A nice evening in the 'Park'

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

“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

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

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'

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

“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

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

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

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-act 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 he 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

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

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'

 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

“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

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

“Captain America” is the fourth superhero movie this summer following on the heels of “Thor,” “X-Men: First Class” and “Green Lantern.” It would be 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 have 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 (Chris Evans), 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) and inventor Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper), he leads a one-man mission to rescue Bucky.

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.