Letters for January 11, 2018

A real, good movie

Re The Greatest Showman review by Jim Lane (Film, January 4):

The dancing was real. If you don’t believe it, watch the behind-the-scenes stuff. Just because the movie had a lot of CGI doesn’t mean the dancing looked remotely fake. Everyone there was a professional dancer for the most part. They selected some of the best in the world. Plus, Hugh Jackman’s dancing was fantastic and very real. Zendaya even did her own trapeze stunts. The songs were amazing. Count yourself in the minority for people who did not like the songs. The soundtrack is now No. 1 the Billboard charts, and the movie plus soundtrack have an incredibly high rating by audiences.

Theresa

Atlanta, GA

How do you rate?

Re The Greatest Showman review by Jim Lane (Film, January 4):

I have rarely read a review so off track… I’m not sure what your qualifications are to be a movie critic, but it’s pretty safe to say that you have become so cynical and unfeeling that nothing good, clean or entertaining will appeal to you. You make Archie Bunker look happy. This was a fabulous movie with great dancing (like you’re Len Goodman and would know good dancing if you saw it or not), catchy show tunes and a really good story. I think old P.T. would be proud to have his name associated with it. You need to go for an elephant ride and get your head in the right place (instead of up your backside).

Jayme Swanberg

Trafalgar, IN

Sacramento needs homes

Re: “Mayor’s report: Year one” by Jeff vonKaenel (News, January 4):

The story on the mayor is a perfect example of the b.s. the politicians use to get elected and stay elected. He goes on and on about evictions, homeless and lack of housing. How he gets all this tax money from heaven to fix things sometime in the future while the city he runs is busy destroying housing for everybody not rich. All those rundown buildings in your [feature] story are examples. The problem is the city is sticking it to anybody who wants to improve or build.

Here is the estimate of fee costs to build a 2,500-square-foot house. Total fees could be $20,000 in certain areas, plus school fees of $7,425, and you have not turned a spade of earth or built a single thing. That is why the county and city are way behind in affordable housing. It simply is impossible to build and make money. If the mayor was serious he would be firing at least half the help which is driving up the costs and doing the job of building code enforcement for a fraction of what the bureaucracy currently demands. Then people could fix up their properties, keep the rents lower, and build affordable housing.

Michael Fellion

Carmichael

Sour note

Re “Sac Music Festival is over” by Gregg Wager (News, January 4):

If you want to know what killed it, personal message me. I was on their board of directors, their first jazz scholarship winner and a musician life member (Gold card) until I mailed it back to them when I saw how widespread their corruption was.

Bill Bua

via Facebook

Jazz is dead

Re “Sac Music Festival is over” by Gregg Wager (News, January 4):

Was it because you can hear “When the Saints Go Marching In” played only so many times before you finally burn out?

Nathan Gilbert

via Facebook