The Help

If I recommend "The Help", I have to recommend both the film and the book (by Kathryn Stockett). I think the film is more entertaining if the book is read first if only for the experience of knowing ahead of time about the "terrible-awful" housekeeper Minny (Octavia Spencer) committed. When I first read the book, I thought about how that particular scene would be executed in a film and  it was done even better than I imagined.
I'm not saying with the scene entails because I do not want to spoil a delicious (maybe that is a poor word choice?) scene for any one who has not read the book. Anyone who has will know exactly what I mean.
The book and film look at the stories of black domestic workers in Jackson, Mississippi before the Civil Rights Movement disallowed segregation. Jim Crow, "separate but equal" ideas and prejudiced behavior were rampant. Skeeter (Emma Stone), a recent college graduate returns home to Jackson to find that the woman who raised her (not her mother but her black nanny) was no longer working for the family, the friends she grew up with have gotten married and essentially become their own mothers and that she has aspirations for greatness. She is too humble to be searching for fame but she wants to be a writer in New York City. In a rejection letter from Harper Row, she ignores the part that says she does not have the job and instead embraces the part that says she has potential and needs experience. She looks for the experience at the local newspaper where she begins writing the housekeeping advice column. On the encouragement of the editor at Harper Row, Skeeter decides to write about Jackson from the perspective of the nannies and what they think and feel in raising white children. What comes, through struggle, are striking stories that though fiction somehow ring remarkably true.
The Help is unique in talking about the South and America during what is still a very difficult and disconcerting period of our history, from the perspective of the people who were marginalized. Granted, many African-Americans have been critical of this story because ultimately there was still a white character at the center of it but I think they are missing the point. The result is one of the only black-centric films of the year and a story that brings new faces to a new generation. I wish The Help was part of the curriculum when I was in school and I wish that for more than one reason.
Skeeter no doubt got her persistence from Constantine, her nanny, who truly gave her value when her mother only and it seems unknowingly worked to strip that value away. In fact, this is the second theme in the book, after the obvious one regarding race.
Abeline (Viola Davis), the first nanny to speak to Skeeter and the narrator of the film, provides what to me are the most important words of dialogue in the film or the book, when she speaks to Mae Mobley the chubby little girl she takes care of as her mother touches her maybe once a day and it otherwise too busy to be bothered.
Every day, Abey tells little Mae Mobley, "You is kind. You is smart. You is important." She instills value in the girl. This is value beyond the way she looks. This is the same thing Constantine did for Skeeter. The most poignant and tear-engaging parts of the film were those where a young girl was given self-worth. They are those moments where some people in the audience may be realizing their own self-worth.
I think this story, if allowed, can change people. It can change people's relationships with children, change the way children are raised and change again the way people see color. For me, this story was ultimately about valuing each other as human beings and moving past the visible surface. It is still hard to believe there was a time when the color of one's skin was more important than the content of their character. It is hard to believe even now but only a two weeks ago a racial comment was made by a Congressman against our President.
The Help is a work of fiction, yes. The Help is also thought provoking, tear-jerking and beautifully cast.
Viola Davis stops the air in the room at times. She is perfect. Remember her brief but impacting role in Doubt? Be thankful that she is on the screen so much more of the time in The Help. The entire cast deserves mention and all I can do it implore you to see it. Oh, and when you do, don't skimp on the tissues!

Adele at the Beacon Theatre

Adele only surprised some people when her new album went to number one and probably when it made them cry at even the 8th listen in a row. She did not surprise me. I will never forget the first time I saw the video for Chasing Pavements and how I had to hear more and had to have her first album. I remember vividly the joy of seeing her a couple of years ago at the Hollywood Bowl. And now, I am overjoyed that I had the opportunity to see her again, this time in NYC at the Beacon Theatre.

Adele is a powerhouse. Even when she says her voice is hoarse, she takes it to church and takes the entire audience with her. Boyfriends - this is one concert that you won't regret having to take your girlfriend to even with Adele's sardonic references to her song-inspiring ex and the fact that your girlfriend will be a boy-hater for the next 4 minutes and 36 seconds, you will still be happy that you are there to hear it.

I recommend this even to a friend or anyone I don't know that can appreciate such a talent. I might take a moment to review her album shortly as I adore it but also have feelings about each song. If you haven't listened to 21 yet, I recommend you buy it and do so as soon as you can!

Alert! Rare Birds - Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers in NYC!

I first took notice of North Carolina's Steep Canyon Rangers last year when they   toured with Steve Martin in support of the famed actor/author/comedian's Grammy Award winning album The Crow. Now, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers are back on the road, introducing audiences to the album they collaborated on, Rare Bird Alert. Recorded last fall, the result is an exciting album that respects traditional bluegrass, features original songs penned by Martin and beautiful harmonization by the Rangers. During last night's show at the Highline Ballroom in NYC, the audience got a live preview of some of the new tracks as well as songs from "The Crow" and from the Rangers' catalogue.

The members of the Steep Canyon Rangers and Steve Martin are all experts at their instruments. One, Nicky Sanders, was a classically trained violinist before he played the fiddle. These influences can be heard when the fiddler riffs during fan favorite and one of the most impressive-sounding numbers "Orange Blossom Special". The show closed with this song which features the fiddle and was written in 1939.

Moving forward in time to the present-day, songs from "Rare Bird Alert", including the title track also generated much applause and were listened to with great enthusiasm. "Go Away, Stop, Turn Around, Come Back" is much more pleasant than the feeling such a love affair garners and the harmonizing of Woody Platt (guitar) and Mike Guggino (mandolin) makes the remembrance of such a lover sweeter.

It serves to note that the Rangers are rounded out by Graham Sharp on the banjo and Charles Humphries III whose unrelenting bass keeps everyone honest and on time. Sharp is the second banjo on this stage because Martin is also playing the instrument and this provides both the opportunity for a richer sound with 2 banjo parts but also a few jokes at Sharp's expense.

Martin doles out the humor throughout the set, finding occasion to make each Ranger a fall guy. Guggino plays the straight man very well with deadpan responses to Martin's jests and Platt just rolls with it. Though Martin's comic timing is the most developed and he is clearly the leader when it comes to banter between songs, when the music starts, it is a collaborative effort and at that point, they are all equals.

The Rare Bird Alert Tour should not be missed. Fans of Bluegrass will appreciate and revel in the homage played to the traditional music and enjoy the classic songs as well and the new works from the album. Fans of Steve Martin will appreciate the humor and no doubt walk away with newfound rhythms in their heads and a hankering to hear the banjo or the fiddle one more time. For them, the suggestion would be to stop at the merch table on the way out.

Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers will be at Joe's Pub on the Lower East Side on Wednesday and Thursday nights (March 15 and 16th) and the Music Hall in Williamsburg on Saturday night (March 19). They are also appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman on Wednesday, The View on Thursday and on The Colbert Report on Monday, March 21). Catch them early and catch them often.

Rare Bird Alert was released today and is available at iTunes, Amazon, and in stores. Besides the incredible addition of the Steep Canyon Rangers and therefore more tracks with vocals, Martin welcomes on this album guests Paul McCartney and the Dixie Chicks.

I'm calling a "rare bird alert" right now and advise that anyone who can make it to see these guys when they come to your town.

Follow them on Twitter: @steepcanyon and @SteveMartinToGo
Follow me: @rabiahc and @piratepods

A Serious(ly) Man

I love the Coen Brothers. Joel and Ethan Coen rank among my Top 10, maybe even Top 3 filmmakers/screenwriters. "A Serious Man" was not my favorite movie. After seeing 5 films in one week, I can honestly put this one at the bottom of the 5. If I go back a few weeks or fast-forward a few weeks, it will most likely not be saved from last place unless I take my nephew to see "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel".

I thought that there were funny parts to this film that looks at the struggle of physics professor Larry Gopnik as his life hits a chaotic wall. His wife is leaving him, his pot-smoking son is becoming a bar mitzvah and his daughter is constantly trying to wash her hair while saving money for a nose job. Richard Kind plays his uncle, who has a cist that he is constantly draining and provides some entertainment. To add to it, a student is trying to extort Gopnik and his neighbors are distracting him.

There were some funny moments and some pretty dramatic moments but in all, I didn't love this film. I wouldn't even recommend it to anyone. It isn't the worst thing I've ever seen but I just didn't get it. I wonder if maybe I don't understand enough about Judaism to really see why it is special or if it just wasn't my cup of tea.

The son and Sy Ableman (the wife's new man) were my favorite characters and did inevitably make me laugh every time they were on screen.

Probably 2/3 into the film, Gopnik seeks the counsel of a few rabbis, one of which was played by Simon Helberg (Walowitz on The Big Bang Theory) and that was a great surprise! I think this happened too late in the film and should have come sooner. He is trying to become a serious man and doesn't think he can do it on his own.

Michael Stuhlbarg did a great job of making Gopnik a character a viewer could only sympathize with and deserves kudos for his acting abilities.

Overall, I give this one a sideways thumb and still can't wait to see what the Coen's have on tap next. If I want to laugh and see a dark comedy, I'll find my Fargo DVD and leave A Serious Man on the shelf.

As I conclude this review, I feel like I really am missing something and am trying to decide if having an awful day before seeing the film led to my lack of patience with it. Maybe you'll really like it. I did laugh and did cringe and that is usually enough but I think I just wanted more. Bummer.

Heavy Films, Heavy Heart

With awards season on the horizon, I have become somewhat obsessed with catching up and keeping up with the films that are available for viewing and in only one case have I been at all disappointed at the theater. I'll review that film later! One night last week, I caught a custom double-feature at the Hillcrest Landmark Theatre and was impressed and crushed twice. "A Single Man" and then "Precious" did me in and I wouldn't change that evening for the world.

"A Single Man" stars a personal favorite, Colin Firth, in a role that displays and challenges his abilities as an actor and he wins. As George Falconer, a homosexual professor who suddenly loses his partner and finds no will to live, Firth portrays sadness beautifully and convincingly. In order to give nothing away, I am being careful here but I held my breath several times and eventually became choked up during the glimpse at one day in the man's life. Julianne Moore's small role was entertaining and impacting and along with some flashback scenes offered a glimpse into Firth's character before the death of his partner. Nicholas Hoult, who you probably remember last from "About a Boy" is grown up and gorgeous as a student who plays a big part in Falconer's last day. The fashion, the actors, the cinematography and the script make A Single Man a unique, quiet and impacting film. The use of color was incredible as well.

"Precious" was difficult because of the subject matter alone. Precious is played by a first-time actress who effectively broke my heart from the start in a painfully authentic and unexaggerated performance as a teenage girl who is pregnant by her father for the 2nd time and still finds the will to try to improve her life. She lives with her terribly abusive mother and is still in Junior High. Things begin to change when she is placed in an alternative school and begins to learn about love. This isn't a typical after-school special or Lifetime-esque movie. This is a gritty and painful story and is very hard to watch but it is worth the time. There is some relief in Precious' daydreams of becoming someone else but otherwise, it is rough. Lee Daniels did an incredible job of telling the story of Precious and made the exact right casting decisions for the title-role. It is said that he initially looked for girls who were just like Precious--living in the projects, uneducated, etc. but then he went with someone who didn't come from that background and that was the best move.

It's Complicated (a Review and Adoration)

I was relieved that this holiday weekend afforded me the opportunity to see the most anticipated film of the season for me personally, "It's Complicated". Starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, this newest in Nancy Meyers' catalog of middle-aged rom-com films is possibly her best and most funny story. I loved "Something's Gotta Give" but "It's Complicated" is so much more compelling and dare I say real that it is already one I plan to own and also probably see again in the theater.

The entire crowd was laughing so hard at one point that the 2nd half of a punchline wasn't audible.

In addition to a storyline that was entertaining, relateable (yeah, maybe I'm a little young to really relate but I won't be forever), the cast was perfect from the leads to the more minor characters.

Meryl Streep is like a fine wine...as amazing as she was 30 years ago, she has only gotten more interesting to watch and I can see her only getting better. She was sexy and vulnerable and bold as the woman who begins an affair with her ex-husband ten years after their divorce and even few years since she could say she had really moved on. Moments featured in the trailer that show her with her girlfriends are entertaining and compelling where they could have been otherwise.

Alec Baldwin is like a fine...whiskey. I saw him on Letterman the other night and he talked about having a "butt double" in the film. Despite not really showing his own broadside, he showed many other sides as the 57-year old ex-husband who married a much younger woman only to find himself back in bed with his first. He was pitch-perfect when comic-timing was key and authentic in his portrayal. Given Baldwin's handsomeness and my real-live crush on him, I thought about his on-screen marriage and wondered how true the relationship rang to those that are so prevalent everywhere; the younger woman and older man. It was done so well in this film and I'm sure not everyone who sees it would be laughing!

Steve Martin is rarely 2nd chair when it comes to playing the funny guy but in "It's Complicated", he was more complicated than hilarious and it was refreshing. His ability to do slapstick is as compelling as his ability to conjure the character of a vulnerable divorcee which he does here.

It's Complicated but it's also fun and touching and worth the trip to the theater!

First Play at Citi Field: Sir Paul McCartney's 2nd NYC Debut

Tonight's Paul McCartney concert was more than I had hoped for when I got on a plane bound for JFK in San Diego last night. The mix of songs highlighted McCartney's rather brilliant career as a Beatle, a Wingman, a Knight and a Fireman.

The band started the night off with fan favorite "Drive My Car", followed that with "Jet" and kept everyone on their feet for the next two and a half hours. At age 67, McCartney is still a force and brings fireworks (literally) to his performance. "Live and Let Die" was incredible live with pyrotechnics adding to the drama of the composition. "Give Peace a Chance" was a great audience moment with everyone instantly singing along. That message, like so many of the messages in McCartney (and Lennon in this case and Harrison) songs, is still very relevant today. "Hey Jude" was another sing-along opportunity as well!

Songs from the latest Fireman album went over quite well and brought up conversations about this week's other first, McCartney's first ever performance on The Late Show with David Letterman.

A tribute to John Lennon and then an even more moving tribute to George Harrison reminded everyone of the greatness of his bandmates who performed at Shea Statdium so many years ago. Paul introduced "Something in the Way She Moves" by first introducing the ukelele he was going to play--a gift from George.

Personally, I choked up during "Let It Be" and allowed a few tears to flow. It was perfect. A later ovation from the audience brought some emotion to Paul too who was playful and jovial for the most part but also grateful to the audience and graceful.

Billy Joel joined Paul for "I Saw Her Standing There" during the encore bookending Paul's appearance at Joel's "Last Play at Shea" performance this past Fall. That definitely a defining NY moment.

This was a great week for Paul McCartney and turned out to be a great week for me as well. I can't imagine that catching tonight's show didn't take a sad song and make it better for a lot more people at the sold out Citi Field.

The sound was great on the floor and in the stands. Paul's band provided a good vocal backing and a solid musical accompaniment. The drummer was particularly impressive though I can't say that I wasn't hoping to see Ringo pop up on stage at some point. Though I hadn't seen Paul perform live before, his voice was strong and given the duration and energy of the show, age or time haven't affected his ability to lay it all down on the stage. If you have a chance, you must see him in this lifetime.

The Beatles, Wings, Paul McCartney and The Fireman were all on stage tonight for the first time at NYC's Citi Field and it was brilliant. It was an honor to be a New Yorker, even for a day.