PopLifeSTL Picks Weekly: Sept. 1 – 7

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 10th 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.

The company of ‘The Cottage.’ Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

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.

Darren Aronofsky Takes a Detour in Hyperviolent ‘Caught Stealing’

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+

Austin Butler Drives Dark Comedy Action Thriller ‘Caught Stealing’

Austin Butler Drives Dark Comedy Action Thriller ‘Caught Stealing’

By Lynn Venhaus

Two lethal Hasidic Jews, two Russian mobster goons, a Latino gangster and a tough-talking cop walk into a grungy East Village bar in 1998 New York City, and mayhem ensues in a fast-paced bloody treasure hunt “Caught Stealing.”

Henry “Hank” Thompson (Austin Butler), a former jock who could have had a shot in the major leagues, is now tending bar in New York City’s Lower East Side, drinking way too much and tormented by what might have been. His neighbor Russ (Matt Smith) asked him to take care of his cat while he heads home because his father had a stroke. Without warning, Hank becomes embroiled in the criminal underworld.

Inexplicably, unlucky Hank’s life becomes a living hell. Butler, with his movie star charisma,  drives the film’s energy as the former golden boy tarnished by a messy life.

Embroiled in a violent “Wrong Man” type scenario, he leads a strong ensemble cast as disparate as mohawked Matt Smith as the Brit punk neighbor, Regina King as the hardboiled detective, Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio as machine gun-toting Hebrews with Carol Kane as their Bubbe, a grungy Griffin Dunne as grizzled bar owner Paul, and feisty Zoe Kravitz as his charming paramedic girlfriend Yvonne.

Zoe Kravitz, Austin Butler.

Butler and Kravitz click with tangible chemistry, and the cast digs into the quirky characters developed by author Charlie Huston, in his Hank Thompson mystery trilogy, who also wrote the screenplay.

Because Huston followed his 2004 “Caught Stealing” with 2005’s “Six Bad Things,” and 2006’s “A Dangerous Man,” can a sequel be far behind? (In case you are wondering, Huston is the grandson of legendary film actor and director John Huston and nephew of actors Anjelica Huston and Danny Huston.)

That’s the thing about a book adaptation. We don’t get the rich backstories of what’s going on in people’s heads – it’s up to the cast to convey, with nuance and depth, their inner lives.

Director Darren Aronofsky, leans more into the bullets flying and full-throttle chaos and less into character development as we’re quickly plunged into this darkly comedic-action thriller with a high body count —similar to “Bullet Train” three years ago.

Regina King, Austin Butler.

As a summer wild ride that knocks off pieces of “John Wick,” “After Hours” and any Quentin Tarantino -Guy Ritchie crime caper is light on original style but heavy on unpredictable, but it suffices as an easy-to-digest movie relying on cast appeal.

The humor is interspersed with gruesome killings, so the tonal whiplash shift doesn’t always work.

Aronofsky, who has helmed “The Whale,” “The Wrestler,” “Black Swan,” “Noah” and “Requiem for a Dream,” may seem like an odd fit, but he nails the scruffiness of late ‘90s NYC.

Of course, he benefits from cinematographer Matthew Libatique’s keen eye for detail in Pre-Millennium times, and winks by including some of his favorite spots like the long gone Kim’s Video.

Crackerjack editing by Andrew Weisblum, accompanied by a pulsating score from Rob Simonsen, also helps with the atmosphere. 

Matt Smith, Butler.

Haunted by his past, including a career-shattering drunk driving accident  15 years ago, that fuels Hank’s decisions and re-occurring nightmares. He deals with a reckoning through the film that is only touched on, but developed more in the books.

A California transplant who roots for his beloved San Francisco Giants and talks to his devoted mother (Laura Dern, in uncredited cameo) almost daily, Hank is likable but has issues he needs to address.

The pair of bald thugs who first roughed him up (Nikita Kukushkin and Yuri Kolokolnikov) are relentless, then they are joined by an enforcer (Bad Bunny) with a time-stamped ultimatum.

Trying to stay alive takes precedence for Hank as his loved ones are in danger, and he must see an endgame, but it doesn’t seem in sight. These plot threads keep unraveling, leading to tedium.

Liev Shreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio, Butler.

With all these colorful characters, one appreciates their contributions, but the chase becomes a labyrinth, and the film starts running out of gas.

Still, more surprises are in store. Yet, the cat named Bud is a reliable scene-stealer (Tonic, from “Pet Sematary” reboot).

“Caught Stealing” is a rough ride, depending on how you tolerate violence.

However, Butler proves himself as a certifiable leading man, Oscar nominated for “Elvis” and trying hard to show a range (“Dune,” “The Bikeriders,” and Eddington”). He is such a winning presence as Hank that you want to follow him on his journeys. They set up the ending for a sequel.

Wherever Hank and Bud go, you hope they go together. And you can sense they will be magnets for trouble. And there’s enough of a crime caper here to keep us turning in an imperfect summer throwaway.

“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. Lynn’s Grade: B-