Richard sits in on the CFRA Ottawa morning show with guest host Matt Harris to talk the new movies coming to theatres, VOD and streaming services including the college comedy “I Used to Go Here” starring Gillian Jacobs, the psychological thriller “She Dies Tomorrow,” the crime drama “The Burnt Orange Heresy,” the kid’s fantasy “The Secret Garden” and the biodoc “Howard: The Howard Ashman Story.”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
Ambition and art mix and match in “The Burnt Orange Heresy.” A coolly elegant crime thriller, based on Charles Willeford’s 1971 novel of the same name, the film peels back the art world’s veneer to reveal a dark underbelly.
“The Square’s” Claes Bang is James Figueras, a once internationally famous art critic now reduced to lecturing American tourists in Milan. After one of his talks he meets Berenice Hollis (Elizabeth Debicki), a willowy art aficionado from Duluth, Minnesota. They hit it off, and have what she assumes is a one-night stand until he invites her to spend the weekend at the Lake Como estate of enigmatic art collector Joseph Cassidy (Mick Jagger).
James’s expectations of being offered the job of cataloguing Cassidy’s massive private collection are flipped when the collector asks him to do a task that could bring the disgraced critic back to prominence. Cassidy, sensing that James will do anything to get back in the public eye, asks him to steal a painting from hermetic artist Jerome Debney (Donald Sutherland). Debney is a legend and his work so rare, that just one painting could gather world attention. Question is, how far will James go to finish the job?
Like the painting that gives the movie its name, nothing in “The Burnt Orange Heresy” is not quite as it seems. Using noir tropes—the anti-hero, the femme fatale, a villain protagonist, a double cross— director Giuseppe Capotondi keeps things interesting after an unhurried start. What begins as a sun dappled caper takes a very dark turn as the director completes his portrait of ambition and desperation in the film’s final third.
As Figueras, Bang oozes a sketchy appeal. He’s desperate and dangerous, but his worst qualities are hidden behind a suave exterior. He’s the central character but is overshadowed by the chemistry that sparks every time Debicki and Sutherland share the screen. She is charismatic in an underwritten role, but it is her scenes with the eccentric and kindly Debney that shine. That there are questions as to everyone’s motives—except for the Machiavellian Cassidy, wonderfully played by Jagger—adds intrigue to the tale.
“The Burnt Orange Heresy” isn’t a typical crime drama. The story is fuelled by arrogance, deceit and lies as much as plot, the crime is almost incidental to the interest created by the characters.
Richard sits in on the CTV NewsChannel with news anchor Marcia MacMillan have a look at the weekend’s big releases including “Avengers: Endgame,” the message-movie “The Public,” written, directed, produced and starring Emilio Estevez and the Aretha Franklin documentary “Amazing Grace.”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
Richard convinces Bill to take his kids to see “Avengers: Endgame” this weekend and then talks about two smaller but worthy films, “The Public,” starring Emilio Estevez and the Aretha Franklin documentary “Amazing Grace.”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
A weekly feature from ctvnews.ca! The Crouse Review is a quick, hot take on the weekend’s biggest movies! This week Richard looks at “Avengers: Endgame,” a movie that could become the biggest of all time and two more modest but worthy films, “The Public,” starring Emilio Estevez and the Aretha Franklin documentary “Amazing Grace.”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
Richard joins CP24 anchor Nathan Downer to have a look at the weekend’s new movies including the all -powerful “Avengers: Endgame,” the message-movie “The Public,” written, directed, produced and starring Emilio Estevez and the Sretha Franklin documentary “Amazing Grace.”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
Hidden from view for almost fifty years, “Amazing Grace,” the rough-hewn documentary of Aretha Franklin’s remarkable two night stand at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, is a making-of look at the recording of the singer’s soul-stirring gospel album of the same name.
Director Sydney Pollack shot twenty hours of footage but failed to use clapper boards at the beginning of each song. Later, in the editing room, technicians were unable to synchronize the sound. Decades later producer Alan Elliott’s team spent two years synching sound to image, completing the film two years after Pollack’s death. Franklin then sued Elliott for using her likeness without permission and the film was delayed even further. Now, a full forty-seven years since those legendary shows the film is on the big screen.
It was worth the wait.
Franklin was already the Queen of Soul when she recorded “Amazing Grace.” With eleven consecutive No. 1 songs to her credit, including “Respect”, “Chain of Fools”, “Think”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”, “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)”, and “I Say a Little Prayer” she was unassailable on the pop and R&B charts. “Amazing Grace” was to take her back to her roots, singing the music she grew up with as the daughter of minister C. L. Franklin.
The Grammy-winning two-disc LP was a high-water mark in Franklin’s career and became the biggest selling gospel album of all time. Here we see Franklin standing behind the preacher’s podium, sweating, singing some of the most glorious spirituals ever committed to tape. The audience, about two hundred people (plus Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts who visited on one of the nights) are treated to traditional songs like “God Will Take Care of You” and non-traditional mash-ups such as the blend of “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” and the James Taylor hit “You’ve Got a Friend.” “It doesn’t matter what you sing,” says the show’s MC Reverend James Cleveland, “it matters who you’re singing it to.” With her father in the front row she delivers a version of the title song that makes even the members of her background chorus cry.
The photography in “Amazing Grace” is crude, the editing choppy but the sound is transcendent as Franklin caresses and stretches the notes of these songs to maximum effect. It is a document of a time, a place and most importantly, of a voice that sounds truly heaven sent.
Richard sits in on the CJAD Montreal morning show with host Andrew Carter to talk the new movies coming to theatres including “Avengers: Endgame,” a movie that could become the biggest of all time and two more modest but worthy films, “The Public,” starring Emilio Estevez and the Aretha Franklin documentary “Amazing Grace.”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
Richard sat in as host of “The Nightside” on NewsTalk 1010 on Friday November 2. In this highlight package we hear the “Who is the Greatest Rock Star of All Time” Debate and learn about foldable smartphones.
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
