Cool and rainy here in Albany today, which is perfect happy dance weather for me. Good writing weather as well, and definitely good reading weather for later in the day. Not good walking in the park weather, so must do without my daily duck fix for the time being.
Since I do live under a rock, I haven't seen Wreck-it Ralph yet (looks really fun, though, and do I spot an inter-game romantic subplot in there? Because if so, I am all over that) but Owl City is always good for some bouncy fun, so here we go:
Okay, I'm spotting some fun graphics, a hero's journey, and gaming. Yep, I'm in. Must add to the library list.
Who's going to the movies this weekend? What are you seeing?
Showing posts with label Saturday at the Movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saturday at the Movies. Show all posts
Friday, April 12, 2013
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Son of Saturday at the Movies #2: The Libertine
Three movies this weekend, and I still have my Dr. Zhivago rant to transcribe (it's in longhand and it's long, and I want to see if the library can find me the 2004 UK TV remake) but the movie strongest in my mind right now is The Libertine, with Johnny Depp.
The English Restoration is one of the eras in which I feel the most at home as reader and writer both, and the visuals of this era are gorgeous - both sexes lavishly dressed, the glorious excess of the restored monarchy in a huge pendulum swing from the stern repression of the Lord Protectorate under Oliver Cromwell, the sense that life, in many aspects, could begin again. I especially liked that this film wasn't about only the excesses of the era, but the consequences as well. We also get to spend time in the world of Restoration theater (I will seriously look at anything having anything to do with Restoration theater) with a young actress who goes from getting booed off the stage, to being Wilmot's protege and mistress, to royal spy, to ultimately her own woman.
This is a dark movie. Literally, and figuratively. I'm going to have to watch it again on a smaller screen that is closer to my face and with better lighting because I have no idea what the white script on black says, but such screens take up a good part of the first few minutes of the film. I'm going to guess some historical information on the real John Wilmot, who would have been a rock star in today's parlance. As a poet, he was a favorite as well as a bane of Charles II, definitely not the kind of guy you'd want to bring home to mommy, because he'd charm her into a compromising position in the laundry room before she'd had so much as a chance to take his coat. That kind of guy, which actually makes the ultimate resolution believable on several different levels.
Johnny Depp, of course, was brilliant, as Wilmot in his prime, Wilmot on the downhill slide, Wilmot arguing passionately before the House of Lords regarding laws of succession (and dang, can that man make even a prosthetic metal nose look good.) The scenes that stuck with me the most are two: his appearance before Lords, loud, brash, painted and costumed to hide the disease that consumed his body and mind; and the quieter, more intimate confessional style frame of the film, that of a young Wilmot, without paint or artifice, first assuring the viewer they will not like him, and then at the end, asking with ever more vulnerable repetition, if they like him now. That's the kind of acting, and the kind of story, that I like to marinate in for a while; not think of anything else, or anything in particular, but let it sift into my brain and emotions as it will.
I've already written one book set at the tail end of the English Civil War and I can feel some Restoration stories making noise in the back of my brain, so this was a good time to see The Libertine. One of my favorite authors, Judith James, drew inspiration from Wilmot for her Libertine's Kiss, whose hero has a happier ending than the real Wilmot or Depp's portrayal. I'm thinking it's time for a reread.
The English Restoration is one of the eras in which I feel the most at home as reader and writer both, and the visuals of this era are gorgeous - both sexes lavishly dressed, the glorious excess of the restored monarchy in a huge pendulum swing from the stern repression of the Lord Protectorate under Oliver Cromwell, the sense that life, in many aspects, could begin again. I especially liked that this film wasn't about only the excesses of the era, but the consequences as well. We also get to spend time in the world of Restoration theater (I will seriously look at anything having anything to do with Restoration theater) with a young actress who goes from getting booed off the stage, to being Wilmot's protege and mistress, to royal spy, to ultimately her own woman.
This is a dark movie. Literally, and figuratively. I'm going to have to watch it again on a smaller screen that is closer to my face and with better lighting because I have no idea what the white script on black says, but such screens take up a good part of the first few minutes of the film. I'm going to guess some historical information on the real John Wilmot, who would have been a rock star in today's parlance. As a poet, he was a favorite as well as a bane of Charles II, definitely not the kind of guy you'd want to bring home to mommy, because he'd charm her into a compromising position in the laundry room before she'd had so much as a chance to take his coat. That kind of guy, which actually makes the ultimate resolution believable on several different levels.
Johnny Depp, of course, was brilliant, as Wilmot in his prime, Wilmot on the downhill slide, Wilmot arguing passionately before the House of Lords regarding laws of succession (and dang, can that man make even a prosthetic metal nose look good.) The scenes that stuck with me the most are two: his appearance before Lords, loud, brash, painted and costumed to hide the disease that consumed his body and mind; and the quieter, more intimate confessional style frame of the film, that of a young Wilmot, without paint or artifice, first assuring the viewer they will not like him, and then at the end, asking with ever more vulnerable repetition, if they like him now. That's the kind of acting, and the kind of story, that I like to marinate in for a while; not think of anything else, or anything in particular, but let it sift into my brain and emotions as it will.
I've already written one book set at the tail end of the English Civil War and I can feel some Restoration stories making noise in the back of my brain, so this was a good time to see The Libertine. One of my favorite authors, Judith James, drew inspiration from Wilmot for her Libertine's Kiss, whose hero has a happier ending than the real Wilmot or Depp's portrayal. I'm thinking it's time for a reread.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Son of Saturday At the Movies: Colin Firth x2; A Single Man and Dorian Gray
All right, so it's been a while since we've had one of these entries, so no number for now. It's been a big few months, some of the big stuff good, some not, but one of the good things is finding the library system in Albany is amazing when it comes to movies, and I am once again gorging myself. This week, it's period dramas, no surprise there. This week, I borrowed two Colin Firth films and one Firth-less classic I've been meaning to see for literally decades, but more on that later.
Set during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, A Single Man doesn't dwell much on that world event, keeping the tight focus instead on the title character, George Falconer, a British college professor living and working in the US. George, when we meet him, is in deep grief over the death of his lover, Jim, some months past. Time has moved on, but George has not, the loss of Jim still as sharp and keen as when he first got word of the accident. George gets through his days but everything is empty, and the day that we meet George is in fact the day that he plans to make his last.
George methodically gets his affairs in order, says things he's always meant to say, everything so that he can be done with the never ending grief. The matter of fact tasks George performs are interspersed with vivid memories of life with Jim, which makes George's state all the keener. Life continues to pull at him; an inquisitive student, adult and child neighbors he's kept at arms' length, a chance encounter with a stranger, dinner with a female friend who deals with her own torment by different means. Colin Firth is amazing, and this is one film where every shot counts. The use of color, the incidental music, the blocking, set design, everything has a role in telling us George's story, and when the resolution comes, we can understand how it got there. Definitely have to buy this one for multiple viewings.
You know the story; Dorian doesn't age, but his picture does, and appearance is hugely important in this story, but it's not about looks. Oh sure, we have Ben Barnes and Colin Firth, and a gorgeous set with the right feel of opulent claustrophobia at all the right moments, but as the not-yet-corrupted Dorian says early on in the film, what about a man's soul? Colin Firth's Lord Henry scoffs at the very notion and commits his own soul to hell, later asking Dorian if he'll do the same. Wrong choice, Dorian. Wrong choice, but amazing story, courtesy of Oscar Wilde.
This is another one I have to own, so I can see it by myself and catch the multiple layers. Both lead actors do a marvelous job, and where Dorian throws himself into sybaritic excess, it's Henry who finds growth. Though he takes fatherhood lightly at first, the daughter born soon after Dorian makes his fateful choice, gives Henry the heart he'd always denied. Seasoned readers/viewers know where this is going. Dissolute Dorian, who has already had blood and everything else on his hands, falls for Henry's daughter, Emily. This is not a romance, and Dorian reaps what he sowed, big time. The climax is horrifying, both in what's shown and what's not, and even as we know this is how things have to end, there's still a smidge of sympathy for Dorian, who can't find a way to turn back from what he's become. The final scene with Henry, alone, haunts. I loved the way this movie handled the passage of time; motor cars, telephones, Henry ages, Dorian does not, the hissing breaths from the shaded portrait. There's tragic loves, grief, despair, gorgeous sets and costumes, friendships that go through hell, tasteful and yet visceral historical gore, all combining to leave me one very, very satisified viewer.
Neither of these are for the faint of heart, but for those who want to dive in deep into emotional viscera, two thumbs up. Next up for me: Dr. Zhivago.
Set during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, A Single Man doesn't dwell much on that world event, keeping the tight focus instead on the title character, George Falconer, a British college professor living and working in the US. George, when we meet him, is in deep grief over the death of his lover, Jim, some months past. Time has moved on, but George has not, the loss of Jim still as sharp and keen as when he first got word of the accident. George gets through his days but everything is empty, and the day that we meet George is in fact the day that he plans to make his last.
George methodically gets his affairs in order, says things he's always meant to say, everything so that he can be done with the never ending grief. The matter of fact tasks George performs are interspersed with vivid memories of life with Jim, which makes George's state all the keener. Life continues to pull at him; an inquisitive student, adult and child neighbors he's kept at arms' length, a chance encounter with a stranger, dinner with a female friend who deals with her own torment by different means. Colin Firth is amazing, and this is one film where every shot counts. The use of color, the incidental music, the blocking, set design, everything has a role in telling us George's story, and when the resolution comes, we can understand how it got there. Definitely have to buy this one for multiple viewings.
You know the story; Dorian doesn't age, but his picture does, and appearance is hugely important in this story, but it's not about looks. Oh sure, we have Ben Barnes and Colin Firth, and a gorgeous set with the right feel of opulent claustrophobia at all the right moments, but as the not-yet-corrupted Dorian says early on in the film, what about a man's soul? Colin Firth's Lord Henry scoffs at the very notion and commits his own soul to hell, later asking Dorian if he'll do the same. Wrong choice, Dorian. Wrong choice, but amazing story, courtesy of Oscar Wilde.
This is another one I have to own, so I can see it by myself and catch the multiple layers. Both lead actors do a marvelous job, and where Dorian throws himself into sybaritic excess, it's Henry who finds growth. Though he takes fatherhood lightly at first, the daughter born soon after Dorian makes his fateful choice, gives Henry the heart he'd always denied. Seasoned readers/viewers know where this is going. Dissolute Dorian, who has already had blood and everything else on his hands, falls for Henry's daughter, Emily. This is not a romance, and Dorian reaps what he sowed, big time. The climax is horrifying, both in what's shown and what's not, and even as we know this is how things have to end, there's still a smidge of sympathy for Dorian, who can't find a way to turn back from what he's become. The final scene with Henry, alone, haunts. I loved the way this movie handled the passage of time; motor cars, telephones, Henry ages, Dorian does not, the hissing breaths from the shaded portrait. There's tragic loves, grief, despair, gorgeous sets and costumes, friendships that go through hell, tasteful and yet visceral historical gore, all combining to leave me one very, very satisified viewer.
Neither of these are for the faint of heart, but for those who want to dive in deep into emotional viscera, two thumbs up. Next up for me: Dr. Zhivago.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #96 - Anna Karenina
First, it's a historical drama that is not a fictionalized biography. That alone would get me in the theater. Can't use the "it isn't Tolstoy" argument to fault the story because, well, it is Tolstoy. Anna Karenina. Then stick Keira Knightley and Jude Law in the same movie, produced by Working Title no less...yeah, I am going to be in that theater seat multiple times. All I ask is that they not mess with the ending. Please please please please. Not the happiest of endings, but I'm a proponent of staying true to the work.
Not getting on that soap box today, as time's a-wasting, so I will leave you with this gorgeous trailer from FilmTrailerZone. Will you be watching?
Not getting on that soap box today, as time's a-wasting, so I will leave you with this gorgeous trailer from FilmTrailerZone. Will you be watching?
Monday, September 24, 2012
Saturday At The Movies #95 - The Beauty Inside
No, you're not seeing things. It may be Monday, but Saturday at the Movies is back. Though I'm excited about the new TV season, today's feature is a Saturday at the Movies first - a web original.
I first stumbled onto The Beauty Inside by accident , when it came up before the video I'd meant to watch. Average guy gets out of the bed where his female companion still slumbers and furtively dresses in clothes that obviously do not fit. In voiceover, he introduces himself as Alex and mentions he has a condition- every time he wakes up, he's a different person. Literally.
They had me right there. Alex, played by, well, many different actors, never knows if the body that gets out of bed the next morning will be male, female, old, young, pretty, ugly, fat, thin, Caucasian, African-American, Asian, Hispanic, etc, etc, etc. Alex supports himself (voiceover is always male, and Alex seems to identify as such) by restoring antique furniture and doing business online. One gets the impression Alex knows how to handle this, and though it's far from normal, but normal for him. Work, one night stands, and a daily video diary so that he can keep track of who he's been. His bodies never repeat, so each diary entry ends with the same phrase, "that's it for me."
Now that we have the Ordinary World part of the story established, it's time for our protagonist to find his complication, and it comes in episode two, which introduces a love interest, Leah. Alex meets Leah when he ventures into the antique store where she works. He and Leah share the same passion for antiques, Alex is physically attracted to her and the chemistry is palpable...but how can he pursue a relationship when he doesn't know who he'll be tomorrow?
All I'm going to say is that there is a happily ever after. For those who love watching actors do this thing, this is a smorgasboard. While a couple of the Alexes will be familiar to the casual viewer, most will be new, which fits the character and the story. Since this film was cast on the internet, with an open call, there's a huge variety of Alexes, consistent with the single character.
The love story is gorgeous, one perfect night of sneaking into a museum to indulge their mutual love of the past, capped by Alex's bittersweet voiceover that he would see Leah again, but she would never see him. Or is there something he could do about that? Leah's journey to discovery and acceptance of Alex's condition is beautifully acted, and if this were made into a traditional television series, I can only imagine the dazzling array of Alexes we might encounter. There are only six episodes, and Alex and Leah's romance is complete, but I do have to add them to the list of couples I ship. This is one love story romance fans won't want to miss.
First episode here:
I first stumbled onto The Beauty Inside by accident , when it came up before the video I'd meant to watch. Average guy gets out of the bed where his female companion still slumbers and furtively dresses in clothes that obviously do not fit. In voiceover, he introduces himself as Alex and mentions he has a condition- every time he wakes up, he's a different person. Literally.
They had me right there. Alex, played by, well, many different actors, never knows if the body that gets out of bed the next morning will be male, female, old, young, pretty, ugly, fat, thin, Caucasian, African-American, Asian, Hispanic, etc, etc, etc. Alex supports himself (voiceover is always male, and Alex seems to identify as such) by restoring antique furniture and doing business online. One gets the impression Alex knows how to handle this, and though it's far from normal, but normal for him. Work, one night stands, and a daily video diary so that he can keep track of who he's been. His bodies never repeat, so each diary entry ends with the same phrase, "that's it for me."
Now that we have the Ordinary World part of the story established, it's time for our protagonist to find his complication, and it comes in episode two, which introduces a love interest, Leah. Alex meets Leah when he ventures into the antique store where she works. He and Leah share the same passion for antiques, Alex is physically attracted to her and the chemistry is palpable...but how can he pursue a relationship when he doesn't know who he'll be tomorrow?
All I'm going to say is that there is a happily ever after. For those who love watching actors do this thing, this is a smorgasboard. While a couple of the Alexes will be familiar to the casual viewer, most will be new, which fits the character and the story. Since this film was cast on the internet, with an open call, there's a huge variety of Alexes, consistent with the single character.
The love story is gorgeous, one perfect night of sneaking into a museum to indulge their mutual love of the past, capped by Alex's bittersweet voiceover that he would see Leah again, but she would never see him. Or is there something he could do about that? Leah's journey to discovery and acceptance of Alex's condition is beautifully acted, and if this were made into a traditional television series, I can only imagine the dazzling array of Alexes we might encounter. There are only six episodes, and Alex and Leah's romance is complete, but I do have to add them to the list of couples I ship. This is one love story romance fans won't want to miss.
First episode here:
Friday, August 17, 2012
Happy Dance Friday #108a - SYTYCD Mia Michaels week 1/8
Ahem.
You may have noted the "a" at the end of the post number, and there's a reason for that. The reason being that my birthday and Christmas seem to have come early this year and at the same time, with the first ever SYTYCD episode devoted to one choreographer, Mia Michaels, who happens to be my favorite contemporary choreographer (Travis Wall a close second, but more on him later.) Those who also read the Saturday at the Movies posts know that I like to compare remakes to the original, (as in post #39, Dueling Alfies) so when the top fourteen dancers get to recreate some of Mia Michaels' classic routines, there is only one thing this blogger can do.
Individual recaps. Yes, you read it right. This is a seven part Happy Dance Friday. Considering that real life things are happening at Stately Bowling Manor, Sunday is double booked (most likely) with committments, and other things are on Schroedinger's schedule (must plan to both do X and not do X until I know which way things go) more than usual, this does pose a challenge, but I think it's worth it. I tried condensing things into a single post and it couldn't be done.
So. We'll start with the opening group number. Nigel called this the Fifty Shades of Grey dance. I didn't make that connection, but then again, I haven't read the book (bailed out of the Masters of the Universe version at chapter five, for full disclosure)but if Nigel Lythgoe ever wants to name one of my titles on national TV, he can apply it to any choreography he wants. Mia looked a bit befuddled by the connection, so I'm guessing it's not on her nightstand.
I'm not familiar with Active Child or "Hanging On," but I know Mia Michaels always provides something special, so when I saw the combination of formalwear, birdcage skirts, the black/white/red color scheme, and cables coming from the ceiling, I knew we were going to see something out of the ordinary. Then we have flying dancers, roses flung about, amazing music, and it's bliss. YouTube is not liking me at the moment, and I'm getting long-winded, so clip posted by IdolXFactor2, here:
Best viewed fullscreen, because there is so much going on. I'm going to have to view this one a couple more times before I can comment more, but it definitely made me sit up and take notice, and whetted my appetite for what's to come.
How about you, dance fans? Are single-themed weeks a good idea for SYTYCD? If you could get Mia Michaels to choreograph any dancers to any music what would you pick?
Saturday, August 04, 2012
Saturday, Not at the Movies
No movie talk today (well, sort of. Postulating post on BBC's amazing White Heat miniseries, which will come later) but as my Second Life avatar ponders her world, (click to embiggen, and that is a theater behind her, so it sort of counts)I got pensive.
The northeast US is currently boiling in the sixth or seventh (I have lost count) heat wave of the summer, and the humidity level is at "swimming pool." DH wasn't up to attending our friends, Mary and Brian's, renewal of vows today, which was gorgeous and spiritual and romantic and intimate. I am declaring that we sat at the fun table for the reception, and I got to be a reception rock star by lending a set of multicolored highlighters to the six year old seated next to me (yes, this was a grownup table)so she could draw and color page after page of scary heart shaped guys. I have great hopes for this kid and her awesome aunt. Plus the bride insisted we have seconds on cake, and one cannot say no to the bride.
After the reception, my friend Linda and I headed to Barnes and Noble, coming away with a knitting magazine for her, the new issue of Where Women Create for me (which I first noticed because my brain said "Tessa got the cover, awesome!" Yeah, brain goes straight to Highlander shipping. Can you spot the romance writer here? No, that was not HL's Tessa nor her actress, Alexandra Vandernoot, but that's beside the point.) and of course a historical romance novel we will share, because that's what friends do. This time around, it was Persuasion by Brenda Joyce, which I will devour soon, but I may first want to wallow in Almost a Scandal by Elizabeth Essex.
I finished that in the wee hours of the morning and still want to marinate in the excellence. Scandal avoided, believably so, heroine disguised as male in a seagoing story, British navy, love the heroine's surprise sister-in-law/friend; all good stuff. I still have another of her books at home yet to read and need to go nab one more.
My humidified brain asks me where I was going with this, but I can tie it in. Mary and I first met and then bonded over a shared love of historical romance, so it was only natural I went straight to the bookstore after the reception. All of which puts me in the right mood to go home, shove DH over so I can sprawl on the bed in front of fan and air conditioning and fill my historical romance well, because there's a new work week coming, and I can't wait.
Oh, and that mist? It's swirling. I like swirling mist.
How's your weekend going?
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #94 - Beauty and the Beast 2.0
In the interests of full disclosure, no, I did not see the original Beauty and the Beast tv series. Love the fairy tale, love the concept of the series, but meh on Linda Hamilton, so gave the original a pass. I know, I know. Underground society of outcasts, in (or under) NYC, tortured romance, but if one of the leads doesn't do it for me, I'm going to have a hard time following. Plus I know what happened to one half of the couple and what the powers that be tried to stick in after that happened, and uh uh, ain't having that. No substitutions when it comes to romance h/hs, thanks.
Still an intriguing concept, though, and so my ears perked when I hear that the CW (also doing an adaptation of Green Arrow, though that's for another post) was doing a new version of the series for the upcoming season, I had to do a little poking around.
Maybe it's that I'm in the middle of a Moonlight rewatch - previously rhapsodized upon here, but I'm getting a similar feel for this; otherwordly hero who used to be human, has been watching over heroine from afar for some time, heroine is in a profession where she gets to investigate suspicious doings, etc, etc. Maybe it's that the background music happens to be "New York," by Snow Patrol, one of my current earworms and a story seed burrowing itself into my brain.
Or maybe it's that I flat out love the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. :shrug: Whatever it is, I'll be tuning in at least to the pilot and see how things go from there. Will you be watching? Fans of the original series, what do you think of the remake?
Still an intriguing concept, though, and so my ears perked when I hear that the CW (also doing an adaptation of Green Arrow, though that's for another post) was doing a new version of the series for the upcoming season, I had to do a little poking around.
Maybe it's that I'm in the middle of a Moonlight rewatch - previously rhapsodized upon here, but I'm getting a similar feel for this; otherwordly hero who used to be human, has been watching over heroine from afar for some time, heroine is in a profession where she gets to investigate suspicious doings, etc, etc. Maybe it's that the background music happens to be "New York," by Snow Patrol, one of my current earworms and a story seed burrowing itself into my brain.
Or maybe it's that I flat out love the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. :shrug: Whatever it is, I'll be tuning in at least to the pilot and see how things go from there. Will you be watching? Fans of the original series, what do you think of the remake?
Saturday, June 09, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #93 - Bel Ami
Okay, this one has Anna bait smeared all over it. It's a historical drama which is not a fictionalized biography, we have Belle Epoque Paris, gorgeous sets and costumes, and the original story is by Guy de Maupassant. Then we have a cast including Colm Meany (who can play anything, seriously)along with Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Christina Ricci, and though I'm not a Twilight fan, Robert Pattinson impressed me in Water For Elephants, so I'm very excited to see what he can do here.
For a fan of the gritty historical romance, this is a natural. Handsome young man back from the wars, impoverished, but when he learns that his looks are a valuable currency, then our story gets started. Some movies, I like going into blind, and for others, I like to do some research first. In this case, I'm not sure, but for those interested in becoming familiar with the original story, it's available as a free e-book at Project Gutenberg here:
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3733
The trope of a scoundrel making his way in high society is a common one in historical romance these days, though usually in the Regency period rather than later Victorian era, but the chance to see such a story, set in the era in which it was written, is a rare treat for historical fans. Not looking for a happily ever after here, though there will be encounters and at least one wedding, (two, if it hews to the original) and it's sure to be a feast for the eyes.
I'm sold. How about you?
Friday, June 08, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #92 - Take This Waltz
First, some confessions. One: I initially clicked on the trailer for this while scouting YouTube for dance clips. I have no idea if there is any dancing at all in this film. Two: I do not care. Three: I normally don't care for Seth Rogen, Michelle Williams or Sarah Silverman, but I aboslutely love when comedic actors can wow me with their dramatic chops (Adam Sandler, I am looking at you. Spanglish. That is all.) Four: I have watched the trailer for this film about elbenty billion times, because I cannot look away. I was a goner from the second the voiceover started.
The visuals are gorgeous, the music draws me in, and as for the plot, that of a happily married woman falling for her across the street neighbor...there are places that can go. Happy ending or not? Love triangle? End of a family? Is somebody going to end up sadder but wiser?
Should be available On Demand now, and in theaters June 29. See www.takethiswaltz.com for more details. Definitely catching this one ASAP, so stay tuned for review.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #91 - The Woman in Black
Let me correct that; I'm not much for gore. Horror, as in Edgar Allan Poe and Vincent Price and spooky 70s comics and Flowers in the Attic (book, not movie)is another matter, and I prefer psychological to supernatural, but that's another entry. The Woman in Black oozes atmosphere, and apart from one young girl who spews blood, it's not a gory movie. Creepy as all get out, though? Yeah. From the opening scene where three proper young Victorian(Edwardian? I'm foggy on the actual date of the story) girls stop playing with their porcelain dolls and, in unison, hop out the window (hint, they are not on the ground floor) we know we're in for some scares.
Though I haven't read the novel by Susan Hill, upon which this film is based, I like that the central horror is based on a local legend of a vengeful ghost, who has some serious "if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" issues, but what stuck with me most was the atmosphere. Being a romance writer, I'd have ended things differently, there would have been a romance between Daniel Radcliffe's character and the nursemaid. Though if one looks at the actual ending from a Victorian novel point of view, one could say that was a sort of a happily ever after, from a certain perspective.
I'm definitely going to have to watch this again to pay closer attention to the story, as I was too busy gawking at the gorgeous grungy splendor to catch everything, so this movie may get a second post. As luck would have it, Janet McTeer, who impressed me mightily in Albert Nobbs, hit it out of the park again here as a woman who warns our hero of the ghost's doings. Bonus points for using a pair of chiuahuas dressed in sailor suits for dramatic effect.
While researching for this entry, I read that The Woman in Black will be getting a sequel, entitled Angels of Death. No Daniel Radcliffe, though, as this is set a few decades later, but if the atmosphere is done as well, I'll be there, and I'm fairly certain Mr. Radcliffe will be on the screen again in something else.
What do you think, film fans? Did you see The Woman in Black? Do you think it needs a sequel? How did Daniel Radcliffe do in his first grownup movie?
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #90 - Albert Nobbs
One suspects Albert might have gone on like that were it not for the visiting Mr. Hubert Page, a house painter, whom the owner boards in Albert's room, despite Albert's protests. Albert, a woman who has been living as male since her teens, finds the close proximity too much to bear and the anxiety is palpable, especially when Hubert discovers Albert's secret. Albert cringes, both terrified and apologetic, but Hubert does nothing.
Soon enough, we find out why. Hubert, played to perfection by Janet McTeer, is also a female living as male, though with one important difference - a wife. Albert finds this fascinating, and as a restrained friendship forms, begins to add the idea of a wife to his tobacco shop dreams. His sight soon set on a maid, the blonde and pretty Helen, who is infatuated with the feckless Joe.
I won't go farther for those who haven't yet seen Albert Nobbs, but the real story here is in what isn't said. Silent looks say more than words in many cases. One scene, completely without dialogue, after a fever epidemic, when Albert and Hubert both venture outside in female clothing for the first time in decades, speaks volumes. Both actors do all the work with their posture and movements, one painfully poignant conversation executed entirely through facial expressions. Glenn Close can say more with locking a door and laying down on a bed than less competent actors can do with a whole movie full of dialogue.
The last act of this story fits with the tone of what's gone before, reminding viewers of difficult choices made in extenuating circumstances. One gets the sense that Albert hasn't quite been inhabiting the same world as those around him, and that the masculine appearance is only part of his story. We know only the facts of how Albert became Albert, but Albert keeps everything else close to the vest. His final reaction to an altercation between Helen and Joe says everything he has to say, again, without a word. His final reveal, as well, to one hotel employee, fits with everything else, entirely appropriate to the person Albert was. It may not be the happiest of endings, but it's the right one for this story.
What are you watching this weekend?
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #89 - The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel andExplaining the Intermission
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It's been a while. Life happens. In this case, it was DH's brush with kidney failure (thank God and modern medicine, he's now fine and back at work) and the resulting caregiving and I will never ever take that most rare and beautiful thing, the nap, for granted even once for the rest of my life.
That being said, all of the above means there is indeed a need for movies and tv. With tv season coming to a close - season finales of both Bones and How I Met Your Mother air tomorrow- and summer, the season of needing to seek air conditioning approaching, I'm on the lookout for a few good films. Haven't seen this one around here yet, but The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel had me at hello. Bill Nighy, Dame Judi Dench, and it's set in India? Ticket, please; I do not need to hear anything more. Already sold. For those who require a bit more, how does this strike you?
Since I still like the Saturday at the Movies and Happy Dance Friday numbers to be the same, looks like I have some fancy footwork to do in order to get things current, but then again, we do have season finales, summer season shows starting, it's summer blockbuster season before too long, and we'll need to bid hail and farewell to a few shows that had one bright shining season (Alcatraz and Awake, I shall miss you, my lovlies.) What are you looking forward to viewing this summer?
Friday, March 30, 2012
Happy Dance Friday #90, Saturday at the Movies #89, More Real Life, and I am Going Somewhere With This, Trust Me
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Originally, I was going to let the real life interlude have this spot and not post today. Still dealing with the events that led to last week's ER visit, wrangling the home while the home team is a man down, reasonably optimistic that the light at the end of the tunnel isn't a train, giving the writing doubt monster the stinkeye, needing a nice long nap, wondering if TBR pile could double as a pillow; all good reasons not to post today. Not to mention that it drives me crazy when my Happy Dance Friday and Saturday at the Movies numbers don't match, BUT....okay, two buts.
Second thing first (I'm punchy, just go with it) and reason for the triumphant baby turtle above. I realized that I do have some extremely minimal dance cred. Okay, more of a brush with fame. In certain circles. When my age could be measured in single digits. With pictures to prove, but they and I are not in the same place, so let's meet here again next week after I've had a chance to scan and upload, mkay? Thanks much. For now, I can honestly say that I took dance classes at a school founded by former Rockettes, sisters Romayne and Mary Ann Strilka. Ballet and tap, and while I did break my arm on the property, it was horsing around on the sidewalk outside rather than an injury for the art.
Which leads me to the first thing, which is where our Saturday at the Movies tag comes into play. I will admit to being a Degrassi fan from so far back that Mr. Simpson, the principal, was in junior high. So, when, during an airing of that show, I saw a promo for this one:
My first thought was, "hot dang, Degrassi with dancing." I wasn't far off. Our viewpoint character is Tara, a young dancer from rural Australia, who comes to the prestigious Dance Academy in Sydney to hone her craft. There, she meets students and teachers who all share a passion for dance -main discipline being ballet, but also including other forms, though I clear my throat and tap foot in annoyed fashion because there is no ballroom. Really, people? Really? Hip Hop but not ballroom? Really?- and have to navigate their own way through the vicissitudes of life.
While Tara has to learn how to go from being a big fish in a small pond to a small fish in a big pond, her fellow students have their own challenges. One must learn how to stand on her own and escape the shadow of her mother, a ballet superstar. Another must find a way to integrate his Jewish faith and dedication to dance. For another, dance is his one ticket out of an extremely rough life when even his last remaining relative wimps out on him. Plus there's a male ballet instructor who I know would have broken the heart of my time travel heroine oh so hard if she'd met him prior to the hero (after, pfft, he wouldn't even register.) Oh, and it's on two times per week, and what's this about season two already? (Possible shippy spoilers in clip below, FYI)
I'll be watching; will you? Does anybody else have ballet class memories to share?
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #88 - I saw the Decoy Bride
Short review: I loved this movie.
Longer review: This is exactly the kind of romantic comedy that works for me. David Tennant and Kelly MacDonald played their parts to perfection, the scenery was gorgeous, the supporting cast relatable and firmly rooted in the setting. What sticks with me most, though are the characters and the romance.
Aspiring guidebook writer Katie returns home to the tiny isle of Hegg after breaking up with her bad boy ex-fiance, right in time for the wedding of another ex, the last single man on the island. She's also right in time for another wedding, that of British author James, whose famed novel, The Ornithologist's Wife, is set on Hegg, making it the perfect venue for James' wedding to American actress Lara. The media gets wind of the nuptials and Lara's people hatch a plan; they'll stage a fake wedding, using Katie as the faux bride.
Problems ensue when Lara goes missing and both James and Katie sign their real names in the register, which is, as Katie puts it, "the legal part." Add in a lovesick paparazzo and Katie's terminally ill mother, whose illness takes a back seat to a serious case of wanderlust, and a neglected bathroom that may or may not be haunted by a cow. With the press in pursuit, James and Katie (aka John Johnson and Toilet Girl, as they know each other) go on the lam together.
As a romance writer, watching a romance where both principals are writers was a special treat. James' writing anxieties and Katie's determination will strike a chord, and the subplot of James finding his muse in the most unlikely places is absolutely heartwarming. A scene with an elderly couple who mistake James-in-disguise for a favorite bagpiper could melt a heart of stone. The road to happily ever after isn't easy for James and Katie, but that's the charm of it. This film gives them the room and time to grow, make mistakes and make things right.
Long story short, I am snapping this puppy up the very first second I see it on DVD, and wil leave you with this clip of one of the lovely musical selections, "Hide You Far Away" by Will Nott.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #87 - The Decoy Bride
Pretty much my reaction when I saw the trailer for The Decoy Bride on the Heroes and Heartbreakers blog. How much do I love this? Let us count the ways.
One: David Tennant. I fell madly for him in Blackpool, referenced here, as well as here and though I'm not a regular follower of Doctor Who, I loved "The Girl in the Fireplace" and Ten will always be "my" Doctor. So of course, the chance to see Mr. Tennant in a straight romantic lead, especially in a role that looks like something Hugh Grant could also pull off, and tell me his character is an author? Say no more, but wait, that's not all....
Two: Kelly MacDonald. Loved her with Bill Nighy in The Girl in the Cafe, as well as in Gosford Park, and am looking forward to Brave and Anna Karenina.
Three: Inhabitants of a small UK locale band together to put one over on outsiders. In this case, a Hollywood actress and her fiance, a British writer played by Mr. Tennant, who apparently has set his books on this particular isle...without ever visiting it. Cue media frenzy, cue marketing people arriving to put a spin on things, part of which involves a decoy bride to attract attention away from the real nuptials. Add in one accidental actual wedding, and hijinx ensue. With, it would seem, love as a byproduct.
Four: The music in the trailer inspired me to hunt down the composer, Julian Nott, who has more musical samples available here. Gorgeous instrumentals, though still no clue who does the snippet of the bit with vocals. On with the hunt.
Five: Can you resist this trailer? Can you really?
So what do you think, faithful readers?
Saturday, March 03, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #86 - Being Human (UK)
Confession: I haven't seen this yet. Not a bit apart from the few seconds I managed to see while we set up to record the two episodes that currently wait on the family DVR. Apart from my dearly beloved, dearly departed Moonlight I'm not that big on vampire shows. Still, as a CORW sister pointed out not that long ago, I do have a tendency to file the "para" off any paranormal dramas and study the human aspects of the supernatural characters. So it doesn't come as much of a surprise that when I can get my mitts on a program where that's kind of the whole point, well, yeah.
All flatmates George, Mitchell and Annie want is a normal life, only that's kind of a challenge when George is a werewolf, Mitchell is a vampire and Annie is a ghost. Which is pretty much all I know so far, but a show that "which deals more with the horror of living in modern Britain than the horror of the undead?" Sold. I do not need to hear more.
Normally, I don't jump into something like this, this far into the game. By my best guess, the episodes on the DVR are from series four (and big things are about to change, including most of the cast, I take it) so I expect I'll be doing a lot of "who's that" and "what are they talking about" and looking things up online while the show is on pause. Or it won't work for me after all, but that's why there are delete buttons.
Yes, I do know there is a US version, okay, more properly North American, as it's a US/Canadian endeavor, and I may peek at that in the future, as they're not trying to remake the UK version with different accents, but go more in the (pardon the pun) spirit of the thing:
Not to mention the UK's other offering, Becoming Human, which started as a web series, but apparently has moved to BBC3, but not yet found its way across the pond.
No time to dive into this new franchise today, so this was more of a preview post, so stay tuned for impressions of one who's come late to the party in a future entry. How about you, faithful readers? Have you had a taste of Being Human in any incarnation? What should a newbie know? Which side of the pond tickles your fancy?
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #85 - Ironically Oscar
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I say "Ironically Oscar" (different from "Ironically, Oscar," which would be an interesting opening line for something) becuase I opened this file at exactly the time the Oscars coverage started. Without, might I add, planning it that way, and with the exception of The King's Speech, which was eligible for last year's awards (oh, Colin Firth, you are excellent at everything in that movie)I don't remember the last Oscar-nominated film I've seen. Yep, still live a five minute walk from the multiplex and still very rarely go. In full disclosure, I must admit that I am watching last year's Puppy Bowl at this very moment, specifically Kitty Halftime.
The last week has seen sick hubby, recovering hubby, laptop that is either suicidal or showing its age, the final week of CORW's Book in Six Weeks program (my first time co-running the same) as well as judging the Golden Heart entries sent to me for this year (and looking forward to CORW's Golden Acorn, which will be landing on my desk soon)as well as crits for a long term critique partner, and that writing thing I've been told I do. Phew. Sounds like exactly the right time to sit in the dark with a tasty snack and have somebody tell me a story.
I don't watch the Oscars, and I'm not sure I can say why. I do get excited about the nominations (also the Emmys and People's Choice Awards) and envision which actors wait anxiously for the fateful phone call to announce their nomination, staring at the phone with a running chant of "ringringringringringringringringring,(expletive deleted)you (expletive deleted)" and which slumber peacefully on, because really, there are so many wonderful people doing so much amazing work that they themselves don't stand a snowball's chance in....huh? Who could be calling at this time of morning....OMGOMGOMG, this is THE phone call!
Ahem. Not that I've ever imagined which of the above I would be, should I somehow ever be eligible for the Academy's attention. Seeing as how I write romance novels, write about romance novels, and tell people who kissed on TV (the current way I describe my occupation when asked by new acquaintances)that is not likely to happen, but I have learned never to say never. Besides, who doesn't love a good period drama, especially one with a British setting? Nor have I ever mentally planned what I would wear to walk the red carpet...but if you're asking, I'm going to say vintage-inspired black lace over nude satin with patent leather ankle strap stilettoes, statement earrings and a fuschia clutch bag for a splash of color. Nothing the Fashion Police would pick to death or put in their worst dressed spotlight. Just to be sure, though, I would want to walk the carpet after Bjork and in front of whoever showed up in a sweatshirt and jeans. I call it the palate cleanser effect, and that would be heightened even further by my DH's classic tux. The man does know how to dress.
But I digress, and this is getting long, and yes, I do know that the image at the top is for last year's awards, but it's been that kind of week. Nobody's bleeding or on fire, so I'm calling it a good one...and keeping an eye out for the who-wore-whats of tonight's festivities. Okay, and who actually got to take home the statues. How about you, faithful readers? Do you watch the Oscars? Do you agree with this year's winners or nominees? Any predictions for next year?
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #84 - Awake
What if you could have the two things you love most in this world...but not at the same time?
That's the problem faced by our hero, Detective Michael Britten, when he's in a car accident along with his wife, Hannah, and their son, Rex. The first time waking up after a huge and unwanted life change is always a jolt, but what if that happened every day? For Det. Britten, that's exactly what it is. Every time he wakes, he wakes to one of two different realities. Either Hannah is alive and Rex is dead, or Rex is alive and Hannah is dead.
Every day, Det. Britten wakes to the opposite reality from the day before, and his life takes two different paths. Different partners at work, different therapists to help him deal with his losses. In one life, he and Hannah discuss having another child after losing Rex, and in another, our grieving widower hero begins to feel romantic stirrings for another woman. As disconcerting as that can be, he also finds he's able to make connections between his two lives, enabling him to solve previously impossible cases in both worlds. Which life is real and which the hallucination?
I have to admit, they had me right at the concept, but the cast drive it home Jason Isaacs (British actor playing American character alert)plays Det. Britten, while B.D. Wong, From Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, as one of his therapists makes me do a happy fangirl squee with flailing arms and everything. Then add Steve Harris, from The Practice, and Wilmer Valderrama, from That 70's Show, as our hero's partners, and this has the makings of appointment TV.
What do you think, faithful readers? Will you be staying awake for Awake?
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Saturday at the Movies #83 - The Woman in Black.
Chances of me getting to the theater this week = zero, and I may have shared this trailer, or an earlier version of it before, but with a day that tanked this badly, this early (did not get the promised snow, did get hubby home from work with same cold he gave me, blinding sunlight assaulting my corneas, and my Sims2 installation borked, which means I get to go hunting for the disks for my basegame, which are not where they are supposed to be, and I am the only Simmer in the household,so this is most curious.)I believe I get reasonable margin of error in this regard.
A suitable metaphor for my morning, only this image is cuter:
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But this isn't about me. This is the weekly movie post, though if I had the opportunity to sit in a dark room and consume popcorn and gummi bears while somebody tells me a story, I would be all over that, and out of the current offerings at the local cinema, this would be the one. Historical English setting, actor whose work I've been wanting to see, mysterious cloaked woman character, gorgeous feel to the visuals...yep, I'm there. When I get the chance. Spooky historical movies definitely register on my radar.
I haven't read the novel by Susan Hill, but I do know that there is at least one big departure from the original story, which irks me on principle, but A) I have not seen or read either version, and B) I find it interesting that such choice was made with such a young actor in the lead, so we'll see what's what with that during the actual movie.
What about you, faithful readers? Will you be seeing The Woman In Black? For those who have seen his prior work (or like me, haven't) how do you think he rates as a grown-up actor? What sort of role would you like to see him tackle next?
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