In The Wings by Harriette Smith December 2012 edition

I’m back! My name is Smith, I’m not Schwarzenegger, who is again promising to be back. Illness has kept me away from blogging, but I’m okay now. This will be my last “In The Wings” for 2012, but with Academy Awards time coming up I just had to tell you of all the new and great films you will be seeing this season. ............................... “LINCOLN” is Hollywood’s first feature film on the great president in 70-plus years. Daniel Day-Lewis does a truly incredible portrayal of “Honest Abe,” with a huge cast of 140 including Sally Field as First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, David Strathairn, Tommy Lee Jones and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has had a fascination with Lincoln since childhood. Together with playwright/director Tony Kushner they spent seven years developing the story into film, focusing on the last several months of Lincoln’s life at the end of the Civil War in 1865 when he was trying to abolish slavery. Nominations and awards should be plentiful for this film. MORE historic films are: “HYDE PARK on the HUDSON.” In 1939 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt hosted the King of England (King George VI) and Queen Elizabeth at his Hyde Park estate on the Royals’ first trip to the U.S. Bill Murray stars as Roosevelt, who was growing closer to his neighbor and cousin, Daisy Suckley (Laura Linney), who became his mistress. In Tolstoy’s “ANNA KARENINA,” a married socialite (Keira Knightly) falls in love with someone beneath her station. Jude Law and Aaron Johnson costar. Director Joe Wright’s unusual staging concept gives the story a different spin. “HITCHCOCK”:Anthony Hopkins in the starring role during the making of his famous movie, “Psycho.” Helen Mirren stars as his wife and partner, Alma. “LES MISERABLES”: From the beautiful stage it becomes a beautiful movie starring the incomparable Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfriend and Anne Hathaway. Pay special attention to two young Brits, Eddie Redmayne as Marius and the luminous Samantha Barks as Eponine. Her rain-drenched ballad “On My Own” is a show-stopper in a movie filled with them. The unlikely pairing of Helena Bonham Carter and Sasha Baron Cohen as the humorously evil Thenardiers add to the mix. Should come up with many nominations and awards. ANOTHER fantastic film is “LIFE OF PI” starring soon-to-be superstar, young Indian actor Suraj Sharma in Ang Lee’s movie about a young man learning to survive while marooned on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. Want more? “THE HOBBIT: An Unexpected Journey” stars Ian McKellen. It’s the adventure fantasy prequel to “Lord of the Rings.” Tom Cruise is “JACK REACHER” in this shoot-em-up suspense mystery drama, based on Lee Child’s series of thrillers. IN “ARGO,” Ben Affleck directs and stars in this wonderful political film based on true events. Alan Arkin and John Goodman co-star. SOME FINE FILMS FOR ADULTS ARE: “QUARTET,” marking Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut. The story of three elderly former opera singers living in a retirement home for musicians. Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Albert Finney and Billy Connolly star. “AMOUR” has Jean-Louis Trintignant, who is 80, caring for his ailing 80-year-old wife (Emmanuelle Riva). Musician Isabelle Huppert plays their daughter. And for lighter fare, “THE GUILT TRIP” stars Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen. She plays his over-bearing mother who accompanies him on a 3,000-mile road trip of a lifetime. And,”JUST 45 Minutes FROM BROADWAY” is Henry Jaglom’s family film adapted from his stage hit. ............................. FINE FOREIGN FILMS ARE: “RUST & BONE” starring Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard as an orca trainer who is attacked by a killer whale at Marineland and has both legs amputated. Falls in love with Mathias Schoenarts and a dark yet beautiful love story ensues. “NO” from Chile starring Gael Garcia Bernal. In 1988 during the political trauma between political dictator Pinochet and modernist Allende. “KON TIKI” is the Norwegian entry and is beautifully done, based on a true story of Thor Heyerdahl, Norwegian adventurer who, along with a crew of friends going through horrendous experiences, spent 101 days on the Kon Tiki raft to get to Polynesia from Peru. China brings us “WHITE DEER PLAIN,’’ an epic tale near the end of Imperial China, of dramatic political upheaval. Lots of violence leading up to the heels of WW II. “THE THIRD HALF” is a trilogy, a WW II story involving Macedonia’s beleaguered soccer team’s German-Jewish coach. Based on a true story, a touching love story between a rich Jewish woman in love with a football player eluding the bitter destiny of her people. “Sneakers” from Bulgaria has six young people escaping from their bleak and dreary city to a serene pristine beach, giving them hope. “The Bad Intentions” is from Peru. Afghanistan brings us “The Patience Stone,” where, under the Taliban regime, an intelligent woman captures the reality of life with great courage. Had enough films for a while? Now, on to Legitimate Theatre. ................................................ ON STAGE “INTIMATE APPAREL” at the Pasadena Playhouse is a beautiful story by Lynn Nottage and sensitively directed by the Playhouse’s artistic director Sheldon Epps. Our heroine, Esther, an African-American 35-year-old seamstress living in a fashionable New York rooming house in 1905, is making enticing sexy corsets hoping to earn enough money to open a beauty salon for women of color. She is played with touching seriousness by Vanessa Williams (not the TV soap star), who never got her love and marriage hopes fulfilled. All the performers were outstanding, as was the set. Shakespeare’s “HAMLET” at the Broad Theatre in Santa Monica was an extraordinary production in contemporary dress and design, coming to us directly from London’s Globe Theatre. Young Hamlet, played by handsome Michael Benz, was outstanding. Accompanying him was a cast of better than excellent performers. I, and many more people, wish the Globe would perform for a longer spell at the Broad Theatre in L.A. Joyous Christmas music and songs are now playing all over Los Angeles at venues too numerous to mention. “NORA,” at the Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice, is Ingmar Bergman’s adaptation of the Ibsen’s classic Norwegian play, “A Doll’s House.” Remarkably done, staging, sets and performances in such a small space. All characters sit on stage right and left throughout the play until their turn to perform. It’s Christmas Eve in 1878. Having been ruled her entire life by either her father or her husband, Nora comes to question the foundation of everything she has believed in once her marriage is put to the test. You can still see it until Jan. 27. THE FOUNTAIN THEATER always does exciting works. “IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER” by Tarell Alvin McCraney is outstanding, about the fate of a young woman in a Southern housing project. Ends December 16. DOWNTOWN at Center Theater Group, Cole Porter’s classic, “ANYTHING GOES” continues at the Ahmanson, starring the wonderful Rachel York and “Jersey Boys” Erich Berggren, while Jon Robin Baitz's "Other Desert Cities" opens at the Mark Taper Forum. The Los Angeles Opera Company has Puccini’s glorious “MADAMA BUTTERFLY,” starring Patricia Racette and Marcus Haddock. ................................ HAVE YOU READ ENOUGH? I’VE CERTAINLY WRITTEN ENOUGH. Since this is now December, I would like to wish all of my friends a very Happy Holiday Season and a healthy, peaceful and wonderful 2013!