Retirement Passage To India

On Memorial Day, there are two kinds of people: those who watch "Men In Black 3," and those who choose "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel." I belong to the latter breed. This movie isn't Shakespeare (although most of the cast have done Shakespeare) and it is light and quite predictable, but it is a master class for great acting. Even if some of the situations in here are quite unbelievable, the actors are so natural that you go along with it, and in the end you are satisfied with the journey. I have seen this movie described as "Real World: India for Senior Citizens" and that is quite a snarky - but true - description  of the film. Seven strangers move from London to Jaipur,  and they bring along baggage fron their past lives. The most affecting story goes to Graham (Tom Wilkinson) who goes back in search of his old love, recalling a time when he was by a river and thinking of a time "when he was happiest." Dame Judi Dench is vulnerable here, playing a widow who finds a fourth wind in her life. Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton play a couple whose life savings were squandered by their daughter for a dot-com venture, and Dame Maggie Smith plays the quintessential Maggie Smith character: the fussy British. Every scene is a marvel, especially when they get to interact with each other. It is funny that the script doesn't really call for much "characterization" but each actor brings such uniqueness in them that each ones feel different - and real. I loved the first half of the film, with the exposition. The second half limps, as stories are tried to wrap up instantly. You can take your guns and aliens with you, I will have my tea and crumpets in India. 

The Producer

I am a big Broadway fan so I was very eager to read "Showbiz," by Ruby Preston. My friend Melissa Amster from Chick Lit Central recommended me to the author for a review of the book, because she knows of my affinity for The Great White Way. I started reading it, without knowing anything about it besides its setting. I had initially thought it would be some kind of modern romance novel, but it is more a light mystery. No big deal - Preston is good at keeping the action going with short chapters and quick pacing. It is a short read, but a lot of things happen. However, some of the plot do not fully work. I had to suspend a lot of my disbelief for a lot of plot twists, but that is not a big deal - this isn't investigative reporting. Even though the characters are likable enough, they were just a hairline away from being two-dimensional. A couple of them change motivations too quickly, and we do not really have an idea why. It did give me a glimpse as to what producing for Broadway was like. As a fan, I don't really know too much from the production side. "Showbiz" is a fun beach/pool read, and you don't even have to be a fan of theater to enjoy it. 

BC-46

The Mellow Touch

Some of the best vacations I have taken have been the ones where I have doen nothing. My friends and I used to go to this small house in Truro, next to Provincetown, Massachusetts. I remember just lounging by the bay, letting time pass, letting spirit rest. I am reminded by that feeling while I listen to Rita Wilson's album "AM/FM," a collection of songs from the mid to late 70s. I call this kind of music "Mellow Touch."  Before the dawn of Lite-FM, there was the mellow touch - where songs of current singer/songwriters used to thrive. That music had a little more weight than softened versions of pop hits. Rita Wilson apparently loved that musical era, two, which, I believe spawned a second great area of The Great American Songbook. Miss Wilson sings in a sweet, unaffected, honest voice. There is no strain, and she has nothing to prove so she just sings the songs - no melisma, no pyrotechnics needed. It really is a revelation when you just the music speak for itself. I was totally besotted from the first song, "All I Have To Do Is Dream" with Chris Cornell on harmonic vocals with her. Then song after song, sweetness just sweeps, but it is never too saccharine. I think of it as perfect summer afternoon music - let it be your atmosphere as you look at a bay, an ocean, a mountain, an opened fire hydrant in the middle of an urban street. It recalls a more innocent, cynic-free era. I loved the slow-burn version of "Love Has No Pride," the tender promise of "never My Love," the chill of Joni Mitchell's "river." I am sure people long lost feelings of love with her version of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." This is not an album that will grab you right away - it is best listened to slowly to let it simmer. 

We'll Never Belong Together

I was truly expecting the worst in W.E., which people mostly describe as Madonna's directorial feature debut (she had previously directed a documentary) because so many people have written and said horrible things about it. I have to confess I knew very little about the real story behind "one of the greatest love stories of all time," that of Wallis Simpson and Prince Edward VII besides the fact that he gave up his throne for her. It's a story ready-made for a great movie. Sadly, after seeing the movie, I know not much more, and that is its biggest flaw. I wish I could have seen what made them tick, what attracted them to each other, what combusted their chemistry. their story, framed with a parallel modern-day story, seemed diluted. Andrea Risebrough tries hard to get a human out of her character, but as written here, it seemed dead on arrival. And James D'Arcy seemed miscast as the Prince. He looks the part, but is so wan that it doesn't seem believable that Wallis would be obsessed with him. I wish the latter day storyline was more interesting, but it was, frankly, boring. It doesn't help that Abbie Cornish looks as bored as the audience, and doesn't generate any heat with her partner, played by Oscar Isaac. (Its not helping that hunk as he is, he is about half a foot shorter than her) I knew what Madonna was trying to do, but she got bogged down by her own ambition. I wish she had just abandoned her art house aspirations and just gave it to us straight. She has a great vision, and good taste - the costumes, the make-up, and especially the music is quite good. As it is, though, the movie looks like a little princess dressed for the ball with nowhere to go. That said, though, the movie isn't really as bad an effort as people make it out to be. I definitely have seen worse first efforts, and I would gladly take this over some of the overhyped commercial fare we get nowadays. 

Don't Hold The Bun

I have been experiencing SMASH withdrawals, and I think I have found the next best thing. ABC Family has a new series coming out in June called BUNHEADS, and it stars the glorious Multi Tony awardee Sutton Foster, so I thought, well she has Broadway roots so why not? I don't think I have ever watched anything on ABC Family before, and I guess now is as good time to start as any. This series was created by Amy Sherman Palladino, of Gilmore Girls fame. I never watched that show either, but I do know it has a huge following, some from people whose taste I admire. Sutton here stars as Michele, who was a Broadway Chorus girl turned Las Vegas Showgirl, who is experience career crisis when she quickly marries this man (named Hubble, hello Barbra!) and moves to this oceanside small town. It's a town so small even the local movie theater closed. It was such a quick thing she did not even have time to pack a suitcase, but she still attempts to start a new life. The caveat? He lives with his mother, played by Kelly Bishop. She runs a dance studio, and used to be a ballet dancer herself. I can see that this series may be more dance oriented than anything else, and Sutton, of course, is a great dancer, as evidenced by her performances in "The Drowsy Chaperone," and "Anything Goes." I thought the whole premise was quite interesting, and there's a twist in the end that was unexpected. (I didn't see it coming) It's all exposition, and I guess to make it more interesting for the ABC Family demographic, they introduced four female tween students, who I suspect will make a lot more appearances in the future. My one problem? Sutton's character is supposed to be this great beauty, when Sutton,a s talented as she is, for me is more a brainy, interesting type, physically anyway. But he carries it well, and I thought she showed great acting chops. This has potential to get really good - the writing is excellent - and I hope Kelly Bishop's character gives the show a little sour in all its sweet. I'll be watching. 

Read What Happened

So confession time: I *love* Watch What Happens Live, which is the almost-nightly talk show on Bravo hosted by Andy Cohen - I think it's fun, it's sassy, it's so gay it will make your eyeballs hurt. But Andy Cohen? I am conflicted. Sure, I have to commend him on changing the reality TV climate with the Housewives series, but sometimes his instigator/what-me-instigate? schtick can be annoying. But I was interested enough to read his memoir, "Most Talkative: Stories from the front lines of Pop Culture."  And you know what? it was entertaining. I kind of like that he does not take himself too seriously, and he weaves a web of stories that are interesting. His self-deprecating tone is just right, I never felt it was too put-on. I wasn't expecting anything deep in it, and I didn't get any. While I don't think he is a genius - he is a privileged rich boy who has great ideas - I respect his commitment to his craft. After all that, there really isn't anything more to add. If you like and follow the Housewives series, you will appreciate the story of how the franchise was created. I liked the stories of his interactions with celebrities, like Oprah, Diana Ross, and his inspiration, Susan Lucci. The book is a quick read - grabbing it on the way to the beach can't hurt you much. 

BC-45

Expect The Expected

I don't know if I am liking this trend of movies based on self-help books, but I suspect there will be more. "Think Like A Man" was a surprise box-office success, and now we get "What To Expect When You Are Expecting," which, I know is a must-read for when you are pregnant.  This is a smorgasbord movie, made up of five story lines interwoven with each other - all revolving couples who are expecting. Cameron Diaz plays a fitness trainer who gets pregnant while on a Dancing With The Stars type show (by her partner, played by Matthew Morrison)  Elizabeth is a book-store owner who has a difficult pregnancy, as her father-in-law declares that his wife is pregnant as well. And Jennifer Lopez goes through an ordeal of an adoption process of a baby from Ethiopia, and a young couple (Anna Kendrick and Chase Crawford) gets pregnant after a one-night stand. It's all nice and straightforward, and Elizabeth Banks shines most as a neurotic pregnant woman. I have an irrational dislike for Diaz and I surprisingly am not too upset with her here. And of course, Jennifer Lopez has a physical-pregnancy-free story - the diva cannot be photographed fat, after all. It's been only a couple of hours since I saw the movie, and I don't much remember a lot from it. I laughed at all the right places, but i suspect this movie will resonate more with people who have gone through similar situations. I just am not this movie's target market, and that's fine. I wish it well, and actually welcome it from as counter programming from all the comic book action packed Summer Blockbusters. 

Rentboy Manhunt

I don't really read a lot of mysteries, but I know a lot of older people do. So, as I realize I am aging, I said I might as well go with the flow and read some. A long while back, I got "Second You Sin" free from Amazon, and I just read it. I loved it. Maybe it's because it's really not much of a mystery novel. It's a gay love story, a gay in the city story, with a side of a mystery. The mystery part is pretty lame: someone is killing rent boys in the city, who could be doing it? I can say I spotted the killer a mile away, and it was pretty tedious to see it unfold. However, Sherman has given us a very likeable character in Kevin Connor - he is witty, smart, and pretty erudite that you will not mind spending time with him. Who would have thought he could extract a sympathetic character from a male prostitute? But he has, and the situations he put himself into were hilarious, and Sherman has also assembled a cast of characters that are vivid and charming. I especially loved Kevin's mom who owns her own salon in Long Island (Sophie's Choice Tresses) and how she handled a homophobic daytime talk show host. I kind of  wished the supporting characters wouldn't just disappear, but then I found out this is the second of a series so I think they are probably recurring characters. Now I have the mind to go read the first of the series. The book reminded me of those novels from the 90s that I used to read by folks like Robert Rodi and Michael Feinberg. This is cute and sweet, even with the stale mystery. 

BC-44

All Mighty Hiris

It's not only until I fell in love with Dior Homme that I realized I love iris. I never paid much attention to it before, and I thought the note always smelled like cardboard. Then I went through a phase when I could not get enough of it. I remember when L'Artisan Iris Padilla was hard to find, I got a decant of it and was so scared to use it for fear I would run out of it. Then I discovered Hermes Hiris, and I thought to myself, I have now discovered the perfect iris for me. Ironically, it's from 1999, and created by one of my favorite noses, Olivia Giacobetti. She made this before I discovered her, before I got obsessed with perfume and realized I loved almost everything by her. Hiris is the perfect description of a Gicaobetti creation - it's ethereal, it's sheer, it envelopes you like a chiffon scarf. For some reason, the visual I get for this scent when I am wearing it is of me walking the rainy streets of Paris, with the steely and cold air whipping my hair. Hiris has a cold iris note - it's a big blast in the beginning, but it softens on me, and the drydown is quite sweet: iris and florals and some aquatic honey something. On my shirt, it smells like a bouquet. (I imagine holding a floral bouquet while I look at the Seine) It's such an elegant scent, and that's why it works as a male scent, too - Dior Homme has more cedar and a lot more cardboard and just as loved by me. Hiris is one of my Top 10 scents of all time, and I hope to never be out of it for the rest of my life. 

European Flats

Oh, how I wanted to love Marilyn Brant's "A Summer In Europe."  In theory, it had everything I love in a book: a love story, a setting that's magical and romantic, a contemplative tone. The novel is set all over Europe, in places I have loved, like Rome, Florence, Venice, London. It even excites me that it also features some places I will be visiting soon, like Budapest, and Vienna. But I think it is just one of those things. I gave the book more than a million chances - it took me three weeks to finish it and as I turned a page (well, metaphorically, as I read it on my Kindle) I kept on hoping it would get better, and for me, it just never did. I thought the main character, Gwen, was a miserable fool, it seemed she was never happy even in some of the most beautiful places in the world. She went on one of those European multi-city bus tours, a la Globus Gateway, and that just seems a little dated nowadays. And she is wooed by these sophisticated Brits who would never go travel in those things. In and out of cities, and I never discovered anything new, and all the characters are as flat as ever. I cannot eve begin to describe how I was so extremely disappointed by this book. 

BC-43

Smash Season Finale: You Are My Star

Here we go - I cannot believe that it's already the season finale, and we won't see new episodes until January 2013. I do not know if I can wait that long, I am tearing up just thinking about it. But I am going to try and move on, based on the strength of last night's season finale. I know I slag the show, but I really do love it, and the best thing I love about last night's show is that all the drama was framed around putting on a show. We start with a show that's been fractured because it's lead star has quit - and by the end of the show, we get a rousing number that's so beautiful it erased whatever doubts I had about Kat McPhee being Marilyn. I kind of understand now why she was chosen as Marilyn - she has an innocence and purity that Ivy doesn't have. Ivy's greatest strengths - her polished professionalism - ultimately went against the production team's vision of "Bombshell."  I felt bad for Ivy - she wanted it and she almost had it - and there is a huge part of me that really wanted her to get the role. But - I have accepted Karen now, and appreciate her. And make no doubt, she werrrkkked that last song, "Don't Forget Me," made it shine like the diamond that it is. Marc Shaiman, on his Facebook page, wrote that he and Scott Wittman wrote that song in circumstances not dissimilar to Tom and Julia's. And it is a beautiful song that perfectly capped this season. I guess I should we should not have been surprised that Karen got the role: from the very start, they were framing her for it: she has the natural talent, the look, and let's face it, she is the star of the show. I resisted it - mainly because Hilty stole every scene she was in - but I am at peace with it now. (It's a little ironic that the day after Megan Hilty got raves for playing a Marilyn role on Gentlemen Prefer Bloondes at Encores!, she loses this Marilyn role)  As for the other story lines - I am glad Ellis was fired, and also that Michael's wife has left him, but I still don't know how I feel about the "Julia is pregnant" storyline. (Apparently, there is a scene that was cut where they show her taking a pregnancy test and seeing it positive)  I hope Ivy didn't take those pills. But I have heard major changes for next year, and if they are to be believed, there is a major shake up in the cast and direction of the series. I will wait, and judge then, but right now I just want to bask in the glow of last night's memory - Smash, You Are My Star. 

Broadway With A Twist(ed)

Who says showtunes aren't adaptable? Who would have ever thought that Dee Snider, front man of Twisted Sister, would ever release an album of Broadway songs? Well, as Sondheim said, you gotta have a gimmick. I have listened to this album two times now, ad I still don't know how I feel about it. It is louder than anything I have on my music library, first of all. I am not really a big fan of the shout-is-more school of singing, so there were moments when I just felt so overwhelmed by this here. But, he seems to have brought some Broadway cred here. I mean, he was able to lure Patti Freakin Lupone to do guest vocals in a duet of "Tonight/Somewhere" from West Side Story. And in the weirdest of senses, the track works. There is certainly a showcase of theatrics there that just gels. Other guest vocalists include Bebe Nuewirth in "Whatever Lola Wants," (she kind of gets lost in there) and Clay Aiken (!) in "Luck Be A Lady." (that was just bizarre) There certainly is a wink-wink vibe here, what with the cast of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert singing "There Is Nothin' Like A Dame." But strange as the tracks sound, though, he brings new shadings to songs like "Cabaret," and "Music Of The Night.' There is actually such energy in how he sings "the Ballad Of Sweeney Todd" that takes that song to another dimension. Whether it works or not, the jury is still out. One thing is for certain, I don't know if I could listen to this album again in one sitting - it felt so exhausting to go through all the noise that I found myself wanting pure silence afterwards.

Once Upon A Love

Sometimes, the only thing a musical needs is...heart. You don't need turntable stages, or elaborate sets, or chandeliers or superheroes. ONCE just has a pub. As a matter of fact, before the show and during intermission, theatergoers can mingle with the cast on stage in a pub setting, enhancing the intimate feel of the piece. And this is as intimate a piece as it gets. Based on the 2006 indie movie, this show started Off-Broadway and became an instant hit, that the move uptown was inevitable. I did not get to see its smaller incarnation, but the one at Bernard B. Jacobs Theater has a heart that is nothing but small - it fills the whole space and you are smack in the middle of it, that when it bleeds, you hold the blood in your hands. Ever since I saw the show, I have been playing its anchor song, "Falling Slowly," at least once a day, and each time I peel a layer from it and see and feel something new, as the memory of the show has lingered in me since that night. It's been a slow churn, too. When I saw the show, I appreciated it, but I was caught up in several moments that I only truly appreciated it as I thought about it more, and after. First, I have been thinking more and more about Christine Milotti's performance - about how it is a little showy, but is really the heart of the piece. It touches me how she shows pain and suffering to be instruments to bringing art and hope to someone who has given up on life. Steve Kazee bares his soul so raw and he is such a presence that I was unable to look at him, his pain so real it was like seeing someone with their guts hanging out from pain. The two of them such deep-seeded chemistry that I cannot believe they are not together in real life. The book by Enda Walsh fleshes out a thin story without stretching, and the music, a mixture of originals (by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova) is perfectly fit to the fable-like feel of the story. I am not alone on my love of this show - it got eleven Tony nominations. I always say that my favorite art are the ones that touch me and make me feel love - this show is the poster child for that feeling. 

Try to resist crying after hearing this:

  

Not Too Brad

I wasn't expecting too much from "Born To Be Brad: My Life And Style So Far," as far as deep writing was concerned. I knew it would be fluff, and it was, but it was kind of deep as well. It wasn't deep-dee-, but it dug enough. Was it Thoreau who said that in order for you to write, you need to live. I guess I pigeonholed Brad Goreski as one of those shallow media personalities, and he kind of is, but the good thing is that he has no pretense about who he is. This book is mostly a memoir of his life, thus far. He grew up in a suburb of Toronto, and knew he was gay at a very young age. We get the usual story: he plays with barbie dolls, his father throws them away, his grandmother buys him more in secret. He gets hooked in drugs and alcohol (and a toxic relationship) after college, and then hits rock bottom and has been sober since. he aso tells his story of how he rose from being an intern at Vogue and then working for its Los Angeles office before working as Rachel Zoe's assistant, then coming to his own. I only very fleetingly saw the Rachel Zoe show, but on a Saturday marathon sat through some episodes of "It's A Brad Brad World," so I kind of know his latter story. I thought this was thoughtfully written, enough to keep my attention. I never got bored with it. I had little use for some of his tips, like how to choose a little black dress, or his favorite restaurants in New York City. But, a lot of the people who bought this book probably appreciated it more. I wish there were more about his relationship with the writer Gary Jannetti, but he may be saving that for another book. All in all, this is a good summer read, and of course the underlying message he touts: "Be Yourself," is always a good thing.

BC-42

Vetiver Just There

As a lover of scents, I always say that no fine lover of perfume should be without Guerlain Vetiver: it is the master of all vetiver scents, and s the yardstick that is measured against all others. But even though I love it, it isn't my favorite vetiver of all time (that would be MPG Rue de Vetiver) I tend to like my vetivers on the raw and dirty kind, with some soil and dirt mixed in with it. In 2009, Tom Ford launched Grey Vetiver, and it became a best seller for him. And even though I liked it (and I generally like the Tom Ford house, scent-wise) I never owned it until recently, when I chanced upon a seller selling testers dirt cheap. I had liked it fine when I first sampled it, but never enough to crave a bottle. I have been wearing it all week, and still feel the same. It is a polished, well-rounded, well-blended fragrance. The vetiver is a nice, clean, crisp one. There is a citrus forefront that puts it forward, then it turns sweet (tonka bean?) and has an ambery/oakmoss-y base. It's fine, and I think that may be its biggest fine. I like it, but not in love with it. I could do without it, but feel it's a great addition to my vetiver collection. It's that kind of effortless choice on mornings you can't be bothered to think about what to wear. I used to wear suits and neckties to work, and I kind of think this would have been a perfect choice for that kind of get-up. A lot of people say this is a more modern take on Guerlain Vetiver, and yes, I guess I would agree. It does smell like a "modern classic," which means teh citrus is appealingly synthetic and it's certainly longer lasting, and the sillage is "safe" enough to wear to the workplace. It's the kind of fragrance I wear, and I am happy wearing, but I don't fine myself trying to sniff my arm throughout the day. It's just there, and that's where it is.