LAKEPORT, Calif. – Spirited and attractive Elena Casanova, who has won widespread admiration in previous Lake County appearances, will perform as featured soloist at the Sunday, Nov. 18, concert of the Lake County Symphony.

Casanova will play Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major on CLPA’s Yamaha grand piano. It will take place at Lakeport’s Soper-Reese Community Theatre at 3 p.m.

Cuban-born Casanova studied at Havana’s Alejandro Garcia Culturia, as well as California’s Pacific Union College and the San Francisco Conservatory. She earned her bachelor of arts in music at the University of Redlands, and since moving to Mendocino County has played in many concerts and recitals, including at least two in Lake County.

Symphony conductor John Parkinson has assembled an all-Mozart program for the Fall concert, entitled “Mozart Masterpieces” and Casanova’s selection fits into this theme. The Piano Concerto she chose is often called “The Coronation Concerto” because the composer wrote it to commemorate the coronation of Leopold II as Holy Roman Emperor.

For Mozart-lovers – and there are many in Lake County – the concert will be a jewel, with Parkinson also leading the orchestra in one of Mozart’s most beloved and endearing works “The Haffner” which was dedicated to one of the composer’s sponsors. Its official title is the Symphony No. 35 in D Major. Also on the program is the Overture to one of Mozart’s most popular operas “The Marriage of Figaro” which resulted from the first collaboration between the Austrian composer and Italian librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its instant popularity led to two more – Don Giovanni” and Cosi fan Tutte.”

Over his 30-plus years of leading the Symphony Parkinson has presented a panoply of classical and popular music, but returns often to Mozart because of the the elegance and emotion of his music. Lake County audiences evidently agree, since past “Mostly Mozart” concerts have often been sellouts.

The CLPA Youth Orchestra, under the direction of Susan Condit, will adhere to the Mozart theme with two numbers from the prolific composer. They are from one of only two symphonies Mozart ever wrote in the minor key. Called the Great G Minor Symphony, it has been described as one of his most “intensely emotional” works. The second is the Rondo Alla Turko, from the Piano Sonata No. 11, especially scored for an orchestra the size of the Youth group.

There is just one departure from the Mozart program, and that is a solo rendition of Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto Op 3, No. 6 by 9 year old Rafael Contreras who blew the audience away when he performed the same piece at the CLPA annual meeting in September. Contreras is a fourth grader at Lower Lake Elementary School and has won recognition for his skillful and emotional playing.

Member admission to the fall concert will be $20. With general admission $25 and tickets may be ordered in advance at 263-0577 or online at www.soperreesetheatre.com . Season tickets also are available.

Both Casanova and the Symphony and Youth Orchestras will perform a full rehearsal at 11 a.m., to which youths under 18 will be admitted free. Adult admission will be $5.

SKYFALL (Rated PG-13)

This year is the 50th anniversary of the James Bond franchise, and “Skyfall” is the 23rd film, as long as you don’t count Sean Connery’s return in the unofficial “Never Say Never Again.”

Appearing in his third Bond film, Daniel Craig is the sixth person in the role of the suave secret agent, as long as you don’t count Barry Nelson from a 1954 TV movie and David Niven, Peter Sellers and others from the 1967 spoof “Casino Royale.”

As a James Bond fan, I can’t resist another bit of trivia. Roger Moore holds the record for playing Bond in seven of the official films produced by Eon Productions.

And though Roger Moore brought his own inimitable jocular style to the part, Sean Connery remains, for most Bond enthusiasts, the best of the lot.

Yet, with “Skyfall,” Daniel Craig, who possesses the requisite style, wits and brawn for Ian Fleming’s creation, has solidified his standing as the heir apparent and nearly, if not yet completely, equal in stature to Connery.

Is “Skyfall” the best of all Bond films, as some proclaim? “Goldfinger” and “From Russia With Love” are arguably the gold standard. As a straight-up spy film, “Skyfall” certainly measures up with the very best.

True to the franchise tradition, the film starts with a taut, thrilling motorcycle chase through Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar and across rooftops, culminating in a breathtaking fight on top of a speeding train, which doesn’t end particularly well for Bond.

Sam Mendes, a director known for more serious work, is equally adept at the escapist fare, though in the early going you’d think he was just brushing off the instruction manual from the “Bourne” films.

After the dazzling title sequence, which includes singer Adele belting out the theme song, Bond ends up at a coastal town in the south of Turkey to recuperate and contemplate his next move.

A terrorist attack on the MI6 headquarters in London jolts Bond. His loyalty to his boss, M (Judi Dench), demands his return to action, even if he’s forced to undergo physical and mental training to qualify for duty.

It matters little to Bond that he’s not completely in shape. He needs to help M, whose authority and position is being challenged by officious government bureaucrats eager to move beyond the ossified spy business.

Enter Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), new chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee. He’s going to poke around in the dark corners. Meanwhile, Bond is the only ally that M can trust.

As part of the new regime, Q (Ben Whishaw) is a youthful, mop-haired computer geek who disdains the usual gadgets. He tells Bond that the agency doesn’t issue “exploding pens” anymore.

Bond’s assignment is to resume the chase of the killer who made off with a list of MI6 agents working undercover in terrorist groups around the globe.

The chase takes Bond to an exotic high-rise in Shanghai and then to a casino in Macau where Komodo dragons prove to be more dangerous than Siegfried and Roy’s white tigers.

Bond’s image as the ladies man is rekindled when he hooks up with the exotically beautiful Severine (Berenice Marlohe), who proves indispensable to locating the chief villain.

Not surprisingly, the bad guy is somewhat exotic himself. The oddly blond-haired Silva (Javier Bardem), a supercilious fop with exaggerated mannerisms, is motivated by a twisted sense of revenge to kill MI6 agents.

Though Silva is captured on his island hideaway, it’s not a spoiler to reveal that, much like Hannibal Lecter, he not only plays mind games but is not easily confined in what should be an airtight cell.

Because all hell is breaking loose in the British intelligence world, M is forced back out into the field and teams with Bond as the only option for getting the malevolent Silva to emerge from the shadows.

The preening, arrogant Silva, backed up by a platoon of nameless thugs, eagerly takes the bait. M and Bond set up shop at an old family estate in Scotland, setting the trap.

To the delight of 007 fans, Bond retrieves the revered Aston Martin DB5 out of mothballs. The car has a limited purpose, not even using its ejector seat. Still, it’s a nice reminder of the glory days.

An interesting element to this Bond story is that M plays a greater role than usual. On the run together, Bond and M have more room to explore their special relationship that is based on mutual respect.

For another thing, we also get much more insight into Bond’s background and events from his childhood. “Skyfall” reveals Bond’s inner life in a way that the movie audience has never seen before.

Notwithstanding some of the psychological and emotional elements, “Skyfall,” above all, has plenty of high stakes action to keep the thrill level in overdrive.

I should not forget to mention the presence of Bond’s fellow field agent Eve (Naomie Harris), who’s not only beautiful and talented, but is revealed to have a special connection at the film’s conclusion.

“Skyfall” is a superior film, allowing one to take solace from the fact that the inferior “Quantum of Solace” was merely an aberration in the recent Bond pantheon.

Director Sam Mendes has set the bar high for the next Bond film. One can hope that he’s willing to do a sequel. Meanwhile, “Skyfall” is the must-see picture.

DVD RELEASE UPDATE

“Perry Mason,” the popular TV series that inspired a genre of courtroom dramas, recently returned to DVD release with “The Seventh Season – Volume Two.”

At the end of November, keep an eye out for “Perry Mason: The Eighth Season – Volume One,” which will offer 773 minutes of running time.

Raymond Burr ignited the screen as brilliant attorney Perry Mason, who will stop at nothing to crack the most impossible cases.

To uncover the truth, Mason had help from his secretary Della Street (Barbara Hale) and investigator Paul Drake (William Hopper).

It always fun to watch Perry Mason use detective skills to trick and trap witnesses into unwittingly admitting their guilt in the case.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Lake Community Pride Foundation will present a concert by the Ukiah Symphony Strings on Saturday, Nov. 10.

The concert will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Lower Lake High School Little Theater, the most intimate Little Theater in Lake County, located at 9430 Lake St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The concert will feature Haydn to Mozart to Beethoven.

All proceeds go to support youth performing arts in Lake County.

Tickets cost $10 at the door. For tickets and information visit www.aneveningwith.org or call 707-331-8445.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Local band Ailura Fate makes a special appearance at the Lake County Arts Council Annual Meeting this Wednesday, Nov. 14, at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre in Lakeport.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the event starts at 6 p.m.

Ailura Fate is the combined local talents of Nashville award-winning rock guitarist Jason Wright, vocalist Kayla Bell, multi-guitarist Lindy Day and Native American Music Awards nominee Kevin Village Stone on bass, keyboards and Native flutes.

The evening, complete with food and drinks, opens with classical guitar renditions by Lindy Day, duets of guitar and modern Native American flutes with Kevin Village Stone, and then the full-band sound of Ailura Fate at the conclusion of the meeting. Dancing is encouraged.

Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

The Soper-Reese Community Theatre is located at 275 S. Main St., Lakeport.

For more information about the event call the Lake County Arts Council at 707-263-6658 or the Soper-Reese Community Theatre, 707-263-0577.

For more information on Ailura Fate and its members, visit www.AiluraFate.com .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Second Sunday Cinema’s Nov. 11 featured film will be “Buck.”

The venue is the Clearlake United Methodist Church at 14521 Pearl Ave. in Clearlake.  

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for snacks and socializing. The film starts at 6 p.m.

The public is welcome to attend for free, as usual.

Buck Brannaman, the original “horse whisperer,” is celebrated in “Buck,” a fine documentary, short-listed for an Oscar in 2011.  

When he was a child, Buck and his older brother were brutalized by their father and trained to be remarkable ropers, even appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Just as too many horse trainers set out to “break” horses, Buck’s dad wanted to break and train him.

But thanks to Buck’s own inner strength and the caring of great foster parents, he escaped and grew into an extraordinary man – both strong and gentle – who trains both horses and their riders with compassion and understanding.  

Viewers see Buck holding what he calls “clinics,” achieving phenomenal results with both horses and riders.  

But it’s important to note that you don’t have to love horses to get a lot out of this beautiful and moving film.  

It is frankly inspiring to meet a man who could leave his past behind, and embrace success on many levels.   

Here’s what John Defore of the Washington Post had to say: “You don’t have to be a horse nut to fall for ‘Buck,’ one of those rare documentaries whose subject is so inherently fascinating that a fictional character could hardly compete.”  

While not for young children, teens and their families will enjoy this wonderful film.  

For more information call 707-889-7355.

FLIGHT (Rated R)

Film director Robert Zemeckis (“Back to the Future”) appears to be outside of his comfort zone with “Flight.” But then, anyone contemplating an airline trip shortly after watching this film may be slightly edgy and not in a comfortable place.

“Flight” opens with a terrifying scene. No, I am not referring to Denzel Washington’s Captain Whip Whitaker enjoying an all-night party of sex, booze and cocaine with a hot flight attendant (Nadine Velazquez).

This hotel room party scene occurs prior to Whitaker’s morning flight to Atlanta. The thought that he pulls himself together with lines of coke at the hotel and a few snorts of vodka on the plane may be the scary part.

Captain Whitaker, notwithstanding an addiction to drugs and alcohol, is an exceptional pilot, having earned his wings in the Navy. In the cockpit, he is a commanding, steady presence.

On the ground, Whitaker’s personal life is an entirely different story. His ex-wife only wants to talk about financial support. His teenage is resentful of his father’s emotional absence.

Two portraits of Whitaker’s character begin to emerge after the fateful plane crash, which by now must be familiar to most moviegoers who have seen the TV ads or trailers.

After initial exposure to Whitaker’s lifestyle, “Flight” delivers what is inarguably the most harrowing flight disaster ever conceived and put on film.

In a terrible storm, Whitaker artfully steers his passenger jet to smooth skies and away from severe turbulence, much to the joy of grateful passengers.

Yet, from the beginning, his younger co-pilot (Brian Geraghty) appears to be extremely nervous, but that’s more likely due to his suspicion that Whitaker may be operating at less than the optimal level.

Shortly thereafter, the calm skies fail to offer any confidence when the plane’s hydraulic system malfunctions and the airplane plunges into a steep dive, causing extreme panic for the frightened passengers.

Actually, everybody is afraid, even the flight crew. Except for Whitaker, who maintains surprising equilibrium as he tries to figure a maneuver that will avert a crash from which no one would walk away.

Whitaker inverts the plane, flying it upside-down so as to pull out of the uncontrolled descent, thereby buying some time in which to right-size the aircraft in time to land in an open field.

Of the 102 persons on board, 96 survive, thanks to Whitaker’s brilliant if unorthodox efforts. Suddenly, he’s a hero, sort of like Captain Sully Sullenberger, and eagerly pursued by news reporters.

Despite his heroics, Whitaker was also injured in the crash, and after getting out the hospital, he hides out at his grandfather’s old farmhouse to avoid the media glare.

At first, Whitaker dumps all the booze hidden in cabinets and drawers. He befriends pretty, young Nicole (Kelly Reilly) at the hospital, and invites her to stay with him when she is evicted from her shabby apartment.

Oddly enough, Nicole, a recovering drug addict, seeks to convince Whitaker to clean up his act, even taking him to an AA meeting where he can barely sit still.

Meanwhile, the feds start investigating the crash site and the remains of the plane, and a toxicology report reveals Whitaker’s excessive levels of booze and drugs in his system. The pilot faces serious criminal charges.

Whitaker’s old Navy buddy Charlie (Bruce Greenwood), a pilots’ union official, wants to help, and brings aboard a hotshot lawyer (Don Cheadle) to work some legal magic.

The pressure builds on Whitaker. He is not exactly cooperative with the legal team or the airline honchos. The inevitable relapse to more booze and drugs soon follows.

In less capable hands, Washington’s flawed Captain Whitaker would be likely viewed as a rather unappealing, selfish drunken loser with few redeeming qualities.

To the contrary, Washington brings his considerable charm and affability to a role that might not otherwise elicit sympathy from the audience. Still, it is rather uncomfortable to keep rooting in his corner.

“Flight” is not a spiritual journey, but it does take substantial measure of a fallible man’s soul, probing many of the dark corners of his self-destructive behavior.

Just like the jetliner featured so prominently, “Flight” has its share of flaws. The startlingly crash sequence is a stunner, and Denzel Washington is steadfastly on top of his game. But there are some plot holes.

It should be noted that John Goodman, channeling his character from “The Big Lebowski,” brings comic relief as Whitaker’s drug-dealing enabler.

“Flight” is definitely a worthwhile entertainment, delivering one unapologetically hellacious ride.

DVD RELEASE UPDATE

Like a broken record, this space keeps touting the release of favorite classic TV series on DVD. “Mr. Lucky” and “Peter Gunn” were truly vintage shows.

Now we are back to the more recent past, celebrating the DVD release of another season of “The Streets of San Francisco,” a gritty police drama from the 1970s.

“The Streets of San Francisco: Season Five: Volume One & Volume Two” brings back Michael Douglas as the college educated Inspector Steve Keller, teamed up with veteran detective Mike Stone (Karl Malden).

Season Five heralds the arrival of a new colleague. Richard Hatch stars as inspector Dan Robbins, who has a lot to learn about being a police detective on the streets of San Francisco.

The DVD is presented in full screen format, with a total running time for both volumes clocking in around 1,200 minutes of excitement and thrills.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.