"The Greatest Showman"

(Yes, I know I'm really late reviewing this). Ever since my teenage self saw Van Helsing one Halloween night, I've had a deep and abiding love for Hugh Jackman. C'mon, who wouldn't?

Anyway, the music that hits as the movie begins made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

The urgent wails, the rhythmic clapping/stomping. The visual buildup is incredible too: the underside of old wooden bleachers that only reveal shadows of legs, the silhouette of a ringmaster in classic garb tapping his cane on the packed dirt floor. Even though we know circus godfather P.T. Barnum is being played by Hugh Jackman, they don't show his face for a while. And, oh, does Hugh have a set of pipes!

I've read about circus history, so I'm sure a LOT of liberties were taken with Barnum's life story, but that's really not the point of the movie at all. The Greatest Showman is a lot like musicals of yore where maybe there's a plot if you squint. The real star of the show is the music, choreography, and acrobatic stunt work. (I'll forgive the obviously CGI animals). Immediately after it was over, I rushed out to buy the soundtrack.

I was somewhat hesitant to see this in theaters because of my aversion to Zac Efron. His character was tolerable, but by no means my favorite. "Rewrite the Stars," his duet with trapeze artist Anne, is the only song in the movie I didn't like at all; Efron's performance is just too whiny for me.

The circus scenes caused a flood of emotions. Growing up, my grandma used to take me to Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey when they came through on their summer tour. I came out each time with a huge smile on my face, a glossy souvenir program, and dreams of becoming a tiger trainer like Mark Oliver Gebel. Dumbo was one of my favorite cartoons. I would beg to go to a local off-brand circus the years Barnum & Bailey didn't come to town.

The cruel irony is this movie ended up being released the same year Barnum's show shut down for good. I actually cried because the finale tour came nowhere near my hometown, preventing me from seeing my beloved circus one last time. This movie is the closest my kids (should I ever have any) will get to the experiences I had watching the magic that took place in those three rings.

An hour and 45 minutes, kid-friendly, fantastic production values, and the eye candy that is Hugh Jackman. What more reasons do you need to see this for the first (or fourth) time?

Top 10 Quotes: "Anastasia"

Today would've been my grandma Diane's 79th birthday. She was one of the kindest, most unselfish people I ever knew. I was lucky enough that I grew up 5 minutes from her house; she practically raised me while my parents were working. We loved to watch movies together and even when I got older, Anastasia was still one of our favorites. I suppose it was because we related so well to the bond Anastasia had with her grandmother Marie. It seems only fitting to post this in her honor.

1. Dowager Empress Marie: "You were the boy, weren't you? The servant boy who got us out. You saved her life and mine and you restored her to me. And yet you want no reward."

2. Anastasia: "Do you really think I'm royalty?"
Dmitri: "You know I do."
Anastasia: "Then stop bossing me around!"

3. Bartok: "You should really watch your blood pressure. My nephew Izzy, he just keeled over one day, mid-mango. And he's a fruit bat, sir. No meat, no bloody."

4. Vlad: "It's what I hate about this government. Everything's in red."

5. [Anastasia is looking inside an ugly dress Dmitri bought her]
Dmitri: "What are you looking for?"
Anastasia: "The Russian Circus. I think it's still in here!"

6. Vlad: "I see an engaging and fiery young woman, who on on a number of occasions has show a regal command equal to any royal in the world. And I have known my share of royalty. You see, I was a member of the Imperial Court."

7. Anastasia: "'Go left,' she says. I know what's to the left. I'll be Anya the Orphan forever."

8. Bartok: "Is this the face of a bat who would lie to you?"

9. Anastasia: "It's kind of hard to think of yourself as a duchess when you're sleeping on a damp floor. But, sure, yeah, I guess every lonely girl would hope she's a princess."

10. Dowager Empress Marie: "Knowing that you are alive, seeing the woman you've become brings me joy I never thought I could feel again."

I love you forever, Grandmama.

Spread Your Wings: Inspired by Kenny Johnson

As a former high school drama nerd and current community theater actress, I'm fairly familiar with how much reading is involved in acting. I was more or less born a reader, able to understand books written on a middle-school level when I was in 2nd grade, even using a guidebook to help plan our Disney World vacation. But what if that weren't the case and reading was literally one of the hardest things in the world for me to do? Would I still be able to do something I truly love?

Kenny Johnson is an incredibly talented actor, perhaps best known as Lem on The Shield and Kozik on Sons of Anarchy. He has also struggled with severe dyslexia. While I was on Twitter, I stumbled across a recent interview where he opened up about how he's been able to work around it and build his acting career.

I applaud Kenny Johnson, as I do anyone else who doesn't let anything hold them back from chasing their dreams. It takes a huge amount of courage to be so honest about your struggles. Pretending you don't have a problem is so much easier than dealing with it head-on.

I've personally struggled with anxiety and depression periodically since high school; it's gotten the best of me more often than I'd like to admit. I refused to let it ruin my life. I always made sure I got good grades; I exposed myself to new social situations, even when I was scared to death. 10 years later, I'm a mostly well-adjusted twentysomething and halfway to becoming a registered nurse.

To anyone out there reading this:

If you have challenges that are negatively affecting your health and/or happiness, whether it's dyslexia or social anxiety or anything in between, don't be embarrassed about reaching out for help. You won't change overnight and that's okay; nobody does. Overcoming your obstacles will suck at times and you'll want to quit. Don't do it. You'll never know how high you can fly if you spend your life walking around with broken wings. You got this.

"Kingsman: The Secret Service"

The trailers for this movie made me raise my eyebrows at the action sequences and chuckle at the pasty British kid dressed like a street thug. I figured it could go either way as far as quality, especially with a runtime of 2 hours. Action movies these days as a rule are quite poorly made; the reasons for this are excellently outlined in the following video.

I'll grade Kingsman based on the video's rubric:

1. The story. The trailers sum up the plot simplistically: a young British man is recruited to a spy organization called Kingsman, takes part in their Hunger Games-esque training program, and saves the world from evil with James Bond gadgets. Plot elements include vengeance, terrorism, father/son legacy, classism, and a close relationship with a mentor. These are all cliches, but are presented in a highly entertaining, original fashion. 4.5 out of 5.

2. The hero. Gary (Taron Egerton), nicknamed Eggsy for reasons nobody bothers to explain, is lower class, directionless, and has a penchant for Vanilla Ice-style hip-hop attire. He's been in minor trouble with the police. His father was a Kingsman who gave his life for queen and country. His mother has since remarried to an abusive drunk. Once in Kingsman training, he has a difficult time fitting in with his fellow recruits, who were all plucked from schools like Oxford. Eggsy eventually earns their trust, becoming an unofficial leader. 4 out of 5.

3. The villain. Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) is a billionaire record mogul with a severe lisp. He's also a rabid environmentalist. He's been funding global warming research and believes that the only way to mitigate the damage being done to the planet is via mass genocide. His second-in-command Gazelle (Sofia Boutella) is a woman with prosthetic legs that are really swords. Valentine's public persona is so charming and generous that nobody has a clue he's up to anything sinister; that ability to deceive the public and influence important political figures is the scariest part of this character. 5 out of 5.

4. The stunts. The physical feats performed by the spies are either borderline unbelievable or downright impossible. In the context of the movie, you probably won't question any of them. An excellent job was done by those who actually performed the stunts. 3.5 out of 5.

5. The camerawork. The intense action sequences are filmed from different viewpoints, which keeps everything fresh. There's no dreaded "shaky cam" effects that could make certain audience members nauseous. 3.5 out of 5.

6. The vulnerability of the hero. Eggsy is just an ordinary London street kid. We learn that he had been in training for the British military, but dropped out because his mother was afraid that he would get killed in action. Before getting picked up by the Kingsman, he was unemployed. Training at the agency's country mansion and shopping for a suit gave Eggsy a taste of the finer things in life; their mock missions showed he had great potential. Everyone at the academy is competing for a single vacancy; if Eggsy fails, he will be back where he was: in the projects with nothing. His mother gets caught in the crosshairs of Valentine's master plan. If Eggsy isn't successful on the big mission, he will lose the most important person in his life. The stakes don't get higher than that. He isn't invincible to physical damage or to mistakes. 4.5 out of 5.

All these elements combine to make Kingsman one of the most original action movies to come along in recent years, although it should be noted there is source material involved. The movie is based on a comic book of the same title, which I had never previously heard of. I'm not a fan of comic book movie genre; the only ones I have been able to watch more than once were the original Iron Man and The Avengers. I can now add Kingsman to that list of exceptions. Catch it while it's still in theaters.

Cabin Fever

Kentucky does a lot of things well, however, preparing for any type of winter weather is not one of them. A few flurries send people dashing to the nearest store for bread and milk. Earlier this week, a severe snowstorm was predicted and Facebook was filled with pictures of bare shelves at Walmart. Such scares are common and I was fairly confident it wouldn't be as bad as predicted.

Well, the meteorologists picked this time to be right. Over a foot of snow fell on average; the governor declared a state of emergency. Every aspect of life has come to a grinding halt: government offices like the DMV and the health department, K-12 school districts, colleges, daycares, and even a major mall are shut down. I have been unable to leave my house for the last 3 days. 72 hours, 4,320 minutes....

If ever a song could sum up the feelings of an entire state, I think this Disney number would.

Growing Pats

Julian "Incredelman" is not only a talented athlete, he's got a sense of humor, a gift for video editing, and definite nostalgia for the '90s sitcom Growing Pains. Let's go Pats!

Guy From Jersey Nails "It Wasn't Me"

Amazing 9-Year-Old Sings "Lean On Me"

This little British girl wanted to do something special to honor the hospital workers who have helped saved her life. I think she accomplished her goal! :)

Long Live Longmire!

Does the world really need any more so-called "reality" shows? The heads of A&E clearly think so, as they've chosen to cancel its highly rated scripted drama Longmire after the cliffhanger Season 3 finale. Shows such as Duck Dynasty and various incarnations of Storage Wars, however, are safe. As a longtime member of the show's fanbase (known as the Longmire Posse), I am seriously disappointed.

The modern-day Western is based on Craig Johnson's book series Walt Longmire Mysteries. (If you haven't read them, I highly recommend picking up the first book The Cold Dish). Set in fictional Absaroka County, Wyoming, the books and show follow Sheriff Walt Longmire (played by Robert Taylor) who is solving crimes and trying to keep his life together after the death of his wife. The small-town police force consists of three deputies: local rich boy and nephew of the former sheriff Branch Connally (Bailey Chase), sassy Philadelphia transplant Victoria "Vic" Moretti (Katee Sackhoff), and baby-faced, kind-hearted Ferguson (Adam Bartley). Lou Diamond Phillips rounds out the regular cast as Walt's best friend since grade school and Red Pony Bar owner Henry Standing Bear.

Longmire features more than just Walt and company solving the crime of the week; each season had one or more overreaching characters arcs. In Season One, Walt learns that not only is Deputy Branch Connally running against him for Sheriff, Branch is dating his daughter Cady. Cady also learns that her mother Martha did not die of cancer; she was stabbed to death in Denver while she was in the city getting chemo treatment. Hints are dropped that Walt may have taken a trip to Colorado to avenge his wife's death. Season Two sees Vic dealing with a stalker, Cady being critically injured in a hit-and-run car accident on election day, and the outcome of the sheriff's race. I won't be spoiling Season Three in case you haven't seen it; let's just say things get interesting.

Besides the great storylines, Longmire has solid characters; the writing left me with strong biases, both positive and negative. Walt is a tough, old-school sheriff and a basically good man, though not above the temptation of taking the law into his own hands (and possibly even taking it too far). I admire Vic's Yankee spunk and empathize with her struggle to adjust to rural Wyoming life. I openly loathed Branch from the first episode; there was just something slimy about him and his entitled attitude didn't help matters.

Lou Diamond Phillips is pitch-perfect as Henry: a protective, strong, proud Cheyenne who'll stop at nothing to help those he cares about. Henry also has a terrific dry sense of humor (when Cady describes a physically attractive male bar patron, he responds "I am not a good judge of hotness"). Henry is also deeply spiritual when it comes to his culture and a valuable assistant whenever Walt's sheriff business takes him onto the local reservation. This show has really given Lou Diamond Phillips the best chance to shine that he's had in years; he deserves much more respect as an actor than he generally gets.

My favorite deputy has always been Ferguson, known in the office simply as "the Ferg." The words that best describe Ferg's personality include "awkward" and "shy"; but rather than being portrayed as the department's resident weak link or sad sack, he's competent in his own right as a fly-fisherman and outdoorsman. He wants to please his boss and sometimes worries that he's not good enough at his job. (Think McGee during his early seasons on NCIS). Ferg never had as much screen time as I would have liked, which is a pity because rookie actor Adam Bartley showed a lot of promise. For proof, Netflix the Season One episode "A Damn Shame" and watch what happens when Ferg tries to turn in his badge. Ferg really came into his own this season, finally standing up to Walt about being overworked and under-appreciated: "I know you haven't noticed, but ever since Branch started going crazy, I really stepped it up around here. And that's not easy with you two shutting doors in my face, treating me like I'm not even a part of this department. I do everything you ask and I do a good job, but if you want me to keep doing it, you can't just throw me in the corner at this little kid's desk and ignore me."

However, all hope for the show may not be lost. Its production company Warner Horizon Television is currently pitching the show to other networks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Walt, Henry, Vic, and of course the Ferg will find a new home. It just makes good business sense to pick up a successful drama that has a six-million strong Posse behind it.

Broadway Tribute to Robin Williams

Fans the world over are mourning the tragic loss of comedian/actor Robin Williams. Arguably, his most famous role was voicing the Genie in Disney's Aladdin and its direct-to-video sequel Aladdin and the King of Thieves. The cast of the Broadway musical based on the movie ended last night's performance on a special note: by leading the audience in a sing-along of "Friend Like Me." Video here

LDP on "The King & I" and Charlie Sheen

Since seeing Young Guns, I have been an unapologetic Lou Diamond Phillips fan. I'm pretty sure I've seen every movie he's starred in during his career, from successful (La Bamba), to cheesy fun (Lone Hero), to questionable (Fingerprints), to "why the hell is he in this crap" (The Trail to Hope Rose, Bats, Route 666). Thankfully, he's found his stride the last couple of years on the TV series Longmire as Henry Standing Bear. (Anyone who's read the Craig Johnson novels on which the series is based can tell you that casting him was pitch-perfect). Lou is a huge supporter of the military and seems like an all-around nice guy. This recent Australian TV interview demonstrates that he's also pretty funny.

Crimes Against Music: "Wanted Dead Or Alive" Cover

I will come right out and say that in general, I loathe country music. The nasal twang, repetitive topics (trucks, beer, having sex in the woods, acting like an ignorant hillbilly), and moronic lyrics grate on my last nerve. This has made growing up in the South difficult at best (to say nothing of dating).

There are a few select artists and songs in the genre that don't make me want to jab the mute button. Zac Brown Band was on their way to becoming acceptable to me thanks to their recent hits "Sweet Annie" and "Knee Deep." Then this happened...

On the surface, Zac Brown teaming up with ex-Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora seems like a failsafe idea. Zac Brown almost immediately messes up one word of the lyrics. On its own, that would be forgivable. Richie Sambora (who of all people should know how to perform this song) screws up the tempo when he sings the second verse. He's one of the best guitarists in the business, but singing, well, he should leave that to someone else. As for Zac Brown, this song for whatever reason is ill-suited to his voice and musical style.

I have to question whether the crowd cheering so wildly is: a) completely drunk, b) tone-deaf, c) have somehow never heard the original, or d) all of the above.

Covering a song from another genre is something that generally never goes right for country artists, though it can work well in reverse (example: All-4-One covering John Michael Montgomery's ballad "I Swear"). I must (grudgingly) give props to Taylor Swift for her cover of "When Love And Hate Collide"; lyrically, it's in her wheelhouse and she brought the Southern lilt to it without mutilating the original. 

Party Up (Llama Style)

This llama may be on a farm, but he's still living the thug life

Pats Nation: The Decision

I tend to overthink almost every decision I have to make, including trivial ones like which sports teams I'll follow. Granted, not all "my" teams; I found the Braves at the tender age of 9 and never looked back. Both my parents are diehard New Jersey Devils fans, so I never had much of a choice when it came to hockey. I'm still a proud member of the Devils Army, though, with a framed picture of Marty Brodeur on my bedroom wall to prove it.

Pro football is another story altogether. 5 days ago, I was left wondering yet again where to place my loyalties after a severe disappointment. I've thought long and hard about it and decided that I will be maintaining my citizenship in Pats Nation for the following reasons:

1. Family. I always say I'm Southern merely by accident of birth. My relatives are all from various places in the Northeast: Brooklyn, Massachusetts, upstate New York, and New Jersey. My favorite baseball team (Braves) and favorite college team (Gators) are from the Deep South, so this kind of balances things out.

2. Bill Belichick. I don't know why, but I've always had a thing about crotchety old coaches/managers. This is probably because the majority of my life as a Braves fan was during Bobby Cox's tenure as manger. He was just fun to watch; you never knew when he'd start ranting and raving at the umpires. He had a record-breaking number of ejections. Say what you will about Bobby; the man was passionate about his job and knew how to field a winning team. Although, personally, I think Bill should've taken a page out of Bobby's book and knocked down Brady's ego several pegs a long time ago.

3. Rob Gronkowski. No pun intended, but Gronk is my biggest reason for sticking around. I've always had a weakness for large, bearlike men and Gronk makes me swoon. I've watched and read several interviews with him and there's just something about his personality that I love; he reminds me of about 70% of my guy friends from college. Sure, he's made some questionable decisions this off-season, like riding roller coasters and slam-dancing while in a cast. But hey, at least he's not currently on trial for murder.

Watch the infamous "Yo soy fiesta" interview and tell me the big guy doesn't have a certain charm.

Party on, Gronk!

Fire SUV

Now for some classic fire service humor

Man Pregnant With a Dinosaur

I just spent the weekend at Kentucky's annual State Fire School taking a required refresher course for my EMT certification. Sitting there in the classroom, I thought back to an interesting behavioral call I saw on an episode of Vegas Strip. 

Sir, all due respect, I think you were smoking something other than cigarettes.

SHOWTIME!!!: "Let It Rock"

Could I have found a more appropriate song for tonight? Stay tuned for a concert review. (rock hands)

1 Day 'Til Showtime: "Bad Medicine"

My karaoke staple

2 Days 'Til Showtime: "Blood On Blood"

I don't have any biological siblings. But throughout my high school and college careers, I've been lucky enough to meet people who've turned into an assortment of "adopted" brothers and sisters. Mostly brothers, although that's changed a bit since joining my sorority. Some people I know would swear we actually are related.

I see a lot of my "brothers" and "sisters" all the time; some of us have drifted apart for one reason or another. I'm graduating this May and it's gonna hurt leaving them behind. The following lyric speaks volumes about the bond that I have with my "adopted siblings":

"Through the years and miles between us
It's been a long and lonely ride
But if I got a call in the dead of the night
I'd be right by your side"

3 Days 'Til Showtime: "Wanted Dead Or Alive"

When I saw the movie version of Rock of Ages last summer, I knew this song was in it. I was very worried that Tom Cruise would butcher one of my favorite songs of all time. I ended up being pleasantly surprised. He didn't just do justice to the original, he rocked it! Judge for yourself; both versions are below.