'Brave' ventures into the world of princesses with unexpected results

"Brave" marks the first film from animation juggernaut Pixar to have a female protagonist. Thanks to the strikingly beautiful visuals in the trailers and Pixar's nearly flawless track record, expectations for what the studio would do were huge.

Pixar's films are, with the exception of last year's "Cars 2," are of such high quality in terms of the visuals and sophistication of storytelling that nearly all other animated films pale in comparison. They tell well-worn stories in ways that feel orginal and emotional true. Even the lesser "Cars 2" is still of a higher quality than the average animated feature.

Many of Pixar's films have had strong female characters such as Dory in "Finding Nemo" or Elastigirl in "The Incredibles," but "Brave" is Pixar's first film to center the story on a heroine.

Merida (Kelly Macdonald) is a Scottish princess, which may let some audiences members down as it would appear that Pixar is heading down the path of a Disney-style princess film instead of doing something more unique.

Dismissing "Brave" as just another princess movie is too superficial a read of the film because the portrayal of Merida is refreshing. This is not the story of a love-sick girl waiting to find a man to sweep her off her feet. Merida has little desire to wed. She is fiercely independent, adventurous and a damn good shot with a bow and arrow.

This is also very much a mother-daughter story, which, unfortunately, we don't see enough of. There are plenty of stories of father-son bonding, but positive mother-daughter stories are too rare a commodity, particularly in the realm of animation. If you look at most of the Disney princess films they are either mother-less ("Little Mermaid, "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin") or stuck with an evil stepmother ("Cinderella," "Snow White").

Merida's father (Billy Connelly), who loses his leg to a bear in the prologue, is proud of his daughter's free spirit, but her mother (Emma Thompson) simply wants her to accept her duties and get married.

When Merida is being presented to potential suitors she takes a stand that greatly angers her mother. Merida flees to the stunningly rendered Scottish hills and forests and finds her way to the house of a witch (Julie Walters) where she asks for a spell to change her mother's mind.

Naturally, the spell doesn't work as expected and mother and daughter must work together to undo the magic. It wouldn't be fair to reveal how the spell goes awry, but it may lose some audience members who, given the title, are expecting something with high stakes adventure. The title refers to having the courage to stand up from what you believe, but to also have the nerve to admit your mistakes and right your wrongs.

Mother and daughter must discover how to truly listen to each other for the first time. They must learn to put someone else's wishes in front of their own while not sacrificing their own beliefs. It is an important lesson and one that is rarely done in a way that doesn't feel forced or heavy handed.

The writers and directors of "Brave" — Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, who developed the project, Steve Purcell and Irene Mecchi — have a created a story that is familiar, but tell it in a way that is sweet and emotionally honest.

Comic relief is provided by Merida's three mischievous siblings and from the antics of the various clansmen whose voices include the likes of Craig Ferguson and Robbie Coltrane. The glorious Connelly also brings a great deal of levity to the proceedings.

Macdonald gives a wonderful vocal performance as Merida. She makes the character plucky and fun rather than petulant and whiny. Thompson does a nice job portraying a mother who is frustrated, but loves her daughter and only wants what is best for her.

Pixar's best work, the "Toy Story" films, "Ratatouille," "Wall-E," "Monsters Inc.," "Finding Nemo" and "Up," resonate deeply. "Brave" isn't quite of that caliber, but does tell a moving story that is sure to strike an emotional chord with mothers and daughters who are having their own communications issues.

Cast makes 'Rock of Ages' a guilty pleasure

"Rock of Ages," a rock musical based on 1980s hair bands like Bon Jovi, Poison, Foreigner, Def Leppard and others, is a tricky film to review. Its central plot and lead characters are sleep inducingly dull, but they are surrounded by a supporting cast of interesting and colorful characters who help raise the film to a guilty pleasure status.

To call the film good would take a rewriting of the definition of that word, but "Rock of Ages" does have certain charms, chiefly a stellar performance by Tom Cruise as the fictional rocker Stacee Jaxx.

Cruise nails the rock star swagger, smarminess and ego. He trained extensively to be able to do his own singing, and the efforts pay off as he credibly belts out songs like "Wanted: Dead or Alive." It is quite a performance that is believable and funny. In a departure from the stage version, the character is given more dimension and growth, allowing Cruise to add unexpected shadings.

The problem is Cruise is not the main character, but rather a supporting character, who is off-screen for too much of the film. Instead we have a tired story of a small town girl (Julianne Hough) taking a bus to Hollywood to follow her dream to become a singer.

Within five minutes of being in Los Angeles she is mugged. Within 10 minutes she meets her love interest (Diego Boneta), who gets her a job at the rock club the Bourbon Room. Clearly, things happen fast in L.A. What follows is a generic love story in which the couple breaks up over a misunderstanding and then gets back together to sing "Don't Stop Believing" in the climatic ending.

By removing characters and adding new ones and changing plot details, the film actually improves upon the stage version of "Rock of Ages," but that speaks more about the quality of stage version than the film. The script by Justin Theroux and Allan Loeb working with Chris D'Arienzo, the author of stage version, doesn't go far enough in making this more than just a serviceable plot to string a series of unrelated songs together.

It would've taken a complete rewrite to make this something truly engaging. That being said, Theroux and Loeb's additions keep "Rock of Ages" from being a complete waste. There's a lot of entertaining stuff happening on the fringes of the film.

Catherine Zeta-Jones plays a new character seemingly tailored after Tipper Gore, who in 1985 went before Congress to urge warning labels for records marketed to children. Zeta-Jones, the wife of a mayor, sets out to clean up Sunset Strip by shutting down the Bourbon Room much to the chagrin of club owner Alec Baldwin and his right-hand man, Russell Brand.

Zeta-Jones is great fun in the role, and her rendition of "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" is one of the movie's highlights. She also leads a version of "We're Not Going to Take It" pitted against a Russell Brand-led version of "We Built This City" that is one of the better moments in the movie.

Baldwin and Brand get some of the best lines in the film. They have an amusing dynamic and have great, loose energy singing together on "I Love Rock and Roll" and "I Can't Fight This Feeling."

Paul Giamatti is also fantastic as Stacee Jaxx's sleazy manager. This is the kind of role Giamatti does best and he's clearly enjoying being big, hammy and over-the-top. He even sings a bit too, and isn't half bad.

Zeta-Jones along with Mary J. Blige, as the owner of a strip club, are easily the best singers of the cast followed closely by Brand and, surprisingly, Cruise. Unfortunately, their vocals aren't spotlighted enough. Instead, Hough and Boneta sing the vast majority of the songs and they simply don't cut it.

Hough's voice has the strength to belt out the more powerhouse songs, but she is annoyingly high pitched. Boneta fares better, but his vocals lack personality. This may not even be entirely their fault as there seems to be heavy post-production polishing and sterilizing. Even Cruise's vocals come across too clean. It would've been nice to hear some imperfections.

Director Adam Shankman, who previously helmed the big-screen adaptation of "Hairspray," keeps things too sunny and focuses too much on that oh-so-boring love story.

This is supposed to be a light musical, so I'm not expecting soul searching from the characters, but every moment between Hough and Boneta is a cliche. We are given no reason to care about these characters.

A better director might have steered away from the lesser material to focus on the funnier and more compelling performances of Cruise, Baldwin, Brand, Zeta-Jones and Giamatti. It'll be a great movie to have on DVD where there is easy access to the skip button.

'Prometheus' — Ridley Scott's bold, ambitious return to sci-fi

"Prometheus" is director Ridley Scott's much anticipated return to the sci-fi genre. His films "Alien" and "Blade Runner" were hugely influential to the genre, so it is understandable that expectations for this new film are massive.

First and foremost, this is an extraordinary looking film. H.R. Giger, the Swedish surrealist artist who provided much of the design work for "Alien," has created new visuals and designs that are darkly beautiful.

Scott, ever a masterful filmmaker, has created a vivid world in which all of his special effects are seamlessly integrated. The film is heavy with effects, but at no point does the visual fabric of the film feel fake or false. This is a film worth seeing if only for its visuals.

Much like when "Blade Runner" was first released into theaters, "Prometheus" is proving to be a divisive film with some calling it brilliant and others dismissing it as a colossal misfire.

Reasons for the distinct divide in opinion tie into the knowledge that "Prometheus" takes place within the same universe as the "Alien" franchise and so many people have preconceived notions of what this film should be. Fans hoping to see carnage with the iconic xenomorph alien will be disappointed.

Scott and his screenwriters, Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof, decided to focus on what fans refer to as the "space jockey," the fossilized creature found in "Alien." The scene in "Alien" was only a couple minutes long, but the origins of this character have been hotly discussed by fans over the years and thus were ripe for exploration by Scott.

The story sets out not only to explore the origins of this mysterious alien race, but of mankind itself. This brings the film closer in tone to Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" than Scott's "Alien."

Archaeologist Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Repace) and her partner in digging and love Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) have discovered cave paintings and carvings from across the globe and separated by centuries that depict a giant humanoid creature pointing to the stars.

They deduce that Earth was visited several times by these creatures they've dubbed "The Engineers" and that it is very possible that they created us. The duo convinces the dying head of Weyland Corp. (Guy Pearce under pounds of makeup) to fund the trillion dollar trip to hopefully discover their makers.

Upon arrival they find that a race of humanoid aliens is seemingly deceased, but danger comes in the form of a black substance with extraordinary adaptive and evolutionary abilities.

The crew is made up of fairly generic stock characters, but then again so was the crew of the Nostromo in "Alien." The standouts of the supporting cast include Charlize Theron as a representative of Weyland Corp., Idris Alba as the captain and, most interestingly, Michael Fassbender as David, an android, who patterns himself after Peter O'Toole in "Lawrence of Arabia."

Fassbender, who last year appeared as Magneto in "X-Men: First Class," is extraordinary and, in terms of acting, is one of the primary reasons to see "Prometheus." Emotionless human-like robots are hardly a new concept, but Fassbender's performance is so precise that he makes the old idea compelling and new again.

Fassbender infuses David with a curiosity that sets off a disastrous chain of events. He gives David a sly, perhaps unintentional, wit that makes the character always interesting and hard to predict.

Repace, who was the original "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," gives a solid central performance that is very much in the tradition of Sigourney Weaver's Ripley. Both Ripley and Shaw are forced to find a strength and survival instinct that they previously didn't know they had. Repace plays Shaw, a woman of faith, with an open mind hungering for answers.

Theron, on the heels of "Snow White and the Huntsman," gives another strong performance, but isn't given much in terms of multiple dimensions to work with. Even so she gives a forceful performance. Alba provides some comic relief, but, portraying a working stiff, he is able to see what is happening for exactly what is when others cannot.

Generally speaking, "Prometheus" doesn't follow the same story beats of either "Alien" or James Cameron's equally and justly beloved "Aliens." "Alien" was an extremely well made and suspenseful haunted house movie in space. "Aliens" took the approach of a taut, intense action film. "Prometheus" has elements of both, but a tone that is more cerebral and a pacing that is more about creating an ominous mood and atmosphere.

That being said, there are still plenty of icky, ooey-gooey visuals and sequences of suspense. There's a surgical scene involving Repace that is sure to induce seat squirming. It doesn't match the sheer shock value of the chest-bursting scene in "Alien," but it comes close.

The film has its flaws. Some of the dialogue between Repace and Marshall-Green is clunky and some characters do needlessly careless things. Even with its imperfections, this is a bold film. Within the framework of a summer sci-fi blockbuster, Scott has dared to make a film about ideas and present questions that go unanswered. It will surely frustrate many, but others will appreciate the ambiguity. It is an ambitious film that is worthy of exploration.

Revisionist 'Snow White' is darkly beautiful

"Snow White and the Huntsman," a revisionist take on the Brothers Grimm story, is one of the most faithful, at least in tone, adaptations of the tale.

Most fairy tales are sugar coated, so it is easy to forget that the works of the Brothers Grimm were dark and twisted parables. Even Disney's classic 1938 version of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves," for all its sunniness and cheer, couldn't remove all the sinister qualities of the story.

In this version, the evil queen is Ravenna (Charlize Theron), a mystical woman obsessed with beauty, youth and subverting a cruel patriarchal society that uses women and then tosses them aside. This queen moves from kingdom to kingdom overthrowing kings. She preserves her beauty by sucking the souls of the young and pretty, and eating the hearts of animals.

Snow White (Kristen Stewart), the daughter of the last king to fall to Ravenna, is imprisoned in a tower for years. She eventually makes her escape into the dark forest. Ravenna has discovered that if she eats Snow White's pure heart she will be eternally beautiful. She sends the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to bring her back, but upon meeting the fair maiden he switches sides.

Naturally, Snow White and her new ally meet the dwarves, a motley collection of reliable English character actors including Bob Hoskins, Ian McShane, Ray Winstone, Eddie Marsan, Toby Jones and Nick Frost. Soon an army is formed with Snow White and the Huntsman leading the charge.

In addition to being the Huntsman, the character now essentially fills the role of Prince Charming, so it is odd that there is also a prince (Sam Claflin) thrown into the mix. Like the Huntsman he is a worthy warrior, but he is also dull and wooden as performed by Clafin. The character is entirely unnecessary and seems to only exist to create a "Twilight"-like love triangle since the film stars Bella herself.

Perhaps Stewart has been playing Bella too long or perhaps she simply has no range, but she gives the same flat, pouty faced performance that she's been given in the puerile "Twilight" series.

Stewart plays everything on the same note. We're supposed to believe that people are drawn to Snow White's beauty and her vibrant, warm personality, but Stewart brings none of that across. Thankfully, Stewart isn't asked to speak much. She does have one supposedly rousing speech to the troops before battle, but it is hard to imagine anyone being moved to follow Stewart into a kitchen let alone onto a battlefield.

In contrast, Theron's performance is fierce and frightening. She also manages to create some sympathy for the character in spite of her villainous way. Theron creates a fully dimensional character that is far more interesting than Stewart's bland Snow White.

Hemsworth, who is best known to audiences as Thor, continues to showcase a masculine charisma paired with a sensitive soul. He is believable in both action scenes and in the more tender moments.

The dwarves, a gruffer bunch than the familiar Disney versions, don't arrive until about an hour in, but are wonderfully acted particularly by the always splendid Hoskins. The film could've used more of them.

Director Rupert Sanders, making his feature film debut following a career directing commercials, creates an extraordinary looking film with striking visuals that have power to linger in the mind. Most directors that come from a background in commercials have a tendency to rely heavily on quick, chaotic editing, but Sanders actually allows for shots of some length. His scenes often have a poetic beauty to them and fluid pacing.

Sanders, along with his extensive art direction team, have created a bleak, but vivid world that favorably recalls Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth." Snow White's first venture into the dark forest is truly nightmarish as she deals with a mushroom spore induced trip. On the flip side there is the brightly designed land of the fairies which includes turtles gathered in grass and mushrooms with eyes.

It is a credit to the strength of everything else around Stewart that the film still works in spite of her painfully uninteresting lead performance. The film is worth seeing for Theron's compelling characterization and the memorable visual splendor on display.

'Little Shop' — Laughs, blood and doo-wop

The Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center in Fryeburg, Maine has been invaded by a carnivorous alien plant bent on nothing short of world domination in Arts in Motion Theater Company's enjoyable production of "Little Shop of Horrors."

"Little Shop of Horrors," which opened June 1 and is continuing its run Friday, June 8, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, June 9, at 1 and 7 p.m., is based on a 1960 black comedy of the same name produced and directed by B-movie master Roger Corman.

The musical, a parody of 1950s sci-fi, written by Howard Ashman with music by Alan Menken (who went on to do Academy Award-winning work on Disney's "Little Mermaid," "Aladdin" and "Beauty and the Beast"), made its off Broadway debut in 1982. Four years later the musical got the Hollywood treatment featuring such comedy superstars as Rick Moranis, Steve Martin, Bill Murray and John Candy.

That's quite a pedigree to live up to, but Arts in Motion does so admirably thanks to crisp direction by director Barbara Spofford and musical director Ben McNaboe, and a cast that is lively and fun.

Chris Madura stars as Seymour Krelbourn, a klutzy nerd, who works at a Skid Row flower shop along with Audrey (Taylor Hill) and shop owner Mushnik (Craig Holden). Business is bad until Seymour begins displaying an unusual plant he has named Audrey II. Suddenly, people are flocking to the store to look at the plant and spend money. The problem is Audrey II's diet is exclusively human blood and Seymour has run out of fingers to prick.

As Audrey II gets bigger, the plant becomes a foul mouthed R&B singing monster who is increasingly more hungry and manipulative. While Seymour is contending with Audrey II, Audrey I is contending with her sadistic dentist boyfriend (Reed Van Rossum). A better candidate for plant food never existed.

Eric Andrews provides the voice of Audrey II and Keith Force puppets the ever growing plant. It is an impressive bit of teamwork as nearly every line of dialogue or music is perfectly in sync.

Madura is strong in the lead role. He brings the nerdiness of the character across, but also manages to be a confident stage presence with a commanding singing voice. He is his best when singing with the Audreys. "Suddenly, Seymour" is Seymour's sweet proclamation of love to Audrey. "Feed Me (Git It)" is a raucous, tongue-in-cheek duet with Audrey II.

Hill is sweet and lovable as Audrey and has an easy chemistry with Madura. Her powerhouse voice shines on "Somewhere That's Green," a ballad lampooning the 1950s idea of a perfect life.

Van Rossum is a bit flat as Audrey's cruel boyfriend and on his big number "Dentist!" seems to be trying too hard to emulate Steve Martin's performance in the film. He fares better on "(Now) It's Just the Gas."

Courtney Rae Phelps, Natasha Repass and Shannon Oliver form a doo-wop singing Greek chorus that provides narration and commentary throughout the show. They steal several scenes with Phelps and Repass particularly standing out.

Choreography by Nancy Shappell leaves something to be desired with the exception of "Skid Row (Downtown)," a complex musical number with lots of extras. In terms of the staging, it is perhaps the most challenging song of the show, so kudos to Shappell, McNaboe and Spofford for nailing it.

Live music is ably provided by a band consisting of McNaboe, Graeme Gengrass, Al Hosper, Chuck O'Connor and Rafe Matregrano. Set design by Colleen Bousquet, costume and wig design by Patricia Hibbert and makeup design by Lori Cashman are all impressive

The show itself is top heavy with the script shoving nearly all of its best songs and moments in the first act leaving only "Suddenly, Seymour" to make an impression during the muddled second act.

But flaws in the script aside, Arts in Motion has provided is a bright, fun production of this popular offbeat show.

For more information visit www.artsinmotiontheater.com.

Third 'Men' has surprising wit, charm and heart

"Men in Black 3" is quite remarkable. It is the second sequel to a film that came out 15 years earlier — heck the first sequel came out a decade ago — that actually manages to match and, in some ways, surpass the original.

The first "Men in Black" presented the idea that aliens are among us. A secret government agency makes sure the public doesn't learn this and protects against the more hostile extraterrestrials. Essentially, it is "Ghostbusters" with aliens.

Featuring a clever script, imaginative visuals and great chemistry between stars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, "Men in Black" was an immensely entertaining film. The same could not be said of the forgettable "Men in Black 2," which merely recycled the dynamic between Smith and Jones, but added nothing to it. It is telling that the best laughs in that film came from supporting characters.

Things don't look very promising in the all-too-familiar opening scenes of "Men in Black 3" with Partners J (Smith) and K (Jones) still battling aliens and bantering the whole time. We've seen Smith and Jones do this schtick before and, in those initial scenes, the screenplay by Etan Cohen offers little to justify a third go around with these characters.

Thankfully, things get shaken up in a big way when Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement), one of K's former adversaries, breaks out of his moon prison, travels back to 1969 and kills K. It is now up to J to travel back and save the young K (Josh Brolin) and prevent an alien invasion in the present.

Once things shift back to 1969 things become interesting, thanks largely to an inspired performance by Brolin as a young Tommy Lee Jones. It is an extraordinary bit of mimicry. Brolin has Jones' voice, mannerism and demeanor down cold. It is worth the price of admission just for him.

Giving the ever charming Smith a new person to play off of makes things feel fresh again, and the dynamic between young K and J has a different tone than the one between Jones and Smith.

Clement, of the New Zealand comedy music duo Flight of the Conchords, is buried under makeup, but gives a funny and frightening performance. "Men in Black" had a formidable villain in the form of Vincent D'Onofrio. Laura Flynn Boyle in "Men in Black 2" didn't cut it. Clement delivers a memorable baddie and that's central for making a film like this work.

Griffin (Michael Stuhlbarg), an alien with the ability to see every possible variation of the future at once, is the other major character that gives the film a comedic, whimsical boast. Stuhlbarg makes Griffin sweet, naive and slightly absent minded, but at the same time wise and knowing. It is a wonderful performance that is rather special.

There's also nice, but too brief, supporting performances from Emma Thompson, as the new head of Men in Black, and the invaluable Bill Hader as Andy Warhol.

Once again director Barry Sonnenfield, returning for the third time, creates a zippy pace. He nicely showcases his special effects, which successfully blend computer-generated visuals with practical effects and makeup.

As the film races to its conclusion there's a great sense of fun, but an unexpected emotional turn in the final scenes adds a depth to the film that no one will see coming. These concluding moments even improve upon the opening scenes. For the first time in the series, there's a real sense of poignancy that makes the film so much more than just a quickie cash-in sequel.

'Dictator' delivers rude, crude satire

"The Dictator" is the latest rude and crude satire from the chameleon-like comedian Sacha Baron Cohen and, for fans of "Borat" who may have been let down by his follow-up "Bruno," the good news is this one works.

Collaborating again with director Larry Charles, Cohen has created another loud, abrasive caricature that he uses to lampoon American culture and politics. Unlike "Borat" and "Bruno," the film doesn't take the form of a mockumentary in which Cohen fools real people in a crasser version of "Candid Camera." Instead "The Dictator" is a straightforward narrative film.

It was wise to move away from the mockumentary format as the conceit was already growing stale in "Bruno" and would've been moldy and rancid in a third outing. Plus no longer having to trick real people allowed Cohen to gather a cast of cameos from big names including John C. Reilly (in a very funny torture scene) and Megan Fox.

It is worth exploring Cohen's previous characters to put "The Dictator" and his new persona Admiral General Aladeen into context.

Borat was an over-the-top version of how Americans perceive foreigners used to reveal United States' xenophobia and ignorance to the rest of the world. The film's satire was on target, and while it was perhaps over praised as a brilliant indictment of America's worst qualities, it still was often very funny and raised interesting points in the process.

Bruno was an over-the-top homosexual stereotype who is supposed to reveal people's homophobia. The film failed because Bruno's behavior was so outrageously offensive that it went beyond being about his sexuality. If a straight man acted the way Bruno did it would be just as offensive and thus it entirely undermined the point Cohen was making.

Which brings us to Aladeen, a cartoonish version of dictators like Saddam Hussein or Muammar Gaddafi. As a character he is slightly different from Borat and Bruno because in spite of the unbelievably offensive things that come out of his mouth he is oddly likable and sort of sweet.

The plot of the film has Aladeen coming to New York to address the United Nations only to be betrayed by his advisor (Ben Kingsley) and replaced by a double. Aladeen is left wandering the streets beardless and nameless. He is taken in by a health food shop owner (Anna Faris) and teams up with his former nuclear physicist (Jason Mantzoukas), who much to his surprise is alive despite being sent to execution, to regain his power.

In "The Dictator," Cohen, Charles and co-writer Alec Berg (a former "Seinfeld" writer) use Aladeen to comment on post 9/11 America. In one of the film's best and most on target scenes, a helicopter ride with a couple of American tourists leads to a hilarious misunderstanding.

The humor, as was true in his previous films, is outside of the realm of what some might call good taste. For Cohen, everything and everyone is a target, which is as it should be. Nothing should be sacred in comedy. No one can complain if everyone is made fun of and that's what Cohen does.

As a performer, Cohen can't be faulted. He commits to characters in a way that few modern comic actors do. While his films aren't always genius, as an actor he often is. He is a fearless performer.

Cohen ends the film with a speech that brings home the point of the whole film: that perhaps America really isn't any better than countries run by dictators. Is that an overstatement? Yes, but that's how satire works: you make a sweeping statement that gives pause and causes discussion and, hopefully, thoughtful debate.

M&D's 'To Gillian' offers honest, heartfelt laughs and tears

Some shows grab you instantly while others sneak up on you and slowly take hold. M&D Productions' "To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday," which opened Thursday, May 24, and is playing Thursday through Saturday until June 9, is the latter. It is a show that, rather unexpectedly, envelopes you in its characters, emotions and story.

"To Gillian" focuses on the weekend gathering of friends and family on both the birthday and anniversary of the death of Gillian (Lisa Fida), who died two years earlier. Her husband David (Scott Katrycz) is still in deep mourning. He has removed himself from life and resides year round at an island beach house. Every night he talks to Gillian's ghost or, more likely, his memories and his own tortured subconscious.

David's 16-year-old daughter Rachel (Jessie Biggio), his sister-in-law Esther (Janette Kondrat) and Esther's husband Paul (Rob Clark) are concerned for David and attempt to set him up with Kevin (Bethany Taylor), one of David's former college students. Also in the mix is Cindy (Ellen Hill) , David's 16-year-old running partner, with whom has a chaste relationship with even though she has a bit of a crush on him.

As playwright Michael Brady's script sets the plot in motion it seems a bit forced and even clunky. Initially, it seems like the show will be comprised of nothing more than one liners paired with a shallow exploration of grieving, but then the story and the character interactions become deeper and more complex. The dialogue becomes more authentic and begins grappling with real emotions.

Characters that started out as one dimensional are given more shading and depth through conversations that are bare and, often, painful. David is unable to see past his own grief and his family is finally calling him out on that. As the play progresses we begin to see characters heal and actually talk and listen to each other perhaps for the first time since the tragic accident that killed Gillian.

The strong cast brings this conflict, which has both laughs and tears and ranges from heartbreaking to heartwarming, across beautifully. Director Christina Howe manages to get performances that feel honest from the entire cast.

Katrycz believably portrays David's grief and his struggle to reconnect with the world, his daughter and to allow himself to, perhaps, find love again. It is a well balanced and controlled performance that never feels maudlin. His scenes with Fida have a melancholy sweetness in the first act that changes in a shocking way in the second act which puts a different color to the whole show.

Biggio, who was excellent in M&D's "Diary of Anne Frank" last year, continues to impress. She has a natural, easy stage presence and gives an expressive, genuine performance. Her emotions feel real. Biggio and Katrycz create a tangible father/daughter connection.

Kondrat gives a forceful performance as woman that has always been the rock of her family who can no longer keep her emotions in. She is particularly strong in an intense confrontation with Katrycz towards the end of the first act that raises the emotional stakes of the entire show.

Clark is the comic relief character of the production. Adorned with bright, garish outfits, he gets a laugh every time he walks on stage. He kills with a joke involving a priest, a man with no arms and a bell. But even Clark gets to show a tender, supportive side toward the end of the show.

Taylor is a bit one note in her performance, but has good chemistry with both Katrycz and Biggio and develops interesting relationships with them. Her character is meant to be a listener and a catalyst for change and Taylor does a nice job of coming across as a caring, compassionate ear.

Hill is given the task of playing a smart, sarcastic, but also hormonally confused teenager. Although some of her line readings are a bit stilted, she is quite good with sardonic one-liners and captures the angst of being a teen nicely.

It goes without saying, but I'll say it again, that Deborah Jasien's set design, this time a beach house with actual sand, is stellar.

This is a show that has dark, even depressing moments, but finds a happy ending that isn't a cheat and that is actually earned. This is a show that is emotionally satisfying and well worth seeing.

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

Burton and Depp serve up eighth round of 'dark' laughs

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp reunite for the eighth time to do a comic riff on the 1960s/1970s TV series "Dark Shadows."

Depp stars as Barnabas Collins, who in the effective Gothic 18th century prologue rejects the love of servant girl Angelique (Eva Green). The spurned Angelique is a witch who curses Barnabas to being a vampire, kills his true love (Bella Heathcote) and locks him a box. All and all a pretty normal reaction to rejection.

The film flash forwards to 1972 when Barnabas is finally released from his prison. He seeks out the remains of once illustrious manor and remnants of his family. Angelique is still alive and has been assuring the failure of the Collins family. She is also still harboring a crush on Barnabas. He is still rejecting her. She's still being witchy. Some things never change.

We are also introduced to what remains of the Collins family including Michelle Pfeiffer as the matriarch of the family, Chloë Grace Moretz as her moody daughter, Jackie Earle Haley as the groundskeeper and Helena Bonham Carter as a live-in psychiatrist. Barnabas also meets Victoria (also played by Heathcote), the reincarnation of his true love. She is working as governess for young David Collins (Gulliver McGrath), who communicates with the ghost of his dead mother.

After all the characters are introduced, the film's focus shifts to the love/hate relationship between Barnabas and Angelique. This central conflict does yield a lot of entertainment value including a raucous fight/sex scene and some well written barbed exchanges. Depp is given some lively insults that are spoken in a very prim and proper manner.

Green is a fantastic mix of menacing and sexy. Depp gives a nicely measured and controlled performance. He gives an eloquent recitation of the Steve Miller Band's "The Joker."

But it is unfortunate that so many of the other characters get sidetracked. Pfeiffer in particularly feels underutilized especially since at first she is presented as suspicious of Barnabas and as having hidden motives.

The Victoria character also feels underwritten. Outside of one exchange with David, we don't see any of their interactions nor do we really get much sense of the love between her and Barnabas. It would've been nice to have Victoria's relationship with both David and Barnabas fleshed out.

Burton has been taking some hard knocks for this film and other recent productions such as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Alice in Wonderland," which prove popular upon release, but are then largely derided.

The main criticism, from both professional critics and the general public alike, seems to be that Burton is going through the motions and that his newer films lack the originality, personality and creativity of his earlier films like "Beetlejuice," "Edward Scissorhands," "Ed Wood" or "Nightmare Before Christmas."

The implication of such criticism is that Burton is no longer the young, vibrant, passionate filmmaker he once was and now he's just another cog in the Hollywood machine churning out mass market product.

That doesn't seem fair. Burton has been making big budget movies since "Batman." While some films he makes are more clearly commercial products, he also does deeply personal projects like his forthcoming stop-motion animation expansion of his short film "Frankenweenie."

Burton is still very much the same, offbeat, quirky filmmaker making the films he wants to make. Burton is an auteur filmmaker meaning he has a distinct style and likes to work with the same people. This can be perceived as a staleness and lack of growth as a filmmaker, but for those who appreciate what he does it is a comfort. You know what you get with a Burton film.

It may seem as if I'm trying to make excuses for "Dark Shadows" being not as good as Burton's previous films. It is true, if you put "Dark Shadows" next to "Edward Scissorhands" it pales in comparison, but the film is entertaining in its own right.

"Dark Shadows" has much to admire. The whole cast is solid with Haley and Moretz standing out in the supporting cast. As always with Burton, the art direction is spectacular. The film looks amazing and finds an interesting tone of quirkiness balanced with an uneasy tension. This holds most true during scenes at a ball which features Alice Cooper as himself. Cooper's music is effectively utilized in the sequence.

This is middling Burton, not bad, not great, but it succeeds at what it sets out to do. Burton still remains such an interesting filmmaker that even when he is not on his A game, it is still more compelling than most films that come out any given week.

'Avengers' is a smart, funny, thrilling summer smash

"The Avengers," which brings together several of Marvel comics biggest heroes, is, as the Hulk might say, a smash. It is critically hailed, publicly loved and blasting its way through box office records.

In just three days it has made $200 million in the United States alone. There have been plenty of summer blockbusters that have made huge money at the box office that have been rather odious, but "The Avengers" is not just another loud, special effects machine akin to the headache-inducing "Transformers" franchise.

While, like the "Transformers" films, "The Avengers" concludes in chaotic action and effects, the huge difference is there are characters that we are emotionally invested in and a sharp sense of humor that doesn't rely on juvenile jokes that a 10 year could write. Basically, the filmmakers behind "The Avengers" actually respect the intelligence of their audience.

The film's hero roster includes Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). They are brought together by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), the director of the secret government agency SHIELD.

Each of these characters have either starred in their own film or at least featured in another film, even if only in a cameo. For each of the films feeding into "The Avengers," Marvel Studio has been smart in choosing directors that not only fit the material, but have a real love for the comic book mythology.

With "The Avengers" they found an ideal match in director/co-writer Joss Whedon. As the creator of the shows "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel," "Firefly" and "Dollhouse," Whedon has a key trait important to making a film like this work: He knows how to juggle ensemble casts.

For a film so loaded with characters, Whedon has pulled off a neat trick. Everyone gets their moment to shine. There is an even dispersal of dialogue and scenes between the characters that never feels forced. The interactions and scenes flow naturally.

The plot isn't particularly special. It is a standard superhero origin story, which follows these beats: A character gets powers, struggles with these gifts and then faces first challenge. The difference here is the characters have their skills in the beginning, so the conflict is for this group of big egos to learn how to work together as a team.

Their adversary is the demi-god Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the adopted brother of Thor, who has been banished from his home world of Asgard. In his banishment, the heartbroken Loki has turned bitter and vengeful and has set his sights on Earth, the planet Thor fell in love with during his own banishment in last year's "Thor." Loki has an alien army at his disposal and, naturally, he wants nothing less than world domination.

Before facing Loki, there will be a lot of infighting between the Avengers, often spurred on by a captured Loki. Comic book fans will thrill to see such match-ups as Iron Man versus Thor, Black Widow versus Hawkeye and Thor versus the Hulk.

What rises the film above the standard plot is that it is told exceptionally well. Whedon's script, co-written with Zach Penn, is peppered with clever lines and unexpected hilarious moments, particularly from the Hulk in the climatic battle. The banter between the characters has a real spark and the actors are given interesting things to do dramatically. While this always stays a popcorn entertainment, there are still moments of weight.

The acting across the board is top tiered. Downey continues to ooze charisma, as the quick witted "genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist," who despite all his snarkiness has a huge heart.

Downey's cocky charm is nearly matched by Hemsworth, who shows flashes of Thor's arrogance alongside the humility he learned in his own film. Evans, who comes across earnest and sincere, continues to be a good match for Captain America

Ruffalo, coming into the role of Bruce Banner after Eric Bana and Edward Norton, gives a compelling performance. He is a man no longer comfortable in his own skin because he knows "the other guy" is lurking below.

Hiddleston is a fantastic villain. He brings a genuine sense of menace to the screen. Hiddleston is particularly unsettling in an exchange with Johannson that recalls scenes from "Silence of the Lambs."

The bottom line with this movie is this: If you have eagerly been anticipating this film, you'll love it. If you've seen and enjoyed at least once of the previous films, you'll have a good time. If you have no interest in any of these characters, it still won't be your cup of tea. If you're on the fence, give it a go, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Kasey Bartnick — Dance is her happy place

Kasey Bartnick, a senior at Kennett High School, is the captain of the dance team and treasurer of the Kennett Key Club. She has also danced in several of the Kennett Drama Club productions co-produced with Arts in Motion including, most recently, "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

How did you get into dance?

I started dancing when I was little, probably 5 years old. My mom took me to dance classes at Tina Titzer's, but only stayed there for about a year and then I got back into it freshman year. At the high school they have dance classes during school, so I did that and then sophomore year I joined the dance team because Holly [Fougere] was the teacher of the dance class and coach of the dance team, so she got me into it.

Is there a particular style of dance that you enjoy doing most?

I like jazz dance the most probably because it is flirty and it is just really fun. You can do technical stuff, but still be able to let loose a little.

What kind of dance styles have you experimented with?

With dance team we do all sort of things. On Fridays we do ballet, full team, and then we do hip hop, jazz, lyrical, some modern, so it is a little bit of everything.

Have you or do you have any interest in choreography?

I do. Right now, I am choreographing a duet with my friend Katrina [Prime] for the showcase and hopefully trying to do choreography for a trio with Lindsay [Spadaccini] and Nicole [Bean], so I'm working my way into it. Sometimes I ask Holly for help with it.

You've done things with drama?

Yes. I've been cast the last three years of the Kennett Drama Club with Arts in Motion.

What roles?

The past one was "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and I was a fairy. The one before that was "Guys and Dolls" and the year before that was "Disco Inferno."

And is it always just the dance aspect of it?

Yes. This year all the fairies had lines, so I had like five lines.

How does it differ dancing in a production like that rather than a stand alone dance piece?

In the plays I get more into the character. We had a lot of makeup for ["Midsummer"]. We had leaves all over and we had to be kind of creepy, so throughout the whole play I had to be the same character. When I am dancing in a showcase or at a competition and we have different dances I take on different characters for each dance or not characters, but attitudes towards what I am doing.

Do you hope to continue dancing?

I do. I am not sure what I am doing next year. I might go to NHCI part time, but still live at home. I am either going to try to find a dance studio to work at or, maybe, help Holly out with the dance team. I haven't talked to her about, but I thought it might be fun to be assistant coach or something.

What would your dream job be if you could just get anything?

I don't know what I want to do yet. I kind of got interested in sign language a couple of years ago. I've been trying to find a class to go to, so maybe an interpreter for deaf people, but I'm not sure yet.

What drew you to dance? Is there any particular thing that inspires you to dance or speaks to you about dance?

Dance is, I don't know how to explain it, when I walk into dance practice it is place where I don't need to worry about everything that's going on at school or home or with my friends. All I have to focus on is remembering dance moves or the next move I am going to have to make. The team is like our family and they always make me laugh. Dance is a place to go to make me happy — where I can be most comfortable basically.

Do you have any final thoughts about your past in dance or what you want to do in the future?

Just a shout out to Holly because she puts so much time into dance team and she's there for us all the time. She is just a really good coach. She is kind of like, not a mentor, but like an older sister to all of us. She reminds us to keep our grades up and to focus on what we want to do and our dreams. She is just really inspiring.

Jason Segel and Emily Blunt offer up an 'engaging' romantic comedy

"The Five-Year Engagement" is a romantic comedy — a genre that is often dreaded by many because, at least lately, they are rarely romantic or particularly funny. Blissfully, that is not the case here. This is a charming film that is a perfectly balanced romantic comedy.

This is the latest film to come from producer Judd Apatow, who, not even including the films he has written and directed, has an impressive roster of films associated with his name including "Anchorman," "Superbad," "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and "Bridesmaids."

Generally speaking, the Apatow formula is raunchy, crude humor paired with sweetness and well developed characters who seem real rather than cookie-cutter comedy cliches.

Of the large troupe of actors, writers and directors that Apatow likes to work with, "Five-Year Engagement" co-writer and director Nicholas Stoller and star Jason Segel, who co-wrote the film with Stoller, have become the best and most reliable.

The film stars the immensely likeable Segel and Emily Blunt as a couple whose engagement keeps getting delayed. Their relationship is tested when they move to Michigan when Blunt's Violet gets a two-year job as a research assistant that gets extended indefinitely. Segel's Tom feels as if he's had to sacrifice his culinary career and struggles to find himself.

People who know me know that I love a good romantic comedy, but the problem is most modern romantic comedies are so disconnected from any plane of reality and feature characters so bereft of any redeemable qualities it is difficult to have any sort of rooting interest in whether the central characters find love.

"The Five-Year Engagement" is just as formulaic as any other example of the genre — in fact the only part in which it sags is during the inevitable plot development that splits up Segel and Blunt — but the difference is these are characters we grow to like and even love.

The central couple is surrounded by a strong supporting cast of quirky friends and family of the couple, a requirement of all romantic comedies. Rhys Ifans as Blunt's boss and a rival for her affections is dryly funny and Mimi Kennedy and David Paymer get some nice and unexpected moments as Tom's parents. The standouts of the supporting cast though are Chris Pratt, as Tom's best friend, and Alison Brie, as Violet's sister.

Pratt brings the same sort of affable charm that he provides in the show "Parks and Recreation" and gets some of the film's best jokes including some bathroom humor featuring Michael Jordan as the punchline. Brie, so hilarious on the show "Community," slips nicely into a British accent and steals every scene she is in. Her best scene involves her and Blunt having to speak in Elmo and Cookie Monster voices in front of her daughter.

Blunt and Segel are a great on-screen couple with a genuine sense of chemistry. They feel like a real couple, which isn't something you can say about a lot of on-screen pairings. It is easy to stay emotionally invested in these characters. When they fight it feels authentic rather than contrived.

Segel recently said in an interview that he finds "romantic comedies to be overwritten and you hear people speak perfectly and that's not how people argue. When I hear perfectly crafted arguments I lose interest." The dialogue in "Five-Year Engagement" reflects that attitude. Yes, the characters are often very sharp and quick-witted, but other times they stumble over their words in a way that is recognizably human.

This marks the fourth collaboration of Stoller and Segel following Stoller directing Segel's screenplay for "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," Stoller writing and directing the "Marshall" spin-off "Get Him to the Greek" and the duo writing last year's "The Muppets."

They are a shrewd team that is able to work within the romantic comedy genre, but they write dialogue and characters that rise above the mechanics of the plot. They realize it is the journey that counts not the destination. They populate their films with oddball characters, smart dialogue, and a lot of heart. "The Five-Year Engagement" continues their winning streak and it'll be exciting to see what they do next.

Derek Strassburg has a passion for film

Derek Strassburg, a senior at Fryeburg Academy, is involved in both film and theater. He won an award for his performance in "Coming Through the Rye" in the one-act competition at the Maine Drama Festival. He's also recently written a script that he's now trying to film.

When did you get into theater?

I suppose the very beginning would be in middle school. In eighth grade I decided to sign up for the school play, or audition for it I should say. I did it, I guess, because my friends wanted me to do it and then as time went on I became a freshman in high school and I signed up for theater again. I suppose my real passion for it began my junior year when I found I really enjoyed acting, and that's how things are now.

You were in the one-act competition and won an award?

I won, I forget exactly what the award was called, special commendation for my acting.

What was the role?

I was Mr. Steven Carroll in "Coming Through the Rye."

Did you enjoy the character?

I think I did. In the play he's an optimist and then he clashes with this other character called Steve who is a pessimist. I pictured the arc, as he's positive and then he becomes more, at least internally, negative about the world, but my director said just be positive throughout. I enjoyed playing more positive.

Do you have any favorite performances of yours.

Probably that Mr. Carroll character because I worked on it so hard and I think that's the character I've worked on the hardest.

When did you become interested in film?

In a way, I've always had an interest in film. I really enjoyed science fiction movies, when I was a kid, and I started researching them and then learning more and more about movies and then that started opening me up to other genres to me. Now I'm open to any movie genre.

You have written a script?

Yes, the script is called "White Dynamite." It is a story about a white guy who has all the qualities of a blaxploitation character who gets paired up with a black detective who is serious minded and doesn't really like White Dynamite very much and they get paired up on a bank robbery case.

And you are directing this?

Yes. I am rehearsing a lot so we don't have to do a lot of takes and to see problems that I might not have noticed in the script — things that don't work visually. It is more of a straightforward thing. It is not going to be a homage or parody or anything like that.

Do you think because of the premise that people are automatically going to go in thinking it is a comedy.

Well, it certainly has comedic elements. The comedy is going to be sort of fish-out-of-water because it is just this guy acting so apart from everyone else and the comedy will come from that.

Is it going to play off of buddy cop movies?

Yes, it is very much derivative of buddy cop movies.

Would you say the tone is something like "Lethal Weapon" or "48 Hours?"

It gets a bit more personal in the end. I don't know if I'd really be able to say that it is totally like this movie or totally like that movie in the style. For the first half of the movie, I'd probably say, it is something like "Lethal Weapon," but then maybe the last half is something a bit more personal?

Is this a short film or feature length film?

It is going to be 30 minutes.

Are you going to record a blaxploitation score for this in the style of "Shaft" or "Superfly?"

Yes, we're going to be recording a funk-rock track with a band.

What's the name of the band?

We have a rock band at our school called Punkapalooza and I was thinking of hiring them.

When are you hoping to have this done and do you think you'll bring it to any festivals?

I do have one specific festival I am shooting for. The Kah Bang Film Festival [in Bangor, Maine]. The deadline is June 1, so I'm going to have it done by then. I guess I should bring it to more festivals. I was also thinking of selling copies of it.

Would you put it up on YouTube?

There is some foul language in the film and we're going to have two different audio tracks. We are going to have a censored audio track. We are going to change around some of the words so they are more appropriate. It is kind of like a TV broadcast version like when they say, I don't know, melon farmer. That would be the free version and then the uncensored version you'd have to pay for.

What are you hoping to do in the future?

I have an idea for a documentary. Basically it would be bringing an interviewer and a camera to a movie theater and before people walk into the movie just ask them why they are there, why they wanted to see this movie, so on and so forth. It would be a documentary about movies and why we see them.

What are you doing as far as school after high school?

I am going to Southern Maine Community College and I'm going to major in communications and new media.

Do you have any final thoughts about acting and film?

I enjoy acting. It is something I'm not sure I'll be doing for the rest of my life. I love film. I have a passion for film and it is something I think I'll be doing for the rest of my life.

Kodi Barrows thrives on trying new things

Kodi Barrows, a senior at Kennett High School in North Conway, N.H., certainly knows how to keep busy. He is in the glee club, chorus, stage band, on the dance team, works behind the scenes on plays and musicals and acts, having most recently appeared in "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

"I am really open to anything," Barrows said. "Trying something new is definitely something I love doing, which is why I've done so many different things, whether it goes to dance or theater or tech or anything like that. Something new is just what I thrive on."

Barrows started his exploration into the arts playing trumpet at Josiah Bartlett Elementary School but he drifted away from music until high school.

"We changed musical directors so many different times it was just kind of crazy and I ended up kind of dropping instrument at the time," Barrows said.

It was ultimately acting that help Barrows not only reconnect with playing an instrument, but discovering singing, dance and, what he's most passionate about, the tech side of theater.

"I want to go to school for the technical theater side," Barrows said. "I want to be the person that knows everything about the theater and just the person you go to for everything you need."

Barrows' first acting experience was "Happy Birthday Sweet 16" in eighth grade, but he "really started enjoying the theater business" working on the Arts in Motion production of "Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." It would be on "Rent," another Arts in Motion production, that he'd get his first experience working behind the scenes.

"Our tech designer for the show was Florence Cooley and she needed someone to help her," Barrows said. "Glenn [Noble] then asked if I'd be interested in going to assist so basically there was a Saturday when I went and helped her move lights around, adjust lights, go up in the Genie or anything like that or just learn what it was to set up lights and it really piqued my interest in the technical side of theater."

He found his way back to playing an instrument through connecting with Rafe Matregrano while working on Arts in Motions' "Guys and Dolls."

"I expressed an interest in playing an instrument and he knew that the year after that the tenor section was going to be short in band."

Matregrano helped Barrows make connections to get tenor saxophone lessons, which would eventually lead to him joining stage band.

For Barrows, playing an instrument is an invaluable tool for learning discipline and has had an influence over all his artistic activities.

"It takes practice and it is a great thing to do because it teaches you a lot of determination in the arts to get good at what you do," Barrows said. "It just teaches you a lot of responsibility as a person. It can definitely help someone after high school, whether it is band or chorus. Even if you don't continue with it, it is an experience that sticks with you for the rest of your life."

It was also through "Guys and Dolls" that Barrows developed an interest in dance, which led to joining the dance team this year.

"That's probably my newest adventure," Barrows said. "It is great working with Holly [Fougere] and all the different girls on the team."

At first Barrows was the lone guy on the team, but he convinced his friend, freshman Anthony Ferrara to join as well.

"I got him to join because I knew he'd enjoy it and it would really get an interest going for him."

It was also this year that Barrows decided to join chorus. Something he wished he done earlier in his high school career, but it just never quite fit his schedule.

"When I saw the chorus perform it looked like it was a lot of fun like they were enjoying what they were doing on stage," Barrows said. "I wish I had done it my freshman through junior year. I really wish I had participated, which is actually the same thing with band. I really wish I had stuck with and kept up an instrument through elementary school."

Prior to joining the chorus, Barrows was part of the glee club that was created to enter a glee contest put on by Fox 22. The group was comprised mostly of cast members of "Shades of Gray," which was going on at the same time.

"Holly and Glenn wanted to pick some strong singers who were already close friends and knew each other really well to get in a group together. It was pretty last minute, but we got it together and we did pretty well for the competition."

The singing was something different Barrows, but one that he enjoyed explored with the group.

"I've always enjoyed singing whether it is in the shower in the morning or just in the car singing to music, the stuff you love to listen to even if you know you're singing is horrible, but you still sing it because you love it," Barrows said.

Throughout all his many artistic endeavors, Barrows has valued all the connections he's made.

"I feel like I am part of so many different families," Barrows said. "It is just everywhere I go: glee, dance team, chorus, band, my friends from different theater shows I've done because when you do a show with someone you make a connection that lasts longer than a normal friendship does. You always keep in touch with your friends from shows. It makes it easier to talk because you get to know them from spending months at a time running lines or running scenes, practicing choreography, you really get to know someone and it just makes it fun."

'Cabin in the Woods' is a clever riff on the horror genre

Just weeks before the release of Joss Whedon's much-anticipated "Avengers," the massively budgeted smash up of some of Marvel comics biggest characters, we have "Cabin in the Woods," a much smaller project from the man behind such popular TV shows as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel," "Firefly" and "Dollhouse."

"Cabin in the Woods," co-written and produced by Whedon, is a self-reflexive horror movie somewhat in the tradition of the "Scream" franchise. Much like "Scream," the film is more black comedy and satire than goofy parody. As is true of all of Whedon's projects, the material is played straight, but doesn't take itself too seriously. Whedon's signature sharp wit is very much present.

A group of college students head to a remote cabin in the woods for the prerequisite sex, drugs and alcohol, but, naturally, encounter ghoulish company that turn their fun fatal. The twist, which is revealed early in the film, is that the cabin and surrounding area are controlled by a mysterious government agency that has chosen these rambunctious 20-somethings for slaughter.

It isn't clear what this agency is, but the why behind the cruel manipulation of the protagonists is the film's real twist. Attentive viewers should figure out what's going on around the mid-point, but the bigger implications of the twist are surprising if a bit silly.

This underground operation is headed by Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford, both masters of dry, sarcastic line delivery. Through the use of chemicals and pheromones, Jenkins and Whitford have transformed the hapless group of students into horror movie stereotypes.

The brainy Curt (Chris Hemsworth, "Thor") and Jules (Anna Hutchinson) turn into dimwitted, sex fiends and Dana (Kristen Connolly) begins to think of herself as a virgin. There's also a nice guy (Jesse Williams), who actually genuinely seems to be a nice guy, and the stoner (Fran Kranz).

Outside of the invaluable Jenkins and Whitford, Kranz is a the standout of the cast. Stoner characters are usually a source of cheap laughs and when played wrong are just annoying. In this case, the script gives Kranz some of the best lines and his paranoid, wide-eyed delivery scores big laughs. He also has a travel mug that turns into a bong, which later begins a handy weapon.

This is co-writer Drew Goddard's directorial debut having previously written for numerous TV show including "Buffy" and "Angel" and J.J. Abrams' "Alias" and Lost" as well as scripting the Abrams' produced movie "Cloverfield."

"Cloverfield" was a film filled with cardboard characters and cliches that convinced people it was more interesting than it was because it was shot with handheld cameras. That gimmick didn't hide that the characters and plot were still uninteresting, but did add the bonuses of motion sickness and not being able to see anything.

Thankfully, "Cabin in the Woods" is not filmed in the oh-so-trendy "found footage" style. Even though Whedon's irreverent edge is prevalent throughout the film, Goddard does a nice job of creating atmosphere, tension and some well-placed scares.

The script for "Cabin in the Woods" is just as riddled with barely sketched characters and cliches as "Cloverfield," but, this time, that's the point. Whedon and Goddard are basically deconstructing the horror film and showing the mechanism behind it. "Cabin in the Woods" has a wicked sense of humor that was sorely lacking in "Cloverfield." If these two films are any indication, Goddard is better off working with Whedon over Abrams.

The film's conclusion goes gloriously, absurdly and gruesomely over-the-top. This is probably the first film to have a killer unicorn. Those tuned into the same weird, genre-subverting wavelength as Whedon and Goddard will be smiling widely at the insanity of it all. If you're not with them, you're likely to think the film is just plain stupid. For the record, I was totally with them.