Good morning! 

When movies are approaching $17 in Manhattan, one does everything that one has to do to enjoy the current flicks without going into debt. So it is that recently I've begun to spend Saturday mornings at the movies. First couple showings (before noon) of the day are usually much less and, sometimes, sparsely attended. I once saw a morning 'matinee' in a theater with only one other person. It was heaven. 

Yesterday, I caught THE FAREWELL, an indie movie about a Chinese family lying to the matriarch about a cancer illness. It seems implausible, but the flick is actually based on a true story. Anyway, it was spectacularly good in a way that indie movies are usually best at - theater-style writing (by Lulu Wang) and understated acting. Unlike a few other things I've seen recently, the story doesn't treat millennials like entitled brats and baby boomers aren't treated as shrill idiots. That in an of itself is refreshing.

The flick stars rapper turned actress Awkwafina, who I've now seen in three films (CRAZY RICH ASIANS, OCEANS 8) and think is not only hilarious but has a great future as a lead in comedies - she's got great comic timing but can also pull off a dramatic role. 

On top of a moving story, there's a killer soundtrack (composed by Alex Weston) that I purchased from Itunes the minute I got home, highlighted by a version of Air Supply's "Can't Live Without You" that is just exquisite and a jazz version of Pathetique that gave me chills. 

Let me pause here and say a few words about Itunes, for all of it's downsides (and we all know them), it's not like it would have been 30 years ago where I would have rushed from the theater to the music store (remember those?) and tried to hunt for the cassette (if it even would exist for an indie movie).  

But let me tell you, if you want to feel old, check out the artists in the New Release section. I know a couple of the names but 90% of these people, who are they? I'm such a dad (without actually having kids). Back in my day (said in the crotchety old man voice) I'd turn on the radio and always hear the latest releases. Now I turn on the radio and all I hear is talk with a song thrown in there now and then. If someone more agile on these things than I am is reading and can recommend places where to just turn on random music while I'm working, please let me know. I tried that with You Tube, but once you start down a path of someone you know, it just offers everyone else that you already know. That music is awesome but I don't want to be stuck in 1995, 1985, 1975, etc. 

Anyway, with regards to THE FAREWELL, it's so good that I may go again. And pay full price. Now you know how good I think it is. :)