Arts

The Arts

Downton Abbey: A New Era

Reeder’s Movie Reviews: Downton Abbey: A New Era

If you’re a devoted fan of Downton Abbey, the global television phenomenon now back on the big screen, that line certainly rings true. Creator and writer Julian Fellowes, director Simon Curtis (the real-life husband of Elizabeth McGovern/Cora Grantham), a superb ensemble cast and composer John Lunn have crafted another period piece drama brimming with intelligence, emotion, wit and humanity. As with the first feature film incarnation, A New Era preaches eloquently to the choir. Even with a prologue offered by Mr. Molesley (Kevin Doyle) in which he recounts the plot of the 2019 movie, you can’t begin to appreciate the resonance of this storytelling without having your own history with these characters going back a dozen years now. Continue Reading Reeder’s Movie Reviews: Downton Abbey: A New Era

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Semyon Bychkov, conducting the Vienna Philharmonic in Vienna, Austria in 2017.

As Performing Artists Denounce Or Stay Allied With Putin, History Offers Some Lessons

Russia reveres its high arts heritage of classical music and ballet. But Western European and American arts organizations are canceling appearances by performers who have financial or personal ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, including some of Russia’s biggest stars. At the same time, some Russian and Russian-born artists have been speaking out against the invasion of Ukraine. Continue Reading As Performing Artists Denounce Or Stay Allied With Putin, History Offers Some Lessons

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Being the Ricardos

Reeder’s Movie Reviews: Being the Ricardos

Let’s start with the paradoxes. The latest film from Oscar- and Emmy-winning writer-director Aaron Sorkin boasts several. Its two protagonists don’t look all that much like the historical characters they portray (although Nicole Kidman with red hair comes pretty close). The female lead, a comedy legend, has very few funny lines in the story. And, although the movie has the basic structure of a play, it provides a decidedly cinematic experience. Continue Reading Reeder’s Movie Reviews: Being the Ricardos

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