Wednesday August 27, 2008

Category: For Your Netflix Queue , Lists , Rediscovered Classic

List: NPR on Movies about Politics

Just in time for the political conventions, NPR lists the best political movies. Bob Mondello divides them into three categories: manipulating the media, manipulating the candidate, and manipulating the process. Well, if someone isn't manipulating something, there's no need for a hero. I was glad to see one of my favorites like The Best Man, based on a play by Gore Vidal and starring Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson. Today's viewers might be confused by the idea that the candidate was not actually selected until the convention but the strategies and moral conflicts will seem very contemporary.

Another one of my favorites is All the President's Men, based on the true story of the young reporters who investigated the Watergate break-in and found layers of deception and cover-up that led to the only Presidential resignation in US history. And I was glad to see the only Spencer Tracy/Katharine Hepburn movie directed by Frank Capra on the list, State of the Union. He plays an industrialist encouraged to run for office by a manipulative political operator and she is his estranged wife, brought into the campaign because -- in those days -- a candidate had to have an intact family. I'd also recommend another of their lesser-known collaborations, "Keeper of the Flame." He is a reporter writing about her late husband, a revered statesman with what turns out to be a very ugly secret. A Congressman once told me the movie that seemed most authentic to his experience in politics was The Seduction of Joe Tynan, with a sensational early performance by Meryl Streep. And I would also add Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and the musical about the political meeting that started it all for the United States, 1776.

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Tuesday August 26, 2008

Category: Commentary

While We're On the Subject of Disabilities

The disability advocates who are picketing "Tropic Thunder" should take a look at "The House Bunny." It is a much more worthwhile target for their complaints. In that movie, the title character becomes the house mother for a sorority of dorks and losers. She transforms them all with a little mascara, some skimpy clothes, and some tips on how to talk to boys. A few free drinks and an "Aztec virgin sacrifice" party blow-out later, and they're the most popular girls on campus. One of characters is a young woman wearing a brace for scoliosis, played by Rumer Willis, daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore (far right in the photo). The movie also includes a character whose only characteristic is being very short, another defining condition played only for laughs. You can see only a portion of her arm in this publicity photo, which tells you everything you need to know about the role she plays in the movie.

As usual with a disabled character like the girl in the brace, the disability is her only characteristic and we never learn anything else about her. SPOILER ALERT: Incredibly, the plot resolution for this character is that the brace simply falls off of her as she runs (like "Forrest Gump"), with a little help from the former bunny. It turns out she has not needed the brace for four years but kept it on because she was shy. Instead of taking the opportunity to show us a disabled character who is comfortable with her disability and is able to have a full life of studies and friends, the movie implies that no one can be popular and confident with a back brace.

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Tuesday August 26, 2008

Category: Interview

Interview: Jodi Benson of 'The Little Mermaid'

It was a great pleasure to speak again with Jodi Benson, the voice of Ariel in "The Little Mermaid." Jodi returns to the role for a new DVD called "The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning," in stores this week.

Tell me a little bit about the new DVD and what it was like to return to the character you created for the original film.

This story is about the essence of who she is when she is a little girl from age five to the original movie. it has the backstory of her mother, father, sisters, her issue with her mom, all of her relationships. It's great to do this again because it's in my blood. It's been 20 plus years. Throughout the time in between the movies I have worked on a lot of a products, the princess DVDs, singalongs and story books, so she gets to live on between the years. Its nice that there's not a huge lapse for me, but you really get to delve into it when it's a movie. The people at Disney really gave their hearts to this project so that made it extra special for me.

How were you cast in the original film?

I was doing a Broadway show called "Smile" in 1984. It closed very quickly, which was quite sad for everybody. But [writer-lyricist] Howard Ashman had established this relationship with Disney -- Mickey Mouse came to the opening night party -- and they invited all the girls in the cast to audition for "The Little Mermaid." It was kind of like a consolation prize, About a year to a year and half later I got a call that my tape had been selected. I had never done voiceover work before, but Howard told them, "She won't be difficult." It was challenging because I had to learn to use the microphone correctly. I was nervous the first couple of days. He really directed me through the project like it was a stage show.

I know your spiritual life and religious devotion are very important to you and your family.

I am a follower of Jesus. My husband really brought me to the Lord when I was 18 and I am so lucky to have a platform through the studio. They have been so kind and loving and supportive. I homeschool so the start of the day is reading Bible scripture, memorization and prayer. It is the number one thing in our lives for our family. It sends us every way. That makes it less pressure for me because I don't have that stress, knowing I am just led by the Lord. We have tried to make our lives a blessing and tried to be an open vessel to pour out whenever the Lord gives us the opportunity. When I share a song or walk the red carpet, I always say, "let us do the loving thing." My husband has a gift for reaching out to people in need. I always look over and see him connecting to someone who needs to talk or needs some support. The important thing is telationships, making connections, loving on them. We live in a broken world and we are here to help it heal.

Is there a passage of scripture that is especially significant for you?

John 15:5 -- "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." It is so true. I can't sing, perform, do anything apart from Christ. I have no power or strength of my own. The scripture for this week is Psalm 46:10 -- "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." That is such a good thought for where I am right now.

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Filed Under: animation, ariel, Bible, disney, homeschooling, Jesus, jodi benson, little mermaid, scripture

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Monday August 25, 2008

Category: Based on a play , Comedy , DVD Pick of the Week , Musical , Romance

The Pajama Game

Labor Day is a good time to see this musical about the romance between a representative of the union (Doris Day) and a representative of management (John Raitt). It has the good sense to keep the plot out of the way of the wonderful songs (like "Hey There" and "Steam Heat") and the ebulliently energetic dance numbers (choreographed by Bob Fosse). But there is enough of a plot to provide an opportunity to discuss the ways in which workers and managers might feel differently about things, and how they work together to find the best solution for both of them. NOTE: There is a subplot about a man who is irrationally jealous and possessive, played for humor.

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Filed Under: bob fosse, doris day, hey there, john raitt, labor, musical, the pajama game

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Sunday August 24, 2008

Category: Cool Stuff , Television

The S.S. Minnow is Back in Shipshape

Anyone for a 3-hour tour? If you get on the S.S. Minnow and the other passengers are a movie star, a professor, a millionaire and his wife, not to mention Mary Ann, you might want to check to make sure you've packed enough to wear for a long vacation.

Yes, the S.S. Minnow from Gilligan's Island is being restored and will be available for tours. More than one boat was used on the show, but this is the one in the opening credits.

I have special affection for this boat because it was named after my father, Newton Minow, whose famous speech to the broadcasters calling television a "vast wasteland" annoyed "Gilligan's Island" creator Sherwood Schwartz. So Schwartz named the sinking boat after him! My dad got a huge kick out of it and later had a very cordial exchange of letters with Schwartz. It is a great point of pride for our family.

Thanks to Zeke for bringing me up to date on this story!

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Filed Under: gilligan's island, newton minow, s.s. minnow, sherwood schwartz, vast wasteland

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Saturday August 23, 2008

Category: For Your Netflix Queue , Lists , Rediscovered Classic

List: Movies About Making Movies

Inspired by "Tropic Thunder," Keith Demko of Reel Fanatic created a superb list from one of my favorite categories: movies about making movies. On his list: critic-turned-director Francois Truffaut's bittersweet Day for Night, the trenchant satire Living in Oblivion, the documentary about Terry Gilliam's failed attempt to make a Don Quixote movie, Lost in La Mancha, Tim Burton's black and white tribute to the man often named as the worst director ever with Johnny Depp as Ed Wood. Demko also includes some movies about television like the story of the Letterman/Leno battle, The Late Shift.

I'd add to his list a few more great films like the classic Hollywood movie about classic Hollywood, The Bad and the Beautiful, the hilarious saga of a Revolutionary War movie taking over a small college town, Sweet Liberty, David Mamet's witty satire State and Main, and of course the all-time favorite about the beginning of the sound era, Singin' in the Rain. Here Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor turn an elocution lesson into a dance number:

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Filed Under: lists, movies about movies, reel fanatic, singin' in the rain

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Wednesday August 20, 2008

Category: Interview , Music

BDK interviews Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer

Kevin McCarthy reviews films as "BDK" and hosts a weekly radio broadcast. Check out his interview of Hans Zimmer, whose score is one of the defining elements of the year's biggest movie, The Dark Knight. Zimmer's discussion of the development of the music for that film and others, including the Oscar-winning score of Gladiator is fascinating and highly entertaining as well.

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Wednesday August 20, 2008

Category: Commentary , Great Characters

August MVPs: Steve Coogan and Danny McBride

This month's Most Valuable Cinematic Player award has to be shared by Steve Coogan and Danny McBride, who each deliver not one but two different magnificently hilarious performances in two August releases.

Steve Coogan, is often underrated as an actor because he is so good as a comedian. But in movies like "24 Hour Party People" and "Coffee and Cigarettes" he shows his extraordinary mastery of tone and precision in defining a character. His roles in the two movies he appears in this month are very similar -- both are wild satires about show business and in both he plays inexperienced directors whose productions are out of control. But in "Hamlet 2" and "Tropic Thunder" Coogan brilliantly calibrates his performances to fit the character and the story. In "Hamlet 2," his demented neediness and giddy sense of joy is comedy heaven. In "Tropic Thunder," his character unravels in a symphony of panic and desperation. Coogan is an exceptionally gifted and appealing actor whose utter commitment, fearlessness, and insight are as important to his performances as his impeccable comedic timing.

Danny McBride plays an affable drug dealer in "Pineapple Express" and a wild-eyed special effects demolition expert on "Tropic Thunder." Both films call on him to work through a range of situations and emotional temperatures, sometimes with split-second reversals, and he is flawless. Whether displaying demented excess as a man who can hardly believe his good fortune in being paid to blow stuff up or shifting loyalties from one minute to the next in an over-the-top shoot-out, McBride is fully invested in the character and very, very funny.

Special mention: Emma Stone of "Superbad," who is terrific in two films opening on the same day "The House Bunny" (as a good-hearted girl with some social skills problems) and "The Rocker" (as a brooding bass player).

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Tuesday August 19, 2008

Category: Commentary , Understanding Media and Pop Culture

Sisterhoods and Bromances: Where Are the Love Stories?

We have a lot of tender love stories in movies this year but they have mostly been about friendships. I can't remember a time when there have been so few movies about falling in romantic love. What used to be the most reliable genre for movie success, the traditional "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl" (and variations thereon) has all but disappeared from the screen this year.

If you look at the top 20 box offices successes of the year so far and the current releases, you see movies about girlfriends ("Sex and the City," "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants") and "bromances" ("Step Brothers," "Pineapple Express"). We have some superheroes who long for romance but neither Batman, the Hulk, Hancock, nor Iron Man can be said to "get the girl." The closest we have to a superhero love story is "Hellboy 2." There is some incidental romance in the new "Indiana Jones" and "Mummy 3" but it is almost an afterthought at the edges of the action, just as in "Get Smart" and "Don't Mess with the Zohan" it is at the edges of the comedy. But we've seen nothing along the lines of last year's romance-centered movies like "Enchanted," "Dan in Real Life," or "Juno" and stories of falling in love seem relegated to television on the Lifetime channel.

We watch romantic movies for the same reason we watch action films -- they are both about life's great adventure, both ways for us to anticipate and relive our own choices and experiences.

More than halfway through 2008, the most romantic love story of the year so far at the movies has been this one:

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Tuesday August 19, 2008

Category: Interview , Movie Mom's Top Picks for Families

Interview: Travel With Kids

Robert Benchley famously said that there are two kinds of travel: first class and with children. But family trips are often among the most beloved memories and inspire many permanent family references, in-jokes, and traditions. The Travel With Kids series is a good way for parents and kids to plan their vacations. It has explored exciting destinations including Hawaii, Mexico, New York, the Caribbean and Paris, inviting families to travel with the Roberts family to faraway locales and learn about customs and cultures from around the world. The DVDs are a great resource for preparing kids and getting them excited about seeing new sights, trying new food, and learning about history, geography, and art.

Travel With Kids features money-saving tips, topical pop-up facts, advice for traveling with children and fun segments and it is entertaining to travel along with the Roberts family. I interviewed Carrie and Jeremy Roberts about how to make travel safe, comfortable, and interesting for kids.

What's the best way to avoid "are we there yet"-itis?

Mom Says: It really depends on the ages of the kids. Give the kids a digital watch and tell them what time you will be there...then they can be in charge. If they are old enough you can give them a real watch and they can learn to tell time too. Also, give smaller landmarks along the way. For instance on a flight to Jamaica that crosses the U.S. then stops in Miami, you might say at 10a, we can look for the Mississippi River, at 12p, we land in Miami, at 1p we can watch the coast of Florida disappear and at 2p we can start looking for island in the Caribbean Sea. Give them a checklist of things to find. This works on smaller trips too. In the car you can make it more detailed...find a cactus, an orange truck, a Coca-Cola sign, snow, etc. Give them bonuses (trip money) for finding everything.

How do you get the kids excited about a destination that is new to them?

Mom Says: We talk about the place before we go. We go to the library or bookstore and get books about it. But we also figure out something that would be interesting about the place for kids and get books about that topic to take with us...like pirates in the Caribbean or knights in England. I also rent movies that were filmed in the destination and make a family movie night...we fix some foods from that destination too.

Dad Says: The amazing volume of popular culture now (that we didn't have when growing up) that references history and other countries is huge. Harry Potter, A Night at the Museum, National Treasure, Indiana Jones. Any movies dealing in Knights, Pirates, Castles, Adventure, Treasure, WW2, Ancient Cities and Lost Tribes will sure to spark interest and allow the kids to play along on a trip. We also put music on their Mp3 players. Movie Theme songs like Harry Potter while on a train in England, or the entire Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack while on a boat in the islands is pretty cool (I've put on the ear buds listening to the Pirates soundtrack while on a small ship in the Bahamas where Pirates was filmed.. its fun!)

How can you help the kids cope with travel hassles like security checks and delays?

Mom Says: Prepare the kids ahead of time. Tell them what they will need to do and that it is busy and people are in a hurry. When you get to the front of the line remind them again. But don't worry too much, most security agents are very patient with the kids and help them out and even kid around with them while you are trying to get all your stuff done. One thing I might suggest is that kids wear slip-off shoes in the airport...Crocs are good. Because un-tying and re-tying shoes can get stressful when you are in a hurry, especially if you have one that wants to do everything themselves.

Dad Says: Let's face it. Parts of traveling these days just aren't that fun and there's not much you can do about it. Sometimes it's actually good for the kids to deal with these issues for themselves and not always find some easy way around it. A Gameboy or other diversion can't fix every situation. They have to rush through the security line and be bumped and hurried and unload their pockets and take off their shoes just like everyone else. Of course for small kids in strollers, this isn't a lesson teaching time, but for the older kids, it's some real world experience that can help them listen and behave better. Especially when it's a TSA security guard barking orders at them, they snap to attention faster than when mom or dad is telling them what to do. As for delays in the airport, again, there's not much you can do, so they have to learn to deal with everything not being perfect (another benefit of traveling and teaching kids.) However, we do recommend always getting travel insurance in case you really get stuck. Travel insurance will pay for hotels and food when delayed or stranded. This helps with the stress factor for mom and dad.

What do you recommend for helping kids create memories through journals or scrapbooks?

Mom Says: Thanks to the Internet this is easier than ever. I am a big believer in having the kids document their trips. Our kids are young and they already have a digital camera. You'll be amazed at some of the perspectives they take on things. The other nice thing about digital cameras is you can erase the ones they don't want. When you are on the road, you can go to Internet cafés and upload your pictures to a place like Shutterfly.com - have them printed and ready for your return home or make a scrapbook online. Michael's also has a great scrapbooking section and offers workshops on how to create the look you want. Do this with your kids and it's a great opportunity to keep the bonding from your trip going once you get back home.

Dad Says: Digital cameras and memory cards are so cheap these days - it's definitely worth the expense Also, if your child is missing school, a teacher may give credit if they put together a presentation on the country for the class using the pictures and stories. Cheap-o digital cameras, and notebooks so they can draw out the cools stuff they see if fun, and creates great memories. Please remember to upload your memory card to yourself during your trip. Go to any internet café and setup and Shutterfly or similar account and upload your photos. I lost our small digital camera in Mexico at the end of the trip with 350 pictures on it. Those can never be replaced. Bring your camera's USB cable on your trip to do the upload.

How do you get kids comfortable with trying new kinds of food?

Mom Says: Lie. Just kidding. We do have a sort of "Don't Ask, Don't Tel" policy though...if they don't ask, we don't tell. For instance, when we were in the Everglades, we ordered frog legs and just kind of dug in saying things like "Mom says it tastes like chicken". The kids ate them thinking they were chicken and thought it was pretty funny when we told them it was frogs. But, this could backfire if you have a sensitive kid; they may decide to try nothing once you pull a stunt like that, so it really depends on the kids. We try to encourage the kids to at least try one bite of everything. If they don't like it, they don't have to eat anymore.

Dad Says: This is a hard one. We find meal times with to be the most "difficult" on our trips, just like at home! It doesn't matter if we are cooking for ourselves in an apartment rental, or at a fancy beachfront place or a local cooked meal in a hut on the sand. They still don't eat their dinner or sit at the table. We use the usual incentives and bribes. I figure they won't be eating only chicken nuggets and cheese crisps when they're 18, but sometimes I'm not sure. When on vacation, it is a vacation, so we let rules slide, and luckily pizza and chicken nuggets are the universal food found anywhere in the world.

What's the best way to get them excited about cathedrals, museums, and other tourist attractions?

Mom Says: Kids get it. Lots of people think kids are too young to get a lot of traveling, but you will be amazed what they get. Before we get to an attraction I read up on the history and then translate it into their terms...re-telling it on their level and emphasizing the parts that will be interesting to them is important. In large museums, I look online to find their most famous exhibits and print out pictures of them. When we get there, I give the kids the pictures and we have a sort of treasure hunt through the museum.

Dad Says: Lots of museums nowadays have Kid Audio Tours...some even take it so far as to have cartoon characters as part of the Audio presentation that virtually lead the kids through the museum. Again, the popular culture really sparks their interest. They have seen the talking "dum dum" head from A Night at the Museum film, walked the ramparts of Fort Charles in Port Royal where Jack Sparrow roams, sped up the elevator of the Eiffel Tower like Lois Lane in Superman II. Cities with iconic images; Paris, London, New York, never get boring for kids.

What's the best ages for children for family travel?

Mom Says: There's no right age...all ages bring something different to the table. Babies are easy and cheap...you don't have to pay for airline tickets and you don't have to chase them all around. Toddlers are a bit more of a challenge, but seeing your two-year-old's face light up when they see something for the first time is worth every ounce of frustration spent along the way. Grade schoolers are great because they have the foundation of some history and geography so they can learn right along with you and you'll be amazed at what they end up teaching you. Teenagers...well...they're teenagers, but get them out of their element and you may get the chance to actually talk to them.

Dad Says: I'm always amazed at the amount of people who say "I'll take my kids traveling when they're older... they won't remember anything now." We don't see how that really matters. Our kids remember everything. Will they remember it all when they are 30? Probably not. However now, when it matters and for many years to come, they will remember all the places they went and, more importantly, all the times spent with mom and dad. Just mom and dad. No work, no phones, no email, no blackberry. The point is, a 6 year old will remember the family time spent well into their teens on some incredible adventure trip. Sure, it will start to fade as they get older (If you're 35 do you really remember a trip you took when you were 12, other than the photos?) Our 5-year-old still talks about the things he did and experiences he had 2 years ago. The impact it has on them now is immeasurable. Why forego this magical time for kids when castles are actually castles, and pirate forts come to life for them and everything is funny and exciting and adventuresome. Sure it's more convenient for the parent to head out with older kids, but older kids tend to have their Ipods on, texting in hand and not to happy that their not playing video games with their friends back home. Please take this time to enjoy the perfect (and imperfect) years of traveling with kids when they are full of imagination and awe... even if you have to put up with tantrums and getting takeout McDonald's in Paris and going back to the room to see SpongeBob. When you watch them as they first lay eyes on the Eiffel Tower, It's worth it.

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