my mama!

I love my mom. It is totally dorky, I admit, but she is seriously one of my favorite people. Over this past long weekend, she came to the city (leaving my poor, abandoned father in Ohio), and we had some crazy fun!! In the course of the weekend, we ate out at Bistros Les Amis, Southside Cafe, Lasagna, and a new place called Cafe Largo that just opened by my apartment....and they were all fabulous. It was amazing meal, after amazing meal. We also saw two shows, and a movie. Oh, and we went shopping, and visited with my Aunt. It was a CRAZY weekend, but so great.

Saturday afternoon - STEP UP 2 THE STREETS

What can I say? I love the dance movies, and so I go and see them all. First, this sequel was so much better than the original...and much better than it had to be! There was a cohesive plot, but instead of spending time with awkward dialogue scenes, they skipped that and went to the kick-*ss dancing. Woo-hoo! And it was fabulous dancing! This girl has a last chance to stay living with this family, and that is to audition and get into the Maryland School of the Arts. Getting into the program, and trying to catch up means that she gets kicked out of her street dancing crew. Sadness ensues. Soon, the kids at her arts school start finding the street dancing pulse within them, and yearn to compete in the street dance competition. A fun movie....you'll come for the dancing, and stay for the dancing.

Final thoughts: Fun to watch...and better than you think it will be!

photo credit: http://www.movieweb.com/

Saturday night - XANADU

Yes, this is the second time that I have seen XANADU...but this time, I got to see it with Kerry Butler playing the leading role of Clio. Once again, I was able to get seats on the stage, and it was just as hilarious as I remember. Laugh out loud funny, this is an evening of camp, sly humor, and eye rolling, as the cast seems to have a blast retelling the story of the infamously terrible film of the same name. If you have the chance, definitely get stage seats, and check out this hilarious show!

Final thoughts: A night of fun, that includes not only crazy talented people, but humor that will leave you chuckling long after you leave the theatre.

photo credit: http://www.playbill.com/

Sunday afternoon - SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE

Sitting two rows from the back, my mom and I took in the new version of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, starring the two stars from London recreating their roles, and a NYC cast including Ohio native, Jessica Grove. The cast is fabulous, especially Jenna Russell playing Dot...I think she will most likely win the Tony. The truth is, I don't love the musical. None of the music really sticks out to me, other than the song "Sunday", and the story, while interesting, tends to drag. I thought the second half worked better than the first, but of course found myself incredibly moved by the end of the first act, when we see the painting come together. Technically, this show was unbelievable! A true multimedia production, it was riveting to watch all of the pieces come together, and see the clever way that it all worked.

Final thoughts: Not my favorite show, but well performed and produced. Definitely try to check it out if you can.

photo credit: http://www.playbill.com/

demon barber

What happens when you combine Johnny Depp, Tim Burton, and Stephen Sondheim? Beth becomes a happy girl. Two weeks ago, I took myself out and finally saw the new version of the musical SWEENEY TODD. It was fantastic. Johnny Depp becomes even cooler (if that is possible), displaying a gritty, rock voice, and a deep misery that is both repulsive and compelling at the same time. Helena Bonham Carter is funny and sad as the out-for-love Mrs. Lovett (the part I hope to play in about fifteen years), although, I couldn't help but wish that her voice was a little beltier. Tim Burton is a genius. His vision of the world is one that I totally adore. Using a black, white and grey palette, the world of London is depressing, gross, and so real you can almost taste the stink on the street. You can tell that he had fun splashing the ridiculously red blood around on the dismal background. SWEENEY is the kind of show that you either love or hate. It is a dark, violent story, and has an upsetting premise, and there is no happy ending on the books for this one. The doom and gloom of the film matches the dark angst of the music, and Sondheim's score has found a fabulous bedfellow with Burton's vision. Be warned, this movie is not for the faint of heart, or the weak of stomach. It is a horror flick through and through....with the bloody corpses to prove it.

Final thoughts: Brilliantly done, but not one to try to munch away on snacks through. Also, special kudos to the under thirty set who more than hold their own in this flick.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

charlie wilson's war

This morning, in an effort to keep seeing Oscar-nominated films (a goal I am failing miserably at this year!), I went to check out CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR. Philip Seymour Hoffman most definitely deserved the supporting actor nod, and I enjoyed the movie as well. Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) is a Congressman from Texas who doesn't do much except party, sleep around, and acquire favors. One of the women (Julia Robert) who supports his campaign has taken to a cause, to get the Communists out of the Middle East, and so helps get the ball rolling on what would be the biggest covert military action in the history of the US. With a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin, the script is funny, biting, and fast. With a great supporting cast led by Hoffman, and including Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, the story moves along. This is an interesting story (and based on a true one) that takes a brutal look at war, the good, bad and ugly, and doesn't hesitate to show the disturbing images of war. The movie is well-made, interesting, and will leave you unsettled.

Final thoughts: One to see, and to ponder after the credits role.

photo credit: http://www.movieweb.com/

how she move

I am a sucker for the dance movies. I am not proud of it, but I have seen them all from CENTER STAGE to STEP UP to TURNING POINT. Last weekend, I went to check out the most recent release, HOW SHE MOVE. Although the story is a familiar one, HOW SHE MOVE manages to keep things fresh, real, and incredibly moving. A girl has escaped the ghetto she grew up in, and gone to a private school, where her big dreams of getting into an Ivy League school are actually a reality. However, her funding is gone after her drug-addicted sister dies after yet another failed attempt at rehap. After failing the scholarship exam, Raya needs to find a way to make enough money to pay for her tuition. Conveniently, there is an upcoming step competition with the winner receiving $50,000. There is amazing dancing, good character development, and realism in every scene. The movie has the gritty feel of an indie film which only adds to that realistic feel. I got totally involved in this film, and was completely invested in the story. Yes, there are contrivances that you can't help but roll your eyes at, but it doesn't matter when the film as a whole works on so many levels.

Final thoughts: If you are a dance fan, check this one out. The dancing is amazing, and you will get a well crafted and acted story to boot!

Photo credit: www.movieweb.com

chivalry isn't dead...I am so not kidding!

So, I got on the train today, carrying all my fixin's to make Mexican dip to watch the Superbowl, and laid my two bags on the floor to hold on to the bar. We start moving, and the bag with my coca-cola (nectar of the gods!) and chips goes rolling under the seat. The man standing next to me literally gets down on his hands and knees to grab the bag, rescues the food, and then arranges the bags so that the other grocery bag is holding the bandit soda bag in place, and won't roll again. It was so kind, and unecessary for him to do that! It got me thinking how NYC has such a bad rap for being unfriendly and nasty. I honestly don't think that's the case. I think that people visit NYC expecting everyone to be nasty, and so become nasty to protect themselves from the expected nastiness. Are there horrible people in New York whom you secretly wish will be taken away by the unusually large rats that live in the subways? Of course. But overall, I find that the City dwellers do their best to stay out of one another's way...yet are unafraid to go out of there way to help someone out. Will people stop on the street to say hello, and talk of rainbows and kittens? Heck, no. But if you take a spill, expect three or four people to help you to your feet, pick up your stuff, and hail a cap if you need it. I know this isn't a perfect place to live, but every once in a while, I am reminded that it certainly is a great one. Random man on the train who grabbed my groceries today...thank you so much for going out of your way to keep me and my groceries in line.