Arts

New films star over-the-top Jude, understated Scarlett


 

Jude Law pulls out all the stops as a profane, bipolar ex-con in Dom Hemingway. Scarlett Johansson leaves the stops pushed all the way in as an alien seductress in Under the Skin.

Though the films are polar opposites, they have two things in common: Both are based in the UK, and both match the personalities of their leading characters.

Dom Hemingway, written and directed by Richard Shepard (The Matador), is loud, abrasive and strangely inconsistent. Though it mostly mirrors the demeanor of the title character during his most reckless and over-the-top moments, it eventually gets bogged down in sentimentality. Moreover, the “plot” really consists of two tacked-together storylines that have little to do with each other.

It’s a shame, because Law’s hair-triggered, verbally explosive safecracker might be fun to watch if the film around him weren’t so incompetently made. The linguistic fireworks begin with the first scene, when the imprisoned Dom expounds on the attributes of his male member (“My cock should hang at the Louvre...”) while being serviced by a fellow inmate.

Familiarity breeds comedy in estrogen­rich ensemble piece

In the mood for a Southern­fried chestnut? When CATCO first announced a 2013­14 season dominated by well ­known works such as Steel Magnolias, I was crestfallen. It seemed a sign that financial constraints were forcing the once­edgy troupe to stick to the tried and true. That description certainly fits Robert Harling’s comedy­drama. Not only has it been turned into a 1989 film starring Sally Field and Julia Roberts, but the stage version has been making the regional rounds for years. My own first viewing came more than two decades ago at a local community theater, where I decided the play was funny until it descended into sentimentality. After hearing that CATCO was mounting a new production, I could only hope the professional troupe would be able to uncover enough new levels of humor or meaning to justify the exhumation. Well, it does and it doesn’t. Working under Steven C. Anderson’s sure­footed direction, a distinguished cast makes Harling’s banter funnier than ever.

How to see a Broadway show without going broke

If you’re into theater, there’s no place like Broadway. The shows are the biggest and (sometimes) the best plays and musicals, while the theaters are small enough to let you experience them in an up-close and personal manner. The biggest drawback is that the tickets can be expensive. The second-biggest drawback is that you have to be in New York to see them, and staying in New York is equally pricey. Still, theater geeks like me can’t resist the call of Broadway, so we find ways to adapt and economize. That’s what I did last weekend, when a family celebration left me with two days to spend in the Big Apple. My first adaptation is one I learned years ago: If you want to spend your days in New York, you’re better off spending your nights in New Jersey. The Meadowlands area of Chris Christie’s stomping grounds boasts hotels that are very reasonable as long as the Super Bowl isn’t in town. Best of all, your room comes with a free parking space, which is something you’ll never find in Manhattan. Just be sure your chosen hotel is near a New Jersey Transit bus stop, because taking a car into New York is an expensive hassle.

Who knew a singing, dancing Hitler could be this funny?

Mel Brooks’s The Producers is built on such a clever concept, it’s no wonder it’s found success both in Hollywood and on Broadway. It was in a 1968 movie that Brooks first told the story of Max Bialystock, a once-great Broadway producer, and Leo Bloom, an accountant who dreams of making his mark on the Great White Way. Together, they realize they can cook the books in a way that allows them to make a fortune by putting on a show so bad that it opens and closes in one night. When they come across a diehard Nazi who’s written a loving tribute to Der Fuhrer called Springtime for Hitler, they think they’ve found the world’s worst play. Then, to cement their chances of producing a flop, they hire Broadway’s worst director to stage it. The results are delightfully unpredictable. The Producers has a winning concept, but it’s not foolproof. Though the stage version has catchy tunes, much of its humor relies on broad stereotypes that can get old fast because—well, let’s face it, they start out old.

Pair of worthy Oscar nominees finally reach Columbus

We’ve had months to see most of the Academy Award nominees, but a couple of stragglers are arriving in town just under the wire.

 Last week, the Palestinian film Omar began telling its nail-biting tale at the Gateway Film Center. If you have hope that Israel and the Palestinians will eventually work out their differences, this may not be the flick for you. Writer-director Hany Abu-Assad (Paradise Now) has crafted a thriller that is as short on optimism as it is long on intrigue.

 It’s the tense story of a West Bank baker whose life becomes a risky chess match after he’s implicated in the murder of an Israeli soldier. Actor Adam Bakri, leading the uniformly strong cast, succeeds in making us care about the baker even if we disagree with some of his actions. As a near-masterpiece by a rising star of international cinema, Omar is a must-see for serious film buffs.

 The Wind Rises, which opens Friday at the Drexel Theatre, is also a must-see, but for the opposite reason: It’s billed as the final full-length work by Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki.

The hills are alive with the sound of (recorded) music

As you may have heard, Shadowbox Live canceled its production of Into the Woods last week after only one performance.

The problem: The licensing agency learned the troupe had cut music from the show without prior permission. Shadowbox was given the option of restoring the missing music, but it decided the resulting show would have been too long for its purposes. So, bye-bye, Cinderella, Jack, Little Red Riding Hood and all the other familiar characters who were Sondheimized for the offbeat fairy tale.

Are restrictive licensing agreements a bad thing? The theater community could get into a heated debate on that question. On the one hand, they curtail artists’ freedom; on the other, they protect the integrity of the original work. In this case, the licensing dispute closed a show that not only cut music but reimagined many of the characters and plot elements. It clearly was not what creators Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine had in mind.

Vaping is sweeping the nation

Dr. Lawrence Salata doesn't vape. He does, however, encourage his patients who smoke to take up the new craze that is sweeping the smoking world. Salata stopped by the Vapor Station adjacent to his dental practice to talk to the owner about the recent flooding in front of the building. But he left the store with two armfuls of ecigs. “I've seen a significant reduction in burning and staining in the mouths of my patients who have switched from cigarettes to ecigs,” he said. “I think it's a good option for them.” For those who are wondering, those vapor trails crisscrossing Columbus aren't coming from CMH. They are coming from the legions of ex-smokers who are indulging in the alt-smoke craze that is sweeping Columbus and the entire country. The result is a booming multi-billion dollar industry that didn't even exist just a few years ago. For the non-smoker and non-vaper who wants to know, vaping is the new Rock and Roll for the millions of smokers who are trading in their Marlboros and Camels for Blu and Njoy. Vaping involves a mixture of propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin, nicotine and flavoring which is then vaporized in a small battery powered atomizer.

It sounds like Sondheim, but it doesn’t feel like Sondheim

What if you combined several Grimm fairy tales and set them to music? And what if you stretched the tales beyond their usual endings to see if the characters really lived “happily ever after?” If you did all that, you’d come up with Into the Woods, a Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine musical that premiered on Broadway in 1987. When I first saw the musical 20 years ago, I was won over by Lapine’s ingenious book and by composer/lyricist Sondheim’s witty tunes. I didn’t find Act 2 quite as enjoyable as Act 1, but overall I was mightily impressed. Shadowbox Live’s new production also impresses in some ways, but it disappoints in important other ways. Musically, it’s great, thanks to musical director Matthew Hahn, a mighty four-piece band and lots of good singers. The latter include some performers who are relatively unknown and others who are familiar but who sing with unexpected power. Visually, the show is also great. Mark Dahnke’s scenic design efficiently sets the tone despite being limited by the shallow Shadowbox stage, and Linda Mullin’s costumes are delightful and colorful.

Farrell, Crowe and a magical horse

 Since Winter’s Tale is a romantic fable starring the dreamy Colin Farrell, you might assume it’s the perfect flick to take your date to on Valentine’s Day.   But you’d be wrong. Good Lord, would you be wrong. Judging from the audience at a recent preview screening, this would-be tear-jerker is likely to leave you laughing hysterically. And not in a good way.   Scripted and helmed by first-time director Akiva Goldsman—whose past writing achievements range from A Beautiful Mind to the ludicrous Batman & Robin—this adaptation of Mark Helprin’s acclaimed novel has so many problems that it’s hard to know where to begin.   Farrell plays Peter Lake, a crook in early 20th century New York who’s gotten on the wrong side of the crime lord who raised him, Pearly Soames. Pearly is played by Russell Crowe.   OK, that’s a good place to begin.   Crowe portrays Pearly with a menacing demeanor and a growled Irish brogue, making him such an over-the-top depiction of evil that his Javert from Les Miserables is a work of art by comparison.     But we can’t blame this whole mess on poor Crowe.

Rapping teens and their domineering dads

Wow, this show sure is dope. If you don’t know any vintage hip-hop slang before seeing How We Got On, don’t worry. You’ll pick some up along the way.    And besides, you don’t have to be in tune with rap culture to understand what’s going on here. You just have to understand human nature.    Set in 1988 in the suburbs of an unnamed Midwestern city, Idris Goodwin’s assured play introduces us to a trio of 15-year-olds who are trying to define themselves through rap.    First up is Hank (David Glover), who boasts, “I got the skills to pay the bills,” but isn’t nearly as self-confident as he likes to pretend. When he learns a freshman at a nearby school is rhyming his way to suburban fame, Hank sets up a rap battle in an attempt to prove his dominance. But he then has doubts about his own battle-worthiness.   And well he might. The macho Julian (Rudy Frias), who bills himself as Vic Vicious, beats Hank so soundly that he’s reduced to slinking away with the crowd’s boos still ringing in his ears.
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