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Arts & Life
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- Written by: Tim Riley
‘BLACK BAG’ Rated R
In the popular culture, the espionage genre is likely no better personified than by the exploits of a suave, debonair British intelligence officer in the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known to all as the United Kingdom’s fabled MI6.
That would, of course, be Commander James Bond, the fictional character created by Ian Fleming in a series of books first adapted to film more than sixty years ago, starting with “Dr. No” and running for a total of twenty-five titles under the banner of Eon Productions.
The official James Bond franchise was launched when the little-known Scottish actor Sean Connery got his breakthrough as Agent 007 for a total of six films, ending with 1971’s “Diamonds Are Forever,” only to return a dozen years later in the unofficial Bond film release of “Never Say Never Again.”
While a total of six actors have portrayed Bond over the decades, the series can be distilled into the essence of international intrigue, inventive gadgets, thrilling action, and humor from a stylish, quick-witted spy who likes his martinis “shaken, not stirred.”
Not all spy films are steeped in explosive action and spectacular car chases that have become so familiar with Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne character or Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible” franchise inspired by a long-running TV series.
Think of Alfred Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest,” a spy thriller where mistaken identity finds Cary Grant’s character pursued by foreign agents and the major action scene is when he is pursued by crop duster in the middle of a cornfield.
Steven Soderbergh’s “Black Bag” is much closer to Alfred Hitchcock’s masterful turn than any of spy thrillers that invariably have a spectacular car chase or other daring feats that defy believability.
In other words, don’t come looking to “Black Bag” for shootouts, daring stunts, and death-defying car chases. Nor is the main character a playboy in a tuxedo challenging a nemesis in a game of baccarat in Monte Carlo.
Michael Fassbender’s George Woodhouse is an elite operative at Britain’s closely guarded National Cyber Security Centre, or NCSC, who’s assigned the sensitive and urgent task of ferreting out a mole in the agency before a destructive cyber worm called Severus is activated to catastrophic effect.
One weakness for George is his unwavering devotion to his wife, Kathryn St. Jean (Cate Blanchett), one of NCSC’s most powerful and trusted agents. The problem for George is the list of five suspects to be the mole also includes his wife in the group of colleagues in the organization.
The dilemma for the unflappable George is whether he can separate his devotion to his wife and his loyalty to his country. In the early going, Kathryn’s secretive travel to Zurich is enough to raise a few eyebrows, causing her husband to feel like a voyeur while watching surveillance video.
George and Kathryn make an interesting couple. While both are cool and relatively calm, the impeccable husband seems almost devoid of emotion and the wife is a cunning operative not to be trifled with.
You would think pillow talk for a married spy couple might reveal gossip about betrayals, infidelities and deceitful dealings. But one is always quick to invoke “black bag,” spy jargon for the place where an agent stashes secrets.
Government work must pay exceedingly well for spooks. George and Kathryn, similar to the Nick and Nora Charles bantering Dashiell Hammett fictional characters who solve mysteries, live in an upscale London home fit for elegant parties.
To get to the bottom of the mole situation, they invite their four suspected colleagues to a dinner party that will test their relationships and might very well result in the unmasking of the mole.
The guests are the boozing, womanizing Freddie Smalls (Tom Burke), who resents being passed over for promotion, and his current colleague girlfriend, cyber expert Clarissa (Marisa Abela), who’s not above subtly testing George’s marital fidelity.
Dr. Zoe Vaughan (Naomie Harris) is the agency’s manipulative therapist whose sole focus is always on breaking an agent down to find their truth. That doesn’t keep Colonel James Stokes (Rege-Jean Page), who reports to George, from becoming both Zoe’s patient and her lover.
“Black Bag” may be summed up as a smart caper and a sleek, sensual thriller with plenty of twists and anxious moments of duplicity and betrayal that runs counter to the usual fare for films in the espionage genre.
There might be a James Bond connection after all. It comes in the form of former 007 Pierce Brosnan’s Arthur Stieglitz, the agency’s elder statesman, a veteran espionage expert who heads up NCSC and is as mysterious as anyone else working under him.
The complex characters portrayed by Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett are most endearing, and these talented actors are supported by a talented group of colleagues at the agency who add value to the deception and intrigue.
Unlike popcorn entertainment films, “Black Bag” demands an attention rooted to a thought-provoking challenge. In summary, it’s a smart, cerebral thriller.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
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- Written by: Debra Fredrickson
The program will include a wide range of music from the traditional sounds of Bizet and Strauss Sr. to the gaming soundtracks of Pokémon and the Legend of Zelda.
The Adult & Youth Concert Orchestra is an elite performance group designed for musicians of all ages with intermediate to advanced experience and skills. Members of the orchestra undergo an audition process and get to play alongside a diverse selection of musicians.
This invitational ensemble is part of the Lake County Symphony Association's youth musicianship and artistry development program.
The orchestra, under the direction of LCSA President Dr. Camm Linden, performs several times a year both as the opener for the Lake County Symphony and in their own concerts.
The upcoming concert is $15 for general admission open seating and is free for anyone 18 and under. The concert is also free for all 2024 LCSA season ticket holders.
Tickets are available at the door 30 minutes prior to the performance, or in advance through the Soper Reese Theatre website.
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- Written by: Tim Riley
‘REACHER: SEASON 3’ ON AMAZON PRIME
The diminutive Tom Cruise didn’t seem a likely candidate for the role of Jack Reacher in the adaptation of Lee Child’s series of best-selling “Reacher” novels for the movies named after the character.
In contract to the films, the “Reacher” series on Amazon Prime feature the muscular Alan Ritchson, who looks like a bodybuilder but isn’t. Due to his height and physique, his portrayal of the titular character proves credible for the demanding physical action.
Similar to the movies, Jack Reacher, a former Army military police major, is a nomad carrying nothing more than a toothbrush and fists powerful enough to knock someone into next week.
The third season of “Reacher” finds the big guy once again embroiled in dangerous intrigue, this time helping DEA agents in an undercover case, while also getting reunited with his old Army colleague Frances Neagley (Maria Sten).
While trying to sell old vinyl to a used record store, Reacher spots an abduction taking place of college art student Richard Beck (Johnny Berchtold) when his chauffeured vehicle is rammed by an old Toyota pickup.
The kidnapping is foiled by Reacher in a hail of bullets disabling the getaway vehicle. However, there is collateral damage that puts Reacher in a bind; a cop is mistaken as one of the bad guys and is shot by Reacher.
Richard has been taken before and his mutilated ear is proof that previous kidnappers held him for ransom in a shakedown of his father Zachary (Anthony Michael Hall), a carpet merchant.
One has to wonder immediately how a businessman selling rugs affords to live in a mansion, with bodyguards and household staff, on the scenic, rocky Atlantic coast of Maine.
The answer comes from hard-nosed DEA agent Susan Duffy (Sonya Cassidy), who is searching for a missing informant within the Beck operation. A flashback after the kidnapping reveals the reason Reacher becomes a willing partner with the DEA to ingratiate himself into the Beck compound.
Once on the inside, it looks like Reacher’s greatest nemesis will be Beck’s 7-foot-tall goon Paulie (Olivier Richters), whose fierce stare alone would make a mere mortal shudder. Things are going to get interesting.
ORIGINAL MOVIES FOR LIFETIME IN MARCH
The Lifetime Channel offers two new original crime story movies and the final installment of the epic “Single Black Female” franchise that will premiere during the month of March.
Inspired by real events, “Taken at a Basketball Game” follows a father desperately searching for his teenage daughter after she is abducted while attending a basketball game, hence the fitting title.
Desperate to bond with his estranged 18-year-old daughter Robyn (Claire Qute), Wayne Edwards (D.B. Woodside) gets them tickets to a game where he envisions them cheering on their favorite team while they reconnect.
However, when Robyn goes to the restroom and fails to return, a father’s worst fear is confirmed when Wayne realizes she’s been kidnapped. On a mission to find her in a stadium filled with thousands of people, Wayne races against the clock and will stop at nothing find her before it is too late.
A thriller with an underlying criminal element, “Wife Stalker” is the story of a couple, Joanna (Keshia Knight Pulliam) and Leo (Trai Byers), who seem to have it all.
Two adorable children, Evie (Alayna Bernard) and Aaron (AJ Bernard), and a beautiful house in the suburbs. But their perfect marriage begins to unravel when Piper (Grace Byers), the owner of a wellness center, moves to town and sets her sights on Leo who quickly falls for her charms.
As Piper ruthlessly maneuvers her way into the family, Joanna starts digging into her past and discovers some very disturbing secrets, including two previous dead husbands.
Fearing for the safety of her family, Joanna is determined to find the proof that she needs and expose Piper in time to protect their home life.
The psychological thriller is based on the best-selling book “The Wife Stalker,” by Liv Constantine, which is described on Amazon as being “filled with chilling serpentine twists.”
“Single Black Female 3: The Final Chapter” reunites Raven Goodwin, Amber Riley and K. Michelle to their roles for a franchise inspired by the 1992 film “Single White Female.”
After being wrongfully convicted of murder, Monica (Raven Goodwin) has finally been exonerated, but freedom comes at a price. Though the charges have been dropped, the stain of suspicion lingers, and reclaiming her life and career is proving to be an uphill battle.
Meanwhile, the real threat has yet to vanish. Simone (Amber Riley), Monica’s half-sister, has fled to a convent in Mexico, having no choice but to abandon Houston, along with her daughter Joy (Kennedy Chanel).
When a terrifying nightmare shakes her to her core, Simone becomes convinced Joy is in danger and returns to Houston, for a final reckoning between the estranged half-sisters.
It’s only a matter of time before old grudges resurface and Monice and Simone come face-to-face. K. Michelle reprises her role as Monica’s best friend Bebe.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
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- Written by: Tim Riley
‘THE PITT’ ON MAX
Watching the MAX television series “The Pitt” about the medical chaos taking place in real-time in a hospital emergency room could fill you either with dread or hope that dedicated healthcare professionals may save your life.
Each hour of a 15-hour shift at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital is tracked in the 15-episode series wherein Noah Wyle’s Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch runs the hectic emergency department.
No better actor could likely fill the starring role in “The Pitt” than Noah Wyle, who is best-known for his role of medical doctor John Carter in the NBC medical drama “ER” that ran for fifteen seasons.
The day starts at 7 a.m., where the waiting room is already full, and you might be lucky to be seen by a doctor before dinner time, and as a result some of the patients can be unruly.
A 15-hour day in the emergency room is an endurance test, not just for the doctors, but also for the composed charge nurse Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa), a veteran who has probably seen it all, and the scores of nurses, medics, and emergency medical technicians coming and going.
It’s also the first day for a group of interns and medical students, and one of them greets an overnight shift doctor with “I can’t tell you how excited I am to be here,” to which the doctor replies “Talk to me at the end of the day.”
The veterans, including Dr. Robby, know that you survive the tense environment of a frenzied workplace with good-natured banter that helps you get through the day. On top of that, Dr. Robby has a good bedside manner with patients but won’t hesitate to tangle with an administrator.
Interesting players include Tracy Ifeachor’s Dr. Heather Collins, a senior resident at odds with Dr. Robby. Fiona Dourif’s Dr. Cassie McKay, a single mom and older resident, is unconventional. Dr. Trinity Santos (Isa Briones) is an overly self-confident intern.
For all the medical jargon and procedures that seem realistic, “The Pitt” deals with trauma and pressure in ways that feel so genuine that the trial and tribulations of the emergency room result in must-see television.
After viewing a few episodes, one might wish that “The Pitt” was streaming for a binge-watch, but the good news is that the last episode looks to be on track for early April.
TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL EARLY LOOK
It’s not too early for cinephiles to plan for the upcoming start of the annual four-day TCM Classic Film Festival that begins on April 27, 2025 in the center of Hollywood at the primary venue of the landmark Chinese Theatre that many still refer to as Grauman’s Chinese.
This year’s theme is “Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film,” which is described as an invitation for “a wondrous journey to enchanted worlds of fantasy and stories beyond belief.”
Perhaps more to the point, the journey will be “from myths and magical creatures to ghostly encounters and travel through time,” where you can “escape with fellow movie lovers to places that will ignite your imagination.”
An interesting mix of films, announced so far, fit the festival’s theme. Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” is a groundbreaking science fiction that explores humanity’s evolution, artificial intelligence, and the mysteries of space and time.
Director Vincente Minnelli’s 1954 romantic musical “Brigadoon” follows two American travelers, Gene Kelly and Van Johnson, who stumble upon a magical Scottish village that appears only once every hundred years.
When one of them falls for a beautiful woman who lives there, played by Cyd Charisse, they face a choice between love and the outside world. “Brigadoon” is based on the 1947 Broadway musical of the same name from Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe.
“Car Wash,” the groundbreaking comedy directed by Michael Schultz (who is slated to be honored by a tribute at the festival), follows a day in the lives of employees at a car wash that included Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Franklyn Ajaye, and The Pointer Sisters.
In the world of fantasy, 1978’s “Superman” was the first of the big superhero blockbusters, where actor Christopher Reeve made his film debut as the Man of Steel in director Richard Donner’s screen adaptation of the comic book icon.
Four levels of festival passes may be found on the TCM Classic Film Festival website, which offer access opportunities to screen films, attend “meet and greets” with TCM guests, shop for TCM souvenirs, and enjoy panel discussions with experts on all aspects of film and the history of Hollywood.
The festival has drawn many special guests, from directors like Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese to filmmaker and actor Mel Brooks and actors like Sophia Loren, Kirk Douglas and Kim Novak.
Declared guests so far include writer, director, producer, playwright, and author George Stevens, Jr., the Founding Director of the American Film Institute, and director Michael Schultz, whose Hollywood career began with “Cooley High,” a landmark film in Black cinema.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.