Taking 5 (2007), 6-

PG | 1h 30min | Comedy, Family, Music | 28 April 2007
Two geeky teens kidnap the world's most famous boy-band in an attempt to make them play at their high school and thus boost the girls' popularity.
Director: Andrew Waller
Stars: Alona Tal, Daniella Monet, Christy Carlson Romano.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454962/
Watched on AmazonPrime.

2 songs in the Soundtracks, neither were performed by the boy band, and they did perform.

A little more substantial than teen fluff, but not much. The characters experience some growth.

Not worth a 2nd look.

IMDb lists this at a Tribeca Film Fest, but no theatrical release in the US.

Rated 5.9 (837)

distr. ABC Family, dir. Waller; 6-

Loins of Punjab Presents (2007), 6-

Not Rated | 1h 28min | Comedy, Music | 13 April 2007
A ruthless philanthropist. A bhangra rapper. An over-protected prodigy. A reckless actress. A lovelorn businessman. An entrepreneurial yogi. And a Loin King. All converge at a singing contest in a small New Jersey town for a $25,000 prize.
Co-Writer/Director: Manish Acharya
Stars: Shabana Azmi, Ajay Naidu, Ayesha Dharker.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1012757/

Watched online, ok print.

No songs listed in the Soundtracks, but all were sung in Hindi, mostly partials for auditions, one was the national anthem of India.

The title refers to the businessman who's sponsoring the contest, and the loins are from pork. The food business does not enter into the story beyond that.

We follow these 7(?) contestants through the process, but dozens more try out. One of them manipulates the contest so she's one of the 2 finalists. The film ends with the winner selected, and we get title cards with post-contest outcomes.

Shrug-worthy.

Rated 7.1 (740)

This is in English and set in NJ, but IMDb shows the funding country as India, but does not list a distributor in India. I guess I added this to the quest after the Bollywood film I liked.

indie, dir. Acharya, 6-

Great World of Sound (2007), 6-

R | 1h 46min | Comedy, Drama, Music | 30 March 2007
When a man answers an advertisement to train as a record producer, he's excited by the prospect of signing undiscovered musicians, only to discover his new job isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Co-Writers/Director: Craig Zobel
Stars: Pat Healy, Kene Holiday, John Baker.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0826547/
Watched online, ok print.

12 songs in the Soundtracks, but I don't remember anything being sung more than a small sample.

The subject involves the music industry, but precious little music is performed, and most of it is done badly.

It was clear from the beginning that this was a scam that the man is learning to pull, and it'll be a scam on him as well as on the "artists". The artist has to pay "30% of recording costs" to make their demo. Amazingly, the promoters actually rent cheap studio space and conduct some recording sessions, but never produce any cds. Eventually they shut down operations and abandon their sales force.

The actors do a good job, but the story is unpleasant, and the settings are low-rent ugly.

There are better dramas with open endings. Not worth a second look.

Rated 6.8 (1,035)

indie, dir. Zobel; 6-

Music and Lyrics (2007), 7

PG-13 | 1h 36min | Comedy, Music, Romance | 14 February 2007
A washed up singer is given a couple days to compose a chart-topping hit for an aspiring teen sensation. Though he's never written a decent lyric in his life, he sparks with an offbeat younger woman with a flair for words.
Writer/Director: Marc Lawrence
Stars: Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, Scott Porter, Brad Garrett, Haley Bennett, Kristen Johnston.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758766/

25 songs in the Soundtracks. The cast all do their own performing, except SP.

SP only appears in the imitation vintage music video, but his moves absolutely invoke George Michael for me.

Sweet, funny film with charming leads and good support. The plot was fun and gave a great platform for the love story.

Rated 6.5 (89,980)

distr. Warner, dir. Lawrence; 7

Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time (2007), 6

G | 1h 14min | Animation, Family, Fantasy | Video 6Feb2007
When Lady Tremaine steals the Fairy Godmother's wand and changes history, it's up to Cinderella to restore the timeline and reclaim her prince.
Director: Frank Nissen
Stars: Jennifer Hale, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Susanne Blakeslee.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465940/
Watched online, good print.

9 songs in the Soundtracks.

Decent story: stepsister Anastasia steals the magic wand from Fairy Godmother, and allows her mother to whip up some spells, turning back time and making the prince think Anastasia is the girl of the glass slipper. But she's not so cold-hearted as her mother. She really wants to be loved for herself, and does not seek power/status. 

Cinderella is more proactive here too. She remembers dancing with prince, and fights for her true love.

Rated 6.0 (7,563)

Disney, dir. Nissen; 6

Wallace & Gromit: Shorts (1989-2008), 7+ {nm}

A Grand Day Out (1989), 7+
The Wrong Trousers (1993), 8
A Close Shave (1995), 7
Wallace & Gromit's Cracking Contraptions (2002), 7-

plus
A Matter of Loaf and Death (2008), 8-
Watched online, good print.

All Directed by Nick Park.

The first 3 are about 30 minutes each, the last is 20 minutes worth of 10 titles (yes, each about 2 min).

The Wrong Trousers is clearly the best, with a terrific plot, and more emphasis on Gromit. Wallace is literally asleep during a big chunk of his screen time. The penguin is excellent, because he's being deceptive, so it's appropriate for him to be expressionless.

The robot of A Grand Day Out was also very good. Loved the poodle in Loaf.

My disc had no c.tracks, but I borrowed one that did. Amazing that Nick Park admitted that Trousers was his fave.

Rated:
A Grand Day Out (1989), 7.8 (27,692)
The Wrong Trousers (1993), 8.3 (46,410)
A Close Shave (1995), 8.2 (35,006)
Wallace & Gromit's Cracking Contraptions (2002), 7.7 (1,946)
A Matter of Loaf and Death (2008), 7.6 (12,625)

Aardman Animations, dir. Park; 7+

Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro (2006), 7

3h 4min | Comedy, Drama, Musical | TV Movie 2006
The Countess and three servants conspire to embarrass the Count during an attempted infidelity. Complications ensue for the upcoming nuptials.
Director: Jonathan Haswell

Conductor: Antonio Pappano

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229379/

Time: 18th century 

Place: near Seville 

First performance at Vienna, May 1, 1786 

I did not watch very carefully. The audience laughed only a few times. I think the production was competent, but perhaps never got madcap, which this story could certainly do. I like the voices of Figaro & Susanna; I've seen her in Cosi fan tutte, which I gave an 8.

I'm not feeling so generous today. 3h for this is a lot. I suppose this is so well known by opera goers that the production team wouldn't dare edit it down. (There are 3 tv captures of this opera in 2006: Vienna, London and Milan.)

Too many characters and too many connections between them, intentional for comedic purposes. Before watching, I'm going to write a summary of the Simon's 100 Great Operas synopsis, more to try to absorb it than to document anything.

Act I: Figaro & Susanna work as valet & maid to the Count and Countess Almaviva, respectively. F&S are also about to  marry each other, and S expects the Count to chase her even after the wedding. Figaro borrowed money from Marcellina with the condition he'd marry her if he defaulted. M's boss Dr. Bartolo has an old grudge against F and vows revenge. Cherubino has a crush on the Countess. Here comes the Count to chase S, so Cherubino hides. Then here comes the music teacher/gossip Don Basilio, so the Count hides too. He gossips about Cherubino and the gardener's daughter, the Count discovers him, singing ensues, and the Count gives Cherubino a commission in his regiment, which will be traveling.

Act II: Countess laments losing her husband's love. Countess, S&F conspire to make the Count more loyal to his wife, and invite him to an assignation with S, but which will be fulfilled by Cherubino, and interrupted by the Countess. As S readies Cherubino, the Count arrives, so he gets locked in adjoining room, but makes noise there. By the time Count has broken into the room, S has replaced Cherubino. F attempts some fancy 'splainin', but the gardener arrives to complain about someone jumping from that room into his shrubbery. F 'splains some more. Here comes Marcellina to claim her rights to marry F, along with Dr. Bartolo & Don Basilio, and everybody sings.

Act III: The Count is confused; S soothes him. An attorney claims F must marry Marcellina, but F avers with needing the consent of his unknown parents. F reveals a birthmark, which matches Marcellina's; lo, she is really his mother, and Dr. Bartolo his father. So his parents decide to marry each other while S&F wed. Countess is sad again, but she & S write a confirmation note to the Count for the assignation. Everyone onstage for the wedding. The gardener snatches the wig off Cherubino revealing his true gender, but before his punishment is decided, a peasant girl wants to marry him. Then the Count gets S's confirmation note, and F gets suspicious. Wedding fever-joy completes the act.

Act IV: A messenger sings about fear of losing the pin she is taking to the Count from S, F  gets jealous and sings about women's treachery. Within earshot, S sings rapturously about her approaching love, which F interprets as not himself. S & Countess exchange costumes, Cherubino woos the Countess; the Count arrives, ousting Cherubino, and woos S (really the Countess), and F woos the Countess (really S). But F knew it was S, so she forgives him. The Count is suitably embarrassed, begs pardon, and everyone sings happy thoughts.

Cast:

COUNT ALMAVIVA Baritone :: Gerald Finley

FIGARO, his valet Baritone :: Erwin Schrott

COUNTESS ALMAVIVA Soprano :: Dorothea Röschmann

SUSANNA, her maid and Figaro’s-fiancée Soprano :: Miah Persson

DR. BARTOLO Bass :: Jonathan Veira

MARCELLINA, his housekeeper Soprano :: Graciela Araya

CHERUBINO, a page Soprano :: Rinat Shaham

DON BASILIO, a music master Tenor :: Philip Langridge

ANTONIO, a gardener Bass :: Jeremy White

BARBARINA, his daughter Soprano :: Ana James

DON CURZIO, counselor-at-law Tenor :: Francis Egerton

Rated 8.7 (22)

Royal Opera, cond. Pappano; 7

Hounddog (2007), 5

R | 1h 42min | Drama, Music | 22 January 2007
A drama set in the American South, where a precocious, troubled girl finds a safe haven in the music and movement of Elvis Presley.
Writer/Director: Deborah Kampmeier
Stars: Dakota Fanning, David Morse, Piper Laurie.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0415856/
Watched online, ok print.

18 songs in the Soundtracks, 4 are Elvis Presley recordings.

I don't know what's supposed to be so precocious about this girl (DF). She's not a good singer, she's not wise to the ways of teen boys, and she doesn't manipulate anyone for her own benefit.

Instead, DF gets raped by a teen who promises her a ticket to the Elvis performance, and the rape was an unexpected outcome for her and for her little boyfriend who set it up. He thought she was just going to have to show her full body to the teen, just as she had negotiated bf to do for her. (They're not gf/bf in any romantic sense. They're the pair on the bottom of the poster. They're just a boy & a girl who are pre-teen friends.)

Before the miserable rape scene, DM (her father) is pretty mean to DF, and he left home for a time leaving his gf there to "take care" of her. They think he's gone forever, but he returns and shortly thereafter gets hit by lightning while on his tractor in a field. He survives, but is now nearly a complete idiot.

The girl is PL's granddaughter, DM the son-in-law, whom PL forced to marry her daughter when he got her pregnant with the girl. PL had another daughter, who was DM's actual gf back then, but PL banished her from the home. So this other daughter, namely DF's aunt, wants to take her away and raise her (PL holds her off with a shotgun). Why does she want DF? She needs someone to take care of, and if PL hadn't forced DM to marry her sister, she might have had a daughter with him. Well, she doesn't seem much more presentable/educated than the kin DF has already been living with, but after the rape DF is ready to leave. The last thing we see is DF yelling to DM that she loves him, and as she walks away DM gets bit by a rattlesnake that he and PL thought they'd caught in the yard, and PL announces she's gonna get some whiskey for him to drink. Earlier we'd been told that's a good way to accelerate the effects of the poison, although PL might think it's an antidote. The End.

Yes, DF loved EP's music, but listened to his concert from afar, now associating her gyrating (naked) performance of it as the "cause" of her rape.

Really, why did this film need to get made? Why do we need to see a child raped? 

Avoid.

Rated 6.3 (5,640)

indie, dir. Kampmeier; 5

Stomp the Yard (2007), 5+

PG-13 | 1h 49min | Drama, Music, Romance | 12 January 2007
After the death of his brother, an expert street dancer goes to Georgia to attend Truth University. But his efforts to get an education and woo the girl he likes are sidelined when he joins in his fraternity's effort to win a step dancing competition.
Director: Sylvain White
Stars: Columbus Short, Meagan Good, Ne-Yo.
Chuck Maldonado ... associate choreographer
Dave Scott ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0775539/

Watched online, good print.

34 songs in the Soundtracks, but some of the dancing is strictly rhythmic.

The street-style dancing (mostly men) is good, but not really filmed well (the usual too many cuts and focused on partial ,bodies instead rather than the whole), and the time between dancing is lengthy and dull. I actually increased the playback speed most of the 2nd half.

Rated  5.3 (20,848)

distr. Screen Gems, dir. White; 5+

Saariaho: L'Amour de Loin (2016), 6-

2h 51min | Musical | Episode aired 10 December 2016

A prince/troubadour in Aquitaine longs for love. A pilgrim matches him with a princess in Tripoli. A death occurs.

Director: Gary Halvorson

Conductor: Susanna Mälkki

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6505058/

This recording has several brief (less than a second each) audio interruptions, and rarely also pixelated image. I think I'll leave this on the dvr, and not invest the time, electricity and storage space to burn it to dvd.

Synopses: Wikipedia article; Composer's website (she is Finnish, b. '52). Per the Wikipedia article: "the first opera by a female composer, and the first opera conducted by a female conductor, in this series". The Met Live in HD series had just over 100 episodes by then. In the interview after the opera, they said this was the 2nd ever Met production composed by a woman.

First performance 2000.

Place: In Aquitaine, Tripoli, and at sea

Time: 12th century

Cast:

Jaufré Rudel, Prince of Blaye, and troubadour  Baritone :: Eric Owens

Clémence, the Countess of Tripoli Soprano :: Susanna Phillips

The Pilgrim, the go-between  Mezzo-soprano :: Tamara Mumford

Yes, only 3 principals, plus a chorus, and the 3 characters only get together in Act 5 (last). So this is all solos and duets (sometimes the other "person" is the chorus). How do they memorize all that stuff, especially with such non-melodic music?

Not atonal, but not melodic either; rather what you'd expect from a late 20th century composition. The emotions don't change much during the piece, and neither does the music - until one of them dies.

The set is sparse, representing water most of the time, but with Technicolor lighting on set and chorus.

Not horrible, but I'm not going to sit in rapt attention reading all the subtitles, and je ne comprends pas le français. 

Rated  7.7 (7)

MetOpera, cond. Mälkki; 6-

Electric Apricot (2006), 5

R | 1h 32min | Comedy, Music

Spoof of jam bands centered around the band, Electric Apricot, in the style of "This Is Spinal Tap". 

Writer/Director: Les Claypool

Stars: Jonathan Korty, Adam Gates, Bryan Kehoe.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482499/

Watched on AmazonPrime.

No songs listed in the Soundtracks, and I don't know that anything more than a few guitar licks were played.

I have no idea what a jam band is - do they just jam? So when they make an album, it's just a bunch of jamming?

For the synopsis writer to connect this to ...Spinal Tap ('84) is insulting to ST. Then again, I was definitely reminded of that film (which I don't love, but appreciate).

The catch phrase "you only make your first album once" was rather dull, and repetition didn't enhance it. The multiple Grateful Dead references are lost on me.

I was irritated from the beginning, read a review that said to give it time to build, decided at the halfway mark to sustain, but really tuned out by then.

Avoid.

Rated 7.0 (569)

National Lampoon & more, dir. Claypool; 5

Happy Feet (2006), 8

PG | 1h 48min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy | 17 Nov 2006
Into the world of the Emperor Penguins, who find their soulmates through song, a penguin is born who cannot sing. But he can tap dance something fierce!
Directors: George Miller, co-directors: Warren Coleman, Judy Morris.
Stars: Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Robin Williams.
Kelley Abbey ... choreographer / motion capture principal performer

Savion Glover ... choreographer: Mumble / motion capture principal performer

Chantal Robson ... assistant choreographer

Wade Robson ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0366548/

~40 songs in the Soundtracks.

Delightful!

Great start with NK singing Prince's Kiss and HJ answering with Heartbreak Hotel ala Elvis, then both blending them. (Note to self: look for her to behave as Marilyn Monroe; character named Norma Jean, and rights permission was noted in the credits. NJ is Mumble's mother.) Also, later, excellent use of lots of songs, especially Queen's Somebody To Love by Gloria (Mumble's gf) and ensemble.

I was skeptical that the dancing would come through, but it does. Mumble really moves like SG; not so for others. And the sound of the taps is, er, cool, given that it's bare feet on ice/snow.

Looks amazingly realistic.

Good danger sequences when faced with predators. Good motion sequences when sliding down steep slopes and diving underwater.

Heavy-handed anti-industrial-fishing message, but today's news headline included "Antarctica melting 6 times faster than in the 1980s", so I doubt that anything is heavy enough.

Very expressive faces and bodies.

I didn't find a dvd with any documentary on how the motion capture became animation, nor even a c.track. The extras included are more geared to children.

Rated 6.5 (154,398)

Warner & more, dir. Miller; 8

Bellini: Norma (2017), 7

Musical | Episode aired 7 October 2017

Two Druid priestesses fall for a fickle Roman proconsul, with tragic results.

Director: Gary Halvorson

Conductor: Carlo Rizzi

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6889774/

Time: about 50 B.C. 

Place: Gaul 

First performance at Milan, December 26, 1831

Just reading Simon's 100 Great Operas' synopsis shocked me. The high priestess (Norma), who controls whether her people go to war with the Romans, secretly has 2 children with the Roman proconsul, and _he_ is now in love (reciprocated) with a Vestal virgin, Adalgisa. Where she first advised against war, guess what changes when she discovers her lover's infidelity? But there are several other plot twists before the obligatory double death ending.

I didn't watch the production carefully. Set in Druid times, it's a dark and ragged production; even the high priestess is dressed in a burlap-y gown. (Oddly, Adalgisa sports her modern Sassoon-y short haircut.)

The music didn't enchant me, but the relationship between the 2 priestesses looked like it was worth further exploration.

My goal was to see if I should transfer this OTA broadcast to dvd, and the answer is yes.

Cast:

NORMA, High Priestess of the druidical temple Soprano :  Sondra Radvanovsky

OROVESO, her father, the Archdruid Bass  : Matthew Rose

CLOTILDA, her confidante Soprano  : Michelle Bradley

POLLIONE, Roman Proconsul in Gaul Tenor  : Joseph Calleja

ADALGISA. a virgin of the temple Soprano or Mezzo-soprano  : Joyce DiDonato

FLAVIO, a centurion Tenor  : Adam Diegel

Rated 7.8 (9)

MetOpera, cond. Rizzi; 7

Dreamgirls (2006), 8-

PG-13 | 2h 10min | Drama, Music, Musical | 25 December 2006
A trio of black female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960s, facing their own personal struggles along the way.
Co-Writer/Director: Bill Condon
Stars:  Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, Jennifer Hudson.
Donald Barrett ... choreographer: musical numbers
Aakomon Jones ... co-choreographer
Eboni Nichols ... assistant to choreographer
Joey Pizzi ... associate choreographer
Fatima Robinson ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443489/

37 songs in the Soundtracks, 29 Written by Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen, 6 more by Henry Krieger and other partner(s).

Excellent use of music. Sometimes a song starts out as a musical number sung privately to communicate feelings and then evolves into a performance number by the professional singer. That makes this the rare film where I agree it is both Musical and Music genres.

Singing is by the cast, and is excellent. Songs seem written for the film, which is based on a B'way show.

Lots of glitz and glamor. Some shabby reality too, but appropriately and briefly.

IMDb trivia: 

• "The film, and the original Broadway musical, are based heavily on The Supremes (later known as "Diana Ross & The Supremes"). Curtis Taylor, Jr. represents Motown Founder Berry Gordy, Jr. Both men worked in the automotive industry before focusing on music, and integrated aspects of the automotive business into the music making process. Both men were romantically involved with the lead singer of the most successful female group on their label. Effie's departure from the group closely matches Florence Ballard, who was known to have a much more powerful voice than Diana Ross." 
• "When The Dreams stand in front of a huge replica of their first album, "Meet The Dreams," the cover art is an almost identical replica of The Supremes 1965 album "More Hits by the Supremes." The photos of The Dreams on that cover are nearly identical poses from The Supremes 1966 album "The Supremes A Go-Go.""

Rated 6.5 (63,449)

Dreamworks, Paramount & more, dir. Condon; 8-

The Matrix (1999), 5 {nm}

R | 2h 16min | Action, Sci-Fi | 31 March 1999
A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.
Directors: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski (as The Wachowski Brothers)
Writers: Lilly Wachowski (as The Wachowski Brothers), Lana Wachowski (as The Wachowski Brothers)
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/
(returning damaged set)

I can imagine why this is popular, but it doesn't appeal to me: too violent, too bleak. I thought I should see it, and found it cheap, but am glad the seller wants it back (bad disc2).

Unfortunately, I'm watching this late (I'm almost done with 2006), and I've not watched anything in a similar special effect vein, so I don't have any way of knowing if the effects here were much more advanced than other films. The fight scenes are impressive, but I'd rather watch dancing.

Rated 8.7 (1,464,436)

Warner & more, dir. 2 Wachowskis; 5

Chicago B'way Cast Recordings ('96) and ('75)

I was intrigued by a comment in an extra feature to the film that they cut 5 songs. The italicized titles are not in the film, and the bolded are extras. Note that the film has a new Kander/Ebb song, and 2 period songs added.

Casts (principals):

• Velma :: Chita Rivera :: Bebe Neuwirth :: Catherine Zeta-Jones
• Roxie :: Gwen Verdon :: Ann Reinking :: Renée Zellweger
• Amos Hart :: Barney Martin :: Joel Grey :: John C. Reilly 
• Matron :: Mary McCarty :: Marcia Lewis :: Queen Latifah
• Billy Flynn :: Jerry Orbach :: James Naughton :: Richard Gere 
• Mary Sunshine :: M. O'Haughey :: D. Sabella :: Christine Baranski

1975 Original Tracks (Cast Album)

1. Overture, by Chicago Orchestra, Stanley Lebowsky
2. All That Jazz, by Chita Rivera, Ensemble
3. Funny Honey, by Gwen Verdon, Richard Korthaze, Barney Martin
4. Cell Block Tango, by Cast
5. When You're Good to Mama, by Mary McCarty
6. All I Care About, by Jerry Orbach, Ensemble
7. A Little Bit of Good, by M. O'Haughey
8. We Both Reached for the Gun, by Jerry Orbach, Gwen Verdon, M. O'Haughey, Ensemble
9. Roxie, by Gwen Verdon, Ensemble
10. I Can't Do It Alone, by Chita Rivera
11. My Own Best Friend, by Chita Rivera, Gwen Verdon
12. Me and My Baby, by Gwen Verdon
13. Mr. Cellophane, by Barney Martin
14. When Velma Takes the Stand, by Chita Rivera, Ensemble
15. Razzle Dazzle, by Jerry Orbach, Ensemble
16. Class, by Chita Rivera, Mary McCarty
17. Nowadays, by Gwen Verdon, Chita Rivera
18. All That Jazz (Reprise), by Chita Rivera, Ensemble

1996 Revival Tracks (Cast Album)

1. Overture, by Orchestra
2. All That Jazz, by Ensemble
3. Funny Honey, by Ann Reinking, Rob Fisher
4. Cell Block Tango, by Michael Berresse, Bebe Neuwirth
5. When You're Good to Mama, by Marcia Lewis, David Warren-Gibson
6. All I Care About, by Bruce Anthony Davis, James Naughton, Ensemble
7. A Little Bit of Good, by D. Sabella, James Naughton
8. We Both Reached for the Gun, by Marcia Lewis, James Naughton, Ann Reinking, D. Sabella
9. Roxie, by Ann Reinking
10. I Can't Do It Alone, by Bebe Neuwirth, Marcia Lewis
11. I Can't Do It Alone (Reprise), by Bebe Neuwirth
12. My Own Best Friend, by Bebe Neuwirth, Ann Reinking, Rob Fisher
13. Entr'acte, by Orchestra, Cast 
14. I Know A Girl, by Bebe Neuwirth
15. Me And My Baby, by Ann Reinking
16. Mister Cellophane, by Joel Grey
17. When Velma Takes The Stand, by Bebe Neuwirth
18. Razzle Dazzle, by James Naughton
19. Class, by Marcia Lewis, Bebe Neuwirth
20. Nowadays, by Bebe Neuwirth, Ann Reinking, John Borstelmann, D. Sabella
21. Hot Honey Rag, by Orchestra, Cast 
22. Finale, by Bebe Neuwirth, Ann Reinking

2002 Film Soundtrack

1. Overture/And All That Jazz (1975), Performed by Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, and Taye Diggs 
2. Raisin' the Roof (1929) 
3. Funny Honey (1975), Performed by Renée Zellweger 
4. When You're Good to Mama (1975), Performed by Queen Latifah 
5. Cell Block Tango (1975), Performed by Catherine Zeta-Jones, Susan Misner, Denise Faye, Deidre Goodwin, Ekaterina Chtchelkanova, and Mya (as Mýa Harrison) 
6. All I Care About Is Love (1975), Performed by Richard Gere 
7. Chicago (1922) 
8. We Both Reached For The Gun (1975), Performed by Richard Gere, Renée Zellweger, Christine Baranski, Cleve Asbury, Rick Negron, and Shaun Amyot 
9. Roxie (1975), Performed by Renée Zellweger 
10. Me and My Baby (1975) 
11. I Can't Do It Alone (1975), Performed by Catherine Zeta-Jones 
12. Mr. Cellophane (1975), Performed by John C. Reilly 
13. Razzle Dazzle (1975), Performed by Richard Gere 
14. Nowadays (1975), Performed by Renée Zellweger 
15. Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag (1996), Performed by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renée Zellweger 
16. And All That Jazz/End Credits (1975), Performed by Catherine Zeta-Jones 
17. I Move On (2002), Performed by Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones 
18. Class (1975), Filmed and recorded by Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones but cut after previews for the released print 

The Fox and the Hound 2 (2006), 5

G | 1h 9min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy | Video 11Dec06

In this midquel to The Fox and the Hound (1981), Copper the hound dog, here still just a pup, joins a canine music band, and spends less and less time with his best friend Todd the fox. Is their friendship in danger?

Director: Jim Kammerud

Stars: Reba McEntire, Patrick Swayze, Jonah Bobo, Harrison Fahn.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465997/

Watched online; slightly distorted image, very low sound. Runtime was 1h 25min (last 3min is a toon), but it didn't sound slowed.

7 songs in the Soundtracks, country-style.

I didn't watch the original; it's not tagged as Music/al. 

I'm not sure who the audience is. The story about pursuing stardom is not for toddlers, but the characters feel like they are.

Nothing of interest here.

Rated 5.4 (3,483)

Disney, dir. Kammerud; 5

Samuel the Lamanite (2006), 6

1h 8min | Musical | Video 2 November 2006

When her choir teacher is suspended for refusing to remove 'Silent Night' from the line-up of songs at the school's winter concert, Amelia is heartbroken. 

Directors: Dennis Agle Jr., Aaron Edson 

Writer: Dennis Agle Jr.

Stars: T.J. Young, Gene Young, Lauren Faber.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0936495/

Watched on AmazonPrime.

No songs in the Soundtracks, but plenty in the story. This is a true book Musical, with characters singing songs to deliver ideas and plot. Most songs seems to be original to this project.

The modern story about the concert is the shell from which the story of Samuel is told, and the ancient characters are the ones singing. The non-believers perform in a kitschy way, the believers sing ballads.

OK.

Rated 8.5 (22)

indie, dir. Agle & Edson; 6

Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006), 5

R | 1h 33min | Adventure, Comedy, Musical | 22 November 2006
To become the greatest band of all time, two slacker, wannabe-rockers set out on a quest to steal a legendary guitar pick that gives its holders incredible guitar skills, from a maximum security Rock and Roll museum.
Director: Liam Lynch
Writers: Jack Black, Kyle Gass, Liam Lynch.
Stars: Jack Black, Kyle Gass, JR Reed.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365830/

Watched online, ok print.

24 songs in the Soundtracks.

Began as a rock opera, then resorted to spoken dialog as the norm.

Just a dull JB film to me, but I'm not a rock fan, much less a wannabe.

Rated 6.8 (95,376)

New Line Cinema, dir. Lynch; 5

Mozart: The Magic Flute (2006), 5

2h 15min | Drama, Musical, Romance | 13 December 2006
During World War I, in an unnamed country, a soldier named Tamino is sent by the Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter Pamina from the clutches of the supposedly evil Sarastro. But all is not as it seems.
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Stars: Joseph Kaiser, Amy Carson, René Pape.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0475331/

Watched on AmazonPrime.

It's official: I do not like this opera.

KB setting it in WW1 trenches/battlefields doesn't help. Too many scenes are dreary, cold, miserable.

The opera goes down a negative rabbit hole too often, with the characters manic for either love or death, as in suicide because love is out of reach, not due to war (although that happens here too, but not to our principals).

Worthy effort by KB, Stephen Fry and everyone, but this opera irritates me. It was probably too soon after watching the prior production: Mozart: The Magic Flute (2003), 6 on 29Dec, this being 12Jan.

Rated 6.6 (1,029)

indie, dir. Branagh; 5

The Adventures of Brer Rabbit (2006), 5

G | 1h 11min | Animation, Comedy, Family | Video 21Mar06
Modern retelling of Uncle Remus' best-loved tales.
Director: Byron Vaughns
Writer: John Loy (screenplay)

Stars: Nick Cannon ,Wayne Brady, Danny Glover, D.L. Hughley.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493201/
Watched online, good print.

3 songs in the Soundtracks, and they were not repeated often. I would not have nominated this for Musical.

I think all the voices are African-American actors. The humans in the story are black, but modern, not old South.

Stories quickly lost my attention. Interesting beginning: some animals didn't start their existence on Earth, but in the sky with the Moon. She sent Rabbit down with a message, and he loved the food and the sights, so when he and Moon fought later, he emigrated to Earth with others following. What he didn't realize was all the predators down here. But he's cheery and outwits them all. Whatever.

Rated 4.9 (247)

Universal, dir. Vaughns; 5

Step Up (2006), 7

PG-13 | 1h 44min | Crime, Drama, Music | 11 August 2006
Tyler Gage receives the opportunity of a lifetime after vandalizing a performing arts school, gaining him the chance to earn a scholarship and dance with an up and coming dancer, Nora.
Director: Anne Fletcher
Stars: Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, Damaine Radcliff.
Anne Fletcher ... choreographer

Rosero McCoy ... choreographer

Jamal Sims ... choreographer

Zachary Woodlee ... assistant choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462590/

Watched online, mediocre print.

33 songs in the Soundtracks.

Ballet meets b-boy, and even the rehearsal footage is good, and the final production is close to excellent. This is one to watch for the dancing.

The story is tough, with a character getting killed in a drive-by, 

Note Jenna Dewan is the dancing star (and principal character) here, and also the dancing star in Take the Lead (2006).

Rated 6.5 (102,680)

Touchstone & more, dir. Fletcher; 7

Take the Lead (2006), 7-

PG-13 | 1h 58min | Drama, Music | 7 April 2006
The real story of a dance teacher who believed in the talent of a group of problem kids.
Director: Liz Friedlander
Writer: Dianne Houston
Stars: Antonio Banderas, Rob Brown, Yaya DaCosta, Alfre Woodard, Jenna Dewan.
JoAnn Fregalette Jansen ... choreographer
Anthony Talauega ... choreographer: hip hop
Richmond Talauega ... choreographer: hip hop
Allen Walls ... assistant choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446046/

Watched online, ok print.

37 songs in the Soundtracks.

Lots of beginner dancing, but good final routines. High marks for the story, values promoted and sentiment. AB dances some, and looks very good doing it, but he's not the dancing star. That's a trio.

Rated 6.7 (23,542)

New Line Cinema & more, dir. Friedlander; 7-

Inside Man (2006), 7 {nm}

R | 2h 9min | Crime, Drama, Mystery | 24 March 2006
A police detective, a bank robber, and a high-power broker enter high-stakes negotiations after the criminal's brilliant heist spirals into a hostage situation.
Director: Spike Lee
Stars: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454848/

Ingenious bank heist with more than money at stake. Open ending. Pretty satisfying with one plot hole during the police questioning, but not horrid.

Rated 

Universal & more, dir. Lee; 7

American Dreamz (2006), 5

PG-13 | 1h 47min | Comedy, Music | 21 April 2006
The new season of "American Dreamz," the wildly popular television singing contest, has captured the country's attention, as the competition looks to be between a young Midwestern gal (Moore) and a showtunes-loving young man from Orange County (Golzari). Recently awakened President Staton (Quaid) even wants in on the craze, as he signs up for the potential explosive season finale.
Writer/Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Willem Dafoe, Seth Meyers.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465142/

Watched online, ok print.

20 songs in the Soundtracks.

GW Bush was president '01-'09. DQ plays a Bush-like president, with WD his Cheney-like chief of staff. HG is Simon Cowell-ish, SM is a contestant wrangler, MM his contestant.

But there's another contestant, Omer, visiting relatives in the OC. We first see him in a terrorist boot camp, doing badly, so they send him to the US as a sleeper. His cousin in OC has aspirations to perform, and the American Dreamz people show up at his house, taking the terrorist wannabe instead (cousin not home).

With his cousin's help, Omer is successful, making it to the finals with MM. The terrorist bosses are thrilled, because the US President is scheduled to be a judge at the finals, and Omer will be able to shake his hand, so they give him a body bomb. But he's had a lot of fun competing and getting votes from the viewers, so he casually throws the bomb in the restroom trash.

Meanwhile, MM's boyfriend intends to propose to her on the finale. But he sees her in bed with HG, so he's distraught. He spots the bomb and takes it out to the stage. HG, recognizing good live tv, keeps the camera on him. He sings and blows them both up. Everyone else had managed to escape the studio, and it was a small bomb.

MM becomes the new host of AD the next year. Her dead bf had won the "competition" (how did viewers "vote" for a non-contestant?) and HG died too.

Pretty bad for such good actors.

Rated 5.5 (23,595)

Universal & more, dir. Weitz; 5

A Prairie Home Companion (2006), 5

PG-13 | 1h 45min | Comedy, Drama, Music | 12 February 2006
A look at what goes on backstage during the last broadcast of America's most celebrated radio show.
Director: Robert Altman
Stars: Lily Tomlin, Meryl Streep, Woody Harrelson, Garrison Keillor, Kevin Kline, Lindsay Lohan, Virginia Madsen, John C. Reilly.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0420087/
Watched online, ok print.

46 songs in the Soundtracks.

Final film director credit for RA ('26-'06). I'm not a fan: of the 7 films I've rated, I gave them 4555666, while four of them have rating higher than 6.0. (Another is an anthology with multiple directors.)

I don't understand what people (especially critics) enjoy his work; this one has a metascore of 75, which is good.

I don't see the point of the "story" set at the final broadcast of APHC: a performer dies in his dressing room after being on-air, a mysterious woman (VM) wanders around backstage, visible to everyone, but is an angel (of death). She suggests a shortcut to the executive from the corporation who shut down the show, and he (presumably with his chauffeur) dies in the crash. KK plays a clueless security gumshoe who didn't even investigate VM, even though he was the first to meet her and he was attracted to her.

Viewing this once was more than enough.

Rated 6.8 (20,870)

distr. Picturehouse, dir. Altman; 5

High School Musical (2006), 6

TV-G | 1h 38min | Comedy, Drama, Family | TV Movie 20 Jan 2006
A popular high school athlete and an academically gifted girl get roles in the school musical and develop a friendship that threatens East High's social order.
Director: Kenny Ortega
Stars: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel.
Charles Klapow ... choreographer
Kenny Ortega ... choreographer
Bonnie Story ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0475293/

10 songs in the Soundtracks.

Teen fluff. ZE (b. '87) is very young.

Lots of movement onscreen during dance numbers, but also lots of edits to show faces. That's a shame, because these kids can dance. I was especially impressed with LG's (b. '84) dancing, and he stays with these films, but his other musicals are tv series, so I won't see those.

Rated 5.3 (71,010)

Disney, dir. Ortega; 6

Hoodwinked! (2005), 6

PG | 1h 20min | Animation, Comedy, Crime | 16 December 2005
Little Red Riding Hood, the Wolf, the Woodsman, and Granny all tell the police the events that led up to their encounter.
Co-Writers/Directors: Cory Edwards, Todd Edwards (co-director), Tony Leech (co-director).
Stars: Anne Hathaway, Glenn Close, Patrick Warburton, Jim Belushi, David Ogden Stiers.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443536/
borrowed dvd

14 songs in the Soundtracks, 9 Written by Todd Edwards.

I'm surprised this is not tagged as Musical. It has enough songs performed by characters. I'm going to count it as one. [Wow, IMDb edit went through immediately.]
Genres: Animation | Comedy | Crime | Family | Musical | Mystery

Cute reworking of the classic fairy tale, adding a layer of a series of thefts to the story, then retelling events by each of the 4 principal ala Rashomon ('50).

C.track was annoying with writer/directors talking about the film as though it were live action (stunt men, wires, etc.) They never get around to explaining how they made the film, not even in the featurette entitled "How to Make an Animated Film". They show pencil drawings, and a screen of 3D animation, but not how one becomes the other. They claim it was the cheapest animated film ever made, and infer that they spent only $5k on 2 computers (plus multiple years of effort).

Rated 6.5 (51,668)

distr. The Weinstein Company, dir. Edwards, Edwards & Leech; 6

The Producers (2005), 8

PG-13 | 2h 14min | Comedy, Musical | 25 December 2005
After putting together another Broadway flop, down-on-his-luck Producer Max Bialystock teams up with timid accountant Leo Bloom in a get-rich-quick scheme to put on the world's worst show.
Director: Susan Stroman
Stars: Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman, Will Ferrell.
Warren Carlyle ... associate choreographer

James Hadley ... assistant choreographer

Christina Marie Norrup ... assistant choreographer 

Susan Stroman ... choreographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395251/

20 songs in the Soundtracks, all Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks.

Although I prefer Gene Wilder & Ken Mars for their roles in the '67 non-musical film, the musical numbers here compensate gloriously. This pleased me more today than for my prior rating. It's good to see an actual live-action musical that's easy to follow, and not just a film with music performance/creation in the story, or with story/character confusion.

Unfortunately, this is dir. SS's last film (of 3), and she's turning 65 this year.

Rated 6.4 (38,118)

Universal, Columbia & more, dir. Stroman; 8

Rent (2005), 6

PG-13 | 2h 15min | Drama, Musical, Romance | 23 Nov 2005
Film version of the Pulitzer and Tony Award winning musical about Bohemians in the East Village of New York City struggling with life, love and AIDS.
Director: Chris Columbus
Stars: Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Jesse L. Martin, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Idina Menzel, Tracie Thoms, Taye Diggs.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0294870/

28 songs in the Soundtracks, including 4 reprises; 26 Written by Jonathan Larson. Not listed: a brief quotation from Puccini's La boheme.

Although I know Puccini's La boheme pretty well now, that only helps me recognize the homage moments here, not to follow this story. This felt like too many characters of roughly equal importance. Perhaps I could have benefitted from reading a detailed synopsis beforehand. This has a lot of time singing songs, seemingly more than spoken dialog. Perhaps repeated viewing would help.

Interesting that 5 of the 7 principals were in the original stage cast a decade earlier.

After watching the doc'y on disc2, I appreciated more why there were so many characters: it was important to kill off enough of them to give us the feeling of the AIDS epidemic during the early 90s.

Rated 7.0 (45,702)

distr. Sony/Columbia, dir. Columbus; 6

Rachmaninov: The Miserly Knight (2005), 7

1h 14min | Music, Musical | TV (2005)
An impoverished knight is at odds with his rich but miserly father.

Stage Director: Annabel Arden

Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1444282/

Watched online, ok print.

The dvd for Gianni Schicchi mentioned that they paired this opera with that, and it makes some sense. This is the tragic version, while that is the comedic.

First performance 1906

Place: England
The Middle Ages

I'm very confused by the acrobat hovering over the proceedings. Is s/he Death? No explanation found on the dvd or the pamphlet of "Aerialist".

Generic synopsis here.

Cast

Sergei Leiferkus (The Baron)

Richard Berkeley-Steele (Albert)

Maxim Mikhailov (The Servant)

Viacheslav Voynarovskiy (The Money-lender)

Albert Schagidullin (The Duke)

Matilda Leyser (Aerialist)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Rated (none)

Glyndebourne Opera, cond. Jurowski; 7

Puccini: Gianni Schicchi (2005), 8

1h 14min | Music | TV Movie 30 May 2005
Greedy relatives scheme with a clever fellow to rewrite a newly-deceased miser's will.
Director: Annabel Arden
Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8815616/

Although Amazon lists the dvd as 74min, the opera is only 57:24.

I should have shopped better and held out for the Triptych with operas Il tabarro and Suor Angelica, since all 3 are 1-acts. This is Puccini's only comic opera, and his penultimate opera, the last being Turandot which had to be finished by a colleague.

Time: 1299
Place: Florence

First performance at New York, December 14, 1918

Costumes here invoke the time of the premiere, not 6+centuries prior, despite the year being mentioned in the lyrics, and the penalty for fraud being medieval.

Played for comedy. Title character comes from Dante's Inferno.

The soprano trio is lovely.

I can't find any reference to this, but I'd swear that the music of Lauretta's aria is from Madama Butterfly or some other Puccini work. Maybe it's just a popular concert piece; I can find most lyric sopranos singing O mio babbino caro on YouTube.

Well-paired with Rachmaninov: The Miserly Knight. 

Cast: 

GIANNI SCHICCHI Baritone : Alessandro Corbelli
LAURETTA, his daughter Soprano : Sally Matthews
Relations of Buoso Donati:
    ZITA, his cousin Contralto : Felicity Palmer
    RINUCCIO, her nephew Tenor : Massimo Giordano
    GHERARDO, nephew of Buoso Tenor : Adrian Thompson
    NELLA, his Wife Soprano : Olga Schalaewa
    GHERARDINO, their son Contralto : Christopher Waite
    BETTO DI SIGNA, brother-in-law of Buoso Baritone or Bass : Maxim Mikhailov
    SIMONE, BUOSO’S cousin Bass : Luigi Roni
    MARCO, his son Baritone : Riccardo Novaro
    LA CIESCA, his wife Mezzo-soprano  : Marie McLaughlin
SPINELLOCCIO, a doctor Bass  : Viacheslav Voynarovskiy
AMANTIO DI NICOLAO, a lawyer Baritone or Bass  : Richard Mosley-Evans

Rated (none)

Glyndebourne Opera, cond. Jurowski; 8

Faerie Tale Theatre (1982–1987), 6 {nm}

50min | Adventure, Comedy, Family | TV Series (1982–1987)
Inspired by an earlier children's series, Shirley Temple's Storybook (1958), Shelley Duvall hosted this series featuring some of the best known actors in Hollywood performing adaptations of traditional stories.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0199214/

Watched the 10 episodes below today, focusing often on ones I found less familiar. I have 26 total; not the Grimm Party compilation episode that was lost then later found.

The appeal was the stars, but they didn't really bring enough to make these better than just ok to me.





The Tale of the Frog Prince (1982)
The Nightingale (1983)
The Princess and the Pea (1984)
Pinocchio (1984)
The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers (1984)
The Three Little Pigs (1985)
The Snow Queen (1985)
Puss in Boots (1985)
The Emperor's New Clothes (1985)
The Dancing Princesses (1987)

Rated 8.4 (1,654)

distr. Showtime; dir. various; 6

Kinky Boots (2005), 7

PG-13 | 1h 47min | Comedy, Drama, Music | 26 May 2006
A drag queen comes to the rescue of a man who, after inheriting his father's shoe factory, needs to diversify his product if he wants to keep the business afloat.
Director: Julian Jarrold
Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Joel Edgerton, Sarah-Jane Potts.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0434124/
Watched online, good print.

21 songs in the Soundtracks, 9 performed by Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Unfortunately, this is not a film based on the B'way musical; rather, the B'way musical is based on the film, or its source material. The Music tag is because CE works as a chanteuse.

Well done drama with humor, heart, and sexual ambiguity.

IMDb trivia: Inspired by the true story of a traditional English men's footwear factory in Northamptonshire which turned to production of kinky boots for transvestites in order to save the ailing family business and safeguard the jobs of the local community.

Rated 7.1 (16,635)

Miramax & more, dir. Jarrold; 7

Thank You for Smoking (2005), 7 {nm}

R | 1h 32min | Comedy, Drama | 14 April 2006
Satirical comedy follows the machinations of Big Tobacco's chief spokesman, Nick Naylor, who spins on behalf of cigarettes while trying to remain a role model for his twelve-year-old son.
Co-writer/Director: Jason Reitman
Stars: Aaron Eckhart, Cameron Bright, Maria Bello, J.K. Simmons.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427944/
Watched online, good print.

Kept running into this title while surf-shopping on eBay.

Very cynical and funny, with a satisfying ending. Kept me from wondering about the psychology of such a lobbyist.

Rated 7.6 (204,236)

distr. Fox, dir. Reitman; 7

Mrs Henderson Presents (2005), 6

R | 1h 43min | Comedy, Drama, Music | 17 February 2006
Laura Henderson buys an old London theater and opens it up as the Windmill, a performance hall which goes down in history for, among other things, its all-nude revues.
Director: Stephen Frears
Stars: Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, Christopher Guest.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0413015/

13 songs in the Soundtracks.

Don't know if this theatre is the same as what is portrayed in the Rita Hayworth film Tonight and Every Night ('45), where the theatre also never closed, and performances continued through bombings in WW2. They have in common that a performer was upset, went across the street for a beverage and got killed by a bomb.

The nudity was during tableaus, so the nude models were completely still, as though they were paintings.

The c.track by the director was quite sparse and uninformative. He sounds dour and uninvolved with the production, like he's the hired hand. So skip the c.track.

Rated 7.0 (14,505)

BBC Films & more, dir. Frears; 6

Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of the Tony Awards, 7

Great Performances (1971– )
1h 35min | Music | Episode aired 7 August 2005
Add a Plot »
Directors: Chris Cohen, Wayne Palmer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0787451/

No songs listed in the Soundtracks. Because I typed all these in by scratch, it took more than 30 extra minutes to watch this. I won't add them to IMDb today.

Some of the performances in all 3 shows were from past years; perhaps these were the ones lip synced? That's the case here for Damn Yankees.

Great to have these performances; wish they'd compile more of these shows.


Songs performed:

1. 42nd Street/We're in the Money, from "42nd Street", Music by Harry Warren, Lyrics by Al Dubin, performed by Cast
2. Whatever Lola Wants, from "Damn Yankees", Music & Lyrics by Richard Alder, Jerry Ross, performed by Gwen Verdon
3. Medley, from "Into the Woods", Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Vanessa Williams & cast
4. She Likes Baseball, from "Promises, Promises", Music by Burt Bacharach, Lyrics by Hal David, performed by Jerry Orbach
5. America, from "West Side Story", Music by Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Debbie Allen & cast
6. Sing, Sing, Sing, from "Fosse", Music by Louis Prima, performed by original cast
7. Ol' Man River, from "Show Boat", Music by Jerome Kern, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, performed by Michel Bell & cast
8. Step to the Rear, from "How Now Dow Jones", Music by Elmer Bernstein, Lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, performed by Anthony Roberts & cast
9. Where is the Life That Late I Led, from "Kiss Me Kate", Music & Lyrics by Cole Porter, performed by Alfred Drake
10. Medley, from "My Fair Lady" and "Camelot", Music by Frederick Lowe, Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, performed by Julie Andrews
11. I Can't Be Bothered Now, from "Crazy for You", Music by George Gershwin, Lyrics by Ira Gershwin, performed by Harry Groener & cast
12. Where You Are, from "Kiss of the Spider Woman", Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb, performed by Chita Rivera, Brent Carver & cast
13. Indian Love Call, from "Rose Marie", Music by Rudolf Friml & Herbert P. Stothart, Lyrics by Otto Harbach & Oscar Hammerstein II, performed by Robert Goulet & Inga Swenson
14. T'ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do, from "Black and Blue", Music by Peter Grainger, Lyrics by Everett Robbins, performed by Ruth Brown & Linda Hopkins, cast dancing
15. Comedy Tonight, from "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Zero Mostel
16. Medley, from "Girl Crazy", Music & Lyrics by George & Ira Gershwin, from "Call Me Madam", Music & Lyrics by Irving Berlin, from "Gypsy", Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Ethel Merman
17. My New Philosophy, from "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown", Music & Lyrics by Andrew Lippa, performed by Kristin Chenoweth
18. Caledonia, from "Five Guys Named Moe", Music by Louis Jordan, Lyrics by Fleecie Moore, performed by original cast
19. Ragtime, from "Ragtime", Music by Stephen Flaherty, Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, performed by original cast
20. The American Dream, from "Miss Saigon", Music by Claude-Michel Schonberg, Lyrics by Alain Boublil & Richard Maltby, Jr., performed by Jonathan Pryce & cast
21. Everything's Coming Up Roses, from "Gypsy", Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Angela Lansbury
22. The Happy Time, from "The Happy Time", Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb, performed by Robert Goulet, David Wayne, Michael Rupert
23. She Could Shake the Maracas, from "Too Many Girls", Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Lorenz Hart, performed by Desi Arnaz

Rated 8.0 (24)

distr. PBS, dir. Cohen & Palmer; 7

The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005), 7+ {nm}

G | 1h 25min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy | 7 October 2005
Wallace and his loyal dog, Gromit, set out to discover the mystery behind the garden sabotage that plagues their village and threatens the annual giant vegetable growing contest.
Co-writers/Directors: Steve Box, Nick Park
Stars: Peter Sallis, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312004/

I remember watching the early W&G shorts (just ordered them on disc), and liking them. This is my first time seeing this film, and it's really Gromit that gets to me. He never speaks, but those eyebrows and other body poses/movements are incredibly expressive.

The story is good, with the whodunit revealing nicely. Terrific chase scene to climax things. I'd bet if I saw this on the big screen, my rating would be even higher because of the chase.

Rated 7.5 (113,003)

Dreamworks & more, dir. Box & Park; 7+

Corpse Bride (2005), 6-

PG | 1h 17min | Animation, Drama, Family | 23 September 2005
When a shy groom practices his wedding vows in the inadvertent presence of a deceased young woman, she rises from the grave assuming he has married her.
Directors: Tim Burton, Mike Johnson
Stars: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0121164/
Watched online, good print, but dicey internet service.

7 songs in the Soundtracks, 5 Music and Lyrics by Danny Elfman with 3 of those having Additional Lyrics by John August.

I don't know why I'm supposed to care who or what this guy marries. We have a brief introduction to his arranged marriage, no knowledge of the characters, and he immediately makes this inadvertent unofficiated marriage. So I have to learn the rules of the dead marrying the living? I don't want to play.

I did doze off, and the dark monochrome images repelled my attention, so maybe it's better than I think. So I'll be generous, but skeptical.

Rated 7.4 (219,340)

Warner & more, dir. Burton & Johnson; 6-

Shopgirl (2005), 7- {nm}

R | 1h 46min | Drama, Romance | 4 November 2005
A film adaptation of Steve Martin's novel about a complex love triangle between a bored salesgirl, a wealthy businessman and an aimless young man.
Director: Anand Tucker
Writers: Steve Martin (novel, screenplay)
Stars: Steve Martin, Claire Danes, Jason Schwartzman.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338427/

Interesting coming-of-age for adult CD, aided by the attentions of emotionally remote SM, and parallel maturation of JS.

Very little happens in the film, yet each character transforms by examining their decisions and desires. Smart, well-crafted.

Rated 6.4 (22,540)

Touchstone & more, dir. Tucker; 7-

Roll Bounce (2005), 5+

PG-13 | 1h 52min | Comedy, Drama, Music | 23 September 2005
In the summer of 1978, a teenager and his group of friends face new challenges when their neighborhood roller-skating rink closes, forcing them to visit a different rink.
Director: Malcolm D. Lee
Stars: Shad Moss, Chi McBride, Meagan Good.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0403455/
Watched online, mediocre print.

28 songs in the Soundtracks.

Why the world needed a roller disco film 27 years late, I know not. The emotional subplot is that the displaced group leader is dealing with grief over his mother's death, which his father isn't handling well either. But we get oversimplified solutions and a skate competition. <eye roll> I suppose it beats the rap films that I'm just skipping altogether, but not by much.

Once was enough.

Rated 6.1 (6,113)

Fox & more, dir. Lee; 5+

Walk the Line (2005), 5

PG-13 | 2h 16min | Biography, Drama, Music | 18 Nov 2005
A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins.
Director: James Mangold
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0358273/
Watched online, ok print.

44 songs in the Soundtracks.

Since I don't like country music, but I do like JC's voice, it's a major disappointment that JP is singing all the JC songs. But I previously rated this 3/5 on Netflix, so I sat through it.

Based on book by JC. Drug abuse, violent property destruction that makes me fear physical abuse, childhood trauma (brother killed by table saw malfunction) all make for an unpleasant tale. Doesn't make me appreciate JC any more.

Avoid.

Rated 7.9 (208,720)

Fox & more, dir. Mangold; 5

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), 6

PG | 1h 55min | Adventure, Comedy, Family | 15 July 2005
A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in the world, led by the world's most unusual candy maker.
Director: Tim Burton
Stars: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter, Deep Roy.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367594/

10 song in the Soundtracks, 5 with Music by Danny Elfman, Lyrics by Roald Dahl; one of them sounds very Oingo Boingo.

Prior version: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), 6-.

Good match: Roald Dahl, Tim Burton, JD. Much better fit than the "happy" version in '71. Some of the eliminations of the children in the factory are different than in that film, and we get the exit scene where are all are shown to walk out of the factory with their parent, some physically altered but living. Plus we get the motivation for the contest, and it makes sense.

JD (b. '63) is made up to look as facially androgynous as possible; he's very pretty, although sometimes his stubble shadow is visible. In the special features, he looks himself (but clean-shaven).

The special features are very enlightening. The replication of Oompa Loompas was more physical, less CG, than I expected. And all the trained squirrels... oh my.

I can't say I really like the film, but I appreciate it.

Rated 6.7 (379,753)

Warner & more, dir. Burton; 6

Don't Come Knocking (2005), 5

R | 2h 2min | Drama, Music | 19 May 2005
An aging cowboy movie star deserts a film set and tries to reconnect with his mother, whom he hasn't seen in thirty years, only to learn that he has a child he never knew about.
Director: Wim Wenders
Stars: Sam Shepard, Jessica Lange, Tim Roth.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0377800/
Watched on AmazonPrime.

14 songs in the Soundtracks, 13 Written by T Bone Burnett, a couple with a second writer, the title song by Bono & The Edge.

This has precious little to do with music; the unknown son is a singer (songwriter?) wannabe.

If they specified why actor SS bolted from the desert location where they were shooting a film, I missed it. He heads for a visit to mom, which is uneventful except for learning he has a child. Then he heads toward that location and renews his acquaintance with JL, mother of said child. The y.a. son is angry to meet him, and they do not bond. SS is dragged back to the film set. SS & JL might be headed back together, maybe not. I just don't care.

Boring. Avoid.

SS has writing credit for story (with dir. WW) & screenplay. Per IMDb: Lived with Jessica Lange from 1982 to 2009.

Rated 6.7 (6,868)

distr. Sony, dir. Wenders; 5