The Skeleton Twins (2014)

Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader play two suicidal siblings and breath comedy into a movie that is otherwise very depressing.  It is a refreshingly dark turn from the Bridesmaids-era Wiig.  The former SNL cast mates are at their best when they are alone on screen, seemingly improvising.  They feed off of each other, and sometimes they are on the verge of breaking--acceptable on SNL but usually not elsewhere, though it undeniably works with these two.  The most fun scene is a straight-forward lip syncing scene to Starship's "Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now."  It's simple, but Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig make it hilarious.  It is best when SNL alumni team up to make comedy...could Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader be the next Amy and Tina?

Into the Woods (2014)

I thoroughly enjoyed Disney's adaptation of this Sondheim classic. The music and lyrics are so complex, and hauntingly beautiful.  My favorite is when the characters sing different lyrics and melodies simultaneously, the counterpoint that Sondheim is so good at.  His characters think out loud in natural rhythmic speech.  The opening sequence (Prologue) introducing all of the characters is masterful with each character passing on the infectious theme to the next.  An extravagant production design realistically recreates a dark and creepy wood.  Along with Colleen Atwood's Oscar-nominated costume design, the audience is transported to a fantasy world.

Meryl Streep finally broke her own rule of never playing a witch to join Into the Woods.  She has a much better platform to show off her singing chops than with ABBA's Mamma Mia.  Streep actually has a very good voice; case in point "Children Will Listen." Emily Blunt also has an excellent singing voice as the Baker's Wife.  They are emotional, comedic, and most of all musical.

The story has depth, an existentialist message that might go over the head of a Disney-aged audience, but the original musical is not intended for children.  There are themes of morality and parental relationships.  The story is cleverly told through a clever combination of classic fairy tales reimagined.  This is what makes a good musical: a clever idea, good music, good acting and a thought-provoking story.

Ida (2013)

This movie is shot in black and white and a 1:33 frame to evoke an old film from the 1960s.  It almost makes it feel like the film was made in the time period it depicts.  This gives the viewer a sense of postwar Poland.  There are such long pauses that the film is almost silent.  It is admittedly a bit slow, but this adds to the dreary, eerie post-war atmosphere.  The awkward, off-center framing makes the viewer feel slightly uncomfortable.

The movie "discusses" a dark time in Polish history.  I say "discusses" because it never mentions the keywords "Holocaust," "Stalin," or "Occupation."  It is not about what is said, but what the film implies.  Agata Kulesza's Wanda does an excellent job at gesturing her statements as opposed to vocalizing them.  And Ida's silences speak as much as her words.  Ida and Wanda are perfect foils, and their time spent together, two unlikely road trip mates, affect them both greatly.   As far as road trip movies go, this one is highly unconventional.  It brings depth, poignancy, and reflection to a serious black eye in Polish history.  

Big Eyes (2014)

Tim Burton's latest is a little out of the norm for him.  Tim Burton's dark and creepy aura is seen only in the paintings of Margaret Keane.  The little children with the big eyes are inherently spooky and yet full of emotion.  There is only one scene that really evokes what we expect from a Tim Burton movie, and that is when Margaret starts seeing real people with her signature big eyes. The other dark element to the movie is Lana Del Rey's haunting songs.  Otherwise, the film is quite bright, certainly not cheery, but bright. The atmosphere captures a genuine sense of 1950s Northern California.

I do think the courtroom scene towards the end is a little awkward. Waltz as his own attorney makes for an unusually comical scene in an otherwise dramatic film.  I cannot be sure if that actually happened in real life, but the point is that it abruptly culminates in the infamous paint-off.Amy Adams is excellent as always as the secretive artist Margaret Keane.  Christoph Waltz as her husband is a fantastic foil.  Amy Adams is one of the best actresses out there, and yet, the perennial bridesmaid, she has zero Oscars to show for it.  Waltz, on the other hand, has two. Both give award worthy performances, but unfortunately the film failed to rack up any nominations.  

Chicago (North American Touring Production) (2014)

I won a raffle to see Chicago yesterday at the Hippodrome.  This is my second Kander and Ebb musical since November, and I have to admit that I liked Cabaret better.  First, Chicago does not have much in the way of plot; it is not nearly as deep as some of the great Broadway musicals.  There is more development in the second act than in the first.  The ending draws conflicting emotions, as it is happy but devastating for Roxie.  The story is very female driven. Though they are not portrayed in a particularly positive light, it is refreshing.

The set is nonexistent.  I am not sure whether that is because it is a touring production or if that is simply how the production plays. Instead, the pit orchestra is front and center on stage.  The conductor actually gets a lot of attention from the actors, playing a character of sorts.  The company sits in chairs lining the sides of stage instead of going backstage.  Another stylistic choice, they wait in the shadows until it is their time to act.  The production attempts to make up for a lack of set by introducing some fancy lighting.  The lighting creates the illusion of prison cell bars.  Further there are no costume changes at all, not even between acts.  They are dressed not in prison uniforms but as if they are in a Cabaret.  This makes for an awkward courtroom scene, in which the prosecuting attorney is quite unconvincing.

The dancing is very Fosse-style.  The opening number, "All That Jazz" and the classic "Cell Block Tango" are the best scenes in my opinion.  They are stylish, catchy and flashy.

Also, the ventilation in the Hippodrome is awful.  I could hardly breathe throughout the entire second act.  It was so hot and the air was just not circulating.  Kudos to the dancers on stage--I don't know how they did it.

Parks and Recreation (2009-15)

There may never be another show like it. Lovable, quirky, subtle, and downright high-quality comedy.  It never really caught on with mainstream America.  It's really a miracle that it lasted this long--we could thank NBC for not canceling the critical darling despite its low ratings.  With 30 Rock, Community and The Office gone, Parks and Rec was the last show of the former Thursday comedy bloc.

At first glance, the idea is mundane.  Pawnee, Indiana in the middle of nowhere.  The Parks and Recreation department in the local government.  A show about small-town bureaucrats; this is what government is really like.  What made it work was its diverse cast of characters led by the talented Amy Poehler playing a crazy, detail-oriented, ambitious, obsessive Leslie Knope.  This show has had an indelible impact on our culture: from the stoic, outdoorsy, anti-government Ron Swanson and his mustache to Donna and Tom's yearly "Treat Yo Self" and the immortal Lil Sebastian.  This show has created stars out of Aziz Ansari, Aubrey Plaza, and recently Chris Pratt has exploded.  And it managed to get huge guest stars, including Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, and Madeline Albright.  Whenever the show took a trip to Washington, you could be sure to see a slew of Congressmen make appearances.

The sixth season finale made a time jump into the future showing us how Leslie and co are doing.  It brings back everyone and ties up their stories.  You get a sense that the producers weren't sure if they were going to get renewed.  I would've been totally satisfied it it ended right there, but I am so glad it had one final hurrah.  The final season was very emotional and continues with the time jump.  It hilariously makes up technologies and history that no one could disprove because it's in the future.  I watched the last four episodes in a row and I teared twice.  The first time was when Leslie throws one last celebration, banners and all, for the newly appointed mayor of Pawnee (a familiar face).  The second time was at the end, when the gang has a reunion, and best friend Ann Perkins returns.  The series finale is fitting.  At every moment of physical contact, we get a time jump, seeing how each character fares in the future.  It's very creative, well edited, and a perfect close to a brilliant show.     

Chronicle of a Summer (Chronique d'un ete) (1960)

In this experimental documentary, Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin pioneer cinema verite style film, taking a snapshot of Parisian life in the age of consumerism.  Known for creating an ethnography of African culture, the camera is turned inward on postwar France. They pose a simple question: "Are you happy?"  The directors appear in the film as interviewers.  It opens with them questioning whether people will be able to open up and be authentic on camera. As a result, the camera tends to act as a catalyst, despite its spying nature.  The camera stays out of the scene, but at the same time it intrudes on these very private conversations.  The cameraman is able to navigate thanks to a new small, quiet, portable, lightweight camera.

This film is one of the first to talk openly about the Holocaust.  Made just 15 years after the end of WWII, Marceline talks sincerely about her experience in the concentration camp.  We first learn of her suffering through a peek at her tattoo, containing a number and a triangle (half of a Star of David).  The war in Algeria is another point of concern.  Students openly criticize the war and are censored in return.  But some of their opinions get through, and this is the first such case of open criticism.

The film ends with a screening of the film by its subjects. They immediately turn on each other, criticizing each other for being too truthful or not being truthful enough.  The directors reflect on their reactions, questioning their judgment of sincerity and phoniness.  Worried about how an audience might perceive their subjects, they directly ask the audience to believe that they are not acting are completely authentic.  Perhaps it is the nature of documentary film that we have no choice but to believe them.