Jane Birkin Cultural Icon / Singer / Actor / Writer Presents a One-Time Concert – Birkin Gainsbourg The Symphonic by Brad Balfour In the late-’60s, a French song, “Je t’aime, moi non plus,” came out and stirred both controversy and accolades as well as becoming an international pop hit – even getting considerable airplay in … Continue reading
Oscars On My Mind – To Worry About Them in This Age of Greater Anxiety The 92nd Academy Awards ceremony Dolby Theatre Los Angeles Feb. 9th, 2020 airs live on ABC starting at 8 pm Yes, I have been anguishing over the upcoming Oscars far more than I should in light of all the other … Continue reading
Robert De Niro, Al Pacino & Martin Scorsese Cinematic Icons Bring The Irishman to Life Adding to Their Catalog of Mob Mayhem by Brad Balfour While master actor Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese have separately established voluminous and highly praised careers, their work together has stirred hurrahs that have made them Olympians of … Continue reading
Todd Philips and Joaquin Phoenix Director and Actor Formed a Unique Union in Making Joker an Award-Oriented Hit by Brad Balfour Attending a Joker screening a second time – thanks to Deadline‘s Awardsline screening series – not only provided further insight but also a chance to hear director Todd Phillips explain himself, just as he … Continue reading
Greta Gerwig Makes Little Women with Big Characters and Award Ambitions by Brad Balfour Of the controversies associated with this year’s Oscars, the absence of women among many of its categories – especially Best Director – have highlighted the inequity of this award’s process. Of the many women creators considered, Little Women director Greta Gerwig’s … Continue reading
Chrissy Metz Breakthrough Faithfully Makes Actress a Film Star and Garners Her an Oscar Nom for Its Featured Song by Brad Balfour It used to be that faith-based films were low-budget productions, cheaply made with cheesy storytelling and wooden acting – more about propagandizing than worthy narrative. Nowadays, they’re labelled as contemporary Christian and as … Continue reading
Tony Smith Veteran New Yorker Preserves the Disco Experience as Sirius Radio’s Master DJ by Brad Balfour To fully appreciate DJ and music master Tony Smith, it’s good to know that when Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer of Sirius XM Radio, had his own special birthday party, it was Tony to whom he … Continue reading
Mike Greenly From the Corporate World to the Billboard Charts, a Songwriter Moves on Up by Brad Balfour When a tune’s words and music merge into a signature song, it seems so natural that it’s like everyday conversation. That’s true for classic rock songs such as Queen’s “We Will Rock You” or “We Are the … Continue reading
James Frecheville Plays Hardened Fighter Feeney Getting Revenge in Black 47 by Brad Balfour In the Irish film Black 47, times are not good. Thanks to Draconian laws imposed on the Irish people by their genocidal British occupiers, the potato famine that had hit Ireland in the mid-1840s depleted the starving populace of their main … Continue reading
Donnie Kehr Brings “The Greatest Piano Men” to the Stage This August by Brad Balfour Multi-talented musician Donnie Kehr has not only created and promoted “Rockers on Broadway” but has been a rocker on Broadway when he appeared in such musicals as “Billy Elliot,” The Who’s “Tommy,” Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Aida,” “The Human … Continue reading
