Theater Review: East-West meet in the world premiere political musical Soft Power

Conrad Ricamora and Francis Jue brainstorm sitcom ideas in the world premiere of David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori’s SOFT POWER.

In a crisp clean office, Chinese movie producer Xue Xing (Conrad Ricamora) meets Chinese-American playwright DHH (Francis Jue, playing a version of David Henry Hwang) to discuss his idea for a new sitcom based in Shanghai. What Sex and the City did for New York, he exclaims, and so, a debate ensues about whether to leave in Shanghai’s flaws or leave them out. In a matter of minutes, Soft Power has deconstructed every stereotype and cliche about Asia and what it means to be Asian-American.

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Film Review: Damsel

Cruel for love

Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska in DAMSEL, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

In the new Zellner brothers film Damsel, misguided characters stumble through lush settings, and try to sell us on the idea that there is something worthwhile in dressing a western with modern ideas about obsession, feminism, and family. The brothers deserve credit for the attempt, but they fail to find a focus on a clear message or point of view.
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Film Review: Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Border drama sequel lacks depth, insight 

Covert operative Alejandro Gillick (Benicio Del Toro) and CIA agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) discuss strategy.

The makers of Sicario: Day of the Soldado probably couldn’t have predicted just how relevant their film would be today back when it was greenlit to follow its 2015 precursor Sicario. But those hoping for a searing dramatization of the inner workings of the U.S./Mexico border patrol and its operators will be sorely disappointed with this sequel, which offers plenty of gore and violence, but little in the way of prescient or urgent social commentary.

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Spinning Platters Interview: Blag Dhalia of The Dwarves

Blag Dahlia has been the front person for legendary punk Bay Area punk band THE DWARVES for over 30 years. They put on one of the rowdiest, messiest live shows you will ever see, and you’ll get to experience it all at this year’s Burger Boogaloo. We had an opportunity to chat with him ahead of the festival to talk about performing live, their fantastic new record, and pretty much anything else he wanted to talk about.

The Dwarves are playing Burger Boogaloo in Mosswood Park in Oakland THIS SUNDAY with The Damned and more! Tickets are available here!

Hello Blag! I know you’ve got a radio show to get to after this call, so I’m going to make this quick. So, tell me about this radio show you are running off to?

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Spinning Platters Interview: Mark Arm of Mudhoney

MARK ARM is the frontman for grunge legends MUDHONEY. In a prior life, Mr. Arm was the lead singer for GREEN RIVER, another legendary Pacific Northwest band that happened to feature both STONE GOSSARD and JEFF AMENT, two dudes that would eventually go on to start PEARL JAM. Arm was able to take a break from managing the warehouse at Sub Pop Records to talk to us about his life in bands, balancing his day job and music in general.

Mudhoney are playing Burger Boogaloo this SATURDAY at Mosswood Park in Oakland. Tickets are still available here!  Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: Mark Arm of Mudhoney”

A.C.T. presents world-premiere musical A Walk on the Moon

Pearl (Katie Brayben) sings about her youthful dream of being a reporter and wonders why she stopped believing it was possible. Photo by Kevin Berne.

A Walk on the Moon is the moody, gorgeous tale of a young Jewish housewife coming to terms with her destiny. Alongside is her daughter’s coming of age. Their two stories juxtapose as they try to figure out their purpose in life in the midst of the socio-political turmoil of 1969. Continue reading “A.C.T. presents world-premiere musical A Walk on the Moon“

Show Review: Tony Lucca and Ernie Halter at Neck of the Woods, 5/17/18

Ernie Halter (L) and Tony Lucca (R) at Neck of the Woods

Ernie Halter and Tony Lucca are “brothers from other mothers” who have “toured a shit-ton together over the years.” While Lucca is originally from Pontiac, Michigan, he and Halter (a native of SoCal) both lived in the LA area for years. Now, however, they have both moved to Nashville, where they’re close enough to babysit each other’s kids when the need arises. This, while great for their families, is not so great for me, as it means I get to see much less of them than when they were a mere 6-hour drive and toured California much more frequently. They recently graced the upstairs stage at Neck of the Woods on Thursday, 5/17, and because it had already been over a year since the last time I’d been able to catch Lucca in my actual neck of the woods, I got there with my proverbial bells on. Continue reading “Show Review: Tony Lucca and Ernie Halter at Neck of the Woods, 5/17/18”

Film Review: Hereditary

Family as the source of dread and horror

From left: Milly Shapiro as Charlie, Toni Collette as Annie, Gabriel Byrne as Steve, and Alex Wolff as Peter in Hereditary.

Families gather at a funeral home to say goodbye. Warm, soft waves of organ music bathe the viewing of an open casket that rests near a portrait of a smiling elderly woman. The reviewing line snakes away from the casket. Reverence, sorrow, and the beginnings of grief swirl around the gathered. A granddaughter named Charlie (Milly Shapiro) approaches the casket. Doubt and curiosity play on her face. She touches her grandmother’s body ever so slightly. No jumping, twitching, or ghostly images… nothing. As she begins to move away, however, she notices someone’s fingertips lightly spreading something on the lips of the deceased. She wonders if this is normal. She looks up, and catches the face of a man sitting behind the casket. A man with a strangely out of place smile on his lips. Her gaze lingers a beat too long on the man, then she moves off toward the rest of the ceremony. Continue reading “Film Review: Hereditary“

Film Review: Ocean’s 8

Old-fashioned fun is the real mark in latest Ocean’s film

Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock, l.)  assembles a crack team of eight (from l., Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Anne Hathaway, Rihanna, and Helena Bohman Carter) to plan a foolproof heist.

You don’t need to have seen the previous three Ocean’s movies (that would be 11, 12, and 13 for the uninitiated) to enjoy Ocean’s 8, the female-helmed companion film that opens today; it stands alone as a highly enjoyable, old-fashioned heist movie. But those who are loyal fans of the original series will be rewarded with a few nods to the previous films, as well as a couple of cameos that I won’t reveal here, but which will no doubt please the films’ devotees. Breezy and fun, writer/director Gary Ross’s entry into the Ocean’s universe retains the brisk confidence of the original pictures, while providing a welcome freshness by changing the stories’ traditional casting.

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Theater Review: Award Winning Hit Musical Jersey Boys Returns to Broadway San Jose

(l to r) Chris Stevens (Nick Massi), Corey Greenan (Tommy DeVito), Jonny Wexler (Frankie Valli), and Tommaso Antico (Bob Gaudio). Photo by Joan Marcus, 2018.

The hit musical is on tour right now with a brief layover at the Center for the Performing Arts in San Jose. Absolutely stunning, the story follows The Four Seasons and their slow and steady rise as one of the biggest musical acts of their time. Frankie Valli (Ben Bogen on opening night), Bob Gaudio (Tommaso Antico), Tommy DeVito (Corey Greenan), and Nick Massi (Chris Stevens) are four guys from New Jersey trying to get out of their lackluster town. Though they run from trouble, trouble seems to follow them; guess you can take a guy out of New Jersey, but you can’t take New Jersey out of a guy. Continue reading “Theater Review: Award Winning Hit Musical Jersey Boys Returns to Broadway San Jose”