I finish my ten-title Mock Printz YA reading list and find some time for other things too.
Three sentence movie reviews: State Fair
Though I’ve only seen it one other time, this is one of my favorite movie musicals. The songs are good, the clothing is delightful, the story is hokey–but entertaining–and I love the idealized depiction of an Iowa State Fair. For those of you who would like State Fair in more forms, there is also a book by Phil Strong, a non-musical version from 1933 starring Will Rodgers and a 1962 version set in Texas starring Pat Boone.
Three sentence movie reviews: The Lion in Winter
I hadn’t watched this movie since high school, and near the end I had the thought, “This is sort of like the play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, but the parents have four children! I didn’t buy the oh-so 1960s reason for Katherine Hepburn’s actions, but I loved watching her and the hunky Peter O’Toole as well as a very young Anthony Hopkins (and also Timothy Dalton!) There’s a scene near the end where a soldier is killed that I would guess is rather what hand-to-hand combat is like: quiet, desperate and takes much longer than one wants it to.
Complementing staff
Why yes, I would love to see what you’ve been knitting.
Three sentence movie reviews: Moneyball
Populated with actors I love, this was a tiny bit on the slow side (it gave me time to contemplate why Brad Pitt’s house might have had plates hanging on the walls which seems a bit out of character for a single man) but also fun and enjoyable. One thing I knew, but didn’t really realize until I saw this movie was how long into the season the trading of players goes on. The movie is about baseball! and math! and you will like it too!
Three sentence movie reviews: The Muppets
Oh Muppets, how I love you for your humor and your songs. My front teeth dried out while watching this movie, due to the constant smile on my face. The actors broke the fourth wall repeatedly in a way they usually don’t and Matt laughed at one line delivered by Amy Adams for a good three minutes; tell me you have plans to see this, because it’s the most fun movie of the season.
Me too!
Three sentence movie reviews: The Descendants
Slow, in that good, meditative way that I enjoy, this was an acting tour de force by yes, of course George Clooney, but especially by Shailene Woodley playing his older daughter. The incredibly understated story has me wondering about the book which I’ve just put on hold at the library. As with most Alexander Payne movies, there were some excellent scenes that will probably populate my brain for years and I always, always enjoy Judy Greer who steals every scene she appears in.
Three sentence movie reviews: Footloose (2011)
Given that nearly every scene in this movie was reproduced verbatim,* I can only conclude that the reason for remaking this classic was to save today’s teenagers from the heavy synthesizer soundtrack of the original. The new Ren and Ariel do not have the–and I can’t believe I’m saying this–gravitas of Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer, and Dennis Quaid and Andie MacDowell are no John Lithgow and Dianne Wiest,** but I greatly enjoyed this movie. Setting this version in the South was a brilliant move and it’s so true to the original that it’s fun to see the “quotes” of the original movie sprinkled throughout in costumes, props and dance moves.***