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Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
‘Familiar Touch' review: A coming-of-old-age story, compassionate and clear-eyed
The writer-director Sarah Friedland makes little mystery of her main character's circumstances in the first few minutes of 'Familiar Touch,' a plaintive triumph opening for a weeklong run at the Siskel Film Center. In a sunny Los Angeles apartment, framed by visual compositions allowing the superb Kathleen Chalfant the time and space to simply be, the character, Ruth, is making brunch for two. Her visitor arrives, a middle-aged man looking concerned, a little wary. Ruth is a couple of decades older than this man, Steve. We soon realize she does not know who Steve is, though earlier, when a piece of toast pops up from her toaster, she isn't quite sure what to do with it, placing it on the dish rack. Ruth is dealing with dementia. This day, starting with these carefully made 'signature sandwiches,' as Ruth calls them, is the day Steve, her son, played by with tact and subtlety by H. Jon Benjamin, will drive her and a single suitcase of her belongings, to the next part of her life. The assisted living facility goes by the fragrant name Bella Vista, with a memory care unit nicknamed 'Memory Lane' by the residents, as Ruth learns. Friedland, whose film won three prizes at last year's Venice International Film Festival, filmed much of 'Familiar Touch' in a Pasadena, California, continuing care retirement community, with the celebrated stage and screen veteran Chalfant working closely with its residents. Without exposition dumps or pressurized contrivance, Friedland reveals facets of Ruth's life, scene by scene, in the 85 minutes of screen time. Memories of Ruth's past float in and out of her present-tense existence. At one point, floating in the community pool, Ruth, her eyes closed, imagines a long-ago day at the beach, indicated by distant sounds of children playing and a fragment of a Coney Island carousel melody. A Flatbush Avenue native of Brooklyn, she's lost in reverie, and like all the shifting sands of orientation and disorientation shaping her world now, the memory comes. And goes. Cognizance of her surroundings, and the people in her life (Carolyn Michelle is very fine as residency staffer Vanessa), is fluid, not solid. There's a lovely mixture of orientation and disorientation at work in the scene where Ruth walks into the residency kitchen (she was a cook in her earlier years), ready to chop, eyeing the half-assembled fruit salad. An empathetic staffer does the best possible thing: He lets her work, asks her questions about food and life. Lunch that day turns out to be a little special. Freidland has no stomach for overt heartwarming or screw-tightening drama, though plenty happens. Matching wits with a residency doctor, or somewhat witheringly calling out a fellow resident for wearing a chip clip in her hair, Ruth comes to dimensional life, thanks to Chalfant. Having seen her in the world premiere of Margaret Edson's 'Wit' 30 years ago, delineating a very different character (a John Donne scholar) striking the best bargain she can with fast-moving cancer, it's a privilege to witness what Chalfant achieves with this character, in these distinct circumstances, never pushing, always illuminating. Friedland gets just a tad cute on us, near the end, in a Valentine's Day reunion of mother and son. Yet even that feels earned. The filmmaker's careful, just-so visual approach in 'Familiar Touch' allows for the space and the time for Ruth to regard where she is, who she is, who she was. In interviews Friedland has cited an array of international influences (including one of my favorites of the 21st century, Lee Chang Dong's 'Poetry') on her thinking. The result is an auspicious first feature, and I'd see it if I were you. 'Familiar Touch' — 3.5 stars (out of 4) No MPA rating (brief strong language) Running time: 1:30 How to watch: June 27 to July 3 at the Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St.;
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Scotsman
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Family pays tribute to legendary Edinburgh musician Shorty Rogers who passed away aged
The family of a legendary Edinburgh musician who was the original singer of a chart-topping swinging 60s group have paid tribute to him, after he passed away last week. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Ronnie 'Shorty Rogers' Woodbridge was an 84-year-old Liverpool-born rock singer and Edinburgh music icon whose flamboyant stage presence and boundless energy made him a local legend. The dynamic performer, gifted comedian, and cherished member of the Edinburgh music scene passed away peacefully on June 17, leaving behind a legacy that spans over six decades of music, laughter, and love. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ronnie "Shorty Rogers" Woodbridge on stage in Edinburgh later in his career. | Marc Marnie Performing under the stage name Ronnie Loftus, a cheeky nod to his 6-foot-3 frame, he became a fixture of Liverpool's emerging music scene, getting up to sing with Gerry and the Pacemakers and other young bands. On occasion he would see John Lennon and Paul McCartney in the Grapes in Matthew Street, they would speak about music and he would also watch them perform in the Cavern. In 1959, Ronnie was part of the earliest version of what would become The Searchers, naming the band with John McNally and Mike Pender after his favourite Western film, directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne. But before the group gained widespread recognition, Ronnie was offered a position as lead vocalist with the Nat Allen Orchestra, a professional opportunity that would shape the rest of his life. After performing at Liverpool's Locarno Ballroom, Ronnie relocated to Edinburgh in 1960 for a residency at the city's premier dance venue, the Palais de Danse in Fountainbridge. There, he adopted the name Shorty Rogers and performed six nights a week with an 11-piece orchestra, thrilling audiences with his soaring voice and magnetic stage presence. Shorty performing in his heyday at the Palais in Edinburgh. | The Woodbridge family It was also in Edinburgh where he met his future wife, Frances, whom he married in 1962. The couple had four children: Ruth, Ron Jr., Richard, and Frances Anne. When the dance hall era came to a close, Ronnie chose to remain in Edinburgh rather than rejoin the orchestra in England. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Looking back at that time, Ronnie's son, teacher and musician, Faron Woodbridge (Ron Jr.) told the Evening News how his dad felt most alive when performing on stage. He said: 'My mother was pregnant with my sister when the band was on the road, so my mum wanted to go home. Ruth arrived and they tried to continue touring to start with but it was a bit difficult, so they moved back to Edinburgh and the rock and roll band scene kicked off. The family has been here ever since. 'My dad had a loyalty to Edinburgh, and loved my mum. It wouldn't have worked out to carry on touring. So he got a job here and played live all over the city. People remembered him from the Palais, so they followed him into the rock and roll band scene. 'When I was a young boy my dad took me all over with him to his gigs, including The Bandwagon, off Fredrick Street. I used to love watching him perform live with his band on a Saturday afternoon, it was inspirational.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Shorty passed away peacefully on June 17 aged 84. | Marc Marnie From the late 1960s onward, he continued performing under the name Shorty Rogers, developing a distinctive act that blended rock and roll, ballads, and country music with comedy and showmanship. Known for his flamboyant outfits — Shorty became instantly recognisable in venues across Scotland. His high-octane performances often included microphone-stand acrobatics, crowd banter and spot-on impressions of comedians like Ken Dodd and Tommy Cooper. Despite his larger-than-life stage persona, Ronnie remained grounded. By day, he worked as a road roller driver. By night, he transformed into a beloved entertainer who brought joy to thousands. Audiences across generations fondly remember his warmth, wit, and unforgettable performances. Shorty's funeral will take place on July 4 in his adopted hometown of Edinburgh. | Marc Marnie Ronnie remained devoted to his wife Frances until his passing, and his musical legacy lives on through his two surviving sons, both of whom continue to perform in their own bands. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Faron said: 'I have been a musician most of my life thanks to my dad, he nurtured that in me and I was the bass player in his band for 10 years from the age of 16. It was such a buzz being on stage with my dad and great fun. My brother Richie was in the band as well, as drummer, even though he was only 13 when he started. 'He was a fantastic dad, in many ways he was like a brother and mentor. I always felt like he had time for me, if I had a problem I would talk to him. Even though he was a hardworking man he would always make time for the family. 'Richie is a renowned drummer in the Edinburgh music scene, my dad really encouraged him from an early age. It's in our blood to perform music on stage. We just absorbed all his musical knowledge and talent.' Ronnie 'Shorty Rogers' Woodbridge entertained music fans in Edinburgh for more than half a century. | The Woodbridge family Shorty Rogers was a cherished husband, father, performer, and friend. His contribution to the cultural life of Edinburgh — and his roots in the vibrant Liverpool music scene of the 1950s and 60s — make him a remarkable figure in British music history. He will be remembered not only for his voice and charisma but for the joy and laughter he brought to every stage he graced. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Faron added: 'Memories of my dad performing on stage have been passed on down the generations. 'He only stopped performing about a year ago. He went through a period of his heart giving him problems, but they managed to sort out his medication to allow him to still get up on stage, playing places in recent years like Bannermans, the Caves and the Jam House (before it closed). He was a bit more restrained on stage but he still loved it.' Born in Liverpool in January 1941 during the height of the Second World War, his mother tragically died shortly after his birth due to complications from scarlet fever, and he spent his early years away from the family but soon returned to live with his father, stepmother, and three older brothers near Anfield, close to Liverpool's football ground. Ronnie 'Shorty Rogers' Woodbridge was a much loved performer in Edinburgh and further afield for more than 60 years. | Marc Marnie Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad And Faron revealed that his dad had no ill feeling about seeing the Searchers have great success with chart hits including 'Needles and Pins' and 'Sweets for my Sweet'. He said: 'He was happy for the Searchers and would go to their gigs to catch up with them. They enjoyed huge success and are still going now, they are playing Glastonbury this year. When dad died we received messages from musicians John McNally and Mike Pender, which was lovely. 'However, my dad has got his own legacy for what he established in Edinburgh. He was a larger than life character, a proper rocker, who was loved by so many people in Edinburgh for so many years.' Though he had trials with Liverpool Football Club as a young man, music quickly became Ronnie's true calling. Inspired by the rise of rock and roll and artists such as Elvis Presley and Gene Vincent, Ronnie joined his first band — The Duke Duval Rhythm Group — in 1958. That group would go on to become the first rock band to play at Liverpool's now-legendary Cavern Club. Their name remains inscribed on the Cavern's Wall of Fame to this day. Ronnie Woodbridge's funeral will be held at Warriston Crematorium at 1pm on Friday, July 4. Mourners are requested to wear something red in memory of Shorty.
Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
When a Pasadena rest home became a movie set, the residents got creative
Director Sarah Friedland knew she wanted to set her debut feature, 'Familiar Touch,' in Los Angeles. The decision was, in part, personal — both her grandmothers lived in the city — but also thematic. 'Familiar Touch' is about an aging woman, Ruth (Kathleen Chalfant), dealing with memory loss. 'I didn't want the viewer to have a sense of time passing that Ruth doesn't,' 33-year-old Friedland tells me at the film's publicity office on a gray New York day. 'So it needed to be somewhere where you couldn't tell that there was seasonal change.' But Friedland, who was born in Los Angeles but grew up in Santa Barbara, also had another goal in mind. She wanted to shoot in a real senior living community where the residents could participate in the production. Friedland ended up making 'Familiar Touch' (in theaters Friday) at Pasadena's Villa Gardens in a unique collaboration with both the staff and denizens. Before her 15-day shoot, she and her team held a five-week workshop on filmmaking for Villa Gardens' seniors, who later became background actors and production assistants on the project. It was an example of Friedland essentially putting her money where her mouth was. 'It came a lot from the anti-ageist ideas of the project,' Friedland says. 'If we're going to make this film the character study of an older woman that sees older adults as valuable and talented and capacious, let's engage their capaciousness and their creativity on all sides of production.' Friedland, whose background is in choreography, wrote the screenplay inspired by her own experience as a caregiver to artists with dementia. In the film, Ruth is disoriented when her son (H. Jon Benjamin), whom she does not recognize, moves her into a senior living home. Ruth does not see herself as elderly, instead making her way to the kitchen and working alongside the staff. That's where she is comfortable, having spent years as a cook. In order to find her perfect setting, Friedland started researching just as if she were a child of older adults looking to move her parents. She heard about Villa Gardens from the sister of her own grandmother's caregiver, and it was exactly what she wanted: a place with the resources to accommodate her crew that felt appropriate for the story she was trying to tell. In her mind, the community in her fictional story should be one of privilege, a circumstance in which Ruth, who grew up in a working-class Yiddish family, could initially feel ill at ease. The history of Villa Gardens also was appealing. It was founded in 1933 by Ethel Percy Andrus, who also started the AARP and was California's first female high school principal. 'It's a community that draws a lot of retired educators and social workers,' Friedland says. 'So there's this culture of lifelong learning.' Before Friedland could move in, however, she had to prove herself. Villa Gardens executive director Shaun Rushforth turned her down four times before saying yes. Having worked at Kingsley Manor in East Hollywood — another senior living community which is often used as a location thanks to its handsome brick facade — he was skeptical of inviting the crew. 'Small independent films were the ones I'd had the worst experiences with,' Rushforth says. 'I wasn't sure how this was going to fly with the residents.' Still, every time Rushforth thought he was going to give Friedland a strong no, it ended up being a 'soft no,' he remembers. Eventually, she won him over with her commitment to telling an authentic story. With that pledge in place, Rushforth gave her a final test: She had to convince the residents. Lisa Tanahashi, 68, a resident who ended up assisting the 'Familiar Touch' art department, was happy Rushforth gave Friedland a hard time. 'I feel bad that Shaun always has to say that he turned her down four times,' she says on a joint Zoom call from Villa Gardens with Rushforth. 'And yet from my perspective, that's exactly what we residents want him to do.' Jean Owen, 87, who was the elected president of the residents' association at the time, was immediately impressed by Friedland and the narrative she wanted to tell. 'We need more information about senior living,' she says in a video call from her apartment at Villa Gardens, her face hovering at the bottom of the frame. 'We need more information about dementia or Alzheimer's or whatever we call it — anything that can give it a good spin, not a negative, because we're all aging.' Owen, like Tanahashi, signed up for Friedland's twice-a-week workshops, where she learned about cinematography and production design from 'Familiar Touch' department heads who were patient in their teachings. 'We're not easy,' Owen says. 'We don't mean not to be, but there's just something about the aging process that it takes a little longer to catch on. She made us feel so comfortable. They all did.' Once the workshops concluded, the participants could then decide what department they wanted to contribute to during the actual filming. Owen helped cast background actors for scenes. She says she received very little pushback from her fellow residents. Only two complained. 'One man said he had better things to do for four hours than to sit at a table with stale food,' she says. 'And the other woman complained because in her scene, which was a dining scene, they kept serving the same food and it was cold.' (Friedland confirms this gripe: 'The scrambled eggs being cold was the main point of complaint.') Friedland worked with Rushforth and other members of the staff so that the filming wouldn't interrupt the daily rhythms of life at Villa Gardens. Caregiver Magali Galvez, who has worked at Villa Gardens for around 20 years, fielded questions from 'Familiar Touch' actor Carolyn Michelle, who plays the woman who assists Ruth. Although Ruth is supposed to be in a memory care unit, the production did not collaborate with those receiving similar treatment because Friedland believed they would not be able to give consent to be on camera. Ultimately, close to 30 Villa Gardens employees worked on 'Familiar Touch,' along with 80 residents. The movie's 80-year-old star, Chalfant, who shot the film when she was 78, saw the people living at Villa Gardens as her peers. 'We're all old people,' she says. 'The oldest person in the crew was in their middle-30s. In an odd way, that was a kind of division and also a collaboration between old people and young people. There wasn't any hierarchy.' One issue Friedland had directing the non-professional actors was that they often became entranced with Chalfant's performance. 'Kathy's such a magnetic performer that there were some residents who would start out playing their background role, and then Kathy would start her dialogue, and they were mesmerized and watching her,' Friedland says. One sequence where Chalfant was supposed to be floating alone in the pool drew crowds of residents watching through windows. Meanwhile, the video village, where a director typically watches playback footage on screens, was perpetually crowded. 'Video village was a village,' Friedland says. But the participation also kept the filmmakers honest. Through working with the Villa Gardens community members, Friedland strove to inject humor into the film based on what she observed. A moment where Ruth sees a woman wearing a potato chip clip as a hair adornment captures that atmosphere. 'The residents, when I pitched the film — one of the first things they said was that this film can't be too depressing,' she recalls. 'There's so much humor in our daily lives. This has to capture that sense of humor, but we can't be laughing at them — we have to be laughing with them, and it has to be absurd and uncanny.' Watching the final product has been a bittersweet experience for those from Villa Gardens, who both are thrilled to see themselves on screen but recognize that some of their fellow castmates have since died. 'It's wonderful to see them real again,' Owen says, also noting that she found the portrayal of the onset of dementia true to life. Many saw the film for the first time during its AFI Fest premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre, a screening that Friedland says gave her more nerves than the movie's debut at last year's Venice Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Lion of the Future award, as well as prizes for directing and acting. 'The residents and staff put so much work into this, and I wanted to do them proud,' Friedland says. 'But it was so joyous.' The day after the Chinese Theatre screening, Friedland brought the film to Villa Gardens for those who couldn't make it to Hollywood. She also brought along the Lion statues the team won in Venice and got the festival to send an extra award certificate to give to the community. It is going to live in the Villa Gardens library, forever connecting the place to its cinematic history.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Eamonn Holmes makes rare relationship revelation after Ruth Langsford split
Eamonn Holmes was in a relationship with Ruth Langsford before they announced their shock split last year Eamonn Holmes opened up about the secret to a "happy relationship" during a chat with his GB News co-host Ellie Costello, following his split from Ruth Langsford last year. The 65-year-old presenter parted ways with fellow Loose Women star Ruth after 14 years of marriage amid claims that their busy careers had them moving in "different directions". Since the separation, both Eamonn and Ruth have kept quiet about their divorce, although Ruth has expressed she's "embracing" being single. Eamonn, who has recently faced health issues and suffered a fall, is now romantically linked with 42-year-old counsellor Katie Alexander, having taken their love public last year with a lavish Mediterranean cruise and several event appearances. While Eamonn has steered clear of discussing his new relationship in interviews, he's now shared insights into what makes a relationship work, reports Belfast Live. In a conversation with Ellie about her husband, Eamonn queried: "How important is it, for instance, when you met Gerard did you look at him and think, what a handsome bloke he is, or did you wonder if he thinks politically, religiously, and whatever in the same way?" Ellie responded, saying she initially found Gerard "very tall and handsome." Eamonn further questioned: "But would his politics and would his views on things have influenced you in some way?" Ellie remarked: "Not initially, no, but we do have the same politics. I think it makes life easier if you do. What about you? What do you think?" Eamonn responded: "I think you're right. I think any partners I've ever had in life, I haven't deliberately gone looking for it, but I think they think the same as me." This revelation comes amid rumours that Eamonn and his partner Katie are considering serious moves in their relationship. It was reported by one source that Katie "wants to love and care for him – especially as he's in such a bad way with his legs and back, and can't walk properly without assistance". Eamonn has suffered with chronic pain and mobility issues after slipping three discs in his back in 2021. He underwent spinal surgery the following year but has suffered major health setbacks recently, heartbreakingly saying he was on "borrowed time" and "not OK".
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Liam Payne's heartbroken sister Ruth pays emotional tribute to him after watching his new Netflix show Building The Band
Liam's Netflix show was previously put on hold in the wake of his death SO PROUD Liam Payne's heartbroken sister Ruth pays emotional tribute to him after watching his new Netflix show Building The Band LIAM Payne's heartbroken sister Ruth has paid an emotional tribute to her brother after watching his new Netflix show, Building The Band. Yesterday, the trailer for the late One Direction star's final TV project as a talent show judge was released, after his family gave permission for the series to go ahead. Advertisement 6 Liam Payne's sister has revealed how 'proud' she is of him after watching his new Netflix show Credit: TNI Press 6 The star's older sister Ruth paid an emotional tribute to her late brother Credit: Roo0900/Instagram 6 Ruth penned this emotional message Credit: Instagram 6 Liam filmed Netflix show Building The Band shortly before his sad passing Credit: TNI Press The programme was filmed just months before the singer's death at the age of 31 last October. Liam's family gave Netflix permission to go ahead with the series — which will be available to stream from July 9 — and were given final sign-off on how he appeared in the show. The star's sister Ruth, 33, has watched Building The Band ahead of it's release, and took to Instagram to share how "proud" she is of her beloved brother. Sharing a heartfelt tribute, the star's big sis said: "I didn't know whether to share this but it felt weird when I've raved about Liam's work and achievements for the last 15 years. Advertisement "I'm heartbroken he never got to see how great he is in this show. "He knew he had done a good job, we all told him this when we were at filming, but watching it back, wow! Continuing the emotional message, Ruth said: "You're a star Liam, you always were and always will be. "There are a range of emotions I felt watching this, but one of the main ones is immeasurable pride. always." Advertisement Liam's grieving sister ended the post with: "Miss you more every day." LIAM'S LAST SHOW Liam filmed Netflix's Building The Band last August. In the new trailer for the talent show series, the singer is seen giving tips to young singing hopefuls, much like he had been. Building the Band: First Look, Netflix In one clip he tells them: 'You've got a lot of work to do vocally — I need to feel that connection between you guys.' Advertisement In another scene he is seen seemingly referring to his own One Direction past when he comments on the process they go through on Building The Band. He is heard saying: 'How these bands are put together is not normal — we were not put together that way.' 6 Liam appears on the show as a judge alongside Kelly Rowland and Nicole Scherzinger Credit: TNI Press Liam is one of three judges and mentors on the programme. Advertisement The show also features singers Kelly Rowland and Nicole Scherzinger as judges and Backstreet Boys star AJ McLean as the host. It brings together 50 musicians who have to form six bands, without ever seeing each other in person. They perform in individual booths and have to pick one another based on singing ability and compatibility alone. They have to form groups, who then compete against each other with the three judges watching. Advertisement It shares similarities to how Liam's band One Direction were formed on The X Factor in 2010. Liam filmed his scenes in the show in August just two months before he fell to his death from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
