Flix!
I don't like musicals. Since in 1967 or 68, when producers totally trashed the musical Oliver! and then they put out the worst piece of garbage ever put on film, a musical I love and they wiped their ass with it on screen. Not only do I hate it, I want everyone who produced it to die of painful cancer in their eyes.
So I never go to musicals. So the wife took me to The Greatest Showman, and just after the star and director thank you for coming on screen the movie starts to roll and my beautiful wife leans over and says, "You know this is a musical right?" She waited because she knew I'd never to go if I knew.
And then it started. This is a total masterpiece. The poses of Jackman in the beginning were perfect. And then the music. Masterful. Every song, one after another, superb. And a great story to boot. Zack Efron is fantastic. The whole cast is spot on. Including the Jenny Lind character and even the kids who played Barnum and his wife as kids.
I bought the soundtrack and listen to it most of the time. We own the Blue-Ray and even after we did, I went and saw it in the theater anyway. Who knew Hugh Jackman could sing like this? Probably many people, but I didn't.
I love the Youtube videos of Jackman singing before he was medically allowed to and as he's singing he starts bleeding from his cancer surgery scars on his nose, but he was so dedicated he had to jump in out of excitement for the project.
I think this was the best film I've seen since Hidden Figures and I was certain that it was going to sweep the Oscars in every category. But what happened? It was ignored. And that put the stamp of death on the Oscars for me. It's not just that they ignored this masterful film, it's that they gave the best picture nod to an absolutely horrible film about a women who falls for a fish.
Oh wait. It wasn't entirely ignored. There was a song nominated. And near the end of the Oscar broadcast This Is Me was performed by the cast member and it brought the house down. And then that gave it to that cute little song from Coco. Not nearly on the same level as This Is Me.
So The Greatest Showman is an absolutely wonderful film. I couldn't recommend it more.
Grade: A+
Saturday, June 9, 2018
Sunday, January 14, 2018
Best TV of 2017
Tube!
The Best TV of 2017
My Top Ten in Reverse.
Let's start at the end, shall we?
10. Salvation
It's a familiar plot line. There is an asteroid headed toward Earth that will destroy it. A rich man creates a ship he calls The Ark and it will circle the planet for years and years until Earth will sustain life again. [Science be damned. If an asteroid this large hit our planet it would knock our planet just a tiny bit off it's orbit and off it's axis. That's the ball game. Earth is not inhabitable anymore]. The conflict occurs because the Ark can only sustain a couple hundred people to sustain human life. The dominate thought is that is should be all engineers, mathematicians. and scientists. No room for artists, musicians, dancers, actors etc. And thus the conflict.
9. The Walking Dead
Although I swore off this for awhile I came back because the storyline is compelling. Our focus group's obligatory fight scenes with zombies are a boring yawn. All of the drama comes from the conflict with the other warring factions of regular people. The other tribes if you will.
8. Fargo.
These fictitious tales are told in a very compelling way. I felt this season was the weakest thus it's position on this list. But it's still better than much of what I am exposed to on the tube, so it was easy to include it on the list. I know next season will be better. Not just very good but the writers will 'make Fargo great again'.
7. The Americans.
Although easily the worst season so far, it is still far and away better than most of the crap we are subjected to. I felt like this whole season was a set up for what they will drop on us next season. I do hope they step up their game, because when they do, this is brilliant, great stuff.
6. Comedians in Cars getting Coffee
One of the most brilliant television things ever on TV. And I really hope that in a hundred years, Seinfeld will be remembered for this more than for that sitcom. Intimate and uninterrupted chats with other comedians in classic cars, who go get coffee and breakfast or lunch and wherever where Jerry more than once will 'forget his wallet'. And the cars sometimes don't perform right. There are those great moments of memories. These 15 minutes of conversations with brilliant comedians are precious because Jerry not only is a comedy genius but he appreciates the work of others to the Nth degree. Not only does he love comedy, comedy loves him.
5. Shameless
Okay Jim, you got me. Just like I will with you when you finally watch Rescue Me. We, as an audience, have been caught up in the stories of this incredibly disfuncional family. Whenever you think you know where this family and friends are headed, you're wrong.
4. Masters of Sex.
All of the Game of Thrones folks need to realize that Showtime is the real place where it is happening. Homeland. Dexter. On and on. And now, Masters of Sex. This is a great look at the two scientists William Masters and Virginia Johnson who were dedicated to studying human sexuality in the 50's. This was not an easy task. And this is a brilliant television look at that difficult look at that task along with a lot of the other relationship problems it created or explored. The writing is beyond reproach often reminiscent of great playwrights of the 20th Century.
3. Better Call Saul.
In this prequel to Breaking Bad, Jimmy eventually morphs into Saul Goodman. His battle with his brother Chuck is overdrawn, but it's the Mike story that keeps this tale compelling. Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks continue to be incredible. Some of the best stuff on TV.
2. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Imagine a housewife in the fifties in New York's upper west side who had a husband who aspires to be a stand up comedian. She cooks casseroles for club owners so that her husband gets better time slots to go on. But when her husband goes on the club manager is kind of disgusted. It turns out hubby steals his material. And in a awful moment in her life the wife walks out in a rain storm in her nightgown and wanders onto the stage and kills. And so the manager of the place becomes her manager and it goes from there. This makes me yearn for more. And when you see this, you will too.
1. Bosch.
What is it about this show that makes it so compelling? It's all about attitude. Bosch is one cool customer without trying to be. The stories are compelling and he is one detective that lives a great lifestyle. He once was involved in a case that he was able to help document. He sold the movie rights and has a very cool house overlooking LA. He has an equally great partner and is always in the soup. You gotta love the swag.
The Best TV of 2017
My Top Ten in Reverse.
Let's start at the end, shall we?
10. Salvation
It's a familiar plot line. There is an asteroid headed toward Earth that will destroy it. A rich man creates a ship he calls The Ark and it will circle the planet for years and years until Earth will sustain life again. [Science be damned. If an asteroid this large hit our planet it would knock our planet just a tiny bit off it's orbit and off it's axis. That's the ball game. Earth is not inhabitable anymore]. The conflict occurs because the Ark can only sustain a couple hundred people to sustain human life. The dominate thought is that is should be all engineers, mathematicians. and scientists. No room for artists, musicians, dancers, actors etc. And thus the conflict.
9. The Walking Dead
Although I swore off this for awhile I came back because the storyline is compelling. Our focus group's obligatory fight scenes with zombies are a boring yawn. All of the drama comes from the conflict with the other warring factions of regular people. The other tribes if you will.
8. Fargo.
These fictitious tales are told in a very compelling way. I felt this season was the weakest thus it's position on this list. But it's still better than much of what I am exposed to on the tube, so it was easy to include it on the list. I know next season will be better. Not just very good but the writers will 'make Fargo great again'.
7. The Americans.
Although easily the worst season so far, it is still far and away better than most of the crap we are subjected to. I felt like this whole season was a set up for what they will drop on us next season. I do hope they step up their game, because when they do, this is brilliant, great stuff.
6. Comedians in Cars getting Coffee
One of the most brilliant television things ever on TV. And I really hope that in a hundred years, Seinfeld will be remembered for this more than for that sitcom. Intimate and uninterrupted chats with other comedians in classic cars, who go get coffee and breakfast or lunch and wherever where Jerry more than once will 'forget his wallet'. And the cars sometimes don't perform right. There are those great moments of memories. These 15 minutes of conversations with brilliant comedians are precious because Jerry not only is a comedy genius but he appreciates the work of others to the Nth degree. Not only does he love comedy, comedy loves him.
5. Shameless
Okay Jim, you got me. Just like I will with you when you finally watch Rescue Me. We, as an audience, have been caught up in the stories of this incredibly disfuncional family. Whenever you think you know where this family and friends are headed, you're wrong.
4. Masters of Sex.
All of the Game of Thrones folks need to realize that Showtime is the real place where it is happening. Homeland. Dexter. On and on. And now, Masters of Sex. This is a great look at the two scientists William Masters and Virginia Johnson who were dedicated to studying human sexuality in the 50's. This was not an easy task. And this is a brilliant television look at that difficult look at that task along with a lot of the other relationship problems it created or explored. The writing is beyond reproach often reminiscent of great playwrights of the 20th Century.
In this prequel to Breaking Bad, Jimmy eventually morphs into Saul Goodman. His battle with his brother Chuck is overdrawn, but it's the Mike story that keeps this tale compelling. Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks continue to be incredible. Some of the best stuff on TV.
2. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Imagine a housewife in the fifties in New York's upper west side who had a husband who aspires to be a stand up comedian. She cooks casseroles for club owners so that her husband gets better time slots to go on. But when her husband goes on the club manager is kind of disgusted. It turns out hubby steals his material. And in a awful moment in her life the wife walks out in a rain storm in her nightgown and wanders onto the stage and kills. And so the manager of the place becomes her manager and it goes from there. This makes me yearn for more. And when you see this, you will too.
1. Bosch.
What is it about this show that makes it so compelling? It's all about attitude. Bosch is one cool customer without trying to be. The stories are compelling and he is one detective that lives a great lifestyle. He once was involved in a case that he was able to help document. He sold the movie rights and has a very cool house overlooking LA. He has an equally great partner and is always in the soup. You gotta love the swag.
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