"Jersey Boys (Live)"

This is one of my favorite movie musicals. When I saw an announcement that a touring production was coming to a local opera house, I got tickets the day the box office opened. Seeing it on stage exceeded even my highest expectations. For the uninitiated, Jersey Boys is semi-autobiographical movie of 1960's doo-wop sensations Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Instead of the traditional two-act format, the story is told in four parts called "seasons." Spring goes back to the group's roots as a bunch of neighborhood guys from northern New Jersey singing under a streetlamp and struggling to find an identity. Summer is when the Four Seasons exploded onto the American charts with hits like "Big Girls Don't Cry." Fall details their struggles with personal issues coupled with the pressures of fame. Winter wraps up the show with a "where-are-they-now" segment and the Four Seasons' reunion performance at their Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame induction. Each "season" is told from the perspective of a different group member, respectively: Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudio, Nick Massi, and Frankie Valli himself.

One particular part of the production values reminded me of my high school and community theater days. (I promise I mean that in the most loving way possible). Minor characters such as Frankie's first wife Mary, mobster Gyp DeCarlo, club patrons, police officers, etc. are played by the same group of 6-8 actors and actresses. They'd go offstage for a while and reappear in a different wig/dress combo or uniform. It didn't detract from the experience because they're all such talented singers/dancers.

The main four actors each brought something unique to the table:

• Corey Greenan brought the perfect amount of roguish charm to his role as Tommy DeVito, founding member of the group. Tommy is a classic archetype all about wine, women, and song. The friend that you know always ends up in trouble but is too much fun to quit hanging out with.
• Tommaso Antico as the youngest and most naive member of the group, songwriter Bob Gaudio, is so adorable I wanted to put him in my pocket and take him home.
• One of my absolute favorite moments from the movie is when quiet Nick Massi finally has enough and goes on a rant about all the reasons it sucks to room with Tommy on tour. ("The man was not properly socialized!"). Chris Stevens executed that monologue to perfection.
• Last and certainly not least, Jonny Wexler brought down the freakin' house as Frankie Valli. His singing voice is phenomenal; recreating such a distinctive sound cannot be easy. He's an equally gifted actor. I found myself shedding a few tears during the "Fallen Angel" scene.

If you're a fan of musicals or even just the Four Seasons themselves, I recommend you "Walk Like a Man" to the nearest tour location. I promise you'll come out saying, "Oh, What a Night."

"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?

2017: Year In Review

After a long hiatus for which I have no excuse, Shortstack is back! Overall, last year was a pretty good one for pop culture. Here's a summary of where my love for it took me this year:

Movies:
I went to my local theater a lot last year. What I didn't catch in theaters, I saw via Redbox. My brief impressions of everything I saw.

• Power Rangers: Didn't quite live up to my memories of the original from the 1990's, but it wasn't unwatchable.
• CHIPS: Still can't believe I watched the whole thing; no wonder Erik Estrada wanted nothing to do with it.
• King Arthur--Legend of the Sword: Came out the day I graduated nursing school, so I dragged my boyfriend and family to the theater after the ceremony. Extremely disappointing, even though Charlie Hunnam was frequently shirtless.
• Kong--Skull Island: Absolutely loved it.
• Wonder Woman: Boyfriend Redboxed it. Pretty good, but I still prefer MCU.
• Dead Again In Tombstone: Another Redbox find. I love Danny Trejo, but found it hard to keep track of what the hell was happening.
• Ingrid Goes West: Aubrey Plaza at her darkly comedic best.
• Guardians of the Galaxy--Volume 2: Endlessly quotable with a kick-ass soundtrack and A+ casting in Kurt Russell as Peter Quill's estranged father.
• Star Wars--The Last Jedi: Boyfriend took me. Prior to this, I'd never seen a Star Wars movie all the way through and had zero interest in doing so. I spent the rest of that weekend binging the original trilogy (not gonna lie, the Porgs helped).
• Spider-Man--Homecoming: Tom Holland is 1,000% more likable than Andrew Garfield or Tobey Maguire.
• Logan: The ending made me bawl in the theater.
• Thor--Ragnarok: It's rare for a sequel to be almost better than the original. Really enjoyed the Hemsworth/Ruffalo bromance.
• Kingsman--The Golden Circle: Elton John's performance alone was worth the price of admission. A worthy follow-up to The Secret Service. Although I'm not happy they killed JB.

TV:

• After 6 amazing seasons, Longmire had its last roundup. Walt and Vic (finally) hooked up and admitted their feelings for each other. Henry got the happy ending he deserved. 
• Bates Motel also ended with the expected amount of murder and mayhem. (RIP to yet another Kenny Johnson character, the incestuous Caleb Calhoun). The last man standing in the Bates clan was Norman's illegitimate half-brother Dylan.
• Kenny Johnson wasn't gone from TV for long before being cast in the revival of S.W.A.T. as team driver and third-generation SWAT cop Dominique Luca. Add in Shemar Moore of Criminal Minds and you have a recipe for sexiness. There's also solid writing by The Shield showrunner Shawn Ryan.
• Sneaky Pete, Amazon's original series starring Giovanni Ribisi as a charming con artist quickly became something I recommended to all my friends.
• Santa Clarita Diet. Though I am by no means a fan of the zombie genre, I couldn't resist after hearing Timothy Olyphant was attached to it. He and Drew Barrymore are fantastically hilarious as husband and wife trying to cope with Drew's sudden appetite for human flesh.
• Vice Principals had a solid series finale. I only wish there was more of Walton Goggins as the delightfully foulmouthed and psychotic Lee Russell to look forward to.

Celebrity Encounters: 

Golly days, it might be easier to list who I didn't meet last year. My local comic con, though in a midsize Southern city, attracts some high-profile talent.

• Theo Rossi AKA Juice from Sons of Anarchy and Shades from Luke Cage. "How you doin', doll?" the first thing he said to me in that New York accent made my knees go weak. I told him Juice was in my top 5 favorite Sons and he asked who else. I listed off Jax (of course), Opie, Chibs, and Kozik. "Really?" said Theo, "I don't hear a lotta people say that." Turns out he's also a big Shield fan and Lem was his favorite character too.
• Robin Lord Taylor AKA Penguin from Gotham. My cousin and I both cosplayed as Penguinettes (complete with Cobblepot for Mayor buttons), which he thought was absolutely adorable. He was so flattered I have a cat named Oswald that he almost cried. 
• Jeffrey Dean Morgan. At an absolutely disastrous out-of-state con, measures meant to cut wait time made it worse. My cousin and I waited 4 hours (!!!!). When he heard how long we'd been waiting, Jeffrey said, "Fuck! I'm sorry, girls" and hugged us both.
• Dee Wallace AKA Patricia of The Frighteners. Very sweet, mild-mannered little old lady. She did a guest role on Supernatural and gleefully described Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as "yummy."
• Traci Lords AKA Wanda from Cry-Baby and a vampiress in Blade. And also porn, per my dad. When I brought up Blade, she said, "That heatseeker guy [Kenny Johnson] was actually like super-nice? I don't know what happened to him? I think he's on some cop show now..." 
• Walter Jones AKA the original Black Power Ranger and Rondell Robinson from The Shield. Told him I was a huge Power Rangers fan growing up, but I really liked him as Rondell. "Oh yeah!" he exclaimed, "I was a beast on that show!" Walter danced me around his booth to "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" by Stevie Wonder, making him one of my more memorable con meetings.
• Danny Trejo. I love Con-Air, so I wore a fake cop badge and an Air Marshals Put the Bunny in the Box shirt to meet him. I also carried around a pink stuffed bunny in a box labeled POE. Danny's first question was, "What's with the bunny?" I told him what I was referencing.
  He laughed and smiled, telling me this was the first time anybody had ever thought of bringing a Con-Air bunny. He asked where I got my shirt so he could get one just like it. Danny also insisted on the bunny being in the picture and signed the shoe box as Johnny-23, his character from the movie.

2018 is already shaping up to be good. Got some fun plans in the works and will update my blog more often. 

Top 10 Quotes: "A Goofy Movie"

On this day in 1995, Disney released one of its most underrated animated movies. Catchy tunes like "Stand Out" and "After Today" make this a road trip you'll want to take again and again. It's tough to be cool when your dad is Goofy.

(Image credit)

1. Goofy: Hey, Maxie, let's play a game. You think of a name and I'll try and guess who it is. Man or woman?
Max: (groaning) Aw man.
Goofy: Man, huh? That's a toughie. Let's see...Walt Disney!
Max: (dully) Right.

2. Max: (increasingly nervous when Roxanne's hulking dad answers the door) Hi. Is Roxanne home? Oh, my name is Max. Does Roxanne live here? Does she even live on this block?

3. Goofy: There'll be plenty of time for parties when you're older, Maxie. Why, when I was your age, I'd never even been invited to a party. And look at me now!

4. Bobby: Look! It's the Leaning Tower of Cheese-a!

5. Pete: Taking a break from the MTV generation, huh? Can't say as I blame you. (jumps in the hot tub and half the water sloshes out) People are always puttin' too much water in these things.

6. Max: This is the stupidest vacation! You drag me from home and jam me in this dumb car and drive me a million miles away to see some stupid rat show!

7. Goofy: (trying to guilt Max after his initial refusal to go on the trip) All right then. Guess I'll just have to go all alone, that's all. Just sit in the boat...all alone. And talk to myself. All alone.
Max: (brightly) I guess so!

8. Pete: If you keep 'em under your thumb, they'll never end up in the gutter.

9. Max: (singing) Can someone call a taxi
And get me outta here
To Beverly Hills, 90210?

10. Goofy: (singing) Who deserves a hero's trophy
As we face each cat-a-strophe
Nobody else but you

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.

"Harum Scarum"

(Image source)

I've been a huge Elvis fan since I was a little girl, but had never seen any of his movies until this weekend, when I received this one for Valentine's Day. Elvis is pretty much playing himself as singer/actor/martial artist Johnny Tyronne. Johnny's latest project Sands of the Desert is predicted to be a huge success. Johnny is in an unnamed part of the Middle East doing a goodwill press tour to promote the movie.

Things are going well for him until he's kidnapped. Some revolutionaries who've seen his on-screen fights want him to assassinate the ruler of a small kingdom that's been cut off from modern culture for about 2,000 years. Johnny manages to escape his kidnappers and goes on the run, hoping to find an airport where he can catch a flight to the next stop on his press tour. The rest of the plot is thin and involves assassins, a bulgy-eyed thief, a little person, two cute orphans, and plenty of belly dancers.

At its best, the movie is campy fun. None of the locals look even vaguely Middle Eastern. Elvis is so charming that you forgive him for not being a great actor. During the film-within-a-film Sands of the Desert, Elvis kills a leopard by karate-chopping it. There are duels with very obviously plastic swords. I suspect the setting was chosen to cash in on the popularity of both Elvis and Lawrence of Arabia. Like all Elvis movies, this is a musical. The best song involves Elvis strutting around a marketplace imploring the belly dancing native girls to "shake that tambourine."

However, the fun grinds to a screeching halt during a scene where Elvis is sheltered by the caretakers of the orphans. The girl, who's probably 10 at the oldest, begs to be taken to America and promises to "be a good slave girl." She then shows Elvis some seductive dance moves while he sings to her. Yes, you read that right. It's pretty creepy to watch and it seems to go on forever.

That part aside, Harum Scarum was intriguing enough overall that I may well investigate some of The King's other movies.

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

"Jersey Boys"

Image source

When it comes to musical tastes, I've always been what my grandmother called an "old soul." By the age of 4, I knew all the words to "Peppermint Twist." My first dance recital piece was an interpretative dance I choreographed to Elvis Presley's "In the Ghetto." One of my favorite middle school memories is seeing Elton John and Billy Joel in concert. Though not necessarily a fan of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, I was still intrigued by the idea of this movie, which is based on the Broadway show of the same title.

Jersey Boys begins in Belleville, New Jersey during the 1950's. Located just outside of Newark, it's a tough town. Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza) explains via narration the three ways out of the neighborhood: "You join the Army and maybe get killed; you get mobbed up, maybe get killed that way. Or you get famous. For us, it was 2 outta the 3." Tommy and 16-year-old Frankie Castelluccio (John Lloyd Young) are errand boys for local mobster Gyp DeCarlo (Christopher Walken). Tommy also performs with his brother Nick in a group called the Variety Trio.

Tommy and Gyp both know that Frankie has musical talent. He manages to move the underworld boss to tears with his version of "In My Mother's Eyes." Frankie joins The Variety Trio and Tommy changes the name to The Four Lovers. Nick DeVito leaves the band (the movie is vague on when and why). The new group consists of Tommy, Frankie, and Nick Massi (Michael Lomenda). Gyp helps The Four Lovers get nightclub gigs, even though Frankie is underage. Frankie soon changes his last name to Valli and falls in love with Mary Delgado (Renee Marino) and marries her.

The band undergoes several other name changes and doesn't manage to find success. They're eventually introduced to singer/songwriter Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen), who becomes the fourth member of the group. They sign with producer Bob Crewe (Mike Doyle), but only as backup singers for others bands; he says they're too derivative to make it on their own and the constant name changes would confuse people. After failing to secure a gig at the Four Seasons bowling alley, the band comes up with their new, permanent name. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons soon top the charts, thanks to Bob writing their hits "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," and "Walk Like a Man." The rest of the movie follows the band through the rigors of touring, the personal problems and in-fighting that lead to their break-up, and their eventual reunion.

There are no A-listers among the cast (with the exception of Christopher Walken), just stage actors. John Lloyd Young reprises his role from the Broadway version of Jersey Boys. I can't imagine them casting anyone else as Frankie Valli. Not only is John handsome and charismatic, he also manages to replicate Frankie's signature falsetto. Using veteran Broadway performers insured that the musical numbers were close to perfection. My judgment of what makes a good musical is admittedly very subjective: Does listening to the songs give me chills? Every time the movie's Four Seasons performed, I got goosebumps and the hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention.

If I had to pick out one thing I really didn't like about the movie, it would be the narration. The majority of movies use voiceover to fill the audience in on the details. Jersey Boys handles it differently. The actors speak directly to the camera during various scenes; this is jarring and disturbs the flow of the movie.

I highly recommend this to music buffs and anyone else who enjoys a good biopic, even if you weren't alive when Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons topped the charts. I was the youngest person by far in the theater and enjoyed myself immensely. In the words of a fellow theater-goer, "If you come out singing, you know it was good."

P.S. Keep an sharp eye out for a cameo by director Clint Eastwood.

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.

Name That Quote #2 Answers

1. "I think you're so blinded by inconsolable rage that you don't care who you hurt. When you can't tell your friends from your enemies, it's time to go."-Casino Royale
2. "Oh, this is Hill Valley, although I can't imagine hell being much worse."-Back to the Future: Part II
3. "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster."-Goodfellas
4. "No one will go near it. People think it's 'aunted. And who's to say they're wrong? You see, years ago, somethin 'appened up there. Somefin not very nice."-Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
5. "I gotta be crazy! I'm on a pilgrimage to see a moose! Praise Marty Moose!"-National Lampoon's Vacation
6. "I don't bend over. It's too hard to stand straight again."-Mobsters
7. "Does Aunt Ginny have barn? Maybe we could have the trial there. I can sew the costumes and maybe his Uncle Goober can be the judge."-A Few Good Men
8. "You could kick the shit outta me in a fair fight; I know that. You're a little faster 'n me, strong enough. But I'm always gonna win. See, you fight schoolyard rules. Every time I lay down, you're done. Me, I fight 'til I'm dead...or the other guy is."-Lone Hero
9. "What is my goal? To make you a happy, well-adjusted gangster?"-Analyze This
10. "Me? I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw, of what I did, of who I am. And most of all, I'm afraid of walking out of this room and never feeling for the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you."-Dirty Dancing
11. "Comin' up is Diehard Night. Free admission to anyone who was actually alive the last time the Indians won a pennant."-Major League
12. "I got a judge just achin' to throw me in jail, slaughtered pigs, giant loud whistles. I ain't slept in 5 days. I got no money, a dress code problem. And a little murder case, which in the balance holds the lives of 2 innocent kids."-My Cousin Vinny
13. "Are you a Mexi-can or a Mexi-can't?"-Once Upon a Time In Mexico
14. "Oh, I have my dark days. I suppose that everybody does. The difference is that most people don't kill their husbands with an ax."-Shutter Island
15. "When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only 2 things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home."-The Outsiders
16. "There are several sacred things in this world that you don't ever mess with. One of them happens to be another man's fries. You remember that and you'll live a long and healthy life."-Men at Work
17. "You m-m-m-make me happy."-Tropic Thunder
18. "I'm not complaining. How am I complaining? When do I ever complain about you practicing the violin at 3 in the morning, or your mess, your general lack of hygiene, or the fact that you steal my clothes?"-Sherlock Holmes
19. "I'll make you famous!"-Young Guns II
20. "No, I'm not okay. I've just been violated by a barnyard animal."-Shanghai Noon

Name That Quote #2

This new interactive feature for my blog didn't work so well the first time I tried it. Gonna try again to see if I get responses. Listed below are random quotes from 20 different movies. Comment with your guesses. Answers will be posted a week from today! Good luck!

1. "I think you're so blinded by inconsolable rage that you don't care who you hurt. When you can't tell your friends from your enemies, it's time to go."
2. "Oh, this is Hill Valley, although I can't imagine hell being much worse."
3. "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster."
4. "No one will go near it. People think it's 'aunted. And who's to say they're wrong? You see, years ago, somethin 'appened up there. Somefin not very nice."
5. "I gotta be crazy! I'm on a pilgrimage to see a moose! Praise Marty Moose!"
6. "I don't bend over. It's too hard to stand straight again."
7. "Does Aunt Ginny have barn? Maybe we could have the trial there. I can sew the costumes and maybe his Uncle Goober can be the judge."
8. "You could kick the shit outta me in a fair fight; I know that. You're a little faster 'n me, strong enough. But I'm always gonna win. See, you fight schoolyard rules. Every time I lay down, you're done. Me, I fight 'til I'm dead...or the other guy is."
9. "What is my goal? To make you a happy, well-adjusted gangster?"
10. "Me? I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw, of what I did, of who I am. And most of all, I'm afraid of walking out of this room and never feeling for the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you."
11. "Comin' up is Diehard Night. Free admission to anyone who was actually alive the last time the Indians won a pennant."
12. "I got a judge just achin' to throw me in jail, slaughtered pigs, giant loud whistles. I ain't slept in 5 days. I got no money, a dress code problem. And a little murder case, which in the balance holds the lives of 2 innocent kids."
13. "Are you a Mexi-can or a Mexi-can't?"
14. "Oh, I have my dark days. I suppose that everybody does. The difference is that most people don't kill their husbands with an ax."
15. "When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only 2 things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home."
16. "There are several sacred things in this world that you don't ever mess with. One of them happens to be another man's fries. You remember that and you'll live a long and healthy life."
17. "You m-m-m-make me happy."
18. "I'm not complaining. How am I complaining? When do I ever complain about you practicing the violin at 3 in the morning, or your mess, your general lack of hygiene, or the fact that you steal my clothes?"
19. "I'll make you famous!"
20. "No, I'm not okay. I've just been violated by a barnyard animal."

4 Days 'Til Christmas: Christmas Film Festival

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Time to finish shopping, wrapping the gifts, and getting the house ready to entertain friends and/or relatives. I've compiled this list of movies and TV specials to help get your guests into the holiday spirit.

• It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown! This one can be a little hard to find, but it's worth the effort. There are multiple plotlines in the special: Sally is cast as an angel in the Christmas pageant and worries that she'll forget her lines; she's also busy writing to Santa Claus. In the same pageant, Peppermint Patty is cast as sheep and jealous that Marcy gets to play Mary. Charlie Brown is in search of the perfect gift for the little redheaded girl.
• A Muppet Christmas Carol. Watching this movie on Christmas Eve has been a family tradition since I was a very little girl. It's still great to watch as an adult. The Muppets' wit, charm, and signature musical numbers put a fun spin on Charles Dickens' classic tale. Michael Caine absolutely steals the show with his portrayal of Scrooge.
• "Santa's Village of the Damned." This was the first Christmas-themed episode of Two and a Half Men. Alan is dating a charming woman with Martha Stewart-esque cooking and decorating abilities. Charlie tries to warn Alan that she's too clingy, but Alan doesn't listen. Next thing you know, Alan's girlfriend has moved into Charlie's house and buried the interior in Christmas figurines.
• Home Alone. No Child Left Behind...unless you're the McCallisters. They accidentally leave their youngest son, 8-year-old Kevin, in Chicago when they leave for a Christmas vacation in Paris. Little do the parents know, the neighborhood is being targeted by a pair of burglars known as the Wet Bandits. Now it's up to Kevin to defend his home. It's not quite Christmas Eve if my family and I don't watch this one.
• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. It's rare for a sequel to top the original, but this one does. Due to a mix-up at the airport, Kevin boards a plane to New York City while the rest of his family is on a flight to Florida. But don't be too worried. Kevin is resourceful and finds a way to make the best of the situation. I love this movie even more since I've seen the splendor of New York City's Christmas decorations with my own eyes.
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The 1960's animated version, not the live-action atrocity with Jim Carrey. It narrates Dr. Seuss's classic story with a few songs thrown in. Fun Fact: Thurl Ravenscroft, who sings "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch", also was the original voice of Frosted Flakes mascot Tony the Tiger. 
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Again, I refer to the 1960's version. Yes, the technology is primitive by today's standards and I admit that some of the critters are a little freaky looking. But when  all is said and done, Rudolph is all about being proud of who you are and not letting teasing stop you from reaching your full potential. It's like a Christmas version of The Karate Kid. 
• Lethal Weapon. I know this isn't technically a Christmas movie, but try telling my local TV stations that. One of them has been showing it in constant rotation all month. I think the station should throw in Don Johnson's Dead-Bang and the original Die Hard while they're at it for a Christmas action movie trifecta.
• National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. If you think your family's Christmases are disastrous, you'll feel a lot better after seeing what happens to the Griswolds. The Christmas tree is too big for the living room. Cousin Eddie shows up and so does senile Aunt Bethany.
• The Ref. A cat burglar played by Denis Leary is on the run from the law after breaking into a house on Christmas Eve. To escape detection, he kidnaps married couple Caroline and Lloyd and ends up holding them hostage in their home. Little does he know, Lloyd and Caroline have just left their marriage counselor's office and are on the verge of divorce. Hilarity ensues as he tries to maintain his sanity. This is my favorite black comedy. Warning: Do not watch with anyone under the age of 14.

Name That Quote #1 Answers

I'm slightly disappointed that no one really responded to this feature. However, I'll keep my word and post the answers to last week's questions.

1. "Oorah, Class 5506!"-The Guardian
2. "Average foot speed over uneven ground, barring injury, is 4 miles per hour. That gives us a radius of 6 miles. What I want from each and every one of you is a hard-target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, doghouse, and outhouse in that area."-The Fugitive
3. "I'm the thing what lives beneath the stairs."-The Devil's Own
4. "These people aren't a ragtag buncha yahoos that drink beer and run around in sheets on Saturday night. They've got money behind 'em. They've got strong pockets of community support."-Dead Bang
5. "Sarge, you got any advice on how to stay alive in Vietnam?"
   "Yes, I do, Private. Don't go."-Tigerland
6. "What are you doing? You've burned all the food, the shade, the rum!"-Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
7. "You throw me idol, I throw you whip."-Raiders of the Lost Ark 
8. "Ladies, this is supposed to be history class, you know. Not sex education."-Kidz in the Wood
9. Character 1: "So you guys usually pick up girls in the supermarket for fun?"
   Character 2: "Usually, I throw 'em over my shoulder and carry 'em down a ladder."-Ladder 49
10. "Sonny and my father always said when I got older, I'd understand. Well, I finally did. I learned something from those two men. I learned how to get love and give love unconditionally. You just have to accept people for what they are. I learned the greatest gift of all. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent and the choices you make will shape your life forever."-A Bronx Tale
11. "Any thug can kill. I need you to take your ego out of the equation."-Casino Royale (Daniel Craig version)
12. "Do not kill, do not rape, do not steal. These are principles which every man of every faith can embrace."-The Boondock Saints
13. "I love the smell of napalm in the morning."-Apocalypse Now
14. "Strike first, strike hard, no mercy, sir!"-The Karate Kid (1984 version)
15. "Look at my driver's license. Expires 1987. Look at my birthdate for cryin' out loud. I haven't even been born yet."-Back to the Future
16. "Come on! We're men; we're not pinatas. And we're really hungover."-Shanghai Noon
17. "I can't stand him. He gets an idea in his head, he can't get rid of it. If I stay with him much longer, I'm gonna be a stiff in a photograph. The only chance I have is to get hellbent for leather now."-Young Guns
18. "Water is for cowards. Water makes you weak. Water is for washin' blood off that uniform and you don't get no blood on my uniform. Boy, you must be outside yo' mind!"-Remember the Titans
19. Bill: "What the hell did we do to deserve this?"
    Chris: "Maybe it was that stripper we sent the captain on his birthday."
    Bill: "I told ya we shoulda sent the woman!"-Stakeout
20. "If she screws it up, she can always fix your hair so your ears don't show."-Grease

Name That Quote #1

Testing out a new interactive feature for my blog. Listed below are random quotes from 20 different movies. Comment with your guesses. Answers will be posted a week from today!

1. "Oorah, Class 5506!"
2. "Average foot speed over uneven ground, barring injury, is 4 miles per hour. That gives us a radius of 6 miles. What I want from each and every one of you is a hard-target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, doghouse, and outhouse in that area."
3. "I'm the thing what lives beneath the stairs."
4. "These people aren't a ragtag buncha yahoos that drink beer and run around in sheets on Saturday night. They've got money behind 'em. They've got strong pockets of community support."
5. Character 1: "Sarge, you got any advice on how to stay alive in Vietnam?"
   Character 2: "Yes, I do, Private. Don't go."
6. "What are you doing? You've burned all the food, the shade, the rum!"
7. "You throw me idol, I throw you whip."
8. "Ladies, this is supposed to be history class, you know. Not sex education."
9. Character 1: "So you guys usually pick up girls in the supermarket for fun?"
   Character 2: "Usually, I throw 'em over my shoulder and carry 'em down a ladder."
10. "Sonny and my father always said when I got older, I'd understand. Well, I finally did. I learned something from those two men. I learned how to get love and give love unconditionally. You just have to accept people for what they are. I learned the greatest gift of all. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent and the choices you make will shape your life forever."
11. "Any thug can kill. I need you to take your ego out of the equation."
12. "Do not kill, do not rape, do not steal. These are principles which every man of every faith can embrace."
13. "I love the smell of napalm in the morning."
14. "Strike first, strike hard, no mercy, sir!"
15. "Look at my driver's license. Expires 1987. Look at my birthdate for cryin' out loud. I haven't even been born yet."
16. "Come on! We're men; we're not pinatas. And we're really hungover."
17. "I can't stand him. He gets an idea in his head, he can't get rid of it. If I stay with him much longer, I'm gonna be a stiff in a photograph. The only chance I have is to get hellbent for leather now."
18. "Water is for cowards. Water makes you weak. Water is for washin' blood off that uniform and you don't get no blood on my uniform. Boy, you must be outside yo' mind!"
19. Character 1: "What the hell did we do to deserve this?"
    Character 2: "Maybe it was that stripper we sent the captain on his birthday."
    Character 1: "I told ya we shoulda sent the woman!"
20. "If she screws it up, she can always fix your hair so your ears don't show."

"Pitch Perfect"

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This weekend, I rounded up 10 of my closest sorority sisters to see Pitch Perfect. I knew from seeing the trailers that this could go either way: a couple of hours of mindless fun or of me constantly checking my watch to see if it was almost over.

The plot is paper-thin, but I'll explain it anyway. Punk girl Beca is starting her freshman year at Barden University, but what she really wants to do is move to Los Angeles to become a music producer. Her father, who teaches comparative literature at Barden, has secured a scholarship for Beca and says she can drop out if she sticks out the year but finds college isn't for her. Part of the bargain is that Beca has to get involved in at least one club on campus.

Beca goes to the student activities fair and is recruited to join the Barden University Bellas, an all-female a capella troupe that hasn't updated their set list since the '80s. Barden, it turns out, is home to 3 other a capella groups: the coed High Notes (stoners), the all-male Treblemakers, and the coed Bu Harmonics. Beca thinks the Bellas need to shake up their routine a bit if they want to have a prayer of landing in the national finals. She also breaks one of the Bellas' cardinal rules when she falls for Jesse, a member of the Treblemakers.

It definitely succeeds as a comedy; my sisters and I could barely stop laughing. Fat Amy and the quiet Asian girl absolutely stole the show. Not to mention the Treblemakers deluding themselves into thinking they were genuinely cooler than the fraternities and athletes. That isn't to say I'd turn down a date with one of the a capella boys from my school.

As a former high school choir nerd, I found an element of Pitch Perfect that related closely to my own experiences. Sopranos at my school, like the ones in the Bellas, tended to be VERY snobby and rude to anyone not in their section. Beca is singled out by the lead soprano, Chloe, for bullying just because Beca is an alto. I could commiserate with that. I was listed in all our concert programs as an alto, but I was also a "utility voice." When we only had 4 boys in choir for our Christmas concert, I sang tenor on a few songs; if we were short on mezzos (soprano IIs), I was drafted by my teacher to fill in.

I was inwardly cheering that altos were featured so prominently in the movie. When I was in choir, we tended to be ignored. For the most part, we were stuck singing the same 4 notes while everyone else's parts were a little more challenging.

If you enjoy musicals in general, you can't go wrong with Pitch Perfect. The cast is very talented. Expect a lot of modern pop and rap. There's spectacular versions "No Diggity" and "I'll Make Love to You" during an a capella "riff-off."

FUN FACT: My college actually does have an a capella troupe called The Treblemakers, only ours is all-female.