Greetings,
During my time writing this blog, I have reviewed many things. Movies, albums, even a play. But today I'm going to try something new and see how it works out. I will try my hand at reviewing shows that either deservedly or undeservedly were only granted one season. And when I say one season, keep in mind that sometimes this may mean only thirteen episodes. You know the drill of the networks. Now I have decided to start this on a positive note by reviewing one of my favorite "one seasoners", Kidnapped. I touched a bit on this one in my tribute to Timothy Hutton, one of the stars of the show, but, hopefully without giving spoilers, I will go more in depth today.
Kidnapped debuted in 2006 with a premise I don't recall ever seeing on a television show, though I could be, and probably am, wrong. Every season, they were going to have a new kidnapping victim, and all the episodes would take us through the entire ordeal. There would be a core cast, the searchers, if you will, and a guest cast that would last throughout the season. Seemed like a good idea to me, but I guess after the cancellation, it didn't much matter.
So this core cast I mentioned was going to consist of three people. To start, we have, my man, Jeremy Sisto as Lucian Knapp, an ex-FBI operative and a current private investigator whom the families of kidnap victims call for help when they don't want to go to the police. Because, you know, ransom calls always include the line "Don't call the cops" Apparently, some people don't. We get a little peak into Knapp's back story, which clearly involves a botched rescue that still haunts him. Not getting to learn more about this character was probably one of the worst things about this show's cancellation. Oh, well, enough of that.
Next, we have Knapp's coordinator and assistant, Turner, played by Carmen Ejogo. Yeah, I don't know who that actress is either, but she was pretty good here. Maybe it's just because it's cliche, but I got the impression that they were eventually going to have her and Knapp get together in some capacity. I like to think they would have avoided that, though, and it has nothing to do with my crush on Sisto. Nothing at all. Finally, there's Delroy Lindo playing FBI Agent Latimer King. First of all, I love that character name. Second, and I did previously mention this, but . . . really? Delroy Lindo playing an agent looking for a missing kid? Can you say Ransom? Well, I guess since he was so good in that, they wanted him to do it again. So as you can tell, the victims' families would opt for some rogue help, but somehow the cops would show up anyway. Isn't that always the way?
Now, for the presumed seasonal cast, which ended up being just the rest of the cast. In this first and only season, our kidnap victim is a teenager named Leopold Cain played by Will Denton. Again, don't know much about this young actor, but props for his work here. Oh, and in case you couldn't tell by his first name, the character comes from a very wealthy family. His parents, Ellie and Conrad, are played by Dana Delaney and Timothy Hutton. Oh, Timothy. Another character named Conrad? Well, it brought good things the first time. Now I really liked these two as the parents, although, they seemed a bit of an odd couple. How often do you see an affluent New York husband and wife who kind of seem to like each other a little? Still, it may have been the current crisis that was bringing them together. Moving on.
There are actually quite a few talented and/or well-known faces in this supporting cast. We get Mykelti Williamson, still trying to remind us that there is more to him than being Forrest Gump's best friend, and Linus Roache, who would go on to co-star with Jeremy Sisto on Law and Order. There are also appearances by Anthony Rapp of Rent fame, and Doug Hutchinson, who some people know as Horace on Lost and, more recently, as a guy who married a 16 year old (that was in real life, BTW!). There is also an actor here by the name of James Urbaniak. Look, I'm sure he's a nice guy, and he is a very good actor. But for some reason, he always gives me the major creeps. Probably because he always plays creepy characters. Stop it, and things will be better between us, sir.
This show's one season did only last for thirteen episodes, and I wonder if they were planning more than one per year. But these thirteen were actually just the right amount to move the story forward without letting things get stale. Like I said, I don't want to give spoilers, but there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested. Not to mention, a pretty decent payoff in the end. If you factor in everything, cast, concept, story, I think this show was brilliant. So naturally, it couldn't have survived. There is very little room on television for shows that are this good. I do wonder what might have been, though. I suppose I have to look on the bright side. I mean, if this show would have lasted for years, we never would have been treated to Jeremy Sisto's fine portrayal of Detective Cyrus Lupo on Law and Order. So despite the loss, things seem to work out for the best. For some people.
So the question to be asked is this: did it deserve a second season? Yes, yes and yes, again. It was pretty fantastic and deserved much better than it got. Now did it need a second season? Not exactly. They did manage to wrap up the story of the season, which was the point. However, I regret not being able to dig deeper into the character of Knapp. We got some teases here and there, probably because they were hoping to build things up over future seasons, but there were a lot of unanswered questions about him and his past. Honestly, I think, had this show lasted longer, Lucian Knapp would have been remembered as one of the greatest characters of television. I mean, we only got a taste here and it was incredible. Oh, what could have been!
So if you are interested in watching this show, it is available on DVD and it's also streaming on Netflix. It really is worth the watch. Like, a lot!
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
The Marriage Counselor - Play Review
Greetings,
I have mentioned on a few occasions that I can be a Tyler Perry fan. So it seems only right that the first time I review a play it would be one of his, namely The Marriage Counselor. Now I must first say that I did not have the opportunity to see this play live in a theater, and, though I would someday love to do so, I have never seen any of his plays in that manner either. But being the nice guy that he is, Mr. Perry puts the performances of his plays on DVD so everyone can see them. Therefore, this is technically a play on DVD review.
For those of you who don't know, there are a few differences between the plays and the movies of Tyler Perry. The plays tend to be longer, and they feature a lot of music, original songs, classics and gospel. It's a show, basically, and I can certainly understand why. People pay more to see a play than a movie, so they want to get their money's worth, and they do. Also, the movies that share titles with a particular play aren't exactly the same story. Mr. Perry tends to take elements of different plays and put them together for the plot of the movie. For example, his Madea's Big Happy Family movie had the main plot of the play of the same name as well as some things from his play What's Done in the Dark. I don't why he does it like that, but people, including myself, do like them, so let him do it. Okay, the play.
The Marriage Counselor in this story is named Judith, and she lives with her husband, Roger, her mother, T.T., and her father-in-law, Floyd, who had to move in after Hurricane Katrina. The marriage of Judith and Roger is a bit stressed because of a few things, like their parents living with them and their respective work loads. Though Judith works a lot as well, she begins to feel neglected by her husband due to his job and his financial concerns. This poses some extra problems when former her boyfriend, Ronald, reenters the picture. That is the core plot of the story, but there are some peripheral things happening which serve to be very entertaining.
As we are exposed to Judith's work life, we get to meet some of her patients, specifically, two couples. One is Oscar and Michelle, whose problems stem mostly from Oscar being dissatisfied with Michelle's appearance. The other is Tank and Patrice. Tank is a pastor and his new wife Patrice is a former stripper, or as she would say, "Exotic dancer, boo!" Mm-hmm. We also meet an office cleaner named Lisa, who has some serious problems of her own, and Judith's very inquisitive and spirited receptionist, Becky. She is the lone white girl, and I only bring this up because the characters do it quite often in the play. It's practically a plot point.
Throughout the play, Judith's personal and professional lives intertwine. This is how it succeeds in strongly building the story. Everything interconnects very well, and it seems very true to the way our lives tend to work. Okay, now on to speaking about some of the performances.
I can honestly say that there really is not a weak link when it comes to the actors. Everyone plays their roles as they should be played but takes them to a special level that makes us feel invested in all of them and their stories. However, there are three particular people who I think stood out best.
First is Brandi Milton. She plays Patrice, and, though the performance is over the top, you really feel like that was the best thing she could have done. And when it comes to the rare quiet moments of the character, she manages to handle that very well. Next is Palmer Williams, Jr. as Floyd. Most of this performance consists of him fighting with T.T. and being high from his home grown pot. Yes, you read that correctly. Call it cliche if you must, but the man played this part brilliantly, to say nothing of his ability to convincingly turn an R&B song into a gospel song. Just Add Jesus. Finally, we have my girl Stephanie Ferrett. She plays Becky, and she pretty much stole the show, in my opinion. About her acting, first, she truly made this character a "character", and her delivery was hilarious. But as great as her talent is as an actress, it pales in comparison to her gift as a singer. In the plays of Tyler Perry, we are usually treated to a group, medley, singalong type of scene, and it is there that we get to hear Miss Stephanie knock everyone out of their seats. The scene is pretty far into the play, and after getting to know the character, I don't think anyone saw that coming. But I'm certainly glad it did, so may I suggest you YouTube this girl. She is amazing.
And so there you have my first review of a play. I would certainly recommend this to anyone who enjoys Tyler Perry's movies, because here you really do get the entertainment and the message we have all come to expect from him. And despite the fact that there is no Madea in this one, it is still quite enjoyable. Actually, I like that it shows how well he can produce a play without his most famous character. It proves that there is more to him than that one thing.
Now there is currently a movie being made that is based on this play, or at least, it shares the title. There has been a bit of buzz due to the "controversy" of Mr. Perry casting Kim Kardashian. I guess some of his fans don't exactly like her. Do I? Well, as a Christian, I love her with the love of the Lord, just like I am supposed to do with everybody in the world. So . . . that's my answer. I have no idea how much of the story of the play will infiltrate the movie, but if it is just as good, I will certainly have to see it.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I have mentioned on a few occasions that I can be a Tyler Perry fan. So it seems only right that the first time I review a play it would be one of his, namely The Marriage Counselor. Now I must first say that I did not have the opportunity to see this play live in a theater, and, though I would someday love to do so, I have never seen any of his plays in that manner either. But being the nice guy that he is, Mr. Perry puts the performances of his plays on DVD so everyone can see them. Therefore, this is technically a play on DVD review.
For those of you who don't know, there are a few differences between the plays and the movies of Tyler Perry. The plays tend to be longer, and they feature a lot of music, original songs, classics and gospel. It's a show, basically, and I can certainly understand why. People pay more to see a play than a movie, so they want to get their money's worth, and they do. Also, the movies that share titles with a particular play aren't exactly the same story. Mr. Perry tends to take elements of different plays and put them together for the plot of the movie. For example, his Madea's Big Happy Family movie had the main plot of the play of the same name as well as some things from his play What's Done in the Dark. I don't why he does it like that, but people, including myself, do like them, so let him do it. Okay, the play.
The Marriage Counselor in this story is named Judith, and she lives with her husband, Roger, her mother, T.T., and her father-in-law, Floyd, who had to move in after Hurricane Katrina. The marriage of Judith and Roger is a bit stressed because of a few things, like their parents living with them and their respective work loads. Though Judith works a lot as well, she begins to feel neglected by her husband due to his job and his financial concerns. This poses some extra problems when former her boyfriend, Ronald, reenters the picture. That is the core plot of the story, but there are some peripheral things happening which serve to be very entertaining.
As we are exposed to Judith's work life, we get to meet some of her patients, specifically, two couples. One is Oscar and Michelle, whose problems stem mostly from Oscar being dissatisfied with Michelle's appearance. The other is Tank and Patrice. Tank is a pastor and his new wife Patrice is a former stripper, or as she would say, "Exotic dancer, boo!" Mm-hmm. We also meet an office cleaner named Lisa, who has some serious problems of her own, and Judith's very inquisitive and spirited receptionist, Becky. She is the lone white girl, and I only bring this up because the characters do it quite often in the play. It's practically a plot point.
Throughout the play, Judith's personal and professional lives intertwine. This is how it succeeds in strongly building the story. Everything interconnects very well, and it seems very true to the way our lives tend to work. Okay, now on to speaking about some of the performances.
I can honestly say that there really is not a weak link when it comes to the actors. Everyone plays their roles as they should be played but takes them to a special level that makes us feel invested in all of them and their stories. However, there are three particular people who I think stood out best.
First is Brandi Milton. She plays Patrice, and, though the performance is over the top, you really feel like that was the best thing she could have done. And when it comes to the rare quiet moments of the character, she manages to handle that very well. Next is Palmer Williams, Jr. as Floyd. Most of this performance consists of him fighting with T.T. and being high from his home grown pot. Yes, you read that correctly. Call it cliche if you must, but the man played this part brilliantly, to say nothing of his ability to convincingly turn an R&B song into a gospel song. Just Add Jesus. Finally, we have my girl Stephanie Ferrett. She plays Becky, and she pretty much stole the show, in my opinion. About her acting, first, she truly made this character a "character", and her delivery was hilarious. But as great as her talent is as an actress, it pales in comparison to her gift as a singer. In the plays of Tyler Perry, we are usually treated to a group, medley, singalong type of scene, and it is there that we get to hear Miss Stephanie knock everyone out of their seats. The scene is pretty far into the play, and after getting to know the character, I don't think anyone saw that coming. But I'm certainly glad it did, so may I suggest you YouTube this girl. She is amazing.
And so there you have my first review of a play. I would certainly recommend this to anyone who enjoys Tyler Perry's movies, because here you really do get the entertainment and the message we have all come to expect from him. And despite the fact that there is no Madea in this one, it is still quite enjoyable. Actually, I like that it shows how well he can produce a play without his most famous character. It proves that there is more to him than that one thing.
Now there is currently a movie being made that is based on this play, or at least, it shares the title. There has been a bit of buzz due to the "controversy" of Mr. Perry casting Kim Kardashian. I guess some of his fans don't exactly like her. Do I? Well, as a Christian, I love her with the love of the Lord, just like I am supposed to do with everybody in the world. So . . . that's my answer. I have no idea how much of the story of the play will infiltrate the movie, but if it is just as good, I will certainly have to see it.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Top Ten Episodes of The Drew Carey Show
Greetings,
I recently posted my Top Ten list of Whose Line is it Anyway? games. Since Drew Carey was the host of that show, I briefly mentioned his sitcom, The Drew Carey Show. I may not have mentioned that it was one of my favorite comedies of all time. I know it was never critically acclaimed. I think some critics had a problem with the fact that the actors weren't exactly Shakespearean trained, but that was what I liked about it. They all just seemed like regular people who you might know in your own life. And it was funny. I'd like to think that would be the most important thing for a comedy show, but call me crazy.
Now I, like most fans, can admit that the show was a bit slow in the beginning, and it began to decline a little in the last couple of years, which seems to be the life cycle of a lot of shows. I think most of us consider the middle five or six seasons to be the best. And though there were later changes, it was within those years that the core and best known characters would lie. Those characters were led by the main man, Drew Allison Carey. Yes, his middle name was Allison. There's some trivia for you. He was joined by his lifelong friends Kate (Christa Miller), Lewis (Ryan Stiles) and Oswald (Diedrich Bader), as well as his generously eyeshadowed nemesis Mimi (Kathy Kinney), his brother Steve (John Carroll Lynch) and his boss at the Winfred-Louder department store, Mr. Wick (Craig Ferguson. Yes, THAT Craig Ferguson).
And so now I will share with you my Top Ten episodes of The Drew Carey Show. It was actually quite difficult for me to narrow this down, since there were a lot of great moments. But I did my best.
#10. "Two Weddings and a Funeral For a Fridge" (Season 3) - In this episode, we suffer a tragic loss. That of Bessie. And if you haven't figured it out by now, Bessie is Drew's refrigerator, a refrigerator that had been with the gang since childhood. Obviously, they're upset, so they all compete in the Winfred-Louder annual employee games to win him a new one. Unless, of course, Mimi gets in their way. Think that might happen?
#9. "Drew's Brother" (Season 3) - After losing his job and going through a break up, Drew's brother, Steve, suddenly shows up at his door asking for help. You can see that Drew and Steve love each other but also that there is a history of comical sibling abuse. Of course, I say 'comical', because I am an older sibling. So Steve is your typical older brother. Or is he? Well, surprise for us and Drew, it turns out that Steve is a cross dresser. Funny enough. Now I know some men may easily pass themselves off as a woman if dressed in drag, but the wonderful and underrated actor, John Carroll Lynch, who played Steve, is not exactly one of them. Yes, sir, it is a compliment that I find you more attractive as a man. Ironically, this is the same episode where, due to an allergic reaction, Mimi is forced to go two weeks without make up. Oh, the horror.
#8. "The Curse of the Mummy" (Season 7) - Here we have a guest appearance by Richard Chamberlain . . . as Mr. Wick's mother. I only have three things to say about this. Number One: Dear Richard Chamberlain, how did we not know? Number Two: What is it with this show and cross dressers? Number Three: A year. ONE WHOLE ENTIRE YEAR before I could watch The Thornbirds again! Thanks a bunch, one and all!
#7. "It's Halloween, Dummy" (Season 7) - In a nice change from Drew's past experiences, Winfred-Louder gets a new owner who loves him. Who is that owner? Why, it's Mr. Newsome played by Henry Winkler! Oh, classic! He plans to move Drew up in the company, but, alas, (spoiler!) he dies. He is literally scared to death by a fake spider while he is dressed like a turtle. It is the second funniest thing in this episode. The first would be Oswald's "mushroom" costume. If you can't figure it out, look it up online.
#6. "Batmobile" (Season 3) - Believe it or not, Drew won the actual Batmobile in this episode. Needless to say, everyone is quite excited, but none more than Lewis and Oswald who go so far as to take the car without permission while they are dressed in some very specific outfits. Yes, it is exactly what you think. And do not think Nolan Batman.
#5. "Hush, Little Baby" (Season 6) - This is the first episode after Mimi gives birth to her and Steve's son (yes, she married Drew's brother. More on that later). She is plagued by the fact that he will not stop crying . . . unless he is held by Drew. To make matters worse, Steve gets sick and has to move to Drew's house, and then makes Drew stay with Mimi and the baby. Nobody is happy about that, except for us, of course.
#4. "See Drew Run" (Season 2) - Due to Winfred-Louder's refusal to build a skywalk, the employees are forced to cross the street at a dangerous intersection. Now it wouldn't be a comedy if a few people didn't get hit by cars. No disappointment on that one. So, in protest, Drew opts to go on a hunger strike until they build the skywalk. Things begin a little slowly on that, to say the least, but the gang comes up with a hilarious and somewhat creepy looking way to get what they need. Oh, Drew, you and your big head.
#3. "Steve and Mimi Get Married" (Season 5) - Okay, a little back story. Soon after arriving, Steve begins a romance with Mimi, much to Drew's chagrin. No kidding. They date for a while, but it all culminates with this wedding episode. A lot happens here. Steve is mad at Drew for his attitude toward Mimi and wants it to stop, which is the basic plot of this one. But we also get some special appearances, like Joe Walsh in his recurring and extremely funny role of Ed, and Tammy Faye as Mimi's mother. I wonder how she got that part. Hands down though, I'd say the best part of this episode is Mimi's dress. I've seen a plethora of TV wedding dresses in my lifetime, but none better than this. None!
#2. "Drew Blows His Promotion" (Season 2) - Drew is offered a promotion if he remakes the store's safety videos, which he does. This coincides with his birthday, a day where his friends attack him with pranks. Lewis and Oswald criticize Kate for not pulling any good pranks, so she takes a copy of Drew's newly made video and adds amusing sounds. And what might they be? Well, let's just say that the sound editor's whoopee cushion was working overtime. It was meant to be shown at his party, but the tapes were switched and Drew got embarrassed in front of his bosses. At least, he entertained them. And us. No lie, the first time I saw this, I went into that 'I can't stop laughing, but I wish I could because it's replacing my breathing at the moment' type of laughter. Good times.
#1. "The Gang Stops Drinking" (Season 5) - After eating a meal that Kate prepares, the gang becomes very sick. They think it was her cooking, but it turns out that Mimi dosed their dessert with a drug that makes you vomit if you drink alcohol. Oh, did I mention they all drink a lot? So they must spend St. Patrick's Day sober. Tragic. But since the actress who played Kate looked a tad pregnant at the time, perhaps no beer was a good idea. Still, seeing them sit around the table at their favorite bar drinking not beer was a moment to remember, because I'm pretty sure it never happened again. Also, 'the night the toilet cried' is a phrase now in my vernacular. Thank you, Drew.
So there you have it. I tried my best to recall these episodes since I have not seen them in years. Yeah, this show is nowhere to be found anymore. Why, oh why can't they put it on DVD? It would make me so happy. Come on, Drew. Use some of that mojo that Bob Barker left lingering to make it happen.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I recently posted my Top Ten list of Whose Line is it Anyway? games. Since Drew Carey was the host of that show, I briefly mentioned his sitcom, The Drew Carey Show. I may not have mentioned that it was one of my favorite comedies of all time. I know it was never critically acclaimed. I think some critics had a problem with the fact that the actors weren't exactly Shakespearean trained, but that was what I liked about it. They all just seemed like regular people who you might know in your own life. And it was funny. I'd like to think that would be the most important thing for a comedy show, but call me crazy.
Now I, like most fans, can admit that the show was a bit slow in the beginning, and it began to decline a little in the last couple of years, which seems to be the life cycle of a lot of shows. I think most of us consider the middle five or six seasons to be the best. And though there were later changes, it was within those years that the core and best known characters would lie. Those characters were led by the main man, Drew Allison Carey. Yes, his middle name was Allison. There's some trivia for you. He was joined by his lifelong friends Kate (Christa Miller), Lewis (Ryan Stiles) and Oswald (Diedrich Bader), as well as his generously eyeshadowed nemesis Mimi (Kathy Kinney), his brother Steve (John Carroll Lynch) and his boss at the Winfred-Louder department store, Mr. Wick (Craig Ferguson. Yes, THAT Craig Ferguson).
And so now I will share with you my Top Ten episodes of The Drew Carey Show. It was actually quite difficult for me to narrow this down, since there were a lot of great moments. But I did my best.
#10. "Two Weddings and a Funeral For a Fridge" (Season 3) - In this episode, we suffer a tragic loss. That of Bessie. And if you haven't figured it out by now, Bessie is Drew's refrigerator, a refrigerator that had been with the gang since childhood. Obviously, they're upset, so they all compete in the Winfred-Louder annual employee games to win him a new one. Unless, of course, Mimi gets in their way. Think that might happen?
#9. "Drew's Brother" (Season 3) - After losing his job and going through a break up, Drew's brother, Steve, suddenly shows up at his door asking for help. You can see that Drew and Steve love each other but also that there is a history of comical sibling abuse. Of course, I say 'comical', because I am an older sibling. So Steve is your typical older brother. Or is he? Well, surprise for us and Drew, it turns out that Steve is a cross dresser. Funny enough. Now I know some men may easily pass themselves off as a woman if dressed in drag, but the wonderful and underrated actor, John Carroll Lynch, who played Steve, is not exactly one of them. Yes, sir, it is a compliment that I find you more attractive as a man. Ironically, this is the same episode where, due to an allergic reaction, Mimi is forced to go two weeks without make up. Oh, the horror.
#8. "The Curse of the Mummy" (Season 7) - Here we have a guest appearance by Richard Chamberlain . . . as Mr. Wick's mother. I only have three things to say about this. Number One: Dear Richard Chamberlain, how did we not know? Number Two: What is it with this show and cross dressers? Number Three: A year. ONE WHOLE ENTIRE YEAR before I could watch The Thornbirds again! Thanks a bunch, one and all!
#7. "It's Halloween, Dummy" (Season 7) - In a nice change from Drew's past experiences, Winfred-Louder gets a new owner who loves him. Who is that owner? Why, it's Mr. Newsome played by Henry Winkler! Oh, classic! He plans to move Drew up in the company, but, alas, (spoiler!) he dies. He is literally scared to death by a fake spider while he is dressed like a turtle. It is the second funniest thing in this episode. The first would be Oswald's "mushroom" costume. If you can't figure it out, look it up online.
#6. "Batmobile" (Season 3) - Believe it or not, Drew won the actual Batmobile in this episode. Needless to say, everyone is quite excited, but none more than Lewis and Oswald who go so far as to take the car without permission while they are dressed in some very specific outfits. Yes, it is exactly what you think. And do not think Nolan Batman.
#5. "Hush, Little Baby" (Season 6) - This is the first episode after Mimi gives birth to her and Steve's son (yes, she married Drew's brother. More on that later). She is plagued by the fact that he will not stop crying . . . unless he is held by Drew. To make matters worse, Steve gets sick and has to move to Drew's house, and then makes Drew stay with Mimi and the baby. Nobody is happy about that, except for us, of course.
#4. "See Drew Run" (Season 2) - Due to Winfred-Louder's refusal to build a skywalk, the employees are forced to cross the street at a dangerous intersection. Now it wouldn't be a comedy if a few people didn't get hit by cars. No disappointment on that one. So, in protest, Drew opts to go on a hunger strike until they build the skywalk. Things begin a little slowly on that, to say the least, but the gang comes up with a hilarious and somewhat creepy looking way to get what they need. Oh, Drew, you and your big head.
#3. "Steve and Mimi Get Married" (Season 5) - Okay, a little back story. Soon after arriving, Steve begins a romance with Mimi, much to Drew's chagrin. No kidding. They date for a while, but it all culminates with this wedding episode. A lot happens here. Steve is mad at Drew for his attitude toward Mimi and wants it to stop, which is the basic plot of this one. But we also get some special appearances, like Joe Walsh in his recurring and extremely funny role of Ed, and Tammy Faye as Mimi's mother. I wonder how she got that part. Hands down though, I'd say the best part of this episode is Mimi's dress. I've seen a plethora of TV wedding dresses in my lifetime, but none better than this. None!
#2. "Drew Blows His Promotion" (Season 2) - Drew is offered a promotion if he remakes the store's safety videos, which he does. This coincides with his birthday, a day where his friends attack him with pranks. Lewis and Oswald criticize Kate for not pulling any good pranks, so she takes a copy of Drew's newly made video and adds amusing sounds. And what might they be? Well, let's just say that the sound editor's whoopee cushion was working overtime. It was meant to be shown at his party, but the tapes were switched and Drew got embarrassed in front of his bosses. At least, he entertained them. And us. No lie, the first time I saw this, I went into that 'I can't stop laughing, but I wish I could because it's replacing my breathing at the moment' type of laughter. Good times.
#1. "The Gang Stops Drinking" (Season 5) - After eating a meal that Kate prepares, the gang becomes very sick. They think it was her cooking, but it turns out that Mimi dosed their dessert with a drug that makes you vomit if you drink alcohol. Oh, did I mention they all drink a lot? So they must spend St. Patrick's Day sober. Tragic. But since the actress who played Kate looked a tad pregnant at the time, perhaps no beer was a good idea. Still, seeing them sit around the table at their favorite bar drinking not beer was a moment to remember, because I'm pretty sure it never happened again. Also, 'the night the toilet cried' is a phrase now in my vernacular. Thank you, Drew.
So there you have it. I tried my best to recall these episodes since I have not seen them in years. Yeah, this show is nowhere to be found anymore. Why, oh why can't they put it on DVD? It would make me so happy. Come on, Drew. Use some of that mojo that Bob Barker left lingering to make it happen.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Chiklis and the Change
Greetings,
I am never certain if I take change well. Sometimes I do; sometimes I don't. But if there is one thing, or one person I should say, who makes me think that I fall more on the side of the "don't", it is Michael Chiklis.
Let me start by saying that I absolutely love Michael Chiklis and have for over twenty years. That should be your first clue as to where I discovered him. That's right - The Commish. The Commish was and still is one of my all time favorite shows. It was fantastic. The stories were great, so were the characters. Although, some people would always point out that commissioners never went out to crime scenes like detectives or beat cops. They may have been right, but The Commish was not just any commissioner. He was Anthony J. Scali. His friends call him Tony, so I'm going to call him Tony, because, in my world, we are friends. Problem? Anyway, Tony Scali was the commissioner of Eastbridge, New York, a place that may or may not have been real. I never really looked into that. He was a wonderful, loving, cuddly - yes, cuddly - family man with a wife and two kids. Tony was just an all around nice guy, and that included his life as a cop. Oh, sure, he may have gotten angry at a suspect or two, but nothing too crazy. You could always tell how much he cared about the people he was helping.
Unfortunately, that wonderful show ended much too soon in my opinion. So after several years of waiting, I heard that my man Chiklis was going to be doing a new show called The Shield. He was going to play a guy named Vic Mackey who was a cop. Yay, a cop! Just like he was on The Commish. Yeah, I think everyone knows I kind of jumped the gun on that assumption.
In case you don't know, Vic Mackey of The Shield is nothing, NOTHING, like Tony Scali of The Commish. For really reals. If I could sum it up easily, he was just not a nice guy. And I figured that out with just one episode. Yes, I'll admit it. I only watched one episode of The Shield. I just couldn't handle it. I certainly couldn't handle my sweet, little Chiklis acting like such a meanie. So, therefore, I came to the conclusion that, perhaps, I do not take change very well. I certainly didn't in this case.
Now as I say these things about The Shield, I am not attacking the merit of the show. Though I never became a dedicated watcher, I'm sure it was well-done. It was certainly successful and critically acclaimed, including an Emmy for the star. And, by the way, when Chiklis won that Emmy, I was extremely happy for him because I knew he deserved it. I never doubted the talent of that man, and I never will.
So as time has passed and the resume of Mr. Chiklis has lengthened, many more people have gotten to see him in many more ways. They can all decide how they like him best. But for me, I still have a soft spot for Tony Scali and his gang. No matter what Michael Chiklis does, that is how I will think of him. I pray he thinks fondly on that time as well, because I am holding out hope for a The Commish reunion someday.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I am never certain if I take change well. Sometimes I do; sometimes I don't. But if there is one thing, or one person I should say, who makes me think that I fall more on the side of the "don't", it is Michael Chiklis.
Let me start by saying that I absolutely love Michael Chiklis and have for over twenty years. That should be your first clue as to where I discovered him. That's right - The Commish. The Commish was and still is one of my all time favorite shows. It was fantastic. The stories were great, so were the characters. Although, some people would always point out that commissioners never went out to crime scenes like detectives or beat cops. They may have been right, but The Commish was not just any commissioner. He was Anthony J. Scali. His friends call him Tony, so I'm going to call him Tony, because, in my world, we are friends. Problem? Anyway, Tony Scali was the commissioner of Eastbridge, New York, a place that may or may not have been real. I never really looked into that. He was a wonderful, loving, cuddly - yes, cuddly - family man with a wife and two kids. Tony was just an all around nice guy, and that included his life as a cop. Oh, sure, he may have gotten angry at a suspect or two, but nothing too crazy. You could always tell how much he cared about the people he was helping.
Unfortunately, that wonderful show ended much too soon in my opinion. So after several years of waiting, I heard that my man Chiklis was going to be doing a new show called The Shield. He was going to play a guy named Vic Mackey who was a cop. Yay, a cop! Just like he was on The Commish. Yeah, I think everyone knows I kind of jumped the gun on that assumption.
In case you don't know, Vic Mackey of The Shield is nothing, NOTHING, like Tony Scali of The Commish. For really reals. If I could sum it up easily, he was just not a nice guy. And I figured that out with just one episode. Yes, I'll admit it. I only watched one episode of The Shield. I just couldn't handle it. I certainly couldn't handle my sweet, little Chiklis acting like such a meanie. So, therefore, I came to the conclusion that, perhaps, I do not take change very well. I certainly didn't in this case.
Now as I say these things about The Shield, I am not attacking the merit of the show. Though I never became a dedicated watcher, I'm sure it was well-done. It was certainly successful and critically acclaimed, including an Emmy for the star. And, by the way, when Chiklis won that Emmy, I was extremely happy for him because I knew he deserved it. I never doubted the talent of that man, and I never will.
So as time has passed and the resume of Mr. Chiklis has lengthened, many more people have gotten to see him in many more ways. They can all decide how they like him best. But for me, I still have a soft spot for Tony Scali and his gang. No matter what Michael Chiklis does, that is how I will think of him. I pray he thinks fondly on that time as well, because I am holding out hope for a The Commish reunion someday.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Country Strong - Music Movie Review
Greetings,
I have always loved music, but it took me awhile to get into the country kind. Actually, all it really took was a few cute boys coming into the mix. Now I am a fan of that kind of music completely. Well, maybe not completely. I can name a few people that I try to avoid, adulteresses and whatnot, but let's not get into that today. Anyway, since I became such a fan, I tend to take notice of things if they have something to do with country music, like movies, for example. One of those movies is Country Strong.
Now I am not generally a huge fan of actresses becoming singers and vice versa. It can work, but it mostly seems contrived to me. Or a mess so hot you could toast marshmallows over it. In the case of our star here, Gwyneth Paltrow, I've always enjoyed the way she managed to use her talent for singing by slipping it into her acting jobs. She's never made a full on album or expected a Grammy, I think. Anyway, in this film, she really melded these two talents together better than she ever has. Okay, the story.
Country Strong is about a once praised but recently fallen singer named Kelly Canter played by Paltrow. We start off with her in rehab for her alcoholism, something which led to a very tragic, very public incident in her life. While there, she has met a special friend named Beau Hutton, played by Garrett Hedlund, who is a talented but unknown singer/songwriter. Oh, and by the way, when I say "special friend", it's exactly what you think it means, despite the fact that she is married. Her husband is a man named James who is played by Tim McGraw. So they are really not kidding about her having a drinking problem. I mean, who would cheat on Tim McGraw, for real? And while on the subject, I know I said I'm not always into the career switcheroo thing, but I do enjoy Tim McGraw as an actor. Still, I do hope one day he REALLY steps out of his comfort zone with this. Someone who hasn't always earned their "Good Acting" badge with me is Leighton Meester who plays Chiles Stanton, a young singer, relying more on her looks than her talent for fame, at first. Maybe it's the character she plays on Gossip Girl that leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but here, she's not so bad.
The plot follows this three-date tour for which James has pulled Kelly out of rehab. I'm guessing not the best idea. James wants to hire Chiles as the opening act, but Kelly wants Beau to do it. Oh, for crying out loud! It's three dates. What is the whoop? Anyway, they take both youngsters with them and hilarity ensues. By hilarity, I mean one mess after another for Kelly. Hey, you take someone out of rehab early, you pay the price . . . to the concert promoters who are super annoyed at these shenanigans.
As their time on the road continues, Beau, who initially is not at all that crazy about Chiles, begins to develop feelings for her, as does she about him. I kind of think we saw that one coming. Despite this relationship that is blossoming, to say the least, Beau still cares deeply for Kelly and seems to be taking better care of her than her husband sometimes. Now that time, I didn't mean that the way it sounded. Actually, most of the time, Beau comes off as being a very sincere friend to her who is pained as she engages in destructive behavior. It's kind of sweet.
Despite all the bad that occurs, there are a few bright moments. One of my favorite scenes is when Kelly goes to visit a little boy named Travis. She sings a song that she makes up on the spot that is especially for him, and the whole room starts dancing. We get to see a rare, gentle moment of love between Kelly and James that almost makes you forget all the problems, but when you do remember them, this scene could break your heart.
The end of the movie gives us a concert in Dallas, the city where that tragedy I mentioned earlier occurred. After that, a few more things happen and then we're done. Now the end of the film could be considered predictable, but that all depends on whether you are a pessimist or an optimist. I can't really say for which type of person this ending is predictable, because then I would be giving it away. And I don't want to do that, since I will most likely recommend this one. Before I get to officially doing that, we have something else about which to talk - the music.
So was it any good in this film? For the most part, I'll say yes, especially if you like country music (no kidding). It was so good, in fact, they released two CD soundtracks. Of course, if you like Tim McGraw's singing, you are out of luck. He is featured on but one song, and it is a duet. But there are some really strong musical moments here. Some of my favorites are the the title song, another one called "Timing is Everything", and of course, "Coming Home". The last of those was actually nominated for some big awards, and I get that. It is a beautiful and heartbreaking song.
Okay, do I recommend this movie? Yes, I do. While I can admit there is a lot of predictability in it, the performances are very strong and the music is good, something one may look for in a music movie. And, to combine those two things, the performances of the music are also very well done. I think it fulfilled what it set out to do. So check it out, especially if you like that country music.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I have always loved music, but it took me awhile to get into the country kind. Actually, all it really took was a few cute boys coming into the mix. Now I am a fan of that kind of music completely. Well, maybe not completely. I can name a few people that I try to avoid, adulteresses and whatnot, but let's not get into that today. Anyway, since I became such a fan, I tend to take notice of things if they have something to do with country music, like movies, for example. One of those movies is Country Strong.
Now I am not generally a huge fan of actresses becoming singers and vice versa. It can work, but it mostly seems contrived to me. Or a mess so hot you could toast marshmallows over it. In the case of our star here, Gwyneth Paltrow, I've always enjoyed the way she managed to use her talent for singing by slipping it into her acting jobs. She's never made a full on album or expected a Grammy, I think. Anyway, in this film, she really melded these two talents together better than she ever has. Okay, the story.
Country Strong is about a once praised but recently fallen singer named Kelly Canter played by Paltrow. We start off with her in rehab for her alcoholism, something which led to a very tragic, very public incident in her life. While there, she has met a special friend named Beau Hutton, played by Garrett Hedlund, who is a talented but unknown singer/songwriter. Oh, and by the way, when I say "special friend", it's exactly what you think it means, despite the fact that she is married. Her husband is a man named James who is played by Tim McGraw. So they are really not kidding about her having a drinking problem. I mean, who would cheat on Tim McGraw, for real? And while on the subject, I know I said I'm not always into the career switcheroo thing, but I do enjoy Tim McGraw as an actor. Still, I do hope one day he REALLY steps out of his comfort zone with this. Someone who hasn't always earned their "Good Acting" badge with me is Leighton Meester who plays Chiles Stanton, a young singer, relying more on her looks than her talent for fame, at first. Maybe it's the character she plays on Gossip Girl that leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but here, she's not so bad.
The plot follows this three-date tour for which James has pulled Kelly out of rehab. I'm guessing not the best idea. James wants to hire Chiles as the opening act, but Kelly wants Beau to do it. Oh, for crying out loud! It's three dates. What is the whoop? Anyway, they take both youngsters with them and hilarity ensues. By hilarity, I mean one mess after another for Kelly. Hey, you take someone out of rehab early, you pay the price . . . to the concert promoters who are super annoyed at these shenanigans.
As their time on the road continues, Beau, who initially is not at all that crazy about Chiles, begins to develop feelings for her, as does she about him. I kind of think we saw that one coming. Despite this relationship that is blossoming, to say the least, Beau still cares deeply for Kelly and seems to be taking better care of her than her husband sometimes. Now that time, I didn't mean that the way it sounded. Actually, most of the time, Beau comes off as being a very sincere friend to her who is pained as she engages in destructive behavior. It's kind of sweet.
Despite all the bad that occurs, there are a few bright moments. One of my favorite scenes is when Kelly goes to visit a little boy named Travis. She sings a song that she makes up on the spot that is especially for him, and the whole room starts dancing. We get to see a rare, gentle moment of love between Kelly and James that almost makes you forget all the problems, but when you do remember them, this scene could break your heart.
The end of the movie gives us a concert in Dallas, the city where that tragedy I mentioned earlier occurred. After that, a few more things happen and then we're done. Now the end of the film could be considered predictable, but that all depends on whether you are a pessimist or an optimist. I can't really say for which type of person this ending is predictable, because then I would be giving it away. And I don't want to do that, since I will most likely recommend this one. Before I get to officially doing that, we have something else about which to talk - the music.
So was it any good in this film? For the most part, I'll say yes, especially if you like country music (no kidding). It was so good, in fact, they released two CD soundtracks. Of course, if you like Tim McGraw's singing, you are out of luck. He is featured on but one song, and it is a duet. But there are some really strong musical moments here. Some of my favorites are the the title song, another one called "Timing is Everything", and of course, "Coming Home". The last of those was actually nominated for some big awards, and I get that. It is a beautiful and heartbreaking song.
Okay, do I recommend this movie? Yes, I do. While I can admit there is a lot of predictability in it, the performances are very strong and the music is good, something one may look for in a music movie. And, to combine those two things, the performances of the music are also very well done. I think it fulfilled what it set out to do. So check it out, especially if you like that country music.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Friday, September 21, 2012
Glitter - Music Movie Review
Greetings,
I bet you thought you were safe this week. No, we are going to go there. Back in time, to one of the worst movies of ALL time. But it's a music movie, so it qualifies to be reviewed by me. Take my hand. We are going to talk about Glitter.
I know that it's practically cliche to talk about how bad this movie is, and every reviewer has had the pleasure of bashing the daylights out of this thing. But I didn't have this blog way back then, so please indulge me on this.
For those of you who may not know, Glitter is a 2001 film (?) starring Mariah Carey. This was her first attempt at acting, aside from a very small part in a movie called The Bachelor. And up until this point, she had never been anything but successful. I am speaking, of course, professionally. When it came to her personal life, she didn't exactly succeed at marriage, but that is a whole other issue. Needless to say, this movie was not a success at all. I'm sure it didn't help that Mariah was also having some kind of breakdown at the same time. I sympathize with her on that, but I really don't know what she was thinking with this movie. Hang on, is it even legally a movie if there is no legitimate plot involved? Technically, I say no. It's what I call a PBFWTTAMA. Translation: People Being Filmed While They Talk And Move Around. Yes, I know. I am a genius. But, to make things easier for all of us, I'll just call it a movie. Let us begin. Oh, mercy.
Okay, if I was forced to extract some kind of plot from this movie, I guess I could say that it is the story of a little girl with a troubled home life who becomes a big star. Yes, it is a little unoriginal, but it could have been a good foundation. You start with that, then you add in a couple of conflicts that can mature and be resolved. A COUPLE of conflicts, not a thousand. See, that was one of the major problems here. There were a ton of things getting thrown at the main character. Oh, whose name, by the way, is Billie. I can't believe I didn't even think to mention that. As I was saying, there were a lot of problems thrown at Billie, but like 99.9% of them were resolved in about two minutes. So none of these so-called issues got a chance to mature into actual problems where the resolution would be an actual payoff.
And let's talk of the overall generic quality of everything in this movie. We had generic best friends, a generic love interest, a generic competitor for the love interest. We are not given anything to make us care about any of these characters. We certainly were not given any actors who could properly portray the characters and make them in any way dynamic. Well, we do get a pre-legitimized Terrence Howard, but with him, I think was just a case of a good actor trying to make the best of some really bad material. Speaking of which, what the heck with Dorian Harewood showing up in this thing? He was in Full Metal Jacket, for crying out loud. I weep, say a prayer and recall when I saw Hugh Laurie in Spice World. Now you know why House was always in a mood.
Now this post would be a mile long if I tried to get into all those plot threads that never led to anything. So I think I will choose to stop with talk of the movie on that level and get on to the music. This will be slightly less painful. Slightly.
The soundtrack is really nothing about which to brag. I think what made this so unsuccessful can be attributed to two things. First, being tied to this movie doesn't help. Second, when you compare it to all of Mariah's previous music, there is no comparison. Maybe if this album had been released by some new unknown artist it would have been given some props, but it did not live up to the quality we had come to expect from Mariah Carey. Now she did have a very minor hit from this called "Loverboy" and to be honest, I don't hate the song "Never Too Far", which reminded me of one of her classic ballads. Still, it wasn't enough to give this album a pass.
So am I recommending this? Not really. But I will choose to end on a high note, so to speak. As we all know, in 2005, Mariah made a huge musical comeback with The Emancipation of Mimi, but let us not forget about the strides she has made as an actress. Many people, myself included, were quite impressed by her performance in the movie Precious. But it was there that she did the right thing. She was not carrying the entire film, and she was not playing herself but a woman who was a not all glammed up, regular person. Therefore, Mariah proved that she does, indeed, have some acting chops. It's just all about presentation.
So, yes, we will always have Glitter whether we like it or not. We can be critical of dear Mariah, which I think I was, but let's remember that we all make mistakes in life. Some of us are just blessed enough to not have to make them in front of the whole world.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I bet you thought you were safe this week. No, we are going to go there. Back in time, to one of the worst movies of ALL time. But it's a music movie, so it qualifies to be reviewed by me. Take my hand. We are going to talk about Glitter.
I know that it's practically cliche to talk about how bad this movie is, and every reviewer has had the pleasure of bashing the daylights out of this thing. But I didn't have this blog way back then, so please indulge me on this.
For those of you who may not know, Glitter is a 2001 film (?) starring Mariah Carey. This was her first attempt at acting, aside from a very small part in a movie called The Bachelor. And up until this point, she had never been anything but successful. I am speaking, of course, professionally. When it came to her personal life, she didn't exactly succeed at marriage, but that is a whole other issue. Needless to say, this movie was not a success at all. I'm sure it didn't help that Mariah was also having some kind of breakdown at the same time. I sympathize with her on that, but I really don't know what she was thinking with this movie. Hang on, is it even legally a movie if there is no legitimate plot involved? Technically, I say no. It's what I call a PBFWTTAMA. Translation: People Being Filmed While They Talk And Move Around. Yes, I know. I am a genius. But, to make things easier for all of us, I'll just call it a movie. Let us begin. Oh, mercy.
Okay, if I was forced to extract some kind of plot from this movie, I guess I could say that it is the story of a little girl with a troubled home life who becomes a big star. Yes, it is a little unoriginal, but it could have been a good foundation. You start with that, then you add in a couple of conflicts that can mature and be resolved. A COUPLE of conflicts, not a thousand. See, that was one of the major problems here. There were a ton of things getting thrown at the main character. Oh, whose name, by the way, is Billie. I can't believe I didn't even think to mention that. As I was saying, there were a lot of problems thrown at Billie, but like 99.9% of them were resolved in about two minutes. So none of these so-called issues got a chance to mature into actual problems where the resolution would be an actual payoff.
And let's talk of the overall generic quality of everything in this movie. We had generic best friends, a generic love interest, a generic competitor for the love interest. We are not given anything to make us care about any of these characters. We certainly were not given any actors who could properly portray the characters and make them in any way dynamic. Well, we do get a pre-legitimized Terrence Howard, but with him, I think was just a case of a good actor trying to make the best of some really bad material. Speaking of which, what the heck with Dorian Harewood showing up in this thing? He was in Full Metal Jacket, for crying out loud. I weep, say a prayer and recall when I saw Hugh Laurie in Spice World. Now you know why House was always in a mood.
Now this post would be a mile long if I tried to get into all those plot threads that never led to anything. So I think I will choose to stop with talk of the movie on that level and get on to the music. This will be slightly less painful. Slightly.
The soundtrack is really nothing about which to brag. I think what made this so unsuccessful can be attributed to two things. First, being tied to this movie doesn't help. Second, when you compare it to all of Mariah's previous music, there is no comparison. Maybe if this album had been released by some new unknown artist it would have been given some props, but it did not live up to the quality we had come to expect from Mariah Carey. Now she did have a very minor hit from this called "Loverboy" and to be honest, I don't hate the song "Never Too Far", which reminded me of one of her classic ballads. Still, it wasn't enough to give this album a pass.
So am I recommending this? Not really. But I will choose to end on a high note, so to speak. As we all know, in 2005, Mariah made a huge musical comeback with The Emancipation of Mimi, but let us not forget about the strides she has made as an actress. Many people, myself included, were quite impressed by her performance in the movie Precious. But it was there that she did the right thing. She was not carrying the entire film, and she was not playing herself but a woman who was a not all glammed up, regular person. Therefore, Mariah proved that she does, indeed, have some acting chops. It's just all about presentation.
So, yes, we will always have Glitter whether we like it or not. We can be critical of dear Mariah, which I think I was, but let's remember that we all make mistakes in life. Some of us are just blessed enough to not have to make them in front of the whole world.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Music and Lyrics - Music Movie Review
Greetings,
Yesterday, I reviewed a little movie called Once, which, in its simplest form, is about a guy and a girl who meet and write songs together. I loved it, but it is an indie film. That is not everyone's cup of tea. Some people want a movie that is more mainstream, so I thought the best way to follow up that one would be with Music and Lyrics. It had a bigger budget and bigger stars. Literally. This thing has Brad Garrett, and he's like 8 feet tall. But our "Guy" and "Girl" here are played by Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. Well, I like one of them. Anyway, this is a comedy, so these two were cast because of their track record in that area and their names as actors and not at all because of their musical talent or lack thereof. But we'll get to that later. Let's get to the actual movie.
The film starts with the sound of some dated 80's pop music accompanied by a music video ("A what?" says the youngsters), which is just as cheesy as we would expect. It features a band called PoP!(actual spelling), a group of five guys which are clearly led by two of them, namely Alex Fletcher and Colin Thompson. The first of those two is played by Hugh Grant. This video leads to some present day exposition about the history of the band. Look, let me just break it down for you. Colin is the George Michael and Alex is the Andrew Ridgeley. Yeah, they're Wham! I don't even think the film makers try to hide this fact, as if they could, but apparently, this thing is also inspired by Duran Duran. Fine. Moving on.
Obviously, Alex is not the more famous of the two, but he hopes to get back some success. How? Well, enter his manager, Chris Riley, played by Brad Garrett, very well I might add. Chris tells Alex that he is in the running to write a song for a very popular young singer named Cora Corman played by newcomer Hayley Bennett, who I think did great as this character. And who is this character exactly? Well, she is clearly a Britney Spears copy, but since Cora is completely into the religion of Buddhism, which she is trying to make trendy, we obviously have a little Madonna thrown in there, too. Oh, and her manager is played by Matthew Morrison. Yeah, Mr. Schuster from Glee is in a movie about music and he doesn't even sing. I guess he wanted to be taken seriously as an actor. Keep trying, buddy.
Anyway, Cora wants a song called "Way Back Into Love" and she wants it by the end of the week. She also wants Alex to perform it with her at a big concert, which should definitely help to put him back on top. Should be no problem for a professional songwriter like Alex? Right? Wrong! Alex excelled at music writing, not lyric writing. And through sheer coincidence, he meets a woman named Sophie Fisher, played by Drew Barrymore.
Before I go on, a little Sophie Fisher back story. She took writing classes at The New School, where she had a little trouble with a teacher. That is touched upon in the film. But now she works for her parents diet food company with her sister, Rhonda played by Kristen Johnston. And Kristen Johnston is why I have this separate paragraph. She is hilarious in this film and absolutely steals the show in every scene she is in. That being said, let us continue.
As Alex and Sophie work on the song, their relationship deepens. What a surprise. They learn a lot about each other's pasts and even have the creative differences that are usually set aside for partners that have been writing together for years. Aren't they lucky? But they do eventually finish the song and get the job. Speaking of that song, let's talk about the music.
Okay, the music in this movie is mostly songs written specifically for it. So don't expect a load of masterpieces, but it's not total crap either. I mean, even though Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore could barely carry a tune, it didn't do that much damage. Actually, I think some of the music is pretty good, and it certainly fits with what it is supposed to be. The old PoP! songs that Alex performs do sound like something Wham! might have done, and all the songs for Cora are what you would expect from a current pop princess. But what about THE song? The song that the entire movie is based on, "Way Back Into Love"? Well, to be honest, I think it's kind of cute. Again, not a masterpiece, but a decent pop song with pretty good music and lyrics. There you go! Music and lyrics! I'm not saying you'll want to run out and buy or download the soundtrack, but you won't be spending the whole movie groaning at the music either.
So, despite the fact that I may have issues with some of the actors, I find this movie quite enjoyable. It's just one of those fun films that is not meant to take itself too seriously, which is nice to have every now and then. But I have to be honest with you all. The main accomplishment of this movie, much like Once, is to make me very jealous. I am a songwriter, but I can admit that I certainly excel more at the lyrics rather than the music. So why can't I find some adorable boy with an accent to write songs with me? Oh, sigh. I guess it's just one more thing to add to the prayer list.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Yesterday, I reviewed a little movie called Once, which, in its simplest form, is about a guy and a girl who meet and write songs together. I loved it, but it is an indie film. That is not everyone's cup of tea. Some people want a movie that is more mainstream, so I thought the best way to follow up that one would be with Music and Lyrics. It had a bigger budget and bigger stars. Literally. This thing has Brad Garrett, and he's like 8 feet tall. But our "Guy" and "Girl" here are played by Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. Well, I like one of them. Anyway, this is a comedy, so these two were cast because of their track record in that area and their names as actors and not at all because of their musical talent or lack thereof. But we'll get to that later. Let's get to the actual movie.
The film starts with the sound of some dated 80's pop music accompanied by a music video ("A what?" says the youngsters), which is just as cheesy as we would expect. It features a band called PoP!(actual spelling), a group of five guys which are clearly led by two of them, namely Alex Fletcher and Colin Thompson. The first of those two is played by Hugh Grant. This video leads to some present day exposition about the history of the band. Look, let me just break it down for you. Colin is the George Michael and Alex is the Andrew Ridgeley. Yeah, they're Wham! I don't even think the film makers try to hide this fact, as if they could, but apparently, this thing is also inspired by Duran Duran. Fine. Moving on.
Obviously, Alex is not the more famous of the two, but he hopes to get back some success. How? Well, enter his manager, Chris Riley, played by Brad Garrett, very well I might add. Chris tells Alex that he is in the running to write a song for a very popular young singer named Cora Corman played by newcomer Hayley Bennett, who I think did great as this character. And who is this character exactly? Well, she is clearly a Britney Spears copy, but since Cora is completely into the religion of Buddhism, which she is trying to make trendy, we obviously have a little Madonna thrown in there, too. Oh, and her manager is played by Matthew Morrison. Yeah, Mr. Schuster from Glee is in a movie about music and he doesn't even sing. I guess he wanted to be taken seriously as an actor. Keep trying, buddy.
Anyway, Cora wants a song called "Way Back Into Love" and she wants it by the end of the week. She also wants Alex to perform it with her at a big concert, which should definitely help to put him back on top. Should be no problem for a professional songwriter like Alex? Right? Wrong! Alex excelled at music writing, not lyric writing. And through sheer coincidence, he meets a woman named Sophie Fisher, played by Drew Barrymore.
Before I go on, a little Sophie Fisher back story. She took writing classes at The New School, where she had a little trouble with a teacher. That is touched upon in the film. But now she works for her parents diet food company with her sister, Rhonda played by Kristen Johnston. And Kristen Johnston is why I have this separate paragraph. She is hilarious in this film and absolutely steals the show in every scene she is in. That being said, let us continue.
As Alex and Sophie work on the song, their relationship deepens. What a surprise. They learn a lot about each other's pasts and even have the creative differences that are usually set aside for partners that have been writing together for years. Aren't they lucky? But they do eventually finish the song and get the job. Speaking of that song, let's talk about the music.
Okay, the music in this movie is mostly songs written specifically for it. So don't expect a load of masterpieces, but it's not total crap either. I mean, even though Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore could barely carry a tune, it didn't do that much damage. Actually, I think some of the music is pretty good, and it certainly fits with what it is supposed to be. The old PoP! songs that Alex performs do sound like something Wham! might have done, and all the songs for Cora are what you would expect from a current pop princess. But what about THE song? The song that the entire movie is based on, "Way Back Into Love"? Well, to be honest, I think it's kind of cute. Again, not a masterpiece, but a decent pop song with pretty good music and lyrics. There you go! Music and lyrics! I'm not saying you'll want to run out and buy or download the soundtrack, but you won't be spending the whole movie groaning at the music either.
So, despite the fact that I may have issues with some of the actors, I find this movie quite enjoyable. It's just one of those fun films that is not meant to take itself too seriously, which is nice to have every now and then. But I have to be honest with you all. The main accomplishment of this movie, much like Once, is to make me very jealous. I am a songwriter, but I can admit that I certainly excel more at the lyrics rather than the music. So why can't I find some adorable boy with an accent to write songs with me? Oh, sigh. I guess it's just one more thing to add to the prayer list.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
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