“Get Back” is a Hard Day’s Night of Music and Friendship (Review)

Note: This review was originally published on SiftPop in December 2021.

After some experience with restoring old footage and reconstructing history in 2018’s They Shall Not Grow Old, Peter Jackson has graced our screens (this time on Disney+) with the biggest treat any Beatles fan could ask for.

The Beatles: Get Back is a comprehensive documentary about the making of their album Let It Be (done in under a month, all leading up to their iconic rooftop concert) from 60 hours of video footage, over 150 hours of audio, and four years of hard work on Jackson’s part. What I love most about it is that Get Back is far from a traditional documentary — it’s not burdened by a narrator or a specific direction; it just allows their creative process to flourish, while also giving us some insight as to the causes of the band’s inevitable breakup. Even though it may seem dull at points, I find it to be enormous fun just to watch The Beatles be The Beatles.

“Pinocchio” is a Dark Children’s Tale from Maestro del Toro (Review)

There’s no way a team-up between award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and the Jim Henson Company on the supposedly limitless dime of streaming giant Netflix results in anything but a truly magical experience. My optimism is helped by the fact that del Toro is my favorite director, responsible for some of my all-time top films (Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water among them), and my excitement was immediate when I discovered he was spearheading a darker adaptation of the classic Pinocchio story, while maintaining the tale’s all-ages appeal. In every conceivable way, it sounds like a recipe for success.

Image courtesy of Netflix

I realize it sounds like I’m about to say I was severely let down by Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio — but in fact, the opposite is even more true. His Pinocchio was first announced in 2008, but didn’t end up moving forward with production until ten years later, and its longtime spot in development hell was finally at an end. Now, after an extensive festival run and massive critical acclaim, its Netflix release is on the horizon.

Get Back Into Christmas Movie Mode with New Holiday Favorite “Spirited” (Review)

These days, I’ve been starting my reviews off with questions. I’ll ask “Why do we keep seeing these types of movies?” or “is this really a story that needed to be told in this particular way?” Usually, the purpose of those questions is to transition into my own answer, which is the perfect segue into the larger review.

I feel like there’s no need for a question today, because if you simply read what Spirited is about, it’ll pop into your head automatically. We follow the Ghost of Christmas Present (played here by Will Ferrell) who takes on the challenge of haunting an “unredeemable” human soul, a manipulative businessman played by Ryan Reynolds who is “dogmatically committed to the idea that people never change.”

Image courtesy of Apple TV+

Say it with me: do we really need another retelling of A Christmas Carol? It’s a classic story that everyone knows the major beats to, even (sometimes especially) if they’ve never read the source material. But Spirited practices what it preaches and presents a promisingly original take on Dickens’ novella, utilizing the proven comedic talents of its leads and (wait for it) transforming the tale into a vibrant musical.

“SIX” and “The Book of Mormon” are Strong Reminders of What Musical Theater Can Be (Review)

Broadway and the West End work in perfect tandem, each debuting shows that — if success allows it — will eventually make their way across the pond. During my recent trip to the UK, I was lucky enough to attend two musical productions that have both enjoyed a fair amount of critical acclaim.

The first is SIX, which unites the six wives of King Henry VIII for a modern musical extravaganza that blends genres and breaks down walls. It’s not story-driven, as it functions more like a pop concert. The Queens tell their stories and compare horrible life experiences, which seems pretty par for the course in the era that they lived. However, this is actually a competition; they’re trying to see who suffered the most, and therefore who should become the group’s lead singer.

SIX takes back the power and establishes the Queens as characters separate from Henry. Historically, they’re always bundled together with the King, because he’s the only thing that ties them together — when in fact, his wives are the only reason Henry is as famous as he is. I couldn’t tell you a thing about his religious reform or his investment in the Royal Navy, but even before seeing SIX I was well aware of his Queens, their basic life stories, and how they died. SIX gives them the agency they deserve as main characters, and not just supporting players in the Royal narrative.

“Elvis” is a Biopic Fit for a King (Review)

How can you tell the story of an iconic industry titan in a way that does justice to their influence and legacy — while also telling a story appealable to the masses? The answer to that near-impossible question is: you don’t. Not in a conventional way at least.

Image courtesy of Warner Bros

Baz Luhrmann, not necessarily known for his faith in source materials (or to history, in this case), has taken the reins of an Elvis Presley biopic. The King of Rock and Roll, a towering historical figure (despite not being confident in his own impact) was only 42 when he passed away, but managed to create an indelible impression in very little time. Luhrmann’s Elvis is simultaneously a tribute to his musical brilliance, a reflection on the lasting trends he pioneered, and a portrait of United States history across three decades.

With Romance and Music, “Cyrano” is Optimistically Transformative (Review)

I love Urban Dictionary. Aside from including fantastically inappropriate terms that would never make it into the actual dictionary, there are words made into verbs and adjectives for no conceivable reason. One of those words is ‘Cyrano,’ for which the top definition is:

“...a situation when a nerdy guy helps a handsome guy date the girl that he loves by telling him what to say and what to do.”

The adjoining example (for how to use the word) is:

“Our boss asked us to meet him here and he is not here yet, he just tried to put us together, he cyrano’d us. Let’s make him win, kiss me.”

After my inevitable Urban Dictionary rabbit hole, I was able to laugh at the total absurdity of the word “Cyrano” being used in that context. I would be willing to bet money that no one has ever used the word like that in the entire history of the world — and how would we know? Let’s just say that I win.

Jokes aside, the definition is the bare basics of the story of Cyrano de Bergerac, a real-life poet whose life was dramatized by Edmond Rostand in 1897. The play was subsequently adapted into a musical in 2018 by Erica Schmidt, which led to the creation of the movie musical starring Peter Dinklage.

The Urban Dictionary definition is surprisingly accurate. Commonly taunted soldier Cyrano (Peter Dinklage) is in love with his childhood friend Roxanne (Haley Bennett), and uses the man that Roxanne loves, Christian (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) to communicate his own love with her through letters. Christian himself is not very romantic, and seeks Cyrano’s help, and as events become more complicated, Cyrano must decide whether to reveal his own feelings for Roxanne.

Review: “West Side Story” Razzle Dazzles the Remake Landscape

Just when you thought remaking a classic couldn’t make it any better, here comes Steven Spielberg, one of the greatest directors of all time, adapting one of the greatest stories of all time — yep, it’s Romeo & Juliet on the streets once again with a “reimagining” of West Side Story.

“Reimagining” is in quotes here because there’s not many ways that Spielberg’s West Side Story deviates from the 1961 film. It follows the same track, most of the scenes are recreations (albeit with much more flair and welcome splashes of color), but the differences that are there admittedly serve the story better. 1961’s West Side Story isn’t a nostalgic favorite of mine, but I can recognize why it’s regarded as a classic and why it’s looked back on as one of the greatest musical films ever made.

Review: “Dear Evan Hansen” Brings Broadway to Cinema, with Mixed Results

There are certain things that are meant to be seen on the stage. Some of these translate very well to the screen — Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd and Little Shop of Horrors are prime examples — but unfortunately, Dear Evan Hansen isn’t one of them.

I've seen the stage play twice, and I’ve loved it both times. Upon its release, it received praise from critics and audiences alike for being an emotional, empathetic tale about growing up, facing the truth and the value of family — some very strong themes, that by all means should translate very well into any medium.

The film adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen brings original Broadway star Ben Platt back as the titular lead, and yes, it’s as jarring as you’ve heard. Platt is a 28-year-old playing a high school student, and that was all I could think about most of the time he was on screen. The aged-down makeup, involving some curly hair to disguise his age, is only partially successful, and it can be distracting. It doesn’t detract from his performance in any way, though — Platt is still the best part of the film, from his stellar vocals to his heartbreaking performance as a teenager struggling with deep-set (if at times stylized) anxiety.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018) Review: Doing a Legend Justice

Note: This review was originally published in The Cape Cod Chronicle in December 2018.

Queen is one of the most recognizable names in the music industry — they have brought to life such classic songs as “We Are the Champions,” “Killer Queen,” and, of course, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Every member of the band is still alive except for Freddie Mercury, who was the lead vocalist, and one of the most flamboyant performers the world has ever seen. He died at the age of 45 from the AIDs epidemic of the late 20th century, and his story has been immortalized in the biopic, also titled Bohemian Rhapsody.

“Hamilton” Review: Say Yes to This!

“What’s your name, man?”

I don’t know of a single musical theatre fan that has never either longed to, or has been lucky enough, to see Hamilton live on stage. And the only thing more exciting than seeing a live performance of Hamilton is seeing the show with its original cast.

Now, finally, the latter is possible again, nearly four years after the cast’s exit. A professionally recorded version of a few 2016 performances (all spliced together) has debuted on Disney+, and even if you’ve seen the show once, twice, three times before, this is a completely new way to experience the show.

“The Lion King” (2019) Review: Another Pointless Remake

The visuals really are impressive.

Disney has clearly gotten it into their heads that if they remake their classic films, even from within the past twenty years, with the added twist of ‘live-action,’ that people will watch them — and they’re right.

The Lion King is the perfect example of that — a nearly carbon-copy of the 1994 original, only in the 2019 version everything is photorealistic, from the animals’ expressions to the (mostly empty) African landscape.

There are a few problems with this — namely, the mouths of animals, notably lions, aren’t made for human speech, so at times they look clumsy and awkward while speaking. Then there’s the issue that, since the lions’ faces don’t betray much emotion, the actors have to match that with their voices — and that creates a tedious amount of unemotional performances from actors that usually are dazzlingly dynamic while on screen.