Category Archives: Show Time

Vol. 13, No. 16 – May 6 – May 19, 2020 – Movie Review

Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Upload – Amazon Originals

Breeze rating from 1 to 4 palm trees, 4 being best.

 

 

 

 

Upload is a dark comedy with witty dialog that centers around death and the futuristic ways people choose to move through it. The world at this time is divided into living humans known as Bios and those who have crossed over, some choosing traditional death while those who can afford an afterlife being given the opportunity to upload their consciousness to a chosen virtual reality world for eternity where they are able to still communicate with the living world through technology.

The hitch is that you have to plan and pay for your afterlife choice before death, as a consciousness can only be transferred from a living person, with each afterlife realm driven by high priced amenities. There are several different virtual destinations for uploads, Horizen’s Lakeview being the most affluent afterlife zone. Upon arriving, afterlife guests are assigned a customer service rep referred to as their angel that they can all on for any concerns merely by calling out “angel”. The customer service rep consolidates the guest’s memory files and builds a VR visual profile from their images so guests feel a seamless transition into the afterlife, and their angels have a basic knowledge of their background and characteristics.

This futuristic world for the living Bios is completely controlled by technology with self-driving cars, 3D printed fake food and sex suits to have intimate encounters with those in the afterlife. Unfortunately for Nathan (Robbie Amell), his self driving car lost control and crashed into a large truck. In the hospital, Nathan is told that his situation is serious, and his girlfriend Ingrid Kannerman (Allegra Edwards) was there to convince Nathan to choose the Lakeview afterlife, due to her family’s wealth and future plans to reside there.

Though Nathan’s vitals had begun to recover, Ingrid got him to sign the consent, so his consciousness was removed, along with his head (an unfortunate side affect) and he was transferred to Lakeview where Ingrid had complete control over every thing Nathan did as every action had a charge, even thinking. Ingrid made sure that Nathan had an unlimited data plan so that she could always communicate with and control him.

Though angels are customer service agents working shifts, Nathan developed a special relationship with Nora (Andy Allo), a spunky rep that liked to bend the rules. As Nora and Nathan’s relationship grew, Nathan found himself wanting to be free of the financial grip Ingrid had over him and explore the possibilities with his angel Nora, which was strictly forbidden.
Nora had her own struggling in the real world of poverty and her dad being diagnosed with vape lung, not wanting to upload as Nora would prefer, rather wanting to join is deceased wife. Being a savvy tech, Nora discovered that some of Nathan’s memories were corrupted, and upon attempting to correct them discovers that Nathan’s car crash seemed intentional, and works on both sides to try to discover the truth.

Upload definitely poses questions regarding our future and the afterlife with lots of jabs at big corporations like naming the afterlife corp Horizen, Nora reaching out to her tech friend at AT&T&T and pokes at policies like the Vogue interview Ingrid does virtually with Nathan promoting Bios vs Uploads being the ultimate long distance relationship with Ingrid saying “Speaking of sex, would you like to watch one of our sex tapes. My dad got Ang Lee to edit the body cam footage from our first night together. …They’re on my office computer.”

Rated: TV-MA
10 Episodes – approx. 30 min each

Vol. 13, No. 15 – Apr 22 – May 5, 2020 – Movie Review

Streaming Spotlight
by Cindy Summers

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness – Netflix

Breeze rating from 1 to 4 palm trees, 4 being best.

 

 

 


The Tiger King reality series has consumed the attention of over 30 million stay at home viewers and centers around the everyday life of Joe Exotic aka Joseph Maldonado-Passage, a zoo owner in Oklahoma best described as a “gay redneck, gun-toting, mullet-sporting, tiger-tackling polygamist. Joe’s GW Zoo profited most on the breeding and petting of baby tiger cubs, earning up to $10,000 per cub, though can only be used for cub-petting until 12 weeks old, thus causing Joe to accumulate over 200 tigers in his zoo, along with hundreds of other animals and a unique cast of misfit employees from very colorful backgrounds.

Joe catches the eye early on of producer Rick Kirkham, who agreed to produce his internet show Joe Exotic T.V. while also filming a reality TV show Kirckham named the Tiger King. Having an extensive background in journalism and early beginning in Inside Edition, as well as tons of professional equipment, Kirkham’s production brought Joe’s shows to the next level gaining him a larger audience of fans.

Someone who was not a fan of Joe was Carole Baskin, owner of the Big Cat Rescue Sanctuary in Tampa, Florida, having inherited millions from her husband who strangely disappeared without a trace just over a decade earlier. Baskin didn’t believe in the private ownership of big cats, and was totally against the practice of cub-petting, constantly seeking ways to use her fortune to put Joe out of business. This infuriated Joe, who constantly staged mock shootings, beatings and various ways to kill Carole on his internet show, where he was the flamboyant star bad mouthing Carole and blowing up things.

Joe had a huge ego, running for President and after losing ran for Governor of Oklahoma, passing out condoms with his picture on them. Cub-petting was a good way to attract young partners, and Joe married John Finlay when Finlay was only 19 years old. A few years later and while still married to Finlay, Joe also married 19 year old Travis Maldonado. After 11 years, Finlay left the threesome and married the office secretary who worked at the zoo. Neither Finlay nor Maldonado had been in a gay relationship prior to being with Joe, and neither actually considered themselves gay. Joe’s third husband Dillon Passage was gay and his only husband at the time.

The other well known cub-petting operation was a 50 acre preserve run by Dr. Bhagavan “Doc” Antle in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, but Doc’s facility and clientele were very upscale compared to Joe’s struggling G.W. Zoo. Antle lived with a guru in his teen years and was exposed to tigers and other animals living freely and peacefully among humans. Doc’s tours start at $350 per person and go up to $600 and more. Doc is also one of Carole Baskins targets in her quest to shut down cub-petting operations across the country.

There so much crazy here to keep up with; arson, meth mayhem, shady investors, friends turned informants, business partners burning evidence, accidental shootings and tigers tearing arms off all right in front of cameras – you just have to watch it as every episode dives deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole the world has come to know as Joe Exotic. Viewers will be thoroughly shocked and entertained by the many unpredictable twists in the series, including Joe’s jailing for hiring someone to kill Carole Baskin, and there’s an 8th episode with comedian Joel McHale hosting an aftershow interviewing various cast members online during the stay at home orders.

Rated: TV-MA (violence, language, sexual content, drug use, animal harm. intense scenes)

7 Episodes – 45 minutes each

Vol. 13, No. 14 – Apr 8 – Apr 21, 2020 – Movie Review

Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
3 out of 4 palm trees
Outmatched (Season 1) – Hulu & FOX.com

What do you get when two average high school students get married and have four children, three extreme geniuses and the fourth you can’t be quite sure about? You get two adults constantly Outmatched by their children. This hilarious sitcom features the everyday life of blue collar couple Mike (Jason Biggs) and Kay (Maggie Lawson) and the unique challenges they face raising three kids with genius I.Q.s that constantly challenge and confuse the simpler minds of their parents in ways you wouldn’t normally find in the usual family dynamic.

The kids all have extremely different interests and specialties: Brian (Connor Kalopsis) is 16 and gifted in science and tech but very socially awkward; Nicole (Ashley Boettcher) is 12 and has political aspirations though struggles with unfounded intellectual inferiority; Marc (Jack Stanton) is 10, gifted in music though has a strange dark side constantly sharing intellectual facts on mortality; and Leila (Oakley Bull) is 8 and doesn’t appear to have a genius I.Q. like her siblings do and her simple way of life is the only relief Mike and Kay have from constant intellectual overload.

What do these parents hope for? Usually the things most parents would avoid, like being happy to finally have to go down to the principal’s office for something Marc had done, which ended up being bullying, but not any student, he was constantly correcting and belittle the intelligence of his teacher. They escape to their “parent fort” in the basement where they drink beer and ease the stress of their mentally challenging lives with things like strip poker.

The pilot opens with them being told that their youngest son Marc is a genius, to which they respond to by breaking a cupboard door, cursing and gestures of loss and disappointment. When the woman shared it was the highest she personally tested, it starts a competition in the house over who’s I.Q. is highest with the older kids trying various ways to intellectually trick their parents into finding out their number, which was intentionally kept from them. At one point Mike senses that he’s being tricked, but can’t figure out how and calls Cay for backup.

Through the 10 episodes we meet Mike and Cay friends, Irwin (Finesse Mitchell) and Rita (Tisha Campbell-Martin) who discover much to their surprise that they are the children’s guardians during Nicole’s “Guardians of Geniuses” PowerPoint presentation. There’s also a surprise visit from grandparents Jay (Tony Danza) and Sylvia (Caroline Aaron), who also cannot relate to the genius children, Jay saying openly for that reason Leila was his favorite.

With so many challenging things happening to everyone, I just wanted to share something that was completely void of seriousness and filled with lighthearted comedy, and sure the laugh track is a bit cheesy, but the writing is witty and portrays some funny and completely unusual family situations. Watch Outmatched on HULU or www.fox.com/outmatched

Rated: TV-14
10 Episodes: 22 minutes each

Vol. 13, No. 13 – Mar 25 – Apr 7, 2020 – Streaming Spotlight

Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Hunters (Season 1) – Amazon Prime Video

Inspired by true events, Hunters follows a rag-tag group of Nazi hunters living in NYC in 1977 tracking down Nazis living in the U.S. working together to create a Fourth Reich and take over the world. Released by Amazon Originals, Created and Written by David Weil and Starring Al Pacino.

Jonah Heidelbaum (Logan Lerman) was living in NYC and being raised by his grandmother Ruth, who he called Savta meaning grandmother in Hebrew. While Jonah was home but upstairs, Ruth was murdered by an intruder that Jonah was only able to catch a glimpse as he shot is grandmother and fled. At his grandmother’s funeral Jonah met Meyer Offerman (Al Pacino), a well-known millionaire who shared that he and Ruth were in the camps together during the Holocaust and that due to their experience he told Jonah to contact him if he needed anything, saying it was not charity but a debt he owed his savta.

Angry over his savta’s murder and seeking revenge, Jonah connects with Meyer and learns that along with his savta, Meyer had organized a group of Nazi hunters to seek out the Nazi war criminals brought to the U.S. under Operation Paperclip at the end of the war. The team is introduced to viewers in an avant-garde style Bat Mitzvah: former MI6 agent Sister Harriet (Kate Mulvany) mission and logistics planner; movie star Lonny Flash (Josh Radner ) master of mimicry and surprise; black power activist Roxy Jones (Tiffany Boone) counterfeiter, forger and crime scene cleaner; forever soldier Joe Mizushima (Louis Ozoawa) human weapon home from ‘Nam after three long tours; Holocaust survivors Murray and Mindy Markowitz (Saul Rubinek and Carol Kane), genius gadet-making weapons experts; and millionaire bankroller Meyer Offerman (Al Pacino) titan of design, master plotter and chief vigilante. Jonah had a natural gift at code breaking, which made him valuable to the team, so though his savta tried to keep him away, Meyer recognized Jonah’s natural place with the hunters.

Throughout the series, viewers learn about the hunters through flashbacks of their pasts related to the reasons they joined the team as they hunt down the most visible Nazi’s like rocket engineer Wernher von Braun, while building alliances with local police detective Millie Malone (Jerrika Hinton) to stay out of trouble and further their cause. The Hunters eventually discover that the Nazi’s in the U.S. are trying to secretly build a Fourth Reich led by The Colonel (Leno Olin) and work to stop the Nazis’ efforts in a coordinated attack on the U.S.

The biggest blowback about the series currently is that people in the Jewish community are upset due to some of the fictional events portrayed in the series, such as the human chess game (which there is no actual proof ever happened). Chess is a common theme throughout the series, and coincidentally the only person I met that had family in the camps shared a story about chess and how they used to save bits of their bread and use spit to mold chess pieces to have something to occupy their minds in the camp. Instead of saying these are falsities, they can share that the truth held even more horrific atrocities.

I personally feel this is bringing new light to the devastation of the Holocaust and causing people to question the government’s decisions and outcomes surrounding Operation Paperclip. Basically, at the end of the war with Germany, the U.S. was confronted with a challenging situation – either bring the best and brightest of the Nazi regime to the U.S. in an unprecedented witness protection program to have them work in the highest levels of security, research and science in the U.S. or let the Russians get them, which seemed a non-option during the time due to the U.S. Cold War with Russia.

I saw a recent interview on NBC Today with a Holocaust survivor that is spending his life going to schools to share his experience due to the understanding and fear that this horrible event in history is being forgotten and swept under the rug. Just as random DNA tests on ancestral sites are identifying criminals from the past, this series sheds light on heinous criminals provided a cushy life in the U.S. by our own government and hope it helps to reveal who they are and for them to experience the consequences of their actions.

Hunters is filled with great acting, strong character development, intriguing plot twists, and a completely unexpected turn in the final episode that will shock viewers and leave them longing for what’s next in Season 2.

Intended for Mature Audiences 18+ – Contains Adult Content, Graphic Language, Graphic Violence, Strong Sexual Content and Nudity
10 Episodes: E1- 90 minutes E2-E10 – 60 minutes

Vol. 13, No. 12 – Mar 11 – Mar 24, 2020 – Movie Review

Movie Review by Cindy Summers
The Invisible Man

3 out of 4 palm trees
Breeze rating from 1 to 4 palm trees, 4 being best.

Finally finding the courage to leave her violent controlling husband, Cecilia Kass (Elizabeth Moss) drugged him, grabbed her go bag, met her sister Emily on a nearby road, and sped off into the night to seek shelter with her sister’s ex husband and childhood friend James, who was also a police officer. Shortly thereafter, Cecilia’s ex husband, wealthy scientist Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), commits suicide leaving her a substantial fortune, though Cecilia doesn’t want it being suspicious that his death was a hoax. Cecilia becomes convinced through various events that her ex husband is alive and through his own research has found a way to be invisible, now using that to torment her and threaten the lives of those around her. Released by Universal Pictures, Directed and Written by Leigh Whannell and Starring Elizabeth Moss as Cecilia Kass.

Cecilia had numerous experiences proving that her ex husband was indeed alive and somehow invisible, but the problem was no one else witnessed these incidents and given the circumstances began to question Cecilia’s sanity. Following an incident where James’ daughter Sydney was injured by an invisible force framing Cecilia, she returns to her home to look for answers and finds an invisibility suit, which she hides, just prior to a violent fight with an invisible attacker.

After appearing to kill her sister in front of witnesses at a restaurant (a knife floated up from the table and slit Emily’s throat), Cecilia is confined to a mental health facility, where she learns she’s pregnant. Adrian’s brother Tom, the lawyer in charge of his estate, somehow found out about the pregnancy and visits the mental facility in an attempted to force Cecilia to take a deal based on the original agreement being hinged on her not having a felony or deemed mentally unstable.

Cecilia refuses and finds an opportunity to take Tom’s pen and stab Adrian repeatedly, who was at the meeting invisibly, which caused the suit to malfunction and flicker to easily be seen alerting the facility security. The suit was functional enough for Adrian to go on an invisible rampage killing most of the staff and implicating Cecilia as the primarily suspect, making a deal with Cecilia that because of the pregnancy he would not hurt her or the baby, but instead planned to target James’ daughter Sydney.

The invisible villain went to James’ house followed by Cecilia and attacked both Sydney and James. Cecilia used a fire extinguisher to reveal the invisibility suit and mortally shot him, only to find it was Adrian’s brother Tom wearing the suit. Police found Cecilia’s ex tied up in the basement at the house, supposedly a victim himself, though Cecilia was convinced that it was exactly like when he faked his suicide.

Knowing the only way to be free would be to lock him up or end him, Cecilia meets Adrian for dinner at their old home and tries to get him to confess to his actions while on camera. Unable to convince him to tell the truth, Cecilia uses the previously hidden invisibility suit and causes Adrian to take his own life, appearing to be an actual suicide on the home security system.

Elizabeth Moss is excellent at appearing both the vulnerable victim while also a fearless hero unstoppable against all odds in this constantly surprising story with many tense plot twists. The suspense will have viewers on the edge of their seats, experiencing over and over again the helpless feeling of watching terrible things unfold with no ability to battle an invisible villain.

R (for some strong bloody violence, and language)
110 minutes

Vol. 13, No. 12 – Mar 11 – Mar 24, 2020 – A View from House Seats

by Shirley Lorraine

Elite elicits strong emotions

Disease and drama meet humor and humanity on the Elite Theater stage in their current offering of Wit by Margaret Edson. A powerful, evocative study of the meaning of life and getting a grip on mortality, Wit provides a raw look at a progression of aggressive stage IV cancer through the eyes and body of Dr. Vivian Bearing, an academic who has had a lifelong fascination with and passion for language. The one-act Pulitzer Prize winning work is based on the author’s own experience as a teacher and hospital worker.

As a university professor teaching poetry, Dr. Bearing explores the works of 16th century poet John Donne to illustrate the metaphysical struggle between what is and what might be. Donne is considered by many to be the pre-eminent representative of metaphysical poetry, perhaps even greater than William Shakespeare.

Through this exploration, Bearing seeks to keep her own mind stimulated and alive as she descends into the depths of her illness. After agreeing to participate in a research study of her ovarian cancer, she re-examines her own view of relationships, compassion and the need to reach out to others.

Directed by Christine Adams, the Elite production utilizes effective minimalistic staging to bring the audience into Dr. Bearing’s hospital environment.

Sindy McKay-Swerdlove is outstanding in her poignant performance as Dr. Bearing. At one point in her treatment, the character aptly states, she is “merely a dust jacket, a human specimen.” McKay-Swerdlove gives a solid, compelling performance in a very demanding role.

Research Fellow Dr. Jason Posner (Michael Adams), a former student of Dr. Bearing, displays focused detachment as he concentrates on the disease rather than the person with the disease. Amy Hagler as nurse Susie Monahan provides the compassionate contrast who listens to the patient and attempts to ease her anxiety as the disease progresses.
Scott Blanchard is Dr. Kelekian, Dr. Bearing’s oncologist who delivers the bad news. He, too, becomes detached as the cancer progresses. The moment at grand rounds where the doctors all talk around the patient is a harsh reminder of de-sensitization that can occur.
The cast is filled out by Theresa Secor, Benjamin Blonigan, Elixeo Flores and Rebecca Spagnolia who provide additional informative sequences.

Wit is not an easy, uplifiting play to watch but it is inspiring. The subject matter will hit close to home for many. I know it did me. I left the theater reflecting on several loved ones I have lost to cancer, pondering how I could have been more responsive at the time. The play points out the absolute need for human touch and making continual connection as human beings, especially through times of hardship. It makes one think. And that’s good theater.
With a recent change in direction and help from many benefactors, the Elite Theater is experiencing a rebirth. The upcoming season promises ambitious works as well as new challenges and opportunities including Open Mic Nights, special events and a Conservatory Program for teaching the theater arts to folks 15 and older.

Wit continues at the Elite Theater 2731 S. Victoria Ave, Oxnard through March 22. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 general, $17 for students, seniors and military. www.theElite.org, 805-483-5118.

Vol. 13, No. 11 – Feb 26 – Mar 10, 2020 – Movie Review

Movie Review by Cindy Summers
Call of the Wild

2 out of 4 palm trees

Based on the book written by Jack London, “Call of the Wild” chronicles the wild adventures of a special St. Bernard/Scotch Collie named Buck, who’s both big in size and in heart, and how he went from a cushy California life, to leading a sled dog team and later becoming leader of the pack and his own life as well. Released by 20th Century Fox, Directed Chris Sanders, written by Michael Green and Starring Harrison Ford as John Thorton.

Buck was a very large, rambunctious dog owned by the local judge in a small California town. He got into trouble and was sent to sleep out on the porch where he was dognapped due to a big bounty on big dogs used in the Yukon to haul gear for gold miners. It was a long confusing journey for Buck, first on a boat, then a long hike in snow, which he had never felt before, to reach a settlement in the Alaskan Yukon during the 1890s Gold Rush. The outpost was Buck’s first interaction with John Thorton (Harrison Ford) when Thorton unknowing dropped his harmonica, which Buck saw and followed to return to him.

Buck’s next owner, Perrault (Omar Sy), was kind and patient with Buck’s transition to becoming part of a sled dog team that carried mail to remote outposts. Buck was a natural leader, but not leader of the sled dog team, though after a challenge took on that role. Buck was brave and caring for the other sled dogs and his caretakers, even saving Perrault’s girlfriend when she fell through the ice and was trapped under a frozen lake. Due to the telegraph coming to the Yukon, Perrault lost the mail route and Buck’s team was sold.

Unfortunately, a rich jerk, Hal, who brought a ton of stuff for convenience living to search for gold bought Buck’s team to carry the heavy load. Hal ran the sled dogs to exhaustion, and abused them until they could go no further. This is when Buck crossed paths with John Thorton again, who took him back to his cabin where Buck slept for two days to recover.

Thorton had come to the Yukon because he has lost his son and just wanted to be away from people and experience the adventure of the outdoors, so they set off to find places not on the map. They came across an old miner’s cabin and claimed it as their own, though after a while Buck became bored with human interaction and decided to go off into the woods to spend time with the wolves, spending more time away with each passing day.

One day, while Buck was away, Hal found their cabin and thinking he had been fooled ambushed and shot Thorton, also causing the cabin catch fire. Buck heard the gunshot and rushed to the cabin and attacked the bad guy, pushing him into the blazing cabin and killing him. Thorton succumb to his injury and passed away in Buck’s arms, and though Buck was sad he now had a new family with the timber wolf pack and became a legend.

Call of the Wild” is quite a thrilling adventure story about a special dog, however the CGI is seriously distracting, often unrealistic and a surprise to seemingly most movie goers hearing their comments leaving the theater. Given the fact that there have been several successful films with similar storylines using actual live animals such as “Eight Below” and “Snow Dogs”, choosing CGI seems a disappointing, lazy waste.

PG (for some violence, peril, thematic elements and mild language)
110 minutes

Vol. 13, No. 11 – Feb 26 – Mar 10, 2020 – A View from House Seats

by Shirley Lorraine

Viva La Femmes en Révolution!

Santa Paula Theater Center opens its new season of thought-provoking staging with The Revolutionists by Lauren Gunderson. Now hailed as the current most produced living playwright, Gunderson’s writings have garnered many awards. SPTC’s season offerings all fall under the heading of “that’s what she said” featuring works by outstanding female playwrights.

The Revolutionists is a generous mix of philosophy, history, equality entreaty and fantasy. The rapid-fire dialogue and energy of the characters, in addition to following the multi-layered action, kept me intensely focused. And sometimes confused.

Set during the French Revolution of 1793-1794, the play centers around activist and feminist playwright Olympe De Gouges. She is working on what she hopes is a definitive statement of feminist rights and encounters writers’ block.

As she struggles with her creativity, she is joined by several other women who each desire that De Gouges write something to secure their specific standing in history. Each wants to be remembered in a positive light for their accomplishments.

De Gouges is visited by Marianne Angelle, a Caribbean rebel/activist/spy who is fighting to end slavery. Angelle, a composite character, voices concerns for her people, mounting logical arguments and desiring the writer devise a pamphlet for her cause.

They are interrupted by Charlotte Corday, famous for murdering French political leader Jean-Paul Marat, an act that she considers she is doing “for the women of France.” She wishes a strong final statement written for her as she stands at the guillotine.

Joining them then is deposed Queen Marie Antoinette, portrayed in history in an indelicate light. She, recognizing that her historical legacy will be skewed, would like the writer to highlight her positive contributions before she, too, is beheaded.

De Gouges works hard to accommodate each, all the while expounding her own statements about the importance of theater and its influences. She is fierce in her appeals for women’s rights and is heartily booed at the National Convention for her convictions.

Each character is so different they are fascinating to watch as an ensemble. Sarah Broughton takes on the central role of Olympe De Gouges with panache. At times overly theatrical and pontificating, she maintains the focal point throughout.

Juliana Acosta plays Marianne. Her character appears the most level-headed of the four, stating her desires with purpose and logic. She presents an air of competent calm, giving a nice contrast to the flighty characterization of Marie Antoinette by Aileen-Marie Scott. Scott is resplendent in beautiful wig and gown, obviously having a ball with her outrageous depiction. She is a delight to watch.

The single-minded Charlotte Corday is embodied by Rosie Gordon, who gives a highly focused and chilling performance.

The actors are all outstanding. The piece itself is highly relevant at its core to today’s society (history does tend to repeat itself), recognizing the underplaying of women’s roles throughout history and the continual struggle for equality.

Direction by Jessi May Stevenson conveys the similarities in the characters’ challenges, while amplifying their differences.

This is a complex piece that bears introspection and scrutiny.

The Revolutionists plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m. through March 15. Santa Paula Theater Center, 125 S. Seventh Street, Santa Paula. Tickets available at www.santapaulatheatercenter.org, [email protected] or 805-525-4645.

Vol. 13, No. 10 – Feb 12 – Feb 25, 2020 – Movie Review

Movie Review by Cindy Summers
Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

3 out of 4 palm trees
Breeze rating from 1 to 4 palm trees, 4 being best.

In “Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” Harley Quinn is targeted by sadistic nightclub owner Roman Sionis and teams up with the Huntress, Black Canary and Det. Renee Montoya to protect young pickpocket Cass and take down Sionis. Released by Warner Bros. Pictures, Directed Cathy Yan, Written by Christina Hodson and Starring Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.

Having just broken up with the Joker, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) finds her independence but also finds herself targeted by everyone who she wronged, sadistic nightclub owner Roman Sionis/Black Mask (Ewan McGregor) being at the top of the list. Sionis eventually captures Harley, who negotiates her release by promising to find a stolen diamond young pickpocket Cassandra “Cass” Cain (Ella Jay Basco) took from Zsasz, Sionis’ face-carving right-hand-man. Unfortunately, Cass had just been picked up by police and was in jail, so Harley grabbed a sling full of glitter and color filled bean bags for her shotgun, and broke Cass out of jail using her ninja-like fighting skills.

Cass decided the safest place to keep the diamond was to swallow it, which created quite a predicament for Harley, who decided the best option was to get some laxative and duct tape Cass to a toilet. To make things more challenging, Sionis put a $500,000 bounty out on Cass, which had Harley fighting every bad guy in the city to protect Cass, though she eventually reverted back to her bad self and made a deal with Sionis to hand over Cass.

Dinah Lance/Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), who originally worked in Sionis’ club as a singer but was basically forced to become his driver, warned Detective Renee Montoya (Rose Perez) that Harley planned to turn Cass over to Sionis at an abandon amusement park. Montoya headed to the park to rescue Cass, joined by the Huntress looking to recover her family’s diamond. Sionis hired an army of thugs who gathered at the park and seemed the odds were against them, but together Harley, the Huntress, Black Canary and Det. Montoya battled the bad guys, little Cass being the one to kill Sionis with a surprise grenade.

Following all that excitement, Montoya decided to leave the police force and join the Huntress and Black Canary as vigilantes known as the “Birds of Prey” while Harley pursued her own private eye business with Cass as her sidekick.

Harley’s charm and wit keeps viewers rooting for her every step of the way, displaying incredible fighting skills with stunts that seem almost superhuman while using very creative and often explosive methods to overcome endless obstacles in this fast paced, action packed film. Margot Robbie, who was a also producer, colorfully embodies the spirit of Harley Quinn while also having a deliberate focus on a message of freeing women from male oppression, whether it be Harley living the Joker’s life, Det. Renee Montoya constantly being undermined by male coworkers taking credit for her work, the Black Canary being dominated by her sadistic employer Sionis, or the Huntress’ family being senselessly murdered by a ruthless mob boss, all had a back story involving evolving in the movie to a “no more” mentality.

R (for strong violence and language throughout, and some sexual and drug material)
109 minutes

 

Vol. 13, No. 10 – Feb 12 – Feb 25, 2020 – A View from House Seats

by Shirley Lorraine

Rubicon digs deeply into family dynamics

The 2019-2020 theatrical season at the Rubicon Theatre in downtown Ventura promises “stories about taking responsibility, finding freedom, daring to hope, living in harmony – and charting a new and certain course in an uncertain world”. The season also features plays by female playwrights. It is off to an auspicious beginning.

The current production, Never, Not Once, by Carey Crim was awarded the Jane Chambers’ Playwriting Award in 2017. This is the second production by Crim mounted at the Rubicon. It is a complex emotional study with many humorous moments.

Eleanor, a young college student raised by two mothers, desires to learn more about her genetic background. She hires a private investigator to assist in finding her father, whom she has never known. This disturbing action raises anxieties for her birth mother, Allison, as she has kept information about him secret for 20 years.

As Eleanor’s search continues, the family is forced to confront painful hidden secrets. Doug, the true father, appears back on the scene and reveals his struggles through life. Now he is face to face with a daughter he didn’t know existed and must try and repair the past with her mother, who vehemently resists.

Her long-time partner, Nadine, is supportive and at the same time wants to see Allison come to grips with the truth and move forward. Old misunderstandings come up as the two express differing viewpoints on the subject at hand.

Eleanor is aided in her search by her boyfriend Rob who becomes another spoke in the wheel of the family’s dysfunction, trying his best to be helpful and supportive.
Each member of the cast is simply superb. Each character undergoes many layers of emotional discovery as the story unfolds. The play is recommended for mature audiences due to the adult subject matter and language. The play runs without an intermission, about 90 minutes.

Melanie Cruz portrays the central character of Allison. She is at once stoic, frightened, anxious and resolute as she navigates areas she had hoped never to open. Her partner, Nadine, played by Diahnna Nicole Baxter, provides a sensible counterpoint as the second mother figure to Eleanor.

Sydney Berk is the enthusiastic Eleanor. Isaac Cruz is Rob, her college friend who becomes her boyfriend as the search progresses. Both bring the eagerness and determination of youth to the family picture as well as a needed measure of acceptance.

The reluctant father, Doug, played by Michael Polak, works through a gamut of emotions as he struggles with not only the past between he and Allison, but also his own difficult past. He confronts his own denial and devils, and in the course of doing so, discovers what he needs to do moving forward.

The play explores the effects secrets can have in the long run, insecurities that run deep, the challenges reality can present, and how lives can be changed with truth. The many layers can be dizzying but satisfying as they resolve.

Never, Not Once runs through February 23. Performances are Wednesdays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. (talkbacks follow the 7 p.m. show), Thursdays at 7 p.m. (Feb. 20 is College Mixer Night with special price and package for college students), Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Ticket prices range. Discounts for students, seniors, military and more are available. www.rubicontheatre.org or 805-667-2900.