A whole bunch of reading links

I have fallen way behind in updating this log of my writing updated, which obviously defies the purpose (or at least the purpose as it has evolved since I switched to full-time writing in 2009). So here's a big dump of links for your enjoyment. 

First off is my review of the rickety Gerard Butler vehicle Kandahar. You know an action movie is going to be dull when one of the most exciting scenes involves the main characters getting a flat tire.

Lorna Courtney is one of my favorites in the new crop of musical-theater performers, and she landed a well-deserved Tony nomination for her performance in & Juliet. She turned out to be a lot of fun to talk to.

I can't say I was the prime demographic for the International Male catalog but the doc about it, All Male, is quite interesting. My review is here.

Of course, June also delivered a science-fiction column so check out the latest installment.

I trekked to the Wild Project — a theater I love but boy, is it far from my subway stop — for Deep Blue Sound, part of Clubbed Thumb Summerworks series. Ensemble of the summer? Possibly.

The Tony Awards were kinda weird this year, but overall the show went well. I have a couple of entries in the New York Times's best/worst list.

I reviewed Catherine Cohen's new show, Come For Me, which is at Joe's Pub. By far the funniest thing I've seen in the past year and beyond.

And hot off the presses as of now, my preview of the musical Good Vibrations at Irish Arts Center!

Simon McBurney's Magic Flute

It took 11 years for Simon McBurney's Magic Flute to arrive at the Met Opera, and I'm glad it finally did. I went behind the scenes and could have stayed there for hours — I mean, even more than I did, which was several hours! Click here for the story.

Grey House

What scares you? I asked that question to some of the people involved with the Broadway show Grey House, including Laurie Metcalf and Joe Mantello. Read on here.

The Beautiful Lady

Anne Bogart and La MaMa have brought us the New York premiere of this Liz Swados musical from 1984 and it was well worth the wait! Head over to E. 4th Street stat, especially since the show is going to be there longer than the usual runs at La MaMa. Thataway for my review.

Unfinished Business

A documentary about the WNBA and the Liberty: that's a lot of ground to cover for a single documentary, let alone one that just runs 1h 30. Click here for my review of the new film.

Five sci-fi movies for May 2023

More sci-fi! Will the well ever run dry? Not a chance. Click here for my latest selection of under-the-radar streaming science fiction.

You Can Live Forever

A Canadian lesbian coming-of-age film set in the 1990s? Happy to review! Click here for my take on this indie effort.

A conversation about dance on Broadway

I discussed the state of Broadway choreography with the New York Times' Brian Siebert and Jesse Green — which is a lot, but we managed to cover a fair amount of ground. Click here for our thoughts.

Eurovision 2023 coverage

I was back covering the Eurovision Song Contest live with the New York Times team for the third year. What a day: I was on deck from 1:30pm to almost 8pm! Now you can relive the madness with our live blog. Oh, and there was a prep article, too.

Talking about Polite Society

The series We Are Lady Parts turned me into a huge fan of the writer-director Nida Manzoor, so I was delighted to talk to her (again) for her new movie, Polite Society. I also chatted with stars Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya for the article. I love this movie so much! Go see it! 

Link to my Polite Society feature in the New York Times.

Clock

Weird coincidence: I wrote about two Dianna Agron movies in recent weeks. The first was Acidman, which I included in my April sci-fi column, and the second is this one, which leans toward horror. Unless you're an Agron completist, pick Acidman. Link to my review of Clock.

New York, New York

New York: the city so nice, they named it twice. Except in the case of the new Broadway musical, which is not so nice. I got to review it for the Times so thataway if you're curious.

A Tourist's Guide to Love

Rachael Leigh Cook is rom-com nobility and can do so much more than what this movie wrote up for her. My review for the Times is here.

The Pope's Exorcist

I admit I didn't have high expectations going into this movie — a single screening a day before the release is usually not a good sign. Spoiler alert: I was pleasantly surprised. Click here for my review. 

Talking about The Phantom of the Opera

The only thing better than watching The Phantom of the Opera is talking about it, especially with such good company. Click here for our New York Times conversation about Andrew Lloyd Webber's most enduring show. 

Five sci-fi movies for April

The science-fiction column continues at the New York Times, and the April installment leans a little more on the artier side than usual. Well, until we get to The Stratum, of course. Thataway for my selection of streaming obscurities.

Covid Vortex Anxiety Opera Kitty Kaleidoscope Disco

Karen Finley is back and of course I was there, with my reviewer's hat on. Her latest outing, Covid Vortex Anxiety Opera Kitty Kaleidoscope Disco, is very much in her usual vein — which feels entirely refreshing these days. Click here for my review.

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies

The origin stories we were waiting for: how did the Pink Ladies from Grease come together? A new series has all the answers, and it was a treat to speak to its creative team and stars about it. Click here for my preview.

Smoking Causes Coughing

Quentin Dupieux's movies tend to be short (this one is 80 minutes) but they pack a lot of insanity. His new one is no different, and features his starriest cast yet — apparently French marquee actors love him, and I can't blame them. My review is here.

According to the Chorus

Like most theater lovers, I have a pretty much unlimited tolerance for backstage stories, and Arlene Hutton's play has some nifty ones. Click here for my review.