Blu-Ray Review: “Lisa Frankenstein”

Starring: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse and Lisa Soberano
Directed by: Zelda Williams
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 101 minutes
Focus Features

Movie Score: 3 out of 5 Stars
Blu-Ray Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

I’m not really one to talk about the qualities of feminist horror. Not because I don’t like it, but mainly because I’m a man and I’m more than likely going to miss the point. For example, I probably dismissed “Jennifer’s Body” in 2009, solely for its similar feel to the “Twilight” films of the time. Now it’s considered a feminist cult classic. I guess I should re-watch and re-evaluate my attitude towards it. So, I approach “Lisa Frankenstein” cautiously, enjoying the elements I liked and questioning whether or not my dislikes are merely a viewpoint that I’ll need to re-evaluate in 15 years.

When we first meet Lisa (Kathryn Newton), she seems like a modern-day Lydia Deetz, with a wardrobe consisting solely of black-on-black and spending her free time at an abandoned cemetery with her nearest, dearest and deadest friends. We’re uncertain if she’s always been the gloomy outcast, but she explains that her more morose attitude is because of the death of her mother, at the hands of a serial killer slasher. Her father quickly remarries Janet (Carla Gugino), a less than caring stepmother who seems to believe Lisa is the embodiment of every cautionary 80s and 90s PSA about teenage drug use, sex and violence. On the flip side is Lisa’s new stepsister, Taffy (Lisa Soberano) with a personality brighter than the sun.

Taffy, always looking to please her stepsister, doesn’t question anything when Lisa joins her at a house party. Lisa’s intention? Hoping to connect with the cute boy at school who may or may not have a thing for Taffy. During the course of the night, Lisa partakes in a spiked drink, gets incredibly loopy, struggles to get a creep off her and ignores the Biblical lightning storm that resurrects a young Victorian man (Cole Sprouse) in her favorite headstone hangout. The man, simply referred to as the Creature in the film’s credits, goes straight to Lisa who has spent who knows how much time opining about love and loss at his gravestone. The rest of “Lisa Frankestein” involves watching Lisa and the Creature, copy and pasted from Tim Burton’s universe, as they stick out and get in trouble in this John Hughes-esque world.

Despite its glorious goth nature, the film never capitalizes on the 80s aesthetic. There are actually more Gen X vibes in the film’s promotional material than there is in the actual film. While it’s not necessarily a bad thing, it makes you wonder how much more visually stylish and eye-catching “Lisa Frankenstein” could have been. What it lacks in, it makes up for in dark humor, high school hijinks, and Newton’s magnetism as the lead. The film is also surprisingly energetic, a course of electricity runs through everyone, living and dead. The audience also has to see how it all plays out as Lisa loathes the living to the point that she begins creating her own reality through the Creature.

While the film’s flaws don’t derail the whole thing, they do eat at the back of your brain. There’s a lot of dangling plot threads, like the masked serial killer who killed Lisa’s mother, Taffy connecting with her stepdad, and the fact that as people begin dying, no one seems to be concerned or curious about it. In that regard, it feels a bit like “Heathers.” The absolute lunacy of these situations seems to be like everyday disturbances and the characters at times struggle to state why these issues are minor inconveniences. I’m not sure if the issue is Diablo Cody’s script, Zelda Williams direction, or a combination of the two. It could also be that the studio kneecapped the film, demanding a PG-13 to better sell tickets. I can only imagine the macabre ideas that could have been with an ‘R’ rating. However, I honestly don’t think any of my issues haunt the film. “Lisa Frankenstein” is a late night, teenage popcorn flick. I imagine the film is best viewed in pajamas at a sleepover.  Maybe 15 years from now, I’ll see if it is a midnight masterpiece.

For big fans of this film, the “Lisa Frankenstein” blu-ray is loaded. First off, it has a fantastic feature commentary with Director Zelda Williams. That being said, I’m not the biggest fan of solo commentaries, but Williams holds her own as she dissects her first film. The blu-ray also comes with deleted scenes and a gag reel that highlights the onset shenanigans. The other features serve as behind-the-scenes peeks that feature interviews with Williams, writer Diablo Cody and others. 

 

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews, Movies Tagged With: bluray, Cole Sprouse, diablo cody, film, jeremy werner, kathryn newton, ...

Blu-Ray Review: Cocaine Bear

Starring: Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson, Jr. and Ray Liotta
Directed by: Elizabeth Banks
Rated: R
Running time: 95 minutes
Universal

Normally when a film is advertised as “based/inspired by a true story,” you think to yourself, cool. However, when I first heard this comment used about “Cocaine Bear” I had to chuckle. Really? A beat that goes on a cocaine bender? Yeah, right. Then I spoke with a friend of mine who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee. She knew all about the story BECAUSE IT’S TRUE!

It’s sometime in the 1980s. America is in the middle of a huge drug epidemic. “Just say no,” is the message related by everyone from Nancy Reagan to Pee Wee Herman. Sadly there are no television in the woods.

A plane flies overhead in the darkness. Aboard is a man packaging up bundles of cocaine to drop into the woods below for his associates to recover and put on the street. An onboard mishap causes the plane to crash, with the wreckage (and drugs’) strewn all over. Anyone could come along and find the illicit cargo. Hikers. Kids. A bear.

A film that mixes dark humor and horror perfectly is indeed a rarity, but “Cocaine Bear” pulls this mixture off almost seamlessly. Director Banks and screenwriter Jimmy Warden have woven together a film that is both funny and terrifying.

The cast is full of colorful characters, ranging from Russell’s frantic mom searching for her daughter to Jackson’s almost too responsible drug runner to Margo Martindale as a park ranger with romance on her mind. Throw in recent Tony award winner Jesse Tyler Ferguson as a local wildlife expert and the late Ray Liotta in one of his final performances and you have a group of actors who, instead of going for camp, play the situations straight. And don’t forget the bear, who shows an amazing range of emotions. Add a soundtrack consisting of some of the era’s greatest hits and you have the formula for an entertaining night at the movies.

It is now available to own on digital, Blu-ray and DVD.
The ‘MAXIMUM RAMPAGE EDITION’ has the following features:
Alternate Ending
Deleted & Extended Scenes
Gag Reel
All Roads Lead to Cokey: The Making of COCAINE BEAR – Meet the hilarious ensemble brought together to bring the movie of what is soon to be the world’s most famous bear to life.
UnBEARable Bloodbath: Dissecting the Kills – From rigging to special effects makeup, to some of the actors doing their own stunts, we’ll get a bears-eye view into some of COCAINE BEAR’s hilarious and gory kill scenes.
Doing Lines – Cast and filmmakers read lines from the script to COCAINE BEAR, which was a work of art unto itself.
Feature Commentary with Director/Producer Elizabeth Banks and Producer Max Handelman

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews, Movies Tagged With: Blu-ray, cocaine bear, elizabeth banks, keri russell, mike smith, o'shea jackson jr., ...

Product Review: Donner Dobuds One Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds

Donner Dobuds One Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds

Retail Cost: $49.99

Features
• 12mm high-quality dynamic driver and a balanced armature driver to fully support the high frequency range.
• Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) function can reduce the noise by 30dB from 80Hz to 2KHz range.
• Beamforming noise cancelling technology for clear and wind resistant calls.
• 5 different sizes of ear tips are available (including XS, S, M, L and XL). The comfortable and waterproof design will keep you free of concerns about drizzle, rain or sweat.
• 32 – hour battery life, With a Type-C port and rapid charging technology.
• Donner Control APP allows customization of (EQ, power display, headphone name, noise reduction transparency mode switching, UI customization, etc.).

Our score 4.5 out of 5 stars

Since 2012 Donner Music has been making affordable, quality instruments for all level of musicians. The company is now branching out into the audio market with the release of their “DoBuds One” wireless earbuds. Available in a variety of colors the earbuds come packed with an abundance of top end features including 12mm dynamic drivers, digital noise cancelling, 32 hr. battery life and 5.2 Bluetooth connectivity. To coincide with the release of the “DoBuds One” Donner has also developed a corresponding app which allows users to fully customize their listening experience.

Construction-
It seems like every-day new earbuds are popping up on the market all boasting a bevy of features so when it comes time to purchase a new pair buyers often don’t know where to start. Donner has recently thrown their hat into the ring with the release of their “DoBuds One” active noise cancelling headphones. The stereo earbuds come packaged in a heavy-duty Type-C charging case along with cable and a 5-piece set of ear tips (XS/S/M/L/XL). Getting the right fit is crucial when it comes to earbuds and it can sometimes be difficult to do so as not all brands offer a variety of tip sizes. This can severely affect sound quality and leave users a bit frustrated. Donner does an excellent job here as not only do they include a full-size range of tips but the tips they include are dual hardness which provides a very secure and stable fit while also providing maximum comfort. The earbuds matte finish is easy to clean and features a IPX4 Waterproofing which eliminates worry of light water or sweat exposure when being used in a gym or outdoor setting however they are not for underwater use. The DoBuds One offer an impressive 32-hour battery life which is maximized by use of a 5.2 Bluetooth connection. Though the case does not feature its own built-in cable you can still charge through the case with the included cable or with any comparable type C-cable. For charging times you can expect around two hours of music play time per every ten minutes of charging. This allows for very short overall charging times which is something earbud users (myself included) tend to worry about as you can quickly get back using your device with minimal downtime.

Sound-
The Dobuds One come equipped with 12mm dual hybrid drivers which can be easily tailored by the listener via the Donner Connect app. Here users can select from six pre-set EQ settings or they create their own setting via the App’s customizable 8 band EQ making for a truly one-of-a-kind experience. Within the App users can also select their desired level of noise reduction as well as their preferred tap control options via the gestures tab. I found this feature to be very useful as I often forget how many taps access what feature. After a couple quick EQ tweaks, I was able to get a great sound out of these earbuds which remained consistent across several different music genres and podcasts. Low, Mid and High frequencies all presented themselves equally while listening to recorded material as well as while on phone/video calls. Another feature worth mentioning is the environmental noise cancellation. This feature when used along with the Donner App allows for wind resistant calls which is something I have struggled with while using other brands. The Dobuds One made a huge difference in the clarity of both incoming and outgoing audio in a variety of environmental settings.

The Dobuds One from Donner are an affordable, well-made product that offer a robust number of customizable options. From the included sizing kit, easy one button Bluetooth pairing and expansive in App customization I think you will be hard pressed to find a better Earbud system in this price range. Yes, the addition of another app to your device might be a bit annoying as is the need for yet another charging cable (thankfully the use of Type-C will eliminate this for most) these small inconveniences are easily outweighed by how many positives this product has to offer. If you are in the market for a new set of earbuds you can’t go wrong with the Donner Dobuds One and with the holidays right around the corner these would be a great idea for that special someone.

To find our more about Donner products visit www.donnermusic.com and to purchase a pair of Dobuds One visit their Amazon store here

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Filed Under: Instruments, Misc, Music, Technology Tagged With: cancelling, dobub, donner, earbuds, noise, product, ...

Film Review: “Terrifier 2”

If you enjoyed Damien Leone’s original “Terrifier” – then you’re in luck! “Terrifier 2” is the type of sequel where it feels like the director knows exactly what worked and didn’t work within their original film, and decides to double down on all the best parts. While “Terrifier 2” certainly has its fair share of bad performances and feels about ten minute over-long, it feels like an actual improvement over the first film in so many different ways. For starters, the original “Terrifier” is a perfectly enjoyable horror flick that is (rightfully, in my opinion) criticized for being completely light on plot and too reliant on its gnarly kills. Within the first twenty minutes of “Terrifier 2,” it’s apparent that Leone heard the criticisms and delivers a genuinely engaging protagonist within Sienna (Lauren LaVera) with a moderately compelling, emotional arc at her core. This won’t necessarily win any Oscars, but it’s nice to actually care about the characters this time around!

The film opens nearly exactly where its predecessor left off, with Art the Clown (played by the incredibly committed David Howard Thornton) terrorizing the coroner in a morgue. He soon sets off on a new quest for terrorizing more victims on Halloween, as Sienna and her brother (Elliot Fullam) are caught in the middle of all the carnage. The first thirty minutes are spent almost entirely setting up all the various supporting characters surrounded by the two leads, and the rest of the 138 minutes are a blood-bath that makes the first film seem tame in comparison. “Terrifier 2” is an acquired taste that still won’t satisfy all horror fans as it leans even further into torture-porn category than the original did, but you have to admire Leone’s commitment to furthering both his narrative and the extremes he can go-to with the kills Art the Clown can pull-off.

Another vast improvement here is the visual style and production design on display. The original “Terrifier” looked fine for a film of its budget, but one of the most striking things to me as this one began is that the cinematography is genuinely pretty impressive from the get-go. This is all due in-credit to DP Geroge Steuber, who also shot the first film. This advancement in style and change of pace within a more sporadic, popping production design and sets make for the horror to be all the more creative and creepy. Specifically, there’s a dream sequence near the beginning of the film where Art the Clown appears in Sienna’s dreams that is really impressive to watch and one of the more creative horror sequences that I’ve seen this year.

The original film was completely reliant on Art the Clown as a character and wasn’t focused on delivering much else, and it’s understandable as David Howard Thornton is absolutely magnetic and terrifying (no pun intended) in the role. But it is a refreshing change of pace to see him go against Sienna in this, who makes for a more than worthy adversary for Art. Lauren LaVera completely owns this role, and I could see her becoming an iconic final girl for the midnight-horror movie crowd as this is destined to become something of a cult-classic. The final set-piece that pits the two of them together made me desperately wish I saw this with a crowd! 

While “Terrifier 2” is far from the best horror movie I’ve seen this year, it’s easily the grossest and gnarliest – and I’m not easily squeamish. This type of horror usually isn’t my bag, but I have to admire its pure lunacy and commitment to grossing you out at every turn. It’s vastly entertaining, with a true vision behind the camera – and it makes me so happy to be a horror fan nowadays, being able to witness the renaissance we’re currently going through; creatives are truly expressing themselves in wild ways, and Damien Leone is no exception to this as he delivers an absolutely bonkers sequel that improves on the original in just about every way imaginable. And without spoiling it, make sure to watch throughout the credits to see a peak at how he plans to expand the “Terrifier” mythology even further! 

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: 99, film, review, vhs

Product Review: Donner Hush-I Silent Guitar

Donner Hush Series Silent Guitar Kit Mahogany

Features
• Headless Design and Bone Nut
• Mahogany Body and Neck
• Asymmetrical Neck Profile
• Piezo Pickup
• Onboard Custom Designed Preamp with Phase Button
• All in One Onboard Magnetic Hex Wrench

Our score 4 out of 5 stars

Since 2012 Donner Music has been making affordable, quality instruments for all level of musicians. New from the company is the Donner HUSH-I Silent Guitar. The ultra-compact and lightweight full-scale guitar is perfect for travel and practice featuring a headless and detachable bar-frame design for extreme compaction and quietness with the least amount of wood. The onboard custom-designed piezo pickup and preamp delivers ideal tone via headphones and traditional cable output while also giving you control of Volume”, “High”, and “Low” Knobs as well as an onboard “Phase” button.

Construction-
Donner’s HUSH-I Silent guitar features a small paddle like mahogany body and a headless mahogany neck which comes standard in a matte finish and features an HPL fingerboard, 20 rounded end frets and a bone nut with truss rod access at the body. The natural finish body features an HPL bridge with a bone saddle, custom designed brushed metal barrel tuners and an onboard board preamp with Phase, Volume, High and Low tone settings. The body also features removable ergonomic upper and lower frames which can be installed for a more traditional guitar feel or left off for a more compact footprint. Right out of the included gig bag I could instantly tell that this was a well-built instrument. The neck through construction was nearly flawless and all of the hardware seemed to be of good quality. Though some of the components were a little stiff at first after a couple minutes of play things began loosened up and moving as they should. The hidden magnetic hex- wrench was a nice added touch however if you are moving around a lot the magnet might not be strong enough to keep the wrench fully in place for when you need it next.

Sound-
Though the guitar is marketed as a silent guitar that proved not to be completely the case as prior to plugging in I had to hear just how silent things were going to be. The guitar is considerably quieter than a standard acoustic guitar however given the designs natural acoustic qualities you should expect volumes like that of a highly resonant unplugged electric guitar. With the included in-ear headphones the HUSH-I Donner designed Preamp has a nice mid to high tone with all the EQ’s at noon. If you want a little more low end, I suggest leaving the High at the noon position and turning the Low to around the 3 o’clock position as this creates a nice even tonal blend across all six strings. Upon switching to an amp, I found I was able to achieve a similar balanced tone by dialing the bass back a touch on the guitar as the amp provided more lower frequencies than the headphones provided. The phase button was a nice addition to the pre-amp as it helped eliminate feedback when playing at a louder volume while still allowing for adequate resonance

Playability-
The 25.5” scale gives the HUSH-I a familiar feel despite its drastically unique look. The matte finish and highly polished rounded frets made moving up and down the neck effort free while the near black HPL fretboard simulates ebony quite nicely. I did find the guitar to play a bit stiff with the included strings however a simple change to a lighter gauge should take care of the feel issue and given the guitars silent design the smaller strings should cause for any tonal loss. I also found that when using the guitar with the upper frame bar you have somewhat limited access to the tuners as the lower bout of the bar extends down almost touching B string tuner. The included magnetic wrench did help out in the instance as it just fit in the given space, but I feel shortening the brace all together would have made for a better design.

The HUSH-I’s unique minimalist look might be a little bit too modern for acoustic purists but playing one will quickly make you a believer in that “Looks aren’t everything”. From its rich natural mahogany finish to the superb fret work and versatile onboard preamp Donner’s latest stringed offering is a well-made, nice looking and sounding instrument that won’t break the bank. Guitarist of all levels will enjoy the compactness and sounds that this product offers. Who may even enjoy this product more are parents, loved ones and/or neighbors as the near silent operation make practicing anytime day or night a reality.

For more information on Donner or to Purchase a HUSH-I visit www.donnerdeal.com

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Filed Under: Instruments, Music Tagged With: donner, guitar, hushi, product, review, silent, ...

Product Review: Donner DST-400 Electric Guitar

 

Donner DST-400 Electric Guitar

• Alder Body with Transparent Finish
• One DONNER Seeker Series Pro Humbucking Bridge Pickup with Coil-Split System; Two DONNER Seek Series Pro Single-Coil Middle and Neck Pickups
• AAA Canadian Maple Neck
• Satin Slim-C Neck Profile
• 9.5” Radius Fingerboard
• 2-Point Tremolo Bridge with Vintage-Style Saddles
• Vintage-Style Tuning Machines
• Includes Gig Bag, Strap, Cable, Set Up Tools

Our score 4.5 out of 5 stars

Since 2012 Donner Music has been making affordable, quality instruments for all level of musicians and they continue that with the release of their Seeker Guitar model. Based on the popular S-Style guitar The DONNER Seeker Series DST-400 sports a two-single coil, 1 tapped humbucker pickup configuration which offers players sonic flexibility capable of both traditional single coil twang and modern humbucking crunch all one instrument making it the perfect tool to express your musical vision without breaking the bank.

Construction-
I had been aware of the Donner company since the company’s introduction in 2012 however I had never tried one of their products until recently. Given the vast number of manufactures trying to enter the music gear market it can be a little daunting when trying to search for that new piece of equipment. Many companies offer lower to mid-priced options while sadly sacrificing tone and quality. I can safely say that the Donner DST-400 does none of those things. Right out of the box the instrument looked great. From its high-quality chrome parts and high gloss transparent teal finish to the satiny smooth neck I could tell this was not just another run of the mill sub $300 priced guitar. Aside from finding a small gap in the neck pocket, several dull frets and the rosewood fret board needing some oil the guitar structurally is solid and almost ready to go right out of the box

Sound-
Before plugging the DST-400 in I wanted to check out the guitar’s overall resonance. A feature common with budget line guitars is a thicker polyurethane finish which while providing a stronger finish can deaden some of the guitar’s natural resonance and tone. After just a few strums I was hooked as both single notes and chords rang out with impressive volume and sustain with an excellent level of clarity. Plugged in the DST-400 continued to accel. The single coil tone is what is to be expected as both the neck and middle position pickups provided a nice mid to low level sound with just the right amount of snappy treble twang. The bridge position humbucker can cover everything from over-driven sizzle to molten high gain and with the pull of the second tone pot you can expand your tone pallet even further as your humbucker is now a single coil allowing you to cover even more tonal territory without switching guitars.

Playability-
Even with higher end guitar models you must allot for a break in period. Frets need to be worked in, adjustments need to be made to various components and players must get comfortable with the over all feel of an instrument. My first sit down with the DST-400 was as though I had been playing this guitar for years. The neck had a nice smooth feel with no rough fret ends whatsoever. The 9.5” radius allowed for fast runs and effortless string bending. The body contours were all in the correct spots making sitting or standing feel very nature. The guitar is not overly heavy and is balanced nicely. The traditional control layout puts your volume, tones, and switch all with in easy reach while the polished, rolled edge, two-point bridge provides a nice resting spot for your palm. The only issues I came across here was that the pull knob to engage the humbucker coil tap can be a little difficult to operate due to the knobs lower profile and the fact that it is a pull pot as opposed to a push pot. The other flaw I noticed was based around the tremolo bar. I loved that it’s a simple push in bar and not a screw in type however the bar can get pushed down a little bit too far which results in less bridge travel due to the bar hitting on your control knobs. I as was able to remedy this issue with just pulling out on the bar some after which it seemed to stay in place without any problems.

The musical gear market can be very daunting. As more and more companies look to capitalize and expand their budget friendly offerings it can add to the confusion of where to start and who to buy from. I would highly suggest starting with the Donner brand. If you are looking for an S shaped guitar that offers high end features and top-notch craftsmanship all while not breaking the bank, then the DST-400 should be at the top of your list. The company may not have the name recognition like some other instrument makers but what they do provide is a comfortable, great sounding instrument at an affordable price.

For more information on Donner or to Purchase a DST-400 visit www.donnerdeal.com

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Filed Under: Instruments, Music Tagged With: donner, dst400, electric, guitar, product, review, ...

Film Review: “Beautiful Blue Eyes”

 

 

  • BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES
  • Starring:  Roy Scheider, Scott Cohen and Alexander Newton
  • Directed by:  Joshua Newton
  • Rated:  R
  • Running time:  1 hr 30 mins
  • MovieFarm

 

When Roy Scheider passed away on February 10, 2008 he was in the process of completing a film he was working on called “Iron Cross.”  Though the film played some festivals, it was never released.  Earlier this year it was announced that the film, now titled “Beautiful Blue Eyes,” (a title suggested to the producers by Scheider) would finally hit theatres, opening this past weekend. 

 

Joseph (Alexander Newton) is a young man living in Nazi-occupied Poland.  Even though he is Jewish, he has a non-Jewish girlfriend, who he often visits at night.  One morning, after a night with his lover, Joseph returns to his home to find his family being taken away.  He goes with them but, when the opportunity arises, runs off, the sound of his family being executed behind him ringing in his ears.

 

  1. Nuremburg, Germany. Joseph (Scheider) has traveled all the way from New York City in hopes of making amends with his son, Ronnie (Cohen) he hasn’t seen in years.  Recently retired from the NYPD – Scheider excelled at playing cops – he visits the apartment building his son and family live in, where he meets his daughter-in-law, Anna (Calita Rainford) and his young grandson.  When Joseph and his son decide to go out, they pass an elderly man on the stairs.  Joseph is stunned as he is sure the man on the stairs (Berger) was a monster from his past.

 

Where to start?   I know when Scheider passed it was announced that there was still some of “Iron Cross” that needed to be filmed.  I’m not sure if that was ever done, or to what effect those scenes may have had on the finished film.  The film wants to be a thriller but is so jumbled in images and plot points that it is, sadly, sometimes hard to understand.  We have no idea what kind of cop Joseph was.  We get an occasional flash-back to his witnessing atrocities in Poland, only to have a quick cut to what appears to be a similar situation in New York.  But we don’t know if this means that Joseph was a brutal cop or just that occasionally something at work would trigger a memory.

 

Another thing that I really found odd was the entire reason that Joseph and Ronnie were estranged.  Joseph wanted Ronnie to follow in his footsteps as a cop, and Ronnie decided to move to Germany.  However, he is currently an actor PLAYING a cop on a television program so when he decides to help Joseph investigate his neighbor, he is fully trained in the art of surveillance and investigating.  I am a big fan of “NYPD BLUE,” but if I really need a cop, I’m not calling Dennis Franz.

 

Also confusing is the film’s use of subtitles.  Sometimes when the characters are speaking German, their dialogue is accompanied by subtitles.  But sometimes, it isn’t.  And it seems like there is another actor doing some of Scheider’s dialogue, especially in voice overs.  Again, I’m aware that the film as planned was never finished, and I’ve read that “Beautiful Blue Eyes” is approximately 30-minutes shorter then the version of “Iron Cross” that was shown.  Those edits may have helped to continuity of the story and made the film less puzzling.

 

Still, this film gives Scheider’s fans an opportunity to see him on the big screen one more time.  His performance is strong, a testament to the man who once told me that his most important role is the one he is currently working on.  His final performance was no exception.

 

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: beautiful, blue, eyes, film, review

Blu-ray Review: “Sniper: Rogue Mission”

 

Probably figuring they could oh-so-subtly cash in on some Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation traffic by sticking “Rogue” and “Mission” in the damn title, the NINTH Sniper movie isn’t really a Sniper movie at all. Which, frankly may work to its advantage by deviating from mundane action movie structures and for the fact that it was probably just damn dumb luck it landed here, toying foolishly with absolute parody vibes. With a score that’s a flip between Desperado and an Ocean’s Movie and almost zero action, as well as a weird comedy edge and the cinematography you’d expect from an enthusiastic teen film student who’d suddenly discovered his iPhone cam zoom, Rogue Mission is insanely low budget trash; an absolutely monumental train wreck of a production that is almost impossible to turn away from for its 90 minute duration. I found myself wanting to switch off the Blu Ray playback but I wanted to see where the film was going and how it will get there.
 
After stumbling onto some sex trafficking thing, former sniper turned terrible CIA agent soon becomes ex CIA agent, so he sits in the kitchen of some rando tech nerd (is there any other kind in movies) with his old enemy Lady Death, and a Homeland Security Agent who clearly isn’t required to do any actual work for a living, for, oh, around 71 minutes until it’s time to spend the remaining $46 of the budget on a ‘showdown’ that also won’t require him to use a sniper rifle (I’m being facetious here). It’s amazingly hard to rate Sniper: Rogue Mission. It’s like a 1/10 movie, but it’s more unintentionally entertaining than a hell of a lot of 5 and 6/10 movies out there. It’s so cheap, and noisy, and bad… that’s it’s actually good. It’s nowhere near a guilty pleasure, absolutely nothing about this film was intentionally good, but the madly misguided enthusiasm thrown at every single aspect of this production makes it wondrously hilarious to watch. It’s almost as if the nobody director behind it shot the film with absolutely no idea what he was handling. No idea of the franchise, the preceding films, the characters, the general plots these features follow, or anything. So much so that he convinced himself he was shooting a low budget heist flick, replete with some imaginative filmmaking techniques and the most ridiculous score of the year. Sniper: Rogue Mission’s ‘high’ points include a spectacularly bad alley fight, which has the score to something like Desperado playing out over it, and drops into John Woo slo-mo upon the explosion of… a thrown rubbish bag. It’s epic in its unintentional humour, with zooms all over the shop, like watching a rip-off of a Sergio Leone standoff at x10 speed. Not enough? Well how about fabled Lady Death – trained to be an assassin from childhood – and some goon having a pistol shootout from behind post boxes on opposing sides of a street. Somebody get this director a copy of Naked Gun! Wait, we’re not supposed to be laughing? See that’s the thing about Sniper: Rogue Mission, it halfway tries to take itself seriously, which only makes it more funny!
 
In the background, returning Sniper series actor Dennis Haysbert, former President Palmer of 24, and veteran from the underrated David Mamet-crafted The Unit TV series, tries his best to almost pull off the movie’s only good scene. A single dialogue-driven confrontation between old spies, across a bar table. It’s almost tense. The silence, the stares, Haysbert’s inimitable tones. Then they drop the needle and a random score kicks in so loud you’re immediately knocked backwards – before the scene is even over – and you’re abruptly reminded that this isn’t even going to get one good scene. But it we do get a whole clutch of terrible ones that are so bad that you’ll be on the floor laughing at them. If you can see it, for free, whilst heavily intoxicated, then that’s a surprisingly recommended way to spend your time.
 
In conclusion, the film is laughably terrible but at the same time, irresistibly ridiculous. Truly one of the worst films I’ve seen. If there’s one redeeming quality of Sniper Rogue Mission, it’s knowing what to expect on my 2nd viewing. Then I can adequately prepare by slamming down a six-pack first. 

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews, Uncategorized Tagged With: bluray, mission, review, rogue, sniper

Concert Review: Roger Waters: This is Not a Drill

 

 

Roger Waters: This is Not a Drill

T-mobile Center/Kansas City, MO

September 3, 2022

 

IN THE FLESH AND OUTSIDE THE WALL

 

Near the ceiling of the T-Mobile Center, the electronic signs warned patrons not to use offensive language and advised reporting people who engaged in that sort of discourse to management.

 

Thankfully, Roger Waters missed that note before hitting the stage last Saturday night. There were enough F-bombs to flatten Moscow.

 

Throughout his 2½ hour set, the former Pink Floyd bassist, lyricist, singer and driving force made his views on politics explicit. When some Pink Floyd fans lament the activist bent in his more recent music, it’s tempting to wonder if they had simply been using the Floyd for chemical recreation and missed Waters’ agitation in the words for “Us and Them” and the entire George Orwell-inspired album Animals.

 

At 78, Waters may be campaigning for the release of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange during his performances, and his set seemed like a refutation of some of the themes he and his former bandmates explored in The Wall.

 

This was for the best.

 

Waters conceived The Wall because he was disturbed by how fame and massive area shows (like the one he was giving when I saw him) had separated Pink Floyd from their audience.

 

Nearly 4½ decades later, Waters seemed sociable. The slender Englishman bounced around the stage. He quoted Wilbert Harrison’s “Kansas City” and made a point of thanking fans who had held onto their tickets for two years. Covid ruined a lot of plans. He even left the T-Mobile Center marching through the crowd with the band. He repeatedly acknowledged that his shows were for the fans, and they clearly returned the love.

 

For a guy who has written tunes about grief, alienation and even the price of nuclear war, Water came off as contagiously giddy. Even when he briefly tripped over the words to one of his newer songs, Waters’ enthusiasm buoyed the entire night.

 

Opening with “Comfortably Numb,” the performance of the offering from The Wall missed David Gilmour’s soaring and then ominous guitars solos. Nonetheless, it still sounded captivatingly eerie.

 

That song came with unsettling images of bombed out rooftops and people mindlessly waking through lines as the walked through lines mindlessly. The screens would be raised and lowered at strategic moments and supplemented the newer songs to illustrate why Waters had written pointed tunes line “The Powers That Be” and “The Bravery of Being Out of Range.” He ran a slide show of unarmed people across the world who had died in police shootings. The list seemed even more urgent that night because it included Donnie Sanders, who had died here in Kansas City.

 

The screens also enabled Waters to add backstory to songs he was performing from Wish You Were Here. Waters still mourns original Pink Floyd leader Syd Barrett and slides of the band’s early lineup made the tunes even more poignant. Seamus Blake’s passionate sax solos on those tunes and on “Money” and “Us and Them” certainly helped. The rest of the band delivered a solid, tightly rehearsed set. Apart from “Comfortably Numb,” they followed Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright’s original playing on the Floyd songs.

 

The dancing animated pigs on “Money” made of up for any lack of spontaneity.

 

In addition, longtime fans were rewarded with the expected lasers, giant inflatable pigs and sheep and theatrics that recalled Alan Parker’s movie of The Wall.

 

When Waters broke into songs from Amused to Death or Is This the Life We Really Want, the crowd lost none of its enthusiasm. It probably helped that the enormous screens displayed a disclaimer letting anyone who objected to his takes on indigenous rights or police shootings to “f**k off to the bar.”

 

It’s a nod to his newer song “The Bar,” which deals with being able to freely discuss difficult topics. Waters clearly knows how to entertain (who doesn’t love giant, floating pigs?), and much of his outrage is sadly warranted. His songs may have launched a thousand bong hits, but if Bob Dylan, whom he cited in his show, can write “Blowin’ in the Wind,” Waters can warn us about the urgency of addressing nuclear war.

 

I attended the show as a guest of Kansas City Veterans for Peace, Chapter 97. I’m merely a former military contractor (a cubicle jockey) who doesn’t want troops being put into peril for a fool’s errand, and nuclear conflict certainly qualifies. Waters correctly cited Kansas’ Dwight D. Eisenhower, who repeatedly expressed many of the same concerns.

 

That said, I’d like to have a beer with him at a bar sometime. I’m not sure how we’d get along, or if alcohol would be conducive to the topics at hand. I have quibbles about Mr. Assange, but challenging subjects don’t get the attention they need when people simply shut up and sing.

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Filed Under: Concert Reviews, Uncategorized Tagged With: concert, review, roger, waters

Concert Review: “Weird Al” Yankovic w/Emo Philips

 

 

  • “Weird Al ” Yankovic w/Emo Philips
  • Kaufman Center for the Performing Arts/Kansas City, MO
  • September 2, 2022

 

Roger Daltrey.  Tina Turner.  Robert Plant.  Freddie Mercury.

 

These amazing people possess some of the greatest and most powerful voices in the history of Rock and Roll.  To that list I humbly add Mr. Alfred Matthew Yankovic.  That’s right…”Weird Al.”

 

In a show that, except for the Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer,” included only original songs – there was a brief medley of some of his more popular parody songs towards the end – Yankovic gave a show that I would put up against any concert I have ever seen.  After opening the show with “Fun Zone,” Yankovic reminded the audience that this was going to be a show that some fans have complained about, because he was doing the “funny” stuff.  He noted that “the name of the tour should have tipped you off.”  And he was right, as the show was billed as “The Unfortunate Return of the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour.”  Not a lot of leeway there.  And while I secretly hoped he’d break out his new “Hamilton” medley, I went home utterly amazed at what I’d just witnessed.

 

True fans of Yankovic are, of course, familiar with his parody hits, but also enjoy his original tunes as well.  On this night, he interspersed several of his more popular originals – “One More Minute,” “You Don’t Love Me Anymore” and “The Night Santa Went Crazy” with an array of great tunes, some done much differently then their album versions.  “Dare to Be Stupid” was done like a 60s lounge song, while “Craigslist” could have easily been included on an album by the Doors.  He really let his rock chops loose when he introduced a song he claimed he’d written for the band Rage Against the Machine.  Apparently, the band didn’t record it, so he did.  The song, “I’ll Sue Ya,” brought the audience to its feet with its growling vocals and kick ass music.  And I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that the musicians accompanying Yankovic on stage were amazing, showing the skill, and tightness, of a band that had been together for over four decades!

 

Opening the show was comedian Emo Philips, whose comedy I was introduced to late at night while listening to Dr. Demento with my friends.  I always enjoyed his style of comedy and it was a true treat to have the opportunity to see him in person.  Speaking of Dr. Demento, early next week (September 14th) will mark the 42nd Anniversary of when I heard “Weird” Al live on Dr. Demento’s radio show introducing his first big parody song, “Another One Rides the Bus.”  Wow!  I should write a book titled “Everything I Need to Know About Life I Learned from Dr. Demento!”

 

 

“Weird” Al’s “The Unfortunate Return of the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour” continues through the end of October.  Many shows are sold out, but if you’re thinking about going – and after reading this review,  why the hell aren’t you? – click HERE

 

SET LIST:  Fun Zone, Close But No Cigar, Melanie, Bob, One More Minute, Dare to Be Stupid,  Dog Eat Dog, Velvet Elvis, Craigslist, You Don’t Love Me Anymore, I’ll Sue Ya, Franks 2000” TV, Don’t Download This Song, The Night Santa Went Crazy, Skipper Dan, Good Old Days, Albuquerque.  ENCORE:  Psycho Killer, UNPLUGGED MEDLEY – Amish Paradise/Smells Like Nirvana/White & Nerdy/Word Crimes/Yoda.

 

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Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: al, concert, philips, review, weird, wemo, ...

Toy Review: Playmobil “Knight Rider” Car and Figures

 

“Knight Rider”

K.I.T.T./Figure Set
Playmobil

Our Score 4 out of 5 stars

“Knight Rider, a shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist. Michael Knight, a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law. “Playmobil adds yet another classic vehicle/figure set to their ever-growing retro line of toys with the addition of everyone’s favorite talking super car “Knight Rider”. Joining the ranks of previously released vehicles and figures from such classic 80’s films as “Back to the Future “and “Ghostbusters” to television series such as “Star Trek” and “The A-Team”, K.I.T.T. and his dapper navigator Michael are right at home.

Much like every other kid who grew up in the eighties “Knight Rider” was easily one of my favorite shows. Long before Siri could answer all your questions with the click of a button there was K.I.T.T. The snarky, ever loveable mobile companion to the uber cool Michael Knight. Playmobil has captured all that charm and nostalgia with their latest release. Included in the easy to open, displayable packaging along with Michael Knight and Kitt are figures of Devin Miles and Dr. Bonnie Barstow who come with a bevy of accessories to help keep Kitt and Michael going. From Devin’s desk and computer to Bonnies mobile diagnostic lab and tool set this set spares no details. The Michael figure even comes complete with his communicator watch and signature upturned collared jacket. I mean how cool is that?! The real gem in the set much like in the television show is K.I.T.T. From its jet-black exterior to its highly detailed dash and tan interior to its removable roof, flip up headlights and rotating license plate Playmobil nailed it but, that’s not all! With a touch of the hood, you get six different voice and light sequences which only add to the products over all entertainment value. I believe my son and I had just as much fun cycling through the different voicings as we did playing with the set as you never knew what K.I.T.T. was going to say next.

Playmobil continues to outdo themselves with every release and the “Knight Rider” set is no exception. From its eye-catching packaging and easy assembly to the high level of detail included in each piece this set is perfect for both display and or play. Though we did find the front light to be a little too bright for extended play and the volume of the voice sequences to be quite a bit lower than in previous released vehicles we still had a blast playing with the set on its own and integrating it in with other Playmobil products. The easy to open packaging, detailed directions and solid build quality make for a great purchase that will last for years to come. Parents, pop that collar, que up your favorite episode from the television series, grab your youngsters and let “Knight Rider” and imagination do the rest.

 

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Filed Under: Misc, Toys Tagged With: car, figures, knight, playmobil, review, rider, ...

“World of Warcraft” Legendary Game Review

All people have heard of the video game World of Warcraft. The history of the world’s development is one of Warcraft’s key characteristics. The narrative progressed, added to itself, and did not in any way contradict itself from one section to the next. Blizzard is paying close attention to this. We’ll take you on a quick tour of the game’s fundamentals today.

When the “Wrath of the Lich King” addon was released, it particularly gained popularity. This addon is still available today on older servers, and players adore it for the intriguing story it tells and the fascinating quests it offers. With the help of this addon, you can begin your World of Warcraft adventure. You may either boost your hero on your own or with the aid of boosting services where you can buy wow wotlk gold or conduct any other in-game purchase.

Character and Skills

The character editor is where the players go when they initially start the game. It allows you to design your special hero. There are numerous game races to select from and numerous ways to design a distinctive appearance. Humans, dwarves, night elves, Worgen, Pandaren, Draenei, Orcs, undead, Tauren, goblins, and blood elves are among the available races. Each group has distinct aesthetic and individual traits that ultimately influence the entire gameplay. This holds, for instance, for unique armor and weapons that are exclusively appropriate for particular races, however, the majority of the equipment is separated by classes.

After choosing the hero’s appearance and race, you must construct your class, which is a lot of work. There are a total of 12 classes available for selection. Each class has between two and four primary specialties, which are further broken down into 21 skills, and they can be upgraded as the difficulty of the game rises.

Players can also learn professions while simultaneously employing up to two basic skills and as many additional skills as they choose. It is also possible to advance within a profession and find new chances. They are separated into groups like mining and producing. In addition, it involves cooking, fishing, first aid, and archaeology. You can fish, make bandages and antidotes, look for artifacts, and cook meals with a variety of helpful features using the first three methods. As the player advances, he can change the outfits he wears and other aspects of his look, such as his hairdo, beard, and other features.

Types of servers in WoW

The WoW world itself is divided into continents. Players move freely between them. Each of the races has its original city in which the player appears. Players of other races cannot attack you there. In other places, PvP is always possible. There are 2 types of servers, and each of them has 2 subspecies.

Normal – divided into PvE and PvP servers. In the first case, battles between players are not possible, no one can attack you, but you can’t attack another player either. The second type is the PvP server, on the contrary, allows free PvP.

Role-playing – similarly to the first is divided into PvE and PvP servers, but differs from the first type as follows: in a general chat, you can only communicate about the world of the game and here you must engage in your main profession. Such restrictions allow you to immerse yourself more in the world of warcraft, “merge” with the character, and remember less about the real world.

PVP in WoW

There are several special battle modes. On some servers, you can fight in almost any part of the world, as on others, the player chooses whether to enable this option or not and somewhere there are restrictions at all. Usually, players are free to attack each other in separate regions of the location, but this can only be done by members of different factions. Mass battles can be on the battlefields – a limited area of location. The conditions of the battle can be different: for example, you need to capture a flag or certain points on the map. There are also battle arenas. These are special small maps where two small teams can fight against each other, usually from 2 to 3 people from the side. There is a division into several matches, according to the result of which the winner is determined, and this is followed by various kinds of awards.

The best teams get into the world rankings, which are divided by region. The team’s points and their place in the list are displayed there. Additionally, there is a prize pool that is divided among the teams that have won the top spots, so the ratings are made for a reason. Individual players are given their ratings, which can be broken down into areas like arenas and the battlefield.

Finally

Today, WOW features cutting-edge visuals, an engaging story, a sizable open environment, and a huge player base. A location to fight or just have fun is always available. That’s just the way it is—WOW is only available through paid subscriptions, so not everyone can afford it. The game has been around for more than 17 years, yet its appeal has not diminished. If you’ve never played this game before, this is at least one of the reasons you should try.

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: game, legendary, review, warcraft, world

Concert Review: The HAPPY TOGETHER Tour

 

 

  • HAPPY TOGETHER TOUR
  • Kauffman Center – Kansas City, Missouri
  • August 21, 2022

 

Part two of my wonderful musical weekend!

 

What if I told you that you could see the Cowsills, the Vogues, the Buckinghams, the Association, Gary Puckett and the Turtles all in one night?  No, really!  They are all together on the most recent HAPPY TOGETHER tour, which made a stop in Kansas City this past weekend.

 

For those who may not know this, the Cowsills was a group made up of a mother and her musical children.  Sound familiar?  That’s right.  The Cowsills were the inspiration for television’s “Partridge Family.”  On this night, brothers Bob and Paul, along with sister Susan, opened the show with a set of the most popular songs.  They even threw in the theme to television’s “Love, American Style,” which I had no idea they’d done. 

 

The Vogues took the stage and opened with their classic “Five O’ Clock World.”  The group was in fine voice, with amazing harmonies.  The Buckinghams were represented by original members Nick Fortuna and lead singer Carl Giammarese, who was celebrating his 75th Birthday this evening.

 

Next up was the Association, who sounded as good on this evening as they did in their heyday.  Songs like “Cherish” and “Never My Love” filled the Kauffman Center, with the crowd signing along.  Next up was the amazing Gary Puckett.  I had seen him in 1986 when he opened for the Monkees.  He didn’t disappoint then, and he didn’t disappoint on this evening.  With his distinct voice, songs like “Young Girl” and “This Girl is a Woman Now” rolled over the audience.  Mr. Puckett noted that Carl Giammarese was 75 but that Susan Cowsill was 63.  He also noted that he had them both beat as he will be turning 80 later this year!

 

Closing out the night was the Turtles, whose hit “Happy Together” gives the tour its name.  A big bonus, for me anyway, was that Ron Dante was the lead singer.  Dante, who turns 77(!) today also was the lead vocalist on the biggest selling song of 1969, “Sugar, Sugar.”  Which means that I can legitimately tell people that I saw the Archies in concert!

 

The night ended with everyone one stage in a mini-medley of some of the night’s best moments.

 

The HAPPY TOGETHER tour continues through the year.  You can find tickets for it HERE.

 

SONG LIST:  Cowsills:  The Rain, the Park and Other Things, We Can Fly, Indian Lake, Love, American Style, Hair.  The Vogues:  Five O’Clock World, My Special Angel, Turn Around Look at Me, You’re the One.  The Buckinghams:  Don’t You Care, “Hey Baby (They’re Playing Our Song), Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, Susan, Kind of a Drag.  The Association:  Windy, Never My Love, Cherish, Along Comes Mary.  Gary Puckett:  Lady Willpower, Over You, This Girl is a Woman Now, Woman, Woman, Young Girl.  The Turtles:  She’d Rather Be With Me, You Baby, It Ain’t Me Babe, You Showed Me, Sugar, Sugar, Eleanor, Happy Together.

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Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: concert, happy, review, tour

Concert Review: Boz Scaggs, Robert Cray Band, Jeff Leblanc

 

  • BOZ SCAGGS/ROBERT CRAY BAND/JEFF LEBLANC
  • Kauffman Center – Kansas City, Missouri
  • August 19, 2022

 

What an amazing weekend of music I just concluded.  Keep an eye out for my piece on the HAPPY TOGETHER show – this one is all about the night I got to listen to one of my all-time favorites and discovered a new one.

 

I had certainly heard of the Robert Cray Band, and was familiar with their biggest song, “Smoking Gun,” and I had known for years that Mr. Cray was the guitarist for Otis Day and the Knights in “Animal House.”  But I’d had no idea that he was a master of the guitar, with an amazing band to match him lick for lick.  I will mention here that my wife is a big fan and has told me for years that I didn’t know what I was missing.  She was right.  With Mr. Cray changing guitars for almost every song played, the music lept from his fingers and filled the sold-out Kauffman Center.  His band kept pace, with bass player Richard Cousins supplying the beat while changing instruments almost as much as Mr. Cray did.  The set ended with a bluesy rendition of Chuck Berry’s (You Never Can Tell) C’est La Vie.

 

After a short break it was time for headliner Boz Scaggs and his band to take the stage.  I’m old enough to remember when hits like “Ledo Shuffle,” “Lowdown” and “Look What You’ve Done to Me” – a great song to have on the turntable when you were “entertaining” a lady friend – were first released.  I played Mr. Scaggs’ “Silk Degrees” album constantly as a teenager and it was quite a joy to hear those songs – and others – performed live.   I just realized I may have confused our younger readers by using both words “turntable” and “album.”  Still the best way to listen to music.  Don’t believe me?  Ask your parents.

 

Besides the hits, Mr. Scaggs also played a selection of songs from his latest album, “Let it Roll.”  The mixture of old and new was well received by the audience, as was the rousing “Ledo Shuffle” sing-along.

 

The evening began with a short set from singer/songwriter Jeff Leblanc, who easily engaged the audience with his stories, including a folksy rendition of Al Green’s (or, if you’re my son’s age – Tina Tuner’s) “Let’s Stay Together,” which he introduced as a song he had to learn for a wedding.  A budding talent who I’m sure we will all hear more about sooner than later.

 

For upcoming shows, please click HERE.  

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Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: band, boz, concert, cray, jeff, leblanc, ...

Kansas City Theater Review: “Sister Act”

 

  • SISTER ACT
  • STARLIGHT THEATER – KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
  • AUGUST 16, 2022                

 

Over the past couple decades there have been a number of Broadway musicals that have been based on popular films.  “Hairspray,” “The Producers,”  “Beetlejuice,” “Rocky,” and “Young Frankenstein” are just a small fraction of the shows that have hit the Great White Way – with new productions of “The Nutty Professor” and “Mr. Holland’s Opus” currently previewing in smaller cities.  Some have gone on to Great success, while others have faded away.  One of the better ones has just arrived in Kansas City.

 

Based on the very popular 1992 film that starred Whoopi Goldberg, “Sister Act” is the story of lounge singer Delor1s Van Cartier (an excellent Tamyra Gray), auditioning to perform in a club owned by her gangster boyfriend, Curtis (Benjamin H. Moore) on Christmas Eve 1977.  However, despite her obvious talent, she is told she is “not ready” to play the club yet.  This does not phase Deloris, whose dream is to be a star.  She knows she has the talent and the desire.  She just needs the opportunity.  When Deloris accidentally walks in on Curtis and his henchmen immediately after they have killed someone, she runs to the police, who decide that the best thing to do is to hide Deloris where no one would think to look for her.

 

Smartly written, with a great score by multiple Oscar-winner Alan Menken and Grammy award winner Glenn Slater, “Sister Act” is a combination of laughs and music.  Ms. Gray brings a belter’s voice and a Catskill veteran’s comic timing to the role of Deloris and genuinely makes it her own.  Other outstanding turns by Mr. Moore, Anne Tolpegin (Mother Superior) and Susana Cordon (Sister Mary Robert) are accompanied by a supporting cast that keeps the show moving swiftly. 

 

If there was one drawback to the evening, it was one that had nothing to do with the performances.  In each city, local “celebrities” appear on stage in the silent role of the Pope and on opening night we were treated to Kansas City Mayor Quentin Lucas in all of his Papal glory.  Unfortunately, due to some local political issues, some idiots in front of the stage felt the need to stage a protest, causing security to escort them out and taking the fun out of the closing number. 

 

That aside, I highly recommend you catch “Sister Act” when it comes to your town.  It is, dare I say, a divine evening at the theater.

 

“Sister Act” runs through Sunday, August 21 at Starlight Theater in Kansas City. 

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Filed Under: Theatre Reviews Tagged With: act, city, kansas, review, sister, theater, ...
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