extra hard because they do not have the luxury of getting into a physical costume to bring the final elements of the character together.  I could tell every emotion the apes were feeling and that is because of how well those actors are.  Motion-capture performances need to be more recognized in the film industry.

Besides the apes, Freya Allen as the human, Mae, gives one of my favorite performances from a human character in this franchise.  While it seems obligatory to have a human when I would be perfectly fine with a movie of just apes, Allen is able to show audiences in more ways than one why her species is still vital to the franchise.  At this point in the timeline, apes and humans have essentially switched roles in the ecosystem.  So it comes at quite a shock when Mae is actually able to speak.  The best part about her is how unreliable she can be.  She always gives off an aura of not knowing if you should trust her or not.  Having a character like this makes for an interesting view on character development for those around them, keeping you on the edge of your seat at all times.

Noa is the clear standout amongst the ape characters, but two performances that should be overlooked are Raka and Proximus.  Both of them view Caesar as a great being for their kind, but it’s their opposing approaches to him that make them both fascinating characters.  Raka wants the apes to be stronger when they are working together, but Proximus wants to become essentially what humans were in history.  This can be seen with what type of literature they both decide to study.  It is with them how fascinatingly human they are.  All of the apes are able to show the same emotions that it makes it easy to connect to any of them.  It just reminds us how close we truly are to one another.  Hopefully, one of these movies will have all of the apes just having a good time.  But as we can tell from this film, for every Raka there will always be a Proximus.

The film’s biggest issue is its pacing.  Kingdom has one of those issues where every scene feels necessary but how they are laid out makes the film drag in certain places.  There is maybe one or two that I can think of that could have been cut for time, but even then everything felt necessary to have to move the story forward.  This could have potentially been fixed with a little more showing instead of telling, but even in the more dialogue heavy scenes did not seem unimportant.  If some scenes were pulled together tighter, it could have felt better paced.  The action sequences, however, are executed perfectly with great focus on making sure we know exactly why it is taking place.  The final battle is built up throughout the film that the process of it is so satisfying.  There is so much thought that goes into what needs to be expressed to move the franchise to its end goal.  Hopefully its creatives realize that more is not always better; just having a good story no matter how long is what the fans need.

I am so grateful that I was convinced to give this franchise a chance despite the silly long titles.  All of the films tell such a human story even when humans are not the main characters.  I hope this new saga continues with as much love and dedication that have been put into the first four, as it seems like we are about to get interesting very soon!

“Rushmore” Movie Review

General Information

Directed by – Wes Anderson

Written by – Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson

Release Year – 1998

Starring – Jason Schwartzman (Max Fischer), Bill Murray (Herman Blume), Olivia Williams (Rosemary Cross), Seymour Cassel (Bert Fischer), Sara Tanaka (Margaret Yang) and Luke Wilson (Peter Flynn) 

Synopsis – On the verge of getting expelled from Rushmore, falling in love with the new teacher, and befriending a millionaire, Max Fischer is in for an interesting school year.

 

Review

After the success of “Bottle Rocket”, Wes Anderson followed it up with a film that continued to elevate his career as a filmmaker.  Reviving the career of Bill Murary and launching Jason Schwartzman as an actor, “Rushmore” cemented Anderson as one to watch.

 

Max Fischer (Schwartzman) is the most involved student at Rushmore Academy, but not the most academic.  He is threatened with expulsion, but that does not keep him down.  He befriends the father of twins in his class (Bill Murray) who takes him under his wing.  But that friendship falls apart when they both develop a crush on the new first grade teacher, Rosemary (Williams).

Compared to Bottle Rocket, Rushmore feels a lot more like a classic Wes Anderson film.  We still haven’t reached full Wes yet, but with the delivery of character lines, the cinematography, and the first of many montages it would not be surprising if some people assumed this was Anderson’s debut film.  Title cards between scenes have also been introduced, which is one of my personal favorite touches of any of his films.  You can tell that he wanted to start standing out as an auteur and go away from the more traditional style of movie making he utilized in his first film.

 

Max as a main character perfectly encapsulates what it means to be an over-enthusiastic teenage boy.  You want to be involved in everything to make a name for yourself.  At this point in your life, you are in this weird in-between place where you are no longer completely at the whim of your parents but also discovering who you want to be before you are completely on your own.  Being a teenager can be a lonely experience even when you are surrounded by those you love and care for.  Your emotions and hormones are also all over the place that it is not insane that Max falls in love with the new teacher.  While inappropriate as he continues to pursue her after her constant rejections, he learns some tough lessons when it comes to love and loss that every teenager needs to experience.

It is also inspiring to see how involved Max wants to be with his extracurricular activities.  Not only is he an active participant in clubs like Model U.N. and a variety of sports, but he also runs and creates clubs seemingly every other day.  If you are of the millennial and older gen-z age range, you have probably been told over and over that colleges want to see students who are the most involved inside and outside of school because that will be your best way of getting into the school of your dreams.  While it is good to be a well-rounded individual, it comes at a detriment to Max’s grades.  To stay in Rushmore Academy, you need to maintain a certain grade point average and Max falls below that because of being too involved.  It is a double edged sword I still see as a teacher today; kids are trying to be this “perfect” student, sacrificing important things like sleep, mental and physical health, and potentially their sanity.  This can be seen through Max and how he has this desire to be seen as perfect, but parts of him are being sacrificed.

 

One of the aspects of a classic Wes Anderson film that we first see here is the mentor-mentee relationship.  Usually between an adult man and teenage boy, they form a bond based on either proximity or similar interests.  We see this relationship form between Max and Bill Murray’s character of millionaire Herman Blume.  Not only is he the father of some of Max’s peers, but Max finds inspiration in him as an underdog.  Max doesn’t fit in with the other rich kids and Blume is that shining light in his life.  They form a bond that allows each to be fully themselves.  However, they become too similar to each other as they begin to fall for the same woman at the school, Rosemary.  This puts a riff in their relationship, starting a prank war montage.  It comes across as a silly feud, but something Anderson puts in his movies a lot is the theme of being lost.  Both are lost in the world – not sure what their place is – and they are able to find solace in this one crush.  The chemistry between Schwartzman and Murray make their scenes so enjoyable to watch, whether they are connecting with each other or hating each other.  It makes you want to root for them to get over their silly feud so they can have more happy scenes together.  If one of them was cast differently, it would have taken away from this film’s natural charm and charisma.

With a much better flow and pacing compared to his first film, Anderson gives us a heartfelt and quirky story about what it means to find friendships while also finding yourself.  A lot of classic Wes is felt in this film, and it is always an enjoyable watch from the moment you hit play. 

“Poor Things” Movie Review

General Information

Directed by – Yorgos Lanthimos

Written by – Tony McNamara

Release Year – 2023

Starring – Emma Stone (Bella Baxter), Mark Ruffalo (Duncan Wdderburn), Willem Dafoe (Dr. Godwin Baxter), Ramy Youssef (Max McCandles), Christopher Abbott (Alfie Blessington), Kathryn Hunter (Madame Swiney) and Jerrod Carmichael (Harry Astley)

Synopsis – After being brought back to life after her suicide, Bella rediscovers the world around her from a new perspective, learning what it means to be a human being.

Review

Yorgos Lanthimos is not an auteur that chooses to tell stories you would expect from the average filmmaker.  What makes him special is that he selects stories that may come off as “weird” and enhances them to be masterpieces – captivating audiences enough that they are brought into his unique worldview.

 

Based on the novel of the same name, Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) has been given a second chance at life after Dr. Godwin Baxter (Wllem Dafoe) finds her lifeless body due to a suicide.  In a tale similar to Frankenstein, Bella is reanimated, given a new life to live.  When we meet her, Bella is walking and talking like a child instead of the 30-year-old woman she is supposed to be.  Over the course of the film, we watch Bella grow and develop into a new woman again.  Stone is able to portray this perfectly; the way she waddles and babbles like a toddler you would have thought Lanthimos aged-up an actual two-year-old.  Stone’s performance is full of naivete that makes you wish it was easy to see the world as a kid again.  We are able to see this child mature into a marvelous woman who not only explores what the world has to offer but also not falling for its traps that we are sometimes forced to accept.

Stone is accompanied by a strong supporting cast that helps her character explore her story.  Dafoe adds another weird role to his repertoire as the doctor responsible for bringing Bella back from the dead.  A professional in his field, God – as Bella calls him – has a tragic past that leads him to being the father of all of his adventurous creations.  He’s very protective of Bella and does not want her to venture outside of the comfort he has created for her in his home.  Also observing Bella is Godwin’s assistant Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef).  Youssef adds such a kind and gentle approach to Bella, feeding into her curiosities about the world while falling for her.  Both Godwin and Candles show compassion for Bella, but it is Youssef’s kind nature that makes you fall for him every time he’s on screen.

 

However, everything changes for the three of them when Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) comes into the picture, also falling for Bella and wanting to swoop her away on an adventure.  Ruffalo in this role is utterly hilarious while driving you mad with how rudely he treats Bella.  You know you are in for a good time when Ruffalo appears on screen.  There is something about his performance that contains so many layers of comedy and drama that makes it a perfect role for him without even originally thinking this was a role he needed.  Along their journey around the world, Bella and Duncan run into a wide range of characters that, in their own way, guide Bella on the ways of the world.  These include Harry Astley (Jerrod Charmichael), who shows her the disgusting aspects of what happens to those who are poor, and Madame Swiney (Kathryn Hunter), who takes her in and teaches the value of herself and what it means to earn a wage.  Bella treats each of these people with respect and curiosity for their knowledge of the world.  And every actor brings their all no matter how big their part may be.

This film is one of the most visually pleasing and fantastical looking of the year.  For the first act, the film is black and white and as the film transitions to the second act, it remains fully in color.  The black and white scenes mostly take place in Godwin’s house as we are being introduced to who Bella is through the eyes of her “creator.”  After she demands to travel around the world with Duncan, both us and Bella are opened up to a whole new world.  She is seeing what it is like on the outside for the first time, and I love how this message is shown through Robbie Ryan’s cinematography.  There is also the use of a fisheye lens, showing how Bella’s world is so small before she steps out with Duncan to expand everything around her.  Cinematography choices is a film craft that has taken me a while to fully understand what exactly goes into making certain decisions compared to a director’s vision, and this film really helped me appreciate this outstanding art form. 

Not only is Poor Things visually stunning with its cinematography, but it stands out in the costumes, production and visual effects as well.  Even though the film takes place around the Victorian era, there is such a fantasy-feeling aspect that is felt through the designs.  The costumes are loud and colorful when Bella explores new places – which are also mystical in their own right – until she finds the simplicity of life and thus her wardrobe changes to fit.  The color palette is not too extreme that it blinds the audience but satisfies those who enjoy yellows, greens, and blues.  Even though the film takes place in places like Lisbon and Paris, you feel as though you are somewhere completely created in the mind of Lanthimos.  He was not afraid to expand upon commonly known places to be able to create a world all his own.

Taking what could have been a disastrous concept and making it accessible for adult audiences, Poor Things is a masterpiece of  spectacle.  With stunning performances against the backdrop of beautiful set pieces, you should seek out this award-winning film.












2024 Tony Award Nominations

It is time for another Broadway award season!  The Tony Awards are my second favorite awards show – just behind the Oscars – because the art of theater is something that I have been a participant in while also appreciating all of the hard work and dedication that goes on behind the scenes.  There is so much to Broadway than just flashy costumes and “annoying” songs, and the Tony Awards showcase that every year.  This year’s ceremony, to be held on Sunday, June 16th on CBS, will be hosted once again by the amazing Ariana DeBose, marking her third year in a row as host.  Shows that are able to be nominated must have opened between April 28th, 2023 until April 25th, 2024.  Tuesday morning, the nominations were announced, so here is a rundown of all of the wonderful musicals and plays that have received nominations and will be up for that glorious silver trophy this summer.

 

Musicals

Hell’s Kitchen – Using the music of Alicia Keys to tell this mid-90s story, teenager Ali is living in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City under the care of her protective mother, but she wants to venture out and make a name for herself and discover who she truly is.

Nominated for:

-Best Musical

-Best Direction of a Musical (Michael Greif)

-Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Maleah Joi Moon)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Brandon Victor Dixon)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Shoshana Bean)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Kecia Lewis)

-Best Book of a Musical (Kristoffer Diaz)

-Best Orchestrations (Tom Kitt and Adam Blackstone)

-Best Choreography (Camille A. Brown)

-Best Scenic Design in a Musical (Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini)

-Best Costume Design in a Musical (Dede Ayita)

-Best Lighting Design in a Musical (Natasha Katz)

-Best Sound Design in a Musical (Gareth Owen)

 

Illinoise – Based on the Sufjan Stevens album of the same name, friends share the stories of their lives around a campfire as a band performs the music live with them on stage. 

Nominated for:

-Best Musical

-Best Orchestrations (Timo Andres)

-Best Choreography (Justin Peck)

-Best Lighting Design in a Musical (Brandon Sterling Baker)

 

The Outsiders – Based on the S.E. Hinton novel of the same name, a group of “outsiders” fight for survival in Tulsa to find where they belong in the world.

Nominated for:

-Best Musical

-Best Direction of a Musical (Danya Taymor)

-Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Brody Grant)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Joshua Boone)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Sky Lakota-Lynch)

-Best Book of a Musical (Adam Rapp and Justin Levine)

-Best Original Score (Jamestown Revival and Justin Levine)

-Best Orchestrations (Justin Levine, Matt Hinkley, and Jamestown Revival)

-Best Choreography (Rick and Jeff Kuperman)

-Best Scenic Design in a Musical (Amp featuring Tatianna Kahvegian)

-Best Lighting Design in a Musical (Brian MacDevitt and Hana S. Kim)

-Best Sound Design in a Musical (Cody Spencer)

 

Suffs – Inspired by real-life events, women in the early 20th century begin fighting for the rights of women starting with one major right – voting.

Nominated for:

-Best Musical

-Best Direction of a Musical (Leigh Silverman)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Nikki M. James)

-Best Book of a Musical (Shaina Taub)

-Best Original Score (Shaina Taub)

-Best Costume Design in a Musical (Paul Tazewell)

 

Water for Elephants – Based on the novel by the same name, after a great loss Jacob hops aboard a train that belongs to a traveling circus, finding a new family.

Nominated for:

-Best Musical

-Best Direction of a Musical (Jessica Stone)

-Best Book of a Musical (Rick Elice)

-Best Choreography (Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll)

-Best Scenic Design in a Musical (Takeshi Kata)

-Best Costume Design in a Musical (David Israel Renoso)

-Best Lighting Design in a Musical (Bradley King and David Bengali)

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club – In 1930s Berlin, Sally Bowles helps keep the Kit Kat Club raging, trying to distract from what is happening in Germany right outside their doors.

Nominated for:

-Best Revival of a Musical

-Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Eddie Redmayne)

-Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Gayle Rankin)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Steven Skybell)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Bebe Neuwirth)

-Best Scenic Design in a Musical (Tom Scutt)

-Best Costume Design in a Musical (Tom Scutt)

-Best Lighting Design in a Musical (Isabella Byrd)

-Best Sound Design in a Musical (Nick Lidster for Autograph)

 

Gutenberg! The Musical – Two best friends want to put on a show because they love making shows together, and who better to make a musical about than Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press!

Nominated for:

-Best Revival of a Musical

 

Merrily We Roll Along – Following composer Franklin and his life with his two best friends, Mary and Charley, and how success and fame may damage your personal life more than you may think.

Nominated for:

-Best Revival of a Musical

-Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Jonathan Groff)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Daniel Radcliffe)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Lindsay Mendez)

-Best Orchestrations (Jonathan Tunick)

-Best Sound Design in a Musical (Kai Harada)

The Who’s Tommy – Based on the concept album of the same name, Tommy witnesses his father commit a crime, his life begins to spiral around him as he begins to feel lost with this major life event.

Nominated for:

-Best Revival of a Musical

 

The Notebook – Based on the novel of the same name, what seems like just a summer romance turns into a decades-long saga of what it means to have a person in your life, even if they are not in it for periods at a time.

Nominated for:

-Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Dorian Harewood)

-Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Maryann Plunkett)

-Best Book of a Musical

 

Days of Wine and Roses – A couple living in the 1950s falls in love while trying to fix their broken family.

Nominated for:

-Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Brian D’Arcy James)

-Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Kelli O’Hara)

-Best Original Score (Adam Guettel)

 

Lempicka – After fleeing the Russian revolution, aristocrat Tamara picks up painting to help her and her husband start their new lives, but when Rafaela comes into her life, she has to choose between what she needs to do and what she’s passionate about.

Nominated for:

-Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Eden Espinosa)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Amber Iman)

-Best Scenic Design in a Musical (Riccardo Hernandez and Peter Nigrini)

Back to the Future – Based on the trilogy of the same name, Marty travels back in time from 1985 to 1955, meeting his parents before they have met each other.

Nominated for:

-Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Roger Bart)

-Best Scenic Design in a Musical (Tim Hatley and Finn Ross)

 

Monty Python’s Spamalot – With inspiration from the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, this takes the classic Authorian legend and turns it on its head with a satirical take for the ages.

Nominated for:

-Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer)

 

Here Lies Love – Inspired by real life events, we follow former Filipina First Lady Imelda Marco, her rise to power and the Philippine People Power Revolution.

Nominated for:

-Best Original Score (David Byrne and Fatboy Slim)

-Best Choreography (Annie-B Parson)

-Best Scenic Design in a Musical (David Korins)

-Best Sound Design in a Musical (M.L. Dogg and Cody Spencer)

 

The Great Gatsby – Based on the novel of the same name, 1920s mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby will stop at nothing when it comes to pursuing his lifelong love, Daisy.

Nominated for:

-Best Costume Design in a Musical (Linda Cho)

Plays

Jaja’s African Hair Braiding – During a hot summer in Harlem, African immigrant hairbraiders working at Jaja’s hair salon have secrets revealed that could impact the tight-knit community that has been created.

Nominated for:

-Best Play

-Best Direction of a Play (Whitney White)

-Best Scenic Design in a Play (David Zinn)

-Best Costume Design in a Play (Dede Ayite)

-Best Sound Design in a Play (Justin Ellington and Stefania Bulbarella)

 

Mary Jane – A single mother in the worst of circumstances tries her best to beat the odds against her while trying to make a new family and friendships for herself.

Nominated for:

-Best Play

-Best Direction of a Play (Anne Kauffman)

-Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play (Rachel McAdams)

-Best Sound Design in a Play (Leah Gelpe)

 

Mother Play – Phyllis and her teenage children are moving into a new apartment, where she tells them what they need to do with their lives as they are all trying to survive the changing world.

Nominated for:

-Best Play

-Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play (Jessica Lange)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play (Jim Parsons)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play (Celia Keenan-Bolger)

 

Prayer for the French Republic – In 1944 Paris, a Jewish couple looks for news of their missing family, and 70 years later those family members ask themselves the same question.

Nominated for:

-Best Play

-Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play (Betsy Aiden)

-Best Lighting Design in a Play (Amith Chandrashaker)

 

Stereophonic – A new rock band in the mid 1970s is recording a new album that could make or  break them.

Nominated for:

-Best Play

-Best Direction of a Play (Daniel Aukin)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play (Will Brill)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play (Eli Gelb)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play (Tom Pecinka)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play (Juliana Canfield)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play (Sarah Pidgeon)

-Best Scenic Design in a Play (David Zinn)

-Best Costume Design in a Play (Enver Chakartash)

-Best Lighting Design in a Play (Jiyoun Chang)

-Best Sound Design in a Play (Ryan Rumery)

-Best Original Score (Will Butler)

-Best Orchestrations (Will Butler and Justin Craig)

 

Appropriate – The Lafayettes have returned to Arkansas to help deal with the estate of their father, but when the estranged brother Franz unexpectedly shows up, the family is forced to face their hidden secrets.

Nominated for:

-Best Revival of a Play

-Best Direction of a Play (Lila Neugebauer)

-Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play (Sarah Paulson)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play (Corey Stoll)

-Best Scenic Design in a Play (dots)

-Best Costume Design in a Play (Dede Ayite)

-Best Lighting Design in a Play (Jane Cox)

-Best Sound Design in a Play (Bray Poor and Will Pickens)

 

An Enemy of the People – A doctor of a small town discovers that something will risk the lives of everyone, but those in power do not want him warning the people.

Nominated for:

-Best Revival of a Play

-Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play (Jeremy Strong)

-Best Scenic Design in a Play (dots)

-Best Costume Design in a Play (David Zinn)

-Best Lighting Design in a Play (Isabella Byrd)

 

Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch – A black preacher wants to work at a Georgian church, but their white neighbors have a difficult relationship with its community.

Nominated for:

-Best Revival of a Play

-Best Direction of a Play (Kenny Leon)

-Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play (Leslie Odom Jr.)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play (Kara Young)

-Best Scenic Design in a Play (Derek McLane)

-Best Costume Design in a Play (Emilio Sosa)

 

Uncle Vanya – Sonya and Vanya have lived in isolation on their family farm, but when her parents move in, the family is upended as ghosts of their past are dug up.

Nominated for:

-Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play (William Jackson Harper)

 

Doubt: A Parable – Sister Aloysius is feared by her students and coworkers at her Catholic school, but a potential relationship between a priest and student will force her to try to separate her beliefs and how people perceive her.

Nominated for:

-Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play (Liev Schriber)

-Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play (Amy Ryan)

-Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play (Quincy Tyler Bernstine)

 

Patriots – Following the fall of the Soviet Union, billionaire Boris is now in charge and responsible for finding a successor to President Yeltsin and suggests a deputy mayor: Vladimir Putin.

Nominated for:

-Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play (Michael Stuhlbarg)

 

Grey House – A couple seeks shelter in an isolated cabin after a car crash, but as the snow and nights drag on, they are not sure what in the house is even real.

Nominated for:

-Best Lighting Design in a Play (Natasha Katz)

-Best Sound Design in a Play (Tom Gibbons)

 

You can check out Playbill.com for more information on theaters, casts, and great behind the scenes interviews for everything Broadway!

“Bottle Rocket” Review

General Information

Directed by – Wes Anderson

Written by – Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson

Release Year – 1996

Starring – Owen Wilson (Dignan), Luke Wilson (Anthony), Robert Musgrave (Bob), James Caan (Mr. Henry) and Lumi Cavazos (Inez)

Synopsis – After being released from a mental hospital, Anthony’s friend Dignan has a 75 year plan for them which includes going on a crime spree to be able to afford everything, even if they don’t really know anything about committing crimes.

Review

Whenever I have spare time, I like to have movie marathons.  Since my boyfriend was out for a bachelor party, this was the perfect time to dive right into a marathon I have done before.  I decided to rewatch all of Wes Anderson’s filmography.  He is my favorite director for a plethora of reasons and since we had a random snowy and icy weekend in the middle of March, being bundled and watching Wes was the perfect way to spend my weekend.  My marathon began by watching his first feature film “Bottle Rocket.”

 

“Bottle Rocket” focuses on best friends Dignan (O. Wilson) and Anthony (L.Wilson) as they reunite after Anthony is released from a mental hospital he checked himself into.  Dignan is determined to fulfill his 75-year plan for the two of them, involving heists to set them up for life.  With the help from neighbor Bob (Musgrave), the three set off on a crime-filled adventure, with many, many bumps along the way.

Even if you are not familiar with Wes Anderson’s filmography, you may know that he has a particular style when it comes to his movies.  Deadpan humor, ensemble casts, flat space camera movements, symmetrical shots and sets that look like dollhouses are just some of the techniques that immediately distinguish his films from other auteurs.  So it is jarring to go through all of his films and have his first one look so “regular”.  It would take a few films before he latched onto his signature style, but even in this first one there are little nuggets of “Classic Wes” that his admirers have come to know and love.

 

Anderson is one of those directors that can seem to get anyone and everyone to be a part of his films.  Over the years, his casts have gotten larger and larger.  This first one, however, really just focuses on the Wilson brothers as best friends in their debut roles.  After being assigned as roommates in college, Anderson and Owen would eventually become frequent collaborators on nearly all future projects together.  Luke would also continue to appear in many roles throughout his career.  Not only does Anderson’s style evolve as he begins to create more films, but the Wilsons also grow to his style as actors, becoming one of the many staples that makes a Wes Anderson film.

The dynamic between these best friends is what gives the film its heart.  Luke and Owen bounce off of each other so well that it’s hard to believe this is their first role.  They are accompanied by witty dialogue that just makes it seem like everyone involved is having fun.  The focus on friendship gives the film the ability to have this light and fluffy appearance on the outside, but there is something so much deeper to these characters.

 

The film opens with Anthony checking out of a mental hospital.  We learn that he willingly checked himself in due to “exhaustion”.  There is so much that we experience as humans that, at times, it can feel as though we can never catch a break.  Life keeps coming at us and there is no way to make it stop, leading some people to hit their breaking points.  Anthony does not want to elaborate past the reason he has given on why he felt the need to do this.  It is not uncommon to want a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  Maybe it leads to checking yourself into a mental hospital.  Anthony wants to start over and get into new routines – to enjoy the simpler things in life.  We see this when he falls head over heels for the housekeeper, Inez (Cavazos), and just spends quality time with her.  It is the simple life, all he could ever ask for.

In that same opening scene, we see Dignan attempt to help Anthony “break out” of the mental hospital.  He has this elaborate plan, not just for the hospital escape, but for the next 75 years of his and Anthony’s lives.  Anthony plays along with Dignan’s plan as that is what best friends do.  But even as everything continues to fall apart, Dignan’s hope does not seem to fade.  He is headstrong in making sure everything works the way it’s supposed to.  However, this drives Bob and Anthony away.  Dignan has the future laid out and refuses to make any changes that derive from his original idea.  So many of us feel as though we need to have a step-by-step way to live our lives that if one random step goes wrong, there is no way to recover from it.  We set ourselves up for failure when we strive to the point of completion that we put up blinders from how our plan affects the people around us.  Dignan thinks everyone will go along with his ideas because he is the one with the plan, but that is his fatal flaw.  Over the course of the film, thanks to Anthony, he learns that sometimes plans have to change for you to end up where you belong.  Even though  Dignan is not where he thought he would be at the end of the film, he is content that this is what was meant for him.



Luke and Owen are surrounded by some strong supporting characters.  The first is Robert Musgrave as their neighbor Bob who Dignan has a dislike for but requires his assistance as he is the only one with a car.  He is excited to be involved in the plans, but gets frustrated when Dignan takes advantage of him.  He has every right to be mad at Dignan and you start to side with Bob as Dignan’s tunnel vision takes over the story.  After one of their crime heists, the three end up at a motel to lay low for a bit.  This is where we meet Inez, the housekeeper.  She acts as a love interest for Anthony, showing how their language barrier can be overcome by their affection for one another.  While she may not have the most character depth – something Anderson has issues with across a few of his films – she is still a delight to have on screen. Her scenes with Luke show how great their chemistry is with one another.  James Caan also has a small role as Dignan’s idol, Mr. Henry, who brings a lot of first-half-of-Elf energy to this memorable part.   

The biggest issue with the film is its pacing.  Even though it is only 90 minutes long, it drags in the middle when the gang heads to the motel.  Even though this includes a majority of the cute scenes between Luke and Cavazos, it is at this moment where you can tell it originated from a short film.  A lot of directors get their film debut starts by expanding a short film they have previously created.  Sometimes this works; you are able to have a bigger budget and expand a story and characters that have already been created.  However, if not executed properly, it can be noticeable that you are trying to draw out the narrative.  While I still enjoy what Anderson did with this film, it can feel like a lot to get through in the middle between crime heists.

 

While the story has its issues by feeling like a drag during the second act, “Bottle Rocket” still conveys the feeling of having a plan in your life may not always go your way.  With memorable characters and the beginning inklings of what would become his staple style, Anderson’s first feature film is one to remember.

2023 Atlanta Film Critics Circle Award Winners

Atlanta was one of the first major cities to release their winners for what was the best in film for the year of 2023.  Let’s see what won out on top!

 

Top 10 Films

  1. Oppenheimer
  2. Killers of the Flower Moon
  3. The Holdovers
  4. Past Lives
  5. Barbie
  6. May December
  7. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
  8. American Fiction
  9. Anatomy of a Fall
  10. Poor Things

 

Best Director — Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)

Best Lead Actor — Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)

Best Lead Actress — Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon)

Best Support Actor (Tie) —  Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer) and Ryan Gosling (Barbie)

Best Supporting Actress — Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers)

Best Ensemble Cast — Oppenheimer

Best Screenplay — Oppenheimer

Best Documentary — Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie

Best Foreign Language Film — Anatomy of a Fall

Best Animated Film — Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best Cinematography — Oppenheimer 

Best Original Score — Oppenheimer

Best Stunt Work — John Wick: Chapter 4

Best Breakthrough Performance —  Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon)

Best First Feature Film — Celine Song (Past Lives)

2023 Critics Choice Awards Nominations

One of the biggest critics groups (one that I hope to be a part of in the future) has released their nominations for their televised award show this year.  Check out what got nominated!

Best Picture

-American Fiction

-Barbie

-The Color Purple

-The Holdovers

-Killers of the Flower Moon

-Maestro

-Oppenheimer

-Past Lives

-Poor Things

-Saltburn

 

Best Actor

-Bradley Cooper (Maestro)

-Leonardo DiCaprio (Killers of the Flower Moon)

-Colman Domingo (Rustin)

-Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers)

-Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)

-Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction)

 

Best Actress

-Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon)

-Sandra Huller (Anatomy of a Fall)

-Greta Lee (Past Lives)

-Carey Mulligan (Maestro)

-Margot Robbie (Barbie)

-Emma Stone (Poor Things)

 

Best Supporting Actor

-Sterling K. Brown (American Fiction)

-Robert De Niro (Killers of the Flower Moon)

-Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer)

-Ryan Gosling (Barbie)

-Charles Melton (May December)

-Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things)

 

Best Supporting Actress

-Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer)

-Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple)

-America Ferrera (Barbie)

-Jodie Foster (Nyad)

-Julianne Moore (May December)

-Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers)

 

Best Young Actor/Actress

-Abby Ryder Forston (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret)

-Ariana Greenblatt (Barbie)

-Calah Lane (Wonka)

-Milo Machado Graner (Anatomy of a Fall)

-Dominic Sessa (The Holdovers)

-Madeleine Yuna Voyles (The Creator)

 

Best Acting Ensemble

-Air

-Barbie

-The Color Purple

-The Holdovers

-Killers of the Flower Moon

-Oppenheimer

 

Best Director

-Bradley Cooper (Maestro)

-Greta Gerwig (Barbie)

-Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things)

-Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)

-Alexander Payne (The Holdovers)

-Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon)

 

Best Original Screenplay

-Air

-Barbie

-The Holdovers

-Maestro

-May December

-Past Lives

 

Best Adapted Screenplay

-Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

-All of Us Strangers

-American Fiction

-Killers of the Flower Moon

-Poor Things

-Oppenheimer

 

Best Cinematography

-Maestro

-Barbie

-Killers of the Flower Moon

-Poor Things

-Saltburn

-Oppenheimer

 

Best Production Design

-Saltburn

-Oppenheimer

-Killers of the Flower Moon

-Barbie

-Poor Things

-Asteroid City

 

Best Editing

-Air

-Barbie

-Oppenheimer

-Poor Things

-Killers of the Flower Moon

-Maestro

 

Best Costume Design

-Barbie

-Wonka

-The Color Purple

-Poor Things

-Killers of the Flower Moon

-Napoleon

 

Best Hair and Makeup

-Barbie

-The Color Purple

-Maestro

-Oppenheimer

-Poor Things

-Priscilla

 

Best Visual Effects

-The Creator

-Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

-Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One

-Oppenheimer

-Poor Things

-Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

 

Best Comedy

-American Fiction

-Barbie

-Bottoms

-The Holdovers

-No Hard Feelings

-Poor Things

 

Best Animated Feature

-The Boy and the Heron

-Elemental

-Nimona

-Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

-Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

-Wish

 

Best Foreign Language Film

-Anatomy of a Fall

-Godzilla Minus One

-Society of the Snow

-The Taste of Things

-The Zone of Interest

 

Best Song

-“Dance the Night” (Barbie)

-“I’m Just Ken” (Barbie)

-“Peaches” (The Super Mario Bros Movie)

-“Road to Freedom” (Rustin)

-“This Wish” (Wish)

-“What Was I Made For” (Barbie)

 

Best Score

-Poor Things

-Society of the Snow

-Oppenheimer

-Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

-Killers of the Flower Moon

-Barbie

 

2023 Alaska Film Critics Association Award Winners

Already, another critics group has given out their awards, so let’s see what the Alaska Film Critics Association voted was the best of the best for 2023 in film.

 

Best Picture- — The Holdovers

Best Actor — Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers)

Best Actress — Sandra Huller (Anatomy of a Fall)

Best Supporting Actor — Paul Mescal (All of Us Strangers)

Best Supporting Actress — Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple)

Best Director — Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)

Best Screenplay — Barbie

Best Production Design — Barbie

Best Cinematography — The Holdovers

Best First Film —  Past Lives

Best Music — Barbie

Best Editing — Anatomy of a Fall

Best Animated Film — Nimona

“The Deep Sky” Book Review

General Information

Author – Yume Kitasei

Genre – Science Fiction

Publication Year – 2023

Synopsis – They left Earth to save humanity.  They’ll have to save themselves first.  It is the eve of Earth’s environmental collapse.  A single ship carries humanity’s last hope: eighty elite graduates of a competitive program, who will give birth to a generation of children in deep space.  But halfway to a distant but livable planet, a lethal bomb kills three of the crew and knocks The Phoenix off course.  Asuka, the only surviving witness, is an immediate suspect.

 

Review

For the Interstellar Book Club for the month of November, we chose the debut novel ‘The Deep Sky’ by Yumi Kitasei.  When one of the members of the book club said this was a thriller murder mystery with components of Among Us, I was immediately hooked.  And it turned out to be one of my favorite books of 2023.

 

Told from alternating timelines form Asuka, Earth is no longer as stable as it used to be, so EvanStar has taken a crew to travel to Planet X in hopes of saving the human race.  We see Asuka as a student training in the hopes of being selected to this elite crew aboard The Phoenix a decade in the making and during present day after launch.  After witnessing an explosion, she becomes responsible for trying to figure out what happened after three end up dead.

 

From the beginning, we are introduced to a fast-paced story that keeps you on your toes the entire time.  Everything is complete chaos after the explosion happens because it is discovered that this was not an accident.  The remaining crew members are now on edge as there is a murderer among them.  It goes from traditional science-fiction to thriller in a blink of an eye, and that is what keeps the story moving the entire time.

 

With the constant alternating between school-aged Asuka and her present role on their ship, we get to learn a lot about not just her but her friends and coworkers as they grew up.  You learn how their nationalities and sense of identity plays into their personalities.  Some are more competitive than others because countries are given a certain number of slots on the ship depending on how much they have decided to pay for.  The competition is already tough, but the slot number plus the boarding school setting brings out the worst in everyone, making each of these characters more compelling to dive into.

 

This novel has a stunning story on how complex it is to be a human.  How do you even evaluate what is important for survival when people can offer so much beyond the typical classroom setting?  That is explored in detail and really makes you think about what humanity needs to sustain a reliable future.  There is so much to love about people even though we see so much negativity but if you give everyone the chance to prove themselves they are going to not just survive but thrive.  The novel wanted to show how humanity can show its ugly side when there is competition, but in a time of crisis, everyone can bring something special to the table.

 

Overall, this novel has a fun story that turns into a thriller real quick with characters you can never stop questioning until the very end.