Go! Magazine • July 17, 2015

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ST. LOUIS’ GUIDE TO THINGS TO DO

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BY JOE WILLIAMS

HOW YOU CAN GET ON ‘THE BIGGEST LOSER’ WWE WRESTLER RYBACK SEIZES A SECOND CHANCE LUCKY BUDDHA SUCCEEDS WITH UNIQUE DISHES

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07.17.15–07.23.15 • STLTODAY.COM/GO •

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17 Surprise star Film novice Amy Schumer shines as writer and star of “Trainwreck,” the year’s funniest movie. BY JOE WILLIAMS

SUNDAY! Amy Schumer (left) and Brie Larson in “Trainwreck” TUESDAY, AUG. 4

19 Unsolved mystery In “Mr. Holmes,” Ian McKellen plays the immortal Sherlock Holmes as we’ve never seen him before.

19 Flying blindly The story of “Aloft,” rejiggered since its original festival debut, leaves a lot to be desired.

ARIANA GRANDE SUNDAY, OCT. 4

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6 Guitar hero Ry Cooder is immersed in country music and having the time of his life.

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11 Second act Tawaine Noah, formerly of Union Tree Review, is hitting the stage for a one-time-only theatrical show. BY KEVIN C. JOHNSON

ON THE COVER

Lately, it’s women who are making us laugh, led by Amy Schumer, who stars in ‘Trainwreck’

BY JOE WILLIAMS

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HOW YOU CAN GET ON ‘THE BIGGEST LOSER’ WWE WRESTLER RYBACK SEIZES A SECOND CHANCE

SEE+DO 12 In fighting shape WWE wrestler Ryback (aka Ryan Reeves) hopes to leverage recent momentum into a run at the World Heavyweight Championship.

BY MARK MATOUSEK

LUCKY BUDDHA SUCCEEDS WITH UNIQUE DISHES

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Comedian Amy Schumer performs in February for Comedy Central’s “Night of Too Many Stars: America Comes Together for Autism Programs.”

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BY DANIEL DURCHHOLZ COPYRIGHT 2015 • Go! Magazine is published Fridays by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Lee Enterprises. No part of Go! Magazine may be reproduced without prior written consent. For permissions requests, reprints, back issues and more information, call 314-340-8000, or visit STLTODAY.COM/CONTACT. For distribution information, call STL Distribution Services at 314-556-6404.

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SATURDAY, SEPT. 19

4 Best Bets Our critics pick the best events in the week ahead, including the World Naked Bike Ride, “Anything Goes” at Stages, author William Joyce at Left Bank Books, the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase at the Tivoli and Fifth Harmony at the Peabody.

Plus, what to look forward to in the coming weeks.

7 Together again Band reunions are a dime a dozen, but Veruca Salt’s return represents a strong bond. BY MARK MATOUSEK

Tina F ey

24•7

RECENTLY ANNOUNCED Headliners Boyz II Men

6 Showing off The new Music @ the Intersection festival aims to put the spotlight on Grand Center. BY MARK MATOUSEK

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UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR presented by

13 Funny ladies Amy Schumer, who stars in the new “Trainwreck,” is the latest in a long line of female comedians to make us LOL. BY JOE WILLIAMS

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PEABODY OPERA HOUSE

COVER STORY

27 Casting call Being selected for “The Biggest Loser” can be like winning the lottery for someone looking to lose weight. BY GAIL PENNINGTON

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STAYING IN

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Featuring locker room tours, giveaways, merchandise discounts, appearances by Louie and Blues alumni and more!

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FRIDAY, AUG. 21

ST. LOUIS’ GUIDE TO THINGS TO DO

THURSDAY, AUG. 13

To see our complete upcoming events schedule, please visit

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SUNDAY, JUL. 19

18 Shrinking man “Ant-Man,” starring Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas, is a rare Marvel movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously. BY JOE WILLIAMS

S T .

Here’s what we’re looking forward to in the coming week

“Hitting the gym to undo last weekend’s foodfest.” •

OUR TEAM Gabe Hartwig / editor 314-340-8353 / ghartwig@post-dispatch.com Jody Mitori / Post-Dispatch assistant managing editor for features 314-340-8240 / jmitori@post-dispatch.com

“Heading down to Arkansas to do the summercabin thing with the family. If you don’t see me next week, alert authorities.” •

“Showing friends the town, especially the Delmar Loop.” •

IN FREE SLOTPLAY ®

FRIDAYS IN JULY H 6PM - 1OPM

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“Tame Impala’s new album, ‘Currents.’ ” •

Donna Bischoff / Post-Dispatch vice president of advertising 314-340-8529 / dbischoff@post-dispatch.com WRITERS AND CRITICS Ian Froeb / restaurant critic, beer writer Caitlin Grove / arts writer Jane Henderson / book editor Kevin C. Johnson / pop music critic Mark Matousek / arts writer Sarah Bryan Miller / classical music critic Daniel Neman / food writer Judith Newmark / theater critic Gail Pennington / television critic Joe Williams / film critic Calvin Wilson / arts writer

GRAND FINALE DRAWING AT 1O:3OPM FRIDAY, JULY 31 Sw ip e for one f re e e nt r y d aily Addit ion al e nt r y for e ve r y 50 p oint s e a r ne d .

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OVERHEARD ONLINE On our guide to St. Louis food trucks MICHELLE GARMON, VIA FACEBOOK: “Come visit 13 different St. Louis food trucks in St. Ann Park on July 19 from noon to 5 p.m. Face painting, pony rides, music and ST LTO DAY.CO M /G O great food!” ➙ LISA RICKARD, VIA FACEBOOK: “I used to work where these trucks used to come all the time. I miss it!” ➙ On LouFest’s band schedule TONY LIPPERT, VIA FACEBOOK: “After the last two years, it’s just weak. Saturday is especially bad (except for Robert DeLong). Thank God for $50 two-day tickets; I would not pay any more for this lineup.” ➙ TODD BREER, VIA FACEBOOK: “Is there something else going on on Saturday that the event organizers don’t want people to show up to LouFest?” stltoday.com/go

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07.17.15–07.23.15 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • GO! MAGAZINE

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Ian Rothbarth (left) and Galve Deleste at the 2014 World Naked Bike Ride.

BETS FRIDAY ‘Anything Goes’ WHEN 8 p.m. Friday, through Aug. 16 • WHERE Kirkwood Community Center’s Robert J. Reim Theatre, 111 South Geyer Road • HOW MUCH $20-$57 • MORE INFO 314821-2407; stagesstlouis.org

St. Louis ✔ Stages presents Cole Porter’s sophisticated musical, a treasure that comes packed with musical standards — “You’re the Top,” “DeLovely,” “I Get a Kick out of You” — and a crazy plot that finds an heiress, a glamorous nightclub singer and a gangster, the underrated Public Enemy No. 13, sailing on the same ocean liner.

“Anything Goes” comes from an era when musicals were allowed to be silly as long as the songs and dances sparkled. Like a fine Champagne, this show wears its vintage proudly. BY JUDITH NEWMARK

events are ✔ These Editor’s Picks

WHEN 8 p.m. Friday • WHERE Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Boulevard • HOW MUCH $40-$125 • MORE INFO 314-534-1111; MetroTix.com

Father and son jazz guitarists Bucky and John Pizzarelli will honor the memory of the late pianist and St. Louis naitve Ray Kennedy with this benefit concert, backed

by Martin Pizzarelli on bass and Konrad Paszkudzki on piano.

Kennedy was for many years a member of John Pizzarelli’s band.

This promises to be an evening of heartfelt and swinging music.

BY CALVIN WILSON

‘The Runaway Cupcake: A Play About Eating for Families Who Eat’ WHEN 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday; July 24-26 • WHERE SweetArt bakery, 2203 South 39th Street • HOW MUCH $20; $12 for ages 2-15; free for those under 2 • MORE INFO onsitetheatre.com

OnSite Theatre, which specializes in sitespecific productions, has shown that you can stage a play almost anywhere, from a bowling alley to an old mansion to a moving bus. Now it mounts its first show for families in Reine and Cbabi Bayoc’s SweetArt bakery and art studio in the Shaw neighborhood. The new

SATURDAY World Naked Bike Ride WHEN 7 p.m. Saturday; preride festivities begin at 5 p.m. • WHERE Gather at HandleBar, 4127 Manchester Avenue • HOW MUCH Free • MORE INFO wnbrstl.org

body positivity and road safety ✔ Support at the World Naked Bike Ride, which comes to St. Louis on Saturday. The 12-mile ride through the city will be preceded and followed by festivities in the Grove. Helmets are encouraged; clothing is optional.

BY MARK MATOUSEK

play — which OnSite commissioned from Nancy Bell, playwrightin-residence for Shakespeare Festival St. Louis and author of its Shakespeare in the Streets productions — tells a modern folktale about a baker whose efforts to fend off a demanding bill collector are thwarted by a mischievous cupcake with a gift for magic. Shanara Gabrielle directs the show; Ann Marie Mohr

is OnSite’s artistic director. BY JUDITH NEWMARK

Levinson’s book “Watch Out for the Flying Kids,” she delves into each of these worlds over the course of five years, following nine troupers and exploring the ways in which these kids overcome prejudice and stereotypes to create enchanting spectacles. The event includes a performance

by Circus Hamony.

the band’s frontman Aaron Bruno said in a statement “there is not one second on the record that hasn’t been thoughtfully placed. Every single element serves a purpose.” The show also includes Panic! at the Disco, Cold War Kids, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness and Vinyl Theatre.

BY CAITLIN GROVE

BY KEVIN C. JOHNSON

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Cynthia Levinson

AWOLNATION

William Joyce

WHEN 7 p.m. Friday • WHERE Left Bank Books, 399 North Euclid Avenue • HOW MUCH Free • MORE INFO left-bank.com

WHEN 5 p.m. Saturday • WHERE Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 14141 Riverport Drive, Maryland Heights • HOW MUCH $20-$45 • MORE INFO Livenation.com

WHEN 1 p.m. Sunday • WHERE Left Bank Books, 399 North Euclid Avenue • HOW MUCH Free • MORE INFO left-bank.com

Worlds apart, Circus Harmony of St. Louis and Circus Galilee of Israel each unite kids from varying backgrounds to produce an entertaining, cultural experience. In Cynthia

Rock band AWOLNATION is back with its follow-up to 2011’s “Megalithic Symphony” with its latest album “Run.” Years in the making,

✔ Fabulous children’s author and illustrator William Joyce (“Rolie Polie Olie,” “The Leaf Men”) takes a break from his Guardians of Childhood series with something

FAST FORWARD “Clueless” at St. Louis Art Museum’s Outdoor Film Series, July 24 on Art Hill: The screening, part of SLAM’s big-anniversary series, marks 20 years of the film starring Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash and Brittany Murphy ➙ Jim Gaffigan, Aug. 2 at the Peabody Opera House: The star of TV Land’s new “Jim Gaffigan Show” brings his “Contagious” tour to town ➙ Shania Twain, Aug. 4 at Scottrade Center: The country star is on what she says will be her final tour ➙ Missouri and Illinois state fairs, Aug. 13-23 in Sedalia, Mo., and Springfield, Ill.: Get your fill of funnel cakes, Ferris wheels and fried things on sticks at two state fairs

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GO! MAGAZINE • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • 07.17.15–07.23.15

totally different. “Billy’s Booger” is a picture book based on Joyce’s own grade-school years, when he wrote his first book. The tale of the world’s smartest booger is Billy’s attempt to win a creative writing contest, and its subject is guaranteed to amuse its audience. BY JANE HENDERSON

St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase

director could be sitting in the same Starbucks, editing a coming-of-age drama on her laptop.

The St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase is dedicated to presenting the work of St. Louis-area directors to their peers and the public. Many of the documentaries and narratives in the fiveday fest are shorts, grouped thematically; but more and more, local filmmakers are

WHEN Sunday through Thursday • WHERE Tivoli Theatre, 6350 Delmar Boulevard • HOW MUCH $12 per program • MORE INFO cinemastlouis.org

you’re ✔ As reading this, the next great American

Jim Gaffigan

Find more events, and get your own events listed for free ➙ events.stltoday.com stltoday.com/go

P H O T O S : C R I S T I N A M . F L E T E S / P O S T- D I S PAT C H ( W O R L D N A K E D B I K E R I D E ) ; T V L A N D ( G A F F I G A N )

BEST

‘A Celebration of the Life & Music of Ray Kennedy’

accepting the challenge of making features. We’re especially excited about the opening night film, “Sleep with Me,” a sexually charged drama from Brian Jun (whose “Steel City” played at Sundance in 2006).

And word on the street is that Efi da Silva, whose “Four Way Stop” closes the fest Thursday evening, just might be the person you’ve been seeing at the Starbucks. BY JOE

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23 AT 8PM ON SALE NOW!

WILLIAMS

TUESDAY Food Truck/ Food Drive Night WHEN 5-8 p.m. Tuesday • WHERE Howdershell Park, 6810 Howdershell Road • HOW MUCH Free • MORE INFO 314-731-0980

Just in time for National Junk Food Day, Hazelwood will host a food truck and food drive night on Tuesday. Participants include Bombay Food Junkies, Sarah’s Cake Stop, JuiceMasters, Russo’s Trucktoria, 2 Girls 4 Wheels, Completely Sauced and Schlafly. Attendees are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to donate to T.E.A.M. Food Pantry, which serves families in Hazelwood and Florrisant. BY MARK MATOUSEK

THURSDAY Fifth Harmony WHEN 7 p.m. Thursday • WHERE Peabody Opera House, 1400 Market Street • HOW MUCH $22-$52 • MORE INFO Ticketmaster.com

Girl group Fifth Harmony has the distinction of having been assembled on live TV, on the long-gone “X Factor” reality competition. The girls have outlasted that show, which never really caught on, and their debut album is the cute “Reflection.” The concert also features Debby Ryan and the Never Ending, Natalie LaRose and Bea Miller. BY KEVIN C. JOHNSON

✔

THURSDAY UniverSoul Circus WHEN Thursday through Aug. 2 • WHERE Jamestown Mall, 100 Jamestown Mall, Florissant • HOW MUCH $16-$35 • MORE INFO Ticketmaster.com

UniverSoul Circus is rolling back into

Save the date for our Fall Arts Preview event

P H O T O : A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S

We are thrilled to announce our first Fall Arts Preview party to celebrate St. Louis’ thriving arts scene.

Join us from 6 to 10 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Luminary, 2701 Cherokee Street, for an evening filled with live painting, dance performances, live music and more.

You’ll also get a sneak peek at what’s coming from favorite

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venues and emerging St. Louis artists.

Tickets are $10 and include tastings from local restaurants (thanks to our partners at Feast magazine), samples from our drink partners and a free photo booth.

Find a link to buy tickets at stltoday. com/hotlist.

We’re also offering free booth space at

town, with its unique blend of circus arts, theater and musical genres from pop and R&B to jazz and gospel. Can’t-miss acts include trapeze artists, synchronized zebras, daredevil motorcyclists, Caribbean dancers,

the event for three nonprofit groups.

Your organization can apply to get one of the free spaces by sending an e-mail to ae@post-dispatch. com. In the e-mail, please include: • The name and mission of your organization • Why you want to have a spot at our party • What event(s) or performance you have coming in the fall

From left: Lauren Jauregui, Ally Brooke and Normani Kordei of Fifth Harmony acrobats, Asian elephants and a clown brigade. The circus’ multitalented ringmaster Lucky Malatsi of Johannesburg, South Africa, brings experience as a hiphop dancer, acrobat, teeterboard flyer, trampoline artist and more. Check universoulcircus. com for promotions and discounts. BY

Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center 800-745-3000 ticketmaster.com

PeabodyOperaHouse.com FOR MATURE AUDIENCES

GABE HARTWIG

• How you would perform or demonstrate your work at the event.

The deadline to apply is Tuesday.

Watch for Go! Magazine’s Emerging Artists issue Aug. 21.

And find the Fall Arts Preview in the Aug. 30 P-D A&E section.

07.17.15–07.23.15 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • GO! MAGAZINE

5

SHAZAM ST. LOUIS TOP 10

St. Louis’ most-Shazamed songs for July 14 1 “All Eyes On You” (Meek Mill feat. Chris Brown & Nicki Minaj) • 2 “Cha Cha” (D.R.A.M.) • 3 “Comfortable” (K Camp) • 4 “Million” (Tink) • 5 “Real Sisters” (Future) • 6 “Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn remix)” (Omi) • 7 “Can’t Feel My Face” (The Weeknd) • 8 “My Way” (Fetty Wap) • 9 “This Could Be Us” (Rae Sremmurd) • 10 “One Man Can Change the World” (Big Sean feat. Kanye West & John Legend) ➙ See the full list at stltoday.com/hotlist Hansen

Q&A

Musical hero

Ry Cooder says he’s immersed in country music and having the most fun he’s ever had onstage

BY DANIEL DURCHHOLZ / SPECIAL TO GO! MAGAZINE

R

y Cooder has occasionally been given some bad advice over the course of his roughly half-century-long music career. Lucky for him, he hasn’t listened to much of it, including one particularly bad tip he was given early on.

“One guy told me, ‘Get yourself a pair of leather pants, why don’t you?’” Cooder says with a laugh by phone from his home in Santa Monica, Calif. “They thought I was going to be a guitar hero, but I didn’t care about all that.”

As it turned out, Cooder didn’t become so much a guitar hero — though to be clear, he’s one of the finest, yet least ostentatious, instrumentalists out there — as he is a musical hero. His long string of great but commercially

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under-the-radar solo albums investigates and propagates various forms of roots and world music.

A thumbnail summary of Cooder’s career includes his playing with Captain Beefheart, forming a band with Taj Mahal and getting ripped off by the Rolling Stones (but that’s another story).

He’s composed the soundtracks for films including “The Long Riders,” “The Border” and “Paris, Texas.” He’s recorded handsacross-the-water collaborations with Indian classical musician V.M. Bhatt, Malian guitar great Ali Farka Toure and others. And he produced and played on the surprise worldwide smash “Buena Vista Social Club.”

These days, Cooder is immersed in country music. But he’s not trendily parachuting into Nashville like rockers Steven Ty-

GO! MAGAZINE • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • 07.17.15–07.23.15

have been added along the way.

Perhaps the biggest (and best) surprise for all concerned was that the original concept of the tour was eventually expanded to include all of the Whites — Sharon’s sister Cheryl and their father, 84-year-old Buck White.

Longtime Skaggs bassist Mark Fain and Cooder’s percussionist son Joachim round out the ensemble.

“We rehearsed with (Buck White) a few times,” Cooder says, “and I realized, ‘Man, this is where it’s at.’ I thought there’s no way — we can’t do this without him.”

Sharon White admits some trepidation about bringing her aged father out on the road. But now she’s glad he came along.

The shows have been “perfect, for every reason,” she says. “For one thing, Dad’s piano playing — he’s like no other player on the planet. He’s one of the last ones left from that era that can bring that feel. When he plays one of these old country or rockabilly songs, it’s like first-generation.

It’s not wannabe or a copycat.

This is the real deal.”

“I feel like this is the kind of thing you should do,” Cooder says. “Bring your elders and betters with you, and the richness is there. I consider myself a fan of this music. But Buck White is more of a source person. And I know Ricky feels this way. He upholds the old-timers and he’s spent most of his life with oldtimers.”

Cooder adds with a laugh, “So we’re the old-timers now. It comes down to that, you see.”

WHAT Ry Cooder, Sharon White & Ricky Skaggs • WHEN 8 p.m. Monday • WHERE The

Sheldon, 3648 Washington Boulevard • HOW MUCH $50-$55 • MORE INFO 314-534-1111

Music and more will be showcased at Grand Center fest On Friday, Music @ the Intersection kicks off for what will be an annual event. The festival will showcase local music, restaurants and retailers. Kranzberg Arts Center director of operations Chris Hansen talks about his goals for the event.

What prompted you to start the festival? We are always looking for creative ways to activate our neighborhood in the summertime. We’ve got some amazing new spaces that we wanted to show off — retail and performance venues.

And we wanted to come together and show collaboration in our community and bring a really local, St. Louis-focused event to Grand Center. What are your goals for the festival’s first year?

Some of our natural goals are to help our local retailers feature their products. So we want to see our restaurants get more attention for what they’re doing. We want to see our performance venues get more attention, more traffic for what they’re doing. What’s the biggest challenge you faced in starting the festival? It’s always hard to pick what bands would be appropriate. We’re featuring the best of St. Louis, and there’s so many great options.

BY MARK MATOUSEK WHAT Music @ the Intersection • WHEN 5 p.m.

Friday; continues Aug. 14 and Sept. 11 • WHERE Grand Center • HOW MUCH Free • MORE INFO grandcenter.org

Find more music events, photos and concert news ➙ stltoday.com/music stltoday.com/go

P H O T O S : A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S ( C O O D E R ) ; H A N D O U T ( H A N S E N )

Ry Cooder

ler, Sheryl Crow and Don Henley. He’s digging back into the country music he heard in his youth — songs by legends such as Jimmy Martin, the Stanley Brothers, Hank Snow and the Louvin Brothers. And he’s doing it in collaboration with Grammy-winning country and bluegrass great Ricky Skaggs, Skaggs’ wife, Sharon White, and her family band, country vocal group the Whites.

“I love it,” Cooder says.

“It’s the most fun I’ve had onstage. I used to think I was never gonna get the chance to play this stuff. You can play it as good as you want, but you have to be able to sing it. And the Skaggs/Whites do that. Their ace card is singing. So I get to join in and make four-part (harmony) out of it, and it’s just perfect.”

Cooder and Skaggs had long been mutual admirers, both being not only top-shelf instrumentalists, but also musical historians and keepers-of-theflame. Communicating by email and text, Cooder first invited Skaggs to play on a Haden Triplets album he was producing.

Next, he asked to join Skaggs and White on a benefit concert for ailing musician Tony Rice.

At that show, “We just fell in love with each other,” White said in a separate interview.

Last year, Cooder played on the Skaggs/White album “Hearts Like Ours.” And then Rosanne Cash invited all of them to participate in a series of concerts she is curating this fall at Carnegie Hall. A few concerts were scheduled to practice and pick a repertoire for the Carnegie show, and more dates

Reunited and refreshed, Veruca Salt is ready for its second act

BY MARK MATOUSEK / MMATOUSEK@POST-DISPATCH.COM

I

n today’s tour-driven music economy, reunions are a dime a dozen, but rarely do they arise from the mending of a friendship as profound as the one shared by Louise Post and Nina Gordon, who formed the band Veruca Salt in the ’90s.

Success came early with “Seether,” the band’s breakout single, which propelled its 1994 debut album, “American Thighs,” to sell more than a million copies.

After its second album, 1997’s “Eight Arms to Hold You,” Veruca Salt’s rapid ascent began to strain Post’s and Gordon’s relationship, which reached a breaking point while working on the band’s third album.

“There were many things that broke us apart,” Post says, “but there was a dude involved, and it was such a cliche, when all was said and done, that we had fallen prey to just a simple catfight, and there was much more than that, but we had become the worst imaginings of what we could have become, and that was really hard for us to digest.”

Veruca Salt

Gordon left the band in 1998, transitioning to a solo career while Post continued to operate under the Veruca Salt moniker. While both continued to write and release music, Post longed for Gordon’s input.

“I’ve definitely made records on my own, but beyond a certain point, I just didn’t have the drive anymore without her by my side,” Post says.

That changed in 2012, when Gordon noticed a Coachella lineup that featured the reunited dream pop band Mazzy Star.

“They were a part of the fabric that we knew as a young band,” Post says, “so to see them reuniting, I think it was the feeling that they hadn’t played together in 15 years, it made Nina, specifically Nina, want to get back together and play again.”

Gordon contacted Post, and the two began to discuss a potential one-off reunion show. But after rekindling their creative chemistry, they realized that rehashing old material wouldn’t suffice.

“We were just thinking we might do a reunion show or two, but as soon as we picked up our guitars and started singing, all this new material started pouring out of us,” Post says, “and we knew that playing old material wouldn’t be enough.”

The new songs became “Ghost Notes,” the band’s first album since 2006, and the first featuring its original lineup since “Eight Arms to Hold You.” While Gordon and Post shared songwriting duties for the first two Veruca Salt albums, their time apart had the paradoxical effect of making them more cohesive collaborators.

The duo’s growth became clear when they reworked an old Gordon bside, “Black and Blonde,” for the album. Originally a vitriolic screed aimed at Post, it became a testament to the strength of the duo’s reconciliation.

“We just turned it on its head as a band, and structurally changed it a bit, lyrically changed it, and it’s much more about what happened to us as two women in the industry trying to face a pretty healthy measure of success and not having the tools with which to do it,” Post says.

Post and Gordon no longer need songs to air their grievances. Armed with the wisdom of experience, Veruca Salt is ready for its second act, whatever it may hold.

“We have no idea what’s next,” Post says, “We’re going to ride this wave and see where it takes us.”

PHOTO: TOMMY CAHILL

WHAT Veruca Salt, Charly Bliss • WHEN 8 p.m Wednesday • WHERE The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Avenue • HOW MUCH $25 • MORE INFO Ticketfly.com

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SPECIAL EXHIBITION 07.17.15–07.23.15 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • GO! MAGAZINE

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SNEAK A PEEK EVERY THURSDAY. Get a preview of Go! Magazine each week in your email by subscribing to our free newsletter.

STLTODAY.COM/NEWSLETTERS

NOW HEAR THIS 14th Street Artist Community 2701 N. 14th St. • Rhythm and Blues in the Afternoon, 1 p.m. Friday.

BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups 700 S. Broadway

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A m y P oe

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ah Silv Sar er

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• Patti Thomas & the Hitmen, 4 p.m. Saturday.

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• Soulard Blues Band, 10 p.m. Saturday.

Bellerive Park 5570 S. Broadway • Carondelet 27th Annual Concerts in the Park Series, 7 p.m. Monday.

Broadway Oyster Bar 736 S. Broadway • Big George Brock, 10 p.m. Friday.

• Soulard Blues Band presents: The Longest Running Blues Jam Session in the Nation, 9 p.m. Monday.

Carondelet Park 3900 Holly Hills Blvd.

• Jason Nelson Band, 5 p.m. Friday.

Schmitty’s Bar and Grill 102 N. Main St.

• Patrick Thomson & the Black Tie Affair, 4 p.m. Saturday.

• Country Bill and the Cadillac Daddies, 4 p.m. Sunday.

Jacoby Arts Center 627 E. Broadway

Show-Me’s Sports Bar & Grill 1792 N. New Florissant Road

• Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce Summer Concert Series, 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Focal Point 2720 Sutton Blvd.

• Shari Kane & Dave Steele, 8 p.m. Saturday.

Frontier Park 300 S. Riverside Dr. • Band Concert On the River, 8 p.m. Thursday.

Fubar 3108 Locust St. • Helsott, Draconis at FUBAR, 7 p.m.

Saturday.

• Modern Life Is War, 7 p.m. Sunday.

Griot Museum of Black History 2505 St. Louis Ave. • A Cast of Blues, 10 a.m. Friday.

Hammerstone’s 2028 S. Ninth St. • David Dee and the Hot Tracks, 9 p.m. Friday.

• Honky Tonk Happy Hour, 4 p.m. Friday.

Citygarden • Free Concert Series, 11 a.m. Wednesday.

• Erik Brooks, 8 p.m. Sunday.

The Dark Room 615 N. Grand Blvd.

• Mo Egeston Solo Piano Fridays, 7 p.m. Friday.

• Tim Albert & the Boogiemen, 9 p.m. Saturday.

• Jam Session with Voo Doo Blues, 4 p.m. Sunday.

• Tim Albert & Stovehandle Dan with Randy, 7 p.m. Monday.

• Naked Mike, 7 p.m. Tuesday.

• Pik’n Lik’n, 7 p.m.

Wednesday.

• Jeremiah Johnson Band, 8 p.m. Thursday.

Fairmount Park 9301 Collinsville Road

Helen Fitzgerald’s 3650 S. Lindbergh Blvd.

• Paint the Earth, 6 p.m. Friday.

• The Dirty Muggs, 9 p.m. Friday.

Fanetti Park Michigan and Ivory avenues

Heman Park 1028 Midland Blvd.

• Carondelet 27th

GO! MAGAZINE • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • 07.17.15–07.23.15

Faust Park 15185 Olive Blvd.

• T&A, 3 p.m. Saturday.

• Banjo Music, 7 p.m. Thursday.

8

Hilton at the Ballpark 1 S. Broadway

• Carondelet 27th Annual Concerts in the Park Series, 6 p.m. Sunday.

Concordia Turner Hall 6432 Gravois Ave.

& the Bee’s Knees, 6 p.m. Thursday.

Annual Concerts in the Park Series, 7 p.m. Tuesday.

• Starlight Concert Series, 6 p.m. Sunday.

• James Hegarty Trio, 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Kranzberg Arts Center 501 N. Grand Blvd.

• Sinatra At 100 with Joe Scalzitti, the St. Louis Big Band, 7 p.m. Thursday.

Los Cabos 1287 Jungermann Road • The Morgantown Duo, 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Luminary Center for the Arts 2701 Cherokee St. • Son Lux with Landlady, 9 p.m. Friday.

Market in the Loop 6655 Delmar Blvd.

• University City Summer Band, 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Nightshift Bar and Grill 3979 Mexico Road • Liquid Doll, 9 p.m. Saturday.

Off Broadway 3509 Lemp Ave.

• Friday Night Live, 8 p.m. Friday.

Sky Music Lounge 930 Kehrs Mill Road • Good Medicine Revival, 6 p.m. Friday.

• Jake’s Leg, 9 p.m. Friday.

Syberg’s 2430 Old Dorsett Road • The Dirty Muggs, 9 p.m. Saturday.

Thurman Grill 4069 Shenandoah Ave. • Box of Nerves, 8 p.m. Friday.

• Bob “Bumblebee” Kamoske, 8 p.m.

Saturday.

• Acoustics Anonymous’ Neil Salsich, John Hussung and Friends, 7 p.m. Wednesday.

• Joe Mancuso and Dave Black, 7 p.m. Thursday.

Tim’s Chrome Bar 4736 Gravois Ave.

• Humming House, 8 p.m. Sunday.

• Tommy Flynn One Man Oldies Band, 9 p.m. Saturday.

Ozark Theatre 103 E. Lockwood Ave.

Way Out Club 2525 S. Jefferson Ave.

• Carolbeth True & Two Times True, 8 p.m. Saturday.

• Ever More Broken, Doom City Outlaws, Divide the Empire, 9 p.m. Friday.

• St. Louis Jazz Club Presents Jazz Pianist Pat Joyce, 4 p.m. Sunday.

Patrick’s Westport Grill 342 West Port Plaza • The Ultra Violets, 9 p.m. Friday.

• Plastic, 9 p.m.

Saturday.

Ritz-Carlton 100 Carondelet Place • Barrels, Bourbon

• Almost Nameless, 9 p.m. Saturday.

Wildey Theatre 252 N. Main St. • “Always ... Patsy Cline,” 7 p.m. Friday.

World Chess Hall of Fame 4652 Maryland Ave. • Monthly Music Series: Tommy Halloran’s Guerrilla Swing, 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Find more events, and get your own events listed for free ➙ events.stltoday.com stltoday.com/go

stltoday.com/go

07.17.15–07.23.15 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • GO! MAGAZINE

9

• Open Highway Music Festival with Ha Ha Tonka, Craig Finn, 8 p.m.

Aug. 7, $17-$20.

Duck Room at Blueberry Hill Ticketmaster.com

• The Educated Guess, Syno So Pro, 8:30 p.m. Aug. 21, $5.

• Josh Rouse, 8 p.m. Sept. 18, $25.

• The Mountain Goats (solo), 8 p.m. Sept. 8, $20.

The Firebird Ticketfly.com • Brian Posehm, 8:30 p.m. Oct. 14, $20, on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.

• Prong, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 25, $15-$17.

Fox Theatre MetroTix.com • K. Michelle, Azealia Banks, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17, $45$100 with limited VIP available, on sale at 10 a.m. July 24.

Old Rock House MetroTix.com • Keller Williams Trio featuring Rob Wasserman and Rodney Holmes, 8:30 p.m. Sept.

18, $25-$28.

• Sidewalk Chalk, Tiffany Elle, Adam & Kizzie, DJ Nune, 8 p.m.

Sept. 23, $8-$10.

• California Honeydrops, 8 p.m.

Sept. 30, $10-$12.

• Mother Falcon and Ben Sollee — The Fall Migration, 8 p.m. Nov. 1, $14-$16.

• The Bluegrass Ball with the Travelin’ McCourys with Drew Emmitt and Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon, 8 p.m.

Nov. 30, $25-$28.

iPARTY Train • July 11 • Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre 1 Katie Byrd and Bradley Coloma, both of St. Louis • 2 Jeanne and Jerry Pinnon of St. Louis • 3 Kerry Condreay (left) and Jessica Strautmann, both of St. Louis • 4 Bryce Joiner and Jaymie Hauversburk, both of St. Louis • 5 John Casserly and Sandi Garcia, both of St. Peters • 6 Kasun and Dini Kodippili of Columbia, Mo. • 7 From left: Shelby Nord, Christine Gooch and Katie Larabee, all of St. Louis • 8 From left: Kurt Diekmann, Deborah Porcielli and Tom Weiler, all of St. Louis • 9 From left: Janet, Izzy and Eric Leggitt, all of Edwardsville • 10 Kyaira (left) and Kylin Nichols of St. Louis • 11 Sarah Carlson (left) and Dorothy Haskell, both of St. Louis • 12 Bob and Lisa Nichols of St. Peters

The Pageant Ticketmaster.com • Grace Potter, 8 p.m. Oct. 17, $30$50, on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.

• Glen Hansard, Aiofe O’Donovan, 8 p.m. Nov. 23, $27.50-$35, on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.

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Peabody Opera House Ticketmaster.com • Rob Thomas with Plain White T’s, Sept. 4 (rescheduled from July 15), original tickets will be honored, refunds available at point of purchase.

• Ozzie & Friends Benefit for Gateway PGA Reach with Boyz II Men, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, $38-$78.

The Ready Room Ticketfly.com • Kodaline, Good Old War, 8 p.m.

Oct. 8, $20-$23.

• Raheem DeVaughn, Leela James, V Bozeman, 8 p.m. Oct. 14, $26-$30, on sale at noon Friday.

Off Broadway Ticketfly.com • Open Highway

Rob Thomas

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Find iParty photos from this event and more around town, and order photo reprints and keepsake merchandise: stltoday.com/iparty

GO! MAGAZINE • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • 07.17.15–07.23.15

Find more concert announcements, music events and party pix ➙ stltoday.com/music stltoday.com/go

P H O T O S : J O N G I T C H O F F ( I PA R T Y ) ; A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S F I L E ( T H O M A S )

TICKET TRACKER

Music Festival with Bob Schneider, 8 p.m. Aug. 5, $20-$35.

Tawaine Noah

Return to the stage

The Blender Tawaine Noah’s one-time-only show

will be staged Thursday at Off Broadway

PHOTO: HANDOUT (NOAH)

BY KEVIN C. JOHNSON / POP MUSIC CRITIC / KJOHNSON@POST-DISPATCH.COM

Tawaine Noah, formerly of St. Louis rock-folk band Union Tree Review, is back with a new project, “In Distant Cities,” a “dramatic comedy theatrical concert.”

He admits the description is a bit of a mouthful. “I couldn’t think of any other way to describe it.”

But that’s the best way to sum up this one-time-only show, which will be staged Thursday night at Off Broadway.

“In Distant Cities” promises all the things in that description, though he says, “I didn’t want to harp on the drama too much. The drama aspect comes from the music. It’s pretty heavy content. But we make things a little bit goofy, too.

“And there’ll be a band onstage and 15 or so of my songs, and we’re adding things like set pieces and costumes and makeup, making it a full spectacle.”

There’s a theme to the show, camping and traveling, though there isn’t restltoday.com/blender

stltoday.com/go

@kevincjohnson

ally a storyline in “In Distant Cities.”

“We’re just taking on this theme of traveling Bohemian-style without knowing the next step of it,” Noah says.

“That’s the adventure. We’re taking that idea and surrounding it by music.

It wasn’t until we started putting it together that we realized the themes were introspective.”

Some of the songs are old demos from Union Tree Review that were never fleshed out.

“I said, ‘Let’s revive them and see what’s there.’ We definitely spruced them up,” Noah says. “Some of them are a few years old. Some of them are a few months old.”

“It’s a whimsical thing for me,” says multimedia artist Carissa Rose, the show’s creative director. “I did a lot of camping as a kid, and I’ve been traveling and sharing that with everyone.

We’re taking the show from before dawn to an entire day, making the songs complete a story.

“A lot of the songs started out as songs you would definitely be playing around the campfire and just hanging out.” @blenderpd

@kevincjohnson

Noah brought back some of his former bandmates from the last version of Union Tree Review to help him with the tunes. “I’ve always been that type of musician,” he says. “I bring people in and want them to interpret, too. Everybody has creative freedom.”

Noah promises surprises during the show as it relates to Union Tree Review, “since we didn’t necessarily break up on bad terms, not all of us anyway. And we’ve asked some older members to make cameos. We’re not reunited, but there was always something special about us.”

Also performing is F.L.Y., a rapper who is Noah’s cousin.

“That was a special thing for me,” he says. “He used to watch me do music as a kid. Very few people know this, but I used to rap. ... But I got out of the hip-hop thing. Then I found out he was rapping, releasing music and he’s actually good.

“He said he didn’t know if he would be doing this if it wasn’t for me.”

With all of that, he figured it was time to give his cousin an opportunity. “He’d never played a proper show, really. This was a cool way to give him a proper stage.”

This turn to something more theatrical for Noah may come as a surprise to some, but he says it’s natural for him.

“Before I was a musician, I was a stage actor,” Noah says. “That’s all I did and all I wanted to do. Then somebody showed me a guitar, and the rest was history. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been yearning to (get back) into acting. I feel like I’m always trying to do a bit anyway, so why not combine the two and see what comes of it?”

Noah is pretty certain this will be the only staging of “In Distant Cities.”

“It’s a labor of love, but it’s really laborious,” he says. “Right now, I’m just making sure we do everything right, and I’m only looking at Thursday.”

WHAT Tawaine Noah, Elevator Museick, F.L.Y. • WHEN 8 p.m. Thursday • WHERE Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue • HOW MUCH $8-$10 • MORE INFO offbroadway.com and ticketfly.com

WATCH THE BLENDER Don’t miss Kevin’s video reports on concert news and local music buzz, every Tuesday. stltoday.com/blender

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07.17.15–07.23.15 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • GO! MAGAZINE

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Gail Pennington tells you what’s worth watching on TV in the coming week.

Kevin Johnson takes a look at hot concert announcements and big music news.

Gabe Hartwig previews the stories you’ll find in Friday’s issue of Go! Magazine.

Joe Williams helps plan your weekend with reviews of what’s new in theaters.

Ian Froeb provides a more in-depth look at the dishes in his weekly restaurant review.

manded by WWE. “They push you really hard, mentally and physically,” he says, “and it toughened me up even more than I was and prepared me to live life on the road, to be able to perform in front of live crowds four to five nights a week ... doing interviews, doing meetand-greets and being pulled every which direction and still having time to work out and eat healthy.”

He began his career with an early prototype of the Ryback persona inspired by the Terminator, before creating the character, country bumpkin Skip Sheffield, that would earn him a promotion to WWE. Fans listen to Ryan Reeves A broken leg soon sidelined (aka Ryback) before a Reeves for more than a year, alWrestlemania event in 2013 lowing him to abandon the Skip in East Rutherford, N.J. Sheffield moniker and reintroduce Ryback. In 2012, his original character returned without the Terminator gimmick.

“I was very angry, had a chip on my WWE wrestler Ryback hopes to leverage recent momentum shoulder, and that came across on into a run at the World Heavyweight Championship camera,” he says.

With his retooled persona came a

BY MARK MATOUSEK / MMATOUSEK@POST-DISPATCH.COM resurgence in his professional fortunes.

But after being placed on the losing needed to take.” o reach the pinnacle end of multiple bouts for the World An avid athlete, the 33-year-old of any profession, you gravitated toward baseball and football, Heavyweight Championship, Reeves’ need a certain clarity of wrestling occasionally as a means of purpose. WWE wrestler star began to wane, and he seemed off-season conditioning. His passion Ryan Reeves, known destined to close his career as a midfor physical activity led him to the by his stage name, Ryback, found card time-filler at WWE events.

University of Nevada-Las Vegas’ fitthat purpose at the age of 13. Already “I felt we had lightning in a ness management program, which he an obsessive fan of professional bottle very early on, and we let intended to complete before pursuing wrestling, Reeves won a radio contest that go,” he says. “And I had to WWE. that allowed him to ring the opening take a few steps back But when he pitched a successbell at a wrestling event. After and regroup, and ful audition for “$1,000,000 Tough experiencing the excitement of the I’ve come back at this thing with a Enough,” a reality show that trained sport at close range, he was sold. aspiring WWE wrestlers, he dropped “It was something that I loved whole new game plan. This is out of school and never looked back. watching on TV, but getting to feel it the first time After the show ended, he began workand walk into the ring and just see it I’ve had some ing his way through wrestling’s deup close, it was like I knew I wanted to really, really velopmental leagues, which gave him do that,” he says. Though he admits, a crash course in the grueling life de“I didn’t know how or what steps I good momentum Ryback

Tough enough

T 12

GO! MAGAZINE • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • 07.17.15–07.23.15

on my side.”

Ryback has since become more than a vent for Reeves’ frustrations. As the character has established itself as a WWE mainstay, Reeves has found new shades by continuing to merge his real and fictional selves, opening himself to fans in the process.

“The intensity and the anger, that is all who I am, but there’s so much more than that,” he says. “It just takes time to let people in, because if you let them in too soon, they might not understand it, but then over time, it just has a much better feel and pace to it, and it has been much better received that way.”

In May, Reeves claimed the Intercontinental Championship, a secondtier belt that has historically served as a launching pad to the World Heavyweight Championship. Though the Intercontinental Championship’s luster has faded in recent years, Reeves hopes to restore its prestige by finally claiming WWE’s highest honor.

How does he plan to clear this last hurdle? Through attention to detail and a series of small, steady improvements.

“It’s watching one more match when I’m home every day than I was doing before,” Reeves says. “Instead of doing 100 burpees for my conditioning, I do 125 or 150. So it’s just making small improvements upon everything that I was already doing, and I’m already seeing the difference of that.”

If Reeves plays his cards right, those incremental changes may earn him the ultimate payoff.

WHAT Ryback vs. The Big

Show vs. The Miz at WWE Battleground • WHEN 6:30 p.m. Sunday • WHERE Scottrade Center, 1401 Clark Avenue • HOW MUCH $35.15-$469.90 • MORE INFO Ticketmaster.com

Find more events, reviews and blogs by our critics ➙ stltoday.com/arts stltoday.com/go

P H O T O S : A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S F I L E ( R E E V E S ) ; H A N D O U T ( R Y B A C K )

Daily video reports by our staff

Amy Schumer’s ‘Trainwreck’ is the new engine for a long line of funny ladies

P H O T O : A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S

BY JOE WILLIAMS / FILM CRITIC / JOEWILLIAMS@POST-DISPATCH.COM

stltoday.com/go

07.17.15–07.23.15 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • GO! MAGAZINE

13

woman who was sitting beside Eisner on the stage, Goldie Hawn.

Whether they’re conventionally beautiful or not, a new generation of comedians such as Schumer, McCarthy and Lena Dunham has turned the argument inside out. Maybe it’s men who aren’t so funny anymore. Does anyone ever mistake Adam Sandler for a comic genius? Are Seth Rogen and James Franco such a big step forward from Cheech and Chong?

It’s the ladies who are making us laugh. And history tells us they’ve been doing it for over a hundred years.

Mabel Normand was one of the first great stars of silent cinema. She was a bigger boxoffi ce attraction than her proNormand tege Charlie Chaplin when they made “Mabel’s Strange Predicament” in 1914. Written and directed by Normand, it was the first short film to feature Chaplin’s Little Tramp character. They would make a dozen movies together, including “Tillie’s Punctured Romance,” which is considered the first featurelength comedy.

A co-star of that film, middle-age everywoman Marie Dressler, successfully made the transition to talkies and was one of the biggest stars of the ’20s and ’30s, often co-starring with Wallace Beery.

Another one of Beery’s recurring co-stars was tough-talking “platinum blonde” Jean Harlow (Coincidentally, both Beery and Harlow were from Kansas City.) One of her rivals in popularity was busty comedian Mae West.

In the Golden Age of Hollywood, the studios employed dozens of women who could recite rapid-fire “screwball” dialogue: Jean Arthur, Carole Lombard,

“Who’s there?”

“Amy.” “Amy who?”

“Amy Schumer, the star of the new movie ‘Trainwreck.’ I’m selling a fresh brand of comedy, which proves that women can be just as raunchy as men.”

“Could you come back later?

I’m doing tequila shots with Roseanne Barr and listening to an old Phyllis Diller album.”

The patronizing debate about whether women are as funny as men — or even funny at all — rears its balding head whenever another inventive lady seeks admission to the comedic fraternity. It happened a few years ago with Sarah Silverman, whose obliviously rude persona attracted a stoner audience on Comedy Central but has not translated into starring roles in summer blockbusters. Then it happened with Melissa McCarthy, who has leveraged Chris Farley-style slapstick to become perhaps the first female comedian since Whoopi Goldberg whose name on a marquee ensures a big opening weekend.

Earlier this month, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner told an audience at the Aspen Ideas Festival that finding a funny woman who is movie-star beautiful was almost impossible. He opined that Lucille Ball was the last great onscreen beauty with comedic skills. That might come as a shock to Doris Day, Teri Garr, Melanie Griffith, Meg Ryan, Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann, Elizabeth Banks, Rashida Jones, Sofia Vergara or the

Scenes from Season 3 of “Inside Amy Schumer”

P H O T O S : C O M E D Y C E N T R A L ( S C H U M E R ) ; A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S F I L E ( N O R M A N D , M A B L E Y, B A R R , F E Y ) ; U N I V E R S A L P I C T U R E S ( “ T R A I N W R E C K ” ) ; H A N D O U T ( H E P B U R N , H O L L I D AY, M O N R O E , W O O D , T O M E I , S O R V I N O / K U D R O W, W I I G )

“Knock, Knock!”

©Disney

Six-Show SeaSon ticket packageS now on Sa

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stltoday.com/go

Irene Dunne. Watch Rosalind Russell in Schumer and Bill Hader in “Trainwreck” “His Girl Friday” or Katharine Hepburn in “The Philadelphia Story” and you’ll hear vocal dexterity that could make a rapper envious.

Typecast as a dumb blonde, Marilyn Monroe wasn’t such a fast talker, but every girlish giggle sounded like it was being squeezed out of her tight outfits.

Hollywood had such a surplus of funny ladies that less-glamorous ones such as Joan Blondell, Eve REVIEW: Arden and St. Louisan Mary ‘TRAINWRECK’ IS THIS YEAR’S Wickes (the real-life best FUNNIEST MOVIE Live” debuted in 1975, it friend of Lucille Ball) became Page 17 quickly made superstars of scene-stealing sidekicks. male cast members such After World War II, Hollywood as Chevy Chase, John fought off the challenge of television with big-screen musicals and biblical ep- Belushi and Dan Aykroyd; but ics. While Ball thrived on the small screen their female counterparts were largely overshadowed. Gilda (where she was a pioneering proRadner, the best of the bunch, ducer), other funny ladies found left the show in 1980 when she their way to nightclub venues fell in love with actor Gene Wilder, in places like Las Vegas. but she soon developed cancer and Fortunately for us, the work never had a movie breakthrough. Talented of edgy comedians such as Diller, Joan Rivers, Rusty War- “SNL” alums such as Jan Hooks and Cheri Mabley Oteri left the ensemble cast for greener ren (“Bounce Your Boobies!”) pastures but discovered they couldn’t and Jackie “Moms” Mabley get starring roles in TV or movies. has been preserved on vinyl.

(Julia Sweeney and Molly ShanMabley, an African-American non filmed the ill-fated “SNL” lesbian and a veteran of the spin-off movies “It’s Pat” and Southern “chitlin’ circuit,” was “Superstar” while they were the subject of a recent docustill on the show.) mentary by Goldberg.

Barr Yet “Roseanne,” starring the Amid the social turmoil of the bawdy, butt-scratching Barr as a ’60s, funny-but-wholesome Doris working-class mom, was a long-running Day was the biggest star in Hollywood, hit, like “Laverne & Shirley” and “The while clownish Carol Burnett mainMary Tyler Moore Show” before it. Altained a top-rated variety show from though Barr too failed to become a film 1967 to 1978 without ever mentioning star — she was rendered repulsive as a politics. spurned wife in “She-Devil” — the quesWhen the iconoclastic “Saturday Night

aLe!

tion of whether women were funny was a settled one on television.

In the past few years, “SNL” producer Lorne Michaels has made a conscious effort to find and promote talented women on both sides of the camera. He found two winners in Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who wrote and anchored the show’s “Weekend Update” segment before successfully migrating to series television — Fey to “30 Rock” and Poehler to “Parks and Recreation.” They have also starred in films together (“Baby Mama” and the upcoming “Sisters”) and have co-hosted the Golden Globe Awards three times.

Their “SNL” castmate Kristen Wiig is now a bona fide movie star — and an Oscar nominee for writing “Bridesmaids.” That R-rated, role-reversal jokefest was a breakthrough for Rebel Wilson (who has subsequently starred in the “Pitch Perfect” movies) Fey and McCarthy, of TV’s “Mike & Molly.” McCarthy, who has had lead roles in the hit films “Identity Thief” and “The Heat,” will be joining Wiig in Paul Feig’s femme-centric remake of “Ghostbusters” (along with “SNL” cast members Kate McKinnnon and Leslie Jones).

Schumer is the new girl on the block.

In 2007, she was a semifinalist on “Last Comic Standing,” and since 2012, she has had a sketch show on Comedy Central called “Inside Amy Schumer.” The frankly sexual “Trainwreck,” written by Schumer and directed by comedy kingpin Judd Apatow (who executive produces Dunham’s HBO series “Girls”), is her first film.

“Trainwreck” has the makings of a hit. And undoubtedly, some of the men who run Hollywood are now worrying: When is she going to get pregnant?

Swap for one of theSe: Wicked • Mamma Mia! Cirque Dreams Holidaze • Jersey Boys Irving Berlin’s White Christmas Riverdance 20th Anniversary Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Season Ticket Packages: The Fox Box Office 314-535-1700 • FabulousFox.com/Subscribe

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Katharine Hepburn in “The Philadelphia Story” (1940)

Judy Holliday in “Born Yesterday” (1950)

Marilyn Monroe in “Some Like it Hot” (1959)

Natalie Wood in “Love with the Proper Stranger” (1963)

Marisa Tomei in “My Cousin Vinny” (1992)

Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow in “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion” (1997) Kristen Wiig in “Bridesmaids” (2011)

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Top Redbox rentals • July 6–12 1 “Kingsman: The Secret Service” (Fox) • 2 “Focus” (Warner) • 3 “Jupiter Ascending” (Warner) • 4 “Maggie” (Lions Gate) • 5 “American Sniper” (Warner) • 6 “Chappie” (Sony) • 7 “Woman in Gold” (Weinstein) • 8 “Last Knights” (Lions Gate) • 9 “Black or White” (Fox) • 10 “The DUFF” (Lions Gate) BY TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

OUR MOVIE RATINGS ★ Skip it ★★ So-so ★★★ Good ★★★★ Excellent

Amy Schumer and Bill Hader in “Trainwreck”

Around the laugh track Amy Schumer is a bed-hopping boozer bamboozled by love in the funniest movie of the year ★★★½

BY JOE WILLIAMS / FILM CRITIC / JOEWILLIAMS@POST-DISPATCH.COM

PHOTO: UNIVERSAL PICTURES

L

adies and gentlemen, meet the new face of American comedy ... Mr. LeBron James.

We kid. Although basketball-star James is a revelation in “Trainwreck,” this hilarious sex comedy is co-opted by a woman whose face you may not recognize. Come behold the comic genius of ... Ms. Tilda Swinton.

But seriously. Swinton is amazing as a bad boss, but she’s an Oscar winner, and her shape-shifting brilliance is not entirely unexpected.

Yet nobody expected that a midsummer release could be lifted to a new stltoday.com/joesmovielounge

level by a film-comedy novice such as ... pro wrestler John Cena.

OK, OK. We’re running from the obvious, like a virgin on a date with Dracula. Amy Schumer is so scary-good in “Trainwreck” that it almost seems risky to speak her name. But we have no choice. She plays a bed-hopping boozer named Amy, a writer at a Manhattan magazine that caters to twentysomething dudes with sexist articles such as “You call those (breasts)?” Swinton plays her barely human editor, and when she learns that Amy knows nothing about sports, she sadistically assigns

@joethecritic

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her to interview the NBA’s leading knee surgeon, Dr. Aaron Conners (Bill Hader).

A recurring joke here is that all the men in Amy’s life — with the exception of her angrily divorced and dying dad (Colin Quinn) — are sensitive pushovers. So when Amy and Aaron go on a research date that ends at the doctor’s bedroom, he’s a wounded puppy dog when she doesn’t want to snuggle afterward.

Likewise, James plays a version of himself who loves “Downton Abbey,” and Cena plays a muscle-bound hookup whose idea of talking dirty is reciting a locker-room pep talk.

“Trainwreck” was written by Schumer, a movie newcomer who stars in the sketch show “Inside Amy Schumer” on Comedy Central. Her blunt perspective on female sexuality in the social-network era is being treated as something new. But the film was directed by Judd Apatow, whose credits stretch from “Freaks and Geeks” to “This

Is Forty,” so it never feels like a feminist manifesto. This is a fully fleshed-out movie, the funniest of the year.

Apatow still has trouble trimming his comedies to the traditional 100-minute format. (Schumer spends an extra 25 minutes wondering whether she’s ready to commit to the nicest guy in the world.) Yet we can hardly blame him for letting his likable writer/star improvise before she shoots 3-pointers from outside the bounds of good taste. As much as it might pain a man to say so, Schumer has the ball skills to be the next LeBron James.

WHAT “Trainwreck” • RUN TIME 2:05 • RATING R • CONTENT Strong sexual content,

nudity, language and some drug use

GET MORE JOE Joe Williams talks movies at 10:45 a.m.

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A minor-key marvel In superhero comedy ‘Ant-Man,’ Paul Rudd is an incredible shrinking man ★★★

BY JOE WILLIAMS / FILM CRITIC / JOEWILLIAMS@POST-DISPATCH.COM

L

et’s get small.

Superhero movies have been suffering from thematic and budgetary bloat since Batman became a dark knight. It seems like every successive comic-book adaptation has been an exercise in one-upmanship, with a cast of all-stars obliterating a major city in order to save the planet from the Ultimate Evil.

Yawn.

The people who wrote those original comics — young men such as Stan Lee and Jack Kirby — were weaned on popcorn. They had personal memories of matinee serials like “Buck Rogers” and stop-motion adventures like “King

18

Kong.” And the generation of directors who are now making the movie versions of those comics grew up on “Ghostbusters” and Steven Spielberg.

Yet too few of them have learned to convey a sense of wonder and fun.

Like the recent, refreshing “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Ant-Man” is a rare Marvel movie that doesn’t take itself seriously. It feels like a 1980s blockbuster pretending to be a 1950s creature feature.

As the title character, a freshly paroled burglar named Scott Lang who is lured into a top-secret project, Paul Rudd isn’t quite as charismatic as Chris Pratt in “Guardians” (or even

GO! MAGAZINE • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • 07.17.15–07.23.15

as charismatic as Rudd himself in his purely comedic roles); but he’s good company as we explore an alternate universe. The project Scott discovers during a burglary allows Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to shrink matter to microscopic size. With the aid of a retro Rocketeer spacesuit, a tiny human with burglary skills could become the ultimate secret weapon.

With nothing to lose, divorced dad Scott becomes the test subject for Pym’s project, with the goal of stopping a rival scientist (Corey Stoll) from selling the technology to the evil Hydra cabal.

From the novel “Gulliver’s Travels” to the movie “Tom Thumb” to the cartoon “Epic,” there have been many wondrous depictions of shrinking and supersizing. But although Scott shrinks to the size of an insect, the movie misses opportunities to convey that experience. Much of his time is spent with other ants, who embody team-

work as they help him infiltrate various nefarious facilities.

One problem is that Scott is armed with weapons that allow him to shrink or expand himself and other objects at will, so he is constantly jumping back and forth between the micro and macro worlds. There’s rarely a sense that he is trapped in the micocosm of dust bunnies and spiderwebs. Only when a toy train becomes supersize do we experience a pleasure like the arrival of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in “Ghostbusters.”

“Ant-Man” isnt aiming that high.

Soon the character will be absorbed into yet another all-star superhero movie. But this debut film is fun, and everyone involved can proudly declare, “Honey, I shrunk the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”

WHAT “Ant-Man” • RUN TIME 1:57 • RATING PG-13 • CONTENT Sci-fi action violence

★ Skip it ★ ★ So-so ★ ★ ★ Good ★stltoday.com/go ★ ★ ★ Excellent

P H O T O : WA LT D I S N E Y P I C T U R E S

Michael Douglas (left) and Paul Rudd in “Ant-Man”

Jennifer Connelly in “Aloft”

Ian McKellen as Sherlock Holmes in “Mr. Holmes”

Ian McKellen plays ‘Mr. Holmes’ like you’ve never seen him ★★★

BY COLIN COVERT / STAR TRIBUNE

P H O T O S : R O A D S I D E AT T R A C T I O N S ( “ M R . H O L M E S ” ) ; S O N Y P I C T U R E S C L A S S I C S ( “A L O F T ” )

W

ith Robert Downey Jr. making him a skull-cracking action hero on the big screen and Benedict Cumberbatch making him a highfunctioning sociopath on TV, what sort of Sherlock Holmes yarn can add fresh story material?

How about Ian McKellen playing the immortal character as we’ve never seen him before?

The Sherlock we meet in “Mr. Holmes” is a man of growing frailties, gently portrayed. Well into the dusk of his life at 93, his recollection has declined worryingly. The long-retired consulting detective also dislikes the fame thrust upon him by Dr. Watson, whose largely unreal stories, he said, “made me into a fiction.”

Now he lives far from London in a rustic home on the cliffs above the English Channel. He devotes his

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reclusive days to beekeeping, negotiating with his irascible housekeeper Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney) and entertaining her young son Roger (delightful child actor Milo Parker). Now, in 1947, he has outlived his own life story. When the inquisitive Holmes visits a movie theater to catch a cloak-and-dagger Sherlock film, the melodrama annoys him.

Directed by Bill Condon (“Gods and Monsters,” “Kinsey” and “Dreamgirls”) from a script he co-wrote with Jeffrey Hatcher, “Mr. Holmes” recalls an earlier film about the downward spiral of memory loss, the Oscarwinning “Still Alice.” The aging Holmes, no longer so skillful at solving puzzles, works to re-evaluate secrets within his own life and his place in the world.

The mystery most on his mind is an investigation dating back 30 years,

a vexing case that moved him into retirement. Ann Kelmot (Hattie Morahan) was considered by her husband to be wandering far and wide following repeated miscarriages.

Was she led away by woe, malice or illicit love?

Holmes recalls shadowing Ann, interviewing her and learning the truth, a solution that troubles him decades afterward.

McKellen, who gets under the skin of every character he plays, takes Sherlock in new directions.

The Holmes he creates is brusquely direct, but not the icy logical thinker we met often before. He also delivers the role’s humor with a sly wink to the audience, grumbling after he tumbles out of bed and cuts himself, “I look like I’ve been attacked by the hound of the Baskervilles.” I can’t remember another time when a faltering character has been played with such complete authority.

WHAT “Mr. Holmes” • RUN TIME 1:45 • RATING PG • CONTENT Thematic elements,

some disturbing images and incidental smoking

Rejiggered ‘Aloft’ feels like something’s missing ★★

BY MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN / THE WASHINGTON POST

W

hen “Aloft” was shown at the Berlin International Film Festival last year, it was, apparently, a very different movie.

Or at least a longer movie.

The version hitting U.S. theaters is almost 20 minutes shorter. And certain structural details of the tale, which jumps between two timelines, have clearly been rejiggered, based on Variety’s 18-month-old description of the plot. Whether this new version is better — or worse — is unclear.

The English-language debut of Peruvian filmmaker Claudia Llosa (whose 2009 film “The Milk of Sorrow” was nominated for an Academy Award), “Aloft” is, for starters, visually gorgeous. And the acting

by Jennifer Connelly, who plays the main character, Nana, is superb. The story, however, which concerns Nana’s estrangement from her adult son Ivan (Cillian

Murphy), and the slow revelation of its origins, leaves a lot to be desired.

I’m not even talking about the truncated ending — it feels as though a good 10 minutes may have been lopped from the movie’s final scene — in which Ivan and Nana confront each other in the frozen North.

But it’s the rest of the story that’s lacking.

“Aloft” opens during a kind of flashback prologue, as Nana is shown taking her two young sons, Ivan and Gully (real-life brothers Zen and Winta McGrath), to a faith healer (William Shimell). Known as the Architect, on account of the oversize, basketlike edifices that he builds out of sticks in the wilderness, and in which he conducts his healing “acts,” the man is much sought after, judging by the large crowd of believers that Nana, Ivan and Gully — who has a deadly tumor — find themselves in.

It isn’t spoiling too much to say that, after that visit, Nana discovers that she may also have healing powers, and that these powers, indirectly, lead to the incident that drives a wedge between her and her elder son.

The film wastes far too much time, for instance, on the grown Ivan, a mopey and haunted figure who raises falcons (for no apparent reason). And when Ivan sets out to find his mother, he carries a falcon on his back, in a wooden crate.

I have no idea why, and I’m pretty sure you won’t, either.

I’m not really interested in why, and neither is the film. But there is something else that “Aloft” fails to do that is much worse than its affectation of vagueness. The characters seem to float over their strong passions, like birds riding on columns of air, without ever alighting. I kept waiting for the sharp sting of a talon to take hold of my heart, but it never came.

WHAT “Aloft” • RUN TIME 1:37 • RATING R • CONTENT Sex, crude language and children in jeopardy

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The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters July 10 through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Rentrak:

IAN McKELLEN IS MAGNIFICENT AS SHERLOCK HOLMES.”

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1. ‘Minions’ Universal, $115,718,405, 4,301 locations, $26,905 average, $115,718,405, 1 week.

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4. ‘Terminator Genisys’ Paramount, $13,830,369, 3,783 locations, $3,656 average, $68,848,110, 2 weeks.

5. ‘Gallows’ Warner Bros., $9,808,463, 2,720 locations, $3,606 average, $9,808,463, 1 week.

6. ‘Magic Mike XXL’ Warner Bros., $9,582,350, 3,376 locations, $2,838 average, $48,301,179, 2 weeks.

2. ‘Jurassic World’ Universal, $18,151,275, 3,441 locations, 7. ‘Ted 2’ $5,275 average, 1 2 . 14. 1 2–1 2 . 2 0. 1 2 S T. L O U I S P O S T- D I S P AT C H $590,689,595, 5 weeks.

Universal, $5,666,310, 2,171 locations, 3. ‘Inside Out’ $2,610 average, Disney, $17,665,796, $71,684,895, 3 weeks.

3,644 locations, 8. ‘Self/less’ $4,848 average, $284,196,100, 4 weeks.

Focus Features, $5,403,460, 2,353 locations, $2,296 average, $5,403,460, 1 week. /

9. ‘Max’ Warner Bros., $3,542,406, 2,088 locations, $1,697 average, $33,826,601, 3 weeks.

10. ‘Baahubali (Telugu)’ BlueSky Cinemas, $3,068,964, 170 locations, $18,053 average, $4,433,887, 1 week.

11. ‘Spy’ 20th Century Fox, $3,052,681, 1,457 locations, $2,095 average, $103,516,203, 6 weeks.

12. ‘Amy’ A24 Films, $1,799,780, 341 locations, $5,278 average, $2,140,576, 2 weeks. / GO! MAGAZINE

31

13. ‘San Andreas’ Warner Bros., $1,231,228, 756 locations, $1,629 average, $150,022,103, 7 weeks.

14. ‘Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’ Fox Searchlight, $661,177, 570 locations, $1,160 average, $5,541,967, 5 weeks.

15. ‘Dope’ Open Road, $624,894, 380 locations, $1,644 average, $15,480,118, 4 weeks.

16. ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ Warner Bros., $617,148, 338 locations, $1,826 average, $150,253,195, 9 weeks.

17. ‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’ Disney, $455,764, 338 locations, $1,348 average, $455,238,846, 11 week.

18. ‘Love & Mercy’ Roadside Attractions, $430,977, 294 locations, $1,466 average, $11,326,741, 6 weeks.

19. ‘I’ll See You in My Dreams’ Bleecker Street, $353,055, 212 locations, $1,665 average, $6,451,179, 9 weeks.

20. ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ Universal, $274,060, 284 locations, $965 average, $183,058,230, 9 weeks.

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071715

() J CC DVS OC DP

Showtimes and movies change daily and are provided by the theaters.

Friday, July 17, 2015

Central

St. Charles / O’Fallon

Chase Park Plaza (St. Louis Cinemas) Kingshighway & Lindell J Mr. Holmes (PG) DP

314-367-0101

(11:40 AM 2:05 4:30) 6:50 9:15 J Trainwreck (R) DP (11:00 AM 1:40 4:20) 5:10 7:00 9:40 10:20 Minions (PG) DP (11:15 AM 1:15 2:20 3:20) 5:25 7:30 9:30 Selfless (Self/less) (PG-13) DP (11:40 AM) 7:50 Inside Out (PG) DP (11:10 AM 1:20 3:30) 5:35 7:45

Galleria 6 (St. Louis Cinemas) St. Louis Galleria J Ant-Man (PG-13) DP

314-725-0808

(11:15 AM 4:25) 7:05

J Ant-Man in Disney Digital 3D (PG-13) DP (1:50) 9:40

J Trainwreck (R) DP

(10:55 AM 1:35 4:15) 7:10 9:50 J The Gallows (R) DP (1:00 3:00 5:00) 7:00 9:05 Minions (PG) DP (10:30 AM 12:35 2:40 4:55) 7:10 9:25 Inside Out (PG) DP (11:45 AM 2:05 4:25) 6:50 9:10 Jurassic World (PG-13) DP (10:45 AM 1:20 4:00) 6:45 9:30

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (PG) DP (10:00 AM)

Hi-Pointe Theatre Clayton & Skinker

Trainwreck (R) DP

St. Charles Stadium 18 Cine (Wehrenberg) 1830 First Capitol Dr. www.wehrenberg.com

J Ant-Man (PG-13) DVS,CC,No VIP after 6PM 12:15 3:00 5:45 8:30 11:05

J Trainwreck (R) DVS,CC,No VIP after 6PM 9:20 PM

J The Gallows (R) DVS,CC,No VIP after 6PM 11:45 AM 1:55 4:20 6:55 9:00 11:15

J Minions (PG) DVS,CC,No VIP after 6PM 12:10 2:35 5:00 7:30

J Selfless (Self/less) (PG-13) DVS,CC,No VIP after 6PM 10:50 AM 1:35 4:10 6:30

J Baahubali (Telugu) (NR) DVS,CC,No VIP after 6PM 2:30 6:00 9:30

Magic Mike XXL (R) DVS,CC 4:25 PM

Inside Out (PG) DVS,CC 10:00 AM 11:30 AM 1:55 7:05 9:50

J Maari (NR) DVS,CC 9:30 PM

J Ant-Man (PG-13) DVS,CC,No VIP after 6PM

(4:00) 7:00

Moolah Theatre & Lounge (St. Louis Cinemas)

314-446-6868

J Ant-Man in Disney Digital 3D (PG-13) DP (2:00) 9:30

314-289-4400

11:00 AM 2:00 5:00

11:00 AM 1:55 4:25 7:30 10:25 10:30 AM 11:15 AM 11:50 AM 12:45 1:30 2:05 3:00 4:00 4:50 5:15 6:20 7:10 8:40 9:15 11:00 11:30

Magic Mike XXL (R) DVS,CC 6:40 9:30

Humpback Whales (NR)

Terminator Genisys (PG-13) DVS,CC

10:00 AM 1:00 4:00

7:30 10:20

Journey to Space (NR) 12:00 3:00

Inside Out (PG) DVS,CC

Tivoli Theatre (Landmark) (12:20) 4:20 7:00 9:20

11:15 AM 2:00 4:45 7:30 10:15

J Minions (PG) DVS,CC,No VIP after 6PM

Omnimax St. Louis Science Center

J Cartel Land (R)

J Ant-Man in Disney Digital 3D (PG-13) DVS,CC,No VIP after 6PM J Trainwreck (R) DVS,CC,No VIP after 6PM

(4:30) 7:00

6350 Delmar in the Loop J Amy (R)

10:30 AM 10:50 AM 11:45 AM 1:10 1:40 2:30 3:50 4:20 5:15 6:30 7:00 8:00 9:30 10:00 10:45

10:45 AM 1:30 4:05

314-727-7271 Jurassic World (PG-13) DVS,CC 10:50 AM 1:45 4:40 7:35 10:30 W E H RE NBERG

J The Overnight (R) (2:30) 7:20

J Aloft (R) DVS

(12:00) 4:30 9:30

J The Shining (R) 11:55 PM

22

www.wehrenberg.com

J Ant-Man (PG-13) No VIP after 6PM 10:00 AM 11:20 AM 1:00 2:20 4:05 5:20 7:00 8:20 10:00

J Ant-Man in Disney Digital

3D (PG-13) No VIP after 6PM 10:45 AM 1:45 4:45 7:45 9:00 10:30

J Trainwreck (R) No VIP after 6PM 10:15 AM 1:15 4:15 7:15 9:00 10:15

J The Gallows (R) No VIP after 6PM 7:20 9:40

J Ant-Man (PG-13) DVS,CC,No VIP after 6PM 12:30 3:15 6:00 8:45

J Trainwreck (R) DVS,CC,No VIP after 6PM 1:20 4:10 7:00 9:50

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O’Fallon Stadium 14 (Regal) 40 & Winghaven Blvd.

636-300-9900

J Ant-Man (PG-13) DVS,CC (10:45 AM 1:30) 4:15 7:00

J Ant-Man in Disney Digital

3D (PG-13) DVS,CC (11:15 AM 2:00) 4:45 7:30 8:00 9:45 10:15 10:45

Trainwreck (R) CC (11:00 AM 1:55) 4:50 7:45 10:40

The Gallows (R) DVS,CC (11:20 AM 1:25 3:35) 5:45 7:55 10:10

10:00 AM 11:30 AM 12:30 2:00 3:00 4:30 5:30

J Selfless (Self/less) (PG-13) No VIP after 6PM

J Minions (PG) DVS,CC (11:25 AM 2:00) 4:40 7:15 9:35

J Minions 3D (PG) DVS,CC (11:55 AM 2:30) 5:10 7:40 10:05

Selfless (Self/less) (PG-13) DVS,CC (10:55 AM 1:40) 4:25 7:10 9:55

10:50 AM 4:35 10:15

Terminator Genisys (PG-13) 10:25 AM 4:25 10:25

Max (PG)

1:45 7:25

Inside Out (PG) 11:45 AM 2:15 4:45 7:15 9:45

Jurassic World (PG-13) 10:35 AM 1:30 4:25 7:20 10:15

11:50 AM 3:00 6:05

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7805 Hwy N. www.wehrenberg.com

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Robots (NR)

(Wehrenberg)

11:00 AM 1:30 4:05 6:30

Testament of Youth (PG-13) DP

5050 Oakland Ave.

Mid Rivers 14 Cine

7:05 8:00 9:30 10:30

314-995-6273

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St. Charles / O’Fallon

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(11:40 AM 2:10) 4:50 7:25 10:00

Keller Plaza Cine 8 4572 Lemay Ferry Rd.

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2:10 8:00

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Jurassic World (PG-13)

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11:20 AM 2:25 5:15 8:10 11:05

Avengers: Age of Ultron (PG-13) 6:15 9:40

Gravois Bluffs Stadium 12(Regal)

1:50 4:45

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J Ant-Man (PG-13) DVS,CC

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(10:40 AM 1:40 4:40) 7:40 10:40

The Gallows (R) DVS,CC

(10:55 AM 1:15) 7:25 9:45

(10:25 AM 11:40 AM 1:10 2:20 4:00 5:10) 6:50 7:50 9:30 10:35 J Minions 3D (PG) DVS,CC (11:05 AM 1:45 4:35) 7:20 10:05 Selfless (Self/less) (PG-13) DVS,CC (10:45 AM 1:50 4:50) 7:55 10:50 J Magic Mike XXL (R) DVS,CC (10:50 AM 1:55 4:55) 8:05 10:50 J Terminator Genisys (PG-13) DVS,CC (10:35 AM 1:25 4:25) 7:35 10:45 J Terminator Genisys 3D (PG-13) DVS,CC (12:40 3:50) 7:05 10:10 Max (PG) DVS,CC (12:30 3:55) 6:55 9:55 J Ted 2 (R) DVS,CC (11:10 AM 2:05 5:05) 8:10 10:55 Dope (R) DVS,CC (11:50 AM 2:30 5:15) 8:10 10:45 J Inside Out (PG) DVS,CC (10:50 AM 1:35 4:20) 7:10 9:50 J Jurassic World (PG-13) DVS,CC (1:20 4:45) 7:45 10:55 J Jurassic World 3D (PG-13) DVS,CC (12:50 4:10) 7:15 10:20

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The Divergent Series: Insurgent (PG-13)

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12:15 3:05 6:00 9:00

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Trainwreck (R) CC

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12:45 3:35 6:25 9:15

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10:15 10:35

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10:45 AM 1:35 4:30 7:25 10:15

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12701 Manchester Rd.

1:35 7:20

11:20 AM 2:05 4:50

Illinois

450 THF Blvd. www.wehrenberg.com

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11:00 AM 1:50 4:40 7:30 10:20

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3:40 PM

Skyview Drive-In 5700 N. Belt West

Minions (PG)

618-233-4400

9:00 PM

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Ant-Man (PG-13) 9:00 PM

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07.17.15–07.23.15 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • GO! MAGAZINE

23

MENU

Pork Apocalypse banh mi at Lucky Buddha

A personal touch Lucky Buddha is most successful with unique dishes that don’t chase trends ★★

BY IAN FROEB / RESTAURANT CRITIC / IFROEB@POST-DISPATCH.COM

T

he Pork Apocalypse banh mi ($11) at Lucky Buddha is the sort of dish that you wish you had dreamed up yourself, a perfect convergence of our long love affair with everything pork and our more recent crush on the Vietnamese sandwich. Chef René Cruz stuffs the light, crusty baguette with four different pork preparations: roasted five-spice-seasoned belly, loin spiced with the Korean fermented chile paste gochujang, Cantonese-style char siu shoulder and pork-liver pâté. That’s a lot of pig, but the flavors harmonize into a chord savory, spicy and sweet, and for cool, crisp contrast Cruz adds the traditional banh mi toppings of pickled carrot and daikon radish and fresh cilantro and cucumber. Cutting stltoday.com/offthemenu

24

@ianfroeb

through all of this is the persistent heat of mustard blended with the Japanese condiment nanami togarashi.

Is this banh mi both delicious and substantial enough to be worth $6 or $7 more than the skinny banh mi dac biet at your favorite Vietnamese restaurant?

That you must decide for yourself, but the Pork Apocalypse does strike me as the best example of what owner Kirk Appezeller told me he’d envisioned for Lucky Buddha, with Cruz putting his own twists on relatively simple dishes that showcase Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai and other Asian cuisines.

Appezeller’s concept also carries a personal touch. His mother is Japanese, and she is the eponymous mom of the Mom’s Spring Rolls appetizer, which are stuffed with ground beef and vegetables and then deep-fried ($6). foursquare.com/gostl

GO! MAGAZINE • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • 07.17.15–07.23.15

Appezeller and Cruz first collaborated several years ago at Red, a short-lived would-be hot spot on Washington Avenue that featured Eastern European cuisine with a modernist bent and could have been a textbook illustration for ideas hatched right before the aughts’ bubble burst. Lucky Buddha, which opened in late February in the city’s Gravois Park neighborhood, is a decidedly more casual venture, though trendy in its own way. The wood-trimmed space has retained a bit of the south-citytavern spirit of its previous occupant, Jefferson Avenue Bistro, but walls freshly painted bright blue and decorated with anime- and manga-inspired artwork have given it a much more contemporary, shabby-chic feel. It’s not on Cherokee Street, but it’s close.

The Pork Apocalypse is the best expression of Lucky Buddha’s potential, but two appetizers also stand out: chicken wings ($8) and Tom Yum Goons ($7). The wings — brined overnight, fried very crisp and tossed in a lightly sweet, medium-hot chile sauce — aren’t a revelation, but they do make for a delicious snack. The Tom Yum Goons are an obvious riff on crab rangoon, and while Cruz certainly isn’t the first chef to gussy up this guilty pleasure with real, rather than imitation, crab, what elevates his take is an infusion of bright lemongrass, sour makrut lime and other flavors inspired by the Thai soup that gives the dish its name.

Cruz turns often to lemongrass as a spark: A lemongrass vinaigrette dresses a salad ($6 small, $10 large) of kale, Napa and purple cabbage with crushed cashews, carrots and scallions; the brief dessert list includes a lemongrass and basil-seed cake with lemongrass ice cream ($6). Its citrus notes are especially welcome paired with the charcoal char of the lemongrass-chicken yakitori ($6).

(Lemongrass also makes a few appearances among the restaurant’s specialty

OUR FOOD RATINGS

★ Fair ★★ Good ★★★ Excellent ★★★★ Extraordinary

cocktails, though I was most impressed by the Lucky Manhattan, a punchy, apropos-of-nothing take on the classic drink with tequila in place of rye whiskey.)

The dishes that don’t work lack a signature twist. This includes an entire category of the menu, steamed buns with such fillings as char siu pork ($8), as tender and flavorful as it is in the Pork Apocalypse, and Peking duck ($10), not bad but not at all like the sublime dish that it references. Maybe I was unlucky on my visits, but both times I ordered from this category the buns themselves, which are not made in the restaurant, were closer to stale than fresh. More problematically, Cruz gives each filling the same accompaniments: a sliver of jalapeño and a spare garnish of cilantro and pickled carrot and daikon radish. There’s no creativity here, and hardly enough accents for the meat to stand out against the bun.

I’d hoped to try Cruz’s take on ramen ($10), but on two different visits a week apart, the server informed me that the kitchen didn’t have it. A bowl of pho ($8, with your choice of additional meat or meats priced a la carte) brought an unbalanced broth, either too heavily seasoned or without enough beef backbone.

The traditional assortment of ingredients to add to taste included a single sprig of basil past its prime, a few bean sprouts and a couple of lime wedges. It immediately called to mind better and less expensive bowls of pho elsewhere.

It’s possible, of course, that Cruz could serve pho to rival the best in town. Lucky Buddha is most successful, though, when he and Apazeller and their team aren’t chasing after trendy dishes, but are trying to find a voice that’s new and unique — and as outsized as that Pork Apocalypse banh mi.

WHERE Lucky Buddha, 3701 South Jefferson Avenue • MORE INFO 314-833-4568; luckybuddhastl.com • MENU Dishes drawing from Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai and other Asian cuisines • HOURS Dinner Tuesday-Sunday, lunch Saturday-Sunday

Learn more about our critic’s visits to Lucky Buddha ➙ stltoday.com/off themenu stltoday.com/go

P H O T O : C R I S T I N A M . F L E T E S / P O S T- D I S PAT C H

OFF THE

From stltoday.com/offthemenu Público chef-owner Mike Randolph and Niche executive chef Nate Hereford are teaming up to pay tribute to their former boss, acclaimed avant-garde Chicago chef Homaro Cantu, who took his own life in April. They will serve a 12-course dinner Monday at Público. Randolph said that diners should expect dishes inspired

by Cantu’s work. Both Randolph and Hereford worked (during separate periods) at Cantu’s restaurant Moto, where such modernist marvels as an edible menu were everyday fare. Cantu left behind two children; a portion of the evening’s proceeds will go to the Cantu Children’s Trust. The dinner costs $125 per person. The bar will be open, but diners can bring their own wine. Reservations are required, either by calling Público at 314-833-5780 or through its OpenTable page. BY IAN FROEB

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OVERHEARD

ON T V

“We have the cast of ‘Game of Thrones’ tonight. I went to see them in the green room. They’re all dead.”

CONAN O’BRIEN, broadcasting “Conan”

from Comic-Con in San Diego

in Overland. Applicants can line up three hours (but no earlier) in advance and should bring a photo or photos showing both of them, which won’t be returned.

“I’m excited to come back to St. Louis,” Bernstein says, despite the fact that he’s a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan. “We haven’t been there in several years, and we get lots of letters asking us to come back. We always find great people in the Midwest.”

Sonya Jones, last season’s runner-up, will be at the casting call to offer tips and inspiration. Jones, who is from Springfield, Ill., lost 144 Sonya Jones on pounds, dropping to 139, and “The Biggest Loser” finished a close second to winner Toma Dobrosavljevic.

Also on hand at the casting call will be Season 15 contestant Jay Sheets, who is from Farmington.

Tube Talk A ‘Biggest Loser’ casting call in St. Louis seeks Applications are taken online and via teams of two who are motivated to change their lives video, “but I really encourage people to come out and meet us in person,”

BY GAIL PENNINGTON / TV CRITIC / GPENNINGTON@POST-DISPATCH.COM Bernstein says. “That’s how we get to know you and your story.” also saves lives.”

Randy Bernstein Potential contestants must be over For Season 17, which begins shootisn’t just casting ing in September, the show is lookdirector for “The age 18 and need to lose at least 80 ing for teams of two. “Husband Biggest Loser.” pounds, although recent “Losers” have and wife, brother and sister, He’s an evangestarted extremely heavy and lost friends, co-workers, any list for the lifemuch more. (A Season 9 conteschanging power of the show, which will team of two will work if tant lost a record 264 pounds, they are both motivated hold an open call for contestants in St. and the Season 16 winner took off to change and ready to help Louis on Saturday. more than half his body weight, each other do it,” Bernstein “Getting on ‘The Biggest Loser’ is dropping to 171 from a starting says. “I love teams, belike winning the lottery” for someone 336.) cause I love to see people who needs to lose weight, Bernstein Being comparatively support and push each says. “It’s the golden ticket.” heavier or lighter isn’t necother.”

Bernstein, who describes himself as essarily a factor in being The open casting call a reality show junkie in life as well as cast, Bernstein says, alin St. Louis takes place work, has cast shows from “Top Chef” though attempts are made from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to “Fear Factor” to “The Glee Project,” to balance the contestants but he sees “The Biggest Loser” as spe- Saturday at Planet Fitfor each season so that ness, 8903 Page Avenue cial. “It changes lives,” he says, “but it some won’t start out much heavier than others. In any Jay Sheets case, success isn’t measured stltoday.com/tubetalk @gailpennington @tubetalkpd

PHOTOS: NBC (JONES, SHEETS); TBS (O’BRIEN); HBO (OLIVER)

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in pounds but in percentage of body weight lost, he points out.

NBC stresses that applicants should be “outgoing and charismatic,” with personality as well as “desire and competitive edge.”

But Bernstein clarifies that “The Biggest Loser” is “a different kind of reality show. We’re not looking for a villain or a pot stirrer. We want people who are prepared to share their feelings and let viewers go on a journey with them.”

Above all, he says, “Make sure we hear your story. Say what you want to say about yourself. I always feel so bad when people tell me later, ‘I wish I’d said’ this or that. Don’t leave with regrets.”

“The Biggest Loser” has attracted negative publicity in recent years, as nutritionists and fitness professionals complained that such rapid weight loss (30 pounds or more in a week) wasn’t realistic or healthy. Trainers have been accused of physically and emotionally bullying the contestants.

The criticism crystalized after Season 15, when winner Rachel Frederickson appeared looking skeletal at 105 pounds, down from 260 just four months earlier. She has since put some weight back on.

“After I cast people and send them along, I don’t stop caring about them,” Bernstein says. “There are doctors and medical tests every step of the way, and psychological counseling as well as health counseling.”

Frederickson, he adds, “is one of my favorite contestants. She’s a great person. And I’ve seen her recently, and she’s looking and feeling wonderful.”

GET MORE GAIL Gail talks TV Monday mornings with McGraw Milhaven on KTRS-AM and at stltoday.com/mcgraw — and with readers at 1 p.m. Thursdays at stltoday.com/chats.

07.17.15–07.23.15 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • GO! MAGAZINE

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