DALLAS —
TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR
I was at the first showing of the Thursday night bonus screening of "The Eras Tour."
Having just seen the newly-restored Talking Heads' "Stop Making Sense," considered the best-ever concert movie ever, I wanted to see how the most popular singer on the planet right now held up.
Let's fill in the 'Blank Spaces': It was filmed over three nights at L.A.'s SoFi Stadium. It's about 45 minutes shorter than the actual concert. They cut out five songs and shortened transitions. I counted well over 30 songs and of course, stunning costume changes for each 'era.' Add to that about a half-dozen hair twirls and multiple flirty side glances.
There's something to be said for attending a live concert, but there's something more to be said for not spending hundreds of dollars for a nosebleed seat, when you can spend 13 bucks for a theater seat and see details down to the various shades of Swift's nail polish. Speaking of polish, Swift has appeared in movies before, but here she commands the screen in the environment she owns - live performance.
The production is top notch. The sound is perfect. Added visual effects for the various eras are a nice touch. If I would make one criticism, having the option to edit from three shows meant some cuts were not consistent, especially toward the end: sweaty in one shot, not so much in the next. But don't sweat it, Tay Tay.
Was she "Burning Down the House" like David Byrne? It's apples and oranges. Her fans were enraptured. She expressed her gratitude for their devotion several times. Share your friendship bracelets. "It's a Love Story ... baby just say, yes."
(Taylor Swift Productions. Rated PG-13. Running Time 2 hrs. 48 mins. In Theaters Only)
THE BURIAL
Two Texas Oscar winners team up in a new movie called "The Burial."
The owner of a small town family funeral home sues a corporate CEO for trying to bully him out of business. A David vs. Goliath story, to be sure. Tommy Lee Jones plays the wronged owner. Terrell's own Jamie Foxx plays his showy lawyer. It's been three years since Jones has starred in a movie, and this is a nice role for him. But it really plays to the strengths of Foxx. He's terrific! And of course, this was filmed before he suffered that undisclosed illness that we're all so happy he's recovered from.
Another local tie here: "The Burial" is co-written by Dallas's Doug Wright, based on a true story.
(Prime Video. Rated R. Running Time 2 hrs. 6 mins. Streaming Only)
IN THE FIRE
Before Johnny Depp took Amber Heard to trial, she made the movie "In the Fire."
It's the work of Dallas director Conor Allyn, who also co-wrote the story. Heard plays a 19th century doctor called to a remote plantation to treat a boy. The local priest thinks he's possessed and wants an exorcism. She prefers the scientific approach and pays the price for it.
This is meant to be suspenseful and provocative, but it just falls flat. Better luck to Heard and to Allyn next time.
(Saban Films. Rated R. Running Time 1 hr. 27 mins. Video on Demand)
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