What's a thief to do when a big heist gets bungled, the cops are on her
tail and her partner runs off with her share of the loot? In The Christmas Caper,
a made-for-TV movie written by April Blair and directed by David
Winkler, she decides now might be a good time to rekindle her
relationship with her niece and nephew back in her hometown. Kate Dove
(Shannen Doherty) has a strained relationship with her sister Savannah
(Sonya Salomaa), so at first it doesn't even occur to Savannah to give
her sis a call when a tropical trip is extended due to bad weather and
her kids are in need of a babysitter for the next few days. When she
finally calls, it's as a last resort, and the timing is perfect for a
gal who really needs a hideout.
You can tell that Christmas Caper
was made for television. Its production values are crummy, especially
during the laughable storm sequences, and the plot is pretty silly. The
most menacing character is Clive (Conrad Coates), Kate's former partner;
he's more of a hard-core criminal than her or her gentle department
store buddy Duffy (Michael Northey), who is a consistent source of comic
relief. Still, even Clive is pretty tame, particularly when he crashes a
neighborhood Christmas party she agrees to host so she can play Grinch
in her neighbors' empty houses.
Kate returns to her hometown
with every intention of continuing her life of crime, but she finds her
priorities beginning to change as she starts bonding with her nephew
Parker (Josh Hayden) and niece Annie (Natasha Calis). Parker seems bound
and determined to be a juvenile delinquent, and Kate sees a lot of
herself in him. He even pulls some of the same pranks she did when she
was his age. Annie, on the other hand, is a Little Miss Perfect like
Savannah, and initially that really gets on Kate's nerves, but
eventually her personality is a gateway into understanding her sister.
Not only does Kate come to genuinely care about Parker and Annie, she
finds that her high school sweetheart, Hank (Ty Olsson), who just
happens to be the sheriff, is still in town and still smitten with her.
As they begin to resurrect their relationship, Kate has to do some hard
thinking about the life she has chosen for herself.
Doherty
and Olsson are probably the strongest members of the cast, though
Northey is the most entertaining. Calis is a tad on the shrill side, but
Hayden is winning as a lovable scamp. Stefanie von Pfetten, as a
goody-two-shoes neighbor named Holly whose life isn't as perfect as it
seems, is a little over the top, but Salomaa is worse, and David Lewis,
who plays Savannah's husband, is even cheesier. Some of the plot
elements are scarcely believable. When my friend and I watched it, we
often found ourselves laughing for the wrong reasons. But, as one would
expect from ABC Family, it's a family film innocuous enough to make a
good accompaniment to tree-trimming or cookie baking if you happen upon
it while channel surfing this December.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Cary Grant Patches Lives and Steals Hearts in The Bishop's Wife
I was in high school when The Preacher's Wife
hit theaters. Though I'd wanted to see it back then, I didn't get
around to it until this year. My mom, meanwhile, had been hearing good
things about The Bishop's Wife, on which the former is based, so
once I kicked off my Christmas movie watching with the angelic Denzel, I
figured I might as well move on to Cary Grant.
The Bishop's Wife is directed by Henry Koster and written by Leonardo Bercovici and Robert Sherwood. The first major difference between the two movies is that this 1948 film is in black and white, a condition I always find gravely disappointing, but if the movie is engaging enough it stops bugging me after a little while. This one is. The second significant difference is that while every major character in The Preacher's Wife is black, every major character in this movie is white.
It's a very different sort of setting, and David Niven, as Bishop Henry Brougham, has a decidedly aristocratic air. He's English, detached from his family and lives in a mansion, where he is attended by servants, one of whom is played by Elsa Lanchester, who I know as sourpuss nanny Katie Nana in Mary Poppins. So when Dudley (Grant) shows up with his little bag of angelic tricks to help Henry get control over his life, I couldn't help but think this movie has as much in common with Mary Poppins as with The Preacher's Wife.
I found Loretta Young more engaging than Whitney Houston in the role of the wife, Julia, who supports her husband's ministry but is beginning to feel neglected. She's a warm, passionate woman, and her vivacity increases in Dudley's presence. In this original version, Dudley has always been an angel, an entirely different order of being from humans, and he's been averting calamities for centuries. He's hobnobbed with ancient royalty, but he's never before become so entranced by a woman that he actually wishes he could stop being an angel. It comes to that in this movie, and Julia is the one who must ultimately decide the course of Dudley's future.
The plot is pretty similar overall. In both films, Henry is pressured by someone very wealthy to agree to the building of an opulent cathedral. In this case, it's elderly Mrs. Hamilton (Gladys Cooper), who seems cold as ice but whose past hides a private pain that Dudley is uniquely qualified to unlock. He oversteps his bounds a bit by taking Julia to a restaurant of great importance to her and her husband and spends an idyllic evening ice skating with her in the park.
Because this Dudley is an angel in a truer sense of the word than Washington's Dudley, he does a lot more than change just the Bishop. He has a profound impact on several minor characters who don't have counterparts in the remake, including world-weary cabbie Sylvester (James Gleason) and atheistic history professor Wutheridge (Monty Woolley). Of course, because he's Cary Grant, he has a different sort of impact on every woman he meets. All the swooning gets a little silly after a while. And I get the impression that these ladies were not acting.
It's hard to say which of the two films I liked better, as there were aspects of each that I preferred. While I would much rather watch The Bishop's Wife in color, the movie is vibrant enough to make up for it, much like its contemporary, It's a Wonderful Life. While Bishop Henry is no George Bailey, we want his life to turn around, and it sure is fun to see just how that happens.
The Bishop's Wife is directed by Henry Koster and written by Leonardo Bercovici and Robert Sherwood. The first major difference between the two movies is that this 1948 film is in black and white, a condition I always find gravely disappointing, but if the movie is engaging enough it stops bugging me after a little while. This one is. The second significant difference is that while every major character in The Preacher's Wife is black, every major character in this movie is white.
It's a very different sort of setting, and David Niven, as Bishop Henry Brougham, has a decidedly aristocratic air. He's English, detached from his family and lives in a mansion, where he is attended by servants, one of whom is played by Elsa Lanchester, who I know as sourpuss nanny Katie Nana in Mary Poppins. So when Dudley (Grant) shows up with his little bag of angelic tricks to help Henry get control over his life, I couldn't help but think this movie has as much in common with Mary Poppins as with The Preacher's Wife.
I found Loretta Young more engaging than Whitney Houston in the role of the wife, Julia, who supports her husband's ministry but is beginning to feel neglected. She's a warm, passionate woman, and her vivacity increases in Dudley's presence. In this original version, Dudley has always been an angel, an entirely different order of being from humans, and he's been averting calamities for centuries. He's hobnobbed with ancient royalty, but he's never before become so entranced by a woman that he actually wishes he could stop being an angel. It comes to that in this movie, and Julia is the one who must ultimately decide the course of Dudley's future.
The plot is pretty similar overall. In both films, Henry is pressured by someone very wealthy to agree to the building of an opulent cathedral. In this case, it's elderly Mrs. Hamilton (Gladys Cooper), who seems cold as ice but whose past hides a private pain that Dudley is uniquely qualified to unlock. He oversteps his bounds a bit by taking Julia to a restaurant of great importance to her and her husband and spends an idyllic evening ice skating with her in the park.
Because this Dudley is an angel in a truer sense of the word than Washington's Dudley, he does a lot more than change just the Bishop. He has a profound impact on several minor characters who don't have counterparts in the remake, including world-weary cabbie Sylvester (James Gleason) and atheistic history professor Wutheridge (Monty Woolley). Of course, because he's Cary Grant, he has a different sort of impact on every woman he meets. All the swooning gets a little silly after a while. And I get the impression that these ladies were not acting.
It's hard to say which of the two films I liked better, as there were aspects of each that I preferred. While I would much rather watch The Bishop's Wife in color, the movie is vibrant enough to make up for it, much like its contemporary, It's a Wonderful Life. While Bishop Henry is no George Bailey, we want his life to turn around, and it sure is fun to see just how that happens.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Let These Seven Peek-a-Poohs Decorate Your Home
Several years ago, my mom and I stumbled upon Tomy's Peek-a-Pooh line of
vending machine toys at a local KMart. I collected a number of them
from various machines around town until it occurred to me that perhaps I
could make things easier on myself and buy them by the set online. As
it happened, I was right. Most of the sets are inexpensive, and it's a
whole lot easier than trying to snag one of each from a vending machine.
One of the sets I was drawn to was the tenth, the series of seven
Christmas-themed Poohs. I knew that come December, I'd be making good
use of them.
Peek-a-Poohs are tiny plastic Winnie-the-Pooh figures, about one and a half inches tall, wearing costumes that follow a certain theme, depending on the set. Occasionally, other characters are incorporated as well, but most Peek-a-Poohs only feature the silly old bear. Some of them stand flat, while others are designed only to dangle. Many people use them as cell phone decorations, but each can hang from any type of hook or knob that will accommodate the golden thread suspending it. When I put mine out as part of our Christmas decorations, I hung them on the knobs of the kitchen cabinets, where they fit perfectly.
There are seven figures in this set, which is a bit of an unusual number; most sets have six or eight figures. While the possibilities for Christmas-related costumes certainly are not exhausted within these pieces, there's a nice variety of figures here. Four of them stand freely. There's the poinsettia, which features a smiling Pooh peeking out from the center of a potted poinsettia plant. He's stretched out and grinning in a bright green present, and he's winking as he heads down the chimney as Santa Claus.
Finally, the Yule log is brown on the bottom and white on the top, and it looks as though Pooh is fast asleep, stretched out cozily inside his costume. (I particularly enjoy this one because it reminds me of the song my brother and his friend used to sing in French class to the tune of the carol Chantez Noel: "Zut! Je m'appelle Bouche de Noel!" Which means something to the effect of "Darn! My name is Yule Log Cake!" Doesn't make much sense, but it always got them giggling!)
The less self-sufficient figures include the stocking, which has a laughing Pooh with closed eyes peering out from within a red stocking overflowing with gifts; a wreath with a large red bow, in which a Pooh who is either singing or is very surprised peers open-mouthed from the center; and a pale blue star decorated with tiny, dark blue stars, in which Pooh's expansively smiling face appears in the middle. This one looks especially nice as a dangling decoration.
Cabinets are only one possibility for where these could hang. They could go on the banister or be hung from lamps. Naturally, they could also be suspended from the branches of a Christmas tree. If you're an especially avid Pooh fan, it might be worth it to purchase a small artificial tree just for your Peek-a-Poohs. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to display mine year-round.
This nice little set only set me back about six dollars, and if you're looking to buy several at once, you can save quite a bit on shipping costs. This particular set may be best displayed toward the end of the year, but it's never too early to start getting ready for the next December!
Peek-a-Poohs are tiny plastic Winnie-the-Pooh figures, about one and a half inches tall, wearing costumes that follow a certain theme, depending on the set. Occasionally, other characters are incorporated as well, but most Peek-a-Poohs only feature the silly old bear. Some of them stand flat, while others are designed only to dangle. Many people use them as cell phone decorations, but each can hang from any type of hook or knob that will accommodate the golden thread suspending it. When I put mine out as part of our Christmas decorations, I hung them on the knobs of the kitchen cabinets, where they fit perfectly.
There are seven figures in this set, which is a bit of an unusual number; most sets have six or eight figures. While the possibilities for Christmas-related costumes certainly are not exhausted within these pieces, there's a nice variety of figures here. Four of them stand freely. There's the poinsettia, which features a smiling Pooh peeking out from the center of a potted poinsettia plant. He's stretched out and grinning in a bright green present, and he's winking as he heads down the chimney as Santa Claus.
Finally, the Yule log is brown on the bottom and white on the top, and it looks as though Pooh is fast asleep, stretched out cozily inside his costume. (I particularly enjoy this one because it reminds me of the song my brother and his friend used to sing in French class to the tune of the carol Chantez Noel: "Zut! Je m'appelle Bouche de Noel!" Which means something to the effect of "Darn! My name is Yule Log Cake!" Doesn't make much sense, but it always got them giggling!)
The less self-sufficient figures include the stocking, which has a laughing Pooh with closed eyes peering out from within a red stocking overflowing with gifts; a wreath with a large red bow, in which a Pooh who is either singing or is very surprised peers open-mouthed from the center; and a pale blue star decorated with tiny, dark blue stars, in which Pooh's expansively smiling face appears in the middle. This one looks especially nice as a dangling decoration.
Cabinets are only one possibility for where these could hang. They could go on the banister or be hung from lamps. Naturally, they could also be suspended from the branches of a Christmas tree. If you're an especially avid Pooh fan, it might be worth it to purchase a small artificial tree just for your Peek-a-Poohs. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to display mine year-round.
This nice little set only set me back about six dollars, and if you're looking to buy several at once, you can save quite a bit on shipping costs. This particular set may be best displayed toward the end of the year, but it's never too early to start getting ready for the next December!
This Christmas Will Be a Very Rowdy Christmas For Me...
My search for Christmas movies in November and December brought me
mostly movies containing "Christmas" in the title, since, as far as I
know, Netflix does not have a search function that brings up all movies
on a particular subject. When I typed in "Christmas," This Christmas
is one of the first films that came up. This 2007 movie written and
directed by Preston A. Whitmore II is about a raucous family whose
members convene for the holidays and find thy have all sorts of issues
to work through.
Everything centers around Ma'Dere, the family matriarch played by Loretta Devine. I've seen her in several comical roles before and found her quite funny; here, she uses her comedic gifts but also has the opportunity to get serious. She runs a dry cleaning establishment and takes pride in being able to distribute the modest profits among her children, but not all of them are so sure that it's worth it for her to keep the family business running.
Lisa (Regina King), the eldest daughter, is convinced the time has come to sell, in part due to the urging of her husband Malcolm (Laz Alonso). However, she has been rather disconnected from the family, and her siblings, particularly her sister Melanie (Lauren London), distrust her motives. Model Kelli (Sharon Leal) finds herself preoccupied with a young man who used to admire her from afar when they were in school together.
The men of the family have other things on their minds. Quentin (Idris Elba), who's been gone for years, is worried about repaying a debt he owes to some dangerous people. Claude (Columbus Short) has been away in the army and never mentioned to anybody that he picked up a wife while he was there. Michael (Chris Brown) is the baby-faced youngster of the family, a high school student afraid to reveal to his mother his passion for singing, since his father left years ago to pursue his dreams of being a musician and his mother has equated music with abandonment ever since. Still, there's a new man in her life now, the upright Joe Black (Delroy Lindo), so this may be the perfect time to let bygones be bygones.
With so many siblings (and their significant others) to keep track of, this movie is sometimes rather hard to follow; I found myself mixing up the back stories of various characters, especially Lisa and Mel and Quentin and Claude. By the end of the movie, though, I had them pretty well straightened out. I think the film could have done with a bit of editing; it dragged for me, especially toward the beginning. I also found a few scenes uncomfortable, especially a couple involving retribution for a marital indiscretion.
On the other hand, I loved the character of Joe, who not only is a caring boyfriend but truly goes out of his way to help the children of his ladylove, even (and maybe especially) the antagonistic Quentin. I also found the storyline of Michael revealing his talent to his mother touching, and I felt the songs that showcased his talent fit right into the film instead of feeling superfluous, as sometimes happens when a pop star doubles as an actor. While it's not a movie I'd go out of my way to watch again, This Christmas is a nice tale of an extremely fractured family coming together and letting Christmas work its magic upon them.
Everything centers around Ma'Dere, the family matriarch played by Loretta Devine. I've seen her in several comical roles before and found her quite funny; here, she uses her comedic gifts but also has the opportunity to get serious. She runs a dry cleaning establishment and takes pride in being able to distribute the modest profits among her children, but not all of them are so sure that it's worth it for her to keep the family business running.
Lisa (Regina King), the eldest daughter, is convinced the time has come to sell, in part due to the urging of her husband Malcolm (Laz Alonso). However, she has been rather disconnected from the family, and her siblings, particularly her sister Melanie (Lauren London), distrust her motives. Model Kelli (Sharon Leal) finds herself preoccupied with a young man who used to admire her from afar when they were in school together.
The men of the family have other things on their minds. Quentin (Idris Elba), who's been gone for years, is worried about repaying a debt he owes to some dangerous people. Claude (Columbus Short) has been away in the army and never mentioned to anybody that he picked up a wife while he was there. Michael (Chris Brown) is the baby-faced youngster of the family, a high school student afraid to reveal to his mother his passion for singing, since his father left years ago to pursue his dreams of being a musician and his mother has equated music with abandonment ever since. Still, there's a new man in her life now, the upright Joe Black (Delroy Lindo), so this may be the perfect time to let bygones be bygones.
With so many siblings (and their significant others) to keep track of, this movie is sometimes rather hard to follow; I found myself mixing up the back stories of various characters, especially Lisa and Mel and Quentin and Claude. By the end of the movie, though, I had them pretty well straightened out. I think the film could have done with a bit of editing; it dragged for me, especially toward the beginning. I also found a few scenes uncomfortable, especially a couple involving retribution for a marital indiscretion.
On the other hand, I loved the character of Joe, who not only is a caring boyfriend but truly goes out of his way to help the children of his ladylove, even (and maybe especially) the antagonistic Quentin. I also found the storyline of Michael revealing his talent to his mother touching, and I felt the songs that showcased his talent fit right into the film instead of feeling superfluous, as sometimes happens when a pop star doubles as an actor. While it's not a movie I'd go out of my way to watch again, This Christmas is a nice tale of an extremely fractured family coming together and letting Christmas work its magic upon them.
Will Mom Get In the Way When Rerun Wants a Dog for Christmas?
It's been more than 40 years since a droopy little tree and a recitation
from the Gospel of Luke first charmed television audiences in A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Since then, it has become a cherished tradition. I don't think any
Peanuts special since has quite captured the majesty of that first one,
but whenever one of them is aired on television, I look forward to
sitting down and watching it. Because Christmas is such a popular
subject, it's not too surprising that the Peanuts gang starred in more
than one Christmas special.
Several years ago I watched It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown, a fun but rather scattered special involving, among other things, Sally's determination to remember her big line in the upcoming play and her insistence that Harold Angel was going to be singing in the program. More recently, I watched I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown, a Peanuts special produced after the death of Charles Schulz but taken from his strips, many of which can be found in the book It's a Dog's Life, Snoopy.
While It's Christmastime Again is largely a series of vignettes, I Want a Dog for Christmas has a pretty strong plot thread. Its main focus is Rerun (Jimmy Bennett), Linus's (Corey Patnos) little look-alike brother, who is always showing up on Charlie Brown's (Adam Taylor Gordon) doorstep asking if Snoopy (Bill Melendez) can come out and play. Usually his idea of playing involves Snoopy catching a ball and bringing it back or Snoopy puling Rerun on a sled - strenuous activities requiring a very tolerant pooch. Snoopy is only occasionally accommodating; more often, he's sitting inside laughing hysterically at the audacity of this pipsqueak.
Naturally, Rerun wouldn't have to be constantly trying to borrow Charlie Brown's dog if the Van Pelt residence had a dog as well. So Rerun, undeterred by older sister Lucy's (Ashley Rose) protests that their mother will never let him keep a dog, sets out to ask Santa for his heart's desire. Eventually, though, it's Snoopy who provides what seems like the perfect opportunity; it seems his desert-dwelling brother Spike has been lonesome of late and might just be amenable to a new living arrangement...
While Linus has always been my favorite of the Van Pelts - and probably my favorite human character in the strip - Rerun is pretty fun to observe. He's a very quirky kid who's not at all afraid to speak his mind. His conversations with a kindergarten classmate (Kaitlyn Maggio) are illuminating, and his lack of tact as he complains, in the presence of Linus and Lucy, about his family situation reminds me of my own little brother. It's not always easy being the youngest - though as the (hopefully less crabby) Lucy of my family, I contend that the youngest sometimes don't know how easy they have it!
Though Spike has a fairly minor role in the special, it's always fun to see Snoopy's relatives, and Spike's bland personality seems well suited to a lad who wants a dog he can control; Snoopy is much too independent for that. The first time I watched this, I had my doubts about it, since I hadn't been particularly impressed with Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown, a special which was released earlier that same year. I was pleased to find the story engaging and humorous, with plenty of Snoopy to keep things fun. I also appreciated that the characters all sounded fairly similar to those in A Charlie Brown Christmas; there have been specials in which the voices have sounded decidedly off to me. Compared to that classic, I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown feels like a bit of a lightweight, but standing on its own it is a perfectly solid special, and one of the better Peanuts adventures I've seen.
Several years ago I watched It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown, a fun but rather scattered special involving, among other things, Sally's determination to remember her big line in the upcoming play and her insistence that Harold Angel was going to be singing in the program. More recently, I watched I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown, a Peanuts special produced after the death of Charles Schulz but taken from his strips, many of which can be found in the book It's a Dog's Life, Snoopy.
While It's Christmastime Again is largely a series of vignettes, I Want a Dog for Christmas has a pretty strong plot thread. Its main focus is Rerun (Jimmy Bennett), Linus's (Corey Patnos) little look-alike brother, who is always showing up on Charlie Brown's (Adam Taylor Gordon) doorstep asking if Snoopy (Bill Melendez) can come out and play. Usually his idea of playing involves Snoopy catching a ball and bringing it back or Snoopy puling Rerun on a sled - strenuous activities requiring a very tolerant pooch. Snoopy is only occasionally accommodating; more often, he's sitting inside laughing hysterically at the audacity of this pipsqueak.
Naturally, Rerun wouldn't have to be constantly trying to borrow Charlie Brown's dog if the Van Pelt residence had a dog as well. So Rerun, undeterred by older sister Lucy's (Ashley Rose) protests that their mother will never let him keep a dog, sets out to ask Santa for his heart's desire. Eventually, though, it's Snoopy who provides what seems like the perfect opportunity; it seems his desert-dwelling brother Spike has been lonesome of late and might just be amenable to a new living arrangement...
While Linus has always been my favorite of the Van Pelts - and probably my favorite human character in the strip - Rerun is pretty fun to observe. He's a very quirky kid who's not at all afraid to speak his mind. His conversations with a kindergarten classmate (Kaitlyn Maggio) are illuminating, and his lack of tact as he complains, in the presence of Linus and Lucy, about his family situation reminds me of my own little brother. It's not always easy being the youngest - though as the (hopefully less crabby) Lucy of my family, I contend that the youngest sometimes don't know how easy they have it!
Though Spike has a fairly minor role in the special, it's always fun to see Snoopy's relatives, and Spike's bland personality seems well suited to a lad who wants a dog he can control; Snoopy is much too independent for that. The first time I watched this, I had my doubts about it, since I hadn't been particularly impressed with Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown, a special which was released earlier that same year. I was pleased to find the story engaging and humorous, with plenty of Snoopy to keep things fun. I also appreciated that the characters all sounded fairly similar to those in A Charlie Brown Christmas; there have been specials in which the voices have sounded decidedly off to me. Compared to that classic, I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown feels like a bit of a lightweight, but standing on its own it is a perfectly solid special, and one of the better Peanuts adventures I've seen.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Celebrate Christmas All Year Long With the VeggieTales Nativity Set
A few years ago, I received an e-mail inviting me to consider becoming a
consultant for VeggieMoms, a Pampered Chef-style outreach of the Big
Idea company through which enthusiasts of the computer animated
characters of VeggieTales sell DVDs and other products to folks in a
home setting. Given my passion for VeggieTales, I couldn't resist giving
it a whirl; it didn't last long, but during my brief stint I became
aware of several Veggie goodies I hadn't seen before. One of the most
enticing was the Nativity set. I had planned to purchase it when I
placed the orders for a show I was giving in early December, but that
show was canceled and I never got around to ordering it on my own. Every
Christmas since, I've told myself I ought to buy it, but in the
pre-Christmas craziness it never seems to happen, so I was thrilled to
find it sitting under the tree on Christmas morning this year.
The VeggieTales Nativity set is designed as both a decorative piece and a play set. It can easily sit on display, especially on a shelf or similar flat surface, but the pieces are of sturdy plastic and can be moved around easily and safely. In the aftermath of Christmas, I kept mine on the floor beneath the tree, on top of the tree skirt, so it wasn't entirely level ground and the pieces had a tendency to tip over, but the figures standing on the stage didn't have much trouble staying upright. The set comes with a cardboard floor made to resemble hardwood and a dark blue backdrop spangled with white stars. Separate from that is a plastic stable with three small rooms, thatched roof and a window that opens and closes. The center portion of the stable has a solid back wall, while the other two have walls of stone that are missing chunks at the top. It gives the building a look of disrepair that still manages to seem cozy.
The sense that I get with this set is that we are meant to see it as a Christmas pageant that various Veggies are putting on. The cardboard floor itself, not to mention the stable, is small enough that it isn't really possible to fit all of the figures inside unless you have some of them hanging out on the roof. Otherwise, it's best to let them spill out in front of the cardboard. I imagine this was a consideration in determining how many figures to include. Whenever you have a series as involved as VeggieTales, you're going to have trouble fitting all of the characters into any one project, and that's certainly the case here. Several very prominent characters are missing, most notably Bob the Tomato. I like to imagine that Bob is the director of this little play and that Archibald Asparagus, also absent, is the off-stage musical director.
In terms of props, the set includes a small yellow stand-up that I take to be a bale or two of hay; a tall palm tree; and a little blue manger with detachable brown legs that houses the tiny carrot portraying the Baby Jesus. His sister Laura can be found at the top of the stable, dressed as an angel set against the backdrop of a plastic star. If you press her nose, the star blinks and, in a rather wobbly voice, she sings the first two lines of O Little Town of Bethlehem. This is a charming addition that has proven rather startling lately, as we've had the stable lying face up on the couch for a few days while I decide just where to put it for the year; somehow, my cats keep managing to step on it, and initially, I always think it's them meowing.
Joseph is portrayed by an unknown gourd who looks very cute in his costume, and Mary, played by the little-known Mabel the pear, looks especially adorable in her rippling blue fabric. It isn't actually fabric, of course; it's just plastic, and it can't be removed. Still, they make a lovely pair. Junior Asparagus gets to be the shepherd, which seems especially fitting given his role as a shepherd in A Very Veggie Christmas. He wears beige duds tied with blue rope and looks positively delighted with his duty, while the pair of peas with cottonball wool and floppy black ears seem quite content to be his charges.
Then there are the three wise men, whose identities we are left to ponder. Their gifts are not in plain view, and evidently their camels are off getting a drink somewhere. Larry is considerably taller than his cohorts and wears a deep blue vest, purple robe and yellow turban. He also has a curly brown beard, which gives him a much more distinguished look than usual. Pa Grape retains his glasses and wears a swirly purple and gold hat with robes to match. Mr. Lunt is dressed in a red robe trimmed with white, and his head bears a jewel-encrusted silver crown. If you peek down at his head from above, you'll notice that you can see his stringy brown hair, perfectly parted down the middle. That just leaves Jimmy and Jerry Gourd, the only characters who don't have any attached clothing. The two of them fit perfectly inside of a cow costume, which is easily the funniest element of the set. It's a large white and black cow with a bulbous pink nose and beady eyes, and poor Jimmy is stuck in the back of the bovine for the duration of the play, while the taller Jerry stares ahead, grinning.
There are so many great Veggie characters that couldn't be incorporated into this set, I'm a little surprised that Mary and Joseph are portrayed by "anonymous" Veggies. I would've loved to see Annie, a soft-spoken, bespectacled scallion who has been underused throughout the series, portraying Mary or another angel. Of course, the Veggie folks could have incorporated more characters by adding any number of angels, shepherds and farm animals, and perhaps the innkeeper as well. While it would have been fun to have an excuse to include the likes of Scooter, Madame Blueberry, Mr. Nezzer and Petunia, it's probably just as well not to make things too crowded. This set includes two stationary characters and nine that are movable, which makes for a pretty full stable!
I love the VeggieTales Nativity play set and intend to display it somewhere in my room throughout the year. My only concern is my cats' fascination with the figures; several of them have been batted around, and poor Jimmy wound up under the couch for a few days after an especially satisfying chase. As long as I get them back in one piece, however, I'm willing to share my Veggies with my feline friends, not to mention any pals of the human variety. If VeggieTales is the show for you, then invite the gang in for a festive celebration of what Christmas is really all about.
The VeggieTales Nativity set is designed as both a decorative piece and a play set. It can easily sit on display, especially on a shelf or similar flat surface, but the pieces are of sturdy plastic and can be moved around easily and safely. In the aftermath of Christmas, I kept mine on the floor beneath the tree, on top of the tree skirt, so it wasn't entirely level ground and the pieces had a tendency to tip over, but the figures standing on the stage didn't have much trouble staying upright. The set comes with a cardboard floor made to resemble hardwood and a dark blue backdrop spangled with white stars. Separate from that is a plastic stable with three small rooms, thatched roof and a window that opens and closes. The center portion of the stable has a solid back wall, while the other two have walls of stone that are missing chunks at the top. It gives the building a look of disrepair that still manages to seem cozy.
The sense that I get with this set is that we are meant to see it as a Christmas pageant that various Veggies are putting on. The cardboard floor itself, not to mention the stable, is small enough that it isn't really possible to fit all of the figures inside unless you have some of them hanging out on the roof. Otherwise, it's best to let them spill out in front of the cardboard. I imagine this was a consideration in determining how many figures to include. Whenever you have a series as involved as VeggieTales, you're going to have trouble fitting all of the characters into any one project, and that's certainly the case here. Several very prominent characters are missing, most notably Bob the Tomato. I like to imagine that Bob is the director of this little play and that Archibald Asparagus, also absent, is the off-stage musical director.
In terms of props, the set includes a small yellow stand-up that I take to be a bale or two of hay; a tall palm tree; and a little blue manger with detachable brown legs that houses the tiny carrot portraying the Baby Jesus. His sister Laura can be found at the top of the stable, dressed as an angel set against the backdrop of a plastic star. If you press her nose, the star blinks and, in a rather wobbly voice, she sings the first two lines of O Little Town of Bethlehem. This is a charming addition that has proven rather startling lately, as we've had the stable lying face up on the couch for a few days while I decide just where to put it for the year; somehow, my cats keep managing to step on it, and initially, I always think it's them meowing.
Joseph is portrayed by an unknown gourd who looks very cute in his costume, and Mary, played by the little-known Mabel the pear, looks especially adorable in her rippling blue fabric. It isn't actually fabric, of course; it's just plastic, and it can't be removed. Still, they make a lovely pair. Junior Asparagus gets to be the shepherd, which seems especially fitting given his role as a shepherd in A Very Veggie Christmas. He wears beige duds tied with blue rope and looks positively delighted with his duty, while the pair of peas with cottonball wool and floppy black ears seem quite content to be his charges.
Then there are the three wise men, whose identities we are left to ponder. Their gifts are not in plain view, and evidently their camels are off getting a drink somewhere. Larry is considerably taller than his cohorts and wears a deep blue vest, purple robe and yellow turban. He also has a curly brown beard, which gives him a much more distinguished look than usual. Pa Grape retains his glasses and wears a swirly purple and gold hat with robes to match. Mr. Lunt is dressed in a red robe trimmed with white, and his head bears a jewel-encrusted silver crown. If you peek down at his head from above, you'll notice that you can see his stringy brown hair, perfectly parted down the middle. That just leaves Jimmy and Jerry Gourd, the only characters who don't have any attached clothing. The two of them fit perfectly inside of a cow costume, which is easily the funniest element of the set. It's a large white and black cow with a bulbous pink nose and beady eyes, and poor Jimmy is stuck in the back of the bovine for the duration of the play, while the taller Jerry stares ahead, grinning.
There are so many great Veggie characters that couldn't be incorporated into this set, I'm a little surprised that Mary and Joseph are portrayed by "anonymous" Veggies. I would've loved to see Annie, a soft-spoken, bespectacled scallion who has been underused throughout the series, portraying Mary or another angel. Of course, the Veggie folks could have incorporated more characters by adding any number of angels, shepherds and farm animals, and perhaps the innkeeper as well. While it would have been fun to have an excuse to include the likes of Scooter, Madame Blueberry, Mr. Nezzer and Petunia, it's probably just as well not to make things too crowded. This set includes two stationary characters and nine that are movable, which makes for a pretty full stable!
I love the VeggieTales Nativity play set and intend to display it somewhere in my room throughout the year. My only concern is my cats' fascination with the figures; several of them have been batted around, and poor Jimmy wound up under the couch for a few days after an especially satisfying chase. As long as I get them back in one piece, however, I'm willing to share my Veggies with my feline friends, not to mention any pals of the human variety. If VeggieTales is the show for you, then invite the gang in for a festive celebration of what Christmas is really all about.
An Everyman Strives to Make the Country - and Himself - Better in Swing Vote
This past week found me glued to the television two nights in a row for a
pair of long-anticipated events: the Inauguration of Barack Obama and
the season five premiere of LOST. A couple days later, I found myself watching a movie with relevance to both: Swing Vote, a feel-good satire about our nation's political process.
Okay, so it's mostly relevant to the ushering in of a new president, as the whole movie is about an extraordinarily close presidential election whose outcome is to be determined by a single man, an immature, beer-swilling single dad in New Mexico named Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner). The particulars of how this duty is bestowed upon him stretch believability, but this is a movie designed to lampoon the circus that is campaigning, so realism isn't a terribly important consideration.
There's enough truth within it to strike a chord with those weary of the endless games politicians seem to play in hopes of winning that coveted vote. In this film, the contenders are Republican incumbent Andrew Boone (Kelsey Grammer), an ultra-conservative fellow who finds common ground with Bud in such earthy activities as football and Nascar, and Democratic hopeful Donald Greenleaf (Dennis Hopper), who appeals to Bud's love of fishing and his fondness for Willie Nelson. I appreciate that writer-director Joshua Michael Stern depicts both candidates as honorable and capable, albeit with very particular prejudices on certain matters. With only one man to impress, both parties throw all of their effort behind attempts to appease him, egged on by their unethical advisors, played by a sibilant Stanley Tucci and pushy Nathan Lane. Meanwhile, Bud becomes a media darling, an instant celebrity on whom the hopes of the country are pinned.
The LOST connection comes in the form of Madeline Carroll, the young actress who plays Bud's daughter Molly. It only took me a moment to realize why I recognized her; though her total onscreen time probably amounted to less than fifteen minutes, she made a big impression on me as Annie, childhood sweetheart of the perpetually perplexing Ben Linus, in season three's The Man Behind the Curtain. I've been itching for the return of her character on the show and expect it will happen at some point, though not necessarily with Carroll in the role; hence, I was pretty tickled to see her here.
Inevitably, I had to draw a few LOST comparisons. We don't know much about Annie's parentage, other than that she must have at least one parent who works for the Dharma Initiative. But Molly's relationship with her father has parallels with Ben's - not, happily, in his level of affection toward her, which is undeniable, but in the way that she has to look after him, particularly after he has been drinking. Bud is clueless but not abusive, but Molly's best friend isn't so lucky, and the isolated children find solace in each other, particularly during a swing set scene that reminds me not only of Ben and Annie but also of a certain shadowy Hogwarts professor and his long-lost love.
Molly really is the heart of the film, a middle schooler with big ambitions who's tired of feeling as though she is raising her dad instead of the other way around. At times, she's an insufferable know-it-all, as only a clever preteen girl can be, but for the most part, she is likable, and it's heartwarming to see how Bud's awareness of the importance of his decision develops because of his daughter. The movie is less snarky and more warm-hearted than I expected, and the great cast helps make the outlandish situation easier to swallow. With this last election still fresh in everyone's minds, Swing Vote is a funny and timely film.
Okay, so it's mostly relevant to the ushering in of a new president, as the whole movie is about an extraordinarily close presidential election whose outcome is to be determined by a single man, an immature, beer-swilling single dad in New Mexico named Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner). The particulars of how this duty is bestowed upon him stretch believability, but this is a movie designed to lampoon the circus that is campaigning, so realism isn't a terribly important consideration.
There's enough truth within it to strike a chord with those weary of the endless games politicians seem to play in hopes of winning that coveted vote. In this film, the contenders are Republican incumbent Andrew Boone (Kelsey Grammer), an ultra-conservative fellow who finds common ground with Bud in such earthy activities as football and Nascar, and Democratic hopeful Donald Greenleaf (Dennis Hopper), who appeals to Bud's love of fishing and his fondness for Willie Nelson. I appreciate that writer-director Joshua Michael Stern depicts both candidates as honorable and capable, albeit with very particular prejudices on certain matters. With only one man to impress, both parties throw all of their effort behind attempts to appease him, egged on by their unethical advisors, played by a sibilant Stanley Tucci and pushy Nathan Lane. Meanwhile, Bud becomes a media darling, an instant celebrity on whom the hopes of the country are pinned.
The LOST connection comes in the form of Madeline Carroll, the young actress who plays Bud's daughter Molly. It only took me a moment to realize why I recognized her; though her total onscreen time probably amounted to less than fifteen minutes, she made a big impression on me as Annie, childhood sweetheart of the perpetually perplexing Ben Linus, in season three's The Man Behind the Curtain. I've been itching for the return of her character on the show and expect it will happen at some point, though not necessarily with Carroll in the role; hence, I was pretty tickled to see her here.
Inevitably, I had to draw a few LOST comparisons. We don't know much about Annie's parentage, other than that she must have at least one parent who works for the Dharma Initiative. But Molly's relationship with her father has parallels with Ben's - not, happily, in his level of affection toward her, which is undeniable, but in the way that she has to look after him, particularly after he has been drinking. Bud is clueless but not abusive, but Molly's best friend isn't so lucky, and the isolated children find solace in each other, particularly during a swing set scene that reminds me not only of Ben and Annie but also of a certain shadowy Hogwarts professor and his long-lost love.
Molly really is the heart of the film, a middle schooler with big ambitions who's tired of feeling as though she is raising her dad instead of the other way around. At times, she's an insufferable know-it-all, as only a clever preteen girl can be, but for the most part, she is likable, and it's heartwarming to see how Bud's awareness of the importance of his decision develops because of his daughter. The movie is less snarky and more warm-hearted than I expected, and the great cast helps make the outlandish situation easier to swallow. With this last election still fresh in everyone's minds, Swing Vote is a funny and timely film.
American Girl Hits the Big Screen in Kit Kittredge, Hopefully Not for the Last Time
When I was about ten years old, I fell in love with the American Girl
company. First I read the books, and then I sent away for the catalogs,
which I would rapturously peruse for hours, studying each of the dolls
from various historical periods and marveling at all the intricate props
and costumes available for purchase. My level of obsession was high
enough that when Christmas arrived, I received Samantha, a Victorian
orphan living with her wealthy grandmother, along with the glasses meant
for World War II-era Molly and the Santa Lucia dress belonging to
Kirsten, a Swedish immigrant living on the frontier in the mid-1800s. At
that time, those were the only three girls in the collection. Now that
number has increased to nine. One of the newbies is Kit, whose books
take place during the 1930s. Though I hadn't read any of the stories
pertaining to her, I trust the quality of the American Girl franchise
and was looking forward to watching Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, the first American Girl movie to be released in theaters rather than on television.
Kit, a plucky ten-year-old who dreams of being a reporter, is played by Abigail Breslin, and she's only one of the big names in this charming piece of historical fiction. Others include the dashing Chris O'Donnell as Kit's doting dad Jack, who leaves town to search for work after he is laid off early in the film; the explosive Wallace Shawn as Mr. Gibson, a newspaper editor who sees reporter potential in Kit but isn't about to print one of her stories unless it genuinely wows him; Joan Cusack as eccentric mobile librarian Miss Bond; Stanley Tucci as Jefferson Berk, a charismatic magician with a ridiculous mustache; and Colin Mochrie of Whose Line Is It, Anyway? as a kindly hobo Kit and her friends encounter in a settlement just outside of town.
The context of the tale is the Great Depression, and the situations may ring all too true for many of the children watching. Job loss is rampant, and many of those accustomed to extravagant living find themselves having to drastically alter their lifestyles in order to scrape by. Kit's compassionate mother, Margaret (Julia Ormond), copes by opening her home to boarders. She also hires on Will (Max Thieriot), a teenage transient with a strong work ethic, in exchange for food. Kit's home becomes a place of constant activity, and she and her loyal friends, wealthy Ruthie (Madison Davenport) and destitute Stirling (Zach Mills), are always on the lookout for a promising lead that could win her that much-desired publication.
There's adventure aplenty in this wholesome tale, which encourages generosity, determination and tolerance. It's rare these days to see a G-rated movie, especially a live-action one; Kit Kittredge feels like a throwback to the glory days of family-friendly films. I would certainly consider it appropriate for children and adults to watch together; the movie is likely to entertain as well as educate viewers of all ages. Ann Peacock's script, based in part on the books written by Valerie Tripp, is full of fun little twists that keep even adults guessing. All the clues are laid out so that the audience can draw the correct conclusions, but they are subtle enough that if you'd rather just go along for the ride and be surprised, the solutions to various mysteries won't necessarily jump right out at you.
I was impressed by every aspect of this movie, from the excellent cast to the clever plotting and the attention to detail with the costumes and props. I especially loved Kit's tree house and the cart that she uses to sell eggs later in the movie. Although I've been a fan of American Girl for many years now, I found this movie even better than I expected. Nothing about it suggested to me that it should have been put on television like its predecessors; if anything, it made me wonder if perhaps the earlier films should have gotten the theater treatment as well. I'm eager to investigate that matter, and I hope that, although Kit didn't make much of a splash at the box office, she won't be the last of the American Girls to hit the big screen.
Kit, a plucky ten-year-old who dreams of being a reporter, is played by Abigail Breslin, and she's only one of the big names in this charming piece of historical fiction. Others include the dashing Chris O'Donnell as Kit's doting dad Jack, who leaves town to search for work after he is laid off early in the film; the explosive Wallace Shawn as Mr. Gibson, a newspaper editor who sees reporter potential in Kit but isn't about to print one of her stories unless it genuinely wows him; Joan Cusack as eccentric mobile librarian Miss Bond; Stanley Tucci as Jefferson Berk, a charismatic magician with a ridiculous mustache; and Colin Mochrie of Whose Line Is It, Anyway? as a kindly hobo Kit and her friends encounter in a settlement just outside of town.
The context of the tale is the Great Depression, and the situations may ring all too true for many of the children watching. Job loss is rampant, and many of those accustomed to extravagant living find themselves having to drastically alter their lifestyles in order to scrape by. Kit's compassionate mother, Margaret (Julia Ormond), copes by opening her home to boarders. She also hires on Will (Max Thieriot), a teenage transient with a strong work ethic, in exchange for food. Kit's home becomes a place of constant activity, and she and her loyal friends, wealthy Ruthie (Madison Davenport) and destitute Stirling (Zach Mills), are always on the lookout for a promising lead that could win her that much-desired publication.
There's adventure aplenty in this wholesome tale, which encourages generosity, determination and tolerance. It's rare these days to see a G-rated movie, especially a live-action one; Kit Kittredge feels like a throwback to the glory days of family-friendly films. I would certainly consider it appropriate for children and adults to watch together; the movie is likely to entertain as well as educate viewers of all ages. Ann Peacock's script, based in part on the books written by Valerie Tripp, is full of fun little twists that keep even adults guessing. All the clues are laid out so that the audience can draw the correct conclusions, but they are subtle enough that if you'd rather just go along for the ride and be surprised, the solutions to various mysteries won't necessarily jump right out at you.
I was impressed by every aspect of this movie, from the excellent cast to the clever plotting and the attention to detail with the costumes and props. I especially loved Kit's tree house and the cart that she uses to sell eggs later in the movie. Although I've been a fan of American Girl for many years now, I found this movie even better than I expected. Nothing about it suggested to me that it should have been put on television like its predecessors; if anything, it made me wonder if perhaps the earlier films should have gotten the theater treatment as well. I'm eager to investigate that matter, and I hope that, although Kit didn't make much of a splash at the box office, she won't be the last of the American Girls to hit the big screen.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Boy Named Charlie Brown Is No Failure Face
I'm a big fan of Peanuts, so when Netflix directed me to a
Charlie Brown film I'd never seen, and a full-length one at that, I was
excited. At first, when I received A Boy Named Charlie Brown in the mail, I thought the movie might be something along the lines of a cartoon version of the stage musical, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
But while that play gives all the characters equal time and is more a
series of vignettes than an actual story, this film has a very definite
plot, and Charlie Brown (Peter Robbins) has a larger role to play in it
than anyone else, with the possible exception of Linus (Glenn Gilger).
One of Charlie Brown's most endearing qualities is his tendency toward lousy luck. It's easy for us to see ourselves in this boy who can't get his kite in the air or work up the nerve to talk to the little red-haired girl. But it doesn't seem fair for this good-hearted lad to fall flat on his face time and again. Surely even the blockhead with the jagged stripe on his shirt ought to have a genuine shot at glory. Charles Schulz must have thought so, too, because in this movie, we find that Charlie Brown is actually good at something. It turns out that he has a knack for spelling. He has such a knack, in fact, that he makes it all the way to the National Spelling Bee.
I never would have figured Charlie Brown, who has such trouble getting through letters to his pen pal, for a literary ace, but it seems to have been a latent talent. Once he discovers it, he does everything he can to nurture it, largely for the sake of his friends, who are quickly caught up in the excitement. He even comes up with a song that might prove helpful to those who struggle with spelling. Then again, as someone who once participated in a citywide spelling bee, I understand Charlie Brown's frustration in poring over long lists of words; this movie does nothing to glamorize the process and could scare some kids off when they see the way the preparations can overtake one's life.
I found the main storyline extremely engaging, along with a subplot involving Linus lending Charlie Brown his security blanket and then going through extreme withdrawal symptoms after a short time without it. His pain is evident in his appearance, as he is shaky, clammy and discolored, but its most memorable manifestation is in the subversion of the peppy Linus and Lucy tune, turning it into a minor-key dirge whenever Linus appears onscreen without his beloved blanket. I'm also a fan of the sappy theme song written and sung by Rod McKuen, though I find the other songs he penned a bit grating, especially the taunting Failure Face.
What I could have done without in the special are several extremely trippy montages that reminded me a bit of some of the scarier animated segments in Sesame Street history. They don't serve much of a purpose, and the series of flashing images is headache-inducing. These diversions occur mainly in the first half of the film, before the focus turns almost entirely to Charlie Brown's studies and Linus's struggles. I doubt Schulz had much to do with them, as they're entirely lacking in dialogue or plot; they're just an excuse for Bill Melendez to show off some fancy animation and Vince Guaraldi to expand his jazzy score. Some will probably find these segments appealing, but for me, they dragged the movie down a bit.
Still, if you're a Charlie Brown fan, you'll definitely want to check this out to see how much triumph the perpetual loser will be allowed. Despite a few ironic twists, A Boy Named Charlie Brown leaves one with a feeling of optimism. If Charlie Brown can suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and still press on, why not the rest of us?
One of Charlie Brown's most endearing qualities is his tendency toward lousy luck. It's easy for us to see ourselves in this boy who can't get his kite in the air or work up the nerve to talk to the little red-haired girl. But it doesn't seem fair for this good-hearted lad to fall flat on his face time and again. Surely even the blockhead with the jagged stripe on his shirt ought to have a genuine shot at glory. Charles Schulz must have thought so, too, because in this movie, we find that Charlie Brown is actually good at something. It turns out that he has a knack for spelling. He has such a knack, in fact, that he makes it all the way to the National Spelling Bee.
I never would have figured Charlie Brown, who has such trouble getting through letters to his pen pal, for a literary ace, but it seems to have been a latent talent. Once he discovers it, he does everything he can to nurture it, largely for the sake of his friends, who are quickly caught up in the excitement. He even comes up with a song that might prove helpful to those who struggle with spelling. Then again, as someone who once participated in a citywide spelling bee, I understand Charlie Brown's frustration in poring over long lists of words; this movie does nothing to glamorize the process and could scare some kids off when they see the way the preparations can overtake one's life.
I found the main storyline extremely engaging, along with a subplot involving Linus lending Charlie Brown his security blanket and then going through extreme withdrawal symptoms after a short time without it. His pain is evident in his appearance, as he is shaky, clammy and discolored, but its most memorable manifestation is in the subversion of the peppy Linus and Lucy tune, turning it into a minor-key dirge whenever Linus appears onscreen without his beloved blanket. I'm also a fan of the sappy theme song written and sung by Rod McKuen, though I find the other songs he penned a bit grating, especially the taunting Failure Face.
What I could have done without in the special are several extremely trippy montages that reminded me a bit of some of the scarier animated segments in Sesame Street history. They don't serve much of a purpose, and the series of flashing images is headache-inducing. These diversions occur mainly in the first half of the film, before the focus turns almost entirely to Charlie Brown's studies and Linus's struggles. I doubt Schulz had much to do with them, as they're entirely lacking in dialogue or plot; they're just an excuse for Bill Melendez to show off some fancy animation and Vince Guaraldi to expand his jazzy score. Some will probably find these segments appealing, but for me, they dragged the movie down a bit.
Still, if you're a Charlie Brown fan, you'll definitely want to check this out to see how much triumph the perpetual loser will be allowed. Despite a few ironic twists, A Boy Named Charlie Brown leaves one with a feeling of optimism. If Charlie Brown can suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and still press on, why not the rest of us?
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog Is a Beastly Beauty
Last week, my brother came downstairs and announced, "There's something
we need to watch." As both of us had a small stack of DVDs given to us
at Christmas, this was an ambiguous statement, so I waited for him to
elaborate. Instead of making for the tree, he headed over to the
computer and started up Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, which I'd seen referenced in Entertainment Weekly but knew little about. Written and directed by Joss Whedon of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
fame, in collaboration with Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen, it's a
series of three 15-minute-long video blogs created during the Writers'
Strike. It stars Neil Patrick Harris as Dr. Horrible (otherwise known as
Billy), Felicia Day as Penny, the girl of his dreams, and Nathan
Fillion as his nemesis, Captain Hammer.
The first part begins with Dr. Horrible at his blogging station, answering mail from fans. He returns to this position occasionally, but most of the blog follows him, Captain Hammer and Penny around town as they strive to achieve their individual goals. Dr. Horrible's aims are clear: to finally be accepted as a member of the Evil League of Evil and to get up the nerve to have a coherent conversation with Penny at the laundromat they both frequent. Meanwhile, Penny spends her time petitioning to save an old building so that it can be transformed into a homeless shelter, while Captain Hammer does his best to thwart Dr. Horrible (and Billy, too).
This is an unconventional superhero story because we're meant to root for the villain, whose evil aspirations rarely match up with his mousy personality (or his anemic villainous laugh). Scrawny Billy is an angsty but pensive and gentle soul who considers killing inelegant and passes on an invitation to duel because the chosen location is within sight of children. Muscle-bound Captain Hammer is a narcissistic lunkhead reminiscent of Cartoon Network's Johnny Bravo. Saintly Penny, unaware of Billy's "Ph.D. in horribleness," is caught in the middle. The only other semi-major character is Moist (Simon Helberg), Billy's wet blanket of a roommate, who seems kind but ineffective.
I wasn't completely sold on Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog until the singing began. At that point, I found myself entirely delighted with My Freeze Ray, Billy's jaunty tune in which his villainous dreams and his infatuation with Penny merge: "With my freeze ray I will stop the world. / With my freeze ray I will / Find the time to find the words to / Tell you how / How you make / Make me feel..." I never knew that Harris was such a talented singer, though my brother informed me he's been on Broadway. He has a very pleasant tone to his voice and expresses emotion quite well with his vocals. This cheerful tune is my favorite of the seven songs in which he plays a prominent role, but I'm also a big fan of the brooding My Eyes, in which he alternates with Day as Billy and Penny separately reflect on her new relationship with Captain Hammer.
Fillion, whose baritone reminds me of Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, has three songs in which to shine, most notably the overblown We Are the World-style Everyone's a Hero, in which he condescendingly explains to an adoring crowd how Penny has transformed him into a humanitarian and how he now appreciates the struggles of the less fortunate: "Everyone’s a hero in their own way / Everyone’s got villains they must face / They’re not as cool as mine / But folks, you know it’s fine to know your place." Day's voice is soft and whispery, and her big solo truly is inspirational, in a much quieter way: "Even in the darkness / Every color can be found / And every day of rain / Brings water flowing / To things growing in the ground." All three, along with several minor characters, come together for So They Say, a group song that again reminds me of Beauty and the Beast, this time the show-stopping Belle, as it involves the whole town reacting to a juicy bit of news involving Captain Hammer and Penny.
To make comparisons to that exquisite Disney musical is to pay Whedon and company a sincere compliment. These are some of the most cleverly written songs I've encountered in a while, full of complex rhymes, catchy melodies and character-revealing moments. Story parallels exist as well. Penny is as compassionate as Belle, though she's more of a damsel in distress than that spunky heroine. Captain Hammer is just as self-involved as Gaston and engages in charitable deeds half-heartedly to win the girl. Dr. Horrible, instead of being condemned to a beastly fate, seeks that alteration himself in response to a world that he feels has been cruel to him. In addition to the elements of musical, comedy and romance, the tale becomes an examination of what drives otherwise decent people to embrace evil deeds. Even more pressing than the question of who winds up with Penny is the question of whether Dr. Horrible can - or should - truly pursue both goals simultaneously and hope for any degree of success. They certainly seem incongruous, and the answer provided by the finale offers food for thought and plenty of room for further exploration. That's why I'm thrilled to hear that Dr. Horrible will be back. Though I don't know whether his next adventure will take the direction I would like, I'll most certainly be watching the continuing journey.
The first part begins with Dr. Horrible at his blogging station, answering mail from fans. He returns to this position occasionally, but most of the blog follows him, Captain Hammer and Penny around town as they strive to achieve their individual goals. Dr. Horrible's aims are clear: to finally be accepted as a member of the Evil League of Evil and to get up the nerve to have a coherent conversation with Penny at the laundromat they both frequent. Meanwhile, Penny spends her time petitioning to save an old building so that it can be transformed into a homeless shelter, while Captain Hammer does his best to thwart Dr. Horrible (and Billy, too).
This is an unconventional superhero story because we're meant to root for the villain, whose evil aspirations rarely match up with his mousy personality (or his anemic villainous laugh). Scrawny Billy is an angsty but pensive and gentle soul who considers killing inelegant and passes on an invitation to duel because the chosen location is within sight of children. Muscle-bound Captain Hammer is a narcissistic lunkhead reminiscent of Cartoon Network's Johnny Bravo. Saintly Penny, unaware of Billy's "Ph.D. in horribleness," is caught in the middle. The only other semi-major character is Moist (Simon Helberg), Billy's wet blanket of a roommate, who seems kind but ineffective.
I wasn't completely sold on Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog until the singing began. At that point, I found myself entirely delighted with My Freeze Ray, Billy's jaunty tune in which his villainous dreams and his infatuation with Penny merge: "With my freeze ray I will stop the world. / With my freeze ray I will / Find the time to find the words to / Tell you how / How you make / Make me feel..." I never knew that Harris was such a talented singer, though my brother informed me he's been on Broadway. He has a very pleasant tone to his voice and expresses emotion quite well with his vocals. This cheerful tune is my favorite of the seven songs in which he plays a prominent role, but I'm also a big fan of the brooding My Eyes, in which he alternates with Day as Billy and Penny separately reflect on her new relationship with Captain Hammer.
Fillion, whose baritone reminds me of Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, has three songs in which to shine, most notably the overblown We Are the World-style Everyone's a Hero, in which he condescendingly explains to an adoring crowd how Penny has transformed him into a humanitarian and how he now appreciates the struggles of the less fortunate: "Everyone’s a hero in their own way / Everyone’s got villains they must face / They’re not as cool as mine / But folks, you know it’s fine to know your place." Day's voice is soft and whispery, and her big solo truly is inspirational, in a much quieter way: "Even in the darkness / Every color can be found / And every day of rain / Brings water flowing / To things growing in the ground." All three, along with several minor characters, come together for So They Say, a group song that again reminds me of Beauty and the Beast, this time the show-stopping Belle, as it involves the whole town reacting to a juicy bit of news involving Captain Hammer and Penny.
To make comparisons to that exquisite Disney musical is to pay Whedon and company a sincere compliment. These are some of the most cleverly written songs I've encountered in a while, full of complex rhymes, catchy melodies and character-revealing moments. Story parallels exist as well. Penny is as compassionate as Belle, though she's more of a damsel in distress than that spunky heroine. Captain Hammer is just as self-involved as Gaston and engages in charitable deeds half-heartedly to win the girl. Dr. Horrible, instead of being condemned to a beastly fate, seeks that alteration himself in response to a world that he feels has been cruel to him. In addition to the elements of musical, comedy and romance, the tale becomes an examination of what drives otherwise decent people to embrace evil deeds. Even more pressing than the question of who winds up with Penny is the question of whether Dr. Horrible can - or should - truly pursue both goals simultaneously and hope for any degree of success. They certainly seem incongruous, and the answer provided by the finale offers food for thought and plenty of room for further exploration. That's why I'm thrilled to hear that Dr. Horrible will be back. Though I don't know whether his next adventure will take the direction I would like, I'll most certainly be watching the continuing journey.
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