Lynn Venhaus

Total Post: 1287

Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.  She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.  She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women's and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle. She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.

Cast Adds Verve to Sci-Fi Action Thriller ‘The Tomorrow War’

Cast Adds Verve to Sci-Fi Action Thriller ‘The Tomorrow War’

By Lynn Venhaus
In the grand tradition of summer blockbusters, the action-packed sci-fi thriller “The Tomorrow War” arrives in the new world on the home screen – Amazon Prime, to be exact.

While these kinds of digital visual effects and high-octane combat sequences are best-suited for a large screen — remember “Independence Day” on the holiday weekend in 1996? – this ‘90s-throwback film will be a crowd-pleaser with the charming everyman Chris Pratt leading the way.

It’s Christmastime 2022, and during a televised world soccer game, a group of time travelers arrive from the year 2051 with an urgent message: Thirty years in the future mankind is losing a global war against deadly alien invaders. To save the human race, soldiers and civilians in present time are drafted to be transported to the future for seven-day duty.

Joining the fight are Pratt as family man and high school teacher Dan Forester, who teams up with a brilliant scientist from Romeo Command (Yvonne Strahovski) and other draftees to save the world and rewrite the fate of the past.

Pratt is naturally in his wheelhouse – a veteran soldier, now a loving husband and father and high school biology teacher, whose leadership skills bolster the impossible fight against these relentless “white spikes.”

The vicious teeth-and-tentacles enemies are swift beasts, designed like a multi-limbed puma/wild dog hybrid with reptile features, not unlike prehistoric creatures. Visually, they are disgusting, and when harmed, burst with icky goo oozing out. They aren’t all that original looking, and neither are the video-game effects.

Most of the ordinary humans are helpless against these hulking packs, who are everywhere. But not Pratt, the scientific military minds in the field – and his ragtag assortment of supporting characters.

The group he is attached to in training camp turns out to have interesting backstories and personalities to make their bond strong. Actors Sam Richardson, terrific as talkative Charlie, Edwin Hodge (Aldis’ brother) as tough but glum Dorian and sarcastic, anxious Norah (Mary Lynn Rajskub) become fierce fighters.

Ever-reliable Oscar winner J.K. Simmons, as Dan’s estranged father and a rogue techie, joins the group on a perilous mission – but that’s another subplot.

There are several plotlines going on – with significant twists – to keep the story humming, even if it resembles other sci-fi dystopian thrillers with similar villains. And despite the multiple threads, there is surprising emotional depth in a few characters.

Screenwriter Zach Dean, who wrote one of my favorite under-the-radar atypical thrillers called “Deadfall” in 2012, has mixed the explosions with a sturdier story, no matter how generic it looks.

Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski

However, it is still time travel, which always makes my head hurt, so it’s best not to think too hard about the back-and-forth jumping. When it gets too crazy in regular logic, just enjoy the performances.

Pratt, after starring in “Jurassic World” and “The Guardians of the Galaxy,” embodies both the brawny action hero dedicated to saving lives and the likable guy-next-door committed to his wife and daughter. He is more serious here than jaunty, but capable of shouldering the dilemmas.

Betty Gilpin portrays his wife with a furrowed brow, and the exceptional Ryan Kiera Armstrong, who played young Gloria Steinem in “The Glorias” and is in the new “Black Widow,” is impressive as daddy’s girl Muri, a whip-smart 8-year-old.

The women integral to the mission stand out — Yvonne Strahovski, Emmy nominee for “The Handmaid’s Tale,” is compelling as the brainy scientist racing against time, and Justine Matthews is forceful as officer-in-charge Lt. Hart.

Director Chris McKay, Emmy winner for “Robot Chicken” who helmed the delightful “The Lego Batman Movie,” confidently makes his live-action debut. He may seem an unlikely choice for such a big visual-effect extravaganza, but he has smoothly guided the action – and not at the sacrifice of story.

Composer Lorne Balfe, who has scored the recent “Mission Impossible” films and has specialized in tentpole action films, provides the requisite bombast.

While the film doesn’t stray from the usual archetype of doomsday adventures, there is a noticeable oomph that is unexpected. Sure, the movie checks all the boxes in the successful blockbuster formula but is unique enough to be worth a look during these pandemic times.

That certainly helps because it is a 2 hour and 20-minute commitment. But the cast is what elevates it beyond the same-old, same-old.

Jasmine Matthews

“The Tomorrow War” is an action sci-fi thriller directed by Chris McKay and stars Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson, Jasmine Mathews, Edwin Hodge and Ryan Kiera Armstrong.
Rated: PG-13 for some suggestive references/action/language/intense sci-fi violence, the run time is 2 hours, 20 minutes. Streaming on Amazon Prime starting July 2. Lynn’s Grade: B-

Powerful ‘Summer of Soul’ Celebrates Music at a 1969 Cultural Touchstone

Powerful ‘Summer of Soul’ Celebrates Music at a 1969 Cultural Touchstone

By Lynn Venhaus
Just 100 miles south of Woodstock, another music fair and similar Aquarian exposition took place in an urban enclave during the summer of 1969. We would not know about the Harlem Cultural Festival had Questlove not shared this historical record with us.

During that fateful summer, the Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park over the course of six weeks. It featured some of the biggest gospel, rhythm & blues, and pop stars of that era. The footage was never seen and largely forgotten – until now.

“Summer of Soul,” with the subtitle, “…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised,” takes us to church while teaching us about Black history, culture and fashion.

As the director, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson powerfully captures a time, an epic and electric event that meant so much to the peaceful crowd that came to share the universal language of music – changing the way we viewed the voices of our generation.

For some, it was a spiritual reckoning. For others, an example of the healing power of music, particularly at a time of great unrest.

Watching this with an audience, you will get your groove on – it’s hard not to feel the energy of Stevie Wonder, Sly & The Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The Fifth Dimension and the passion of Nina Simone, Hugh Masekela, Mavis Staples, and David Ruffin.

Between June 29 and Aug. 24, 1969, about 300,000 people attended the festival – young, old, families, couples, friends and neighbors.

This film won both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize in the Documentary competition at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. It is Questlove’s debut as a director, and he displays a keen sense of storytelling and appreciation for the history — you can’t have a movie set 52 years ago without giving some context. You may know Questlove as the bandleader of The Roots, Jimmy Fallon’s house band on “The Tonight Show” or from his work with “A Tribe Called Quest.”

The Vietnam War was raging, civil rights were being fought for, America was changing in its landscape and values. It was a time of great flux, but Questlove focuses on the strong sense of pride and unity among African Americans, now referring to themselves as Black.

The Fifth Dimension

 He captures those feelings in the personal reflections of people who were there – in the audience and the musicians on stage who are still living.

St. Louisans Marilyn McCoo, 77, and Billy Davis Jr., 83, talk about their struggles trying to fit in as The 5th Dimension. Their backstory about the band’s no. 1 hit in ’69 – “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” is one of the most interesting.

Questlove has gathered an eclectic group to serve as the ‘talking heads.’ There are modern entertainers – Chris Rock, Lin-Manuel Miranda and his activist father, Luis Miranda, plus actor-producer Musa Jackson and former New York Times reporter Charlayne Hunter-Gault, who beautifully frame the event by looking back – and what it means moving forward.

Above all, the film is a glorious celebration of music, as ebullient as the beaming faces in the crowd and those moved to dance, exuding such palpable joy.

“Summer of Soul” stands tall among a crowded field of recent outstanding music documentaries. You won’t soon forget what you learn and how you feel during the nearly two-hour run time.

“Summer of Soul” is a 2021 documentary directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. It is rated PG-13 for some disturbing images, smoking and brief drug material and runs 1 hour, 57 minutes. It is in theaters and streaming on Hulu beginning July 2. Lynn’s Grade: A

The Rep Triumphantly Returns with Bold and Powerful ‘Mlima’s Tale’

The Rep Triumphantly Returns with Bold and Powerful ‘Mlima’s Tale’

By Lynn Venhaus

A majestic and powerful African elephant, brutally killed for his ivory tusks, is an unforgettable central character – both in life and death — in the haunting fable, “Mlima’s Tale.”

Actor Kambi Gathesha is a towering figure, using his elegance and physicality to appear as the beautiful creature on the African savannas in a Kenyan game preserve. His hypnotic spirit remains in the afterlife.

A commanding, expressive presence for 85 minutes on a sparse stage at the Berges Theatre at COCA in University City, Gathesha guides us on his bounty’s path. It’s a dark and disturbing journey through the sinister world of the international, and illegal, ivory trade.

This is The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ first live presentation since the pandemic shut down its stages in March 2020 and was initially set for last year.

The regional premiere of Lynn Nottage’s engrossing work explores what price commerce and where the line is drawn, if it is at all.

Nottage, the celebrated playwright who has won two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama, for “Sweat” in 2017, set in a factory workers’ hangout in a company town in rustbelt Pennsylvania, and “Ruined,” from 2009, which is about sex slavery during a civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is to date the only woman to win twice.

Nottage’s dramatic storytelling unfolds poetically with Mlima, symbolizing the animal’s grandeur and fear, and uses her meticulous research to present African history, culture and tradition.

Then, she focuses on the unsavory poachers and smugglers, pointing fingers at those who profit from taking what isn’t theirs – including a complicated grid of government officials and black-market operatives. Nottage explains how and why it’s a big-money cutthroat business with such high stakes.

Imagine mother Africa. Its beauty. The regal wildlife. But greed and conspicuous consumption are driving the global economy, and opportunists are ready to pounce.

Special recognition must go to choreographer Kirven Douthit-Boyd, who created the graceful movements, and through Gathesha’s motion, depicts the horrific killing, by bow and poison arrow.

A small cast of four fills the space, with Ezioma Asonye, Will Mann and Joe Ngo each assuming 28 different characters, with Helen Huang’s costume design crucial to distinguishing who’s who in quick outfit changes. Their roles include Somali poachers, a police chief, a park warden, bureaucrat, Chinese businessman, ship captain and ivory carver – all in various shades of gray (morality-wise) – as we travel from Kenya to Beijing.

Their authenticity is further illustrated by the lyrical work of dialect coaches Barbara Rubin and Julie Foh, for the characters represent various countries.

Much is left to the imagination in this minimalistic production, but director Shariffa Ali has conjured up such potent, vivid imagery that connects it simply and beautifully. You feel Mlima’s magnificence (and just a note, “Mlima” means “mountain” in Swahili).

You-Shin Chen’s scenic design and Jasmine Lesane’s lighting design add to the impressionistic feel while the sound design and music score by Avi Amon enhanced the atmosphere.

Photo by Phillip Hamer

By humanizing Mlima’s plight, Nottage draws much needed attention to the exploitation of animals who should be protected, but people look the other way because they are driven by money, not conscience.

With heart-wrenching scenes and heartless people, “Mlima’s Tale” provoked both anger and tears.

“Mlima’s Tale” is presented May 28 through July 11 at the Berges Theatre at COCA, 6880 Washington Avenue in University City. For more information, visit www.repstl.org.

For audience and performer safety, theatre capacity will be kept at 25 percent, in line with the St. Louis County Department of Health’s COVID-19 guidelines. In addition, The Rep is adhering to its comprehensive plan to keep actors, production staff and patrons safe during the return to live theatre. ‘Mlima’s Tale’ is The Rep’s only performance from the 2020-2021 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Muny Announces Naming of Broadhurst Pavilion and Purina Plaza

The Muny Announces Naming of Broadhurst Pavilion and Purina Plaza

Following the previously announced acquisition of a $4 million gift from Barbara and Andrew Taylor in February of 2019, and the previously announced acquisition of a $2 million gift from Purina in February of 2020, both towards The Muny’s Second Century Capital Campaign, The Muny announced today the naming of the Broadhurst Pavilion and Purina Plaza, formerly known as the West Platform and West Lawn, respectively.

The Taylor’s gift, given in honor of their great niece and Muny Kid and Teen alumnae Allison Broadhurst, who began performing at The Muny in 2011, aided in the state-of-the-art renovation of the platform – the same platform where Broadhurst spent many summers. Recently completed pavilion renovations include enhanced lighting, large-scale fans, a new dance floor with an operational turntable, the first of its kind in North America, landscaping and updates to the prop storage warehouse located directly beneath the pavilion.

Located adjacent to Purina Plaza, the pavilion will be utilized not only for rehearsals, but also as a performance stage for The Muny Kids and Teens showcases and private preshow events. In the off-season, the Broadhurst Pavilion will serve as a gathering space for community events, including Earth Day, the African Arts Film Festival and private events.

Purina’s gift aided in a complete renovation of The Muny’s West Lawn. Nestled in the northwest corner of the campus, Purina Plaza features a small performance stage to showcase local talent, art installations, versatile photo opportunities, game areas and lush landscaping. The Purina Plaza will serve as a dynamic, community-focused preshow space where patrons can gather for meals, entertainment and recreation throughout the season.

Ali-Hogan-Amelia-and-Lee-Broughton-Jo-Ann-Kindle-Chrissy-Andy-and-Barbara-Taylor-Grace-Broughton-Allison-Melinda-Bo-and-Benjamin-Broadhurst

Both spaces were revealed to a small group on June 19 at a private event hosted at the pavilion and plaza. In attendance, were members of the Taylor and Broadhurst families, including Barbara, Andrew, Allison, and her parents Bo and Melinda Broadhurst, and Nestlé Purina PetCare Chairman Joe Sivewright, Nestlé Purina PetCare President and CEO Nina Leigh Krueger, with remarks from Muny Board Chairman and Second Century Capital Campaign Chairman James S. Turley, Muny President and CEO Denny Reagan, Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson, Muny Managing Director Kwofe Coleman and Allison.

The event included inaugural Broadhurst Pavilion performances by The Muny Teens and Tony Award nominee and Muny favorite Taylor Louderman, a turntable demonstration, a ribbon cutting and a surprise appearance by a member of the Purina Incredible Dog Team.

“With the generous support of Barbara and Andy Taylor, and Purina, the west side of our campus has undergone an incredible, much-needed transformation,” said Muny President and CEO Denny Reagan. “The Broadhurst Pavilion is now a state-of-the-art rehearsal, performance and gathering space that will allow artists boundless tools to create and special events to shine. Its neighbor, the Purina Plaza, is the intersection of art and nature that makes for the perfect preshow area for friends, family and community members to gather before catching a Muny show.”

“Allison gave us a first-hand look at the immense effort and time it takes to put on a Muny production. After her wonderful experience as a Muny Kid and Teen, we knew we wanted to honor her through The Muny’s Second Century Capital Campaign,” said Barbara and Andrew Taylor. “We are thrilled to see the immeasurable creativity this renovated rehearsal space will provide for future generations of Muny performers.”

“The Muny is such an iconic part of this city, and as a fellow institution that has called St. Louis home for more than 100 years, we’re thrilled to be part of the exciting updates and renovations to this civic treasure,” said Joe Sivewright, Chairman of Nestlé Purina PetCare. “We can’t wait to enjoy the new Purina Plaza with our families and friends, as well as the rest of the Muny’s patrons before the great performances to come this season and beyond.”

To give, or for more information regarding The Muny’s Second Century Capital Campaign, please visit muny.org/secondcentury.

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The Muny’s mission is to enrich lives by producing exceptional musical theatre, accessible to all, while continuing its remarkable tradition in Forest Park. As the nation’s largest outdoor musical theatre, we produce world-class musicals each year and welcome over 350,000 theatregoers over our summer season. Celebrating 103 seasons in St. Louis, The Muny remains one of the premier institutions in musical theatre.

For more information about The Muny, visit muny.org

Dance the Vote to Appear at ‘Deadline for Democracy’ Rally July 1

Dance the Vote to Appear at ‘Deadline for Democracy’ Rally July 1

Because there have been a historic number of anti-voting bills recently introduced at the state level and in some states, passed into law, groups throughout the U.S. are participating in various activities called ‘Deadline for Democracy’ in the next two weeks in support of the For the People Act, now under consideration in Congress, and preserving voting rights.

Missouri has some of the worst voter suppression in the country. 

. A rally downtown St. Louis will take place on Thursday, July 1, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Kiener Plaza Park, which will feature remarks from Missouri State Rep. Peter Merideth, Dr. Sara Kenzior, Wesley Bell, Denise Lieberman, among others. There will be an ASL interpreter for all speakers.

The rally will open with a community dance led by Ashley L. Tate and Thomas Proctor of Ashleyliane Dance Company called ‘Dancing for Democracy’ for Dance the Vote.

With eight out of ten Americans supporting more access to voting, regardless of party affiliations, Dance the Vote, a non-partisan voting advocacy group, will join with over 30 groups nationwide in the Deadline for Democracy grassroots effort.

In St. Louis, the event is sponsored by the Indivisible Missouri Coalition — includes Indivisible St. Louis, Indivisible Pulaski County, Indivisible Heart of The Ozarks, Indivisible Take Action Now, Indivisible SEMO, Indivisible We Will Persist, Small Deeds Done, Dance The Vote, Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, and Ashleyliane Dance Company.

At the state level, there have been 389 bills introduced in 48 states that would restrict a person’s voting access as of May 14, 2021 according to the Brennan Center.

From 6-6:20 pm, DTV will offer a free community dance class called “Dancing for Democracy” led by Ashley L Tate and Thomas Proctor of Ashleyliane Dance Company featuring favorites like the Electric Slide, the Wobble, the Cupid Shuffle and more. Everyone is welcome, regardless of age or dance experience.

This will be followed by several confirmed speakers:  authoritarian scholar, writer and anthropologist Dr Sarah Kendzior, Attorney Denise Lieberman of the non-partisan state wide organization Missouri Voter Protection Coalition and St Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell.  Additional speakers may be added.

Postcards will be available for signing and the St Louis Voter Registration Group will be registering people to vote.

“Missouri has some of the most restrictive legislation in the country, blocking access to our most fundamental democratic right,” said Joan Lipkin, the founder of Dance the Vote. “The For the People Act would end gerrymandering, allow universal access to vote by mail, expand early voting requirements, restore the right to vote for people with felony convictions who have served their time, modernize voter registration systems and institute automatic voter registration. It is essential that it be passed.”

Who:      Dance the Vote, Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, Indivisible St Louis

What:     Deadline for Democracy: Rally for S1 For The People Act

Date:      Thursday, July 1

Where:   Kiener Plaza Park

                500 Chestnut St.

                St. Louis, MO 63101

Time:     6-8 PM CDT

Details:   Further Details and RSVP can be found here:                                                                          https://act.indivisible.org/event/local-actions/163030/signup/

About Dance the Vote:

Dance the Vote is a non-partisan project that uses the arts to promote voter awareness and registration. Founded in 2016 by theatre artist and activist Joan Lipkin in collaboration with activist designer Anne Taussig, voter registration specialist Sabrina Tyuse and choreographer Ashley L. Tate, DTV raises public awareness by utilizing dance, video, graphics, music and spoken word.

Programming is based on various themes of the voting experience, including the experiences of African-Americans, women, people with disabilities, college students and immigrants around voting, voting rights, voter suppression, among other themes.  This project brings together local as well as artists nationwide who creatively seek to make a difference by promoting voter awareness and getting eligible voters registered and committed to vote.

In 2016, the project was presented at Vintage Vinyl, St, Louis Black Pride and Left Bank Books, and the 2018 midterm performance at the Missouri History Museum attracted an audience of 1200. The 2020 season was virtual due to Covid-19, with 10 episodes of commissioned pieces from artists around the country, and also included participation in Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy, the national special on voting produced by CBS and Global Citizen. Dance the Vote also collaborated with Webster University to sponsor a contest for college students using a variety of arts media called “Make Good Trouble: Why John Lewis Inspires Me To Vote’’ for which they awarded cash prizes.

Dance the Vote has received several awards, including an IDEA Award for commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility, a 2021 FOCUS What’s Right With the Region Award for Fostering Creativity for Social Change, an award in the 2021 St. Louis Magazine A List for Moving Democracy, and both a mayoral and aldermanic proclamation declaring Dance The Vote Voter Registration Day in the city of St. Louis.

For more info, contact Joan.Lipkin@gmail.com or see www.dancethevotestl.org

About Ashleyliane Dance Company:

Ashleyliane Dance Company (ADC) is a professional performance organization under the artistic direction of Ashley L. Tate, with a mission to cultivate diverse repertory, create safe educational spaces, and a vision to promote the intersection of dance and social issues.

Since its inception in 2007, ADC has performed at a plethora of major events and private engagements, including but not limited to: the Muny, Fair St. Louis, First Night, Loop in Motion, Dancing in the Street, Casino Queen, Four Seasons Hotel and The

Pageant. ADC has been featured on Fox 2 News,”Best of the STL” on STL TV, Show Me St. Louis, HEC-TV, and the Nine Network and in Alive Magazine and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The company has produced a number of dance concerts at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA), Ivory Theatre, and Missouri History Museum, Edison Theatre, and The Grandel.  They have also been invited to perform at the Dance Chicago Festival, the American College Dance Association Convention, the University of Illinois-Chicago, the Chicago Choreographers’ Carnival, Peridance Capezio Center, TADA! Theater, and Baruch Performing Arts Center in New York City, as well as the 18th St. Arts Center in Santa Monica, California and Gordon Gamm Theater in Boulder, Colorado. 

ADC is a proud resident organization of the Kranzberg Arts Foundation.

About Indivisible:

Indivisible is a movement driven by a vision of a real democracy of, by, and for the people. The Indivisible movement is a network of thousands of local groups and millions of activists across every state working to build an inclusive democracy by fighting for bold, progressive policies and creating lasting grassroots power. 

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Indivisible St. Louis is a grassroots group dedicated to the pursuit of justice, equity, and progress for all. They are a registered chapter of Indivisible (www.indivisibleguide.com) committed to promoting, encouraging, and facilitating constituent contact with members of Congress to help move a progressive agenda forward.

‘False Positive’ Fumbles The Ending in a Disappointing Thriller

‘False Positive’ Fumbles The Ending in a Disappointing Thriller

By Lynn Venhaus
With comparisons to a modern-day “Rosemary’s Baby,” expectations were heightened for “False Positive,” but whatever sinister vibe this psychological thriller wanted to build up in its first two-thirds, badly falls apart with a preposterous ending.

Fantasy and fiction collide in a disturbing way as an affluent young couple go through a first pregnancy that we already know is not going to end well because of the first scene, a flash forward. How they get there isn’t convincing either, although there are strong moments and good performances.

Ilana Glazer, best known for the comedy “Broad City,” plays a rising marketing specialist working for a boutique ad agency in Manhattan. She wants a baby but after two years of trying, she and her husband Adrian (Justin Theroux), a reconstructive surgeon, haven’t been able to conceive. His mentor in med school, Dr. John Hindle, is a fertility doctor who can work miracles, he tells his wife.

They will have a happy ending, they’re told. As the pompous doctor with a raging God complex, Pierce Brosnan deliciously chews the scenery. He clearly enjoys embracing the arrogance the role demands – and there’s something unsettling about how cheerful his assistants are, especially Nurse Dawn (Gretchen Mol). Shades of “The Stepford Wives”!

As if getting pregnant weren’t complicated enough, Lucy sets out to uncover the unsettling truth about her smarmy doctor and she starts to suspect her husband may be complicit

The script by Glazer and her “Broad City” writing partner John Lee, who also directed, is best as pointing out the anxiety and fears expectant mothers have, as well as how motherhood is viewed in the workplace.

While it’s believable that the hormonal Lucy would have concerns and we see that her intuition isn’t too far off – we only get her point of view. We don’t know much about Adrian and Theroux has little to work with or convey.

When Lucy begins having weird dreams –some presented as fantasies, which are mixed in with a nightmarish reality, it’s hard to keep straight what is just her imagination and what might have really happened.

Because we already have unanswered questions, that jagged tone doesn’t help in establishing her as a sympathetic character. She is trying to convince others she is not crazy when she does, in fact, seem delusional.

When it’s revealed that she is pregnant with twin boys and a single girl fetus, selective reduction is recommended – although she goes against the doctor’s suggestion to keep the boys, because she desperately wants a girl, to be named Wendy, a nod to her cherished late mother, who read her “Peter Pan.”

Pierce Brosnan as Dr. John Hindle

From the bizarre birth scene to the film’s ludicrous conclusion, we are expected to accept all these outlandish outcomes and absurd actions. It becomes so far removed from logic, why should we believe any of it?

The once-promising film devolves into a pathetic, icky, brutal bloodbath that can best be described as nonsense.

It’s run time is only 92 minutes, and the ending feels too abrupt, so they could have taken some more time in making it credible.

This is the kind of film that I wanted to really like, especially its points about modern moms. It had me, and then it lost me.

“False Positive” is a psychological thriller-horror film directed by John Lee and starring Ilana Glazer, Justin Theroux, Pierce Brosnan, Gretchen Mol and Josh Hamilton. It is rated R for disturbing/bloody images, sexual content, graphic nudity and language and has a run-time of 1 hour, 32 minutes. It begins streaming on Hulu starting June 25. Lynn’s Grade: C

The Voices of Two Literary Titans Come to Life in ‘Truman and Tennessee’ Documentary

The Voices of Two Literary Titans Come to Life in ‘Truman and Tennessee’ Documentary

:By Lynn Venhaus
The brilliant work, troubled lives and unique personal journeys of two titans of American literature – Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams — are explored in the revealing “Truman and Tennessee; An Intimate Conversation.”

Truman Capote and Williams were gay Southerners who achieved life-changing literary success around the same time, in the late 1940s. As this illuminating documentary shows, they were friends – and rivals – for 40 years. They reveal truths about each other in conversations captured here.

Their professional and personal lives were fascinating, caught the attention of the glitterati in the 1950s and 1960s, and influenced generations, despite crippling addictions that tragically resulted in their deaths.

Because of their inner turmoil, there is a haunting melancholy to their appearances on talk shows – with the erudite hosts Dick Cavett and David Frost, shown here.

Director Lisa Immordino Vreeland has taken an innovative approach to sharing a wealth of archival material, focusing on typewritten and hand-written pages, old photographs, magazine excerpts and selected scenes from their movie adaptations.

“A Streetcar Named Desire,” “The Glass Menagerie,” “Sweet Bird of Youth,” “The Rose Tattoo,” “Suddenly, Last Summer” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” are among the Tennessee Williams’ films. Capote’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “In Cold Blood” are shown, featuring interesting backstories.

To add a heightened reality to their personal letters and journals, Vreeland enlisted actors Jim Parsons (Capote) and Zachary Quinto (Williams) to interpret Truman and Tennessee’s wit, wisdom and flair for the dramatic.

Parsons and Quinto, while most famous for their screen work, have had successful appearances on Broadway, notably together in the Tony-winning play revival of “The Boys in the Band.” Using just the right tone and cadence, they infuse this work with an emotional resonance and demonstrate how both authors wrote like they talked, with their distinct voices.

Capote and Williams’ cultural impact is emphasized, and while the dual portraits are informative, what is lacking is some perspective. Adding other talking heads would have been beneficial in establishing their place in the 20th century.

Capote, who was born in New Orleans but moved to Alabama when he was 2, and Williams, who was born in Mississippi but moved to St. Louis when he was 8, were impacted by lonely childhoods and the places they lived.

The documentary isn’t long – 86 minutes, but the wealth of material covered is indeed impressive. And revisiting these gifted men’s most memorable works is a rather satisfying undertaking.

“Truman and Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation” is a documentary
directed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland.
It has voice work by Jim Parsons and Zachary Quinto. The film is not rated and has a run time of 1 hour and 26 minutes. The film is available for viewing at www.kinomarquee.com, through Kino Lorber. It opened at Plaza Frontenac Cinema on June 25 for a week.

Lynn’s Grade: B

Iliza Shlesinger Turns Bad Romance Into Comedy ‘Good on Paper’

Iliza Shlesinger Turns Bad Romance Into Comedy ‘Good on Paper’

By Lynn Venhaus
After years of putting her career first, a stand-up comic meets a guy who seems perfect: smart, nice, successful. Could he possibly be too good to be true?.

In the pantheon of all-time bad romances, comedian Iliza Shlesinger has a doozy to share. And as artists like to do, she has mined what happened to her for laughs.

The very funny lady is the only woman and youngest contestant, at age 25, to win NBC’s reality-competition show “Last Comic Standing,” in 2008, Since then, she has been a game show host, written comedy specials and acted in TV shows and movies, including last year’s “Spenser Confidential” and “Pieces of a Woman.”

In “Good on Paper,” she plays someone closest to resembling herself: Andrea, a comic who has focused on her career. The narrative is edited to include parts of her stand-up act, but as the character, working the comedy clubs.

Living in Los Angeles, she is auditioning for film and television roles but not having much luck and is getting angsty. She meets Dennis (Ryan Hansen) at the airport, and coincidentally, he sits next to her on the flight back home. Soon, he has ingratiated himself into her life.

Dennis, while not exactly her type physically, seems attentive and always there for her. He is a bit dorky but appears to talk a good game. He said he is in hedge fund management, a Yale graduate and recently bought a house in Beverly Hills. None of that is true – and in fact, most everything he says is a lie.

When she finds herself ‘catfished’ – or in her words, ‘cuddlefished,’ and everything starts to unravel, she and her pal, bar owner Margot, wonderfully played by comedian Margaret Cho, focus on a mission to expose his deceit.

The movie gets a bit wobbly in the resolution, but in the final act, there is a twist that enlivens this incredulous account up. Hansen excels at portraying a duplicitous dweeb. He’s certainly got some explaining to do.

Director Kimmy Gatewood astutely plums some indignities that women in a traditionally male-dominated field must endure. The crackerjack timing of Cho and Shlezinger helps propel the story considerably.

With her knack for recognizing universal truths among women, particularly when it comes to guys, Shlesinger has turned her painful reality into a relatable and amusing romantic comedy.

Rebecca Rittenhouse is in fine support as a lovable actress, Serrena, who is the flavor of the month with casting directors. Naturally, she drives the insecure Andrea crazy with jealousy.

While Dennis’ red flags become easy to spot, the best bits are not from his ruse – but the career hurdles Andrea faces trying to make it in showbiz. Now that would make a terrific series, like Pete Holmes did in “Crashing” on HBO.

Iliza Shlesinger, Margaret Cho, Rebecca Rittenhouse in “Good on Paper”

Shlesinger, who has already proven that she is a likeable performer who has something to say, is able to showcase all her talents as a writer, stand-up comic and actress in “Good on Paper.”

“Good on Paper” is a 2021 romantic comedy based on a true story by writer Iliza Shlesinger. She stars in the film, as does Ryan Hansen, Margaret Cho and Rebecca Rittenhouse. Directed by Kimmy Gatewood, the film is rated R for language throughout, sexual references, and brief drug use and nudity, and runs 1 hour, 32 minutes. Streaming on Netflix starting June 23. Lynn’s Grade: B.

Impassioned Doc ‘LFG’ Makes Plea for Equal Pay For Women’s Soccer Team

Impassioned Doc ‘LFG’ Makes Plea for Equal Pay For Women’s Soccer Team

By Lynn Venhaus
Three months before the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, on March 8 (International Women’s Day), all 28 players of the U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team filed a class-action gender discrimination lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation.

“LFG” is about the legal battle and features interviews with players Megan Rapinoe, Jessica McDonald, Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelley O’Hara, Sam Mewis and Christen Press, among others, and their attorneys and representatives.

In this hard-hitting documentary, the U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team gives their side of the inflammatory story on their legal fight for equal pay that is considered one of the most important women’s rights issues for athletes since Title IX.

Mixed in with their accomplishments on the playing field – four World Cups (Men 0)  and four Olympic medals — are what happens regarding their case from March 2019 to March 2020, with legal updates through March 2021.

Directed by the Oscar-winning husband-and-wife team of Andrea Nix Fine, who also wrote the screenplay, and Sean Fine, who was the cinematographer too, the movie showcases the players’ boundless energy, unflinching courage and their tenacity about fighting for social change.

This inside look at the pressures of being world-class athletes, the physical and mental demands of their sport and their commitment to each other is compelling.

Their arguments are passionately presented – and they respond to their critics through optimum performance.

Whatever their secret sauce is that makes them extraordinary is exemplified through their character, and their strength is remarkable – as is their deep-rooted loyalty to each other. We have seen how resourceful they are as players and now we see how much integrity they have as people.

Considered game-changers, these women compete with both their heads and hearts. On camera, their belief in themselves and each other comes through – and with candid clarity. They are frank, articulate and not afraid to express how they really feel.

Of course, this documentary is pointedly in the women’s favor. The directors, who won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject in 2012 for “Innocente,” take an in-your-face approach to the story. They start the film off by saying no one in the U.S. Soccer Federation agreed to an on-air interview.

Using tight close-ups of the players as fervent talking heads, this allows viewers to connect with the players on a very personal level.

They use high-energy music by a female band called Barn Owl, which feels contemporary and urgent.

Through their editing, they show the players’ impact on future generations, and the final montage of devoted little girls honing their ball skills solidifies the impact they are striving for – it is these children that will benefit from the changes they seek.

“It’s so much bigger than this group of people,” said Molly Levinson, the communications director for the women’s team. “We have a lot to lose if we don’t succeed.”

As in all documentaries, the use of archival footage and many newspaper clippings and media cut-outs helps fortify their position.

Lead attorney Jeffrey Kessler and co-counsel Cardella Spangler make convincing arguments. They stress the disparity between the men’s and women’s players and set the record straight on facts and figures. The women must win many more games and tournaments to come close to earning what the guys do, yet still receive less pay per match.

The players acknowledge naivety regarding the U.S. Soccer Federation’s attempts to do right.

When President Carlos Cordeiros said: “We hear you, we believe in you,” they thought agreeing to fair and equitable pay would follow. After all, fans got behind the team. But the executives did not take responsibility and hired lobbyists to fight the team.

Then came the unfortunate statement that biologically, women were inferior to men.

That touched off a firestorm that they had to walk balk. The lack of respect irked the players, who dug in. They wonder have women been brainwashed to be grateful for the basics?

The gender arguments will get under any woman’s skin, no matter what occupation. It’s inevitable.

Because of the pandemic, there have been delays, but the saga continues. A judge rejected the unequal pay claims part of the lawsuit, now in appeal. The movie fills everyone in as much as possible on what has transpired.

Their fight is not over, and their rallying cry continues. Most of the team will play in the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics. LFG! And about that title — it’s for “Let’s (Expletive Deleted) Go!”

Jessica McDonald

The documentary premiered at the recent Tribeca Film Festival and is now available on HBO Max. However, it is co-produced by CNN Films, so expect it to land there at some point.

“LFG” is a documentary co-directed by Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine. It’s rated TV-MA, for language, and runs 1 hour, 44 minutes. Lynn’s Grade: B

Nature Gets Its Revenge in Eerie South African Horror-Fantasy ‘Gaia’

Nature Gets Its Revenge in Eerie South African Horror-Fantasy ‘Gaia’

By Lynn Venhaus

A revenge horror-fantasy where the natural world has the upper hand, “Gaia” has much to say about mistreatment of the earth.

The title comes from Greek mythology — Gaia is the ancestral mother of all life.

On a surveillance mission in a primordial forest, an injured Gabi (Monique Rockman) is rescued by two survivalists who adhere to a post-apocalyptic lifestyle. She has lost contact with her partner Winston (Anthony Oseyemi) as she searches for a disabled drone.

The renegade father Barend (Carel Nel) and obedient son Stefan (Alex Van Dyk) have a mysterious relationship with nature and seem to follow their own religion. But this female forest ranger discovers there is a greater threat in the wilderness than the philosophical rants of an off-the-grid dad.

Set in South Africa, director Jaco Bouwer builds suspense with a sure hand. A foreboding sense of dread permeates every frame, and grotesque creatures who can viciously attack people, leading to strange outcomes, creates a frightful mood.

Because of her unfamiliarity with the terrain and lack of preparation, tough Gabi’s every move, every step outside the primitive cabin is met with trepidation. Even when the story is murky, the atmosphere sustains the terror, whether seen or unseen.

The technical crew work is superb. Yet, the film ultimately fumbles because of some half-baked notions and unclear motivation that should have been rectified to maintain the momentum.

The screenplay by Tertius Kapp makes points about science and divinity but veers in such weird trippy directions that we rarely have a firm grasp on the plot’s intentions. Do the fever dreams materialize into reality or stay in fantasy?

Stefan’s crush on Gabi, and her growing attachment to the teenage boy, is rather unsettling, and just what are the father-and-son’s intentions?

All three main characters do a good job in portraying their conflicted natures – with Monique Rockman’s doubt and suspicion as realistic as Carel Nel’s explosive temper revealed in his rambling manifestos. The former chemical engineer appears to hide too many secrets, especially about what happened to his wife. The son’s lack of experience in civilization is obvious.

While the always present danger in the form of icky screeching marauders who come out at night to hunt, using sound (sound familiar?), is disturbing, the characters’ inner turmoil adds another layer to the creepy vibe.

Because of the old-growth forest and illusion that not much has been disturbed, the crisp sound design by Tim Pringle is crucial, and the music score by Pierre-Henri Wicomb escalates the anxiety.

However, the visuals are the real stars here. The make-up and special effects departments create elaborate and bizarre ecological growth after people are infected — but the contagion threat is not explained.

Jorrie van der Walt and Film Initiative Africa won the ZEISS Cinematography Award at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival in mid-March, and his work is exceptional contrasting light and darkness in the Tsitsikamma Forest along South Africa’s coast.

The amount of detail is captivating. Rocco Pool’s production design creates believable scenarios in several worlds.

Yet, it’s the lack of satisfying answers to the growing number of questions we ponder that let us down in the end. Still, the unusual topic and its other-worldly setting engage in mysterious ways. It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.

Carel Nel as survivalist father

“Gaia” is a 2021 horror-thriller directed by Jaco Bouwer and starring Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Alex Van Dyk and Anthony Oseyemi
Rated R for some violence and bloody images, sexual content, nudity and language, its run time is 1 hour, 36 minutes. Lynn’s Grade: B-. It premiered at the SXSW Festival in March. In theaters on June 18 and available Video on Demand June 25.