Misfits

I keep meaning to write about this little show on Hulu that my friend Tony turned me on to: Misfits (written by Howard Overman and Jon Brown), for the sci-fi geeks out there looking for something fun...the show is addicting. If you can’t get past the very thick UK accents, close-caption it. Sometimes, that’s the only way you’ll catch the funny one-liners (trust me, you don't want to miss what comes out of Nathan's or Kelly's mouth). All three seasons are currently available on Hulu. And this is the kind of show that I wish I had written and filmed.

It’s about five juvies who are sentenced to work community service together and after a freak electrical storm wind up with super powers. Yep, the premise sounds like crap BUT this show is witty and raunchy and at times even surprising. The actors are really great and I love Iwan Rheon as Simon. His transformation in the story arc of the show is the most compelling and I’m bummed to hear that he’s not returning for the fourth season. Anyway, if you are tired of reality television and really want a new show to sink your teeth into...this is the one.

Here is my disclaimer:  If you are easily offended by masturbation scenes, gratuitous violence, and angst-ridden 20-year olds then this show is NOT for you.  Peace out!!

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Feeling Good

Today, I seemed to be moving in slow-motion while the rest of the world seemed to be stuck on fast-forward. I missed my morning train (ergh) but as I waited for the next train on the open air platform, I had a moment. The morning sun was shining on my face and the cold, brisk air smelled of early spring and my heart felt wide open. For a moment, I was glad that I was alive and breathing. Being in the present moment.

In light of that moment, Nina Simone’s song, Feeling Good came to mind. Now I went on YouTube to see if I could find a live performance from Nina Simone and could only find re-mixes. The best I could do was Buble’s version: Voilà. I think the Script’s song, Breakeven (that has had a strangle hold on me for the past couple of weeks) has finally started to loosen up. Thank goodness...who can breathe with that much angst?  The melancholy comes in waves and today it's receded enough to enjoy the sun on my face.  Enjoy!



All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Look Back in Anger



Photo by Joan Marcus

On Saturday, I went to see the play, Look Back in Anger by John Osbourne at the Roundabout Theater. Sam Gold directs Adam Driver as Cliff, Charlotte Parry as Helena, Sarah Goldberg as Alison Porter and Matthew Rhys as Jimmy Porter.

Matthew Rhys as Jimmy rages across the stage, sounding off his working class frustrations on his temperate upper-crust wife Alison, who does not fight back, who plays games to make him forget his anger. The relationship is volatile and can hardly be sustained and when Alison’s friend Helena comes to visit, Alison quickly finds a way out. This crucial point is never fully realized for me. Alison just goes along and leaves but the moment when she makes up her mind is never properly shaped. It felt like Helena took away that choice from her.

Gold made a choice to pull some passages from Jimmy’s speeches regarding the socio-economics of the time (post-war London). I think he wanted to create the love relationship as the central figure. Without those themes it does lack some of the reasoning behind Jimmy’s caustic speeches. Matthew Rhys as Jimmy was scathing and I couldn’t look away as he pushed and pulled every other character within his sphere. Jimmy was unfulfilled at the dead-end-ness of his life and there was nothing to shake him out of his anger. And as much as he loved Alison, he raged against her most of all because he knew down to his bones that he would lose her eventually. No one could love another with so much cruelty and not expect a departure. I loved his performance. I read the NY Times review about how he didn’t go far enough and I have to disagree. To make it bigger would have hardly given the audience a chance to sympathize with Jimmy when Alison finally leaves..

When Alison returns and Jimmy and Alison have their moment together, it crushed the air out of my lungs from the raw impact of that scene between them. Sarah Goldberg was genius in that scene with Rhys, as she played a nuanced, vulnerable performance.

It’s a tough play but at the end of it…I was reminded why I love theater so much.


All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.