Author: Jeff Mitchell

Movie of the Week: ‘The Birdcage’

Jeff Mitchell

“The Birdcage” (1996) – Mike Nichols’ remake of “La Cage aux Folles” (1978) is a landmark LGBTQ film in American cinema, although looking back, this hit comedy – which raked in 185 million dollars worldwide – does have a troubling premise.  The mid-90s and 1978 were different times, so the story of a 20-year-old son asking his gay fathers, Armand (Robin Williams) and Albert (Nathan Lane), to act straight for one night to fool his fiancée’s conservative parents – perhaps – seemed like a semi-reasonable request to the American public…

‘In the Heights’ is a satisfying musical that sometimes soars to spectacular highs

Jeff Mitchell

“Tell me something I don’t know.” – “No Me Diga” For those who love Broadway musicals (and are deeply familiar with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s work), there’s probably not a whole lot of new information that I can write about in his and Quiara Alegria Hudes’ film adaptation of their Tony award-winning hit “In the Heights” – which won four statues in 2008 – that you don’t already know.   Admittedly, the word of this stage triumph or its transformation to a theatrical release was first-time news to this film critic. I never…

On June 19, ‘They’re Trying to Kill Us’ will live on Tribeca at Home

Jeff Mitchell

The 2021 Tribeca Film Festival runs from June 9 through 20, and not only is the prominent movie celebration playing in New York City, but the films can be streamed anywhere in the U.S. through Tribeca at Home. One film, in particular, has a prominent Phoenix, Ariz. connection.   Phoenix Suns’ All-Star point guard Chris Paul – along with pop superstar Billie Eilish – executive produced “They’re Trying to Kill Us”, directed by John Lewis and Keegan Kuhn. This important and timely documentary tries “to find answers to why Americans of…