The Girl In The Spider's Web (Movie 2018)

The Girl In The Spider's Web is the follow up to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I had such high expectations for this but it just didn't deliver. Whereas the first had such depth and complexity The Spider's Web was so simplistic and dull. Claire Foy ( The Crown) takes the role this time of Elisabeth Salander. She puts in a decent enough performance though there wasn't much for her to work with. In this film Elisabeth is hired to steal a computer program that can access nuclear weapon codes by the creator of it. But soon the NSA and the Russian underworld come searching for it. There was so much that could have been tapped into here that only touched the surface. They could have played more on the obvious attraction and tension between Elisabeth and Mikael Blomkvist but that was just a glance here or there. They should have expanded more on her sister Camilla. Her character was as good as a cardboard cutout. I couldn't hate her or feel bad for her. There wasn't anything to see or give me any investment in these characters. And I didn't even have the action sequences to fall back on for excitement. Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive in a movie trailer. I was promised so much in that preview but it didn't happen.

Paul Anka, Chevalier Theatre Medford, MA 11/04/2018

Tonight the Chevalier Theatre was host to legend Paul Anka. He brought with him not only his hits, but tributes to Frank Sinatra as well as many memories of famous artists he has known throughout his long career. I was lucky to be seated near the right side entrance where he walked in to begin the show. He was wearing a black suit, tie and a red handkerchief in the pocket. He performed You Are My Destiny. He did a faster paced tempo on Diana which I really enjoyed. There was his 1974 #1 hit You're Having My Baby, Lonely Boy, Puppy Love and Put Your Head On My Shoulder. He sang the hits he wrote for others like She's A Lady which Tom Jones is known for and the monster hit for Frank Sinatra My Way. Since this tour is Anka Sings Sinatra: His Songs, My Songs, My Way! he did some other Sinatra hits. He did a poignant cover of It Was A Very Good Year. Before he did Strangers In The Night he recollected how Frank was telling him how he was given this song and he didn't think much of it. Well Frank of course gave in and the rest is music history. Paul paid tribute to his late friend Sammy Davis Jr with Sammy on screen singing the song Paul wrote for him I'm Not Anyone. He finished off the night with New York, New York. Paul Anka has such a powerful voice. The sound of the orchestra transported me right out of Medford. When music is that good it's hard to come back.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018)

Killer Queen! Bohemian Rhapsody turned out to be a true celebration of the late Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon who made the legendary rock band Queen. Casting in this film was superb. When there was talk this story would be made I was nervous over some possible choices to play Freddie. I am so grateful it eventually came to Rami Malek (Mr. Robot). Rami came on the screen and reminded all of us what a tremendous performer and talent Freddie Mercury was. Malek was very convincing even in the quieter moments. This is definitely an Oscar worthy performance. Gwilym Lee (Midsomer Murders) was impressive as Brian May. If I didn't know better I would have thought it was Brian. You will hear some detractors say they don't show the real dark side to Freddie's life. It does get acknowledged but the movie doesn't get gritty. It was done with tact. Before he had come out as gay he did have a long term-relationship with Mary Austin and they always remained close.The dynamic between Freddie and Mary was moving. There are some glaring inaccuracies in Bohemian Rhapsody. One is the band didn't reunite for the Live Aid benefit concert that raised millions for relief of the Ethiopian famine in 1985. They had already played several shows a few months before the international live broadcast. But by far the biggest timeline problem is showing Freddie diagnosed with AIDS before Live Aid. According to his partner Jim Hutton, he was not diagnosed until April 1987. Despite these issues in the story this biopic of the band is amazing! I loved watching their creative process. It really was a group effort. Each one wrote songs. These four guys had a sense of humor with each other. They loved and respected one another. Being in the theater, hearing the music on that scale made me wish they'd take one of the Queen concerts and have it in the cinemas for a while. It would be the closest I could get to a Queen concert and that's how their music should be heard-big and loud!