‘Government Cheese' Review: David Oyelowo's Ex-Con Odyssey on Apple TV+
The push-button transmission on the indestructible Dodge Dart is one recurring late-'60s signifier in 'Government Cheese,' along with the pastels, paisleys and rampant polyester. They are all useful visual coordinates, considering that the story otherwise takes place in an unwelcoming Wonderland of surrealistic angst in which Alice is an ex-con, the looking-glass is Los Angeles and the dream involves a power drill.
David Oyelowo, whose roles have included lawman Bass Reeves, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Kaley Cuoco's husband ('Role Play'), stars in and executive-produces this 10-part series created by Paul Hunter and Aeysha Carr. He seems eager to stretch as an actor, perhaps the way Steven Soderbergh did in 'Schizopolis,' or Eddie Albert in 'Green Acres.' Whether he will take his audience along on this particular trip seems a somewhat dicey proposition.
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Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Review: ‘Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' is Joffrey Ballet's wacky and wonderful season closer
The Joffrey Ballet's season rarely extends this far into summer, but it's safe to say 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' was worth the wait. This beast of a ballet by the Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon had its North American premiere at the Lyric Opera House on Thursday. If, like for me, Lewis Carroll's 1865 fairy tale about a girl who stumbles into Wonderland is a core memory, all those beloved characters are there, with a splendidly cogent (and at times delightfully grotesque) libretto. It's more Tim Burton than Disney, but you'll recognize moments no matter your preferred version (including my personal favorite, the 1985 TV movie musical starring Jayne Meadows and Carol Channing). Following a drowse-inducing garden party at her Victorian Oxford estate, Alice (magnificently danced Thursday by Amanda Assucena) awakens to find an anxiously tardy White Rabbit (Stefan Gonçalvez). She of course must follow him, kicking off a series of Don Quixote-style adventures with wild, wacky and terrifying characters. Letting her curiosity guide her, she encounters a tea party hosted by a tap-dancing Mad Hatter (Edson Barbosa) and a slithering Cheshire Cat (whose dismantlement is made possible by a corps of dancer-puppeteers). Indeed, 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' will resonate strongly with those who adore 'Alice' — so much so that Joffrey extended the production to three weekends before it opened. In any case, exploiting its usefulness as a ballet was far overdue. There is much within Wheeldon's zany world for everyone to admire. Very small children may not appreciate some scarier moments, most notably a scene at the Duchess' house, in which viewers quite literally see how the sausage gets made. The brutish Duchess (Dylan Gutierrez) and her ax-wielding cook (Lucia Connolly) contribute some of the night's most, um, salient imagery. The pair of them (along with henchmen Valentino Moneglia Zamora, Hyuma Kiyosawa and Xavier Núñez) are terrifically terrifying. 'Alice's' third and final act is devoted almost wholly to the search for who stole the Queen of Hearts' tart. It begins with a game of croquet, played with bendy flamingoes on pointe as the mallets, striking adorable summersaulting hedgehogs. This not-so-regal realm, ruled by prima ballerina Victoria Jaiani as supreme leader, embarks on a tribunal when it's uncovered that the Knave of Hearts — a two-eyed Jack danced by the princely Alberto Velazquez — is most likely the offender and about to lose his head. Hilarity ensues. As hard as it will be to peel your eyes from Jaiani, every once in a while, be sure to glimpse her ridiculous King (marking David Gombert's glorious return to the Joffrey stage 15 years after retirement). There are tender moments, too, particularly in a satisfyingly sweet duet for Assucena and Velazquez as Alice tries to accept the blame in tart-gate. She eventually prevails, if only by waking up back in Oxford. If there's a lesson to be learned from 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,' it might be that taking the blame for your boyfriend's impropriety could turn out poorly. That, and vindictive, power-hungry leaders whose kingdoms are built on a literal house of cards are not likely to succeed. Cleverly, 'Alice' borrows hallmarks from the ballets of Carroll's time, winking at canonical works like 'The Nutcracker,' 'Sleeping Beauty' and 'Cinderella.' There's a waltz of flowers; a for our protagonist and her scrappy love interest; a hilariously satirized 'Rose Adagio' for the Queen of Hearts and four suitors (in this case, hearts and clubs); and a shirtless, hookah-smoking sultan-turned-Caterpillar (Jonathan Dole) performing a seductive take on 'the worm' with a quartet of scantily clad temple women. I'm pretty sure we didn't need that last one when 'Alice' premiered in London in 2011, and I'm certain we don't need it in 2025 — though I'll take the cameo of academy kids as sparkly pointe-shoed caterpillar legs all day, every day, plus Sunday. To be clear, such tongue-and-cheek references now to 19th century ballet are generally welcome and especially fun for those who see the parallels — perhaps even more so to those familiar with Wheeldon's catalog, too, which includes Joffrey's nearly decade-old 'Nutcracker.' In some instances, that ballet and this one parrot one another; Wheeldon went so far as to use some of the exact same ideas in his 'Nutcracker's' transformation and snow scenes, further tugging the plot parallels to these two coming-of-age stories set in magical fairy lands that may or may not have all been a dream. But 'Alice's' superpowers, all due respect to 'The Nutcracker,' are its magnificently evocative original score (by Joby Talbot) and Wheeldon's pinpointed attention to detail in every character, masterfully embraced by the Joffrey's excellent dancers, whose full-throttled performances and comedic prowess grab you and hold on for the entirety of this (very, very long) spectacle. Another thing: Wheeldon's imagination could only run this wild in a superbly-crafted Wonderland, made possible through the ingenuity of scenic and costume designer Bob Crowley, lighting designer Natasha Katz, projectionists Jon Driscoll and Gemma Carrington and puppeteer Toby Olié — seamlessly executed by a Joffrey team that, frankly, has never attempted something this big. 'Alice' was originally created for London's Royal Ballet, a company of 100 dancers and nearly 10 times Joffrey's budget. Until Thursday, it had not been performed this side of the Atlantic. Pulling it off was going to be a challenge. But they did. And Wonderland turned out to be a risk that will pay off in Joffrey Ballet presents 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' (4 stars) When: Through June 22 Where: Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive Running time: 2 hours, 50 minutes with 2 intermissions Tickets: $45-$233 at 312-386-8905 and
Elle
2 days ago
- Elle
Jones Road's Just Enough Tinted Moisturiser Has Arrived And It's The Antithesis Of What The Foundation
It was the product that broke the internet – and for all the wrong reasons. Jones Road's What The Foundation went viral after an online debate divided the beauty world, with instant obsessives and vocal sceptics feuding over the formula that has since garnered a legion of loyal fans. Now, Bobbi Brown has launched a new base product that's completely different to its counterpart – lightweight, nourishing and easy-to-apply, the new Just Enough Tinted Moisturiser has all the characteristics the former foundation didn't; making it the perfect solution for anyone who prefers a skin-nourishing formula throughout summer. Below, ELLE UK caught up with Bobbi Brown to discuss summer make-up tips, new beauty launches, and what's next for Jones Road... 'It was really important to me to create this product because I knew that there were customers who felt like something was missing. Something lighter that just felt different on the skin; this gives the appearance that you're not wearing make-up – that's the secret of Just Enough Tinted Moisturiser and I think one of the secrets behind Jones Road, too.' 'What The Foundation provides buildable coverage while the Just Enough Tinted Moisturiser is light coverage for the days where you don't need a lot. If you have oily skin it may not be your go-to but the formula is very hydrating and sits comfortably on the skin. It also doesn't dry down; it's not bouncy and emollient. We worked on this for over a year and tried it on so many people with different skin tones and skin types. I am probably the hardest judge when testing formulas, so when most people say that they love it, I would still say it's not there yet; I wanted to make something that I couldn't imagine making any better.' 'As you get older, your skin gets drier, no matter the season, so it's important to keep your skin moisturised. In the warmer months, you may start to feel like you want less moisture, which is ok, but you just need to make sure that you're still using products that don't dry out your skin.' 'I think you should do whatever makes you feel your best. That could mean something different for everyone. I believe in knowing who you are and owning it. This message puts you in the driver's seat to make decisions in your life, whether it's what make-up to wear or the clothes you go out in the world in; you're the decision maker in your life, and you should do what makes you feel the most confident.' 'My Aunt Alice used to say "If you're unhappy, find out what's causing it and see if you can do something about it. Aside from illness, there's nothing you can't find a way to fix."' 'We have so much coming out this year. I'm really excited for autumn because my tenth book is coming out and we're celebrating Jones Road's fifth anniversary, so you know we're going to plan some new products and exclusive launches for that.' ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. Amelia Bell is the Senior Site Beauty Editor at ELLE UK, developing beauty strategy, writing, editing, and commissioning, and overseeing all beauty content for the site. Amelia has a particular interest in sustainable beauty practices, exploring the skin-mind connection, and decoding the latest treatments, tweakments and runway trends. She also has bylines for Women's Health, Refinery29, British Vogue, Harrods Magazine, and more.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
‘Cheers' Actor George Wendt's Cause Of Death Revealed
The cause of death for Cheers star George Wendt is now known. The actor died from cardiac arrest, according to the death certificate obtained by TMZ. The certificate, released by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, lists cardiac arrest, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and hypertension as underlying causes. Additional contributing conditions listed include end-stage renal disease or kidney failure, and hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol). More from Deadline Jason Sudeikis Pays Tribute To His Late Uncle George Wendt: 'I Love Him Dearly' 2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries Jason Constantine Dies: Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-President Was 55 Wendt died peacefully in his sleep while at home on May 20, according to a family representative. He was 76. Wendt was on Cheers for the entirety of the show's epic run from 1982–1993. On a series full of beloved characters, his Norm Peterson was arguably the most beloved, with his entry into a scene announced each time as all the bar's patrons exclaimed, 'Norm!' What followed was usually a setup from one of his co-stars followed by a snappy one-liner from Norm. RELATED: As a result of that performance, Wendt earned six consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, but never won. Wendt was on Cheers for the entirety of the show's epic run from 1982–1993. On a series full of beloved characters, his Norm Peterson was arguably the most beloved, with his entry into a scene announced each time as all the bar's patrons exclaimed, 'Norm!' What followed was usually a setup from one of his co-stars followed by a snappy one-liner from Norm. As a result of that performance, Wendt earned six consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, but never won. RELATED: Prior to his work on Cheers, Wendt had a memorable turn on M*A*S*H, as well as appearances on Taxi, Soap and Alice. On Broadway, Wendt appeared as Yvan in Art (1998), as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray (2002), Santa in Elf (2010) and Joe Bell in Breakfast at Tiffany's (2013). Last year, Wendt joined Dan Aykroyd, Jim Belushi, Jon Lovitz, and Kevin Nealon in A History of the World in Six Glasses for Fox Nation. The show, from former Cheers EP Rob Long, chronicled the history of beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, soda and their respective impact on the world. Tom Tapp contributed to this report. RELATED: Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries 'Stick' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The Apple TV+ Golf Series
