Beauty and the Beast at the Four Seasons Performing Arts Centre, Toronto (NETworks / Dancap)
The Toronto Star gave the production one and a half stars out of four.
That sounds about right.
Where to begin? The cast just wasn't up to scratch for a "Big Broadway Tour". Many of them are either fresh out of theatre school or are still studying, and it's pretty evident. It's hard to imagine why the actor playing the Beast was cast. He wasn't a great singer, he wasn't a great actor (though the entire production felt like a Panto gone wrong), and he wasn't cast for his physical stature -- he was notably average/short among the cast. Belle was nasally and Lumiere was confusingly lecherous. And Lefou? Oh, how I wanted someone to drag Lefou off the stage and not allow his return.
And long? It felt like an eternity! Despite its two-and-a-half hour running time and some cuts from the Broadway production (two songs completely eliminated), the show felt like three hours or more, and with so much hammy, overblown characterizations on stage, I was still bored. It had the feel of a show in which the actors had forgotten the motivations behind all of the blocking and choreography, so the actions themselves had gotten bigger and more cartoonish (even more so thanks to a never-ending barrage of slapstick sound effects) while the meanings and purposes had gotten smaller. Ug.
For my money, I'll take the production from Theatre Aquarius several years back any day over today's hamfisted nonsense.
Sunday, July 08, 2012
The 2012 Summer Screen Review (Part I)
I'm not sure why I'm paying for cable these days. For the past two or three months, I've perhaps watched about three hours of actual broadcast television. Due to a hectic schedule and a limited attention span, I've been watching DVDs almost exclusively. A lot of bad low-budget movies and a lot of episodes of How I Met Your Mother.
Which brings me to the first official post of the Summer Screen Review. I finished up Season Three of HIMYM on DVD. This was a season with several episodes I hadn't seen before, which was enjoyable. Watching so many episodes in a short period (I've gone through three seasons in the past month or so), a few things become evident.
Which brings me to the first official post of the Summer Screen Review. I finished up Season Three of HIMYM on DVD. This was a season with several episodes I hadn't seen before, which was enjoyable. Watching so many episodes in a short period (I've gone through three seasons in the past month or so), a few things become evident.
- Barney is truly a horrendous human being. He's great for comedy, but in the real world he would not be my friend.
- The writers really play interestingly with narrative structures, with sometimes ingenious results, nesting flashbacks within flashbacks within flashbacks, having fun with the unreliable narrator concept, and enjoying the chance to mislead the audience.
- Lily's hair poses a lot of problems for continuity.
It's also nice to enjoy all of the extras on the DVDs. This was a show being made when the business of DVD sales was already acknowledged, so there are lots of commentaries, extras, and amusing tidbits. Commentaries were done immediately, so the next seasons (already in reruns for me now) are still unknown to those speaking, generally. Enjoyable.
I also ventured out to see The Amazing Spider-Man on the ole big screen. I don't seem to make it out to the cinema that often (I'll try to do better this summer) so this was my first outing in a while. It's true that the reboot is coming awfully quickly following the Sam Raimi trilogy, but it's a decent little superhero movie. It's not brilliant, and seemed to lag for a while, but it's enjoyable enough. I thought they took shortcuts with the introduction of his costume and webbing (what, was that stuff mail-ordered?) but it's forgivable enough in the big picture. I enjoyed both Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone and, although it seems to be reaching to be Marvel's answer to the darker edge of Christopher Nolan's Batman films, it doesn't quite pull off the tone it seems to be shooting for. Regardless, I was entertained for a couple of hours and enjoyed it for what it was.
Saturday, July 07, 2012
The 2012 Summer Reading Spectacular #3
Sometimes a book sits on the shelf for years waiting patiently to be read. Beyond the Chocolate War was one such book.
The reason for the delay was simple, though unnecessary. I didn't want to read it until I'd read The Chocolate War, and I didn't have that one sitting on my shelf. The wait was ridiculous, of course, since of all Robert Cormier's books, The Chocolate War is one of his best known and has always been available. But there it is. I just hadn't gotten around to getting it. Then I did, then I read it, then I could read Beyond the Chocolate War. Simple.
Although the books together span a single year at Trinity High School, they were published over a decade apart. If the first is an exploration of how conformity breeds corruption and the dangers of nonconformity (and it's an oversimplification to say it is), then the second could be seen as an exploration of the ways in which that conformity and corruption is perpetuated when individuals feel isolated and alone -- just like everyone else.
The problem here is that I don't really want to talk too much about the book's plot or characters, as to do so would necessarily constitute spoilers for the first of the two books. Needless to say the books aren't simple or chock-full-of-sunshine -- The Chocolate War is one of the most challenged and banned young people's novels though measured against the movies teenagers watch, it's hard to understand why -- but they're worthwhile reads. Though the situations themselves may seem extreme at first, there is also something uncomfortably familiar about them, too.
And you read an article about a senior citizen being cruelly harassed by grade seven kids on a bus in 2012 ...
"You could have said no anytime, anytime at all. But you didn't ..."
The reason for the delay was simple, though unnecessary. I didn't want to read it until I'd read The Chocolate War, and I didn't have that one sitting on my shelf. The wait was ridiculous, of course, since of all Robert Cormier's books, The Chocolate War is one of his best known and has always been available. But there it is. I just hadn't gotten around to getting it. Then I did, then I read it, then I could read Beyond the Chocolate War. Simple.
Although the books together span a single year at Trinity High School, they were published over a decade apart. If the first is an exploration of how conformity breeds corruption and the dangers of nonconformity (and it's an oversimplification to say it is), then the second could be seen as an exploration of the ways in which that conformity and corruption is perpetuated when individuals feel isolated and alone -- just like everyone else.
The problem here is that I don't really want to talk too much about the book's plot or characters, as to do so would necessarily constitute spoilers for the first of the two books. Needless to say the books aren't simple or chock-full-of-sunshine -- The Chocolate War is one of the most challenged and banned young people's novels though measured against the movies teenagers watch, it's hard to understand why -- but they're worthwhile reads. Though the situations themselves may seem extreme at first, there is also something uncomfortably familiar about them, too.
And you read an article about a senior citizen being cruelly harassed by grade seven kids on a bus in 2012 ...
"You could have said no anytime, anytime at all. But you didn't ..."
Monday, July 02, 2012
The 2012 Summer Reading Spectacular #2
With a lot of new reading on the go, I only finished one book today.
Darryl Cunningham's Psychiatric Tales: Eleven Graphic Stories about Mental Illness is a series of short anecdotal chapters based on the author's experiences working in the mental health field. Part case study, part information, the book aims to break down the stigma associated with mental illness. Its matter-of-fact tone is reminiscent of Marjane Satrapi's works (the author, in his introduction, credits Persepolis with inspiring him to use the graphic form to say what he wanted to say), as does its autobiographical content. Though not the storyteller that Satrapi is, the understated tone and structure of the book somehow work reasonably well. The chapters do not necessarily strive for a complete narrative arc, but rather act to highlight a particular truth in a nugget-like form.
Darryl Cunningham's Psychiatric Tales: Eleven Graphic Stories about Mental Illness is a series of short anecdotal chapters based on the author's experiences working in the mental health field. Part case study, part information, the book aims to break down the stigma associated with mental illness. Its matter-of-fact tone is reminiscent of Marjane Satrapi's works (the author, in his introduction, credits Persepolis with inspiring him to use the graphic form to say what he wanted to say), as does its autobiographical content. Though not the storyteller that Satrapi is, the understated tone and structure of the book somehow work reasonably well. The chapters do not necessarily strive for a complete narrative arc, but rather act to highlight a particular truth in a nugget-like form.
Sunday, July 01, 2012
The 2012 Summer Reading Spectacular #1
That's right! I'm back for another summer of reading commentary. Why, you ask? Because it's all so fascinating and thousands (or one or two) are awaiting it eagerly.
It will appear that today was an incredibly productive reading day as I have three books to mention, but really I just had a few on the go and it so happens that I was nearing the end of three when I awoke this fine morning.
First up, I finished Nemesis by Jo Nesbø. This is the fourth in the Norwegian series about alcoholic police detective Harry Hole but, curiously, the second translated into English. (Characters often make references to events in the first two volumes which have yet to be available in English, but it doesn't get in the way of the stories, so I suppose it'll have to be alright.) It's quite an intricately assembled cop thriller, with quite a lot of interlacing story lines -- a series of bank robberies, a suspicious suicide, a cop being set-up while another his predatory nature -- but it is a lot more readable than it may sound. Both Harry Hole books I've read so far are pretty brisk, motivated reads that I've quite enjoyed. Bring on The Devil's Star! (It's already ordered.)
Next I wrapped up Mr. Stink the second children's novel from David Walliams, best known as half of the comedy duo (with Matt Lucas) responsible for Little Britain. An unpopular but kindly-hearted girl, Chloe, takes an interest in the local tramp, Mr. Stink, and the two forge a friendly, though smelly, relationship. Toss in an overachieving little sister, a snobbish and politically motivated mother, and a father with failed rock-star dreams and you've got a silly little book that's a decent diversion, if not exactly a literary masterpiece. There are a few toss-away moments that don't really need to be there for the story, and a few distinctly British naughty-isms (but innocent enough, really), but the some of the parts are likely to amuse young readers.
Finally, I read We Have Always Lived in the Castle, the final novel of Shirley Jackson (of The Lottery fame). This book was on a recommended reading list I'd come across a few months back. It's a gothic story about a pair of recluse sisters who live with their uncle, locked away in a once-grand estate, hiding away from the villagers and their sing-song taunts and rumours arsenic incident that resulted in the deaths of the rest of the family. The climactic scene is both surreal and disturbingly familiar; the final impression left, a curious blend of despair and hope. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I quite liked the dark, quirky tone of the book (thanks to the somewhat sociopathic nature of the narrator, younger sister Merricat) and the heightened, but still sympathetic, characters.
All-in-all, it was a good start to the summer's reading!
First up, I finished Nemesis by Jo Nesbø. This is the fourth in the Norwegian series about alcoholic police detective Harry Hole but, curiously, the second translated into English. (Characters often make references to events in the first two volumes which have yet to be available in English, but it doesn't get in the way of the stories, so I suppose it'll have to be alright.) It's quite an intricately assembled cop thriller, with quite a lot of interlacing story lines -- a series of bank robberies, a suspicious suicide, a cop being set-up while another his predatory nature -- but it is a lot more readable than it may sound. Both Harry Hole books I've read so far are pretty brisk, motivated reads that I've quite enjoyed. Bring on The Devil's Star! (It's already ordered.)
Next I wrapped up Mr. Stink the second children's novel from David Walliams, best known as half of the comedy duo (with Matt Lucas) responsible for Little Britain. An unpopular but kindly-hearted girl, Chloe, takes an interest in the local tramp, Mr. Stink, and the two forge a friendly, though smelly, relationship. Toss in an overachieving little sister, a snobbish and politically motivated mother, and a father with failed rock-star dreams and you've got a silly little book that's a decent diversion, if not exactly a literary masterpiece. There are a few toss-away moments that don't really need to be there for the story, and a few distinctly British naughty-isms (but innocent enough, really), but the some of the parts are likely to amuse young readers.
Finally, I read We Have Always Lived in the Castle, the final novel of Shirley Jackson (of The Lottery fame). This book was on a recommended reading list I'd come across a few months back. It's a gothic story about a pair of recluse sisters who live with their uncle, locked away in a once-grand estate, hiding away from the villagers and their sing-song taunts and rumours arsenic incident that resulted in the deaths of the rest of the family. The climactic scene is both surreal and disturbingly familiar; the final impression left, a curious blend of despair and hope. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I quite liked the dark, quirky tone of the book (thanks to the somewhat sociopathic nature of the narrator, younger sister Merricat) and the heightened, but still sympathetic, characters.
All-in-all, it was a good start to the summer's reading!
Monday, September 05, 2011
The 2011 Summer Screen Review (Part V)
I managed to squeeze in one more film before Labour Day was through. It's another that I've been sitting on, waiting for the time when I was in the proper frame of mind.
Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire was disturbing, saddening, hopeful, and beautiful. Mo'nique puts in a powerful, Oscar-winning performance as Precious's abusive mother, and I felt a curious desire to give Mariah Carey (usually glammed out for every public appearance) kudos for allowing herself to strip every ounce of glamour away for her role as a social worker. The cast of girls in Precious's class were spot-on, and Gabourey Sidibe makes a pretty incredible debut as the title character. Watching a segment of her audition tape as a DVD extra makes it clear what a find the producers had before filming of the movie even began. A difficult, wonderful film.
Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire was disturbing, saddening, hopeful, and beautiful. Mo'nique puts in a powerful, Oscar-winning performance as Precious's abusive mother, and I felt a curious desire to give Mariah Carey (usually glammed out for every public appearance) kudos for allowing herself to strip every ounce of glamour away for her role as a social worker. The cast of girls in Precious's class were spot-on, and Gabourey Sidibe makes a pretty incredible debut as the title character. Watching a segment of her audition tape as a DVD extra makes it clear what a find the producers had before filming of the movie even began. A difficult, wonderful film.
The Summer 2011 Reading Spectacular #10: The Finale
I doubt I'm going to finish any of the books I'm reading before the end of the day (including, The Fall by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, Death of an Ordinary Man by Glen Duncan, The Thief of Always by Clive Barker, The Black Hole War: My Battle with Stephen Hawking to Make the World Safe for Quantum Mechanics by Leonard Susskind, and The Gift of Thanks by Margaret Visser, among other things), so here's the official photo of my summer reading!
Now comes the challenging task of figuring out where to put this collection on my numerous -- but generally jam-packed -- bookshelves.
Now comes the challenging task of figuring out where to put this collection on my numerous -- but generally jam-packed -- bookshelves.
The Summer 2011 Reading Spectacular #9
Two more books to add!
Several years ago I picked up and read Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde. I hadn't realized at the time that it fell several books into a series. I still read it, filling in the essential blanks using clues within the text (how's that for teacher talk?) and enjoyed the book immensely. It seemed appropriate, naturally, to go back and start at the beginning, and that's what I did this summer, reading The Eyre Affair, book one in the Thursday Next series.
Oh, how to describe this book? Imagine a world (a 1985, specifically), in which Dodos have returned as housepets thanks to cloning, in which the English and Russians are at war over the Crimea, The Goliath Corporation holds suspicious power over politics, and disturbances in the time-space continuum sometimes occur along the highway. Even better, works of art and literature are like pop-stars, with rabid fans but also inspiring criminal masterminds to attack them. Oh, that's just the tip of the iceberg. So much absurd fun!
I also read Amulet: Book Four - The Last Council by Kazu Kibuishi. I reported briefly on the first book in the series as part of my first ever Summer Reading Spectacular entry. A kid-friendly fantasy series, I'm still enjoying the series, though the sparse dialogue makes for a very quick read, leaving me feeling, at times, that I'd like the story to make more progress in a given volume. The artwork is quite nice, with backgrounds particularly impressive in their detail and beauty contrasted with very simple, flat character designs. Characters can also look a lot alike -- the facial design is very simple and used often -- so pay attention to hair and clothing to help keep everyone straight. I'm not sure how long this series is expected to last, but word has it a movie is in the works.
Several years ago I picked up and read Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde. I hadn't realized at the time that it fell several books into a series. I still read it, filling in the essential blanks using clues within the text (how's that for teacher talk?) and enjoyed the book immensely. It seemed appropriate, naturally, to go back and start at the beginning, and that's what I did this summer, reading The Eyre Affair, book one in the Thursday Next series.
Oh, how to describe this book? Imagine a world (a 1985, specifically), in which Dodos have returned as housepets thanks to cloning, in which the English and Russians are at war over the Crimea, The Goliath Corporation holds suspicious power over politics, and disturbances in the time-space continuum sometimes occur along the highway. Even better, works of art and literature are like pop-stars, with rabid fans but also inspiring criminal masterminds to attack them. Oh, that's just the tip of the iceberg. So much absurd fun!
I also read Amulet: Book Four - The Last Council by Kazu Kibuishi. I reported briefly on the first book in the series as part of my first ever Summer Reading Spectacular entry. A kid-friendly fantasy series, I'm still enjoying the series, though the sparse dialogue makes for a very quick read, leaving me feeling, at times, that I'd like the story to make more progress in a given volume. The artwork is quite nice, with backgrounds particularly impressive in their detail and beauty contrasted with very simple, flat character designs. Characters can also look a lot alike -- the facial design is very simple and used often -- so pay attention to hair and clothing to help keep everyone straight. I'm not sure how long this series is expected to last, but word has it a movie is in the works.
Sunday, September 04, 2011
The Summer 2011 Reading Spectacular #8
Not far from the finish line for another summer...
First up in this entry, Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. The final entry in the Hunger Games trilogy, it was a satisfying conclusion to the series, though I can't deny that the love triangle thread (between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale) has become a bit tiresome by the time we reach the halfway point in this, the third book in which it figures. I was unbothered by the unresolved pieces of the puzzle (I'm not a fan of everything being too tidily resolved, at the best of times). All told, it's a young adult series worth reading, and adults will find it an enjoyable light read, too. I'm hoping the film adaptation doesn't mess it up. Previews look good, at least.
Another issue of The Believer (No. 82 -- The Music Issue) was completed early in August. Who knew that they tried putting turntables in car dashboards in the 60s (other than those who were looking to buy luxury cars in the 60s)? Where else would an article about the bassoon (and its reputation as the orchestral comedian) be entitled 'The Farting Bedpost'? Did you know that KPOP (Korean Pop Music) had a rabid fanbase that would make Beatlemaniacs blush? Good times (with bad comics, again).
Showcase presents The Flash, after a shelf-sitting hiatus, came back into the reading circulation and was finished at last. A collection of black-and-white reprints from the 60s (over 500 pages' worth!), it is highly amusing to see how the tone of comics has changed since the Silver Age. Apart from a general sense of camp in the storytelling, it's also entertaining to see how the prevalence of "radiations" of all sorts reflects the times.
Keeping in the comics genre, I re-read the graphic novel Batman: Dark Joker - The Wild, an Elseworlds story from 1993. I'd pretty much forgotten the whole thing until I unearthed it while sorting things from the basement in the Spring. While the concept is intriguing (in a Medievalesque fantasy land, Dark Joker is a powerful and evil wizard; the Batman is the disfigured hero who will bring about his fall), the storytelling itself isn't quite as strong as I would like. The artwork, on the whole, is quite nice, though, with a little gore to spare.
First up in this entry, Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. The final entry in the Hunger Games trilogy, it was a satisfying conclusion to the series, though I can't deny that the love triangle thread (between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale) has become a bit tiresome by the time we reach the halfway point in this, the third book in which it figures. I was unbothered by the unresolved pieces of the puzzle (I'm not a fan of everything being too tidily resolved, at the best of times). All told, it's a young adult series worth reading, and adults will find it an enjoyable light read, too. I'm hoping the film adaptation doesn't mess it up. Previews look good, at least.
Another issue of The Believer (No. 82 -- The Music Issue) was completed early in August. Who knew that they tried putting turntables in car dashboards in the 60s (other than those who were looking to buy luxury cars in the 60s)? Where else would an article about the bassoon (and its reputation as the orchestral comedian) be entitled 'The Farting Bedpost'? Did you know that KPOP (Korean Pop Music) had a rabid fanbase that would make Beatlemaniacs blush? Good times (with bad comics, again).
Showcase presents The Flash, after a shelf-sitting hiatus, came back into the reading circulation and was finished at last. A collection of black-and-white reprints from the 60s (over 500 pages' worth!), it is highly amusing to see how the tone of comics has changed since the Silver Age. Apart from a general sense of camp in the storytelling, it's also entertaining to see how the prevalence of "radiations" of all sorts reflects the times.
Keeping in the comics genre, I re-read the graphic novel Batman: Dark Joker - The Wild, an Elseworlds story from 1993. I'd pretty much forgotten the whole thing until I unearthed it while sorting things from the basement in the Spring. While the concept is intriguing (in a Medievalesque fantasy land, Dark Joker is a powerful and evil wizard; the Batman is the disfigured hero who will bring about his fall), the storytelling itself isn't quite as strong as I would like. The artwork, on the whole, is quite nice, though, with a little gore to spare.
The 2011 Summer Screen Review (Part IV)
Okay, there's no way this will make me appear cool, but I did see Glee: The 3D Concert Movie with Sonya. A combination of stage footage, improvised backstage shenanigans by the cast (in role as their Gleeful characters), and fan stories and interviews, it was an enjoyable enough afternoon at the movies. There was some lip syncing, some singing, and lots of dancing and hey, that can be reasonably happy-making, right?
Out of the proverbial frying pan and into the metaphoric fire, I watched the original A Nightmare on Elm Street, which I picked up in a cheap bin. I'd seen it sometime in the 90s, but remembered little (and wasn't really that impressed at that time), but thought I'd give it another go-round, expecting to be amused rather than frightened. My expectations were met. There's really nothing very scary about the movie, to be honest, but Wes Craven does create a few nice images (particularly the face in the wall). Wow, though, Heather Langenkamp wasn't much of an actor, was she? Perhaps she's improved since then...
Still think it's curious and inappropriate that the 80s saw a whole whack of Freddy Kruger toys and children's costumes...
In June I was given the gift of Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season One. For some reason, I had semi-actively avoided watching this show for a decade or so. Little did I know what I was missing! If Seinfeld and Britain's The Office were put into a blender and set to blend, you might get Curb Your Enthusiasm. Social awkwardness and everyday irritants abound. Thanks, Sean!
In the more classic television vein, I also finished watching Benson: The Complete First Season. I watched this show all the time back when it was on and was pleasantly surprised to find it still enjoyable today. I'd completely forgotten that Rene Auberjonois didn't arrive until the second season. Can't lie, I preferred him to Taylor (his equivalent in the first season). Other little unexpected tidbits? I looked up Inga Swenson (who played Krauss) on YouTube and who knew that she was a cutie back in her young days as a performer in Broadway musicals? Also, it occurred to me that Benson and I might be cut from the same sarcastic cloth.
Have you noticed how often I watch things I found in the cheap bin? Exit Speed was another such pick. I bought it because it starred Lea Thompson (of Caroline in the City, Back to the Future fame and Howard the Duck infamy). Very clearly direct-to-video fare, it wasn't as bad as I'd expected. There's not much story here (bus passengers have a run-in with a trick-riding biker gang that apparently like to pick violent fights at random and end up holed up in a junk yard trying to keep the bikers at bay) but it moves along nicely, the stock characters at least have things to do, and the filmmakers have no qualms about killing off significant characters. Having cast stunt performers as most of the bikers, the filmmakers also decided to make the villains wordless. Brilliant? Of course not. Enjoyable enough for a mindless action romp? Sure.
Oh, and I recognized one of the actors, but couldn't figure out from where. He won the Tony Award for his work on Broadway as Billy's father in Billy Elliot. Go figure.
Finally (and then I'll be caught up on the Summer Screen Review, just in time for its finale), I sat down to watch Catfish, after having it in wait for a couple of months. Billed as "The Real Facebook Movie", it's a documentary following a young man and his developing online friendships and relationship with members of a family halfway across the country. Curiously fascinating and with more moments of pathos than I expected, it certainly isn't the "thriller" that promotional materials made it appear, but that's actually a good thing, in the end.
As of this moment, that's the Summer Screen Review up-to-date! If I've missed anything (or watch something tonight), I'll wrap it up tomorrow, because it's Labour Day in a few hours!
Out of the proverbial frying pan and into the metaphoric fire, I watched the original A Nightmare on Elm Street, which I picked up in a cheap bin. I'd seen it sometime in the 90s, but remembered little (and wasn't really that impressed at that time), but thought I'd give it another go-round, expecting to be amused rather than frightened. My expectations were met. There's really nothing very scary about the movie, to be honest, but Wes Craven does create a few nice images (particularly the face in the wall). Wow, though, Heather Langenkamp wasn't much of an actor, was she? Perhaps she's improved since then...
Still think it's curious and inappropriate that the 80s saw a whole whack of Freddy Kruger toys and children's costumes...
In June I was given the gift of Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season One. For some reason, I had semi-actively avoided watching this show for a decade or so. Little did I know what I was missing! If Seinfeld and Britain's The Office were put into a blender and set to blend, you might get Curb Your Enthusiasm. Social awkwardness and everyday irritants abound. Thanks, Sean!
In the more classic television vein, I also finished watching Benson: The Complete First Season. I watched this show all the time back when it was on and was pleasantly surprised to find it still enjoyable today. I'd completely forgotten that Rene Auberjonois didn't arrive until the second season. Can't lie, I preferred him to Taylor (his equivalent in the first season). Other little unexpected tidbits? I looked up Inga Swenson (who played Krauss) on YouTube and who knew that she was a cutie back in her young days as a performer in Broadway musicals? Also, it occurred to me that Benson and I might be cut from the same sarcastic cloth.
Have you noticed how often I watch things I found in the cheap bin? Exit Speed was another such pick. I bought it because it starred Lea Thompson (of Caroline in the City, Back to the Future fame and Howard the Duck infamy). Very clearly direct-to-video fare, it wasn't as bad as I'd expected. There's not much story here (bus passengers have a run-in with a trick-riding biker gang that apparently like to pick violent fights at random and end up holed up in a junk yard trying to keep the bikers at bay) but it moves along nicely, the stock characters at least have things to do, and the filmmakers have no qualms about killing off significant characters. Having cast stunt performers as most of the bikers, the filmmakers also decided to make the villains wordless. Brilliant? Of course not. Enjoyable enough for a mindless action romp? Sure.
Oh, and I recognized one of the actors, but couldn't figure out from where. He won the Tony Award for his work on Broadway as Billy's father in Billy Elliot. Go figure.
Finally (and then I'll be caught up on the Summer Screen Review, just in time for its finale), I sat down to watch Catfish, after having it in wait for a couple of months. Billed as "The Real Facebook Movie", it's a documentary following a young man and his developing online friendships and relationship with members of a family halfway across the country. Curiously fascinating and with more moments of pathos than I expected, it certainly isn't the "thriller" that promotional materials made it appear, but that's actually a good thing, in the end.
As of this moment, that's the Summer Screen Review up-to-date! If I've missed anything (or watch something tonight), I'll wrap it up tomorrow, because it's Labour Day in a few hours!
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