 Inhabiting the larger-than-life persona of all-American baton-botherer Leonard Bernstein has been a long-held passion project for Bradley Cooper. Speilberg (Steven) and Scorsese (Martin) have donned producer hats to help him bring his vision to the screen with Maestro, and it’s a stylized vision at that. Dialogue comes at you from all sides with minimal editing, a conversational, naturalistic choice that has divided critics. Bold staging and imaginative photography keep the biopic moving at an allegro pace, Cooper conducting Lenny’s unstoppable career and gossip-worthy personal life with relish. The scenes focus mainly on his love affair with his wife Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), his family and his many indiscretions. The evocative music washes over the whole messy triumph, culminating in a concert at Ely Cathedral, England that is recreated with one of the year’s greatest single shots. Well worth seeing at the cinema for the score alone. High culture and the dalliances of the upper crust are fetishized and manipulated in Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn. It’s a campish romp through the English class system as working class scholarship boy Oliver (Barry Keoghan) lands at a Oxford University, becoming the token poor friend of posh Felix (Euphoria’s Jacob Elordi). Over the course of a summer, visiting Felix's intimidatingly-regal family home, Oliver is first seemingly exploited, but then begins to work his own machinations within the family. There’s hints of Parasite and The Talented Mr. Ripley and Brideshead Revisited, and while there are some fun twists, the plot melts into near-incoherence towards the third act. There are charismatic turns from the leads, as well as Richard E Grant and Rosamund Pike as Felix’s parents, but don’t think about the plausibility of the story too much. Believability is completely abandoned in the magical realism of Poor Things, the latest from Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite, The Lobster). Lanthimos creates alien worlds that are just familiar enough, with skewed conventions and edgy thought experiments as reality. Poor Things is no exception, Emma Stone’s Bella Baxter emerging as a kind of Frankenstein’s monster out of the laboratory of Dr Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Her social, moral and sexual education takes place amid lab assistants and test tubes, and then under the influence of a lascivious, globetrotting playboy (Mark Ruffalo). Surreal versions of Athens, Lisbon and Paris provide the backdrop for their saucy misadventures. There’s a joyful, dreamlike weirdness to the worlds, revealed to us via hyperreal landscapes and through strange fisheye lenses, and it’s a colorful, bawdy tale of exploitation and bourgeois sensibilities. Moving through elevated, rarified worlds could be a unifying theme, such as there is one between these three movies, but stylistically, aesthetically and tonally, they’re very different interpretations of that particular journey. (PO)
 Commons Club at Virgin Hotels New Orleans
Let Commons Club (pictured above) be your destination for a memorable & festive holiday brunch and dinner this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Enjoy a spectacular feast featuring seasonal flavors prepared by Executive Chef Chris Borges that will warm your heart and delight your taste buds. In addition to the regular a la carte menu, holiday specials include: Christmas Eve Brunch: 11 AM - 2 PM Enjoy brunch and bottomless bubbles at Commons Club on Sunday, December 24th. From seasonal flavors and festive decor to live entertainment by Teena May, you won't want to miss it. Dishes include Sweet Potato Buttermilk Drop Doughnut with marshmallow fluff brulee and toasted pecan maple glaze; Avocado Toast with sunflower seed tahini, shaved vegetable salad, sprouts and seeds, and toasted sourdough; Gulf Shrimp and Bayou Cora Grits with New Orleans style BBQ gulf shrimp, andouille, Bayou Cora heirloom grits, corn and Worcestershire sauce; and Blackened Gulf Fish with Bayou Cora grits, and succotash to name a few. Bottomless Bubbles start at $35. Reservations can be made on OpenTable. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Specials: 5 PM - 9 PM
Tujague’s Celebrate Christmas at New Orleans’ second oldest restaurant on Monday, December 25th, from 11 AM - 8:30 PM. Guests can indulge in a three-course Christmas Day menu prepared by Executive Chef Gus Martin, priced at $65 per person (plus tax and gratuity). First course options include Chicken and Andouille Gumbo with Louisiana popcorn rice and Brussels Sprouts and Mixed Green Salad with shaved red onion, Tabasco pecans, and spiced pomegranate vinaigrette. Second-course dishes include the choice of Gulf Fish Almandine with haricot verts, toasted almonds, and citrus butter sauce; Roasted Maple Leaf Duck Leg with white bean cassoulet, lamb, smoked sausage, and French breadcrumbs; Grilled Filet Mignon with bleu cheese mashed potatoes, asparagus, and chasseur sauce; and Pan Seared Pork Tournedos with smoked sausage cornbread dressing, corn-fried oysters, and rosemary demi-glace. The featured dessert is Traditional Bread Pudding. Tujague’s is located at 429 Decatur Street. www.tujaguesrestaurant.com Compère Lapin James Beard award-winning chef and St. Lucian native Nina Compton invites guests to her flagship restaurant to feast on a delectable three-course Christmas menu from 12 - 3 PM on Monday, December 25th. Priced at $95 per person, the prix-fixe menu includes Crispy Brussels Sprouts with coconut dressing; Jerk Roasted Pork, Coconut Rice and Peas, Christmas Dressing Croquettes, and Rum Cake with hibiscus sorbet. Vegan and vegetarian substitutions are available. Compère Lapin is located at 535 Tchoupitoulas Street. www.comperelapin.com Mister Mao This Christmas Eve, join Chef/Owner Sophina Uong for a delightful brunch experience, as well as a decadent dinner. On Sunday, December 24th, from 11 AM to 2 PM diners can dive into the creative a la carte brunch offerings from the famed "Here Comes the Chuck Wagon'' roving cart. Highlights include Kashmiri Chile Fried Chicken with ancho, arbol, Szechuan, cumin, black salt lime cream, and poor man’s pink pineapple; Fairy Bread with condensed milk, unicorn sprinkles, and fruity pebbles; Bacon Scramble with scallion, ginger, Colby jack and basil; Coffee Smothered Chickpeas with ginger, cumin, and black cardamom, and more. Bottomless mimosas are also available for $35. Mister Mao will also be serving dinner from 5 PM to 9 PM. Treat yourself to dishes such as Grilled Beef Short Rib with sweet potato, salsa verde, pickled onion, and Mawi corn tortilla; Smoked Oyster Mushrooms with smothered corn and 7th ward green curry, and squash fritter; and Wood Fired Puppy Drum with almonds, brown butter cauliflower. Harissa and pepper nage, and crispy kale. Don’t forget to try the killer cocktails with your meal! Christmas Eve hours are from 11 AM to 2 PM and 5 PM to 9 PM. The restaurant will be closed on Christmas Day. Mister Mao is located at 4501 Tchoupitoulas Street. www.mistermaonola.com Birdy’s Behind the Bower The charming Instagram-worthy spot perched in the back of New Orleans’ Framework building invites guests to indulge in brunch on Sunday, December 24th, from 8 AM - 2 PM. Egg lovers can enjoy Huevos Rancheros with two eggs any style, black beans, slow-simmered chicken in adobo, pico de gallo, cilantro, avocado, and lime crema; Pulled Pork Benedict and Fried Chicken Biscuit with crispy chicken thigh, chicken sausage, country gravy, and sunny side egg. Their Brunch Board offers everything you could ever dream of, including donuts, granola, slab bacon, hot coppa, bubble waffle, fruit, seasonal jam, mini cookies, mini pancakes, house syrup, triple crème brie, and soft-boiled eggs. A plethora of brunch cocktails is also available, including Bottomless Mimosas. Birdy’s is located at 1320 Magazine Street. www.birdysnola.com The Pool Club at Virgin Hotels New Orleans Immerse yourself in the magic of the season at Virgin Hotel's Pool Club, now transformed into a festive wonderland for the holidays. On Sunday, December 24th, from 10 AM to 10 PM, enjoy the enchanting winter pop-up, Red Hot Holiday. Drawing inspiration from Virgin's signature red, the rooftop pop-up will transport guests into a crimson-themed wonderland, featuring a winter red rose installation, sparkling holiday lights, a selection of festive cocktails, red-themed food menu items, rooftop fireside igloo on The Pool Club terrace, and tableside s'mores. The Pool Club is located on the rooftop of Virgin Hotels New Orleans at 550 Baronne Street. www.virginhotels.com/the-pool-club  It’s the time of year when we embrace the holiday spirit and can experience the magic of the season at Virgin Hotels New Orleans. From now until the end of January 2024, step inside The Pool Club - Virgin Hotels' stunning rooftop space featuring scenic skyline views of downtown New Orleans, sophisticated craft cocktails, and a stylish yet down-to-earth vibe for its winter pop-up, Red Hot Holiday. Drawing inspiration from Virgin's signature red, the rooftop pop-up will transport guests into a crimson-themed wonderland, featuring a winter red rose installation, sparkling holiday lights, a selection of festive cocktails, and red-themed food menu items.
The rooftop will also offer an exciting experience where visitors can rent out one of their rooftop fireside igloo on The Pool Club terrace. Reserve the igloo fireside sofa for you and up to 10 guests; sip on specialty winter cocktails, and delight in table-side s'mores starting at $150 + $250 food and beverage minimum (tax and service charge not included). Red Hot Holiday is happening now and will continue through January 2024. For more information on the Igloo Fireside Sofa, visit www.sevenrooms.com  As the holidays are just weeks away, people around the city are scrambling for final gifts to give their friends and family this Christmas. W New Orleans - French Quarter is here to help.
On December 16 from 11:00am - 4:00pm, you might mistake W New Orleans - French Quarter's Courtyard for the North Pole. Roll up for the hotel's first Holidaze Market, where guests and locals are invited to pick up last-minute gifts from a carefully curated group of vendors. With sounds curated by a local DJ, the market will be complete with a hot-chocolate and beignet bar, alongside a special menu of holiday cocktails and light bites to indulge in while strolling around the market. Additionally, guests who bring in an unwrapped toy to donate to Forgotten Angels will receive a coupon for 20% off their next visit to the hotel's modern cajun and creole restaurant, 3rd Block Depot, helmed by Chef Nick Ocheltree.  Sadly, this is Lengua Madre’s final month. In celebration of its final week of service, Chef Ana Castro has put together a special menu featuring favorite dishes from Lengua’s tenure and extra-special holiday touches. This special menu service is two-fold: a celebration of the Lengua Madre staff and the New Orleans community’s support over the last 3 years. On its final night of service, Lengua Madre will host an intimate counter service event from 12-6 pm with wine and cocktails, à la carte food from Ana’s team, and a block party. Reservations can be made HERE.
 Manifesting witch face review by Eileen Daley Origin stories are ten a penny these days, with everyone from the Joker to Cruella de Vil enjoying a deep dive into their beginnings. Wicked is perhaps the origin of origin stories if you will, and is celebrating 20 years on the stage. If you’re not familiar, Wicked is an expansion of the Wizard of Oz theatrical universe, telling the story of how the good and bad witches came to be. It’s based on the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and it’s a thoughtful adaptation that foreshadows the themes more organically than you might think. Wicked is a true Broadway sensation, now in its third decade, and it continues to captivate audiences thanks to its inventive story, dazzling production, and powerhouse performances. From the moment Glinda the Good Witch (played with effervescent charm by Celia Hottenstein) descends in her glittering bubble, to the gravity-defying entrance of Elphaba (portrayed with vulnerability and strength by Olivia Valli), the audience was spellbound. The shifting chemistry between the leads is engaging to watch, the musical bringing a dynamic energy to a complex relationship. Eugene Lee's set design seamlessly blends grandeur and intimacy, transporting the audience from the towering spires of the Emerald City to the learned halls of Shiz University. The lighting design (by Kenneth Posner) creates a kaleidoscope of colors that maintain the sense of wonder. A giant dragon frames the stage, which is a neat device, reminding us that we’re watching a kind of traveling marionette version of a story. Wicked's huge success hinges on its iconic music, though, and this production did not disappoint. Tunes like ‘Defying Gravity’, ‘Popular’ and ‘For Good’ were met with panoramic excitement, fans remembering a thousand Tumblr memes and many likely seeing this show live for the latest in, well, any number of times. The ensemble cast deliver notable performances, bringing the citizens of Oz to life with infectious energy. Big ensemble numbers, such as ‘One Short Day’ and ‘Dancing Through Life’, enjoyed daring choreography that added an extra layer of drama. Wicked's timeless themes of friendship, identity, and the consequences of prejudice resonate strongly, and they kind of turn the musical romance trope on its head. The narrative's depth and emotional resonance are brought to the forefront by the cast's powerful performances, backed by a solid musical soundtrack (delivered by a lush-sounding live orchestra). Wicked is a triumphant continuation of a Broadway phenomenon. With its striking visuals and a narrative that remains as relevant as ever, it continues to pull in loving crowds. It’s fun to reevaluate the movie through a different lens, and it’s clear that, even after all these years, there's no place like Oz. Wicked plays at The Saenger Theatre through Dec 17th. More info and tickets here. |
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