Mexico City streetcars at heart of Buñuel film in Saturday screenings 1
Aug
20
2024
It’s a film by Luis Buñuel, minus the eye-slicing; it’s Illusion Travels by Streetcar (1954) by the Spanish cinema master of surrealist films, but this time, a beautifully made neo-realist black-and-white drama of peripatetic ur ban existence rolling the streets of Mexico City. A trio of friends who care for a streetcar soon to be ...
Richard Wyatt, Los Angeles muralist, leaves mark of humanity on city 1
If you’ve lived in Los Angeles and its environs for any length of time, there’s a very good chance you’ve been touched by the work of Richard Wyatt Jr. (1955-2024). He was one of the most prolific and high-profile of Southern California muralists, supplying large-scale images that told the town’s stories in the faces and ...
Twin titans of terror to add Festival shivers at Cinecon 60
Aug
8
2024
Labor Day could mean lazing around, eating hot dogs, and reading the funny papers — all pleasures of the working man and woman’s holiday. But for the past sixty years, cinephiles have gathered on this end-of-summer weekend for a five-day “deep dive” — and that means morning-till-night — to imbibe a banquet of rarely seen ...
Death of a dance critic
Aug
6
2024
George Jackson, a renowned dance critic, dance historian, author, and parasitologist died in his sleep in New York Monday August 5, 2024. I was his reader, and George read artsmeme, too, clicking on the occasional link, and perusing. I once received a balletomane’s note from him, in 2017, kind of complaining that our critic, “apparently ...
‘The Instigators’: a watchable star-studded misfire
The first twenty minutes of The Instigators, a new movie by director Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow, Mr and Mrs. Smith, Swingers), presented by Apple Originals, is a delight. Each new scene introduces great actors to a story with unique characters navigating a time-worn yet always suspenseful plot (a heist). Who can quibble with this ...
Dance finds ‘sea legs’ at Montpellier Danse 2024
au bord de la mer, on the cote d’azure, in nice The expression, to “find your sea legs” feels apt for dance right now. The term refers to the human body’s struggle to adjust to the pitching-and-rocking of a ship in motion. It’s a jolting loss of balance; it’s the absence of terra firma. Four ...
Shelley Duvall’s special dance as Olive Oyl, in ‘Popeye’ 4
Seen above, a personal photo published with permission. It is a beatific pose by the recently deceased actress Shelley Duvall dancing as Olive Oyl in director Robert Altman’s “Popeye” (1980). Duvall (1949-2024), who recently passed away, led a long and memorable career primarily as a character actress, but in this case she played a full ...
Mexican-born, American-trained Isaac Hernandez to join ABT as Principal Dancer
Jul
11
2024
Isaac Hernández. Photo: Erik Sawaya. Our friends at American Ballet Theatre, which under the guidance and decision-making of new Artistic Director Susan Jaffe seem to have awakened from a long Sleeping Beauty-like slumber, have stirring news to share. The company’s highest ranks will have a new addition. It’s a long, slim, classically trained dancer of ...
REVIEW: Easily distracted? Hopelessly romantic? Try ‘Touch.’
Egill Ólafsson stars as Kristofer in director Baltasar Kormákur’s TOUCH credit: Baltasar Breki Samper What? You’ve not heard of Touch? You’re not sure it’s a movie for you? Here are ten reasons to enjoy the new Icelandic film about an elderly widower journeying to find his first love before it’s too late. The movie opens ...