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Lincoln Center’s Summer For the City fest kicks off July 13

By MARGRIRA

Special to the AmNews

“Happy Together” (Photo courtesy of Janus Films)

It’s summertime and there are 100 reasons to celebrate, including the new season of Summer for the City starting July 13 at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Film at Lincoln Center.

Summer For the City is Lincoln Center’s three-month-long summer festival featuring more than 1,000 artists from New York City and beyond, performing across 10 outdoor stages. From May to August, Summer For the City will animate every corner of the Center’s 16-acre campus with more than 300 free and Choose What You Pay concerts, film screenings, dance nights, theater, comedy, pop-up performances, civic events, family-friendly days, and more, a reflection of the multifaceted communities of New York. For more information, visit SummerfortheCity.org.

The Summer For the City outdoor film series promises to delight and thrill moviegoers, with iconic titles including the seminal music documentaries, Wim Wenders’ Academy Awardnominated “Buena Vista Social Club” and “Gimme Shelter,” following the Rolling Stones during their notorious 1969 tour, directed by David Maysles, Albert Maysles, and Charlotte Zwerin; quintessential 1954 monster classic “Godzilla” and the 1955 followup “Godzilla Raids Again”; Terry Gilliam’s sci-fi cult favorite “Time Bandits”; Mystery Train, Jim Jarmusch’s boozy and beautiful pilgrimage to Memphis and considered to be his finest directorial offering; Jennie Livingston’s landmark documentary “Paris Is Burning,” a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City’s African American and Latinx Harlem drag ball scene; NYFF35 selection “Happy Together,” Wong Kar Wai’s raw, lushly stylized portrayal of a relationship in breakdown; and Monsieur Hulot’s “Holiday,” the first in the Hulot series which launched director Jacques Tati into international stardom.

Here are a few events that caught our eye. “Buena Vista Social Club”

Wim Wenders, United States, 1999, 105m

With a small film crew, Wim Wenders accompanied his old friend Ry Cooder, who had written the music for “Paris, Texas,” and “The End of Violence,” on a trip to Havana. Cooder wanted to record his material for Ibrahim Ferrer’s solo album at a studio there—following the recording of the first “Buena Vista Social Club” CD (which had not yet been released at that time). Wenders immersed himself in the world of Cuban music. Over the course of several months, he observed and accompanied the musicians, first at home in Havana; then, weeks later, in April 1998, on their trip to Amsterdam for the first public performance of the band (who had never played together outside a studio); then, still later, in July 1998, to their triumphal concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall. He thus followed the old heroes of the traditional Cuban son music on their path from being completely forgotten to becoming world-famous—within the period of just a few months. “I thought, I’ll shoot a documentary,” Wenders has said, “and here we were, about to witness a fairytale that no one could have imagined in this form.” The music documentary became a cinematic sensation and an international success. Along with an Academy Award nomination for best documentary film, “Buena Vista Social Club” won in the same category at the European Film Awards, the German Film Prize in Gold, Germany’s Golden Camera, and the Grand Prize for Film in Brazil, as well as garnering numerous other awards. A Janus Films release.

Wednesday, July 13 at 9 p.m.

“Paris Is Burning”

Jennie Livingston, United States, 1990, 76m

Where does voguing come from, and what, exactly, is throwing shade? This landmark documentary provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City’s African American and Latinx Harlem drag ball scene. Made over seven years, “Paris Is Burning” offers an intimate portrait of rival fashion “houses,” from fierce contests for trophies to house mothers offering sustenance in a world rampant with homophobia and transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty. Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women—including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, and Venus Xtravaganza—“Paris Is Burning” brings it, celebrating the joy of movement, the force of eloquence, and the draw of community. A Janus Films release.

Thursday, July 21 at 10 p.m.

“Godzilla Raids Again”

Motoyoshi Oda, Japan, 1955, 81m

Toho Studios followed the enormous success of the original “Godzilla” with this sequel, efficiently directed by Motoyoshi Oda as a straight-ahead monsters-on-the-loose drama. An underrated standout among the Showa Godzilla films, “Godzilla Raids Again” introduces the monster-versus-monster format that would dominate the remainder of the series, pitting Godzilla against the ferocious, spiny Anguirus as the kaiju wreak havoc in the streets of Osaka in a series of elaborate set pieces that succeed in upping the ante for destruction. A Janus Films release.

Saturday, July 30 at 9 p.m.

Entry to all outdoor screenings will be available for free via General Admission—first-come, first-served. Advance reservations are not required; just line up along the west side of Barclay’s Grove at Hearst Plaza (30 Lincoln Center Plaza). Seating will open to the public 30 minutes before showtime. All screenings will use headsets. Learn more here.

Face coverings and proof of COVID-19 vaccination will not be required for outdoor events; however, face coverings are welcome and everyone is encouraged to complete their primary vaccination series and get boosted before attending. Learn more here.

All films will take place outdoors at Hearst Plaza (30 Lincoln Center Plaza). In the event of a postponement due to inclement weather, rain dates include July 28 and July 31. Stay tuned to @ filmlinc on Twitter and Instagram for updates.

By MARGRIRA

Special to the AmNews

Elvis Presley was deeply influenced by the gifted African American musicians in life, so much so that he “borrowed”—while others say he stole—their style, their swagger, nay their essence, and transformed it into a “presentable” state for the young, white kids of his generation. It’s on record that Muhammad Ali and Elvis became friends and that many of The King’s musical idols were men and women of color.

But back to Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Presley biopic “Elvis,” which at the time of this writing had earned an estimated $30.5 million (in weekend ticket sales) tying with “Top Gun: Maverick,” which also reported $30.5 million in sales.

It’s hard to find any music or pop culture expert that does not know Elvis and since his death, he’s been shaped into an almost mythological figure in the history of popular music.

What makes Luhrmann’s “Elvis” so delicious is that it’s made by Luhrmann. And to know this director’s work it’s not a surprise that this film is energized and packed with eye and ear candy, making the 2-hoursand-39-minutes spent in this world utterly enjoyable.

Luhrmann, you might remember, is the visual genius behind the film “Moulin Rouge!” which later was turned into a Broadway musical.

In his new film, Luhrmann does not hold back, tapping into the Elvis of our collective memory, making the music the star and stepping into the history, the roots of the music which was inspired by African Americans.

In print, Luhrmann made it clear that he would not step over the facts of the matter. “I can’t overstate enough: you can’t tell the story of Elvis Presley without telling the story of Black American rhythm and blues, Pentecostal gospel,” Luhrmann said. “It’s just completely woven in there. But I think there have been tellings of the Elvis story where that’s just kind of touched on lightly or expunged.”

Austin Butler is the 30-year-old actor who plays Elvis and he does a tremendous job, even down to Elvis’s Southern drawl. You can’t say that he looks like the legend but we do feel his passion as he tries to tap into the spirit of the man.

Luhrmann was determined to capture how Elvis, the young version, the one that thrust his hips and shook his legs like they were jelly, developed the confidence to perform like the African American musicians he was around.

Elvis’ transformation is now legend, but when he first stood up and took the stage, he was controversial and often risked being arrested. But you have to appreciate how the equally flamboyant Luhrmann chooses to shoot the images of the women in Elvis’s early shows, exploding into spontaneous screams, throwing underwear on stage, and fainting from the excitement of watching his pelvic thrusts.

In the beginning, we see the boy version of Elvis sneaking into an African American tent-show revival, where the sounds of gospel fused with the wail of the blues. It was in this world that he heard the legendary Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup (Gary Clark Jr.) sing “That’s All Right Mama” but in a slow, high, blues way.

Later, we watch what Elvis did with the stolen blues—maybe ‘borrowed’ feels better, but this film (at least) doesn’t shy away from the obvious racial divide that was part of this country’s landscape during this period. The movie follows Elvis’ career after he exploded in the mid-’50s, showing the ups and downs and the escapes from the law and angry mobs. When he starts to work with his manager Col. Parker (Tom Hanks) he repackages him as “the new Elvis” and in 1958, he encourages him to join the Army as a way to clean up his image. While stationed in Germany, Elvis meets the underage teenage Priscilla (Olivia DeJonge).

There’s a lot of material about Elvis to cover and no film could show it all. In fact, Luhrmann smartly compresses most of the 1960s into a two-minute montage, looking at his life like it was one of his movies.

Act two slides us into 1968 with Elvis’s comeback special and the drama of backstage politics in which Parker promises NBC a Christmas special.

Act three is set in Las Vegas during Elvis’ five-year residence at the International Hotel and now you might understand why the city has so many mock Elvis impersonators. Here’s where the cliché was most likely born. Here’s this former rebel who is now embracing the normality of Middle America, and of course he’s using drugs the whole time. Luhrmann’s vision of the Vegas years, with Elvis in his trademark white suit and his bigger-than-life manager Col. Parker, who had the vision to insert him into this setting, captures a period in America’s history beautifully.

Was Las Vegas Elvis’ prison? Well, it might seem that way since his manager, Parker, stuck him with a horrible contract because he needed Elvis performing at the International to pay off his own gambling debts. He didn’t care about the singer’s mental health or his health at all. He couldn’t have missed the demise of Elvis who became a pill-popping apparition of himself. So now, we begin to (sadly) understand that Elvis was “caught in a trap,” and Butler delivers a performance of an aging and deeply sad Elvis, who rediscovered success but lost everything, perfectly.

“Elvis” (Warner Bros courtesy photo)

Drake releases new dance album, ‘Honestly, Nevermind’

By JORDANNAH ELIZABETH

Special to the AmNews

After a decade-plus long reign in the global pop music scene, Drake has refreshed his sound with an unexpected release of his seventh studio album, “Honestly, Nevermind.” The album is a full-on collection of dance music inspired by Baltimore club, Jersey club and house music. The album is a far cry from his 2021 release, “Certified Lover Boy” which many felt was a rehash of trap hip hop beat ornamentation, and was seen as a rehash of sounds that he had been exploring since the beginning of his career.

Lyrically, the album moves away from his previous declarations of singledom in CLB, and leans into his emotional needs instead of his frustrations. “Honestly, Nevermind” sounds like a romantic ode to his feminine counterpart(s).

Aubrey Drake Graham has always expressed that he wrote music for women, girls and female-identified human beings but this album is focused solely on love outside of the final two tracks “Liability,” and “Jimmy Cooks,” which reveals his only feature on the album from 21 Savage. The video displaying Drake marrying 23 Instragram models in a comical video poking fun at his taste in women and misunderstood level of “playerhood.” It is not the point of whether he is an actual wannabe polygamist as the majority of the songs on the album seem to focus on one woman (at a time at the very least).

“Texts Go Green” and “Overdrive” continues the lyrical pattern of Drake experiencing abandonment, an imbalance of power (he being the one lacking it), and his inability to make a long-lasting connection sets the tone for the entire album which sounds like a coherent story.

The entire album is completely clear and cohesive. This is the first time we see Drake as an easy-to-follow storyteller and musician. Drake is a musician while leaning on acclaimed producers Black Coffee, Carnage (now known under the name Gordo), Klahr and his longtime and closest collaborator 40. Sonically, the album is a pure dance music album that is a completely satisfying album that would function on the dancefloor beautifully.

“I found a new music, that’s bad news for you,” Drake sings on his flowing, beatdriven song “A Keeper.” Drake still fills the album with bite-sized Drake-isms like “Got you a Mercedes Benz, that doesn’t make you driven.” The album is easy and fun to sing along with as the lyrics are simplistic unlike bar-heavy songs from his previous album “CLB” like “The Remorse” and “7 am on Bridle Path.” He pleasantly mimics the repetitive vocals of the majority of dance music and Baltimore and Jersey club tracks, though he does offer a couple of standard rhyme latent Drake trap/drill style tracks such as the closing track “Jimmy Cooks” featuring 21 Savage and “Sticky” where he is rapping instead of singing.

“Honestly, Nevermind” is destined to be a classic dance album. It translates well in the club and is also a comforting body of work that woos and calls the listener in. Drake’s decision to make a concise concept album has become a reality, and a successful one at that.

By LINDA ARMSTRONG Special to the AmNews

L-R): L Morgan Lee (Thought 1), Jason Veasey (Thought 5), John-Michael Lyles (Thought 3), Jaquel Spivey (Usher), John-Andrew Morrison (Thought 4), James Jackson Jr. (Thought 2), Antwayn Hopper (Thought 6 ) in “A Strange Loop” (Marc J. Franklin photos)

(L-R): James Jackson Jr. (Thought 2), L Morgan Lee (Thought 1), Antwayn Hopper (Thought 6), John-Andrew Morrison (Thought 4), Jaquel Spivey (Usher), Jason Veasey (Thought 5), John-Michael Lyles (Thought 3) in “A Strange Loop”

“A Strange Loop” is stunning audiences on Broadway! Michael R. Jackson, the book, music and lyric creator, is sharing a very personal story with the audience through the lead character of Usher. Jackson is telling the traumas he suffered growing up an as Black, overwreight gay man. Jackson was looking for love, acceptance and understanding, but instead found rejection, condemnation and criticism from his mother, father and brother. No one was on his side. No one spoke up on his behalf. Jackson lets the audience experience his Thoughts—his fears, doubts, worries, frustration and insecurities—through Usher and the performances of six incredible actors who play Thoughts 1 through 6 and also switch off on playing his mother and his father. The actors also play his brother and friends. Usher is a Black, fat gay man, who is a theater usher and has aspirations of writing a musical about a Black, fat gay man, writing a musical about a Black, fat gay man.

Usher constantly questions his ability to write this musical, and takes the audience step-by-step through his concerns and ideas. Although he desperately needs money to pay his student loans at NYU, Usher fights tooth and nail to adhere to his principles. He is given the opportunity to ghostwrite a gospel musical for Tyler Perry, something his mother has also been encouraging him to do. If he’s going to write a musical, she begs him, write a gospel music like Tyler Perry, because he only writes Black gospel musicals that reflect “real life.” Usher is hilarious as he creates a spoof, depicting different stereotypical Black women characters that Perry features in his musicals. The audience was in tears, they were laughing so hard.

Usher’s parents are church-going folks who have told him his whole life that being gay is a sin. They hold out hope that he will “stop this.” His mother wants him to get married and give her grandchildren. His parents constantly ask if he’s having sex with men and whether he has HIV. Not the most comfortable family conversation. Between Usher and his six personifications of his thoughts, which cover emotions such as self-loathing and sexual ambivalence, we have a young man who is truly struggling to find meaning, love and acceptance in his life. One of the sad aspects of Usher’s desperation for physical love is that he is rejected by Black gay men and has to engage in sex with older white men. Jaquel Spivey, who plays Usher and is making his Broadway debut, brings both compassion and empathy to the role. He also has a wonderful singing voice. The other six actors give some of the most powerful, hilarious and wayn Hopper, James Jackson Jr., L Morgan Lee, John-Michael Lyons, John-Andrew Morrison and Jason Veasey. One of the fantastic aspects of this musical is the nontraditional casting and how actors switch in the same role. Usher’s son and Morrison. Usher’s father is terrifically portrayed by both Hopper and Veasey.

“A Strange Loop” is performed with raw language, but when we think of our short-comings, fears and disappointments, are we not hard on ourselves and use raw language as we think about what we consider our shortcomings? Jackson is just bold enough to put the words on the stage for all to hear.

This musical, which has delightful choreography by Raja Feather Kelly, can also boast marvelous direction by Stephen Brackett. “A Strange Loop” is shining a light and gives a voice to a group of people—LGBTQIA, that is often ridiculed and made to feel less than human. This musical says they are here, they deserve to live, love and feel special and appreciated just like anyone else. When you go to see “A Strange Loop” bring someone with you who needs that love, recognition, appreciation and a chance to laugh as hard and long as humanly possible.

“A Strange Loop” is playing at the Lyceum Theatre on West 45th Street. Go experience this one-ofa-kind musical!