Jyms of Wyzdom for January 17, 2020

Film Forum Suggests: Here’s something new…  I often tell you in these columns about movies you might like to see. Since I no longer write each week, I thought it might be nice to have the option of inserting information to you via “Film Forum Suggests.” I do have two films to suggest: “1917,” directed by Sam Mendes, recently won Golden Globe awards for Best Film and Director. That made me reconsider my first feeling that I didn’t need yet another war movie. Then it got 11 Oscar nominations this week, and there was a very complementary piece in Time. We saw the film and…I have to admit, it is a masterpiece. It is not your typical war movie. Yes, there are the gory remains of killed soldiers, but it’s all after the fact. The plot is simple but you do not expect the twists that surprise you. It’s musical score by one of the Newman boys, is lush and wonderful, as is the cinematography, as if it is just one, long shot. Go. You won’t be sorry.

On Sunday, you can catch the first of this year’s TCM Big Screen Classics at the Regal…”An American in Paris.” I had planned to include this one on our summer series but, yup, it really is so much better on a really big screen. It will be shown on Sunday, 1/19 at 1 and 4 PM and on Wednesday at 7 PM. Coming up in February are “Love Story” and “The Color Purple.”

Critics: We are all critics and we know good when we see it…right? Yes, but when you are looking to an authoritative paper like the Times, what you read is one person’s opinion of the film/play/concert/dance. I read some criticism to get a general idea about something I may want to see, but I think you also have to try to be intuitive and “feel” your way. When I saw “1917” get the Globe awards and then 11 Oscar nominations, well, my “feelings” changed and told me I should go. Let that be the lesson for today.

Why couldn't Dorothy tell the bad witch from the good witch? Because she didn't know which witch was which!

Why did Harry Potter cross the road? No reason, but someone will write fan fiction about it.

My mate's recently lost his job as a wizard, he's going through a bad spell at the moment.

[source: http://www.jokes4us.com/celebrityjokes/harrypotterjokes.html]

WVU is back in session for winter/spring, so, the Schools of Music and Theater will be presenting Cendrillon, an opera—described as a "fairy tale"—in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Caïn based on Perrault's 1698 version of the Cinderella fairy tale. It gave its premiere performance on 24 May 1899 in Paris. Morgantown play dates are: Jan. 30 at 7:30, Feb. 1 at 7:30 and Feb. 2 at 2 PM, all in the Clay Concert Theater at the CAC.

Finally, don’t forget to mark your calendars for the next Met in HD Live performance of “Porgy and Bess” on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 12:55 PM at the Regal cinema.