By Jan Wahl–
Imagine getting a private tour of Hearst Castle, including the toilet where Marion Davies hid her booze! The guides taking my sister and I around knew as much about trashy early Hollywood scandals as I do. I was in heaven as I viewed the movies of the stars who used to go there, saw the amazing art and furniture gorgeously maintained, and the pools where I’m sure people snuck away and got intimate.
I could imagine Billy Haines, the first out gay superstar; Chaplin and some very young starlet flirting; and Hearst himself reading every newspaper and rewriting editorials. It is such a well-run, amazing place. Don’t miss the movie Building the Dream, about Heart Castle, which is really well done.
Now, on to two movies I loved seeing recently. My favorite, A Real Pain, stars Jesse Eisenberg, who also wrote and directed this film. It’s about two cousins who go on a trip to Poland to honor their grandmother. Kieran Culkin’s character is a complicated stoner, while Eisenberg plays a moody yet funny fellow. It is a lovely film.
I also recommend Sing Sing from 2023 and as of this writing streaming on Netflix. Based on a true story, it takes place in Sing Sing prison. The inmates use live theatre to avoid the madness of incarceration.
I was disappointed with Maria, starring Angelina Jolie. I doubt Maria Callas had such a boring, bland, one-dimensional life. And the closeups and self-indulgence were unfair to Callas, the remarkable diva. I saw Faye Dunaway as Maria Callas on stage. That production and
her performance were a gazillion times better.
One more disappointment for me was the over-hyped Wicked. There were two main problems in my view: the dancing was chopped up and not shot with clarity and excitement; and Arianna Grande was miscast, not playing the comedy edge of Glinda. Still, Wicked is well worth seeing on the big screen!
You can also stay in and watch Bad Santa, Scrooged, Auntie Mame (the Roz Russell version), or get tipsy and watch The Muppets Christmas Carol! To all, happy holidaze!
Jan Wahl is a Hollywood historian and film critic on various broadcast outlets. She has two Emmys and many awards for her longtime work on behalf of film buffs and the LGBTQ community. Contact her at www.janwahl.com
Off the Wahl
Published on December 19, 2024
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