But Seriously with Alec Kerr

Looking back at film trends in 2011

2011-12-29T16:51:00.002-05:00

In the past I’ve compiled lists of my favorite movies of a given year. This year I’ve decided to document certain positive film trends in 2011.

The thinking man’s sci-fi film
When most people hear science fiction they probably think of space battles, post-apocalyptic worlds or, perhaps, giant robots beating the crap out of each other, but good science fiction can be used to explore big ideas.

“Source Code” starred Jake Gyllenhaal as a military man who, through the marvels of modern technology, is sent into the last eight minutes of another man's life. This other man is on a train that is bombed, and it is up to Gyllenhaal to find the bomber in hopes of preventing a larger scale attack. “Source Code” plays like a condensed version of “Groundhog Day” with a mad bomber. The focus isn’t the bomber though, but Gyllenhaal’s conversations with Michelle Monaghan as a fellow passenger on the train.

“The Adjustment Bureau” was a high-concept romantic thriller about a politician (Matt Damon), who meets a dancer (Emily Blunt) and has an instant connection. The problem is the men of the titular bureau serve a higher power and Damon and Blunt being together is not part of the plan. Based on a story by Philip K. Dick, whose work has been the basis for such films as “Blade Runner” and “Minority Report,” the film explores fate versus free will in a way that is accessible. It also helps that Damon and Blunt have palpable screen chemistry.

“In Time” uses its sci-fi premise, a future in which time literally is money, as an allegory for current economic woes. In writer/director Andrew Niccol’s world all people have been genetically altered to not age past 25. The catch is you are given only one more year to live beyond 25. The rich can live forever. The poor die young. “In Time,” like “Source Code” and “Adjustment Bureau” has a romantic element to it with Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried teaming up for some “Bonnie and Clyde” meets Robin Hood adventures. It is handled in a way that is clever and thought provoking.

The return of the romantic comedy
In recent years the romantic comedy has been a dire wasteland with films like “The Ugly Truth” requiring their female leads to be shrill, uptight control freaks. All romantic comedies have the same ending. It is how you get there that counts and that journey, of late, had been painful. It was a relief that 2011 marked a return of romantic comedies with intelligence and wit.

Much was written about “No Strings Attached” and “Friends with Benefits” being the same movie — friends who decide to have sex — but both films were well made and funny. “No Strings Attached” featured solid performance from Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher and a fine supporting performance by Kevin Kline as Kutcher’s father. “Friends with Benefits” was the better of the two, though, with the cute couple of Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis surrounded by an excellent supporting cast including Patricia Clarkson, Woody Harrelson, Jenny Elfman and Richard Jenkins. The writing was a bit sharper and the characters felt more like real people with real problems.

“Crazy Stupid Love” was an ensemble film with humor and heart. Steve Carell is dumped by his wife Julianne Moore and gets a makeover by a womanizing playboy (Ryan Gosling) who takes pity on him. Gosling then meets Emma Stone and realizes he wants more than just flings. Carell and Gosling’s dynamic is the best thing about this film. Stone continues to reveal herself to be a shrewd comic actor able to also handle dramatic scenes.

Even Woody Allen returned to the romantic comedy genre with the wonderfully fanciful “Midnight in Paris.” Owen Wilson stars as a writer who idealizes Paris in the 1920s and magically gets whisked back there every midnight to hobnob with the likes of Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Somehow the signature Allen dialogue coming from Wilson's typically laid back performance makes both familiar personas feel fresh.

Sequels and remakes that surprise
Every year we are bombarded with a seemingly endless parade of sequels, prequels, reboots and remakes. This year had its fair share of rubbish ones, but there was also a high quota of such films that were actually rather good.

“Rise of the Planet of Apes,” a prequel that showed how the intelligent apes that Charlton Heston first encountered back in 1968 came to be, proved to be surprisingly engaging. Andy Serkis, the man behind Gollum in “Lord of the Rings,” gives another superb motion-capture performance as Caesar, the ape that will lead the revolution. The heart of the film is the relationship between Caesar and his surrogate father played by James Franco. It is a long time before ape revolt breaks loose and the film earns that final action sequence.

Horror remakes are often particularly barren land, but “Fright Night” and “The Thing,” which was half prequel/half remake, were made with clear affection for their originals. “Fright Night” in fact may actually be an improvement over the charming but cheesy 1980s original. Colin Farrell gives a truly menacing performance as the vampire next door and there’s a nice tongue-in-cheek tone. “The Thing” doesn’t surpass the 1982 version, but it does honor it. The film is aided by a strong performance by Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

“The Muppets” proved to be the triumphant return of everyone's favorite felt friends. Co-written by human star Jason Segel and featuring fantastic songs by Flight of the Conchord's Bret McKenzie, the film captured the essence and magic of Jim Henson's creations.

“Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol,” the fourth in a franchise many counted as down and out, may well be the best of the series, or at the very least matches the first. The masterful set piece of the film features Tom Cruise climbing Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

“X-Men: First Class” took the flat-lining “X-Men” franchise and brought it back to life by going back to the beginning. The strong cast led by James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender as the future Professor X and Magneto, a smart script and assured direction by Michael Vaughn made this high energy fun. If only all sequels, remakes and reboots could be made with this level of care.

Summer of the superhero
The superhero movie has become a mainstay of the summer movie season and this held true for 2011. In addition to “X-Men,” “Thor,” “Captain America” and “The Green Lantern” all graced the silver screen. With the exception of “Green Lantern,” which was still watchable, these were all examples of high quality big-budget entertainment. These movies had style, atmosphere and substance. Looking ahead to 2012, the summer of superheroes will continue with “The Dark Knight Rises,” “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “The Avengers” which unites Iron Man, The Hulk, Thor and Captain America.

Laughs, tears and song: A look back at 2011's theater scene

2011-12-29T16:46:00.001-05:00

As 2011 comes to close it is clear that a vibrant theater scene continues to thrive in North Conway, N.H. North Conway’s two community theater companies, Arts in Motions and M&D Productions, and one professional company, Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company, put on a wide range of comedies, dramas and musicals over the course of the last 12 months. Here are highlights for each of the companies’ seasons.

Arts in Motion
Arts in Motion started the year off with “The Fantasticks,” a light, frothy entertainment that was a showcase for its, mostly, young cast including Matt Stoker, Rafe Matregrano and Emilie Jensen. Jensen in particularly left a lasting impression thanks to assured comic timing and powerhouse vocals. In the show's best number “Round and Round,” through clever choreography that was performed with precision, it appeared as if Matregrano was controlling Jensen's movements like a puppeteer.

Matregrano later appeared in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” reprising the role of Jesus Christ, which he previously played in M&D’s “Godspell.” The role allowed Matregrano to show off his impressive vocal range, but he wasn’t the only one in the cast that made an impact. Paul Allen in the relatively small but crucial role of Pontius Pilate had a powerful voice matched by commanding stage presence. Holly Reville brought warmth and compassion to Mary Magdalene. She had a pure, clear and beautiful voice. Matregrano, Allen and Reville didn’t merely sing the songs, but put genuine conviction, passion and turmoil into them.

Kennett High School teamed with Arts in Motion for “Guys and Dolls,” a production whose rehearsal schedule didn’t mesh with Mother Nature’s schedule. Canceled rehearsals led to a stressful but rewarding run up to opening night. The principal leads of the show, Taylor Hill, Hannah Paven, Philip Mathieu and Kevin Ahearn, had roles that allowed them to stretch and play against their usual types. “It was a completely different role from things I've done in the past,” Hill said. “Sarah is really conservative. I'm not really used to playing a conservative role, so I guess that was challenge in itself.”

Arts in Motions’ best show of the year was “The Miracle Worker,” the moving and inspiring story of Helen Keller, a deaf and blind girl, who, thanks to the love, support and perseverance of her live-in tutor, Anne Sullivan, overcomes her handicap in a time when no one thought it was possible. Limited by a clunky first act that is a flaw of the show rather than the production, director Barbara Spoffard and the actors found the heart and soul of this true story. Julie Lanoie was a solid Sullivan and found the delicate balance between self-assuredness and a fear of failure. The power of the scenes in the second act in which Lanoie worked one on one with Megan Perrin as Helen was undeniable.

M&D Productions
M&D Productions had a busy year with nine productions. The year’s strongest for M&D was “The Diary of Anne Frank,” an emotionally draining production that was a moving tribute to all those who died during the Holocaust. Under the direction of Dennis O'Neil, all the actors gave performances that nearly a year later still linger. Jessica Biggio was quite the revelation as Anne Frank. At 14, she showed skills well beyond her years and handled the role with grace and poise. Richard Russo as the patriarch of the family had a final monologue that was profoundly moving.

A close second for raw power was “Misery’s Child,” an adaptation of Stephen King’s “Misery,” the story of an author held captive by his self-proclaimed number one fan after a nearly fatal car accident. This is just a two-person cast, but the caliber of the performances and direction by Ken Martin made the production an engrossing and unrelentingly tense experience. Once again Russo, this time as author Paul Sheldon, gave a subtle, quiet, restrained and precisely timed performance. Janette Kondrat as his nurse/captor Annie Wilkes gave a surprising performance unlike anything she had done previously. The way she turned in a moment from sunny and nearly childlike to angry, spiteful and violent was deeply disturbing.

The provocative musical “Spring Awakening” was another high point of the year that had the company bringing in a few professional actors. It is a testament to the level of talent of our local “amateurs” that the cast blended together seamlessly. The pros didn’t come down to a lesser level, everyone comes up to their level ability. Of those locals, the best of the cast was Molly Paven, who had strong vocal and acting range.

A reliable talent throughout the season was Eric Jordan, a consummate scene stealer of the highest order. His work as the Scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz” was a highlight of that production. It was a wonderful physical performance that took its toll on the actor, but that was worth it. In “The Odd Couple: The Female Version” Jordan along with Doug Collomy, completely re-energize the second act as the hilarious Costazuela brothers. Jordan even showed off low-key romantic charm as the only male cast member of “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress.”

Another constant throughout the year was set designer Deborah Jasien who consistently created astounding sets in the limited space at Your Theatre. In addition to her work for M&D, she did set designing for Arts in Motions’ “The Miracle Worker.”

Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company
The Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company returned for its 41st season of professional summer musical theater and put on five shows and added a sixth show, “Barefoot in the Park,” in the fall. “Barefoot in the Park,” a Neil Simon play, marked a departure for the company which has traditionally stuck with musical theater. Real-life couple Grant and Liz Golson, regulars with the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company, returned for this special fall production to play newlyweds who have their love put to the test when moving into a small New York apartment. Grant Golson proved himself to be an excellent physical comedian and Liz brought a bright smile and bubbly and likable personality.

The Golsons had already proven their worth earlier in the season. Grant Golson had the title role in “Sweeney Todd,” the season’s best production. It is a darkly satiric, musically complex tragedy of revenge that isn’t easy to perform, but the ensemble pulls it off. Director Andrew Glant-Linden and set designer Daniel Thobias developed their own unique staging of the production. The show opens at an insane asylum with the inmates forming a chorus that sets up the show. As the show begins proper, the padded cell walls of the set are pushed and pulled to transform into 19th-century London and the inmates become the characters of the play. It was a fascinating choice that added a subtext that all of London was mad. At the center of the show was Grant Golson, who was in fine form vocally.

Liz Golson had a memorable performance in “A Chorus Line,” a show with the simple plot of potential dancers auditioning for a director (the mostly disembodied voice of Grant Golson). She gets the show’s biggest laughs as Val, who on the bawdy “Dance Ten; Looks Three” explains how she got plastic surgery to make her body match her dance abilities. It is a hilarious number and Liz Golson brings it across exceptionally well. “A Chorus Line” is an ensemble show, though, and as such there were other highlights in the cast including Jack Haynie, who gave an exposed, vulnerable and moving monologue about his character growing up and struggling with his homosexuality and finding himself as a dancer in a drag show.

The season also featured old favorites “Annie” and “Damn Yankees” that were well mounted and remained fun, but overly familiar. The bright and buoyant energy of the youthful “Hairspray” was a welcomed variation that provided breezy fun.

New Holmes adventure is a fun 'game' to watch

2011-12-23T20:48:00.001-05:00

Director Guy Ritchie joins forces once again with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law for another revisionist take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved detective Sherlock Holmes in “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.”

As was true with 2009’s “Sherlock Holmes,” this is not Doyle’s Holmes, and purists who were turned off by Ritchie and Downey’s interpretation of Holmes the first time will continue to be unimpressed the second go around.

In many respects, this Holmes is a 19th-century James Bond. He is still an analytic genius with the ability to see the big picture, but he is no longer a man of quiet, introspective thought. Here he is a man of action. Not only is Holmes a thinker, he is a fighter. Scratch that, he’s a brawler.

The scale of events in the film are also on a Bond level with Holmes’ arch-nemesis, Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris), plotting to create world war for his own financial gain.

Harris, a character actor who some may recognize, but aren’t likely to remember from where, is ideally cast as Moriarty. There had been rumors that Brad Pitt was to be cast as Holmes’ intellectual match, but Harris was the right choice. Having someone as big as Pitt in the role would’ve been distracting.

The world of Ritchie’s Holmes is very over-the-top, but Harris isn’t, which creates an interesting push and pull with the material. Instead he is quiet and controlled in a way that is unsettling. There is an air of arrogant superiority and condescension about him that makes an audience love to hate him.

Holmes fans who have been repulsed by this version of the detective should at least take some solace in the fact that the dynamic between Holmes and Moriarty feels in tone with the source material. While Holmes has numerous brutal physical altercations throughout the film, his battles with Moriarty are of the wits. The climax of the film is a thrilling mental match up over a game of chess.

Much of the success of these new Holmes movies falls squarely on Downey. He brings a high energy to the character and a perfect balance of serious acting with winking humor. Once again, Law returns as the much put upon Dr. Holmes and, as was true in the first outing, Downey and Law have a fantastic dynamic.

Holmes is struggling with the fact that he is losing his only true friend and his partner in crime fighting to married life. There’s an interesting, playful tension between the two of them.

Rachel McAdams also returns as Holmes’ love, but the plot quickly dispatches her. The new female lead is Noomi Rapace (of the original “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” movies) as a gypsy who may have unintentional ties to Moriarty’s plot. It is clear she is a talented and interesting actress, but she isn’t given much to do.

Stephen Fry gets the juicy role of the “other Holmes” as Sherlock’s brother Mycroft. It is a fun, dry comic performance. There is a particularly funny scene in which the completely nude Mycroft greets Watson’s wife (Kelly Reilly) and is completely oblivious to how uncomfortable she is by his birthday suit.

The best thing Ritchie adds to the Holmesian lore is what could be termed as “Holmes vision.” In slow motion we see the way Holmes’ mind works as he plots out his plan of attack against attacking adversaries. This is something that worked brilliant in the first film and it continues to work well here.

Above everything else, though, even when Ritchie can’t resist maniac editing or huge explosions, there is a cleverly written script by Michele and Kieran Mulroney that is full of wit and twists that work. The ending is genuinely surprising, funny and completely satisfying.

Arts in Motion's 'Life' is heartwarming theater

2011-12-16T20:51:00.000-05:00

“It’s a Wonderful Life” has been a holiday film classic for decades. For some the holidays aren’t complete without watching Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, the man who doesn’t realize how significant his life truly is. But Arts in Motion is offering the chance to see a different version of this familiar favorite.

This play version of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” adapted from the film by playwright James W. Rogers, is being performed at the Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center in Fryeburg, Maine Saturday, Dec. 17, at 1, 4 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 18, at 1 and 4 p.m.

Directed by Mary Bastoni-Rebmann, the production is an impressive technical achievement. It snows on that stage and it is pretty magical to see. There is some wonderful period costumes by Patty Hibbert. The set designed by Tom Rebmann effectively evokes the small-town quality of Bedford Falls. Many set pieces are wheeled in when necessary, the best being the bridge in which George (John Paiva) is contemplating his suicide.

Paiva has a challenging role not just because he’s the lead, but because Jimmy Stewart’s performance is so iconic and ingrained in people’s minds. The temptation is to do an impersonation, but then what’s the point in watching the new version?

Paiva doesn’t merely imitate, which is good, but there’s something ever so slightly off about his performance and it is hard to pinpoint. Stewart has a naturalness to his performance that Paiva doesn’t quite have. He isn’t bad. He does have a strong stage presence and likability and in isolated moments he is solid.

The “You want the moon?” scene with Julie Lanoie as Mary Hatch, George’s love interest, is cute and sweet. Outside of the heartwarming conclusion, the most emotionally powerful and satisfying scene is when George and Mary decide to use their own money to keep the Building and Loan open during a low point in The Depression.

This is a large cast full of well-known characters like Clarence the angel (Craig Holden), Uncle Billy (Marshall Allen) and mean old Mr. Potter (Gino Funicella). Allen does nice work as the absent-minded Billy. Funicella has moments of menace as Potter, but is perhaps a bit too hammy. Holden was an obvious choice for Clarence, but sometimes typecasting works well.

It is in the second act of the show that we get the often parodied plot device of George getting to see what the world would be like if he was never born. During these scenes the show is building emotional energy, but then the dramatic thrust is brought to a halt with a scene involving carolers. The scene runs long, but is being tweaked before the show’s opening Saturday.

The show ends brightly. The conclusion to “It’s a Wonderful Life,” much like “A Christmas Carol,” is full of such warmth and positivity that only the most bitter and cynical person would not be moved by it. In spite of myself, I felt some tears well up as George learned he truly does have a wonderful life.

For more information call the box office at (207) 935-9232 or visit www.fryeburgacademy.org/pac.

'Chances Are' offers early example of Downey's talent

2011-12-16T20:42:00.003-05:00

In honor of the release of “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,” Robert Downey Jr.’s second time inhabiting the shoes of the famous detective, I wanted to take a look at a film early in Mr. Jr.’s career.

The high-concept romantic farce,“Chances Are” from 1989 has fallen off of every one’s radar, but it is a fine early example of Downey’s abilities as a comic actor and a film worth seeking out.

In the first scenes of the film, the happily married Louie Jeffries (Christopher McDonald) dies in an accident and is whisked up to a heaven similar to the one that appeared in Warren Beatty’s “Heaven Can Wait,” a film “Chances Are” owes a lot to in terms of tone and theme.

In this case heaven is a way station for souls waiting to be reincarnated. Louie does not take death well and is allowed to skip the line and be reborn. The problem is he didn’t receive an inoculation shot that will erase the memories of his previous life with his wife, Corinne (Sybil Shepherd), and best friend, Philip (Ryan O’Neal).

Louie is born again as Alex, who, 22 years later, takes the form of Downey. Alex winds up meeting and falling for Louie’s daughter (Mary Stuart Masterson) and eventually meeting both Corinne and Philip. Once Alex enter’s Louie’s house all the old memories come flooding back leading to some very confused emotions.

Turns out Corrine has been carrying an unhealthy torch for Louie this whole time. Philip has become a surrogate husband and father, but never officially took over either role despite secretly loving Corrine.

Now that Alex has Louie’s memories he is repulsed by Miranda’s advances, which leads to several great awkward exchanges. Similarly, the scenes in which Alex must convince Corrine he is in fact Louie are played just right. It is even funnier when Corrine not only accepts, but embraces it. This is further complicate by Philip deciding he finally will profess his love to Corrine.

In essence you have a Shakespearean case of mistaken identities except in this case the two identities are housed in one person. I love quadrangle develops between Alex and Miranda, Louie and Corrine, and Corrine and Philip.

As with any comedy of errors, despite the odds, everything neatly works out and everyone winds up with the correct partner. When done poorly this can be groan inducing, but when done correctly it is breezy, feel-good fun. The latter is the case with “Chances Are,” which features a witty script by Perry and Randy Howze. The movie strikes a nice balance to between frothy comedy and low-key romance.

The film certainly has its flaws. The great composer Maurice Jarre, who wrote scores for such films as “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Doctor Zhivago,” provides a similarly epic score to “Chances Are” when it needs something more whimsical. The score is too overwrought and on-the-nose with telling you how to feel that it becomes laughable and distracting. This is a minor shortcoming and in a way has its own charms. I began to predict when the music would swell on the score with a knowing grin.

Through it all you have Downey at the center in a performance that allows him to be charming, goofy and tender. In “Chances Are,” Downey has a light touch and shows his apt timing for physical comedy in several fine set pieces. It is very likely it is this performance that helped get him the title role in “Chaplin,” arguable his break-out role and one that lead to his first Oscar nomination.

In the years since Downey made his comeback from his public downward spiral into drugs, he hasn’t made a blatant romantic comedy like “Chances Are,” but his assured comedic timing and finesse with dialogue are the key to the success of so many of his characterizations. The way he banters with Gwyneth Paltrow in the “Iron Man” movies and Jude Law as Watson in the “Sherlock Holmes” films follows the beats of screwball comedy.

Over the years, Downey has developed impeccable line delivery. He does snarky one-liners better than just about anyone, but underneath even the most barbed dialogue there’s a genuineness that makes even narcissistic jerks like Tony Stark in “Iron Man” likable. Cynical sincerity is what helped make Downey a star.

Offbeat, quirky songs for the holidays

2011-12-09T14:14:00.004-05:00

Over the years I've written quite a few lists of off-beat, dark, subversive Christmas songs. These songs are the alternatives to the familiar ones saturating the airwaves. I have now compiled them all in one piece and added five more. Enjoy.

“Cool Yule” — Tony Rodelle Larson (1962)

I discovered this a few years back mis-labeled as being performed by William Shatner. It is easy to understand the confusion as Larson's broken speech patterns do indeed bring to mind Shatner's riffs on such songs as “Rocket Man.” This beatnik take on “Twas Night the Night Before Christmas” is most definitely way out.

“Monster’s Holiday” — Bobby "Boris" Pickett (1962)

After the “Monster Mash” became a hit this quickie sequel was churned out. There are some amusing riffs on holiday classics, but it is mostly a shameless rewrite of the original. It was a minor hit, but didn’t remain a holiday classic.

"Silver Bells" — Paul Simon and Steve Martin (Sometime in the late 1970s)

This rare show rehearsal starts out simple enough with Simon doing a lovely version of this classic song, but soon Simon's singing becomes mere backdrop for Martin deadpanning through a cynical monologue on the true meaning of Christmas that ranges from goofy to racy.

"Father Christmas" — The Kinks (1977)

Leave it to The Kinks, the same band that sang about an encounter with the transvestite "Lola," to write a song about mugging Santa. Ray Davies' sunny delivery masks the nastiness in lyrics such as "Father Christmas, give us some money/Don't mess around with those silly toys/Well beat you up if you don't hand it over."

"Christmas in the Stars" (from the "Star Wars" Christmas album of the same name) (1980)

Strange and frightening things began to happen after the tremendous success of the original "Star Wars" including an astounding awful 1978 Christmas special. Lessons weren't learned, though, and two years later came a Christmas album. "Christmas in the Stars" is so bad as to become campy fun.

“There Ain't No Sanity Clause” — The Damned (1980)

English punk band The Damned released this song just in time for the holiday season, but it failed to chart perhaps because no one wanted to have the Santa Claus bubble popped for the youngest yuletide revelers. The lyrics are barely intelligible, but, it is the sing-a-long anthem-like chorus that brings this one home.

"Christmas in Heaven" — Monty Python (1983)

Monty Python was always known for loopy songs that often pointed out the hypocrisies or the idiosyncrasies of society. In the film "The Meaning of Life," Graham Chapman sings a caustic song about the consumerism and commercialism that runs rampant during the holiday season that includes lyrics like: "There's great films on TV/"The Sound of Music" twice an hour/And ‘Jaws’ one, two, and three."

"Christmas In Hollis" — Run DMC (1987)

This is a happy hip hop holiday song about Christmas in Queens, N.Y. The song includes such endearingly goofy lyrics as "It was December 24th on Hollis Avenue in the dark/When I seen a man chilling with his dog in the park/I approached very slowly with my heart full of fear/Looked at his dog, oh my God, an ill reindeer."

"Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)" — The Ramones (1989)

The Ramones were still kicking around in the late 1980s cranking out three-cord ditties. Surprisingly, one of the best songs from this era is a Christmas song that manages to capture the tension of the season.

“Santa Song” — Adam Sandler (1993)

Everyone is familiar with Sandler’s "Chanukah Song," but he actually did a Christmas themed song that pre-dates its by a year. In this one Sandler sings about all the reasons he won’t be getting a visit from Santa. Best line: “Santa don't like bad boys — especially Jewish ones.”

“12 Days of Yaksmas” — Ren and Stimpy (1993)

There have been numerous parodies of the “12 Days of Christmas." Which is your favorite really comes down to personal preference. As a youth in the 1990s, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for the warped antics of this dog and cat team.

"Little Drum Machine Boy" — Beck (1996)

"The Little Drummer Boy" gets morphed into an odd dance and rap flavored Chanukah anthem featuring "the holiday Chanukah robot of funk." Beck is a chameleon-like musician who blends different genres with amazing skill. It is hardly traditional, but certainly original and memorable.

"The Night Santa Went Crazy" — Weird Al Yankovic (1996)

Don't be fooled by the sweet guitar strumming of the opening. This Christmas carol turns humorously sour fast. Yankovic turns his twisted mind on Christmas in the story of the night Santa finally snapped and became a "big, fat, disgruntled yuletide Rambo."

"I Won't Be Home for Christmas" — Blink 182 (1997)

Goofball pop/punk rockers wrote this anthem for all those who are driven up the wall by the holiday season. The song features bitter, but funny lyrics like: "It's time to be nice to the people you can't stand all year/I'm growing tired of all this Christmas cheer"

"O Holy Night" — Eric Cartman (1999)

"South Park" dedicated a whole episode to satirizing holiday music back in 1999. This is one of the tamer songs from the episode with the spoiled Cartman butchering the holiday classic to hilarious effect.

"Bizarre Christmas Incident" — Ben Folds (2002)

This aptly named song from the tongue-in-cheek piano man unfolds a dark tale of a man encountering Santa in the night. The song answer the question of what would happen if Santa got stuck in the chimney. Needless to say, it doesn't end pretty. Best in enjoyed by those who like their humor black.

“Elf’s Lament” — Barenaked Ladies (2004)

On “Barenaked for the Holidays” the Ladies presented a collection of Christmas favorites as well as original songs featuring their quirky sense of humor. On this song an elf complains “I make toys, but I've got aspirations.” Bonus: this song features vocals from Michael Bublé.

"Mr. Heat Miser" — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (2004)

The song first appeared in the 1974 stop-motion animation special "The Year Without Santa." Thirty years later the swing revival group Big Bad Voodoo Daddy recorded the definitive version of the song for their holiday album "Everything You Want for Christmas."

“I'm Getting Nuttin' for Christmas” — Relient K (2007)

Christian punk/pop band Relient K's does a fast, rocking cover of the novelty song “I'm Getting Nuttin' for Christmas.” The snarling punk attitude and crunching guitars suit lyrics like “I broke my bat on Johnny's head/Somebody snitched on me” quite well.

“Another Christmas Song” — Stephen Colbert (2008)

Satirical pundit Stephen Colbert did a hilarious parody of holiday specials. The special's songs either subverted pre-existing songs or, in this case, are something completely new. Lyrics like “The tree is frozen, the winter’s bright/Who’d have thought the wise men look so white” are made all the funnier by Colbert's authentic crooning.

“Present Face” — Garfunkel and Oates (2008)

This female comedy-folk duo combines disarming charming and simple hooks with goofy and/or raunchy lyrics. In this case the duo leans toward the silly side as they sing about the all too familiar face people make when the get a present they don’t like.

“Christmas Tree” — Lady Gaga featuring Space Cowboy (2008)

Leave it to Lady Gaga, the reigning pop queen of weirdness, to co-write a Christmas song filled with dance beats and dripping with sexual innuendos. It is most definitely not family friendly, but the audacity is admirable.

“Merry Something to You” — Devo (2009)

Yep, Devo, those quirky new wavers, recorded a song for the holidays. Blending cheery, generic holiday music with the synthesizers and drum beats they are known for, the band creates an infectious little ditty. Devo often used songs to satirize society, and that's most definitely the case here as the band proclaims: “Believe what you want nothing's really true.”

"It's Christmastime!" — Mad Tea Party (2009)

This uke-abilly band vents its frustration for Christmas in this infectious two-minute ditty. The cynical lyrics include sentiments that anyone can relate to, if only fleetingly: "It's Christmas, forgot about the pagans and Jews/It's Christmas and it makes me blue."

"Christmas Night of the Living Dead" — MxPx (2009)

It was perhaps inevitable that there would be a zombie-themed Christmas song. Punk rockers MxPx present this bloody tale of Christmas carnage featuring the chorus: "Christmas night of the living dead/My face is green and the snow is red."

It's the return of the Muppets: Yaaaaaaaaay!

2011-12-02T00:34:00.002-05:00

It's time to play the music, it's time to light the lights, it’s time to re-meet the Muppets and it is quite the sight. Yes, after a more than a decade-long hiatus from the big screen the Muppets have returned in all their glory in “The Muppets.”

In “The Muppets,” Kermit the Frog and the rest of the gang have broken up and have been largely forgotten by the world. A trio of fans, Gary (Jason Segel), his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) and Gary’s adopted brother Walter, who is a Muppet, but doesn’t seem to be aware of that fact, head to Los Angeles to tour the now decrepit Muppet Studio.

Through chance, Walter discovers an evil tycoon (Chris Cooper, in a gloriously campy performance) wants to tear the studio down to drill for oil. Gary, Mary and Walter seek out Kermit and gather everyone together to put on a telethon in the style of the old “Muppet Show.” That's it in terms of plot and that’s really all you need.

Segel, a huge Muppets fan in real life, co-wrote the script with Nick Stoller and their love of the characters comes through in every moment of the movie. This is a joyful tribute to the characters and a throwback to the original show and the first few films. Much like “The Muppet Movie” there is a self-aware tone to the material that is fun. The script is full of real wit and even some heart-tugging pathos.

Jim Henson’s felt friends became an unlikely sensation in 1976 on “The Muppet Show,” which spawned three films from 1979 to 1984, “The Muppet Movie,” “The Great Muppet Caper” and “Muppets Take Manhattan.”

Following Henson’s death in 1990 it was unclear if the Muppets would go on without him, but his son, Brian, continued the legacy in a new series of films from 1992 to 1999 with “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” “Muppet Treasure Island” and “Muppets from Space.”

In 2000 Jim Henson’s children sold the Jim Henson Company to a German company. Shortly after the purchase that company faced financial difficulties and Henson’s children struggled to buy back their father’s company. They did and, in 2004, sold the all rights to Disney.

All this back and forth with the company may explain why in the new millennium the Muppets were relegated to TV movies, commercials and music videos. In the entertainment world, there was much discussion to whether the Muppets were even cultural relevant anymore, and so it is fitting that the new film uses that as a jumping off point.

It was a series of video on YouTube, including the Muppets’ take of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” that helped prove that the Muppets popularity hadn’t waned and paved the way for the new film.

“The Muppets,” as with the previous films, is a musical, and a rather effective one, too. Familiar songs like “The Muppet Show Theme” and “The Rainbow Connection” are recreated, but there are several new songs written by Bret McKenzie, one half of the New Zealand folk comedy duo Flight of the Conchords. His songs are bright, catchy and funny. Highlights include “Life’s a Happy Song,” “Me Party” and, my personal favorite, “Man or Muppet” in which Gary and Walter each ponder if they’re a “Muppet of a man or a very manly Muppet.”

Directed by James Bobin, who worked with McKenzie on the “Flight of the Conchords” TV series, there is an irreverent, but never vulgar tone to the material. This is gentle family friendly material that will appeal to both kids and adults.

All the favorite Muppets are here including Kermit, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Scooter, the Swedish Chef, etc. Everyone gets their due, even if only briefly. As was the case with “The Muppet Movie,” this new film is full of celebrity cameos. Some are very funny and some are gratuitous, but everyone seems happy to be on screen with these beloved characters.

Segel and Adams as the human stars of the movie are cheery and energetic. They may have too much screen time, after all this is a Muppets movie, but they are good company and play well off the Muppets.

The film is made in such a way as to appeal to fans, but also reintroduces the characters to a new audience. Above everything else this is a genuine feel-good movie that will have you smiling as you leave the theater. I was grinning like a fool from beginning to end.

Student Artist Profile: Matt Stoker's 'eye opening' journey in theater

2011-12-02T00:21:00.000-05:00

Matt Stoker, a senior at Fryeburg Academy in Fryeburg, Maine, has acted throughout the valley in numerous productions for M&D and Arts in Motion including “Dog Sees God,” “Rent,” “Seussical: The Musical” and “The Fantasticks.” Last December, thanks to a contest through Dove Haircare, he performed as part of Alpenglow at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. He will next be seen in Arts in Motions’ production of “It’s a Wonderful Life” at the Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center at Fryeburg Academy Saturday, Dec. 17 at 1, 4 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 18 at 1 and 4 p.m.

It has been a year almost since the whole Radio City Music Hall thing. How’s it been?

I was actually just thinking about that earlier. It has been good. Definitely looking back on that, that’s got to be my fondest performing arts memory by far. It is incredible to think that roughly this time last year we were scrambling around trying to get votes from the community and pull everything together. I’m really glad that it happened and I kind of wish I was doing something exciting this Christmas. It is kind of lax around here.

That was crazy. Even just from my perspective.

Yeah, it was a whirlwind all right.

Did you feel any different? Do you think anything changed in the wake of that?

Yeah, I mean now I can put in all my bios for my shows that I performed on Broadway. That’s quite an accomplishment. That always brings up some conversation. But being on such a big stage, I didn’t think it was going to feel different than being around here, I mean I did, but not that different. I got out on stage and looked up and there was just tiers and tiers of people and I was like “Wow, this is what it feels like to be one of the big stars, the big leagues.” That’s incredible. So, yeah it definitely has changed my perspective on where I want to go and what I want to do with my life. It was eye opening.

So, it did solidify that this is what you want to do, that you want to be a performer?

Yeah, yeah, definitely. Hopefully that’s going to be where I am. I'll be there permanently. Hopefully. We’ll see.

When did you first get into performance?

Wow. Well, I’ve been singing since I was very little. Back in England, I used to sing in a choir and at my church. Since then I’ve grown up and didn’t really do anything seriously until high school, until I came to the academy with Brent Lacasce. I really got into music and I heard about auditions around North Conway with M&D Productions and I went out thinking maybe it's something I’ll give a shot. And it turned out to be one of the best experiences in my life. It really did show me that musical theater was for me, so I’m very thankful for that and to M&D for that. Since then I’ve had a lot of opportunities open up for me and it has really steered me in the right direction, so it is good. I’m excited about it.

Coming from this as a singer and then trying acting, how did you take to acting?

It was harder. It was definitely harder. Singing for me always came as a natural thing. My grandfather was an incredible tenor. I’ve always just enjoyed singing. I’ll sing badly to the auto-tuned stuff on the radio now. My mom hates it. It was a lot harder acting. Getting on stage and portraying a character who maybe is suicidal or is mentally disturbed in a way or something that is totally outside of the box, outside of what I am and what I am comfortable with is hard at first, but after awhile you get into the character and it becomes something you are more familiar with and it definitely opens your eyes. I don’t know. It is really hard to describe. It is definitely something you need to fall into. It is something you need to get used to, sitting on stage and having the lights blaring down on you. But it is what I live for: the adrenaline, everything, just when I am on stage and everyone is just enjoying what I am doing and what I am putting out there for them.

Now with “Dog Sees God,” was that your first non-musical?

It was. That was an interesting show. I wasn’t quite sure I was prepared for what the show was going to be. I flipped through the script when M&D told me about it and I said “Yeah, I’d love to audition for this” and I got cast as the very reclusive piano player that was gay and everyone hated him for being gay. I ended up finding out a lot more about myself through that character than I have probably through any of my other characters. It was a fun role to play. It was eye opening. Was that the only straight [non-musical] show I’ve done? I think it is. I’ve definitely stuck more to musicals. I am in a straight show right now, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and that will be going up the middle of December in Fryeburg.

What role are you playing in that?

I am Sam Wainwright. Now I am going to be honest: I’ve never actually seen the movie, so I know people are going to be like: “What? You have not seen that movie?” I just haven’t. I know who that is now reading through the script, but yeah that's who I ended up playing.

Are you looking forward to it?

I am looking forward to it. It is going to be a great show. Mary [Bastoni-Rebmann] is, oh my gosh, by far one of the best directors I’ve ever worked with. Going to New York with Mary, we’ve become very close. It is like working with one of my best friends and it is a lot of fun, so I’m very excited to do this show.

What would say your favorite performance is, outside of Alpenglow?

I’m going to have to go with “Rent.” It was a tough role for me vocally as well as acting wise. It is probably the first role I struggled with the way I was going to sing it, the way I was going portray the character. It was interesting being a character who was on the outside looking in, not as much being a part of the story. That was hard to portray, being more of the narrator role instead of being an actual character in the story. I think the camaraderie that came from the cast, we were together for months on end, day in, day out throughout the summer of 2010. It was definitely one of the best casts I’ve ever worked with and I’ve become like family to them and them to me. We still talk and we hang. That was definitely one of the best experiences in theater for me.

What are you hoping to do after high school?

That’s a million-dollar question. I am going to college definitely. I’ve actually got to go home and send off some college applications. As for what I am doing, I’m going to do computer programming and I’m also going to double major in musical theater. Now those are very different things, but hopefully I’ll find, when I get there, I lean one way or the other and I’ll kind of just fall more into that, but it could be I double major the entire way and I get a major in both. We’ll see how that goes. Let’s be honest, actors don’t make a lot of money. Even in the big leagues, the flow of cash isn’t secure, so that’s the reasoning behind the computer programing.

That’s not a bad idea. On the side you can just do some freelance Web designing, make some money that way.

Exactly. Hopefully I’ll be all set in that regard.

Do you have any final thoughts on why you do what you do?

Not really besides to say thank you to all those who inspired me throughout the years: to M&D for helping me find my love of musical theater; to Arts in Motion for providing me with some of the most incredible casts I’ve worked with and most incredible shows; to Brent Lacasce for helping me become the singer that I am today through his vigorous vocal jazz exercises; and to, of course, my mom, who drives me around to all these crazy places. She is definitely a force to be reckoned with, but she’s probably the most inspiring person in my life.

Breaking yawn

2011-11-23T17:25:00.000-05:00

Another year brings another “Twilight” movie, this time “Breaking Dawn,” the adaptation of the final book of the vampire/human/werewolf love story. Alas this is not the final film of intense brooding and angst as “Twilight” is going the way of “Harry Potter” and splitting the final novel into two films.

This time next year look for “The Twlight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2.” Fans are already lining up, everyone else is stocking up on garlic and stakes. If only it were that simple, though. Author Stephanie Meyer created a new breed of vampires for her series that can’t be killed by conventional vampire slaying methods. Vampires are supposed to burst into flames in sunlight not sparkle like diamonds.

But “Breaking Dawn” the film can’t even follow the rules established by its creator. There is a extended sequence with vampire Edward (Robert Pattinson) enjoying some Brazilian sun and there’s not a sparkle to be seen.

In this installment, Edward and his human girlfriend Bella (Kristen Stewart) finally get married much to the chagrin of Bella’s best friend the werewolf Jacob (Taylor Lautner). The “Twilight” series has been one long allegory for abstinence with Bella begging to be turned into a vampire and Edward refusing unless they get married first. With marriage out of the way, Bella can finally get her vamp on, but first she wants to get it on with some human-on-vampire action in the bedroom.

Naturally, their sexual adventures end in a pregnancy. The fast-growing fetus is “incompatible” with Bella and is destroying her from the inside. As if that wasn’t enough drama, the news of the pregnancy has the wolves in Jacob’s pack vowing to kill this vampire/human spawn. This leads to a lot of people trying to look intense and distressed, but generally just coming off as constipated.

There’s also a controversial development involving Jacob’s character that has already stirred much debate. Without spoiling anything, this development can best be described as creepy and not in a good way.

During the film’s many pregnant pauses, my mind began to wander and wonder about the logistics of vampire sex and impregnation. If a vampire doesn’t have a heart that beats blood then how can they become aroused? Furthermore how would they produce sperm? And even if they did wouldn’t it be venomous and turn a human into a vampire? The world may never know.

The movie is competently made by Bill Condon the talented filmmaker behind such films as “Gods and Monsters” and “Dreamgirls,” but there’s really only so much that can be done with material this silly and superficial.

There are isolated moments that break up the angst-ridding monotony. An all-too-brief flashback of Edward’s darker past that is shot in the black-and-white style of 1930s horror movie creates more atmosphere in a few minutes than anything in the rest of the movie.

Bella’s father’s (Billy Burke) wedding speech is good for a laugh as he reminds everyone he is a cop with a gun he knows how to use. Anna Kendrick as a catty frenemy also gets some choice one-liners. On the flip side, the film is at its most unintentionally hilarious when we get to hear the thoughts of the snarling wolf pack.

There would be need to be a drastic rewrite of the source material to find anything interesting here, but Melissa Rosenberg’s screenplay is slavishly faithful to the novel. This is great news for the die hard fans of the series, but dire news for those hoping for something more.

In truth, Meyer’s first “Twilight” had some promise, but that got watered down over a series of films that dwelled on shallow characters who mistake obsessive devotion with love. These are the kind of whiny self-absorbed people whose lives would be great if they could just get over themselves. It’s not much fun to be around people like this in real life and it is worse being trapped with them in a movie theater.

Student Artist Profile: Shelby Noble hits the road

2011-11-23T17:20:00.004-05:00

Shelby Noble, a senior at Kennett High School, has been acting since the age of 10 and has appeared in numerous productions of Arts in Motion Theater Company. She recently was accepted to tour with Up With People, an international educational and cultural program. Noble, the daughter of Glenn and Jane Noble, will join Cast B 2012 for a world tour that begins in July. Each year hundreds of young men and women between the ages of 17-29 apply to join the international, educational and cultural program for a one- or two-semester experience that visits diverse communities on a multi-continent tour.

Tell me about Up With People.

It is an organization like People to People except the difference is they perform for communities instead of just helping communities.

And what will you be doing with them?

I will be touring with them. I don’t get a final printed schedule until January of all the places I’ll be going to. Basically, I leave July 1 to go to Colorado and I meet with all the other people that have been chosen and then I get to learn the show and we start touring all around the world.

Do you know what sort of things you’ll be performing?

The only general overview that I have are the videos they have on their website, and then on YouTube they have videos of their shows. That’s all that I’ve seen so far.

What sort of things have they done in the past?

In the past, they do everything from like Macy’s Day Parade to the Olympics. They do all sorts of different performances. Usually, they go to a specific community, like last year when Haiti was undergoing all their distress, they went there and built reforms and helped with their community and then at the end of the week they put on a big show. That’s basically what they do.

How did you find out about this or get chosen?

My dad had someone he had in his theater shows back in the day and eventually he went on to do Up with People and that’s how my dad heard about it. We’ve always talked about it and it wasn’t until this year that I was like “Hey, that might be something I’d want to do.”

What was the process like for the selection?

First you need to apply online. There’s a standard $20 fee. Then you just fill out what you’ve done community-service wise, performance-wise. I actually knew a guy because my dad is also trying to get Up with People to come into town and do performances with Arts in Motion. So, this guy named Brad Good was e-mailing me before that and saying he was excited to have an interview with you. Then I had an interview and after the interview they were like, “We’ll let you know in a few weeks at how you placed or whether you got in” and then a few weeks later I got an e-mail saying congratulations and I got a phone call. That’s the general process.

And when did you first become interested in performing in general?

I think it is just in my blood because my dad went to college to be an actor and then he came up with the non-profit organization Arts in Motion, and so ever since I was really outgoing. I just started acting when I think I was 10 or 11 and my first production was “Alice in Wonderland.” That was when I first started.

What was your first role?

The Gryphon. It is not in the movie so your probably have no idea what I am talking about. That was my first role. It wasn’t a very big role.

What would you consider your favorite performance?

Probably Annelle in “Steel Magnolias” because I am named after the movie, so it is special to me and the opportunity to be in it was really cool because I went there to try out and I was like “There all these older people and I’m only 16 years old.” I didn’t even think I was going to place because my mom was going to try out with me. So I was like, “Alright, I’ll go for support” and when I got a role I was really surprised. That was definitely my favorite.

That was a fun performance.

Yeah, I like working with close-knit casts of only a few people because you get to know everyone better.

What was it like doing “Ordinary People” because that’s obviously a fairly dark show?

Yeah, “Ordinary People” was definitely a lot different than all the other shows I have done — well, I don’t know, it was kind of like “Steel Magnolias” with the tight-knit cast thing. It was a dark show because I’m used to doing musicals and happy things, but I prefer when I watch a show or I am in one for it to be more dark. I feel like it challenges people to act a certain way because I am obviously not in this gloomy life, but when I’m asked to be in a show like that I just think that is more of an opportunity.

And how do you get to a darker or gloomier place?

I don’t really know. I don’t know I act a certain way. I guess to try to take on the whole character and be that character when I am on stage. I don’t have things constantly going through my mind like, “Oooh, what am I going to do after this.” I’m thinking of if I was that person how would I be acting, so I guess that’s how I get to any place when I take on a role.

What are you hoping to do after high school?

After high school I leave July 1 for Up With People and when I get back I plan on applying to colleges. I don’t know where yet though. I had some in mind, but I’m not sure. I do want to pursue acting as my major though.

And will you continue to participate in community theater?

Probably, yeah. Community theater is where I started. I feel like obviously I’d have to continue.

Double your displeasure with 'Jack and Jill'

2011-11-18T17:26:00.004-05:00

Just in time for Thanksgiving, Adam Sandler has released his biggest turkey yet. “Jack and Jill,” a supposed family comedy in which Sandler gets to play his own twin sister, may not be his worst movie, but it is easily his laziest.

Sandler in drag has been funny before. One of the most popular sketches he did on “Saturday Night Live” was the Gap girls with David Spade and Chris Farley. But what is funny for five minutes isn’t necessarily funny for 90.

Guys dressed as women can be funny, but the idea isn’t intrinsically funny unto itself. Sure, the visual is good for a quick laugh at first, but after that you need to start writing some actual jokes. Movies like “Some Like It Hot,” “Tootsie” and “Mrs. Doubtfire” knew this and created funny and interesting characters and plots.

In all the above examples you also have characters that are guys who decide to dress up as a woman and so there’s the comic tension of how long the charade will last. With “Jack and Jill,” we’re supposed to accept Jill is an actual woman and that’s not believable on any plane of existence.

This could be excusable if the movie was actually funny. There are admittedly some laughs but, few to none of them come from the Jill character. There’s a reoccurring sight gag in which Sandler’s son tapes things to his body that is amusing and an extended appearance by Al Pacino that is, well, we’ll get to that later.

Any time Jill comes on screen with her shrill voice and obnoxious, loud and disgusting behavior you just want her to go away. If fart jokes are your thing, Jill is your gal. Somehow, despite having no redeemable qualities, we’re supposed to believe that Jack’s entire family falls in love with her.

Jill apparently has no job because she just keeps extending her Thanksgiving visit through to the new year. We’re supposed to feel sorry for her because she’s lonely since the passing of her mother who, other than her pet bird, was her only friend. She isn’t a character, but a very ugly caricature. Jack isn’t any better as Sandler plays his latest in a line of rich jerks.

The rich jerk character first appeared in “Funny People,” but that was a film in which Sandler did some real acting. Believe it or not, Sandler is better than movies like “Jack and Jill.” Sandler is just following the money. Anytime he’s tried something more serious like “Punch Drunk Love” or “Reign Over Me,” the films, despite being quite good, are box office duds. His lazy comedies gross $100 million.

In “Grown Ups,” “Just Go With It” and now “Jack and Jill,” he has played wealthy men who are bitter and self-absorbed and then in the final third of the films learn the error of their ways and become better men.

This has been a similar arc to many of Sandler’s films, but in his films from the 1990s such as “Happy Gilmore” there seemed to be some winking at the audience or some genuine sweetness as in “Big Daddy.” In his latter films there’s a sourness. A father now in real life, it's as if he feels obligated to put heartwarming messages in his films even if they feel disingenuous.

“Jack and Jill” is at least partially saved by Pacino. Pacino, playing himself, falls instantly in love with Jill at a basketball game. This leads to some strange scenes in the final third that are so off-the-wall that they actually work. Pacino seems oddly committed to playing himself.

The scenes with Pacino, particularly one in which he takes a call from Jack in the middle of a live stage production are indeed funny, but they feel like they are coming from an entirely different movie.

The Pacino scenes are worth seeing, but it is not worth sitting through all the fart jokes and lame prat falls. So, here’s the recommendation: Walk in an hour late or better yet, save your money and wait for it show up on YouTube or Netflix or in Red Box.

'Time'ly science fiction

2011-11-11T01:01:00.000-05:00

Writer/director Andrew Niccol is a dangerous man in Hollywood. He makes movies about ideas and forces his audience to think. His latest film “In Time” is set in a world in which time literally is money and uses this allegory to comment on the current state of the economy.

“In Time” is set in a future, or perhaps parallel universe, in which all people have been genetically altered to not age past 25. The catch is you are given only one more year to live and you must work, steal, beg or borrow more time to continue living. The rich are essentially immortal whereas the poor literally live day to day and often second to second.

Niccol does a terrific job fully fleshing out and running with this idea. Characters have a glowing green time code on their forearm clicking off the time that remains. People can loan time by holding each other’s wrists. Time has replaced currency. A cup of coffee costs four minutes. It gives a whole new meaning to the expression: What’s it worth to you? The premise also makes things more urgent. When you’re out of money it may not be the end of your life, but in Niccol’s world if you’re out of time, you’re dead.

This is a brilliant concept for a piece of science fiction, but when Niccol set out to make “In Time” I doubt he realized how timely the film would actually be. Niccol’s film directly addresses many of the same issues at the center of the Occupy movement.

The star of the film is Justin Timberlake, who has done the rare feat of transitioning from pop star to a movie star with genuine acting ability. His character, Will Salas, is a laborer who lives with his mother (Olivia Wilde) and they barely can make it to the next day.

Will meets Henry Hamilton (Matt Bomer) who has lived 102 years and has another century to go. Henry no longer wants to live, and, sensing Will is a good man, gives his remaining time to him. He also lets Will in on a little secret that “for a few immortals to live, many people must die.” The system is staked to ensure that enough people die off so there isn’t over population while the rich live forever.

With this new-found time, Will is allowed into a different “time zone” for only the wealthy, but it also gets the attention of the Time Keepers led by Cillian Murphy. These new form of police make sure that time remains in the right hands and believe that Will murdered Henry.

Now on the run, Will kidnaps Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried), an adventure-seeking heiress, and the film essentially becomes “Bonnie and Clyde” meets “Robin Hood” with Will and Sylvia stealing time from her father’s banks and giving it to the poor.

After establishing the universe and rules, the film settles into a more traditional action movie with car chases and gun fights. These scenes are slick and well produced and flow naturally from the plot rather than just being arbitrary. There are enough quiet moments that allow for tough moral questions to be asked.

Perhaps the best scene in the film is a high-stakes poker match in which being all in means your life is on the line. There is also a similar, but less effective, to-the-death arm-wrestling match.

The premise also allows for a youthful cast. Apparently in this world, in addition to not aging passed 25, you also remain thin and attractive. Timberlake makes a viable thinking-man’s action hero and does continue to prove his acting chops. He does have one unfortunately laughable crying scene, but the guy has real screen presence and that’s something you can’t fake.

Seyfried is a good and appealing actress who is given an underwritten role. She is only here to serve one purpose: fall in love and aid the hero. Her character does have some arc going from a rich girl to a rebel overthrowing the system, but, ironically, there’s not enough time given to show this transition. Even so Seyfried does what she can with the role and Timberlake and Seyfried make an appealing couple.

Murphy is essentially the Tommy Lee Jones character from “The Fugitive” and he does the dogged, hardened-cop role well. He brings a stoic intensity to the character.

Much like “Gattaca,” which Niccol also wrote and directed, and his screenplay for “The Truman Show,” Niccol uses his sci-fi premise to comment on society, culture or human nature, which is in the tradition of the best science fiction.

Talent springs forth in powerful 'awakening'

2011-11-10T20:04:00.001-05:00

For its annual musical, M&D Productions has mounted an ambitious and powerful production of “Spring Awakening,” the eight-time Tony Award-winning musical of sexual discovery set in 19th century Germany.

“Spring Awakening,” which opened Thursday, Nov. 10, at Your Theatre in North Conway, N.H. and is playing Thursday through Sunday for the next two weeks, is a rock musical adaptation of the controversial 1892 German play of the same title by Frank Wedekind. Featuring music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater, the dialogue is more or less to period, but the lyrics are contemporary.

The show is like a greatest hits of misery: child abuse, rape, abortion and suicide. This isn’t a light, happy musical, but it isn’t a total downer either. It explores these issues in a serious and direct way, but also features rousing musical numbers and a sly sense of humor.

There’s a large cast that mixes community actors with three professional actors that M&D brought in specifically for this show. The most notable of the three pros is Jason Cabral in the lead role of Melchior, a bright student who is seen as dangerous for being a free thinker.

Cabral, who also was assistant director, has a strong, commanding voice and an engaging stage presence. He is good in both dramatic and comic moments. Most importantly, you never see him acting. It feels natural. His standout moment, backed by the ensemble, is “Totally “F---ed,” the show's funniest, most dynamic number.

It is a testament to the level of talent that we have in this community and to Ken Martin’s abilities as a director, that the professionals, who also include Christopher Baron and Janet A. McWilliams in supporting roles, don’t stand out like sore thumbs. The cast blends together seamlessly. The pros don’t come down to a lesser level, everyone comes up to their level ability.

Molly Paven is the naive Wendla, who embraces her sexual desires toward Melchior not knowing the consequences thanks to a lovely bit of misinformation about child birth from her mother (Christina Howe). Paven is every bit Cabral’s equal in terms of vocal and acting ability. Paven, seemingly with little effort, brings across Wendla’s innocence, confusion, frustration and excitement.

Paven and Cabral have a palpable chemistry and share numerous powerful scenes together most notably one in which Wendla asks Melchior to beat her with a rod as she wants to be able to relate to her abused friend Martha (Amy Nicole Smullen). The act unleashes their sexual desires.

Chris Madura as Moritz is the third lead. Mortiz is troubled by his developing sexual urges which plague his dreams. As a student, he struggles to make the grade and is often the target of abuse and humiliation from his teachers (Bill Knolla and Karen Gustafson).

Madura beautifully brings across the tremendous pressure Mortiz is under and the depression he is struggling with. When he confronts his father (Kevin O’Neil) about his struggles at school only to be ridiculed we feel his pain. Madura shines brightest sporting a fauxhawk and venting his frustration on the punk-ish “Don't Do Sadness.”

Outside of the three leads, everyone gets at least one moment to shine. Smullen takes lead on the heartbreaking “The Dark I Know Well" which explores her character’s abuse. Jessica Pappalardo as Ilse, who tentatively attempts to be more than a friend to Mortiz, showcases her beautiful voice on the haunting “Blue Wind” and leads the cast in the show’s final number "The Song of Purple Summer" Baron and Ezra T. Alves share a funny and tender scene of budding, forbidden love.

This is complex and big show and so everyone deserves their credit. The actors are backed up by a solid live band that includes Cella Mariani, Eric Hudson, Eric Jordan, Thaddeus Pinkerton and Rafe Matregrano, who also provided musical direction. Once again Deborah Jasien has provided a beautiful set with an amazing tree as the center piece. Johnathan Pina provides the show with its lively choreography. Lighting design by Martin and Mark Delancy and sound design Pinkerton are both effective.

For more information or tickets call the box office at 662-7591.

'Puss' gets by on the charms of Banderas and Hayek

2011-11-04T01:20:00.000-04:00

Last year the “Shrek” series petered out with the passably entertaining “Shrek Forever After.” It was clear the series was well passed its expiration date, but Hollywood always perseveres when there is money to be made and thus we have the spin off “Puss in Boots.”

All cynicism aside about the roots of the film, “Puss in Boots” is a charming, funny animated film that recaptures much of the original wit and freshness of the first “Shrek” while having its own flavor and personality.

As with “Shrek,” “Puss in Boots” is set in a world that reworks and satirizes fairy tales, but the film differs from “Shrek” by taking on a tone of a spaghetti western.

Antonio Banderas returns as the adventure seeking cat that is part Zorro and part El Mariachi, his character from “Desperado” and “Once Upon a Time in Mexico.” In this story, he is a bandit who thieves as the means to a noble end. A back story reveals that years ago Puss was betrayed by his friend Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis) and tricked into robbing his beloved home town. Left an outlaw, Puss desperately hopes to somehow repay his debt.

That chance comes in the form of heist cooked up by Humpty that involves stealing magic beans from Jack and Jill (Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris), who in this universe are feared criminals, and growing the famed beanstalk that leads to the goose that lays the golden eggs. Despite his qualms about Humpty, Puss agrees to take part in the caper. It helps that the third partner in crime is the lovely Kitty Softpaws (Selma Hayek).

Banderas and Hayek worked together in “Desperado” and “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” and their chemistry, even just in voice performances, is tremendous. Both actors breathe so much robust life into their characters. It is ultimately their performances that make the film so enjoyable even when the films plot begins to feel stretched in spots.

Galifianakis, whose socially awkward idiot schtick in “The Hangover” and “Due Date” is wearing thin, gives a sweet, genuine performance as Humpty Dumpty. There’s some complexities to the character that Galifianakis’ vocal performance brings across naturally.

Thornton and Sedaris have a lot of fun as the bickering bandits and lovers Jack and Jill. In an amusing twist Jack wants to give up the criminal life and have kids and start a family.

The screenplay by Brian Lynch, David H. Steinberg, Tom Wheeler and Jon Zack is full of clever ideas, visuals and lines of dialogue. A particular favorite is the way a wagon transforms into a flying machine. The plot does become needlessly complicated in the end suggesting that there was perhaps one too many writers working on the script.

Director Chris Miller, who wrote and directed “Shrek the Third,” brings a slick visual style that emulates the “Shrek” style, but has a feel all its own. The film movies at a brisk pass and the use of split screens at various points in the film is clever and energetic.

But as previously stated it is Banderas and Hayek that make this work. Without them there really is no movie. Other actors could’ve provided the voices of these characters and done a good job, but it just wouldn’t have been the same. Their personalities are so completely infused in the characters it is hard to imagine it any other way.

Student Artist Profile: Kevin Brown — 'It is really nice to perform'

2011-11-04T01:03:00.001-04:00

Kevin Brown, a senior at Fryeburg Academy in Fryeburg, Maine, is in vocal jazz and has an interest in theater.

  How did you get interested in vocal jazz?

Originally, I really wanted to go into theater my freshman year, but Mr. Neland was like "No, no, no, you should go to chorus" and I was like "Alright." So, I went to chorus and the first few years I wasn't really interested in eclectic, which is like JV vocal jazz and then junior year I tried out for vocal jazz and Mr. Lacasce said "Yeah, you're definitely in. You're definitely one of the best basses we have." Alright, cool. So, kind of been on the road since.

Have you always had interest in singing?

Yeah, my mother was a choir director for the church we went to in Massachusetts before we lived here, so often times I'd stay after and sing with her, hang around and get some pieces under my belt.

You have done some theater, too?

Yes, I've always been interested in theater. Again, my mother and my brother, Ryan, have both been interested in theater and influenced me most of my life. Ryan right now lives in Baltimore, Md. and he's actually directing plays. For his job, he works at an intern hospital and he walks in and acts like a patient sometimes. He'll walk in, "Oh, I think I have a heart problem and I don't really know why." And they have to wonder what he is going to do. That sort of thing. I get a lot of influence from him.

Have you been in any productions?

Well, I've only been in like three because it has mostly been school productions that I've been able to go to because they are pretty local. Even then I wasn't really interested. A lot of theirs are like these comedy musicals things and I've always been interested in drama and really acting not just: deliver line, punchline, walk off stage.

Have there been any roles you really enjoyed playing or that you really want to play?

Last year when we did the one acts for the May term I got to play this character who wasn't really connected to his parents because he was adopted and they didn't really feel like telling him until pretty much half way through his life. The character really stuck out and I enjoyed it because he started out as this really shelled in boy and then he grew up to be this rough and tough guy, but deep down he was still this boy. I really liked that part. As for a part I've really wanted, I don't know. My father always told me "There's no such thing as big parts, but big actors" and same thing for small. I've always worked with what I got. Granted, guard number three isn't a great role.

What do you hope to do when you get out of high school?

I've been mostly looking into botany and ecology. Oddly enough, I don't really want to go into theater much, but if it comes to be I might do the school plays or that kind of thing, again, what I've actually been doing lately. I've been looking at the College of the Atlantic and mostly coastal ecological kind of places for studies.

In terms of the vocal jazz, has there been any standout performance you really enjoyed participating in?

Yeah, last year we did the Berklee Jazz, which has, I think, over 200 schools. We luckily came out on top against all the other schools across the entire New England performance. At the end, I just remember singing and things weren't really on time and we weren't really singing that great, but it just felt so good to be in front of all these other schools and be like, "Yeah, Fryeburg Academy, we're singing in front of you guys." I just remember looking behind me and seeing our drummer, Jon Dana, jamming out on these 50 Toms and he didn't know what to do like a little boy in a candy shop. It was really great. It was really nice performance. That was last year when we won at Berklee. That was a great performance definitely.

Have you had any interest in participating in community theater with M&D or Arts in Motion?

Nah, there just hasn't been enough time in anything I've done. I don't even have a car, so it is kind of hard for me. If my dad was home a lot more, but often time he has been working a lot, so it would've been middle of the day, right after school, I'd have to find a ride and then a ride back. It is a great idea, I'd really love to be a part of it, but it is just too out of the way.

Do you have any final thoughts on what you want to do or why you like to perform?

I just perform because it is really nice to perform. I like being different from who I am. Can I be this character? Can I be that character? Can I act sane for once or can I act insane. Yeah, that's about it.

'Ides of March' is a good, but not great political drama

2011-10-28T01:17:00.000-04:00

Politics are saturating the atmosphere as potential presidential candidates vie for the Republican nomination. “The Ides of March,” George Clooney’s new film as co-writer, director and star, offers a look behind the scenes of that process. Not surprisingly, it is a dirty world.

“The Ides of March” is based on the 2008 play “Farragut North” by Beau Willimon, which was loosely based on the 2004 Democratic primary campaign of Howard Dean. The retitling of the movie is in reference to the day Julius Caesar was assassinated and would imply that this story will have its own assassination. It doesn’t.

The title is a metaphor for the backstabbing that occurs to get ahead and for the death of ideals of Ryan Gosling’s Stephen Meyers, the second in command for the presidential campaign of Clooney’s Mike Morris.

Trailers and advertisements for the film have made it appear to be a taut, fast-paced political thriller. It isn’t. It is a deliberately paced drama that shows the inside workings of a political campaign much the same way that “Primary Colors” did in 1998. That was a broader and more savagely funny look at the process, but both films follow the same arc: the disillusionment of a campaign staff members who at one point truly believed in their candidates.

“The Ides of March” is a more dramatic, even heavy-handed, approach to the subject matter. There’s a twist involving an intern played by Evan Rachel Wood that isn’t exactly what you expect, and it works. Another twist is then added on top of the first that is a bit of a stretch. Wood’s performance can't be faulted though. Like the rest of the cast, she is excellent. She is charming, intelligent and, when needed, emotionally vulnerable.

This plot development is the linchpin on which Gosling’s belief in Clooney swings, and in the final third of the film Gosling’s character goes from idealist to hardened cynic. It is a transformation that is well acted by Gosling and, while you’re watching it, is effective and believable, but doesn’t hold up to much scrutiny. The timeline of the film is mere weeks. Gosling’s character seems pretty quick to sell his candidate out at the first sign of imperfection.

Perhaps this is the limitation of the source material showing through. The film does very much feel like a play, which isn’t a bad thing, but perhaps the material could’ve been further expanded for the film. Maybe the changes in Gosling’s character should have developed over the span of several months.

Despite these flaws, this is well crafted and exceptionally well acted film. The performances in this film are what make it work.

Clooney is believable as a presidential candidate, so much so that if his character were to run in real life he’d probably get a nomination.

Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the head of Clooney's campaign staff and he gives a fantastic speech about loyalty. Paul Giamatti is head of the rival candidate's staff and in a few scenes steals the movie. His character tries to court Gosling to his side. When Giamatti reveals his true intentions it is a shocking moment.

Marisa Tomei is solid as a journalist who helps introduce the film’s ongoing theme of friendship. What does that word mean in the political world? It is a good question, and the way it is explored is interesting.

Outside of the acting, the best thing about “The Ides of March” is the feeling that we are getting an inside look. The film opens with a microphone check for a speech and closes with Gosling being prepped for a TV interview. These behind the scene details are fascinating as are the behind-closed-doors conversations that the characters have.

The games, manipulations and tricks that are played to win in politics are not exactly surprising, but are engaging and thought provoking as presented by Clooney and his cast.

The new 'Thing' doesn't quite live up to the old 'Thing'

2011-10-21T02:17:00.002-04:00

When talking about seeing the “The Thing,” the semi-remake prequel to John Carpenter’s 1982 “The Thing,” it feels like an Abbott and Costello routine.

“I just saw the new ‘Thing’”

“What thing?”

“The Thing.”

“Listen if you don’t want to tell me what you saw that’s fine.”

“I already told you what I saw. I saw the new ‘Thing.’”

“What thing?”

The 1982 version of “The Thing” was itself a remake of 1951’s “The Thing from Another Planet.” That film was set in the North Pole whereas the 1982 and 2011 installments are set in Antarctica. Each film involves a small, isolated group of scientists and researchers dealing with a hostile alien.

In the 1951 film it was a creature (played by James Arness in alien makeup) that evolved from plants rather than animals. In the 1982 and 2011 version it is a shape shifting creature that can assume the shape, memories and personality of any living thing it comes in contact with. Anyone can be the Thing, which in both the 1982 and 2011 films leads to an atmosphere of paranoia and suspicion.

The 1982 film had the Thing arrive in a United States research center in the form of a dog being chased by a helicopter piloted by the two survivors of a battle with the creature at a Norwegian base. The 2011 film shows what happened at that Norwegian base.

First-time director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. clearly has a genuine love for Carpenters film and this film does a nice job of recreating the look and feel of the earlier film. Sets were recreated in remarkable detail, which the many fans of the previous film should appreciate greatly.

Some fans of the 1982 film have asked: What’s the point of making this film? The argument being that the mystery of what happened to the Norwegians was part of the allure and appeal of the 1982 “Thing.”

It was a safe assumption that the action that unfolded at the United States base followed a similar arc to that of the Norwegian base. Now we know it was almost exactly the same; in fact, it is so similar it starts falling into the category of remake.

The film’s roster of characters features a mix of Norwegian researchers and American experts flown in to help dig out the creature who has been frozen for 100,000 years. This includes paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, “Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World”), who becomes the film's main protagonist much in the same way Kurt Russell did in the 1982 film.

Having a female lead character gives the film a different dynamic than the 1982 version and inevitably recalls Sigourney Weaver’s work in the “Alien” films. Winstead gives a solid, believable performance in the film. The film doesn’t transform her into an unrealistic action hero, but rather a smart, strong woman who takes hold of a terrifying situation.

The rest of the cast, which includes Joel Edgerton (“Warrior”) as a pilot, is indistinct and interchangeable. There’s very little character development. Carpenter’s film didn’t exactly have fully developed characters, but there was a sense of camaraderie in that film that is sorely missing here.

The film’s best scene is a new twist on the 1982's film's iconic scene testing to see who is human and who is a Thing. The screenplay by Eric Heisserer comes with a clever variation on that scene that is logically sound and makes sense.

Which brings us to the question of the special effects used to create the creature. The 1982 version was made in a time before CG effects and featured an effectively gooey mixture of puppets, prosthetics and other practical effects.

This new film uses some practical effects, which is welcomed, but leans a bit too heavily on computer effects. A more even blend of the two styles would’ve been more effective. That being said, there’s definitely some good, creepy and gory scenes that, while not nearly as shocking as anything in the 1982 film, do provide some good scares.

Overall, this new “Thing” is decent entertainment. It honors its predecessors, but doesn’t match or surpass them. Of its kind, it is well made with moments of genuine suspense. You can certainly do worse if you’re looking for a horror film this Halloween.

Music for food: Red Gallagher presents benefit concert for food pantry Oct. 15

2011-10-14T02:21:00.001-04:00

CONWAY — Musician Red Gallagher, of Center Conway, has been living and performing in the Mount Washington Valley and Lakes Region for three years now. He decided it was about time to give back.

“I decided to do a benefit for the [Vaughn Community Service] Food Pantry because of the good work they do,” Gallagher said. “I've been doing a similar food pantry benefit concert in Minneapolis for 15 years, every Thanksgiving, and I've wanted to get something going here that would benefit the community and help me become a more contributing member of my new community.”

Gallagher will present a concert to benefit the food pantry and honor long-time volunteer Bob Therrien. The event will take place at The Salyards Center for the Arts at 110 Main Street in Conway Village, Saturday, Oct. 15, from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

“I've been wanting to do something at the Salyard Center,” Gallagher said. “It is very intimate, very small. It would hold 150 people, maybe more, but they'd be really crammed. And I thought it would be perfect for a first-time event like this because if we draw a crowd at all it would be great. But of course the dream is to fill the place, have this become a successful and maybe do it every year.”

Gallagher, a long-time entertainer at the The Balsams Grand Resort, will be performing a mix of humor and straightforward blues and boogie. He will play a mixture of dark, funny songs including original compositions and parodies and covers of songs by people like John Prine, Steve Goodman, Shel Silverstein and Pat Donohue.

“I don't do a lot of slow ballad, sad stuff,” Gallagher said. “I leave that to the people that do it better and one of them is my wife, Lorraine, and she will be, as she often is with me, a special vocal guest and she'll do probably four to six songs in the course of the evening.”

In addition to the Gallaghers, Balsams pianist Greg Goodwin will open the show with a half hour of jazz and popular music at the grand piano. Goodwin is a long-time friend of the Gallaghers and was even in the best man at their wedding.

“He's a virtuoso,” Gallagher said. “His repertoire is jazz-pop crossover, due in large part because of where he plays — the dining room up at the Balsams. You have to play songs people are familiar with, but his love is jazz, so he gives it a real special flavor and texture.”

Suggested donation for attendance will be $10 per person or $5 and items of non-perishable food.

“We're going to keep it short, we're going to keep it early and we're making it cheap,” Gallagher said. “I want it to be a fun thing for people to have an alternative of something to do on a Saturday night.”

For more information call 986-7736.

'Misery' loves company

2011-10-14T02:18:00.000-04:00

CONWAY — Stephen King is the modern master of macabre, so with Halloween in the air, it only seems natural to turn to him for some scares on the stage. “Misery's Child,” M&D Production's original adaptation of King's novel “Misery” directed by Ken Martin, brings one of author's most psychological disturbing tales vividly to life.

Of all King's work, “Misery,” with its tale of an author being trapped and tortured by a psychotic self-proclaimed number one fan, seems the most natural fit for a fiendish evening of theater. With only two actors, “Misery's Child” manages to keep the audience captivated.

After a brief prologue in which romance novelist Paul Sheldon (Richard Russo) receives an award, we hear the sounds of a car accident. In the next scene Paul is bedridden and being tended by his savior, the overly cheery Annie Wilkes (Janette Kondrat), his top fan. At first Annie seems like a well-intentioned, if somewhat kooky nurse, but it doesn't take long for Paul or the audience to discover how unstable and deranged Annie is.

Any number of cliches could be used to describe the experience of seeing “Misery's Child,” which opened last night at Your Theatre in North Conway and is running Thursday through Saturday until the end of the month. It'll put you on the edge of your seat. It'll make your skin crawl. These phrases are accurate, but don't do justice to the caliber of the work in this show.

Kondrat's performance is truly and often deeply unsettling much in the same way Kathy Bates was in her Oscar-winning portrayal of the role in the 1990 film. Kondrat, who says she has avoided watching the film, matches Bates iconic performance. They way she turns in a moment from sunny and nearly childlike to angry, spiteful and violent is seamless and disturbing. There's an unrelenting tension as you never know what will set Annie off next.

In playing Annie, Kondrat gives a risky performance. She goes for big emotions with intense highs and lows. In a scene showing Annie in a profoundly depressed mood, Kondrat creates an almost entirely different character and yet it springs naturally from the rest of her performance. It is astounding work.

Russo's role is less showy, but in many, and certainly different, ways just as challenging. His performance is almost entirely based on reaction. Russo gives a restrained and precisely timed performance. It is also a quiet performance. His subtle, controlled facial expressions say everything when the dialogue is scant. We see fear, agony, confusion, dread and even joy in Paul's small victories.

The show also gives Russo some rich monologues where Paul talks to himself when he is left to his own devices trying to figure out if there is any way out of Annie's trap. The most harrowing and brilliantly performed of these is when Paul is left stuck in bed with no food, water or medication for two weeks. It is difficult to watch.

Beyond the psychological games played between Paul and Annie, which are in turns disturbing and darkly comic, “Misery's Child” is also a well-observed look at the craft of writing. Russo does a good job of portraying the process of writer as Paul is forced to write a new book just for Annie.

These performance are housed in a beautiful rural house set designed by the consistently amazing Deborah Jasien. The lighting design by Mark DeLancey aids in creating a mood of dread when necessary. The sound design by Martin and Elaine Kondrat utilizes creepy music and effective use sound effect, particularly during the car crash, to help create an atmosphere of unease.

For those who enjoy the thrill of being scared, “Misery's Child” is a fantastic night out and one that will stick with you long after the final bows.

For more information and reservations call 662-7591.

'Farmageddon' is a well-intentioned, but under developed documentary

2011-10-07T02:12:00.000-04:00

“Farmageddon” is a documentary that sheds light on an unseen issue: the government's persecution of small family dairy farms. The problem is writer/producer/director Kristin Canty doesn't really have much to say about the subject other than it is bad.

Canty, whose intentions are clearly noble, decided to make “Farmageddon” after discovering raw milk was able to cure her son's allergies. In talking to local farmers she discovered much of their troubles and wanted to share their stories.

As a first time filmmaker, Canty deserves credit for putting together a film that looks professional. This doesn't look like something slapped together over the weekend. It is clear a lot of time, care and effort was put into the film and it does show.

The first 30 minutes of the film are compelling as Canty shows some disturbing imagery of farms being raided at gun point. Farmers share anecdotes that are shocking. One family had imported sheep to start a dairy farm, but the USDA went after them, eventually killing the sheep out of fear of the spread of mad cow disease, which there is no proof of sheep carrying. Other families had milk and yogurt and supposedly contaminated feed confiscated.

This would be a good subject for a 15 to 30 minute news segment on such programs as “Dateline” or “60 Minutes.” As a film, the material is stretched too thin and is repetitive. We are shown more farms given the same cruel inexplicable treatment and hear more tearful stories that certainly carry emotional weight, but we are never given answers or context.

Canty and the numerous family she interviewed want to know why both national and state governments are picking on the little guys over safety and healthy regulation instead of going after big commercial farms.

The conclusion that Canty comes to is that agribusiness must have the government in its back pocket. It isn't a huge leap to make and it is quite possibly the case, but Canty provides zero evidence to back up this assertion.

Canty only talks to the owners of small farms. There was no apparent attempt to talk to owners of larger farms. She does state that she tried to contact government officials to give the other side of the story, but was only able to get a couple to go on camera. Out of frustration she says, “People from the government don't really want to talk for some reason, which bums me out.” In that moment, despite the slick look of the film, you know you're in the hands of an amateur.

For the 85-minute run time, you mostly only hear one side of the story and sometimes her subjects make dubious statements. Kevin Brown, author of “The Liberation Diet,” states “Real food like butter, like real milk, like eggs have been made the devil in the world of food to the point where people are afraid to eat real food and unfortunately the result of that is 72 percent of the country is obese or overweight. Heart disease, cancer rates and diabetes rates are at all-time highs, and every year it is getting worse.”

That is just faulty logic. Would there be less obesity if people only ate “real” butter, eggs and milk? It is possible, but once again the film is dealing with ideas that are unsupported and Canty never seeks out the facts to support her claims. The inclusion of material like this does a disservice to her primary subject: the owners of these small farms.

Canty does provides interesting information about why milk pasteurization became standard practice and Dr. David Acheson, food policy consultant and former FDA/USDA administrator, offers some insight into why there are strict regulations on milk. No one ever explains or even attempts to justify the extreme behavior against small farms.

By the conclusion of the film in which Canty blatantly states, “I made this film to be a cautionary tale for consumers,” it is apparent that you've watched the visual equivalent of a school report. Is it a report worth seeing? A qualified yes. Seeing the way these farmers are treated is shocking, and the film is worth a look if only for that footage.

A nice evening in the 'Park'

2011-09-30T02:28:00.003-04:00

CONWAY — Summer may be over, but The Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company is sneaking in one last show of professional theater with Neil Simon's “Barefoot in the Park” which opened Sept. 28 and is playing through Oct. 1 and Oct. 5 to 9 at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse.

Real-life married couple Grant and Liz Golson star as Paul and Corie Bratter, newlyweds who after a six-day honeymoon at the Plaza Hotel move into a small fifth floor (sixth if you include the stoop) apartment with a hole in the skylight, no bathtub and dodgy heat.

This isn't the first time the Golsons have shared the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company's stage as a couple. They most notably played lovers in the 2008 production of “Cabaret.” There real-life chemistry is evident and translates well to the stage.

“Barefoot in the Park” first debuted on Broadway in 1963 and later spawned a film starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in 1967 and a short-lived TV series with an all black cast in 1970.

The play chronicles the first few days in their apartment including a dinner party in which Corie attempts to set up her single mother (Caroline Nesbitt) with Victor Velasco (Craig Holden), the kooky neighbor who lives in the attic. Paul, an uptight, slightly neurotic lawyer and Corie, an energic free spirit, have their marriage put to the test and begin to question if they rushed into it.

As with Simon's other works, the show is peppered with sharp one-liners. In Simon's world, everyone — including the telephone repairman (Patrick Roberts) — is quick witted and has excellent comic timing. Simon's stylized dialogue remains very funny even if some of the references are dated.

Grant Golson proves himself to be an excellent physical comedian. The look on his face after carrying Corie's mother up to the apartment after a night out is priceless. The way he pulls a blanket over himself for a night on the couch after a fight with Corie is a small moment that gets a big laugh.

Liz Golson has a bright smile and bubbly personality that makes Corie easily likeable. Corie, under the outgoing front, is actually quite insecure and is quick to jump to the conclusion that her mother disapproves of her actions. It is this insecurity that ultimately leads to her question the marriage. Liz Golson doesn't let this subtext overtake the performance, but hints at it just enough.

Nesbitt protrays a mother who is a good sport. When Nesbit first walks into the unfurnished apartment she does a good job of hiding her disappoint and trying to stay positive and support. During the blind date with Holden, Nesbit's awkward anxiety gets some solid laughs.

As for Holden, the role of Victor Velasco is a familiar variation on the sorts of characters he plays so well. Aging eccentrics are a good fit for Holden; what that says about the actor I'll leave up to you to decide. Holden and Nesbitt develop a sweet chemistry together. Their budding romance runs parallel to Paul and Corie's young love and acts as an example and reminder to the couple when things start to crumble.

“Barefoot in the Park” is a light, easy-going night of theater. It is simply a charming play with some big laughs and a sweet love story.

All shows are at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $29. Flex Passes good for four admissions are $100. Special rates for larger groups are also available. For reservations or information call the box office at 356-5776 or visit www.mwvtheatre.org.

'The Help' is a genuine 'I laughed, I cried' movie

2011-09-30T02:08:00.003-04:00

“The Help” is a sleeper hit — a movie that performs far better than anyone expected. Since its release on Aug. 12 it has made more than $150 million. That's no small feat for a summer full of superheroes duking it out with super villains.

In a way though the villain of “The Help” — the perpetuation of deep-seated racist traditions in the 1960s — is far more troubling and cringe-inducing than any of the fantastic plots cooked up by this summer's baddies.

“The Help” focuses on Skeeter (Emma Stone), a white Southern girl from a wealthy background who bucks all the Southern ideals her mother and friends have tried to instill in her. She hungers to be a writer in New York City. Instead she gets a job writing a cleaning column for a local paper. She seeks advice from Aibileen (Viola Davis), a friend's black maid. This encounter leads to the idea to write a book from the perspective of the help.

At first Skeeter's only subject is Aibileen, but others join including the sassy and strong willed Minny (Octavia Spencer). Standing in their way is Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard), a bigot that essentially represents all racist Southerns. It is a broadly written and performed character, but the character serves its purpose well.

The other major character is Celia (Jessica Chastain), a socially outcast white woman, who bonds with Minny and treats her more like a friend and equal than a servant. There relationship adds a complexity to the film that wouldn't have been present had the film focused solely on the good, noble Skeeter versus the cruel and manipulative Hilly. Chastain gives a sweet, funny and lovable performance and has a wonderful dynamic with Spencer.

Stone, who up to this point has proven herself to be one of the most promising, charming and funny actresses of her generation, shows dramatic range and depth. Scenes with her mother, played by Allison Jenney, and the maid (Cicely Tyson) who helped raise her have emotional power.

The heart of the belongs to Davis, who gives a subtle, powerful performance. There is a stillness and control to her performance that helps ground the film in reality, which is important to balance out the films broader moments.

Director Tate Taylor, who also adapted the screenplay from Kathryn Stockett novel, finds a good balance between heavy dramatic moments and light comedy. The tonal shifts are rarely jarring as the characters, even if they only represent different archetypes, are so well defined and performed.

Some, including the Association of Black Women Historians, are accusing “The Help” of being racist for filtering these black women's story through a white woman. This is an exaggeration. Could this story be told solely from the perspective of these black maids? Yes. Is the subplot involving Stone attempting to find love unnecessary and distracting from the main story? Yes, but the device of Stone writing a book on the behalf of these woman isn't contrived. The civil rights movement was based on whites and blacks working together.

Clearly, this is a film that takes on the issues of race and gender persecution, but the story is relatable to anyone has faced and attempted to overcome adversity. The empowerment that they feel is moving and uplifting.

The film does simplify the race issue. It essentially sanitizes what was happening to make it more palatable to the mainstream. Some may see this as a negative, but it has allowed the film and its message be seen by more people.

This isn't to say the film doesn't address much of the ugliness of the time period head on, but it is packaged in a way that is more accessible. It is easy to be dismissive of this approach. A harder more realistic version of this material could've been made, but it wouldn't have received the wide exposure this film has had. So, there's a trade off.

The above isn't an attack of the film, but merely a description. Dramatically the film is deeply satisfying. This is a “I laughed, I cried” film. There are some very big laughs paired with tears of both sorrow and joy. The film moves alone briskly and despite a running time of over two hours, the film is engaging from beginning to end.

'Brave' trailer sparks debate on portrayal of women in movies

2011-09-23T01:58:00.007-04:00

A few months ago the teaser trailer for “Brave,” Pixar Animation's summer 2012 release, made its debut online. It marks the first Pixar film to star a female protagonist. Millions are excited to see it and it will undoubtedly be a hit, but one popular comment on the official YouTube posting of the trailer was disconcerting.

“I got uninterested as soon as the hood was pulledoff,” the since removed comment said in reference to the reveal of the character's gender. The internet is full of idiotic comments, but what was troubling about this one was, before it was removed, it received more than 2,000 likes.

I found this startling and posted a video on YouTube asking what the popularity of this comment meant. Is it a reflection of a society that is still uncomfortable about the idea of strong female protagonists? Surely that couldn't be the case as there have been numerous butt kicking women in both film and television.

The responses were interesting, surprisingly polite and well reasoned. Not something you see too often in the world of YouTube comments.

A user named GhostOrchid said: “I tend to think it's a mix of two things. One: there is an odd dislike in society of strong female characters. I think it's threatening to some people to see a female character that does not conform to stereotype. And two: female lead characters tend to be writtenvery, very poorly. I enjoy seeing a female lead, but all too often they're written in a way that makes me feel as though they're simply a man in drag. They're too busy being tough to be a real character.”

Unfortunately, that statement seems to be true in most cases. Hollywood writers don't seem to know what to do with female characters in the action genre. Superhero movies have been big money makers, but women haven't been given their due. This could be because the two female superhero properties that have made it to the big screen, “Electra” and “Catwoman,” were box office flops. This was largely due to poor writing and clumsy directing. Hollywood execs are quick to learn, but they learned the wrong lesson. They decided that female superheroes were box office poison.

As for GhostOrchid's “man in drag” observation, the only idea writers have come up with to give female action heroes their femininity back is to give them maternal instincts. The best examples of this are Linda Hamilton's Sarah Conner in “The Terminator” movies, Sirgorney Weaver's Ellen Ripley in the “Alien” movies and Uma Thurman's Bride in the “Kill Bill” movies.

A user named autumnwindflower wrote: “Women can somehow relate fine with either a male or female lead. However, men seem to have a much more difficult time relating with a female lead. That's why they almost always are hot and scantily clad — men can enjoy the eye candy without sacrificing their masculinity.”

This also seems to be an accurate assessment. I'm sure for many men that is the case, but I know that I can easily relate to female characters if their experiences are similar to my own. I remember seeing the Natalie Portman movie “Anywhere But Here” at 16 and found that I related to the main character quite a bit as we were about the same age. There were things that her character goes through that are gender specific, but other things applied to teenagers at large and I responded to that.

Other users commented that perhaps people were responding negatively not to the fact that Merida, the main character in “Brave,” is female, but rather she doesn't match the standards of beauty we've come to expect. A user named dummeeule wrote “People expect the females to look like 'hot babes' or whatever society brainwashes them with.”

This is true. We are bombarded with images of skinny woman who have been primped, pulled, painted and photoshopped into perfection. Merida is animated and therefore shouldn't fall under the same often misguided modern qualifications of beauty and yet she still is.

It could be that I am, as a user named Teleisawesome suggested, “overreacting,” but, even if that is the case, this is a complex issue worth discussing and one I will continue to explore in the future.

'Contagion' a thoughtful, human drama

2011-09-16T01:57:00.003-04:00

In “Contagion,” Steven Soderbergh's pandemic film, the movie “Jaws” is directly referenced. This is fitting because just as “Jaws” scared people out of the water, “Contagion” will surely make people second guess touching, well, everything. “Contagion” is a germaphobe's worst nightmare.

In the last few years we've had our share of overhyped pandemic scares with swine and bird flu. “Contagion” imagines a bird flu-like virus that is far more virulent and deadly. Instead of killing thousands, it kills millions and is spread merely by touch.

The film isn't an end-of-the world disaster film. Yes, we do see glimpses of rioting and pillaging, which given the recent chaos in London, feels all too timely, but the film is more focused on the pursuit of a cure and how society might actually react to this situation. The movie doesn't go for cheap scares, but creates an atmosphere of paranoia and unease.

Similar to Soderbergh's “Traffic,” the film follows several parallel stories. These storylines are kept self-contained with only some overlapping here and there. Matt Damon is featured in the main plotline in which a husband loses both his wife (Gwyneth Paltrow) and son to the virus. He is immune to the disease and is extremely protective of his daughter (Anna Jacoby-Heron) as it is unclear if she has his immunity.

Laurence Fishburne and Kate Winslet work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jude Law is a blogger with dubious intentions and Marion Cotillard works for the World Health Organization.

The screenplay by Scott Z. Burns focuses not so much on the spread of the virus, but of fear and misinformation. Burns also raises interesting moral and ethical questions. Fishburne informs his wife to leave the city before there is an official public announcement. Is that the wrong thing to do? Perhaps, but who wouldn't have done the same thing in his position?

Damon is very strong as a husband and father that in very short order loses nearly everything. Left with only his daughter, he focuses all his energy on keeping her safe. Their dynamic is an interesting one. Jacoby-Heron becomes frustrated that she can never leave the house, but at the same time she honors her father's wishes. There is a very sweet scene in which Damon makes his daughter a prom right in their home.

Law gives a slimey, yet ambiguous performance. His character is perhaps the least likable in the film, but even he has moments of humanity and raises issues that are valid and worth exploring. Fishburne plays the perfect boss. He has an interesting relationship with Winslet in which not only is he her superior, but offers himself as a confidant and support.

Of all the plots, Cotillard's story is the one that gets shorted. She is kidnapped by a fellow researcher (Chin Han) to ensure that his dying village in China is one of the first to get a vaccination. The plot is dropped for a while and the next time we see her she isn't a captive, but a teacher working with the children of the village. How this transformation occurs is not seen.

Paltrow's performance is brief and contained mostly to flashbacks. Scenes of her seizure and death are deeply disturbing. Elliott Gould makes a small, but memorable appearance as a researcher that makes a breakthrough in discovering a cure.

A lot of other familiar faces make appearance in the film including Bryan Cranston, Enrico Colantoni and Demetri Martin. From the biggest to the smallest roles everyone fills their parts well. This is great ensemble cast working with a strong script.

Despite advertisements that make this look like a thriller, this is well acted, thoughtful drama that puts a very human face on what might happen if there ever truly was a pandemic.

A look at 'United 93' and 'World Trade Center'

2011-09-11T01:53:00.006-04:00

It is 10 years since the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Five years ago, three films were made about the day: “United 93,” “Flight 93” and “World Trade Center.” I avoided these films upon their release. I knew I wasn't ready to watch them. Even now I was uncertain, but the time felt right.

Oliver Stone's “World Trade Center” was the big budget Hollywood treatment of the tragedy. The story centers on the true story of two Port Authority police officers (Nicolas Cage and Michael Pena) trapped in the rubble of the buildings.

The film is semi-successful. The harrowing recreation of Ground Zero is remarkable. It feels as if Stone and his crew went back in time and were filming on location. There are powerful images throughout the film and Stone is careful to not exploit this sensitive material.

The film is its most affecting and powerful when it focuses on Cage and Pena, who are separated and pinned down, keeping each other awake, and therefore alive, by talking to each other. The film loses some of that power when it cuts away for flashbacks and to see their families reacting to them being missing and then, ultimately, discovered.

This device could be effective, but the problem is the writing of these scenes. The screenplay by Andrea Berloff is too melodramatic and cliche when presenting these domestic scenes. Some of the acting saves the material though. Maggie Gyllenhaal gives a nuanced, controlled performance as Pena's wife, which only accentuates how broad, shrill and over-the-top Maria Bello's performance as Cage's wife is.

“United 93” and “Flight 93” both tell the story of the hijacked flight that didn't reach its destination and instead crashed near Shanksville, Pa. when passengers foiled the hijackers. “Flight 93” was a TV movie made for A&E whereas “United 93” was theatrically released.

I didn't watch “Flight 93.” One film on the subject was enough for me. Between “United 93” and “World Trade Center,” “United 93” is the film to watch. Unlike “World Trade Center,” the scale is small and intimate. The film cuts between Flight 93, the Air Traffic Control Tower in New York City, Air Traffic Control Center in Ohio and the NORAD base.

Director Paul Greengrass uses handheld camera work that gives an immediacy to the material that makes you feel as if you are on the plane or in the air traffic control tower. There's an authenticity to the film because much of the cast is full of actual air traffic controllers, pilots, flight attendants and military personnel. Ben Sliney, the FAA's national operations manager, who made the decision on 9/11 to shut down all air traffic operations in the United States, actually plays himself in the film.

Greengrass did extensive research with the families of those who died in the crash to make sure to honor these people the best he could. Much of the film's action isn't actually on the plane, but in the towers in which the confusion and chaos of realizing something is very wrong is palpable.

Once the action does move solely to the events on the plane the film is relentless intense and emotionally charged. Passengers call their families, but, unlike “World Trade Center,” we don't cut to the family members. We are stuck on that plane with the passengers.

The final moments of “United 93” as the passengers realize they have to overtake the hijackers are heroic and heartbreaking.

Both “United 93” and “World Trade Center” are reminders that while the events of Sept. 11, 2011 showed the worst of humanity they also brought out the best.

'Our Idiot Brother' is congenial low-key comedy

2011-09-01T01:51:00.000-04:00

“Our Idiot Brother” deserves to be a big comedy hit, but alas it is struggling at the box office. I blame the title, which sells the movie short. This isn't a film like “Dumb and Dumber” that is full of silly, stupid humor. Instead it is a surprisingly sweet comedy about a dysfunctional family.

The film opens with Ned (Paul Rudd), the titular idiot brother, being sent to jail for selling pot to a uniformed police officer. When he gets out, his girlfriend (Kathryn Hahn) has a new guy (T.J. Miller) and won't let him move back onto their organic farm. Even worse, she refuses to give him back his dog Willie Nelson. Ned is left with nowhere else to go but the homes of his three sisters (Zooey Deschanel, Elizabeth Banks and Emily Mortimer).

Given Rudd's appearance in the film — shaggy, long hair and beard paired with neo-hippie clothes — and the fact that he has a dog named Willie Nelson, it would be easy to think this is going to be a stoner comedy. The film isn't, and while there are a couple pot-related jokes, at the core this comedy about family.

Ned isn't really an idiot at all. He does things that can be perceived as stupid, but in actuality his biggest fault is that he is good hearted, trusting and believes that people are, for the most part, generally good.

The film's theme seems to be that the world is full of selfish, self-involved jerks and if you're a nice, honest person then you're an idiot. The script by first-time screenwriters David Schisgall and Evgenia Peretz concludes we're ultimately better off being like Ned.

The arc of the film is fairly obvious from the beginning. All of his sisters have problems in their life that they try to ignore. When Ned's honesty brings these faults to the fore they use him as scapegoat for everything that is wrong in their lives. Of course, Ned's good nature wins everyone over in the end.

This material could be very cloying and insincere if handled poorly, but the script has enough moments in it that feel true. The sisters are fairly flatly written and one-dimensional, but they are played by some of the most charming actresses working today. The caliber of the work by Deschanel, Banks and Mortimer makes some of the more shrill, less pleasant aspects of these character more tolerable.

The tone of the film is light and low key and full of laughs both verbal and physical. Rudd is very good as Ned in a role that is slightly more laid back than his usual fare. His dry, deadpan timing is still there, but it is dialed back in a way that is sweet and lovable. You just want to give him a hug.

Rudd, who despite being one of the most reliable comic actors in such films “Anchorman,” “Knocked Up,” “The 40-Year Old Virgin,” “I Love You, Man” and “Role Models,” still isn't a household name. This could be because he is a generous performer who doesn't showboat.

Even when in the lead role, Rudd always works as part of an ensemble cast or at the very least a duo. He's the kind of comic actor who feeds off of those around him, and when he's surrounded by equally funny and talented actors everyone just becomes better.

This holds true for “Our Idiot Brother.” This cast works extremely well together. Rashida Jones as Deschanel's girlfriend is a standout and easily the most likable of all the women in the cast. She is very funny in a subplot to rescue Willie Nelson. Adam Scott also scores laughs as Banks' would-be boyfriend. Scott and Rudd have a couple scene were they trade banter that is easy-going and full of wit.

There is one scene that makes the film attain another level. It is a confrontation between Ned and his sister in which the normally soften spoken and passive Ned finally snaps. The way it is handled has such emotional honesty that it gives everything before and after it more meaning and significance. The scene changes a consistently funny comedy into something deeper and better.

New 'Fright Night' matches original

2011-08-27T01:49:00.003-04:00

Remakes are a tricky business. If you don't respect and honor the original you'll anger the fan base, but at the same time if you don't do something fresh and new, you beg the question: Why bother? “Fright Night,” a remake of 1985 horror comedy, is a well-crafted film that justifies its existence.

Unfortunately, “Fright Night” is not a hit. It made about $8 million in its opening weekend, but it actuality that's not too shabby. The film is modestly budgeted at $17 million dollars and will easily make that money back.

It is just a shame that isn't having the bigger success it deserves because it is better than a lot of films that do become runaway hits. “Twilight,” I'm looking at you.

The original “Fright Night” was about a teen who believes his new neighbor is a vampire. He convinces Peter Vincent, a local late-night horror host played by Roddy McDowall, to aid him in battling the beast next door. In the update Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) enlists an occult magician (David Tennant) to face off with the bloodsucker named Jerry (Colin Farrell).

This is a remake with a good pedigree. It is written by Marti Noxon, who was a regular writer for both “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and its spin off series “Angel.” She is very familiar with this material and knows how to handle self-aware humor with out pushing it too far while at the same time providing real shock moments.

Director Craig Gillespie's first film was the quirky “Lars and the Real Girl,” which was about a young man with paralyzing social anxiety who orders a sex doll, but then starts treating it like a real woman that he is dating.

As a director, Gillespie may not seem like the natural choice to do a horror comedy, but his experience as an indie filmmaker clearly helped him in working on a tight budget and in keeping a focus on the characters. Gillespie creates a darker mood than the original and there is plenty of gory action and chases, especially in the back half of the movie, but the film always puts the characters first.

Jerry, as played by Chris Sarandon in the original, was suave, sophisticated. That cannot be said of the new Jerry. Farrell brings an intense bad-boy sex appeal to the character. He is a genuine lady killer. Farrell seems practically feral at times, but also has a calm, menacing intensity in the way he passive aggressively taunts Charley without directly threatening him. It is a fantastic performance that makes this film fundamentally work.

Tennant as the updated Peter Vincent has a lot of fun mocking the arrogant rock-star personas of so-called magicians like Criss Angel and David Blaine. He has a great bit of business in which, while talking with Yelchin's Charley, he slowly strips away his wig, phony beard and piercings. Tennant gets a delicate balance between lecherous star and reluctant, even cowardly, hero.

In a departure from the original, it is Charley's friend Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) who is convinced Jerry is a vampire while Charley is the skeptical one. In this version Charley starts out the film not entirely likable. He sold out his friendship with Ed to become popular and there's a certain sadness in the Charley and Ed dynamic this time around.

Mintz-Plasse, who will perhaps always be known as McLovin from “Superbad,” is very good in the smaller, but crucial role of Ed. He does his same thing here, but what he does as a comic actor is effective. Within his persona, though, he finds some unexpected darker, dramatic notes that actually improve upon a character that in the original was mostly annoying comic relief.

Imogen Poots as the obligatory love interest is given a bit more to do than be a damsel in distress. Yes, the finale of the film is rescuing her, but as was true of the original, there is an interesting dynamic there. Yelchin, who is a consistently solid actor, and Poots have a believably sweet chemistry. There's a tender moment in which Poots tells Yelchin why she really likes him.

“Fright Night” isn't anything you haven't seen before, but it is a rare remake that may just be an upgrade of the original. There are authentic laughs and scares and at the center a terrific vampire as they once were before they started to brood and sparkle instead of bite and suck.

'A Chorus Line' is a great night of theater

2011-08-26T02:30:00.004-04:00

Sometimes after watching a show that won a slew of Tony Awards, I just don't see it. What was so great about that show? Perhaps it is just the quality of the production not doing the show justice. That was not an issue with “A Chorus Line,” a truly great show, brought across beautifully by the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company.

“A Chorus Line,” which opened at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse in North Conway, N.H. Tuesday, Aug. 23 and is running daily except Monday through Sept. 4, literally has a bit everything: fantastic dancing, tuneful songs, heartbreaking monologues, crass laughs, sweet humor, physical comedy and moments of quiet introspection.

The show is deceptively simple in its structure. Zach, a director (Grant Golson), and his assistant (Joseph Tudor) are holding auditions for four men and four women for a chorus line. The show is the audition process for the final 17.

Zach doesn't want them to just perform for him. He wants them to talk about themselves. We get a look into the psyche of each of the auditioners and begin to understand how they got into dancing as well as their fears and insecurities.

The cast works exceptionally well as an ensemble. When required to dance together they do so with precision timing, except for those cases when someone is suppose to be dancing poorly. After all, this is meant to be an audition. The singing is also strong with complex harmonizing coming across well.

This isn't just ensemble work, though. The format of the show allows for everyone to get their moment, some a bigger chance than others. There really is no weak link in this cast.

Each person in the audience will come away probably liking someone different, which is the nature of the show. In a way each member of the audience is their own director making their picks for who should make the final cut.

Sarah Beling as Cassie probably has the biggest role of all the auditioners. She has a romantic past with the director and after a failed attempt to make it in Hollywood has returned to New York looking for any work she can get. Zach feels the chorus line is beneath her. Their conflict is the closest the show comes to a traditional storyline. Beling does a good job bringing across her desperation as well as her yearning to simply perform. Her solo number “The Music and the Mirror” is rather beautiful.

Catherine Yudain is very good as Shelia, a 30-year-old dancer who hides behind an aggressive, sardonic attitude that masks the hurt that was caused her during her troubled childhood. On “At the Ballet,” she is joined by Tara Tagliaferro and Kelsey Thompson in a song about how dancing was her only escape.

The show's most powerful moment goes to Jack Haynie as Paul. He stands alone on the stage and gives a straight monologue about growing up and struggling with his homosexuality and finding himself as a dancer in a drag show. Haynie gives a performance that is exposed, vulnerable and moving.

On the lighter side of the spectrum is Christopher Timson as Bobby, a rich kid who grew up with increasingly weird habits. Timson gives a broad and campy performance that is very funny.

The show's biggest laughs come from Liz Golson as Val who on the bawdy “Dance Ten; Looks Three” explains how she got plastic surgery to make her body match her dance abilities. It is a hilarious number and Liz Golson brings it across exceptionally well.

Brittany Santos leads the cast in “What I Did for Love,” a song about the passion everyone auditioning feels about dancing. Santos has a strong and captivating voice.

This is a completely entertaining piece of theater with great singing, dancing and acting throughout. It is hard to imagine someone coming away without liking at least some aspect of the show.

Tickets are $30. For tickets visitwww.mwvtheatre.org or call the box office at 356-5776.

'Tree of Life' is film as art

2011-08-20T01:38:00.001-04:00

I believe there are three kinds of films: film as art, film as entertainment and film that has both artistic and entertainment value. Terrence Malick's “The Tree of Life” falls squarely in the art category. It is a film that will confound and bore some, while leaving others enthralled.

This is a film that defies how we as an audience have been trained to watch films. There is no real plot to speak of. The film is certainly about something, but there is no three-anavct structure — no clear beginning, middle or end.

Questions like “What's going on?” Or “What does that mean?” are very likely while watching “The Tree of Life.” The best way to process the film is emotionally. Many scenes play with little or no dialogue and rely solely on the power of the images and accompanying music. To be sure this is often an astoundingly beautiful film. If anything, simply looking at the visuals of the film is worthy.

The primary focus of the film is a husband and wife (Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain) and their three sons (Hunter McCracken, Laramie Eppler and Tye Sheridan). Pitt, a former naval man, is a harsh disciplinarian, who is psychological and, eventually, physically abusive to his family. Chastain plays a sweet, innocent, childlike mother, who, despite the passage of time, always retains an ageless beauty.

Through this family, Malick is attempting to explore the meaning of life, love and existence. It is an ambiguous exploration to say the least that yields some revelations, but no clear answers, which is probably the point. There are no true answers to these questions, only the search for them.

The acting in the film is strong throughout and has a natural quality. It's almost as if we aren't watching actors, but merely peering in on real life. Yet at the same time there's an ethereal quality to much of the film.

Pitt is very good as the stern father who as an audience we grow to find loathsome and yet does have moments of sympathy. Some films would portray the character simply as an abusive monster, but there's more complexity here.

The film looks at how strict disciple without compassion can cause the opposite of the desired effect. The middle son Jack, played by the excellent McCracken, turns bitter, rebellious and even mean. He also loses respect for his mother because she allows herself to be treated so poorly.

Jack is later played by Sean Penn, but the actor is asked to do little more than brood and look weary. The older Jack does allow the audience a clue, though, on how to possibly process a film that at times seem impenetrable. What we are seeing, at least in part, are likely Jack's memories. The film jumps around time, much like someone flipping through memories and, as with memories, there is a certain dreamlike quality.

Much of the film is filled with seemingly unrelated images of nature — crashing ocean waves, waterfalls, sunflowers, sunsets — so much so that, at times, the film feels like a nature documentary. Malick even shows us nothing less than the creation of the universe and progression of our planet. There are even brief scenes featuring dinosaurs. It is hard to say what these visuals have to do with the family at the center of the film except to place them into a larger context of existence.

This is most definitely not a film for everyone. It is slow and meandering and certainly will try many people's patience. Still there's something there. If anything, this is a conversation starter even if only to figure out what you just watched.

'Jesus Christ Superstar' showcases great singing

2011-08-13T02:54:00.002-04:00

Arts in Motion Theater Company brings Andrew Lloyd Webber's “Jesus Christ Superstar” to the Loynd Auditorium stage in North Conway, N.H. for the next two weeks with shows Thursday through Sunday. Though based on a book you may have heard of, this is not your typical passion play.

“Jesus Christ Superstar” first appeared on Broadway in 1971 following the release of an album. The show is a rock opera loosely based on the gospels' accounts of the last week of Jesus' life with lyrics by Tim Rice that feature contemporary slang, attitudes and references. It isn't a black-and-white portrayal of these events and plays in the grays by showing Jesus' insecurities, doubts and flaws and his betrayer, Judas, as a tragic, even sympathetic figure.

Arts in Motion's production, working from a concept by Gregory Charette under the direction of Mary Bastoni-Rebmann and music direction of Tracy Gardner, is a showcase for several good singers and some solid acting.

Rafe Matregrano returns to the role of Jesus Christ having previously performed it in M&D Productions' “Godspell.” He has a strong voice that is sometimes stretched to its limits, but when he stays with his range he has rather sweet voice.

Most importantly, Matregrano gets the emotions right. He does not hold back in this performance. His anger and hurt towards Judas is clearly visible on songs like “Strangething Mystifying” and “The Last Supper.” Matregrano is strongest on the more contemplative songs particularly on “Gesthsemane,” a song in which Jesus struggles with whether he is able to willingly let himself die.

Holly Reville is fantastic as Mary Magdalene. She has a pure, clear and beautiful voice that is perfectly highlighted on “Everything's Alright.” She brings a lot of warmth and compassion to the role. Her performance of “I Don't Know How to Love Him” is one of the show's best moment.

Paul Allen is sharing the role of Pilate with Matt Stoker. I saw Allen's take on the role, so I can only comment on that. Allen has a powerful and commanding voice. He doesn't make an appearance until late in first act on “Pilate's Dream” and while he may not be the most beloved character, you're eager for his return.

Like Matregrano, Allen gives a complete performance. He doesn't simply sing the songs, but puts genuine feeling into them. “On Trial By Pilate,” he makes his frustration toward Jesus clear as well as his unwillingness to condemn him and the pressure put on him from the masses calling for Jesus' death.

Jahn Deschambeault as Judas has a strong voice, but, because of technical difficulties with the microphones, hearing her voice was often difficult. Her performance is good and she is able to hint at Judas' emotional turmoil, but doesn't quite fully bring it across.

This microphone issue also marred Ged Owen's performance as Caiaphas, the high priest who sees Jesus as a threat to the nation. It is a shame as Owen gets to show off his capable use of the lower ranges of his voice. Unfortunately, sometimes you can't hear any of it. Hopefully, these audio issues were just opening night hiccups that will be sorted out as the show progresses.

Abby Miller has one solo as Simon Zealotes and her powerhouse voice is one that leaves a lasting impression.

Stacy Sand as King Herod has fun on “Herod Song.” The song is Herod's mocking plea to Jesus to perform some miracles and prove he is the son of God. Sand is flanked by a line of Rockette-style dancers and the number is the show's highlight in terms of dancing.

Elsewhere it is the dancing that is the show's weakest element. The stage often just feels cluttered and chaotic and it seems as if the performers are, at times, wandering around aimlessly. The show also feels somewhat disjointed with scenes working well together as stand-alone pieces, but not really ever connecting.

The use of video was largely superfluous, but there are some directing choice that work extremely well as when Jesus' shadow falls on to the crucifix that is the center piece of the stage during the interspective “Gesthsemane.”

Ultimately, it is the singing that make this worth checking out. Tickets are $15 and $12 for students and seniors. For more information or tickets, visitwww.artsinmotiontheater.com.

More than a 'couple' of laughs

2011-08-12T02:41:00.002-04:00

Need a laugh? How about several of them? M&D Productions has the solution with its production of “The Odd Couple: The Female Version,” which opened Thursday at Your Theatre in North Conway, N.H. and is playing Thursday through Saturday for the next three weeks.

Neil Simon's “The Odd Couple,” the story of slob and a neat freak who decide to move in together, has seen many incarnations and first appeared on Broadway in 1965. The play spawned the successful 1968 film starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, which in turn spawned the popular TV series that aired from 1970 to 1975 starring Jack Klugman and Tony Randall.

On the 20th anniversary of the show, Simon decided to revisit the characters, but with a gender reversal. Thus, Oscar, the slovenly one, and Felix, the fastidious one, became Olive and Florence. Julianne Brosnan takes on the role of Olive and Jane Duggan that of Florence, and they make a good team.

Brosnan, who last year appeared as the uptight Sister Aloysius in “Doubt,” gets to let loose as the proudly messy Olive while Duggan makes it rather easy to see how anyone would be driven crazy by Florence after mere hours together let alone days and weeks. This is comic dialogue that is all about delivery and timing and these two, under the direction of Rich Russo, hit every line just right.

Much of the female version is word for word the same as its predecessor. All the most iconic moments, such as the linguine scene, are still intact. There are two major changes in content. Poker night with guys is now Trivial Pursuit with the ladies. In the original version Felix and Oscar have a date with their neighbors, the Pigeon sisters from England. In the female version Florence and Olive have a date with the Costazuela brothers from Spain.

This production has gathered together a strong group of women to play the Trivial Pursuit night friends. Karen Gustafson as Mickey “The Cop,” Janette Kondrat as the sarcastic Sylvie, Christina Howe as Renne and Pa'Mela Ramsay as the dimwitted Vera have terrific chemistry together, and the scenes have an easygoing flow. There's a great energy when a suicidal Florence arrives late to Trivial Pursuit after her husband leaves her.

It is with the brothers that Simon actually upgrades upon the original. The brothers are still struggling with the English language which leads to some confusion of terms that have the flavor of classic vaudeville.

As played by Eric Jordan and Doug Collomy, the Costazuela brothers are absolutely hilarious. They come in during the second act and re-energize the show. Collomy speaks in a fast, high-pitched voice that is just right, while Jordan is slightly more suave of the duo. It is board caricature not dissimilar to the “two wild and crazy guys” character from “Saturday Night Live,” but it works extremely well. Duggan has the most stage time with these two, and the way these three play off each other is priceless.

The laughs come fast and often in this production and they are long and hearty. Some dialogue may be missed over the roar of the laughter and that's no exaggeration.

Call the box office at 662-7591 for tickets.

Attend the ballad of 'Sweeney Todd'

2011-08-12T02:32:00.005-04:00

A murderer is on the loose, or so proclaimed ads in The Conway Daily Sun, but fear not: This madman resides only on the stage of the Eastern Slope Inn in North Conway, N.H. The Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company's production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd” opened Wednesday, Aug. 10, and is playing through Aug. 20.

Grant Golson plays Sweeney Todd, formerly Benjamin Barker, who returns to London after a 15-year banishment on false charges. He seeks vengeance against the crooked Judge Turpin (Kevin O'Neil) who destroyed Todd’s life so many years earlier. With Todd’s wife dead and his daughter, Johanna (Brittany Santos), the ward of the Turpin, he sets up shop as a barber waiting for the opportunity to give Turpin an extra close shave.

When Todd’s initial attempts at bloody retribution fail, he decides that all of humanity deserves to fall at the hand of his blade. His ally in this scheme is Mrs. Lovett (Victoria Bundonis), who bakes Todd’s victims into her meat pies. This adds an aspect of sharp social critique particularly on the wickedly funny “Little Priest.”

Director Andrew Glant-Linden and set designer Daniel Thobias open the production at an insane asylum with the inmates forming a chorus that sets up the show with “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd.” As the show begins proper, the padded cell walls of the set are pushed and pulled to transform into 19th-century London and the inmates become the characters of the play.

This staging choice is a departure from the original, which first opened on Broadway in 1979, but as the show progresses it makes more and more sense as you realize all the primary characters are driven by obsession. For Todd that obsession is killing Turpin, for Turpin it is sheltering Johanna all for himself and for Mrs. Lovett it is her misguided love for Todd.

Even the seemingly normal characters like Todd's daughter and her suitor Anthony (Peter Carrier) are driven by a love that is more like a fixation. Upon further inspection the lyrics to “Johanna,” the sweet ballad Anthony sings to his new love, have a certain darkness to them. “I'll steal you, Johanna, I'll steal you/Do they think that walls could hide you?/Even now, I'm at your window/I am in the dark beside you/Buried sweetly in your yellow hair.”

Golson, who has appeared in a variety of productions for the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company including “Annie” this summer and “Music Man” and “Singin' in the Rain” last summer, makes a terrific Todd.

This is something different for Golson. He broods fantastically and has a powerful voice. On “Epiphany” he revels in Todd's madness. What makes the performance work so well are the smaller details, the barely noticeable facial expressions and gestures.

Bundonis is Golson's equal and helps provide the show with much needed moments of brevity. She has assured comic timing and just a touch of campiness that plays nicely off of Grant's more somber performance. This juxtaposition is most hilariously apparent on “By the Sea.”

O'Neil is appropriately unsettling as Turpin, as is Andrew Lipman as his right-hand man, The Beadle. Carrier and Santos have less colorful roles as Anthony and Johanna, but perform admirably.

This is large ensemble cast that is put to the test by perhaps Sondheim’s most challenging musical, which features dense, overlapping operatic lyrics. The cast is up to this difficult task, but in a few cases struggles to be heard as the live music drowns out the performers. This is a problem that continues to plague productions at the Eastern Slope Inn stage.

The worst example of this occurs during “Kiss Me” and “Ladies in Their Sensitivities.” These songs are sung simultaneously, one in the foreground and one in the background, and when you add the band it creates a wall of sound in which nothing can be made out.

Isolated moments like that aside, this is still a solid production. This is a show that requires a lot of singing of its cast and, under George Wiese's musical direction, there are moments that are genuinely spine-tingling and shouldn't be missed.

Tickets are $30. For tickets visitwww.mwvtheatre.org or call the box office at 356-5776.

'Cowboys and Aliens' is solid entertainment — no really

2011-08-05T01:34:00.001-04:00

“Cowboy and Aliens” may sound like the title of campy, low-budget film, but, surprisingly enough, this is a straightforward, well-crafted, big-budget western that just happens to feature aliens.

The premise of aliens interacting with cowboys may be hard for people to accept, but is it really any more silly than aliens invading modern times? Why wouldn't aliens stop by Earth in the 1800s?

Director Jon Favreau, working with producers Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard, grounds the film in reality. As was true with his “Iron Man” movies, as goofy as the premise may be, he treats the material seriously.

Now serious doesn't mean not fun, but merely that this isn't a broad comedy or parody of the western and sci-fi genres. Instead it is a slick hybrid of elements of both that, while flawed, is entertaining and has unexpected emotional weight.

What adding aliens into the western formula also does is give a common adversary to unite former enemies. In this film town folk, cowboys, bandits and Native Americans all join forces to face off with what they refer to as “demons.” This makes for an interesting and different dynamic.

The film opens with a man (Daniel Craig) waking up in the desert with a strange, futuristic metal device on one of his wrists. He has no knowledge of who he is, but he has deadly skills that come to him innately when bandits try to take him hostage. This set up makes Craig's character a bit like Jason Bourne in the “Bourne” movies.

Craig's unknown man heads to a local town where he's recognized as a wanted man with a long list of crimes and is thrown in jail. Then the aliens fly in, activating the device on Craig's wrist, which turns out to be a weapon. The aliens kidnap several town folks before Craig can use his newly discovered weapon. A reluctant alliance is made between Craig and the town folks and they set out to rescue their kin.

Favreau has done a good job recreating the old West, or at least the film version of the old West. The period detail feels authentic. This isn't a rushed film. When the action scenes arrive they are thrilling, but Favreau and his team of six writers take the time to establish the characters and fleshing them out into more than mere stock characters.

Before the aliens arrive we are introduced to a slew of familiar western characters: the sheriff (Keith Carradine), Doc, the barkeep (Sam Rockwell), the preacher (Clancy Brown), a tyrannical rancher that runs the town (Harrison Ford), the rancher's fool son (Paul Dano), the rancher's Native American ranch hand (Adam Beach) and a beautiful, mysterious woman (Olivia Wilde).

This is an exceptionally strong ensemble cast with even the smallest roles filled by talented actors. Brown, probably best know to sci-fi fans as the villain in the first “Highlander” film, is a pleasant surprise. As the preacher, he gives a warm, low-key performance that sidesteps cliche. In a couple of the film's strongest scenes, Brown attempts to teach Rockwell how to shoot while also discussing the existence of God.

Ford is in his gruff old-man mode and few actors snarl out a line like he can, but under the crotchety facade, there's a good man. The film nicely develops the relationship between Ford and Beach. This becomes the emotional spine of the film.

Craig gets to play stoic and heroic, but keeps the performance grounded in real emotion. Much like with his portrayal of James Bond, he brings a quiet intensity to his character. He develops an interesting chemistry with Wilde, who is more than just a love interest. There's a plot development with her character that could lose some audience members.

There are definitely elements of the script that are silly – the aliens are essentially intergalactic prospectors looking for gold – but the film overcomes this by refusing to wink at the cameras. The straightforward approach paired with strong acting from everyone involved makes this a solid piece of escapist entertainment.

'Hairspray' is bright, bubbly fun

2011-07-29T02:35:00.005-04:00

The Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse stage has been sent back to a cheery version of 1962 with the non-stop song and dance fun of “Hairspray,” which opened Tuesday, July 26, and is playing through Aug. 7.

“Hairspray,” like “The Producers” before it, is a musical based on a film in which the musical then inspired its own film. The story is a bubblegum version of the civil rights movement told through the integration of an “American Bandstand”-style dance show.

The leader of this revolution is Tracy Turnblad (Amber Coartney), an overweight girl with a good heart, gumption and a wish to dance on the “Corny Collins Show” and to win the heart of the show's dreamboat star Link Larkin (Peter Carrier). When she gets her wishes on both accounts, she sets out for something bigger: blacks and whites dancing together.

While the plot is a sugarcoat, the themes of racial equality are handled sincerely and honestly. The show also deals with issues of bullying of those who are different. The Tracy character proves her taunters wrong with confidence and a refusal to be anything less than herself. It is a good message, and, while real life is rarely this easy, every once in a while it can be.

The Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company's production is a appropriately bright and colorful. This is a show that jumps from one song to the next very quickly, and director Nathaniel Shaw keeps the energy level high and the pacing brisk. The choreography, also by Shaw, is a creative hodge-podge of popular dance moves from the era.

In a tradition dating back to John Waters' original 1988 film, the role of Tracy's mom Edna is played by a man in drag. Richard Sabellico, previously seen raising hell in “Damn Yankees,” takes on the role previously played most famously by Divine in the original film, Harvey Fierstein in the original Broadway cast and John Travolta in the 2007 film.

Sabellico's performance gets big laughs with his manly voice coming out occasional on certain line readings. It may be an easy gag, but it is an effective one that is well delivered. Sabellico shares a sweet and tongue-in-cheek ballad with Craig Holden as Edna's husband.

Physically Coartney is miscast as Tracy. Coartney may not be a twig, but she is by no means the big girl that Tracy is supposed to be. Most of the fat jokes at Tracy's expense therefore become head scratchers as you think “But she isn't even that big.” The role of Tracy is meant to be empowering for girls who are heavier and that aspect is somewhat missing here.

In terms of performance, though, Coartney nails it. She is bubbly and full of warmth and good cheer. She has a strong voice as well that is nicely showcased in songs like “Good Morning Baltimore,” “Mama, I'm Big Girl Now,” “Welcome to the 60s,” “Without Love” and “You Can't the Stop the Beat.”

The rest of the cast is equally solid. Catherine Yadain and Lizzy Palmer provide some quality villainy as mother and daughter who conspire to use the “Corny Collins Show” for their own gains and attempt to suppress all things different.

Kelsey Thompson as Tracy's dorky friend Penny gets laughs whenever on stage. Andrew Malone has a powerhouse voice and smooth dance moves as Seaweed Stubbs and steals the show on “Run and Tell That.” Tunisia Hayward as the jive talking Motormouth Maybelle also has a notable voice and shines on “Big, Blond and Beautiful.”

This is a show that looks as light as cotton candy, but does provide a bit more substance. It is a show where everyone on stage, even the villains, smile widely. Those smiles transfer over to the audience rather quickly and stay on throughout the show.

Tickets are $30. However, Flex Passes, good for four admissions for $100, are available, as are group rates. For information and reservations, call the box office at 356-5776 or visit the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company website atwww.mwvtheatre.org.

'Captain America' is a rousing adventure

2011-07-29T01:32:00.000-04:00

“Captain America” is the fourth superhero movie this summer following on the heels of “Thor,” “X-Men: First Class” and “Green Lantern.” It would easy to roll your eyes and say “not another one,” but the film escapes possible superhero fatigue by being a straightforward, old-fashioned adventure.

This is the fifth film to come from Marvel Studios. Starting with 2008's “Iron Man,” they've been making a series of films that will culminate with next summer's “Avengers,” which will bring together Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk and other characters.

Marvel Studio's films have thus far all been of high quality and made with a care that honors both the original source material while still making the films accessible to a broader audience.

“Captain America” is the story of Steve Rogers, a 90-pound weakling with a good and tenacious heart who desperately wants to serve his country during World War II. He gets his chance when Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) recruits him for a special program that, thanks to a super serum, transforms Rogers into a specimen of physical perfection.

Rogers' nemesis is not Hitler, but another ubermensch named Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving), aka the Red Skull because his head turned a lovely shade of red when he took an earlier form of Erskine's serum. Schmidt has built his own army known as Hydra and he dreams of, what else?, world domination.

Before Rogers gets to see combat, the script by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely rather shrewdly has Captain America used as propaganda to sell war bonds during USO shows. The image of Captain America appears in comics and movies, which is a knowing, but not forced nod to the origins of the character.

When Rogers hears his buddy Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) has been taken prisoner, he goes rogue with the aid of agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) inventor Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) and leads a one-man mission to rescue him.

The film is a throwback to adventure film serials and war movies, albeit with a bigger budget. Joe Johnston is the ideal director for this material having already shown an affinity for this time period 20 years earlier with “The Rocketeer,” a film about another World War II-era comic book hero.

Johnston gets the look of the era right, and the pacing, with the exception of one action montage, is not as rushed as many modern action films. The film takes its time establishing Rogers before his transformation and allows for scenes like his conversations with Erskine. Tucci, an always reliable character actor, is wonderful in these scenes.

The special effects are top notch, but more subtle than in a lot of superhero movies. The effect of making Evans look like a scrawny version of himself is seamless and rather remarkable. Likewise, the effects for Red Skull are equally convincing. These are the best kind of effects, the kind you accept and then no longer notice. There are also plenty of explosions, ray guns, submarines and aircrafts to dazzle the eye.

Evans, who usually plays cocky and arrogant, does a nice job capturing the sincerity of Rogers. Evans makes a solid hero, but he may have dialed down too much as his Captain America doesn't seem quite forceful enough. Even so, getting the earnestness right was most important.

Weaving, best known for his villainy in “The Matrix” movie, is unsurprisingly terrific here. He is menacing, creepy and ever so slightly mad. All right, he's a raving loon, but Weaving plays it as a man who is thinking about foaming at the mouth rather than actually foaming.

Tommy Lee Jones does his gruff, dry Tommy Lee Jones thing as a skeptical colonel. There's a lot of typecasting in this film from Jones to Weaving to Evans, but typecasting works for a reason. Jones and Weaving have played roles like this before and they do them well. The film benefits for having them.

Atwell as the obligatory love interest looks smashing. She looks like 1940s pin-up girls that so many World War II soldiers fawned over. Thankfully, she can also act and there is a sweet, tentative, rather chaste romance that develops between Atwell and Evans.

This is a rousing adventure in the old style. Those who love the chaotic noise and incoherent action of “The Transformers” best stay away. There is action to be had here, but there's also crazy things like story and characters as well.

'Harry Potter' gets a worthy conclusion

2011-07-21T01:30:00.001-04:00

The poster for “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” doesn't say the name of the film anywhere on it. In its place in large capital letters are the words: IT ALL ENDS. A bit over dramatic, but not for a Harry Potter fan. For a generation, this is the end of not just a movie franchise, but their childhood.

Author J.K. Rowling's seven-book fantasy series of a wizardry academy and the title character's coming of age and battle with the evil Lord Voldemort began back in 1997 and concluded 10 years later. The film series began in 2001 and now 10 years, eight films, four directors and two screenwriters later we have reached the conclusion.

Just as with the book series, a complex interlocking story and a completely realized world, the films are an impressive achievement. This is a franchise that never dips blow a certain quality level. The films range from simply good to excellent.

At this point, if you are not on board the train to Hogwarts Academy, which takes a beating this time around, this film isn't going to change anything. In fact, if a friend or family member were to drag a newbie to see this film it would be incomprehensible and not because it is the second part of a two-part film, but because it is the culmination of everything that came before it.

A lot happens in the film and getting too much into plot will lead to spoilers, which shall be avoided for those, who, like me, haven't read the books. All you need to know about the plot is Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) finally faces off with Voldemort (a truly creepy Ralph Fiennes).

Although Harry's loyal friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) stand by him, he must make the final confrontation alone. Harry also gets help from Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis), an awkward classmate, who in this final chapter becomes a heroic leader. Watching Neville get his due is one of the joys of this film.

It is amazing that all the principal child actors were never replaced and they've grown into fine adult actors able to hold their own with a cast of some of the best British actors alive. Of the massive cast, all of which is splendid, if you had to spotlight someone it is Alan Rickman's Severus Snape. His pregnant pauses and ambiguous intentions remain intact, but now we finally get to see Snape as he truly is. Rickman plays it beautifully.

Director David Yates returns for his fourth film. It was wise to have the last four films be handled by one filmmaker since, unlike the previous four which were more episodic, the final three books were more like a trilogy.

Yates is a skillful filmmaker who has had to bring the darker half of the series to the screen. Each progressive film has drained more of the color from the brightly colored universe director Chris Columbus first introduced in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”

The first half of “Deathly Hallows” was slow, pensive and introspective and did a fine job of putting into motion everything that unfolds in “Part 2,” which is at times relentlessly intense. This is no longer merely kid stuff. The film earns its PG-13 rating.

Yates does a good job keeping this final film tightly paced. This is an exciting, fast-moving film — sometimes too much so. There is a climatic battle at Hogwarts and the death of several characters are quickly glossed over.

Dealing with the death of characters seems to be one of Yates limitation as a filmmaker. In all the films he has directed, major characters die and it always feels anti-climatic and lacks the emotional payoff they deserve. That being said, there is a character killed in “Deathly Hallows: Part 2” that is addressed perfectly and in a way that is deeply saddening.

Steve Kloves, who has adapted all but one of the books, returns to cross the finish line. Throughout the series he has done a good job of distilling books that continued to increase in length. Yes, things were cut and things were altered, but the essence always remained intact.

The producers on the film wisely decided, after the first couple films, to not slavishly follow the books and to make the films their own thing. The films remain faithful to Rowling's vision while also being able to have their own take on the world, which is the sign of a good adaptation.

Clearly, Potter isn't for everyone, but for the loyal fans this is a fitting end to one of the most beloved characters in both modern film and literature.

A 'damn' good time

2011-07-15T02:26:00.000-04:00

CONWAY — “Damn Yankees,” the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company current production playing at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse through July 23, is about a middle-aged baseball fan so desperate to see his beloved Washington Senators beat those damn Yankees that he's willing to sell his soul to the devil.

Yes, it is another variation on the old Faust legend. Guy sells soul to devil for everything he ever dreamed of only to realize he already had everything he wanted. Joe Boyd (Kevin O'Neil) is literally your average Joe Schmoe. A passing wish to sell his soul to the devil is granted when lucifer himself appears in the form of Mr. Applegate (Richard Sabellico).

Applegate transforms Joe Boyd into the 22-year-old baseball sensation Joe Hardy (Peter Carrier) who single handedly turns the Senators' baseball season around. Joe, a salesman himself, gets an escape clause put into this contract. He can change his mind by midnight on Sept. 24. This is it self a trick as the regular season ends Sept. 25, so if Joe wants the Senators to win the pennant it must be before then.

Joe misses his wife (Patricia Bartlett) and moves back into his home as a boarder. Carrier and Bartlett share a tender duet on “A Man/Woman Doesn't Know.” Mrs. Boyd doesn't realize she's singing about her missing husband with this younger version of her husband. It adds poignancy to an otherwise standard ballad.

Applegate doesn't like this development and sends in Lola (Becca Gottlieb), his best seductress, to help ensure that he gets Joe's soul. This leads to perhaps the show's most famous number “Whatever Lola Wants,” which Gottlieb brings across with fantastic flair. Gottlieb's performance is a highlight of show. She is both sensual and funny and even creates some sympathy for Lola.

The whole cast is strong, though. Sabellico, who just directed the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company's latest production of “Annie,” is quite funny as Applegate. Applegate has most of the show's best lines and Sabellico has a dry line delivery that works just right.

Carrier has a likable stage presence and a powerful voice. He brings a lot of warmth and heart to his performance. Andrew Lipman has fun as the team manager and there's a nice sense of camaraderie between the actors who make up the team. This comes across best in the tongue-in-cheek number “The Game,” a song about all the women the team has given up in the name of the game.

The show also features some impressive dance numbers, which shouldn't be surprising given that the great Bob Fosse was the show's original choreographer. Director and choreographer Nathaniel Shaw does a nice job creating Fosse-esque dance routines particularly for “What Lola Wants” and “Two Lost Souls.”

“Damn Yankees,” by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, first opened on Broadway in 1955 and went on to win six Tony Awards. The Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company production is working from a slightly revised revival of the show from 1994.

The revival version makes some alteration to the second act including Lola falling in love with Joe and Lola and Joe singing “Two Lost Souls,” which was original a duet between Lola and Applegate. These changes seem odd and detract from the main theme of Joe's everlasting love for his wife.

This is a solid piece of musical theater that is well presented by the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company. Tickets are $30. For tickets visitwww.mwvtheatre.org or call the box office at 356-5776.

'Horrible Bosses' lacks bite, but provides laughs

2011-07-15T01:27:00.003-04:00

“Horrible Bosses” is a black comedy about put-upon employees who decide to kill their bosses that doesn't follow through enough on its convictions. The film lacks bite and a willingness to go to truly dark places, but thanks to a very solid cast the film is still funny in its own goofy, vulgar sort of way.

Jason Bateman's Nick works grueling hours in an office run by an egomaniacal psycho played by Kevin Spacey, who gives the promotion Nick was waiting for to himself. Charlie Day's Dale is an anxiety-filled neurotic working as a dental assistant to Jennifer Aniston who sexual harasses him. Jason Sudeikis' Kurt works for a coke fiend played by Colin Farrell with a comb-over from hell.

The trio decide to off their bosses and enlist the help of a “murder consultant” played by Jamie Foxx, whose character has a name that can't be printed and a very funny story about how he got that name that definitely can't be printed here. Foxx suggests they kill each other's bosses similar to Alfred Hitchcock's “Strangers on a Train” or Danny DeVito's riff on that film “Throw Momma from a Train.”

Now, forgive me as I get academic for a second. Black comedy seems like a term that should be easy enough to define and yet I found myself struggling to do so. A search on Wikipedia yielded this: “Black humor is a term coined by surrealist theoretician André Breton in 1935, to designate a sub-genre of comedy and satire in which laughter arises from cynicism and skepticism, often about the topic of death.”

That seemed about as good as any definition, but if it is a sub-genre of satire, how is it different from it? One Merriam-Webster definition of satire is: “wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly.” Black comedy does the same thing, but puts a mirror up to the most vile, deplorable aspects of humanity. In essence it is a darker form of satire.

Another key of black humor is taking something to its logical extreme to the point of which it becomes illogical. For example in “A Modest Proposal,” Jonathan Swift suggested that impoverished Irish sell their children to the rich as food and actually included possible recipes. Or in the case of “Horrible Bosses” if you don't like your bosses, kill them.

With this understanding, “Horrible Bosses” disappoints at being a black comedy. It is more of a vulgar, screwball farce with dark undertones and on that level it works, but those who hoped the film would go to weirder and nastier places will be let down.

This is a case where an original script by Michael Markowitz was re-written by “script doctors” and you can sense the material was softened and made easier to digest. It isn't that the material is bad, in fact it is often very funny, but in spite of some racy content, it feels too safe given the premise.

The cast goes a long way to making this movie entertaining and even elevating the material from average to above average. Bateman, a master of dead pan delivery, Day and Sudeikis have a great dynamic together.

Day and Sudeikis worked together previously on last year's under appreciated romantic comedy “Going the Distance” and they are developing a strong screen chemistry. They make a good team and it would be interesting to see them paired more.

The film's best scene involves Bateman and Day accidentally spilling a large supply of cocaine and frenetically trying to clean it up while falling under the influence of the drug in the process. It is howlingly funny.

Spacey previously played this kind of character in the far darker “Swimming with Sharks,” but it is a welcome reprisal as he is the king of menacing, snarky put-downs. Farrell gets big laughs as an obnoxious moron. He's barely recognizable and it is a performance that needs to be seen. Aniston gets to show off a vulgar side and it suits her well.

Movies are all about expectations. Walk in expecting a goofy, coarse comedy with a bit of meanness and there are many laughs to be found with “Horrible Bosses.”

'God of Carnage' pulls no punches

2011-07-08T02:46:00.004-04:00

“God of Carnage,” M&D Productions' latest production, which opened Thursday, July 7, at Your Theatre in North Conway, N.H. and is running Thursday through Saturday for the next three weeks, is an honest, authentic look at how a civil discussion can collapse into a frothing-at the-mouth argument.

Writer Yasmina Reza's play is simple enough on the surface. Two sets of affluent parents meet under the best of intentions to discuss a violent act that occurred between their two young boys. Veronica and Michael Novac's (Christine Thompson and David Freeman) boy lost two teeth in the altercation, but they see themselves as being the bigger people by inviting Annette and Alan Raleigh (Elaine Kondrat and Rob Clark) over to have a peaceful discussion.

What starts of as an awkward, uneasy exchange de-evolves into a screaming match as the underbelly of both seemingly perfect couples gets exposed. Under their high class facades they are no more above the base actions they gathered to chastise their boys for participating in.

Reza script is very finely constructed. Essentially we have a 90-minute argument, which, if written poorly, could become shrill and one-note, but shifting allegiances keep things interesting. It would be easy to simply have the two sets of parents remain united fronts, but at any given time the sides will split along gender lines, ideological beliefs or who is submissive and dominant in the respective relationships.

There is much discussion by the parents of what it means to bully someone and how to punish the bully. As the evening progresses, we see, though, how the more dominant spouses browbeat their significant others and how disagreements escalate to things being thrown.

Veronica has a holier-than-attitude as she thinks she is a better, more caring human being because she's writing a book about the atrocities in Darfur although she's never been there herself. Her true colors shine through when she starts going on about how Western civilization is above that sort of savage behavior and yet she's the first to resort to violence.

Thompson is exceptional in this role. Cold, stiff and full of a bitter anger that she tries to control, but ultimately can't. Veronica is not likable and Thompson embraces that and doesn't attempt to soften her at all. It is an intense performance and a true sign of her talents as an actress.

Clark, stepping out of his usual nice guy persona as seen in such productions as Arts in Motion's “Almost, Maine” and “Ordinary People” and M&D's “California Suite,” is fantastic as a boorish lawyer who is constantly on his cell phone.

It is Clark's rude behavior as Alan that starts sending things down hill. He makes no attempt to hide his disdain for this little meeting. In addition to constantly being on his phone, he refuses to play along with Veronica's let's-play-nice attitude, especially when she starts offering condescending parenting advice.

Alan and Veronica are clearly the more dominant personas in their relationships. Annette is literally sickened by his behavior. Kondrat is good as Annette. She plays her as sweet, but when she is pushed into a corner she lashes out. Freedman plays Michael as a passive neurotic, who is constantly trying to play peacekeeper. He switches sides and attempts to defuse the situation, which only infuriates his wife.

The set designed by Mark DeLancey is urban, modern and sophisticated and is in stark contrast with the brutish behaviors that arise. The centerpiece of the set is a blood red painting with violent slash marks. It seems out of place with the rest of the slick décor. As the show progresses it becomes a more accurate reflection of its surrounding.

Director Heather Elise Hamilton keeps the show loose, perhaps too much so as the argument ratchets up toward the end, but the pace and tone she finds fit the free-flowing structure of the dialogue. The writing, much like an actual conversation, goes off on tangent only to circle back to subject later.

This is an excellent and well performed piece of theater. It is unsettling and leaves the audience on edge but is also savagely funny and will lead to some lively discussion — just hopefully not as vehement as the discourse on stage.

Call the box office at 662-7591 for tickets.

'Transformers 3' gives mindless entertainment a bad name

2011-07-08T01:23:00.000-04:00

As I sit down to write about “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” the third in Michael Bay's insanely and globally popular franchise about cars that turn into robots that talk and beat the crap out of each other, I let out a heavy sigh as I realize I've lost eight hours of my life watching this schlock.

In truth, I actually liked most of the first in the series. There was a sense of wonder and even some moments of quiet grace amongst the chaos. The novelty wore off fast, though, in the second film which was a jumbled, overlong mess.

Everyone involved, including director Bay and star Shia LaBeouf, actually owned up to the second film's poor quality and promised a marked improvement in terms of character development, coherent action and an overall darker tone. Their intentions were pure at least, I'll give them that.

The plot involves the evil Decepticons using a transportation device to bring an army to Earth to reshape the world into their home planet. The good Autobots stand loyally by humanity as all creatures are deserving of freedom.

As has been true with all these films, “Dark of the Moon” is far too long for what is supposed to be a dumb summer action movie. The first 90 minutes is exposition that is so deadly dull that by the time you get to the climatic hour-long siege in Chicago it is hard to even care. The film would've benefited immensely by streamlining the first part of the movie to an hour or even 45 minutes.

Give credit where credit is due, the special effects here are first rate. The robots look convincingly real and their integration into real settings, particularly Chicago, is impressively seamless. The action is more crisp this time because it had to be to shot in 3D. Even in 2D it looks better. Still, we've seen this all before and these metal giants hacking way at each other looks the same every time. After a while it becomes numbing and boring.

The transformers themselves, with the exception of leader Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, LaBeouf's Sam Witwicky's loyal bodyguard, have no discernible personalities or traits and are interchangeable.

The human drama is no better. LaBeouf, who was likable in the first film, is obnoxiously maniac in the third installment. The performance is full of terrible mugging and lots of yelling. It would be easy to put the blame on LaBeouf, but Bay should've seen this wasn't working and reined him in. Even the most talented actors, and LaBeouf does indeed have his charms, need direction.

Bay is more interested in his bombastic visuals than his actors, though. It is not just with LaBeouf. Much of the surprising strong supporting cast, including Patrick Dempsey, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Alan Tudyk and Ken Jeong, is way overacting. This is fun to a point, but eventually becomes distractingly annoying.

Series regular John Turturro is desperately struggling to get laughs in a performance that is becoming increasingly strange. It is as if he knows the material isn't working and he's just trying to keep himself amused. Sometimes he amuses us as well.

Then there's Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who replaces Megan Fox as the impossibly hot love interest. It is telling that most of the discussion around these women's performances is centered around who is hotter. A Victoria's Secret model making her acting debut, she's definitely beautiful. As is often the case with women in Bay's movies, she's here as eye candy. In terms of acting she is no better or worse than Fox.

So, will people like the film? Undoubtedly. It has already made $400 million worldwide in a week. People are going to give it a pass because it is just a mindless popcorn movie. But mindless entertainment doesn't need to be this brain dead and certainly not this oppressively long.

'Annie' director offers first-hand Broadway insight

2011-07-01T02:38:00.003-04:00

The Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company has done "Annie" before, but this time the company has the rare opportunity of working with a director who was part of the original Broadway cast.

"Annie" opened on Broadway in 1977. Richard Sabellico was brought in to take over the role of Rooster, the conniving con artist brother of alcoholic orphanage matron Miss Hannigan, in February 1981 and held the role until September 1982.

Sabellico, who turned 60 Wednesday, has directed "Annie" numerous times since his time on Broadway and is following the same blueprint that made the show such a success on Broadway with the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company production which opened Thursday, June 30, at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse and is running through July 9.

"I thought it [the Broadway production] was extremely well done," Sabellico said. "I thought it was very smart, very streamlined. I thought it told a beautiful story very simply and quickly and one scene melded into another very cinematically and that's what we are going to do here even on limited resources and limited budget. We are still doing it the same way. Exactly the same way."

Sabellico keeps returning the show even after 30 years because of its simple message of hope and optimism.

"I think it is a terrific show," Sabellico said. "I love the message it tells. I like the variance in the cast members from old to young. The animals — I love dogs. But basically it is its message of hope and seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty and always looking forward to the next wonderful thing that could happen instead of being sunk and mired in the past."

Sabellico wanted to put on the best show, and he requested that Linda Pinkham, matron of the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company, get professional actors for the principal roles.

"This cast is very good," Sabellico said. "The principals are excellent. The kids are, surprisingly, very adept at learning quickly. Their attention leaves a bit to be desired, but their abilities are quite good."

Raquel Leifer, the 10-year-old actress from New York who is starring as Annie, has appeared in role before, but this is her first experience in a professional production.

"This is a lot more intense and real," Leifer said. "In the other one we didn't use a real dog. This just makes me feel more like I really am Annie."

Sabellico is also very pleased with the adults in the cast, noting, "They learn it. They do it. They give back to me what I ask and they bring their own stuff to it."

Michele Foor, who plays Miss Hannigan, feels privileged to have the opportunity to work with a director that was in the original Broadway production of "Annie."

"You just get a whole different insight into it and plus he puts his own personal stamp on it," Foor said. "He's very invested in the characters and keeping them real and keeping the story very real. It raises the stakes a lot and it makes it more interesting as an actor to work on it that way."

Foor first appeared in "Annie" 27 years ago and has appeared in the show numerous times since and various roles. Much like Sabellico, she keeps returning to the show because of its simple, beautiful message.

"I just love it," Foor said. "It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling even though I shouldn't be having that as Miss Hannigan. It is just one of my favorites and this has been a great experience so far."

Grant Golson, who is returning for a fifth season with the Mount Washington Valley Theatre, is taking on the role of Daddy Warbucks and said that Sabellico helped him find the character.

"I came here having just done the show two months ago playing Daddy Warbucks and had a lot of gobbledygook in my head, a lot of preconceived notions of who Daddy Warbucks was," Golson said. "Richard really helped me rediscover who Daddy Warbucks truly was and kind of bring a lot more of myself into it."

Golson keeps returning to the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse stage because "he fell in love with the area and fell in love with the little playhouse" when he first came here in 2004 for what was his first professional lead.

"I just had a wonderful opportunity to play some really wonderful and challenging roles over the years," Golson said. "I just love it here."

For tickets visit www.mwvtheatre.org or call the box office at 356-5776.

'Midnight in Paris' is Woody Allen at his witty, charming best

2011-07-01T01:22:00.000-04:00

Woody Allen is a film-making machine. He has written and directed, and often starred in, at least one film a year since 1971. In recent years he's wisely chosen others to be in stand ins for the roles he would've played. With Owen Wilson in “Midnight in Paris,” a charming and effervescent film, he's found one of his best surrogates.

Since 2005, Allen has been making his way through Europe, having done three films in England, two in Spain and now one in France. “Midnight in Paris” is a love letter to the City of Lights much like the numerous notes of adoration he scribed to the city that never sleeps.

Owen Wilson stars as Gil, a screenwriter who views himself as a Hollywood hack, who is in Paris with his fiancee (Rachel McAdams) and her parents (Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy).

Gil is taken by Paris and yearns to move there to work on his novel. His fiancee and her parents are typical gauche Americans, who can't be bothered with French culture. Allen's script uses the conservative parents to get in some political swipes in that will certainly get the film branded as liberal swill.

But this isn't Allen's satire of modern politics, but a fantasy in which Gil is whisked away by a magical car to Paris of the 1920s where he gets to hobnob with all his literary and artistic idols including F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda (Tom Hiddleston and Alison Pill), Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates), Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll) and Salvador Dali (Adrien Brody). Perhaps most importantly he meets Adriana (Marion Cotillard), the woman who finds herself the temporary muse to many artists.

Allen's script wisely doesn't waste time trying to explain the mechanism of the time travel because the how doesn't matter. It is the why that counts. Gil is traveling back to the time that, in his mind, was the Golden Age. Allen uses time travel to explore nostalgia and the idea that some other time was better than the present. The final message that emerges is an expected one given Allen's own predilection toward the past.

The film is very funny, but the humor level depends on how familiar you are with the artist Gil meets. Even cursory knowledge is enough to get most of the jokes, but the more you know the funnier the material will become.

The whole cast is splendid. Cotillard continues to remain seemingly effortlessly charming and she has a sweet, low-key chemistry with Wilson. McAdams, one of the most likable actresses working today, shows her acting chops by coming off as completely insufferable. Brody's appearance isn't much more than a cameo, but he is hilarious in his few minutes.

The best of the bunch is Stoll as Hemingway. Allen's Hemingway speaks the way he wrote: succinct and direct, yet poetic. Stoll perfectly captures Hemingway's machismo.

Wilson hasn't been this good in years. His laid back acting style is, surprisingly, a perfect fit with Allen's fast paced, witty dialogue. Wilson only looks like a surfer dude; he can play smart when he is given intelligent dialogue to work with. He doesn't attempt to imitate Allen's mannerism or persona at all, and so the blending of Wilson's acting style with Allen's dialogue creates something that feels fresh.

People put Allen's later films under harsh scrutiny and say he will never be as good as he was in 1970s and 1980s. And yet you usually see the phrase “return to form” quite frequently in association with a new Allen release, which begs the question if, let's say every other film is a return to form, did he really ever lose it in the first place? “Midnight in Paris,” yet another return to the form he supposedly lost.

'Green Lantern' is middling superhero fare

2011-06-24T01:13:00.004-04:00

“Green Lantern” is the the third superhero movie of the summer, but the first based on a DC comic following Marvel's “Thor” and “X-Men: First Class.” It is also the least successful of the bunch, but that says more about the quality of the other films than this one.

Critics have been particularly brutal to “Green Lantern,” but while it is definitely a middling quality film, it isn't without its entertaining moments, strong performances and worthy messages. The biggest thing “Green Lantern” has working against it is the raised expectations people have for superhero movies thanks to films like “Iron Man” and “The Dark Knight.”

Much like “Superman,” another DC propriety, “Green Lantern” deals with alien beings, but the difference is the title hero, Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds), is not an extraterrestrial, but a human.

Hal is bestowed the power to fly and to make anything in his mind a reality by a magic ring. The ring is given to him by Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison) a member of the Green Lantern Corp, an intergalactic police force that defends against evil, who crashed landed on Earth after a fatal battle with the evil Parallex (voice of Clancy Brown). By accepting the ring Hal joins this team and is whisked to the Planet Oa for his training.

Instead of a traditional good versus evil scenario the film has will against fear. Hal Jordan and his fellow Green Lanterns get their strength from the green energy of will. Parallax gets his power for the yellow energy of fear. The film explores what it truly means to be fearless. There's a good theme about overcoming fear. albeit it one that is presented a bit too heavy handedly with Hal dealing with issues involving his father's death.

Before taking on the role of hero, we see Hal in his day job as a cocky, risk-taking test pilot who works for a company run by his ex-girlfriend (Blake Lively). Reynolds and Lively have a genuine chemistry together and the dynamic is not the traditional one for these kind of movies. While she does need saving at one point, she isn't just a damsel in distress. She helps to shape and push Hal into the hero he will become.

The best thing about “Green Lantern” is Peter Sarsgaard as Hector Hammond, a hunched-over scientist with self-esteem issues who is infected by a part of Parallex. Hammond goes through a physical and mental transformation that gives him telekinetic and telepathic powers. Sarsgaard creates a truly fantastic, not entirely unsympathetic villain. His line readings and acting choices are unexpected and he helps the movie become something more than what it might've been.

Unfortunately, Hector Hammond is merely a secondary villain to the far-less compelling Parallax, which is basically a giant snog creature that, while having the formidable voice of Clancy Brown, doesn't really have a personality. He is just an evil entity that must be destroyed in the climax of the film.

Reynolds, a good, genial and funny actor who often misplaces his talents, slides nicely into this role. The scripts does give him several dry quips to deliver, something he has always had a knack for doing, but he also dials down his comic impulses. He is a charming and believable as a hero.

The rest of the cast is filled out with some fine actors including Tim Robbins as Hector Hammond's father, Geoffrey Rush and Michael Clark Duncan as the voices of some of the other Green Lanterns, and, most notably, Mark Strong as Sinestro, a high-ranking Green Lantern who is skeptical of their latest recruit. Strong gives an effective performance, which is all the more impressive considering he is purple.

“Green Lantern” is marred by relying too much on CG effects and is a bit more simple-minded than a lot of superhero movies, but it isn't without its charms. In fact, “Green Lantern,” despite its PG-13 rating, is a good film for kids.

Gordon Clapp gets down to 'Business'

2011-06-17T03:07:00.000-04:00

Emmy-award-winning actor Gordon Clapp is returning to the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse, the stage that first gave him work, 33 years after he last graced it for “This Verse Business” a one-man show about Robert Frost by A.M. Dolan.

“'78 was the last season I had there,” Clapp said. “Which was right around the time that I became obsessed with doing a one-man Robert Frost [show]”

“This Verse Business” will be at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse in North Conway, N.H. Saturday, June 18, with a reception at 7 p.m. and the show at 8:30 p.m. Clapp will also be performing the show at The Barnstormers Theatre in Tamworth, N.H. Sunday, June 19, at 7:30 p.m.

Doing a show about Frost, the poet who so often employed vivid imagery from rural New England, has been a passion project for Clapp that has been percolating for decades.

“I started reading Frost when I was back in high school,” Clapp said. “When I went a way to school in Connecticut he was sort of my way of coming home.”

It was more than 30 years ago that Clapp first started researching Frost with the intention of putting on a one-man show. He read biographies and listened to audio from speaking engagements. In spite of his growing obsession he wanted to wait for the right time to do it.

“I just really thought this is something I'll do when I'm older as I get closer to his age, at the age at which he was better known,” Clapp said.

That time has finally come and a couple years ago he decided it was time to once again address this passion when the “This Verse Business” script fell into his hands.

“An old friend of mine came across the script and put me together with the playwright,” Clapp said. “The playwright and I have spent the last two and a half years honing it and trying to figure out how it works best.”

“This Verse Business” turned out to be an ideal fit for Clapp and was exactly what he was hoping for.

“It was the perfect script for my purposes,” Clapp said. “It was an evening with Frost that was cobbled together from these various events and audio tapes, a little bit of stuff from the letters and prose, but it is 90 percent Frost in his own words.”

Normally running about an hour and 20 minutes, the show at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse is a revised version that runs about an hour.

Clapp is excited to return to the stage that helped give him his start working a long aside the likes of David Strathairn, Geena Davis, Chris Elliot and John Sayles.

“That was a great company,” Clapp said. “We did unusual stuff for summer stock. We did original stuff, we did classics. A lot of summer stock theaters are just doing musicals now.”

Clapp has a lot of fond memories from that time, but says his favorite production was “Our Town” “because I was doing it in my hometown.” He hopes to that show again next summer at The New London Barn.

Getting to perform at the Barnstormers is also a long time coming and something Clapp is looking forward to.

“I've always wanted to do something at Barnstormers because I grew up in North Conway.”

Ironically, in spite of his local ties, it was working in a show in New York that brought about this performance at Barnstormers.

“I was doing a play in New York the past year,” Clapp said. “The director at the theater had a couple friends at Barnstormers and they were asking about it ['This Verse Business'], they had heard about it, so he put me in touch with them.”

Tickets for the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse show are $25, which will benefit the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company, may be reserved by calling 356-5776 or by visiting at www.mwvtheatre.org. Come meet Gordon and the summer company. Tickets for the Barnstormers show are $20 or $35 including reception at the Remick Museum in Tamworth at 6 p.m. For tickets call 323-8500.

For those who need more of a Clapp fix, he will also be appearing in an episode of “In Plain Sight” on the USA Network Sunday at 10 p.m.

Clapp has performed “This Verse Business” at the Hanover Inn, the Williams College, poetry societies and last summer had the first official run at the Peterborough Players. In the fall he's taking it to the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C. and doing a longer run at the Merrimack Theatre in Lowell, Mass. Hopefully, this is the just the beginning though.

“I want a touring version and then another longer version that would be able to do runs at regional theaters and maybe even a commercial run in New York, LA or Boston,” Clapp said. “My hope is this will be my Hal Holbrook vehicle and that I'll be able to ride it into the sunset.”

'Super 8': The way summer movies should be

2011-06-17T01:10:00.000-04:00

“Super 8,” writer/director J.J. Abrams' throwback to Steven Spielberg's films of the 1970s and 1980s, is the summer's only big budget film that is an original in the sense that it isn't based on any previous films or source material. In a summer awash with sequels, reboots, remakes and comic book adaptations “Super 8” is an oasis.

Produced by Spielberg and set in small town America circa 1979, two years after the release of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and two years before “E.T.,” “Super 8” is like a lost Spielberg film albeit it one with Abrams fingerprints all over it. Abrams loves lens flares and at this point it is signature much like Spielberg's frequent use of shooting stars.

The film centers on a group of kids that are making a zombie movie when, while shooting a scene, they accidentally capture footage of a horrific train wreck that unleashes something on the town. The title refers to the film stock that was the standard for home movies and amateur filmmakers before the invention of video.

Soon weird things start to happen: Dogs start running away, car parts go missing and people start disappearing. The kids make a pact not to tell anyone they were at the wreck of what turns out to be a military train.

Yes, there is a creature running loose in this film, but it isn't about this monster. The film opens with a prologue that shows the funeral for the mother of Joe (Joel Courtney), the boy who turns out to be the film's main character. The film is really about how he and his father (Kyle Chandler) let go of that loss.

Part of what helps Joe move on in is the making of the film with his friend, which keeps him occupied and allows him to meet Alice (Elle Fanning) and begin a very tentative, sweet and innocent flirtation.

What the film gets absolutely right is the dynamic between the kids. The way they talk and interact feels authentic. These aren't merely cutesy movie kids who speak overly glib dialogue. The kids in the film come across as genuine kids.

Good kid actors are hard to find, but everyone here is great, particularly Fanning, who, though only 12 at the time of filming, shows depth, subtly and skills well beyond her years. She has a scene where she is rehearsing a scene for the zombie film and she brings such real emotions to it that it is hard not to be moved.

Courtney is very good as well. He shows a boy that tries to put a strong front up, but who is hurting from the loss of his mother. His relationship with his father is strained and removed. When he begins to discover love for the first time you can see how it changes his mood, but, wisely, it is played in small, quiet moments.

Of the rest of the kids, the stand out is Ryan Lee as a boy with penchant for explosives. Riley Griffiths as the director of the zombie film is also good especially has he starts using the real events unfolding as “production value” for his film.

As for that zombie film, the kids actually did write and direct it themselves. It plays over the closing credits and it is an absolute riot.

The last third of the film turns into an outright 1950s-style monster movie with better special effects and explosions. The switch in tone is a bit jarring, but at that point you're so invested in the characters that it is easy to just go with the flow. Abrams as a director does a fine job of keeping things at a steady pace that allows for character development and interaction. When things go crazy, in the end you actually care.

As is often the case with Spielberg films, there's a sentimentality to the film and there are moments that feel manipulative and heavy handed, but it is a testament to how well Abrams handles this material and his actors that these moments work and still affect almost in spite of themselves.

This is the kind of movie that you wish every summer movie could be. It is engaging, smart, funny and touching.

Two actors, one act, completely entertaining

2011-06-10T02:25:00.001-04:00

M&D Productions latest show is the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Talley's Folly,” a simple two-person, one-act romantic comedy set in Lebanon, Mo. in the 1940s. It is a direct, charming piece of theater.

“Talley's Folly,” written by Lanford Wilson, who passed away in March, is told in about 90 minutes in real time and focuses on Matt Friedman (Ken Martin), a German-accented man who travels from St. Louis to ask for Sally Talley's (Heather Elsie Hamilton) hand in marriage. A year earlier they had a romantic week together. He's written every day since with no encouragement, but he knows they are meant to be together.

The show, which opened Thursday and is running at Your Theatre in North Conway Thursday through Saturday for the next three weeks, begins with Matt giving a fourth-wall-breaking monologue explaining that if everything goes to plan the evening will be a waltz. It is a fabulous introduction that is well performed by Martin. It is key in getting the audience on Matt's side. We almost instantly like him and want him to get the girl.

Matt is a wonderful character. He is given an amusing quirk of over-analyzing the English language, a nice touch for someone who has English as a second language. He notes that bees have a life expectancy of 20 days, but then wonders if expectancy is the right word, after all what does a bee expect out of life.

Everything takes place in the decaying boathouse (or Folly) on the Talley property. The Talleys were once a wealthy family that fell on hard times during the depression. The boathouse is yet another astounding bit of set design by Deborah Jasien. The stage is entirely transformed complete with vegetation and flora. The authenticity of the set makes it easy to disappear into this story for 90 minutes.

The tone of the show isn't wild farce or screwball comedy. The bantering dialogue of the show is a delicate mixture of humor and poignancy as each character reveals tragic aspects of their past. It is ultimately these darker elements of their past that show the way to a brighter future together.

Challenged with an accent that could potentially sink his whole performance, Martin overcomes this would-be shortcoming and gives a solid performance. He makes Matt awkward, a bit goofy, but completely sincere and lovable. It is hard to stay mad at him though Sally certainly tries to.

Hamilton makes for a good romantic foil. She keeps up a strong front that keeps being pulled down only to be put back up. She does a good job of balancing her frustrations with a suitor she is trying not to want with her apparent affectionate feelings towards him. Martin and Hamilton have a nice, light chemistry together that isn't forced.

And really that's all that needs to be said. Under the assured hand of director Richard Russo these two actors perform this wonderfully written show beautifully. It isn't elaborate or big theater, but its simple pleasures are hard to beat.

For more information or tickets call the box office at 662-7591.

'First Class' gives new life to dying franchise

2011-06-10T01:09:00.000-04:00

When sequels have run their course and a franchise is running on fumes it is time to give up, right? Never! When all else fails, start over with a prequel. The “X-Men” series has gone the prequel route once before with “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” It made money, but left few happy. So, now we have “X-Men: First Class,” one of the most satisfying films of the series.

“X-Men: First Class” presents the origins of the mutants Charles Xavier, aka Professor X, and Erik Lehnsherr, aka Magneto, who were previously played by Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan, but the younger models are now James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. We also learn the back story of the shapeshifting Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence, stepping in for Rebecca Romijn), who, in a departure from the comics, is Charles' adopted sister.

In the later films, Erik and Charles are adversaries driven apart about an ideological split with Charles wanting mutants to attempt to co-exist with human and Erik wanting mutants to reign having seen humanity's capacity for genocide during the Holocaust.

In this film we are shown their very different, but parallel lives and the point in which those paths intersect. Charles is an affluent English student, who recently graduated with degrees in the studies of genetics. Erik is a holocaust survivor turned brutal Nazi hunter. Charles has telepathic abilities and Erik the ability to control and draw metal to him like a magnet.

They meet and become fast friends and form an uneasy alliance with the FBI in hopes of being able to stop a common enemy, Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon). Shaw, it turns out, was the mastermind pulling the strings behind the Cuban Missile Crisis. Now you know. Shaw also did cruel experiments on young Erik and now as an adult Erik is eager for revenge.

Other mutants are gathered for this battle, but, as is often the case with these films, many of them get lost in the shuffle. We are introduced to several characters, shown their abilities and later they get to show them off in elaborate action sequences. There are fun montages of these characters recruitment and training that, while entirely obligatory, have a brisk pace to them.

Characters like Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones) and Havok (Lucas Till) are given very little to do. They are simply there to fill out the team. The exceptions are Lawrence's Mystique and Nicholas Hoult's Hank McCoy, aka Beast. Lawrence and Hoult have a tentative flirtation and the direction that goes in ultimately feeds where her allegiances will fall.

While there are too many characters, the real focus is on Charles and Erik and their dynamic is well written by a team of screenwriters. McAvoy and Fassbender are very good together as you see the seeds of their love/hate relationship planted.

Director Matthew Vaughn, who ventured into the comic book hero realm in last year's “Kick Ass,” a subversive take on the genre, brings an energy to proceedings that nicely captures the 1960s time period. The first half of the film feels very Bond-like with Fassbender's Erik like a darker, more merciless version of 007. Fassbender has a commanding screen presence and he's charming, but he also makes Erik well rounded, both sympathetic and menacing.

McAvoy plays Charles as an English playboy who uses his intellect and wit to pick up women. His pick up lines are rather amusing and oddly effective. As the film progresses though we see flashes of the compassionate leader he'll become.

Bacon makes for a great over-the-top villain. He plays it like a Bond villain — cool, collected, but with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He's surrounded by a trio of mutant henchmen who barely register, two of them don't even have an dialogue. The talkative one is Emma Frost, but, as portrayed by January Jones, you wish she spoke less. Jones, a very attractive woman, is a flat, one-note actress (at least from what I've seen, but I haven't seen her in the acclaimed TV show “Mad Men”) who is easily the weakest link of the film.

Everything builds to climatic showdown to prevent the Cuban Missile Crisis that is rather spectacular. The historical setting gives a certain weight to the events.

Comic book purist will surely nitpick everything that was altered from the source material, but, within the context of the film, everything works and is dramatically satisfying. This is summer film as it should be: smart, fun, witty and entertaining.

The 'Hangover: Part 2' feels like leftovers

2011-06-03T00:59:00.000-04:00

In 2009 director Todd Philips and his cast struck upon a successful formula with “The Hangover,” so successful in fact it became the most profitable R-rated comedy in film history. The sequel was inevitable and so was the feeling of deja vu.

“The Hangover Part 2” is beat for beat the exact same film as its predecessor. The location has shifted from Las Vegas to Bangkok and the jokes are new, but this is otherwise a carbon copy of the original right down to Ed Helm's character singing a goofy song (still funny) and Ken Jeong jumping out of a confined area (too predictable). It is entertaining, but it is no longer fresh.

Both films center on a trio of friends (Helms, Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis) who gather for a wedding and, after supposedly one drink, wake up with a memory-erasing hangover and missing one of their compatriots. The groom in question this time is Helms and the missing man is his soon-to-be brother-in-law (Mason Lee).

Philips follows the time-honored tradition that if a sequel is bigger and louder it'll be better. Why do filmmakers insist that this is true? It rarely is. In this case, it works to a degree as Philip and his co-writers come up with some outrageous scenarios that attempt to outdo the original.

There's a running gag with a stolen monk that gets some laughs, Paul Giamatti is good, but underused as a foul-mouthed crime kingpin and the expanded return of Jeong is welcomed. On the demerit side, there's a completely superfluous car chase.

This will sound strange, but the best thing about “Part 2” is a monkey. The first had the trio waking up to discover a tiger in their hotel. Naturally, this film needed an animal as well. The monkey is an upgrade. In his Rolling Stones vest, this monkey has got personality and unexpected talents. I'd watch a whole movie about the exploits of this monkey. Perhaps the monk and monkey should be the stars of the third film. “Monk and Monkey” coming to a theater near you.

The first film turned the scene-stealing Galifianakis into a star. His Alan was endearingly socially awkward, but this time social ineptitude is taken too far. You begin to wonder if the character may have Asperger's syndrome. Too much of his behavior is awkward and uncomfortable without truly being funny. Galifianakis does still get some laughs, but it may be time to retire this persona, which also appeared in Philips' “Due Date” last year.

As with the first film, part of the appeal is the mystery aspect of the story. It is a good formula and you almost can't blame Philips for cloning it so completely. Both films do have clever twists as to where the missing person was the whole time.

So, for a second time around this formula works, but if a third film is made, oh who am I kidding, when the third film is made, Philips better come up with a variation on the theme, because this same situation a third time will be one time too many.

Latest 'Pirates' is good enough

2011-05-27T00:56:00.000-04:00

Here's the short review of “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” the fourth in the wildly successful Disney franchise: more of the same, which depending on your frame of mind, can be a positive or a negative.

“Curse of the Black Pearl,” the first in the series, wasn't a perfect movie, but it introduced us to Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow, a wholly original characterization that sparked an otherwise routine pirate yarn. Also, in comparison to this new film there was an energy in the pacing and a moody atmosphere in Gore Verbinski's direction.

Verbinski also directed the bloated second and third films, which both had long, dull patches, but even those films had some interesting visuals and imaginatively staged action set pieces. “At World's End” became down right surreal at times.

Many assumed that all you needed for a successful “Pirates” movie was Depp, but, now with a new director, Rob Marshall, it is apparent how integral Verbinski was in giving those films their offbeat loopiness.

“On Stranger Tides,” which begins anew without the characters played by Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightley, starts out promisingly with much of the quirky charm of the earlier films in tact. Impersonating a judge, Sparrow saves fellow pirate Gibbs (Kevin McNally) from a hanging and then after a brief meeting with King George (Richard Griffiths) makes an elaborate escape that includes swinging from chandeliers and stealing a pastry or two in the process. It is good fun.

Then the plot proper begins. Angelica (Penelope Cruz), a former flame, is impersonating Sparrow and gathering a crew to search for the fountain of youth. Turns out Angelica is the daughter of the dreaded Blackbeard (Ian McShane) and Sparrow is now a reluctant member of his crew.

Geoffrey Rush returns as Barbossa, now working as a captain for the English Royal Navy, who is also pursuing the fountain. Just for good measure the film throws in the Spanish in the pursuit as well because, hey, why not when you have a $250 million budget?

The introduction of the new characters like McShane's formidable Blackbeard and Cruz's feisty Angelica along with the re-introduction of Sparrow and Barbossa is all well handled, but then the film doesn't really seem to know what to do with itself.

There's some business about needing the tear of a mermaid to make the fountain of youth work. This brings about a sequence involving an attack by web-slinging vampire mermaids/sirens. One (Astrid Berges-Frisbey) is captured and this leads to a cornball love subplot with a young man of faith (Sam Claflin) who is a part of Blackbeard's crew in hopes of saving his soul. These two are so dull that those who complained about Bloom and Knightley will be begging for their return.

Then there's Depp, who continues to provide his oddball line readings, but all the things that were so unexpected about the Jack Sparrow character in the first film have become the expected. Depp is still entertaining, but the character feels somewhat restrained and less of the element of anarchy he was in the previous films. In many ways, he has been softened — he admits to having feelings for Angelica — and made into a more traditional hero. It takes away some of the fun of the character.

Rush, who was so gloriously hammy in the previous films, also seems more subdued here. Even McShane, after a great first introduction, is lacking something. The whole thing feels ever so slightly off.

So, is it entertaining? Yes, while you're watching it is a diverting couple hours. It just isn't likely to linger. This is disposable, forgettable summer fare, which is fine, but we've come to expect more than just that from Captain Jack Sparrow.

Arts in Motion does good 'work' with Helen Keller story

2011-05-21T02:49:00.005-04:00

Arts in Motion Theater Company takes on “The Miracle Worker,” the inspirational story of Helen Keller, a deaf and blind girl, who, thanks to her live-in tutor, Anne Sullivan, overcomes her handicap in a time when no one thought it was possible.

“The Miracle Worker,” which opened Thursday, May 19, at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse in North Conway, N.H. and is running Thursday through Sunday this weekend and next, focuses on the initial struggle of Sullivan (Julie Lanoie) to get through to the young, undisciplined Helen (Megan Perrin).

While “The Miracle Worker” is a cherished piece of theater, this probably has more to do the sheer power of the story than the play itself, which suffers from an uneven script by William Gibson. The first act is clunky, trite, heavy handed and allows for little subtlety.

As is the case with many plays, the first act is all mechanism, setting up the drama of the second act. The first act ends with a very funny scene in which Sullivan attempts to teach the unruly Helen table manners. It nicely sets up the second act, which shifts Helen away from her parents (Julianne Brosnan and Craig Holden) to one-on-one tutoring with Sullivan.

The second act is where the true drama of the story lies and what audiences respond to and remember most. The strength of these scenes more than compensates for the flaws of the first act and builds to a conclusion that is difficult not to be moved by.

The above criticisms are addressed at the play itself, not this production, which is very fine indeed. They are limited by the material in that first act, but then this would hold true of any production. Even the original New York Times review of the play in 1959 noted that elements of the show were “at times clumsy.”

This is a well-cast production with a assured direction by Barbara Spofford and a fantastic set by Deborah Jasien that recreates the 19th-century Keller estate.

Spofford and lighting designer Joshua Adams make some interesting lighting choices in the second act that make a lasting impression. When Helen and Sullivan have shifted to the garden house for private lessons, a spotlight is used to direct attention to events either in the garden house or main house. It is an effective bit of directing.

Lanoie, in spite of a come-and-go Irish accent, is very good as Sullivan, a strong-willed woman who fights for her beliefs and ideals. Lanoie is able to bring across that passion, but also portrays Sullivan's fears of failing Helen. It is a delicate balance between self-assuredness and insecurity that Lanoie handles well.

Perrin has a challenging role as Helen. Not only must she play blind, but, with the exception of grunts, yelling and crying, it is also a largely silent performance. It is kind of performance that could become laughable, but Perrin is convincing. While many in the family assume she isn't smart, Helen isn't stupid. Perrin is able to get that across in such scenes as when she has a mischievous grin after locking Sullivan in her room.

Holden as the aging southern father with a fondness for talking about the Civil War is quite good. He has a commanding stage presence, perhaps too much so at times. There are moments when it appears he confusions shouting with acting. On the other hand, there is a tender, soft spoken scene in which, after much contention, he praises Sullivan's work.

Brosnan is also solid as the loving, compassionate mother who refuses to believe Helen is a locked chest that can never be opened. She brings a genuine, motherly sense of warmth to her performance.

This is a well-mounted and acted piece of theater that honors Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan.

Reserve seating online atwww.ArtsInMotionTheater.com or by calling the box office at 356-5776 or purchase tickets at the door.

Student Artist Profile: Hannah Paven — Having 'fun' acting

2011-05-19T03:01:00.000-04:00

Hannah Paven, a senior at Kennett High School, has been acting in school and community theater for years and has gathered a long list of performance that includes “The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe,” “Rent,” “Almost, Maine,” "Steel Magnolias” and “Guys and Dolls.” She was also in Jubilation, the Kennett High School glee club, which made it to the top five in the Fox 23 Glee For All video competition last November.

When did you get into singing and acting?

I have been singing for a very long time, probably since I was, I don't know, 4 or 5. It started in New Jersey with more like church group singing and then moved to theater in fourth or fifth grade. I think my first show was “The Pirates of Penzance” back in the day and ever since I've just loved it, so I haven't stopped.

How many shows do you think you've been in at this point?

Oh gosh, I don't even know. I think I was in like eight in just the past two years, so I'm going to say close to 20.

What has been your favorite performance?

I really liked “Guys and Dolls,” I was Adelaide, which we just did in the spring. “Steel Magnolias” was fun, but I think “Rent” was probably my favorite as Maureen.

What was the most challenging performance?

Probably “Rent” with Maureen. It was fun, but it was hard because it is such a big show to take on, but that was fun. Adelaide was hard in “Guys and Dolls.” It was different from anything I'd ever done, but I liked it a lot. It was fun.

I know in both those cases, “Rent” and “Guys and Dolls,” you rehearsed for months. What was that process like?

“Rent” was vigorous. It was almost every day for the summer, but it was awesome. It kept me occupied for the summer and it was something I really like to do, so it was fun. “Guys and Dolls” was just long because of the weather and all the cancellations, but it was fun. It really helps you bond with the cast having lots of rehearsals and the shows came out pretty well, so I think it worked well.

What are you hoping to do after graduation when you head off to college?

This fall I'm going to University of Vermont and studying early childhood education, as of now, but I plan on double majoring with theater as well.

When you come home do you think you will continue to participate in community theater?

Definitely, I don't want to give it up.

Who are some of your influences musically or acting wise?

I would say that I idolize Idena Menzel. She is probably the top for me. I just think all her work is amazing and I want to be in every show she's been in. Doing “Rent” was awesome because she was the same role I was, so it was kind of cool to play the same role Idena Menzel once played.

Ideally, if you could, would you want to do the whole go to New York and do Broadway thing?

If I could, I would, definitely. I think it is a hard business and it is definitely difficult to get roles. There are so many people out there who are so talented, but if I could, I would. It would be fun, but it is not something I am putting all my eggs in the basket. I'm not going to just settle for that.

Are there any roles you really want to do in the future?

I just saw “Spring Awakening” and I fell in love with the show, so I'd definitely like to play Wendla in “Spring Awakening” because it is an awesome role and really fun.

I realize that you've mostly done musical theater, but what has it been like with having to do straight acting like with “Steel Magnolias” and “Almost, Maine”?

It is difficult. It is definitely a challenge for me because I definitely like more of the Broadway show tunes. “Steel Magnolias” was probably one of the hardest roles I ever played just because I had a medical condition and I had to do it on stage and it was really difficult. I definitely prefer musical theater over normal theater. There's definitely a difference though.

Do you have any plans for the summer in terms of performances or singing?

No, not really. I might be auditioning for a couple shows here and there, but we'll see. I'm trying to do something for the summer, but if it doesn't happen that's fine because it is a big summer with trying to get ready for college and everything. But I'd like to.

Is there anything happening with the glee club?

I know that they are doing it again. I'm personally not doing it because it is the end of senior year and I've got a lot of chaos going on. I know they re-held auditions and that they have a whole new group of people. From what I hear they are doing really well. They should be doing a couple performance for the Fourth of July is what I heard.

What was that whole Fox thing like?

That was exciting. None of us really thought it would go anywhere really. It was kind of just presented to us last minute. We just did it and then we found out that we were in the top five. We were all really excited. It was fun to be on TV. It was nerve-racking, but really fun and a good experience.

Do you have any final thoughts about why you like acting, why you like singing or what you want to do?

I always say I like acting because it gives me a chance to be someone else that I am not on stage and you can be anyone. I've been Susan in “Narnia” to a '50s girl and it is really fun to just be in the costumes and just be someone else you're not everyday.

'Priest' is all bark no bite

2011-05-19T00:51:00.000-04:00

“Priest,” the sci-fi, western vampire movie, quite literally isn't much of a movie with a running time that clocks in at 78 minutes minus the closing credits. This turns out to be a blessing as even that feels too long.

This is the kind of film that spends so much time on looking cool that the filmmakers forget about such things as character development and getting performance out of the actors who aren't so wooden that you could start a fire with them.

Based on a Korean comic, “Priest” is all style and no substance. The premise is that in the future beastly vampires have over-run the planet, but, thanks to a special order of priests with exceptional vampire killing skills, their attacks were quelled. What remains of humanity lives in a walled-off city led by a Big Brother-esque monsignor (Christopher Plummer).

Having done their duty these priests are no longer needed, but one of them (Paul Bettany) goes rogue after hearing of a vampire attack on his brother (Stephen Moyer) that resulted in the kidnapping of his niece (Lily Collins). When Bettany is joined by a small town sheriff (Cam Gigandet) in the pursuit of the girl, the plot becomes a pale knock off of “The Searchers.” A fellow former priest (Maggie Q) sent to bring Bettany back also joins the cause.

Bettany is a talented, charming actor who is wasting his talent on this kind of schlock. The wit he brought to his roles in movies such as “A Knight's Tale,” “A Beautiful Mind” and “Master and Commander” is nowhere to be seen. Granted his character is supposed to be stoic, but there's no weight to the performance. He's merely dry, stiff and uninteresting.

This is Bettany's second time working with director Scott Charles Stewart following 2009's “Legion,” so he clearly enjoys working with him and it must be fun to make these stylized action scenes, but the fun rarely translates onto the screen.

Bettany gets no help from Gigandet, who simply can't act. He poses, he preens and brings the same frozen facial expression to every emotion. Had his performance been stronger maybe Bettany would've had something to play off of.

The only actor that truly registers is Karl Urban as the villain of the piece. He is the kind of seductive, charismatic, funny, confident villain that audiences love to hate. He has the film's best lines and moments, but he also, unfortunately, has very little screen time and isn't enough to save the film.

There are some nice touches. Bettany's priest uses crosses that become ninja stars while battling vampires, which is admittedly a cool visual. There is a brief animated prologue that is better and more interesting than the film itself.

There's an interesting premise here, essentially a western with vampires, but the execution is poor. Isolated moments hold interest, but without well developed characters we simply don't care. With another 20-30 minutes to actual create characters instead of cardboard cutouts, this could've been a good a movie. As is, it is just a missed opportunity.

'Thor' is mighty indeed

2011-05-13T00:48:00.000-04:00

It now seems like you know it is summer time when you have the arrival of the first superhero movie of the season. This year summer comes early with “Thor,” the latest film from Marvel Studios.

“Thor” is one of the stranger heroes in the Marvel comics family. Well, strange is perhaps the wrong word given the Marvel universe features a bevy of mutants and oddities, but he's an unlikely choice for a comic book superhero given his origins in Norse mythology.

Kenneth Branagh, best known for directing and starring in Shakespearean film adaptations such as “Henry V” and “Hamlet,” directs “Thor.” He may seem like an odd choice to direct a big budget superhero film, but he brings a gravity to the scenes in the realm of Asgard. Norse mythology, even in this watered down state, has much of the same sort of drama Shakespeare's plays dealt in.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the god of thunder, is set to be named the new king of Asgard, replacing his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins), but the ceremony is interrupted by an attack by the ice giants, a rival race from a neighboring realm. The impetuous Thor goes against his father's wishes and leads an attack on the ice giants' world thus undoing an already tenuous truce.

Angered by his arrogance and vanity, Odin strips Thor of his power and his mighty hammer and banishes him to Earth where he'll only regain what he has lost by learning humility and compassion. Luckily, Thor meets a trio of scientist played by Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgård and Kat Dennings who help him overcome his flaws.

The other key player in all this is Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the god of mischief and Thor's brother. His motives and intentions are ambiguous for much of the film. Is he just a prankster or a schemer? It is probably only Branagh's presence as director that begs the Shakespeare comparison, but there's a bit of Iago from “Othello” in Hiddleston's Loki. It is a strong performance that makes the character dimensional and sympathetic even when doing sinister things.

Hemsworth, who had a small but crucial role as Kirk's father in 2009's “Star Trek,” is quite fantastic in the title role. He certainly looks the part, handsome and muscular, but that's really the easy part. Any number of male models could get the look right.

What Hemsworth brings to the table is raw charisma. He plays the fish-out-of-water scenes on Earth very well, allowing Thor's now misplaced bravado to create an amusing juxtaposition with the world around him. He also gives Thor a complete arc. Hemsworth does a fine job portraying Thor's ego at the beginning of film and showing his transformation into a more humble and better being by the end.

Portman is also charming, warm and funny as Thor's love interest and she does have chemistry with Hemsworth, but there's just not quite enough there on the screen. We're suppose to believe they've made a deep connection, but it feels as if a scene or two is missing. The film would've benefited from more time with them together.

Inevitably, there has to be a bad action showdown at the end, with Thor and a trio of Asgardian friends (sort of his Merry Men) doing battle with the Destroyer, which is sent to Earth to put an end to Thor and everything that stands in its way.

It is an exciting, well-handled action scene, but as was true of “Iron Man” and “The Incredible Hulk,” two previous films from the Marvel, it is the middle, character-driven section of the film that works best. It is the care that each of these films puts to making characters we actually care about that makes them such satisfying pieces of entertainment.

Student Artist Profile: Jonathan Dana — Keeping the beat

2011-05-06T03:02:00.000-04:00

Jonathan Dana, a senior at Fryeburg Academy, plays drums in the academy’s jazz band, which has won numerous awards both at state competitions and at Berklee. His father, Michael Dana, is the film teacher at the academy and has worked in the film industry. This gave Jonathan access to equipment most kids don't get to use.

When did you get into drumming?

Basically when Mr. LaCasce told me to play drums. I was in middle school, sixth grade, and I was interested in drums. I started in fifth grade just banging on stuff and then in sixth grade Mr. LaCasce said ‘Why don’t you play in MOJO’ which was then the Molly Ockett Jazz Orchestra. Molly Ockett was the middle school I went to. That was how I started and I have been playing for him ever since.

When did you start seeing that you were getting to a really proficient level?

Freshman year I knew it was a serious program because you’re seeing the people that are coming out as seniors. I was like “Wow, I’m really going to have work to get to this level.” That’s when I got serious about it and I went to camp. At Camp Encore I really learned a lot about playing jazz drums. That’s where it kind of fueled all my inspiration for playing during the school year — that all started at camp. I went to camp every year since and it just got better and better and you just keep on playing and eventually you get better no matter what you do.

Is it jazz drumming specifically that you play or do you play other kinds of music?

Yeah, there is a rock program there too, but the jazz program is much bigger and that’s where all the awards come from and stuff like that. So, I guess jazz drumming is more my forte.

What has it been like getting all these accolades with the jazz groups?

It is just overwhelming. You become desensitized to it all. You know it is another first place win, great, what else is new? It is baffling how this little small town, Fryeburg, Maine can produce such amazing music. It is really quite fantastic.

What are all the award that you’ve received?

Just this year alone, we’ve won first place for Berklee, second place in big band, first place in combo, which I was in, first place in vocal jazz, and that’s all the state. Berklee was first place for vocal jazz and that’s a national competition.

Do you have any desire to continue performing music outside of school?

Yes, it is definitely one of my passions. I don’t think I want to go into it for a living just because it is so hard to make a living playing any kind of instrument, but it is so much fun. I love it. And to get to the level where you are proficient enough to just get up and go and play. It is just great to jam with people, so I find a lot of joy in that.

Do you have any interest in forming your own band or creating your own music?

Yeah, I’m writing stuff actually on Logic [Studio] on the computer and I have a huge 88-key midi keyboard and I make beats actually. Just cool — not just rhythms, but sounds too, almost like a hip hop beat. Now I am going into writing songs with lyrics. I just won a poetry contest in Conway just last night, so that helps to write good lyrics. I am really interested. I play guitar, a little bit of trumpet and piano. I just like to fool around and see what I come up with.

Now with your father, have you done any sort of experimentation into film?

Oh, absolutely. Since I was a very small child I’ve always been very interested in that because it has just always been around and really high quality stuff. It has been really easy to have access to the best kind of HD video camcorders and stuff like that. I am actually just finishing a project called “A Small World” by Jonathan Dana. We have a lot international boarding students that come to Fryeburg Academy and I interviewed about 10 or 11 of those kids about their culture and what it is like in their country and the differences. Now I am compiling it and trying to fit it all down to 10 minutes. I am at 25 minutes right now, so I have to cut in half somehow, but it is a lot of good material. That’s going to be done in the next couple weeks.

What are you hoping to do after graduation?

I am going to Clark University. I sent in my enrollment. I think I am going to study cultural studies. I just went to China with a friend and stayed at his apartment in Shanghai and I was just really interested in the differences in culture and how to relate. How like some Chinese may find it rude to even wear shorts in public. Stuff that Americans would never know. I think, since I already have a little kick start on knowing a little bit of Chinese culture, why not go further and learn about all the cultures. I think that’ll be really interesting.

How do you think you might combine your interests in culture and music and film in the future?

Well, that’s the thing. I’m trying. I’m trying to find a way to do that. I’m doing it right now with the movie actually. Because I’m also writing the score to the movie as well, or the short film I should say. It is just like a little piano riff, guitar thing, no vocals, but it is a cool start and I combined all my talents there. But I’ll see what else I can do on a professional level.

Well, I guess that’s it, unless you have any other thoughts on what you do or your aspirations for the future.

I hope to make the world a better place, somehow, so I’ll start that my first year out of college.

'Fast Five' does the impossible: it is actually decent

2011-05-06T00:48:00.000-04:00

“Fast Five” is the fifth movie in this title-challenged street racing series. First we had “The Fast and the Furious” a decade ago. Then came “2 Fast 2 Furious” followed by “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.” Perhaps concerned by being too wordy with the third film, part four dropped the "the" and went with “Fast and Furious.” Now furious is out of the race too. At this rate the inevitable sequel will likely be called “F Six.”

All jokes aside, the film is sort of a minor miracle. Five movies into a series that wasn't that illustrious to start with, this should be the most stale piece of bread around. Somehow, against all odds, the film is actually decent.

As with the last film, “Fast Five” opens with a spectacular James Bond-style stunt sequence. This time, it involves stealing cars off a moving train and ends with our anti-heroes, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, having to drive one of the cars off a cliff. The whole sequence, to borrow the stage name of one of the film's co-stars, is ludicrous, but it is also thrilling and highly entertaining.

Diesel's Dom and Walker's Brian are on the lam in Rio de Janeiro with Dom's sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) who is pregnant with Brian's baby. The death of some federal agents gets pinned on them, which brings down the fury of the FBI's top headhunter (Dwayne Johnson). To have the means to disappear forever, the boys plan to steal $100 million from Rio's crime kingpin.

Screenwriter Chris Morgan along with director Justin Lin, three-time veterans of the series, have wisely removed nearly all the street-racing elements from this new film. They instead have positioned it as a heist film, and this gives the film a certain degree of freshness if only because the familiar characters are now playing in a new genre.

To pull off the heist, the film brings together a team comprised of cast members from all the previous films: Matt Schulze from the first film, Tyrese Gibson and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges from two, Sung Kang from three and Gal Gadot and Tego Calderon from four.

The cast has good chemistry together even if some of the acting is only mediocre at best. There's a let's-get-the-gang together vibe similar to Steven Soderbergh's “Ocean's” movies that goes a long way to helping the film over its shortcomings.

Walker, who seemed too young for his character back in 2001, has grown into the part over the years even if his acting prowess hasn't had a similar growth spurt. Diesel is still a marble-mouthed mumbler to rival Sly Stallone. Even with their limitation there's a certain fondness that has developed for these actors in these roles.

Johnson makes a formidable and worthy adversary. There's an unavoidable throw down between Johnson and Diesel that should satisfy those who are into that kind of thing. Bridges and Gibson provide some nice comic relief. The ladies of the cast provide little more than their physical assets.

The film ends like it begins with an absurd but energetic and exciting action sequence with Walker and Diesel behind the wheel of two separate cars that have literally pulled a vault from the building it was in. They hit the streets of Rio dragging the vault behind them. Most movie car chases are instantly forgettable, but “Fast Five” deserves credit for originality, at least in this one aspect of the film.

This is by no means high art. It isn't even high-end entertainment, but it works as mindless action escapism and without the nasty hangover you get from a Michael Bay movie.

Baseball movies greatest hits

2011-04-28T00:41:00.006-04:00

With baseball season getting into full swing, the time has come to look back on baseball movies. There are so many great baseball films, too many to mention in one article, but here are some highlights.

The Kevin Costner trilogy

Kevin Costner starred in three unrelated, but worthy baseball movies, 1988's “Bull Durham,” 1989's “Field of Dreams” and 2000's “For the Love of the Game.” “Bull Durham” is a very funny and observant look at minor league baseball. Costner starred as a minor league veteran saddled with trying to help a young, unfocused pitcher (Tim Robbins) make it to the majors. Susan Sarandon is a groupie who picks one player a year to live with and help make great. Writer and director Ron Shelton actually was a minor league player from 1967 to 1971 and he brings an authenticity to the film and understanding of how the players think.

“Field of Dreams” is a movie that transcends mere sports movie conventions to be about the mystique, the history and the very reason we watch baseball. James Earl Jones delivers a monologue about the timelessness and magic of baseball that is absolutely perfect. And even the toughest guy is likely to shed a tear when the he of “if you build it he will come” finally arrives.

“For Love of the Game” is a lesser film and came in a time in Costner's career where it seemed like he went back to the baseball well looking for a hit. Even so, despite a distracting story structure of Costner's aging pitcher flashing back to the last few years of a failed relationship while pitching a perfect game, the film is entertaining. There are nice touches like Costner's ability as a pitcher to turn off all the noise of the ballpark and a well-written dynamic with his catcher played by John C. Reilly.

Based on true events and bio-pics

Some of the best baseball movies take their stories from reality. No matter what you think of the Yankees, it is hard not to be touched by 1943's “The Pride of the Yankees,” the story of Lou Gehrig, the baseball hero whose life was cut short by the disease that to this day still bears his name. Made only two years after Gehrig’s death, he was already a legend in his own time and in an era of war was an example of strength and grace in the face of adversity. The recreation by Gary Cooper of Gehrig’s farewell speech is a guaranteed tearjerker.

“Eight Men Out,” John Sayles dramatization of the infamous Black Sox scandal in which players took bribes to throw the 1919 World Series, is a compelling piece of drama. It doesn’t paint the players, including Shoeless Joe Jackson, as innately crooked people. Instead Sayles shows how each player is slowly, and in some cases reluctantly, convinced to take the fall. The dream cast is packed with raising stars and veterans of the 1980s including Charlie Sheen, John Cusack, David Strathairn, Christopher Lloyd, John Mahoney, Michael Rooker and D.B. Sweeney.

“A League of Their Own” took a look at the women’s league that was formed to fill the void left behind by the men who went to fight in World War II. Rich, well-written characters are ideally cast from top to bottom from the league’s star player Geena Davis to the league tramp Madonna to talent scout Jon Lovitz to coach Tom Hanks. This earns a place in baseball and movie history if only for the classic line “There’s no crying in baseball.”

“Bull Durham” director Shelton returned to baseball in 1994 for “Cobb,” a bio-pic about Ty Cobb, one the greatest and most reviled players to ever play the game. Brilliant portrayed by Tommy Lee Jones, this is a film that isn't afraid to show its subject in an unflattering light and it is all the better for it. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for 1992's “The Babe” a lackluster look at the Babe Ruth story. It isn't bad, but it lacks substance. It is worth a look, though, for a solid performance by John Goodman.

Kids movies

In 1976, “The Bad News Bears” set the template for underdog kid’s sports movie. Crotchety drunk Walter Matthau reluctantly becomes the coach of a team of misfit little leaguers. The team starts to win when he brings in daughter Tatum O’Neal as a ringer. These sort of movies would later become pure formula, but “Bad News Bears” played by its own rules. It is foul mouthed, political incorrect and wonderful for it.

Other films that followed in the wake of “The Bad News Bears” often had a bad case of the cutes, but some were better than others. In “Rookie of the Year,” from 1993, a kid (Thomas Ian Nicholas) gets to play in the major leagues after a broken arm gives him an amazing pitch. It is basically “Major League” for kids right down to John Candy in the Bob Uecker role as a color commentator.

Perhaps the best movie about kids and baseball is 1993's “The Sandlot.” This is a sweet, good-natured movie about a group of kids playing ball in the 1950s that proves to be equally enjoyable for kids and adults alike. The new kid on a backyard team doesn’t know much about baseball; he knows so little, in fact, that when the team needs a ball he swaps his step-dad’s ball signed by Babe Ruth. When the ball is hit over a fence, the film becomes a riotous battle to get it back from a supposedly man-eating dog called The Beast. A fine young cast makes this an utterly charming piece of nostalgia.

Student Artist Profile: Taylor Hill — Caught in the act

2011-04-21T03:03:00.001-04:00

Taylor Hill, a senior at Kennett High School, has been a local actress since elementary school and has appeared in productions for both Arts in Motion and M&D Productions. The diverse list of productions she participated in includes “Footloose,” “Rent,” “Seussical” and, most recently, “Guys and Dolls.” Hill also performed as part of Alpenglow at Radio City Music Hall in New York City in December.

When did you become interested in performance?

I think it really started when I was around 7 years old and I auditioned for my school play at Madison Elementary. I got a small part, but that really sparked the theater person in me. I think it just sort of snowballed from there and I've just been doing plays and theater and anything to do with music ever since.

What was your first show?

I honestly don't remember because it was something so remotely far fetched for a 7 year old to comprehend, but I do remember that my first bigger part was in “Alice in Wonderland” at Madison Elementary.

What was the part?

I was the White Queen. I didn't get the Red Queen, the really nasty one, but I got to be the White Queen.

When did you start singing?

I could say I was singing from the time I was talking, but I don't think that was the case. I was probably 8 or 9 years old when I joined the local children's choir around here directed by Karen Page. I kind of got the basics and then I started singing with her. I guess, ever since then, I've picked up pieces here and there.

What is your favorite performance that you've given?

Probably “Rent” with Arts in Motion, but I will say that I got to play Captain Hook in sixth-grade elementary school and that was a blast. That was so much fun. They really aren't comparable, but they were definitely two really fun performances.

What was your most challenging acting experience? Would that also be “Rent?”

Probably yes. I mean anyone who knows about “Rent,” they hear it and it is such a controversial show. I think it not only stretches audiences members when they watch it, but actors and directors and producers and anyone involved in it. That's a big show. It takes stretching yourself to get there, to produce it.

You've done shows for M&D and Arts in Motion. How would you compare those two experiences?

I think with any show that you jump into you can't really compare it to other shows because each show is a new project that you have to tackle. I think working with M&D and Arts in Motion both have been great experiences because they both have such gifted directors. Whatever play I've done, no matter how stressful it has been, it has always been fun. It has been a pleasure with both. I think challenging, but enjoying, so, I think both have a lot in common actually.

The first thing I saw you in was “Footloose.”

Ah. That's right.

I remember being really impressed and being like “Oh wow, she's really good. She's actually better than the lead.”

Thank you. It was a lot of fun. That is a fun play and that was one where I'd never seen the movie before I had done the show. So, I actually had to go out and get the movie and watch it.

It is kind of funny with that movie because it makes sense that it would be turned into a musical. So many of movies that get turned into musicals it just doesn't make sense at all, but that one really does.

Yeah, it does. I don't know how old the musical is, but I don't know why they didn't do it sooner because it is just...you have musicals like a “Chorus Line” and “42 Street” things so heavy on dancing and that one isn't heavy on dancing until they start to dance [at the end]. So, yeah I agree.

What are you hoping to do after graduation?

I'm actually going to be attending Lasell College in Newton, Mass. this fall and I'll be majoring in fashion marketing, so the business side of fashion. As much as I'd love to pursue theater as a career it is just so unpredictable and I'm not sure I want to be living in a box in New York City. But I will keep theater on my horizon because it is a passion of mine. I'll keep that on the side whether I minor in it or something.

Do you think you'll do plays and musicals in college?

Time willing, yes, yes I do.

I'm sure when you come back for the summer you'll be auditioning for things.

Yes, definitely! When I come back for summer, even though I should probably work and save money, I'll probably audition for shows and do shows.

What's it been like post-Alpenglow and New York?

That was such a great experience. I had never been to New York. It was eye opening. I almost decided on a school in New York and after Alpenglow it helped me make my decision because New York is a big city and I'm from a small town. Post-Alpenglow, my life has been normal.

So, it was just too overwhelming to consider going to school there?

For right now. I would love to work in New York City. I would love to be part of the fashion industry in New York City, but to start I need to ease my way into it.

Has there been anything else with Alpenglow?

I think right when we got back I had practice and rehearsals for “Guys and Dolls” and a lot of school work. I know Mary Bastoni, who kind of is the director of it, is really busy and everyone is just super busy. I think initially we were going to try to get back together and try to do something for charity and perform at some concerts and maybe this summer at the park. As of right now? Nothing. But hopefully in the future.

'Scream 4' more of the same and — surprise — isn't bad

2011-04-20T00:40:00.000-04:00

“Scream 4,” director Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson's latest entry in their self-satirizing slasher series, is unnecessary and yet oddly relevant. It is smart and funny and yet dull and routine. Basically it is a bloody barrel of contradictions.

Back in 1996, the original “Scream” was a shot in the arm, although that's probably a poor choice of words, to the horror genre, which had become stale and listless. “Scream” was both an entry into the much maligned slasher genre at the same time that it mocked it. The characters knew horror films and all their rules.

A year later, “Scream 2” cleverly made fun of the idea of a sequel, but when “Scream 3” came around in 2000 there was nothing new to be said and the series lost some of its bite. If they had to make another sequel, Craven and Williamson were wise to wait as long as they did because the horror movie scene and world at large has changed in the decade since the last film.

Since 2000 we've seen the rise of social networking and become a society that feels the needs to be constantly broadcasting. Reality TV has continued to gain popularity, making celebrities out of talentless dolts. Basically every horror movie of the last 30 or so years, both classic and minor, has been re-made and the torture porn genre found mainstream popularity thanks to the “Saw” franchise.

All this becomes good fodder for Williamson's screenplay, and the movie starts off extremely well with an opening that is the best since the original. It is on target, funny and unexpected. Unfortunately, the film struggles after that when the gears of the plot get going.

The three survivors of the original trilogy, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette, all return. They are joined by a new generation, including Emma Roberts as Campbell's cousin, Hayden Panettiere as one of Roberts' friends, Alison Brie as Campbell's publicist and the prerequisite film geeks played by Rory Culkin and Erik Knudsen.

Many of these new characters are well sketched, it would be a stretch to call them fully developed, but they are not complete blanks. They have some fun, entertaining dialogue that is well delivered. Panettiere is a particular standout as the pretty popular girl who is a closet horror fan. Culkin and Knudsen are also solid as the geeks who establish the new rules that the new Ghostface killer is playing by.

In the “Scream” universe there is a series of films called “Stab” which are based on the events that unfold in the “Scream” series. This is a way of acknowledging there is a whole generation that has grown up with and knows the post-modern self-referential conventions of the “Scream” movies. “Scream 4” becomes both a sequel and a remake of the original making for some shrewd jabs at the recent flood of remakes.

The problem is that the middle section of the film, despite the moments of clever writing, is rather paint by numbers. Deaths come quick and there's little imagination put behind them. The killer jumps out and stabs someone. Repeat. This is the nature of the genre, but previous entries in the series had more subtlety and wit about it.

Luckily, the film has an ingenious and completely unpredictable ending that, surprisingly, has some pointed social commentary about the lengths people will go for fame. It is the most satisfying conclusion since the original.

For those keeping track, that is an opening and conclusion that match the first “Scream” for quality and a middle section that could be better. All in all that's not too shabby for the fourth entry in a franchise.

'Five Women' provides solid laughs

2011-04-15T02:44:00.002-04:00

CONWAY — Before writing the Academy Award-winning film “American Beauty” and creating the popular and critically-acclaimed HBO shows “Six Feet Under” and “True Blood,” Alan Ball wrote “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress,” a tart comedy about five bridesmaids hiding from a bride they can't stand.

M&D Productions has dug up this relatively obscure comedy as its latest production, which opened Thursday, April 14, at Your Theatre at Willow Common in North Conway, N.H. and will be running Thursday through Saturday until the end of the month.

A review in the Austin Chronicle described the show as “The Breakfast Club” with bridesmaids, and that's fairly accurate. Depending on your outlook, a wedding could be as tortuous as a Saturday detention and, like that film, these five women represent different types. They all trade one-liners and ultimately become confessional about dark secrets.

Frances (Natasha Repass) is a sweet, naive Christian; Meredith (Bethany Taylor) is the bride's cynical, bitter younger sister; Trisha (Hannah Gaschott) has been with many men and is jaded about the idea of love; Georgeanne (Kelly Karuzis) is drinking heavily because of a failing marriage and re-ignited feelings for an old fling; and Mindy (Jodie Mullin) is the groom's quick-witted lesbian sister.

The final dress rehearsal I saw had a stand-in for Karuzis as she has fallen ill. Brenda Bailey filled in as Georgeanne at the the final rehearsal and opening night performances. Despite still having a script, Bailey gave a complete performance at the rehearsal. There will be another stand-in for this Friday and Saturday performances, but Karuzis will hopefully return for the second and third week of the production.

Ball's script, much like his screenplay for “American Beauty,” is populated by an abundance of sharply written dialogue that attempts to balance comedy with tragedy. “American Beauty” satirized the American dream and suburbia. “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” is critically of the institution of marriage, but doesn't ever go over to full-out satire.

The script does lampoon Christianity through the character of Frances, who is played nicely by Repass in a performance that is mostly silent reactions to the “shocking” use of profanity, alcohol and pot.

It is an imperfect show with wild shifts in tones that don't always work. The dramatic scenes are well written, but revelations are given their due and then it is back to the sassy dialogue. It is a credit to first-time director Christina Howe and the women of the cast that they overcome the shortcomings of the script.

Taylor has the most challenging role as her character has the darkest secret. Throughout the show it is clear Meredith's tough, angry, sarcastic facade is hiding something, and when she finally cracks Taylor portrays her pain honestly and believably.

Mullin's Mindy is, thankfully, not written as a stereotypical token gay character. The character even states at one point she doesn't want to be a man-hater. Mindy gets some of the show's best lines, and she delivers them well.

Gaschott gives a solid performance, but doesn't seem quite as hardened as her character should be. Still, she handles the witty dialogue well and has a good concluding scene with Eric Jordan as the one male in the cast.

In the scene, Gaschott and Jordan literally and figuratively do an uneasy dance as Gaschott's Trisha decides whether to let her guard down. Jordan, who normally plays broadly comedic characters, has to pull back those tendencies and be laid back and charming, and he achieves this admirably.

This is a show with many big laughs and a few well placed dramatic moments. It is uneven to be sure, but this strong cast makes it work.

Ticket prices are $25 for non-members, $18 for members. For reservations call 662-7591.