what i did today in new york city

what i did for a week in paris

2011-08-05T21:14:00.000-07:00

If you had told me last year that my mother and I would go to Paris for a week, I would have told you that you were a frakking nut. I (and my mother) just don't do crazy, fun, amazing things like that. And then, something really funny happened. My mother and I started talking about how we should go to Paris.

If you have never been, I am totally sad for you. Paris is amazing. It is truly a special place...mostly known as the city of lovers...but as a single woman with a cat....I found it a special place to check-out with my 60+ mother. It just goes to show that even if you are the target demographic for the Lifetime channel, you can still have a nice time.

So, we bought our tickets, and my mother began a systematic study of maps and books about Paris. And then, there we were, climbing onto an airplane clutching our passports and phrase book ready to be those awful American tourists.

And awful American tourists we were! We took a boat tour, visited museums, walked around churches, ate our weight in butter, took in a ballet, conquered a cooking class, and ate more bread then Rome on Communion Sunday. We saw art that is featured in really good movies, and looked in the shops of windows that we could never afford. We bungled the language, and argued about which direction the theatre was from the train station. We sat in Notre Dame and listened to an organ concert, and judged everyone for their endless smoking. We laughed at ourselves as we tried to be the sophisticated types we're not, and swooned over omelets. We held hands as we prayed in 500 year-old churches, and wished that my dad was there to share everything with us. It was everything I had hoped the trip was and more. We spent an obscene amount of money on Business class plane tickets, and loved every second of travel.

When I imagined myself in Paris, it was never wandering about with my mother. I mean, who would imagine that? All I know, is that the trip was more special than I had ever imagined it could be, and you haven't lived until you are sitting across from someone you love at a little table in a bistro in Paris...ideally eating a baguette.

excitement

2011-03-27T18:20:00.000-07:00

There is so much right now that I am excited about.

First, there is a crazy amount of theatre that looks really cool. BOOK OF MORMON is on the top of my list. I actually have tickets for Memorial Day weekend, so now begins the endless waiting. (Le sigh.) To be honest, I suck at waiting. So, let the rage waiting begin.

Second, saw a preview for the new X-MEN movie today. It looks awesome. Sometimes all you want is to go to the movies, and watch people with superpowers beat on each other. What isn't there to like about that? Seriously? If you haven't seen the preview yet, here it is:

On a separate note, can you believe that it is already the end of March? Seriously. Before we know it, summer movies will be here, and then it will be time to Christmas shop. That is an alarming thought indeed.

priscilla queen of the desert

2011-03-27T17:53:00.000-07:00

As a fan of the movie, I was very much looking forward to seeing the Broadway take on PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT. And, fortunately, it didn't disappoint....that much. I had a ton of fun watching the show - and the folks involved were definitely having a blast. I guess the issue is more that it just didn't really dig deep into the issues. There is some heavy stuff going on in the story, and it just felt glossed over. Moments that should have had gravity just carried no weight at all. It was an evening of pastel-colored cocktails....when there should have been a cup of Turkish coffee. Now, I am a total party pooper wanting moments of darkness in this disco ball of fun...andI own up to that. If you can move past wanting those dramatic moments, which you can, the show is good fun. With fantastic 70's numbers, and pretty much the most amazing costumes you will ever see on stage, you can't help but rock out to this show. The performers are all top notch, and this show is a spectacle in the very best sense of the word. Tony Sheldon is phenomenal as Bernadette. He has been with the show since the beginning, and his nuanced performance will stay with you long after the curtain has come down. Will Swenson is a fabulous leading man - funny, sweet, and has a yummy voice. Nick Adams just made me tired. He is such a physical presence....a real treat to watch. With show stopper after show stopper, your feet will be tapping as the cast rocks the house.

Final thoughts: Worth seeing just for the costumes......a fun night at the theatre.

Photo credit: www.playbill.com

the other guys

2010-08-11T08:51:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I am not a huge Will Ferrell fan...I mean the guy is funny, and I enjoyed lots of his work on SNL, but overall, I don't go out of my way to see his stuff. I can't tell you how pleasantly surprised I was by THE OTHER GUYS. The movie got some great reviews, and I am strangely fascinated by Mark Wahlberg, so I went to the movie hoping for some giggles, and hopefully a half-naked Mark. This movie totally cracked me up. Mark and Will are partners, and either by choice or by mistake have become paper pushers, and basically the office jokes. After the office hotshots (played with much glee [not the show choir kind] by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Samuel Jackson) make a poor choice ending their career, office dominance is for the taking, and Mark wants him some of that. Hilarity ensues as he pushes Will to try and become the police heroes he is dying to become. They somewhat accidentally stumble into a major case featuring the always cool Steve Coogan, and the movie unfolds as they figure out the case and also really get to know one another. The movie totally works. I laughed out loud through most of it, and as always, totally dug seeing sights around the city. Love, love, love New York movies!

Final thoughts: A really funny movie that is so much better than you think it might be. Bonus: Michael Keaton is in this movie, and he is basically the coolest person ever.

Photo credit: www.movieweb.com

bye bye birdie on broadway

2009-11-14T19:28:00.000-08:00

Whether you know it or not, you have heard some of the music from BYE BYE BIRDIE before. It is a part of our culture, and the music from the show really is good fun. It is incredibly sad to me that the current revival on Broadway didn't come together. For the most part, it's not that it's terrible; instead, it is that the pieces don't add up.

John Stamos takes the lead as Albert Peterson. There is no denying that John Stamos (aka Uncle Jesse) is a gorgeous, suave guy....and that is why I don't understand why he tries to play Albert as geeky and awkward. Dick van Dyke is a goofy guy, and you totally bought his sweetness and awkwardness, and got why Rose loved him. Stamos isn't goofy, and it plays as just plain awkward, in a not endearing kind of way. I found myself saying that Rose is an idiot for waiting around for this guy. I will say that Stamos does have a nice voice, though. Gina Gershon plays Rose as a sexy thing, teetering about in spiky stilettos, and pining for a guy that she has been a secretary for for seven years. Although she has some great acting moments, the truth is, Gershon is not a singer. (This is a HUGE issue when her character sings some of the most recognizable songs in the show.) Allie Trimm plays Kim, our young (emphasis on the young) ingenue. Although Trimm has a nice voice, she is just too young for the part. Kim should be blossoming into womanhood, in essence, discovering her sexuality......Trimm looks about 13 (which I think is her real age), and just can't pull off the becoming a woman part of the role. (It doesn't help that Kim was played so memorably by Ann-Margaret in the film, and she pretty much oozes sensuality from every pore.) Jayne Houdyshell fares okay as Albert's needy mother, as does Matt Doyle as Hugo Peabody. Then there's Bill Irwin. I don't even know how to explain his performance. I don't know what show he was in, but it was not the same one as the rest of the cast. It's widely known that he got his start in clowning, and he pretty much clowns his way through the role, and in my opinion, lets down the show whilst doing it. His singing through "Kids" is cringe-worthy, and he just seems totally unconnected to the rest of the production.

There is nothing more disheartening for me than to leave a Broadway show totally disappointed by what I've seen, and that truly was the case here.

Final thoughts: The show just doesn't come together, however, it was an interesting learning experience. Sorry!

photo credit: www.playbill.com

the fantastic mr. fox

2009-11-14T18:58:00.000-08:00

Fan-cussing-tastic.

Every once in a while, you come across a movie that is just so unique, visionary, and different, you can't help but become engrossed and enthralled by it. This happened for me with THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX. Based on the book by Roald Dahl (which I have actually never read), director Wes Anderson has created an incredibly neat and funny universe that is, for lack of a better phrase, just fantastic. Using stop motion techniques with puppets, Anderson brings the world to life in unbelievable detail. The background is just as colorful and alive as the main action, helping to bring every scene to vivid life.

Mr. Fox, after a 12-year hiatus, decides to return to his life of crime, and hit three nearby farms. However, the human farmers decide to fight back, and suddenly Mr. Fox has to fight for his family's livelihood. Voices include George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, and Michael Gambon, and are all perfect.

Final thoughts: This movie had me laughing, and shaking my head in disbelief at the incredible artistry. This one is definitely a must-see.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

things that make me happy

2009-06-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

Happy summer! First, I can't freaking believe that it is already the summer. Life is going super fast, and that is slightly overwhelming. (That's a whole other blog, frankly.) However, the good news is that there is some cool stuff that makes me happy in my soul. So, some of this is people I dig, and some is cool stuff. You know, more random ramblings from my brain.

1. Edy's Low-Fat Cookies & Cream Ice Cream. Seriously, super yummy, and low-fat. What is better on a hot summer's night than sitting down to a super-delicious frozen treat?

2. PSYCH. I seriously love this show, and the 4th season is set to start on Friday, August 7th. I am so happy it is coming back, yet still slightly bummed that it's not for several more weeks. This weekend, I totally got sucked into watching both season one and two episodes that have the commentary. I am now excited (to an awkward extent) to buy the season 3 DVD which comes out the day before my birthday. I am thinking that will be a lovely gift for me.

3. Summer movies to look forward to: Between HARRY POTTER, THE UGLY TRUTH, and THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE, there is much to look forward to this summer. (And I love that there are several actors (Gerard Butler, Robert Pattinson, Rachel McAdams) I dig that are in NYC filming upcoming movies!

4. Going home! Much to my excitement, I am headed home for the Fourth o' July, which means that I get time with the parents, the bro and sis-in-law, and my super-awesome 3 year old nephew. Plus, that means I also get Bexley Pizza Plus which is so yummy in my tummy. :)

Oh, have to add one thing...I might have just watched, well watched while I worked on the blog, one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Seriously, just because John Krasinski is in it, doesn't mean that it's good, or worth it. Sadness.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

the proposal

2009-06-28T18:12:00.000-07:00

Can I just go on record and say that Ryan Reynolds is now a star? Seriously, he is not someone that I really follow, although he was super cool/freaky in WOLVERINE, but with this flick, he is totally on my watch list. This movie actually surprised me in a lot of ways. I was looking forward to it, the preview looked funny, and who doesn't enjoy watching beautiful people fall in love? However, I found this movie laugh-out-loud funny. The two of them, Reynolds and Sandra Bullock have amazing chemistry - and I totally bought into the dynamic of their relationship. She is a kick-ass editor, and he her assistant. To avoid being deported (Canadian...), she tells her bosses that they are engaged. So, visits to INS ensue, as well as a trip to meet his family.

Final thoughts: Hi-larious, and I totally bought into the love story. A very cute rom-com that made me happy in my heart.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

less than meets the eye

2009-06-28T17:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, movies are just fun. They are silly, summer popcorn movies, and you go and have a great time. Sometimes, movies are not that fun, and you are totally bummed as you sit there waiting to laugh. Sadly, the sequel to the very funny movie TRANSFORMERS is less funny, and more long. I totally love Shia LaBeouf, and sadly, he just doesn't have enough to do in this movie. Seriously, this flick is like 80% fighting/action, and only 20% dialogue, and it is only about 7% plot. Fortunately, within that 7%, Julie White is hilarious as hero Sam's mother. And, LaBeouf is kind of funny for a few moments which is nice.

I guess what is most depressing about this whole thing is that I totally loved the first one. I thought it was hilarious, the fight sequences were amazing, and I totally bought into the story. With this flick, the humor, aside from one or two scenes, just seems to be gone, and the battle scenes didn't have the clarity that they had in the first one. (I'm not sure if this is the right way to articulate this. The fights were just kind of machine blobs - I couldn't really tell the transformers apart from one another.)

Final thoughts: There are one or two funny moments, but overall, this movie just didn't live up to the first one. However, I still love Shia - and look forward to whatever he has coming up!

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

terminator salvation

2009-05-31T12:19:00.000-07:00

I heart Anton Yelchin. Seriously, who is this kid? First in STAR TREK and now there he is being fabulous in TERMINATOR SALVATION....Yelchin plays Kyle Reese, teenage father-to-be of John Connor.

Leading up to seeing this flick, the roomie and I watched the first three films. This fourth film is truly a departure of tone from the previous ones. It feels much darker and moodier, most likely because we have finally had Judgement Day, and the world is now a dusty war zone. The Resistance is fighting SkyNet, and they believe they may have found a weapon to beat it.

The fight sequences in this film are fabulous, and there are some nifty new machines making chaos for the humans. Christian Bale makes a good John Connor, although in many ways, this film belongs to the very talented Sam Worthington. (It is such a bummer that they revealed in the trailer for the film that his character Marcus is part machine....it would have been so cool to have that revealed in the course of the film - instead, I was just waiting for that scene to happen.) Bale is not yet leading the resistance, instead more of a general in the army. He and his wife are working together, she as a doctor. One bummer of this movie is that they set up Kate in the 3rd movie to be a kick-*ss partner to John, and in the fourth film, although played by the lovely Bryce Dallas Howard, she doesn't do much of anything, and you don't really get to see that partnership, or her really being the leader that she is supposed to be.

Final thoughts: Cool action sequences, some very cool actors, a fun, summer movie. The real question is, during what scene did Bale have the very famous freak-out?

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

star trek

2009-05-31T11:41:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, you see a movie that just rocks. STAR TREK could have been a terrible movie - I mean, with highly mockable source material, a huge amount of complex special effects, and a relatively unknown cast, there was HUGE potential that it would be awful. Instead, it was fun, funny, moving (I totally cried), stressful, exciting, exhilarating, and fantastic! The story is a bit far-fetched, with time travel and vengeance, and perhaps that is the weakest part of the film. However, watching the crew of the Enterprise assemble is just so satisfying that any leaps of logic you have to take putting the plot together, you just don't mind. JJ Abrams has found an unbelievable cast. Chris Pine is the right combo of cocky and self-sacrificing to bring Captain Kirk to life. His love/hate relationship with Quinto's Spock is a pleasure to watch. Add in John Cho kicking *ss as Sulu, Anton Yelchin (my new fave) as the brainy Chekov, and the brilliant laugh-out-loud Simon Pegg as Scotty, and you can't help but root for the Enterprise. Zoe Saldana brings some nice girl power as Uhura, and Eric Bana makes a groovy villain. I guess what I'm saying is that the cast is just perfect.

I liked STAR TREK, I thought it was a fun show, and my favorite cast member was always Bones. (By the by, Karl Urban is amazing in this movie as Bones. The vocal inflection, the spiciness....loved it!) However, my mother and godmother are totally trekkies, and I knew that their reaction would truly be the way to judge this movie. To be blunt, they loved this movie. My mom seriously cried for like 20 minutes after it was over, being so profoundly moved by the film, their journey, and the overall experience.

Final thoughts: I am sure die-hard Trek fans found lots of things to hate about this movie - but I thought it was brilliant! It paid homage to the show while infusing it with a fresh energy, and was super fun to watch to boot. What a fantastic way to kick off the summer movie season!

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

smile

2009-05-24T19:56:00.001-07:00

I've said this before, and I will say it again - NYC streets are so fabulous - you can always find something amazing to make you smile. The other day, it had to be the swedish fish truck. I couldn't help but smile as I walked by.....have you ever seen a swedish fish truck? Seriously?

tourist

2009-05-24T19:36:00.000-07:00

As Slackapalooza 2009 continues, I have so enjoyed playing tourist with the 'rents, and taking a look at the city outside of my normal everyday fumblings. Yesterday afternoon, we headed down to the pier on 42nd street, and took a circle line cruise, the liberty route. It took us down to Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and around the Southernmost tip of Manhattan. It was absolutely lovely.

For dinner tonight, we headed to the very fancy, and unbelievably yummy Blue Hill Farm. Featured on some sort of cooking show, both my godmother and mother were very eager to check it out. The space itself was nothing but class, with low lights, and crisp linens. The bread, hot from the oven, set the tone for a fantastic meal. I started with the spring vegetable salad, followed by the lamb, and ended with a strawberry dessert. It was all truly divine.

Final thought: Did I mention how depressed I am going to be when I have to go back to my "real" life? Seriously.

slackapalooza!!

2009-05-22T22:06:00.001-07:00

Yes, friends, it is that time again. The parents (with godmother) have taken Manhattan! The annual NYC pilgrimage has begun. The 'rents arrived on Thursday - and will be here until Tuesday. We are doing Broadway shows, a movie, a television show taping, and possibly a museum. Seriously, we are scheduled to within an inch of our lives.

Let the crazy begin!

photo credit: www.ewb-ua.org

my surreal life

2009-05-22T21:48:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, you have these moments that are so bizarre, you don't know what to do with them. My parents, godmother and I have been planning to see THE COLBERT REPORT for months. Every day, I would check both THE DAILY SHOW and TCR website to get tickets. Finally, the day came. So, we head down to the show, only to find out that Green Day (yes, the punk band) is the guest for the show. I don't even know how to describe what it was like to be standing in a television studio rocking out to Green Day with the parents. Seriously - how do you describe that? I don't think it's possible....

The warm-up comic so made fun of us. He looked at the section we were sitting in, and said that we looked more like the Barry Manilow section as opposed to the Green Day section. He even came up to my godmother and asked her how many people were in the band. (She said 14. The comic [and I] laughed at her. I was going to say 4. [You may laugh at me.])

The show was funny - Colbert is so cool. He is just a genuinely nice guy, and hilarious. We were even lucky enough to see him totally mess up...

Final thoughts: Although it seriously sucked to have to wait outside in the heat, and then wait inside while the band seemed to have an endless sound check in the studio, it was a fabulous experience. Plus, I totally went punk with my parents!

photo credit: http://www.greendaycommunity.org/

billy elliot, take 4!

2009-05-22T21:34:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, Slackapalooza has officially begun! Tonight, we took in our first theatrical experience - BILLY ELLIOT. Yes, I have seen the show three other times. Yes, I managed to see all three of the original Billys in previous viewings. Tonight, I managed to see yet another Billy......Tanner Pflueger, who is the fifth boy to play Billy on Broadway. (The fourth Billy, Tommy Batchelor, is actually currently out having surgery - and they brought American dancer Tanner over from the London production of Billy to cover him. Confused?)

The show is still fantastic. The choreography is so amazing - a sure-win for the Tonys, and the actors are all fantastic. Pflueger did a nice job as Billy...his background is as a modern dancer, and I thought that really showed. His dance seemed to really tell a story - very emotional dancing - as opposed to a more technical dancer. I walked out of the theatre feeling moved, inspired and lazy. Seriously, the dancing is just plain fierce in this show....makes me so want to get into a dance studio!

Final thoughts: Every time I see this show with a different boy playing Billy, it is like seeing a different show. Beautiful story, phenomenal dancing, depressing and inspiring all at once.

photo credit: www.playbill.com

need i say anything? so exciting....

2009-04-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

photo credit: www.discoverkate.com

no judgement

2009-04-14T07:52:00.000-07:00

So, I realize that I haven't written in like 18 years, and for the two people who regularly follow my blog, I'm sorry. Things have been crazy, and in fact still are. However, things are starting to get better. The gala for my office was on April 2nd, and the good news is, it went well. Not only did I help with the planning, but I actually also sang at it. This was a whole new kind of stress that I don't even know how to explain. My parents and godmother actually flew to the city to check it out, so we sat in the back, ate, laughed, and had a great time. They are all fans of Jon Stewart, and they actually all got to meet him - so that was HUGE.

Next on my life list is performing in VLOG's KISS ME, KATE which opens on April 25 and runs for two weekends. My mom is coming back out for that, and the show is coming together well. Two of my fave NYC folks are in it with me, and it has been fun to hang out with them, and perform. In case you were curious, I do work in a brothel in the show within a show. Scandal.

The one thing that I have totally been missing out on are movies! I have seen next to nothing (totally devastating), and really won't be able to for the next couple weekends. I hope to get back to regular movie-going in May - which is good, because the summer movies are coming!

After meeting friends for Afghani food for Easter dinner, we were walking on the Lower East Side. I saw this sign, giggled, and had to take the picture. :)

why i heart new york

2009-02-08T13:52:00.000-08:00

One thing that I love about NYC is the graffiti you find around the city. I saw this gem as I walked through a tunnel between the F/V and 1/2/3 lines at 14th street.

I actually saw this movie HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU yesterday, and thought it was very sweet. I really like both Ginnifer Goodwin and Justin Long, although, I kept flashing back to when they both starred in the TV show ED as awkward high schoolers. Anyway, the movie revolves around 8 people all in different phases of relationships. Ginnifer Goodwin desperately wants to find love, and Justin Long is her go-to guy for what men really think. Jennifer Aniston has been with Ben Affleck and really wants to get married, but him not so much. Jennifer Connolly is married to Bradley Cooper, but he kind of likes Scarlett Johansson, who is kind of in a relationship with Kevin Connolly. Oh, and Drew Barrymore works for a gay magazine and yearns for a technically, simpler time. There are some cute laughs, and I enjoyed the stories, although, it is just an okay flick. Rom-commers will enjoy it for what it is. It was nice to take a break from the heavier Oscar fare....to see something light and fluffy, and hope that true love might be coming my way.

Final thoughts: A nice flick to check out with girlfriends as a matinee, or after a cocktail dinner.

Photo credit: www.movieweb.com

kate!

2009-01-10T19:25:00.001-08:00

As everyone knows, I am slightly obsessed with Kate Winslet. She is just so incredibly talented, and does extraordinary and interesting work. This holiday season has been no exception to this. With two movies, she again shows her fearlessness and incredible range. In both cases, I actually read the book that the movie was based on prior to seeing the film.

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

This is one heck of a story. Written and set in the 60's, the story follows a family living in the suburbs. The couple, Frank and April Wheeler are both miserable, feeling trapped, and feeling like they were/are destined for something more. However, they don't seem to be going anywhere. Both Kate and Leo are magnificent in this film. I feel like the work that Leonardo DiCaprio did in this film is truly the best of his career. The scenes between the two of them (when things are going particularly badly) are so explosive, and truly heartbreaking to watch. They both do so much, and are supported by a fabulous supporting cast, including Kathryn Hahn (who was fantastic in BOEING BOEING on Broadway!) and the amazing Michael Shannon as the disturbed son of the Wheeler's real-estate agent. This movie is dark....and sad. The film has a very stylized feel, that I totally thought worked. However, I know that others have been critical of Sam Mendes' vision. I walked out of the movie saddened and moved, and only wishing every movie I saw contained such extraordinary performances.

Final thoughts: Dark, depressing, and full of unbelievable performances. Kate and Leo give performances that will astound you.

THE READER

THE READER is another incredibly dark and complicated story, and Kate tackles (with immense grace and poise) a very difficult role. Hanna, a 35 year-old, begins an affair with a 15 year-old boy, and eventually just ends up disappearing after a couple of months. The boy then runs into Hanna again several years later whilst he is in school to be a lawyer when he attends a trial for women who were guards at concentration camps during WWII. She is on trial. David Kross gives an unbelievable performance as the young man. He is on his way to a huge career. Kate, of course, is brilliant....and the two together are quite compelling. The subject matter is disturbing - and their are some quite explicit sexual scenes which are a bit disconcerting as he is a child.

Final thoughts: Heavy material, but executed extremely well.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

the oscars are coming - the oscars are coming!

2009-01-08T19:44:00.000-08:00

Yes friends, the Oscars are coming, and that means that lots of fabulous movies are coming out. I have not been to as many as I would have liked to at this point, but I am getting there. Over the next couple of weeks, I am planning to do movies every Saturday and Sunday morning - so more reviews to come!

FROST/NIXON

There is nothing more exciting then going to a movie, and finding it compelling, suspenseful, and interesting - even when you know how it ends! Frank Langella and Michael Sheen both give extraordinary performances in this incredibly powerful film. David Frost, a British talk-show host, goes after Richard Nixon for the interview of his career. Richard Nixon is looking to reclaim some glory after having to leave the White House. These two men meet for several hours of interviews over the course of several weeks, and the results are painful, hilarious, and unbelievable. Well directed, Ron Howard really captures the era, and just makes a clean, crisp film. Plus, kudos to an amazing supporting cast. Sam Rockwell is seriously, like the coolest person ever! This movie was exceptionally interesting to see after having seen the Broadway performance last year! All in all, a great night at the movies!

Final thoughts: A smart, fabulous film with compelling subject matter and an amazing cast!

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

It is not often that I am truly surprised by a film, but BUTTON really took me by surprise. I went in thinking it was going to be a sort of epic movie full of special effects and Hollywood glamour. There are super-impressive special effects as the actors cover ages from 18-90....and Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt are very glamorous...but the movie itself is truly a love story. It is a simple tale of a man who ages backwards (starting at 80) and the woman he loves who ages in a regular way. Sometimes they're together, and sometimes they're not. Sometimes you see what he's doing when they're apart, and sometimes you see her life. It is just so lovely. I found myself lost in the story, laughing and crying and feeling overwhelmed. Other than feeling kind of ugly compared to the beauty on the screen (he he), I couldn't have enjoyed the movie more than I did. I was seriously emotionally spent at the end of the movie, but in a good way.

Final thoughts: If you are a romantic, get thee to the theatre! A lovely trip to the movies.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

did you know?

2009-01-08T19:27:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Fort Lauderdale is the Venice of the US? If you did....good for you. It actually suprised me....I mean, I didn't actually think about Fort Lauderdale much at all, but alas, whilst on my vacation in Florida, we wandered to take a boat tour of this American Venice. It was very cool! Full of waterways, we wandered about looking at mansions (they even told us where the celebrities/rich people lived), yachts, and interesting architecture. We saw a giant cruise ship waiting to head out on a trip, and passed by some gorgeous beaches. The craziest thing we saw......giant wild iguanas! Seriously, they just wander around, and they are like two feet long, and apparently really mean. The male iguanas that we saw were all this bright orange color - the color of cheddar cheese, and seemed to have a harem of women. It was so weird! Sadly, I didn't get any pictures, but did manage to be completely freaked out by these prehistoric-looking creatures. At any rate, the boat trip was a lot of fun......and it was actually quite lovely. You should definitely take a boat trip through the waterways of Fort Lauderdale!

i heart billy!

2008-12-28T11:45:00.000-08:00

As I previously blogged, I went to check out BILLY ELLIOT on Broadway with my mom when she was in town back in October. Well, I have actually now seen it three times (once on my own, and once with a friend for her birthday) and was lucky enough to see all three of the Billys perform! Because of the demands of the role, three kids rotate in the role. It was truly amazing. The funny thing is, I have loved the show all three times I saw it - and each time, with the different boy playing Billy it seemed like a totally different show. Each of the kids really has a different strength, and it was fascinating to see how the same lines, music, and - for the most part - choreography could be so different. I actually just got the soundtrack, and have been listening to it quite a bit. I don't know why, but this show really speaks to me. If you can, make sure to check it out, or go see any Broadway show for that matter.

Help the arts! During economic downturns, the arts are always really hurt! Please make sure to keep the arts a part of your life!!

photo credit: www.nytimes.com

merry christmas!

2008-12-28T11:28:00.000-08:00

Yes, people - I went all un-PC and wished you a Merry Christmas. Please take no offense, and if Christmas isn't your holiday, please know that I am wishing you "happy holidays". I, however, celebrate Christmas, and so am in a Christmas frame of mind. My holiday season has been lovely. My office actually closed for two weeks, and so I abandoned NYC at the first possible moment and trekked home to Ohio to be with the parents. We did our Christmas celebration with my bro and his family on Christmas Eve, and it was much fun to watch my almost 3 year-old nephew having a grand time. Although, he didn't seem to actually open any of his presents. Instead, he pointed to which one he wanted and his mom opened it. He then took the new item, looked at it, played with it, and then put it down when he got a new present. He was hilarious though. He was so good for so long....but the pile of presents got to be too much. When his wanderings started to take him too close to said pile, him mom would remind him "not yet". So, as we are sitting there finishing up the unbelievably good ham that my mom prepared, we could hear the nephew running around by the tree yelling, "not yet, mommy" and running as close to the presents as possible. We were totally cracking up.

One hazard about living in NYC is that you have no storage space for anything. I mean, you have your apartment....and that's it. So, I am at that point where I had to make the decree of no more stuff. Happily, the family complied, and I am lush with AMC gift cards, a couple of CD's I had requested, a Chipotle gift card and a Starbucks gift card. I know that that is not as exciting for some folks, but it was honestly perfect for me. And seriously, as cheesy as it sounds, just hanging with the family made this a great holiday. We talked, laughed, played with the nephew, and just hung out. For someone who doesn't get home but every couple of months, it is an amazing way to spend a day.

On Christmas morning, the parents and I headed to the airport, and flew down to my Godmother's house in South Florida. We are now frolicking in the pool, wearing shorts, and having long debates on whether we need to turn on the air-conditioning or not. Not a bad way to spend a day in December. We are actually getting ready to go and catch a movie (FROST/NIXON - which I have seen) and then head to dinner. Yeah, vacation!

I hope that your holidays have been as lovely as mine, and that you are with the folks that you love. Well, I guess what I mean is....happy holidays!

photo credit: www.darien.org

heart=gerard

2008-11-27T14:21:00.000-08:00

I heart Gerard Butler! A couple of months ago, I mentioned that he was making a new romantic comedy with Katherine Heigl. The first trailer has hit the net! Click here to check it out.

photo credit: www.gerardbutler.net

quantum of solace

2008-11-22T08:58:00.000-08:00

When Daniel Craig took on the Bond mantle, he turned in one hell of a performance in CASINO ROYALE. It was exciting, sexy, and had a compelling plot. QUANTUM OF SOLACE doesn't play quite as well. I think my biggest issue with it was how just straight up pissed that Bond is. He is angry, and just driven by revenge. I think something that has always worked for the Bond series is the sense of fun that has somehow permeated the films. There is a playfulness and banter that keeps the darker elements of the stories from totally overwhelming and slowing down the films. This movie just didn't have that. Although there are some thrilling action moments, and the actors all do good and interesting work, the movie just feels weighed down by that anger.

Judi Dench is (as always) a welcome presence in the film, and the villain, Mathieu Amalric, is appropriately slimy. (For a complete change of pace, check him out in THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY.) One sequence that totally rocked my world happens at an outdoor opera performance...I don't know how to describe it...but it is very cool, and theatrical fans will get a kick out of the very avant-garde interpretation of (I think) TOSCA.

Final thoughts: Not the worst Bond film....but the playfulness is gone, which is too bad. Daniel Craig still makes a great Bond, and let's hope that the third in the (supposed) trilogy will find some fun.

another must-see!

2008-11-22T08:50:00.000-08:00

I can't even put into words how unbelievable this movie looks. Follow this link to check out the trailer. Kate Winslet is stunning!

giggle....sigh....twilight

2008-11-22T08:21:00.001-08:00

You know how sometimes you are so excited for something, and you have such high hopes, and then you finally do it, and it is so ridiculous, you can't help but laugh and have fun but also be kind of sad? That, in a nutshell, is how I feel about the movie TWILIGHT. I just got into the books a couple of weeks ago, and they truly are a fun (if trashy) read. The premise is fun. A girl moves to her dad's house, after her mother remarries, and at her new high school, meets a cute boy who happens to be a member of the blood-sucking undead. Ah, teenage romance. Imagine all of the angst of being in teenage love/lust, plus the boy you adore kind of wants to kill you. It can be complicated.

Granted, these books are not the most well written books, and things that are kind of iffy in the book, are really iffy on the screen. The melodramatic moments in the book you can kind of roll your eyes at and skim through are literally laugh-out-loud funny on the screen.

Last night, the roomie and I took in the movie at a sold-out 10pm showing, and everyone in the audience really wanted to be there. Kristen Stewart does a good job with the heroine. She really captures the awkward shyness of someone who hates attention, and finds herself the center of attention at a new school. The biggest surprise to me was how fabulous Billy Burke was as Charlie, Bella's father. Their scenes together are actually the most authentic moments in the film. Robert Pattinson doesn't fare as well as Edward Cullen, the brooding and lusty yet confused vampire. He seems to suffer a bit from Zac Efron - itis, in that his stakes (ha ha - pun intended) are overly high in a film that kind of suffers the stakes blahs. (Not sure if that really makes sense.) He definitely captures the brooding essence of Edward, but it is infused with a very creepy stalker vibe that just makes it awkwardly funny. He really looks the part though, and you can feel yourself swept away...when you're not laughing.

If you are a fan of the book, you should definitely check out the movie...unless you think you will be so disappointed that it will ruin the books for you. In some ways, its a fun way to see how a movie doesn't work.

Final thoughts: Not the movie I had hoped it would be, but interesting to see the movie up on the screen. Check it out, and see why you loved/hated it and what worked or didn't work for you.

Back to normal

2008-10-23T19:44:00.000-07:00

The show I was working on has opened and closed, and so my life is back to normal(ish). Quite honestly, I am feeling a little depressed and overwhelmed by the economy. Five Broadway shows announced their closing within a month of one another, and three of them have already closed. A scary thought indeed. So, I now go back to my normal routine.....work, home and movies. Hopefully, this economy will soon even out. Hey, a girl can dream...right?

movie redux

2008-10-23T19:19:00.001-07:00

I actually haven't been seeing quite as many movies as I would have liked. With the show, my time got crazy, and so, no time for Beth-happy-movie-time.

NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST

I heart Micheal Cera! I liked this movie. It was sweet and funny, and was in the city which I always enjoy. However, it made me face a crisis of conscience. I am getting older. I have noticed more and more that I am getting older than the hero/heroine in the books I'm reading or the movies I'm seeing. I hate when reality breaks into my happy place. :( Anyway, Nick is in a band, and is sad because his girlfriend broke up with him. Norah is a little depressed, and Nick's ex-girlfriend is mean to her because her dad runs a record company. They pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend and hilarity ensues. I know, bizarre description. However, it is a good movie....much better than it needs to be. Plus, it stars Michael Cera! What else does a movie need?

Final thoughts: A fun movie. You don't have to see it on the big screen...but it is fun to rock out to the fabu music in the theatre.

BURN AFTER READING

Sometimes, after you watch a movie, you just have to say "huh"? This movie was really funny...and really weird. George Clooney plays insecure, Brad Pitt plays a dumb blonde, and the government is confused. Bonus: My colleague's husband has a small part in the film!

Final thoughts: A bizarre, funny Coen movie. One to add to the NetFlix list if you are a fan of any of the actors or directors.

NIGHTS IN RODANTHE

Um......boo. I so wanted to like this movie...and I did like the first 1/3. It was kind of like a Lifetime movie on steroids. Bigger stars, bigger budget...but ultimately left me flat.

Final thoughts: If you are a die-hard fan of the book, maybe one to check out. Otherwise, just rewatch THE NOTEBOOK.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

beautiful

2008-10-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

Whilst my mother was in town for my recent performance, we went and took in the new Broadway show BILLY ELLIOT. I am a huge fan of the movie....it is beautiful, sad, and brilliant. It is always a little scary to see something that you love turned into something else. I was totally blown away by the stage production! I literally sobbed three times during the performance. The funny thing is, we saw the show during previews, and it was actually not perfect. There were several moments that didn't quite gel - but the show was still amazing. This kid who plays Billy was totally unbelievable. (In fact, there are 3 boys that rotate the role, and I saw Trent play him.) His dancing was extraordinary, the singing darling, and he acted it well. It is hard to believe that a 13 year-old could play a role like this so effectively. There were truly some breathtaking moments that I am still slightly overwhelmed by. In fact, I bought another ticket to the show for next week, I need to see it again without being so emotionally overwhelmed. (I'm also going next May with both my parents when they hit the city for Memorial Day.) One moment that surprised me, my fave moment in the movie wasn't actually in the show - and I was totally okay with it.

Final thoughts: An amazing night at the theatre that is incredibly moving, and beautifully performed. A must see if you are a fan of the movie!

photo credit: www.smh.com.au

getting closer....

2008-10-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

So excited to check this one out! This is the movie that was filming across the street from my office, and is based on the fun books by Sophie Kinsella. Opening in February 2009!

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

so exciting!

2008-09-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to check this out....could this be Kate's Oscar-winning performance?

photo credit: www.discoverkate.com

hamlet 2

2008-08-31T18:26:00.000-07:00

I love Steve Coogan. He is hilarious, and what he does to himself in HAMLET 2 caused me to giggle in awkwardness throughout the whole movie. He plays a failed actor who has become a high school drama teacher to stay connected to the art. All I could think while watching this movie is that it is the dirty, trashy cousin of WAITING FOR GUFFMAN. There are some truly hilarious moments - and although it isn't a perfect film, it is a must see for actors and theatre fans. The theatre program is going to be cut, so Coogan must have the performance of a lifetime to get people interested in keeping the program alive. He ends up deciding to write his own piece and settles on the sequel to HAMLET. Including such characters as Jesus, and incorporating a time machine, the piece is...um....interesting. Much more happens....and the supporting cast is fantastic. Featuring Catherine Keener, Amy Poehler, and two of the original cast members of SPRING AWAKENING, this is a movie to watch to appreciate the ridiculousness of the theatre, and actors in general. By the by, Elizabeth Shue is totally cool.

Final thoughts: Awkwardly funny...has some genuinely great moments, and is a must-see for the Thespians amongst us.

tropic thunder

2008-08-31T18:05:00.000-07:00

Horrible and hilarious. Sometimes, a movie is painfully funny, but also painfully inappropriate. Some of the things in this movie are like burn in hell inappropriate....and one can only hope that the Lord will spare those who laughed at the jokes, and only punish those who told them. TROPIC THUNDER is a movie about a movie. A team of actors are working on THE war movie...and it is going badly. In order to get the actors to understand what it was like during the battle, the director, special effects director and author of the book decide to make the movie guerrilla-style and drop the actors out in the woods. So, everything goes wrong, and unbeknownst to the actors, they are fighting drug lords. Robert Downey, Jr. is ha-larious as the Australian method actor who dyes his skin black to play an African-American. Ben Stiller is also great (probably his best role to date) as the action star who is trying to get his career back after playing a special-needs character and destroying his reputation. Jay Baruchel is also a stand-out as the seemingly only sane actor in the bunch, rounded out by Jack Black and Brandon T. Jackson. This movie is offensive, weirdly gory, full of fart jokes, and full of creeps in the movie business....it is also laugh-out-loud funny, and full of lines that you will repeat long after you've left the theatre. A random thought...Matthew McConaughey plays Stiller's agent, and is great in the part. The part was originally meant to be played by Owen Wilson. How different would that part have been?

Final thoughts: A hilarious, but offensive film, not for the faint of heart. Bonus: The trailers (especially the one with Robert Downey, Jr.) are so funny, and kudos to the folks who were willing to mock themselves for this one.

just when i think i'm a grown up.....

2008-08-28T18:44:00.000-07:00

I get tonsillitis. Seriously, what adult gets tonsillitis? I was home sick from work today, and seriously struggled to fill the day. I mean, sure, staying home and watching tv all day sounds great in theory, but after about hour six.....all you want to do is interact with a person, and not feel like crap. I did watch a really interesting documentary called LIFE AFTER TOMORROW which is about the original girls involved in the show ANNIE, and their life now. It is both sad and interesting, most of these women's careers peaked when they were 11 when they were in the show. It puts it into perspective that your love of performing really does stay with you all of your life....and for the most part, most of the women are no longer in the business....except for Sarah Jessica Parker (Annie #3 on Broadway). May we all be so lucky to have SJP's career! Anyway, now that I have been on antibiotics for over 24 hours, I am now no longer contagious, and can now go back to work. So, back to the office tomorrow I go.

boos and boo-yahs

2008-08-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

Hi folks. Once again, I have let you down, reader. Things have been crazy (as always), and I have been a busy girl. I have been really irritated by some things lately, so I thought I would share some of the things that have been bothering me (the boos), and some stuff that I am totally stoked about (the boo-yahs). Without further ado, the list....

Boos
1. Why must NYC smell like rotting garbage during the summer? It is just plain nasty.
2. The Olympic events I want to watch (gymnastics and swimming) coming on so freaking late.
3. The economy....in general.
4. My $491 plane ticket to fly home at Christmas. Seriously.
5. Subway stations being like four hundred degrees. There are days I get to work ready to serve with a side of mashed potatoes and stuffing.
6. Not making the time to work out.
7. The rain almost every day of my vacation.
8. It is looking unlikely that I will ever get a medal at the Olympics for gymnastics.

Boo-yahs
1. I totally bought my ticket to the SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE tour. It is going to be awesome.
2. The Olympic swimmers - so pretty to look at.
3. Having a vacation.
4. I'm going home for Christmas!
5. The movie, MAN ON WIRE. (Review to come.)
6. Facebook - love, love, love it!

Just some thoughts on this summer night. Hope that your life is going well, and movie reviews coming soon!

blogging buddy

2008-08-02T20:04:00.000-07:00

I just think my kitty is so cute. Here she is, helping me blog!

space chimps

2008-08-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, things are just dorky fun. I have to say that any time a movie gets a "G" rating, I tend to think that maybe it's not for me. However, SPACE CHIMPS far exceeded my expectations, and totally cracked me up. SPACE CHIMPS is a movie about these chimps...that go into space. After an exploratory probe goes into a wormhole and lands on an alien planet, NASA puts together a team of chimps to send after it. So, three chimps are sent into space, and hilarity ensues. The life on the alien planet is bizarre and hilarious. Special kudos to Kilowatt played by Kristin Chenowith, who has some hilarious moments as a little creature that glows when she is nervous. With fantastic music by the Blue Man Group (wink wink), this movie is hilarious and silly fun.

Final thoughts: So much fun...don't have to necessarily see on the big screen, but one to definitely take in.

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

things i'm digging

2008-07-31T18:45:00.000-07:00

As always, there are a myriad of things that I am totally digging right now...mostly revolving around tv and food....but what can you do.

1. PSYCH - I love, love, love this show. The adventure continues with Shawn and Gus....and my love for actor James Roday continues to grow.

2. IN PLAIN SIGHT - A new show starring Mary McCormack (who is fabulous in the Broadway show BOEING BOEING) about a US Marshall. Witty banter ensues with her partner Fred Weller (who I saw on Broadway in Glengarry Glen Ross a couple of years ago). Bonus: She has a hot boyfriend who is usually half-naked more often than not.

3. Cupcakes - Seriously, my birthday was last week, and I have eaten a crap load of cupcakes. The perfect dessert....I wish every day was cupcake day!

4. Pizza - This crazy good place by my apartment has the most amazing pizza. When you order a slice, they make the slice from scratch...like a mini-pizza. I am slightly embarrassed to admit that they totally know me there now, like Cheers.

5. Summer movies - Between THE DARK KNIGHT, HELLBOY II, and IRON MAN, this has been a summer of fantastic movies. Popcorn, coke, and AC....the perfect way to spend a hot, summer day.

6. SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE - I am usually not one to watch reality tv (other than THE HILLS and THE SEARCH FOR ELLE), but this show is amazing! I didn't watch the audition portions, just started when they were at the final 20. Now, we are down to the final four (am recording the episode now - will watch momentarily), and all I want to do is get to a dance class. I have been moved tears by some of these performances. I totally think they can dance....

7. TV shows on DVD - I have waxed poetic previously about my love of the library. It totally still rocks. I am working on THE WEST WING (halfway through season two), BROTHERS AND SISTERS (season one), and picked up 30 ROCK and THE CLOSER season ones today at the library. Since I am dirt poor (still no roommate), free stuff from the library is totally the way to go!

8. Vacation - One week from today, I will be up on Lake George with my parents, swimming, reading, and resting. Seriously, that is the vacation...trashy novels (also courtesy of your friendly, neighborhood library), hot dogs and corn on the cob on the grill, and swims in the lake. It is bliss...and I can't wait to get on the train and up to the water!

photo credit: www.popmatters.com

movie redux deluxe!

2008-07-26T18:29:00.000-07:00

Seriously people....I see a lot of movies. Like, an obscene amount. So, here are some thoughts on what I've seen lately.....

THE DARK KNIGHT

I have been waiting for this movie for so long. I loved BATMAN BEGINS, and I even had a countdown for THE DARK KNIGHT on my facebook page for several months. However, I took it down after the death of Heath Ledger. Ledger casts a huge shadow over THE DARK KNIGHT. His character of the Joker is truly creepy, and a frightening nemesis to Batman. The movie itself is so dark and morbid. I also thought it was fantastic.

Maggie Gyllenhaal and Aaron Eckhart are fabulous additions to the film, and the love triangle between the two of them and Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne adds some much needed humor to the film.

Seriously, this movie is so dark. It was depressing, and then kind of got more depressing. The film is really intense, and I was actually kind of overwhelmed. I have to be honest and say that Heath Ledger was not far from my mind. I am still so saddened by the whole thing. Such a tragedy.

Final thoughts: An incredible performance by Ledger, and a dark, disturbing film that will get your adrenaline pumping. I can't wait to check it out on the IMAX screen.

MAMMA MIA

You know how sometimes movies are so bad, you kind of enjoy them? MAMMA MIA is a bit of a train wreck, but a fun train wreck at that. Amanda Seyfried does a good job as our heroine Sophie, and the locale is just amazing to look at. However, there are some truly cringe worthy moments, and I think it is mostly because of poor direction. Awkward close-ups, and dismal choreography don't help the already awkward staging. Giggles abound, but often for the wrong reason.

Final thoughts: If you are a fan of one of the actors, or like ABBA music, check it out. Best scene: Sophie and her mom (Meryl Streep) bond while she gets ready for the wedding.

HELLBOY II

I so want to live inside Guillermo del Toro's head. This film so surprised me with it's bizarre and fascinating vision, and surprising humor. Although it did start to feel a little long, I was genuinely invested in this battle between the humans and the elves/supernatural creatures. A fabulous popcorn movie, this action flick has a surprising dose of soap opera relationship drama.

Final thoughts: Totally dug it....and having no recollection of the first movie doesn't deter from the movie at all.

JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH

Great movie? Not really....but the 3-D is totally cool, and Brendan Fraser is totally cute. Some totally scary moments, that embarrassingly had me jumping out of my seat. (You can begin mocking......now!)

Final thoughts: Total 3-D mindless fun.

WALL-E

A stunning movie that totally rocked my world. I enjoy that the two things that will survive the end of the world are cockroaches and musical theatre. Any movie that says this is okay with me. The world is trashed....like literally overrun with garbage, and the humans have left in a rocket ship, leaving behind a robot to do the cleaning up. Wall-E has somehow developed a personality, and falls in love with a probe robot that comes to the planet to check up on things. A fantastic love story ensues.

Final thoughts: Check this out in the theatre. Hopefully, you will love it as much as my parents and I did!

INCREDIBLE HULK

I totally dig Liv Tyler and Edward Norton. I like summer action flicks. This one was fun, and I really liked it when Liv and Edward were together. Didn't really dig the enemy storyline. Thought that Tim Blake Nelson was a riot.

Final thoughts: If you dig the actors, and the comics, definitely one to check out.

GET SMART

Had some genuinely funny moments. Not as good as I had hoped it would be.

Final thoughts: You can put this one on your NetFlix list.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

south pacific

2008-07-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

Many months ago, I decided I wanted to see SOUTH PACIFIC for my birthday. So, I picked up my tickets, and have been waiting for months to see the show. I watched them win the Tonys, and was giddy with excitement that the day finally arrived. A friend and I took in dinner at this fantastic Turkish restaurant, and then wandered to the theatre. Truth be told, I was never a huge fan of the show. My only point of reference have been the movies that have been made, never having seen the stage show.

The live production of the show was amazing. Some of the music in the show, although beautiful, can sometimes be a little hokey; however, in this production, the songs were so gorgeous, and made so much sense. The joy and simplicity of the music was stunning, and you couldn't help but be drawn into the story. A big part of this was the incredible casting of the show. Kelli O'Hara was born to play this part. She captures the youth and awkwardness of first love, but also is devastating when she is so racist she can't be with a man who was with a woman of color. Paolo Szot has such a gorgeous voice, and his chemistry with O'Hara is lovely. The two of them together are lovely.

This show, although a period piece, is dealing with things that are still timely. With themes about war, racism, and the disturbing idea of a mother essentially prostituting out her daughter in the hopes of her marrying an American soldier, it is difficult to imagine that these are still viable discussion pieces today.

The staging and lighting of the show are phenomenal. The acting is brilliant, and the 30-piece orchestra is so beautiful, I can only imagine what is was like to attend shows that always have a 30-piece orchestra.

My only disappointment about the evening is that Matthew Morrison was out. He is such a great performer (I saw him in THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA and HAIRSPRAY), and I was looking forward to him doing a different part. His understudy did a great job, but I still would have loved to have seen him do the part.

Final thoughts: A lovely production that I enjoyed to no end. It worked on so many levels, and other than the cell phone that rang through the end of the show, and the absence of Morrison, a perfect night at the theatre.

photo credit: www.playbill.com

saved....the musical

2008-07-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

SAVED! the movie was hilarious. It was about a girl, who in trying to prove that her Christian boyfriend is not gay, becomes pregnant. It's a great movie. So, I was most excited when Playwright's Horizons was presenting a musical version! What a fun show. With a great cast, and fun music, the musical captured a lot of the movie, but also was fresh and had it's own voice. Is it the kind of musical that will change the world? How you view things? Your personal morals? No. However, it is an enjoyable diversion that will keep you laughing, and make the problems of the world disappear for awhile. Special kudos to Celia Keenan-Bolger as Mary and Van Hughes as Patrick. Both were standouts in a fabulous ensemble. (Fun note: Van Hughes is up next in 9 TO 5 on Broadway!) Oh, and the show had lots of little references to facebook, which although is ridiculous, is so true. (Like someone changed their status, etc. Have I mentioned how much I adore facebook? Love, love, love it!) Sadly, the show is now closed, but hopefully will pop up somewhere else soon. It was a fun show, and has totally inspired me to revisit the movie, which I think I might do tonight.

photo credit: www.tapeworthy.blogspot.com

dude....i'm still alive!

2008-07-26T10:33:00.000-07:00

Yes reader, I am still alive, contrary to the lack of updates. Things have been crazy.....after three years, my roomie moved out to seek fame and fortune on the other side of the country. I have travelled to Chicago for a weekend of hanging with the girls from college, and headed home to Ohio to eat pizza, and see the family, which were both fantastic trips. I performed in a cabaret for the repertory group I'm a part of, and was recently cast in a production of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE. I also celebrated my birthday, taking me one step closer to the big 3 - 0! It has been a crazy couple of weeks. I have also been to the movies, and to the theatre, and will post reviews for these.

Oh, and the official countdown is on for my mini-vacation upstate on Lake George. In two weeks, I will be sitting by the water, reading a trashy novel, and imagining that the world is a good place.

major movie redux part I

2008-06-08T14:12:00.000-07:00

SATC

Loved it. It was everything that I wanted the movie to be. Is it perfect? No. Is Jennifer Hudson horribly miscast? Yes. Did I adore every moment of it? Abso-*******-lutely. The ladies are back, and so is NYC. For me, the show was always about the friendships between the women, and this movie really looked at those relationships. I laughed, I cried, and I left hoping for a love story of epic proportions.

Final thoughts: If you were a fan of the show, I think you will be satisfied with the movie. Do check it out on the big screen...

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

While the parents were in town, we decided to check out the new Indiana Jones, and although it was a fun (summer popcorn) movie, I found myself a little disappointed with the script. Harrison Ford is back, and fun as ever as the archeology teacher. Shia LaBeouf is fun as the young sidekick. There are some exciting action sequences, and your heart can't help but race when the theme music comes in. However, this film took a leap in a (paranormal) direction that I just couldn't quite make. I mean, that's not to say that the earlier films didn't need you to suspend your disbelief (fountain of youth?), but I just couldn't do it this time. Also, some of the action sequences were kind of ridiculous even by Indy standards. Am I glad I checked it out? Definitely. However, I just wish I could have believed.

Final thoughts: Fun, wholesome adventures for the whole family...one you must see on the big screen. Perhaps just keep those expectations low.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN

After the seemingly universal rave reviews that Caspian received, I was quite excited to go and check it out. Although I enjoyed myself, I didn't love it. There are some exciting fight scenes, and the kids have some good moments...but overall, I was actually kind of confused as to what was going on, and after awhile, gave up trying to figure it out. So, the first movie was all about how the older kids didn't believe Lucy. They learned to trust her, and were triumphant in the end. Like eight minutes into this movie, the kids don't trust Lucy. I mean, did they learn nothing from the first two hour movie they were in? Seriously. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again, and expecting different results. Older Narnia kids...you be crazy!

Final thoughts: A movie to see on the big screen....but not as fantastic as I had hoped it would be.

KUNG-FU PANDA

Pandas are cute. I mean, who doesn't like pandas? I think we all dream of wearing a panda jacket because they are so cute. I kid, I kid, reader. This movie was fun. A (fat) panda dreams of being a kung-fu fighter. There are other kung-fu fighters. A wise old turtle says that the (fat) panda is in fact the dragon warrior that everyone was waiting for to defeat the scary cat that will soon be coming to kick-ass and take names. Will the (fat) panda put down his noodles long enough to become a kung-fu machine? There are some really funny moments, in fact, I laughed out loud. I actually saw this in a theatre full of kids (ugh), with their exhausted parents, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Although the fat jokes got kind of old, the story does have a sweet heart, and is good fun for the whole family. Be warned though, the scary cat is, in fact, quite scary.

Final thoughts: Hilarious....non-controversial fun. One for the family, or when you need a good giggle.

photo credits: www.movieweb.com

major movie redux part II

2008-06-08T13:33:00.000-07:00

BABY MAMA

So....I like funny movies, and I am obsessed with pregnancy, so BABY MAMA was a no brainer for me. Tina Fey is fabulous. What I like about her is that she is funny, smart, pretty, and dorky.....somehow, I want to both be her, and I want to be her friend. (By they by, if you haven't seen it already, you must check out 30 ROCK which is hilarious.) Anyway, a career woman who is ready to start her family, Fey hires a surrogate mother, played by Amy Poehler, to carry the child that it is going to be difficult for her to conceive. Hilarity, and surprising sweetness ensues. Greg Kinnear plays the smoothie store owner that catches Fey's eye, and Steve Martin is hilarious as the new-agey boss at her office. All in all, a fun movie, with heart and laughs...that totally satisfied my pregnancy-obsessed mind.

Final thoughts: One to see if you are a Fey fan, a rom-com fan, or just want to giggle. Add it to your net-flix list, and plan a night at home, in sweats, with a pint of ice cream.

MADE OF HONOR

Sometimes, a movie is fine. You don't love it, you don't hate it...you just like it, but then move on with your life. I liked MADE OF HONOR, but it didn't blow me out of the water. Patrick Dempsey is adorable. He is fun, and suave, and kind of scummy, but you still want him to win in the end. Michele Monaghan is cute and sweet, and you want her to win in the end. I smiled through the movie, and I was sad when the "boy lost girl" moment came. When the movie was over, I thought, how sweet, and then wandered back to real life.

Final thoughts: A cute rom-com....one to see if you are a Patrick Dempsey fan, but otherwise, check it out on TBS in 2012.

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS

This movie totally cracked me up. Truthfully, I am not a huge fan of Cameron Diaz, but she has truly met her match in Ashton Kutcher in this comedy. The best friends, played by Lake Bell and Rob Corrdry, are hi-larious, and have some fabulous lines. Best quote of the night: If I could make someone dead with my mind...it would be you. (giggle) Both having crappy weekends, she because her fiancee broke up with her, and he because he as fired from his job, both head to Las Vegas for recovery. Drinking away their sorrows, they wake up the next morning, hung over and married! On their way to end the marriage, they play a slot machine (one person's quarter, one person pulls the lever) and win 3 million dollars. So, they head back to NYC, where the judge orders them to stay married and receive counseling before he will allow the divorce and splitting the money. Hijinks ensue. It totally cracked me up.

Final thoughts: So much better than I thought it was going to be, and a fun day at the movies. Again, add it to your net-flix list, and watch when you need a giggle.

SON OF RAMBOW

A sweet flick about two little boys who end up making a sequel to the film RAMBO. I know...it sounds weird, but it is really funny and sweet. A British import, this is a movie about families, friendships, and is darling, indeed. Bonus: Ed Westwick from GOSSIP GIRL shows up as a meanie older brother.

Final thoughts: Another one to add to the netflix list. Sweet and funny, this is one for movie-lovers to enjoy.

photo credits: www.movieweb.com

yo...yo..yo

2008-05-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

That sound you hear is me running around again this weekend. Even more Slacks have taken Manhattan! My parents, along with my godmother (honorary Slack) arrived on Thursday, and so far we have had an amazing dinner at Mesa Grill (Bobby Flay's restaurant), the NBC tour, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN on Broadway, and a walk along 5th Avenue. Right now, I'm "resting" before we head out for dinner at a new French restaurant, and we go and to check out XANADU on Broadway. I am most excited.

More coming soon....

wrapping up

2008-05-24T12:37:00.000-07:00

So, my brother has come and gone, and a good time was had by all. We did the Mets game, and we also managed to do two movies, a show, a museum, and walks all over Central Park and midtown.

As PK's (preacher kids), I felt it was imperative that we go and check out ALTAR BOYZ, my all-time favorite off-Broadway show. It is still hilarious, and I encourage everyone to check it out. Super funny, smart, silly, great dancing, sharp lyrics, and cute boys make it for an ideal night out. Plus, this great song "I Believe" is in it...and that is one of my favorite musical theatre songs of all time. I mean how can you not dig a show about a Christian boy band?

On the movie front, we took in IRON MAN....it still totally rocked! We also took in SPEED RACER, which I actually really liked. It does run a little long, but the graphics were amazing, and I liked the actors. It was crazy busy.....like eight million things happening at once, and in fact, I am glad we didn't check it out on the IMAX screen like we had originally planned, because it would have been totally overwhelming. At any rate, I sat back, relaxed, and just had fun with it.

We took in the natural history museum, and did the planetarium where we saw this cool movie called "Cosmic Collisions" narrated by Robert Redford. People, it is not the global warming that is going to get us....it's the giant meteor that could AT ANY TIME drift into our orbit. That thing freaked the crap out of me! I enjoyed, as always, looking at the creepy stuffed animals. We also looked at dinosaur bones.

We toured the bottom half of Central Park which was fun....made our way to the fountain, then wandered down through Times Square, over to Rockefeller Center, down to Bryant Park, and then back through Times Square. My poor feets were so tired!

So, on Monday morning, we got up, and he headed off to the airport to return to his life in Ohio. It was very cool to have him here...and honestly, I can't remember the last time (or if we ever?) spent so much time together just the two of us. Although, we did get some Aunt bonus with our Aunt who ate dinner and hit IRON MAN with us.

Final thoughts: ALTAR BOYZ: hilarious; IRON MAN: check it out!; SPEED RACER: If you like adventure-action stuff, fun to check out on the big screen; walking for eight hours: ouch!

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

the mets

2008-05-15T18:35:00.000-07:00

Hello, reader! Well, spring is here, and so is my brother. In for a long weekend, today, we headed out to Queens, and watched the Mets lose. [sigh] It was much fun...and we had great seats...check out the view!!

More later...the weekend so far is ALTAR BOYZ, a couple museums, a movie, and food! Should be good fun for the whole family....seriously.

fog

2008-05-03T19:36:00.000-07:00

So, two weekends ago, I headed home to celebrate my nephew's second birthday. After boarding my plane, we pulled away from the gate only to have the captain come on over the loudspeaker to say that we were number 45 for departure. So not kidding. Anyway, I pulled out my phone and snapped this photo. If you look through the fog, you can see the city skyline.

hooray for the ugly truth!

2008-05-03T19:28:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned a couple posts ago, Gerard Butler is filming a new movie with Katherine Heigl called THE UGLY TRUTH, set to come out next April. (If only it were coming out this summer....sigh.)

photo credits: www.kheigl.com

it begins

2008-05-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

It's here, people, it's here. Summer movie season has begun!! This morning, the roomie, a friend and I went to check out the first big offering, IRON MAN. I am a big superhero movie fan, and this one I went into a little blind, not knowing the comics at all. Let me just say, this was a FANTASTIC way to start off the summer! This movie is funny, compelling, well acted, has an intriguing story, and sews in violence and romance....it was fabulous! Robert Downey, Jr is incredible as IRON MAN. He is interesting, suave, a little dark, and just so good in the part. He is Stark, weapons whiz, party-guy, and headed to give a presentation to the military about a new weapon his company has created. On the way back to the airfield, his convoy is attacked, and he is taken hostage by ruthless terrorists. Forced by them to rebuild a terrifying weapon, instead he builds a suit to get himself out of harm's way. Thus, the IRON MAN is born. Back to civilization he goes, but where does he fit? With a stellar supporting cast of Jeff Bridges, Terrance Howard, and Gwyneth Paltrow, this movie kept me on the edge of my seat. My only wish is that I could go back and see it for the first time again!!

Final thoughts: Hooray for the summer movie season! Big, loud, funny, exciting, IRON MAN is kick-ass movie that hits all the right notes! Plus, bonus that the new DARK KNIGHT trailer plays before it. (Although, it was still super sad to see Heath Ledger.)

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

i heart gerard butler!

2008-04-27T16:26:00.000-07:00

I do, I totally heart Gerard Butler. So, this weekend, I went and checked out NIM'S ISLAND with Jodie Foster and Abigail Breslin. Mr. Butler was appropriately dreamy, and actually played two parts. It was quite fun watching him gallivant about. Foster is actually quite funny (and tragic) as a neurotic author who has to help Nim (Breslin) whose father has been lost at sea. This movie is slightly ridiculous, and really aimed at kids, but was an okay way to pass a couple of hours.

Final thoughts: If you are a fan of Butler, go and enjoy the scenery, if not, well, and your not a kid, you don't need to visit this island.

BONUS: Butler is currently filming a rom-com with Katherine Heigl. I am most excited.

photo credit: http://www.gerard-butler.net/

forgetting sarah marshall

2008-04-27T16:13:00.001-07:00

I have been looking forward to seeing FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL for almost a year. I know, mock me if you must, but it stars two peeps that I really like. Well, last weekend, with one of my fave people, I finally got to check it out. Was it change-my-life fantastic? Will I buy it the second it comes out on DVD? Well, no. However, I thought that it was really funny, and I am so glad I got to check it out. Kristen Bell stars as the forgotten, and the film is written by and stars Jason Segal from HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. Segal has just been dumped by Bell, and is super-depressed about it. He decides to go to Hawaii to get away from it all, and of course, Bell is there with her new boyfriend, a ridiculous rock star, who is hilarious, played by Russell Brand. (He steals pretty much every scene he's in!) Mila Kunis works at the resort, and she and Segal start to make googly eyes at one another.

The movie is funny, and in typical Apatow way, has some sweet moments to counteract the raunchy, dirty stuff. Everyone is fine in their parts, and I now want to go to Hawaii, and kudos to "Kenneth" from 30 ROCK who appears as a virginal newlywed who can't figure out the "sex" thing. I giggled. Bonus: There is a musical about vampires. I am SO not kidding.

Final thoughts: Funny, dirty, great people....one to catch if you like the Judd Apatow house of funny. Not necessary to see on the big screen, though.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

fail...

2008-04-12T20:21:00.001-07:00

Peeps,

I am so sorry that I have FAILED so miserably the last couple weeks with the blog. As we went into the final push to get ready for the show, I found myself busier than I have been in ages. Also, I might be pretty lazy, so let's face it, it just wasn't gonna happen. The show is up and running, and I am having a great time! It has been AMAZING to get back onto the stage, and I honestly couldn't be happier about the whole thing. The parents have come, seen the show, seemed pleased, and will get on a plane and head back to Ohio tomorrow afternoon. I will then head back to the theatre for one more show....

Honestly, I haven't been doing much other than preparing for the show the last couple of weeks...but I will try to blog this coming week about what I did do. I saw an amazing French film called, LOVE SONGS.....I went and saw my roomie in the New York City Opera production of CANDIDE....this coming Tuesday, I am heading to the new production of GYPSY staring Patti Lupone...and next weekend, I am flying home to the parents to celebrate my gorgeous nephew's 2nd birthday! So, the good news is I will have something to blog about!

All that being said, I am off to bed....have an early morning to have a farewell breakfast with the parents, along with my Aunt who lives here in the city, and an aunt and uncle who were in the city for the weekend.

More soon.....I promise!

March movie madness!

2008-03-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

So, have seen some pretty good films over the last couple of weeks. First, was invited to a friend's house for dinner, and to watch LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, which I have never seen it. Sadly, I only made it through the first half, but loving it so far. We are meant to reconvene tomorrow and watch the second half. There is something so compelling about Peter O'Toole. I am hoping to watch some of this other films as well.

THE BANK JOB

I enjoy heist movies, and this one looked interesting as it was based on a true story. A local group of thugs is hired by a former model to break into a certain bank. She has been hired by some government guy to get pictures of a royal doing dirty things that are usually shown in porno films. So, these local thugs go about trying to break in the bank. Chaos ensues. It was an interesting movie to watch, but also quite disturbing. It just kind of goes along, and then has a very gritty, realistic edge to its violence which is somewhat unexpected. The actors are all very low-key and interesting, featuring Saffron Burrows (who is fantastic in the film ENIGMA, costarring Ms. Kate Winslet) and Jason Statham as the lead local thug.

Final thoughts: If you dig heist movies, one to check out...but you could add it to you netflix list, no problem.

MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY

Sometimes, a simple, little love story is all you need. Featuring a fabulous cast of Amy Adams, Frances McDormand, Ciaran Hinds (LOVE him) and the adorable Lee Pace (hope everyone had a chance to watch PUSHING DAISIES, one of my fave TV shows from the fall), MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY tells about Ms. Pettigrew (McDormand) becoming a social secretary to the social-climbing Adams. She wants to be a star, and so has three beaus to make that happen. She is dating the producer of the show she wants to star in in the West End, the bar owner where she currently performers her Cabaret, and the poor but cute piano player who loves her, and wants to marry her. Pettigrew is over her head, as a pastor's daughter, who is suddenly juggling men, and taking her charge to lingerie shows designed by the hunky Hinds, who is engaged to a woman with whom he is constantly fighting and getting back together with. Chaos ensues. Charming and fluffy, you can't help but leave the theatre smiling at the silliness of it all. Of course, there is seriousness as London is about top be bombed at any moment by the Nazis. However, that can't get in the way of the young people having fun.

Final thoughts: Darling story filled with good actors makes for a lovely matinee. Bring a girlfriend and some chocolate, and indulge the hopeless romantic inside you!

DEFINITELY, MAYBE

There is nothing better than seeing a movie, and finding it so much better than you thought it was going to be. A fabulous rom-com, DEFINITELY MAYBE captures the story of a father telling his daughter how he met her mother. (Not to be confused with the TV show starring Josh Radnor of Columbus, Ohio.) Anyway, Ryan Reynolds tells his daughter, played by Abigail Breslin, how he met and courted three women, Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weicz, all of who are fantastic in the movie. It is a "love-story mystery", and sweet to boot. This film definitely steps up, portraying the realism and complexity of adult love and relationships, but also keeps it funny and full of hope. Loved it, thought it was sweet, rooted for love, and laughed a bit. All in all, a great trip to the movies.

Final thoughts: One for the hopeless romantic. Thoroughly enjoyable and a lot of fun! Check it out on either the big screen or your TV when it comes out.

So, this weekend, hoping to check out the French film LOVE SONGS....but also going to crash at home as well. Hope that you might get yourselves to the movies if you can!

photo credits: www.movieweb.com

new things

2008-03-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

I am not really a girlie-girl...but every once in a while, I love to shop. Tonight, my mission was to go and find a new pair of character shoes. So, off to Capezio I went...and happily, I found a pair! I ended up getting tan instead of black, because they actually didn't have black in my size - but the point is, I really like them, and I can't wait to wear them in my show, which opens in two weeks!

Yes, the show is coming up, and I hope that it will be fabulous. I am at least having fun, which in the end, is all that matters. I really hope that it is worth it for my parents to fly out here from Ohio for it.....which, let's face it, it might not be. However, I will wear my new character shoes with pride, sing, dance, and act like a dork. Good times.

confession

2008-03-13T20:19:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make......I am super excited for the movie CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC. I love the book, which everyone should read (if they like that sort of thing) by Sophie Kinsella. It is a funny, sweet read, and the story has actually expanded to five books! Anyway, as I have mentioned before, I have a new job, and the new office is in the heart of Soho. Across the street today, they were filming the movie! So, here are some pictures I got while skulking around my office, and then running outside....I know, I am a movie dork!

In case you have never seen a live movie set, here is some of the mob of people that are on hand. It is trucks and trucks full of equipment, then you have different stations set up, then the camera, crew, security, and finally the people who are trying to make their way around the city.

This is Isla Fisher rehearsing from across the street. She actually came on set about an hour after they first started setting up the shot. Her stand-in worked with the crew while they set up camera angles, traffic patterns, and set the marks. Then they ran the scene a couple of times with the stand-in. Then, the star comes and rehearses a couple of times out of costume. Then the star leaves, the set the shot, and the star returns to actually film the scene in costume.

Ran across the street to try and get some better pics of Ms. Fisher. Mostly failed...sorry!

Failed attempt #2.

This is the actual shoot as pictured from my office. Fisher is the pink spot closest to the building towards the top of the pic.

When something is filming, they post these signs to let people know. In NYC, you find yourself tripping all over these.

On http://www.justjared.com/, they posted pictures of Ms. Fisher on set. So, this is a close-up view of the costume she is wearing while filming the scene above.

FYI....the movie opens in February 2009.

things i'm loving

2008-03-09T16:34:00.000-07:00

Hello and greetings from the wilds of the city. Every once in a while, I find myself taking pleasure in the most random of things. I adore when that happens. Let's face it...most of life is crap! Then, every once in a while, you have a great day, or just do something fun, or take pleasure in something simple, and you can forget that the world isn't perfect, and that we are probably all going to die in 50 years from global warming. So, some thoughts on things that I'm loving right now....

1. The Library
I know. You are thinking, Beth, you are an idiot. But, I kid you not...the library has changed my life in such a good way. With the New York Public Library, you can request books or movies, and have them delivered to the branch of your choice, and then you can just go and pick up the stuff. Just yesterday, I picked up a book and two movies, and now have another movie waiting for me to pick up next weekend. Isn't that exciting?? It is a great way to save money...for those of us who like Barnes and Noble a little too much. Hooray for the library.

2. ELI STONE
I am so digging this new show on ABC. It's about this lawyer, Eli Stone (played by the fabulous Jonny Lee Miller.....aka the lead from the trash-abulous movie HACKERS), who finds out that he has a brain aneurysm, and changes how he lives his life. He takes on pro bono work, and breaks up with his fiancee....it is funny, sad, and includes some sort of musical number almost every week (his brain thing gives him "visions".....they rock). I am like a six year-old who has been promised ice cream when I come home on Thursday nights and look at my DVR list. You should definitely check it out when you have the chance.

3. CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC....the movie
One of my fave chick-lit books is being made into a movie starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy. Filming in NYC (allegedly on the block where my office is one day a couple off weeks ago!), this flick is slated to come out on V-Day, 2009. Assuming I will still be single and living with a cat, I plan to go on opening night. I actually just got the book out from the library (see #1) and am revisiting it as I type. If you like those rom-coms....let the countdown begin.

4. Summer movies are a-comin'
We are getting into the summer movie madness, and soon, you will find me even more at that the theatres, if that is possible. Some at the top of my list are FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL, SEX AND THE CITY, LEATHERHEADS, INDIANA JONES, and ACCIDENTAL HUSBAND. And, the summer season is starting a bit earlier this year, which is most exciting. So, start saving those pennies, it is going to be a busy year at the movies.

5. Pizza
It is no secret that I love, love, love pizza. I just wanted to put it on the list because it totally does make me happy.

More soon...

movie redux

2008-03-05T17:44:00.000-08:00

Hi all. As always, I have been hitting the movies hard....it is totally my drug of choice. Here are thoughts about my recent outings!

THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL

You know how sometimes there are these really fun, trashy movies, that are well-made and smart, and you just enjoy them so much? And, you know how sometimes there are these really fun, trashy movies, that are really just bad, and you enjoy them so much? THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL falls into the trashy, bad movie category, but still manages to be fun to watch. The disappointing thing is that this movie SHOULD be fabulous. With a cast led by Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, and Eric Bana, this movie should just rock. Plus, the novel it's based on is a fabulously trashy romance novel. Something got lost in the translation. I guess what it comes down to is that this is the movie of pouters. Portman is Anne Boleyn, scheming uber-b*tch who wants to be the queen. Johansson is Mary, the sweet innocent who is betrayed by her sister, whines about it, then mopes, then leaves, them comes back, and is a good person = kind of boring. Bana plays Henry who wants to get laid and have a son and heir. There just isn't anyone to root for. The other thing really working against the film is the fact that they try to include all of the stories in the book...but don't necessarily return to resolve them. You meet someone who seems to be an important character, and then either don't see them again, or they pass a star in the hallway of the palace with a significant look...and are gone. Huh?
All that being said, I had fun watching the movie. To be honest, there were parts that I just laughed at, as they were awkward or just goofy. The actors are first-rate, and manage to have some great moments, even though the materials is not quite perfect.

Final thoughts: If you like romance novels, this is the kind of movie you will enjoy...guilty pleasure. Grab some chocolate, ogle the costumes, and watch to enjoy......don't over think it.

PENELOPE

As you might recall, I have been looking forward to seeing this movie for several months, having first seen the preview last summer. I was somewhat devastated when it finally came out to mostly terrible reviews. However, I decided to go and check and out, and can say with pride, it's not as bad as you think it will be! Ricci plays Penelope, a girl who is cursed with the nose and ears of a pig, and the spell can only be broken when she is loved by one of her own kind. (aka....rich person) So, her parents hire a dating service to bring in rich boys to meet her, fall in love with her and break the spell. A lot more happens, and in comes James McAvoy, hired by someone to get a picture of the freaky-pig girl. Chaos ensues. It is a modern-day fairy-tale, and is a lot of fun. I sat there smiling through it, and overall, had a lovely time. McAvoy gives a great performance in what could be a throw-away role, and Ricci is likable as Penelope. Reese Witherspoon, producer of the film, has a small part, and in some ways, I wish I could have seen her in the lead part.

Final thoughts: Grab a girlfriend, some popcorn, and enjoy a simple love story.

BE KIND, REWIND

I love Mos Def. I don't know what it is about him, but I find him hilarious and likable. In Michel Gondry's new film (he also directed ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND - yeah, Kate Winslet!), Jack Black is Mos Def's best friend. Mos Def works at a VHS rental store, and Jack Black accidentally becomes magnetic and erases all of the films. Oops. So, they set about remaking them. They do GHOSTBUSTERS and DRIVING MISS DAISY amongst others, and are hilarious doing it. There is a lot more to the movie than that, but the movie-making is the comedy center of the film. There are themes of community and stuff, but if you are anything like me, you would rather just laugh at the fun stuff anyway.

Final thoughts: Bizarre, funny and interesting, one to check out when you have the time.

FOOL'S GOLD

When will Kate Hudson get a fabulous movie to really shine in? Once again, she does a good job in a so-so movie, and I so just want her to get the perfect romantic comedy party. (I am still holding out hope that "Can You Keep a Secret?" by Sophie Kinsella will be made with her in the lead.) FOOL'S GOLD is a fun, silly movie, that you watch, and laugh at, and then forget on your way out the door. Truth be told, I am not the biggest Matthew McConaughey fan, so for me, this was about Kate Hudson. The two got married for the sex, and to scuba for treasure. So, eight years later, without treasure, Hudson is divorcing Matthew, and going back to school. To make ends meet she works on the yacht of a wealthy guy (Donald Sutherland...who I assume made a TON of money with this), which her ex-husband happens to get on and convinces the owner to go after the ultimate sunken treasure. With some surprisingly violent violence, the movie takes itself a bit more seriously than it needs to. However, at the end of it all, it was a fun way to spend a couple of hours.

Final thoughts: Not as bad as it might have been, but certainly not very good. If you like adventure movies, maybe check it out. If not, save your dough.

SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES - will do on my next posting.

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

my mama!

2008-02-21T18:24:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-21T18:04:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-03T13:51:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-03T13:38:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-02-03T13:29:00.000-08:00

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.

sadness in my soul

2008-01-26T15:45:00.000-08:00

As you probably know, I am a film fan. I love watching films, following actor's careers, and just love the industry overall. This was a sad week for film. Health Ledger died. He was a talented young guy, and I have enjoyed his films so much. From 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU (which I own on VHS) to the upcoming THE DARK KNIGHT, he is someone whose films I always tried to see on the big screen, and I really respected both him and his work. Of course, I didn't know him...I have no real reason to feel upset. However, I find myself mourning for him, for his family, and for the films he might have been a part of. I am still looking forward to seeing THE DARK KNIGHT...but I know it will be strange seeing it somehow. I walked past his street, where his apartment was on my way to rehearsal the other night. I stopped and thought of him as I will remember him. I mean, who can forget in 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU when he sings to Julia Stiles on the bleachers? I couldn't help but smile.

A sad week, and a great artist lost.

photo credit: http://www.heathheathens.net/

major update

2008-01-20T17:57:00.000-08:00

Greetings, reader. I am sorry that I have been a bit incommunicado...suffice it to say that it has been a crazy couple of weeks, and I am finally finding myself with a bit of time to update you all on the goings on. First, I started the new job this week....and I love it! I am with an arts organization, which makes me quite happy in my soul. It is busy, crazy, filled with fabulous, creative people, and I am enjoying trying to keep up with it all. I am looking forward to relaxing into things, the more time that I have, and I hope that they are liking me as much as I am liking them! So, that goes well, and I am feeling confident that I made the right choice in taking on this new opportunity.

The other big thing that's happening right now is that I have auditioned and been cast in a community theatre production of THE MUSIC MAN in Manhattan. We had our first sing-thru on Friday, and there are lots of gorgeous voices involved with the project. Our first "official" rehearsal is tomorrow night, and I am quite excited to get back into the nitty-gritty of learning and show. I have actually never done THE MUSIC MAN, and was reminded at the sing-thru of all of the beautiful music involved with it. I will be doing an ensemble track in the show, and we go up in the beginning of April. This is a triumphant return to the stage for me, after taking a five-year hiatus....the last show I did was in Spring of 2003, a production of OLIVER! done in Columbus, prior to my move to NYC for AMDA. I will definitely spill all of the secrets of learning a show after a five-year break!

I have gotten myself to a couple of shows and movies over the last two weeks which has been great. I revisited ENCHANTED with my aunt, and it was just as funny and sweet the second time around. The roommate and I took in the very violent and well done NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. This dusty flick, directed by the Coen Brothers, follows a man who takes money from a drug-deal gone wrong, a scene which he comes upon while he is out hunting. The man is pursued both by an assassin (the very creepy Javier Bardem with a Dorothy Hamill bob) and the sheriff (the amazing Tommy Lee Jones!) who oversees the land where the drug-deal went bad. It is a sad, dark, yet moving film, and if you are a fan of Jones, you must, must, must check it out.

Final thoughts: Dark and dusty, this very well-done film will leave you thinking long after the credits have passed.

This morning, I bopped out of bed to go see an early-bird showing of the new rom-com 27 DRESSES. It was a darling little movie. Katherine Heigl proves she is a movie star playing a woman who has been a bridesmaid in 27 weddings. James Marsden, long underused, plays a journalist who decides to write a piece about her for his newspaper. They meet, sparks fly, yada, yada, there are complications, things get messy, but somehow you just know things might work out in the end. Heigl plays a convincing neurotic, that although you can't help but shake your head at what she allows to happen, you can't help but root for her to get it all together and have a happy ending. Marsden is fabulous (as always).

Final thoughts: Exactly what it needs to be...fluffy and sweet.

my week off

2008-01-07T15:56:00.000-08:00

Yes, friends, I am not working this week. After much hand-wringing, I decided to leave my current job for an arts organization position that was offered to me. I am very excited for the change, and of course terrified, but feel like this is a great opportunity for me. The new job starts on Monday, January 14th, so I have a week to clean the apartment, get the cat to the vet, take a voice lesson, get a haircut, and see as many movies as I possibly can. I feel up to the challenge.

My last couple of days at the old job were busy, but good. On Friday, my roommate suggested that we head to the movies, and have a fun night out, which we did. We took in NATIONAL TREASURE, which I had seen, but it was a nice, mindless, fun evening to just decompress, and relax. Tonight, it is the Buckeyes in the national championship game, so I will make Mexican dip, and root for the boys from Ohio. I am not sure what is on for tomorrow. I do know that the high is 62 degrees, so I am thinking I will take a nice walk outside, return some library books and movies, and just see where the day takes me!

Go Bucks!

photo credit: www.osu.edu

dude....that was scary!

2008-01-07T15:45:00.000-08:00

So, on my first official day of freedom, I of course took myself off to the movies. I decided to check out I AM LEGEND on IMAX at the 68th street Loews. I went in thinking that this was going to be a psychological thriller of some sort...in fact, it is a scary horror movie! I was pretty freaked out, but liked it none-the-less. Will Smith is the last man in Manhattan. After a virus (which was meant to be a cure for cancer) goes awry, he is the last man standing, and there are scary monsters. He spends his days hunting, waiting for survivors, and trying to find a cure for the monster part. He has a dog, and now I want a dog. (Not really...but the dog is so cute!)

Things to love about this movie? Shots of an empty, abandoned New York City. It is just trippy to watch him getting around, and I actually recognized a lot of places. Oh, and Will Smith is super-ripped. There are some serious jump-fright moments. If you are into that, I think you will enjoy this one.

My favorite moment of the movie is in the beginning when he is in Times Square, they show a billboard for a movie that is coming out in 2010 that is the Superman logo over the Batman logo. it was awesome! If only that movie were coming out....it was very cool.

Final thoughts: Scary, well-done action movie. If you are into that, you must check this out, and try to do it on IMAX if you can. Plus, you have the 6-minute trailer for THE DARK KNIGHT which is interesting. I can't wait for that movie to come out!!!

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

persepolis

2008-01-07T15:36:00.000-08:00

On Saturday night, I met with friends from work, and we took in the new film, PERSEPOLIS. What an incredibly interesting, different, and moving film this was. Based on a graphic novel, the film tells the story of a little girl growing up during the revolution in Iran in 1978. She is surrounded by her family, a very politically active family, and she tries to find herself in this world of chaos. As things go from bad to worse, her parents decide to send her to Europe for her education, and to keep her safe. She struggles as she tries to fit in to this new world.

It is so easy to forget how good we have it. Watching this, I couldn't help but think of my childhood, shuttling from school to soccer to choir, meatloaf dinners, and movie and pizza nights. This true story is extraordinary, and this film brings it to vivid life...in animation.

Final thoughts: The animation is fabulous, and the story is moving, uplifting, and heartbreaking all at the same time. One to add to your must-see list.

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

happy new year

2008-01-07T15:25:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it's 2008? I am having some serious issues wrapping my head around that, but alas, here it is, 2008. The folks and I flew home on the 31st, and had a low-key night in Columbus. I took them to see JUNO at our local Indie theatre, which we all loved. The film really held up on second viewing. This is definitely one of my faves of the year, and I hope that you will take yourselves out to see it. We picked up some Bexley Pizza Plus, then headed home and watched THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM which I had gotten for my mom for Christmas. Again, another great movie! Then, we kind of did our own thing....and my dad and I watched the ball drop. It was fun, although it was really hard to watch Dick Clark. It is amazing what he has done, and is (as my dad mentioned) an amazing ambassador for those who are recovering from a stroke. However, it can be really hard to watch him, and I found myself a little sad.

At any rate, the new year has come and gone, and I have now returned back to the city. Do you have any resolutions? I do, as I always do, and can only hope that this is the year I get my stuff together. I hope that this new year treats you well, and that 2008 will be a good one!

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

bonus view of the day

2007-12-31T07:00:00.001-08:00

view of the day

2007-12-31T06:54:00.000-08:00

That's all folks. After a fabulous week in South Florida, the elders and I are heading to the airport to fly back to Columbus to ring in the new year. Yesterday, we spent the morning on the beach, dipping our toes in the water, reading trashy novels, and just staring at the great abyss of the endless ocean.

florida shenanigans

2007-12-29T17:53:00.001-08:00

We have just returned from an amazing dinner at a place called The Sundy House, which features an amazing outdoor garden that you can sit in as you eat your dinner. We were just off the main path, seated by a small body of water, giant ferns, and several flowering trees. Frankly, it was stunning, and the food was to die for. As I sit here digesting, I can't help but giggle at the shenanigans of the elder crew currently residing in Delray Beach. First, this morning, my mother and godmother were out gardening, and planting flowers. As my mother was digging to plant something or other, she literally uncovered a toad, and accidentally flung it. She screamed like a little girl....and all I can think about is flying toads. Who does that? My mother...the toad flinger...is that anything like Robert Redford, the horse whisperer?
Anyway, as we were driving home, they were all talking about t-shirts that they had seen in the in-plane magazine they had been looking through as we flew down from Ohio. Two of my favorites were:

If you're telekinetic and you know it, raise my hand

I'm no rocket surgeon

The third one, my godmother shared with me (after a Peach-tini) was "Hump the Gay Whales." Um...my dad was laughing so hard that he was making that funny wheezing sound. Turns out, it was actually "Nuke the Gay Whales" as it was some sort of conservative magazine.

Oh the shenanigans of the 50+ crowd in South Florida.

concerns

2007-12-28T18:49:00.001-08:00

Being in Florida around Christmas is bizarre. First, you wear shorts and sandals, and it is 80 degrees out. Second, you eat dinner outside at restaurants. Third, there are lizards everywhere. Sure, they're cute and stuff...but they are everywhere, and lately, I've noticed that they seem to be organizing themselves. First, there's just one or two, but then you open your eyes after sitting in the hot tub for twenty minutes, and there are like eight of them just standing there. What does it mean? What are they waiting for? I have decided to start tracking their movements. The little buggers won't take me while I'm alive.

fun leaps

2007-12-28T18:40:00.000-08:00

Today, as is the holiday tradition, the parents and I headed to the movies to check out something family friendly. Having loved the first one, released a couple of years ago, we were all quite excited to see NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS . Fortunately, we had a lot of fun, and enjoyed this second outing. Okay....truth. If you cannot suspend your disbelief to epic proportions, do not go and see this movie. Frankly, it is ridiculous what they do, and you know, if you go in thinking this all has to make sense, then you will come out of it sorely disappointed. However, if you can go in, and have fun, and say whatever, then you will like this movie very much. Trauma has struck the Gates family. The great-grandfather once thought of as someone who tried to halt the Lincoln assassination, has now been listed as a co-conspirator. Nic Cage is pissed, and he with his pater (Jon Voigt), ex girl-friend (Diane Kruger), and plucky side-kick (Justin Bartha...aka cutie) are so not gonna stand for this. So, they decide to track down something elusive that no one thinks exists. They will have elaborate, destructive car chases, break into residences of leaders all over the world, and be pursued by a mad Ed Harris. Oh, and Helen Mirren plays the mater. Is it all ridiculousness all the time? Hecks, yeah. Is it super fun, if you just go along for the ride? Hecks, yeah.

Final thoughts: Buy your popcorn, suspend your disbelief, and just enjoy the ride. Sometimes, movies just don't have to make sense to be fun.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

happy holidays!

2007-12-26T19:48:00.000-08:00

For those of you who celebrate Christmas, I hope that you had a very merry one, and were fortunate enough to be around those you love, and got lots of good stuff. For those who don't, I hope that you had a nice day off, and went to the movies.

I write to you not from the heart of it all, but instead from Florida, where I am staying at my Godmother's house in Delray Beach. Today it was around 80 degrees, and we spent most of the day sitting by the pool, playing in the pool, or eating near the pool. It is so bizarre to be wearing shorts and sandals, grilling out, and having to worry about sunscreen. (No, Robin, I don't put it on every day...) We are enjoying a lazy week of sun, and will head back to the land of the Buckeyes next Monday, where we will ring in the new year unpacking bags, and crashing after hours of likely airline delays. However, I can't complain too much, as this is living, and I am enjoying the South Florida lifestyle.

Tomorrow, I think the plan is to hit Barnes & Noble, Bed, Bath and Beyond, and possibly go out to dinner. Seriously, does it get any better than this?

p.s. i love gerard butler

2007-12-26T19:28:00.000-08:00

On Saturday morning past, a friend and I went and took in the new flick, P.S. I LOVE YOU, based on the novel of the same name by Cecelia Ahern. I really liked the book...it was really sad, but hopeful, and a good read. Basically a young woman's husband of 9 years dies from a brain tumor, and she is devastated. However, he sends her a series of letters (after he passes) with things to do to help her grieve, and eventually move on from the death. The movie is really actually nothing like the book. The book was written by an Irish woman, and takes place in Ireland, with an Irish heroine...but now it is about an American woman who married an Irishman. He does die and send letters, but there are lots of differences...instead of the widow and her friends going to the tropics, they go to Ireland....her parents are together in the book, but now the father abandoned the mother in the film. Let's just say that lots of things are way different. Anyway, I digress. I liked the movie...I just feel like I would have cast it very differently. Hilary Swank is really likable in the part...it is just a really different role for her, and the whole time, I was thinking it was really different role for her. Gerard Butler is fabulous as always. Was this a great movie? Honestly, no. However, I left it having had a good cry, and a smile on my face.

Final thoughts: A movie to see when you need a good cry. Take kleenex, some chocolate, and marvel at the power of love. Oh, and it could just as easily be done with NetFlix while wearing your pajamas.

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

go ohio!

2007-12-16T15:18:00.000-08:00

Hooray for Ohio people doing good stuff. Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Otterbein grad, and fellow Ohio native is currently the swing in the Broadway production of LEGALLY BLONDE. She went on yesterday as Enid, the angry lesbian law student, and so I wandered down to midtown and took it in. There is nothing cooler than seeing someone you know doing something cool!

Support live theatre! Congrats, Lindsay!

photo credit: www.playbill.com

oh....those witty teenagers

2007-12-16T15:08:00.000-08:00

I have been looking forward to seeing JUNO for months, and happily, I wasn't disappointed when I finally got to check it out. JUNO tells the story of Juno, a 16 year-old who finds herself pregnant, and unsure of what to do. Exploring her options, she considers adoption to a lovely couple played by (the always fabulous) Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman. The father of the baby, Michael Cera, tries to keep up with Juno, unsure of where their relationship stands. Add into the equation the fabulous Allison Janney and JK Simmons as Juno's supportive-ish parents, and you have the recipe for a funny and sweet comedy. Much has been made of the script, which has many great moments, although I found that every once in a while it got a little too precocious for me, and I look forward to seeing more of Cody Diablo's work, the former stripper who penned it. Ellen Page is a force to be reckoned with as Juno, bringing both freshness and weariness to the pregnant and confused teen.

Final thoughts: Love the people, love the idea, a good time to be had at the theatre...although, you could rent this one, and not lose the charm.

Photo credit: www.movieweb.com

sad, but great

2007-12-16T14:59:00.000-08:00

The roommate loves Keira Knightley, and I adore James McAvoy, so together we went to take in the new flick ATONEMENT. Wow. Every once in a while, you see something that is an incredible, realistic, stylized, sad, moving, well-made flick, and all you can do is sit and wish that you could watch it again for the first time. This movie was beautiful, and everything that an epic, sweeping drama should be. The story centers on a young girl who sees something out her window between her sister (Knightley) and the housekeeper's son (McAvoy) that she doesn't understand. Add in McAvoy sending Knightley a letter meant to apoligize, sending the wrong draft, and asking the sister to deliver it, and you have a disaster in the making. I don't want to give too much away because the story unfolds so interestingly...and it would be too bad to go in knowing too much. Suffice it to say, that although the series of events are movie-fantastic, they still feel realistic within the scope of the story. The actors involved are fabulous (as confirmed by the recent slew of Golden Globe nominations), and both Knightley and McAvoy are fantastic in their parts. The music is to die for, and the settings, both grim and grand are beautifully done.

Final thoughts: Epic...but simple. I know that sounds bizarre...but it is really a fabulous movie that will haunt you long past you've stepped out of the theatre.

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

controversial.....yet boring

2007-12-16T14:51:00.000-08:00

So, I took in the controversial THE GOLDEN COMPASS and was completely underwhelmed. First, I didn't actually see any sort of controversy, other than the fact that I lost interest, and missed the last two minutes of the movie to go the bathroom. Seriously. I am one of those people who never goes to the bathroom during a movie. I would rather sit there and suffer greatly than miss a moment of a flick. I held out as long as I could...but finally just went because I was so uncomfortable. Anyway, as I am coming back to the theatre, I see that everyone is leaving. I walked out and missed the last few moments of the movie. All I can say is they must be planning for a sequel since nothing was really resolved at the end of this one.

I haven't read the books, so perhaps that is why I was confused by what was going on. The movie opens with several minutes of voice over exposition. So, there is dust that connects us to other worlds, and every person is connected with an animal that comes with them all the time. Huh?

Final thoughts: Kids may dig the action/adventure, but adults may be left scratching their heads about what it all means....or maybe I am just kind of dumb. Daniel Craig, I came for you, and you had like eighteen seconds of screen time. Boo.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

things that rock

2007-12-02T14:13:00.000-08:00

Today, we had our first NYC snowfall. Seriously people, winter is almost here. So, in honor of the new season, the season of sharing, I thought I would share with you some things that totally rock.

1) Scrabble. Board games are back, baby, and Scrabble is the game of winners. You have to like, think, and stuff, and there's strategy, and for once, being smart and dorky can be celebrated whilst winning an honest-to-G-d competition. I mean, Scrabble isn't really a sport...but as you kick *ss....know that you are finally winning something.

2) Michael Cera. I have spoken openly of my ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT love, and Cera is a huge part of why I adored that show. He is doing so much great work...SUPERBAD was hilarious, and he has the upcoming JUNO arriving in theatres any moment. Plus, he has this freaking-hilarious web show called CLARK AND MICHAEL. Make sure to check him out in something as soon as you can.

3) Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. What more is there to say....melted cheese on bread. Relive the best part of your childhood by indulging in a grilled cheese sandwich. Bonus points if you have tomato soup.

4) 30 Rock. This sophomore comedy on NBC is hilarious. Helmed by former SNL head-writer Tina Fey, this show pokes fun at everything and features Alec Baldwin. Seriously, this is the best show you're not watching. (Thursdays at 8:30 on NBC.)

5) The Broadway strike is over! Shows went back to work this week....hooray! NYC and the theatre community at large are back to normal. To celebrate, wherever you live, go and see some live theatre. Make sure to tell them that Beth sent you.

6) Holiday movies. Yes, people, it is again that time. Time for the release of the holiday movies. This time of year, you get the wanna-be award winners, plus the holiday feel-goods, and also them grand adventures. Between P.S. I LOVE YOU, SWEENEY TODD, and NATIONAL TREASURE 2, baby Jesus is just going to have to wait....I am heading to the theatres

I know that there are a million other things that rock...but I want to watch more CLARK AND MICHAEL, and then I have to go to bed. So, I will add more posts another time.

rushing to see august rush

2007-12-02T13:48:00.000-08:00

For many-a-months, I have been really looking forward to seeing the film, AUGUST RUSH. I finally made it out to see it yesterday, and I really liked it. Keri Russell (one of my current girl crushes) is so lovely in it, bringing depth and a sad poignancy to what could have become a minor part. She is well matched by Jonathan Rhys Meyers who plays her one-night lover and possible soul mate. This movie is full of things that obsess me. Music, pregnancy, romance...I mean, seriously? I actually could have done without the character of August Rush, and just watched the story of these two star-crossed lovers. Alas, Freddie Highmore plays August Rush, a (slightly creepy and just plain weird) child up for adoption in a children's home who hears the music of his parents everywhere he goes....like in the fields of wind and grass....or cars honking and steam in the streets of NYC. So, he runs away to NYC to try to find the parents he has never met, and instead falls in with Fagin and his band of pickpockets...I mean "the wizard" and his band of parent less street musicians, played by the incredibly miscast Robin Williams. The movie jumps between August's trip to the city, and the memories of the night that Lyla (Russell) and Lewis (Meyers) met and spent a wonderful night together. So, you should know going into this movie, you have to suspend your disbelief further than you ever have before...I am so not kidding. However, you can still see a sweet and romantic movie about love, family, and music. Funny side note: At one point, August ends up going to Juilliard to study...and since I was at the 68th Street Loews, which is across the street from the 66th street Juilliard, there were giddy screams from current students. There is something fun about seeing movies about NYC in NYC.

Final thoughts: A sweet movie...but one you can probably see on NetFlix...unless you love Keri Russell as much as I do.

Photo credit: www.movieweb.com

enchanted by enchanted

2007-11-28T08:05:00.000-08:00

So, every time I am home with the parents, we try to do a movie and dinner. So, this trip, we decided to take in the new live-action/animated hybrid, ENCHANTED. I loved this movie! Disney does a great job with a sweet story, casting fantastic actors, and also, pokes fun at itself, keeping adults in stitches remembering the animated movies they grew up on...mostly those before the TOY STORY era. So, the movie starts in animation where our young lovers meet and fall in love, and plan to marry. The prince's stepmother (the delicious Susan Sarandon) fears the loss of her power and so leads the young, beautiful Giselle (the pitch-perfect Amy Adams) to a wishing well that she pushes her into, and deposits the young girl in a place where no on has a happily-ever-after...NYC. (he he) So, as she tries to find her bearings and lost-love, she meets a NYC lawyer (the well-coiffed Patrick Dempsey) and his daughter who kindly put her up for a night. Chaos ensues as the Prince (the always fabulous James Marsden) takes himself off to find his love in the city pursued by the stepmother's henchman (the funny Timothy Spall). Smart, funny, and sweet, this film takes all the fun of a Disney film and updates it for a contemporary audience.

Final thoughts: A fun and worthwhile trip to the movies!

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

bee movie

2007-11-28T07:54:00.000-08:00

Needing a giggle, I took in the new kid's movie, BEE MOVIE a couple of weekends ago. It was a pleasant diversion, and I did indeed giggle a bit. It was one of those things...it was funny, but it could have been funnier. It was smart, but it could have been smarter. So, although I walked away having enjoyed it, I can't help but feel that it should have been a better movie somehow. On his graduation day, Barry (Jerry Seinfeld) finds out that he should choose a job at the hive, and he will do that until he dies. Finding this distressing (wouldn't we all?), he heads out with the nectar gatherers, and has an adventure in Manhattan (don't we all?). Meeting a human woman, he breaks the cardinal bee rule, and talks to her. A friendship forms....and Barry realizes that he wants more to life than living in the hive, a worker bee forever. SPOILERS AHEAD! So, this movie is about finding your individuality...which makes sense to me. But then, in takes a bizarre turn when Barry finds out that humans are taking honey from bees they have imprisoned (um....slavery?), and starts litigation against humanity. So, the bees win, and they get all the honey, and all retire. Suddenly, all of the flowers start dying because bees are no longer cross-pollinating the plants and stuff. So now, Barry has to convince all of the bees to back to work at the hive...so this is really a movie about finding your part in Corporate America and helping the company keep going....so down with individuality? So, as you can see, there was a lot going on...

Final thoughts: Some funny moments...but the message is a little odd.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

my so-called broadway star

2007-11-28T07:39:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, the one before turkey day festivities, I took myself off to the theatre to check out PYGMALIAN starring Claire Danes. First, I know you're saying to yourself, but there's a strike...how did you see a show? Because this show was produced by a non-profit theatre company, it was unaffected by the strike. So, off I went, treating myself first to a lovely dinner at Pigalle (my part to help the restaurant economy), and then headed down to 42nd street. It was very bizarre to see Claire Danes on-stage...and I couldn't help but recall high school, and the fabulousness that was MY SO-CALLED LIFE, and the dreaminess of Jordan Catalano. Anyway, Ms. Danes does fine work on her Broadway stage debut. Strangely, what works against her is the incredible accomplishment of the rest of the cast. Jefferson Mays is sick and hilarious as the bizarre Henry Higgins. His performance is thrilling to watch, and you can't help but squirm at his awkwardness and at his social faux-pas after faux-pas. Boyd Gaines is wonderful as the kind Cl. Pickering, and Helen Carey is a hilarious and graceful Mrs. Higgins. Although I ended up loving the show, the opening scene didn't quite come together, and with "realistic" lighting made it hard to see anyone's faces on the stage. Fortunately, after this slow first scene, the show picks up, and is quite fabulous. This really was a nice night at the theatre.

Final thoughts: Although Ms. Danes is a movie-star, and fine as Eliza, Jefferson Mays steals the show as the bizarre and funny Henry Higgins.

photo credit: www.playbill.com

gobble, gobble

2007-11-26T12:56:00.000-08:00

Greetings, all! I hope that you had a lovely holiday, and were able to spend time with the people that you love and/or with family. I was fortunate enough to head home to Ohio to spend some time with the parents, the brother, his wife, and the gorgeous nephew, and even caught up with a friend from high school. My bro and his family actually moved, and I spent a good part of the weekend trying to help pack/unpack them, co-babysitting my nephew with my mom, and vacuuming humble-abodes. I also managed to eat Bexley Pizza Plus...still the best pizza in the world, Greek food, Mexican food, and the traditional turkey dinner with leftover sandwiches. I also introduced the parents to LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL which was shown again on MTV, and we watched a fabulous special about The Ohio State University Marching Band. All in all, it was a lovely weekend, and I was sad to head back to the city. The good news is that I am home again in just a couple of weeks for the Christmas holiday. Hope you had a great holiday!

ET came home

2007-11-17T09:07:00.000-08:00

In the never ending quest to become healthy, I took a big old step and bought myself an elliptical trainer (et). Because my life is my life, when the machine was first delivered and assembled, it was put together incorrectly. I should have known it was going to be wrong as the guy first put the display piece on backwards. So, the guy left, I realized it was wrong, and then had to wait for a couple of days for technicians to come out and reassemble it. So, it now sits and stares at me in my bedroom making me feel guilty and mocking me with it's shiny newness. I have used it several times....and hope to continue to do it. To better health in the future....

movie redux

2007-11-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

BELLA

A couple of weekends ago, I decided to head to the movies and once there, I would decide between seeing BELLA and THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS 3D. Strangely, when I arrived, someone was handing out free tickets to see BELLA, so BELLA it was. I really wanted to love this movie....and it's not that I didn't like it, it was just...okay. To its credit, there were some fantastic actors involved. Both Tammy Blanchard and Eduardo Veregui are heartbreaking as two lost souls trying to make their way through the world. Blanchard finds herself pregnant, alone, and fired from her job where she works with Veregui and for his brother. When she is sent away, Veregui runs after her to see what he can do. This leads to a day of new beginnings for both as they try to figure out how to move from the past into the future. The story, with many sweet elements, is strained as the movie goes on...and because this movie is meant for realism, the strain really shows. I wanted to care about it all passionately, and sadly, I just didn't quite get there.

Final thoughts: Great actors in a so-so movie. Perhaps add it to your NetFlix list if you like those humanistic movies.

LARS AND THE REAL GIRL

Last weekend, I finally made it out with my friend from work, so we headed to the fabulous Paris Theatre on 58th street and took in LARS AND THE REAL GIRL. To be honest, I have a bit of a crush on Ryan Gosling. He is just so talented, and continues to do offbeat, compelling, and fantastic work. With an amazing supporting cast, this little movie is both uplifting, sad, sweet, funny, and poignant. Lars lives in his brother's garage, and continually fights off the advances of his sister-in-law to hang out with them. He likes to be alone. One night, he comes to the house to dinner saying that he would like to bring a friend if that was okay with them. In comes Bianca, a life-size sex doll that Lars has ordered off of the Internet. Assuming that he has completely lost it, they take Lars and Bianca to their doctor/psychiatrist to try to figure out what is wrong with him. Why does Lars see Bianca as a real person? How will the town react to her? What about that cute girl at work who is always trying to talk to Lars? Gosling's commitment to every role is commendable, and this one is no different. His sweetness, and damage is painful to watch, and yet, Bianca always seems so real through it all.

Final thoughts: A sweet, bizarre, funny and sad film you should check out. Gosling is fabulous, and not bad to look at either. Plus, Emily Mortimer is fantastic as always!

FRED CLAUS

You know how sometimes a movie will get bad reviews, but you go anyway and its really funny and you have a great time? That so didn't happen with this movie. And, to make it even worse, it is full of great people like Rachel Weisz and Paul Giamatti.

Final thoughts: Watch it on TBS next year if only for the sibling anonymous group meeting.

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

many good movies....

2007-10-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY is not your typical romantic comedy. However, once you get past the inherent darkness of the framing of the story, you find an incredibly optimistic and sweet film. Patrick Fujit (who didn’t love ALMOST FAMOUS?) plays Zia, our hero. After slitting his wrists, he finds himself in a strange afterlife where those who commit suicide go. He explains it as being like real-life, but slightly worse. While there, he meets some people, and learns that his girlfriend has also committed suicide, and with his new friend, sets out on a road trip to find his lost love. Along the way, he meets Mikal (Shannyn Sossamon) who is looking for the people in charge, as she has been sent to this underworld by mistake. WRISTCUTTERS is a dark film, but is really more of an optimistic film about love. With great laughs, and a fabulous cameo featuring Will Arnett (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT forever!), this is one of my favorite movies of the year. I hope that Patrick Fujit will continue to work, as I find him such a compelling guy. If you want to see another great movie, besides ALMOST FAMOUS, that he is in, check out SAVED!

Final thoughts: A funny, sweet, and sad romantic journey. One to check out.

MICHAEL CLAYTON is everything a movie should be. It is well-acted, well-directed, incredibly suspenseful, deals with timely issues, and is interesting to boot! Plus, it doesn’t apologize for being a smart movie….expecting the audience to participate on the journey. George Clooney plays clean-up lawyer Michael Clayton, and oh, does he wear his business suits well. What is it about this guy? He is a real movie-star – gorgeous to look at, a good actor, and has this aura about him. Suffice it to say…I have fallen under his spell. Michael Clayton’s colleague and friend, Arthur Edens (played by the always dependable Tom Wilkinson) has a psychotic break while working on a class-action suit that he has been working on for over six years. Brought in to smooth things over with the company council that Edens was representing, Karen Crowder (played by the always fabulous Tilda Swinton), Clayton finds himself involved with something major, that might be bigger than just Edens having a bad day. This movie takes twists and turns all over the place, and is able to balance Clayton’s professional work with the personal issues he is having to deal with as well. It is a great movie, and will resonate with you long after the final credits role.

Final thoughts: Not only a well-made movie, but a good movie. Grab that popcorn and enjoy the ride….

DAN IN REAL LIFE is a movie that I have looked forward to for a couple of reasons. First, I heart Steve Carell, and have been a fan of his since he was a reporter on THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, and secondly, the cast includes several notable NYC actors. The movie was what I hoped it would be. Sweet and funny, it showed a pretty realistic journey of a man who meets the right woman in the wrong circumstances. Dan (Carell) is a widower with three daughters who is headed up to his parents house for a long weekend. Once again, his family is all over him about getting out there and dating again. He heads out to pick up the papers, and meets a lovely girl played by Juliette Binoche. He heads home with a certain glow, and then meets his brother’s girlfriend….the girl from the bookstore. Is it slightly contrived…yes. Do you still find yourself invested in the situation….yes. Okay…now the game is called: find the Broadway star! Check out Norbert Leo Butz as Carell’s brother. You might know Norbert from WICKED (original Fiyero), or from his Tony-Award winning turn in DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS. Also, make sure to look for Matthew Morrison as the cop. He was the original Link in HAIRSPRAY and the love-interest in THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA.

Final thoughts: Go with a girlfriend, eat some chocolate, have some giggles, and enjoy a pleasant afternoon at the movies.

did you know.....

2007-10-18T12:20:00.001-07:00

...that this is what brussell sprouts look like in their natural habitat?

This blows my mind.

more weekends, more movies

2007-10-16T11:10:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I took the walk of shame to 84th Street Loews to indulge in my love of Dwayne Rock Johnson in the Disney flick, THE GAME PLAN. Not as bad as I expected it to be, I enjoyed watching him gallivant around in a towel. He is quite dreamy. Moral of the story: fame and wealth isn't everything.

Final thoughts: If you like sports-like Disney films...see it. If not, don't worry, you're not missing much.

The weekend before last, a friend came to the city for a visit, and we went crazy. In the three days that she was here, we saw three movies (thoughts below), one Off-Broadway show (the hilarious Forbidden Broadway), visited the Natural History Museum (see photo), and went out to eat five times. Needless to say, I was (and still am) exhausted. It was a great weekend, and I am so sad that the visit ended.

On to the movies.

THE KINGDOM

THE KINGDOM was a well-done movie that made you think, even as it beat you over the head with its themes. Starring Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner, the movie follows a group of FBI agents as they go to the Middle East to investigate a terrorist attack on an American living compound. Faced with legislative red tape, security concerns, and heightened Government relations, the team finds itself fighting an uphill battle. Special kudos to Jason Bateman for injecting some much needed humor into the proceedings. (I love this man! ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT forever!) Although the film can feel a little preachy, and it sometimes gets a little superhero-ish....meaning the bad guys can feel cartoonish, it still manages to have organic and moving moments. Jennifer Garner does a fine job as always, and Chris Cooper is a welcome player. I enjoyed the movie, and found that it did a pretty good job of being an exciting mystery/action-adventure, while also dealing with the contemporary issue of Middle East relations.

Final thoughts: A good action flick that addresses some real issues. It's not life changing, but it might make you think in between cheering for the FBI guys to figure it out.

MY KID COULD PAINT THAT

The documentary, MY KID COULD PAINT THAT is honestly one of the saddest movies I have ever seen. It is also incredibly interesting. Unbeknownst to me, in 2004, there was a four year-old kid in upstate New York in the middle of an arts world firestorm. Marla is a four year-old who makes contemporary art. A local gallery takes notice, sets up a show, and she is suddenly selling her work for $25,000. The media catches wind, and she is suddenly a celebrity, with her mother and father in tow. 60 MINUTES does a piece about her alleging that perhaps she is not actually doing the painting, but instead her father is. The movie follows Marla and her family through this process. So, is Marla doing her own artwork? Does she have help? How does having a "prodigy" affect other people in the family? It is a really fascinating look at the rise and fall of a young girl.

Final thoughts: Moving, sad, and really makes you question. Interesting movie.

THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB

Needing a more quiet night, we took in TJABC, and it was just as good the second time around. I am happy to report that I have started reading EMMA.

Final thoughts: Lovely romantic comedy for a girl's night out.

photo credits: www.movieweb.com

doing colbert

2007-10-09T09:24:00.000-07:00

Last Monday, after stumbling upon available tickets online, my friend Bonnie and I attended a taping of THE COLBERT REPORT. It was too much fun. Stephen Colbert is a riot. He is adorable, nice, and plays a d*ck on TV. Going to a taping of a show like this is always a blast. After getting in line around 3pm, I amused myself until Bonnie arrived around 4:45. At 5:15, after a lovely visit with one another, we went through security, piddled, and waited to go into the studio. We were #7 and #8 in line to get seated. After the VIPs were taken in, the lowly regular ticket holders were let in. We sat in the front row, and looked at the news desk that Colbert does most of the show at. First, he came out to do the toss with Jon Stewart. The two of them together are so hilarious. They chatted, then filmed the bit, and then Stephen Colbert went back to finish up working on "the word". Around 6:45 or so, he came out and they taped the show. Sadly, our perfect view, was also the perfect view for the camera.....one of them was set up right in front of us, and for about 25% of the filming, we had to watch the monitors. (Boo.) The guest was a Pulitzer-prize winning author, a bit dry, but funny to watch. At around 7:20, we all filed out, and it seemed but a dream. Truth be told, I am more of a Jon Stewart fan...but I had a great time at the show. If you get a chance to watch, check out THE COLBERT REPORT on Comedy Central.

breaking the fourth wall

2007-10-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

A week ago Friday, months after buying my ticket, I went and took in Tony-Award winning best musical, SPRING AWAKENING from an onstage seat. I figured this would either be the greatest night of theatre I ever experienced, or it would lead to some sort of psychotic-fourth wall breakdown. Fortunately, my mental health is still going strong at 60%, and I had a fantastic night at the theatre. First of all, I am so glad that I saw the show from the audience first. Mostly because while on stage, you see so much going on, that you can't really be part of the story. There are too many things to take you out of it. For instance, actors preparing themselves....cracking up....talking about breathing through their cramps....I mean, you just can't get past that. However, it is very cool to see it all from the other side. The kids in this show are super-amazing. And, the band totally rocked, especially as I was sitting approximately four feet away from them. I actually had actors sitting on both sides of me, which was cool and weird. It was odd to have empty seats, then they would take the chairs, then we would all sit there. It was actually all kind of surreal. There were three understudies in that night, and as there are cast changes, it was cool to see different interpretations on characters and such. Gladly, the adult actors, as well as the three leads were all in. All in all, it was an amazing night on Broadway. Plus, the roommate and I totally hit Olive Garden before the show. You can't go wrong with the OG and great theatre.

Dorky confession: While sitting at my seat waiting for intermission to end, I sang a couple of measures out loud...but to myself, while staring at the back wall. I have totally had my Broadway debut.

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

many movies redux

2007-10-02T08:42:00.000-07:00

Once again, I fail not only as a person, but also as a blogger. The truth is, things have been good lately. I have seen some great movies, some not-so-great movies, and as you saw above, done some fabulous NYC activities. So, here is a rundown on some of the things I have seen of late.

DARJEELING LIMITED
Loved this movie. Wes Anderson is such an interesting and quirky director. His vision in this film is so unique. The actors are terrific, in particular, Adrien Brody is just fascinating. He has the saddest eyes, and everything I see him in, I am just compelled to watch him. Both Jason Schwartzman and Owen Wilson are fabulous as well. The story is of three brothers who get together after a year, and try to build (re-build?) their relationship after the death of their father. At one point, Schwartzman wonders if the three of them would be friends, if they weren’t brothers. That question broke my heart. This film is everything…it is laugh-out-loud funny, tragic to the point of tears, ridiculous, and yet so real, it is as if you could taste the colors on the screen. This movie moved me, and I think if you like Wes Anderson, that kind of quirky, bizarre style, you will adore this film.

Final thoughts: A fantastic movie that is beautiful to look at, and moving to watch. Check it out.

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
I so wanted to adore this movie. It is visionary, different, truly theatrical, musical, and Julie Taymor is such a distinct artist….I didn’t love it. However, I really appreciate what they set out to do. Using the music of the Beatles (love them!) as the foundation, this film explores America during Vietnam. With the draft, music, love, protest, the film explores life during a revolutionary time in our history. It was definitely a trippy exploration, and there were moments of true brilliance and perfection. However, I felt a little lost, and didn’t connect in the way that I had hoped. Jim Sturgess is really appealing as our transplanted leading man, and Evan Rachel Wood’s character makes a believable journey from school girl to activist. I hope that people will check this out with an open mind, and enjoy the craziness. It isn’t perfect, but I applaud Taymor’s vision and look forward to seeing more of her stuff.

Final thoughts: Incredible, HUGE vision that didn’t quite pull me in. Love the idea of it though.

THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB
Sometimes, a movie is exactly what it needs to be. I set off to see this one, having read and enjoyed the book, and needing something nice to see. This movie so exactly fit the bill….I LOVE when that happens. A group of friends, and two strangers, make up a book club that tackles the work of Jane Austen. Each member takes a book, and hosts a get-together at their home. As the story progresses, the book club members find that their own lives are reflected in the books they are reading. Between divorces, affairs, relationships with parents and children, broken hearts, and new love, the books come alive in the cheesy way implied by that sentence. He he. It was the perfect movie to curl up with while wearing sweats and eating goobers. Emily Blunt is hilarious as the uptight newcomer, and Hugh Dancy is appropriately dreamy as the younger guy. (Sorry, it has been so long since I saw the movie that I can’t remember characters names!) I have now decided to actually read all of the books….

Final thoughts: Grab a girlfriend, and reignite your love of Jane Austen and romantic comedy-dramas.

DEATH AT A FUNERAL
Some funny moments….not enough though. Alan Tudyk steals the movie when he accidentally takes an LSD tablet and totally freaks out. At one point, he is naked on the roof. Seriously. Matthew MacFadyen does well as the straight man to the chaos surrounding him.

Final thoughts: If you are a fan of Frank Oz, or any of the actors, add it to your netflix list, and giggle away in your pajamas.

IRA & ABBY
I loved the movie KISSING JESSICA STEIN. This movie is also written by and starring Jennifer Westfeldt, and this is just not quite as good as her first go-round. Abby works at a gym, and is neurotic. Ira is a Jewish graduate student, and is neurotic. They meet, have sex, and decide to get married in the space of the afternoon. There are great supporting players as parents and therapists, and it is nice to see NYC places I walk past or go to…but everyone is just so neurotic! I wanted to just hit them and scream BE NORMAL! Does my doing that make me neurotic?

Final thoughts: It’s not terrible, but it is not as good as it could be. Love the girl, and hope she does many more movies about slightly less neurotic people.

D-WARS
After IRA & ABBY, I decided to check out D-WARS which looked like it could be a fun sci-fi movie. Well, it turned out to be about giant snakes, and starring the cute guy from ROSWELL. I am SO not the target audience for this movie. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t good. I mean, perhaps if I was into dragons, or giant snakes, or prophecies, I would have loved this movie. As it was, I mostly sat there, and reconfirmed that I don’t like snakes. At all.

Final thoughts: Take your 14 year-old boy cousin to this film if you are somehow coerced into babysitting. You can probably pass this one up unless you like dragons, snakes, or prophecies.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

i heart......

2007-09-16T17:09:00.000-07:00

JOHN WILLIAMS

I am no longer a New York Philharmonic virgin. On Friday night, I headed to Lincoln Center and saw them conducted by none-other-than-prolific-film composer-John Williams. It was fantastic. I can't even tell you what its like to see him conduct the music from HOOK, HARRY POTTER, STAR WARS, JAWS, INDIANA JONES and ET. He actually came to Eastman while I was there, and I remember breaking into tears when he did the downbeat at the concert and none other than RETURN OF THE JEDI starting playing. So, after being such a wreck a couple of years ago, I decided to go out there and try to face him like a man. The crazy part is this event turned into something else entirely. Yes, it was breathtaking to hear all of his music...but at the concert, they were honoring a director named Stanley Donen. He directed a couple of small films.....SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, ANCHORS AWEIGH, IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER, and a hand-ful of others. Donen was there, and he came out and told little stories about Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire and doing these films. Then, they would take a scene from a movie (SINGIN' IN THE RAIN from SINGIN' IN THE RAIN) and they had a screen where they would project it. After the singing stopped and dance break began, they would fade out the sound from the movie, and the Philharmonic would take over. It was simply magical. When you are as much a movie lover as I am, and a musician to boot, you can't help but be overwhelmed by the music. And in Avery Fisher Hall, sitting there, I couldn't help but be swept away by the magic of it all. It was a fantastic evening, and definitely in my top-10 theatrical(ish) events.

Final thoughts: Did you know that he composed the end of the NBC Nightly News? Usually it sounds like a quick brass chord progression...well, he actually wrote a whole song that has never been used. He played it as his final encore.

MANDY MOORE

I have a major girl crush on Mandy Moore. Okay, let me go back and clear some stuff up for you. A girl crush is defined as having a "crush" on the member of the same sex, although you are not gay. You may think they are beautiful, have an amazing life/career, or you are just drawn to them. I have many girl crushes including my BIG one, Kate Winslet of course, and also Liv Tyler. After buying Mandy's new album WILD HOPE and loving it, I decided to go and check out her concert which was at the Fillmore down on the East Side. So, pop music is not really my scene...considering that I didn't know that you don't even have seats at these sorts of things, but instead just stand in a clump. So, I clumped up, and rocked out to her fantastic show. First, she looks like a movie star...she is beautiful, and very natural on stage. Her band was fabulous, and she even revisited her infamous "Candy" to end the show. Watching her, I felt totally inspired to try to get back to songwriting. In my life, I have written exactly one song. Yeah....I know. Sad, isn't it. The truth is, I first want to get a guitar, then get to songwriting. I know so many fantastic musicians including my Uncle Steve (who plays upstate like every weekend) and my friend, Robert German, with whom I used to work. They have always really inspired me, but last night, maybe because she's a girl (?), I just really wanted to put something out there. We'll see if I can find a hook. At any rate, the show last night was fantastic, and I am totally rocking out in my head.

Final thoughts: Mandy knows how to work a stage...and sell a fabulous show!

terrible blogger

2007-09-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

I have once again become a terrible blogger, letting the four of you who read this terribly down. I apologize. I am still fighting a cold, and it has been crazy at work. I know...there is never a good excuse, but I just wanted to try to defend myself.

THE NANNY DIARIES

On Labor Day, I got to see one of my favorite people (and oldest friends) in the world, and we went for breakfast at Bob Evans (I love bland food so much) and then to see THE NANNY DIARIES for $4 at AMC in Ohio. Well, I didn't hate this movie...but I really didn't love it. The truth is, I liked it more than the book. I wanted so much to love the book, and I didn't. I guess the problem is there was no reason for her to stay in this horrible job...yeah, she loves the kid, but not for a while, and if you were treated so horribly, why would you stick with it? But what about THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA you might ask. If she was her assistant for a year, then she could essentially get any job that she wanted....that is why you stick with that. Anyway, I digress, so let's get back to the movie. Laura Linney is fabulous....Chris Evans is cute and likable, and Scarlett Johansson is fine. It is just a blah movie. It's funny, but not that funny. It's rich, entitled people messing up raising their kid, and in an unhappy marriage which is sad, but you don't care that much because they are horrible people. The nanny lies to her friends and family about who she is and gets treated badly, but she stays there which is dumb. I did laugh and feel sad, but at a 20% level, and truthfully, shouldn't movies make you feel more than that?

Final thoughts: Unless you are a die-hard fan of an actor or the book, maybe rent it from the library.

MARGARET GARNER

New York City Opera is doing a new opera called MARGARET GARNER which my roommate got us free tickets to see. With a fabulous cast, this incredibly sad show is not to miss. The music is well-done, and the direction is okay. However, the cast is fabulous (with the African-American performers way outshining the Caucasian) and I found myself incredibly moved by their performances. The story revolves around a slave-woman and her family, and what she does to escape the life of a slave. If you can, you should check this show out. It has a limited run through September.

MOLIERE

On Sunday, I headed down to the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and took in the darling French film, MOLIERE. Starring my current French fave, Romain Duris, MOLIERE is an account of MOLIERE's life and how he developed some of the ideas for Tartuffe. Frothy and charming, the cast is first-rate in this comedy and comedy-of-errors. This film doesn't challenge the world, or demand rebellion, or anything like that...but it is funny and sweet, and a bit sad, but lovely.

Final thoughts: Sweet and lovely. Add it to your netflix list, and enjoy.

something different

2007-09-06T06:59:00.000-07:00

In all honesty, my brother and I are very different people on many levels. He is very much a people-person, funny, well-liked....I tend to be disliked by many, skulk around in black clothes, and avoid as many people as possible. Anyway, this weekend, he and I went and took in something really theatrical together....WWE Wrestling. He is a fan, and this was a taping of RAW that would be shown on Monday night on the USA network. To be honest, I was a little hesitant, only because my idea of theatrical entertainment is a gritty Independent film, or SPRING AWAKENING on Broadway. However, I can't think of a better way to spend the night than to spend it with my brother. So, off to Nationwide Arena we went. I had the best time. It was hilarious, but it also so interesting to watch the production process, and to also get a bit lost in the story. We saw Champion John Cena (yum!), Triple H, Jeff Hardy, and the entire McMahon family. We also saw a very cute young wrestler named Cody Rhodes who was just added to my list of celebrity-ish crushes. My brother seemed to be enjoying himself (but like my dad, he can sometimes be very hard to read), and the important thing is that we got to hang out together. One of the plot lines is that Vince McMahon (Chairman of WWE) has a "bastard" son who is a WWE Superstar......the son is meant to be revealed on next week's show. So, I will totally have to watch and see who the son is.

Final thoughts: This might have been the most dramatic and theatrical performance I have ever seen....and I have been to PHANTOM OF THE OPERA on Broadway!

photo credit: Cody Rhodes - www.wwe.com

O - H.........I - O!!!!

2007-09-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Ohio. Yes, friend, I have journeyed here for the long weekend, and for a plethora (note: that is one of my favorite words) of activities. On Friday, it was my father's birthday. So...we ate cake, gave him presents, and passed the nephew around like a cold in an elementary school. Yesterday, we all headed to my cousin's wedding, and periodically checked the Buckeyes progress on beating Youngstown University in the season opener. (Go Bucks!) This morning, we are off to hear my father preach, and then tonight, my brother and I will head off to a wrestling match. All in all, it will be a busy (and fun!) weekend.

Last weekend was a good one too. On Friday night, the roommate and I went for dinner with a friend of his to a Thai restaurant. I have to say it....I am not a big Thai food fan. It's not that its bad...I just don't love it. Anyway, after we dropped that friend off to go and see A CHORUS LINE, we wandered uptown and took in a showing of HAIRSPRAY. Yes, this is the third time we have seen it...and yes, it was still fabulous. I am particularly on a Zac Efron kick right now, ever since we watched the hilarious HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2. Anyway, a good time was had by all.

Um....I can't seem to remember what I did last Saturday, so I can only assume it wasn't important.

On Sunday, I got up early-ish and headed out to see NO RESERVATIONS starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart. It was cute. The one thing that was driving me crazy is that when Zeta-Jones went home into her NYC apartment, she didn't immediately lock her doors. Who does that? I just couldn't get past that....at all. (sigh) Of course, Eckhart was darling as always....the movie just couldn't seem to escape the slightly-too-precious romantic comedy trap.

Final thoughts: Cute movie....put it on you net-flix list. The food is gorgeous!