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Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Los Angeles Philharmonic's 98th Summer Season
UGLYDOLLS Set To Hit Theaters On May 3 2019
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Unconventionality rules in UGLYDOLLS, STXfilms' new animated musical adventure starring the acting and singing voices of Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Janelle Monáe, Blake Shelton and Pitbull.
In the adorably different town of Uglyville, weird is celebrated, strange is special and beauty is embraced as more than simply meets the eye. Here, the free-spirited Moxy (Clarkson) and her UglyDoll friends live every day in a whirlwind of bliss, letting their freak flags fly in a celebration of life and its endless possibilities. In this all-new story, the UglyDolls will go on a journey beyond the comfortable borders of Uglyville. There, they will confront what it means to be different, struggle with their desire to be loved, and ultimately discover that you don't have to be perfect to be amazing because who you truly are is what matters most.
The film is inspired by the unique and beloved global plush toy phenomenon launched in 2001 and features all new original songs from the cast of popstars.
Also starring in the voice cast of UGLYDOLLS are Wanda Sykes, Gabriel Iglesias, Wang Leehom, Emma Roberts, Bebe Rexha, Charli XCX, and Lizzo.
A STXfilms and Alibaba Pictures presentation, UGLYDOLLS is directed by Kelly Asbury and will be released in theaters on May 3, 2019.
The original motion picture soundtrack will be released by Atlantic Records.
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Monday, February 4, 2019
Captain Marvel Set To Hit Theaters On March 8
Trailer: https://youtu.be/NCoPycawxUk
CAPTAIN MARVEL
MARVEL STUDIOS
Set in the 1990s, Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that follows the journey of Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes. While a galactic war between two alien races reaches Earth, Danvers finds herself and a small cadre of allies at the center of the maelstrom.
The film stars Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Rune Temte, Algenis Perez Soto, Mckenna Grace, with Annette Bening, with Clark Gregg, and Jude Law.
Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel” is produced by Kevin Feige and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jonathan Schwartz, Patricia Whitcher, and Stan Lee are the executive producers. The story is by Nicole Perlman & Meg LeFauve and Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck & Geneva Robertson-Dworet, and the screenplay is by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck & Geneva Robertson-Dworet.
Science of Love Explored in The Odyssey's Paradise
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| Jeff Marlow and Medalion Rahimi in Paradise Photo by Ed Krieger |
By Darlene Donloe
Love is described in the dictionary as an intense feeling of deep affection.
That may be true, but if the characters in Paradise, currently playing at the Odyssey Theatre, have anything to say about it, people will begin to look at love as more than a feeling and realize it’s scientific. There just may be real science behind romantic love. Who knew?
No one actually thinks about the science behind love, but as one of the characters in the play puts it, What’s Love Got To Do With It?, (not referring to the song by Tina Turner, but rather a book one of the characters wrote).
This poignant, often quaint, stimulating drama about science, culture, religion and more, is presented by Viola Davis and Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions, and American Oasis, and directed by Vicangelo Bulluck.
Medalion Rahimi plays Yasmeen, a gifted Yemeni-American high school senior at a poorly rated school in the South Bronx. She holds her disillusioned biology teacher, Mr. Marlow (Jeff Marlow) in high esteem and seeks his assistance in helping her to get a scholarship to a prestigious school by working together on her science project.
The two form an unlikely scientific partnership until a conflict arises over differences in culture, religion and the boundaries of mentorship, their capacity to alter the course of each other's lives becomes greater than either had imagined.
Mr. Marlow is a no-nonsense, somewhat cynical teacher, unhappy with his current circumstances. Yasmeen is a wide-eyed, the cup is half full, kind of student - bent on making her way in the world - on her own terms. A girl who is all in when it comes to her faith, she will not be behind closed doors with a man. She has accepted (or has she?), the fate of an arranged marriage with a man she doesn't know very well. After all, it's tradition!
This complex show is set to present day in the science lab of a large inner-city Bronx high school. At times the dialogue is a bit tedious and heady – giving the feel of actually being in an advanced science class. That being said, pay close attention to the words or you could get lost in the science mishmash.
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| Photo by Ed Krieger |
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| Photo by Ed Krieger |
There is good chemistry between Rahimi and Marlow who both turn in stellar performances.
Bulluck makes good use of a small space – utilizing most of the stage. His direction puts the audience smack dab in the classroom.
The West Coast premiere of the play, Paradise, a visiting production at the Odyssey Theatre, is written by Laura Maria Censabella, directed by Vicangelo Bulluck and executive produced by Viola Davis and Julius Tennon. It stars Medalion Rahimi (Still Star-Crossed) and Jeff Marlow (Henry IV).
The award-winning creative team for Paradise includes scenic and lighting designer Jeff Rowlings, sound designer Jon Gottlieb, costume designer Mylette Nora and casting director Michael Donovan, CSA. Also on board are scientific advisor Colin Cox and cultural advisor Roxi-Rabab Muthana. The production stage manager is Jenine MacDonald and Racquel Lehrman, Theatre Planners is general manager.
Paradise, Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda, 8 p.m., Fri.-Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun. through February 17; $35; (323) 960-7724 or www.Plays411.com/Paradise.
On the DONLOE SCALE: D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likable), O (oh, yeah) and E (excellent), Paradise gets an O (oh, yeah).
Saturday, February 2, 2019
Gina Rodriguez Stars In Remake Of 'Miss Bala'
All Gloria (Gina Rodriguez) wanted to do was to go to Tijuana, Mexico and apply makeup to Suzu (Cristina Rodlo), one of her best friends, who is set to compete in the Miss Baja pageant.
In order to schmooze one of the pageant officials, Gloria and Suzu attend a pageant party only to find themselves in the middle of a gunfight and attempted murder.
Gloria makes it out of the nightclub, but can’t find Suzu. When she approaches an officer for help, she realizes – too late - that he is with the bad guys. She is quickly apprehended by a drug cartel who then makes her a drug mule who also commits other crimes. A quick thinker, Gloria manages to escape her captors only to be captured by an American DEA agent who believes she is a member of the drug cartel. If she doesn’t go back into the cartel as a mole to get much-needed information, the DEA agent threatens to put her in prison.
Once back inside the cartel, Gloria becomes the interest of Lino (Ismael Cruz Cordova), who, for some reason, teaches her how to use an automatic weapon. Lino and Gloria never really go beyond first base – although Lino occasionally touches her in rather provocative ways. Lino tries to make a connection with Gloria by revealing he is actually a Mexican-American who grew up in Bakersfield, CA.
These are the opening sequences of Miss Bala, currently in theaters nationwide. The film is a remake of Gerardo Naranjo’s 2011 Mexican thriller, which was grittier and more intriguing.
While there are interesting moments in the film, it doesn’t quite connect due to its predictability and implausibility.
Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin) holds her own as does her co-star Cordova, who plays one of the generals in the cartel. Cordova is just the right amount of nasty. Rodriguez goes from a scared, hopeless woman to a badass in less than two hours.
Miss Bala stars Rodriguez, Cordova, Cristina Rodlo, Aislinn Derbez, Anthony Mackie, Matt Lauria, Thomas Dekker, and Ricardo Abarca.
On the DONLOE SCALE: D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likable), O (oh, yeah) and E (excellent), Miss Bala gets an L (likable).
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