Katherine Johnson, one of the most brilliant mathematicians of the last century—and still going at age 98—gets the movie she deserves with Hidden Figures, an entertaining, enlightening and educational look at the contributions of her and her cohorts to NASA and space flight in the late 1950s and after.

Johnson was part of a segregated division at NASA in the ’50s, a wing of mathematicians who did the work that actual computers do today. The movie depicts the humiliation she and two other historical African American figures, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, went through while solving equations that helped put men safely into space and return them to their families.

The women had to put up with a lot of racist bullshit on their way to, during and after work, and the film shows their hardships, albeit in PG fashion. There was a stretch where Johnson was making monumental calculations for the likes of Alan Shepard, yet she wasn’t allowed to use bathrooms in her building or drink from the same coffee pot as her white counterparts.

Taraji P. Henson plays Johnson, the “smart one” astronaut John Glenn personally demanded check the coordinates before his historical flight launched. Henson is perfection in the role, depicting Johnson as the super awesome nerd she is. She has a scene where she takes her fellow mathematicians at NASA to task for their racist ways, and it’s a stunner. Henson gives the film, and Johnson, the true sense of majesty they deserve.

Octavia Spencer is her usual great self as Vaughan, doing the work of a supervisor without the title and curious about that new IBM thing they just installed down the hall. Vaughan would become crucial to the implementation of computers at NASA, as well as being the agency’s first African American supervisor.

As Jackson, NASA’s first female African American aeronautical engineer, singer Janelle Monae is so good, it’s easy to forget that this is just her second movie role. (She was also excellent in 2016’s Moonlight.) Monae acts with the confidence of somebody who has been at it for decades, not a single year. She is undoubtedly one of cinema’s great 2016 discoveries.

For those who may have welcomed 2017 with not a large dose of cheerful anticipation, get thee to Live Theatre Workshop's production of Buyer and Cellar, a very funny—and very well done—one-man script about the shopping mall underneath one of the buildings on Barbra Streisand's compound in Malibu. 

Yes. You read correctly. An underground shopping mall. On Streisand's compound. Complete with a dress shoppe holding her collection of gowns and costumes from her movies and shows and other events; an antique shoppe decked out with only the finest wares; a doll shoppe with exquisite representations of a real hobbyist's dream. And, let's not forget, a yogurt machine and a commercial popcorn popper. And, of course, a manager who runs the whole thing. But no, this mall is not open to the public. It exists for the entertainment and diversion of The Lady herself.
This is playwright Jonathan Tolins' story of Alex More, an actor, as evidenced by his portrayal of the mayor of Toontown at Disneyland, who got the boot for some unsavory, stress-related behavior. But somehow he impresses the Young Frankenstein-Cloris Leachman-like dominatrix compound manager, Sharon, a humorless troll, according to Alex, that he would be perfect for this particular role as manager of a private mall on Barbra Streisand's private compound.

And he is. It's a pretty lonely job, though, since the Lady Herself rarely comes to the shop-pes, as Alex playfully pronounces it.

But this is not really a story of Alex's loneliness, except as it relates to the time that he has to make observations about numerous things in his mall-managing role. It's a story of a funny, real guy and his rather peculiar interaction with a movie star and music legend. His tale includes his boyfriend who knows way more about Barbra than Alex does. His story also presents us with a poignant suggestion of how not only eccentric, but lonely and isolated the Great Lady might actually be.

Embodying Alex is actor Keith Wick, who without question is one of the best actors in Tucson. He's been a regular at Live Theatre Workshop for years, and he impresses with every role. This role requires an uber-capable journeyman, and Wick, although his performance opening night was not quite at what will be its apex, is just the man.

The qualities required for this role are plentiful in a performer like Wick, whose work always is grounded in skill as well as talent. This is an enormous undertaking. The role requires being able not just to hold our attention for almost an hour and 45 minutes, but infusing that attention with humor and insight and a welcoming persona. It requires someone who's not snarky or prone to mean-spiritedness but one with an ability to make light where it needs to be. It requires a believable character, one never cruel or unkind, especially because of the subject.  

Congressman Raul Grijalva told his House colleagues today he won't be attending Donald Trump's presidential inauguration:

Thank you Mr. Chairman. I rise today to tell my constituents that I will not be attending the inauguration of Donald Trump as our next president. My absence is not motivated by disrespect for the office, or motivated by disrespect for the government that we have in this great democracy. But as an individual act – yes, of defiance – at the disrespect shown to millions and millions of Americans by this incoming administration, and by the actions we are taking here in this Congress.

The majority of voters rejected Trump. They deserve respect. The 20 million plus Americans threatened by the repeal of the Affordable Care Act without a replacement deserve respect. The millions who did not vote because they blame both parties deserve respect.

I will be at home in Arizona, meeting with seniors, the immigrant community, folks that care about the environment and climate change, healthcare providers. [I will be] marching in Tucson with folks who will demand respect. I will be talking about the need to defend and protect the future for all Americans. Rather than participate in the inauguration, I will be participating in my district and reaffirming, and renewing, this democracy, and the people that are part of it.

Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch deliver a strong acting combo in this creepy horror film from director Andre Ovredal (Trollhunter).

Down in their basement mortuary on a stormy night, father and son coroners (Cox and Hirsch) are going through their routine. A local policeman rolls in a new corpse, a Jane Doe (Olwen Kelly, doing some impressive dead body acting). The body was found, incredibly preserved, under strange circumstances with other dead bodies in the vicinity. The coroners know little of the situation, and they just get to work on searching for the cause of death. Shortly after they begin the autopsy, bad things start to happen, including the resurrection of other corpses in the morgue. Jane Doe clearly has some big secrets, and the coroners are going to find out what they are whether they want to or not.

Overdal takes the chance to make a haunted mortuary movie by the horns, and does a bang up job with it. The movie goes a little cuckoo at times, but it stays dark and scary throughout, and should satisfy horror fans.

Brujeria is a frighteningly punchy all-star death metal/grindcore combo that passes itself off as a murderous, truly evil drug cartel, one into Satan worship and Donald Trump. (Brujeria is Spanish for “witchcraft.”) Yes, they’re lampooning the form, but the music absolutely holds up as some of the heaviest shit ever recorded this side of Scandinavia. So let’s not confuse such skull-splitting din with lightweights like Spinal Tap or Gwar, OK?

It’s no surprise members of Carcass, Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir and Napalm Death fill out the lineup. They’ve been together in one form or another since 1989 and their long-awaited fourth album, Pocho Aztlan, dropped a few months back.

Catch them with The Casualties, Piñata Protest, Flying Donkey Punch, Maldad, and Napalm Strike. at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 13 at The Rock, 136 N. Park Ave. You can buy tickets for $23 a piece or enter to win a pair of tickets from us. Just fill out the form below and keep checking your email—we'll be in touch with winners around noon the day of the show.

Your Weekly guide to keeping busy in the Old Pueblo.

Pick of the Week: Tucson Jazz Festival

All That Jazz: The third annual Tucson Jazz Festival kicks off this week with young phenom Kamasi Washington, whose debut album The Epic was described in these pages last week as “steeped in spiritual jazz traditions of John and Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, the funky fusion of Donald Byrd and Wayne Shorter, and the free jazz explorations of Ornette Coleman,” taking the stage at downtown’s Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St., at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12. Tickets are $15 to $60.  The festival continues with more than a dozen performances through Jan. 22, including a Downtown Jazz Fiesta that features a day of free shows on Monday, Jan. 16.

Food & Booze

Food & Booze Girl Scout Cookie + Beer Pairing at Dragoon! These events have been popping up for a couple of years now, and we're definitely happy to see them continue. Head over to Dragoon on the very first day of 2017 Girl Scout Cookie season, pick up your favorite seasonal snack (Thin Mints, obviously) and pair it with a delicious local beer. These are the type of Saturday afternoons people dream of. 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14. Dragoon Brewing Co., 1859 W. Grant Road. Bring cash for cookies and beer.

Bowling & Booze: Whether you're more into wine or craft beer Each week, every team of two will get to enjoy (or, you know, not) with a new bottle of wine or four bottles of beer while bowling three games. Learn about different breweries or wineries every Thursday for six weeks starting Jan. 19 at 6:30 p.m. Lucky Strike Bowl, 4015 E. Speedway Blvd. $12.99 per person, per week.

Arts

Tucson Fringe Festival: If you want to start your theater-going year with a heady dose of the "bigger and badder" variety, you should check out the sixth annual Tucson Fringe Festival. Get ready three days jam-packed with an array of original, unjuried works performed by artists both local, national and international. Read more about the festival in the art section). Jan. 13-15.

A few days ago I wrote that I'd try to suspend my disbelief and cynicism regarding the education proposals in Ducey's State of the State address until Friday when he releases some budget numbers. Couldn't do it. The generally positive reception of his ideas in the press has left a major hole in the analysis of his speech. I wrote that I liked most of what Ducey proposed, adding there are a few exceptions, but I didn't discuss the exceptions. Those bad ideas are either cost free or can be accomplished by rejiggering the current education budget—specifically his ideas to relax teacher certification rules and to give more money to "high achieving" schools—which means the worst of his education plans can be implemented on the cheap. It's time to look at them more closely.

Ducey laid out something like ten separate education-related proposals in his address. That leaves the impression that he's given the topic considerable thought and has laid out a comprehensive package of changes and reforms, but it also means he can pick and choose which items he plans to emphasize and implement. After all, who expects him to tackle all ten items during this legislative session?

While making his grandiose education proposals, Ducey said we shouldn't expect him to spend a lot of new money on education this year.

“Now, I’m not promising a money tree. There’s no pot of gold or cash hiding under a seat cushion."

Realistically, for him to be serious about enacting some of his most important proposals, like increasing the funding of schools, raising teacher pay and expanding full day kindergarten, the cost would begin at $100 million and move upwards toward $400-800 million. Meanwhile, most budget projections agree the governor has about $24 million in loose money to play with — the rest is accounted for—with lots of places those dollars can be spent. I suppose Ducey could free up a few more dollars with draconian cuts to other government agencies. But $100 million? $400 million? $800 million? Hardly.

We'll find out Friday, but I suspect Ducey will put a bit of money into the big ticket items as a down payment to show he's serious, then he'll push less expensive items he can enact with the willing support of Republican legislators.

Hi, I'm Rusty!

I'm a 1.5 year old year old boy and I need a new home. I was found as a "stray" when a Hume Society of Southern Arizona employee found me tied to the fence at the shelter.

I'm looking for a home where I can get ample exercise, play time and lots of snuggles. So far at HSSA I have gotten along well with other dogs and I know how to sit for treats!

I need a home, but if you aren't looking to adopt you can still help homeless pets like me by donating to HSSA's fund to build a new home! We are asking people like you to help us raise 3 million dollars! Click here for more information about the new shelter and how you can help today! www.hssaz.org/building

Don't forget that if you have a current dog you should bring them over to HSSA Main Campus at 3450 N. Kelvin Blvd. to do a doggy meet and greet or give us a call at 520-327-6088 ext. 173 for more information!

I hope to see you soon!

Lots of love,
Rusty (835587)

This is a well-meaning movie with good heart, but it was better when it was called The Iron Giant.

J.A. Bayona’s film of the Patrick Ness book tells the tale of Conor (Lewis MacDougall), a young boy whose mother (Felicity Jones) is dying. Conor is, understandably, having issues, not just with the impending loss of his mother, but bullies at school and a domineering grandma (Sigourney Weaver) he doesn’t quite understand. When things come to a boil, a tree monster (voice of Liam Neeson) shows up to offer guidance and tough love.

MacDougall gives a respectable performance, as do Jones and Weaver, but the film never really works as a whole. The relationship between the boy and the imaginative monster never makes much sense, so the human interactions wind up being far more interesting.

Problem is, this movie is called A Monster Calls, and much of the film leans on the effectiveness of the monster scenes. There are moments where everything jells, but just moments. For the most part, the movie feels disjointed, uneven, and too similar to films that have come before it. And it doesn’t earn the tears it wants you to shed at the end.

It’s just kind of manipulative and weird.

If you go to to Friday's New York Times and AZ Star, you'll find these three energy-related articles:

Sensing Gains Ahead Under Trump, the Kochs Court Minorities. The Koch Brothers have begun a well-funded, new nonprofit business association, Fueling U.S. Forward, which is spreading the fossil fuels gospel to minority communities — almost literally, by funding gospel concerts where Hosannas are sung in praise of God, Coal, Oil and Natural Gas.

Arizona Corporation Commission urged to fix solar net metering 'grandfathering' issue. The ACC slashed the compensation rooftop solar owners will receive for excess energy generation that makes its way onto the grid. The ACC is being asked to improve one small part of a very bad decision by amending the grandfathering rules so people who submit their energy interconnection applications before the deadline will receive the current net metering compensation, as well as people who have their interconnections completed by the deadline. [Note: On Tuesday the ACC amended the rules to include those who submit applications before the deadline.]

China Aims to Spend at Least $360 Billion on Renewable Energy by 2020. China is funding a huge push to add renewables to its energy grid, both to lower its ridiculously high pollution levels and to try and dominate the world's growing renewable energy markets.

To sum up: U.S. cities have less pollution than they had decades ago and far less pollution than China's smog-choked cities, but courtesy of the expected pro-fossil-fuels, anti-regulation push from the Trump administration, we may slide backwards while China pushes forward. The Brave New Trump Era could harm our environment and our health while it slows our technological advances in the renewable energy arena and loses us potential business worldwide.

The headline for a fourth story from a few days ago reads, Arizona still a force in solar power, despite other states' gains. It's about our growing solar energy sector, which is second in the nation to California. Apparently, we're OK with private businesses setting up vast solar power arrays so they can make lots of money off our abundant sunshine, but we're not so OK with encouraging individual homeowners to fill unused space on their rooftops with solar panels by giving them fair compensation for the energy they produce. Corporate and home solar both reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, but home solar can also reduce corporate profits, and that's just not the Arizona way.