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June Squibb And Erin Kellyman Excel In Scarlett Johansson’s Shaky Feature Debut ‘Eleanor the Great’

By Alex McPherson

Even a top form June Squibb can’t quite save director Scarlett Johansson’s “Eleanor the Great,” a dramedy that can’t reconcile its disparate tones.

Johannson’s directorial debut stars the 94-year-old Squibb as Eleanor Morgenstein, a snarky Jewish widow sharing an apartment in a Florida retirement complex with her best friend, Bessie (Rita Zohar). The two are happy together, with Eleanor finding particular enjoyment in nagging the neighborhood “youths” with her bubbly-faced, acerbic wit.

In quieter moments, though, Bessie battles inner demons and trauma. Bessie, also a widow, is haunted by her experience during the Holocaust, sometimes sharing harrowing stories of death and survival with Eleanor that she has never told anyone else. This delayed “catharsis” clearly eats away at her.

When Bessie dies unexpectedly, Eleanor is, understandably, deeply shaken. She moves back in with her divorced, perpetually stressed daughter Lisa (Jessica Hecht) and grandson Max (Will Price) in their small New York apartment.

Besides mercilessly judging Lisa from the get-go, Eleanor’s loneliness rapidly creeps in, and she feels adrift without Bessie by her side. Lisa signs Eleanor up for a senior’s social group at the local Jewish community center, hoping to get her out of the apartment and help her make new connections.

Things get wonky when Eleanor accidentally wanders into a support group for Holocaust survivors and, impulsively, decides to claim Bessie’s experiences as her own. Eleanor gets the attention of NYU journalism student Nina (Erin Kellyman), who sits in on the support group hoping to write a story for class and connect with her own Jewish roots. She quickly decides that Eleanor would be the perfect person to center for her article.

Nina is also grieving her mother who recently passed away. She’s currently living in an apartment with her news reporter father, Roger (a typically excellent Chiwetel Ejiofor), who has grown increasingly distant since the loss.

Despite some initial reluctance, Eleanor sparks up a friendship with Nina, and the two grow close. Eleanor’s lie gives Nina the chance to grapple with her own grief, and find solidarity with a pseudo-parental figure.

But as Eleanor continues this falsehood of being a Holocaust survivor, it’s only a matter of time until the truth is revealed. Eleanor’s connections and newfound sense of belonging are in serious jeopardy.

But not all that much jeopardy. As it turns out, Johansson’s film is content to bring up thorny topics of truth, love, aging, and trauma without fully exploring them, awkwardly positioning its “‘Dear Evan Hansen’ for the Holocaust” thread alongside a lighthearted story of intergenerational friendship.

The former almost seems too much for Johansson and screenwriter Tory Kamen to handle; they refuse to reckon with the darker implications of Eleanor’s lie and the effects it has on those who believe her. “Eleanor the Great” ultimately eschews true introspection for a schmaltzy resolution that sands down ambiguity for the sake of convenience. Still, there’s enough impactful performances and wry humor to hold mild interest.

Squibb, coming off the heels of last year’s sleeper hit “Thelma,” carries most of Johansson’s film, punchily delivering Eleanor’s barbed insults and judgy asides in another strong late-career performance. She also embodies how Eleanor’s lie gradually eats away at her and her gradual recognition of how it represents her own grief.

Squibb’s commanding, confident screen presence, “innocence” belying impulsion and cynicism, anchors even the most over-explanatory dialogue from Kamen’s screenplay — if only “Eleanor the Great” had trusted Squibb further to convey Eleanor’s inner concerns in a more subtle fashion rather than having both Eleanor and other characters bluntly spell them out for us.

Kellyman holds her own alongside Squibb, bringing fresh-faced energy and deep wells of grief, with Johansson’s unobtrusive, albeit bland direction and Kamen’s gentle screenplay believably selling the characters’ friendship.

It’s in these moments — where Eleanor imparts worldly wisdom to Nina, and the two of them explore New York City together — where “Eleanor the Great” shines as the uplifting film it could have been without the baggage of its darker elements.

It’s not that Johansson and Kamen shouldn’t be commended for attempting to explore such a weighty topic as the Holocaust, but “Eleanor the Great” too often remains stuck in an inter-genre limbo that never figures out what it wants to be.

Yes, it’s admirable that Johansson cast real-life survivors of the Holocaust for Bessie and the support group. Yes, scenes where Zohar recounts Bessie’s history (through flashback) are raw and gripping, particularly in the film’s final stretch.

But “Eleanor the Great” lets Eleanor herself off the hook too easily, particularly in its predictable generalizations about grief’s many different forms, leaving the more ambiguous consequences of Eleanor’s decisions to viewers’ imaginations.

The tonal whiplash is striking, prompting off-kilter vibes that “Eleanor the Great” can’t shake. Squibb and Kellyman make a dynamic pair, though, and the film’s rickety yet ultimately familiar shape makes it a passable enough, not “great,” time at the movies.

“Eleanor the Great” is a 2025 drama film directed by Scarlett Johansson and starring June Squibb, Erin Kellyman, Rita Zohar, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. It is 1 hour, 38 minutes, and rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some language, and suggestive references. It opens in theatres Sept. 26. Alex’s grade: B-.

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Featured New Jewish Theatre News Reviews Theatre
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9 min read

Performers Dig Deep in Affecting, Heartfelt Work in NJT ‘The Wanderers’

By Lynn Venhaus

What is the cost of truth? And how will you pay for your own truth if it’s at the expense of another person’s goals?

In the engrossing drama “The Wanderers,” two married Jewish couples, from different time periods and circumstances, must navigate what exactly society’s social structure on togetherness means to them.

In the current New Jewish Theatre production, all the couple’s work is revelatory, and the execution is masterful. Their stories intertwine in interesting ways.

In the 1970s, Esther and Schmuli are Orthodox Jews who must follow a strict set of Hasidic Judaism rules, and their rigid roles as husband and wife are set, no variations in the Satmar community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

They have married the old-fashioned way – a business transaction made by their parents, with love not in that equation. However, they are very family-focused in their beliefs.

*Bryce Miller and Jade Cash as Schmuli and Esther. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

In exceptional nuanced performances, Jade Cash as the curious Esther and Bryce Miller as the conservative husband Schmuli are raising two daughters. Esther’s best friend has married for love, a man outside her faith and race, and they seem perfectly happy in their secular lifestyle.

While Esther learns more about the forbidden outside world, she’s intrigued by the personal freedoms she witnesses. Bound by the constraints of their religion, Esther is increasingly restless.

She’d love to go to school, become a librarian – and listen to pop music on the radio while she’s finishing chores. Meanwhile, she gives birth to a son, and that changes their family dynamic.

She will soon learn the cost of yearning. And Esther’s plight is gut-wrenching, for she will have hell to pay, all because she dared to dream of becoming a better version of herself. Cash, who is getting more impressive with each new role, tugs at our heartstrings as she questions the old ways.

*Bryce Miller and Jade Cash in Albany, New York. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

Schmuli is challenged, too, because he follows traditions, no discussion, no questions. He is worried about unfavorable opinions and family scandals. He’s caught in a cultural war and battle for identity that he doesn’t understand.

Miller, who immerses himself as the devout head of household, conveys Schmuli’s faith authentically. In his loneliness, he becomes conflicted, and attempts to grasp changing male-female roles.

In the alternating contemporary story (2010s, gentrified Williamsburg), the other couple, Abe and Sophie, don’t necessarily practice their faith but send their children to Hebrew School. They are not rule-followers, per se, but the couple, writers by profession, attempt to raise their children in a traditional yet modern family.

*Wendy Renee Greenwood and Joel Moses. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

As they traverse a challenging emotional and spiritual landscape, neither Sophie nor Abe can let go of the past. Wendy Renee Greenwood gives a devastating performance as a wife, mother, daughter and writer who is holding her family together after facing numerous disappointments. She struggles with unfulfilled dreams and a widening gulf between her husband and her identity. Is never being satisfied going to be her destiny, just like Esther’s?

Her husband Abe, a more successful writer with a Pulitzer Prize and two National Book Awards, is tempted through an email relationship with a beautiful movie star. It starts harmless enough, as dreamgirl Julia Cheever came to a book reading of his. Flattered by that, he takes off into Abe-land when she sends him an email.

Maggie Wininger is luminous as the charismatic actress who has her own insecurities and personal issues while she practices her craft, deals with failures and successes, and tries to juggle everything for life balance. Think Julia Roberts, that kind of screen presence and popularity.

*Joel Moses and Maggie Wininger read their emails to each other. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

Joel Moses, as is typical, immerses himself in a rollercoaster journey involving growth, grief, self-doubts, emotional infidelity, and lack of effort to be present for his wife and two children.

Abe is gregarious, intelligent, conflicted and increasingly lost. Why can’t he see what he has and not what he hasn’t? When he crosses a line, can he go back and correct the mistakes he’s made?

Director Robert Quinlan brings out the intricacies between these couples and the ties that bind them – their family, heritage, dreams, desires and society mores.

He’s established these different worlds on opposite ends of a runway type set, with functional and efficient scenic design by Reiko Huffman, one of remarkable detail in intimate spaces.

*Joel Moses writing in solitude. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

IPlaywright Anna Ziegler’s twisty tale on relationships is fascinating in its entanglements. The play premiered in 2018, and debuted on Broadway in 2023. While not namechecking them per se, she explores the pledges a pair makes to each other in traditional wedding vows — “for better, for worse,” “in sickness and in health,” and “to love and to cherish” – in several vignettes.

In a layered – and sometimes dense — approach, she shows how unanchored they become trying to cling to what they assume is best for them. It’s a thoughtful play, looking at the joys and challenges of commitment in two different worlds.

Greenwood, Moses, Miller and Cash are fully invested in these roles, portraying each high and low with deep felt intensity. Wininger’s contribution is an interesting contrast of a famous person as fantasy and explaining her reality.

Their emotionally rich portraits engage and connect us to their characters’ motivations. Ziegler doles out their backstories, which led to their current plights in small nuggets. The couples get into situations in which there seems to be no escape, and this gives the play the necessary conflicts. While all vary in their beliefs, they admit their fears and show their vulnerabilities.

*Jade Cash and Bryce Miller — what might have been? Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

The technical work is strong in its storytelling, too, with Amanda Werre’s skilled sound design and lighting designer Jayson Lawshee’s striking choices between reality and fantasy noteworthy. Costume designer Michele Friedman Siler accomplishes the traditional Hasidic apparel while giving the contemporary story casual attire, and the movie star cosmopolitan career wear.

The specific time frames for looking at love from both sides are 1973 -1982 for Schmuli and Esther, and 2015-2017 for Abe and Sophie, with Albany, New York part of later storytelling.

Thought-provoking, and at times, frustrating, this examination of love and marriage is far-reaching in its complicated couplings. It is those layers that give the actors some real substance, and the audience intriguing questions to ponder, and conversations to begin..

New Jewish Theatre presents “The Wanderers” from Sept. 11 through Sept. 28, with performances on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the SFC Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information: jccstl.com/arts-ideas/new-jewish-theatre/current-productions.
The play is 1 hour, 45 minutes without intermission.

*Joel Moses and Maggie Wininger.* *What price devotion? Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

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Sports Horror Film ‘Him’ Is a Half-Hearted Tackle

By Alex McPherson

Alternately goofy and self-serious, director Justin Tipping’s “HIM” fumbles intriguing ideas and crash lands into a barren field of mediocrity.

Executive produced by Jordan Peele — but, crucially, not directed by Peele — “HIM” follows rising football quarterback star (and emotionally stunted hunk) Cameron “Cam” Caid (Tyriq Withers). Cam is entering the pro draft, hoping to be recruited by his favorite team, the San Antonio Saviors.

Cam has worshiped the Saviors since he was a child, particularly their star quarterback Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). Isaiah suffered a gruesome injury on live television years ago yet recovered enough to play another 14 years and rack up eight championship rings. Cam’s demanding, masculine father reproached young Cam from looking away when Isaiah’s injury happened, instilling in him a twisted idea of what a “real man’s sacrifice” looks like and a drive to become the next GOAT.

In the present day, Cam is close to achieving that goal, but his father has passed away. He’s supported by a doting team including his mother, high-school-sweetheart girlfriend, and slippery manager (a somewhat out-of-place Tim Heidecker). There’s even rumors that White might be stepping down, giving Cam a prime opportunity to replace him.

One night, as Cam trains to take part in a pre-draft scouting “combine,” he’s surprise-attacked by a samurai-costumed being wielding a giant hammer, giving Cam some good ol’ CTE and apparently dashing his chances of joining the big leagues.

All is not lost (yet), as Cam suddenly receives an invitation from the all-powerful Isaiah himself to join him for a week-long training/rehab program at his off-putting New Mexico compound. Cam is thrilled and filled like childlike glee, but soon finds himself out of his depth. Suffice it to say, it’s not a particularly great sign when he’s jump-scared by freaky-looking fans en route to the compound in the middle of the desert. Cam doesn’t think too much of it, or much of anything, for that matter.

Isaiah swiftly takes Cam under his wing with persuasive philosophizing, homoerotic tension, and demanding, increasingly bloody training exercises under the guise of “becoming the best,” all while his devoted assistant Marco (Jim Jefferies) jabs Cam with syringes full of unknown substances and Cam loses touch with the outside world. The situation gets crazier by the minute. Will Cam come to his senses, or is the allure of becoming “Him” worth the sacrifice?

The notion of exploring the dehumanizing horrors of America’s favorite pastime is rich, if not particularly novel, and “HIM,” with its unbridled maximalism, runs into its themes head on. It’s a mélange of excess, though, that often resembles a prolonged, gory, “edgy” music video — abandoning earned emotion for bludgeoning and cliché-ridden horror that quickly wears thin.

Indeed, “HIM” is a mixed bag. Each instance of visual creativity and trippily impressive scene-setting is offset by wooden dialogue and emotionally-leaden performances (with the exception of an enjoyably off-his-rocker Wayans) that rapidly chip away at the worthy topics that Tipping and co-screenwriters Skip Bronkie and Zachary Akers have on their minds. It’s all style, stitched together with hyperactive editing by Taylor Joy Mason that resorts to convenient, rushed montage with a heavy background of hip hop as Cam’s bootcamp progresses.

The film’s “experiential” qualities are still sometimes arresting; giallo-inflected freakouts and X-ray bone-breakage in a brutalist, alien-like setting that Tipping and production designer Jordan Ferrer clearly had fun with concocting. Cam never quite gets his footing, and, perhaps fittingly, neither do we, caught up in a swirl of weirdness that’s intoxicating for Cam, yet tiresome for everyone else involved.

Management of tone, or the lack thereof, is perhaps the film’s most glaring flaw, oscillating back and forth between broadly satirical and deadly serious, frequently taking pains to revel in shock imagery and inserts that grow repetitive while losing any fear-inducing impact along the way.

Withers’ uneven performance adequately sells the gradual “loss” of who Cam used to be, even as the script resorts to exposition dumps and familiar trauma-dependent backstory as a last-ditch effort to pump some pathos into the narrative by the third act. On the other side of the spectrum, Wayans, plus Julia Fox as Isaiah’s unstable wife Elsie, fully lean into the narrative’s absurdity with intermittently amusing results; too bad the screenplay lacks any real character of its own.

There’s admittedly fun to be found in how “HIM” explores football as a suffocating, pseudo-religious experience where the gods of capitalism manipulate the vulnerable while fighter jets zoom overhead spouting red, white, and blue smoke.

No spoilers, but the final scene is quite a spectacle, bringing together the film’s heavy-handed metaphors for a glorious display of incendiary violence that’s fully self-aware. But Tipping, as of now, is no Peele, and “HIM” is most assuredly no touchdown.

“Him” is a 2025 sports horror film directed by Justin Tipping and starring Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Hedecker. It is 1 hour, 36 minutes, and rated R for strong bloody violence, language throughout, sexual material, nudity and some drug use. It opens in theatres Sept. 19. Alex’s grade: C-.

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Awards Critics Choice Association Critics Choice Awards Events Movies News Press Releases Television
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7 min read

Critics Choice Announces Honorees for Latino Cinema & Television Celebration on Oct. 24

The Critics Choice Association has announced the full slate of honorees for the 5th annual Celebration of Latino Cinema & Television, taking place on Oct, 24, in Beverly Hills. The Celebration honors standout performances and work, both onscreen and offscreen, from the Latino entertainment community.

Honorees for this year’s Celebration of Latino Cinema & Television will include the following:

Civil rights icon Dolores Huerta will receive the Icon Award for her lifelong dedication to social justice and advocacy, honoring her legacy that has inspired artists, filmmakers, and changemakers for over seven decades. As co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union and one of the most influential labor leaders in American history,

Dolores Huerta

Dolores has spent her entire career fighting for the rights of farmworkers, women, and marginalized communities which continues today through her Dolores Huerta Foundation and her Peace and Justice Cultural Center. Her powerful rallying cry, “Sí, se puede” (“Yes, we can”), has become a universal call to action, and at 95 years young with a desire to inspire the next generation of activists and organizers to get off the sidewalks and onto the streets, she will share her extraordinary life story to be made into a feature film co-written by Barbara Martinez Jitner and Gregory Nava who will also direct.

Academy Award nominee Andy Garcia will be honored with the Vanguard Award in recognition of his outstanding body of work, including his most recent role in Paramount+’s Landman. Throughout his career, Andy has delivered unforgettable performances in tites such as The Godfather Part III, When a Man Loves a Woman, and Ocean’s Eleven.

Academy Award nominee and Emmy, SAG and Critics Choice Award winner America Ferrera will be honored with the Trailblazer Award in recognition of her extraordinary body of work and most recently for her starring role in Apple Original Films’ The Lost Bus. Throughout her career, America has been a tireless advocate for authentic Latino representation in Hollywood, with landmark performances in Real Women Have Curves, Ugly Betty, Barbie, and more.

Oscar Isaac

Critics Choice and Emmy Award nominee Oscar Isaac will accept the Actor Award for Film for his performance in Netflix’s Frankenstein, directed by Guillermo del Toro. The Guatemalan-born actor debuted two highly praised films at this year’s Venice Film Festival, Frankenstein and In the Hand of Dante. Past credits include Inside Llewyn Davis, Dune, Scenes From A Marriage, and many more.

Kleber Mendonça Filho will receive the Director Award for his work on The Secret Agent (NEON). The Brazilian filmmaker was recently honored with Best Director at the 78th Cannes Film Festival for the film, in addition to receiving the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize.

Emmy Award winner Frida Perez will be recognized with the Showrunner Award for her work on Apple TV+’s The Studio. Frida co-created the critically acclaimed series, which broke the record for the most Emmy wins for a comedy series in a single year, garnering 13 wins with 23 nominations. Frida also made history as the first Latina ever to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series and Writing for a Comedy Series.

Grammy winner and Emmy nominee Anthony Ramos will receive the Supporting Actor Award for Film for his role in Kathryn Bigelow’s A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE (Netflix). Anthony first rose to prominence with his breakout role in Broadway’s Hamilton and has since built a dynamic screen career with standout performances including In the Heights, Twisters, and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

Gabriel Luna will be honored with the Supporting Actor Award for Series for his performance in Peacock’s Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy. Gabriel recently wrapped production on the second season of The Terminal List opposite Chris Pratt, which follows his powerhouse performance as ‘Tommy’ in season two of The Last of Us.

Frida Perez, showrunner and Emmy winner for “The Studio.”

Tonatiuh will be recognized with the Breakthrough Actor Award for his outstanding performance in Kiss of the Spider Woman (Roadside Attractions). Alongside his cast, this talented Mexican-American actor debuted Bill Condon’s visionary new adaptation of the Golden Age musical drama at the Sundance Film Festival. This is his first major film role.

Camila Perez will receive the Breakthrough Actress Award for her work on the hit Apple TV+ series Acapulco, a Critics Choice Awards Best Foreign Language Series nominee last year. Camila bid farewell to her scene-stealing character this year during the series’ fourth and final season.

“It is a true privilege to celebrate this extraordinary group of honorees,” said Critics Choice Association Board Member and Co-Programmer Clayton Davis. “At a time when Latinos are too often vilified or overlooked, their artistry stands as proof of our brilliance, resilience, and undeniable influence. These stories reflect our community and elevate the global cultural fabric.”

Sponsors and partners include Milagro Tequila, NEP Sweetwater and FIJI Water.

The Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Latino Cinema & Television will be produced by Javier Infante and Madelyn Hammond of Madelyn Hammond & Associates.

Follow the Critics Choice Association on Instagram and X @CriticsChoice, on TikTok @OfficialCriticsChoice, and on Facebook/CriticsChoiceAwards.

Cover Photo: Tonatiuh

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Featured Reviews SATE Theatre
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12 min read

SATE’s Homage ‘Classic Adventure Movie’ Celebrates Childhood

By Lynn Venhaus

Hey, you guys!!! Do you remember growing up? Did you ever act out a fantasy adventure with your pals? Did you watch VHS tapes that you rented from the local Blockbuster Video?

Checking those boxes means you are the primo audience for SATE’s zany “Classic Adventure Movie,” which is an exuberant tribute to limitless childhood imaginations, a theatrical time-travel experience, and an homage to beloved characters who grew up in the Goon Docks.

With great affection, the company recreates the playful spirit of the Millennial touchstone, “The Goonies,” an iconic family film that premiered the same summer that “Back to the Future” did – in 1985.

Ever since this heartwarming tale of friendship came out on home entertainment, kids have been watching it over and over, repeat viewings a must. And any mother of Millennials knows it well (even if it’s been a while for me).

*Chunk’s being threatened by the Fratelli gang. Photo by Joey Rumpell.*

Get ready for that same warm glow of nostalgia that occurs when the children of the 1980s and 1990s remember how they fell in love with a merry band of misfits who dove into danger with the derring-do of a teenage Indiana Jones and the detective skills of Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys.

And some of them, along with a few intrepid Gen X’s and Gen Z’s, are part of this fearless gang of “Never Say Die” performers who dash, dart, and dare to have fun as part of this fearless ensemble.

SATE is a regional theatre group renowned for its well-cast ensembles and strong collaborations, and this is another dandy example of the band getting back together and having the time of their lives.

Dynamic duo Rachel Tibbetts and Ellie Schwetye are the co-producers, with Rachel directing a fast-paced and funny show, where the comic lines land, the role-playing is spot-on, and the sentiment is endearing. Tibbetts injects the heart, Schwetye provides the soul as sound designer.

*Courtney Bailey, Frankie Ferrari and Katie Donnelly. Photo by Joey Rumpell.*

Ellie has compiled a greatest hits soundtrack to supply the audience with favorite movie themes and songs. Yes, you’ll hear John Williams’ unmistakable work among poppy needle drops, and it’s a terrific score to compliment this show.

This proud and loud troupe of 13 spryly navigate a makeshift playground of caves, secret passages, pirate ships, booby traps – and booty traps — and other escapades set up in the friendly, intimate confines of The Chapel (subbing for Astoria, Oregon).

It’s clear that the cast and crew have been sprinkled with Steven Spielberg’s magic pixie dust, and they’ve become kids again.

The movie plot is based on a story by Spielberg, who was inspired by Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” when Tom and Becky Thatcher are lost in a cave.

Written by Chris Columbus (“Home Alone” and “Mrs. Doubtfire”), the script focuses on a group of buddies who must move from their working-class neighborhood when a developer forecloses on their families’ homes to build a golf course.

Director Richard Donner (“Superman” and “Superman II”) drew authentic performances from the youngsters, showcasing their natural chemistry and high energy. That’s embodied by spunky Ricki Franklin as Mikey, the eternal optimist.

Franklin is the driving force as the lovable, loyal pal played by Sean Astin. She wears the trademark jean jacket, too. Costume designer Liz Henning splendidly outfitted each character to have some specific items to mark each look from on screen, such as Keating’s mismatched pants and shirt wardrobe copying Chunk’s lack of sartorial splendor.

Luck may be on their side as they discover notorious pirate One-Eyed Willy’s treasure map that could lead to some valuable loot. They must follow clues. But they’re not the only ones searching – a family of crooks is hot on their trail.

Fierce LaWanda Jackson is funny as the ruthless crime boss Mama Fratelli whose knucklehead sons are more of a hindrance than a help – Anthony Kramer-Moser is Jake and Victor Mendez is Francis, and they demonstrate their slapstick prowess, for they are more Three Stooges than wise guys.

Joining Mikey on this wild adventure are chatterbox Mouth, aka Clark Devereaux, with goofball Cassidy Flynn in the Corey Feldman role; tech wizard Data, with versatile Ashwini Arora in the future Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan role; rapscallion Chunk, with inventive Keating in the mischievous Jeff Cohen role. “I love the dark! But I hate nature!” they say.

The pals team up with high school jock Brand (Mikey’s older brother Brandon), with Carl Overly Jr. sporting a red bandana and gray shirt as the tough protector played by Josh Brolin.

Helpful is perky Andy, a popular cheerleader who has a crush on Brand, and is played by multi-faceted Hailey Medrano in the Kerri Green role. Her feisty best friend Stef is vibrant Marcy Wiegert in the resourceful role played by Martha Plimpton in the movie.

The actors added recognizable touches in their personal development of these iconic parts, and as anticipated, Keating goes to town in the “Truffle Shuffle.”

Two narrators are Katie Donnelly as Barb and Courtney Bailey as Lizzie, and they fill a variety of needs, including playing bridge trolls.

One of the sweetest touches was having some of the actors talk about their favorite movie from their youth in a heartfelt monologue, why it moved them and why the mattered. Jackson talked about “The Wiz,” Flynn “Pokemon,” Ferrari “Under the Tuscan Sun,” Keating “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and Wiegert “Labyrinth.”

One of the most inspired additions is Frankie Ferrari as Cyndi Lauper, the pop singer who had a cameo in the movie. She penned the title song “The Goonies R Good Enough” included on the soundtrack.

The music video was in frequent rotation on MTV, so she is part of its legend. The playwright found clever ways to use Cyndi, and Ferrari is all in, singing, dancing and replicating the pop star’s thick Brooklyn-Queens combo accent.

The set design by Erik Kuhn has some sight gags, movie posters, and delightful reminiscences of childhood days gone by. Kuhn also served as technical director. He had to be handy and resourceful, coming up with clever substitutions for grand-scale images. Wearing a third hat, he served as fight director, too.

Katherine Leemon did a terrific job finding props that were integral to each character. Denisse Chavez expertly took care of the lighting design.

The play was written by Keating, after being conceived by Tibbetts, Flynn and Keating at a sleep-over birthday party where they watched “The Goonies.” They have included the most memorable parts of the movie, and one role is given to an audience member.

*The cast of “Classic Adventure Movie.”*

This is the group’s second work in a hopeful trilogy, after “Classic Mystery Game” in 2019, and uses story elements from their “First Impressions” on the Jane Austen novel “Pride and Prejudice” in 2017.

“Classic Adventure Movie” is elevated by SATE’s trademark camaraderie. The fleet-footed and expressive cast deliver one-liners and recognizable quotes from the movie in such a fun way that they must have put extra oomph into rehearsing the play to get the timing just so.

A primer on “The Goonies” isn’t a pre-requisite, but helpful. No matter what, you’ll be swept away by the youthful enthusiasm as they outwit, outplay, outlast – and outsnark — the villains.

SATE presents the world premiere of “Classic Adventure Movie, or Never Say Die,” Sept. 11 through Sept. 27, with shows Thursday through Saturday at 7 p.m. at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: satestl.org.

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The Black Rep’s ‘Raisin’ Is A Soulful, Expressive Musical That Defines a Moment in American Life

By Lynn Venhaus
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
– “Harlem,” Langston Hughes, 1951

Where are we now, 74 years later? Timely and timeless, the musical “Raisin” is a vibrant exploration of the class, gender and racial divides that have become a dominant part of American life.

The Black Rep’s sensitive, thoughtful production pulses with its character-driven work that hopefully resonates and renews pleas for social justice in today’s divided times.

The iconic poem, “Harlem,” shared above, was an inspiration for playwright Lorraine Hansberry to explore deferred dreams and class divides in 1951 segregated Chicago in her groundbreaking drama, “A Raisin in the Sun.”

*Anita Michelle Jackson and Andrea Mouton. Photo by Keshon Campbell.*

The matriarch is expecting a $10,000 life insurance check in the mail after her hard-working husband’s passing. She wants to move the family from the South Side to Clybourne Park, a nicer neighborhood, where she has put a down payment on a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom house. She sees this home as a foundation to build everyone’s dreams on, a door to new opportunities.

Hansberry was the first black female playwright on Broadway – the show debuted in 1959, and it was a new look at black life in America in a way that had not been represented. Think of the dialogues it may have started!

While the musical has hiccups based on its construction, not the singing, dancing or acting, the Black Rep’s stylistic choices and casting decisions are highlights.

The Younger family leaves an indelible impression in the hands of Anita Michelle Jackson (Mama Lena), Duane Martin Foster, (her son Walter Lee), Adrianna Jones (his wife Ruth), their young son Travis (Jaron Bentley), and Walter’s sister Beneatha (Andrea Mouton).

*Duane Martin Foster and Jaron Bentley. Photo by Keshon Campbell.*

The 1973 musical adaptation, “Raisin,” won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1974, as well as Virginia Capers winning Best Actress in a Musical for playing Mama Lena, out of nine nominations. It also won the Grammy Award for best musical theater album.

But it has largely been forgotten over time. Landmark musicals of that era – “Purlie” in 1970, “The Wiz” in 1975 and “Dreamgirls” in 1981, signaling a new wave of creative artists, have been produced many times.

The book was co-written by the late Hansberry’s husband, Robert Nemiroff, and Charlotte Zaltzberg. The themes are the same — a family dares to dream of a better life that has been denied them and threatens to fall apart.

The music score by composer Judd Woldin, with lyrics by Robert Brittan, is an intimate story of a family, their daily and big-picture struggles, and real ongoing conversations. That was rare then and remains an unusual approach now.

This musical is an ambitious undertaking, and while the story is absorbing, faithful to Hansberry’s intentions, this isn’t a splashy, bombastic score with extravagant numbers. Still, there is much heart and soul to be discovered.

*“He Came Down This Morning” – ensemble church number. Photo by Keshon Campbell.*

Emphasizing authenticity and empathy, director Ron Himes depicts the Youngers’ struggles with the help of the creative stage work from sound designer Kareem Deanes and lighting designer Tony Anselmo.

The setting is their cramped, roach-infested apartment, effectively visually realized by scenic designer Tim Jones. But it opens beyond those walls – to a church, bar and streetscape. Mikhail Lynn contributed as a props designer, too.

The exceptional orchestra, led by music director Jermaine Manor, robustly brings out the jazz, gospel, blues and soul. William Von Hombract is on bass, James Belk on percussion, Des Jones on drums, Mary Weber and Brady Lewis on trumpet, Stan Coleman on reed, Monet Royal and Adrian Walker on viola, David Glenn on guitar, and Manor on keyboard.

Choreographer Kirven Douthit-Boyd’s inspired dance work adds so much to the street life, with expressive moves to the musical beats of the city. Dancers Jorrell Lawyer-Jefferson, Demetrius Malik Lee and Aaliyah Weston are extraordinary in their pieces and group numbers.

*Adrianna Jones and Duane Martin Foster. Photo by Keshon Campbell.*

The gritty, bustling “Streets of Chicago” and “Runnin’ to Meet the Man” are livelier company numbers because of the choreography, and so is “Booze,” traditional “African Dance” and the ebullient spiritual gospel song “He Come Down This Morning.”

Walter Lee is a chauffeur but wants to open a liquor store and go into business with two other friends. Walter’s restlessness and growing resentments cause more fights between him and his wife and mother, mostly about the money. Mama Lena also wants to put money aside for Beneatha’s studies because she’s attending medical school.

Accomplished, acclaimed singers Jackson and Foster are the epitome of powerhouse vocalists, but to see them slip into the roles of Lena and Walter Lee with all their well-honed skills is to marvel at how natural their acting abilities are as well.

Jackson, who has a song full of hope as the prayerful Lena – “A Whole Lotta Sunlight,” and then a power ballad about resilience “Measure the Valleys” that’s a showstopper.

*Jaron Bentley and Adrianna Jones. Photo by Keshon Campbell.*

Foster’s sarcastic, bitter “Man Say” with his wife Ruth sets his tone, tired of playing by the rules while his aspirations are dismissed. while he seethes with rage in “You Done Right.”

In a tender moment, Foster and Jones pair on a lovely duet “Sweet Time,” while Jones shines in “Whose Angry Little Man,” a tribute to their son Travis.

In the second act, Foster shows a wider range of emotions, from an ebullient “It’s a Deal” to his anger that can’t be contained in the satirical “Not Anymore,” after a lifetime of disappointment and the bigotry they’ve endured, with his wife and sister participating, too.

The hopeful solo “Sidewalk Tree” is a special moment for the poised and talented Jaron Bentley, who delivers a dynamic performance as young Travis. He stood out at the Muny this summer in “Frozen” and “Evita” as part of the youth ensembles, and he has a bright future ahead with his remarkable stage presence.

A superb Robert McNichols is potent as Nigerian student Asagai, who is a friend seeing Beneatha. His charm shines through in the number “Alaiyo.” Beneatha’s exploration of her cultural awakening is another highlight, as illustrated in her fashion choices – fine work from costume designer Gregory Horton.

*Singing in church. Photo by Keshon Campbell.*

Supporting roles also include Will Bonfiglio as weaselly Karl Lindner, not exactly a Welcome Wagon for Clybourne Park., and De-Rance Blaylock as neighbor Mrs. Johnson, who literally takes us to church in the spirited number “He Come Down This Morning.”

The ensemble also includes Dwayne Moss III as Willie Harris, Adrian Rice as Bobo, Damari Padilla and Tia Renee Williams.

The ensemble moves well, their passion obvious.

The hope is that spotlighting this work will introduce a new generation to the play or at least remind others of work that still needs to be done.

The Black Rep presents “Raisin” as their 49^th season opener from Sept. 3 through Sunday, Sept. 21 at the Edison Theater on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. For more information: www.theblackrep.org.

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Tea, Tears and Tiaras – ‘Downton Abbey’ Says Farewell With a Luxe Grand Final Bow

By Lynn Venhaus
A bittersweet wrap-up of the classy historical drama, “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” is a fitting final bow for its legion of fans.

The beloved television series started in Edwardian England and ran for six seasons on PBS, winning 15 Emmy Awards, and was followed by a popular film trilogy, the first in 2019 and second “A New Era” in 2022.

Reminiscent of the British television hallmarks “Upstairs, Downstairs” and “Brideshead Revisited,” but “Downton Abbey” had more soap opera elements, optimistic tone, and used the past to reflect on present class and gender issues.

The rich-people problems of the Earl of Grantham’s family captivated with their depiction of a regal world, class dynamics, the historical impact of the 1910s and 1920s, and their relationships with their servants.

All helmed by director Simon Curtis, he maintains their winning formula of heartbreak, joy, intrigue, and luxury in the latest endeavor. For viewers who have never seen the series, you will be able to follow along without frustration.

*Laura Carmichael and Michelle Dockery as Lady Edith and Lady Mary.*

Redolent with warm humor and lavish designs, creator and writer Julian Fellowes’ compelling narratives on the aristocrats upstairs and their dedicated staff downstairs have taken fans on a transportive journey through every corner of the grand country homestead and grounds (the real Highclere Castle in north Hampshire stands in).

In this one, set during the global economic crisis that was the Great Depression in the 1930s, it’s clear that the times are changing. The principal characters start out enjoying the London social season, but trouble intrudes.

The family, now with money woes post-stock market crash, faces societal changes, and a necessary shift in direction. Their traditional way of life is disappearing.

From the beginning, Lord Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), Earl of Grantham, always saw Downton Abbey as his family heritage, and now must wrestle with moving on and allowing the next generation to take over.

After his heir’s death aboard the R.M.S. Titanic, his distant cousin, Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), was next in line. He married Robert’s daughter Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery), and after he died in a car crash, and she later married Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode), others believed that Mary should inherit the vast estate.

So that is at issue. Mary has another scandal to deal with, publicly played out, and there is a family matter that involves her mother, Countess Cora (Elizabeth McGovern). Her brother, Harold Levinson (Paul Giamatti), arrives from his home in America with a financier friend, Gus Sambrook (Alessandro Nivola). Further complications arise, which fans will find out soon enough.

The twisty line of succession, staff retirements, and future residences are also part of the plot that provides fans with nods for their loyalty. The emotional tugs are there, if not the conflicts.

There isn’t a dramatic occasion like King George V and Queen Mary arriving on their tour of Yorkshire in 1927, as in the first film, followed by Violet Crawley’s inheritance of an Italian villa in 1928 and a film crew using the estate for a movie shoot in the second one.

However, this third go-round doesn’t leave stones unturned and looks towards a world where Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier), formerly of the house staff who is the dresser for dashing movie star Guy Dexter (Dominic West), is allowed to mingle upstairs with guests.

Just as Bonneville’s Lord Robert is grumpy about his displacement, so is ‘retired’ butler Charles Carson (Jim Carter). He is reluctantly relinquishing his duties to eager Andy Parker (Michael Fox), who – gasp – has a mind of his own.

Those who have a special fondness for the humble downstairs folks can rejoice, because the staff characters are as appealing as ever. The delightful cook Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol) and housekeeper Elsie Hughes, played by chipper Phyllis Logan, are among the many fan favorites.

As pregnant Anna Bates, Joanne Froggatt takes good care of Lady Mary as her maid, and her doting husband, valet John Bates (Brendan Coyle), takes good care of her. Always a bright spot, Daisy Parker (Sophie McShera) takes on a bigger role in the kitchen.

Another welcome addition is impressive Arty Foushan as a cheeky Noel Coward, the sharp-witted playwright who charms every person he meets at a Grantham dinner party – and even gets an idea for his next play by hearing about Lady Mary’s private life (wink, wink).

As always, the ensemble cast is strong – and so are the attachments to them. The sprawling cast conveys its customary lived-in quality and longtime association with each other in heartwarming fashion.

Among family members, Laura Carmichael shows Lady Edith’s inner strength in a new way, especially in steadfast support of her sister. And Allen Leach is always a voice of reason as Tom Branson.

*Penelope Wilton, Allen Leach, Michelle Dockery, and Paul Giamatti.*

As progressive Isobel, Penelope Wilton is always a welcome presence, and she comically tussles with a huffy snob Sir Hector Moreland (the great Simon Russell Beale) at the county fair.

For its swan song, the cinematography by Ben Smithard, costumes by Anna Robbins, production design by Donal Woods and variations on the familiar theme music by composer John Lunn are opulently crafted.

Not only does Robbins surpass herself on the ballgowns and party clothes, but she outfits an Ascot afternoon with an incredible array of hats.

The series MVP, two-time Oscar winner Maggie Smith as dowager Countess Violet Crawley, left a huge gap after her death last year. Her character’s death was written into the second film, and tributes continue here. But her sparkling quips are dearly missed.

Fans who fell in love with this story 14 years ago are welcomed to the party, and it’s a fond farewell full of wit, sentiment and a warm hug of nostalgia.

“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” is a 2025 period drama, directed by Simon Curtis and starring Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Lesley Nicol, Phyllis Logan, Allen Leach, Arty Foushan, Paul Giamatti, Alessandro Nivola, Sophie McShera, Brendan Coyle, Michael Fox, Joanne Froggatt, Simon Russell Beale, Robert James-Collier, and Dominic West. It is rated PG for suggestive material, smoking and some thematic elements and run time is 2 hours, 3 minutes. It opens in theatres Sept. 12. Lynn’s Grade: B.

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9 min read

The Rep’s Comical Throwback ‘The Cottage’ Is A Dandy, Daffy Delight

By Lynn Venhaus

Sidesplitting hijinks ensue as a marital merry-go-round farce, “The Cottage,” spills the tea and twists a Noel Coward-esque comedy of manners for a female-forward finish.

Now playing through Sept. 28 on the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ mainstage, a splendid sextet puts the roar in this Roaring Twenties romp as they gamely carry on in a sophisticated upper-crust British setting.

They deftly deliver standard King’s English dialect – all those ‘darlings,’ ‘indeeds’ and ‘rathers’ – in crisp witty, and a tad cynical, manner (special shout-out to dialect coach Lauren Roth).

Sandy Rustin’s jaunty play effectively depicts complicated relationships among polite society, and the cast’s Swiss-watch timing and nimble silliness combine for a sparkling collaboration that shows off their verbal and physical dexterity. Their flair for slapstick is impressive, as is their limber body language.

*The company of “The Cottage.” Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

It all begins one sunny Monday morning in June 1923 at the Van Kipness matriarch’s tony countryside cottage, about 90 minutes outside of London. For seven years, Sylvia and Beau have enjoyed an annual tryst there.

Sylvia happens to be married to Beau’s stuffed-shirt brother Clarke. A hopeless romantic, she has impulsively told Clarke and Beau’s wife Marjorie of their affair so she can get her happily ever after.

That sets off a chain reaction where shocking truths are revealed, more characters are introduced, and doors lead to unexpected entrances and exits. These denizens of the smart set find their private lives upended, along with their carefully cultivated identities.

With this fashionable group, let’s just say love and marriage don’t go together like a horse and carriage, and things are not what they seem. As Coward famously said: “It’s discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit.”

*Jihan Haddad and Jack Dryden get frisky as Marjorie and Clarke. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

The remarkable ease with which this cast achieves synergy is a credit to the talents of Andrea San Miguel as the spirited and stylish Sylvia; Jordan Coughtry as the handsome but caddish Beau; Jihan Haddad as the ladylike Marjorie; St. Louis native Jack Dryden as buffoonish Clarke; Isa Venere as ditzy Dierdre; and Andres Enriquez as Richard, best described as a loose cannon.

Rustin, who wrote the hilarious play adaptation of the murder-mystery-comedy “Clue” based on the 1985 movie, is faithful to the British style of drawing-room comedies that skewered the manners and morals of high society – but only up to a point.

In a refreshing move, she has flipped the script on women only being in service to men in these throwback shows. You see the women emerge, speaking about their wants and desires, ultimately taking charge of their own lives.

It has more of a modern sense and sensibility – and most importantly, they get the last laugh. A charming live wire, San Miguel is the perfect embodiment for an awakening, a transformative journey for Sylvia, an intelligent woman stuck in stereotypes of the time.

However, besides her own stamp on Coward’s celebrated writing, Rustin injected the story with more than a month’s worth of soap opera confessions – and those juicy tidbits keep on coming. Must not forget Sam Matthews’ brief appearance as the gardener.

*San Miguel and Coughtry as a passionate couple. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

It’s best not to spoil more of the twisty turns the plot took as it unraveled, all at a swift pace. As details unfolded, anxiety ramped up, and rarely was anyone calm, cool and collected – all the better for zaniness.

Director Risa Brainin fluidly directed the chaos, making sure the action had a rhythm, and the well-cast ensemble maintained a pleasing tempo throughout. (Notable nod to casting director Delaney Piggins for assembling this finely tuned machine).

To emphasize their eccentric personalities, Brainin breezily blended them into the well-appointed set and ensured they each stood out when they were the focus.

One inspired segment involved Venere’s exaggerated acrobatic moves as an unconscious Dierdre is awkwardly handled by the others, reminiscent of classic Carol Burnett and Molly Shannon’s zesty physicality.

And this piggybacks on good-sport Haddad handling classy 8-months-pregnant Marjorie’s untimely gas-passing for more goofiness, which she managed with terrific finesse. (And loud guffaws and shrieks from the audience.)

*Coughtry, San Miguel, Verare, Dryden and Haddad. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

Brainin and scenic designer Robert Mark Morgan, ever mindful of architectural harmony, worked out a floor plan for maximum effect, as characters moved back and forth from the kitchen, the stairs leading to the bedrooms, and the guest room that was offstage, for the main action is in the elegant drawing room.

A focal point is a grand-scale front door with faux stained glass to complement the luxurious setting. Morgan’s exquisitely detailed set is the bee’s knees with its bespoke touches. Michael Klaers’ lighting design illuminates the bright space, with special attention to spotlighting Mama Van Kipness’ stern portrait hung in a prominent place.

Renee Garcia’s posh period costume designs are the cat’s pajamas, with sumptuous fabrics, fancy bathrobes, chic graceful designs, flattering colors, and tasteful tailored menswear and overcoats.

The wig and makeup design by Dennis Milam Bensie is attractive in vogue styles, well-suited to the characters.

*Coughtry, Verare. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

Amanda Werre’s exemplary sound design is a necessary mix of victrola music, shower sounds, a weapon discharge – and loud flatulence.

Noteworthy nods to fight director Paul Steger and intimacy director Jamie McKittrick, and to production stage manager Evangeline Rose Whitlock for their astute contributions

As delightful as the performers are and the production’s flawless execution, the running time could be shaved, at least 10 minutes in each act, so that Rustin’s points don’t seem as repetitive. It would help maintain the bubbly mood as the urbane story gets increasingly absurd.

The play is 2 hours, 15 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission.

*Andres Enriquez as Richard. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

First produced in 2013 before regional productions, the play had a 2023 debut on Broadway directed by Jason Alexander that starred Eric McCormack, Laura Bell Bundy, Alex Moffat, Lilli Cooper, Dana Steingold and Nehal Joshi in a limited engagement for 111 performances.

The current cast appeared to be having a blast, so it’s easy to imagine how difficult it was to not crack up and keep their composure on stage and during rehearsal, let alone acquire the fleet moves and effortlessly deliver acerbic dialogue in a highly theatrical manner that reflected that era.

If madcap mischief and light-hearted entertainment are your cup of tea, you should plan a getaway to the Loretto-Hilton Center. Scandals are usually never this fun.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents “The Cottage” Sept. 3-Sept. 28 at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University, 130 Edgar Road. For tickets or more information, visit www.repstl.org. The box office is available by calling 314-968-4925 and opens two hours prior to curtain time.

Post-show discussions follow the Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Sept. 14 and the Wednesday matinee Sept. 18.

*San Miguel, Coughtry, Haddad, Dryden and Enriquez. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.*

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PopLifeSTL Picks Weekly: Sept. 1 – 7

Dateline: Sept. 1
By Lynn Venhaus, Alex McPherson, C.B. Adams and Carl “The Intern” Middleman

Are we ready to cross into the spooky season? And no, I don’t mean the pumpkin-spice aisle at the grocery store. (And besides, aren’t you stockpiling Halloween candy like sensible adults?). In the pop culture universe, we’re buzzing about film festivals, new television season, live theatre coming our way, and outdoor fall activities.

Here’s Round 3 of our new endeavor — our curated weekly round-up guaranteed fresh every Monday on our website and in your inbox. (Or in case of holidays, Tuesday. We hope you not only enjoy but spread the word – we’d like to reach as many fellow Popsters as we can.

This newsletter features links to our recent online works, in other publications, and heads’ up tips on what’s ahead, is meant to serve as a guide for you navigating an extensive ‘what to watch, go, see, do” that the universe is beckoning us to check out.

Now Showing:
Our timely film reviews so you can decide what’s worth your time and money.

Caught Stealing: Austin Butler’s star charisma enlivens a scruffy, grungy, brutal chase through late 90s New York. Mayhem ensues in a bloody treasure hunt.

Zoomer and Boomer Takes:

Alex review: https://poplifestl.com/darren-aronofsky-takes-a-detour-in-hyperviolent-crime-thriller-caught-stealing/
Lynn review: https://poplifestl.com/austin-butler-drives-dark-comedy-action-thriller-caught-stealing/

Hamilton: To celebrate its 10^th anniversary on Broadway, the filmed version of the musical, which premiered on Disney + during the pandemic on July 1, 2020, will be available in local theatres, and will feature a cast reunion special feature.

I consider :“Hamilton,” which I’ve now seen three times, to be the greatest live theatrical experience of my lifetime. Here is my review of the 2020 movie: https://poplifestl.com/hamilton-the-movie-meets-the-moment/

“This view has new opportunities for discovery, to marvel at Miranda’s attention to detail and his nimble storytelling. The recurring themes and repetitive nature of the score add texture to the rhythms and harmonies, and the cast’s enunciation and verbal dexterity is remarkable.” – Lynn

New to Streaming:

“The Thursday Murder Club” — charming -2-hour comedy-mystery with an all-star British cast on Netflix, including Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, Jonathan Pryce, David Tennant, Naomi Ackie and Think “Knives Out” meets “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.”

Here’s Lynn’s review on KTRS Aug. 29: (My segment starts at 34:30 and ends at 49:30)

The mystery may be by the book, but the team in the retirement home solving cases is a delight to watch — Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie (you know her from The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movies and Bridget Jones).

The great Jonathan Pryce plays Helen Mirren’s husband who has dementia and Naomi Ackie plays a local police officer who is investigating a real murder.

I had fun watching them all play together on the playground (in this case, a grand old senior living center).

Also on streaming beginning Sept. 5 on Apple TV+:– “Highest 2 Lowest,” the latest collaboration between Spike Lee and Denzel Washington, filmed energetically in the streets of New York. Here’s Lynn’s review in the Webster-Kirkwood TImes.
https://www.timesnewspapers.com/webster-kirkwoodtimes/arts_and_entertainment/reel_world/highest-2-lowest/article_44478a18-0e77-4ec4-b13d-92c76833c4b5.html

On Stage:Sublime voices, staging so-so. CB Adams review of Union Avenue Opera’s “Salome.” https://poplifestl.com/union-avenue-operas-salome-delivers-power-and-uneven-spectacle/

PopLifeSTL Presents Podcast: Chas Adams joined Lynn this week as Carl the Intern Middleman is on an epic hero’s journey on the Mother Road with his family, and we had a swell time talking with promoter Greg Hagglund of Steve Litman Productions about a Napoleon Dynamite Bash at the District in Chesterfield on Sept. 3.The Napoleon Dynamite Bash is a teaser in preparation for showing the movie on Oct. 9 at The Factory, with cast members Jon Heder (title character), Jon Gries (Uncle Rico) and Efren Ramirez (Pedro) in attendance for a Q&A.

We also enjoyed talking with Eric Dundon from the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and talk about an epic journey! Their upcoming events this month — unveiling Powell Hall’s additions, the free community concert in Forest Park Sept. 17, and release of their new album with composer in residence Kevin Puts. They have many things going on!

Here’s our jam-packed podcast! https://soundcloud.com/lynn-zipfel-venhaus/august-31st-2025-with-greg-hagglund-slsos-eric-dundon?si=beac0cb47d034e3b9f66ec74673b0eee&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharin

Our Playlist:
We recommend —
Chas: My playlist has been a continuous shuffle of my 200+ song playlist called The Road — tunes with traveling, driving and getting away as the theme or vibe.

Alex: The soundtrack/score for “Inglourious Basterds.”

Carl: Part 2 of the “WKRP in Cincinnati” double feature – this time with Venus Flytrap https://www.awphooey.com/venus

Lynn: After certifiable musical genius Jon Batiste rocked the Muny Thursday, exuding goodness and light, I’ve been listening to different cuts from several albums. I love the vast scope of his music, but I’ll share his Grammy-nominated song “Butterfly” from his 2024 “World Music” album, live from “Late Show with Stephen Colbert”: https://youtu.be/CR115pxSjWM?si=czO2tsGn51myAWjg

And if you haven’t seen the heart-tugging documentary about Jon and his wife, writer Suleika Jaouad, “American Symphony,” it’s streaming on Netflix. Here is my review: https://poplifestl.com/american-symphony-triumphs-as-tender-look-at-art-life-and-love/

Good Eats and Fun Treats: Fans of “Napoleon Dynamite” can try “Tot Dogs” at Steve’s Hot Dogs in The District at Chesterfield, plus take their photo with a llama on site, enter a look-a-like contest, play trivia and win tickets to the upcoming movie event, and more to celebrate the 2004 cult classic film on Wednesday, Sept. 3, from 5 to 7 p.m.
The Napoleon Dynamite Bash is a teaser in preparation for showing the movie on Oct. 9 at The Factory, with cast members Jon Heder (title character), Jon Gries (Uncle Rico) and Efren Ramirez (Pedro) in attendance for a Q&A.

*Rear Window with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly.*

The Vault:
Special anniversaries this week –

Sept. 1, 1984: Tina Turner’s single “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” shot to no. 1, his first as a solo artist. Turner, who attended Sumner High School in St. Louis, launched her music career here, singing with Ike Turner’s band.

Sept. 2, 1954: Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller Rear Window was released in American theaters. Often imitated. A luminous Grace Kelly takes your breath away.

Sept. 3, 1972: Everybody, sing along! “It was the 3rd of September, that day I’ll always remember.” That’s the first line of The Temptations’ iconic cover “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” which won a Grammy and went to no. 1 on the Billboard Top 100.

Sept. 4, 2002: Kelly Clarkson was crowned winner of the first “American Idol” singing competition show.

Sept. 5, 1976: Jim Henson’s “The Muppet Show” premiered on TV and Mia Farrow was the first guest star.

Sept. 6, 1997: The funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, was watched by an estimated 2.5 billion people globally. She had died a week earlier, at age 36, in a car accident in Paris on Aug. 31.

Sept. 7, 2008: Jonathan Larson’s Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning musical “Rent” closed after 12 years on Broadway, and 5,123 performances.

On Our Radar: What we’re excited about this week.

Chas: I’m looking forward to this week’s return of the Two Reps – The Black Rep and St. Louis Repertory Theatre!

On my radar is the upcoming “Art Work: On the Creative Life” by Sally Mann, one of my top five photographers. Not only is she a stellar artist, but she can also write beautifully. I’ve pre-ordered a hardcover on its Sept. 9 release.

Alex: “Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass” at the Webster Film Series next weekend (Sept. 5-7).

Carl the Intern: Finishing the last 302 miles of the Route 66 trip from Santa Monica to Chicago.

Lynn: The fall theatrical season kicks off with the farce “The Cottage” at The Rep and the musical “Raisin” at the Black Rep, and I’m excited to see both productions.

“The Paper” starts Thursday on Peacock, and it may become my new favorite show. It’s the new spin-off of “The Office,” and it’s the same documentary crew now at a struggling small-town newspaper in Ohio – the Toledo Truth-Teller. Domhnall Gleeson, plays the new editor-in-chief. After 50 years in news, I may either laugh or cry, or both.Chas:

Where Can You Find Us?

Chas: St. Louis Arts Scene, PopLifeSTL.com, STL Stage Snaps on YouTube and IG, and the socials.

Alex: https://bsky.app/profile/gdogmcp.bsky.social and https://letterboxd.com/gdogmcp/

Carl the Intern: Find me@_CarlTheIntern on IG, X & Threads and on the Big 550 KTRS M-F 5a-10a.

Lynn: KTRS, “The Frank and Jill Show,” every Friday at 11:08 a.m., PopLifeSTL.com, Webster-Kirkwood Times, Alliance of Women Film Journalists (awfj.org), plus Belleville News-Democrat for news and features, St. Louis Magazine for dining contributions, and all the socials.

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Darren Aronofsky Takes a Detour in Hyperviolent ‘Caught Stealing’

By Alex McPherson

As it descends further into chaos, director Darren Aronofsky’s crime thriller “Caught Stealing” becomes increasingly muddled; it’s a grimy, mean-spirited film that’s effective in spurts but remains dazed by (literal) hit-or-miss sensibilities.

Based on the book of the same name by Charlie Huston (who also wrote the screenplay), “Caught Stealing” follows 20-something Hank Thompson (Austin Butler), an aimless, alcoholic man tending bar in New York City’s Lower East Side circa 1998.

Hank grew up in a small town in California hoping to become a major league baseball player. At one point years ago, he was close to achieving that dream — but the possibility was shattered when Hank was in a drunk driving accident that resulted in a career-ending knee injury and the death of his teammate.

Cool and sociable, but remaining wracked by a past that he’s too scared to address, Hank carries on well enough in the Big Apple, finding some purpose amid the eccentric clientele of his dive bar, his friends-with-benefits relationship with EMT Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz), and his continued passion for the San Francisco Giants.

Hank’s tenuous stability is threatened by his mohawked, punk-rock neighbor Russ (Matt Smith), who entrusts Hank with caring for his feisty cat, “Bud” (Tonic the Cat), while he visits his ailing father in London. Hank confronts two unhinged Russian mobsters trying to break into Russ’s apartment, and they insist that Russ gave Hank something they want.

Hank is subsequently beaten to a pulp, losing a kidney in the process, along with any hope of peace and safety. Turns out Russ is involved in some shady business with the Russian mob and, more troublingly, the cutthroat Hasidic Drucker brothers (Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio), who — as sympathetic but shady narcotics detective Roman (Regina King) informs him — he does not want to encounter if he wants to make it out alive.

Thus begins a blood-soaked comedy of errors with a high body count, as Hank encounters various idiosyncratic people throughout NYC who could quickly end his life.

When the stakes are tragically raised and a large sum of money comes into the picture, Hank must stand up for himself and fight for those he cares about, in a nihilistic crime thriller that also finds room to be resolutely pro-cat in between the grisly violence and frequent bursts of smugly anarchic humor.

“Caught Stealing” represents a departure from Aronofsky, who previously directed such films as “Black Swan,” “Mother!,” and, most recently, the emotionally cruel “The Whale.”

This film, on the other hand, takes a more traditionally entertaining approach, albeit not shying away from brutal beatdowns, crossfire casualties, and traumatic flashbacks.

Aronofsky maintains a tongue-in-cheek tone throughout the carnage, whisking us along to new, high-stakes scenarios as Hank fumbles his way through an increasingly convoluted story that prioritizes momentum over depth, becoming a compulsively watchable crime genre pastiche with little actual meaning.

Fortunately, the film’s ensemble and tactile stylings lift it above the story’s limitations. Butler is a near-perfect lead here, bringing a swagger belying palpable hurt that lends pathos to a character whose traumas are hammered home with obvious force.

Aronofsky and cinematographer Matthew Libatique keep the camera close to Butler, his facial expressions highlighting Hank’s “evolution” in a richer way than the screenplay affords.

Butler’s raw physicality and vulnerability suit the character well, making Hank’s repeated near-death escapes and ability to withstand gratuitous punishment easier to buy into, if only just.

Butler and Kravitz also have red-hot chemistry, particularly in the beginning when Aronofsky lets us sit with these characters for a bit before things spiral out of control. Smith gets time to shine as the perpetually disoriented, live-wire Russ, who slings a near-constant stream of obscenities and has a rather jumpy trigger finger.

Other turns from King, rapper-turned-actor Bad Bunny, and, especially Schreiber and D’Onofrio (clearly relishing their roles) help keep energy high and the film intermittently amusing through its twists and turns.

“Caught Stealing” doesn’t have the patience to flesh out these characters organically, though; they’re fairly well-drawn but are quickly subsumed into the convoluted machinations of a plot that refuses to slow down once the first punch is thrown.

That’s not necessarily a negative — Aronofsky ensures the film always has some harsh spectacle waiting around the next corner, framed with a gnarly eye and complemented by production value that convincingly transports us back in time to the squalid city streets and dingy locales (although the setting is used more as a backdrop than a key part of the narrative).

What the film can’t escape is a prevailing sense of pointlessness beyond in-the-moment thrills. “Caught Stealing” becomes rather generic by the end, neatly tying up its threads and rushing through a typically far-fetched climax.

For all its gruesome violence, self-satisfied humor, and sporadic moments of strange earnestness, Aronofsky’s film lacks a true “standout” element, eventually blending together and fading away once the credits roll (the credits are depicted with more eye-catching visual flair than most of the film itself).

But at least Aronofsky is trying something new, even if “Caught Stealing” is far from a clean getaway.

“Caught Stealing” is a 2025 darkly comedic action thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Austin Butler, Regina King, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio, Benito Martínez Ocasio, Griffin Dunne and Carol Kane. It’s rated R for strong violent content, pervasive language, some sexuality/nudity and brief drug use, and the run time is 1 hour, 47 minutes. It opens in theatres on Aug. 29.Alex’s Grade: C+

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