Change Your Image
bohemian-in-a-tutu
Reviews
Just a Kiss (2002)
A surprisingly pleasant drug trip of a movie.
My friend and I found a DVD of this movie in the rental area in a hotel we were staying in, and, not seeing much else other than the fact that Taye Diggs was in it, proceeded to rent it.
The whole way through we were making comments along the lines of "Whoa, this is really trippy..." But, as we realized after we finished the movie, that's okay. Sometimes a cinematic drug trip is exactly what you're looking for.
Idina Menzel's cameo performance was freaking brilliant, as always. And the rest of the cast, esp. Taye, Marley Shelton and Marisa Tomei, carried this slightly whacked out movie well. Overall it was insane but enjoyable, although definitely not for everyone.
Almost Famous (2000)
Oh my freaking God.
This movie has been my number one favorite since I saw it about two years ago. All I can say is: fantastic! Everything about it is fantastic. None of the actors disappoint, the music made me want to live in 1973 so I could experience it live, and the script was overall wonderful (I quote it frequently, even when it doesn't exactly make sense). It's a beautiful film, with moments of humor and heart-wrenching emotion, and, hey, Patrick Fugit is a major cutie.
So for anyone who likes rock and roll, this is a must see. For anyone who likes movies with an interesting and thought-provoking script, this is a must see. And for anyone who has ever been a human being and felt a thing that human beings feel, this is a must see.
Rent (2005)
A celebration of love, art and "La Vie Boheme"
I'm the first to admit I'm a hardcore Rent junkie; I know all the words to the original cast recording and a lot of the dialogue that's not on the CD, I can tell you what all the original stars have done since then, and I'm always big on introducing it to other people. I went into the movie hoping for the best (since there were 6 of the 8 original stars, and Stephen Chbosky did the screenplay) and expecting the worse (Chris Columbus directing? Rosario Dawson as Mimi?) Thankfully, what I was hoping for is what I got.
From the opening chords of "Seasons of Love" I was getting sort of tingly. My chest got a little tight, like it was too full of excitement. It remained this way most of the movie, and that's a very good thing.
I appreciated the April flashback, though I missed the image of her having "left a note saying 'We've got AIDS' before slitting her wrists in the bathroom." Adam Pascal and his sexy brooding angst didn't disappoint, and I found myself smiling through most of "Light My Candle" as he and Rosario Dawson (who was MUCH better than I expected) bantered. The other sides of their relationship ("I Should Tell You," "Without You") were quite good as well. And Dawson really danced up a storm in the Cat Scratch; certainly a lure for hesitant boyfriends who are dragged along.
Jesse L. Martin and Wilson Jermaine Heredia really are the emotional heart of the film, delivering fantastic performances together and apart. I defy anyone not to be touched by their relationship, the way they exhibit such an undying devotion for each other and an enthusiasm for life that makes you want to follow their example and skip through the streets, celebrating the small beauties in life.
Now, my favorite characters have always been Maureen and Mark and Joanne, and I was excited to see Idina Menzel (who I'd only ever heard on recordings before, but adore) and Anthony Rapp (who I'd seen in the touring company of Little Shop of Horrors, and adore) and newcomer Tracie Thoms portray that little love triangle. The "Tango: Maureen" was one of the best moments of the film, priceless, full of excellent banter, hilarious, and the fantasy sequence was awesome. Similarly, "Take Me or Leave Me" was brilliant, a battle of wills and sex-appeal (Thoms the wills, Menzel the sex-appeal).
And, of course, I adored "Over the Moon." One of my favorite songs (I've performed it myself once or twice for friends), I was excited to see how it translated. It was one of the most delightfully absurd things I've seen all year.
And... "La Vie Boheme." Fantastic. Full of energy and life and enthusiasm. The "Hey mister... she's my sister" - "Sisters?" "We're close" part made me smile so much, and I loved Rapp's leading of the song. Just spectacular.
"I'll Cover You - Reprise" and "Goodbye Love" (though I missed the second half) just twisted my heart around but hard.
My only complaints are the few seconds of slow-motion sex-dancing during "Without You" and Roger's little rock-formation Santa Fe-fest. But those lasted about a minute, total, and the rest of the movie was splendid. It's a movie so full of emotion that it draws you in, you feel like you're right there with them. I got the feeling watching the stage show, and in some places in the movie, it was even stronger.
Fantastic. Fantastic. Fantastic.