Fifty years ago, a svelte, sultry Brooklynite named Lainie Kazan rose to national attention understudying Barbra Streisand in the Broadway musical, Funny Girl. Over time, she grew more zaftig, but she still is a singer to be reckoned with and she has made her mark in films as the archetypal Jewish mother. She will be recognized for the latter on Thursday at the Donald M. … [Read more...]
Organizers happy about 2014 Boca Fest outcome
By Dale King Festival of the Arts Boca 2014 has been relegated to the history books. But organizers are happy with the memories. The festival’s website is filled with comments about the 10-day event that marked its eighth annual incarnation this year, taking place in Boca Raton’s Mizner Park Amphitheater and at the Cultural Arts Center. Perhaps the most striking website … [Read more...]
Too late, ‘Unknown’ leaves thriller re-treads in search of meaning
As far as studio actioners go, Unknown has its share of well-crafted set-pieces and steely suspense, but well-versed viewers of modern thrillers won’t help but feel an almost immediate sense of déjà vu. The most obvious reference point is Taken, whose star, Liam Neeson, Unknown shares, and whose color palette of dark blues and antiseptic off-whites are mimicked here by … [Read more...]