Rush

 Getty Lee introduces Rush to DC. My first Rush concert (I was not necessarily a fan but a ticket was available for their 50th Anniversary) was quite an experience and these old vets played nearly three hours! Thanks to Rob, Laura and Bridgette!

A Dependable Actor

 

Actor Tom Skerritt has passed at 93. This dependable TV and movie star had a six decade career guesting on the top shows of the 1960s through 2000 such as Combat, Hawaii Five O, The West Wing,  and  Cheers before starring in the classic Picket Fences which garnered him an Emmy Award.  He frequently starred or appeared in some of the most iconic films of his day including M*A*S*H, The Turning Point, Alien, Steel Magnolias, A River Runs Through It, The Dead Zone, Contact, and Top Gun. A versatile, beloved performer.

A Hollywood Legend

 

Actress Eva Marie Saint has passed at 102. This legend of stage and screen began during the early days of television and won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in the Best Picture, On the Waterfront. She starred in several classics including Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest, Exodus, and The Russians Are Coming The Russians Are Coming. Other major films included Raintree Country, A Hatful of Rain, All Fall Down, 36 Hours, and Grand Prix. She was nominated for multiple Emmy Awards and won for People Like Us. She was he last surviving star from Hollywood's Golden Age.

The Madness That Is DIGGER

 

Tom Cruise and Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman, The Revenant) bring to the screen a fascinating, complex character caught up in a farcical, apocalyptic tale, Digger. 

Digger Rockwell (Cruise) is a super wealthy, eccentric businessman with the President’s ear who wakes up one day to find that one of his oil wells off Greenland has triggered an environmental disaster that has far reaching, catastrophic consequences.  When the event shows signs of escalating, there is global panic and emergency meetings with The President (John Goodman), his military aids, and top scientific minds.  Can Digger and the brain trust find a solution in time?

Digger is portrayed as an arrogant, egotistical bully who is used to getting his way until he faces a dire situation seemingly beyond his control.  It’s a high wire act by Cruise, and as much as he impresses with this mercurial character, he receives great support from a cast including Goodman, Sandra Hüller, and Riz Ahmed.

The story has surreal overtones (with a dash of Luis Buñuel) as it questions truth and reality, and when it is revealed as part of a larger narrative (akin to a Shakespearean play within a play), the film’s unorthodox construct at times requires a hefty investment by the audience.  While some may appreciate the whimsical nature of its wild plot and its topical, environmental themes, others may be put off or confused by how some scenes are simply too outrageous.    

For those who are game, it plays like a satire, with a Dr. Strangelove vibe bouncing from outrageous drama to black comedy mocking the conventions of politics and religion with a hint of The Producers.  Despite a bravura, Oscar worthy effort by Cruise, this is a bold film that is ultimately overwhelmed by its own ambitions. 

**** of ***** stars