FRIDAY –
If you’re looking for fun for the whole family, at the Balboa Theater DOWNTOWN, they’re showing Disney’s MOANA LIVE-TO-FILM CONCERT. You’ll see the movie while live musicians perform the songs.
At the Belly Up Tavern in SOLANA BEACH, you get some funk with two tribute acts: PRINCE AGAIN, and SUPERSFREAK (doing the Rick James thing!).
SATURDAY –
In college football, the Aztecs take on Boise State in a battle for the top spot in the Mountain West Conference. Kick-off is at 7:30 at Snapdragon Stadium but show up early for the River Park Tailgate Party.
Looking for fun for the whole family? There’s a CIRCUS, at Parkway Plaza in EL CAJON. That’s going on all weekend.
The sweetest blue eyes in the business, JUDY COLLINS will be in ESCONDIDO at the California Center for the Arts. ‘60s folk singer TOM RUSH will be opening the show.
SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS will be at the Casbah DOWNTOWN.
SUNDAY –
BRYAN ADAMS will be bringing his 6-string, and playing with PAT BENATAR at Viejas Arena. They’ll be sure to be hitting you with their best hits!
At Pechanga in TEMECULA, a double-bill with TLC and SHAGGY. If you’re a scrub, you might not be allowed into the venue.
If you’re a fan of Star Trek, Leonard Nimoy’s son ADAM NIMOY will be signing his book about his dad at Mysterious Galaxy Books in the MIDWAY DISTRICT.
ON STREAMING…
Ricky Martin was shot last season, so…will he be livin’ la vida loca when season 2 of PALM ROYALE returns on APPLE TV (November 12)?
Taylor Sheridan’s LANDMAN returns with season 2 on PARAMOUNT+ (November 16).
Guillermo del Toro’s FRANKENSTEIN starring Oscar Isaac and an unrecognizable Jacob Elordi is now streaming on NETFLIX. I gave it 3 stars out of 5 when it was in theaters.
Ari Aster’s EDDINGTON starring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal debuts on HBO MAX (November 14).
At the movies…
CHRISTY
I think it’s a shame that this movie isn’t getting more support. I heard reports that it had one of the worst openings of any film in history. I didn’t know anything about Christy Martin, other than that she boxed and was on the cover of one of my Sports Illustrateds. I had always just chalked her up to being another boxer Don King was involved with, and probably a gimmick. Yet she kept winning and winning. I remember a big build-up before she was going to fight Muhammad Ali’s daughter, but didn’t remember what happened. This movie shows you what happened, and a lot of crazy stuff I didn’t realize happened. It was an absorbing biopic. And it was far better than Dwayne Johnson’s “Smashing Machine” a few months ago. I like that the filmmakers didn’t shy away from the part of Christy that makes her a bit of a jerk. Maybe that’s because having a bit of bravado in the boxing ring is acceptable (think about how we all adored Ali, and he was the biggest sh** talker of all time). It’s also easy to root for her when we see the verbal and mental abuse she’s taking from her trainer, who becomes her manager, then her husband. He’s played by Ben Foster, who’s one of the most underrated actors working today. Katy M. O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding, and the new Running Man) continues to impress me, as one of Christy’s opponents. Merritt Wever was incredible as the mom you just hate. The star of the movie, Sydney Sweeney, deserves an Oscar nomination. She’s a knockout (pun intended). Yet I’m guessing Oscar voters are going to let their assumptions about her political leanings keep her from getting the nod, which is a shame. I think it’s rather unfair, that some critics have said, “It has cliches we got in other boxing movies” or “It doesn’t reinvent the biopic” or other goofy things. All boxing movies are going to have similar scenes/themes. Just like all baseball movies or [insert sport of your choice here]. Same thing with biopics. I’m a huge boxing fan, which is why “Rocky” and “Requiem for a Heavyweight” are two of my favorite sports films (the latter written by Rod Serling, with Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason, Mickey Rooney, and Ali when his name was still Cassius Clay). Yet I wasn’t a fan of “Million Dollar Baby” (for lots of reasons, despite a great performance from Hilary Swank). So I’m not just a sucker for any movie about the sweet science. 3 stars out of 5.
THE RUNNING MAN
Stephen King’s “The Long Walk” was out last month. Now a movie based on his book about “Running.” Did he ever write a short story that involved crawling? It’s hard to review a movie like this. It’s kind of trying to be a wacky satire, so you just have to go with all the silliness. If I were 13-years-old, this would probably be my favorite movie of the year; being in my 50s, I was just mildly entertained. How can you not be when Colman Domingo is the host of the show (taking over for the brilliantly cast Richard Dawson in the original). Josh Brolin (who we last saw in one of the best movies of the year – Weapons), plays the evil executive who plays by his own set of rules. I’m a fan of filmmaker Edgar Wright (The World’s End was one of the funniest of that year, and loved that trilogy; I also loved Scott Pilgrim). He does a lot better when he’s working with Simon Pegg, but I digress. In this dystopian future, people will do anything for money. Which is why Ben Richards (Glen Powell) signs up for a series of game shows (which is a fun montage). In the original 1987 movie, they used criminals to hunt down for sport. That’s kind of fun. In this, it’s the evil networks and politicians that use regular people, and lie about them being criminals, so audiences will root for their demise. As the story progresses, it just gets more out of whack and bloated. The third act is just ridiculous. It was great seeing Katy O’Brian again, as one of the arrogant contestants. Martin Herlihy (SNL) plays the “red shirt” (who is literally wearing a red shirt), and that’s funny. Because every movie needs a vomit scene, this has one. And because it’s Edgar Wright, you get some great songs. We hear Tom Jones, the Rolling Stones “Heartbreaker” and Iggy Pop and the Stooges “Search and Destroy.” It also has the best 100 dollar bills you’ll ever see (I won’t spoil that one for you). It’s a fun B movie, but I wanted a bit more. 2 ½ stars out of 5.