If you haven’t read Part I of this over-written countdown, you should go do that now (I worked hard on these!). I’ll wait…. … … … … … Are you back? Okay, here’s Part II. It’s got two relatively small films, two massive world-wide blockbusters, and one new release featuring the breakout star of […]
There are few feats of artistic creation more stunning than the stage musical version of Les Miserables. From Hugo’s thrilling original storytelling and Schönberg & Boublil’s adapted musical book, to the way that Schönberg’s stunning melodies circle thematically back on themselves to the lush orchestrations and groundbreaking rotating-stage direction, iconic costumes, and hundreds upon hundreds […]
There’s an easy way and a hard to explain Cloud Atlas. The easy way: it simultaneously tells six linked stories taking place over the span of five hundred years. Individually these stories are (generally) easy to understand, and, just as importantly, easy to follow, as they weave in and out of one another. However, to […]
Okay people, I’m tired of this. It was cute for awhile, the making musicals out of hit movies thing, but it’s gotten out of hand. If you’re going to do a Really good job (as I’m told was done with Once), fine, go ahead. If you’re trying to improve a dud/somewhat obscure movie (like Newsies […]
When you walk into any movie based on the infamous comic known as Judge Dredd, most movie goers are well aware that they are not going to see academy award winning material here. What you can expect and get plenty of- and then some- is hard hitting action that takes no prisoners, oodles of blood […]
Equal parts tragedy and comedy with a tinge of history, Alumnae Theatre’s season opener is a real visual treat. Audience members are aptly greeted by a tall pyramid structure positioned centre stage which I – for better or worse – immediately deemed the “tower of Babylon.” Contained within are many of the props which actors […]
Would someone please explain to me why His Girl Friday is a play? I get adapting plays into movies, and I even get adapting movies into musicals (so long as the songs are original), but a movie into a play? Chances are there’s no improving on the performances in a movie iconic enough to give […]
I have seen a lot of Shakespeare in parks, but I am fairly new to other theater presented outdoors. The last show I saw from Apollinaire was Cyrano de Bergerac, also in Mary O’Malley Park. Even though it was not Shakespeare, that text has a certain poetic bombast that doesn’t feel out of place when […]