Lawrence Toppman
Charlotte Observer
1, Charlotte, NC, United States
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Past articles by Lawrence:
Seniors take the audience along on a trip through the decades in ‘Acting Our Age’
The tales of seven residents of Charlotte’s Aldersgate retirement community personalize eventful moments in time from the Jazz Age of the 1920s to present day in this McGlohon Theater performance. → Read More
Charlotte Ballet's new artistic director Hope Muir off to fast start
Hope Muir, Charlotte Ballet’s first new artistic director in two decades, is off to a fast start as the 2017-18 season approaches. → Read More
Spoiler Alert: What's the real deal with Disney's gay character in 'Beauty & the Beast'?
Disney’s new live-action “Beauty and the Beast” includes a gay character. Reactions have been mixed. Here’s what actually is in the movie, from someone who has seen it. → Read More
Meet another 'Hidden Figure,' whose love of geometry took her to NASA
Christine Darden, who grew up in Union County, North Carolina, became one of the groundbreaking African-American women working as human computers at NASA in the 1960s. → Read More
Leo Twiggs exhibit of batiks at Mint Museum of Art stays through Feb. 19
South Carolina artist Leo Twiggs has made nine batiks to commemorate the victims of Dylann Roof’s assault on Emanuel AME Zion Church in Charleston. They tell a powerful story at the Mint Museum on Randolph Road through Feb. 19. → Read More
What’s a million-dollar ‘Nutcracker’ look like?
Hugh McColl’s donation to Charlotte Ballet enables Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux to oversee a complete makeover of the beloved holiday show “The Nutcracker” → Read More
A dream dies for Charlotte Ballet dancer, but an artist is reborn
What happens when serious injuries steal an artist’s art? For former Charlotte Ballet principal dancer Emily Ramirez, reinvention – and a national tour. → Read More
10 things you need to know about Shakespeare
I loved Shakespeare from the day I saw “Julius Caesar” at 14. (You’ve gotta see one of his plays first; you can read them later, when you understand his style.) → Read More
New Frequencies series aims for avant-garde art at reasonable prices
What New Frequencies aims to be: Cheap. Cutting-edge. Crucial. Cool. → Read More
Tune your ear to ‘New Frequencies’ series at McColl Center
The new series at McColl Center for Art + Innovation is titled “New Frequencies.” It might be more accurate to say new infrequencies, though: You’re unlikely to see these events anywhere else that doesn’t involve a long drive, a plane ticket or a trans-Atlantic voyage. → Read More
Movie review: ‘Hunger Games’ dribbles away at last
“Mockingjay – Part 2” has the technical polish and competent acting of the four-film series, though less of the intensity. It contains not a single surprise and ends with a “That’s it?” anticlimax faithful to the book, though it doesn’t amount to much onscreen. → Read More
Daniel Craig in ‘Spectre’: Bored, James Bored
The James Bond films celebrate a strange kind of 50th anniversary this year: “Thunderball,” which came out in 1965, marked the last time three good Bonds were released in a row. (It followed “From Russia With Love” and “Goldfinger.”) → Read More
‘The Martian’: One heck of a science project
One of my favorite lines from a science fiction film pops up early in “The Martian,” as stranded astronaut Mark Watney tries to solve one of many daunting obstacles to survival on the red planet. → Read More
Movie review: ‘The Visit’ another half-baked Shyamalan film
In “The Visit,” we get a big buildup with a tiny payoff, a mystery whose “twist” ending comes as no surprise, well-crafted direction and clunky writing. → Read More
Review: ‘Terminator Genisys’ – Dull be back
Entertaining mayhem and infuriating babble compete for your attention, with the latter winning by a large margin. → Read More
‘Ted 2’ easily bearable, if not as sharp as the first
In the sequel, the talking bear attempts to prove he has the same rights as a human being. The jokes are funnier, but the overall effect isn’t as strong. → Read More
Movie review: Consummate canine 'Max' can’t rescue this dog of a movie
When a Belgian Malinois trained to search for weapons comes back to the States with PTSD, the family of its former handler helps it readjust. Noble idea but consistently lame execution. → Read More
‘Inside Out’: Mental aerobics get deep and funny
Animated story about the inside of an 11-year-old girl’s brain may be the best feature Pixar has produced. → Read More
Movie review: Turn brain off and libido on if you intend to enjoy ‘Entourage’
Film remains true to its roots in the TV show about a young movie star and his posse: It sets agreeable actors in a world unknown to most of us and provides undemanding laughs. → Read More
Review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ packs an emotional punch
Joss Whedon’s superior sequel to “The Avengers” takes the story not just further but deeper. → Read More