Author: diana

The Hate U Give –T.H.U.G.

Written by diana on June 9, 2019. Posted in movie reviews, Unhealed Wound. 1 Comment on The Hate U Give –T.H.U.G.

The Hate U Give is an adaptation of Angie Thomas’s bestseller by the same name (released in February 2017). Starr Carter, a sixteen-year-old gifted student, has to adeptly maneuver between two worlds — her poor, mostly black neighborhood and a wealthy, mostly white prep school. Facing pressure from all sides, Starr must find her voice and decide to stand up for what’s right. Beautiful newcomer, Amandla Stenberg, is perfectly cast as the wounded, courageous high school student who attends an elite white private school because her mother Lisa...

Burn This–Blazing Comedy on Broadway

Written by diana on May 26, 2019. Posted in Theater: plays and musicals. 3 Comments on Burn This–Blazing Comedy on Broadway

“Burn This”–a Broadway revival of a Lanford Wilson play Burn This, a revival of a 1980’s play by the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lanford Wilson, well deserves the five Tony award nominations it has received this year. The exceptional performance by Adam Driver will leave you breathless. The tragic death of a young, gay dancer named Robbie has left his two roommates and his older brother broken-hearted. Anna (Keri Russell from “The Americans”) and Larry (Tony-nominated Brandon Uranowitz), are shattered by Robbie’s death...

Mendocino–An Artist Haven

Written by diana on May 13, 2019. Posted in Unhealed Wound. 3 Comments on Mendocino–An Artist Haven

Mendocino County is known for its beautiful coastline, redwood forests, wineries, microbreweries and liberal attitudes towards marijuana. Also, in July of last year the Ranch Fire devastated miles near Clear Lake in Mendocino County. For my first trip there last week it was for an art workshop at the Mendocino Art Center, a wonderful experience I highly recommend. There are a wide range of art classes available for weekend artists and friendly, beautiful accommodations within walking distance. (My friend and I stayed at MacCallum House, and I highly recommend them!) “Lost...

In Order of Disappearance–Plowing through Suspense

Written by diana on April 21, 2019. Posted in movie reviews. 4 Comments on In Order of Disappearance–Plowing through Suspense

In this combination of black comedy and Nordic noir, we are treated to a series of scenes involving gangster mobs, drug trade, a father’s revenge, kidnapping, and snow plows. In Order of Disappearance is part “Fargo” and part other Coen brothers’ comedic treatment of snow country. The main character, Nils (the Scandinavian acting legend Stellan Skarsgard), is a Norwegian government employee, a snow plower, who has recently been awarded a Citizen of the Year Award. When his only son is murdered for being at the wrong place at the wrong time with...

Kusama–Infinity

Written by diana on April 14, 2019. Posted in Art, movie reviews, Unhealed Wound. 1 Comment on Kusama–Infinity

The art of critically-acclaimed Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama, now commands the highest price for any female artist alive today. As an art-world superstar, Kusama has attracted millions of museum-goers worldwide who wait for hours for the chance to take selfies to post on Instagram in one of her mirrored Infinity Rooms. Yet little is known of this nonagenarian artist obsessed with dots and the film Kusama-Infinity reveals much about the artist. She committed herself to a mental hospital in the 1970s, out of fear that she might commit suicide. Her...

Hanna–“Handmaid’s Tale” meets “Jack Ryan”

Written by diana on April 8, 2019. Posted in Unhealed Wound. 1 Comment on Hanna–“Handmaid’s Tale” meets “Jack Ryan”

Hanna, starring Esme Creed-Miles On the surface Hanna (Amazon original series) might appear to be another conventional espionage thriller/dystopia about discovery of identity and revenge against those who hid the truth. However, this reinterpretation of the 2011 action movie starring Saoirse Ronan, is also a dark sci-fi treatise on fascism and violence in society. In this new release we follow an isolated teen (newcomer Esme Creed-Miles) with almost super-human powers. She learns both survival and assassin skills from her ex-government operative father (Joel Kinnamon),...