Kill List is a dark tale about Jay, a British family man and his horrifying journey when he takes one last job as hit man to make ends meet. Part domestic drama, part thriller, and part terrifying horror, it is a film that defies any easy attempt to classify its genre. Director and writer Ben Wheatley creates a disturbing story that leaves audiences with lingering questions that will be sure to haunt them. Wheatley shared with Working Author what went into creating Kill List, his preferred way of telling stories, and the magic of letting audiences fill in the blanks for themselves.

Wheatley loves using an improvisational approach with his actors in film, an approach he also utilized in his 2009 crime film, Down Terrace. “You do a take on the script and then you do a take off the script, and the off-script takes are kind of paraphrased instead of wild improvisations. And you basically get them to put the script back into their own words, you get  the tight meaning of the script but you also get a stuttery, slightly wild feeling of real improvisation, it’s really helpful. We use that a lot in Down Terrace…so that’s why Kill List is additional dialogue…‘by cast’ because they are throwing stuff in that’s really good.”

Wheatley wrote Kill List for the actors he had already chosen, a method that allowed him to capitalize on the abilities of people he had worked with before. “I really like that way of working, because you play to their strengths, and their own characters, you amplify it….the improvisation gave us sweeter, funnier moments then are written in the script.”

One of the most unsettling aspects of the film is how certain major questions are never fully answered, such as Jay’s botched job in Kiev, a major detail in the film that is never fully revealed. Says Wheatley, “It could be anything from a mission that’s gone horribly wrong to a drunken dancing incident or badly handled karaoke. That’s the whole point of why it’s not said, because what you imagine in your head is probably worse.  It’s your Room 101, that scary thing that they did…and it goes through the whole movie as well…you run the risk always of showing what ultimate evil looks like is not my ultimate evil, or it’s too much for me and I don’t want to see it…but your idea of it in your own head is much more personal…you look into the film but the film looks into you as well, your own prejudices and kind of assumptions come out in reviews. So be careful…Its from the perspective of the guys and they don’t know anymore than we know as the audience, and they wouldn’t know, so why would the audience get to know?”

Wheatley drew inspiration from several other films when creating Kill List. “The one I actually consciously reference is Race With the Devil…. I remember it vividly of them being chased by these cultist people off the side of the road, and thinking they will go away, and then the fire encircling their camper-van thing, and that terrified me. It stuck with me since I was little. We kind of have a version of that in the film. Obviously there’s elements of Wicker Man in it, but in terms of Wicker Man it’s more the idea that the film is a trap for one character, and it springs shut in the end…. Other movies like that are more referenced are like Parallax View or Manchurian Candidate, which is more about assassins who are involved in a big conspiracy and then are caught in a trap.”

Kill List moves along at a rapid pace, which Wheatley says was highly intentional, in his own joking way. “I want a 90-minute film. I don’t want a two-hour film. I don’t want a long film. And maybe it’s because my ass is so fat now that I can’t bear to sit in the seat for more than 90 minutes.”

Audiences will find Wheatley’s method to writing and directing film authentically character based, a method that allows the audience to connect to the characters from the very beginning. “I wanted to approach the horror film in the same way that I approached crime films, so you know, Kill List is to horror as Down Terrace is to crime, so it’s using those strategies of kind of taking that socio-reality stuff and spending a lot of time with the character to enforce the mood of the rest of the piece and kind of leaven it…the seedier aspects of genre against the more believable aspects of docu-drama and see how that makes it work…it is kind of this genre-bending thing…you frontload it with a lot of characterization so the stuff later on actually works. But then these scenes of violence are amplified, because you think you’re in another film, because you’ve come out of this thing of knowing who these people are, and it’s…hopefully, chiming with what your relationship is with your partner and what your relationship is with your parents, your memories of your parents arguing, your memories of partnerships, and then it gets into the more crazy horror, so these things have already primed you for that. Whereas if you do it the other way around then you’re already at this really crazy heightened unreal position, and it can never recover from that. Then it’s a horror film, which is fine, but it’s a different beast. “

Ben Wheatley’s genre-defying film Kill List opened February 3^rd, and is now playing in theatres.

Make no mistake, Kill List will haunt you. Forget about what you think you know about domestic drama, thrillers, and horror – for this is a story that is both all of those things and something completely different. When Jay, a middle-aged and domestically caged father, decides to take on one last job as a hitman, the task appears to be intense, but manageable. But the chain reaction that follows Jay’s monstrous errand spirals from merely dark to pitch black, where madness causes the nightmares to cross over into reality.

The tale begins with a domestic argument over money. Jay (the ever-intense Neil Maskell) hasn’t worked in months, and his wife Shel (a breathtaking MyAnna Buring) has turned the issue into a screaming battle. In the background, their seven-year-old son, Sam (Harry Simpson) frets – unsettled by the furor of the argument. The couple must regroup – for they are having Jay’s best friend, Gal (Michael Smiley), and his date over for dinner. When Jay loses his temper and destroys the dinner table – Gal follows him into the garage to offer him a devil’s deal. Turns out Gal is Jay’s old business partner, and, unzipping a bag full of guns, offers him one last lucrative hit job that could solve all of his troubles.

From here the film switches genres from domestic drama to dark thriller. And audiences might think they will know what kind of film to expect from here on out. They are wrong. From the moment they meet their menacing client (Struan Rodger), tantalizing hints are dropped about Jay’s past, including mention of a previous job in Kiev that Jay somehow botched. The client lays out three targets for the job – and Jay and Gal are off to do their fiendish business. By the way the first target is handled, it seems that Jay and Gal are more than up to the task. But as the killing starts, Jay becomes more and more deranged. The tantrums Jay displayed earlier morph into sadistic and violent tendencies, unsettling even his battle-hardened partner.

Indeed, the film’s tone reflects the unpredictability of Jay’s bipolar psyche. Masterfully played by Neil Maskell, the mood swings wildly between the violent menace of the job and hilarious banter with his partner. One moment he is doting on his son and lovingly holding his wife, the next he demonstrates new and horrifying uses for the common hammer. As soon as the story finds its center, it then throws it into violent orbit. The result is disorienting and scary, even for a thriller.

Before they know it, audiences find themselves switching genres yet again, to full-blown horror. How did the story end up here? What is going on? The questions swirl faster than the tics of Jay’s unstable brain. What happened in Kiev? Who is the client? Who are the targets, and why are they marked for death? What’s the deal with Gal’s mysterious girlfriend? And how much of it all is just in Jay’s head?

As the questions increase, so does the darkness. The unknown factors swirl and combine to form the worst kind of nightmare, where nothing makes sense and everything is threatening. Certain details seem significant, but it is uncertain what they mean. A cut on the hand. An unlucky rabbit. A mysterious tape. Gal’s creepy girlfriend. And the weird knife-scratched symbol.

The shocking conclusion leads one to rethink everything that has happened since the beginning. This is the kind of film that people will be talking about for years – because the mysteries are open to interpretation. It is not for the squeamish, and likely to give even serious horror fans surprises they haven’t experienced before.

Kill List never settles into the mere pedestrian, and for that it should be commended. At one point, Jay says to Gal, “We should do this more often.”

“What, kill rich people?”

“Yeah,” Jay replies, as they both laugh. Somehow, it feels like their targets did something heinous to deserve their fate. But the same must be true of the hitmen. Empathizing with evil is risky business, and may cause audiences a few of their own nightmares. If you can handle the thrill, it’s definitely worth it.

The talented and beautiful Academy Award nominee Vera Farmiga is set to play Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac in the upcoming film The Drummer. Directed by Randall Miller and written by Jody Savin, the film follows the final six years of Dennis Wilson, played by Aaron Eckhart, who shared a passionate and chaotic relationship with McVie. Farmiga is particularly well suited for the role since she has a music background as a classically trained pianist. She will sing and play the piano in the film.

“She has a number of duets with Eckhart in the film.  The combination of Aaron and Vera will be pure magic,” says Miller.  Eckhart is deep into training for the role, learning to play drums and piano as well as training vocally to sing onscreen in the picture. “Aaron is totally committed to getting the music right for the film.  He is putting in hours and hours a week in preparation for the roll of Dennis Wilson,” adds Savin.

Filming will being on June 15, 2012 and will coincide with The Beach Boys 50th anniversary. Filming will take place in Southern California as well as Savannah, Georgia.

It’s rare when today’s person really understands him or herself. Modern life continually pushes forward and doesn’t allow time for proper reflection. An entire industry was built around buying time for introspection in hour-long blocks, typically lying on a couch. Other times, however, life gives people all the time they need to think and really look at themselves. The Greyis a film about men who are stripped of all the non-essentials in life, and who take a long look at who they really are and what matters most. While sometimes heartbreaking and tragic, the journey to self-discovery is satisfying to the end.

Ottway (Liam Neeson) is a guard for a drilling team in Alaska. Rather than intercepting humans, it’s wild animals that Ottway keeps an eye out for, killing them with precision when necessary. After the crew finishes its latest job, they pile into an airliner and presumably prepare for warmer climates. Unfortunately, a malfunction and terrible turbulence sends the plane crashing down somewhere in the middle of uninhabitable Alaskan territory, leaving only a handful of survivors, including Ottway. To make matters worse, the men discover themselves within the territory of a pack of wolves that will do whatever it takes to protect their den. With no hope of rescue, the men have little choice but to brave the near-arctic wastes and escape before they die from hunger, exposure or wolf attacks.

Watching The Grey, one is reminded of the fictive techniques employed in literature. Inner monologue, close-ups on mundane objects, pieces of conversation and other facets present a clear picture of Ottway’s world much in the same way a book might. Moreover, the attention to detail and the deliberate direction shows just how much director Joe Carnahan is crafting a story just as a book author shapes scenes by describing only the essential and omitting the rest.

It’s the details that really make this film as good as it is. One of the most startling visuals in the film is when the men are huddled around a fire, surrounded by darkness. A wolf howls and as the men peer into the gloom all they can see is the wolf’s breath, catching a bit of light as it rises from its snout. When the rest of the pack howls in response, seeing the lone column of breath multiply into several is awe-inspiring as it is disheartening.

As a survival horror movie, character development is somewhat limited, but the film does an adequate job of giving the actors enough substance to carve memorable performances from, but the personalities don’t deviate much from the standard archetypes for these films. Ottway is the level-headed hero. Diaz (Frank Grillo) is the loose cannon with nothing positive to contribute. Flannery (Joe Anderson) is the loudmouth no one cares for. Talget (Durmot Mulroney) just wants to see his daughter again. Hendrick (Dallas Roberts) represents the innocence of the group who makes it a point to say a prayer for the dead passengers. While there aren’t many surprises when it comes to character arcs, it’s a credit to the filmmakers that audiences will feel a sense of loss when survivors necessarily begin to die.

The pacing is only slightly uneven, but that’s mainly due to expectations, considering the type of film. The first act feels a bit slow as audiences learn who Ottway is and are fed cryptic bits of information regarding a woman from his past and his suicidal thoughts. Once the plot kicks into high-gear, however, the movie becomes a survivalist’s dream as the characters fight the elements and the wild. Things slow down again when survivors start to die as each character is given a special death segment – which sometimes feels contrived. Nevertheless, The Grey is all about creating memorable scenes rather than a neatly wrapped up story, and by that standard the film is a great success.

For all the fear, death and suspense in this film, The Grey is also surprisingly tender. Early on one of the surviving passengers dies as others hold him while Ottway helps the man pass. Later, the wallets of the dead men are collected to be given to their families. Examining the contents of each billfold reveals family pictures and IDs, hinting at complete lives that every viewer immediately understands and connects with. Contrasted with the animal savagery of the wolf pack, The Grey ironically becomes a celebration of humanity. It’s this message that will linger with audiences long after the last jaws snap shut.

It goes without saying that 19^th century Ireland was a tough place to make a living for any mere commoner. To be a single woman in that era with no family or husband required extraordinary resourcefulness to survive. One way to get the same opportunities as a man was by pretending to bea man. But what are the long term consequences of such a long term disguise? Meet Albert Nobbs – a middle-aged woman passing as a male butler, on one hand desperately seeking to fit in, and on the other to finally escape servitude and find a mate.

The story opens with a nervous and gregarious hotelier Mrs. Baker (Pauline Collins) fretting over well-to-do guests in the dining room. The servants dote on the wealthy guests with stressed precision. Helen (Mia Wasikowska), a beautiful young servant at the hotel, does her best to hide her disdain for the position. Calmly and perfectly poised stands Albert Nobbs (Glenn Close), masterfully executing the role of butler, but secretly pining to escape and open his own tobacco shop. Later, when Albert is forced to share his room with the housepainter Hubert (Janet McTeer), Albert’s ruse is discovered. At first horrified, Albert is re-assured when Hubert reveals he is a woman pretending to be a man, too. And not only is Hubert pulling it off, he is also happily married. Albert’s horror at being discovered quickly transforms into insatiable curiosity: how on earth has Hubert found a home, a wife, and a future despite the subterfuge?

Thus begins Albert’s journey of self-discovery and also his quest to find a wife to share his life and dreams. Would it be impossible to find a wife, open a little tobacco shop and throw off the chains of working for the hotel? It is a daunting task. For Albert, who has lived as a man for his whole life, living as a woman is out of the question. So he must find a woman, and the only woman that will do is the young and beautiful Helen. To complicate matters – Helen has already started to see Joe (Aaron Johnson), the impetuous young handyman at the hotel that lied his way into the job. Albert Nobb’s quest to win Helen’s hand is not easy – how can he court a woman when he has avoided conspicuous displays of sexuality for his whole life? How can he express his sexuality without revealing his disguise? Does he reveal he is a woman before or after he is married?

Glenn Close’s commitment to the role is astonishing. She is not only entirely believable as a neurotic, introverted man – but also as a man in a state of arrested development – desperately trying to court a woman for the first time in his life.  Her performance is the best thing about the film, and it is no surprise she was just nominated for an Oscar for the role. It may be the most impressive role she has ever performed, because she completely disappears into Albert. He is a man so quietly repressed that audiences cannot help but feel for him. Janet McTeer also pulls off being a man as Hubert, though an entirely different kind. Where Albert is kindly restrained and pinched, Hubert is strapping – displaying a working class macho and seeming disregard for a world that has long since stopped questioning who he is.

It is the story itself that audiences might find challenging. The world of Albert Nobbs is brutal and unforgiving, with many kindnesses repaid in cruelty, and dreams always frustratingly out of reach. For Albert, the few simple pleasures in life such as eating chocolate in a restaurant with Helen, or spending time with Hubert and his wife seem to be his peak. To watch Albert go through a late adolescence with such brutal consequences is excruciating. It is tough to face what life has to offer for him.

In the end, it is the human failures of those around Albert that determine the tragic course of events. Despite his “better” station in life, was Albert’s long-term charade even worth it? In the end, audiences may share Albert’s disappointment, an unfair result which definitely was not his fault.

With each episode, the American Idol seems to be more about making the show rather than the people auditioning – at least during these early auditions. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing since there are only so many horrible auditions one can stomach and too many golden tickets to remember which life story goes with which singer. Tonight the show spent poring over the best Galveston, TX could muster.

After a brief intro in zero gravity and seeing Randy Jackson wearing his favorite style of frames, most of the show before the first commercial break was given to Phong Vu who had all the makings of a train wreck. Odd looking. Foreign accent. Poor voice. Wanting it too badly. It was refreshing to see the show build him up so much with visual and sound effects to make his inevitable fall that much more delicious. But when it started to get genuine and emotional I was disappointed. But then he auditioned! And the show smartly let his performance be the punch line. The best part, however, was Randy looking over to the producers off-screen for help.

Afterward, it was a series of bad auditions, including a crazy Mohawk person and a couple of very, very stiff cowboys drawling away at the carcass of a song. It makes one wonder if they even watch the show. Thankfully, the first golden ticket was presented right after to Skylar Laine who is a proud deer hunter and whose mother looks kinda sorta like Helen Mirren.

Baylie Brown made a triumphant return to the audition room after her elimination on Idol five years ago during Hollywood week when she was 16. Her poor performance during group singing where she forgot the words to the song ended her journey in tears. Now older – and shapelier – the judges gave her a second chance. Let’s hope she can keep it together this time.

Kristine Osorio was another featured golden ticket winner whose segment goes to show that children steal your dreams. Previously a singer, she had to put that life on hold when she got pregnant. Now going through a divorce and having a hard time paying the bills – and the lawyer – she dumped what little money she had on a ticket to the audition. As the Latina Pink, she definitely has the pipes and style – and very, very white teeth – to be a star. She’s one to keep an eye out for.

Going back to the idea that these early episodes highlight the making of the show, a sizeable portion was devoted to showcasing the disagreements that the judges have. Contestant after contestant was passed over by Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler with Jennifer Lopez looking on in disbelief. Frankly, I have to agree with Jennifer. Those that were booted were at least as good as some that were given golden tickets. At one point, Jennifer asked loudly, “Anybody else in here think they’re (Randy and Steven) frickin’ crazy right now?!” She looked pointedly at the producers off-screen.

Highlighting Jennifer’s frustration was golden ticket recipient Linda Williams who screeched her way past Jennifer’s “no”. Linda vowed to prove Jennifer wrong, but we’ll see.

Getting back to the fun, the show focused on Alejandro Cazares who wanted desperately to be Che Guevara. He called for a worldwide revolution where Lady GaGa could be a platinum seller and where Barack Obama could be President. The best goals are ones you can achieve, but this is ridiculous. Also, what was that stuff on his tongue? It looked like Scope blue foam. Alejandro’s segment ran a little long, but thankfully his audition was horribly comedic, prompting awesome responses from the judges. When asked for votes, Steven said, “Not yet.” Randy said, “Never.” When asked what he could do to change their minds, Jennifer replied, “Nothing!”

Speaking of Jennifer, her styling on the second day, showing off her flat tummy, definitely restores her hotness bona fides in the minds of doubters – myself included – who may have been stuck viewing her as just a judge with a cushy gig that didn’t require looking phenomenal.

Rounding out the last day were Cortez Shaw and Ramiro Garcia. Cortez has an all-American look with a great attitude and a strong voice. He also has a great life story full of hard knocks and a strong single mother. I wouldn’t mind having him stick around. Ramiro also has a wonderful story that will warm the coldest of hearts. Ramiro was born with no ears and doctors thought he wouldn’t speak, let alone sing. Yet, there he was, belting out Amazing Grace and earning a ticket to Hollywood.

It’s stories like these that make this show great. Well played Idol.

As Idol takes its show on the road and visits new locations, it’s obvious that the producers are experimenting with other reality concepts, like travelogues. Here, Aspen, Colo. is presented as remote, frosty and idyllic, with snowcapped mountains and babbling brooks punctuating the various segments. Time was spent with the different show personalities goofing off, like Steven Tyler and his corny jokes or Ryan Seacrest ramming his golf cart into something. The higher altitude was to blame for their behavior. Nevertheless, it was Randy Jackson who expressed the hope, “I think we can find a winner here.”

The first showcased contestant, Jenni Schick, was just as loopy as the judges, if not more so. Her segment included her running around the hallways, screaming, pestering others and otherwise acting obnoxious. As a music teacher who instructs very young children, her personality is probably a good fit, but hopefully we won’t be seeing too much more of her throughout the season. Unfortunately, she received a golden ticket, so more airtime may be wasted yet. Before leaving, she got a kiss on the lips from Steven Tyler, which reinforces why so many boys want to be rock ’n’ roll stars – girls will want them regardless of age.

Quick segments for Curtis Gray who gave a solid rendition of Yesterday Boys II Men style, Richie Law who brings some Scotty McCreery country bass to the show, and Devon Jones whose high-pitched serenade was impressive enough. They all received golden tickets.

A longer segment was given to Tealana Hedgespeth who has a twin sister that is apparently a wonderful singer. Sporting a septum piercing, which is a departure from her sister’s conservative style, Tealana confessed that she wanted to get out of her sister’s shadow and prove that she could sing as well. She can’t. The judges let her down nicely, but let’s hope she didn’t watch this episode tonight, because the judges were merciless in their private comments. Finally, in a turn of true reality, it was delicious to see the daggers Tealana stared at her sister after emerging from the failed audition. Back in the shadow you go!

Haley Smith, an 18-year-old, working three jobs (I sympathize!), was one of the more laidback contestants. Tyler called her a true flower child and said that he was “honored” to hear her sing. That might be overstating things, but she did have nice audition. The question is whether or not she has staying power.

After some juvenile comedy with bartender Alanna Snare and animal testicles, it was time for tugging at heartstrings with Shelby Tweter from Minnesota – and she brought her accent along to boot! Apparently, this girl has been diagnosed with bipolar syndrome and has been living with depression since she was four. Poor dear! After singing a heartfelt tune with her soft, raspy voice, how could the judges not send her through?

Then Jairon (don’t forget the) Jackson tried his hand with a Bruno Mars-sounding song he wrote. Admittedly, it was pretty good and good enough to warrant a golden ticket. I would, however, like to see him pull up his pants for future episodes.

The most interesting highlighted audition of the evening goes to Angie Zeiderman who is heavily influenced by Lady GaGa. Angie’s style is dubious, but at least it’s color coordinated with her hair, which was dyed different shades of purple. On the other hand, she is attractive, with her toned body fitting her tight dress nicely. Nevertheless, her outlandish getup could only mean an outlandish performance, which could only lead to failure. She went with a show tune coupled with a somewhat burlesque performance, which Randy hated. That could have been the end of Angie, but Jennifer Lopez asked for another song and Angie gave a surprisingly tender performance with Blue Bayou and earned her golden ticket to Hollywood. Who knows how far she’ll go, but if she cracks the top 10, then expect to see Lady GaGa at the finale.

Finishing off the episode on a low note was Magic Cyclops – one of the most inauthentic personalities to audition. Affecting an English accent and trying to look like young Axl Rose, Magic Cyclops did his best to rip off the absurdity of This is Spinal Tap with his odd comments and behavior. He almost broke character in the beginning of his routine, which probably would have been more enjoyable from a viewer’s point of view. American Idol is a hit because we enjoy watching authenticity. It’s uplifting to see deserving people succeed and delightful to watch the untalented stare at their dreams crumbling before their eyes. What we don’t want to see is staged idiocy – we want real idiocy! So when Randy proclaimed “this is silly” and then later walked out, he probably spoke for the vast majority of people watching.

I’ll cry if Magic Cyclops makes it into the finale as a gag.

Well scatologically inclined puppets, cheap theatrics, and really bent sexuality – now that sounds like a prime evening in the theatre to me. J. Michael Feldman’s “Fairy Tale Theatre 18 +” at the Matrix Theatre takes his inspiration from Aesop, La Fontaine and Jim Henson, except here Larry Flynt and Dan Savage have ghost written the fables and the Muppets are all on meth.

The moral instruction begins from the moment you enter the theatre to find the walls strewn with edifying dictums:  “Don’t masturbate during the day, it means you’re a loser and have no job.”  “Don’t hook up with someone who’s out of your league, you won’t feel good about yourself in the end.”

Once in the theater, a deceptively Disney-esque set lulls you into the same mindset Custer probably had before he rode over the crest at Greasy Grass.

Out comes our droll, moonstruck, but ever so “fabulous” fabulist Percy Rutherford (J. Michael Feldman) who informs us that this evening of fairytales will be geared to teaching invaluable lessons to adults such as “If your mother’s not your biological mother she’s probably a sadistic bitch,” and will attempt to answer life’s pressing questions like “Am I too old to buy Ikea furniture?”

What follows is a raucous, madcap eighty-minute evening of very naughty allegories and rather psychotic parables, like “The Squirrel and the Squirrel”, “The Bi-Polar Bear and the Co-Dependent Eskimo”, “The Bee Who Didn’t Want to Hurt Anybody”, “Kurt the Spider”, “The Centipede Who Had to Make it There in One Day”, “The Monkeys and their Pets”, concluding with a squalling sockdolager of a finale in “The Cloud who was into Weird Shit”.

We are treated to characters from assorted phyla of the animal kingdom: gay termites (nicely played by Jess McKay and Matt Cook), amorous spiders (Feldman and the soooo precious Tina Huang), in addition to cumulonimbus clouds that are into “moisture sports” during sex (Feldman again and the delightful Courtney Pauroso who could rain on my parade any time she wanted), as well as a talking glacier, blood puking hound, and a grasshopper possessed of a legendary “gay radar”.

The cast (which also includes Eileen Mulanee, Corey Podell and Kimrie Lewis-Davis) is uniformly young as I imagine Annie McVey the director is as well, so the show suffers from some looseness in staging.  J. Michael Feldman, the writer, displays a flavorsome sense of the absurd and a wit sharp enough that hemophiliacs best avoid sharing a time zone with him.  Feldman takes center stage in most of the sketches and accounts himself admirably, but is at his weakness in the persona of the show’s tale-teller Percy Rutherford, where it seems the effort at creating a distinct character ended at the choice of a silly name.

However this flaw is soon lost in the overall harum-scarum silliness of the evening.  And don’t be confused by the “Fairy Tale” and “puppet” business, I wouldn’t suggest bringing children to this one unless while you watch the show you plan on locking them in the car trunk.

Fairy Tale Theatre 18 +

The Matrix Theatre
7657 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(310) 551-0918

January 19 – February 11
Thursday thru Saturday at 8 p.m.

Tickets:
$12.50 – $25.00

Every year that the juggernaut American Idol lumbers along is an annual reminder of just how old you’re getting. It’s sobering to listen to the contestants in the opening montage talk about watching the show their entire lives without a hint of hyperbole. Yet, here we are again, sifting through the masses for that glint of something valuable. The two-hour season premiere of American Idol took place in Savannah, GA.

The production value of this year’s AI appears to have a little more polish this year, ranging from the snazzier intro to the craftier editing. The audition stage also had a nice update to it, with high beam blue panels everywhere depicting victors of years past. The show also seems to have a purposefully positive tone, with longer segments devoted to successes and less time set aside for train wrecks – but even those aren’t so bad. Unfortunately. Lack of schadenfreude notwithstanding, hope seemed to be the theme of the day.

“You always have high hopes that today’s the day we find the one,” Jennifer Lopez said on her way to the taping, “You never know.” The first day was chock-full of singers who were sent through to Hollywood – and it was still early in the day. Such lucky contestants were David Leathers, Jr. who was the 17-year-old who looked like he was 12. In this early group, it was mostly young teens who were going through. Breaking the streak, however, was Jessica Whitely who butchered her audition so badly that Randy Jackson’s face contorted into naked disgust. As revenge, Whitely vowed to audition again in Texas.

On that note, it bears repeating that the editing is excellent this year, including the teasers before commercial breaks. The dearth of spectacles made the constant preview of a yelling contestant something to look forward to, but at one point I literally yelled at my TV, “Give me the screaming guy already!” When Joshua Chavis was finally showcased, his segment was a bit anticlimactic. It was hard not to feel for the guy regardless of how bad his audition was, because it was obvious that his friends didn’t believe in him either when he returned to them without a golden ticket.

Another notable rejection was Shawn Kraisman who showed up dressed in a black suit and tie and a hip coif. Ryan Seacrest and he joked back and forth about how Kraisman could host the show, and, truthfully, his presenter voice was pretty good. His singing voice was subpar and he rightfully didn’t make it through, but expect to see him in the finale as one of the gags.

There were a few questionable choices for letting through, like Stephanie Renee whose closed-mouth singing hindered her performance. The Dixon siblings Schuyler and Colton were also let through in dramatic fashion even if their performances sounded subpar, but I have a sneaky suspicion that it’s purely for drama and narrative-building later on. Oh, won’t it be delicious to see them get split up later on?

On the other hand, the featured contestants do have pretty good stories, like Amy Brumfield who is unemployed and lives in a tent in the woods with her boyfriend. Then there’s W. T. Thompson who quit his day job to chase this dream in spite of having a six-month pregnant wife. There’s something inspiring about a person who will throw caution to the wind to make their dreams come true. There’s also something maddening about a person who will do the same, but risk the well-being of others in the process. Good luck finding a job that can support your family in this economy after you get booted buddy!

Rounding out the usual suspects that make through was Brittany Kerr, professional NBA dancer. This woman is an amazing physical specimen whose looks alone should get her into public voting rounds. Not sure if her vocal talents will carry her much farther, but it’ll be nice to have bona fide sex appeal on American Idol for as long as it lasts.

Saving the best audition for last, Phillip Phillips ended the episode with undeniably awesome performances. First was a soulful Superstitious by Stevie Wonder followed by a guitar rendition of Michael Jackson’s Thriller. While he was excellent, his mannerisms were uncomfortably close to former Idol winner Taylor Hicks. Is he ready to overcome the comparison and hopefully outshine Hicks’ lackluster career? “I was born naked and ready,” Phillips says, “I just put clothes on.”

Young Adult, the new dramatic comedy from acclaimed director Jason Reitman and Oscar-winning Scribe Diablo Cody has been garnering critical praise for its unapologetically frank portrayal of a woman who refuses to grow up. Part of the reason Young Adult is resonating so well with audiences and critics alike is due to its incredibly strong cast. Charlize Theron gives a fantastic performance, but does not carry the weight of the film on her shoulders alone. A surprisingly emotional turn from comedian Patton Oswalt is what helps Young Adult to stay well above the average dramedy fair. Working Author was invited to a post-screening Q&A with Oswalt, which was moderated by comedy legend Garry Shandling.

The moment the two comedians settled into their high-rise seats and test their mics, Shandling let Oswalt (and everyone) know exactly what he thought. “You my friend, as the kids say, killed it. I think you’re fucking fantastic.” He didn’t sugar coat, and by the reaction it gathers from the audience, everyone agreed. Oswalt was flattered, but Shandling didn’t let up, “I think your comedy is fantastic, and then to see you do a performance like this delights me to no end. I think it’s perfect.”

Fortunately for those in attendance, it was not all just singing praises. Both Oswalt and Shandling shed some light on the craft, and Oswalt spoke openly about his preparation for the role. “You walk this tight rope between genuine humor and real rage and pathos, and if you go too far either way it becomes pathetic or it becomes too sitcom-y, so I hired an acting coach and worked with her for two months.” Elaborating on the character he plays, Oswalt went into fascinating detail on some of the character-work he did outside of the film. For those not in the know, Oswalt’s character Mike Frehauf suffers into his adulthood the permanent handicaps caused by a high school beating. “I wrote letters that he would have written to his parents in the hospital, trying to put on a brave face when he was in.” Oswalt also detailed the difficulty ahead of him in shooting the film with an actress as experienced as Charlize Theron. “The minute we started reading she (Theron) would snap into the character, and I realized it was because of the years of experience she had…and I realized I had better catch up to that.” The amount of preparation that Oswalt put into the role is blatantly evident throughout the film. Despite Theron’s completely engrossing performance, it is Oswalt’s scenes with her that are the most interesting in the story.

One of the most touching points in Young Adult is when Oswalt’s character shares a moment of genuine emotion with Theron’s character, and the two end up sleeping together. Shandling singled that out as one of the most affecting parts of the film, “It’s moving…it’s when you’re lying with her and staring at her afterwards, and you have the gravitas to bring the wisdom at the end when you talk to her…you can not be anything but be solid with what you’re doing, because she’s giving it back to you so intensely.”

For those who haven’t seen the film it might be hard to imagine such a heavy scene between the two actors; but Oswalt elaborates beautifully “She was such a dream to work with. She gives it back to you, and she gives back exactly what you need in the scene.” When pressed further about filming the intimate scene Oswalt recalls, “I thought I’d be nervous because I’d be naked with her, but I ended up being way more nervous because it’s the first time we don’t even talk to each other. The whole relationship is based on being snarky and mean, but now…I’m in this terrifying vacuum.” Despite the trepidation though, Oswalt was able to find his success by just jumping into the scene. Approaching the scene bold and fearlessly certainly pays off, as the love scene between the two is easily the most resonant part of the film.

It’s always an enjoyable experience to learn more about what precisely goes into the films that we enjoy so much while understanding so little of the process. In the case of Patton Oswalt in Young Adult the pleasure in learning more becomes twofold. Coming to understand the process of how an artist so based in comedy can extend his talent to embody a role that demands so much dramatic range is a unique opportunity. If you’re a fan of Patton Oswalt, either from his comedy or ever-increasing resume of feature films, you’ll owe it to yourself to see his turn in Young Adult. Chances are you’ll echo the sentiments of Mr. Shandling and see how Patton Oswalt really does “kill it.”