Giacomo Puccini’s first outstanding success was “Manon Lescaut,” the musical setting of Abbé Prévost’s renowned (and banned in France) novel’s tale of love, desire and betrayal set against the backdrop of 18th-century France and Louisiana. Premiering in 1893, this opera marked Puccini’s initial triumph and remains a timeless testament to his melodic mastery.
Winter Opera, under the direction of Gina Galati, continued to enchant audiences in its 17th season with its own captivating rendition of “Manon Lescaut” on January 19 and 21. I have it on good authority this is the first staging of “Manon Lescaut” in St. Louis, though I can’t confirm that. But, even if it has been stage in St. Louis, it’s been a long, long time.
Puccini’s daring adaptation of the story underscores his commitment to infusing the narrative with genuine Italian passion. Despite the familiar theme of a classic love triangle, the richness of Puccini’s musical language elevates the emotional depth of the plot.
This production boasts exceptional vocal performances, notably Zoya Gramagin and Taylor Comstock, who breathe life into the titular characters of Manon Lescaut and Chevalier des Grieux, respectively. Gramagin’s soprano effortlessly commanded attention, imbuing Manon with a poignant blend of vulnerability and strength. Comstock’s powerful tenor captured the fervor of des Grieux’s ardor, soaring to majestic heights in moments of impassioned pleading.
Photo by Peter Wochniak, ProPhotoSTL
Joseph Park’s portrayal of Geronte, the wealthy older suitor, exuded a commanding presence complemented by a rich bass that added depth to the ensemble. Jonathan Stinson’s rendition of Manon’s brother, Lescaut, provided robust support to the narrative, while the ensemble cast delivered a varied tapestry of emotions—from merriment to despair—with finesse.
Under the baton of Edward Benyas, the orchestra delivered a seamless fusion of music and drama, guided by Geovonday Jones’s meticulous stage direction. Scott Loebl’s scenic design evoked the opulence and desolation of 18th-century settings, complemented by Michael Sullivan’s evocative lighting. This achievement was especially noteworthy considering the company’s modest budget for two performances (three if you count the dress rehearsal).
Jen Blum-Tatara’s costumes and Laura Skroska’s props enhance the production’s authenticity, transporting audiences to a bygone era.
Despite occasional inconsistencies in the libretto, Winter Opera’s production shines through its musical performance and cohesive direction. The company’s commitment to staging lesser-known works should be commended because it offers audiences a chance to discover/rediscover operatic gems like “Manon Lescaut.”
Winter Opera’s rendition of “Manon Lescaut” is a testament to the enduring allure of Puccini’s music. With satisfying performances, meticulous direction and lean-yet-evocative production values, this production should make a lasting impression on audiences and continue to warm local opera-goes in during the colder months.
By Lynn Venhaus In 1965, the conflict between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and President Lyndon Johnson regarding voting rights came to a head because of escalating violence. On the streets of Selma, Alabama, the struggle to end racial discrimination was real. The drive for equality that resulted in the historic march from Selma to Montgomery and the hard-fought triumph that was the Voting Act Rights is depicted in a new historical drama written by British playwright Paul Webb.
The St. Louis Black Repertory Company hosted British playwright Webb for the world premiere of “Hold On!” that began with previews Jan. 10, opening night was Jan. 12, and the show ran Wednesday through Sunday until Jan. 28 in the Edison Theatre on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. It was the kickoff to their 47th mainstage season and directed by founder and producing director Ron Himes.
“We’re delighted to be producing this exceptional world premiere and we’ve pulled together an extraordinarily talented group of creatives to tell this story, It’s a great way to kick off our 47th Season,” Himes said.
Webb. who wrote the screenplay for the 2014 film “Selma,” was first inspired to write a play focused on the historic events in the Civil Rights Movement that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a year after the landmark Civil Rights Act was passed, and after King won the Nobel Peace Prize.
“What I came to realize was that the Selma voting rights campaign was the pinnacle of the careers for two extraordinary, although extraordinarily different, leaders,” Webb says.
Webb said he has been fascinated with American culture since childhood, and told a group of us at the opening night party about hitchhiking across America for six months. He saw how complicated race relations were in the South. He was intrigued by President Johnson’s efforts during the civil rights area, and his relationship with King. The importance of the demonstrations in Selma was a way to develop the story he wanted to pursue. .
Webb’s other works include “Four Knights in Knaresborough” about the assassination of Thomas Becket, and the BET mini-series “Madiba” about the life of Nelson Mandela.
Paul Webb, standing next to Ron Himes, says a few words about his play’s cast. Lynn Venhaus photo
Conversations with the Webb were included throughout the opening weekend, at the Jan. 11 preview performance at 7 p.m., followed by a post-show discussion, and after opening night Jan. 12, there was a post-show reception and a meet and greet. On Sunday, Jan. 14, there was a pre-show discussion at 2 p.m. before the 3 p.m. matinee performance.,
In 1957, King said: “So long as I do not firmly and irrevocably possess the right to vote, I do not possess myself. I cannot make up my mind; it is made up for me.”
In the 1960s, Americans debated what the “equal protection of the laws” in the 14th Amendment meant. Did the Constitution’s prohibition of denying equal protection always ban the use of racial, ethnic, or gender criteria in an attempt to bring social justice and social benefits?
In June 1963, President John Kennedy asked Congress for a comprehensive civil rights bill. This was after resistance to desegregation and the murder of Medgar Evans, a civil rights activist in Mississippi, who was fatally shot on June 12.
After Kennedy’s assassination in November, President Johnson took up pushing for it, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, passed. That forbade using race and sex as reasons in hiring, promoting and firing, and strengthened the enforcement of voting rights and desegregation of schools.
Then, Johnson introduced the Voting Rights Act to Congress in March 1965, the same month that voter registration protests began in Selma.. The violence there added pressure on Congress to act, and the bill passed in four months.
To further learn about King’s journey, here are some resources:
Fifty-nine years ago, Selma became the battleground for Black suffrage, and. the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site of the brutal Bloody Sunday beatings of civil rights marchers, is now a national historic landmark. Because the attacks were televised, public support for the activists grew, and marches continued for voting rights.
For more information about the landmarks in the historic civil rights efforts, visit the Civil Rights Trail: https://civilrightstrail.com/
The protections that King and his supporters fought for are under actual threat today, with attempts at voter suppression making the Voting Rights Act vulnerable. The Freedom to Vote Act addresses voter registration and voting access, election integrity and security, redistricting, and campaign finance. (Sources: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2747 and https://www.brennancenter.org/freedom-vote-act
Specifically, the bill expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It also limits removing voters from voter rolls.
Next, the bill establishes Election Day as a federal holiday.
The bill declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence.
The bill establishes certain federal criminal offenses related to voting. In particular, the bill establishes a new criminal offense for conduct (or attempted conduct) to corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from registering to vote or helping someone register to vote.
Additionally, the bill sets forth provisions related to election security, including by requiring states to conduct post-election audits for federal elections.
The bill outlines criteria for congressional redistricting and generally prohibits mid-decade redistricting.
The bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices.
‘Hold On!’ at The Black Rep
The Black Rep’s 47th season will continue with “Fly” (Feb. 14 to March 10) in WashU’s A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre, followed by “Wedding Band” (March 13-31) at COCA, 6880 Washington Ave., and “Timbuktu!” (May 15 to June 9) in Edison. The season will conclude with “King Hedley II” (June 19-July 14), also in Edison.
Single tickets are now available through the Box Office, in person, or at (314) 534.3807. Reduced pricing is available for seniors, educators, students, and groups of 12 or more. Season 47 subscriptions remain on sale at TheBlackRep.org.
Support for The Black Rep’s 47th Main Stage Season comes from The Berges Family Foundation, The Black Seed Initiative, Caleres, Missouri Arts Council, the Regional Arts Commission, Rogers-Townsend, The Shubert Foundation, and the Steward Family Foundation.
Opening Night Meet and Greet: Lynn Venhaus, Playwright Paul Webb, Chas Adams
By Lynn Venhaus A film as necessary for this time and throughout the ages, “The Zone of Interest” is a chilling look back at how Germans normalized their extermination of Jews during the Holocaust.
SS Officer Rudolph Hoess, who served the longest as the head commandant of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland (1940-43 and 1944-45), lived in a villa next door with his wife and children.
In the shadow of atrocities, his family enjoyed their dream home, and director Jonathan Glazer depicts their daily life in the most mundane ways possible. Cinematographer Lukasz Zal chiefly observes to underline the horrors taking place a few feet away, using distance instead of close-ups to speak volumes.
This makes the scenario even more unsettling as the Third Reich masterminds meet to discuss carrying out Hitler’s orders for the “Final Solution.”
Several acclaimed films have shown us the brutality of the Holocaust, in various degrees of harrowing, including Oscar winner for Best Picture “Schindler’s List” (1993) and “Son of Saul” (2015), which won the Academy Award for Best International Feature. While “The Zone of Interest” is just as haunting, the horror lies in the obvious apathy of the bystanders.
Hoess was instrumental in implementing pesticide into gas chambers that killed more than a million European Jews. (Later, at his trial, he claimed responsibility for 2.5 million deaths, the rest caused by “starvation and disease.”)
Christian Freidel plays Hoess as a dutiful Nazi, a company man who is pleased with his advancement – the undetected monster in our midst. Sandra Huller, who is having a moment with her other acclaimed performance in “Anatomy of a Fall,” Cannes Palme d’Or winner, portrays his complacent wife, Hedwig. She takes care of the children and runs the household with a desire for order.
In conversations with other wives, she is matter of fact. Her mother, Linna Hensel, played by Imogen Kogge, comes to live with them, and is impressed with their spacious digs and comfortable lifestyle, with servants at the ready and absconded goods delivered to them.
Their insensitivity and lack of empathy is revealed when interacting with others. The women guests covet what’s been pilfered from those rounded up and imprisoned or killed.
Glazer loosely adapted Martin Amis’ 2014 novel but he used real, not fictional, characters as his framework. He has constructed this historical drama to disturb because of what you don’t see and can only imagine based on details we know now.
The idyllic yard, featuring a pool and a garden, is separated by a large concrete fence, but you can hear occasional screams, gunshots, and the incinerator’s fire from a distance, and see ash floating from the crematorium.
The technical audio-visual elements, particularly the sharp editing by Paul Watts, effective sound design by Johnnie Burn and ominous music score by Mica Levi are disquieting in a slow-burn way, building on the dichotomy of the situation.
Glazer, known for “Sexy Beast” starring Ben Kingsley and “Under the Skin” starring Scarlett Johansson, has put a distinctive stamp on this cautionary tale. The end scene is one of the most powerful images in a 2023 film.
Although the film doesn’t add the real details of what happened to Hoess after Germany lost the war, it indicates that he knew their lives were doomed. Convicted of his war crimes against humanity, he was hanged at age 45 in 1947 – at Auschwitz.
“The Zone of Interest,” in subtitles, is an unforgettable work that speaks volumes by what it doesn’t say in its 1 hour, 45-minutes runtime. It is the United Kingdom’s official entry into the Academy Awards’ international feature category and was recently nominated for five Oscars. It won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.
This one will linger because it unnerves, reminding us of how quickly freedoms can be taken away and how evil flourishes when people are systematically dehumanized.
“The Zone of Interest” is a 2023 historical drama written and directed by Jonathan Glazer. It stars Christian Friedel, Sandra Huller, Imogen Kogge and Max Beck. An international feature, it is in German and has English subtitles. Rated PG-13 for thematic material, some suggestive material and smoking, the film runs 1 hour, 45 minutes. It opens in St. Louis area theaters on Jan. 26. Lynn’s Grade: A.
By Alex McPherson A lean, claustrophobic thrill ride, director Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s “I.S.S.” can’t quite make the most of its premise, but satisfies as an enjoyably paranoid B-movie.
Cowperthwaite’s film unfolds aboard the International Space Station in the near future: a bastion of human cooperation and scientific advancement, at least until now. Scientist Kira (Ariana DeBose) — a newcomer to space travel, whose perspective viewers largely see the film through — and Christian (John Gallagher Jr.), who tells everyone, repeatedly, that he has two daughters back home, journey via the Soyuz spacecraft to the I.S.S. They are welcomed by their charismatic commander Gordon (Chris Messina), as well as Russian cosmonauts Weronika (Masha Mashkova), Alexey (Pilou Asbaek), and leader Nicholai (Costa Ronin).
Everything seems to be going well enough, despite the Station’s cramped workspaces, lack of privacy, and the group’s language barriers. Politics are off limits, a romance is obviously aflame between Gordon and Weronika, and the guarded, straight-laced Kira is able to go about her work (the effects of low-gravity regenerative medicine on mice) sans dealing with personal drama on Earth. Politics, as Kira soon learns during a tense exchange about the song “Wind of Change,” is taboo.
That is, until it’s unavoidable. While looking out the window, Kira notices large flashes of light on Earth’s surface. She initially thinks they’re erupting volcanoes — they are actually nuclear bombs dropped in a war between America and Russia. Before long, Gordon and Nicholai receive orders from their respective countries to take the I.S.S. by any means necessary. The I.S.S. will also burn up upon re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere if nobody in mission control assists.
Kira and company are certainly in a predicament. Chaos ensues as nationalism, selfishness, impulsiveness, and shifting allegiances reign supreme. Who will survive? Can these scientists avoid mutually assured destruction?
Cowperthwaite (perhaps best known for the documentary “Blackfish”) presents a cruel, occasionally clunky look at how easily peace can be shattered when the unprecedented occurs. With a capable cast and immersive cinematography, “I.S.S.” is a cynically entertaining descent into chaos. Simplistic characters and formulaic plot beats hold it back, though, rendering the film more a lightweight piece of popcorn entertainment than a disquieting thriller.
“I.S.S.” is most effective in its first half, as Kira and viewers quickly get acquainted with the space station and its inhabitants, observing the confined corridors and amiable-yet-cautious interactions. Everyone is aware of cultural tensions and doing their best to push them to the side. Geoffrey Wallace’s production design feels authentic and lived-in, and stellar visual effects believably simulate low-gravity, presenting stunning views of space and, later, the smoldering Earth below.
This is a smart location to set a thriller, plus a plausible near-future scenario, and cinematographer Nick Remy Matthews makes the most of it. The camera drifts through hallways, untethered like the scientists to their prior bonds and routines. Nowhere is safe on the I.S.S.. Cowperthwaite keeps viewers on their toes as eavesdroppers lurk behind corners and conversations are suddenly interrupted.
When the bombs drop and the orders come in, for example, Cowperthwaite effectively captures the awkwardness and simmering suspense within the group; Anne Nikitin’s jittery, ominous, slightly overused score cranks the dial even further. These quieter though no less impactful sequences — including a pulse-pounding outdoor repair — are gripping, largely thanks to Cowperthwaite’s direction and solid performances that elevate Nick Shafir’s screenplay.
DeBose gets a chance to show her range as the reserved, guileless Kira — a character wounded by a tragic and disappointing past throwing her all into her work. She’s more passive compared to the other crewmates, unsure who to believe and what to do once the situation spirals out of control. DeBose lends nuance to the role — letting the cracks shine through Kira’s façade early on that reflect her damaged past. Her performance is particularly effective in the first half, before Cowperthwaite reverts to narrative extremes that take precedence over character depth.
Messina lends charm and charisma to Gordon — the astronaut doing his best to keep everything under control — and Mashkova lends warmth, authority, and heartache as Weronika. Asbaek reveals hidden layers to the gruff Alexey, while Gallagher Jr. and Ronin are given less to work with and veer into cartoonish territory; paranoid, prideful characters who might or might not go off the deep end.
Indeed, notwithstanding a couple exceptions, the film doesn’t devote much time to developing these characters beyond who they are in their worst, most desperate moments. This could be due to the 95-minute runtime, but in its lack of cultural specificity (Cowperthwaite avoids delving too much into politics herself) and willingness to buck tradition, they’re reduced more to feelings than three-dimensional beings. They illuminate various elements of the human experience without giving us time or reason to get fully invested. As a result, they only rarely transcend archetypes.
Combined with some late-movie plot twists that take proceedings to preposterous levels, it’s difficult to become all that involved in the film’s drama. Nationalism and survival can certainly push people to act rashly, but “I.S.S.” ultimately feels too schematic for its own good. Some late-movie scuffles shift from harrowing to goofy, as Nikitin’s score blares and every actor tries to look as shocked as possible.
Still, so long as viewers don’t think too much about the carnage on display, “I.S.S.” remains engaging. As typical January movie fare goes, it soars high above the competition.
“I.S.S.” is a 2024 science fiction-thriller directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and stars Ariana DeBose, Chris Messina, John Gallagher Jr., Masha Mashkova, Costa Ronin and Pilou Asbaek. It runs 1 hour, 35 minutes and is rated R for some language and violence. It opens in theatres Jan. 19. Alex’s Grade: B
The movement is a rhythm to us Freedom is like religion to us Justice is juxtapositionin’ us Justice for all just ain’t specific enough
–“Glory” by Common and John Legend 2015 Oscar winner for Best Song, from the movie “Selma”
A remarkable history lesson more so than a lecture, “Hold On!” features a powerhouse ensemble recreating a pivotal period in 1965 that was a clarion call then and eerily an alarm bell now.
The Black Rep honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy with the timing of opening weekend to coincide with the federal holiday marking his Jan. 15 birthday, which has taken place on the third Monday of January every year since 1983.
King, the most prominent advocate for nonviolent activism to protest racial discrimination, helped get the Voting Rights Act signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on Aug. 6, 1965, after convincing the president a year earlier to sign the landmark Civil Rights Act (July 2, 1964), the same year he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (Dec. 2, 1964).
Their fascinating relationship was at times contentious but also collaborative, and those power battles royale are embodied by Enoch King as resolute MLK and Brian Dykstra as salty LBJ.
Dykstra easily slips into playing the master politician Johnson, for he has appeared twice before in the role – but in the drama “All the Way” that was produced at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis in fall 2015, which focuses on the civil rights endeavors in ’64, and as Brian Cox’s understudy in “The Great Society,” playwright Robert Schenkkan’s sequel, on Broadway in 2019
King is tenacious as the motivational visionary, remaining idealistic about moving people to action in divisive times. Both King and Johnson knew they couldn’t advance anything alone but needed supporters to be fervent about progress. The good reverend is a shrewd strategist in getting what he wants with the President, whose legendary battles with the “Dixiecrats” are well-documented.
While both were certainly flawed individuals, they were able to come together and change the course of America, pushing to outlaw discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.
On March 15, 1965, LBJ delivered a speech before Congress on voting rights — stating that the civil rights problems challenged the entire country, not one region. He asked for legislation that dictated clear, uniform guidelines for voting regardless of race or ethnicity, which would allow all citizens to register to vote free from harassment.
Through a turbulent lens, this sobering play looks back when blacks were being murdered in the South, just for daring to register to vote, use their voice to speak up and stand up, and the killers were not punished. These incidents still pack a gut-punch, and this drama, thriller-like, illuminates gathering storms, and as history prompts us, we must be vigilant.
In 1965, Selma represented the epicenter, and in Alabama, the struggle for justice and equality escalated. This well-researched historical work by Paul Webb depicts the drive for voting rights that resulted in the March 7 “Bloody Sunday” where protesters were beaten at the Edmund Pettus Bridge trying to march to Montgomery, the state capital.
Two weeks later, King, James Forman and John Lewis led marchers on that landmark trail after a U.S. District judge upheld the rights of demonstrators.
Webb, a British playwright and screenwriter who is credited with the screenplay for the 2014 film “Selma,” first began the project as a play, then moved forward instead with the film, but in the years since, has revised and finished his play. The Black Rep is the first company to produce it.
The Civil Rights Movement was a long and winding road, starting in 1954 and ending in 1968. Webb, fascinated by the motives of both Johnson and King during the 1964-65 period, has formatted the play as a series of vignettes, with 21 scenes, carried out by a cast of 14.
Ambitious, yes, and director Ron Himes deftly moves along characters and action, focusing on the urgency.
This true story has a lot of moving parts to convey onstage, establishing characters who figure prominently in the tumultuous days highlighted. Scenes are mostly divided between Selma, Atlanta (King’s residence), Brown Chapel and Washington D.C., where Dunsi Dai’s evocative scenic design includes the Oval Office as a focal point, and Meg Brinkley’s prop design conveys.
Because of the nature of a stage play, the action offstage is chronicled through news clippings and video reports, which projections designer Zach Cohn has astutely put together.
The play is dense at first, takes a while to gain momentum, but when it does, it’s riveting and empowering.
Those unfamiliar with this period may need a primer to know who the key players are. People alive then or who remember it from the history books may recall who Alabama Gov. George Wallace and Dallas County Sheriff Jim Clark are, both masterfully played as hot-headed intolerant bigots by Eric Dean White.
The segregationists were firmly entrenched in the power grid during the Jim Crow era, and the selective timeline deepens the storytelling,
Making an impression as racist Al Lingo of the Alabama Highway Patrol and heroic activists Jimmie Lee Jackson and Annie Lee Cooper are Jeff Cummings, Jason Little and Tamara Thomas, who also play another role each.
Little and Thomas are strong in their characterizations of ordinary citizens who represent how despicably treated minorities were – and you’ll remember those names.
Isaiah Di Lorenzo smoothly plays a cruel county courthouse registrar and a redneck state trooper in addition to presidential speech writer Richard N. Goodwin. Thomas Patrick Riley tackles three unflattering roles – the ignorant courthouse worker Leverne, and an unenlightened deputy and state trooper. Tammie Holland is posh as King’s fling Della.
Other dedicated performers resemble the real people of King’s inner circle so we don’t forget their contributions: Greg Carr Sr. as Ralph Abernathy, Olajuwon Davis as James Foreman, Greg Carr II as (future Congressman) John Lewis, Joel Antony as Hosiah Williams and Little doubling as Andrew Young (future Congressman, US Ambassador to the United Nations and Atlanta mayor).
These characters earned a place in history but perhaps are unknown to subsequent generations. (And if history is being rewritten in certain school districts…I digress).
Evann DeBose
For the play version, Webb laudably expanded the role of Coretta Scott King, and Evann DeBose is radiant –and assertive — as a woman working alongside her famous husband on the same goals, a strong force who won’t be diminished or treated callously.
Musically inclined, Coretta is shown singing and playing the piano (kudos to pianist Antonio Foster). DeBose’s soulful and heartfelt renditions of songs associated with the movement — Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” from 1964 and “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize,” a folk song referencing Biblical passages, also known as “Hold On,” popularized in 1963, remain indelible. The rallying anthem “We Shall Overcome” had to be prominently featured and it is.
One of the highlights of this production is sound designer Lamar Harris’ original music score. His compositions vividly capture the moods and punctuate the action in a notable way.
Some of the horrifying attacks are choreographed movements to represent the explosive violence and shrouded in blue lighting by expert designer Sean M. Savoie. Annie Lee Cooper’s front-page-news punch to the sheriff is well-staged for optimum effect.
Costume designer Marc W. Vital II has put together appropriate vintage looks for the women and standard business attire for the men. Special recognition goes to stage manager Tracy D. Holliway Wiggins and assistant Alan Phillips for maintaining the flow of all the comings and goings, no easy feat.
It’s important to keep this story at the forefront today because of its relevancy to equal rights.
The shock of brutal attacks with prejudice and without accountability reminds us that we are again living in tense times and protections are not absolute. As far as we have come in 59 years, scary to even think suppression is happening again.
It’s difficult to wrap one’s head around that more than 60 years ago, people died for the right to vote, and as I write this, voting rights are being threatened. However, a movement is underway supporting the Freedom to Vote Act of 2021 and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2023, which would modernize and revitalize the 1965 Voting Rights Act, strengthening legal protections against discriminatory voting policies and practices. Maybe “Hold On!” will be a timely nudge in the right direction.
“Hold On!” is a fine example of people keeping their eye on the prize, illustrating how many marched away from the darkness and into the light because of King’s special skills, and those he passed the torch to during his lifetime and beyond. It’s a refresher course on Selma not being a bridge too far.
Facin’ the league of justice, his power was the people Enemy is lethal, a king became regal Saw the face of Jim Crow under a bald eagle The biggest weapon is to stay peaceful We sing, our music is the cuts that we bleed through Somewhere in the dream we had an epiphany Now we right the wrongs in history No one can win the war individually It takes the wisdom of the elders and young people’s energy One day when the glory comes
–“Glory”
The Black Rep presents the world premiere of “Hold On!” Jan. 10-Jan. 28 with performances Wednesday-Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Performances take place Jan. 10-28. Tickets are $50, or $45 for seniors and $20 for students (17+), with student rush tickets $15. No one aged 5 and under is admitted. Season 47 subscriptions are available. Tickets can be purchased at the Edison Theatre box office; the Black Rep’s box office, 813 N. Skinker Blvd.; or by calling 314-534-3810. For more information, visit: www.theblackrep.org
Cinema St. Louis is pleased to partner with the St. Louis Black Repertory Company for a special screening of the film, “Selma,” on Saturday, Jan. 20, at the Hi-Pointe Theatre at 1 pm. General Admission Tickets are $10, and a discounted ticket of $8 is available for current students and senior citizens aged 55+.” Visit site for tickets: https://www.cinemastlouis.org/selma-screening-black-rep
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) announced the winners of the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards live on The CW. Hosted by Chelsea Handler, the star-studded gala was held at The Barker Hangar in Los Angeles.
“Oppenheimer” led the winners in the film categories, earning eight awards including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr., Best Acting Ensemble, Best Director for Christopher Nolan, Best Cinematography for Hoyte van Hoytema, Best Editing for Jennifer Lame, Best Visual Effects, and Best Score for Ludwig Göransson.
In the series categories, “The Bear” and “Beef” each took home four trophies, while “Succession” earned three. “The Bear” won Best Comedy Series, Best Actor in a Comedy Series for Jeremy Allen White, Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Ayo Edebiri, and Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Ebon Moss-Bachrach. “Beef” won for Best Limited Series, Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for Steven Yeun, Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for Ali Wong, and Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for Maria Bello. “Succession” won Best Drama Series, Best Actor in a Drama Series for Kieran Culkin, and Best Actress in a Drama Series for Sarah Snook.
James Mangold presented the Career Achievement Award to Harrison Ford in a very special highlight of the evening, while Margot Robbie presented this year’s SeeHer Award to America Ferrera. The SeeHer Award honors a woman who advocates for gender equality, portrays characters with authenticity, defies stereotypes and pushes boundaries.
The 29th annual Critics Choice Awards show was executive-produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment. The Critics Choice Awards are represented by Dan Black at Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Sponsors of the Awards included Verizon, Delta Air Lines, FIJI Water, Cold Stone Creamery, Milagro Tequila, Champagne Collet, d’Arenberg and Maison L’Envoyé wines.
Follow the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards on Twitter and Instagram @CriticsChoice and on Facebook/CriticsChoiceAwards. Join the conversation using #CriticsChoiceAwards.
INNERS OF THE 29TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS
FILM CATEGORIES
BEST PICTURE Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST ACTOR Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers (Focus)
BEST ACTRESS Emma Stone – Poor Things (Searchlight)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers (Focus)
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS Dominic Sessa – The Holdovers (Focus)
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST DIRECTOR Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach – Barbie (WB)
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Cord Jefferson – American Fiction (Amazon)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Hoyte van Hoytema – Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer – Barbie (WB)
BEST EDITING Jennifer Lame – Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN Jacqueline Durran – Barbie (WB)
BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP Barbie (WB)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST COMEDY Barbie (WB)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM Anatomy of a Fall (Neon)
BEST SONG “I’m Just Ken” – Barbie (WB)
BEST SCORE Ludwig Göransson – Oppenheimer (Universal)
SERIES CATEGORIES
BEST DRAMA SERIES Succession (HBO | Max)
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Kieran Culkin – Succession (HBO | Max)
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Sarah Snook – Succession (HBO | Max)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Billy Crudup – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown (Netflix)
BEST COMEDY SERIES The Bear (FX)
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Jeremy Allen White – The Bear (FX)
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Ayo Edebiri – The Bear (FX)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Bear (FX)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Meryl Streep – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
BEST LIMITED SERIES Beef (Netflix)
BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Quiz Lady (Hulu)
BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Steven Yeun – Beef (Netflix)
BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Ali Wong – Beef (Netflix)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jonathan Bailey – Fellow Travelers (Showtime)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Maria Bello – Beef (FX)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES Lupin (Netflix)
BEST ANIMATED SERIES Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix)
BEST TALK SHOW Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO | Max)
BEST COMEDY SPECIAL John Mulaney: Baby J (Netflix)
ABOUT THE CRITICS CHOICE ASSOCIATION (CCA)
The Critics Choice Association is the largest critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 600 media critics and entertainment journalists. It was established in 2019 with the formal merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, recognizing the intersection between film, television, and streaming content. For more information, visit:
Award-winning local performers Kimmie Kidd-Booker and Chris Moore will be the emcees for Arts For Life’s annual Trivia Night on Saturday, Jan. 27. Tables are still available.
The event will take place at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer Road, St. Louis, with doors open at 6:30 p.m. and 10 rounds of general-knowledge questions to begin at 7 p.m.
Cash prizes will be awarded to first and second place teams. There will be a 50/50 raffle, silent auction, mulligans available, and a costume contest.
This year’s theme is Ticket to Paris, as the city will host the Summer Olympics, mark the 135th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower and the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Feel free to dress up as any French character in entertainment or real life. Vive la France!
Nominations will be announced for the annual Theatre Mask Awards (plays) and Best Performance Awards (musicals) honoring excellence in community theater and youth productions during 2023.
“Don’t miss the most fun time in metropolitan St. Louis’ community theater!” said AFL President Mary McCreight.
Tables of 8 players are available, at $160 per table. Soft drinks are provided. To make a reservation, visit https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/ or www.artsforlife.org. You can also email: [email protected] for more information. Mulligans will be available, at 5 for $10 or 10 for $20.
For the past 24 years, AFL has honored musical theater with the Best Performance Awards and introduced the Theatre Mask Awards to honor comedy and drama productions in 2015.
This year’s TMA ceremony will take place on Saturday, April 20, at the Royale Orleans in South County and the Best Performance Awards will be held on Sunday, June 30, in the Keating Theatre at Kirkwood High School. More information will be forthcoming.
“These events recognize the incredible talent we have in St. Louis community theater and honor the passion and dedication of those who build this amazing and unique theatrical community,” McCreight said.
Chris Moore
Arts For Life is a local not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the healing power of the arts through its work with youth, the underserved and the community, with its goal of “Making a Dramatic Difference.”
AFL is dedicated to promoting public awareness of local community theatre, encouraging excellence in the arts, and acknowledging the incredible people who are a part of it.
For more information, email [email protected]. or visit the website.
The national tour of the Broadway musical HAMILTON will return to the Fabulous Fox Theatre as part of the 2024-2025 Broadway season, as announced Jan. 11 in celebration of Alexander Hamilton’s birthday by producer Jeffrey Seller and the Fabulous Fox Theatre.
The best way to guarantee tickets to HAMILTON is to purchase a season subscription for the Fabulous Fox Theatre’s 2024-2025 Broadway season. Season ticket holders who renew their subscription for the 2024-2025 season will get priority access to purchase tickets for the return engagement of HAMILTON before tickets become available to the general public. The 2024-2025 Broadway season will be announced at a later date.
HAMILTON will be playing the Fabulous Fox Theatre for two weeks only August 28 – September 8, 2024. Information on how to purchase groups and single tickets will be announced at a later time.
A revolutionary story of passion, unstoppable ambition, and the dawn of a new nation. HAMILTON is the epic saga that follows the rise of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton as he fights for honor, love, and a legacy that would shape the course of a nation.
Based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography and set to a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. In addition to its 11 Tony Awards, it has won Grammy®, Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.
HAMILTON features book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire.
HAMILTON features scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe, and casting by Telsey + Company, Bethany Knox, CSA.
The musical is produced by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman and The Public Theater.
The HAMILTON Original Broadway Cast Recording is available everywhere nationwide.
For information on HAMILTON, visit: HamiltonMusical.com. Follow HAMILTON on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X & TikTok @HamiltonMusical.
I admit it. I was skeptical of the whole ‘Barbenheimer” match-up that same week in July. But you know what? It worked — the two biggest movies of the year, and two of the most critically acclaimed. They couldn’t have been more different, and they dominated the film conversation. They’re my one-two punch. Eight of my Top Ten received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture. I was not on the bandwagon for “Poor Things,” or “Killers of the Flower Moon” (but yet I acknowledge the technical prowess, and Lily Gladstone was robbed). As part of the team at Webster-Kirkwood Times, we publish our Top Ten in alphabetical order, then on KTRS Radio, I only did my Top Ten, but here, I get to give as many films and people I want to a trophy, a shout-out. It’s my list, so without further ado, here’s my favorites. (And I really did see about 150 films.)
1. Oppenheimer
Director Christopher Nolan’s erudite character study on American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer is a stunning achievement in sight, sound, story, and scope. A big-brained biopic, meticulously crafted like a big-stakes psychological thriller, is bold cinematic grandeur, featuring the year’s best ensemble, cinematography, editing, sound, and tremendous performance by Cillian Murphy in the titular role. He’s nearly on screen the entire time.
2. Barbie
Director and co-writer Greta Gerwig crafted an irresistible female-fantastic self-aware fantasy-comedy that brims with great gags, first-rate actors (Kenergy!), and vibrant visuals. Gerwig and co-writer Noah Baumbach’s toy story takes a closer look at a fashion doll icon in a clever and inventive way, and says so much about us through a splendid cast. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling anchor one of the year’s best ensembles: America Ferrera , Kate McKinnon and Michael Cera add flavor, and the bevy of cameos evoke big grins.
3. The Holdovers
Tapping into the anger and loneliness of people who find themselves alone at a New England boarding school during Christmas 1970, director Alexander Payne coaxes terrific performances from Paul Giamatti as a misanthrope teacher, Da’Vine Joy Randolph as a grieving cook, and newcomer Dominic Sessa as a student abandoned by his mother and new husband. Screenwriter David Hemingson’s comedy-drama resonates in a rich and deeply satisfying way.
4. Past Lives
A trio of pitch-perfect performances mark Celine Song’s directorial debut on how people we love shape our lives, and what we learn and still carry with us. Greta Lee, Teo Yoo and John Magaro are adults at a crossroads, and express yearning, but from distinctive viewpoints. Song’s script brings up relatable issues to ponder, especially “In-Yun,” the ties of fate that connect two people across lifetimes.
5. Anatomy of a Fall
Justine Triet’s Hitchcockian examination of a mysterious death and a troubled marriage is a riveting crime case, courtroom thriller and family drama that shifts lenses and perspectives for nearly 2 hours and 31 minutes. Set in the French Alps, Sandra Huller is riveting as the accused wife, whom you are not always sympathetic with, and Milo Machado-Graner is sensational as her 11-year old son.
6. The Zone of Interest
Constructed in such a way as to be more disturbing about what you don’t see and can only imagine based on historical accuracy. Director Jonathan Glazer focuses on the mundane daily life of Nazi mastermind Rudolph Hoess (Christian Freidel) and his family for an unsettling look at the past and a chilling cautionary tale for today. The Hoesses live next door to Auschwitz in their dream home while he is the head commander of the concentration camp. How the Germans normalized the atrocities is haunting.
7. Maestro
Career-best performances from Bradley Cooper as America’s first superstar conductor Leonard Bernstein and Carey Mulligan as his wife, actress Felicia Montealegre, in an intricate portrait of life, art and love. They throw themselves into these roles with a heartfelt and powerful intensity. It’s an uncommon but charismatic exploration, and this passion project has stunning camera work, costumes, production design, sound, hair/makeup and one of the year’s finest scenes: Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 in the Ely Cathedral. 8. American Fiction
A scathing social satire about the current cultural obsession about reducing people to stereotypes is manifested in a remarkable directorial debut by Cord Jefferson. Jeffrey Wright is outstanding as a frustrated novelist-professor who uses offensive tropes in a book written with a pen name and that not only gives him the praise that had eluded him but also enlarges the hypocrisy involved. The sharp jabs against the publishing world and Hollywood entertainment that perpetuates tired cliches delivers some knockout punches, but there is a universal family dynamic as a major part of the journey too that emotionally connects.
9. Air
An exceptional all-star ensemble and Alex Convery’s savvy script with a keen sense of time and place makes this a fascinating underdog story. The tightly-constructed film, based on the game-changing story of Nike landing Michael Jordan, gives the real people their due for their efforts in a sturdy crowd-pleaser deftly helmed by Ben Affleck.
10. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
In her adaptation of the iconic young adult novel, writer-director Kelly Fremon Craig doesn’t hit a false note. With unforced wit and oodles of charm, this empathetic coming-of-age story resonates with every little detail. Abby Ryder Fortson delivers the year’s best juvenile performance.
The Rest of the Best of 2023: All of Us Strangers American Symphony Boston Strangler The Color Purple Dream Scenario Dumb Money Godzilla Minus One Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant The Iron Claw John Wick Chapter 4 The Last Repair Shop May December A Million Miles Away Nyad Origin Perfect Days Society of the Snow Still: A Michael J Fox Movie The Teachers’ Lounge Tetris
Best Performances by an Actor
Cillian Murphy “Oppenheimer”
Bradley Cooper “Maestro”
Paul Giamatti “The Holdovers”
Jeffrey Wright “American Fiction”
Colman Domingo “Rustin”
Andrew Scott “All of Us Strangers”
Teo Yoo “Past Lives”
Koji Yakusho “Perfect Days”
Paul Dano “Dumb Money”
Nicolas Cage “Dream Scenario”
(Matt Damon “Air,” Christian Friedel “The Zone of Interest,” Jamie Foxx “The Burial,” Gael Garcia-Bernal in “Cassandro,” and Zac Efron “The Iron Claw” honorable mention)
Best Performances by an Actress
Lily Gladstone – “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Carey Mulligan – “Maestro”
Margot Robbie – “Barbie”
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor – “Origin”
Sandra Huller – “Anatomy of a Fall”
Greta Lee – “Past Lives”
Natalie Portman – “May December”
Annette Bening – “Nyad”
Leonie Benesch “The Teachers’ Lounge”
Teyana Taylor “A Thousand and One”
(Alma Poysti “Fallen Leaves,” Cailee Spaeny “Priscilla,” Michelle Williams “Showing Up,” Laurie Metcalf “Somewhere in Queens” honorable mention)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Ryan Gosling “Barbie”
Robert Downey Jr. “Oppenheimer”
Charles Melton “May December”
Robert DeNiro “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Dominic Sessa “The Holdovers”
Glenn Howerton “BlackBerry”
Paul Mescal “All of Us Strangers”
Jamie Bell “All of Us Strangers”
Dar Salim “Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant”
John Magaro “Past Lives”
(Sterling K. Brown “American Fiction,” Eddie Marsan “Fair Play,” Jon Bernthal “Origin,” Hugh Grant “Wonka,” Matt Damon “Oppenheimer,” Jacob Elordi “Saltburn” and Sebastian Stan “Dumb Money” honorable mention)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Da’Vine Joy Randolph “The Holdovers”
Danielle Brooks “The Color Purple”
Jodie Foster “Nyad”
Viola Davis “Air”
Rachel McAdams “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”
Sandra Huller “The Zone of Interest”
America Ferrara “Barbie”
Emily Blunt “Oppenheimer”
Julianne Moore “May December”
Claire Foy “All of Us Strangers”
(Juliette Binoche “The Taste of Things,” Rosamund Pike “Saltburn,” Erika Alexander “American Fiction,” Cara Jade Myers “Killers of the Flower Moon” honorable mention)
BEST DIRECTOR
Christopher Nolan “Oppenheimer”
Greta Gerwig “Barbie”
Justine Triet “Anatomy of a Fall”
Jonathan Glazer “The Zone of Interest”
Chad Stahelski “John Wick Chapter 4”
Cord Jefferson “American Fiction”
Alexander Payne “The Holdovers”
Celine Song “Past Lives”
Andrew Haigh “All of Us Strangers”
Takashi Yamazaki “Godzilla Minus One”
(J.A. Bayona “Society of the Snow,” Ben Affleck “Air,” Kelly Fremon Craig “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” Bradley Cooper “Maestro,” Sean Durkin “The Iron Claw” and Davis Guggenheim “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie”)
ENSEMBLE
Oppenheimer
Barbie
Air
The Holdovers
The Iron Claw
The Color Purple
Rustin
All of Us Strangers
Origin
American Fiction
SCREENPLAY – ORIGINAL
Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach “Barbie”
David Heminson “The Holdovers”
Justine Triet and Arthur Harari “Anatomy of a Fall”
Celine Song “Past Lives”
Alex Convery “Air”
Kristoffer Borgli “Dream Scenario”
Nicole Holofcener “You Hurt My Feelings”
Samy Burch, Alex Mechanik “May December”
İlker Çatak, Johannes Duncker “The Teachers’ Lounge”
Bettina Gilois, Hernán Jiménez, Alejandra Márquez Abella “A Million Miles Away”
Ray Romano, Mark Stegemann “Somewhere in Queens”
SCREENPLAY – ADAPTED
Christopher Nolan “Oppenheimer” (based on the book “American Prometheus” by Kai Bird, Martin J. Sherwin)
Cord Jefferson “American Fiction” (based on the book “Erasure” by Percival Everett
Andrew Haigh “All of Us Strangers” (based on the Taichi Yamada novel)
Jonathan Glazer “The Zone of Interest” (based on the Martin Amis novel)
Kelly Fremon Craig “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” (based on the book by Judy Blume)
“Dumb Money” Rebecca Angelo, Lauren Schuker Blum (based on the book by Ben Mezrich)
CINEMATOGRAPHY
1. Hoyte de Hoytema “Oppenheimer” 2. Rodrigo Prieto “Killers of the Flower Moon” 3. Matthew Libatique “Maestro” 4. Jonathan Ricquebourg “The Taste of Things” 5. Rodrigo Prieto “Barbie” 6. Erik Messerschmidt “The Killer” 7. Claude Mirando “Nyad” 8. Jamie D. Ramsay “All of Us Strangers” 9. Simon Beaufils “Anatomy of a Fall” 10. Dan Laustsen “John Wick Chapter 4”
(Pedro Luque “Society of the Snow.” Haris Zambarloukos “A Haunting in Venice,” Linus Sandgren “Saltburn” honorable mention)
BEST EDITING
Oppenheimer, Jennifer Lame
The Killer, Kirk Baxter
Anatomy of a Fall, Haris Zambarloukos
The Zone of Interest, Paul Watts
John Wick: Chapter 4
Still a Michael J. Fox Movie
Barbie, Nick Houy
American Fiction, Hilda Rasula
The Iron Claw, Matthew Hannam
The Holdovers, Kevin Tent
John Wick Chapter 4, Nathan Orloff
Missing, Austin Keeling, Arielle Zakowski
(L to R) Jake Ryan, Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks in director Wes Anderson’s ASTEROID CITY, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features
PRODUCTION DESIGN
1.Asteroid City, Adam Stockhausen 2. Barbie, Sarah Greenwood 3. Wonka, Nathan Crowley 4. The Holdovers, Ryan Smith 5. Maestro, Kevin Thompson 6. Taste of Things, Toma Baqueni 8. Priscilla, Tamara Deverell 9. Oppenheimer, Ruth De Jong 10. Killers of the Flower Moon, Jack Fisk (Suzie Davies “Saltburn,” John Paul Kelly “A Haunting in Venice,” Arthur Max “Napoleon,” François Audouy “Air,” Steve Saklad “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” and Shona Heath, James Price “Poor Things”)
COSTUME DESIGN
1. Barbie 2. The Color Purple 3. Maestro 4. Killers of the Flower Moon 5. Priscilla 6. Are You There, God? It’s Me Margaret” 7. Oppenheimer 8. Napoleon
MUSIC SCORE
1. Oppenheimer 2. The Boy and the Heron 3. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Daniel Pemberton 4. The Holdovers 5. American Symphony, Jon Batiste 6. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, John Williams 7. A Haunting in Venice MUSIC SOUNDTRACK
1. Barbie 2. Air 3. Maestro 4. The Holdovers 5. Flora and Son 6. Dumb Money 7. Wonka
VISUAL EFFECTS
Oppenheimer 2. Godzilla Minus One 3. John Wick: Chapter 4 4. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 5. Society of the Snow 6. Wonka 7. Guardians of the Galaxy
STUNT TEAM
1. John Wick Chapter 4 2. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One 3. The Iron Claw 4. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
ANIMATED FEATURE
1.The Boy and the Heron 2. Nimona 3. The Peasants 4. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 5. Robot Dreams 6. Elemental 7. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 8. Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia 9. They Shot the Piano Player 10. Leo
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Still A Michael J. Fox Movie 2. American Symphony 3. Beyond Utopia 4. 20 Days in Mariupol 5. It Ain’t Over 6. The Lady Bird Diaries 7. King Coal 8. Stamped from the Beginning 9. Aurora Sunrise 10. Bad Press (The Eternal Memory, Little Richard: I Am Everything, Immediate Family, The Disappearance of Shere Hite, Chasing Chasing Amy, Sly)
COMEDY
1. Barbie 2. Dream Scenario 3. The Holdovers 4. Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret 5. They Cloned Tyrone 6. What’s Love Got to Do With It? 7. Dumb Money 8. You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah 9. Theater Camp 10,. Quiz Lady 10. Shotgun Wedding
ACTION
John Wick Chapter 4 2. Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One 3. Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant 4. Godzilla Minus One 5. The Killer 6. The Equalizer Part 3 7. Gran Turismo
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
1. The Zone of Interest 2. Anatomy of a Fall 3. The Teachers’ Lounge 4. Society of the Snow 5. Perfect Days 6. Afire 7. The Peasants 8. Godzilla Minus One 9. Fallen Leaves 10. The Taste of Things
BEST SCENE
1.America Ferrara’s monologue on the impossible standards set for women in “Barbie” 2. Bernstein Conducting Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection” in the Ely Cathedral in “Maestro” 3. Observers commenting on trio at the bar in “Past Lives” 4. Trinity test in “Oppenheimer” 5. Staircase fight in Paris in “John Wick Chapter 4” 6. Fight replay at the trial in “Anatomy of a Fall” 7. Tilda Swinton restaurant scene in “The Killer” 8. Joe talking to his son on the roof in “May December” 9. Finale in “The Zone of Interest” 10. Matt Damon predicts the future in “Air”
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
The Last Repair Shop
The ABC’s of Book Banning
Deciding Vote
The Barber of Little Rock
BEST JUVENILE PERFORMANCES
Dominic Sessa, “The Holdovers”
Abby Ryder Fortson, “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret”
Let’s be honest here. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already seen Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.” This box office sensation (superior to Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” by the way) is a sight to behold — packed to the brim with eye-popping visuals and amusing-to-hilarious jokes, featuring excellent performances from Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and America Ferrera (among others in this star-studded cast) in a story whose emotional storyline leaves a lasting impression. Gerwig’s film tackles a ton of topics, delivering an incisive takedown of the patriarchy, a universal ode to self-actualization and empowerment, while also being a self-reflexive critique and celebration of the Barbie brand itself. Skeptical viewers should absolutely give this film a watch – “Barbie” is one of the most confident, well-crafted films of this year, or any year.
9. “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.”
I held off watching director Kelly Fremon Craig’s “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” until just recently, but it’s absolutely essential viewing. Elevated by sensitive, lived-in performances from Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Benny Safdie, and Kathy Bates, Craig’s adaptation of Judy Blume’s 1970 novel is a relatable coming-of-age dramedy that takes an empathetic approach to all its characters. Growing up is complicated, messy, and full of unknowns, regardless of age, but the film emphasizes the importance of staying true to yourself and being your own person. Funny, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting, it’s a timeless story that’s been given a fresh coat of paint, in one of 2023’s most enjoyable films.
8. “Skinamarink”
A claustrophobic, intensely immersive experience from start to finish, and one of the year’s most polarizing films, director Kyle Edward Ball’s “Skinamarink” is a feat of experiential storytelling. The film centers around two children trapped in their family home as doors and windows mysteriously disappear. Their parents are nowhere to be found, with only Legos and public domain cartoons on a blindingly-bright analog TV to comfort them. As the situation grows increasingly trippy and terror-inducing, Ball eschews a clear-cut narrative for subjective manifestations of viewers’ own monsters lurking in the darkened spaces of empty hallways and ceilings. We rarely leave the kids’ point-of-view due to agonizingly suspenseful, static-laden editing and cinematography that dares us to fill in the voids with our own fears, maintaining a constant sense of anticipation as we wait for silence to be broken. “Skinamarink” is a demanding watch, for sure, and not for those with short attention spans, but there’s truly nothing like it.
7. “Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troisgros”
The only documentary in my Top 10 list this year, director Frederick Wiseman’s “Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troisgros” is an ode to cooking, to art, and the act of creation. It’s also four hours long, and I recommend watching it in two two-hour sessions when it becomes available. Wiseman’s film transports viewers into several restaurants in the idyllic French countryside run by the Troisgros family, letting viewers observe the meticulous brainstorming and preparation that goes into running such high-end establishments. Wiseman positions us as flies on the wall, sans narration or music, and creates a downright hypnotic spell. It’s fascinating and inspiring to watch artists at work, and seeing the passion that main chef Michel and his sons César and Léo have for the work. Viewers travel from the kitchen to various producers (including local winemakers, cheesemakers, and cattle farmers) as experts explain their crafts, as well as spending time with (occasionally pompous) restaurant patrons for whom the food is prepared. Through its patient rhythms and tactile cinematography, “Menus-Plaisirs” is captivating and inspiring, motivating me to embrace my own interests.
6. “Godzilla Minus One”
Emotional, invigorating, and full of rip-roaring set pieces while still having plenty on its mind, director Takashi Yamazaki’s “Godzilla Minus One” is one of the year’s biggest surprises. Kaiju movies aren’t necessarily known for the humans involved, but Yamazaki’s film takes time to present endearing, three-dimensional characters facing off against an unprecedented threat. Themes of PTSD, survivor’s guilt, and joining forces for a nation’s existence take center stage alongside sequences of incredible visual artistry and suspense. Ryunosuke Kamiki’s damaged pilot-turned-minesweeper Koichi Shikishima remains a compelling protagonist for this crowd-pleasing piece of popcorn entertainment that honors its rich legacy and doesn’t overplay its hand, balancing its weighty themes with some of the year’s most spectacular action.
Emotionally raw and artfully constructed with an astounding trio of central performances by Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro, director Celine Song’s “Past Lives” is a thought-provoking meditation on love, dreams, regret, and bittersweet acceptance of the present. Song’s direction is immaculate, giving scenes time to breathe, and Keith Fraase’s editing weaves together characters’ stories in a way that gives the film a dreamlike, ethereal quality. This deceptively gentle, semi-autobiographical story of connections renewed is both personal and universal. Song offers profound reflections on the immigrant experience that everyone can relate to: confronting what-ifs and paths not taken in a manner that shuns melodrama for pure, honest, empathetic truths that acknowledge the past while leaving the door open for an even brighter future.
4. “The Zone of Interest”
Jonathan Glazer’s horrific, experimental, and deeply moving film “The Zone of Interest” takes a disturbing look at the family of Nazi commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), who live next door to Auschwitz in their dream home. Only a wall separates them from the horrors therein. Gunshots, screams of agony, and roars of furnaces ring throughout the Höss residence, while Christian’s wife Hedwig (Sandra Huller) tends the large garden and their children play in the yard, everyone ignoring the atrocities just beyond sight. Glazer’s film, greatly enhanced by Mica Levi’s outstanding score and haunting sound design, forces viewers face-to-face with the monstrous complicity of the Höss family, ultimately turning the camera back at us in its final stretch. Formally daring and enveloping, “The Zone of Interest” is unforgettable, lingering in the mind long after the credits roll and encouraging us to reflect on what we’ve shielded ourselves from for the sake of normalcy. Sometimes, films come along that have the power to shift paradigms and ways of being, and this is definitely one of them.
3. “Fallen Leaves”
Legendary Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki gives us another life-affirming gem with “Fallen Leaves,” a story of two lonely souls finding purpose and happiness with each other in a cold, seemingly uncaring world. Deploying Kaurismäki’s signature brand of dry, deadpan humor (with one of the year’s best scripts) that never loses sight of the characters’ humanity and capacity for change, it’s a lovely film — endlessly rewatchable and chock full of small yet meaningful moments of compassion that shine through amid bleak circumstances both near and far. “Fallen Leaves” isn’t a happy watch per say, but a hopeful one, with magnetic performances and Kaurismäki’s brilliantly efficient direction urging us to not succumb to despair and to embrace those we hold dear.
Methodical, darkly comedic, achingly stylish, and yielding satisfying rewards for viewers willing to dig beneath the surface, “The Killer” is a mesmerizing masterwork from director David Fincher. This hyper-violent, slice-of-life portrait of an unnamed assassin (played with finely-calibrated precision by Michael Fassbender) experiencing an existential crisis might seem simple at first glance, but there’s far more going on here than meets the eye. “The Killer” is ultimately a deconstruction of toxic masculinity, a sardonic takedown of the gig economy, an indictment of our consumerist, always-online society, and a weirdly gratifying peek into an assassin’s day-to-day routines. It’s also streaked with irony, as viewers observe this “well-oiled killing machine” combusting from the inside-out; Andrew Kevin Walker’s screenplay delivers sharp jabs to our protagonist’s ego as his internal monologue tries to convince him everything is under control. Add to all this an incredible score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, a whole bunch of songs by The Smiths, a scene-stealing cameo from Tilda Swinton, and an all-time great fight scene, there’s no doubt that Fincher’s latest ranks among the year’s best.
Director Chad Stahelski’s nearly-three-hour thrill ride “John Wick: Chapter 4” takes action filmmaking to new heights, presenting set piece after set piece of bone-crunching stunt work and dazzling cinematography. Keanu Reeves gives one of his best performances to date as the titular Baba Yaga, taking on “The High Table” in a last bid for freedom. Not even this year’s “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” rivals the balletic carnage on display here, matched by a storyline with stakes, heart, and great supporting turns from Donnie Yen, Shamier Anderson, and Scott Adkins. The last hour, in particular, is absolutely immaculate — the most skillful action filmmaking since 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road.” What “Chapter 4” lacks in thought-provoking themes it more than makes up for with sheer fun factor. It’s a modern classic in the action genre that deserves more recognition, and as such, ranks at the top of my all-powerful, anyone-who-reads-this-should-watch-these-movies-immediately list.
10 Honorable Mentions (I could keep going but needed to stop somewhere): “They Cloned Tyrone,” “Poor Things,” “Talk to Me,” “20,000 Species of Bees,” “Showing Up,” “BlackBerry,” “American Fiction” “The Holdovers,” “Robot Dreams,” “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.”
