“Lost City of Z”: the Movie

“The Lost City of Z” is the name that British explorer Percy Fawcett (1867-1925) gave to a rumored lost city in the Amazon jungle. It’s also the name of David Grann’s best selling non-fiction book about Fawcett’s efforts to find “Z”. Grann’s book is the basis for the film, with the screenplay by JAMES GRAY, 48, who also directed.  (Opened in some cities on April 14; more later in April).

The capsule plot: Fawcett is determined to prove that a higher civilization city could have existed in the Amazon. The scientific establishment and Amazon rubber barons ridicule him—saying that the local indigenous people are savages who never could have built such a city. However, Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam), supported by his devoted wife (Sienna Miller), son, and aide-de-camp (Robert Pattison)—returns to the jungle several times in an attempt to find the city. He and his son mysteriously disappeared in a 1925 expedition.

The advance reviews are spectacular. The Hollywood Reporter described the film as "A rare piece of contemporary classical cinema."; “The Wrap” said that "Z” feels like a clear artistic advance for Gray, who proves himself here as one of our finest and most distinctive living filmmakers."; Variety called the film "a finely crafted, elegantly shot, sharply sincere movie.”

This looks to be a breakthrough film for Gray, whose previous works were mostly gritty urban dramas (“Little Odessa,” “We Own the Night,” etc.). Urban-- but far less gritty is Gray’s “very Jewish” 2008 film, “Two Lovers," co-starring JOAQUIN PHOENIX, 44, and GWYNETH PALTROW, 42 (ends happy; so rent it).

Yes!

On April 7, the members of the famous rock band, “Yes,” were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Present Hall members give the induction speech for new Hall members. “Rush” bassist GEDDY LEE, 63, inducted “Yes” and his laudatory speech included TREVOR RABIN, 63. Rabin was the keyboardist for “Yes,” and a principal songwriter (“Owner of a Lonely Heart,” and “Love will Find a Way.”) Also: BOB DYLAN, 75, praised inductee Joan Baez in a recorded message. The whole ceremony will air on HBO on April 29.

On Jake Tapper

In 2013, I wrote a column item about CNN journalist JAKE TAPPER, now 48, in which I said that it was likely that Tapper would follow the path taken by his CNN predecessors, CAMPBELL BROWN, now 48, and Paula Zahn. Both women are talented journalists, but the bland, middle-of-the-road CNN style reined them in so much that they got tepid ratings and were cancelled. I was surprised when a CNN representative called me and pointed-out that Tapper’s ratings had just started inching up. I told this rep that I was rooting for Tapper. But, in my heart, I thought he wouldn’t last long if he wasn’t allowed to be more “editorial.”

Well, Tapper became somewhat more lively and survived. Now he is thriving in the ratings. The Trump Era (candidate and President) has proven to be a ratings boon for CNN. Ratings were helped by the constant attacks on “the mainstream media” by Trump; the Russia-ties scandal; and the constant objectively false statements issued by the White House/the President. Tapper, like much of the mainstream media, has been forced to be more editorial. For example, many seasoned reporters, like Tapper, have dispensed with the tradition of calling a false statement “a misstatement” and just use the word “lie.” You can tell Tapper doesn’t like to use this word, but he feels compelled to. Like it or not, using the word “lie” helps make his reporting “hot” and popular.

Tapper is probably the “most Jewish” big time anchor, ever. He attended a Jewish day school. His sister-in law, LAURIE HAHN TAPPER, 41, is a Conservative rabbi who presided at his wedding. His brother, AARON HAHN TAPPER, 43, is a Judaic Studies professor at the Univ. of San Francisco and the author of the recent book “Judaisms: A 21st Century Introduction to Jews and Jewish Identities.” In his book, Hahn recounts how an Israeli yeshiva required him to prove, through his own research, that his mother’s conversion to Judaism met Orthodox standards—he succeeded.

Tapper, whose wife is a Jew-By-Choice, doesn’t hide his background. He wished former Homeland Security Secretary MICHAEL CHERTOFF, 63, a “happy Passover” this year and he took White House press secretary Sean Spicer to task about his Hitler/Assad statements, including the Spicer claim that Hitler didn’t gas “his people.” Tapper pointed out, as few others did, that Hitler did kill “his people” with chemicals—German Jews who were gassed were, legally, Hitler’s countrymen. (HOWARD STERN, 63, to his credit, independently pointed-out the same thing).

Tapper is probably the “most Jewish” big time anchor, ever. He attended a Jewish day school. His sister-in law, LAURIE HAHN TAPPER, 41, is a Conservative rabbi who presided at his wedding. His brother, AARON HAHN TAPPER, 43, is a Judaic Studies professor at the Univ. of San Francisco and the author of the recent book “Judaisms: A 21st Century Introduction to Jews and Jewish Identities.” In his book, Hahn recounts how an Israeli yeshiva required him to prove, through his own research, that his mother’s conversion to Judaism met Orthodox standards—he succeeded.