Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016), 6 {nm}

PG | 1h 53min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy | 27 May 2016
Alice returns to the whimsical world of Wonderland and travels back in time to help the Mad Hatter.
Director: James Bobin
Stars: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2567026/

Follows Alice in Wonderland (2010), 6+ {nm.

T.Burton is a producer here, so his presence is still felt.

The story is what I don't love here. Probably partly my fault for not watching carefully enough, but maybe not so much. After Alice goes through the mirror, she finds Hatter ill, and for some reason he needs his dead family brought back to life for his recovery. White Queen sends Alice to time travel for this, and we meet the personification of Time (SBC). I can't remember much of what transpires in the middle of the film, but it's plenty of green screen action again. Other than Hatter and the Queens, the characters from the first film make little more than cameos.

Visually interesting, worth another look.

Good feminist themes, since we meet Alice as Captain of her (dead) father's ship, and the action hero of the story.

Rated 6.2 (77,948)

Disney & more, dir. Bobin; 6

Puccini: Tosca: In the Settings and at the Times of Tosca (1992), 8+

2h | Music, Romance | TV Movie 1 January 1993

Performed in the actual Roman settings described in the libretto. Moreover, the scenes take place at the appropriate times of day. Rome, June 1800. Floria Tosca is a celebrated opera singer... 

Director: Brian Large

Stars: Catherine Malfitano, Plácido Domingo, Ruggero Raimondi.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105625/

Time: June 1800 

Place: Rome 

First performance at Rome, January 14, 1900

Gorgeous gimmick filming this in the real venues. At one point, with Mario & Tosca on the rooftop, I got the impression they were singing live at dawn, and wondered what neighbors might have been around.

The venues are shown well, and explain the usual sets we get for this opera.

The singing and acting are terrific.

Rated 8.1 (125)

(too many), dir. Large; 8+

Update 28Sep2019: I now have the (Region 2) box set with Rigoletto (2010) and Traviata (2000). (Making of doc'y is on 4th disc in the opera-related binder.) All 3 of these were broadcast LIVE, and since they also used the time of day from the libretto, the acts were not contiguously b'cast. Fascinating, and all the more impressive.

Shrek the Musical (2013), 6

TV-G | 2h 10min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy | 17 September 2013
Make room for ogre-sized family fun as the greatest fairy tale never told comes to life in a whole new way in this breathtaking Broadway musical adaptation of the hit movie Shrek!
Director: Michael John Warren
Stars: Brian d'Arcy James, Sutton Foster, Christopher Sieber.
Sloan Just ... associate stage choreographer

Josh Prince ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3070936/

23 songs in the Soundtracks, including reprises.

I like all 4 Shrek films, giving each a 7.

This left me cold. I was imagining the creators around a table planning what and when. Each character gets to introduce himself by song, and some plot points are sung. But this made me not care. Really typical tunes and puns. And the charm of the Shrek films does not come through here at all.

I wonder if the guy who played the short regent while on his knees will have serious knee problems in his future.

Rated 7.1 (2,207)

DreamWorks, dir. Warren; 6

Liza's at the Palace (2009), 6

1h 58min | Musical | TV Movie
Liza Minnelli's 2009 Tony Award-winning concert, LIZA'S AT THE PALACE, recorded at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on October 1, 2009. Act One features favorite songs by Ms. Minnelli, including Cabaret, Maybe This Time, What Makes a Man a Man, and My Own Best Friend. A first act highlight is Liza's rendition of the Palace Medley, originally sung by her mother, Judy Garland, at the Palace Theatre in 1951. Act Two is a tribute to Liza's godmother, Kay Thompson, a groundbreaking singer-dancer, songwriter, and vocal arranger/coach at the MGM studios in the 1940's.
Director: Matthew Diamond
Stars: Liza Minnelli, Billy Stritch
Stage director/choreographer Ron Lewis

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1534342/

I was surprised that I put this among my eBay searches, but I went for it.

As I was watching it, I _really_ questioned my decision. LM (b. '46) had, in this performance, a voice that has lived a full life, if you get my meaning. Even the audio excerpt played during the menu sounds rough. I don't remember seeing any dancers beyond the 4 men acting as the Williams Brothers, and they're singers, not dancers. LM mentions in the extra interview that she's on her 2 new hips here (and she's had 3 knee surgeries, per IMDb), so her own dancing is not what you would expect 30 years earlier. A couple of her song choices were good (Aznavour's "What Makes a Man a Man" especially.) But otherwise more raspy than fun.

Then comes Act II, where LM tells stories about Kay Thompson, and I said "ohhhhhh". That's why I was interested in this. The guys really do sound like the Williams Brothers, but LM doesn't try to emulate KT's vocal style that much. It just made me want the real thing (stated that no footage exists of with KT & WB), so right now my 3-cd set is midway playing. Interesting that it only takes Andy Williams for a backup group to sound like the WB, because that's the case on the 1st track of the cd's.

The bonus interview between LM & dir/chor RL is worth viewing again.

Rated 7.9 (34)

indie, dir. Diamond; 6

Alice in Wonderland (2010), 6+ {nm}

PG | 1h 48min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy | 5 March 2010
Nineteen-year-old Alice returns to the magical world from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and learns of her true destiny: to end the Red Queen's reign of terror.
Director: Tim Burton
Stars: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway.
David Bernal ... choreographer

Francesca Jaynes ... UK Choreographer / choreographer: UK

Nito Larioza ... movement choreographer (uncredited)

Hilary Morris ... choreographer (uncredited)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1014759/
one of those discs I bought b/c I could get it cheap and/or I wanted to see more TB/JD.

Sorta glad I didn't read the synopsis first. It was interesting trying to determine if this was going to be the traditional Lewis Carroll story or not.

I like the look of it. The featurettes show the actors working on green screen, and a lot of them are in green suits, so a lot of it is artwork, not scenery/costumes.

I like the feminism of it. Alice isn't a child, and acts the hero.

Some of the characters change/grow emotionally in a satisfying way.

Definitely want to see the followup, Through the Looking Glass.

Rated 6.5 (354,839)

Disney & more, dir. Burton; 6+

Woman in Gold (2015), 7 {nm}

PG-13 | 1h 49min | Biography, Drama, History | 10 April 2015
Maria Altmann, an octogenarian Jewish refugee, takes on the Austrian government to recover artwork she believes rightfully belongs to her family.
Director: Simon Curtis
Stars: Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2404425/
Originally watched in cinema. Disc arrived recently. Agree with my original rating.

I find this effective and moving on all the major points it makes: the threat to Jews in Austria in the late 30s, the theft of possessions (well before the exterminations), the terror of fleeing your own country while under surveillance, the institutional arrogance of the modern-day "owner" of the painting and the complicity of the Austrian judicial system, the connection RR makes with his family's loss at the Vienna Holocaust Memorial, the ambivalence of HM about continuing the case, the superiority of the American justice (no $M fees to file a case).

Highly recommended for someone who wants to understand being persecuted in your own country.

Rated 7.3 (47,854)

BBC Films & more, dir. Curtis; 7

At Long Last Love (1975), 8

G | 1h 58min | Comedy, Musical | 1 March 1975
This film was Peter Bogdanovich's homage to musical comedies of the 1930s. A millionaire named Michael Oliver Pritchard III and a singer named Kitty O'Kelly meet and fall in love. Meanwhile... 
Writer/Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Stars: Burt Reynolds, Cybill Shepherd, Madeline Kahn, Duilio Del Prete, Eileen Brennan, John Hillerman, Mildred Natwick.
Rita Abrams ... dance coordinator
Albert Lantieri ... dance coordinator
Costume Design by Bobbie Mannix
(wow, I stopped looking for "dance" job titles long ago. I would have missed these today.)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072665/
This bd version is 2h 3min.

19 songs in the Soundtracks, all Words and Music by Cole Porter (1891–1964). The lyrics make it worthwhile to watch with subtitles.

Prior notes from 12Sep18: At Long Last Love (1975), 6+ for very distorted online version.

I've had the product page at Amazon open in a browser tab for 6 months, and an active eBay search sending new listings as they occurred. The price has gone up 50% over what was already outrageous in Sept. So when a Sept-level price came across my email, and I was at the end of Round 1, I just mulled it over and clicked Buy. Frankly, it was a no-risk decision; I can probably resell it for more. But I'm thrilled to have it (unless a cheap version comes out soonish. But I emailed Fox back then, and got a "no plans" reply.)

In theory it doesn't make sense that La La Land ('16) aggravates me, yet I love this film. Here we have amateurs doing the singing/dancing. And the dancing is not great, nor are they backed by an ensemble of pros. But the singing is passable, and the dancing evokes enough Fred & Ginger to be enchanting.

The booklet has a short essay effusing about the film, while acknowledging its troubled reception. I got the impression while watching the film that PB wrote it from a collection of CP lyrics, and the booklet describes CS giving PB just such a book (they were an item at the time, and she had recorded an album of CP songs; opening credits include a card "Suggested by the Songs of Cole Porter"). So in a way, this is a foundation for a film like Mamma Mia! ('08). The CP songs give us the musings of these shallow wealthy characters (although 2 of them are without funds at the moment.)

Interesting to learn from the booklet that the singing was done "in camera", not pre-recorded and lip synced, and the takes are fairly long. The songs have lots and lots of verses, rarely repeating, and PB stages them to keep it interesting, changing the performers and/or the venue/circumstance to break up the length.

BR was always good at self-mocking while doing comedy, and this is no exception. The whole tone of the film is a self-mocking, loving pastiche of 30s glamour musicals. The booklet cites Lubitsch musicals specifically, but I was having a non-musical connection with Kay Francis films of the era (she starred in 1 for Lubitsch). That might have been a costume thing more than a comedy thing.

I can't believe this film didn't get nominated for costumes and set design. I wish Criterion would take this on, and wrap it in a coffee table book of costume and set stills. The booklet said PB wanted to film this in b/w, but I love how much effort was needed to keep the costumes in the b/w range (with some straying into cream and brown). If you film in b/w, the dress might be pink or blue and look white or gray. This took a lot more effort to evoke b/w while watching color.

I need to nod at our supporting players here. PB got another thing right by having strong supporters, which was common in 30s films of any genre.

This is going up on an easel on my binder bookcase. It's not quite in mint condition, but I think I'll put it in a baggie to prevent dust and fingerprints, because I'll probably pat it once in a while.

Note: the bd has an option to watch the film with soundtrack only. This EXCLUDES the singing, so don't bother with it.

The songs are actually not listed in the credits, so someone did a great job getting these into IMDb (chapter menu has no words; 13 ch):

• ch1. Down In The Depths On The 90th Floor, Performed by Madeline Kahn 
• ch1. Tomorrow, Performed by Duilio Del Prete 
• ch2. Which, Performed by Cybill Shepherd 
• ch2. Poor Young Millionaire, Performed by Burt Reynolds 
• ch3. You're The Top, Performed by Burt Reynolds and Madeline Kahn, then by Cybill Shepherd and Duilio Del Prete 
• ch4. Find Me a Primitive Man, Performed by Madeline Kahn 
• ch4. Friendship, Performed by Cybill Shepherd, Madeline Kahn, Eileen Brennan, Burt Reynolds, John Hillerman and Duilio Del Prete 
• ch6. But In The Morning No, Performed by John Hillerman and Eileen Brennan 
• ch6. At Long Last Love, Performed by Madeline Kahn, Burt Reynolds, Cybill Shepherd and Duilio Del Prete each separately
• ch7. Well Did You Evah!, Performed by Burt Reynolds, Cybill Shepherd, Madeline Kahn, Duilio Del Prete, Mildred Natwick and Loutz Gage 
• ch7. From Alpha To Omega, Performed by Duilio Del Prete and Madeline Kahn 
• ch8. Let's Misbehave, Performed by Cybill Shepherd and Burt Reynolds 
• ch8. It's De-Lovely, Performed by Cybill Shepherd and Burt Reynolds 
• ch8. (partial reprise) From Alpha To Omega, Performed by Duilio Del Prete and Madeline Kahn 
• ch8. (partial reprise) But In The Morning No, Performed by John Hillerman and Eileen Brennan 
• ch9. Just One Of Those Things, Performed by Burt Reynolds, Cybill Shepherd and Duilio Del Prete 
• ch9. I Get A Kick Of You, Performed by Cybill Shepherd 
• ch10. Most Gentleman Don't Like Love, Sung/danced by Eileen Brennan, Madeline Kahn and Cybill Shepherd 
• ch10. I Loved Him (But He Didn't Love Me), Performed by Madeline Kahn and Cybill Shepherd 
• ch11. A Picture Of Me Without You, Performed by Burt Reynolds, Cybill Shepherd, Duilio Del Prete and Madeline Kahn 

ch?. Etiquette, Performed by Eileen Brennan and Cybill Shepherd
Per tcm.com:

The director's re-edited television version of the movie includes, among other things, an extra musical number for actress Eileen Brennan. Immediately following the scene between Brennan and Cybill Shepherd outside of the racetrack, Brennan sings "It Ain't Etiquette" (from Dubarry Was a Lady) to Shepherd. Clues to this excised number can be found in a rather abrupt and obvious edit in the theatrical version. 

I emailed Criterion at their Suggestions address, and made a case for this film.

Rated 5.0 (973)

Fox & more, dir. Bogdanovich; 8

End of round 1

Quest to watch all the Music/als I could find, begun 17Sep17, ended 15Mar19
1568 Music/als watched; I own 838 of them
285 non-Music/als watched; I own 192 of them.

1375 unwatched entries remain in my master list of American Music/al Feature-length titles.
I hadn't discovered the Russian SM site where so many films are shared until some time in the '40s (I think). Hence the thought that I'll try a round 2, but maybe infuse more non-musicals. (I own 772 titles that I have not rated; all s/b non-musicals. I own 1494 titles that I have not made Notes about; almost 100 of them are silent.)

During the time of this quest, I acquired 650 new titles (estimate), and have not rated 191 of them. Of the 650, 202 are tagged Musical, 174 Music and 26 both, meaning 350 are Music/als.

One of those is Snow White ('37), the first feature-length animation film, in color.
Becky Sharp ('35) was the first feature-length film in 3-strip Technicolor.
Among the music/als I watched, 986 are color, without b/w tag, meaning they should be all color throughout. The first 3 (prior to BS) are 2-strip technicolor; the rest s/b 3-strip or a process roughly equivalent to Technicolor (which was phased out beginning in the 50s).
Notice that The Wizard of Oz ('39) is not on the list, since the opening sequence was not filmed in color; it would fit in at #8 or 9 on the list.
The same analysis for the whole list of American Music/als shows 15 titles before BS, and WoO would land at #24.
The same analysis for all the films I own shows only a handful of non-musical films in those early years. Amazing how slowly Color was embraced, especially compared with sound ('27) or widescreen ('53).

Enough for now.

Rent: Live (2019), 6

TV-14 | 2h 14min | Musical | TV Movie 27 January 2019
The story of several friends in New York City facing financial poverty, homophobia, AIDS, and, of course, rent.
Directors: Michael Greif, Alex Rudzinski
Stars: Vanessa Hudgens, Jordan Fisher, Tinashe.
Sonya Tayeh ... Choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6881910/

watched on dvr

No songs in the Soundtracks, plenty onscreen.

This production is semi-live. "Roger" broke his foot/leg during the last dress rehearsal, so all but the finale was a recording of a dress rehearsal complete with screaming audience. (Is that the new B'way etiquette? Scream like it's a high school dance show? I had the same complaint about JC Superstar ('18).)

This show is too long and doesn't hold my attention. I don't mean just this production.

Prior: 

Rent (2005), 6

Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway (2008), 6 (This was the final performance after 12 years.)

I was not impressed with Angel's voice. Everyone else was fine.

A little confusing for me: Keala Settle (bearded lady from The Greatest Showman ('17)) played multiple minor roles. But she stood out for her vocals, and because I'd watched the extra features on the TGS disc, I knew what she looked like without the beard. 

Still haven't warmed to the show. I don't think I'll burn this one to dvd. The best of them is the one I already own (with mostly the original cast and the great dancing by Angel, probably possible only on film.) IMDb raters disagree: ('05) had a rating of 7.0, ('08) was 8.0 at the time of my notes.

Rated 6.2 (1,048) 

distr. Fox TV, dir. Greif & Rudzinski; 6

Flesh and Bone (2015), 5

TV-MA | 1h | Drama | TV Mini-Series (2015)
8 episodes total, 1h each.
A talented but emotionally troubled dancer runs away to New York City and quickly finds herself immersed in the cutthroat world of professional ballet.
Creator: Moira Walley-Beckett
Stars: Sarah Hay, Ben Daniels, Emily Tyra.
Matthew Powell ... associate choreographer/ballet master (8 episodes, 2015)
Ethan Stiefel ... choreographer (8 episodes, 2015)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3507484/

Watched 3 episodes on AmazonPrime.

TV series aren't part of my quest, but I suspect ES drew me to this.

Usually I don't rate until I've seen the whole thing, but I have no wish to continue. This has very little dancing, lots of sex (more than in the dance movies I've watched), no likeable characters, and her scary ex-bf just arrived. I'm outta here.

Rated 8.0 (8,899)

Starz Originals, dir. (various); 5

I Can Only Imagine (2018), 5

PG | 1h 50min | Biography, Drama, Family | 16 March 2018
The inspiring and unknown true story behind MercyMe's beloved, chart topping song that brings ultimate hope to so many is a gripping reminder of the power of true forgiveness.
Co-writers/Directors: Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin (as The Erwin Brothers)
Stars: J. Michael Finley, Madeline Carroll, Dennis Quaid.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6450186/
Watched on AmazonPrime.

13 songs in the Soundtracks.

This is the biopic of a song, and therefore of the songwriter. Unfortunately, he has a very abusive background, so that's unpleasant to watch. The epilogue title cards describe the abusive father becoming Christian while he was suffering from cancer, and I didn't get that from the film. (Always possible that I wasn't sufficiently attentive.) I suppose if you know the song (a best-seller on Christian charts), this might be interesting.

Rated 7.4 (10,534)

distr. Lionsgate, dir. Erwin Bros; 5

Green Book (2018), 9

PG-13 | 2h 10min | Biography, Comedy, Drama | 16 Nov 2018
A working-class Italian-American bouncer becomes the driver of an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.
Director: Peter Farrelly
Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6966692/

Already wrote about this on 14Dec.

I found this just as effective today, and had exactly the same reaction at the same moment. I'm very sad that S.Lee resents this winning Best Picture over BlackKklansman. And MA definitely deserves his Oscar; too bad it had to be in the Supporting category. Too bad VM had to lose (to R.Malek; I rewatched Bohemian Rhapsody before the Oscars, and found it just as moving as in theatre.)

Rated 8.3 (137,887); same rating on 14Dec: 8.3 (7,166).

DreamWorks & more, dir. Farrelly, 9

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018), 6

PG-13 | 1h 54min | Comedy, Musical, Romance | 20 July 2018
Five years after the events of Mamma Mia! (2008), Sophie prepares for the grand reopening of the Hotel Bella Donna as she learns more about her mother's past.
Co-writer/Director: Ol Parker
Stars: Lily James, Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Cher, Andy Garcia.
Lucy Bardrick ... assistant choreographer

Nichola Treherne ... associate choreographer

Anthony Van Laast ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6911608/

21 songs in the Soundtracks, all Written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and sometimes Stig Anderson.

Prior: Mamma Mia! (2008), 6+; note they're a decade apart.

Both a prequel and a sequel, plus some fantasy. All the original cast are here, plus a parallel cast for the prequel, and 2 new characters in the present. Lots of singing, with ensemble dancing that's cute. Not a lot of depth, but who cares.

Unbelievable how good Cher (b. '46) looks. Bizarre that the song Fernando has AG (b. '56) mention the year '59 as though that's when they had their past romance. Neither was old enough.

Yes, MS (b. '49) sings again. 

Other than a film where they each had cameos as themselves (Stuck on You (2003)), the only other time Cher & MS appear together is Silkwood (1983). Bizarre that Cher is playing MS' mother.

BD is ridiculously overloaded with extras, including 2 c,tracks. I quit the writer/dir track halfway through; he was just praising everything he saw. He did admit that AG was only in the film to enable the use of one more Abba song. I didn't get through the producer's c.track either, but it seemed more interesting. Next time maybe skip the other featurettes and go for her c.track.

Rated 6.8 (54,231)

Universal & more, dir. Parker; 6

Cinderella (2015), 6 {nm}

PG | 1h 45min | Drama, Family, Fantasy | 13 March 2015
When her father unexpectedly dies, young Ella finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and her scheming stepsisters. Never one to give up hope, Ella's fortunes begin to change after meeting a dashing stranger.
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Stars: Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Helena Bonham Carter.
Terry King ... sword choreographer

Rob Ashford ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1661199/

disc arrived today; KB breathes so much life into Shakespeare, I thought I'd see what this was like.

We get a lot of time on the backstory: C as child with both parents, C grown and blessing father's remarriage, C gradually relegated to servant role by stepmother CB.  

Apparently they trained animals to do the extensive work with C before any preparations for the ball.

HBC as fairy godmother is delightful, but only onscreen briefly.

Otherwise routine.

Rated 6.9 (139,764)

Disney & more, dir. Branagh; 6

Hairspray Live! (2016), 7

TV-PG | 2h | Comedy, Drama, Musical | TV Movie 7 December 2016

A teenage girl living in Baltimore in the early 1960s dreams of appearing on a popular TV dance show.

Directors: Kenny Leon, Alex Rudzinski

Stars: see casts below.

Jerry Mitchell ... choreographer (lots of dancing; surprised only 1 chor. credit)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5664684/

disc arrived recently; runtime is 1h 53min. Decided to purchase sight unseen because of HF as Edna and MS as hubby. ('07 purchased for J.Travolta as Edna and C.Walken as hubby). HF also wrote the teleplay here, and makes a good Edna; more like Divine than JT.

19 songs in the Soundtracks, including 1 reprise; all Music by Marc Shaiman, Lyrics Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. The '07 film has 30 songs, and runtime 1h 57min. (Actually lined up the songs in a spreadsheet. The '07 Soundtracks list reprises separately, and has 5 duplicates.) One title is new here: Velma's Revenge. Five song titles in '07 do not appear in '16's list.

(Synopsis writer ignored the fight against prejudice, which is central to the story.)

Corny Collins sings/dances a lot here; don't remember that from '07. DH does a great job; he also starred in Make Your Move (2013), 6-.

Link, GC, starred in both Teen Beach films: Teen Beach Movie (2013), 7+ and Teen Beach 2 (2015), 7-

AG gets to break out of the Penny constraints at the end of the show. Don't remember that from prior versions, but this one is too big a star.

JH was well-utilized and enjoyable.

Each version has something different that I enjoy.

Prior:

Hairspray (1988), 7 (Music, not Musical)

Hairspray (2007), 7 (Musical)

Casts in order of '07 film:

Divine :: John Travolta :: Harvey Fierstein ... Edna Turnblad

Debbie Harry :: Michelle Pfeiffer :: Kristin Chenoweth ... Velma Von Tussle

Jerry Stiller :: Christopher Walken :: Martin Short ... Wilbur Turnblad

Leslie Ann Powers :: Amanda Bynes :: Ariana Grande ... Penny Pingleton

Shawn Thompson :: James Marsden :: Derek Hough ... Corny Collins

Ruth Brown :: Queen Latifah :: Jennifer Hudson ... Motormouth Maybelle

Vitamin C :: Brittany Snow :: Dove Cameron ... Amber Von Tussle

Michael St. Gerard :: Zac Efron :: Garrett Clayton ... Link Larkin

Clayton Prince :: Elijah Kelley :: Ephraim Sykes ... Seaweed

Jo Ann Havrilla :: Allison Janney :: Andrea Martin ... Prudy Pingleton

Ricki Lake :: Nikki Blonsky :: Maddie Baillio ... Tracy Turnblad

Cyrkle Milbourne :: Taylor Parks :: Shahadi Wright Joseph ... Little Inez

Alan J. Wendl :: Jerry Stiller :: Sean Hayes ... Mr. Pinky

Sonny Bono :: none ... Franklin von Tussle

Josh Charles :: none ... Iggy 

Rated 7.0 (2,414)

distr. NBC, dir. Leon & Rudzinski; 7

Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (2018), 6

TV-PG | 1h 39min | Musical | TV Movie 1 April 2018

A live musical recounting the final days of Jesus Christ and those around him.

Directors: David Leveaux, Alex Rudzinski

Stars: John Legend, Brandon Victor Dixon, Sara Bareilles, Alice Cooper, Ben Daniels.

Camille A. Brown ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6874964/

borrowed dvd

27 songs in the Soundtracks, all Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Tim Rice (when it has lyrics).

Prior: Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), 6

When the film started, I thought I was going to like it better than the Spartan '73 film. But the audience was too prominent and vocal. Plus it might be that I just like a couple of the songs and not the whole show. But that might be partly my fault for not watching closely enough to discover who the characters are and what they're singing about.

The most interesting thing about the production is updating it so the followers were punk/grungers. I suppose some of the teachings would appeal to nihilists.

Rated 7.8 (2,515)

distr. NBC, dir. Leveaux & Rudzinski; 6

Pitch Perfect 3 (2017), 6-

PG-13 | 1h 33min | Comedy, Music | 22 December 2017
Following their win at the world championship, the now separated Bellas reunite for one last singing competition at an overseas USO tour, but face a group who uses both instruments and voices.
Director: Trish Sie
Stars: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, John Lithgow.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4765284/

46 songs in the Soundtracks.

Prior:
Pitch Perfect (2012), 6
Pitch Perfect 2 (2015), 6

Plot: the group reunites by invitation, thinking they are being asked to perform. That disappointment leads to the brainstorm of going on a USO tour (one girl's dad is big in one of the services). AK just quit her job as a record producer when the artist hated her work. At least 4 other music acts are on the USO tour, and one of them is going to choose 1 of the others to be the opener for his big concert (tour?).

Meanwhile, RW's estranged dad JL catches up with her on this tour because he wants her 9-figure trust fund (she didn't know the value). They're estranged because he's a crook and RW wanted none of it.

So we get a riff-off between the bands (with the acapella group at a major disadvantage by sticking with their internal rules). We get USO performances in European cities (no scary war zones here). We get JL chasing RW and the girls to get her $$. And we get all the girls adapting to the idea that their choral days are waning (they graduated college in PP2) and they need to move on.

It felt like too much was going on, causing a lack of focus. Not that comedy needs to be simple, but ...

Rated 5.8 (42,999)

Universal & more, dir. Sie; 6-

The Greatest Showman (2017), 7+

PG | 1h 45min | Biography, Drama, Musical | 20 December 2017
Celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
Director: Michael Gracey
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Keala Settle.
Mathieu Leopold ... circus coordinator/choreographer

Jenny Griffin ... assistant choreographer

Shannon Holtzapffel ... choreographer

Tony Testa ... additional choreographer

Ashley Wallen ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1485796/

16 songs in the Soundtracks, 14 Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (including 1 "& Ryan Lewis"). 

I originally saw this in theatre, rated 7 with these notes; at the time (3Jan18) the IMDb rating was 8.0.) I was watching 1939 back then, and the next film was The Wizard of Oz. Here's a page with TGS at the bottom (earliest) of other consecutive posts. I complained about music video cutting during the dances. Today I didn't even notice that, which means it's much tamer than recent films.

In the c.track, dir. describes a shot as being a model that was 3-D printed and hand-painted then filmed. Seems like they could have just CGI'd it. The BD has an overwhelming quantity of extra material, and I hate the way BD does not display a screenful of choices; this one has only 1 extra shown at a time.

The songs & spectacle are very enjoyable. The story is shrug-worthy, holding this back from being an 8

Wishlist: more full-out musicals like this, more ZE (b. '87) and/or HJ (b. '68) in musicals.

Rated 7.6 (191,884)

Fox & more, dir. Gracey; 7+

Teen Beach 2 (2015), 7-

TV-G | 1h 44min | Family, Fantasy, Musical | TV Movie 26 June 2015

Modern day teens Mack and Brady get a real world visit from Lela, Tanner, Butchy, and other surfer and biker pals from the beach party film within a film, Wet Side Story.

Director: Jeffrey Hornaday

Stars: Ross Lynch, Maia Mitchell, Gracie Gillam, Garrett Clayton.

Jeffrey Hornaday ... choreographer

Christopher Scott ... choreographer

Danielle Sten ... Assistant Choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3764966/

disc arrived today.

18 songs in the Soundtracks, most are danced-to, or at least sung by cast.

Original: Teen Beach Movie (2013), 7+. 

This film is more internal than external, so they spend too much time being serious/introspective. (In the 1st film they struggled to get back to reality and repair the alterations their presence made in WSS.)

Lots of good dancing. Wish they'd provided a feature to watch those again without the rest of the film. Extra feature talks about 8 weeks of rehearsal before filming. An impressive feat: actors dancing in front of a projected film, matching the choreography.

Definitely glad to have this one too.

Rated 6.3 (2,769)

Disney, dir. Hornaday; 7-

Forever My Girl (2018), 5

PG | 1h 48min | Drama, Music, Romance | 19 January 2018
After being gone for a decade a country star returns home to the love he left behind.
Co-writer/Director: Bethany Ashton Wolf
Stars: Alex Roe, Jessica Rothe, Abby Ryder Fortson.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4103724/
Watched on AmazonPrime.

20 songs in the Soundtracks, some performed by cast onscreen, country flavor, not my fave.

I prob'ly shouldn't rate this b/c I dozed off and didn't go back. But what I saw before and after is consistent. Seems like this is more schmaltz about a performer who ran from his hometown, leaving his fiancee at the altar (pregnant, unknown to both). Then in the middle of a tour he gets the itch to go home, and finds the unknown 7yo daughter. He's treated with awe and adoration everywhere but that hometown, where even his father sides with the fiancee. Dad had tried to tell him about the daughter, but couldn't get through the superstar barrier. Ends with a wedding, everyone beaming. <eyeroll>

Rated 6.7 (9,174)

indie, dir. Wolf; 5

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), 6- {nm}

PG-13 | 2h 4min | Comedy, Drama, Romance | 30 November 2011
British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. Less luxurious than advertised, the Marigold Hotel nevertheless slowly begins to charm in unexpected ways.
Director: John Madden
Stars: Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Dev Patel, Tina Desai.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1412386/
disc just arrived; ordered because I liked the sequel well enough that I thought I should see the original.
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015), 6 {nm}

I watched it on a small (12") screen, so perhaps I'm missing some visual splendor. But this had no wedding, so I don't think I missed much.

The characters are largely the same as in Second, with 1 who died during this script ("replaced" by R.Gere). But this doesn't have the hijinks of the wedding prep, and focuses much more on the elder cast, some of whom are unhappy and adjusting badly.

DP is again a delight, and his intended TD is a beauty who can act.

Had I seen this one first, I probably wouldn't have gone for the Second, which would have been a shame.

Rated 7.3 (85,042)

Fox, dir. Madden; 6-

Brad's Status (2017), 5

R | 1h 42min | Comedy, Drama, Music | 15 September 2017
A father takes his son to tour colleges on the East Coast and meets up with an old friend who makes him feel inferior about his life's choices.
Writer/Director: Mike White
Stars: Ben Stiller, Austin Abrams, Jenna Fischer.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5884230/
Watched on AmazonPrime.

7 songs in the Soundtracks. The son is a musician. The only 2 performances I remember is of Humoresque near the end, and a busker (also the son) performing a folk-y song. Very silly to count this as a music/al, but ok.

If I would write a synopsis, it might be: "Father's midlife crisis is accelerated by taking his son on college visits." BS is the father, and  either he or his voiceover is in every shot.

Spoiler: it seemed like he might resolve his crisis, but relapsed with the last sentence. The End.

Probably (perhaps) interesting to a person having a midlife crisis. Otherwise, not so much.

Rated 6.5 (12,729)

Amazon Studios & more, dir. White; 5

Verdi: Otello (2017), 8-

3h 10min | Music | 28 June 2017
Hateful Iago sabotages Otello's marriage, with many tragic results.
Director: Keith Warner
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Stars: Maria Agresta, Jonas Kaufmann, Marco Vratogna

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8212966/

Time: end of 15th century
Place: Cyprus

First performance at Milan, February 5, 1887

Prior operas watched, both starring Placido Domingo:
Verdi: Otello (1986), 8 (Zeffirelli film),
Verdi: Otello (1992), 7 (stage performance at Covent Garden.)
I've watched 4 productions of the play so far, and that's more familiar to me today.

I'm impressed with JH (b. '69), a worthy successor to PD; they did nothing to make his skin look dark. MA was good as Desdemona, and MV is fine as Iago.

I don't remember if this is an opera vs play thing, or is specific to this production:
1) Iago is very explicit about his hatred for O being for promoting Cassio over him.
2) I didn't see anything about D's father, nor any cause for O to immediately throw D under the bus.

I definitely got whiplash again from seeing O as the competent general disciplining his men for their brawl, then turned on a dime into the simpering jealous blob. Especially crazy because he's young, handsome and white.

I've seen some O's wearing a cross; this production made me wonder if D's death is in some sense an honor killing. I don't remember any allusion to that in any production.

My fascination with this story continues.

Rated (none)

RoyalOpera, cond. Pappano; 8-

How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2017), 5--

R | 1h 42min | Comedy, Music, Romance | 21 May 2017
An alien touring the galaxy breaks away from her group and meets two young inhabitants of the most dangerous place in the universe: the London suburb of Croydon.
Co-writer/Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Stars: Ruth Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Elle Fanning.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3859310/
Watched on AmazonPrime.

30 songs in the Soundtracks, several performed by cast, or at least mimed by them. Most of the music is punk style.

Really didn't hold my attention. Something about space travelers who were remnants of their worlds banding together seeking other humanoids only to eat them? I dunno, and don't care. Not quite annoying enough to rate it 4, but close.

Rated 5.8 (6,663)

indie, dir. Mitchell; 5--

Tangled: Before Ever After (2017), 6

TV-Y7 | 55min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy | TV Movie 10 March 2017

As Rapunzel prepares for her coronation as Princess of Corona, one unforgettable night will change her hair again!

Directors: Tom Caulfield, Stephen Sandoval

Stars: Zachary Levi, Mandy Moore, Eden Espinosa.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5533228/

Watched online, ok print.

3 songs in the Soundtracks, all Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Glenn Slater. Yes, this really is tagged Musical.

By the end, it was clear this was the beginning of something, and sure enough: Tangled: The Series (2017-). This is a sequel to Tangled (2010), 8, and her hair is short brown for the majority of this film, but it gets a sudden growth spurt.

Much different style of animation: much flatter & simpler; compare the '10 film poster. I wonder how the series is animated: by hand or by computer. The characters in this film felt true to the original.

Rated 6.6 (1,417)

Disney, dir. Caulfield & Sandoval; 6

Song to Song (2017), 5--

R | 2h 9min | Drama, Music, Romance | 17 March 2017
Two intersecting love triangles. Obsession and betrayal set against the music scene in Austin, Texas.
Writer/Director: Terrence Malick
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, Michael Fassbender, Natalie Portman.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2062700/
Watched on AmazonPrime.

Dozens of songs in the Soundtracks, almost nothing performed onscreen, and almost nothing noticeable as underscoring. Bizarre to see that many credits.

Very little dialog or even voice-over from the primary female character. Nothing really happens that I detected. Just couples mooning over each other, touching (fully clothed), pondering their feelings. Sometimes a second woman was onscreen as though a menage a trois would happen.

A complete waste of time and electrons for me. I'm not even curious why so many respected actors thought this was a good idea, or what the idea really was.

Rated 5.7 (15,106)

indie, dir. Malick; 5--

Beauty and the Beast (2017), 6

PG | 2h 9min | Family, Fantasy, Musical | 17 March 2017
A selfish prince is cursed to become a monster for the rest of his life, unless he learns to fall in love with a beautiful young woman he keeps prisoner.
Director: Bill Condon
Stars: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson, Audra McDonald, Stanley Tucci.
Nichola Treherne ... Associate choreographer
Anthony Van Laast ... choreography

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2771200/

Watched online, ok print, minor distortion on bottom of image.

18 songs in the Soundtracks (includes repetition), all Music by Alan Menken, or Written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, 8 with Lyrics by Tim Rice.

As soon as the dishes and bric-a-brac started singing/dancing, I tuned out. Lots of CGI, with the famous names above voicing the animated usually-inanimate objects.

Songs sounded familiar from Beauty and the Beast (1991), 7-, but they must have added some, since that had only 8 songs, and runtime 1h 24min. The '91 film started right after this one, and looked very flat and slow-moving. Ah, the good ole days of hand animation. 

Rated 7.2 (230,824); the '91 version today has 8.0 (383,100), and IMDb was not super popular in '91 (launched 10'90.)

Disney, dir. Condon; 6

Disney's Newsies the Broadway Musical (2017), 8

PG | 2h 29min | Musical | 16 February 2017
Filmed live on stage at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, CA, this not-to-be-missed high energy show stars Original Broadway cast members along with members of both the Broadway and North American Tour ensembles. Set in New York City at the turn of the century and based on a true story: when publishing titans Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices at the newsboys' expense, Jack finds a cause to fight for and rallies newsies from across the city to strike and take a stand for what's right.
Directors: Jeff Calhoun, Brett Sullivan
Stars: Jeremy Jordan, Kara Lindsay, Ben Fankhauser.
Lou Castro ... associate choreographer
Christopher Gattelli ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6346162/

Watched online, mirror image, otherwise ok.

part 1, part 2, part 3.

Cannot find it on dvd, only online. Really want it on disc.

18 songs in the Soundtracks, Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Jack Feldman.

Originating film Newsies (1992), 8; B'way show (2012-14), Tour (2014-16).

Really nice to have professional dancers, with great choreography and lots of rehearsal. The filming is still pretty chopped up, shifting cameras every few seconds, perhaps splicing different performances together, but less so than most films now. They were also great singers, most doing both.

Our token female is Pulitzer's daughter, playing the struggling reporter who covers the newsies' strike. Did not see a girl newsie, and I watched the curtain call all the way through.

Rated 8.6 (1,416)

distr. Disney & Fathom, dir. Calhoun & Sullivan; 8

Heartbeats (2017), 6

PG | 1h 47min | Comedy, Drama, Music | 20 March 2017
A young American college student with dreams of being a professional dancer travels to India with her family for a week long Indian wedding and falls in love -- both with a new style of dance, and with a young man who introduces it to her.
Writer/Director: Duane Adler
Stars: Krystal Ellsworth, Amitash Pradhan.
Tessandra Chavez ... supervising choreographer
Bertwin Ravi Dsouza ... choreography partner
Kevin Frey ... assistant choreographer
Shampa Gopikrishna ... choreographer

Ankita Maity ... assistant choreographer

Akash More ... assistant choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5281700/

Watched on Google Play. The only official release I found was region 2 and about 50% more than online copy. Did not find it free at all.

42 songs in the Soundtracks, mostly danced-to.

Lots of dancing. I think more screentime was spent in India than America, but some of the dancing in India was hip-hop, most was B'wood (wedding rehearsals). The lighting was very subdued, often with an amber filter, or bluish for darker scenes.

The story is fairly typical except for the American family traveling to India for the wedding of a client's son. And they are struggling with grief over the death of their own son a year or two earlier. Tension is provided by the family wanting their dancer-daughter to study law. Romance ensues between her and the wedding choreographer/dancer. More tension from looming dance competition back in USA for the girl and her troop; she should be choreographing/rehearsing back home. Storybook ending.

Pleasant, but not so colorful as I was hoping (B'wood scenes).

Rated 5.4 (522)

indie, dir. Adler; 6

Holiday Inn: The New Irving Berlin Musical - Live (2017), 6-

2h 8min | Musical | 14 January 2017
Aired on PBS Great Performances 24 Nov 2017
Roundabout Theatre Company's live stage production or Irving Berlin's musical about a singer who leaves show business and converts an old Connecticut farmhouse into a performance venue.
Director: David Horn
Writers: Gordon Greenberg (book), Chad Hodge (book)
Stars: Corbin Bleu, Bryce Pinkham, Lora Lee Gayer, Megan Sikora.
Denis Jones ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6411322/

Watched with PBS Passport, available until

No songs in the Soundtracks, plenty onstage.

Remake of Holiday Inn (1942), 8-, a tough act to follow.

Yes, CB (b. '89) was one of the 6 principals of HSM 1-3 ('06-'08), my ratings 6, 6-. He looks middle-aged here, and is playing the F.Astaire part, a very hard act to follow. He even did a tap dance with fireworks.

The '42 film is romantic and intimate. This stage production is broad and brassy (not a class of musical instrument) almost to the point of being shrill. But I was watching on Chromebook, with volume turned up for dialog, and that made the musical numbers too bright/sharp/loud.

Didn't love the voice of the B.Crosby character, very B'way tenor. Didn't love the microphoned vocals in general. The female lead in '42 wasn't strong, so no comparison needed here.

The story seems about the same; it really didn't engage me too well.

Rated 7.2 (117)

BroadwayHD, dir. Horn; 6-

Update 15.Dec2020: I have the exact same reaction as 21 months ago. Given how well they're mic'd, why can't they play it more intimately? The chorus sounded awful singing Easter Parade, and it was presented brassily, which felt wrong. Lot's more songs than the '42 film. If they took out the story, this would work better as a revue of Berlin tunes.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again (2016), 6

TV-14 | 1h 28min | Comedy, Horror, Musical | TV Movie 20 October 2016

A straitlaced, square couple, seeking shelter from a storm, find themselves in the castle of a transgender alien mad scientist intent on creating a buff bodybuilder.

Director: Kenny Ortega

Stars: Laverne Cox, Ryan McCartan, Victoria Justice, Staz Nair, Tim Curry, Adam Lambert, Ben Vereen.

Jeff Mortensen ... assistant choreographer

Tony Testa ... co-choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1267299/

Watched online, ok print.

No songs in the Soundtracks, plenty onscreen.

I'm not a fan of this show (meaning The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), 6-, IMDb 7.8 at the time); I have NO idea why the low IMDb rating for this version. (It's 3.6/5 on Amazon, while the original is 4.6/5.)

This one goes meta, showing an audience interacting with the film as they do at midnight showings. Then at one point the movie is onstage instead (and switches back to projected again). Not sure why they show RiffRaff and Magenta as the only audience for part of the stage show; this is while RiffRaff is holding a loaded guitar/laser at Frank; they should be in the castle.

I think LC did a splendid job as Frank (see poster), and how nice to have a trans woman playing a trans alien. TC took the narrator/criminologist role, and BV was Dr. Scott (in a wheelchair, but he sang). Seems like AL was onscreen less than Meatloaf in '75. Everyone's performance was fine to me.

Rated 4.3 (6,105)

Fox & more, dir. Ortega; 6

Sing (2016), 6

PG | 1h 48min | Animation, Comedy, Family | 11 September 2016
In a city of humanoid animals, a hustling theater impresario's attempt to save his theater with a singing competition becomes grander than he anticipates even as its finalists find that their lives will never be the same.
Directors: Garth Jennings (writer/), Christophe Lourdelet (co-director)
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly.
Wayne McGregor ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3470600/
Watched online, ok print.

66 songs in the Soundtracks, lots without performers. Not at all clear if singers are documented for the major characters.

Cute. Anthropomorphic animals and animated hyper-action make this more enjoyable than the story would read on paper. Good singing (hence my curiosity about who did it), and lots of color. But it gets to be a bit much sometimes. And I didn't grow to care about anyone onscreen.y

Update 16Apr: did buy the dvd, and it held my attention better this time. I did find the ending satisfying. Might be edging up to a 6+.

Rated 7.1 (112,343)

Universal & more, dir. Jennings & Lourdelet; 6

La La Land (2016), 6

PG-13 | 2h 8min | Comedy, Drama, Music | 25 December 2016
While navigating their careers in Los Angeles, a pianist and an actress fall in love while attempting to reconcile their aspirations for the future.
Writer/Director: Damien Chazelle
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Rosemarie DeWitt, John Legend
Jillian Meyers ... assistant choreographer
Mandy Moore ... choreographer

Michael Riccio ... assistant choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3783958/

33 songs in the Soundtracks, 17 Music by Justin Hurwitz. The disc has a songs-only option, and that lasts 49min. 

I'll lead with the bottom line: I'm still unhappy with this film, for the same reasons as when I saw it in theatre during its initial release: I don't like that so much of the music and the scenes remind me of Michel Legrand and The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967), and I don't see any onscreen credit (or even c.track/featurette mentions) for that. I'm also deeply disappointed that our leads are not really triple-threat talents. They do a serviceable job with the singing and dancing, but if you're going to make an homage or modern reworking of old-school musicals, then throw musical-ready pros at it. (Yeah, yeah, you need name players to attract audience. How about Anna Kendrick & Zac Efron? Too young and happy?) (Apparently RG really learned to play piano for this, and none of the hands on keys are dubbed. JL was impressed, and I am too.)

To me, the opening number, Another Day of Sun, is an homage/ripoff of Michel Legrand's Le Pont Transbordeur, the opening number of YGR, which is not yet listed on the Connections page, so I should expect YGR not to be named in any extra features.

C.track (dir. and composer JH), ~33min (well past the opening number), DC mentions YGR (naming Jacques Demy and Michel Legrand) as "the most perfect example of a rhyming call-and-response approach to a song suite, using fragments of melodies that blossom into a full score medley" (I'm almost quoting his words.) NO mention of YGR's opening scene that is so close to LLL's opener. After consuming the bd extras, I imagine the creators don't think of their opener as at all like YGR's. YGR has a bunch of carnies singing/dancing/taking a stretch while their convoy is ferried across a river. LLL has strangers (they're called dreamers by the creative folks, as in show-biz wannabes) breaking out in song/dance in a traffic jam. But it's the same style of dance, and music that sounds very much like ML composed it, as does the music in at least a third of the film (mostly the 1st 3rd). YGR and Umbrellas of Cherbourg ('64) are both highlighted as among many inspirations in a featurette (film titles displayed onscreen).

When the leads dance in the air, I'm reminded of The Belle of New York ('52), but c.track cites Sleeping Beauty (1959) and something else. OK. BNY really is mostly F.Astaire dancing solo in the air, and V.Ellen only joins him toward/at the end of the film.

Per c.track, at 1h 9min, the scene in her aptmt is bathed in green light and she wears a purple dress, and DC sas that was taken from Vertigo ('58), where it's used to create a verrrrry different mood. Also their duet was sung quietly like(?) Bob Hope delivered like an unnamed low key duet; I believe DC's talking about BH & Shirley Ross in Thanks for the Memory ('38), which _is_ a charming scene (or perhaps this scene from the same film); LLL's is ok.

Interesting that LLL was conceived/written before Whiplash ('14), which was made to help get LLL off the ground (per featurette). LLL was 6 yrs in the making.

DC mentions a lot of my favorite films and directors in the extras. I hope he gives us more musicals, but goes fuller tilt when casting the principals: more Fred & Ginger, not Jimmy Stewart and Katharine Hepburn.

Rated 8.0 (423,457)

Summit & more, dir. Chazelle; 6

Honey 3: Dare to Dance (2016), 6-

PG-13 | 1h 37min | Drama, Family, Music | Video 6 September 2016

While attending college in Cape Town, Melea Martin loses her scholarship and must find money to pay for the rest of her semester and finish her thesis project.

Director: Bille Woodruff

Stars: Cassie Ventura, Kenny Wormald, Dena Kaplan, Sibongile Mlambo, Clayton Evertson.

(no choreographer credit)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4677938/

Watched online, fuzzy print.

Lots of songs in the Soundtracks. Lots and lots of dancing, all hip-hop: battles, rehearsals, finally the show.

I didn't catch what the link is to the prior Honey films. None of the cast were credited in Honey 2 (2011), 6-, only 5 crew in common, including producer Marc Platt and dir. These are the only 2 in common between this film and the original Honey (2003), 6. I suppose the plot of a woman dancer trying to establish herself as choreographer/ studio owner is common to all.

KW stands out for his dancing. All the dancing is pretty good, but he's just that much better. No trace of his non-hip-hop background: he was in Center Stage: Turn It Up (2008), 6+ and danced both h-h and ballet.

Something falls short here, as with Honey 2. Too much editing during dances, shrug-worthy plot.

Rated 5.4 (1,276)

Universal & more, dir. Woodruff; 6-

She Loves Me (2016), 6

Not Rated | 2h 13min | Musical | TV Movie 30 June 2016

Also aired on PBS Great Performances on 20 Oct 2017

A story of 2 combative shop clerks, Amalia and Georg, who are not aware that they are the recipients of each other's secret love letters. 

Director: David Horn

Stars: Laura Benanti, Zachary Levi, Gavin Creel, Byron Jennings, Jane Krakowski, Nicholas Barasch.

Warren Carlyle ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5868094/

Watched on PBS Passport, available through 20Oct20.

2 songs in the Soundtracks, many more in the show, both Written by Jerry Bock (as Jerry Boch) and Sheldon Harnick. All the songs in the '78 version are also written by this team. The song She Loves Me felt very familiar.

This is a filmed live stage performance.

This is a remake of the film (and antecedent Hungarian play) The Shop Around the Corner (1940) (my rating 5, long prior to my Note-taking), which was also remade as In the Good Old Summertime (1949), 6 and You've Got Mail (1998), 8-.

I like this much better than the British version She Loves Me (1978), 6, although the numeric rating doesn't indicate it. My rating on the '16 version reflects the fact that I don't love the story/show (the premise that people who irritate each other are actually in love really makes me cringe), but the performances here were more enjoyable than '78's.

This is the show where JK (b. '68) gets dragged across the floor while in full splits. 

Rated 8.9 (299)

BroadwayHD, dir. Horn; 6

BTW, found BroadwayHD online, and it's expensive: $15 for a single-viewing rental, subscription is $9/mo, and they have a Free Trial period (7 days?). Accessing via Amazon is a separate subscription.

XOXO (2016), 5

TV-MA | 1h 32min | Drama, Music | 26 August 2016
Six strangers' lives collide in one frenetic, dream-chasing, hopelessly romantic night.
Co-writer/Director: Christopher Louie
Stars: Sarah Hyland, Graham Phillips, Brett DelBuono, Ryan Hansen.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4855748/
Watched online, ok print.

Lots of songs in the Soundtracks.

I wanted to like this because the male lead GP played the son on The Good Wife (2009-2016), and plays another sincere (albeit foul-mouthed) character here. But the story had a lot of drug-soaked kids at a rave, doing things they may regret later.

GP, as an aspiring DJ (why are they considered artists/musicians now?) becomes YouTube famous for his mixes, and is hired for a festival/rave. But his bff/manager gets waylaid by a girl who kisses him with some hallucinogen on her tongue, so he's rendered useless for most of the film. Arrangements had not been well made, and GP has difficulty getting into the venue, but finally gets swept in by the established, Diplo-esque DJ's manager. They dazzle and seduce GP, offering to release some of his tracks on the DJ's label. But others warn GP that this is how DJ rips off naive artists. Bff sobers up enough to find GP and help him crash his track into the soundsystem. I didn't notice if that means a happy beginning to GP's career, or what...ever.

There are a couple other subplots, but nothing to make this worthwhile. 

Rated 5.3 (5,946)

Netflix & more, dir. Louie; 5

Center Stage: On Pointe (2016), 6+

PG | 1h 32min | Drama, Music | TV Movie 25 June 2016

In Center Stage: On Pointe, Jonathan Reeves (Gallagher) is tasked with infusing more contemporary styles and modernism into the American Ballet Academy.

Director: Director X.

Stars: Nicole Muñoz, Kenny Wormald, Barton Cowperthwaite Maude Green, Ethan Stiefel.

Monica Proenca ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5176536/

Watched online, ok print. 

11 songs in the Soundtracks.

ES reprised his role, but only as a judge; he did not dance at all. Recall his first appearance was in Center Stage (2000), and that he also danced in Center Stage: Turn It Up (2008).

This is not hip-hop or street dancing. It's ballet and modern, period. But it's expressive modern, not silly stuff from the early days of modern dance.

I like how serious these students are, how hard they're willing to work. And the primary character, sister to the focus of CS:TIU, gets a lot of negative feedback that she has to overcome in addition to her shortcomings in ballet.

This falls short of a 7, but gets the exact same rating from me as the two prior films.

The director is not anonymous; that's his stage name.

Rated 6.0 (997)

distr. Lifetime TV, dir. Director X.; 6+

David Brent: Life on the Road (2016), 5-

1h 36min | Comedy, Music | 19 August 2016
A camera crew catches up with David Brent, the former star of the fictional British TV series The Office (2001), as he now fancies himself a rock star on the road.
Writer/Director: Ricky Gervais
Stars: Ricky Gervais, Doc Brown, more.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3137630/
Watched online, ok print (reduced size, curved). 1:56 duration; doesn't seem to be slowed, so perhaps it's an extended version.

23 songs in the Soundtracks, 16 Written by Ricky Gervais. Pretty sure he does his own singing.

The title character comes from The Office (2001–2003). I watched very little of the American version of the show. I rated the Brit version 5 from Netflix; IMDb 8.5 (84,700).

RG is deliberately flat/dull/boring as that's the character. I don't understand the allure of such a character, especially not in the ordinary situation of an office.

Here it's not any better, because now he's jumped out of his fishtank and is flopping around onstage.

Lot's of interviews and talking to camera, because this is a doc'y of the gigs performed and the time between.

Painfully long and dull.

Rated 6.3 (15,101)

BBC films & more, dir. Gervais; 5-