Ed's Review Dot Com

Serendipity Point Films, XYZ Films, Citizen Jones,

Minnie Driver, Meat Loaf, Allie MacDonald, Douglas Smith, Kent Nolan

Kylie Swanson (Minnie Driver) was a huge stage star, but she was murdered during her big production. Her daughter, Camilla (Allie MacDonald) is working as a cook in a rather snooty acting camp and Kylie’s manager, Roger McCall (Meat Loaf) is running the camp and wants to perform the same musical that Camilla’s mother was killed performing. Camilla has a desire to be an actress like her mother and tries out for the lead role. But history is repeating itself as bodies begin to pile up.

This film did not really impress me. I can see a sort of Rocky Horror Show kind of feel, which I have also never been really fond of. Some of the songs from Rocky are classics, but…this one doesn’t have the hits that Rocky has. This is a genuine mix of musical and horror, but the problem I think is that this “fusion” business just doesn’t work. It’s not a good musical, and it’s not a good horror film. Either one could have been good if they had focused their efforts on one or the other. Meat Loaf’s performance was actually riveting most of the way. He played a character that was so different from himself that you could quickly forget that it was him. He did a great job playing the “The show must go on” director of this camp. There is some humor, and of course, every couple minutes the cast breaks into song to stop progression of the story. With lyrics like: “All of us have heard these names of hate, but let me get one thing straight: I’m gay, I’m gay, but not in that way / Musicals move me and touch me in ways I can’t say. / He’s gay, but not in that way. / I sleep with women but musicals make me feel gay! / I’m gay, I’m actually gay. I don’t get hard when I see T and A / Could be my DNA or how I was raised. / We don’t distinguish here at Center Stage. / We’re all gay, we’re gay in all …” it gives you an idea why the musical portion doesn’t work. I felt it actually hurt the horror portion making it much less intense as well. Basically it was a brave move to try to make a horror musical, but for the general public, I don’t think it’s going to work. There is a group of people who will love this, and to them I say, go for it, but for the rest of us, it’s just not good enough on either side. I would say to skip this one.

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Thinking Bee Productions,

Barry Cowsill, Bill Cowsill, Bob Cowsill, John Cowsill, Paul Cowsill, Richard Cowsill, Susan Cowsill

In the Spring of 1964, Bill, Bob and Barry Cowsill put together a rock band. From the very beginning it appeared that they had an amazing musical ability to harmonize wonderfully. Their father Bud realized their talent. He was a military man who ran his family with an iron fist, and then some. He insisted that the other brothers John and Paul also join the band, along with little sister Susan and their Mother Barbara. In 1967 they hit the big time with the #1 hit, “The Rain, the Park, and Other Things”. The following year they hit the charts again with “Indian Lake” and then the theme song from “Hair”. During this time, some TV executives approached them with the idea of doing a TV sitcom about the Cowsills, but they wanted to have Shirley Jones play the mother, as Barbara was not considered appropriate to play their mother. The family declined, and so they hired actors to play the roles and named the sitcom “The Partridge Family” but as Shirley Jones states, they brought pictures of the Cowsills and told them “This is who you are going to be playing.” Times have been hard for the Cowsills, and their lives were filled with a lot of pain and suffering. They have gotten back together a few times, but there were also some very tragic times. Life has not been easy. This documentary was made to tell their story, and it’s a very interesting, although a wild story that has to be seen to be believed. Filled with music and memories, this film tells the back story behind the family that really were The Partridge Family.

This documentary was made by the family themselves, and is very intriguing. I really enjoyed watching it. Back in 1969 I was in college and saw The Cowsills at a homecoming concert. They were wonderfully talented and could harmonize in 5 part harmony that is unique among family groups. They were definitely afraid of their terror of a father, and forced to act like trained seals, but at the same time, they were certainly successful for a while. This film features each of The Cowsills, and their own personal memories and stories, as well as some wonderful performances from the old TV programs on which they appeared. This film is running on Showtime this month, but may also be found on-line or at movie download sites. It’s hard to find, but well worth seeking out, especially if you’ve ever wanted to head on down to Indian Lake yourself. This is a fine documentary.

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Opening Night Productions , Concept Entertainment , Unison Films,

Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Imogen Poots, Catherine Keener, Wallace Shawn, Mark Ivanir, Liraz Charhi, Madhur Jaffrey, Anne Sofie von Otter

Four members of a world famous classical quartet are planning for their 25th anniversary concert. But a shocking medical diagnosis for Peter (Christopher Walken), the oldest and the leader of the group, forces him to announce that he is not sure if he can make the concert. Things get a bit better, and they decide to make this 25th anniversary concert his personal farewell, although he recommends a new member to take his place. But all the stresses and pressures of a life making classical music suddenly releases and all kinds of personal issues break out. Things escalate, as the pressure seems like it’s going to break the group apart, and perhaps destroy many lives in the progress. The focus fades from the serious problem facing Peter, and passes on to the terrible personal issues affect the rest of the group.

This was a surprising film to me in a way. I debated long and hard as to whether or not to watch this film, as I thought it had to be very strange. I was prepared to be bored with the classical music, and yet, looking at the fantastic cast in this film, I couldn’t decide whether to watch it or not. Well, I’m always looking out for unusual movies, and the hidden gems (as I like to call them) that are missed on the fringes of the box office, and I was quite impressed with this film. There is a LOT of character development, and some really good characters. The biggest problem with these guys is that they take the music far too serious. I know people like this, although I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone this obsessed, but at the same token, these guys have been playing classical music together for 25 years. Still they’re taking themselves far too serious. They are screwed up, that’s for sure, and that’s the interesting thing to watch as each individual comes unraveled. They have real problems which they hide in the devotion to the music, but when they’re forced to look at themselves when they face their leader’s mortality. This is a character film, lots of talking, lots of introspection, and lots of arguments. IF you’re a fan of movies with tons of character development and interpersonal relationships, this is a very good film. Parts of it are really sad, but it’s still a very good look at being human. These folks are world renown, and still have bigger personal problems than you and I. It’s a definite people movie, and pretty decently done. This is a good rental.

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Working Title Films, Cameron Mackintosh Ltd.,

Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit, Samantha Barks, Colm Wilkinson, Bertie Carvel

Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is a prisoner, arrested for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s child. Once paroled, Javert (Russell Crowe) vows that if he misses checking in at parole, he will hunt him down for the rest of his life. Due to the kindness of a priest at the monastery, Jean Valjean changes his life and becomes an honest business owner and Mayor of the town. But true to his word, Javert hunts for him year after year. Valjean meets Fantine (Anne Hathaway) and her poor child Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) who Jean Valjean raises as his own daughter while staying one step ahead of Javert. This is finally the movie version of the Broadway musical.

Certainly Victor Hugo wrote a stunning story. I have heard the story before. I really loved the dramatic version with Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush in 1998. I have never seen the musical. I found the music off putting, certainly. There are a ton of musicals with dialog and then they burst into a song which helps to forward the story. I am used to that, but in this musical, they sing everything. I think there are probably less than 25 words spoken in the whole film. As a result, much of the dialog which is sung is really annoying, and pretty senseless. I just wanted these people to talk a little bit. Furthermore, besides the Susan Boyle classic, “I Dreamed a Dream” and a song called “On My Own” there was nothing much else recognizable at all. The strength of the story helps to make up for it quite a bit, and it is a wonderful tragic drama after all, with lots of excitement. It’s just the singing is way too much. Then they hire actors that are fantastic dramatic actors and ask them to sing. I agree with Adam Levine when he asked, “But the score suffered massively with great actors PRETENDING to be singers.” Why not hire singers who can act, if they’re going to sing everything. When the last time you sat down to purchase a Russell Crowe or Hugh Jackman album? Because of the strength of the story and the beauty of it all, and based upon the fact that it brought me to tears several times, even though I knew what was going to happen, I still gave this a good rating. But there are weaknesses, and truth be told, if you’re not familiar already with the Broadway version, and you’re also not familiar with the story, go for the 1998 version with Liam Neeson.

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Legendary Entertainment Alliance,

Garry Moore, Durwood Kirby, Marion Loren, Carol Burnette, Charlie Weaver, Mahalia Jackson, Jonathan Winters, Julie Andrews, Buster Keaton

This very old classic TV Christmas Episodes of The Garry Moore Show from the 1950’s is presented in their original form. These have not been seen in 50 years. The audio has been remastered and is very good considering the age of these TV shows. Filled with skits, songs, dancing, and lots of funny banter, even the commercials which in those days were worked into the show. This takes you back to the days when TV was king.

This title would lead you to believe that it is from the Carol Burnett Show era with Tim Conway, Lyle Waggoner, and Harvey Korman. It’s not at all. Many will remember that Carol Burnett started out as a regular on The Garry Moore Show long before she became a household name. But I suppose the makers of the DVD figured not near as many people would remmber Garry Moore. So they intentionally dropped the original title “The Garry Moore Show Presents:” to make it appear to be from the Carol Burnett Show era. Unfortunately Carol has a few small parts and appears just a handful of times. But if they had advertised it honestly, this is a great look back at a few decades earlier when Carol was but a kid, and TV variety shows were just finding their way. These are touching series, and it is very full of the holiday spirit. There are some really great appearances here, and some great music. This is a good look back at the classic early days of TV, and well worth it, but I took off some stars for the dirty trick of removing a reference to what the show actually is in the title. Don’t be fooled thinking you are getting something else. Some of the little bits Carol does, on the other hand, are very funny, and give you a glimpse of the comedienne inside waiting to burst out in just a few years. I found it enjoyble as I remember those days.