Glorious Grammys: Triumph Over Tragedy

Still reeling from Saturday's death of iconic pop diva Whitney Houston, the recording community proved music is the best medicine by delivering an evening filled with glorious tributes and memorable performances at the 54 annual Grammy Awards Sunday.

The ageless Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kicked off the festivities with their latest raucous social anthem, "We Take Care of Our Own." Then emcee LL Cool J set just the right notes by leading a prayer for Houston and proclaiming the healing virtues of music. "This night is about something truly universal and healing," he said."This night is about music."

Throughout the show, presenters and winners mentioned Houston. And a beautiful tribute to Houston came later as Jennifer Hudson sang a moving, cathartic rendition of her idol's classic, "I Will Always Love You." Doubt there was a a dry eye in the audience or any of the millions of houses watching ob TV.



There were also wonderful tributes to the late Etta James from Bonnie Raitt and Alicia Keyes and a lifetime achievement event celebrating country legend Glenn Campbell, who had announced his struggles with Alzheimer's last June, with The Band Perry, Blake Shelton and the Rhinestone Cowboy himself that was a living and singing testimony to those aforementioned healing powers.

The much heralded Beach Boys 50th anniversary performance with Maroon 5 and Foster the People was a tad lackluster, though got points for sentimentality as it was the first time in decades that the original core 'Boys,' including maestro Brian Wilson performed together. Unfortunately the lasting animosity between Wilson and Mike Love showed as the two appeared to have anything but the "Good Vibrations" they sang about.

As for the actual awards, there were no upsets. As predicted, Adele swept the major honors of Song, Record and Album of the year for her lost-love epic "21" and its pulsating single "Rolling in the Deep." She picked up her final two awards after making her first public performance ( a resounding success) in months after being sidelined for throat surgery. Her total of six Grammys matched Beyonce for most ever by a female act.

"This record is inspired by something that is really normal and everyone's been through it - just a rubbish relationship," she said. "It's gone on to do things that I can't tell you how I feel about them. It's been the most life-changing year."

The Foo Fighters won five Grammys for music that singer Dave Grohl said was made in his garage, and ceremony no-show Kanye West nabbed four. Indie rockers Bon Iver won best new artist.

Fans surely enjoyed the usually unusual fashion hits and misses. Decide for yourself which category to place Fergie's bright orange hot mess of a dress, Bicki Minaj's Red Riding Hood get-up and Lady Gaga's netting.

Speaking of Minaj, one of the oddest moments was her bizarre "exorcism, " ending with her levitating above the stage.

The ageless Paul McCartney sang a jazzy new song from his album of standards, then wrapped up the evening, joined by Springsteen, Grohl, Tom Petty and Joe Walsh on a truly fab performance of the Beatles' "Abbey Road" closing medley.

The music lives on. And on. Healing, indeed.

Drive safe. Play nice. Think peace.

aba

Close to Perfection

In almost any other year, Glenn Close would easily walk off with the Best Actress Oscar for her brilliant, fragile performance in the heartbreakingly beautiful "Albert Nobbs." But with Meryl Streep and Viola Davis in the high profile mix, it's doubtful Close's sixth nomination will finally garner her the well-deserved statuette. Let's hope the nomination is enough to get more people to see this lovely little film.

Close plays Albert Nobbs, a shy waiter at a once high-tone 19th-century Dublin hotel. The gender-bending role itself is usual a good Academy Award bet ( think Hillary Swank's "Boys Don't Cry" or Felicity Huffman in "TransAmerica). But neither the performance or the film feels gimmicky. The earnest character portrait is infused with such quiet. but potent emotion. Close--with cropped orange hair--doesn't exactly look like a man. But she doesn't look like a woman either. She looks, as one of the hotel patrons says, "Like the strangest little man." If they only knew.

Indeed, it's that strangeness that draws you in. Why is Albert, who was born a woman, living her life as a man? The answer isn't as simple as the cruel economics of the era. While it's true unmarried women had few options, that's not the whole story. There's a tragic story--one I'll let you discover as the film unfolds--that underscores Albert's furtive little life, one always shrouded in fear of exposure.


Albert seems content to all but fade into the Victorian wallpaper. Until he meets a brash house painter Hubert Page, played by the magnificent Janet McTeer ( also Oscar nominated as Best Supporting Actress) Hubert, too, was born a woman, but left her husband and made a similar choice to live as a man. The only difference: Hubert lives in domestic bliss with his "wife," a sweet dressmaker.

This revelation opens dormant desires in Albert. The savings he's squirreled
away might be used to purchase a tobacco shop; a wild-eyed maid might make a nice wife. We watch Albert tentatively venture into the world with new hope.

Close has kept this project, based on a short story by George Moore, published in 1918, close to her heart for decades. She originally starred in an off-Broadway production and has been trying to get a version up on the screen for years ( she also co-wrote the screenplay and song). And that intimacy and obvious affection for Albert is evident. In other hands, the character could come off mawkish, a sentimental wax work. But director Rodrigo Garcia guides his star in a deeply felt inner journey.

The film is fascinating, the supporting players including McTeer, Brendan Fraser, Mia Wasikowska and Brenda Fricker all add color to what could be seen as a drab little story. But it is ultimately Close's performance that makes the film so captivating. A performance like this is so rare in its power and raw, emotionally beauty, it almost defies description. You simply have to watch Close's eyes and you'll see Albert's misery, longing, kindness all wrapped up in a single glance.

There's a grander takeaway, too. "Albert Nobbs," isn't just a sad and complicated story about one person searching for acceptance and normalcy. It's also a study in human nature and humanity. Most of the characters--the rich patrons and the servants--are all pretending to be something they're not. Sound like someone you know? We all hide behind social masks sometimes. To get past the mask, to dig deeper, taking in the real person, gifts, warts, and all, therein lie the true thrill and honor of knowing another human being.

Speaking of honors, I hope Glenn Close is proud of that Oscar nomination. And award yourself the honor of watching "Albert Nobbs."

Drive safe. Play nice. Think peace.

And pass the popcorn,

aba

Streep's 'Iron Lady' Golden; Oscar Bound?

It’s been thirty years, but Meryl Streep may have to make room for that elusive third Oscar. With Tuesday’s announcement of the Academy Award nominations, the heralded actress’ brilliant portrayal of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady” (already a Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice winner) is the front runner for the coveted statuette. But with the most impressive roster of Best Actress nominees in recent years, her win is not a slam dunk. Streep’s stiffest rival will likely be her “Doubt” co-star Viola Davis who delivered a heartachingly beautiful performance in the far more popular film “The Help.” And Davis–who was nominated as Supporting Actress for her role in “Doubt” ( and received a Golden Globe shout-out from Streep) has yet to score Oscar gold, something the Academy likes to spread around. An unlikely groundswell of support could also garner Glenn Close her first Oscar for the poignant, but little seen “Albert Nobbs,” a film the actress has been trying to get made for over fifteen years.

Check out the Oscar site for a complete list of nominations. I’ll have more on surprises and snubs in all the categories, as well as predictions, later.

But for now, let’s delve into “The Iron Lady,” and the case for Streep. Phyllida Lloyd’s film is more a character study ( and a complex and compassionate one) than a history lesson. Lloyd aims for the personal over the political. And she’s received some flack for that, mostly from British critics and historians.

Some are perturbed by the release itself. Unlike many biopics, the subject is still alive. At 86, Baroness Thatcher, the woman once simultaneously reviled and revered, for her decades’ long steely leadership, has become a recluse, isolated by growing dementia. The current British Prime Minister David Cameron recently denounced the timing of the film, saying it was “insensitive” and could have waited “for another day.”

But for those of us interested in a powerful and elegant character portrait, there is little to disappoint. And the British film community is certainly forgiving; she just won the British Academy Award. And for good reason. Streep conquers the role of Thatcher, capturing her nuances with the actress’s uncanny, signature perfection. She doesn’t engage in a mere impersonation, but embodies Thatcher’s very essence. It’s not just the coiffed hair, the carriage and the characteristic tone of voice. It’s the the agility Streep demonstrates as she seamlessly dips in and out Thatcher’s razor-sharp persona to an ailing, aged woman recounting her hey day that is so astounding and mesmerizing.



The film opens with Thatcher as an octogenarian, her once “blotting paper memory,” evaporating in the wake of of a series of strokes. She’s seen cracking an egg for her husband, Denis who has died, but still appears, engaging in very lively discussions.

Streep’s Thatcher slips in and out of consequential scenes, hinting at her remarkable rise to glory, but not dwelling on it.Still, there is enough politics to put Thatcher’s life in context and give viewers unfamiliar with her impressive tenure ( 1979-1990; the longest in modern history) more than enough political substance to hold onto. The war over the Falkland Islands forms the crux of her rise to success, as Thatcher fiercely stands up to Parliament’s “Old Boy’s Club.” We also see her political kinship with President Reagan and witness her downfall as the bitter battle with the unions propels her anguished exit from No. 10 Downing Street.

At heart, though, Lloyd’s “The Iron Lady” strives to unveil the woman behind the steely iron facade.

As dementia begins to set in, we are given glimpses into Thatcher’s relationship with her husband, played by the wonderful Jim Broadbent ( who handled similar duty opposite Judi Dench in the lovely Iris Murdoch bio-pic “Iris“)and her children, Carol (Olivia Colman), who helps care for her, and Mark, who lives in South Africa and whom the audience never sees.

As she goes about packing up Denis’ belongings for charity, the elderly former Tory leader is swept back to the time when she was a young woman – the daughter of a grocer, and an ambitious Oxford grad with evolving political aspirations. We also get charming peaks at her courtship with young Denis Thatcher and their marriage during tumultuous times.

I know purists have quibbles with the timing, accuracy, even the style. But, Lloyd has turned out an artful and entertaining movie, one that offers great personal insight into a fascinating woman. And while I can’t guarantee Streep will take home her first Oscar since the “Sophie’s Choice” win in 1982, her fierce and nuanced performance is bound to get your vote.

The 84 annual Academy Awards will air live on ABC on Sunday, February 26.

Drive safe. Play nice. pass the popcorn.

aba

Silence is Golden... May be Named Oscar, too!

Sunday’s Golden Globe hat trick should send more folks to see “The Artist.” It’s not just the accolades–for Best Picture, Actor and score– but the exuberance the winners exuded. That very quality is at the heart of this unlikely commercial success.

Okay, it is mostly silent, in black and white and foreign, But Michel Hazanavicius “The Artist” is an elegant fanciful valentine to the movies. And while I can’t guarantee anything, I’m guessing, like mine, your heart will dance.

Set in Hollywood’s tender age,between 1927-1933, “The Artist” is about Hollywood’s transition from silent movies to talkies. It focuses on the relationship between the handsome, narcissistic George Valentin (the charming and oh, so expressive Jean Dujardin), a beloved movie star, and Peppy Miller (the lovely Bérénice Bejo),a young actress on a quest for stardom. The opening sequence takes place at the premiere of George’s latest adventure film, in which he appears with his scene stealing Jack Russell terrier and outrages his co-star as he takes a self-centered bow before greeting a gaggle of adoring fans on the sidewalk outside the theatre.



George and Peppy have a fleeting meet cute scene that will become significant later. She lands a small role in one of his films. They dance, fall in love and part before uttering their love. Just like in an old romantic movie.

Then sound crashes Hollywood’s party and the movie business is transformed. George confronts the crisis in a surrealistic comic sequence that follows him as he hears objects around him making noises. Passing girls chatter, a feather falls with a mighty explosion, but George remains silent, and, as he perceives himself, unspeakable. Like Chaplin he decides to buck the trend and continue making silent films, writing, directing and even financing his own work.

Hazanavicius borrows unapologetically from “A Star is Born,” showing George’s career in free fall and Peppy’s glamorous ascent. Vintage movie buffs will recognize glimpses of the ill-fated romance between silent film god John Gilbert and Greta Garbo, as well as homages to Douglas Fairbanks, Gene Kelly, and scenes from “Citizen Kane, ” “Singin’ in the Rain,” “ and "Vertigo”

Dujardin and Bejo deliver witty and wonderful performances, evocative of classic Hollywood romances. And James Cromwell, as George’s devoted chauffeur, and John Goodman as a gruff studio boss, add delightful support. Uggy, who plays George’s Jack Russell, and almost walked off with a Golden Globe himself, joins the ranks of Rin Tin Tin and Asta as classic canine companions.

An instant classic, “The Artist” will certainly make noise at the Oscars, too. But by then, you’ll know what the commotion is all about. Really, go see it. It’s apt to delight you more than any other movie in recent memory.

Drive safe. Play nice. Pass the popcorn.

aba

Spell This! Criminal Sentence

A NYC high school teacher just got an F for forgery — and spelling.

Mona Lisa Tello was busted after she allegedly submitted a fake jury duty letter rife with a slew of misspellings to get out of class for two weeks.

Tello spelled “trial” as “trail,” wrote “sited” instead of “cited,” and “manger” instead of “manager."

Guess she's still got a lot to learn. And she'll have plenty of time to learn it. Tello agreed to retire on January 15. But she may get to do some spelling exercises behind bars. She's facing prosecution on fraud charges.

Go to the back of the class!

Drive safe. play nice. think peace.

aba

Happy New Year!

Here's to another amusing collision of pop culture and politics in 2012.

RG wishes you a happy, healthy New Year!

And, hey, let's be careful out there. None of that drinking and driving business.

Drive(especially) safe. Play nice. Think peace.

aba

Channel Cruiser: The 2011 Wrap-Up Rant

I've been betrayed by cable TV. We all have. Back in the early days--before most of us were old enough to appreciate what we'd soon be missing----the new medium promised so much. Niche broadcasting at its best: the arts, documentaries, bold programming offered day and night without regard to ratings. But Alas, nothing lasts forever. And that's the best way to sum up where we are today, bitterly flicking through every one of Bruce Springsteen's 57 channels, finding nothing on. Except drivel: reality and sensational crime and political hectoring.

Okay, I exaggerate. There's more than a smattering of quality shows--dramas and documentaries, quirky comedies that couldn't survive elsewhere, too. But most of them are on the premium channels like HBO ( "Boardwalk Empire" "Treme" ) Showtime ( "Nurse Jackie," "Homeland") and more recently Starz ( "Boss"). But AMC has the Emmy Award winning "Mad Men," and TNT has forayed into dramas. But I'm miffed at the basic cable stalwart for pulling the plug unceremoniously on "Men of a Certain Age," right after the special dramedy picked up a Peabody and left us hanging at the end of the second season. TNT added bitter lemon oil on my ire when it also ditched the quirky detective drama "Memphis Beat. "

I was, in fact, feeling a little like a TV jinx. But I tossed off my scarlet TVJ when HBO spared the critically acclaimed but low-rated "Enlightened." This genre-busting gem takes on corporate greed, self-help and human relationships--inside the office and out-- with such fresh and timely humor and unexpected compassion. The show has already nabbed Golden Globe nominations as Best Comedy and for Laura Dern as Best Actress. I hope Dern and co-creator Mike White ( who also does a nice supporting turn as office mate Tyler) get the recognition they deserve. Awards help. Just ask Matthew Weiner.



Speaking of the "Mad Men" maestro, junkies, still fuming from the bad Blakenship karma will finally get their fix of the oft-decorated, still low-rated drama when it finally returns to the small screen in March.

Other highlights of 2012 will likely include:

"Luck, " HBO's latest drama about the continually changing fortunes at a race track. From Michael Mann and David Milch, the show's pilot already displays the network's golden touch. A star-studded cast featuring Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte and Dennis Farina will surely help propel this timely discourse on the vagaries of luck.

"Magic City," is Starz latest drama about the early days Miami. If "Boss" set the standard, this one could take the network to a new level.

HBO also ushers in the third season of "Treme," rolls out the film version of the political bestseller "Game Change" about the 2008 presidential election; you know the one with Julianne Moore playing Sarah Palin. Saw the preview and yes, kids, she's got the look and voice down.

And Julia Louis Dreyfus stars in "Veep" a new HBO show about the first woman Vice President. Let's hope she's not doing a Palin impersonation.

I also look forward to more music shows, most found on PBS. 2011 highlights included "Paul Simon at Webster Hall" and "Buddy Holly: Listen To Me." Grand shows for music fans; would be even grander to watch without the pledge breaks ( but the programming doesn't pay for itself).

On broadcast TV: Both "The Good Wife" and "Harry's Law" keep getting better, while both "Pan Am" and "Revenge" flamed out too soon. I'm also just ( year two or three?) getting into "Parenthood" and find both the writing and acting among the best and most authentic.

On a personal note: I'm toying with the idea of reviewing in the voice of Pauline the Bargain Shopper, a long lost radio character who somehow found her way into my play "Psychic Chicken Soup," as the main character's sister. Pauline (not to be confused with Pauline Kael, who's probably doing cartwheels in her grave about now)is blunt, boisterous and can always spot a bargain and convince you to buy it even if it doesn't fit.

I'll try it on for size. If it doesn't work out, I can always shove her in the back of the closet among all the other non-returnable clunkers.

Drive safe. Play nice. Think peace.

And pass the remote

aba