The competition’s show is on in the background.  I don’t get into that “us vs. them” mentality.  But, I am bothered by the fact they’re now running a movie review of a movie you and I can’t see in the Quad Cities.  “Crossing Over” starring Harrison Ford opens today, but in limited release and not in our area.  So, why run the review?

I’ve made the same mistake, though.  I prepared a review ahead of time only to discover the day of that it was also opening in limited release and not in our area.  But, once I discovered that, it was too late.  Graphics were made and there was no turning back, other than to not run the review at all.  In hindsight, I would have pulled it completely.  Live and learn.

Posted: February 27th, 2009 under Film, Personal, Television.
Comments: 1

…in my opinion, but not by much.

This morning, I tried a latte from McDonald’s.  Afraid of what a plain latte would taste like, I opted for the Vanilla Latte, figuring it a fairly safe option.

First, let me say that I don’t get the fixation with Starbucks.  Convenient, yes.  Good, no.  Starbucks overroasts its espresso, so that all you get is a taste of burnt, not the subtle flavors of the beans roasted to create the espresso.  It is not good espresso!

That’s partly why I was excited about the McCafe option.  McDonald’s offers good coffee, so their lattes should be fairly good, too, right?  And, more affordable!

With McDonald’s M.O. of heating their coffees beyond a drinkable temperature, I could not take a taste right away.  I could, however, take a sniff.  It smells burnt, overroasted.  Not good.  Further sniffs yielded a sweet, chemically smell of vanilla, not a real vanilla smell.  This is not going to go well, is it?

Finally, it’s taste time.  At first, it tasted burnt.  But, with further sips, it tasted less overroasted than does Starbucks.  It’s still on the overroasted side, but not as offensively.  And then there’s the vanilla.  It smells sweet and chemically and it tastes sweet and chemically, too.  Not a good vanilla taste.  I should’ve remember this, as the vanilla iced coffee is the same.  Oh, well.

Continuing on my drinking journey, I started to notice that the drink is heavy on the espresso side and short on the steamed milk side.  In fact, it tastes more like a hot iced coffee than it does an actually latte.  Pulling off the lid, I confirmed it is, indeed, heavier on the espresso side.  The color was darker than a latte should be.

All in all, the McCafe Latte is not bad.  Personally, I prefer its flavor to that of a Starbucks Latte.  It’s not perfect, but it’s a little more than adequate.

Posted: February 25th, 2009 under Food.
Comments: none

Wow.  Just wow.

I remember hearing reviews, both professional and through friends, about how good of a movie Seven Years in Tibet is, back when it was released in 1997.  Oddly, despite so many raves about it, I never got around to seeing it until this past weekend.  Wow.

Brad Pitt plays Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountain climber who is in the wrong place at the wrong time when World War II breaks out.  He ends up needing to escape to Tibet, where he eventually becomes friends with the Dalai Lama and China takes over the country.  It’s based on a true story and is exquisitely told.  Not only is it a strong story of friendships, but gives a bit of perspective as to why so many cry “Free Tibet”.

This movie is now in my top twenty list, if not top ten, it’s that good.  Truly moving. Truly stunning.  And, truly worth watching.

Posted: February 16th, 2009 under Film.
Comments: none

The only thing I watched last night was True Beauty.  It’s so bad, but I’m so addicted!

The wrong person went home, especially based on how he responded to the truth behind the competition.

Posted: February 11th, 2009 under Television.
Comments: none

It was a movie-free evening last night, which is somewhat unusual in our household.  Instead, we settled down to watch a little HGTV, which is relaxing for me.  It’s a passive viewing experience, but with enough education material to not feel like it’s a complete waste.  For me, it’s perfect viewing for a low key hour or two.

Last night’s show of choice was House Hunters International, which follows a couple as they look at three houses to consider purchasing overseas.  I missed the start of the show, so I actually don’t know where this episode was centered.  I do know it was in Latin or South America, however.

The couple had a small child and wanted to move away from the beach.  What?!?  Who wants to move away from the beach?  They actually said, “We just want a break from the beach.”  WHAT?!?  Oh, this sunning on the beach and soaking in the surf is too much for me, darling.  Why don’t we take a vacation and work for a few weeks?  Maybe if I lived fulltime on the beach I’d understand.  But I don’t.  However, I’m willing to live there for a while in order to better understand if someone would like to provide a beach home for me to use!  No?

What I like about House Hunters is you get to see three homes, get to know the couple a little bit and then try to guess which one they’re going to pick.  I’m actually pretty good at it, if I may say so myself.  On this episode though, not so much.  That’s because this episode did not reveal a wild card before the couple revealed their choice.  I thought I had them pegged, but they chose the last place I thought they would pick.  They did so because the condo called and offered a new and bigger unit than they (and we) first saw.  I was not amused.

Actually, I was.  It was all fun and relaxing and prepared me well for bedtime.

Posted: February 10th, 2009 under Television.
Comments: none

Last night, I had the pleasure of viewing one of Disney’s latest direct to video releases, Tinker Bell.  Now, I’m an unabashedly, unashamed fan of animation.  The colors, the detail and the artistry fascinate me.  That’s much of the reason I enjoy anime, as it’s usually beautiful to behold.  Such is the case with Tinker Bell.

The movie is the story of Tinker Bell, from birth to full fairiehood, which happens quite quickly, actually.  She has the gift of tinkering, but doesn’t want it and sets out to learn another fairie trade in order to go to the mainland to help ushed in Spring.  It’s a cute story, but it’s actually not the strongest part of the movie!

The strongest part would be the cleverness behind the animation.  I was distracted from the storyline, but because it’s dull, but because there’s so much to take in while watching the film.  So much thought went into the items the fairies use in their every day lives.  It’s fascinating.  And, on top of that, it’s animated.  Animation intrinsically adds a sense of magic, of wonder to any film.  Here, it’s married perfectly with the story and its characters, bringing this all too long silent Disney character into her full voice.

Posted: February 9th, 2009 under Film.
Comments: 2

I may forever be scarred by the movie Immortal Beloved.  It’s emotional impact was so deep, I’m choking up as I type this just remembering it.

The movie is the story of the women in Beethoven’s life, really.  Following his death, his secretary sets out to fulfill is last wishes by turning Beethoven’s fortunes over to his “other half”, his “immortal beloved”.  The problem is, no one knows to whom that refers.  What unfolds is a tale of several women Beethoven knew, but only one of which he loved.  Along the way, we’re also privvy to the loss of his hearing and subsequent public reception.

Gary Oldman stars as Beethoven, proving his acting talent.  He’s quite good.  His performance, alone, make the film worth seeing.

Fortunately, there’s more that’s worth a viewing, like the emotional impact at the end.  I figured out who his immortal beloved is prior to the end, but it didn’t make the impact any less emotional.  Excuse me.  I have to grab a tissue.

Posted: February 6th, 2009 under Film.
Comments: none

Last night’s movie was Star Trek: Nemesis, which I now refer to as last night’s waste of an evening.  Okay, it’s not that bad, but it’s not that good, either.

Filled with the Next Generation cast, this film takes us to Romulus, where a military coup (which kills the Romulun senate) just took place.  The Remens, who live on the dark side of the planet, are now in charge, led by a human, who is actually a clone of Captain Picard.  And that sets up the conflict that carries the plot of the film.

Effects, great.  Cinematography, good.  Acting, at the same level as the TV show, so fans will be okay with it.  Plot, however, is not that good.  Nor was the Director’s take on this film.  It feels like a long episode of the TV show, but with more money and better effects.  That’s not good for a film.

Posted: February 4th, 2009 under Film.
Comments: none

Okay, I realize I risk losing whatever respect you may have for me, but I love the show True Beauty on ABC.  While recognizing how terrible the show is, I can’t help but watch it.  It is my guilty pleasure.

With blushing cheeks, I will admit that I was first drawn to the show for the beautiful people.  I mean, an hour of eye candy isn’t all that bad, is it?  With the first episode, however, I was hooked.  These beauties are arrogant, delusional and not the most beautiful people in the world.  It’s so much fun!

But, it’s also bad.  The challenges to test the contestants’ inner beauty are not solid challenges.  Last night, the inner beauty challenge was to see if each contestant would help their partner make a video.  Really?  It could be a test of the inner beauty of teamwork, but that’s not how it played out.  Chelsea, my favorite, failed the challenge simply because she couldn’t figure out how to work the camera.  It wasn’t lack of motivation nor lack of desire to help her teammate.  It was a legitimate lack of understanding of how to work the camera.  And this led her to the hall of beauty where she was sent home.  Not really all that fair.

As I said, Chelsea is/was my favorite contestant.  She may come across as arrogant, but I think it’s a front.  I think she’s trying so hard to fit in with this group of people, who she thinks are more beautiful than she, that she’s not showing her true self.  I detect a good heart, a bit of a lack of confidence and some uncertainty in her.  She does have an inner beauty, but she masks it in order to fit in with the group and, as she’s said to a reporter in her home town, to try to win the game.  She didn’t, though, being sent home because she couldn’t figure out how to work a camera.  When they showed her the video that showed her inner ugliness, they even had to stretch to really put stuff together.  Her stuff wasn’t really that bad.  Joel, on the other hand, has plenty of footage to showcase his inner ugliness.

Posted: February 3rd, 2009 under Television.
Comments: none

Ah, the musical review.  I’ve written in the past that it’s not one of my favorite theater genres.  Although murder comedies are my most loathed of stage productions, musical reviews are pretty close.  All too often, they’re an attempt to throw together a show using the music of one artist and use those songs to tell his or her life.  And, all too often, they don’t work that way.  They come together as too contrived, as trying too hard to be a show when a show they shouldn’t be.  When I think musical review, I think monotony, a night of all songs by one artist.

Not so with Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical, however!  This review takes the songs of the Man in Black, strings them together and adds tidbits about his life throughout.  It isn’t a staged telling of his life’s story.  It’s more like VH1’s Storytellers, but with more dramatic performances.  And I loved it!

While Ring of Fire was fall into a but of monotony, it’s not nearly as monotonous as other musical reviews made into life stories because there’s not one actor playing Johnny Cash.  There are several.  And they’re not actually playing Johnny Cash.  They’ll say, “I’m Johnny Cash,” but they’re not trying to channel him.  Each offers his or her own personality to the performances without a pretentions attempt to be the Man in Black.

And that has a lot to do with what makes Circa 21’s production of Ring of Fire so delightful.  Circa’s cast is filled with true and varied talents, none of which I found weak nor distracting.  There are those who come closer to the sound of Cash’s songs (Steve Lasiter and Lexie Wollan).  But, there are also those who just get out their and have a good time with his music (Tristan Layne Tapscott and Kimberly Furness).  And, a few cast members bring their own unique style, which doesn’t match Johnny Cash in the slightest, with no apologies (Tom Walljasper).  And, it works!

The show and Circa’s production are nice.  Simply nice.  As I sat watching, that’s the word that kept coming to mind.  If I were to sum up this production in one word, what would that word be?  My mind kept coming back to nice.  And I mean that in a positive light.  It’s a smile from ear to ear, let’s just enjoy the music of Johnny Cash, nice.

The set is simply, yet interesting and versatile.  And the lighting is remarkable, particularly the effects used on the sun/moon in the background, with colors, shapes and movement used to convey the varying moods of each song.

Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical runs through March 21 at Circa 21 Dinner Playhouse in Rock Island.  Tickets are available by calling the box office at (309) 786-7733 or through the theater’s website — circa21.com.

Posted: February 2nd, 2009 under Theater.
Comments: 1