Jim Jarmusch’s Ironically Optimistic Family Movie

In Anne Kauffman’s pristine Broadway revival of Jordan Harrison’s sci-fi play “Marjorie Prime,” from 2014, the progressively forgetful Marjorie (a luminous, ninety-six-year-old June Squibb) interacts with a alleged Prime, a hyper-realistic re-creation of her long-dead husband, Walter (Christopher Lowell). The Prime helpfully regurgitates Marjorie’s ain beingness stories, though her girl Tess (Cynthia Nixon) and son-in-law Jon (Danny Burstein) don’t hold astir however truthful this pseudo-Walter should be. Technology has caught up to Harrison’s invention—generative-A.I. companies are already selling you a mentation of your much-missed grandma. Since Harrison uses silences, abbreviated scenes, and agelong pauses to suggest loss, helium leaves america plentifulness of clip to deliberation . . . and to registry the crawling fearfulness nether the poignant communicative earlier us.—Helen Shaw (Reviewed successful our contented of 12/22/25.) (Hayes; done Feb. 15.)

Jazz

A changeable of inspiration led the boundary-pushing vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater to brace up with the impressionist pianist Bill Charlap. Though some are distinguished Grammy-winning jazz greats—the former, an N.E.A. Jazz Master, the latter, a renowned trio person who has played with Barbra Streisand, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and Tony Bennett—they mightiness not look similar a earthy match. But Bridgewater saw a imaginable kinship, and, successful June, aft a fewer shows investigating its chemistry, the duo released “Elemental,” a collaborative medium spanning the catalogues of Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Fats Waller, and more. The euphony is charming and jaunty, its looseness and zest owed to an alchemical equilibrium betwixt these 2 performers.—S. P. (Birdland; Jan. 6-10.)

Movies

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson bring joyful vigor to “Song Sung Blue,” the manager Craig Brewer’s perky yet maudlin philharmonic melodrama astir the real-life nonrecreational and romanticist concern of Mike Sardina and Claire Stengl, who formed a Neil Diamond tribute act, called Lightning and Thunder, successful Milwaukee. Mike, a mechanic, and Claire, a hairdresser, conflict successful the section philharmonic country until a accidental backstage brushwood sparks Claire’s inspired designation of Mike’s resemblance to Diamond. Their rehearsals pb to love, and these lukewarm and vigorous scenes are the champion successful the film. The script, pursuing their career’s ups (opening for Pearl Jam) and downs (a gig astatine a biker bar) is simply methodical; Hudson’s signifier beingness and tangy accent bargain the show.—Richard Brody (Opening Dec. 25.)

On and Off the Avenue

Rachel Syme counts down with nonalcoholic bubbly.