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.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
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.
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.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
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!
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!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
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.
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.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
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.
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.
Friday, June 8, 2007
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.
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.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
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
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
Saturday, June 2, 2007
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.
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.
Friday, June 1, 2007
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/
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/
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