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Jeffrey Sanzel

‘A Kooky Spooky Halloween’ celebrates 7th year at Theatre Three

by Heidi Sutton - October 12, 2024

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Time for witches, ghosts and toast!

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By Heidi Sutton

It’s kooky and it’s spooky and it’s hauntingly good. Now in it’s 7th year, A Kooky Spooky Halloween returns to Theatre Three in Port Jefferson to celebrate one of the most popular holidays of the year.

Written by Jeffrey Sanzel and Steve McCoy, the adorable musical tells the story of Abner the Ghost (Steven Uihlein) who has just graduated from Haunting High School and is assigned to be a spooksperson at Ma Aberdeen’s Boarding House, (known for being the most haunted house in Harrison Corner USA and for having the best toast!) as its last ghost, Baron Von Yost, has recently retired. Abner is given a diploma and a medallion of invisibility and is sent on his way with two rules: never haunt before sunset and never, ever lose your medallion.

But Abner has a shocker of a secret — he’s afraid of the dark! When he confides in his best friend Lavinda the Witch (Cassidy Rose O’Brien) she gifts him a nightlight and promises to help him get settled in. With Lavinda’s help, what could possibly go wrong?

It’s Halloween and Abner arrives at the boarding house just as Ma Aberdeen (Ginger Dalton) and her boarders the Petersons — Paul the periodontist (Liam Marsigliano), Penelope the p.r. professional (Katy Snair) and their daughter Pip (Sarita Alvarado) — and Kit Garret (Julia Albino), a girl who “just came from a small town to a big city with a suitcase in her hand and hope in her heart,” are stuffing goodie bags for trick-or-treaters in the kitchen.

In one of the funniest scenes in the show, Abner tries out a series of spells, making the group stuff the bags in double time, dance, do jumping jacks, sing, spin like a top, quack like a duck and stick to each other. Just as he is about to undo the last spell, fellow graduate ghost with a grudge Dora Pike (Josie McSwane) appears, steals his medallion of invisibility and nightlight and heads to the bottom of Black Ridge Gulch, the deepest, darkest gorge in the entire world (where it’s really, really dark). Now visible, Abner must convince the strangers who are still stuck to each other help him get his medallion back or it will “all fade to black.”

Director Colleen Britt has assembled a terrific cast to tell this hilarious story filled with singing and dancing, action and adventure and tons of Halloween jokes. Ginger Dalton as Ma who makes the toast is especially wonderful. “What kind of toast do you serve? Rye, whole wheat, sourdough, french?” she’s asked. “White. No butter, no jelly … and no jam!” she snaps.

This year’s production has amped up the spookiness with floating ghosts, use of the trap door and more special effects, but don’t worry— it is not scary. The show also makes use of the screens on each end of the stage from the set of ‘Matilda The Musical’ to project images. A nice touch.

Costumes by Jason Allyn in shades of black, orange, purple and sparkly white for the ghosts are the icing on the haunted house cake. Don’t miss this one. You and your kids will have a spooktacular good time. Ghostly pumpkin souveniers will be sold during intermission and costumes are encouraged. Meet the cast in the lobby after the show for photos.

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents A Kooky Spooky Halloween through Oct. 19. Children’s theater continues with Barnaby Saves Christmas from Nov. 23 to Dec. 28 and Hansel and Gretel from Jan. 25 to Feb. 8. All seats are $12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

‘Matilda the Musical’ shines bright at Theatre Three

by Julianne Mosher - September 19, 2024

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By Julianne Mosher

One of the last musical numbers during Theatre Three’s latest production of Matilda the Musical is called “Revolting Children,” but the cast of this show is far from it.

Based on the beloved book by Roald Dahl and the 1996 movie starring Mara Wilson and Danny DeVito, the musical is a fun and enchanting twist that will make all ages in the audience smile.

Written by Dennis Kelly, music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and directed by Jeffrey Sanzel, Matilda follows the story of a spectacularly smart child who lives in an unhappy home with dimwitted parents. Matilda (played by the extraordinarily talented Sadie Mathers — who is readily on the path to stardom), finds solace in the library where she reads books upon books while also sharing tales she makes up in her head to the local librarian, Mrs. Phelps (Michelle LaBozzetta).

Her family, the Wormwoods, don’t read. In fact, they’re lazy and dumb. Matilda’s father, played by Steven Uihlein, is a crooked car salesman who refuses to acknowledge the young girl as his daughter, and her mother, played by Rachel Geiser, is an amateur ballroom dancer who only cares about her looks — not her family. Matilda has a brother, Michael, played by Jax Segal, who does not speak and stares at the TV throughout the entire show, remote in hand.

To teach her some discipline, Mr. Wormwood ships Matilda off to a private academy headed by Miss. Trunchbull (Liam Marsigliano), a former Olympian who hates children and wishes for a world without them. Luckily, Matilda and her classmates find comfort knowing their teacher, Miss Honey (Veronica Fox), loves them and tries to make their school days better despite their dreary and frightening walls.

Throughout the play, Matilda shares a tale of an escapologist (Eric J. Hughes) and his wife, the acrobat (Josie McSwane) that she makes up in her head. The characters, however, seem to match with certain people the young girl meets and encounters in her daily life.

Compared to the movie, the musical version of Matilda is set in England so the ensemble needed to not only learn the lyrics to difficult songs, but do it with a cockney accent — the child actors included. The talent of the entire cast is remarkable with its leadership from musical director Jeffrey Hoffman and choreography from Sari Feldman with dance moves and vocal ranges fit for Broadway.

And if you’re a fan of film, you’ll be surprised with a similar plot but with different twists and turns.

From the campy costumes full of color — minus the school uniforms, of course — (designed by Jason Allyn) to the set design that integrates video using TV monitors framing the stage (Randall Parsons), the attention to detail is nothing short from extraordinary.

So, you better go see this show or else you’ll be thrown in the chokey and give this group of actors the standing ovation they continuously deserve.

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Matilda the Musical through Oct. 20. Tickets are $40 adults, $32 seniors and students, $25 children ages 5 to 12, $25 Wednesday matinees. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

All photos by Steve Kyle/Showbizshots

The most anticipated movies of the fall

by Jeffrey Sanzel - September 15, 2024

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'Wicked' — ‘Wicked’ heads to the big screen on November 22. Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

By Tim Haggerty and Jeffrey Sanzel

Looking for entertainment? Distraction? Introspection? This fall’s crop of new films offers a wide range of possibilities, from documentaries and biopics to comedy, horror and sequels.

WOLFS (September 20) Two professional “fixers (Brad Pitt and George Clooney) discover they are hired for the same job. While seemingly a throwback to an early time, the star power makes this a top choice for an evening of good old-fashioned escape. Rated R

A DIFFERENT MAN (September 20) Sebastian Stan plays Edward, an actor with neurofibromatosis who is cured of his facial disfigurement by an experimental surgery. But the change turns out to be a mixed blessing. Adam Pearson, who has neurofibromatosis, gives one of the year’s most compelling performances. Rated R

LEE (September 27) This biopic includes an all-star cast, led by Kate Winslet as Lee Miller, the model-turned-photographer, whose photos of World War II—especially the Nazi concentration camps—changed the way the world viewed war. In addition to Winslet, the cast includes Andy Samberg, Alexander Skarsgard, and Marion Cotillard. Rated R

MEGALOPOLIS (September 27) After decades of development, Francis Ford Coppola offers an epic tale of a crumbling fictional empire that reflects the contemporary United States. A visionary (Adam Driver) dreams of a utopian society in this massive undertaking that includes Giancarlo Esposito and Shia LeBeouf in drag. Rated R

WILL & HARPER (September 27) Will Ferrell first met Harper Steele when the two joined “Saturday Night Live,” and they remained close friends and collaborators for nearly three decades. When Harper came out as a trans woman in 2022, they embarked on a road trip —creating a film that reflects how the country views the LGBTQ+ community. Rated R

JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX (October 4) The much anticipated/dreaded sequel shows Joaquin Phoenix in his unique take on the infamous villain, joined by Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, the Joker’s partner in crime. And, apparently, it is a musical. Rated R

THE OUTRUN (October 4) The great Saoirse Ronan portrays writer Amy Liptrot in this adaptation of the latter’s memoir of addiction and redemption from London to the Scottish Isles. Rated R

PIECE BY PIECE (October 11) Filmmaker Morgan Neville presents a documentary on the life of musician Pharrell Williams, the creator of “Happy” and “Get Lucky.” The twist? Neville tells Williams’ story via LEGOs. Rated PG

SATURDAY NIGHT (October 11) The Saturday Night Live origin story focuses on creating the extraordinary show’s first episode. As producer Lorne Michaels, Gabrielle LaBelle heads a company that includes Willem Dafoe, Dylan O’Brien, Cooper Hoffman, Finn Wolfhard, Lamorne Morris, J.K. Simmons, and Nicholas Braun. Rated R

RUMOURS (October 18) World leaders get lost in a hallucinogenic forest the night before the annual G7 summit. The bizarre premise shifts into a survivalist turn. Cate Blanchett, Alicia Vikander, Denis Ménochet, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Charles Dance appear in Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin’s startling outing. Rated R

SMILE 2 (October 18) The Halloween season would be incomplete without a horror sequel—in this case, the 2022 hit about an entity that feeds on trauma and causes people to grin maniacally. It is a good bet that this will not be a one-off follow-up but, instead, the launch of a new franchise. Rated R

THE NICKEL BOYS (October 25) Documentarian RaMell Ross wrote and directed this adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel chronicling a 1960s reform school, suggested by the Dozier School, the brutal and infamous real-life institution. Rated PG-13

HERE (November 1) Forrest Gump veterans Tom Hanks and Robin Wright reunite with director Robert Zemeckis in this high-concept story that focuses on one patch of ground over thousands of years—from ancient civilization to modern-day suburbs. Rated PG-13

GLADIAT0R 2 (November 22) Ridley Scott’s sword-and-sandal sequel to his 2000 Oscar-winner presents Paul Mescal as the adult Lucius Verus (nephew of Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus). He is joined by Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, and I, Claudius star Sir Derek Jacobi. Rated R

THE PIANO LESSON (November 22) Denzel Washington’s commitment to presenting August Wilson’s Century Cycle plays continues with the playwright’s 1987 drama about a feud over a piano representing a family’s history. If it is half as good as “Fences,” this promises to be one of the best fall films. Rated R

WICKED (November 22) The first part of the adaptation of the long-running Broadway musical comes to the big screen, with Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the woman who will become the Wicked Witch of the West. Ariana Grande joins her as her frenemy, G(a)linda, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz. Rated PG-13

MOANA 2 (November 27) Disney’s 2016 animated hit gets a follow-up in “further adventures of,” featuring original voices Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson. Rated PG

MUFASA: THE LION KING (December 6) A prequel to “The Lion King,” director Barry Jenkins tells the tale of Simba’s late father Mufasa and how he became king of the jungle. Rated PG-13

NOSFERATU (December 25) Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse) helms the second remake of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 film, the first cinematic telling of Dracula. Bill Skarsgard dons the vampiric cloak of Count Orlock with Lily-Rose Depp, the object of his desire. Rated R

This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Harvest Times supplement on Sept. 12.

Movie Review: ‘Beetlejuice’ sequel is plain nostalgia

by Jeffrey Sanzel - September 12, 2024

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beetlejuicebeetlejuicepic1.jpg;w=960 — Wynona Ryder and Michael Keaton reprise their roles in the 'Beetlejuice' sequel. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

The concept of objectivity in a review is nearly, if not completely, impossible. Yet reviewers often avoid using “I” in their analyses. In this case, I am breaking the rule for context: I did not see Beetlejuice (1988) until last week. I knew that viewing the original was necessary, but also felt it only fair to be forthcoming of my lack of nostalgia in connection to a film that many hold with fond memories. So, I judged a film made over thirty years ago to evaluate its sequel. End of “I.”

Michael Keaton reprise his role in the ‘Beetlejuice’ sequel.
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Beetlejuice (1988) garnered mostly positive reviews upon its release, receiving multiple nominations and a handful of awards. Tim Burton, whose previous film, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, had become a cult favorite, directed a script by Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren.

Over the years, it has been labeled a “comedy classic.” Viewing it three and a half decades later, the film seems quaint and a bit creaky, not so much offbeat but slightly pressed zaniness, and almost reminiscent of The Canterville Ghost. Some design elements foreshadow Tim Burton’s later and more mature, refined visions.

Michael Keaton, as the titular demon “bio-exorcist,” Betelgeuse, appeared in a mere seventeen minutes. Beetlejuice possesses a sweetness and charm if a bit light on substance. Over the years, multiple sequel attempts (Beetlejuice in Love, Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian) were shelved for various reasons.

Tim Burton returns to the director’s chair, this time with a screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara reprise their original roles. The now grown-up Goth daughter, Lydia (Ryder), returns to Winter River after the unexpected death of her father, Charles Deetz.

Lydia, now host of the talk show Ghost House, struggles with her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega). In the attic of the Deetz home, Astrid discovers the town model and accidentally opens the portal to the afterlife.

The film contains enough plot threads for half a dozen movies, but none are fully realized. At the center is the conflict between Lydia and Astrid over Lydia’s failed marriage to Astrid’s father, Richard (Santiago Cabrera), who died in South America after the divorce. Lydia struggles with her engagement to her television producer, Rory (Justin Theroux).

Betelgeuse is hunted by his ex-wife, the soul-sucking witch, Delores (Monica Bellucci), who poisoned him before he murdered her with an axe. Another branch is Jeremy (Arthur Conti), Astrid’s love interest, who is not quite what he seems. Add to these the ghost detective, Wolf Jackson (Willem Dafoe), a second-rate action star with a new career post-life.

While this promises a rich spectrum of opportunities, the results are thin and underdeveloped. The movie oddly manages to be chaotically frenetic yet simultaneously turgid. The hundred-and-four minutes seem at least an hour longer.

There are funny spots and clever moments—an ode to the “Day-O” of the first movie, a joke involving Richard Marx’s “Right Here Waiting,” a Soul Train bit (that stays too long in the station), and even a smart Newhart reference.

The Betelgeuse-Delores history plays perfectly as a subtitled Italian Art film by way of Mario Bava. But these moments get lost among jokes belabored to the point of losing any humor.

One senses that the script meetings were mutual admiration societies in which the writers and director greeted every idea with joy and no bit left behind.

Tonally, the film is all over the place. Winter River feels less like the idyllic Mayberry of the original and more like Halloween’s dread-steeped Haddonfield. The delightful Catherine O’Hara plays a milder version of her genius Schitt’s Creek creation, Moira Rose (including a sly parody of The Crows Have Eyes 2). Ryder seems uncomfortable in the role, not sure where the teen Lydia left off and the adult began. Keaton delivers an identical performance—logically, as the character is not about growth. But most of his jokes are either gross or … well, gross.

With Sylvia Sidney’s and Glen Shadix’s passing, the film lost two of the original’s most interesting characters—Juno and Otho Fenlock. The Maitland’s—Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis—are also absent—dismissed in a single line about a loophole that freed them. While they killed off patriarch Charles Deetz (the disgraced Jeffrey Jones), his image and presence remain—first as a Claymation character, then as an image on his grave, and finally as a headless talking corpse.

The film’s major bright spot is Ortega. With shades of her Wednesday Addams, she manages to avoid sulky teenager and creates the character’s angst and frustration without losing the warmth. She is completely sincere and wholly watchable, elevating the performances around her.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is clearly a much-anticipated movie. Much like Barbie, many audience members wore t-shirts celebrating the “event-ness,” with Keaton’s image or catchphrases from the film or even shirts mimicking Betelgeuse’s stripes. Unlike Barbie, in the end, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice contributes little to its own—or any cinematic—history.

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

Movie Review: Island thriller ‘Blink Twice’ delivers

by Jeffrey Sanzel - August 29, 2024

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'Blink Twice' 1 — Naomi Ackie in a scene from 'Blink Twice.' Photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

After nearly twenty years of high-profile performances (including multiple franchises), actor Zoë Kravitz makes a first-rate directorial debut with Blink Twice.

Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie; below, Ackie in a scene from the film.
Photo by Carlos Somonte, Amazon MGM Studios

Kravitz collaborated on the screenplay with E.T. Feigenbaum, a writer from her 2020 Hulu series, High Fidelity. They have created an interesting, edgy, slightly over-long film that nods to The Most Dangerous Game and, more recently, The Hunt. Blink Twice focuses on intertwining issues of memory and power, but the foremost thread is the abuse of women—specifically by rich, white men. While in this context taken to the extreme, the film makes the point no less honest and valuable.

The opening image of Frida (Naomi Ackie) scrolling through her phone while sitting on the commode perfectly presents her dead-end life. “I need a f— vacation,” she says. This prescient statement provides layers of pay-off.

She and her best friend, Jess (Arrested Development’s Alia Shawkat, in a grounded performance), cater-wait at tech billionaire Slater King’s (Channing Tatum) pretentious high-end gala. After a “meet cute”—that is anything but—King invites the pair to his island. Arriving by private jet, the entourage of King and his buddies and a gathering of young, attractive women land in paradise for days of eating, drinking, bathing, and drugs. Literally, there is “a tsunami of champagne.”

Stripped of any outside world connection (including the ubiquitous cell phones), continual and unchecked hedonism ensues. The unbridled existence is emphasized by the women’s apparel, diaphanous white dresses provided by their host; these further King’s bacchanalian environment. For nearly forty minutes, Kravitz presents endless days of relaxation, meals of detailed extremes, and nights of excess.

While the view of no one wanting the trip to end, Frida’s reality begins to jar. The new refrain is that “something is wrong with this place.” This, coupled with the idea that the ability to forget is a gift, spurs the latter half of the film. Indigenous serpents, mysterious perfume, and the shadowy natives serving the guests become increasingly important. The turning point is Jess being bitten by one of the snakes. The film kicks into high gear, building to terrible revelations in the final twenty minutes. The violence is appropriately brutal and relentless and cannot be unseen.

While the plot has been explored in various incarnations, Kravitz shows great skill, imbuing every scene with low-boiling tension. Even the brightest sunlight and the clearest swimming pool project an atmosphere of dread. She employs often-trod tropes—a creaking door, a stack of hidden Polaroids, a particularly sharp knife—but nothing seems gratuitous. Even the omnipresent red gift bags project a menace.

Naomi Ackie in a scene from ‘Blink Twice.’ Photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Ackie beautifully arcs Frida from uncomfortably passive to a resourceful and righteous warrior. She is matched by the extraordinary Arida Arjona, as Sarah, a C-list celebrity from a “babes-as-survivors” reality show. The adversarial relationship underlies the point that society pits women against women. When the situation shifts, so does their dynamic; together, they own the film’s final stretch. Tatum (in seemingly Brad Pitt mode) is appropriately slimy, if a bit obvious, as the mogul. However, his take on forgiveness provides a brief but pointedly disturbing monologue; he is also effective in King’s flashes of doubt.

The supporting cast, including Simon Rex, Liz Cabel, Levon Hawke, Trew Mullen, and Haley Joel Osment, serve their functions and play the few notes provided with ease and abandonment. Christian Slater turns in a familiar performance. Likewise, Kyle MacLachlan’s cameo as King’s therapist harkens to much of the actor’s earlier work. However, Geena Davis, as put-upon assistant Stacy, has one of the most memorable and alarming moments in the entire film.

Blink Twice’s original title directly referenced the #MeToo movement, but presenters balked, and Kravitz changed the title to the more benign moniker. While initially resisting, she eventually embraced the reality that “we’re not there yet. And I think that’s something I have the responsibility as a filmmaker to listen to.”

While the film would have benefited from judicious cuts to the one-hundred-and-fifty-minute running time, Adam Newport-Berra’s exceptional camera work and Kravitz’s smart, taught direction build to a thrilling climax. She slyly introduces gallows humor when the story turns darkest, and her resolution borders on brilliant.

While Blink Twice is not perfect, it is strong, riveting, and significant. It also heralds Kravitz as a significant new filmmaker who earns the titles of up-and-coming and accomplished.

Rated R, the film is now playing in local theaters.

Netflix presents documentary on the murder of Laci Peterson

by Jeffrey Sanzel - August 22, 2024

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Laci and Scott Peterson — Scott Peterson is currently serving life in prison for the murder of his wife, Laci. Photo courtesy of Netflix

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

The facts are these:

On Christmas Eve 2002, 27-year-old Laci Peterson, eight months pregnant with her first child, disappeared from her home in Modesto, California. Her husband, Scott, claimed to have last seen her at 9:30 a.m. Originally, Scott announced he was golfing but later revealed that he had gone fishing at the Berkeley Marina. When he returned home that afternoon, he found their dog, McKenzie, still leashed in the backyard. After showering and washing his clothes, Scott contacted Laci’s mother to see if Laci was there. Both Scott and Laci’s stepfather reported Laci missing. While investigating, detectives found Laci’s keys, wallet, and sunglasses in her purse and closet.

Scott Peterson is currently serving life in prison for the murder of his wife, Laci.
Photo courtesy of Netflix

Immediately, a massive search was underway. Initially, Laci’s in-laws defended Scott, but as the investigation continued, the police became more suspicious. On Dec. 30, Amber Frey contacted the hotline, revealing that she had been dating Scott since November as she believed he was single. She recorded their conversations over the next month. On Jan. 24, 2003, the information went public.

On April 13, the fetus remains of Conner, Laci’s unborn child, was discovered in San Francisco Bay. The following day, the remains of a woman—later identified as Laci—washed up a mile away from where Conner’s remains were found. The area was just a few miles from where Scott had been fishing.

Police arrested Scott Peterson on April 18 in La Jolla, California. In addition to knives and credit cards (and his brother’s I.D.), Scott had fifteen thousand dollars in cash. He had grown a mustache and beard and dyed his hair.

Scott’s trial began on June 1, 2004, with jury deliberations beginning on Nov. 3. On Nov. 12, Scott was found guilty of first-degree murder for Laci’s death and second-degree murder for Conner’s death. On Dec. 13, the jury recommended the death sentence, which a judge enacted on March 16. After years of appeals and accusations of an unfair trial (2012 to 2015), the death sentence was overturned on Aug. 24, 2020. He was resentenced on Dec. 8, 2021, to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

On Dec. 20, 2023, Scott Peterson’s request for a new trial was denied, and in January 2024, the Los Angeles Innocence Project began its representation of Scott Peterson, claiming that he was innocent.

Since 2002, millions of words have covered the tragic death of Laci Peterson. Thousands of articles and hours of media coverage. The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story aired on USA Network in 2004. In 2005, CBS broadcast the movie Amber Frey: Witness for the Prosecution.

The case featured on The E! True Hollywood Story, True Crime with Aphrodite Jones, Murder Made Me Famous, Crime Junkie Podcast, The Laci Peterson Story: A Dateline Investigation, Snapped, Truth and Lies: The Murder of Laci Peterson, How It Really Happened, 48 Hours, 20/20, etc. A&E produced a six-part series, The Murder of Laci Peterson (2017).

Netflix now presents American Murder: Laci Peterson. Directed by Skye Borgman (Girl in the Picture, Abducted in Plain Sight), the three-part documentary offers little new information. It mostly focuses on interviews intercut with archival footage and blurry, slow-motion B-roll recreations.

Part 1: “What Do You Mean, Missing?” highlights the first six days and establishes the Petersons as the “perfect couple.” Part 2: “I Wasn’t a Mistress” follows Amber Frey, Scott’s girlfriend, as she aids the police by taping their conversations. Part 3: “Nothing Can Change the Truth” takes the story from arrest through trial and conviction.

There is no question that this is a heartbreaking story. Laci’s disappearance and murder was terrible in every respect. However, the point of revisiting the murder is to shed new light and a new perspective. For the most part, American Murder fails to do this.

Throughout the two-and-a-half hours, the filmmakers fail to address why this particular case grabbed the country’s attention from the first moment. It acknowledges that Scott Peterson was tried on a great deal of circumstantial evidence (no DNA, no witnesses, no definitive weapon) but goes no further, emphasizing his disturbing behavior and questionable personality. It almost celebrates the mob mentality at the announcement of the verdict. It also never addresses the Innocence Project taking up his case, suggesting that Laci was murdered by the burglars of the neighbor’s house. In short, the documentary leans into ominous chords, peripatetic cuts, and eerie images.

For the most part, the interviews add little insight. The detectives revisit the same material and perspectives. Journalist Gloria Gomez speaks of the media frenzy but takes no responsibility for being part of that circus. There is an uncomfortable interview with two of the jurors that offers little perspective.

The one powerful throughline is Laci’s mother, Sharon Rocha. While reliving this is painful, she maintains dignity and clarity. She divides her life between before Laci and after Laci and knows that this changed everybody’s lives. One of the last things she states is, “You don’t get over it; you just get through it.” Her interview is the most valuable part of the documentary.

On Aug. 20, Peacock presents Face to Face with Scott Peterson, featuring his first interview in decades. Undoubtedly, this will be a different perspective, emphasizing alternate theories.

Stepping back from pure objectivity, Scott Peterson was a liar, a cheat, a narcissist, and most likely murdered his wife, Laci, a kind, gentle person. Like any victim of a violent crime, her story deserves and needs to be told—but always with integrity, sensitivity, and raw honesty. Unfortunately, American Murder does not rise to this standard.

The three-part documentary is currently streaming on Netflix.

Movie Review: Screen adaption of ‘It Ends With Us’ is passable

by Jeffrey Sanzel - August 15, 2024

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Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

Colleen Hoover’s romance novel It Ends with Us, released in 2016, drew inspiration from her complicated family history. By 2019, the book sold over a million copies and was translated into over twenty languages. In 2021, the novel and Hoover’s other works gained renewed popularity from the #BookTok on TikTok. In 2022, It Ends with Us reached number one on both The New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestsellers lists, with nearly three million in print. The sequel, It Starts with Us (2018), became Simon & Schuster’s most pre-ordered book ever. (In full disclosure, this reviewer has read neither.)

Blake Lively in a scene from the film. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment

Justin Baldoni (best known as Jane the Virgin’s Rafael Solana) directs his third film, following Five Feet Apart and Clouds. Christy Hall, the director/screenwriter of Daddio and co-creator of the Netflix series I Am Not Okay with This, penned the adaptation.

The writer and humorist Dorothy Parker once wrote of how often people would say: “Well, you might like it.”

Lily Blossom Bloom (Blake Lively) reluctantly attends her father’s funeral, where she attempts to deliver a heartfelt eulogy. Unable to say anything positive, she flees the church and returns to Boston. Contemplating life out on a random roof (unexplained), Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni) enters in a rage, kicking a chair. Anger management issues, perhaps? Warning signs? He reveals he is a neurosurgeon who just lost a patient. This claim is much more complicated, revealed later in the narrative.

The emotionally elusive Lily and the player Ryle meet cute(ish). “Love isn’t for me; lust is nice,” he confesses. They embark on a friendship that is quickly aborted when Ryle leaves for emergency surgery. Lily opens her dream flower shop and meets quirky Allysa (Jenny Slate), who hires herself to work for Lily. The “twist” is Ryle is Allysa’s brother. Lily and Ryle rekindle the friendship, which shifts to passion. A generic build-up results in an unintentionally sparkless kiss. Love follows, ending up with marriage.

Through flashbacks, the filmmakers reveal Lily’s father (Kevin McKidd) abusing her mother (Amy Morton). Additionally, high school student Lily (Isabela Ferrer) falls in love with a homeless boy, Atlas (Alex Neustaedter). Thrown out by his mother, Atlas bided his time until he could enter the military.

In the present, Lily and Ryle coincidentally dine at Root, the restaurant the adult Atlas (Brandon Sklenar) opened upon completing his service. A love triangle results in jealous and violent reactions from Ryle, eroding the already tenuous bond.

While little new is on offer, It Ends with Us contains enough plot and potential dynamic to make for a passable film. Unfortunately, the characters are so oddly and unevenly drawn that it feels simultaneously repetitive and confusing, as if the story was told over a soundtrack of white noise. The leaden pace emphasizes the clumsy dialogue composed of sentence fragments: “Uh … uhm … okay, okay … sure … yeah … okay. Yes.” Lily describes herself as an unreliable narrator—an intriguing concept if it were true. However, she seems to be almost unimpeachably upfront.

The entire film seems to be what-you-see-is-what-you-get, down to the predictable montages: “Let’s go have fun” (karaoke and bowling), dating, and cleaning up the shop. Everything plays excruciatingly by the numbers.

It Ends with Us is a meditation and—appropriately—an indictment of abuse. Eventually, it gets to the point but still pulls its punches. Just as with its whitewashed portrait of Atlas’s homelessness, the approach is facile and softens what should be even sharper and more brutal. The idea that we hurt the ones we love hovers in the background.

One moment rises above the rest. After Ryle and Atlas lock horns, the next scene teams with raw desperation and emotional confusion. After this, it’s back to business as usual. The story’s final resolution is fair, uncompromising, but unsurprising.

Lively is a solid actor and always watchable, but the forced layers of faux mystery do not help. Between the incomplete sentences and the nervous laugh, the character is less than indelible. Baldoni tries to balance Ryle’s two sides, but neither is fully realized. Unfortunately for Sklenar, he is saddled with the least variety. Slate’s Allysa is no different from her career’s other oddballs. As Lily’s mother, Morton is capable but uncomfortable. These are strong actors, but the material fails to reach their level. One bright spot is Ferrer, who captures the essence of Lively’s grown-up Lily; it is rare for two actors to assume a role at different points in their lives and truly seem like one person.

The above opinion will most likely end up in the minority. The film grossed seven million dollars in its Wednesday and Thursday previews and is well on its way to a possible forty million dollar opening weekend. As with the novel, the story will satisfy most viewers. Just not this one.

Rated PG-13, the film is playing in local theaters.

Theatre Three’s ‘Woodstockmania’ celebrates the rock festival that changed the world

by Tara Mae - August 14, 2024

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By Tara Mae

Peace, love, and music! Time to get your groove on and party like it’s 1969 when “Woodstockmania: Woodstock in Concert” returns to Theatre Three, 412 Main Street in Port Jefferson. The tribute concert will take the stage for the first time since 2019 on Friday, August 16, and Saturday, August 17 at 8 p.m.

Its 17-member band includes ten instrumentalists and eight individual vocalists singing at least two songs each, covering music from the original 1969 Woodstock lineup — an experience so organically soulful its reverberations are still felt today.

“Woodstock performances have become part of the fabric of Theatre Three. This is a group of outstanding musicians…It’s extraordinary to see these exceptionally talented artists brought together,” said Theatre Three’s Executive Artistic Director Jeffrey Sanzel.

Held on the 55th anniversary of Woodstock, “Woodstockmania” features approximately 34 numbers from 21 of the artists who played the stage at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in Bethel, New York, including Jimi Hendrix; Sly and the Family Stone; The Who; Grateful Dead; Janis Joplin; Jefferson Airplane; Country Joe and the Fish; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; The Band; Santana; Sweetwater; Creedence Clearwater Revival; Joan Baez; and Joe Cocker.

“This music is from a highly creative time in our culture. There was so much varied music to become attached to; everyone could find something that resonated with themselves,” Musical Director Michael Chiusano said.

More than just a harmonious homage, “Woodstockmania” is a musical tribute to the passionate artists whose creative contributions continue to inspire today.

Having not performed “Woodstockmania” together in 5 years, the show is an opportunity to reconnect with friends as they honor the woman who first brought many of them together: Theatre Three’s longtime musical director Ellen Michelmore, who passed away in 2016.

“It’s a reunion of friends that have been through the fire together…Mostly though, it’s a tribute to Ellen; to keep the memory of her fresh in our minds and hearts. She was a special lady,” Chiusano said.

Michelmore developed “Woodstockmania” from Summer of ‘69: Return to Woodstock, which she co-created with Bill Van Horn. The original musical, using songs performed at the Woodstock festival, was a hit for Theatre Three and had an off-Broadway run.

Following that success, Michelmore organized annual Woodstock tribute concerts. After her death, the show was dubbed “Ellen Michelmore’s Woodstockmania,” according to Sanzel.

While Chiusano has added other songs and musical numbers to the show, much of its repertoire was originally chosen by Michelmore.

Eight of the songs have been in every incarnation of the show: “Going Up the Country” by Canned Heat; “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane; “Dance to the Music” by Sly & the Family Stone; “Star Spangled Banner” as done by Jimi Hendrix; “The Weight” by The Band; “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin; “With a Little Help from My Friends” as done by Joe Cocker.

“That era, roughly 1965 to 1975, was the golden age of pop music. It will never be like that again. I also believe that people need to be reminded of all the great tunes there were,” Chiusano said.

Tunes are not the only entities enjoying this encore; the musicians recognize it as an opportunity to embrace an era that still enraptures performers and patrons.

“Everyone who’s ever been involved in the production always remembers it fondly when they talk to me…we’re thrilled to be a part of it,” said Theatre Three’s Artistic Associate/Director of Development Douglas Quattrock. An original company member of Summer of ‘69: Return to Woodstock, he is now in the “Woodstockmania” band as the emcee and a vocalist.

Such consistency underscores the steadfast surety of music. Personal classics and timeless songs are the soundtrack to our lives, dependable narrators of enduring emotions. In this shared language, “Woodstockmania,” is a dialect understood by artists and attendees. If “Woodstockmania” is a celebration of legacy and life, it’s main theme may be appreciating community synchronicity.

“I think the legacy of the show over the years is that it has brought so much joy and kept so much wonderful music alive for the audiences in our area,” Quattrock added.

“Woodstockmania” is part of Theatre Three’s annual Summer Concert Series that includes special one or two night only performances on its main stage. Tickets are $65 per person. For more information or to order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

M. Night Shyamalan’s concert thriller ‘Trap’ fails to spring

by Jeffrey Sanzel - August 9, 2024

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'The Trap' — Josh Hartnett and Ariel Donoghue star in 'Trap.' Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Studio

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

Will it have the craft of The Sixth Sense? The clumsy mess that was Lady in the Water? Or the true horror of the disastrous Old? Few directors inspire the puzzling mix of hope, disappointment, and divisiveness than M. Night Shyamalan. As the director, producer, and screenwriter, the king of the “twist” must take complete responsibility for his work.

His newest film, Trap, focuses on firefighter Cooper Adams (Josh Hartnett), who happens to be a serial killer dubbed “The Butcher.” Cooper takes his daughter, Riley (Ariel Donoghue), to a Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan) concert as a reward for her stellar report card. With a massive police presence, Cooper quickly learns that, somehow, law enforcement knows he is attending the concert. Under the guidance of Dr. Josephine Grant (Hayley Mills), an FBI profiler, every man of a certain age and type will be checked before they can leave the arena.

The premise is simplistic but not without interest. A concert setting is naturally charged—a closed universe of organized chaos—screaming teen fans, food counters, and a warren of dressing rooms, storerooms, and connecting doors. The scenario and location open a world of possibilities. Unfortunately, Trap fails to spring, plodding and creaking as the resourceful Cooper evades capture in a series of “close calls.”

Eventually, Trap builds to a half dozen false endings, one more predictable than the last. The film’s minimal tension escapes like the air from a bicycle tire (a specifically selected metaphor). The Oedipal layer to the killer’s motivation has played in myriad films since the 1970s, and the revelation lands with a thud.

Hartnett (exceptional in last year’s Oppenheimer) seems to be vying for the Most Excruciatingly Goofy Dad Award in a performance of painful grimaces, pasted grins, and “gosh-heck” incredulity. He punctuates every line with a waggle of the eyebrows that would make Groucho blush. In the opening moments, his daughter urges him to drive faster so they do not miss the opportunity to glimpse Lady Raven leaving her tour bus. He responds that they do not want to break any laws: “Trust me.” The aggressive lack of subtlety is almost impressive. Riley comments more than once, “You’re acting strange, Dad.” Strange acting, indeed.

Hartnett and company are failed by a script composed solely of cliches. A subplot about a mean girl, Jody, who has been freezing out Riley, amounts to several shrill exchanges between Cooper and the girl’s mother (Marnie McPhail). After Cooper manipulates Lady Raven’s uncle and promoter (M. Night Shyamalan), Riley goes onstage as Lady Raven’s “Dream Girl.” Outraged by her peer’s opportunity, we glimpse Jody throwing a cup of soda in her mother’s face.

Alison Pill is a strong actor but does not appear until the final act when she takes the mantle of clueless wife. Even with the character’s few extra shades, she cannot rescue the absence of surprise and dimension.

The concert portions are grating. In another film, the director might comment on pop culture’s empty self-indulgence and repetitive nature. However, one suspects Shyamalan is showcasing his daughter’s singing career. (Social media also helps to save the day.) As an actor, Saleka is decent, but like Pill, given few notes to play. As for Jonathan Langdon’s duped t-shirt seller, Jamie—the stereotype borders on offensive, especially in the film’s tag. Hayley Mills’ Dr. Grant amounts to an extended cameo, but she lends a hint of gravitas with her rich voice and regal bearing.

Shyamalan populates the world with enough police and SWAT extras to fill a Batman franchise. Visually, the shots are strangely static, often screaming, “Look here—he’s going to do something clever.” He liberally “borrowed” elements from The Hitcher, Silence of the Lambs, Dressed to Kill, Dexter, and even A Clockwork Orange.

In particular, he saddled Hartnett with elements of these famous psychopaths but then directed him to play Cooper with the vigor of a middle school Thanksgiving pageant. Trap is less Hitchcock and more Parent Trap.

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Fool the moviegoing public repeatedly—Shyamalan on all of us.

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

The classic tale of ‘Pinocchio’ returns to Theatre Three

by TBR Staff - August 8, 2024

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Theatre Three’s Children’s Theatre closes its summer season with Pinocchio, a musical for the entire family.

Based on Carolo Collodi’s late nineteenth century Italian novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio, the story has been seen on stage and screen, both in animated and live action versions. As with all Theatre Three children’s theatre, the company creates its own musical based on the original material. Pinocchio has a book by Jeffrey Sanzel, with new songs by Jeffrey Hoffman and Douglas J. Quattrock.

Anabelle (Emilia Guzzetta), underling apprentice fairy—third class, is assigned by Ondine, Queen of the Fairies (Ginger Dalton), to help an angry and withdrawn woodcarver, Geppetto (Steven Uihlein).

After failing to change the recluse through song, the nervous fairy teams with the energetic and outgoing Cassandra, the Enchanted Cricket (Michelle LaBozzetta). Together, they enchant a stick of wood. Hearing the wood speak, Geppetto fashions it into a wooden companion, Pinocchio (Kiernan Urso). When they realize that the puppet is alive but lacks a sense of right and wrong, they cast a spell on his nose to grow when he does not tell the truth.

Meanwhile, two wily crooks—Carpacious Cat (Gina Lardi) and Ferdinand Fox (Ryan Van Nostrand)—set up their scam “Festival El Grande” to fleece the villagers. When they discover the magic wooden boy, the pair embark on yet another scheme.

Along with the professional acting company, Pinocchio features two dozen students from Theatre Three’s Summer Dramatic Academy.

The score features the original songs “Lovely Thoughts,” “Bad Harmony,” “You Can Count on Me,” “Taran-Tella Da Truth,” “Put Tomorrow in Your Hands,” “Keep Your Chin Up and Smile,” and the calypso “Festival El Grande.”

The production is directed by Sanzel while Quattrock and Hoffman, who musically directed, form the two-keyboard combo. Choreography is by Kiernan Urso, costume design is by Jason Allyn and Melissa Troxler is the production stage manager.

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Pinocchio through Aug. 10. Running time is one hour with a 15 minute intermission. Photos with the cast are available in the lobby after the show. Final performances are Friday, August 9, at 11 a.m., and Saturday, August 10, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Children’s theater continues with Theatre Three’s annual productions of A Kooky Spooky Halloween from Oct. 5 to 19, and and Barnaby Saves Christmas from Nov. 23 to Dec. 28.

All seats are $12. Call the box office at 631-928-9100 or visit theatrethree.com for tickets and information.

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Jeffrey Sanzel

‘A Kooky Spooky Halloween’ celebrates 7th year at Theatre Three

Time for witches, ghosts and toast!

‘Matilda the Musical’ shines bright at Theatre Three

The most anticipated movies of the fall

Movie Review: ‘Beetlejuice’ sequel is plain nostalgia

Movie Review: Island thriller ‘Blink Twice’ delivers

Netflix presents documentary on the murder of Laci Peterson

Movie Review: Screen adaption of ‘It Ends With Us’ is passable

Theatre Three’s ‘Woodstockmania’ celebrates the rock festival that changed the world

M. Night Shyamalan’s concert thriller ‘Trap’ fails to spring

The classic tale of ‘Pinocchio’ returns to Theatre Three

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