by Josh Sewell
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
(Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, strong language and suggestive material. Opens exclusively at the Plaza Theatre on September 10 and available on Amazon Prime starting September 17.)
The premise: In this feel-good musical inspired by true events, Jamie New (Max Harwood) is an English teenager who dreams of becoming a drag queen. His best friend Pritti (Lauren Patel) and his supportive mother (Sarah Lancashire) encourage him to pursue his goal, while former drag legend Miss Loco Chanelle (Richard E. Grant) agrees to be his mentor.
The verdict: I knew nothing about this movie going in, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover it’s a full-blown musical. That means the narrative and characters are a bit clichéd, but director Jonathan Butterell, along with writers Tom MacRae and Dan Gillespie Sells, admirably leans into the genre’s tropes. I’d much rather a musical embrace the traditional framework instead of being embarrassed by it.
Sure, that means the flick gets a little too High School Musical at times – especially the titular song – but its heart is in the right place. It helps that Butterell enhances the story with compelling visual flourishes, especially a terrific flashback-through-VHS tape that provides Miss Loco Chanelle’s moving backstory.
While most of the cast is strong – including newcomer Harwood as Jamie and Patel as his loyal friend – the clear standout is Grant, who gets to chew scenery with aplomb in a sympathetic role that deserves to be remembered during awards season. It’s just a bummer that his character practically disappears near the end.
Most of the songs are hit-and-miss, especially in the second half, resulting in the narrative losing steam just as it should be ramping up. Despite the drawbacks, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is a fun watch thanks to its kind nature, witty dialogue and some clever nods to classic films.
Grade: B
Come From Away
(Rated TV-14. Streaming on Apple TV+ starting September 10.)
The premise: Filmed live on Broadway, this Tony Award-winning musical tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 passengers who were stranded in a small Newfoundland town after their flights were grounded on September 11, 2001. As the locals welcomed strangers from all over the world, cultural differences and frayed nerves eventually transformed into trust, gratitude and long-lasting friendships.
The verdict: Much like the version of Hamilton currently available on Disney+, this lesser-known Broadway musical is captured for posterity in a masterful recording that demonstrates the power of a great story, talented performers and a willingness to trust the audience’s imagination. The result is a beautiful, heartfelt and sometimes harrowing depiction of 9/11’s aftermath that never feels emotionally manipulative or exploitative.
Credit for that goes to David Hein and Irene Sankoff, the husband-and-wife team who wrote the book, music and lyrics, and director Christopher Ashley. The bare-bones staging consists mostly of tables and chairs, allowing viewers to fill in the empty space on their own. It also provides an eerie feeling of purgatory that the characters are also experiencing.
Not-so-coincidentally, this choice also keeps the primary focus on the talented performers. The relatively small cast (Petrina Bromley, Jenn Colella, De’Lon Grant, Joel Hatch, Tony LePage, Caesar Samayoa, Q. Smith, Astrid Van Wieren, Emily Walton, Jim Walton, Sharon Wheatley and Paul Whitty) all play multiple characters, constantly switching back and forth between locals and travelers. The narrative conceit is seamless, despite how cheesy it could’ve been and how complex the staging must be to pull it off.
While there aren’t any radio-friendly, instant classic songs on the level of shows like Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen or Wicked, they’re catchy in the moment and convey the characters’ emotions in an arguably more intimate way. If you’ve got Apple TV+, Come From Away is a must-watch this weekend. It’s one of my all-time favorite musicals.
Grade: A
On Broadway
(Not rated. Opens at Landmark Midtown Art and available via Kino Marquee virtual cinema on September 10.)
The premise: In this breezy, informative documentary, filmmaker Oren Jacoby chronicles Broadway’s collapse as rock ’n roll eclipsed showtunes in the 1960s; its revitalization in the ’70s and ’80s; the devastating impact of the AIDS epidemic; and its ultimate transformation into a corporatized theme park for the wealthy. With insight from theater all-stars including Helen Mirren, Christine Baranski, August Wilson, John Lithgow, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen and many others, the doc explores the uneasy balance between art and commerce, as well as the constant need for reinvention.
The verdict: Perhaps the most notable aspect of On Broadway is how fast it’s over. Theater in New York City has a rich history full of triumphs and tragedies, but Jacoby can only scratch the surface in the doc’s 80 minutes. It’s an excellent place to start for beginners and casual fans of Broadway, but it made me hungry for an epic, Ken Burns-style documentary.
Nevertheless, the film is worth watching for the sheer amount of fascinating archival footage. Viewers get to see the New York of bygone eras, without the haze of nostalgia. Times Square wasn’t always the Disney-fied tourist trap of today, which might surprise younger fans. There are also glimpses of legends like Elaine Stritch, Bernadette Peters, Ben Vereen, James Earl Jones, Viola Davis and others absolutely killing it. My jaw dropped at 1980s theatergoers getting to see Amadeus with Ian McKellen as Salieri and Tim Curry as Mozart.
On Broadway also highlights the Public Theater’s efforts to foster creative, exciting art, as well as the tricky lines between business, entertainment and education. The doc briefly tiptoes into the ethical and moral concerns of gentrification, but moves on to the next topic before it can say too much about it.
That’s why it’s frustrating to see the film devote several minutes of its already too-brief running time to focus on a recent show called The Nap, which let Jacoby shoot the journey from read through to opening night. It’s an interesting idea, but one best suited for its own doc. Here, it just feels shoehorned in.
Grade: B
Home Video Spotlight
Star Trek: The Original 4-Movie Collection
(Rated PG. Now available in 4K UHD and Blu-ray.)
To commemorate the 55th anniversary of the very first Star Trek episode (it aired on September 8, 1966), Paramount Home Entertainment and CBS Home Entertainment are releasing the original four Star Trek films in 4K Ultra HD for the first time. Newly remastered from original elements, this collection includes Star Trek: The Motion Picture; Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (both the theatrical and director’s cut); Star Trek III: The Search for Spock; and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
The films also come with Blu-ray discs and digital copies, along with hours of previously released bonus features, including audio commentaries; behind-the-scenes featurettes; cast interviews; trailers and TV spots; and much more.
(Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, strong language and suggestive material. Opens exclusively at the Plaza Theatre on September 10 and available on Amazon Prime starting September 17.)
The premise: In this feel-good musical inspired by true events, Jamie New (Max Harwood) is an English teenager who dreams of becoming a drag queen. His best friend Pritti (Lauren Patel) and his supportive mother (Sarah Lancashire) encourage him to pursue his goal, while former drag legend Miss Loco Chanelle (Richard E. Grant) agrees to be his mentor.
The verdict: I knew nothing about this movie going in, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover it’s a full-blown musical. That means the narrative and characters are a bit clichéd, but director Jonathan Butterell, along with writers Tom MacRae and Dan Gillespie Sells, admirably leans into the genre’s tropes. I’d much rather a musical embrace the traditional framework instead of being embarrassed by it.
Sure, that means the flick gets a little too High School Musical at times – especially the titular song – but its heart is in the right place. It helps that Butterell enhances the story with compelling visual flourishes, especially a terrific flashback-through-VHS tape that provides Miss Loco Chanelle’s moving backstory.
While most of the cast is strong – including newcomer Harwood as Jamie and Patel as his loyal friend – the clear standout is Grant, who gets to chew scenery with aplomb in a sympathetic role that deserves to be remembered during awards season. It’s just a bummer that his character practically disappears near the end.
Most of the songs are hit-and-miss, especially in the second half, resulting in the narrative losing steam just as it should be ramping up. Despite the drawbacks, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is a fun watch thanks to its kind nature, witty dialogue and some clever nods to classic films.
Grade: B
(Rated TV-14. Streaming on Apple TV+ starting September 10.)
The premise: Filmed live on Broadway, this Tony Award-winning musical tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 passengers who were stranded in a small Newfoundland town after their flights were grounded on September 11, 2001. As the locals welcomed strangers from all over the world, cultural differences and frayed nerves eventually transformed into trust, gratitude and long-lasting friendships.
The verdict: Much like the version of Hamilton currently available on Disney+, this lesser-known Broadway musical is captured for posterity in a masterful recording that demonstrates the power of a great story, talented performers and a willingness to trust the audience’s imagination. The result is a beautiful, heartfelt and sometimes harrowing depiction of 9/11’s aftermath that never feels emotionally manipulative or exploitative.
Credit for that goes to David Hein and Irene Sankoff, the husband-and-wife team who wrote the book, music and lyrics, and director Christopher Ashley. The bare-bones staging consists mostly of tables and chairs, allowing viewers to fill in the empty space on their own. It also provides an eerie feeling of purgatory that the characters are also experiencing.
Not-so-coincidentally, this choice also keeps the primary focus on the talented performers. The relatively small cast (Petrina Bromley, Jenn Colella, De’Lon Grant, Joel Hatch, Tony LePage, Caesar Samayoa, Q. Smith, Astrid Van Wieren, Emily Walton, Jim Walton, Sharon Wheatley and Paul Whitty) all play multiple characters, constantly switching back and forth between locals and travelers. The narrative conceit is seamless, despite how cheesy it could’ve been and how complex the staging must be to pull it off.
While there aren’t any radio-friendly, instant classic songs on the level of shows like Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen or Wicked, they’re catchy in the moment and convey the characters’ emotions in an arguably more intimate way. If you’ve got Apple TV+, Come From Away is a must-watch this weekend. It’s one of my all-time favorite musicals.
Grade: A
(Not rated. Opens at Landmark Midtown Art and available via Kino Marquee virtual cinema on September 10.)
The premise: In this breezy, informative documentary, filmmaker Oren Jacoby chronicles Broadway’s collapse as rock ’n roll eclipsed showtunes in the 1960s; its revitalization in the ’70s and ’80s; the devastating impact of the AIDS epidemic; and its ultimate transformation into a corporatized theme park for the wealthy. With insight from theater all-stars including Helen Mirren, Christine Baranski, August Wilson, John Lithgow, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen and many others, the doc explores the uneasy balance between art and commerce, as well as the constant need for reinvention.
The verdict: Perhaps the most notable aspect of On Broadway is how fast it’s over. Theater in New York City has a rich history full of triumphs and tragedies, but Jacoby can only scratch the surface in the doc’s 80 minutes. It’s an excellent place to start for beginners and casual fans of Broadway, but it made me hungry for an epic, Ken Burns-style documentary.
Nevertheless, the film is worth watching for the sheer amount of fascinating archival footage. Viewers get to see the New York of bygone eras, without the haze of nostalgia. Times Square wasn’t always the Disney-fied tourist trap of today, which might surprise younger fans. There are also glimpses of legends like Elaine Stritch, Bernadette Peters, Ben Vereen, James Earl Jones, Viola Davis and others absolutely killing it. My jaw dropped at 1980s theatergoers getting to see Amadeus with Ian McKellen as Salieri and Tim Curry as Mozart.
On Broadway also highlights the Public Theater’s efforts to foster creative, exciting art, as well as the tricky lines between business, entertainment and education. The doc briefly tiptoes into the ethical and moral concerns of gentrification, but moves on to the next topic before it can say too much about it.
That’s why it’s frustrating to see the film devote several minutes of its already too-brief running time to focus on a recent show called The Nap, which let Jacoby shoot the journey from read through to opening night. It’s an interesting idea, but one best suited for its own doc. Here, it just feels shoehorned in.
Grade: B
Home Video Spotlight
(Rated PG. Now available in 4K UHD and Blu-ray.)
To commemorate the 55th anniversary of the very first Star Trek episode (it aired on September 8, 1966), Paramount Home Entertainment and CBS Home Entertainment are releasing the original four Star Trek films in 4K Ultra HD for the first time. Newly remastered from original elements, this collection includes Star Trek: The Motion Picture; Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (both the theatrical and director’s cut); Star Trek III: The Search for Spock; and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
The films also come with Blu-ray discs and digital copies, along with hours of previously released bonus features, including audio commentaries; behind-the-scenes featurettes; cast interviews; trailers and TV spots; and much more.
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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