Lynn Venhaus

Total Post: 1139

Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.  She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.  She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women's and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle. She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.

Celebration of Black Cinema to Honor Chadwick Boseman

Celebration of Black Cinema to Honor Chadwick Boseman

 The Critics Choice Association has announced the additional honorees and presenters that will join, virtually, the third annual Celebration of Black Cinema on Tuesday, February 2, 2021.  The ceremony will be hosted by author and media personality Bevy Smith. 

Following its invitation-only digital premiere, the event will be shared with the public on KTLA and offered to all Nexstar Media Group television stations.  KTLA will air the 90-minute Celebration of Black Cinema special in Los Angeles on Saturday night, February 6th.   

Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) will receive the Performance of the Year Award for his magnetic and heartbreaking portrayal of Levee, an ambitious musician struggling to earn the recognition he deserves in a world, and a recording studio, built against him.  

A special donation in Chadwick Boseman’s name will be designated to provide scholarships to students participating in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Gold Program.  The Academy Gold Program is an industry talent development, diversity and inclusion initiative to provide individuals, with a focus on underrepresented communities, access and resources to achieve their career pathways in filmmaking.   

Zendaya & John David Washington (Malcolm & Marie) will receive the NextGen Award for their work on the highly anticipated Malcolm & Marie, which was filmed safely amid the pandemic and became one of the most sought-after projects of the season.  Washington and Zendaya portray a filmmaker and his girlfriend returning home from his movie premiere and awaiting the critical response. 

Shaka King (Judas and the Black Messiah) will receive the Director Award for his visionary telling of the story of American civil rights leader Chairman Fred Hampton, iconic leader of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party who was ultimately killed in 1969. 

Tommie Smith (With Drawn Arms) will receive the Social Justice Award.  An iconic athlete and activist, in With Drawn Arms, Smith reflects on his iconic fist-thrust silent protest on the medal stand during the nation anthem at the 1968 Summer Olympics, a moment that helped define the civil rights movement. 

The Celebration of Black Cinema honorees will be fêted by a prestigious group of presenters who will celebrate their work and their ongoing commitment to telling Black stories on film, including Nnamdi Asomugha, Lee Daniels, Michael Ealy, Dominique Fishback, Taraji P. Henson, Daniel Kaluuya, Jonathan Majors, Kemp Powers, Aaron Sorkin, LaKeith Stanfield, Jesse Williams, and George C. Wolfe. 

As previously announced, the event will recognize Delroy Lindo (Career Achievement Award), John Legend & Mike Jackson (the Producers Award), Tessa Thompson (the Actor Award), Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (the Breakthrough Award), Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, and Leslie Odom, Jr. (the Ensemble Award),and Andra Day (Special Honoree Award). 

About the Critics Choice Association (CCA) 

The Critics Choice Association is the largest critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 400 television, radio and online critics and entertainment reporters. It was established in 2019 with the formal merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, recognizing the blurring of the distinctions between film, television, and streaming content. For more information, visit: www.CriticsChoice.com. 

Actors Triumph in Memorable ‘One Night in Miami’

Actors Triumph in Memorable ‘One Night in Miami’

By Lynn Venhaus
A play-based drama imagines conversations between four black icons during a crucial time in the civil rights fight.

Playwright Kemp Powers adapted his 2013 stage play, “One Night in Miami,” which set their fictional meeting on Feb. 25, 1964, after Cassius Clay (Eli Goree) emerged as the new heavyweight boxing champion by defeating Sonny Liston at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Joining him afterwards at the Hampton House Motel in the African American Overtown neighborhood is activist Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), singer Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) and legendary NFL running back Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge).

These influential black men discuss their responsibility and roles in the burgeoning civil rights movement.

On the cusp of the cultural upheaval of the 1960s, four famous black men feel pressured as symbols, trying to determine how to support equality and empower others through their celebrity.

The discussions are thought-provoking throughout, even though the film can’t quite shake its theatrical roots. But it’s the performances that galvanize “One Night in Miami.” One of the finest ensembles of the year features four young talents establishing their value, and each is riveting.

Kingsley Ben-Adir is fire and brimstone as Malcolm X, whose heated exchanges with Cooke do lead to a new direction for the singer, as shown later in “A Change Is Gonna Come” performed on “The Tonight Show.”

As the confident Malcolm X, Ben-Adir, however, expresses doubt and grapples with loyalty to the Nation of Islam.

Eli Goree, a veteran of TV’s “Ballers” and “Riverdale,” nails the glibness and distinct cadence of Clay, who is mulling over his decision to become Muhammad Ali.

Leslie Odom Jr., Tony winner as Aaron Burr in “Hamilton,” is electric as soul music pioneer Cooke, smoothly delivering several hits. A flashback to him salvaging a live show with an a capella “Chain Gang” is one of the film’s highlights.

Aldis Hodge, long a secret weapon in films, imbues his Brown with more anger and depth as he debates a future beyond football. In one of the film’s most significant scenes, he is humiliated by a wealthy bigot (Beau Bridges) during the Jim Crow era.

Oscar-winning actress Regina King, making her directorial debut, just gives her actors room to breathe. And the dialogue crackles, resonating beyond that night and emphasizing the impact these men had in their lives. 

By the end of the year, Malcolm X was assassinated and Cooke was killed in a sketchy incident – and the athletes became two of the greatest there ever was.

This evening may have taken place nearly 57 years ago but it feels timely. It’s definitely a conversation-starter for any age.

“One Night in Miami” is a drama based on Kemp Powers’ play, directed by Regina King and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, Leslie Odom Jr., Aldis Hodge and Eli Goree. Rated R for language throughout, the movie’s run-time is 1 hr. 54 min. Lynn’s Grade: B+
Now playing in theatres and on Amazon Prime Jan. 15

Alex McPherson – Top Ten Films of 2020

Alex McPherson – Top Ten Films of 2020

By Alex McPherson
2020 was a good year for movies, despite everything! Here are my top 10 films of the year, with 11 honorable mentions. There’s still some movies I need to watch, of course, including “Soul” and “Palm Springs.”

  • “Red Penguins”

Director Gabe Polsky’s documentary, “Red Penguins,” focuses on an American-Russian partnership that quickly spirals out of control. Shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, two managers of the Pittsburgh Penguins and an eccentric marketing executive try to revive Russia’s national hockey team in cooperation with the team’s general managers. The tactics they deploy are, suffice to say, quite out-there. Live bears serving beer on the ice? Huh? 

Despite garnering international attention, problems soon arise. Poor decision-making among all parties creates a situation with life-and-death consequences. Featuring energetic editing that constantly keeps viewers on their toes, and interviewees who illuminate all sides of the story, “Red Penguins” is alternately hilarious and horrifying — a cautionary tale told in a harrowing fashion. More people need to watch this film.    

  • “Never Rarely Sometimes Always”

Few films this year provide the raw emotional impact of director Eliza Hittman’s “Never Rarely Sometimes Always.” The film centers around a young woman in rural Pennsylvania named Autumn (Sidney Flanagan) who contends with an unintended pregnancy. She wants to get an abortion, but the state requires that she gets permission beforehand from her parents, with whom she has an uneasy relationship. This leads her to travel to New York City with her cousin, Skylar (Talia Ryder), to seek out the procedure. Confronting not only the faults of America’s healthcare system but also the casual injustices faced by women on a regular basis, Hittman’s film is bleak, intense, yet absolutely essential viewing, with a suitably powerful ending.   

  • “Da 5 Bloods”

Director Spike Lee’s latest effort, “Da 5 Bloods,” is an ambitious exploration of war, trauma, friendship, and family. A group of four Black Vietnam War veterans return to Vietnam to locate the remains of their fallen squad leader, Stormin Norman (soulfully played by Chadwick Boseman), and find the treasure they hid together all those years ago. What follows is a timely, genre-blurring creation that only Lee could provide. Featuring excellent performances — especially by Delroy Lindo, playing a complex, mentally tormented individual — one of year’s finest scores, and a narrative that twists and turns unpredictably, Lee’s film is mesmerizing and packed with meaning.    

  • “Another Round”

“Another Round,” the latest effort from Danish film director Thomas Vinterberg, is a compelling and darkly comedic ode to appreciating the roller coaster of life. Martin, a depressed high school history teacher, takes part in an experiment along with three other colleagues to see what happens if they maintain a blood alcohol content of 0.05, which supposedly provides enhanced creativity and social skills. Unsurprisingly, even though the experiment begins with promising results, the four gentlemen soon get in way over their heads. At some points disturbing and heartbreaking, “Another Round” also contains moments of levity — capturing these characters’ struggles and triumphs through superb acting and dialogue. And that ending scene, oh boy. I could rewatch the film’s finale on repeat for an entire day and not get bored.

  • “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”

Borat’s second feature-length outing feels like a slap-in-the-face to Trumpers — always a positive in my book — and has real heart beneath the outrageousness on display. Borat Sagdiev (Sacha Baron Cohen), a fictional journalist from Kazakhstan, finds himself on a mission to deliver his daughter, Tutar (Maria Bakalova), to Vice President Pence, in order to strengthen the nation’s standing with the United States after the fallout from the original film. Containing all the shocking, laugh-out-loud sequences that one expects from a “Borat” film — including an infamous interaction with the leaky vampire himself, Rudy Giuliani — the sequel is also about Borat’s relationship with Tutar, and Tutar’s journey from ignorance to enlightenment about how the world really works and her own ability to make an impact. All in all, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is “Very Nice!”

  • “Driveways”

A gentle, beautifully acted story, director Andrew Ahn’s “Driveways” is a perfect film to start the New Year with. Ahn shows how simple acts of kindness can have far-reaching rippling effects, and how friendships can form between people with starkly different life experiences. The heart of the film lies in the friendship between eight-year-old Cody (Lucas Jaye) and a widowed war veteran named Del, played by the late Brian Dennehy, who lives next door. Although the film’s plot remains predictable, Ahn’s film truly shines through its refreshingly low-key, nuanced approach to the material — cementing itself as one of 2020’s absolute gems. We can all learn something from “Driveways.”

  • “Sound of Metal”

Director Darius Marder’s “Sound of Metal” is a hard-hitting character study that makes use of cinema’s immersive potential. When a punk-metal drummer named Ruben (Riz Ahmed) starts to lose his hearing, his life is upended. He must reckon with his frustration, heartbreak, and feelings of hopelessness for his future. Though at times hard to watch, “Sound of Metal” is oh so moving, depicting Ruben’s journey in an uncompromising fashion. The film’s powerhouse performances and realistic narrative, combined with sound design that simulates the effects of Ruben’s hearing loss, creates a film whose visceral qualities are matched by thought-provoking, deeply human themes. 

  • “First Cow”

Set in 1820s Oregon, “First Cow” follows two travelers — a soft-spoken, introspective chef named Otis “Cookie” Figowitz (John Magaro) and King Lu (Orion Lee), a Chinese immigrant on the run from vengeful Russians — as they form a friendship and attempt to make a living in unforgiving conditions. Their business involves stealing milk from the only cow in the region, owned by the repugnant Chief Factor (Toby Jones), and baking popular, supremely delicious biscuits. Director Kelly Reichardt builds a quietly suspenseful tale exploring the American Dream, with three-dimensional characters, stunning cinematography, and an impeccable atmosphere that transports viewers to the time period. The film’s slower, more deliberate pace might turn off impatient viewers, but for everyone else, “First Cow” is first-rate. 

  • “Bacurau”

Impossible to pin down to a single genre, “Bacurau” is one of 2020’s most brutally satisfying films. Set in a fictional Brazillian village of the same name, the film depicts a tight-knit community working together to combat a threat that seeks to literally wipe them off the map. This crazy film works on multiple levels — as an allegory for struggles within contemporary Brazil, and as an emotional roller coaster with sympathetic heroes, sadistic villains, a cathartic conclusion, and revolutionary ideals. I’ve watched “Bacurau” four times and can’t wait to rewatch it again. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart, but any and all cinephiles should appreciate the film’s striking vision.

  • “Small Axe Anthology”

Yes, I realize that some people might classify director Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe Anthology” as television; however, I don’t care. This collection of five films is brilliant from start to finish, depicting the experiences of some West Indian immigrants in London during the 1960s and 1970s — including the 1971 trial of the Mangrove Nine and inequality within the schooling system. The films are unflinching, empathetic, and expertly crafted — depicting their subjects without reducing or simplifying their struggles for pure entertainment value. “Small Axe” encourages viewers to reflect on how far we’ve come, how much has worsened or stayed the same, and the heights we could achieve in terms of racial equality. Full of moments of joy, grief, struggle, and human connection, these films are achingly resonant, and they shouldn’t be missed.   

Honorable Mentions: “12 Hour Shift,” “American Utopia,” “Bad Education,” “Beasts Clawing at Straws,” “Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets,” “Dick Johnson is Dead,” “I’m Thinking of Ending Things,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “My Dinner with Werner,” “The-Forty-Year-Old Version,” “The Vast of Night” 

Cinema St. Louis Presents Award Winners in Best of Fest Jan. 22- 31

Cinema St. Louis Presents Award Winners in Best of Fest Jan. 22- 31

The 29th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) wrapped on Nov. 22, 2020, but Cinema St. Louis is providing cinephiles another opportunity to view the event’s award winners in the Best of Fest, which is available virtually from Jan. 22-31, 2021.

A few of SLIFF’s honorees are already or imminently out in the world — “Transhood” is available on HBO Max, and “9to5: The Story of a Movement” premieres on PBS’s “Independent Lens” on Feb. 1 — but Best of Fest reprises the other 19 winners of the festival’s juried and audience-choice awards.

Like 2020’s SLIFF, the Best of Fest is an online-only event and is again presented with our virtual-festival partner, Eventive. Nine features and a program of 10 shorts will be available to stream during all 10 days of the event, and several of the films will once more include recorded Q&As with filmmakers and documentary subjects. Geographic restrictions will apply to some films. All programs will be available in Missouri and Illinois, but some will be accessible throughout the U.S. or world. This information is noted on each listing.

Individual tickets are $15 ($12 for Cinema St. Louis members). A 5-film pass is $65 ($55 for Cinema St. Louis members). Information on films, purchase of tickets/passes, and details on the virtual fest is available on the Cinema St. Louis website: cinemastlouis.org.

Film Programs

Asia

Ruthy Pribar, Israel, 2020, 85 min., Hebrew, Narrative

Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature. In her debut feature film, Israeli filmmaker Ruthy Pribar focuses on a pair of Russian immigrants in Israel, candidly exploring the challenges of motherhood and the desires of the differently abled. Asia (Alena Yiv) and Vika (Shira Haas) are more like sisters than mother and daughter. Young mom Asia hides nothing about her work-hard, play-hard lifestyle and expects the same openness and honesty from teenage Vika. But Vika is at an age where privacy and independence are paramount, and she inevitably begins to rebel against her mom’s parenting style. When health issues confine Vika to a wheelchair and her need for romantic experiences and sexual exploration becomes more urgent, Asia realizes she must get out of the way so that her daughter can live her life.

Award-Winning Shorts Program

150 min.

  • Always Coming Back (Noah Readhead & Nate Townsend, U.S.,  2020, 9 min., English): Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Short. Webster Groves rallies around a man with a mental disability to support his greatest passion.
  • Augustus (Jon Alston, U.S., 2020, 16 min., English): Essy Award for Best Narrative Short. Augustus, a literate carpenter and family man who is living free as a fugitive slave, is faced with a decision to speak or die when denied the wages he’s earned.
  • Black Goat (Yi Tang, Nepal/U.S., 2019, 12 min., Nepali): Best Live Action Short. A new girl at a nunnery has her first period after hearing a late-night ghost story and believes that she has been cursed, requiring her to sacrifice a black goat to avoid further misfortune.
  • Colette (Anthony Giacchino, France/Germany/U.S., 2019, 24 min., French & German): Best Documentary Short. Colette Catherine, now 90, revisits the terrors of her childhood, when she fought the Nazis as a member of the French Resistance.
  • The Cut (Chloé Cinq-Mars, Canada, 2019, 18 min., French): Best International Short. Emma, who had a C-section, didn’t see her son when he was born, and when she finally meets him, she doesn’t recognize her baby.
  • I Want to Make a Film about Women (Karen Pearlman, Australia, 2019, 12 min., English & Russian): Essy Award for Best Documentary Short. A speculative love letter to Russian constructivist women in the 1920s Soviet Union.
  • Josiah (Kyle Laursen, U.S., 2019, 20 min., English): Best of Fest Short. A Black actor auditions for a part in a period television series.
  • The Mirror (Joel Kohn, Australia, 2020, 22 min., English): Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Short. When a young girl discovers a mysterious antique mirror in the basement of her ailing grandmother’s house, she opens a window between time that allows her to cross over into Nazi-occupied Poland.
  • R.A.S. (Lucas Durkheim, France, 2019, 5 min., French): Best Short Short. For months now, a group of five bored young soldiers have been stuck on a mission in the middle of the Afghan mountains, but the routine is finally broken during a support mission.
  • To the Dusty Sea (Héloïse Ferlay, France, 2020, 12 min., French): Best Animated Short. Left alone in the summer, Malo and Zoe try their best to catch their mother’s elusive eye.

Beasts Clawing at Straws

Kim Yong-Hoon, South Korea, 2020, 108 min., Korean, Narrative

Audience Choice TV5MONDE Award for Best International Feature and St. Louis Film Critics Joe Pollack Award for Best Narrative Feature. A wild, fast-paced crime thriller that deftly crosses the Coen Bros. with “The Grifters,” “Beasts Clawing at Straws” is a pitch-black neo-noir. When a cash-stuffed Louis Vuitton bag is left in a sauna, it sends a group of hard-luck lowlifes on a desperate chase for a fortune. Fish-mongering gangsters, a greasy cop, an “innocent” gym cleaner, and a prostitute and her trio of men (wife-beating husband, ruthless boss, and clueless boyfriend) all violently scheme to get their hands on the elusive bag. The film is a beautifully constructed puzzle whose pieces snap perfectly into place with each double-cross.

God Save the Wings

Adam Knapp & Kenneth Linn, Denmark/U.K./U.S., 2020, 102 min., English, Documentary

Audience Choice Leon Award for Best Documentary Feature. “God Save the Wings” offers a rousing, highly entertaining look at the brief history of Wichita’s MISL indoor-soccer franchise, narrated primarily by former Wings player Andy Chapman. The documentary features plenty of deliciously dated archival footage and appears to round up nearly every living person involved in the franchise for an appearance. Made with affection for its subject, with an enthusiastic vibe and penchant for oddball meta-movie flourishes, “God Save the Wings” chronicles the team’s journey through the ’80s, recounting the thrills, wackiness, and flagrant debauchery. St. Louis’ own beloved MISL club, the Steamers, plays a prominent role in the documentary’s narrative, with our boys serving as the thuggish American heavies to the Wings’ more elegant, European style of soccer.

I Am You

Sonia Nassery Cole, Afghanistan, 2020, 89 min., Dari, English & Turkish, Narrative

Interfaith Award for Best Narrative Feature. “I Am You” offers an insider’s look at the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan and the tragedy of its refugees. After the loss of his father at the hands of ISIS, young Masoud leaves the world he once knew to embark on a perilous journey to safety. Embarking on a perilous migration from Afghanistan into the unknown, he vows to honor his late father’s memory by securing a safe future for his mother and sister. As he and his family flee the country they once called home, he is accompanied by his best friend, an aged Muslim warrior, and a pregnant doctor. Inspired by the stories of the world’s many refugees, the film provides an evocative, empathetic study of our current refugee crisis.

A Place to Breathe

Michelle Grace Steinberg, U.S., 2020, 87 min., Central Khmer, English, French, Spanish & Swahili, Documentary

Interfaith Award for Best Documentary. A work of timely urgency, director Michelle Grace Steinberg’s “A Place to Breathe” toggles between immigrant and refugee communities in two cities — Lowell, Mass., and Oakland, Calif. — to illustrate their varied struggles to assimilate, preserve cultural identity, and, most prominently, heal from the traumas that sent them to the U.S., all assisted by determined healthcare and social workers. A series of small, intimate interactions illustrate how these challenges play out person to person, family to family, rather than in congressional shouting or mass protests. Interviews offer context, and animation is briefly used to portray past-life events in other lands that began in happiness before they turned horrific, but the film keeps the focus mostly narrowed on two families, with outside voices amplifying their experiences. At a time when some U.S. political leaders persist in demonizing the “other,” Steinberg provides a patient immersion in the quiet effort to revive lives whose dreams were momentarily extinguished and then are slowly brought back to life.

The Road Up

Greg Jacobs & Jon Siskel, U.S., 2020, 94 min., English, Documentary

Spotlight on Inspiration Documentary Competition Winner. “The Road Up” follows four Chicagoans on the daunting journey from rock bottom to stable employment. Their lifeline: Mr. Jesse, a charismatic mentor with Cara, a nonprofit that helps the chronically unemployed find long-term jobs. Mr. Jesse’s own troubled past — which is eventually revealed — compels him to help his “students” find hope in the face of homelessness, addiction, incarceration, and trauma. The participants in the program are required to go through a month-long “boot camp” called Transformations, and the film records lengthy stretches of these sessions, with Mr. Jesse putting his charges through some serious emotional changes, forcing them to acknowledge and examine their own self-sabotaging behaviors and learn ways to change them. Filmmakers Jon Siskel and Greg Jacobs’ “Louder Than a Bomb” won SLIFF’s Audience Award as Best Documentary in 2010, and “The Road Up” proves a similarly powerful and inspirational work.

Small Time

Niav Conty, U.S., 2020, 104 min., English, Narrative

New Filmmakers Forum Emerging Director Award (The Bobbie). “Small Time” takes an empathetic and at times darkly humorous look at life, faith, and childhood. Though just a kid, Emma navigates a dysfunctional adult world of relentless addiction, stubborn patriotism, dogmatic faith, and the pervasive sexualization of young girls. Her challenge is to emerge with a sense of self. It can be brutal enough just growing up a girl, but when you add poverty, addiction, and God to the mix, it’s no wonder that Emma doesn’t know how to make friends. With a gun in her bag and fairy prayers on her tongue, she and her cat bravely go where too many girls have gone before. But are innocence and hope enough to save the day?

Test Pattern

Shatara Michelle Ford, U.S., 2020, 82 min., English, Narrative

Essy Award for Best Narrative Feature. “Test Pattern,” the gripping and powerful first feature by Shatara Michelle Ford, chronicles a young Black woman’s attempts to get help from an uncaring system after an assault. An interracial couple’s supportive relationship is put to the test after the woman (Brittany S. Hall, HBO’s “Ballers”) is sexually assaulted and her boyfriend (Will Brill, “The OA,” “Not Fade Away”) must drive her from hospital to hospital around Austin in search of a rape kit. Part psychological horror movie and part realistic drama, “Test Pattern” is set against the backdrop of our national discussions about an inequitable health system, #MeToo, and race relations. Director Ford was raised in St. Louis.

Zappa

Alex Winter, U.S., 2020, 129 min., English, Documentary

Essy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Far from a typical music doc, “Zappa” is a multifaceted narrative that brings a complex artist to vibrant life, providing a nuanced look at visionary iconoclast Frank Zappa and the environment that formed him. A simultaneously intimate and expansive look into the iconic musician’s innovative career, the film had unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and its vast trove of archival footage. Exploring the private life behind a musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time, “Zappa” features revealing interviews with Frank’s widow, the late Gail Zappa, and such collaborators as Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, and Ray White. “Zappa” is directed by former St. Louisan Alex Winter — a Cinema St. Louis Award honoree in 2015 — who recently returned to acting in “Bill and Ted Face the Music” but who has spent the last decade helming a string of impressive documentaries, including “Downloaded,” “Deep Web,” “The Panama Papers,” and “Showbiz Kids.”

Vanessa Kirby Triumphs in Crushing ‘Pieces of a Woman’

Vanessa Kirby Triumphs in Crushing ‘Pieces of a Woman’

By Lynn Venhaus
A deeply personal story of loss, “Pieces of a Woman” is a young mother’s tough year-long journey of grief. It’s a hard watch, nevertheless marked by remarkable performances.

When a Boston couple on the verge of parenthood endures the sudden loss of an infant, we are in for an unraveling of both of their lives, which will resonate with anyone who has faced a trauma.

Martha (Vanessa Kirby) begins a heartrending year-long odyssey of mourning that fractures relationships with loved ones as she learns to live alongside her loss.

Hungarian partners Kata Weber wrote the screenplay while Kornel Mondruczo directed, based on their similar experience, and they bring out the gut-wrenching impact of such an unimaginable tragedy.

The movie begins with an intense 23-minute home birth scene that goes tragically awry. The midwife (Molly Parker) is vilified and sued. The young couple’s rough patch is exacerbated by her domineering mother (Ellen Burstyn).

Stage actress Vanessa Kirby, who played Princess Margaret in “The Crown,” announces that she is an actress to watch. While her character Martha’s harsh odyssey is a wobbly one, you don’t doubt her commitment, and she’s heartbreaking.

Shia LaBeouf is fine as Sean, the supportive husband whose help is shunned by his shattered wife. The supporting cast includes comedian Iliza Shlesinger as Martha’s sister Anita, Benny Safdie as her husband and Sarah Snook as the family attorney.

This intimate portrait may lack some cohesiveness but is a painful foray into the healing process and a bruising human experience.

“Pieces of a Woman” is a drama directed by Kornel Mondruczo starring Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBoeuf and Ellen Burstyn. Rated R for language, sexual content, graphic nudity and brief drug use, the movie runtime is 2 hours, 5 minutes. Lynn’s Grade: B. In theaters and on Netflix Jan. 7.

Powerful ‘Promising Young Woman’ Is Tale for Our Time

Powerful ‘Promising Young Woman’ Is Tale for Our Time

By Lynn Venhaus
Bold and bravura filmmaking, writer-director Emerald Fennell has crafted a  powerful in-your-face rant on toxic masculinity in the #MeToo era.

With a wicked wit and a sharp aim, Fennell exposes how pervasive and casually dismissed sexual assaults are in the guise of “Boys will be boys,” “We were kids,” “Everyone was drunk” and other such well-worn excuses.

Former medical school student Cassie (Carey Mulligan) seeks revenge for her childhood friend’s traumatic experience at a campus party years ago.

Fennell’s impressive debut is matched by Mulligan’s acting tour de force as the driven Cassie.

 And the supporting cast is first-rate, with admirable work by Bo Burnham as old classmate turned new love interest, Alfred Molina as a legal shark, Alison Brie as a catty coed, Clancy Brown and Jennifer Coolidge as Cassie’s parents, Laverne Cox as her coffee shop owner boss, Connie Britton as a college dean, and a cadre of nice-guy actors portraying bad boys.

The production elements all build upon each other, with a cheeky soundtrack, shrewd production design by Michael Perry, who contrasts colors to define moods; and outstanding make-up and hair designs.

Bracketed by shocking “Gotcha!” moments, “Promising Young Woman” is a brilliant, timely social commentary that needs to reverberate in the way that “Fatal Attraction” did in 1987, and keep the conversation going.



“Promising Young Woman” is a dark comedy-drama thriller written and directed by Emerald Fennell. Starring Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Clancy Brown, Jennifer Coolidge, Alison Brie, Connie Britton, Max Greenfield, Chris Lowell, Laverne Cox and Alfred Molina, it is rated R for strong violence including sexual assault, language throughout, some sexual material and drug use, and runs 1 hour, 53 minutes. Lynn’s Grade: A. Opened in theatres on Dec. 23; Video on Demand on Jan. 15.

Dispatches from The Hills: On the Brink of a New Year

Dispatches from The Hills: On the Brink of a New Year

By Lynn Venhaus
We are almost looking in the rear view mirror, and 2020 will be no more. Overall, the year tested us all.
We also learned things about ourselves and found out how we handle adversity, how strong we can be, how much empathy we can have.
And just how a pandemic can turn the world topsy-turvy.
In isolation, we can go to dark places. It is really easy to keep a pity party going, but given how we needed to step it up for the greater good, we had to pivot for our own sanity.
Boy, do I miss hugs. But after vaccines and getting the spread down, returning to whatever resembles “normal” life, we will cherish gatherings and social contact again.
We learned to work and play with a different communication skill set. Thank goodness for Zoom, my personal and professional savior..
We learned that staying connected is more important than ever. That small gestures mean so much. That a kind word is the world on a lonely day.And how to appreciate the little things.
We all have things to learn. We need to look at how we can move forward into the new year with fresh eyes, a commitment to kindness and how we can make our world a better place.
To those frontline workers, I salute your dedication, your caring.To those speaking out about injustice, keep your voice active.To those who don’t feel seen or heard, I will try to do better. I need to realize I don’t understand everything but I am willing to listen and learn.
We get to carry each other.
So, today, a time for looking back. I celebrate good friends , cherished family and warm, wonderful memories.
And hoping things will be better in the year ahead. Hope springs eternal.
Here’s to a happy, healthy and hopeful new year!May you have more good news than bad in 2021, and new opportunities, goals, achievements, adventures, learning experiences and inspirations.
As someone named Clinton Kelly said: “May your life be filled with people who raise you up, and May you be smart enough to avoid the ones who drag you down.”
May 2021 be filled with moments, large and small, that define your best life.
“Oh Earth, you are too wonderful for anybody to realize you.” — Our Town
We must find our light to keep on keeping on.
With a grateful heart, peace and love.

The Rep Delays Live Theatre Productions

The Rep Delays Live Theatre Productions

The Rep Prioritizes Patron Safety in Decision

Virtual theatrical experiences to continue; Mlima’s Tale still scheduled for May

To ensure the health and safety of Rep patrons, artists and staff, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis will postpone the March production of Little Shop of Horrors due to recent coronavirus surges in the region.

“We are committed to keeping our Rep patrons, artists and staff safe so we can continue to bring the magic of theatre to St. Louis for many years to come,” said Hana S. Sharif, Augustin Family Artistic Director at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. “We are disappointed that health conditions require us to postpone our reunion, but we are fueled by the enormous generosity, patience and support of our patrons and filled with optimism, energy and excitement about the future.”

In consultation with health experts, Rep leadership remains optimistic that the combination of vaccines, safety protocols and socially distanced seating at the new Catherine B. Berges Theatre will allow the organization to produce an extraordinary in-person theatrical experience as scheduled in May with Mlima’s Tale. Written by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, Mlima’s Tale is a moving, lyrical journey through the dark world of the international ivory trade. 

Until then, The Rep continues to stretch the bounds of how patrons can experience theatre through unique and inspiring virtual events. “Cooking, Carols and Cocktails,” a four-part virtual series that highlights some of St. Louis’ best food, music and personalities, is available on demand through Jan. 31. Additionally, “The Glowy Snowy Day,” based on the book “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats, reimagines the award-winning children’s book using gigantic illuminated puppets. This free, drive-through event for families runs Jan. 1-3, 2021.

Each subscriber who purchased Flex Pass tickets will be called by a member of The Rep’s box office to answer questions and walk patrons through their options. Flex Passes may be used for additional Mlima’s Tale tickets, any of The Rep’s upcoming virtual programs or saved for The Rep’s 2021-22 season.

The Rep box office team will begin calling patrons immediately, to inform them of the schedule update and thank them for their patience and their passion for live theatre. 

ABOUT THE REPERTORY THEATRE ST. LOUIS

The Rep is the St. Louis region’s most honored live professional theatre company. Founded in 1966, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is a fully professional theatrical operation belonging to the League of Resident Theatres, The League of St. Louis Theatres and is a constituent member of Theatre Communications Group, Inc., the national service organization for the not-for-profit professional theatre. Visit www.repstl.org for more, and find The Rep on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

The Rep Offers Free Outdoor Adventure ‘The Glowy Snowy Day’

The Rep Offers Free Outdoor Adventure ‘The Glowy Snowy Day’

Mark your calendars for a magical puppet experience this week!

Together with StoneLion Puppet Theatre, we’ve created a brand-new adventure through the celebrated children’s classic, The Snowy Day. Join us to hear an enchanting adaptation of Ezra Jack Keats’ award-winning book, and watch the tale come to life in a spectacle of colossal illuminated puppets, glow artists and more – all without leaving the socially distanced safety of your vehicle. 

Because of potential inclement weather, this FREE outdoor performance will now take place January 1-3 on the Webster University campus between Big Bend Boulevard and Lockwood Avenue (just across the street from The Rep). 

Visit our website to learn more about The Glowy Snowy Day and to see a preview of StoneLion Puppet Theatre’s stunning work. Registration for the event is not required. 

Pixar’s ‘Soul’ Has Whimsy and Warmth

Pixar’s ‘Soul’ Has Whimsy and Warmth

By Lynn Venhaus
Oh, so clever and profound, “Soul” tackles life’s Big Questions with whimsy and warmth.

An inspiring ode to mentors and finding our ‘spark,’ this original screenplay by director Pete Doctor, co-director Kemp Powers, and Mike Jones is a fresh take on a subject we generally ignore.

Docter, the genius behind Oscar winners “Up” and “Inside Out,” has gone into new territory while the animators have done stunning, next level work we’ve not seen before.

As the first African-American lead Pixar character, Joe (Jamie Foxx) is a middle-school band teacher whose true passion is jazz. So, when he gets a shot at performing with the revered Dorothea Williams Quartet, he thinks fate has finally smiled on him. However, destiny had another crossroads in mind – and he has wound up in the “Great Before.” He is paired with a wisecracking infant soul (Tina Fey), trying to figure her life out. Traveling between realms allows him to discover what it means to have “soul.”

The music score is glorious, with hypnotic other-worldly compositions by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and jazz compositions and arrangements by Jon Batiste.

Batiste, the band director of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s house band, Stay Human, did the piano performances for Joe in the film – his unmistakable long lean fingers gliding over the 88 keys with such joy. The man exudes optimism every time he tickles the ivories.

“Soul” is geared towards parents more than children, but lessons can be extracted for older youth.

The small moments of life are celebrated, as are the colorful personalities we meet along the way – trombonist Connie, mystic Moonwind, seamstress Melba, barber Dez, obsessive-compulsive accountant Terry, and all those Counselor Jerrys.

Tina Fey is a delight. While Joe and Soul 22 are on their big-city escapades, which are fast and funny, the ‘no-body’ discovers Earth isn’t boring – although she refers to it as “this hellish planet,” but one whiff of pizza and she’s stuffing herself with New York City street food.

Steve Pilcher’s production design of a teeming New York City is remarkable, as is his ethereal Great Before, a mix of pastels and golden lights.

In much the same way as Thornton Wilder’s prose resonates in “Our Town” — “Oh, Earth, you’re too wonderful for anybody to realize you…”, “Soul” will stay with you.

And in true Pixar fashion, one must remain for the credits – and they don’t disappoint. The production crew credits appear in the beads of Terry’s abacuses, and the infant souls play games.

Instead of the production babies’ list, they’ve titled it “Recent You Seminar graduates.’

This trip to the astral plane is “Dedicated to all the mentors in our lives,” and is to be savored.

“Soul” is a fantasy animated feature film directed by Pete Docter and Kemp Powers. Starring Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Angela Bassett, Phylicia Rashad, Graham Norton and Questlove, the film runs 1 hour and 40 minutes and is rated PG for thematic elements and some language. Lynn’s Grade: A. Now streaming on Disney Plus at no extra charge.
Lynn’s Grade: A