Tag: Lin-Manuel Miranda

IMMIGRATION FILMS – #1 – “In the Heights”

Usnavi de la Vega (Anthony Ramos) holds up flag;  his shop assistant cousin, Sonny de la Vega (Gregory Diaz IV) is standing behind him.

Trailer:

IN THE HEIGHTS Trailer (2021) – Bing video

 

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

“In the Heights” is Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical play about his growing up in New York as an immigrant.  (Miranda is of Puerto Rican descent, along with Mexican from a grandparent. During childhood and his teens, he spent at least one month each year with his grandparents in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico.)

A frequent comment that immigrants hear is “why don’t you go back where you came from”, which the main character, Usnavi de la Vega (Anthony Ramos), struggles with the idea of returning to the Dominican Republic.

From an immigrant’s viewpoint, we get to examine the pros and cons of doing just that, going back to their country of origin. 

“In the Heights” concludes that they get to choose.  Is being surrounded by poverty, racism, struggle and hate worth the effort of staying?

Leslie Grace, as Nina Rosario, stands out as a daughter of a taxi company owner, who has the grades to make it into Stanford University. 

Nina’s father, played by Jimmy Smits, as Kevin Rosario, does some creative financial moves to get her into Stanford.  But, once there, she is confronted with racial bias from her roommate and other persons at the college.

From Nina’s character, we learn that being smart, having grades and a supportive family is only half the struggle.  Nina was insulated and protected as a youth, because she lived in a section of New York that was a community of other immigrants.

“Abuela” Claudia (Olga Merediz) also stands out as the neighborhood elder, who originated from Cuba, never married or had children, but who adopts the young people in her neighborhood to be her family. 

(Spoiler alert) Abuela turns out to be the lottery ticket winner, whose legacy pays the DACA fees for some young undocumented immigrants.

Abuela means grandmother.

Director Jon M. Chu is not a newbie to musical dance films, because he either directed or produced all of the Step Up films, and most famously, the “Crazy Rich Asians” film.

Usnavi de la Vega (Anthony Ramos) dances with Vanessa Morales (Melissa Barrera).

Cast

The film includes cameos by original Broadway cast members Seth Stewart and Javier Muñoz, as well as background vocals by Andréa Burns, Janet Dacal, Mandy Gonzalez, Joshua Henry, Krysta Rodriguez, and Jon Rua.[4][5] Broadway actor Patrick Page appears as Pike Phillips.[6] Miranda’s parents Luis and Dr. Luz Towns-Miranda make cameo appearances during “Breathe”.[7] The Kid Mero provides the voice of the DJ at the start of the film.[8] Valentina appears as a patron of Daniela’s salon.[8] NPR journalist Maria Hinojosa appears as the protest leader at the DACA rally.[8]. The film also features an appearance from Rennie Harris.[9]

Leslie Grace as Nina Rosario and Corey Hawkins as Benny watch the sun go down in New York.

 

Directed by Jon M. Chu
Screenplay by Quiara Alegría Hudes
Based on In the Heights
by·         Quiara Alegría Hudes &·         Lin-Manuel Miranda
Produced by ·         Lin-Manuel Miranda

·         Quiara Alegría Hudes

·         Scott Sanders

·         Anthony Bregman

·         Mara Jacobs
Starring ·         Anthony Ramos

·         Corey Hawkins

·         Leslie Grace

·         Melissa Barrera

·         Olga Merediz

·         Daphne Rubin-Vega

·         Gregory Diaz IV

·         Jimmy Smits
Cinematography Alice Brooks
Edited by Myron Kerstein
Music by ·         Lin-Manuel Miranda

·         Alex Lacamoire

·         Bill Sherman
Production
companies		 ·         5000 Broadway Productions

·         Barrio Grrrl! Productions

·         Likely Story

·         SGS Pictures

·         Endeavor Content
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date ·         June 4, 2021 (LALIFF)

·         June 10, 2021 (United States)
Running time 143 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $55 million[1]
Box office $39 million[2][3]
 

                                           Leslie Grace as Nina Rosario

Olga Merediz as the neighborhood elder, “Abuela” Claudia.

Jimmy Smits as Kevin Rosario, dances with daughter, Nina.

 

In the Heights Wiki:

In the Heights (film) – Wikipedia

Lin-Manuel Miranda Wiki:

Lin-Manuel Miranda – Wikipedia

Jon M Chu Wiki:

Jon M. Chu – Wikipedia

‘In the Heights’ Interviews with Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera & More!:

‘In the Heights’ Interviews with Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera & More! – Bing video

7/25/2021 # In the Heights

HAMILTON

(c. to r.) Eliza (Phillipa Sooas), George Washington (Christopher Jackson), and Alexander Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda).

King of Great Britain and Ireland, Elector of Hanover (Jonathan Groff).

HAMILTON

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

If you were able to see the actual play, “Hamilton,” on stage, you were one of the lucky and prosperous ones.

I figured that if I subscribed to Disney Plus for $69.99 a year, I would be able to see the film version of the play for a lot less than one ticket to the actual play, which ranges from $451 to $809.

The film version of “Hamilton” with Lin-Manuel Miranda was worth the subscription.  About two thirds of the way into the play, it hit me what a miracle it was that America birthed a government that was to be responsible for protecting the people, not a king, not a rich man’s personal interest, but the people.

Alexander Hamilton was one of the idealists, who gave his heart, his soul and all his worldly gifts into making that happen. 

Is there anywhere else on earth that someone of no birth rank to speak of, can rise to a high position in life, based on his own drive and merit?

In my research, I discovered that there was another film made in 1931, “Alexander Hamilton,” which covered the same material, but with live period action, with horses and period buildings.

I included a few clips of it below.  I did not get the same emotional jolt from those film clips.

While the real Hamilton was not a perfect man, I can reasonably say that he did value his marriage to Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton.

She was the educated daughter of Continental Army General Philip Schuyler, who married Hamilton in spite of his being a bastard son.

Eliza helped Hamilton with his governmental writings (they were in her handwriting), she bore him eight children, and after his death, she did everything in her power to preserve his legacy.

The play almost gave the impression that Hamilton and Eliza only had one son, Philip, who died in a duel.  Hamilton’s oldest son, Philip, was trying to defend his father’s honor from insult. 

Hamilton was also the first governmental figure involved in a sex scandal. 

Eliza gave Hamilton two more children after the scandal, and there is no evidence that he was ever involved with Eliza’s older sister, Angelica, who was in Europe most of the time.

When his eldest son, Philip, was shot, Hamilton was devastated. He aged in just two years after, then died himself, in the same kind of a duel three years after his son’s duel.

But, Hamilton’s death was not in vain, he kept Vice President Aaron Burr, whom Hamilton did not trust, from ever becoming President. 

And, to conclude, Alexander Hamilton never owned a slave.

I have only good things to say about the film, “Hamilton,” which made me interested enough to read about the history of our own United States government.

Eliza, dying Philip and Hamilton.

Cast[edit]

Carleigh Bettiol, Ariana DeBose, Hope Easterbrook, Sasha Hutchings, Elizabeth Judd, Austin Smith, and Seth Stewart also appear as ensemble members.

Hamilton
Official release poster
Directed by Thomas Kail
Produced by ·         Thomas Kail

·         Lin-Manuel Miranda

·         Jeffrey Seller
Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Based on Alexander Hamilton
by Ron Chernow
Starring ·         Daveed Diggs

·         Renée Elise Goldsberry

·         Jonathan Groff

·         Christopher Jackson

·         Jasmine Cephas Jones

·         Lin-Manuel Miranda

·         Leslie Odom Jr.

·         Okieriete Onaodowan

·         Anthony Ramos

·         Phillipa Soo
Music by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Cinematography Declan Quinn
Edited by Jonah Moran
Production
companies		 ·         Walt Disney Pictures[1]

·         5000 Broadway Productions

·         Nevis Productions

·         Old 320 Sycamore Pictures

·         RadicalMedia[2]
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures[2]
Release date ·         July 3, 2020
Running time 160 minutes[3]
Country United States
Language English
Budget $12.5 million (stage production)[4]

Hamilton, the visionary architect of the modern liberal capitalist economy.

 

Wiki Hamilton (2020 film):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_(2020_film)

 

Alexander Hamilton (1931 film)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYNDE_qdiIY

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3MY3srjGOY

 

In the 1780s, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton (George Arliss) forcefully puts forth his political belief in a centralized government, only to find several against him, including senators Thomas Jefferson (Montagu Love) and Timothy Roberts (Dudley Digges). When Hamilton offers to compromise by supporting a plan to build a capitol on the Potomac River, Roberts plots Hamilton’s downfall by hiring married Mariah Reynolds (June Collyer) to seduce him, and then making the affair public.

https://www.directv.com/movies/Alexander-Hamilton-RFJJd2FGaUFwdWlFLy9ON0srN0tWQT09

 

Wiki of the real Alexander Hamilton:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Hamilton

Why Alexander Hamilton Never Became President – Biography:

https://www.biography.com/news/why-alexander-hamilton-never-became-president\

Alexander Hamilton – Biography, Duel & Legacy – HISTORY:

https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/alexander-hamilton

Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, Hamilton’s wife:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Schuyler_Hamilton

 

Philip Hamilton (1782-1801):

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/hamilton-philip-hamilton-1782-1801/

 

The Women of Hamilton:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HT3FSQ8uJw

King George William Frederick:

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/king-george-iii

3/14/2021 # Hamilton

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