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WEEK NOVEMBER 2, 2016 VOL. 1 NO. 37
NEW FREEDOM THEATER Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj named as artistic director at New Freedom Theatre. 8
DEVELOPMENT NEWS Find out what’s being built on your block. 6
MOVIE REVIEWS Short reviews of movies at the Pearl. 8
ACCU-REGGIE 7-day weather forecast for the region. 3
COMMUNITY CALENDAR Events and happenings in our neighborhoods. 7
HOT OFF THE
PRESS
“Yet” is the most important vocabulary word for Brittany Leight to teach her classroom of first grade students. “I want to let them know they can’t do everything yet, but they will be able to progress,” Leight said. Leight is a teacher at St. Malachy Catholic School (1012 W. Thompson St.) which recently moved into a building a block away from its former location. The official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new school was last month. The school was founded in 1860 to serve Irish immigrants living in North Philadelphia. St. Malachy now educates PreK-8 students who live all over the city. The school has adapted and grown alongside its surrounding neighborhood, said Stephen Janczewski, St. Malachy’s principal. “St. Malachy was here just to serve the neighborhood,” Janczewski said. “The people who lived here changed, but the mission never really changed.” In 2013, St. Malachy became a member of the Independence Mission
School (IMS) network after becoming independent of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. IMS, a 501(c)(3), formed in 2012 to support and manage the costs of Catholic schools. IMS purchased the site of the school’s new location, which was previously occupied by William H. Harrison School, two years ago. Renovating the site was a $5 million project and students now have separate spaces for the auditorium, cafeteria and gym. The school’s ongoing changes include repairing basketball courts and adding outdoor amenities like a walking track. Once completed, Janczewski said the facilities will be available to the community. He said the school also hopes to form partnerships with more community organizations in the future. This year, the school is offering new educational program to students like the Responsive Classroom method. Janczewski said the core focus of Continued on Page 2.
The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – November 2, 2016
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Continued from Page 1. the program is to build relationships with the kids. The four components of the Responsive Classroom method are students and teachers greeting each other by first name, sharing, group activity and morning meeting. For morning meeting, the school gathers outside everyday to say a prayer and recite St. Malachy’s creed. “Everyday, I want them to hear that they’ve been called to do great things,” Janczewski said. “God has already given them everything they need to be successful and they’re in a place where they are loved and cared for.” This is also the first year St Malachy joined Seton Education Partners a New York-based nonprofit making Catholic education more accessible for disadvantaged children to implement the Blended Learning program. To fund the Blended Learning program, the Philadelphia School Partnership, a nonprofit that’s raised more than $75 million to invest in Philadelphia schools, awarded St. Malachy a $1 million grant. This is the largest grant PSP has awarded a Catholic school since its formation in 2011. Blended Learning allows half of the students in a classroom to use educational technology on computers to assess their expertise on a specific topic. The other half of the students work with a teacher in a more traditional, face-to-face style. Janczewski said this allows students to experience a more individualized education. Kelsey Parker is a kindergarten teacher at St. Malachy. Although it is her first year teaching at the school, she said the Blended Learning program has helped her build relationships with the kids quickly. “You can meet kids where they are and build confidence,” she added. “It’s just been really, really beneficial to see it implemented.” Mary Schmelzer is a lifelong parishioner at St. Malachy and a member of the school’s Educational Affairs Committee. Schmelzer is also a retired professor and said the lack of punitive measures at St. Malachy creates a “safe, happy place” for students. “One of the attractions of the school is the quality of the administration and faculty,” she added. “I’m very much a fan [of the school’s educational program] and I couldn’t have said that four years ago.” Enrollment for the 2016-17 school year increased by 42 percent and Janczewski said the school hopes to serve 500 kids eventually. Enrollment for the 2017-18 year has already begun. Although the school has religious roots, 95 percent of the students who attend St. Malachy are non-Catholic. Janczewski said introducing students to faith helps them grow into good people. “The way we talk about it from a faith perspective is, ‘What is God calling you to be? What is the special thing you’ve all been created to do?’ and then help give them the skills to persevere through it,” he said. Janczewski has worked in Philadelphia-based Catholic schools for 18 years. He became St. Malachy’s principal during May 2015 and said the school is unique because of “the large amount of people who care about this place.” “There are generations of people believing that St. Malachy is important for this neighborhood,” he said. “That’s just a tremendous validation of the work of literally hundreds of people who have dedicated work to making this school as strong as possible.” •
LOVE Your Park Fall Service Day on Saturday, November 12 Join Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Fairmount Park Conservancy as we clean, green, and celebrate Philly’s parks! We need 2,000 volunteer to help plant trees, collect leaves for compost, clean up trash and litter, more! Kids, families, and large groups welcome. Here’s a list of local parks participating in the Service Day: Lemon Hill Lemon Hill Mansion Sedgley Woods Disc Golf Course Belmont Plateau Laurel Hill Mansion Visit loveyourpark.org or call (215) 683-3689 for participating parks and to register.
All photos by Grace Shallow
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The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – November 2, 2016 FORECAST FOR PENN’S GARDEN
accu reggie TWITTER: @ACCUREGGIE • FACEBOOK: ACCU-REGGIE
L
ast week was pretty insane. In fact, this past month has been a continuation of the summer pattern: hot and dry. We finish the month about 3 degrees above normal and with only 65 percent of normal rainfall. Big warm spells dominated in between brief dips of cool weather. I am waiting for a pattern flip where the cool weather, relative to normal, dominates and the warm shots are the brief fleeting experiences. Right now things are setting up for a very similar winter as last year; record warmth at times with a few weeks of consistent cold during which we could see a big snow storm or two. I’ll keep an eye on it, but right now the cold air hasn't been impressive to say this is going to be a gangbuster winter!
Our best chance for rain this week is on Thursday as a cold front moves through the region. We could see thunderstorms, hail and heavy winds with the front! We will get dramatically cooler behind the front as a direct cold shot plops on top of us from Canada. Wednesday is one of the warmest days of the week. Temperatures surge to near 70 degrees. It’s November and we’re at 70. All my warm lovers please enjoy this day! If Wednesday wasn't warm enough for you just wait until Thursday. Temps will get to near 80. Think about that. In only a month we will probably see our first snow flakes. A strong cold front crashes through with thunderstorms Thursday evening. Friday is a “snap back to reality” type of day. It’s going to
be windy and cold. Saturday is more tranquil than Friday but temperatures will remain cool in the 50s. Sunday is a cool day with a cold start near freezing in some places. A reinforcing shot of cold air may come in as well. If it does, maybe just maybe, we will start to see a overall pattern change from record warmth. Monday and Tuesday are very similar as we stay cool with temperatures in the 50s. Besides Thursday, notice the week is dry. The weather winner of the week is Wednesday; the weather loser Monday. •
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The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – November 2, 2016
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1. Widener Branch Library 2808 W. Lehigh Ave - 28 - 13, 14, 15, 16
5. Fire House Co #45 26th and York Sts - 28 - 7
9. Mander Rec Center 33rd and Diamond Sts - 32 - 26, 27
2. New Life Babtist Church 2450 W. Sergeant St - 28 - 8
6. Wright School 28th and Dauphin Sts - 28 - 2, 3, 6
10. Blaine School 30th and Berks Sts - 32 - 21, 23, 24, 25
3. Love Zion Church 2521 N. 23rd St - 16 - 18
7. Clara Baldwin Manor 2600 W. Susquehanna Ave - 32 -19
11. Vernon Marks House 3226 Clifford St - 32 - 10
4. Cecil B Moore Rec Center 22nd and Huntingdon Sts - 16 - 13, 17; 28 - 1, 18
8. Strawberry Mansion School 32nd St and Ridge Ave - 28 - 4, 5
12. Gideon School 29th St and Glenwood Ave - 32 - 20, 30
Page 5
The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – November 2, 2016 17. Church of the Advocate 2121 Gratz St - 16 - 6, 9, 10, 11
49. The Philadelphian Apts 2401 Pennsylvania Ave - 15 - 6
18. Duckrey School 16th and Diamond Sts - 32 - 7
50. Russian Orthodox Church 560 N. 20th St - 15 - 17
19. Carver School 17th and Norris Sts - 32 -11
51. Yoga Studio B 1831 Brandywine St - 15 - 15
20. Amos Rec Center 16th and Berks Sts - 32 - 5, 6, 8
52. Francisville Rec Center Francis and Shirley Sts - 15 - 10, 11
21. Woodstock Comm Center 1924 N. Woodstock St - 32 - 13, 14
53. Clemente Rec Center 18th and Wallace Sts - 15 - 3
22. Health Center District 05 1900 N. 20th St - 18 - 9
54. Community College-Winnet Bldg 17th St - South of Spring - 8 -30
23. Old St. Elizabeths School 23rd St and Montgomery Ave - 32 - 15, 16, 17
55. Fire Engine Co #13 1539 Parrish St - 15 - 7
24. Cecil B Moore Library 2320 Cecil B Moore Ave - 29 - 5, 6
56. Ben Franklin HS 15th and Green Sts - 8 - 26
25. Bentley Hall 1710 N. Croskey St - 47 - 9, 11
57. Parkway House 2201 Pennsylvania House - 8 -24
26. Moore Manor Sr Home 1999 Ridge Ave - 29 - 1
58. Park Towne Place South Lobby 2200 Ben Franklin Parkway - 8 - 22
27. Meade School 18th and Oxford Sts - 47 - 7, 8, 14
59. The Watermark 2 Franklin Town Blvd - 8 - 25
28. No Phila 7th Day Adventist 1510-14 W. Oxford St - 47 - 6
60. Childs Memorial Baptist Church 953 N. 10th St - 14 - 9
29. Gray Manor 1600 N. 8th St - 20 - 4
61. Street Comm Center 1100 Poplar St. - 14 - 8
30. Ame Union Methodist Church 16th and Jefferson Sts - 47 - 3, 12
62. Guild House West 1221 Fairmount Ave - 14 - 4
31. Nat’l Temple Baptist Church 1628 W. Master St - 47 - 4, 5
63. Gladys Jacobs Apts 1100 Fairmount Ave - 14 - 5
32. Church of Faith and Deliverance 1510 W. Stiles St - 47 - 1, 2
64. Simpson Midtown Apts 1001 Green St. - 14 - 1
33. Sharswood Comm Center 1450 N. 21st St - 29 - 2, 4
65. Spring Garden Apts Comm Room 700 Green St. - 14 - 10
34. Sharswood One Senior Apts 1425 N. 23rd St - 29 - 7, 8
66. S B G Management Inc 702 Marshall Place - 14 - 11
35. Boone School 26th and Jefferson Sts - 29 - 9, 14
67. Kearney School 6th St and Fairmount Ave - 5- 23
36. W D Kelley School 28th and Oxford Sts - 29 - 15, 16
68. Harrison Homes 1240 N. 10th St. - 14 - 2, 3, 7
37. The Sartain Apts 3017 W. Oxford St - 32 - 31
69. Yorktown Apts 1300 W. Jefferson St. - 20 - 6
38. Brewerytown/Sharswood MAC 3000 W. Master St - 29 - 17
70. Dendy Rec Center 10th and Oxford Sts. - 20 - 3, 11
39. Fire Engine Co #34 28th and Thompson Sts - 29 - 3, 18
71. Norris Homes 1915 N. 11th St. - 20 - 9
40. Collegeview Homes 2632 W. Thompson St - 29 - 12
72. 8th and Diamond Rec Center 8th and Diamond - 20 - 5, 10
41. Morris School 26th and Thompson Sts - 29 - 11, 13
73. Ebenezer Baptist Church 2259 N. 10th St - 31 - 1
42. Baptist Churvh 2720 Poplar St - 15 - 1, 2
74. Penrose Rec Center 12th St and Susquehanna Ave - 20 - 7
43. City School at Fairmount 854-70 N. 24th St - 15 - 18
75. Susquehanna Village 1421 W. Susquehanna Ave - 16 - 1, 2
44. Bache Martin School 22nd and Parish Sts - 15 - 9, 12 13. Hank Gathers Rec Center 25th and Diamond Sts - 32 - 29
45. Storefront 839 N. Woodstock St - 15 -13
14. Johnson Homes 2500 W. Norris St - 32 - 18, 28
46. 2601 Parkway Clubroom 2601 Pennsylvania Ave - 15 - 4
15. Raymond Rosen Comm Center 2301 W. Edgley St - 16 - 14, 15, 16
47. Parkway Memorial VFW Post 757 N. 24th St - 15 - 5, 8
16. Foster Memorial Baptist Church 18th and York Sts - 16 - 7, 8, 12
48. St. Francis Xavier School 24th and Wallace Sts - 15 - 14, 19
The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – November 2, 2016
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WRITTEN BY THOMAS BECK
development news FIND OUT WHAT IS GETTING BUILT ON YOUR BLOCK
Francisville
1200 Block of N. 27th Street /Photo via Google Maps
The former church at 1734 Ridge Ave. in Francisville is currently being torn down. The rear portion of the structure is in ruins, but the front hasn’t been touched. Loonstyn Properties has proposed constructing a 30-unit building on the parcel, the first floor of which will presumably be allocated for commercial use. Developers are also planning on converting the property next door at 1800 Ridge Avenue into a 32-unit mixed-use building with commercial space on the first floor. It was purchased earlier this year for $500,000. Temple University Ernest Bock and Sons Inc. plans to construct a 17-story, 180-unit building at the intersection of Broad and Master Streets next to the Freedom Theatre. According to a presentation posted to the Civic Design Review’s (CDR) website, the project will include 4,000 square feet of retail space, a parking garage and a storage room for bicycles on the ground floor. Brewerytown
1734 Ridge Ave./Photo via Google Maps
In 2014, developers purchased the property at 1228-1232 W. College Avenue for $120,000. They plan to build an 11unit apartment building on site with six accompanying parking spots. The parcel is located across the street from Girard College. Nearby, at the intersection of College and Girard Avenues, MM Partners will be converting a former liquor store into another retail outlet. There is also available commercial space on the ground floor of the Braverman Building down the block. Argo Property Group will be constructing a duplex, a triplex and two six-unit buildings on the 1200 block of N. 27th Street in Brewerytown. Each duplex unit will include three bedrooms, three bathrooms and approximately 1,500 square feet of living space. Two-bedroom rental units will constitute the triplex and apartment buildings. Renderings of the project can be found on Argo Property Group’s website. FJM Investment Group has purchased the property at 2337-2341 W. Thompson Street on the border of Sharswood and Brewerytown. They are currently in the process of constructing three new triplexes on site. They demolished the old edifices on site earlier this year. • WRITTEN BY PTAH GABRIE
2nd District Race
I T ' S D W I G H T E VA N S ( D ) V S . J A M E S J O N E S ( R ) I N T H E 2 N D C O N G R E S S I O N A L D I S T R I C T The race to fill convicted criminal and 2nd District Congressman Chaka Fattah’s seat is about to come to an end on November 8th. This election is doubly important because voters will have the chance to decide who fills the seat for the rest of 2016 in a special election held the same day. Voters will be able to chose from Dwight Evans or James Jones, or write in their own choice, of course. Spirit News has been following this race and spoke with two of the three candidates. T. Milton Street, who announced his candidacy in June, spoke with us first. Street left the race quietly to work with on Republican candidate James Jones’ campaign. Jones was more than willing to speak with us, even going on the record with us for a lengthy Q&A back in September. Jones told Spirit News that Street and Street’s daughter Renee Toppin have been “incredibly helpful” with his campaign. Despite numerous attempts at scheduling an interview over the course of several months, Democratic candidate Dwight Evans declined to be interviewed by our reporters. Evans is presumed to be the winner by many news sources. Republican candidate James Jones told us that he also got the cold shoulder from Evans when he pressed the Democrat to have a series of debates. “I hope the constituency don’t have buyer’s remorse should my opponent get elected,” Jones said. “Evans never debated me even though I requested a schedule in May 2016. He is still afraid to face me in a debate publicly for fear of public perception.” One reason Evans wouldn’t want to speak to us or debate Jones might be due to some of his activities as the House Appropriations Committee Chairman. An article on Poli-
ticsPA.com points to Evan’s involvement with a pay to play James Jones scheme involving former top Ed Rendell aide John Estey. The article states that in the process of investigating, an undercover federal agent named “John Miles” allegedly made a $10,000 contribution to Dwight Evans. Evans was also investigated for allegedly channeling state funds into the Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation (OARC), which he started. While some critics said Evans allegedly steered funds into this non-profit to benefit his district at the cost of others, Evans told reporters this was a political witch hunt and that no wrongdoing occurred. According to News Works, the investigation attributed no wrongdoing to the non-profit. In return, the OARC gave back 1.2 million dollars, halted four grant requests and would “undergo stricter spending controls.” This election may be the most important one of our lifetimes. Whether you are Democrat or Republican, the right to vote is American. Please make sure you vote on November 8 — it matters! • Dwight Evans
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The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – November 2, 2016
COMMUNITY
calendar N E W S @ S P I R I T N E W S . O R G • 1 4 2 8 E . S U S Q U E H A N N A AV E • 2 1 5 . 4 2 3 . 6 2 4 6 Mondays, Through November 21 6:15-7:45PM WAGNER FREE INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE PRESENTS: URBAN ENTOMOLOGY Learn all about the insects you see in the city at the Wagner Institute of Science (1700 W Montgomery Ave).
Wednesdays, 5:30-7:30PM MAKE STUFF A drop-in program to craft handmade objects or create art being surrounded by the art of The Philadelphia Museum of Art. Activities include sketching, knitting, Lego fun or even creating a puzzle. For further information contact Philadelphia Museum of Art at (215)-763-8100
November 12, 26, and December 10 at 2PM VINYASA FLOW YOGA Laurie Schaffer will lead a one-hour yoga session at the Wagner Institute of Science (1700 W Montgomery Ave). Wednesdays, 6PM Please bring your own mat and your block. This program DHYANA YOGA has limited space. First come, first served. Practice your poses with Dhyana yoga outdoors in the Museum’s sculpture garden. Class size varies. Weather DeThursday, November 3, 6:00-7:30pm pendent and cancelled above 90 degrees. MIGHTY WRITERS COLLEGE ESSAY NIGHT (AGES For further information contact Philadelphia Museum of Art 16-19) at (215)-763-8100 This workshop will take place at 2123 N. Gratz St. Getting into the right college can mean getting into a good job or Thursdays, 12-1PM career of your choice. Get some Mighty assistance with COFFEE AND CONVERSATION your college essay. November 5, 9:30AM-12:30PM FAIRMOUNT FALL CLEANUP The Fairmount Civic Association’s Neighborhood Improvement Committee is holding the 5th Annual Fall Cleanup. Afterwards, volunteers are welcome to participate in a free bocce tournament. First place earns free entry to the bocce league and second earns reduced admission. Volunteers will receive museum passes to Eastern State Penitentiary, visit the playground behind Eastern State. Saturday, November 12 LOVE YOUR PARK FALL SERVICE DAY Join Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Fairmount Park Conservancy as we clean, green, and celebrate Philly’s parks! We need 2,000 volunteer to help plant trees, collect leaves for compost, clean up trash and litter, more! Kids, families, and large groups welcome. Visit loveyourpark.org or call (215) 683-3689 for participating parks and to register. November 22, 10AM MEDICARE BENEFITS APPRISE, a health insurance counseling program with the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging, will help you review and explain your Medicare benefits. Apprise is a free, public program that will give you balanced advice. At the Wagner Institute of Science (1700 W Montgomery Ave). Mondays, 6-8PM TOUR AMBASSADOR TRAINING PROJECT The Strawberry Civic Association is looking for young and young at heart folks to come out to Mander Rec Center (33rd and Diamond St.) to learn Philadelphia history, Fairmount Park history, museum and trail information, etc. Tourism is a lucrative industry…. Be prepared. For more call 215-765-9500 Tuesdays, 7-8:30PM SUPPORT GROUP FOR PARENTS OF ADOLESCENT & ADULT CHILDREN LIVING WITH ADDICTION AND BRAIN DISEASE Learn about substance use and mental health disorders every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at Rodeph Shalom (615 N Broad St) Those affected can share experiences and resources as well as how to support their children anonymously. For further information contact Caron at 800-854-6023 or Rabbi Jill Maderer at (215)-627-6747 x216 or rabbimaderer@rodephshalom.org. Tuesdays, 7-9PM OPEN MIC NIGHT Mugshots Coffeehouse (1925 Fairmount Ave.) hosts an open mic night every Tuesday. For more information visit Mugshots Coffeehouse on Facebook. Wednesdays, 5-8PM WEDNESDAY NIGHTS GAMEPLAY Every week there are different games to play in the galleries of The Philadelphia Museum of Art. Play with friends or with fellow visitors in friendly competition provided by the Museum. For further information contact Philadelphia Museum of Art at (215)-763-8100
On Thursdays, The Stephen Klein Wellness Center opens up for the community to talk about what they please while enjoying free coffee and snacks. Anyone can drop in. Second Thursdays GBCDC MONTHLY MEETING The Greater Brewerytown CDC holds monthly public meetings on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30. Meetings cover a variety of community news and initiatives, and features new guests each month. Meetings are held at the GBCDC office at 3000 Master Street. NETWORKING EVENTS 1st Tuesday of the Month, 6:30-8:30 PM DIG - Philadelphia Commercial Sub Group Diversified Investors Group Meetup for London Grill 2301 Fairmount Avenue For more info, contact Joe Scorese 215-290-5108 jscorese@ firstrust.com
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The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – November 2, 2016
Page 8
WRITTEN BY JAMES RENNIE
new freedom theatre RAJENDRA RAMOON MAHARAJ NAMED AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AT NEW FREEDOM THEATRE
Ensuing excitement is surrounding the performing arts community as New Freedom Theatre (1346 N Broad St) has announced that Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj will be taking on the permanent role of Artistic Director after a string of guest directors have filled the position over the past few years. Founded in 1966 by John E. Allen Jr. and Robert E. Leslie Sr., New Freedom Theatre, simply known as "The Freedom" to local residents, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Being the oldest African-American Theatre Company in Pennsylvania, New Freedom is a cultural hub for African-American pride and performance, dedicated to achieving artistic excellence in professional theatre and performing arts training for the enrichment of the community. In addition to having housed some of the finest displays in African-American performance art, such as "Purlie Victorious" (1966), "Black Picture Show" (1985-86) and "Trick the Devil" (2003-04), New Freedom Theatre combines its award-winning Barrymore training programs with its Barrymore Nominated productions to create an environment that is renowned citywide for its professionalism and integrity. 44 year-old Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj is an Indo-Caribbean American artist and member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He established Rebel Theatre Company in New York City in 2010 and has been regarded by the New York Times as “one of the most talented directors in New York these days.” Rajendra is also a member of Theatre Philadelphia's Board of Directors. Having already served as Guest Artistic Director in 2014 and being officially appointed as Artistic Director earlier this year, Rajendra looks to oversee the future success of New Freedom. With an impressive resume under his belt, his contribution to upcoming productions has been high-
/Photo via Google Maps ly anticipated by the performing arts community. Having worked in every aspect of theatre including music, set design and choreography along with being devoted to social justice performance, Rajendra possesses an impressive resume that shows he is more than capable of taking on the role of Artistic Director at New Freedom. Some of his previous director/choreography credentials in New York City include The Classical Theatre of Harlem ("Marat Sade"), Lark Play Development Center ("Man Measures Man", "Breathe") and New Federal Theatre ("Diss Diss and Dat"). In additon to his directing and choreographic experience, Rajendra is an accomplished playwright having authored plays such as "Little Rock" — a drama about the Little Rock Nine. He also co-wrote plays such as "The Ballad of Trayvon Martin" and "Daisy", inspired by the life and legacy of Daisy Lee Bates.
The appointment of Rajendra as Artistic Director coincides with New Freedom's aim to look for a new and modern direction to ensure the theatre’s longevity. They have recently fired their long-time legacy directors and now hold free monthly community events such as the Edwin Forrest Reading Series and Harlem Renaissance inspired Freedom Speaks. With Rajendra's reputation as a nationally respected figure in the activism and performing arts worlds, the theater community of Philadelphia is very much looking forward to what he will bring to the historic New Freedom Theatre. Running from November 30th until December 18th, New Freedom Theatre is exhibiting "The Black Nativity", written and directed by Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj. Tickets are $20. •
WRITTEN BY DAN O’NEIL
movie reviews
S H O R T R E V I E W S O F M O V I E S P L AY I N G A T T H E P E A R L ( 1 6 0 0 N B R O A D S T. ) Inferno The first two movie adaptations of the popular Dan Brown novels (“Da Vinci Code”, “Angels & Demons”) haven’t done much. The first movie was ripe with controversy and made tons of money, but the second one, while still making money, didn’t quite light the world on fire as people would have liked to hope. Now, seven years after the second movie, we have “Inferno”, the latest tale featuring everyone’s favorite symbologist, Robert Langdon (played by everyone’s favorite actor, Tom Hanks), as he’s on the run and looking for a way to stop half of the world’s population from dying. How? Or better yet, why? Well, the movie thankfully doesn’t try to make too much sense of it all and for that reason alone, it’s far better than its predecessors. This time around, director Ron Howard and company all feel like they’re on the same page, delivering a movie that doesn’t try to inform its audience as much as it wants to entertain them. That’s perfectly fine for me. The intellectuals who may want to learn something new and ground-breaking about the great medieval poet Dante himself will probably have to read the book.
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back While it was seen as a disappointment commercially as well as a critically, “Jack Reacher” was a perfectly fine old-school thriller that reminded me of the good old days when mainstream, big-budget movies cared more about the story and less about the flashy stunts and special-effects. Now, nearly four years later, we’ve got its sequel, “Never Go Back”, featuring the always compelling Tom Cruise in the title role once again, having to solve a case and save his life… again. It’s all routine and predictable, but still fun. Though it never quite reaches the height of its predecessor, “Never Go Back” is still an entertaining, if sometimes confusing thriller that doesn’t always know how to connect the dots, but does know how to show an explosion or fight. Which, in the action-world, is all you need. •
/Photo by Max Pulcini