Screen Magic
We were at the New York City premiere of The Irishman, Martin Scorsese’s epic new film starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci. The September 27 screening was scheduled to begin at 8 pm at Lincoln Center, and with speeches before the movie (including one by Scorsese himself) and an introduction of the all-star cast, it was after midnight by the time we left.
Despite its almost three-and-a-half-hour running time, the story grabbed us from beginning to end with performances that are sure to garner Oscar nominations. The story behind the film’s creation is equally compelling. A decade in the making, its budget swelled to $160 million on the cost of the ultramodern technology used to make actors in their 70s look (at times) like they are in their 20s. Controversy even swelled over where it should be shown as an awards contender. You can read all about it on page 70. The movie hits theaters November 1 and will be released on Netflix November 27.
But that’s hardly the only big movie coming out this holiday season. One of our favorite actors, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is returning to the role that made him a movie star with the November 1 release of Terminator: Dark Fate. Arnold is far more than an entertainer. He’s a businessman who made his first million before he started earning big checks as an actor, a former California governor and an unapologetic cigar smoker. Our cover story takes you to his home in California where he talks about a wide range of topics. With this, his fourth appearance on our cover, Arnold is breaking the record he set himself.
There’s plenty more in this year-end issue. We’ll introduce you to such rising superstars of the golf world as Cameron Champ, the 24-year-old who won the Safeway Open in September, hitting one of his drives 369 yards. We’ll take you into the cellars of the world’s great Cognac makers and sample their finest brandies. And we travel to the evolving landscape of the Connecticut River Valley, where Connecticut shade plantings are in steep decline. And we’ll show you dozens of great steakhouses that put out the welcome mat for cigar smokers, allowing you to light your cigar after your meal. It’s all there, along with 81 cigar reviews to help guide you through the humidor at your favorite cigar shop.
Enjoy the issue.
