Review: ‘In the Heights’ is a Nice Musical Tale of Hopes and Dreams

Broadway musical blockbusters are always a hit-or-miss despite their catchy songs, but In the Heights is definitely a hit to me. The play version of In the Heights is mostly famous for being the musical that helped catapult Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda into the public sphere. And the 2021 film version, helmed by Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu, is a triumphant adaptation, confidently reworking the stage show into a gorgeous, vibrant film that captures both the bigness of musical theater and the intimacy that comes with telling a story about a specific culture. In its joyous excess, In the Heights makes a case for adapting Broadway musicals into Hollywood cinema. The musical numbers are freed from the boundaries of the stage, and they don’t waste that freedom. The dance routines feel like gorgeous action-movie set-pieces, thanks to Alice Brooks’ cinematography, and the cast is a constellation of Latinx legends and up-and-comers alike. Every summer should have a movie like this one.

Continue reading “Review: ‘In the Heights’ is a Nice Musical Tale of Hopes and Dreams”

Review: ‘Hamilton’ Adds a New Dimension to Its Musical

For people who are experiencing Hamilton for the first time, Hamilton is a recording of a 2016 Broadway performance of the popular musical of the same name. Hamilton itself is a string of musical numbers written by Lin Manuel Miranda; There is little spoken dialogue in the play. Continue reading “Review: ‘Hamilton’ Adds a New Dimension to Its Musical”

Review: ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ Needs a Few More Spoonfuls of Sugar

Children, grab your pitchforks: the adults are jaded again! Or at least that’s what Disney wants you to believe with its second live-action film of the year featuring the same recurring theme. Unlike Christopher Robin, Mary Poppins Returns has more to live up to seeing as it’s the sequel to one of the most beloved films of all time. Also unlike Christopher Robin (or the original Mary Poppins for that matter), Mary Poppins Returns falls short of being anything memorable.

Continue reading “Review: ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ Needs a Few More Spoonfuls of Sugar”