Blade Runner 2049
4 Palm Trees out of 4

by Manuel Reynoso

Blade Runner 2049 is a 2017 neo-noir sci-fi drama directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green. A sequel to the 1982 film Blade Runner, the film stars Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford and follows K as he learns of a replicant that has given birth, and attempts to find more answers.

As I’ve reviewed more and more films, I’ve grown to be far more conservative with my rating system. A film has to really wow me like no other if I’m going to give it a 4/4. I’m not just expecting excellence in its production, but it has to tell a story that pulls me in and keeps me engaged from start to finish

Now you see, Blade Runner 2049 pulled me in. I mean really pulled me in and somehow managed to hold on tight for a remarkable 2 hours and 45 minutes. Even more amazing to me, is that the vast majority of the film revolves around superbly written dialogue, with little reliance on action. The action is great, don’t get me wrong, but the dialogue is just so dense with world building, character development, and conflict. Every character has their own motivations, goals, and personality that while may clash, come together to create this living breathing world. While this is usually enough for me to hold a film in high regard, blade runner also has this neo-noir aesthetic that is gorgeously designed.

When a film finds its aesthetic and knows precisely how to build on it, that’s when you go from having a setting, to a whole world. With a ridiculous budget of at least $150 million, I haven’t seen a world this painstakingly crafted outside the likes of Star Wars and other mega budget films. But blade runner has this dark, almost dystopian edge to it that just really appeals to me without it veering off to ludicrous levels of angst and despair.

While the set design and production value of the film laid the groundwork for such a strong aesthetic. Roger deakin’s cinematography work and Hans Zimmer’s music is what places the final touches on the films stellar production. Dealing wasn’t shy to play with angles and light in unconventional ways. Zimmer’s score is also phenomenal and worth a listen independently of the movie.

However, as per usual, dialogue is what’s king to me, and the screenplay by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green is nothing short of phenomenal. The close personal relationship between K and Joi or the contention between K and others was mesmerizing. While some may find the film too long, I found every minute as tantalizing as the last. On top of the great dialogue, the acting was what carried it to the heights it achieved. Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford in particular were the strongest performances of the film, but I also feel the need to emphasis how surprised I was by the range Bautista showed in the film.

Two hours and forty minutes is a definite commitment to make, but a film of this caliber really deserves the attention. Seeing it in theaters really feels like the only option when Blade Runner 2049 boasts such a strong aesthetic and excellent sound design. Maybe neo-noir crime dramas just do something for me in particular, but I loved this film, and recommend all who can make it go watch it as well. Rated R 2h 43M

by Shirley Lorraine
Marriage musical on stage in Camarillo

Camarillo Skyway Playhouse is performing the award-winning musical, I Do! I Do!” through November 12. The play is based on the The Fourposter by Jan de Hartog. With book and lyrics are by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt, the musical chronicles a span of 50 years of married life for Michael and Agnes Snow.
Almost an operetta, the play swiftly moves from the couple’s wedding in 1895 to a more comfortable 1945, providing insights into their struggles and their life’s highlights along the way. Many will identify with the portrayals familiar to couples of communication challenges, disloyalties and the search for identity both as individuals and as a twosome. Emotions run the gamut as the years pass, the children are born, grow up and eventually leave the nest.

Adam Womack and Lauren Rachel wear the Snow’s lives as though made for them. Both are accomplished singers and move easily through the time span. The two have chemistry together. Womack is thoroughly engaging, even when he, as Michael Snow, is being a pompous ass.

Their singing compliments each other consistently as they accent their story with a steady stream of songs. Many will recognize “My cup runneth over with love” and “When the kids get married”. Each makes the most of their occasions to solo. Womack is exuberant in “I love my wife” and does a little soft shoe later. Rachel pulls out the stops in “Flaming Agnes” and “What is a woman”. Each sing clearly and enunciates well so the lyrics can be understood. This is very much appreciated as it adds to the enjoyment considerably. Both actors are clearly relishing their roles and thus so does the audience.

Clever costuming and small adjustments to the décor of the one set bedroom brought the audience along on the Snow’s journey. Despite several lengthy pauses for scenery or costume changes, the play moves along swiftly. One glaring inconsistency however is the presence of Samsonite luggage in the opening sequence, occurring some fifteen years before the Samsonite company began. A small point perhaps, but noticeable.

There are commonalities between this production and the previous one of The Last Five Years” which piqued my interest. Both are performed by only two actors. Both feature a plethora of songs which pull the story along, many of them sounding pretty much the same in range and tone. Both plays chronicle years of married life although the presentation is treated differently and cover a different time span, one short and one lengthy. In both productions, the husband is a writer. While there are positive attributes to both productions, a selection with less in common might have been a stronger choice.

I Do! I Do! replaces the scheduled production of “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” so perhaps costs were a consideration. In any case, the change provided Womack and Rachel an opportunity to show their talents. Dean Johnson directs this solid production featuring two fine actors.

I Do!, I Do! runs Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m., Sundays, 2 p.m. through November 12
Camarillo Skyway Playhouse
330 Skyway Drive, Camarillo
Camarillo Airport
(805) 388-5716 or  [email protected]
Adults $20, Students, seniors and military, $15, Under 12, $10