‘April’ Is A Difficult Yet Profound Look At Injustice And Resistance

‘April’ Is A Difficult Yet Profound Look At Injustice And Resistance

By Alex McPherson Bleak, unflinching, and deeply sensory, director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s “April” captures nightmarish realities flecked with vividly-rendered beauty and perseverance of the human spirit.... Details
‘POTUS’ is Audacious Side-Splitting Satire from Tesseract Theatre

‘POTUS’ is Audacious Side-Splitting Satire from Tesseract Theatre

By Lynn Venhaus The late great Democratic politician Ann Richards, former Texas governor and vocal feminist advocate, once said: "In politics, if you want anything... Details
Scene-Stealers in Satin: OTSL’s “Die Fledermaus” Pops a Cork in 1960s Manhattan – And To Its 50th Season

Scene-Stealers in Satin: OTSL’s “Die Fledermaus” Pops a Cork in 1960s Manhattan – And To Its 50th Season

By CB Adams “Die Fledermaus” is a sparkling comedy of mistaken identities, romantic mischief and champagne-fueled revenge. In Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’s new production,... Details
‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ Is An Exhilarating Epic

‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ Is An Exhilarating Epic

By Lynn Venhaus Superspy Ethan Hunt is not a superhero, but Tom Cruise is built like one in talent and temperament. Perhaps his superpower is... Details
Cruise Goes All-Out in Nostalgic, High-Octane Blockbuster ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’

Cruise Goes All-Out in Nostalgic, High-Octane Blockbuster ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’

By Alex McPherson Tense, nostalgia-heavy, and featuring mind-boggling set pieces with Tom Cruise yet again putting his life on the line for our entertainment, director... Details
Ensemble Shines in Ambitious, Full-Hearted Directorial Debut ‘We Were Dangerous’

Ensemble Shines in Ambitious, Full-Hearted Directorial Debut ‘We Were Dangerous’

By Alex McPherson A sincere and impressively well-acted reminder of the power of community to persevere through adversity, director Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu’s debut feature, “We... Details
Relatable Original ‘Johnnie Taylor Is Gone’ is Comfortable, Engaging

Relatable Original ‘Johnnie Taylor Is Gone’ is Comfortable, Engaging

By Lynn Venhaus A comfortable slice of life, “Johnnie Taylor is Gone” is part nostalgia trip and part character study with a pleasant panoply of... Details
Upstream’s ‘Meet Me at Dawn’ Is Bravely Acted and Profoundly Moving

Upstream’s ‘Meet Me at Dawn’ Is Bravely Acted and Profoundly Moving

By Lynn Venhaus “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans” – “Beautiful Boy,” John Lennon, 1980 Grounded but teeming with... Details
Going Around in Circles, Disjointed ‘On Swift Horses’ Is Frustrating Misdirect

Going Around in Circles, Disjointed ‘On Swift Horses’ Is Frustrating Misdirect

By Lynn Venhaus Pretty people and sun-dappled scenery wind up being ineffective in a shallow head-scratcher, “On Swift Horses,” a stagnant 1950s melodrama heavy on... Details
Lovable Cast Boosts Queer Rom-Com ‘The Wedding Banquet’ Remake

Lovable Cast Boosts Queer Rom-Com ‘The Wedding Banquet’ Remake

By Lynn VenhausA modern re-imagining of Ang Lee’s first 1993 breakthrough film, “The Wedding Banquet” is a funny, charming queer family romantic comedy about personal... Details