Just watched Not Fade Away for the first time. The ending caught me off guard for a second and then I felt . . . wow, that looks familiar. I bet a lot of people were ticked off about it, but I loved it. Just like the final episode of The Sopranos! Maybe not quite as abrupt, but a sudden cut to black just the same. Just like for Tony, the fight goes on and on for Angel and his gang. Not very optimistic for mortal humans, though. It seems as if only the vamps and ancient gods will survive. Too bad for Wes and Gunn, though Wes's death scene was beautifully written and acted. What's to become of Lorne? Can he die, like Eve, when the building collapses?
Reviews
6 Reviews
The Producers
(2005)
Tasteless, Crass and HILARIOUS!
2 January 2006
I understand the NY Times film critic gave The Producers a largely negative review, calling it "tasteless and crass." Well, duh! What does he expect from the man who gave the world bean-eating, flatulent cowboys - Ibsen and Strindberg? Of course, it's crass, but that's all part of the fun of it. I was lucky enough to see Lane and Broderick in the Broadway production and we can all be thankful that their brilliant performances have been captured on film for all eternity. I've read complaints that they are too big for the screen and seem to be playing to the second balcony, but when parts are written so broadly, it would be wrong to try to be subtle. The bigger the better, I say! Also, it was a great decision by Susan Strohman to film the dances so that we actually get to see the dancing. Strohman, Broderick and Thurman pay tribute to Astair & Rodgers with their wonderful dance to "That Face" where the camera films their entire bodies without a lot of quick edits (think Rob Marshall's "Chicago"). It looks from the credits that Andrea Martin and Debra Monk had their scenes cut out. That's unfortunate, but hopefully they'll be in the DVD. Thank you, Mel Brooks!
De-Lovely
(2004)
Delightful, but could have been de-wundebar.
24 July 2004
From what I remember reading about Cole Porter, this film gets most of the details of his and Linda's life correct, right down to Linda's iron lung. Of course, Linda was actually 8 years older than Porter, and didn't look anywhere as good as Ashley Judd, but that's not uncommon in film bio's.
Kevin Kline and Judd are both excellent. She may not show much singing ability, but I doubt that Linda was any kind of a songstress. Kline wisely chooses not to show off his singing prowess (see "Pirates of Penzance," if you don't believe me), since Porter was a weak singer himself.
The thing that really gets me upset about this movie is the use of pop singers for the most part playing Broadway singers. I like Alannis Morissete as a pop singer, but her style is totally wrong for "Let's Do It." Sheryl Crowe fairs better on "Begin the Beguine," but she doesn't even sing the melody! It's like she's singing an alto part she learned in her high school's Girls' Chorus. The singer doing Nelson Eddy (I think he's from the group Simply Red) doesn't come close to Eddy's soaring tenor. And that unfortunate couple in the "Kiss Me, Kate" segment is just pathetic. I image that the only way the producers were able to get funding for this film was to populate it with pop stars that would drawn in younger audiences. But imagine how much better this movie would have been with legitimate singers from Broadway like Kristen Chenowith, Idina Menzel, Buddy Foster, Laura Benanti and Jeff McCarthy. At least, they were able to use Caroline O'Connor (doing a credible Ethel Merman) and John Barrowman, who have extensive musical theatre credits.
Still, if you enjoy musicals, this one will get your toes tapping, as well as give you something to think about.
Kevin Kline and Judd are both excellent. She may not show much singing ability, but I doubt that Linda was any kind of a songstress. Kline wisely chooses not to show off his singing prowess (see "Pirates of Penzance," if you don't believe me), since Porter was a weak singer himself.
The thing that really gets me upset about this movie is the use of pop singers for the most part playing Broadway singers. I like Alannis Morissete as a pop singer, but her style is totally wrong for "Let's Do It." Sheryl Crowe fairs better on "Begin the Beguine," but she doesn't even sing the melody! It's like she's singing an alto part she learned in her high school's Girls' Chorus. The singer doing Nelson Eddy (I think he's from the group Simply Red) doesn't come close to Eddy's soaring tenor. And that unfortunate couple in the "Kiss Me, Kate" segment is just pathetic. I image that the only way the producers were able to get funding for this film was to populate it with pop stars that would drawn in younger audiences. But imagine how much better this movie would have been with legitimate singers from Broadway like Kristen Chenowith, Idina Menzel, Buddy Foster, Laura Benanti and Jeff McCarthy. At least, they were able to use Caroline O'Connor (doing a credible Ethel Merman) and John Barrowman, who have extensive musical theatre credits.
Still, if you enjoy musicals, this one will get your toes tapping, as well as give you something to think about.
The House Where Evil Dwells
(1982)
Great Guilty Pleasure!
11 October 2003
I love this movie and I hate myself for loving it. I highly recommend it, but I feel guilty for doing so. It's sooo bad, it's good! I'd love to do a Mystery Science Theatre commentary on it. From Doug McClure's semi-nude scene to the giant mechanical crabs, this is a must-see movie after you've seen all the really good stuff, and there's nothing else available in the video store. Just don't take it seriously and you'll love it, too!
Love's Labour's Lost
(2000)
Branagh Blows It Big Time!
23 August 2003
I usually count on Kenneth Branagh to make sense of Shakespeare, but this adaptation just doesn't do it for me. In the first place, KB makes a big mistake by casting himself. Passing himself off as a school boy when he's in his forties is the first unbelievable notion. Secondly, the casting of Alicia Silverstone is another misfortune. I hate to say it, but most of the time she is totally clueless as to what she is talking about. I guess KB didn't have time to explain it to her. She memorized the lines for sure, but there is nothing behind them. Finally, these great songs from the 30's and 40's just don't work in the context of Shakespeare. You have all this fluid 17th century language and poetry, then suddenly they're singing about doing the Charleston! One of the first rules of musical theater is that the lyrics of the songs have to match the style of the book, otherwise the mismatch is too jarring to the ear, as it was in this case. I did enjoy the choreography, especially the flying sequence in "Cheek to Cheek" and Nathan Lane can do no wrong wherever he turns up.
I was a teen-age extra!
22 February 2000
I was actually an extra in this movie, one of the worst sports movies ever made. I only did one day's worth of work and it was one of the most boring things I've ever experienced. I'm in the scene where someone supposedly puts helium in the basketballs and they float to the top of the Civic Arena. A crane (out of camera range) had thin wires attached to the balls. The director took about 10 takes of the scene. I thought I would lose my mind, trying to act surprised every time the balls "floated." When I saw the film I was shocked at how little screen time the shot got, but not as shocked at how bad the whole movie was. With a cast as good as it has you'd think they could save it, but the script was so bad even the great Stockard Channing couldn't help!
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