Screensiren

SUNDANCE - 2 DAYS IN NEW YORK

2012-02-09T00:12:00.002-05:00

Scene from 2 Days in New York

The last film I saw at Sundance was Julie Delpy’s, 2 Days in New York. I LOVED it! It is well written and charming and oh, so very funny. I only wish that I could see it now rather than wait until the fall when Magnolia Films will release it.

2 Days in New York is a sequel to Delpy’s 2007 film, 2 Days in Paris. However there is no need to see the prequel to enjoy the current film.

Delpy’s character Marion is living in New York with her son and her boyfriend (played by Chris Rock) and her boyfriend’s daughter. Marion’s Parisian father and sister come to visit right when Marion is supposed to open a new art installation. They bring with them a surprise guest (Marion’s old boyfriend) and two days of mayhem ensue.

Cast of 2 Days in New York at Sundance (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

The film feels very real and non-scripted…a bit reminiscent of a good Woody Allen movie. That question was actually asked during the talkback and Chris Rock and Julie both said that “no, the dialogue was scripted.” I found all of the material relatable and Marion said things that I want to say, but don’t dare.

Not only did Ms. Delpy direct, write, co-produce and star in the movie, but she also wrote much of the music! I’ve been keen on following Ms. Delpy since I saw her in Europa Europa in 1990, and I truly enjoyed her work in Before Sunrise and Before Sunset with Ethan Hawke. But I didn’t realize that along the way she went to NYU Film School and is no longer just an actress, but a wonderful filmmaker. I can’t wait to see what she does next. Grade A. I wouldn’t nominate this movie for an Oscar, but I wouldn’t change a single thing—pure popcorn pleasure! I assume that it will get an “R” rating for a few “F” words along with “cunnilingus” discussion.

While you wait for 2 Days in New York to come to a theater near you, you can watch its prequel, 2 Days in Paris. It is also well-made and witty fun.

SUNDANCE - THE HOUSE I LIVE IN...Great Subject Matter, But Not a Great Film

2012-02-02T14:28:00.000-05:00

The House I Live is the only documentary film that I chanced to see at Sundance this year and it won the grand jury prize for US Documentary. This is a second Sundance win for Eugene Jarecki who previously won in 2005 for Why We Fight. Of all the movies I attended this was the hottest ticket and did not have a single empty seat. The subject (failure of the war on drugs) is extremely thought provoking and sadly it took so long to get everyone seated that there was very little discussion time afterward and we all wanted to sit and discuss the information we had just digested.

I don’t think that I can summarize the film any better than the film description on the Sundance website: “In the past 40 years, the War on Drugs has accounted for 45 million arrests, made America the world's largest jailer, and destroyed impoverished communities at home and abroad. Yet drugs are cheaper, purer, and more available today than ever. Where did we go wrong, and what can be done?”

BUT, and this is a huge BUT, though highly informative and important in revealing the absurdity about mandatory drug sentencing and unfairness in the current laws, the movie is TOO long! At almost 2 hours running time, the last half hour becomes rehashing which lesson the overall impact of the film. I was flabbergasted that it won at Sundance because I am sure there were other documentaries that were at least better edited. That would be politics for you…nothing in life is ever a fair contest.

Oh well, I definitely think you should see this film, but my advice is to watch it at home on your own television so that you can see it in segments or forward through the ending. Grade B-.

SUNDANCE -LIBERAL ARTS is a Delightfully Fresh Romantic Comedy

2012-02-01T09:00:00.005-05:00

Elizabeth Olsen and Josh Radnor in Liberal Arts

Pre-Sundance, I was not very familiar with Josh Radnor because I do not watch his TV show, How I Met Your Mother. But after seeing the film he wrote, directed and starred in—Liberal Arts—I am huge fan.

After seeing, I Am Not a Hipster, Beasts of the Southern Wild, and Father’s Chair, (honest dramas where I cried my eyes out), I had a massive headache from bawling and couldn’t bear the thought of another drama. But, lucky for me, my next film was the light-hearted romantic comedy, Liberal Arts.

In Liberal Arts, Josh Radnorplays, Jesse, a thirty something and newly single man who is invited back to his alma mater to celebrate his favorite college professor. On the visit, he falls for 19-year-old student Zibby, played by Elizabeth Olsen and they develop a Victorian type romance by writing letters and sharing classical music. In the end, the relationship leads Jesse to self-discovery and greater maturity.

I love this movie! The best word I can use to offer flattery is tight. There is nothing superfluous: it is well written, well acted, well filmed, well edited. None of the sub-plots felt tedious. I smiled and chuckled frequently at the fresh new romantic angle that was easily relatable, but not tired.

In my favorite scene, Jesse sits at his desk contemplating his and Zibby’s age discrepancy: 19 and 35 looks bad and so does 3 and 19 and even 27 and 43 but once you start hitting old age, say 72 and 88, age no longer seems to matter.

Allison Janney has a brilliant cameo as Professor Judith Fairfield. She steals every scene even without dialogue. And I also liked Zac Efron’s cameo as Nat, a free love hippy fount of wisdom. Nat is always seems to be in the right place at the right time to offer pithy advice…or just a bop to the head.

Funny thing…while my friend and I were waiting in line, we started chatting to the man in front of us, Ryland Englehart, and we found out that he was a friend of Josh’s and that Josh based the character Nat on him! (Ryland is the manager/owner of Café Gratitude in Los Angeles, where the menu is organic vegan with gourmet raw or cooked options and the choices are named for blessings, “I Am Magical” or “ I Am Warm-Hearted”, etc. Ryland actually left the line because Josh texted to say that he had a seat saved him. That is what I love about Sundance—the people you meet in the most casual places.)

That was quite a digression; but, in short, this is a delightful film—perfect for a night out with your partner or your girlfriends. Variety reports that Liberal Arts will be released by IFC films later this year. Grade B+.

Now that I know and respect Josh Radnor, I plan to check out his first Sundance film from 2010, Happythankyoumoreplease.

Here is a fun Sundance interview where Josh and Elizabeth discuss the film (click here).

SUNDANCE - FATHER'S CHAIR is a Thoughtful Father/Son Journey Beautifully Shot

2012-01-31T11:21:00.001-05:00

Director Luciano Moura at Sundance

Father’s Chair is a wonderful Brazilian film about what we learn on a journey rather than at the arrival. The title of the movie sets up the story. Theo and Branca are on the verge of divorce. Their sixteen-year-old son, Pedro, receives a birthday present from his paternal grandfather…a chair. The hand-crafted chair infuriates Theo (who is estranged from his father) and he smashes it. A few days later, Pedro takes a horse from an animal shelter and disappears. Theo and Branca are beside themselves with fear. Since they know their son is traveling by horse, Theo follows the clues to find him and Branca waits at home for his phone call or return.

I don’t want to tell you where Pedro is going for that would spoil the story. But, as Theo follows the clues to find his son, he discovers his son as a person. Theo also learns about fatherhood and begins to reflect on his own father. The crisis also draws Theo and Branca together so that they stop fighting and just focus on their son.

I loved the ending of Father’s Chair …it was perfect...I was moved and plotlines were nicely tied up, but nothing was didactic or overbearing. Also, the film was beautifully shot.

There isn't really a movie poster for this film, but here are the actors who play Theo and Branca in a scene from the film

Father’s Chair is the first full-length film from still photographer Luciano Moura and his camera work was lovely; it felt very clean and precise; all of the shots were well planned and executed.

Moura and the screenwriter were at the Sundance screening of their film to answer questions afterward. I loved seeing their enthusiasm about the entire process. An interesting point that Moura made was that Theo’s character is a doctor and I don't remember that being mentioned in the film. This is significant because on his journey, Theo delivers a woman’s baby. And personally I was a little bothered during the film that he would deliver the baby when he was just a man with no experience probably other than seeing his son born. I needed evidence of a time lapse because I was still a little worried about the mom having her needs met post delivery.

But do not let that minor irritation of mine keep you from seeing Father’s Chair, it is excellent and well worth your time. I can’t seem to find out about the U.S. distribution, but I will let you know if and when I do. Grade A-.

SUNDANCE - BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD won My Heart and the Grand Jury Prize as Well!

2012-01-29T09:00:00.024-05:00

Behn Zeitlin & Cast of Beasts of the Southern Wild at Sundance

The best film I saw at Sundance this year was Beasts of the Southern Wild. Just reflecting on this amazing film makes me emotional because it moved me so deeply. I knew as I watched the credits roll that it was bound to win the US Dramatic competition and it probably generated more buzz than anything else at the festival this year. Fox Searchlight purchased it and I can’t wait for it to come to my hometown theater so that I can take my friends to see it.

The story is very magical and something that I have never seen from an American director—it was more reminiscent of something Spanish (Like Water for Chocolate or Talk to Her).

Hushpuppy and Wink

Beasts is the story of Hushpuppy, age 6, who lives in the “Bathtub” with her father Wink. The Bathtub is a magical place beneath the levy. Because she is 6, Hushpuppy interprets the world literally…her mother was so “hot” that she could set water to boiling, the ice caps are melting and freeing pre-historic creatures that have been frozen in the ice for thousands of years. The magic is whimsical and freed me to view the film with fresh eyes.

Beasts can be viewed as a coming of age story. It can also be viewed as apocalyptic because in the course of the movie, the rains cause the levies to break and flood the Bathtub, which virtually destroys Hushpuppy’s world. Hushpuppy is losing her father and her home at the same time. Beasts can also be viewed literally…Hurricane Katrina hits Louisiana. Although a specific location other than the Bathtub is never named, as a viewer it was impossible not to think about Katrina and its aftermath. As such this film is also a cautionary environmental tale.

As amazing as the film, is the story behind it. Beasts was actually part of a Sundance directing workshop in 2009 and backed by Sundance. The screenplay is a collaboration by Zeitlin and his long-time friend, playwright Lucy Alibar. It is a labor of love, years in the making and filmed on location in Louisiana. Zeitlin did exhaustive casting searches and found the little girl who plays Hushpuppy in a library and her father Wink in a bakery (he is a baker). Benh did not employ any professional actors in the film, but rather cast locals and then had them work with acting coaches. As they rehearsed the scenes, they rewrote them so that the dialogue was natural for each character.

It is essentially perfect. I fell in love with its magic and I believe that you will too. Grade A.

SUNDANCE - RED LIGHTS is a Fun Horror/Suspense Flick

2012-01-26T15:00:00.001-05:00

Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver, Rodrigo Cortés. Photo by Victoria Will.

Red Lights is a paranormal thriller directed by Rodrigo Cortés that is currently playing at Sundance. I have not seen Cortés’s previous film, Buried, so I went into the theater without any expectations and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I think Red Lights will do so well commercially that I am surprised it is even at the festival.

In Red Lights, Dr. Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy) are professors (parapsychologists) who study the paranormal with the aim to reveal its fraudulent origins. Robert De Niro plays Simon Silver, a famous blind psychic who has returned to the public eye after a thirty-year hiatus. Tom becomes obsessed with proving that Silver is a fraud and all sorts of spooky things start happening around him.

The movie had a dark creepy suspenseful tone that reminded me a bit of Black Swan and I had to cover my eyes more and more frequently as the movie progressed. There is a fun twist at the very end that I did not see coming—but I would rather not spoil it for you.

Two small complaints: I would have preferred the ending to be a bit more concrete and the final scene where Tom imagines the future doesn't work because it came off funny. Tom imagines a happy future, but in his daydreams, he is covered in blood and the juxtaposition of blood and daisies was just odd and funny...it didn't fit the movie. It did not tell me what was going to happen to Tom or Silver and I wanted to know. But don't let that keep you from seeing this movie.

Red Lights is a classic type horror film with enough story line to appeal to broad audiences. This is the type of scary movie that I like…one filled with suspense and surprise endings. You may enjoy it best if you think of it as an entertaining popcorn flick and not a critical Sundance success.

Millenium Entertainment already purchased the film for either 4 million or 6 million (I have read both online) so we can all look forward to seeing it some date night at the local theater. Grade B.

SUNDANCE - ELENA is a Yawner

2012-01-26T09:00:00.003-05:00

Elena is a Russian film in the spotlight category at Sundance. I have two good things to say about this movie: I loved the music by Philip Glass and it is beautifully shot. Other than that I would not recommend the film…I spent most of it waiting for something to happen.

Elena is an older woman, who is married to Vladimir—a wealthy retired man. They live in a lovely apartment somewhere in Russia and their life is good. Elena uses her pension to support her good for nothing son and his family (wife and two kids). Her son is out of work and lives in some sort of government housing. Vladimir’s daughter has also never worked a day in her life, but she was raised with a silver spoon.

(Spoiler Alert) Elena’s son needs money to bribe the university to accept his son in so that he won’t be drafted into the army. Elena asks Vladimir for the money and he says “no.” Fortuitously Vladimir has a heart attack and before he can invite his attorney over to draft a will that would leave most of his money to his daughter, Elena gives him a dangerous drug cocktail and he dies. With no will, Elena and Vladimir’s daughter split his fortune and Elena moves her son’s family into her lovely home. She gets away with murder.

That is about it. In the end, I did not care about any of the characters and felt completely let down that the event the music led me to anticipate never happened. Grade C.

SUNDANCE - I AM NOT A HIPSTER Rocks With Genuine Emotion

2012-01-25T14:26:00.003-05:00

Cast of I Am Not a Hipster at Sundance: Destin Cretton, Lauren Coleman, Kandis Erickson, Ron Najor,Dominic Bogart, Joel P. West, Alvaro Orlando, Tania Verafield, Eva Mah,Tammy Minoff
Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images North America

I Am Not a Hipster is the debut film by Destin Daniel Cretton. His short film, Short Term 12, won the Grand Jury Prize in 2009. The story is about Brooke, an indie musician in the San Diego scene, who is mourning the loss of his mother.

I found the first 15-20 minutes of the film a little lifeless. Brook (the musician) was suffering from such a deep depression that the same bland expression on the screen started to get tiresome. But just when I started to feel restless, Brook’s father and three younger sisters came to visit and infused the screen with life. Watching the sisters and their love for Brook was very honest…like a real family. Brook and his father reconciled with nary a word between them, just like most families I know—you just start talking to each other again.

My favorite moment was when the three sisters were in Brook’s bathroom getting ready for bed and they opened his medicine cabinet and saw a picture of them all as kids and one of the sisters said, “he still loves us,” and taped the picture to the outside of the mirror where Brook saw it in the morning. It was small moments like those—all three sisters sharing the bed and making breakfast together and in the ocean together that made for honest movie magic.

I Am Not a Hipster has great writing and great acting too…across the board. Dominic Bogart plays Brook subtly and his performance is very moving. He has a Broadway background (Rent, Jersey Boys) along with film and TV and I can’t wait to see and hear more from him. I also loved the sunny character Clarke (Brook’s best friend and manager) played by Alvaro Orlando...their friendship was delightful. I want Clarke as my best friend.

When the film ended, I was in genuine tears...nothing contrived in this movie. What a gem! Look for this film at your local indie theater during the year. I have not heard of a purchase deal yet, but I cannot imagine that it will be overlooked. The movie soundtrack will be released later this year. Currently you can download some of the music at caninesmusic.com. GRADE B+.

Here is the trailer for your enjoyment:

PS. The "R" rating is due to more than one "F" word.

SUNDANCE Sayonara Day 3

2012-01-23T22:09:00.001-05:00

My third day of Sundance began with the romantic comedy Liberal Arts. What a relief. Though I love drama, I was ready for some light-hearted fun and Josh Radnor's new film provided it. I followed that with the documentary, The House I Live In. Funny thing...the documentary was the most crowded theater of my Sundance experience...not a single empty seat. It is about the failure of our "war on drugs" and was extremely thought provoking, though 20 minutes too long.

I rounded off my Sundance experience with Julie Delpy's film, 2 Days in New York. She wrote and directed it as well as composing some of the music! I laughed so hard and could so relate to everything...bonus was that the entire cast, including Chris Rock, were there for the talkback. So bummed not to have a good camera!

Now it is back to my life as a mom. Some day I will spend an entire week at Sundance, not just a weekend.

Other films that I heard good things about were: Ethel (which is coming soon to HBO), Sugarland, and Slavery By Another Name which premieres next month on PBS. I wanted to see Monsieur Lazhar, but ran out of time. It is Canadian and my favorite film last year was also Canadian...Incendies.

SUNDANCE Day 2

2012-01-22T15:35:00.001-05:00

This afternoon I saw Beasts of the Southern Wild...the debut film by Benh Zeitlin. Amazing and my pick to win the U.S. Dramatic Competition category. Apparently every indie distributor wanted to buy it and it was finally purchased by Fox Searchlight. I followed that masterpiece with the Brazilian film, Father's Chair, which was excellent. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect film day. My only residual was a headache due to crying. Looking forward to a comedy tomorrow.

MY SUNDANCE REPORT DAY 1

2012-01-22T02:54:00.002-05:00

Just concluded my first day exhilarating day at Sundance! I had tickets to two films, I Am Not a Hipster and Elena. Due to a severe snowstorm that shut Parleys Canyon (the canyon between Salt Lake City and Park City), my girlfriend and I were able to get into see Red Lights off of the waitlist…hooray! Sadly, however, the same snowstorm prevented the directors and actors of today’s films I saw to make it to the Salt Lake City theaters for talkbacks. I’ll start writing some reviews, but in a nutshell, I Am Not a Hipster was filled with honest and real emotion. Elena was SLOW and left me with a lot of unanswered questions. Red Lights was thrilling…it will be a huge success in theaters everywhere!

SUNDANCE 2012 Here I Come!

2012-01-21T11:08:00.000-05:00

Though I have been a bit negligent in my film reviews lately. I will be giving a full rundown of the films I see at Sundance this week. I can't wait to have a child-free weekend and see movie after movie...hopefully this year's selections will be as wonderful as the films I saw last year.

WAR HORSE

2012-01-19T09:42:00.001-05:00

I finally got a chance to see War Horse. It took me a while to develop the desire to see the film because I so much loved the Broadway play. But with the positive reviews and the Golden Globe nomination (not that that means anything), I decided to give it a looksee.

Of course, the story is very moving whether done as a play or a movie; it follows a warhorse named Joey, who is raised in the country and then sold to be a warhorse during WWI.

I thought the film was beautifully shot. The countryside came to life and the colors in England and France were so vivid and lovely in contrast to the bleak war scenes in the trenches. The horses that play Joey are the stars of this film and as for the human actors around them; they all do a fine job. I found Jeremy Irvine’s portrayal of Albert a little weak and understated. I wanted more from him. It was so fun to see Emily Watson in the role of Albert’s mum. I feel like she disappeared from movies and yet she is such a wonderful actress.

Spielberg did a nice job of telling an emotional tale without being overly sappy or manipulative. The whole scene where Joey runs through “No Man’s Land” and gets tangled in the wires is gut wrenching. And the scene toward the end where Joey and Albert were reunited was deftly handled so that I was very moved, but did not feel manipulated. It felt completely believable.

I only wish that Spielberg showed restraint in the very last shot of the film when Albert and Joey are reunited with Albert’s parents in England. The actors are completely black, in silhouette, against the sunset so that we cannot see their faces...too sappy for me…I felt manipulated.

The music too threatened to take over at some points in the movie. I wasn't sure if the actors were whispering or their dialogue simply wasn't important because the music was so loud.

Still, all in all, War Horse is well worth watching. Grade B+.

THE DESCENDANTS does NOT deserve a Golden Globe!

2012-01-18T09:58:00.002-05:00

What is the foreign press thinking...I know that they love George Clooney though he is really just a personality actor and probably a better director than actor...but The Descendants is not the best dramatic film of 2011!

The film is good. Something I would expect to see at Sundance: well-written, well-acted, newish storyline. But the pacing is so slow; I had to watch it twice because I fell asleep the first time. At the end of the movie, I didn't really care about the characters or feel that I would necessarily recommend the movie as anything more than a video rental.

Clooney's wife is in a coma after a boating accident and Clooney and his daughters must say good-bye. Clooney discovers that his wife was cheating on him and determines to go and tell his wife's lover about the accident so that the lover too can say good-bye. Clooney’s daughters and his oldest daughter's boyfriend decide to accompany him. The crux of the film is Clooney making peace with his wife before pulling the plug.

A side plot has to do with the fact that Clooney’s character is a descendant of a Hawaiian queen and early missionary. As a result, his extended family owns a lot of land on Kauai and is in the middle of meetings to decide what to do with it. Clooney is the chairman of the trust with power to make the ultimate decision.

Clooney’s character does go on a journey and learns about himself and his daughters, but that is not enough to call this the best drama of 2011. Grade B. Brad Pitt and Moneyball were cheated!

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, an Art House Spy Thriller

2012-01-09T11:29:00.000-05:00

I have anxiously awaited the arrival of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy since seeing the preview filled a few months ago because it is chock full of my favorite British actors.

This film based on the popular John le Carré spy thriller centers around the search for a mole in the highest level of the British Circus (their form of the CIA). It is the 1970's and someone is leaking secrets to the Soviet Union. George Smiley, the retired former Deputy Head of the Service, is called to investigate. That is as much as you need to know in order to set the stage for the action that follows.

I very much liked the performances of everyone involved, especially Benedict Cumberbatch, who played Peter Guillam (Smiley’s assistant). I usually see him in very quirky and often unlikable characters (he is the most recent British Sherlock Holmes), but in this film he is a likeable straight character. He generally plays more eccentric characters and was the straight man for once. I also enjoyed the nostalgic clothing and hairstyles and lack of electronics.

However I am not sure this film will do well with audiences because the pacing is quite slow and the accents and subtle dialogue make it often difficult to follow. As soon the movie ended, I wanted to watch it again to pick up what I had missed.

Still I was generally on the edge of my seat. My advice would be to see this film when you have had a good night's sleep and want some brain exercise. Do not look for Mission Impossible in this movie, but think more in terms of a spy thriller that is also an indie.

My mom found the soundtrack too loud, but it didn’t bother me because I could hear the dialogue. Grade B+.

MY TOP 5 MOVIES OF 2011

2012-01-06T09:00:00.015-05:00

It’s a New Year and time to get back to the blog! Best way to ring in the New Year is with my list of the top five movies of 2011. I considered making a list of ten films, but I still have not seen a lot of the films released in December that would potentially make a list of ten films so for now, I will stick with five.

1. Moneyball. This film may not have been my favorite, but it was virtually perfect. The script was excellent. The acting was wonderful and I also loved the way the camera moved. And it was about baseball and still highly entertaining to non sports fans. I think this film will win the Oscar in February.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. This film was the perfect ending to the beloved Harry Potter series. Action packed and amazing! The Oscars other than nominations for costumes and special effects will most likely snub it.

3. Bridesmaids. This movie made me laugh so hard. I just watched it again and laughed just as much as when I saw it in the movie theater. The humor was fresh and it has heart. Bravo Kristen Wiig.

4. Jane Eyre. Finally a film version of my favorite novel that captured its passion still remained true to the story. And what a treat to have Michael Fassbender in the role of Mr. Rochester!

5. Hugo. Although I haven’t reviewed Hugo on my blog, I did see it in the movie theater and it is a beautiful feast for the eyes. I loved the whimsical casting and storyline. Not typical subject matter for a Martin Scorsese film, but truly brilliant like his other work.

Of the above films, only Hugo is still in movie theaters. With that said, I hope to see a movie this weekend. Fingers crossed to find a babysitter!

My new NATIVITY MOVIE...Happy Holidays!

2011-12-26T13:23:00.000-05:00

I am almost a nativity movie expert. Once a year, I use my children and the children of my friends to make a little nativity movie. Because it is the only movie I make all year, it ends up being quite labor intensive because I have to relearn iMovie every time. And then it takes another countless hours to figure out how to change the format for youtube. So, I am a day late, but there is still time to enjoy the season.

As you enjoy all of the great movies out in theaters right now, take a few minutes to enjoy this short remembrance about why the celebration began.

ARTHUR CHRISTMAS is Fun, But Not a New Christmas Classic

2011-11-28T00:43:00.000-05:00

Arthur Christmas is the new animated film released by Sony for the holiday season. It tells the secret of how Santa is able to deliver a billion presents all over the world in one night. The story begins as Santa and his team accomplish their deliveries with the technical skill of an elite spy team. Santa himself is just a figurehead who puts a face on the entire operation—it is his son, Steve, who runs the operation. Santa’s younger son Arthur is not business minded and has been relegated to letter answering. But, when the team discovers at the end of the night that one little girl was missed, it is Arthur who is determined to make sure she gets her gift Christmas morning.

I loved the opening of the movie, it had a Mission Impossible feeling and I also loved the ending. In the end, Santa and Steve learn the true meaning of Christmas from Arthur. It was touching and I even had misty eyes to prove it. BUT the middle of the film is slow and labored. Trim twenty minutes from the middle and this film would be practically perfect, but in its current too-long form, GRADE B-. To sum it up, I did not fall asleep, but two of my children did.

HAPPY FEET TWO is Only Worth the Price of a Theater Nap

2011-11-24T23:40:00.000-05:00

Happy Feet Two begins with a bang. The opening number is splashy and fun like a huge show stopping number from a Broadway show with all of the penguins dancing and bringing “sexy back” (as seen in the trailer). Soon after the opening number is over, we learn that there is nothing much to the storyline of the film. Mumble and Gloria are married and have a son, Erik, who is not a gifted dancer like his father. Their father and son relationship needs work. But that relationship is a sideline to the main thrust of the film, which revolves around the Empire penguins escaping from their home when it collapses due to a collision with an iceberg. Mumble and Eric and two of Eric’s friends were away visiting another penguin colony during the collision so they are safe and try to help their colony escape.

I was very bored the entire film and even nodded off for a few minutes. Matt Damon and Brad Pitt play crustaceans that are supposed to be funny, but are not. Their storyline has nothing to do with the main storyline and should have been left on the cutting room floor.

Another odd moment was when Erik broke into an opera aria. What?! Why?! An opera aria did not fit within the context of an animated film featuring rock n roll.

I did not love Happy Feet, but at least found the story vaguely compelling…a penguin who dances searches to find a way to fit into his singing community. But there is nothing compelling about penguins sitting around and hoping for rescue.

My kids sat through the movie, but did not request that we get it on DVD, which means that they have no desire to see it again. The only worthwhile moment is a song called Bridge of Light, which Gloria (Pink) sings. Skip this sequel and instead see one of the family films that opened this week during Thanksgiving. GRADE C-.

BREAKING DAWN PART 1...Vampires at their Sappiest

2011-11-18T23:07:00.001-05:00

Despite the lousy buzz I could not resist running to the movie theater to see Breaking Dawn Part I this morning. Oh the melodrama! Between the sappy background music and cheesy dialogue, I frequently felt like laughing out loud. The entire movie felt very SLOW with lots of panning camera shots and flashbacks.

Nothing much happens in Breaking Dawn Part I (spoiler alert), Bella and Edward are finally married, they go on a honeymoon and Bella becomes pregnant. The rest of the movie, Edward, Jacob and the Cullen clan sit around staring at Bella’s tummy and worrying that she will not survive the pregnancy.

So disappointing…the last Twilight film, Eclipse, was actually quite good. Despite my displeasure, I am already anxiously awaiting Breaking Dawn Part II, which will not be in movie theaters until November 2012. Grade C.

This is the Weekend for HAUNTING!

2011-10-28T15:50:00.000-04:00

I just cannot get excited about seeing a movie this weekend. My kids have been looking forward to Puss in Boots and I will definitely take them to see that sometime, but I want a movie for me! Truthfully, I was looking forward to Anonymous and am disheartened by the mediocre reviews. The whole mega-critic/apple thing annoys me—it is too much information from too many sources before I even get to the movie theater.

This is the perfect weekend for a haunted house! I took my 9-year-old Lyds through the haunted house at Barton Orchards and it scared her socks off—even I shrieked and was so relieved that we left the seven year old outside. It was my first venture into a Haunted House since my sophomore year in high school when I went with a group of girlfriends to a haunted warehouse and one of the ghouls pinched my bum! I am a bit of a scaredy-cat and I watch the few horror films that I can bear with my hands over my eyes so I generally avoid anything haunted unless it is a ride in a theme park. But this is the year to conquer my fears. I’ll fill you in on my experience next week.

In the meantime, if you want a good Halloween scare this weekend, a haunted house is the place to be. Here are some lists of the best-haunted houses around the country. If one of them is near you, I would love to know first hand what you think.

Top 13 2011 from Hauntworld.com Haunt World has been in the business of promoting haunted houses for a number of years now and so feel that they are experts on the subject.

13 Haunted Houses That Will Make You Wet Your Pants This list is composed from a variety of attractions that offer frights in various forms.

http://www.hauntedhouseratings.com/ This site actually allows you to vote on your favorite haunted house. This list is compiled based on which haunted houses get the most votes. Once again it is a nation wide list.

HAPPY HAUNTING!

GODSPELL on Broadway is Truly "Good News" We Have All Been Waiting For!

2011-10-25T14:11:00.000-04:00

I have been waiting to see Godspell my entire life! The year I was born (1971), my parents saw the show off-Broadway, my mom bought the original cast recording and it became the music that underscored my life. It feels as if that music played in our house all the time because I cannot remember not singing the songs or humming the melodies.

When I asked my mom about the show, all I remember is that she told me there were clowns and that they served wine to the audience—as a youngster, I was intrigued…wine and clowns…seemed like an oxymoron and I could not make sense of it. But now I know first hand the joy and celebration of the musical Godspell.

Godspell is currently in previews on Broadway in a theater right next door to Wicked, which is perfect since they share the same composer, Stephen Schwarz. Godspell was his first musical and Wicked is his most lucrative.

Hunter Parrish as Jesus, photo by Jeremy Daniel

The story is not difficult to follow, it is based on the Gospels of the New Testament and begins with Jesus’s baptism and ends with his crucifixion. Other than the actor who plays Jesus (Hunter Parrish) and the actor who plays John the Baptist/Judas Iscariot (Wallace Smith), the rest of the cast are—“every men/women”— Jesus’s followers. They are on stage the entire show singing and dancing and bringing to life the teachings and parables of Jesus. They are simply noted in the program by their first names.

Hunter Parrish (better known for his work on Weeds) did a memorable job as Jesus. He was truly joyful and very open…something that not all actors can pull off. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he is extremely attractive—who wouldn’t want to follow such a handsome charming man?! However, I was a bit worried by the end of the show that he sounded vocally tired; hopefully it was just a cold. Also, I felt he was a little young for the role and sometimes wished his Jesus had a little more authority and star power.

Godspell Cast, Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Otherwise, I loved the casting. Lindsay Mendez did an amazing job with the song, “Bless the Lord”—what a voice. I found myself mentally comparing these song renditions to the 1971 recorded versions I grew up with and for the most part, these new renditions always came out on top for me.

Other than the songs, I did not know what to expect of Godspell and I loved the laughter. It was filled with fun jokes that were were fresh and gave the show an immediate feeling. Sunday night, the understudy, Julia Mattison went on for Morgan James, and the cast even poked some fun at her expense—even Julia made a remark about “slipping into our programs” during her rendition of “Turn Back, O Man.”

Cast of Godspell, photo by Jeremy Daniel

Godspell’s choreography by Christopher Gattelli is pedestrian and still entertaining. Who knew that Jesus could do a “herkie” jumping off a trampoline! I loved the used of newspapers and the manner in which they told the parable of The Good Samaritan and also acted as a percussion instrument. Each new parable surprised me with its inventive telling. And the show had a nice build as Jesus won over his followers. The action is staged “in the round” which made me feel like I was part of the celebration. What a treat to see a show in such a small and intimate Broadway venue.

What else can I say? I am a Godspell convert and would happily share this show with all of my friends and family. I can’t wait for the new cast recording.

My FALL TV Assessment Thus Far

2011-10-20T17:00:00.000-04:00

Now that the new TV season is well under way, have you discovered any new favorite television shows?

I watched New Girl with Zooey Deschanel and really enjoyed it, but was seriously confused that it only ran for two weeks and then left the air. Apparently it will be returning for more episodes in November. Up All Night is cute, but not as funny as I hoped it would be. And Happy Endings is unbearable—it feels like it’s a Friends wanna-be, but obnoxious and not very funny.

The only new hour-long drama that I’ve watched and want to continue watching is Pan Am. I love the lavish sets and costumes. A bonus is that one of my fellow actors from Rutgers (Jeremy Davidson) is on the show and plays CIA liaison—Richard Parks. It was exciting to see him appear in the opening scene of the pilot!

Jeremy Davidson in Pan Am; Photo by Patrick Harbron ABC

I taped Unforgettable and Person of Interest, but cannot seem to find the time to watch them. Have any of you seen them…should I bother or just delete them from my DVR?

My favorite, The Good Wife is back with a vengeance and every episode is fabulous. I’m still loving The Middle…it has given me my favorite TV moment to date in the opening episode, Major Changes (click to watch): Pam has finally had enough from her family so she runs away. Brick’s remark: “I’ve never thought of mom as a person before.” Touché…I relate to you Pam!

Modern Family is always fun and am pleased that the new detective Nick Amaro on Law and Order SVU is doing an admirable job of taking Detective Stabler’s place. Parenthood continues to have good writing and interesting story lines and NCIS is like a comfortable old blanket.

Have you discovered exciting new television? Please share your favorites. By the time I get the kiddos down and clean the kitchen, I’m ready to sit and chill with the telly for an hour before bed.

PS. Modern Family totally copied my family with their recent group photo:

Moder Family Photo courtesy of ABC

Our recent family photo

FOOTLOOSE is Flawed, but Fun!

2011-10-17T02:58:00.000-04:00

Did you run out and see Footloose this weekend? As a child of the 80’s, I couldn’t wait to see it. After all, the original film was made in Utah (where I grew up) and one of my neighbors was an extra in the final dance scene! (He is the tall blond, who is standing in the back, wearing a gray tux with a cast on his leg.)

I love the original Footloose and was skeptical of a remake…especially when they cast Kenny Wormald as Ren MacCormack because he is no Kevin Bacon. But, in general I enjoyed the movie remake and by the end of the film, I liked Kenny though I still did not find him "hot." Whenever Footloose tells the story in it’s own voice, it works, and whenever the movie repeats scenes or dialogue from the original movie, it is a cheesy failure.

Here are my likes and dislikes:

The likes:

. Miles Teller is charming and delightful as Willard. He stole every scene he was in and his dance segment; “Let’s Hear it For the Boy” was adorable. What a talent. I just watched him in Rabbit Hole and it was so fun to see him play a completely different character.
I liked the way the film began…with the car crash that set the scene for the music and dance ban in Bomont. It was very different from the dancing feet of 1984. Not better, but a new vision rather than a copy.
. I enjoyed the dance scenes.
Kenny Wormald although not very cute, was believable as Ren.
I loved the music.
The characters who played Ren’s family were more fleshed out, his Uncle Wes morphed into a very likeable character and Ren’s two little cousins were darling.

The dislikes:

Ren's warehouse dance scene was dreadful and cheesy—the flashbacks (a copy from the 1984 movie) had dialogue, I had to laugh out loud.
Julianne Hough was too professional in terms of the dance and her portrayal of Ariel was over-sexualized. I did not believe that she was in high school.
The scenes that kept the dialogue almost word for word from 1984 just reminded me that the 1984 scenes were better.

My final review of this film is a Grade B. Though flawed, it was great fun. I was surprised at some of the sexual language so I would not let me nine year old see it, but I would take my teenagers.

RABBIT HOLE...a Thoughtful Portrayal of Grief and Loss

2011-10-14T23:44:00.001-04:00

Do you like to watch SAD movies? I do…that is if they are well done and if I am in the mood for a good cry. I am a movie crier and there is something about a nice dark theater (and being alone in a car) that makes me feel safe enough to release pent up emotion and cry.

Well, I got Rabbit Hole in the mail (from Netflix) four months ago, but I could never physically put it into the DVD player because I knew it was about the grief of a couple who has lost their only child. And that is my greatest fear in life—losing one of my children. (I think that is one reason I have four children—subconsciously I needed back up.) Finally, I had nothing else to watch and felt brave enough to watch it in the middle of the day while I folded laundry. And…it was lovely.

In Rabbit Hole, Nicole Child (Becca) and Aaron Eckhart (Howie) are struggling to deal with the loss of their four-year-old Danny who chased his dog into the street and was hit by a car. The film, which is based on a Broadway play, is so well written. None of the storyline felt contrived. It was small in scope, but so real to watch Becca and Howie deal with their grief in extremely different ways while they were at Group or with family or just shopping for groceries. And there was no falsely happy ending, but they were making it one day at a time.

I was worried that Nicole would be over-botoxed, but she did a wonderful job and was very subtle and believable and I didn’t notice the botox. Aaron Eckhart was perfect; no wonder Nicole handpicked him for the role. He is an excellent actor and there is such a sense of ease about every character he plays because he truly makes them his own. I have been a huge fan since he was in a play with me at BYU! Now I understand Nicole’s Oscar nomination for her performance, but why was Aaron not mentioned for his work?

The other production elements of the film are not particularly mentionable, but they do not get in the way and so do their job well. I did cry a little, but found that watching the film was pleasurable because it was such a layered study of grief that it felt real.

If you are looking for a thoughtful movie rental, try Rabbit Hole. Grade B+.