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Thursday, January 31, 2019

F3Stage Review: Hello, Betty! The legendary Buckley delights as Dolly

Film Flam Flummox


With Broadway managing to achieve a certain sense of contemporary zeitgeist hipness--and, thus, mainstream media attention--in recent years with a stream of younger-appealing successes such as Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, the soon-to-transfer Off-Broadway cult sensation Be More Chill, and a certain little slice of American political (and, now, theatrical) history known as Hamilton, the knee-jerk impulse, particularly for the new audiences these shows rope in, is to reject the shows of yesteryear as being simple, square, and antiquated. But certain shows become enduring classics for a reason, and that one usually does indeed boil down to a simplicity that's been lost over time: that of the laser-focused aim to provide theatergoers with pure, unadulterated joy. And that the current national tour of Hello, Dolly!, now running at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, definitely serves up by the gallon.

The touring version of Jerry Zaks's 2017 Tony-winning Broadway revival doesn't boast what was the main drawing card for that production's 16-month run: Bette Midler, and her equally Big Deal replacement, Bernadette Peters. This isn't to say that the tour skimps out on star power, however, for credit goes to the producers for snagging another legendary leading lady for the road, Betty Buckley. One need not be familiar with her long list of credits and accolades to know, from her casually grand entrance from behind a newspaper, one is in the presence of an all-caps STAR. In essaying the role of Dolly Gallagher Levi, resourceful, resilient, all-purpose Jill of All Trades widow in 19th century New York, Buckley is in fine voice tackling Jerry Herman's timeless tunes, but more crucially she exudes the boundless charisma and charm that is essential for the character and the show as a whole. Dolly's main hustle as a matchmaker entails meddling and manipulation, such as the convoluted machinations she employs to get a trio of financially strapped young paramours, artist Ambrose (Garett Hawe) and store clerks Cornelius (Nic Rouleau) and Barnaby (Jess LeProtto), to fully win over their respective true loves, frequently crying Ermengarde (Morgan Kirner), widowed hat store owner Irene (Analisa Leaming), and her assistant Minnie (Kristen Hahn). While the farcical shenanigans that ensue in Michael Stewart's book are preposterous by design, to lend even the most basic dramatic credibility to the trust they place in Dolly, it takes a presence of undeniable, irresistibly welcoming warmth such as Buckley's.

And that warmth is all the more critical to the entire piece, for Dolly's plotting is also for a major selfish concern on top of those selfless ones. Intertwined in and her ultimate end to all of these means is her ultimate master plan to marry Horace Vandergelder (Lewis J. Stadlen), the grumpy old widower who owns the feed and hay shop at which Cornelius and Barnaby work, not to mention Ermengarde's uncle and the person Dolly is supposedly matching with Irene. As mentioned, Buckley's effortlessly ingratiating presence and demeanor never keeps Dolly's best-intentioned heart of gold out of mind even through all the antics, but not for nothing did Buckley win a Tony Award by wringing torrents of tears through a single song as Grizabella in the original Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats. Through the most minimal and understated inflections and rhythms of her line readings, Buckley brings a lifetime of emotional dimension to Dolly, making her motivations not only more relatable but lending them a certain gravitas. When Dolly occasionally addresses the spirit of her dearly departed husband Ephraim, Buckley is able to turn on a dime what is sometimes used as a comic device into deep dive character moments that are sincerely affecting and sell the story's most universal of themes: that of one's eternal hunger and need, even with many years behind and the world ready to count one out, to simply feel and live.

Buckley is able to just as easily shift in the other direction, and make no mistake, for all the heartfelt sentiment and poignant emotion infused in the piece, it is overall just a fun time--and a major reason for that is Zaks completely embracing the yesteryear style of the piece. Santo Loquasto's opulent scenic and costume design is a throwback to go-for-broke showmanship of Broadway's heyday, their vibrant colors matching the infectiously sunny disposition of the entire production and the boundless energy of all of the actors on stage. That last statement most definitely includes the large ensemble of ensemble players, particularly the dancers who impressively execute William Carlyle's elaborate, intricate, and even physics-challenging--as in extended "The Waiters' Gallop" set piece that features props in various, precarious positions of balance--that, in tandem with Herman's ever-hummable score, drive the show's numerous showstopping numbers.

No number is more showstopping than, of course, the title one. While the core cast members are all very impressive, in fine voice, comic timing, and having crackling chemistry with each other, when Buckley makes the most definitive of diva entrances, resplendent in the iconic Dolly red dress and feathered headpiece, it's just as much a tribute to its star as it is the character. For all the terrific work she does throughout the show--beautifully singing the songs, acting the hell out of the comedy and the drama, and bringing the character to vivid life--the manner in which she can instantly hold a housefull audience in a cavernous venue in her helpless thrall by simply strutting down a staircase while flashing a tractor beam of a smile is the true testament to what a timeless talent and treasure she is. Hello, Betty.


Betty Buckley as Dolly Gallagher Levi
(photo by Julieta Cervantes)

Hello, Dolly! is now playing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood in a limited engagement through Sunday, February 17; the First National Tour then continues on to other cities throughout the year.

Buy the Hello, Dolly! 2017 Revival Broadway Cast album CD here.
Buy the Hello, Dolly! Original Broadway Cast album CD here.
Buy the Hello, Dolly! 1967 Broadway Cast album CD here.
Buy the Hello, Dolly! 1994 Revival Broadway Cast album CD here.

(Special thanks to Hollywood Pantages Theatre)


Original Hello, Dolly! star Carol Channing's
Hollywood Walk of Fame star, right outside the
Pantages Theatre, on opening night
(photo by Michael Dequina)

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Tuesday, January 29, 2019

F3PR: John D. Loeks to receive 2019 NATO Marquee Award at CinemaCon

Film Flam Flummox

PRESS RELEASE


CELEBRATION CINEMA'S JOHN D. LOEKS TO RECEIVE
2019 NATO MARQUEE AWARD AT CINEMACON®

CinemaCon® to take place April 1-4, 2019

WASHINGTON D.C. (January 29, 2019) – The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) will honor John D. Loeks, Chairman of Studio C, with the 2019 NATO Marquee Award during this year’s CinemaCon. It was announced today by Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon. CinemaCon, the official convention of NATO, will be held April 1-4, 2019 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Mr. Loeks is being recognized by NATO for his unequalled dedication, commitment and service to the motion picture theater industry. He will receive his industry tribute as part of CinemaCon's "State of the Industry: Past, Present and Future" presentation on Tuesday morning, April 2.

“John Loeks’ role in the exhibition industry defines leadership. This humble gentleman from Michigan had the vision to create the Global Cinema Federation and unite exhibitors around the world, while never forgetting the role of the independent theater operators,” said John Fithian, President and CEO of NATO. “All of us at NATO could not be more grateful for this wonderful man’s leadership.”

After initially practicing law for 20 years, John Loeks joined the family business, Loeks Theatres, in 1990. In 1997, he founded Celebration Cinema, building six megaplexes and purchasing two more. Loeks Theatres currently has 11 theaters operating in Michigan, and their 12th megaplex is set to open in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. The building will serve as a mixed use complex of retail, housing, and parking, with a music venue, office space and a nine-screen theater. Loeks has been a member of the board of the National Association of Theatre Owners since 1992. In that time, he has served in many different capacities including NATO Chairman from 2015-2017.

In addition to his work in the cinema, Loeks has served as owner and president of ShowSpan, Inc., a company that produces 13 major annual consumer shows in Michigan and Wisconsin. He is the founder and former chairman of AuSable Institute of Environmental Studies, which provides a wide variety of environmental science courses to students from nearly 60 participating colleges. In 2009, he founded Schools for Sierra Leone, a foundation that builds and supports schools in Sierra Leone, West Africa.

About CinemaCon

CinemaCon will attract upwards of 6,000 motion picture professionals from all facets of the industry--from exhibition and distribution, to the equipment and concession areas--all on hand to celebrate the moviegoing experience and the cinema industry. From exclusive Hollywood product presentations highlighting a slate of upcoming films, to must-see premiere feature screenings, to the biggest stars, producers and directors, CinemaCon will help jumpstart the excitement and buzz that surrounds the summer season at the box office.

Additional information on CinemaCon, the Official Convention of NATO, can be found at www.cinemacon.com.

About NATO

The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 33,393 movie screens in all 50 states, and additional cinemas in 94 countries worldwide. NATO’s membership includes the largest cinema chains in the world and hundreds of independent theatre owners, too.


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Friday, January 25, 2019

The Movie Report #1004, January 25, 2019

The Movie Report

#1004, January 25, 2019


MOVIES:

  • Antiquities ** 1/2
  • Canal Street ** 1/2
  • The Kid Who Would Be King ***
  • Serenity **
  • Volcanoes: The Fires of Creation *** Q&A video with Carsten Peter

The Movie Report wants to attend and cover all your film events and press junkets! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

New in Stores on DVD, Blu-ray, & Digital: January 22, 2019

The Movie Report



PLUS:
The Movie Report wants to receive all of your DVD and Blu-ray releases for review! Please send any and all announcements and press releases to this address. Thanks!

Friday, January 18, 2019

The Movie Report #1003, January 18, 2019

The Movie Report

#1003, January 18, 2019


MOVIES:

  • Glass ***
  • NTR: Kathanayakudu (NTR: The Legendary Hero) **
  • Petta ***
  • Uri: The Surgical Strike ***

The Movie Report wants to attend and cover all your film events and press junkets! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!

Thursday, January 17, 2019

F3PR: 27th annual Pan African Film & Arts Festival to Screen Aretha Franklin's Amazing Grace on opening night

Film Flam Flummox

PRESS RELEASE

Pan African Film & Arts Festival

27th ANNUAL PAN AFRICAN FILM AND ARTS FESTIVAL
TO SCREEN ARETHA FRANKLIN’S AMAZING GRACE
AT DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA ON
OPENING NIGHT FEBRUARY 7

America's Largest Black Film Festival To Exhibit
Over 170 Black Films and 100 Fine Artists
From February 7 Through February 18 at the
Cinemark Rave 15 Theatres and
Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles

Festival Reflects on 27-Year Journey of Storytelling
with 'AmPAFFify' Campaign


January 15, 2019 (Los Angeles, CA) -- The Pan African Film & Arts Festival announced that it will celebrate its 27th Annual Opening Night with a screening of Aretha Franklin’s cherished Amazing Grace concert documentary at the Directors Guild of America. The festival, which presents an impressive slate of over 170 new Black films from the US and around the world and exhibits more than 100 fine artists and unique craftspeople, starts on Thursday, February 7 through Monday, February 18 at the Cinemark Rave 15 Theatres (3650 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd) and the adjacent Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles, California. Aretha Franklin’s spine-tingling and uplifting Amazing Grace, produced by Alan Elliott, was originally directed by Sydney Pollack in 1972 at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, California. The film, a rare gem in the crown of the late musical genius, has not been seen before now due to technical and rights issues.

 “It’s such a blessing to open the festival this year with Amazing Grace,” expressed PAFF Co-Founder and Actor Danny Glover. “Aretha Franklin is a rare treasure. To be graced with this film is an honor and a testament to the perseverance and long-standing prominence of the festival’s impact.”

Over the past 26 years, The Pan African Film & Arts Festival has sought to increase cultural awareness and bridge diverse communities from the African diaspora by providing a creative safe space for the development and expression of the Black narrative through film, poetry, art and music. This year, PAFF will “amPAFFify” amplify and ignite the Pan-African experience through next generation storytelling.

“27 years ago, we made a political, cultural, social and intellectual decision to get involved in film festivals as it became clear that a platform to showcase Black films was needed,” shared Ayuko Babu, Executive Director and Co-Founder of PAFF. “It’s been a privilege to be a platform for many filmmakers and talent to share their unique stories through the lens of their own experiences, visions and creative artistry. The on-going challenge is... who’s story gets told on the small screen and big screen? The Pan African Film Festival is a way of showing distributors the stories that matter to people of color.”

PAFF’s legacy is evidenced by the success of storytellers and talent who’ve contributed works to the festival such as Will Packer, Kevin Hart, Jamie Foxx, Ryan Coogler, Berry Jenkins, Taraji P. Henson, Ava DuVernay, and countless others. The program’s platform exists proudly as a conduit for the careers of thousands of talented actors, directors, producers and executives; many of which have gone on to win the industry’s top honors including the Golden Globes, Emmy’s and Oscars®. As an official Oscar®-qualifying festival, many of PAFF’s short and live-action films will be up for consideration for an Academy Award®.

To further “amPAFFify” PAFF’s proud history, the organization recently launched an “#IAMPAFF” Meme Generator, designed to allow festival supporters to share their own stories on social media. Festival supporters can join in the fun by creating a meme to tell their story at paff.org/iampaff.

This year’s program features a robust schedule including the Filmmakers Brunch, ARTFest, PAFF Institute Panels, StudentFest, LOL Comedy Series, Children’s Fest, SpokenWord Fest, Seniors’ Connection and much more. Individual screening tickets and all festival passes can be purchased at paff.org/tickets. Group sales discounts are also available. For more information, visit the PAFF website at paff.org or call 310-337-4737.


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Tuesday, January 15, 2019

New in Stores on DVD, Blu-ray, & Digital: January 15, 2019

The Movie Report



PLUS:
The Movie Report wants to receive all of your DVD and Blu-ray releases for review! Please send any and all announcements and press releases to this address. Thanks!

Monday, January 14, 2019

Movie Music Monday: Rami Malek, Graham King, John Ottman, Jan Sewell, Paul Massey sing Bohemian Rhapsody

Film Flam Flummox


Even after winning two major Golden Globe Awards in a somewhat upset dual victory mere days ago, Rami Malek, 20th Century Fox, and the other champions behind Queen and Freddie Mercury music biopic Bohemian Rhapsody are not resting on their global blockbuster box office-anointed laurels, continuing the Academy Awards® campaign for the film as if it just begun. This past Thursday, January 11, star Malek joined producer Graham King and a trio of key figures on the technical crew, film editor John Ottman, hair and makeup designer Jan Sewell, and sound re-recording mixer Paul Massey for a spirited discussion following a special awards consideration screening at the Zanuck Theatre on the Fox studio lot in Century City.


Bohemian Rhapsody is now playing in cinemas nationwide, from 20th Century Fox.

Buy the Bohemian Rhapsody movie poster here.
Buy the Bohemian Rhapsody DVD here.
Buy the Bohemian Rhapsody Blu-ray here.
Buy the Bohemian Rhapsody Digital Copy here.
Buy the Bohemian Rhapsody soundtrack here.


Rami Malek, Graham King, John Ottman, Jan Sewell, Paul Massey
(photo by Michael Dequina)

(Special thanks to 20th Century Fox and John Ottman)


The Movie Report wants to attend all your film premieres special events! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!

Friday, January 11, 2019

The Movie Report #1002, January 11, 2019

The Movie Report

#1002, January 11, 2019


MOVIES:

  • A Dog's Way Home ** 1/2
  • Kill Mobile ***
  • Perfect Strangers (Perfectos Desconocidos) ***
  • Replicas * 1/2
  • Take Point ***
  • The Upside *** interview video with Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston, Neil Burger

The Movie Report wants to attend and cover all your film events and press junkets! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!

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