Movie Review

By Jeffrey Sanzel

Cinderella has long been a cinematic staple, with various versions on the large and small screens. The story traces its roots to both Charles Perrault (1697) and the Brothers Grimm (1812), though the former gave us the glass slipper.

America’s sweetheart, Mary Pickford, appeared in the earliest known adaptation, the 1914 silent film. None is more beloved than the 1950 Disney cartoon, loosely remade as a live-action version in 2015, with a luminous Lily James. The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical has gone through three television incarnations, with Cinderella portrayed by Julie Andrews (1957), Lesley Ann Warren (1965), and Brandy (1997). Add to these the many appearances of the character in modernizations, sequels, spoofs, and revisionist fair. 

In addition, Cinderella has appeared in operas, ballets, and stage productions, including the 2013 Broadway production and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s current West End vision, replete with a Goth heroine. 

Kay Cannon, best known for the Pitch Perfect series, has written and directed the latest incarnation. The musical follows the basic plot: With the aid of a fairy godmother, an orphaned waif (put-upon by her stepmother and stepsisters) catches the eye of a prince and lives happily ever after. 

Utilizing pop hits, Cannon has created a peripatetic world in Candy Land colors and clashing patterns. The opening number, a mashup of Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” and Desirée Weekes’ “You Gotta Be,” plays like Beauty and the Beast’s “Belle” on speed. It is explosive and joyfully aggressive, setting the tone, more The Greatest Showman and less Disney. (Both pieces share the athletic and often delightful work of choreographer Ashley Warren.) Other numbers include “Somebody to Love,” “Material Girl,” and “Perfect,” all fairly well integrated.

Where this Cinderella departs is in its feminist viewpoint. Cinderella’s greatest desire is to design dresses for her own shop. Forbidden to pursue her dream by her stepmother, she also faces the town’s prohibition on women owning businesses. Cinderella’s quest is not for a man; it is for independence and a sense of self. Much of this is presented on the nose and succeeds because of a charismatic star. 

Singer Camila Cabello holds center as a strong, funny, and intelligent Cinderella in her acting debut. She also composed the movie’s (oft-repeated) “Million to One,” a predictable if tuneful number. Nicholas Galitzine’s Prince Robert has almost as much screentime. In line to be king, Galitzine alternates between traditional Crown Prince and frat boy. He is “charming,” if a bit bland, due to his ambivalence to his eventual succession. Unfortunately, his passivity makes him less engaging and no match for Cabello’s feisty, forward-looking Cinderella.

The rest of the all-star cast mostly triumphs over uneven material. The marvelous Idina Menzel, who has the film’s strongest voice, struggles with finding Cinderella’s stepmother Vivian’s center. She ranges from comic villainy to severely cruel, with peaking glimpses of humanity. Instead of creating dimension, the character feels unfinished. Maddie Ballio and Charlotte Spencer are hilarious and a pure delight as stepsisters Malvolia and Narissa. They deserved more screen time and a number to themselves as they become sidelined. 

The royal family features Pierce Brosnan as a king who is more bluff than gruff, Minnie Driver as his better half, and Tallulah Greive as the mildly scheming princess who aspires to rule. There is so much going on and yet very little result. Like with the stepsisters, Greive warranted a bigger presence. All three performances are good if incomplete.

Billy Porter is the Fabulous Godmother, and Fabulous he is. Porter should appear in every new movie, if not by his choice, then by Act of Congress. He brings hilarity, sensitivity, and depth to his five minutes of screen time.

The ensemble is composed of wonderful dancers who land the handful of lines peppered throughout the larger scenes. Cannon has corralled the company nicely — though she failed to mine a very funny piece of business with a royal choir. 

Ultimately, the entire movie is entertaining if unfulfilled potential, with the scales tipping back and forth. Five-note range generic pop songs follow clever lines. Spectacular dance numbers spell stretches of declarative dialogue telling us the ideas of equality rather than showing them. Cannon struggles to find a consistent writing style. Some moments swipe at a period quality. Other scenes aim for a tough, clear reality (a particularly awkward exchange between the monarchs that borders on embarrassing). But mostly, the dialogue is contemporary “sass,” which is what serves its cast best. It aims for “poppin’” (as one character states) but often tries a bit too hard.

While this Cinderella will never achieve status as even a semi-classic, it reflects its time. And, with a message of self-actualization, the solid cast is up to the telling. Like its prince, this Cinderella might not be Mr. Right — but it’s Mr. Right Now.

Rated PG, Cinderella is playing in select theaters and on Amazon Prime.

A scene from 'Labyrinth'

Celebrate Jim Henson’s birthday with a journey into his magical Labyrinth when the 1986 fantasy-adventure returns to select cinemas nationwide on Sept. 12, 13 and 15 in celebration of its 35th anniversary, courtesy of Fathom Events and Sony Pictures.

Labyrinth tells the story of fifteen-year-old girl, Sarah (Jennifer Connelly), who, frustrated with babysitting on yet another weekend nigh, secretly wishes that her baby brother, Toby, would  be taken away by Goblins. When little Toby actually disappears, Sarah must follow him into a fantastical world to rescue him from the Goblin King (David Bowie). Guarding his castle is the labyrinth itself, a twisted maze of deception, populated with outrageous characters and unknown dangers. To get through it in time to save Toby, Sarah befriends the Goblins, in hopes that their loyalty isn’t just another illusion in a place where nothing is as it seems! Rated PG.

The movie will be preceded by a brief featurette entitled “The Henson Legacy” where Jennifer Connelly and the Henson family talk about the art of puppetry and the magic of Jim Henson, along with a visit to the “Center for Puppetry Arts” featuring The Jim Henson Collection and over 100 puppets from Labyrinth!

Screenings will be held at AMC Stony Brook 17 on Sept. 12 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Sept. 13 and 15 at 7 p.m.; and at Island Cinema de Lux in Holtsville on Sept, 12 at 3 and 7 p.m. and Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. To order tickets in advance, visit www.fathomevents.com.

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Jennifer Hudson pays homage to the Queen of Soul in 'Respect'. Photo from MGM

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

Aretha Louise Franklin began her career as a child singing in her father’s Baptist Church. She would go on to be one of the most important and influential vocalists of all time. Beloved as a musician as well as civil rights activist, “the Queen of Soul” would touch millions.

Tony-Award nominated Liesl Tommy makes her featured film debut with Respect, a biopic of Franklin’s early life and rise to fame. Beginning in her Detroit home in 1952 and traveling forward twenty years, Tracey Scott Wilson’s screenplay is a mostly straightforward look at one of the most iconic figures of the music industry. 

The film begins with ten-year-old Aretha (a marvelous Skye Dakota Turner) being woken by her father, Baptist minister C.L. Franklin (Forest Whitaker), to entertain his guests. The opening sequences show his pride in her vocal prowess and his manipulative nature, themes that will carry through their entire relationship. During one party, a friend of her father’s rapes the preadolescent Franklin. The film is a bit hazy about the rape and the birth of her first two children, sidestepping a murky part of Franklin’s past. (There have been multiple articles written about both the liberties and inaccuracies of Respect.)

Jennifer Hudson and Marlon Wayans in a scene from ‘Respect’. Photo courtesy of MGM

The story continues with her breaking from her father’s supervision and connecting with Ted White (Marlon Wayans), who becomes her manager and husband. Unfortunately, White is abusive, with Franklin trading one controlling man for another. Along the way, she signs with Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler (Marc Maron), who becomes an impetus in her career shift. 

One senses a list of items that the creators wanted to cover and checked them off as they went, manifesting in a mechanical progression. In addition, the dialogue often states the characters’ thoughts and feelings rather than revealing them in action. As a result, the subtext—the underlying humanity—is often lost as the plot moves forward. 

Tommy and Wilson have managed to make recording fascinating and engaging. The breakthrough recording in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, runs the gamut from tense to exhilarating. Throughout, the scenes focusing on Franklin’s art and craft shine. Recreation of interviews is cleverly juxtaposed with the “reality” of the moment. But more could have—and should have—been made of her civil rights work.

Jennifer Hudson and Forest Whitaker in a scene from Respect. Photo by Quantrell D. Colbert/MGM

Whitaker makes the most of Franklin’s father, but because Wilson has avoided many of the more unsavory aspects of C.L. Franklin (alluded to but unconfirmed), the character never feels fully realized. Marlon Wayans fairs a bit better, finding the edge and danger in White. 

Marc Maron is a joy as Wexler, both caring and quirky. Kimberly Scott shines as the family matriarch. Audra McDonald makes the best of what is little more than a cameo as Franklin’s mother. Tituss Burgess embodies kindness as James Cleveland, a man who arcs through her entire life. Mary J. Blige brings the right blend of imperious ego and genuine no-nonsense to Dinah Washington (though her major scene is an incident most likely connected to Etta James).

At the center of the film is Jennifer Hudson, delivering a knockout performance. Hudson first encountered Franklin when she sang “Share Your Love With Me” in her American Idol audition. Then, following Hudson’s Academy Award win for Dreamgirls, Hudson visited Franklin in New York. According to Hudson, “… one of the first things she said to me was, ‘You’re gonna win another Oscar for playing me, right?’”.

Hudson brings warmth and intelligence to her Franklin, navigating the entire range of innocence and hope to the constant struggle with her inner demons. She allows the pain to swell and recede, some moments turning in and others lashing out. Her growth to stardom and the price that she paid remain in precarious balance. Hudson owns every song, honoring Franklin but bringing her own power to the interpretations. She celebrates the entire range of Franklin’s work, from the church music to early jazz standards to finally those that became her signature songs. Whether taking on the traditional “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” finding the depths in “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You),” soaring with “Amazing Grace,” or exploding with “Respect,” Hudson delivers in the dozen-plus songs.

There is an odd misstep in the closing of the film. Franklin’s Kennedy Center Honors performance of “Natural Woman” is shown in its entirety, a spectacular reminder of Franklin’s unique, extraordinary presence. Hudson follows this singing “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home,” a new song composed for the film. This pleasant if unspectacular song highlights the exceptional Franklin songbook and comes across as a clumsy attempt for a Best Song Oscar nomination. It seems a step-down and superfluous.

Respect touches on many of the highs and lows of Aretha Franklin’s rise to fame. Franklin had a complicated life, and while Respect is sincere, Franklin deserved a more complex approach to telling her story. But, in the end, Jennifer Hudson’s star performance shines through.

Rated PG-13, Respect is now playing in local theaters.

Stock photo

By Barbara Anne Kirshner

The mighty Yankees and the AL Central first place White Sox magically emerge from a voluminous cornfield to take their places on a well-manicured baseball diamond and the game begins.

This scene played as if right out of a movie, except this wasn’t a movie, it was an actual baseball game. But it wasn’t being played in a grand stadium, instead it was played in a regulation ball field in rural Dyersville, Iowa, surrounded by acres of tall corn only feet away from the original baseball field and house featured in the iconic Kevin Costner movie Field of Dreams.

The regular-season baseball game, which had been delayed for one year due to the COVID pandemic, finally played Thursday evening August 12. It was exciting as if scripted by Hollywood with a surprising edge of your seat twist at the end. 

The Yankees fought their way back from a 7-4 deficit at the top of the ninth when they rallied with a two-run homer from Aaron Judge, then another two-run homer by Giancarlo Stanton off the Sox closer Liam Hendriks, to make the score 8-7 in the Yankees’ favor. 

But the Yankees’ dreams of victory in Iowa were suddenly dashed when at the bottom of the ninth inning Tim Anderson hit the first pitch from Zack Britton to land a walk-off home run right in the middle of those corn fields giving the win to the White Sox.

Though the Yankees left in defeat, just being a part of this spectacular event was thrilling for the players and their fans. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, “That was as special and breathtaking a setting for a baseball game as I’ve ever been part of.” Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge said, “It was pretty cool driving in and seeing everybody standing on the side of the road, with signs, cheering us on as we’re coming in.”

This newly built 8,000 seat ballpark sits right next to the original built for the 1989 movie starring Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, Ray Liotta and James Earl Jones. Before the game, Costner ambled onto the outfield like his character Ray Kinsella and watched as the White Sox and Yankees walked out of the cornrows to take their places. 

Baseball in hand, Costner headed to the microphone while the original musical score from the movie accompanied him. The actor looked at the crowd and uttered, “It’s perfect. We’ve kept our promise. The dream is still alive. There’s probably just one question to answer. Is this heaven? Yes, it is.” And it was perfect; it was heaven. The dramatic introductory festivities were a prelude to this exciting game.

Throughout the evening there were clips from the movie featuring some of the classic quotes, adding to the enchantment of it all. One pivotal quote from James Earl Jones’ character Terrance Mann was “Ray, people will come Ray. They’ll come to Iowa for reasons they can’t even fathom.”

And that’s exactly what happened Thursday, August 12, 2021. People came to Iowa to that magnetic cornfield to be part of the tradition of baseball, but more than that, they came to be part of a unique event. In addition to those in attendance were the 5.9 million total viewers on FOX Television, the largest audience for a regular season game on any network since 2005.

At the end of the movie, the ghost players were on the field with Ray Kinsella looking on. Suddenly, the catcher takes off his mask revealing he is Kinsella’s deceased dad and after a few words, the father and son play catch leaving all of us to ponder what if we could have just a few minutes to play catch with a loved one. 

Playing catch is such a singularly inviting activity for two people. The ball and the throw unite the pair. If only I could have one more moment with my mom, the person who introduced me to baseball and her beloved Yankees. If we could play catch like we did when I was a kid, what I would give for the chance to relive that moment with her. 

Fans and players lingered after the game, then finally started their pilgrimage back home with the wish for one more moment.

Thankfully, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the Field of Dreams game will return to Dyersville, Iowa next August 2022. The teams taking part are undecided as of this writing.

Miller Place resident Barbara Anne Kirshner is a freelance journalist, playwright and author of “Madison Weatherbee —The Different Dachshund.”

Stripes is heading back to select theaters nationwide in honor of the classic comedy’s 40th anniversary on Sunday,  Aug. 29 and Thursday, Sept. 2, courtesy of Fathom Events. Released by Columbia Pictures in 1981, Stripes stars Bill Murray as John Winger, a man who loses everything he has all in one day and decides that his only option is to volunteer for the army, taking his best friend Russell (Harold Ramis) along with him. The film is rated R.

Viewers will also be treated to a special introduction of the film by Bill Murray and director Ivan Reitman as they sit down together 40-years later and give fans an inside look at their time filming Stripes.

Locally the film will be screened at AMC Stony Brook 17, 2196 Nesconset Highway, Stony Brook on Aug. 29 at 3 and 7 p.m. and Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. and Island Cinema de Lux, 185 Morris Ave., Holtsville at 7 p.m. on both days. To order tickets in advance, visit www.fathomevents.com.

A scene from 'The Suicide Squad'. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

Superhero movies don’t aim for high art. The goal is big box office sales. For the most part, they have never been awards fodder and rarely make best film lists. However, that doesn’t preclude examples of great craft, skill, and even insight. They are not revisionist art descending into the mire of pretension (yes, you, Green Knight) or thrillers aspiring to greater depth (don’t look away when I’m talking to you, Old). Historically, superhero movies strive for entertainment. And there is nothing wrong with that.

The Suicide Squad is the follow-up to Suicide Squad (2016), differentiated by losing its definite article. A sequel? A spinoff? A reboot? A relaunch? There are carryovers from the previous film, so it’s not a completely new entity. But, for whatever reasons, the recent incarnation is a vast improvement—funnier and smarter and far better paced. It is also R-rated, as opposed to the previous PG-13, which means this is a more violent, gorier outing. 

A scene from ‘The Suicide Squad’. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

There is plenty of plot centering around a group of villains given the opportunity to reduce their prison sentences by running covert missions for the United States government. Task Force X lands on a Southern American island nation, Coro Maltese, after a military insurrection puts the country in the hands of an anti-American faction. Task Force X—the titular Suicide Squad—is sent to destroy Project Starfish, a laboratory housed in a Nazi-era fortress, Jötunheim. The experiment is a giant alien starfish that the new regime will use against its enemies, most notably America.

The Task Force splits into two squads, with one unit almost completely eradicated in an ambush. Only its leader, Col. Rick Flag, and the mercurial Harley Quinn evade death. Bloodsport leads the surviving, joined by Peacemaker, King Shark, Polka-Dot Man, and Ratcatcher 2. They unite with rebel forces, led by Sol Soria, who agree to assist them. Added to the mix is the Thinker, the eccentric scientist who is running Project Starfish. Most of the action is the Suicide Squad invading the capital and laying siege to Jötunheim. Along the way, there is massive carnage, with bodies being shot, blown up, torn apart, and even eaten. This is not a Disney movie.

Perhaps not quite as irreverent as Deadpool, The Suicide Squad consistently amuses. While the humor is, for the most part, sophomoric, the jokes usually land. The writing is smart(ish) and the direction is brisk—both due to James Gunn’s clear vision. And he has assembled a first-rate cast that somehow makes it all worthwhile.

Idris Elba is terrific as Bloodsport, who reluctantly heads his team to help his daughter. His dry wit, spot-on delivery, and underlying humanity give dimension without losing the danger. John Cena’s Peacemaker is equal parts flag-waving psychotic and macho frat boy. The contrast of Elba’s self-aware Bloodsport and Cena’s almost oblivious Peacemaker create a wonderful contrast. Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag is less showy but brings both an aww-shucks integrity and wide-eyed understanding.

Sylvester Stallone voices the bizarre hybrid, man-eating King Shark, with just the right monosyllabic innocence. David Dastmalchian shows depth in the melancholy Polka-Dot Man, one of the more eccentric characters, and has the best line in the film. Daniela Melchior is the perfect millennial slacker-with-a-heart-of gold, Ratcatcher 2 (with an adorable CGI sidekick rodent, Sebastian). Peter Capaldi’s Thinker is an appropriately underplayed mad scientist, with just enough danger to avoid caricature. 

And, of course, Margot Robbie’s third time as Harley Quinn is just as impulsive, amoral, and insane; it is a psychotic tour-de-force. But in this rogue’s gallery, Viola Davis’s Amanda Waller is the most cold-blooded. Davis, an exceptional chameleon of an actor, is chillingly methodical as the program leader.

What separates the focus on villains rather than superheroes is often the angst. Few characters are more brooding than Batman, and even Superman has found a darker side. What works so well in The Suicide Squad is that there is little indulgence or over-sentimentality. Genuine moments of compassion flash throughout, and they enrich the experience, but Gunn never dwells as he moves on to the next fight, explosion, and decapitation. He creates hyper-real environments. 

Waller rules over the agency with an iron fist, but that doesn’t stop her subordinates from making side bets on who will survive the mission, a nod towards office pools. A screaming match between Bloodsport and his daughter is both over-the-top and recognizably domestic. Gunn’s world is the intersection of the extreme with honest threads of reality.

If you’re looking for art, look elsewhere. But if you’re looking for easy laughs, first-rate special effects, and a good—if extremely violent—escape, you could do worse than The Suicide Squad. 

The film is now playing in local theaters and streaming on HBO Max.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

The tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table have always been fair game for adaptation. Whether it is Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889), Lerner and Loewe’s Broadway musical Camelot (1960), or the gritty but entertaining film Excalibur (1981), the story has embraced (or at least stood up to) revisionism. As a result, the legends have endured over seven centuries, from The Sword in the Stone (1963) to Spamalot (2005).

The Green Knight loosely draws on the fourteenth-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and other sources. Knowledge of the story and history is not necessary to view the film. Clearly. David Lowery has written, directed, edited, and produced the film. So, he can be considered the responsible party.

Gawain (Dev Patel) awakes on Christmas morning in a brothel, having spent the night with Essel (Alicia Vikander). His mother, sorceress Morgan le Fay (Sarita Choudhury), sends him on his way to celebrate Christmas with King Arthur (Sean Harris) and Queen Guinevere (Katie Dickie). 

Unbeknownst to Gawain, his mother performs a ritual, raising and sending the Green Knight to the feast where the tree-like titular lord issues a challenge: If anyone can land a blow on him, he will win his green axe. However, in exchange, the victor must meet the Green Knight on the following Christmas to receive a reciprocal hit. For some reason, Gawain, a bit of a slacker, volunteers. He decapitates the Green Knight, who then picks up his head and leaves. Sort of a hah-hah-see-you-next-Christmas.

Fast-forward a year. Gawain has become something of a celebrity; he is even featured in a puppet show. He sets off to the Green Chapel, and throughout, he encounters a handful of challenges, mostly unsatisfying blips. He also meets a fox who joins his journey. “The Quest” is a well-known, often-trod trope and can be exciting, engaging, and enthralling. Unfortunately, it can also be an epic slog into scenery, mumbled dialogue, and symbols. Oh, so many symbols. The Green Knight is full of meaning and “meaning” and meaning and MEANING. 

One suspects that Lowery’s goal was a rumination on the nature of heroism and honor, with a few nods to the dangers of celebrity. But this is all lost in a meandering and pretentious narrative. There are a few dramatic strokes, but these do not add up to a film.

In the theatre across the hall, the sounds of The Suicide Squad could clearly be heard. Sitting at The Green Knight was like attending a lecture that you suspect might be good for you, but next door, there’s a barnburner where everyone is having a good time. “I’ll bet it’s fun over there,” you think. “But, no, this is going to make me a better and smarter person.” You have plenty of time to think these thoughts because, in The Green Knight, the pauses are longer than the dialogue. There are pauses and scenery. Lots of pauses. Lots of scenery. Then a monologue. Please note the singular: monologue. While there are multiple long speeches by various characters, they all sound like the same monologue. Followed by some pauses. And then some scenery.

The filming itself is impressive, highlighting the vast expanses of wilderness as Gawain travels towards his destiny. Cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo has done beautiful work capturing the natural/supernatural world. But landscape only goes so far. In this case, it seems to go really, really far.

Dev Patel is a fine actor, and he does what he can. But he is offered the emotional range of dissipated to slightly less dissipated. The script’s Gawain is painfully passive; Patel ultimately struggles to show the character’s evolution. The rest of the talented cast is saddled with dialogue that is spoken in harsh whispers with a great deal of meaning and “meaning and … (One suspects the CGI-ed fox called his agent mid-filming to see if he could get out of his contract.)

The ending—one of the only brisk moments in the film—has been much discussed on the internet. Suffice it to say, the denouement owes not a little to t, the well-crafted story by Ambrose Pierce later made into a memorable short film.

As a public service and attempt to salvage the reader’s time, the balance of this review is given over to something of value. Here is the beginning of a recipe for a good vegan pound cake: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Rated R, The Green Knight is now playing in local theaters.

Photo courtesy of Fathom Events

Calling all Trekkies! In addition to being the 55th anniversary of Star Trek, this year also marks the 35th anniversary of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. To celebrate, Paramount Pictures and Fathom Events will “beam” a remastered version of The Voyage Home to select movie theaters nationwide on Thursday, Aug. 19 (which also would have been Gene Roddenberry’s 100th birthday) and Sunday, Aug. 22.

This special screening will also include a featurette called “Three Picture Saga,” featuring cast and crew exploring the backstory of the story arc seen in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Plot: When a mysterious alien power threatens the atmosphere of Earth in the 23rd Century, Captain Kirk and his crew must time travel back to 1986 San Francisco to save mankind. Exploring this strange new world, they encounter punk rock, pizza and exact-change buses that are as alien as anything in the far reaches of the galaxy. 

“We are so proud to work with Paramount to bring this Star Trek film back to theaters for the 35th anniversary,” said Tom Lucas, VP of Studio Relations at Fathom Events in a statement. “Between being nominated for four Academy Awards and the unconventional storyline, this film, in particular, deserves the big-screen treatment.”

The event is set to coincide not only with the film’s 35th anniversary, but also with its upcoming release on 4K UHD Blu-ray in Star Trek: The Original 4-Movie Collection, set to hit shelves on September 7.

Screenings will be held at AMC Stony Brook 17, 2196 Nesconset Highway, Stony Brook at 3 and 7 p.m. on both days and at Island Cinema De Lux, 185 Morris Ave., Holtsville at 7 p.m. on Aug. 19 and 3 p.m. on Aug. 22. To purchase tickets in advance, visit www.fathomevents.com.

Photo courtesy of Fathom Events

Your golden ticket to adventure awaits! Enter a world of pure imagination when Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies and Warner Bros. Entertainment bring the beloved film, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), back to the big screen in select cinemas nationwide for a special two-day event on Sunday, Aug. 15 and Wednesday, Aug. 18 in celebration of the film’s 50th anniversary.

When eccentric candy man Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) promises a lifetime supply of sweets and a tour of his chocolate factory to five lucky kids, penniless Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) seeks the priceless golden ticket that will make him a winner. Thanks to his Grandpa Joe (Jack Albertson), Charlie gets the prize of his dreams! But a far more wonderful surprise than Charlie ever imagined awaits him.

In a land of chocolate waterfalls, giant lollipops, edible flowers and, of course, Oompa Loompas, it’s nonstop, mouth-watering fun in this timeless fantasy. Plus, enjoy exclusive insights from Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz that will serve as your Golden Ticket to learn more about this magical film.

In our neck of the woods, screenings will be held at Island 16 Cinema De Lux in Holtsville on Aug. 15 at 3 p.m. and on Aug. 18 at 7 p.m.; and AMC Stony Brook 17 in Stony Brook on Aug. 15 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and on Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. To order tickets in advance, please visit www.fathomevents.com.

The 26th annual Stony Brook Film Festival, presented by Island Federal Credit Union, wrapped up with a Closing Night Awards Reception on July 31. The evening recognized the outstanding new independent films screened at the festival, which was held at Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University from July 22 to 31.

Making its world premiere at the festival, Anchorage won the Grand Prize this year. Director Scott Monahan and screenwriter Dakota Loesch star as two brothers who attempt to drive a trunk full of opioids from Florida to Alaska to cash in big in the Land of Gold. But their plan gets challenged by their surroundings, their shortcomings, and their tendency to dip into their own supply. This one-of-a-kind film explores the national crises of opioid addiction.

Special Achievement in Directing was awarded to Trey Nelson for his directorial debut in The 5th Man, a documentary that tells the extraordinary story of Paul Limmer, a world class track coach at Mepham High School in North Bellmore, whose dedication impacted so many lives. This film is also the first documentary to ever open the Stony Brook Film Festival.

The Spirit of Independent Filmmaking Award, given to a filmmaker whose work exemplifies the spirit and breadth of filmmaking where the focus is on the art and most often produced with an extremely limited budget, was awarded to Red River Road. Written and directed by Paul Schuyler, the film was shot entirely under COVID-19 lockdown by one family and their dog that served as the entire cast and crew.

Written and directed by Lina Luzyte, The Castle captured the Audience Award for Best Feature. The film features Monika, a thirteen-year-old Lithuanian girl living in Dublin with her mother, a pianist who works at a local fish factory, and her grandmother, who has dementia and requires constant supervision. After singing with her mother at a small locale, they are approached with an invitation to play in ‘The Castle’ which they are told is one of the best music venues in Ireland. 

Willow received the Jury Award for Best Feature. Written and directed by Milcho Manchevski, the film tells of a young peasant woman who seeks the help of an aged sorceress in the attempt to get pregnant. Centuries later, two contemporary women find themselves struggling with their own beliefs, modern science, and societal mores, in their own struggles to navigate motherhood. With its amazing images and unconventional narrative, this is a film whose story and characters exhibit that rare authenticity that makes you forget you’re watching a movie.

Noisy received the Audience Award for Best Short. A film by Cedric Hill, it features two strangers on a noisy subway who discover they have way more in common than where they’re heading. 

Rounding out the awards, The Saverini Widow captured the Jury Award for Best Short. A French film by Loïc Gaillard, it details how a widow’s life falls to pieces when her son is killed in a clash. Left with only her dog, she plots a desperate scheme. With stunning visuals and no dialogue, this film keeps you riveted to the end.

Of the winning films, filmmakers and cast and crew from Anchorage, Red River Road, and The 5th Man were in attendance to accept their awards. It was an unusual year indeed, with only American filmmakers in attendance for the live Q&A sessions following their screenings, but a joyful and celebrated return to the theater.

Virtual passes are now available to view the encore screening of the Festival on IndieFlix Festivals through Aug. 30. Passes for the entire 4 weeks are $85 per household or $25 for a weekly pass. Virtual passholders will be able to watch films multiple times and will have access to a number of features and shorts beginning each Thursday at 7 p.m. through Monday at midnight. Pre-recorded discussions with filmmakers, directors, cast, and crew will be included as well. For more information, call 631-632-2787 or visit stonybrookfilmfestival.com.

Photos courtesy of Staller Center for the Arts