Memosaic

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Derek Hough: "Great" or "Greatest" Dancer?

My husband says Derek Hough is the best dancer he’s ever seen. His words hurt me a little, for I always thought he reserved that honor for me.

Still, I’m one of Derek’s most avid fans. In fact, he’s the main reason I watch Dancing with the Stars. I’m convinced he’s the best dancer since the great Gene Kelly. And like Kelly, Derek is an amazing choreographer.

Body tension, technique, artistry and athleticism combine in all of Derek’s dynamic performances. His lucky partners benefit tremendously from working with him. Nicole Scherzinger, Derek’s latest partner, became someone wonderful to see as she shared the spotlight with him this past season. Congratulations to them both for winning the coveted ballroom trophy this year.

That’s dancin’!!!

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Thursday, May 20, 2010

I Love Films about Movies!

My favorite movie of all time is Singin’ in the Rain, a wonderful musical about silent movies changing to “the talkies.” Behind-the-scenes shenanigans, studio politics, self-absorbed stars, frustrated directors and ambitious screenwriters make terrific fodder for cinematic treatment, and I definitely enjoy seeing these situations and characters depicted on screen. Here are a few of my other favorite flicks about movies:

America’s Sweethearts. Everything about Hollywood gets lampooned in this amusing romantic comedy starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and John Cusack as a famous movie couple who can’t get along in real life.

Chump Change. Pursuing showbiz fame has never been filmed more hilariously than in this clever mockumentary written by, directed and starring Stephen Burrows

Lost in La Mancha. This remarkable chronicle of the catastrophes that sunk Terry Gilliam’s ambitious Don Quixote production held me spellbound from beginning to end.

Made-Up. In Tony Shalhoub’s impressive directorial debut film, some very confused and funny camera crew members attempt to understand what’s going on with the people they’re filming.

The Majestic. Jim Carrey’s laid-back performance as a studio yes-man and writer of B-movies who becomes a man of integrity is a joy to watch in this sentimental, nostalgic drama.

Shadow of the Vampire. Willem Dafoe goes triumphantly over the top as a real vampire hired to play an actor portraying a vampire in the classic silent horror movie, Nosferatu.

S1MONE. The illusions of Hollywood receive good-natured spoofing in this provocative film about a director (Al Pacino) who finds the perfect actress. The only problem? She’s an image coming from an electrical socket, and he must keep that a secret.

Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! While poking fun at the cult of movie stardom, this entertaining romantic comedy also celebrates the importance of true love and the value of friendship.

I think most of these films deserve more than one viewing. As megastar Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) put it so eloquently in Singin’ in the Rain, “If we bring a little joy into yer humdrum lives, it makes us feel as though our hard work ain’t been in vain fer nuthin’.”

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Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Upcoming Summer Films

“I always look forward to the summer movie season, and this year I’m looking forward the most to Robin Hood because I love Russell Crowe.”

As usual, I like the way Mo Green thinks. She’s the host of BlogTalkRadio’s wonderful Morning Coffee show -- and one of twelve responders to my little survey about which summer movies people are most eager to see.

Olivia Wilder, another popular BTR host, also mentions Robin Hood on her list that includes Sex and the City 2, Iron Man 2,
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, Salt and Despicable Me.

Philip Recchia, program director for BTR, joins the Robin Hood supporters. “Kevin Costner got it SO wrong in the 1991 version,” he writes. “So let’s see if Russell can do the tale justice.”

Film critic John P. McCarthy wants to “gawk at” Angelina Jolie in Salt, and Toy Story 3 earned votes from movie fan Jordan Wellin, entertainment journalist Diana Saenger and movie critic Jeffrey Chen. Another critic, Jacqueline Jung, and I are excited about Iron Man 2, mostly because we enjoy Robert Downey Jr. so much.
But the film receiving the most interest from survey participants is Inception, Christopher Nolan’s upcoming thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page. Votes for this movie came from film critics Joanne Ross and Laura Clifford, indie filmmaker Gary King, and several of the survey participants already mentioned.

On yesterday’s Movie Addict Headquarters radio show, Mad Movie Man A.J. Hakari talked about summer movies he’s looking forward to the most, and Inception topped his list, followed by Iron Man 2, Toy Story 3, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and The Expendables. A.J. predicts that Iron Man 2 and Toy Story 3 will be this summer’s biggest box office hits. He might be right. What do you think?

Listen to the Mad Movie Man’s interview and hear my survey results by clicking on the link below.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/movieaddictheadquarters

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