If you’re someone that’s going to keep your Christmas tree up for another few weeks, and the Christmas lights up for another few months, you’re probably someone that wouldn’t mind seeing one of the performances of “A Christmas Story” or “The Nutcracker” that are still playing a few places around town. But here are some other (non-holiday) shows you might want to check out:
FRIDAY –
BIG SANDY AND HIS FLYRITE BOYS are back to rock the Casbah DOWNTOWN.
San Diego’s best band that combines funk, jazz, rock, and hip-hop, with a Cuba and Brazilian flare – the B-SIDE PLAYERS; they’ll be at Lou Lou’s Jungle Room on EL CAJON BLVD.
If you need an excuse to wear your Hawaiian shirt out in public, JIMMY’S BUFFET, which isn’t an all-you-can-eat thing, but a Jimmy Buffet tribute band, will be at the Belly Up Tavern in SOLANA BEACH.
SATURDAY –
The WILD HORSES FESTIVAL is happening at Petco Park. It doesn’t have actual horses, or even the great Rolling Stones song. It has a few big name bands, though – MUMFORD & SONS, LORD HURON, SIERRA FERRELL, and LILLY MEOLA.
The Angelika Film Center is doing a lovely thing on Monday. They’re going to show WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, in honor of Rob Reiner. If you want to catch another one of his classic films on the big screen, Saturday night you can head over to the Manchester Grand Hyatt at the EMBARCADARO, because the Rooftop Cinema Club is showing THE PRINCESS BRIDE. If you haven’t seen it, well…that’s inconceivable. At the North Coast Repertory Theatre, there will be 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS, a show where two pianists are onstage trading stories about pushy moms and crazy piano teachers, and playing everything from Bach to Billy Joel, both Saturday and Sunday. If you think that’s going to be a fun show, well…you may be right.
For fans of yacht rock, the band YACHTLEY CREW will be doing their thing at the Sound in DEL MAR. I saw them do a sold-out show last time they were here, and they’re great (although some of their songs aren’t actually “yacht rock” but who’s going to complain when they’re doing a rockin’ version of “Hold the Line”).
Some other tribute bands in town include POISON (in North Park), and DAFT PUNK (Downtown),
Comedy fans have the LGBTQ COMEDY SHOW at Mic Drop Comedy on CLAIREMONT MESA BLVD. Steven Briggs and Cassidy Stains are headlining that show.
Comedian and actor JOSH WOLF has sold out his Friday and Saturday shows, but you can get tickets to his show Sunday at The Comedy Store in LA JOLLA.
At the Movies…
THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE
The narration here doesn’t work, and neither does the 2 hour and 20 minute running time. Unless you’re someone that is really interested in all the origin stories of various religions. If so, this story about the Shakers is for you. An 18th century musical biopic isn’t for everyone. Sitting through a film showing torture, rape, difficult child births is a rather unpleasant experience. It certainly wasn’t for my wife and I (despite a great performance by Amanda Seyfried). While it’s getting awards show buzz for Seyfried, I agree with the movie magazine that recently put it on their 10 worst of the year list. 1 star out of 5.
MARTY SUPREME
I’m so disappointed in the Safdie brothers. The writer/directors knocked my socks off with their movie “Good Time” (it was my favorite of 2017). Their next movie “Uncut Gems” (Adam Sandler) was okay. Then they broke up. This year, Benny Safdie disappointed me with “The Smashing Machine” (Dwayne Johnson). Josh Safdie is getting Oscar buzz for “Marty Supreme”, which my wife and I both found hard to take. Sure, Gwyneth Paltrow is good as an aging movie star. Timothy Chalamet is always excellent, but just as Adam Sandler was in “Uncut Gems,” it’s hard to watch a manic, annoying character (especially for over two hours). Set in 1952, Marty Mauser (very loosely based on a true story) is a ping pong champ, who is always trying to scam people, for a variety of reasons.
There’s some good supporting work from Fran Drescher as his ailing mom, and Kevin O’Leary (the dude from Shark Tank, who isn’t an actor, but was terrific in his film debut).
This film is exhausting, and I don’t buy the ending for a second. But hey – it’s going to get a lot of awards. When voting with my Critics Choice Awards and San Diego Film Critics Society, it was popping up all over the ballot. 2 stars out of 5.
SONG SUNG BLUE
I feel like I’m losing my movie critic card, when I’m giving bad reviews to the two films getting awards show buzz, and liking a movie about a Neil Diamond tribute act. I’m a fan of writer/director Craig Brewer. His movie “Black Snake Moan” is Samuel Jackson’s most underrated film (with some great blues music). His “Hustle & Flow” was a great movie about a pimp trying to make it as a rapper. Now he’s bringing in Hugh Jackman to play a singer relegated to do tribute shows with Elvis and Buddy Holly impersonators. The character “Lightning” would rather do his original songs. Yet when he hooks up with a Patsy Cline impersonator (Kate Hudson), they try their hand as a Neil Diamond tribute act and lightning strikes (pun intended). They make money, have fun, and end up getting married. And then things get bumpy. I’m not the biggest fan of Neil Diamond, and you don’t have to be, to enjoy this movie. I can’t imagine anyone going to this movie and not having a good time. About the only misstep it has, was Jim Belushi. He was a bit over-the-top as a guy promoting bands for casinos. This is all based on a true story, too. I was really hoping to give this movie a bad review, because the studio invited me to a reception and screening of it with the cast in L.A., but then sent an email a few days later saying they overbooked and I was no longer invited. But it wouldn’t be fair to the filmmakers for knocking it, because it was a blast. Was I a fan of this movie? I am (I said, already). My wife enjoyed it, too. 4 stars out of 5.