Best of the Year: Internet

Sure, I could divide the Internet into its various components. Recognition for the best commercial site, the best social networking site, the best news site, the best queer site. But that would take a heck of a lot of time and totally misrepresent the fact that there is only one place I go every day without fail: Modern Fabulousity. ModFab has great taste, solid reviews, keen insight. And it's all mixed in with a whole lot of fun and hotness.

We might disagree on a thing or two. He owes me $35 for Fuerzabruta (I was only fifty percent of the way there with him) and I had no doubt that Sweeney Todd (the Tim Burton version) was going to blow me away. And I still can't figure out how he doesn't get Pushing Daisies. But ModFab is a blast to read. It connects me to some of the best music on the web and to some other great writers on the web. And he's a proud, stand-up-and-count-me gay man. That makes him a great role model, too.

Gotta give a special shoutout to Blue Hampshire. Being new to the whole New Hampshire thing, no site has done a better job of keeping me informed about the candidates and my new home state.

Best of the Year: Live and on Stage

This was a tough and simple category. Should I choose something I saw and admired in 2007 or should I choose something that actually opened in 2007? Going in the latter direction, it occurred to me that I would never get the chance to select Spring Awakening as my pick of the year. So, the live performance I rank as number one this year is, indeed, Spring Awakening. It's a fresh show dealing with difficult themes. It contributes to the development of music theater by introducing new forms.

The cast is exuberant with John Gallagher (who departed last week) and Jonathan Groff (who just extended six months) as standouts. But the creative team gets the biggest nod here. The book, music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater are simply fantastic, and the package is amazingly well crafted by Michael Mayer. Bill T. Jones (choreography) and Kim Grigsby (musical direction) put their own stamps on the evening, as well.

I do my homework before I go to the theater. It's too frikkin expensive not to. The result is that I'm rarely surprised. I don't avoid spoilers, so heading into Spring Awakening, I knew a lot about the surprises in store. And still I was surprised. The show is so rich, so well done, so engaging that the chatter on the web can't reveal everything. That's masterful!

And if I had limited my choices to those that opened in 2007? Coram Boy. Another compelling night at the theater.

This year I saw perhaps the fewest live performances in the last two decades. But there were a few things that deserve honorable mention: Sweeney Todd demonstrated that there was still much to be mined in the John Doyle production. Judy Kaye was as good and as different from LuPone as possible. Iceland Dance completed its first American tour. The dances weren't always successful, but they could only have come out of Iceland. And Annie Lennox provided a thrilling evening at Symphony Hall in Boston.

Best of the Year: DVD

Knowing my great affection for Sigur Ros, my friends may be wondering why Hvarf-Heim, the last double disk from SR to drop, wasn't on my best of music choices yesterday. Well, it's an amazing album, but we can't have Sigur Ros top every category, can we? The choice for the best DVD of the year is not an easy one. A film like Shortbus, which is a great film that deserves a wider audience, could have easily topped my list this year. One of the many TV Box sets, like Hex or Slings and Arrows, that are difficult to find in the U.S. might have been there, too.

But no DVD release of the year moved me or excited me the way the Sigur Ros documentary/travellog Heima has done. Sigur Ros has always had a very "visual" sound, and their videos are among my favorites ever. Heima makes the argument that Sigur Ros is a product of its geography. We learn a little more about the members of the group, about their politics, and their great affection for their homeland. But mostly we get Sigur Ros performing in the most gorgeous of settings captured by the most gorgeous photography.

The idea is a simple one. After traveling the world in support of Takk, their 2005 album that did top my list (and many others), the band decides to travel across the villages and towns of Iceland. They play churches and town halls and open fields. Many moments are simply breathtaking.

I have to go back 25 years to find a film that moved me in similar ways. In 1982, I was bowled over by the marriage of music and visual images in Koyaanisqatsi, a film that still remains among the most important I have seen. I was humbled by the incredible artistry that unfolded before me on the screen. In 2007, I had that experience again with Heima. Sigur Ros is an amazing group of musicians and Heima brought me that feeling of discovering something new and fresh all over again.

Best of the Year: Television

No television program has brought more joy into our household than Pushing Daisies. Each week as many as 15 of us get together to watch Ned the Piemaker and his cohort of odd and endearing characters solve murders. But the murder mystery angle of the show is not what keeps us coming back each week. It's the fairy tale. Ned can bring people back to life by touching them, but if he touches them again they die forever. In the "Pie-lette" episode, Ned brings Chuck, the now grownup girl who gave him his first kiss when he was 10, back to life after her murder on a cruise ship. (By the way, if Ned doesn't touch the person he's brought back within 60 seconds someone else will die so the universe can right itself.) And so, Ned and Chuck are hopelessly in love and hopelessly unable to touch. The thought of it makes me weep, even as I type this.

There is much joy to be found in Pushing Daisies. The characters all care deeply about each other. They are a family, even though Chuck's aunts (the totally amazing, reason enough to watch the show Swoosie Kurtz and Ellen Greene) don't know she's alive. Olive Snook (the totally amazing, reason enough to watch the show Kristin Chenoweth) makes that connection, even as she tries to figure out Chuck's story and even as she pines away for the piemaker herself. And just when things are on the verge of sickly sweet, Chi McBride reminds us how surreal this whole thing is.

Pushing Daisies is a package, though. It's success is also due to incredible writing that is unlike anything else on the air. The narration is beautiful and moving, due in large part to the work of Jim Dale as the narrator. The colors are as surreal as the premise, so vibrant they cannot be found in nature. All of this is conducted under the sure baton on maestro Bryan Fuller, who creates a symphony of color and sound that moves the heart.

And what of Ned the Piemaker and Chuck? Lee Pace is perfect and Anna Friel has arrived at perfection over the first several episodes. It's hard to imagine the show working without either of these two, but it is Pace who stands out. Every smirk, every gesture, every line reading gets us closer to the experiencing the bittersweet world of Pushing Daisies.

OH YEAH! With that whole writers' strike going on, what are we to do for our PD fix? Run, don't walk, to get your hands on Wonderfalls, Fuller's 2004 Fox series that begat this year's favorite. It may just be the best show in the history of television.

Honorable mentions this year go to Ugly Betty, which is having a stellar sophomore season, The Closer, which has gotten better each season, and Damages, which was so drawn out it was painful to watch, but which was totally addictive thanks in large part to the work of Glenn Close.

Best of the Year: Music

So there's still one week left in the year, but no album has come close to The New Pornographer's Challengers as my choice for the best album of the year. Not a single track on the album misses, and the cumulative effect is an album of great wit, great insight and just plain great music. Carl Newman and company have released their best album to date. Nico Case shines as usual.

It's been years since I've given a specific album to people as a holiday gift. This year, quite a few people on my list got Challengers in their stockings. Four months after its release, the album still has a prized spot in my iPod. It should on yours, too.

Honorable mentions for the year go to Annie Lennox's Songs of Mass Destruction, Mika's Life in Cartoon Motion, Rufus Wainwright's Release the Stars, and the studio cast recording of Bare.

Charlie Wilson's War

It was with a small amount of trepidation that I went to see Charlie Wilson's War. I'm no fan of the work of Aaron Sorkin. Never saw an episode of West Wing that I could get into. Same with Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. A Few Good Men bored me. Until today, there's nothing of Sorkin's work that I would recommend. Until today.

Perhaps reined in by Mike Nichols or supported by the solid work of Tom Hanks (who also leaves me cold at times), Philip Seymour Hoffman and Julia Roberts, Charlie Wilson's War turns out to be a very good film. The humor is laugh-out-loud funny, but leaves you with that bad aftertaste that says, "Oh, maybe I shouldn't be laughing." It's humor that forces you to think, and that is an amazing way to comment on the current troubles.

Charlie Wilson is a flawed congressman who, after a moving visit to Afghanistan, pushes the U.S. to dramatically increase it's covert involvement in supporting the Afghans against the Soviet incursion. He's a good old boy politician to whom everyone owes a favor. So, it's within his power to bring the budget from $5 million to ultimately $5oo million, to get the CIA to change its philosophy that staying out will turn this into Russia's Vietnam, and to bring Israel together with Arab countries for mutual gain.

Hanks does a wonderful job of capturing the complexities of Wilson. Even when the script stumbles--and it does here and there, particularly in the last few minutes--Hanks is totally engaging. You can see the internal conflict of a man who laughs off ethics investigations and plays politics with natural ease. This cause means something to him.

Roberts gives a fine turn as the sixth wealthiest woman in Texas. For her this is a religious cause, and she brings her power to bear to get the cause on Wilson's radar. Similarly, Hoffman shines as Wilson's partner in bringing about U.S. involvement.

There's an absurdity to these proceedings that is captured beautifully by Mike Nichols. He's in great form here, and he serves up comedy at its most effective: thought provoking.

The film does falter in the final moments. To be sure, we all know the ending, but it's tough to swallow a preachy ending--we spent billions fighting the war, but can't even spend $1 milllion rebuilding the country--after a film that has shown us atrocity rather than preach about it.

Definitely one of the year's best, though!

Don't Quit While You're Ahead

The SpeakEasy Stage Company's production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood is great fun. Drood is one of the few Tony winners I never had a chance to see, so I'm grateful for the opportunity to take in a production of such fun and charm. The music hall setting of the show gives the company great freedom to involve the audience throughout. Members of the company connect with their sections of the audience from the start, and you find yourself rooting for your player throughout. It's a wonderful bonding moment that becomes totally engaging.

Drood, for those who don't remember, is the unfinished, serialized murder mystery by Charles Dickens, subsequently musicalized by Rupert Holmes. The 1985 production won a slew of Tony Awards and firmly entrenched the "let the audience decide the ending" gimmick used commonly on TV and in the theater these days. It obviously worked then and it definitely works now.

The SpeakEasy production is marvelously cast. Though a few off notes are hit here and there, the cast is uniformly charming and engaging. The choreography and direction make great use of the small stage, employing inventive solutions to theatrical problems.

Drood is the perfect musical for the season. Great fun, engaging. It just brought a big smile to my face.

Fun Fact: Halfway through the run of the Broadway production, Joe Papp changed the name of the play from The Mystery of Edwin Drood to, simply, Drood to secure a better position in the Times alphabetical theater listings.

Bare...the album

I've lived with Bare for a few days now. If you don't know the story behind the album release, Bare is a small show that played way-off broadway (in L.A. and New York) in 2004. It was announced for a commercial run that never materialized. A free highlights disk was released in anticipation of the commercial run. As the regional rights became available the creative team decided to do a full studio cast recording. They expected to sell a few disks, but were deluged with orders that delayed its arrival on my doorstep by almost a month.

I had the opportunity to see the New York production of Bare. While I thought it was tragically flawed, I also developed a great affection for the show. The original CD is one of the few recordings to have permanent space on my iPod. Having the complete recording has only increased my affection for the show. I think it's still flawed, but there are truly extraordinary moments throughout.

Since it's not a well-known show, a word about the plot. Bare is set in a Catholic boarding school, spanning the feast of the epiphany to high school graduation. Peter and Jason have been lovers throughout high school. Peter is ready to bust out of the closet; Jason isn't. The terrified Jason has a one-night stand with Ivy. She gets pregnant; Jason has even more to deal with...and he doesn't deal well.

What's to love? The recording has been beautifully assembled. The cast has not a single weak link. Matt Doyle (standing by over at Spring Awakening) is an amazing Peter. I thought Michael Arden offered the definitive Peter, but Matt does fantastic. James Snyder is fine as Jason. Jenna Leigh Green is also fine as Ivy. I think her performance on stage surpasses her album performance, but this is a quibble. She's also faced with a character I still find poorly drawn. (More on that in a moment.) All 12 actors who make up the student cast are great, and the adults are, too. A particular shout out to Kaitlin Hopkins who also repeats from the New York cast with great emotion.

The music is also great. Moving, memorable. People have said the music is a mashup of Rent and Spring Awakening, but it has great originality and beauty. The style is appropriate to the show. The lyrics, too, support the show well. There are certainly clunkers among the lyrics, but many more moments are inspired.

Bare particularly feels fresh and real--maybe even raw--in its representation of boarding school teens. Over the years, friends have recounted Catholic boarding school experiences, and their stories would fit right in with those in Bare. The cliques, drugs, relationships all ring true.

Most of the changes are for the good. The new lyrics for "Epiphany" give the opening a better vibe and cleaner start. Tweaks throughout add some nice humor (though there was always humor). Sister Chantelle gets a bluesier "911 Emergency," which is the only jarring change from the past recording.

So, why do I still hesitate? The cliche. For so much of the album I have the feeling that it ranks with the best I've heard. Nonetheless, I still struggle to get past Jason and Ivy's relationship. It's to cliche to have everyone consider her a slut, when we know she's a virgin. Really, her chastity serves only one function: to make it clear that Jason is the father when we realize she's pregnant in Act II. And Jason's struggle throughout often seems stuck firmly in the 80's. (SPOILER ALERT) The album allows for the possibility that Jason's death is an accidental overdose rather than a suicide, but his struggle with coming out feels so dated. That's in stark contrast to the rest of the story, which feels fresh and current.

And if that's my only complaint, it keeps Bare from being very great theater. Flaws and all, though, Bare is special. It's special for me personally, but it's also special because of the love and care that has gone into assembling the recording.

In addition to the video above, check out the website.

And check out these scenes from the NY production:

Enchanted?

Yes, I still am. I would count myself among the skeptics who doubted Enchanted was going to be all that. Well, truth be told, it is all that. It's an excellent film that will without a doubt charm the britches off the kids, but will resonate strongly with the rest of us. In fact, those of us weened on Disney films will find the iconic Disney moments thrilling.

The latest Disney heroine, Giselle (Amy Adams), is cast out of Andalasia--cartoon land--by the evil Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon) who will lose her crown when Giselle marries her son (James Marsden). Giselle ends up in modern day New York--live action land--where she applies her two dimensional fairytale charms to three dimensional problems. The resulting story takes a journey that is at once charming, sweet and laugh out-loud funny. Enchanted flips the Disney cartoon universe on its head.

The film stumbles here and there. Patrick Dempsey is his typical sexy, charming self, but there's nothing new here. Idina Menzel is stereotyped, though her performance is redeemed at the end. The story drags in places.

But these are quibbles. Enchanted is so good as to almost be subversive. Almost. It is Disney after all.

For a great guide to Disney films that are quoted in Enchanted see our bud at maninchair.

Thumpa Thumpa Theater

I'm always a little disappointed when my first thought at the end of a show is "I feel like I got my money's worth." I guess that's better than leaving with with the feeling that I didn't get my money's worth, but my experiences at the theater--even bad theater--are generally so much richer and worthy of ongoing thought.

But that is exactly the feeling I had last night at the end of Fuerzabruta, the off-broadway experience at the Daryl Roth Theatre in Union Square. Most people I know seem to think that "from the people who brought you De La Guarda" is sufficient description of the show. The show is a hour-long collection of set pieces accompanied by an awesome, pounding techno beat organized around the idea that it takes brute force to get through life.

Fuerzabruta is fiercely creative. You're never amazed with the thought of how did they do that, but always amazed at the thought of how did they think of that. And you're always part of the show. You have to let yourself be seduced. Otherwise, the annoyance of being stepped on as the audience gets shifted around or the combination of mist and powder forms a glue on your clothes will get to you.

After being relocated the first couple of times, I did get into it. I liked being part of the audience. And in the final moments, when you're forced to commit or stay on the sidelines, it was awesome to commit. I think I even registered a little disapproval at those on the margins who refused to jump in and dance in the rain.

So, how best to experience Fuerzabruta. Think of it as going to a club with a circus going on all around you. Does that mean it's for the clubkids? Well, they were there in force and right in the center of things from start to finish. But it's also for those of us who can enjoy and appreciate creativity with a throbbing techno beat.

For those interested, here's the trailer. There's also lots more on YouTube, since there's no prohibition against photography (only flashes). Fair warning, though: my companions felt the trailer gave away 95 percent of the show.

Beautiful Streamers

The Huntington Theatre production of Streamers is a solid, functional production of an important American play. But this Streamers lacks the intensity and shock that it had when I saw the film version many years ago. Perhaps times have changed. Perhaps we have changed. The effect, though, is a production that feels more like a historical artifact than one that makes David Rabe's Vietnam drama feel fresh and relevant.

Scott Ellis has assembled a fine cast and his direction certainly supports the text, but once again much of it feels like a stage version of the 1984 Robert Altman film, which itself felt rather, well, stagey.

So, I'm very glad I saw it, but disappointed that it no longer had the relevance it had two decades ago.

Annie Lennox at Symphony Hall

Annie Lennox closed out her Songs of Mass Destruction tour last night at Boston's Symphony Hall. Latennox was on tour in support of Eurythmic's second album last time I saw her, and in the intervening years she has achieved greatness as a musician and thinker. And there was something about the concert last night that left me feeling honored to have witnessed it.

Lennox has been such a strong force in my life for so many years that I had to be there. And she was amazing. But, she was amazing in spite of...

In spite of the fact that her voice was raw and harsh. Thank goodness for her this was the last stop on the tour. I don't think she could have made it through another stop.

In spite of the fact that the projections detracted so much from the performance. For almost every song that has had a video, images from the video projected on the screen about her head. Only once was a live shot used. That only made those of us farther from the stage want more live shots. But no. When the screen was used effectively--particularly with "Dark Road" and "Sing"--the effect was dramatic. But most of the screen time was wasted with stock images from years past.

But the set list was perfect. She gave stirring renditions of classics and new songs, often in new, interesting arrangements. She, unexpectedly, included a healthy dose of Eurythmic songs, including the classics and, better, the best (e.g., "There Must Be an Angel" and "When Tomorrow Comes.")

The chatter was very limited, but nice. And it was always front and center that the night was special because it was the last night of the tour.

Songs of Mass Destruction is the best of Lennox's four solo albums. She's still out to change the world, and the concert made that all the more clear...and possible.

Oh yeah, Rosie and Kelly were there, too. It was fascinating to see the wave across the audience as people realized she was there. Thanks to Rosie for posting this:



All in all, a pretty phenomenal experience!

Whole New Thing

To be honest, I purchased Whole New Thing because I needed to top off my DVD order to get free shipping. It looked most interesting among the dvd's I new nothing about. Is it a great movie? No. Am I glad I got it? Most certainly.

Whole New Thing tells the story of Emerson (Aaron Webber), a 13-year-old boy sent to public school after being home schooled for all his life. Emerson deals with adjustment issues, including a wicked crush on his English teacher. Besides the marital difficulties his parents face, there's not much else that happens.

The thing is, Webber and the film do a great job of capturing the social awkwardness of a teen being thrust into his first social situation with kids his own age. His social interactions--at least in film terms--largely involved giving massages to his parents' friends. Emerson is incredibly self-confident, but not easily able to engage with those he meets. He thinks nothing of stripping naked with another 13-year-old boy for a sauna before they do math homework.

Given his history, then, it's not surprising that he connects more readily with his teacher (Daniel MacIvor), a closeted man who gets sexual release from rest-stop sex. This creates another awkward dynamic. Emerson is clearly the aggressor in this relationship. It's a crush, but it's also a crush by someone who doesn't know appropriate boundaries.

Webber is always engaging and is supported by strong players. The ending of the film is not particularly satisfying, but in a slice-of-life story, there's always more to follow. And that's okay.

Iceland Dance

Last night, I got to see a New England performance by Iceland Dance, now on its first ever U.S. tour. The company opened with Peter Anderson's "Critic's Choice," a multimedia, interactive piece in which the performers--dancing to the music of Otis Redding--are accompanied by an ongoing dialog between a critic from the company and the composer via a webcam. I thought the piece was fascinating. The dancers were fantastic and the concept engaging and distancing at the same time. Go Brecht.

The second act comprised two pieces: the duet, "Elsa," and "Man is Always Alone." Both worked well.

Iceland Dance uses traditional dance forms in very contemporary ways. While the "Critics" really impressed me, the evening itself was very impressive. When I visited Iceland, I felt that I had visited a culture that was founded on the same ideas and concepts of many cultures. But because of its isolation and desolation (it is, afterall, a big hunk of lava rock), the culture flourished in its own direction and on its own terms. That's what I felt about Iceland Dance, too.

Attend the Tale...

I've seen many productions of Sweeney Todd over the years. Most recently I've seen the Mrs. Lovetts of Christine Baranski, Patti LuPone and, now, Judy Kaye. I've seen recreations of the original production--well the tour at least--small productions by local groups and the Sondheim Festival production. Last year, I saw the John Doyle production with LuPone, and I was blown away. The only negative comment I had at the time was the distraction caused by how overwhelmed I was by the talent onstage. It went something like this: "Oh my god, now he's playing the violin, now he's playing the clarinet, now he's playing the keyboard, and he's singing at the same time. Wait, did Sweeney just kill someone?"

I was thrilled that my first foray into Boston theater was going to be the Sweeney tour, because I wanted to share the experience and relive it. The talent is just as amazing, but the wonder of this production is that it felt fresh and different. Like Chris Caggiano at Everything I Know I learned from Musicals I saw the Todd understudy David Garry. I found the performance to be a compelling one, though undersung. (Someone asked, "Does Sweeney always shout his lines?")

But this is Judy Kaye's Sweeney Todd. She brings a new sensibility to the role, and it has most to do with what I liked about the tour. She gets nice laughs, but different ones than LuPone. Her performance isn't quite as dark, but it makes for a more menacing climax. And when Sweeney is ushering Mrs. Lovett to her death, she's already sensed the inevitability of it in a way that moved me more than other productions.

The other compelling performance in the tour, and almost as responsible for its freshness is Edmund Bagnell in the pivotal role of Tobias. Caggiano is dead on when he notes that Bagnell brings a different but equally compelling performance to that of Manoel Felciano in the Broadway incarnation.

Finally, snaps to John Doyle for direction that remains crisp and illuminating. The sparseness of the orchestrations allow for the lyrics to shine through in wondrous ways. The conceit of having actors and orchestra in one is still fresh and creative.

And at the end of the show I still had to say, "Where do they find such incredible talent?"

Mike Clayton

I will see any film that has Tilda Swinton in it. My affection for her goes back to her earliest work for Derek Jarman. She elevates any project she's associated with, and if they're not always great films, Swinton elevates them.

Michael Clayton is not a bad film. It's actually intriguing. Hours seem to pass before you have any sense of what's happening. That's not a totally bad thing, although the film does really drag in places. Largely, it works, though. The ambiguity is engaging rather than off-putting.

This is among George Clooney's better roles and better performances. The wink-and-nod characterizations that have driven much of his work is largely absent from his Michael Clayton. Clooney is supported by a great cast, and by that I mean more than Swinton. Swinton, however, stands out in a tortured, harsh performance. Tom Wilkinson provides a moral center to a film that struggles to find it. Sydney Pollack also stands out.

Michael Clayton has stayed with me in interesting ways. Perhaps the moral ambiguity of our time gives it a resonance I didn't quite realize.

Time to Catch Up...Across the Universe

I'm spending a little time today catching up on a few posts after a crazy few weeks. I'm told that if you go for more than two weeks without blogging, you're a poseur. Well, dammit, I've been busy. However, I did manage to catch a few things here and there (wipe that smirk off your face).

Count me as one of the big fans of Across the Universe. Yes, I'm a Julie Taymor devotee. I'd have to look hard for a more creative mind. While Across the Universe is not her best work, it's a strong, powerful film. Taymor does a masterful job of evoking the period and setting a compelling story within it.

I like the Beatles, but they didn't define my youth. Most Beatles music I own is recorded by someone else. But I do appreciate their importance to those who came of age during my diaper years. The songs provide a great context for the story.

The film is trippy. The visual imagery is incredible.

In May 2006, I saw the CanStage production of Hair. It was so powerful, I drove up to see it again the night before I moved from New York to New Hampshire. I'd seen Hair many times, but every prior production was a nostalgia piece, a greatest hits of the 60s. There was no attempt at relevance beyond that. The CanStage production was the first production to argue for the continued relevance of Hair.

I got the same sense from Across the Universe. Taymor locates the Beatles music in a context that is real, gritty, psychedelic. The performances--mostly--feel like they're located in the period. The leads are good, and the supporting players are better.

The New Fall Season...So Far

People ask me constantly, "What do you like about the new fall season?" Being a television-obsessed individual, I certainly have an answer. Unfortunately, I've been watching too much tv to give an answer...until today. Let's start with my top five new shows. This amazing feat will be accomplished in order!

Pushing Daisies. People who know me know that this would have to be my favorite show of the season, new or old. Why? The easy answer is that Wonderfalls is my favorite show ever. Daisies borrows heavily from the creative team and has a similar likable oddness to it. But Daisies is a fairy tale, and a compelling one at that. The narration by Jim Dale (in an unfortunately narration heavy season) makes the show utterly charming. The cast is just about my dream cast. Lee Pace (amazing in Wonderfalls) is so charming and crushworthy that I could feel the room swooning. The supporting cast includes Swoosie Kurtz, Ellen Greene, Kristen Chenoweth, Chi McBride (all among my favorite actors) and Anna Friel. I don't often comment on the art direction of a television show, but the charm is so enhanced by the colors and stylized sets, that it makes for a wonderfully beautiful image and a great show.

Reaper. Two of my top-five shows are ones I hadn't anticipated watching. Networks take note: Free downloads work! Reaper was one I recorded because I had space on my Tivo. I'm hooked. Bret Harrison is perfect for the slacker who becomes a superhero, Sam. Ray Wise is almost too perfect as the devil who comes to collect Sam's soul after his parents sold it 21 years earlier. The show is laugh-out-loud funny, but it also has something to chew on. As the reluctant demon-slayer, Sam is learning some life lessons. And the devil makes a pretty decent father figure. And there is brilliance in involving Kevin Smith in this project.

Aliens in America. I'm a little nervous about putting this in my top five so soon, but I was totally seduced by Aliens in America. Raja, a Pakistani exchange student, comes to live with the Tolchucks and hijinks ensue. Except that when Justin Tolchuck accepts Raja into his life, so do we. The fish out of water elements only inform a story with great heart. And it is funny. I was skeptical for the first 15 minutes, but when daughter Claire blurts out "Mom, I wanna go on the pill" in the middle of a family crisis, I was hooked. And in the last five minutes I was seduced.

Moonlight. Film noir is difficult to do on television and very difficult to maintain on television, but I have hope for Moonlight. The style, narration, flashbacks all create this great atmosphere. I don't love it yet, but I might. It is a David Greenwalt project, after all.

Chuck. It's the other slacker/superhero show this season. While it's not as crisp and engaging as Reaper, it has great charm, it has Sarah Lancaster, and it has the great fortune of preceding Heroes. All good!

I'm still not sure about Private Practice and Dirty, Sexy Money, both of which I continue to record.

I am sure about Grey's Anatomy, which I am deserting. After last season, I wasn't even sure I'd give it a chance this season. I am dismayed by the poor choices the writers and the actors continue to make. Mostly, though, I cannot abide George with Izzie. It's wrong, it's unappealing, it's free of chemistry. Buh-bye.

Heroes and Ugly Betty continue to impress. And I'm finishing up the seasons of Eureka (a respectable and enjoyable second season), Damages (could you resolve this already) and Weeds (great, improved, fun...with a little danger built in).

And now that I've made it through the opening week of the season, maybe I can get back to the movies.

Suzanne Vega in Brattleboro

Touring in support of her new release, Crime and Beauty, Suzanne Vega stopped in Brattleboro, Vermont at the Latchis Theater. It was the perfect set. Vega looked almost exactly the same as she did 20 years ago when I saw her at Symphony Hall in Salt Lake City. She's become only slightly more animated in the last two decades, but much more charmingly self-deprecating about it.

Vega's set was a perfect blend of songs from the new album, traditional versions of older songs and updated versions of classic tunes. A bass only version of "Left of Center" and a traditional rendering of "In Liverpool" were amazing. The concluding number, "The Queen and the Soldier," was the song that seduced me more than two decades ago resonates with greater intensity today.

Perfect!

Talk to Me

I had a chance to see Talk to Me last week. Like the last bio-pic I reviewed, this one was all about the acting. Don Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor, as 1960s Washington radio personalities Petey Green and Dewey Hughes, give phenomenal performances. Every Don Cheadle performance has become something of a revelation. Such variety. The film is good. There are too many sections that drag--the film feels very very long--but there are also moments of extraordinary impact. The section of the film that covers the assassination of Martin Luther King is as moving and important as anything that will be released this year.

Three Albums to Recommend

I've been rotating almost non-stop among three albums that I want to write about today. Starting off with the album that is, without a doubt, my favorite of the year, so far. The New Pornographers released Challengers last month, and it's great. A.C. Newman, the primary creative force behind The New P's, has assembled a series of tracks that engage the ear and the brain from its opening notes. Neko Case provides great vocal support. I loved Twin Cinema, the last drop from the band, but Challengers is more impressive. The lyrics employ wonderful turns of phrase and the music is intellectual and visceral.

Also, if you haven't checked out The New Pornographers and the Case of Neko, take a look. It's a little dated, but an interesting look at band relations.

Some critics have talked about Challengers as the soundtrack for the summer, and A.C. has talked about Brian Wilson as an influence. I find The New P's music to be a little too fabulous to think of them as my beach music. More Bowie than Brian.

So what was my soundtrack to the summer? Easy! Junior Senior has released the bounciest, can't-get-it-out-of-my-head album I've heard in a long time. I can't can't get the t-t-title out of my head--Hey Hey My My Yo Yo. Every song is rather infectious, but getting Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson to provide vocals on "Take My Time" is so totally cool that any missteps can be totally forgiven. (And by the way, the supplemental disc in the States, Say Hello Wave Goodbye is kind of a misstep.) Add to the guest lineup Le Tigre and The Velvelettes and you've got a roaring good time. This is very bright music. You'll need sunglasses. But, hey, isn't that what the soundtrack to the summer is all about.

And when it's time to mellow out after hours of driving rhythms, check out Goodbye from Ulrich Schnauss. It got into Schnauss after reading a review of A Strangely Isolated Place, and that disc remains one of my desert island discs. Schnauss is like a found-objects artist, only he's working with sounds. Whether it's samples or industrial sounds or vocals, Schnauss pieces together music that is so much more than the sum of its parts. His music is sweeping and evokes very visual imagery with it. Goodbye creates a beautiful landscape, one that's easy to get lost in.

Two that I Missed...Until Now

I'm sure you'll have to search pretty hard to find someone else who reviews and Snakes on a Plane and Little Children in the same review. I missed them both in their initial theatrical runs, but I had a chance to catch them both this weekend.

Snakes on a Plane is generally not my kind of film. The horror genre is the one that I avoid for many reasons. Mostly, though, they just don't interest me. The last horror film I saw was 28 Days Later (partially) and before that, Blair Witch Project. My need to participate in a cultural phenomenon supersedes my dislike of the genre, so I needed to see Snakes at some point. And now I have. Don't lose all respect for me, but...I didn't hate it.

To be sure, Snakes on a Plane is not a good movie. But it is a decent movie for those of us who don't particularly like horror films. It's totally far fetched, but it's easy to go along for the ride. The humor is more effective than the horror, and you have to give the creative team snaps for finding creative ways to expose naughty bits to the snakes on the plane. And the film wisely stays away from the horror-porn that is typical of the genre right now. Sure, Samuel Jackson and Julianna Margulies are slumming, but they also help elevate the film into something a little more interesting. And there were fleeting moments when I actually felt a little something for the characters.

If Snakes on a Plane is an internet-fueled curiosity, Little Children is the kind of film that pops up below the radar and stays with you a long. long time. Little Children tackles the issue of loneliness that comes from a troubled marriage. This happens in the context of a registered sex offender that moves into the neighborhood, where Patrick Wilson and Kate Winslet are the the primary caregivers of their 3-year-olds. Both have been largely unsuccessful in their own lives and are needier than what their partners are providing. Thus, they end up in a relationship of great intensity and satisfaction. Will they end up together? Can they?

The film is not without its problems, and the elements don't always end up in a clear whole. The acting does elevate the film. Wilson and Winslet give great performances, supported by equally strong performances from Jennifer Connelly and Jackie Earle Haley.

There's a lot to dwell on here. Since it was released theatrically, friends have been asking me whether I've seen it yet. Now I have. It makes sense that people want to talk about it. Part of the reason is that it raises issues that we all deal with and handles them in very compelling ways. Still, though, Little Children is not quite satisfying in that it gives us two lead characters who are largely aimless (he continues to take and fail the bar exam, she never finishes her dissertation) and fall into and maintain their relationship the same way.

La Vie En Rose

Edith Piaf had moments of striking darkness and light. The bio-pic La Vie en Rose captures the tortured soul of Piaf. It takes risks that don't always pay off, but you always appreciate the risk-taking. Piaf is defiant and strong-willed, even as her frail body is wracked with pain. From the opening scenes, the film is a long march to "Non, je ne regrette rien,"

No one takes greater risks than Marion Cotillard, who gives an Oscar worthy performance as Piaf. She creates a character at once unlikable, lovable and genius. Piaf lived a hard life from her first days to her last. It's a complex portrait made all the more compelling by its physicality (or at times, lack thereof). Piaf was small and frail for most of her life. By the time she died at 47, her body was twisted from arthritis, a car crash and addictions. Cotillard brings all of this together in a performance the is never less than compelling, but is often more. She is at once harsh and vulnerable, steadfast and broken.

The film also takes risks by placing key events in Piaf's life out of chronological order. The film is not a straight biography in that it attempts to make connections among various events in Piaf's life by connecting them in the film. In fact, one major event in her life is not even foreshadowed until her last night and the last moments of the film. Does this work? Largely, yes. Piaf's life story is largely a mystery, so it works to bring things together in mysterious ways.

As film biographies go, Piaf's is one that is compelling and not well known, particularly in the U.S. La Vie En Rose is a worthy entry transported by an extraordinary performance.

Boy Culture

The DVD release of Boy Culture has got me thinking about Q. Allen Brocka's work. I like it. While most of it is almost-direct-to-video gay niche filmmaking, there's a charm and guerrilla aspect that comes perhaps from (what feels like) 5-day shoots. Boy Culture tries to take that up a notch. It's a more serious film, with stronger production values and a greater focus.

X (Derek Magyar) is a hustler who's only able to have meaningless sex when he's compensated. Sex without money must be accompanied by love, and he struggles to commit. He's clearly in love (romantically) with his roommate Andrew (Darryl Stephens) and (paternally) with his other roommate Joey (Jonathan Trent).

Brocka pulls out a host of cliche's: X can only open up to one of his tricks, an older queen who only wants to talk--at least until X wants him for more than his money. X narrates the film with the patter of a film noir detective. X struggles with a gay culture in which sex is meaningless.

But along the journey, the film develops a point of view that makes the conclusion, not only satisfying, but inevitable and real. You feel for the characters. Their journeys, however cliche they might be, seem real, because they are so familiar.

Does Boy Culture work for a non-gay audience? I'm not so sure it will. It still screams niche, not universality but there are keen insights and the pathos might speak to a broader audience. For the gay crowd, definitely worth a look!

Once

Once has been getting great reviews and is being held over for a gazillion weeks wherever it plays. I missed it when it came to Keene and had been contemplating a visit to Amherst where it's held over for 20 or so weeks. Now I've seen it and I can say without reservation...huh?

This is a slice of life meditation on the relationship of two people, "guy" and "girl," street musician and pianist immigrant, who meet and and negotiate a relationship as they write songs together. It is a sweet film, but unsuccessful for me on so many levels.

The characters are largely unappealing. Glen Hansard makes guy largely pathetic, a little stalkerish, amd rather unattractive. Markéta Irglová is more successful with girl, though she's shortchanged on the songs.

I've heard a number of people say that Once is how a film musical should be done. I was definitely in the minority here, but I found the music to be bland and uninteresting. Visually, the handheld effect was headache inducing.

Once screams to be taken seriously as art, as an art house film, and as a reinvention of the film musical. It fails on all accounts.

Superbad

I don't get Judd Apatow films. Intellectually, I can appreciate how people would find his films funny. I can accept the argument that he has elevated comedy to a new level of intelligence. Freaks and Geeks was a favorite of mine during it's brief run on NBC. But his films--from The 40 Year Old Virgin to Anchorman--elicit barely a single laugh from me. The best I can say is that his films have touching resolutions that almost justify the blandness of the previous two hours.

Of course, none of that would stop me from seeing yet another Judd Apatow produced film. Superbad...strong reviews, appealing cast...This might be the one, right? Wrong. It kept me disinterested until the last moments. The thing is, I like a penis joke as much as the next guy. And the dozens of them in Superbad were clearly landing with the audience. But to what end?

The concept behind Superbad is the tried and true we're-going-off-to-college-we're-going-to-miss-each-other-terribly-and-oh-yes-we-need-to-get-laid teen-oriented, heartfelt comedy. Seth and Evan promise the objects of their affection--well, lust--that they will bring the booze to the super-awesome party that evening. Along with the wacky adventures of two teens trying to by alcohol, they get to process all of the feelings of two friends since childhood going to separate colleges. Throw in the equally wacky, though largely gratuitous, adventures of their pseudo-friend McLovin, and you get a typical teen comedy plus.

I must admit, I may have missed some of the dialog as "Guy Love" from Scrubs: the Musical kept playing louder and louder in my head. The "we're not gay, we're close" moments we're thankfully short, and the awkwardness of two straight guys who love each other trying to demonstrate affection for each other was only slightly forced.

What works is more a product of the sensitivity and finess of the three actors. Michael Cera has great subtlety and a sweet range of emotion; Jonah Hill is over the top, but mostly appropriately so--but he never made me laugh; Christopher Mintz-Plasse did. It's only seconds before CM-P is the new Jon Heder.

In the end, though I never quite got it, the last scenes make the film worth it. Though the plot is forced, the emotion feels real, and that makes the film's conclusion satisfying.

Mel on Mile High and Damages

Can a show that has not a single likable character be good television? That's the question I've been asking myself since I finished the entire British series Mile High (39 episodes) and the first four episodes of the new Glenn Close legal drama, Damages. In both shows every character--from star to dayplayer--remains unlikable. Certainly, I prefer my drama to have characters that are troubled or morally flawed. But there's a difference between those types of characters and those where you say, "I'd never be friends with this lot. Not a one of them."

Mile High is a British series about...wait for it...flight attendants and pilots. The descriptions and many of the reviews would have you believe its Ab Fab in the sky, or something close to that. In actuality, the madcap adventures of the eight or so regular flight attendants and two pilots have dire consequences. Each character is judgmental and morally righteous, except when it comes to himself or herself.

Only four characters make it from the first episode to the last. At the end of Series 1, about half the cast is replaced with no explanation. At the end of Series 2, Part 1 there's another huge turnover, also with no closure. And the "shocking" finale--which is actually quite interesting in design--only gives us a satisfying end for two of the major characters.

The big problem with Mile High is that it takes a certain glee in how pathetic its major characters are. Will is almost every gay cliche thrown into a mix. He's a bitter, self-centered, manipulative, vindictive, sexually compulsive partyboy. Janis is a pathetic loaner who is a total bitch to cover her loneliness. Le Hann destroys every relationship she's involved in, because she is always suspecting and distrusting her partners. The show relies on tons of cliches, but never with irony or camp.

The thing is, the show held my attention for most of 39 episodes, even as I was actively hating it. Maybe it was because I constantly held out hope that someone would do something decent for honorable reasons. Maybe it was for the liberal display of naughty bits that British television does so well.

Damages also populates with a roster of unlikeable characters. Here, though, the promotional materials explain that they're complex characters. Therefore, it's okay that each is basically morally flawed (which, by the way, I generally like in a character), lying, cheating, mean, manipulative and potentially violent. Or at least willing to have others do violence on their behalf.

Damages is well written and the production values are top notch. The casting is superb, and Glennie's performance is complex and riveting. I continue to watch, but at the end of every episode I have to wonder what I see in the show.

In the end, I remain ambivalent about both shows. I'm glad to see them, but troubled and largely disengaged from them.

Bourne Ultimatum

Ok, I know I saw Bourne Ultimatum two weeks ago now. I'm kind of sorry it's taken me awhile to write about it, because I do think it's one of the best summer movies. By that I mean that it is one of the best films released this summer and that it is an excellent example of the summer genre--action packed with a little something to chew on.

It's not big deal that Bourne Ultimatum shares nothing with the Ludlam series except a concept and a title. That has been true of the trilogy, although it's even more true in the third film. Here, Jason Bourne, played with appropriate demeanor and physicality by Matt Damon, is determined to find out his identity. It's a quest that takes him to a range of locations, culminating in New York. The cast, both the good guys and the bad guys, get rich characters. Joan Allen is given more to do than in previous films, and that's a treat. Matt Damon nails the character.

The films in the Bourne trilogy are as much about the direction as they are about the story and acting. In Number 3, Paul Greengrass continues the practice of quick shots, fast pace and close up action. The violence is intense--you feel the pain of every blow--but avoids the blood and gore so prevalent in other summer action films.

Stardust

A quick word on Stardust. The film charms. Michelle Pfeiffer is wonderful. Charlie Cox is quite engaging. Claire Danes is woefully miscast. Robert DeNiro chews up the scenery. It's a sweet fairy tale that has a lot to offer adults. It's worth a look, and it stays with me. I need to give more thought to DeNiro's work as Captain Shakespeare. It's a big fey turn, but one that ultimately works. If the film falls short of magical, it's still a fun ride.

Annie Lennox on Modern Fabulousity

Another quick post. Modern Fabulousity has a stream of the new Annie Lennox single, "Dark Road." I can't wait for the disk to drop, and thanks to ModFab, I don't have to. The song is powerful and etherial...Annie at her best. I had a friend in college who wanted to be Annie Lennox. I wonder if he is.

Dresden Dolls--Live at the Roundhouse

A quick post to recommend the new Dresden Dolls DVD release Live at the Roundhouse. It captures the fun and intensity of a Dresden Dolls concert. It includes their best music and some very interesting covers. The special guests also make for a fun couple of hours. Check out the special features, too.

Music Update

It takes me a little while longer to feel like I'm in a position to respond to an album. My guess is that I don't often sit down and listen to a full album undistracted. Instead, I keep it with me--on my iPod, in the car, on the stereo at home--and digest it over a period of days. Then, it usually takes multiple listenings for me to want to write about it.

Today, I'm writing about three albums I've acquired in the last month. Each has its merits, but I start with the lesser of them, the Hairspray soundtrack.

The best thing I can say is that the soundtrack to Hairspray makes me yearn to play the original cast recording. The soundtrack reinforces what I felt about the film. The new orchestrations reduce the power, poignancy and fun of the orginal. The new songs aren't of the same caliber as the ones they replace, and Edna continues to feel like less of a presence.

It's not bad. If it were my only copy of the score, I'd be playing it nonstop. But its not my only copy of the score, and this week I'll be replacing it on my iPod with the original cast.

My interest in Interpol goes back to 2004. Lee asked a friend of ours (a shout-out to Vince) to recommend music that I might like. Lee put Antics in my stocking. Contrary to what I said above, I was so taken with the first track that I listened to the album start to finish, several times. It affected me immediately.

There is something about an artist or band that can create a wall of sound that gets me in my core and connects me to the music immediately, instantaneously. Think Sigur Ros or Ulrich Schnauss. Interpol falls into this category and, as a result, Antics and Turn on the Bright Lights remain in heavy rotation on my iPod.

Our Love to Admire the latest drop from Interpol (a three-year wait) reinforces the bands place among my favorite and important artists. The music is not a great departure from the Interpol sound, but it is fresh and always engaging. Track for track it is as good or better than its predecessors. The lyrics are as obscure and challenging as one would expect and want. Our Love to Admire is definitely on track to be my favorite album of the year.

I first saw Suzanne Vega in the mid-1980s, when she was traveling in support of her first, eponymous album. To this day, Marlene on the Wall and The Queen and the Soldier remain among my favorites. Though I've never had an opportunity to see her in concert again, I've remained loyal.

I was thrilled to get Beauty and Crime, Vega's first album of new material since 2001. The album is a love letter to New York City and a beautiful one at that. The dude at the record store said, "It's great, but it's so different than her earlier work." It is great, but, like Our Love to Admire, it never becomes derivative or less than what makes Suzanne Vega important and inspiring.

Doh!

Time to catch up after a couple of weeks out of town (yes, that's no excuse) and one hellacious week back at work. And what has been happening on the cultural front? The Simpsons is making its way toward worldwide domination. When NPR does a story on how you have to queue for hours in Argentina to get a ticket to see the flick...well, this is an international phenomenon.

And my thoughts? The Simpsons is a very good movie. A great movie? Not exactly. But a couple week later I still smile at a joke or moment I remember from the film. They keep you laughing out loud from the first frame to the last. And laughing hard.

The plot, you ask? Homer screws up (environmental catastrophe), the Simpsons make haste to Alaska only to return and save Springfield. Of course, The Simpsons is not about the plot and all about the situations, relationships, and most importantly the wise and hilarious observations about the human and our current condition.

Does the move to big screen give the creative team license to take risks? Maybe a little. But there's nothing here that would risk the brand. A brief, inspired flash of nudity is about it. But the film is also much more than four episodes strung together or one episode stretched out to 90 minutes. It's a rich, full, cohesive experience that is, quite simply, a blast!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows before anyone had a chance to tell me what happened. In the end, I'm not sure that mattered because everything has been leading up to where it takes us. In other words, there's nothing in the story that is shocking or unexpected.

All roads lead to Hogwarts and a final showdown between Harry and Voldemort. They have since Sorcerer's Stone. But the journey is intense and violent with many casualties along the way and a wee bit of humor. Rowling rightly focuses on Harry, Ron and Hermione, while other characters are crucial but peripheral.

The connections to other epics--for a moment I thought I was reading Lord of the Rings, no wait, this is King Arthur, no wait, use the force Harry--gives one a chuckle, but shows the cracks in the Potter universe, too. They do make for some exciting action scenes. And the action is almost nonstop.

The final showdown works as a fitting and solid conclusion to the epic. I'm not so sure the epilogue does, however. Set 19 years hence, we get fragments from the lives of certain characters. But I was struck more by what was missing. The Dursley's, for example, have been an annoying but constant presence throughout all seven books (at least the beginning of the books). They deserve some sort of resolution to their relationship with Harry.

The character with the most satisfying treatment in Deathly Hallows is actually Neville Longbottom. Although still not commanding a lot of text, he continues to come into his own, and Rowling handles his arc with great finesse.

I am sad that it's over. Glad of the resolution. Content.

Oh, Oh, Oh Woke Up Today, Feeling the Way I Always Do...

Hairspray is tremendous fun. From the opening number I had a big grin on my face. The transition from stage to screen has been handled very well. The performances are almost uniformly good (more on that in a moment), the story translated well, and there is great wit and humor throughout.

I am a big fan of the musical on stage. The things that bother me about the film have more to do with that than things that are particularly wrong with the film. Much of the second act, for example, is excised from the film, so "Without Love," Tracy's prison visit from Link, happens (very creatively, I must admit) with them in separate locations. None of the actors outshine their stage counterparts , though some (see Nicky Blonsky, Zac Efron, Michelle Pfieffer) bring equally seductive interpretations to their roles. Travolta, though, just didn't do it for me. While he gives us a full figured Edna, and plumbs some depth from the role, his Edna seems to fade into the scenery much more than the Edna's of his predecessors.

The stage version of Hairspray had less bite than the original film, and the latest film has less bite still. "There's a road..." brings some gravitas to the proceedings, but it almost seems forced. The film has been mainstreamed even more than the musical. The orchestrations have less bite; the new songs are more generic.

All that being said, the nods to the film and stage versions make it a great ride for those hair hoppers who've been with the show since the beginning, and the film is an amazing ride for those who are new to Hairspray. Our six filmgoers represented that range, and all had big fun.

Why Do I Like this One the Best?

I saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix last Thursday, and I've been trying to put my finger on why I liked it so much. I expected that the darkness of the 5th book in the series would make it more interesting to me, and it did. But there's more to it. This film is stronger than the sum of its parts. I think the earlier films were equal to the sum of its parts. And what parts are those?

1. Better Acting. Overall, the focus is much more on the kids. The supporting players, like Neville and Cho, have a bit more to do, and Harry, Hermione and Ron are around a lot, the adults are largely absent. Maggie Smith gets one scene. Michael Gambon gets two. The kids hold up their part of the film.

2. Imelda Staunton. That being said, Imelda Staunton rules Phoenix, as the Inquisitor in Residence and Defense of the Dark Arts teacher, though anti-teacher might be better since everything she does is counter to the students learning to defend themselves against the dark arts. She is simply amazing. It is a compelling performance that is more fully developed than we're accustomed to in the series.

3. Good CGI. The special effects are great but not overwhelming.

4. A focused story. Okay, I'm a bit of two minds here. I think David Yates has done a terrific job of telling the core story of Order of the Phoenix. It moves and it engages. But there is so much of the book that's left out, it feels more like connective tissue between movies 4 and 6, rather than a film that stands on its own. But what a film.

Yates approach makes it easy to sum up the story: With the Ministry of Magic in denial about the return of Voldemort, Harry and friends, as well as the remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix, must prepare to do battle with the Death Eaters. Meanwhile, Dolores Umbridge is sent to Hogwarts to implement the Ministry's head-in-the-sand approach to the return of You Know Who.

Phoenix is engaging almost from the start. Technically, it's more sophisticated than earlier films, give this one a more natural (albeit supernatural) feel. It is more violent. It is all about violence, in fact. The wizarding world is at war, and Harry and his mates are the ones doing most of the fighting for the good side.

This is definitely not for everyone, and I can understand why the reviews are either raves or kind. But for me, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix most lives up to the promise of the Potter collection on film.

I Don't Regret I Stepped into that Car

Not that it was a particularly great movie, though. As action movies go, Transformers had its charms. Two things, though, are immediately irritating and hard to get past. First, the writing sucks. For much of the film every line is a punch line. They're tedious, not funny, lines. Second, the cinematography during the action sequences is muddled. It's often difficult to tell who's fighting whom. The autobots and the decepticons largely look the same and mostly like a jumble of metal during the action.

The story is engaging enough for a summer action flick directed at kids and featuring kids toys. (The first audience laugh comes during the opening credits, when Hasbro is credited as a producer.) Shia LeBeouf handles the leading man role with sarcastic wit, and Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Megan Fox are just fine. The transformers get their own personalities--the autobots, at least.

So, if I'm not high on the film, it also wasn't an unpleasant way to spend the Fourth of July. But if you're looking for that real rush of adrenalin that comes from action films, see Die Hard.

Live Free or Die Harder

I'm sure that will be the sequel to Live Free or Die Hard. This was actually my first in the Die Hard series. I'm not particularly a fan of Bruce Willlis. He's too self aware as an actor and I don't particularly like his choice of films. That being said, as a new resident of New Hampshire how could I pass on a film with such a creative title. Oh, and I'm totally crushing on Justin Long. I did check with the buds to make sure he's on screen long enough to warrant a trip to see the film.

I have to say, I was completely taken by the film. From the start is it engaging. The character development lasts all of 10 minutes and then we're into the non-stop action. Matt Farrell is one of the top 1000 hackers in the U.S. When someone hacks into the F.B.I.'s network, John McClane is sent to fetch Matt and bring him to F.B.I. Headquarters. It turns out that Matt and seven other hackers have been writing code that has allowed an evil computer genius to perpetrate a "fire sale"--a complete meltdown of the U.S. brought about by a shutdown of all computer networks. The bad guys are out to finish the fire sale at the same time there after Matt, since he's the only one who can stop them.

The story works and the action is almost over the top. It is possible to launch a car to take out a helicopter. And that happens pretty early in the film, meaning that there are better effects to come. Tom Olyphant is an excellent bad guy, and Maggie Q is fierce.

Justin Long and Bruce Willis make a good team. Bruce has a more natural style then usual, and Justin demonstrates that he has acting chops that go beyond Mac commercials and Accepted, which, by the way, I thought worked on the strength of his charms.

So, Live Free or Die Hard is a pretty amazing ride--definitely an E ticket. But it also has a good story and some warmth that kept me on board until the end and in between the special effects.

Hex

A colleague recommended that I check out the British series Hex. Given my ongoing devotion to Buffy the Vampire Slayer I figured I'd give it a shot. Of course, living in the boonies means limited selection of channels. But lo and behold, two days later, season one of Hex was released on DVD. I've made it through 7 of 10 episodes, and I'm ready to weigh in.

Overall, the feel of the series reminds me of Heroes more than anything I've seen recently. Hex maintains a laidback approach to the genre. In fact, several episodes go by and you realize Cassie, our heroine and resident ingenue hopped up on voodoo, hasn't used her powers once. Previews of upcoming episodes suggest that maybe the producers got a special effects budget sometime around the 8th or 9th episode.

The show is set in a British boarding school housed in a historic manse. We discover early on that Cassie is a McBain, a lineage connected to the angel Azazeal and the 200 Neferline (angels who hooked up with mortal women). In her quest to figure all this out, Cassie (Christina Cole) is aided by her dead best friend and "dyke in shining armor" Thelma (Jemima Rooper) as she grapples with the dark forces that have taken over her life.

The show develops this interesting mythology that is not always consistent. For example, we learn that ghosts can talk on cell phones, eat, put money in vending machines or, what the heck, just open them and take the snacks. Ghosts cannot, however, touch humans or wear human clothes (although they can take the clothes from dead people).

Possession can pass from one person to the next through sex, even when wearing a condom. This would put it in the class of STD's like crabs or HPV. Angels are not ghosts and can take corporeal form--either human or demony (as Buffy might say).

All of this, quite frankly, makes the show more engaging. Plus, it's a portrayal of life at 16 that is fueled by drugs, sex and manipulation. I always wondered what life was like at boarding school! So, while I haven't figured it all out, yet, I'm ready to preorder season two.

True Colors Tour--Boston Show

Spent the weekend in Boston. It was a great weekend. My first visit to the ICA. But the main reason for the visit was the Boston leg of the True Colors Tour at the Bank of America Pavilion. Overall it was a great, empowering event with some unfortunate technical difficulties and mediocre sound. But the performances were uniformly excellent and added up to an amazing show.

The line-up:

The Gossip provided a strong start to the evening. I think the Cyndi Lauper crowd didn't quite know what to make of The Gossip, but Beth and company put on a rocking first set. This was the first indication that the acoustics were not going to be great.

Dresden Dolls followed with an amazing and engaging set for the hometown crowd. They engaged the crowd, perhaps better than any of the other performers. They did an audience friendly set that included songs from familiar albums and a few new ones. The new single, Shores of California, is great. Check out the video. They also did a groovy version of Coin-Operated Boy that was one of the highlights of the show.

A word about Margaret Cho: It was highly effective to bridge the sets with Margaret rather than intermissions. She was fierce as always ("I'm glad that Jerry Falwell died"). But from Section 6, Row 11, it was often difficult to make out what she was saying. There was no picking up on the nuance of a Margaret Cho performance. The lesbian take on Mickey Avalon was fun, but Mickey really deserved a shout-out.

Rufus Wainwright was up third. The audience members who chatted their way through the performance were annoying (you know who you are, Section 6, Row M). Apparently Rufus was, too. The last time I saw Rufus, he was totally engaging onstage. At True Colors he wasn't. He said nary a word to the audience. The set was mostly from Release the Stars, but I was disappointed that he chose not to do the concert-friendly tracks, like "Rules and Regulations" or "Between My Legs". It was great to see Rufus with his band, but I'd hoped for a stronger set.

Deborah Harry was the first performer to get the audience to its feet. After an amazing "French Kissing in the U.S.A.," she launched into some new material that had me a little nervous about the set. But the second half of the set was rousing and kept the audience moving--even if there was some hope in the air for "Rapture" or "Tide is High."

Erasure took the stage and the audience lept up and stayed up. It was the perfect mix of classic Erasure ("A Little Respect," "I Love to Hate You," "Oh, L'Amour" were standouts) and tracks from the new album. For the, um, newer gays, this was all a revelation. And really, really empowering.

Cyndi Lauper was without a doubt the headliner. This was the third time I've seen her, and she's a master of the stage. Her set seemed to be plagued by technical difficulties, but she managed them with grace. Her duet with Beth on "Time After Time" was another highlight of the event. The choral finale of "True Colors" was also quite moving.

A word about guitars: Cyndi, Rufus and Vince all played guitar at one point in their sets. They seemed self-conscious. Perhaps a little out of their elements.

What a great night, and what a great way to spend time across the generations. Technical difficulties aside, this was special.

ERASE HATE!

Kyle XY

I have to say I kind of enjoyed the season premiere of Kyle XY last night. It was good summer fare, engaging throughout, adept at answering those pesky little questions hanging over from last season, and good at setting up a plotline for this season. Matt Dallas is okay, and certainly is setting himself up for an acting career to rival Stephen Geoffreys. And ABC Family is making a few daring choices that I want to support.

What about those Tony's

A quick review of the Tony Awards. The show was very enjoyable, especially early on. There was an eloquence to the acceptance speeches that gave the show heart and meaning. A big shout out to both Johnny Gallagher and Billy Crudup who gave the show huge class and warmth right up front.

The performances were good. A Chorus Line needed more time. Company needed more people. Mary Poppins came off better than any of the other performances I've seen. Thanks for not doing "Supercal...ious" again. Christine Ebersole was fierce in "Revolutionary Costume for Today" from Grey Gardens and Audra was fiercer still 110 in the Shade. Curtains came off far better than it had on Regis and Kelly, but did they need to do "Show People" again? Is there another song in the show?

As for Spring Awakening, I'm thrilled they took home the awards they did--particularly thrilled for Johnny Gallagher--and very glad that the box office spiked this week. I just have to say the medley didn't work for me. After "Mother" the songs were poorly linked and it made no sense to do "Totally Fucked." ("We're so revolutionary on Broadway we got bleeped at the Tony's.) The performance also reminded me of those "What's wrong with this picture" puzzles I did as a kid where you had to figure out 10 things wrong with the copy of a picture from its original: 1. Jonathan Groff sang John Gallager's verse in "Bitch of Living," 2. Skylar Astin's lyric was changed, 3. The choreography for Jonathan was very different, etc., etc.

I had fun. I'll watch it again. In fact, usually I watch the performances a second and third time. This year, I might be inclined to watch some of the acceptance speeches.

Ocean's 13

Ocean's 13 is a nice summer movie. I don't mean that to be tongue-in-cheek or noncommittal in any way. Ocean's 13 is a great summer confection of a film. It's light and breezy, engaging almost from start to finish, the kind of diversion that summer films are meant to be. It doesn't clobber you with special effects. It entertains.

Steven Soderberg does a great job of keeping the show moving and--apart from the technical complexities of pulling the job, which we are not meant to understand--clear. That's no small feat given the number of characters one must corral to have a 13.

The feel of Ocean's 13 is a bit different. This time it's not about the money. It's about justice. Okay, it's vigilante justice (some might say revenge), but you have your main character's weeping at Oprah and writing motivational letters to a sick friend. In fact, the boys are doing exactly what Oprah is doing in the clip we see from her show, only Vegas, writ Ocean's 11, style.

More than in the first two films, it feels to me that each actor gets his chance to shine. George Clooney and Brad Pitt have perfected their banter. (A shout-out to the Wesley Morris at the Boston Globe for this observation) George and Brad are like a married couple in the way they share deep affection for each other and finish each other's thoughts and sentences. Even more than that, their relationship to the rest of the gang is, in fact, parental. Perhaps it's the elimination of significant women characters that makes this more obvious than in the first two films.

Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin are excellent additions to the cast. Pacino is never subtle, but he's also never over the top, which is his claim to fame these days. He gives the perfect performance for the film, ruthless, self-centered, but ultimately there's a human side.

Ocean's 13 is a light film with a big heart. It's a nice antidote to the other big summer movies released thus far.

Tony Award Weekend

The Tony Awards are here. The net is beginning to fill with peeps making their predictions. The boys at 365gay predict major wins for Spring Awakening and The Coast of Utopia, but there have been a few who've voiced support and confidence in Frost/Nixon. Everyone seems solidly behind Christine Ebersole and Frank Langella, with strong support for Raul Esparza and Julie White.

Check out Modern Fabulousity for a category by category analysis of the awards. I'm with ModFab on just about all of the will wins, except Dana Ivey for featured actress in a play. We diverge more when it comes to who should win in the categories.

I think Spring Awakening deserves the awards it will win, and I think it is the best musical of the year. I'm a fan of Grey Gardens, but it resonates mostly on an intellectual level.

Check out the official Tony Awards site. There's some delicious stuff there. And support the theater community on Sunday evening at 8. Check out my media box at the right for a song from Spring to get you in the mood.

OMG!! Is He Actually Reviewing Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds?

Eating Out was a pleasant little diversion with some excellent eye candy, warmth, a little humor and that gay guy from American Idol, Jim Verraros. Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds is also a pleasant little diversion with some excellent eye candy, more warmth, a little more humor and that gay guy from....

The film definitely has its appeal. The acting is mostly subpar, but Q. Allan Brocka and Phillip Bartel have put something together that is pleasantly engaging. Marc, played in the first film by Ryan Carnes is now played by Brett Chukerman. So, it did take me a good half hour to realize he was playing the same character. The nudity is just as plentiful, too.

Don't get me wrong. This is not a great film. But everyone I watched it with found it charming. Of course, any film with Mink Stole has to have some redeeming value. Brocka and Bartel are making a targeted film for a very specific audience and it more than succeeds. The in-jokes are mostly funny and the stereotypes are mostly turned on their heads.

http://www.myspace.com/eatingout2

How is Will Traveler

We are currently in the television wasteland. I'm definitely not one to subscribe to the view that all television is a wasteland. I love TV. But I haven't yet recovered from the overwhelmingly disappointing finale weeks, and the summer series I follow are still weeks away. So, what's a TV loving guy to do? Catch up on those DVD TV boxed sets: Slings and Arrows Season 2, Moral Orel Season 1, St. Elsewhere Season 1 and next week Mile High Season 2. But heck, the 2006-2007 season ended two weeks ago. The DVD collection is nearly exhausted.

Enter Traveler, a summer ABC series Wednesdays at 1o p.m. It's not hard to imagine the concept meeting for this one: "It's a mash-up of 24 and The Fugitive, but the guys are hotter." The basic premise is that three recent college grads and roommates are about to set off on a cross-country road trip. After roller blading through the Metropolitan Museum of Art--don't ask--Will Traveler, the friend who was videotaping the stunt, calls the boys on their mobile and offers a brief apology right before a wing of the met explodes. The two buds, Jay and Tyler, become the immediate terrorist suspects and the chase ensues.

I'm a longtime fan of Logan Marshall Green, and Matthew Bomer is quite likable, so the boys on the run are engaging. At the moment, we're only seeing Will (Aaron Stanford) in flashbacks because, oh yeah, he never existed and they found his charred remains at the Met.

I am intrigued that the writers chose the Met as the great American institution that would be the focus of the series. Although by the second episode it has faded into the background--no CSI here--I kind of like the fact that an art museum is the symbol of national pride that has brought everyone together.

So, am I watching it because its an engaging show or because there's nothing else on? I'd say it's engaging enough. It took me a half-dozen eps to get into Heroes, so I'm intrigued enough to keep watching.

And while I'm waiting for new eps of The Closer, Weeds and...wait for it...wait for it...Kyle XY, I can ponder whether I will have the stomach to watch another season of Grey's Anatomy and Smallville, which had seasons horrible enough to make me hate TV and finales that made me wonder what I ever saw in them. It does cause me pain to know that Veronica Mars will be no more, but I'm totally looking forward to the new season of Bones. In the meantime, maybe I will figure out who is Will Traveler.

Coram Boy--A Belated Review

Although Coram Boy ended its run at the Imperial Theatre last Sunday, the show has stayed with me long enough to make a few comments postmortem. I saw Coram Boy at the May 19 matinee to a half-filled house. It doesn't surprise me that the show would struggle to find an audience. It's a difficult one to categorize, but one that I found ultimately compelling.

Except for the fact that Coram Boy was not written by Dickens, it is Dickensien through and through. Based on the novel by Jamila Gavin, it has the clash of wealth and poverty, orphans, darkness and light, coincidences beyond the imagination and an ending that leaves you awash with tears. All this drama is connected with a choir and live orchestra (hence the difficulty in classifying) performing music by Handel. Handel, by the way, is a major character in the play.

The acting was fine; the production was really extraordinary. It was theatrical without the huge special effects that drive some productions these days. It's not the perfect show, but it builds to something that is quite special. It's a shame more people won't see it.

While it's still active, it is worth taking a look at the official web site: http://www.coramboyonbroadway.com/

Back to Blogging

So, I blogged for awhile about things related to my life, but I got distracted early in 2007 and never got back to it. I've kind of been missing it, so here I am. I see a lot of movies, watch tons of television, dig my cd collection and have a huge, huge passion for theater. Earlier this year I started microblogging. It's been a real challenge--and much fun--condensing my reviews into 140 characters on my twitter feed.

Much of my career has been about challenging my students to become critical consumers of the media. Hopefully, this blog will fall into the practice what you preach category of the web.

It looks like I'll also have a professional blog up and running soon. School wants me to share my thoughts on higher education and life and leadership.

Stay tuned for exciting reviews of Pirates, Coram Boy, Traveler, Hot Fuzz and who knows what else.