Spring Awakening

“Spring Awakening” (2007)
Rated: Not suitable for young children
Musical
Running Time: 2 ½ hours (includes one 20 min. intermission)


“Spring Awakening”
A New Kind of Musical

“Spring Awakening” is a musical set in 19th century Germany about teenagers learning about sexuality, life, and love all set to an amazing rock score. When this musical debuted in 2007 it won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and Best Original Score. “Spring Awakening” was brought to life by Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik from a play written by Frank Wedekind. It brought new life to Broadway with its up front approach to sex and sexuality in young adults. The score alone was unlike anything that had been heard. The thumping rock beats and strong singing bring this story to life. Serious issues mixed with the right amount of humor draw the audience in and keep them captivated till the very last note.

When I bought these tickets I knew nothing about “Spring Awakening” except that it won tons of Tonys and everyone had been saying it was amazing. And now that I’ve seen it, I would have to agree with the masses. From the first song where young Wendla yearns to know more about her body and begs her mother to tell her where babies really come from to the final song where the entire cast belts out everything that they’ve learned, I was hooked. “Spring Awakening” follows the developing love between Wendla and Melchior, a much admired boy who questions religion and why they should listen and believe everything that adults tell them. It also follows Melchior’s friend, Moritz. He is so overwhelmed with all of these burgeoning feelings and desires he loses his way in school which eventually leads to his downfall. Along the way we hear bits of the other characters’ lives and learn how they are making it through their transition into adulthood and through all of the trials and tribulations they have to endure. And how the adults struggle to keep their control of these questioning children.

The cast was the best part for me. Without them it would just be great rock music. The performers invited me in and I felt like I was a part of the show. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Jake Epstein, an actor from a show on Canadian television, Degrassi: The Next Generation, that I am in love with, was playing Melchior. He surpassed all of my expectations. All of the young actors did. The band was a major part of this show. Positioned on the stage with the actors instead of in the orchestra pit hidden, made them an integral part of the story. The music was its own character.

I would go into more of the story but I wouldn’t want to give any of it away. I think going into it with no knowledge of what you are about to see makes “Spring Awakening” infinitely better. I know that I will have the score to this musical stuck in my head for weeks. Images of simulated sex, school boys kissing, and graveyard scenes will forever be burned into my memory. But now I’ve said too much. “Spring Awakening” will open your eyes to a new kind of musical and will leave you begging for one more song.

I give this stage show five out of five frames. It had everything you could want from a musical.




http://www.springawakening.com/home (check out the official site for songs, videos, reviews, and tour dates)
http://www.the-n.com/ntv/shows/index (for more information on Degrassi: The Next Generation)


Now head on over to http://www.j1studios.com to discuss this and other musicals that you have loved. Or if you hate musicals, discuss that too.

Until next time kids, this has been Hava.

“Drag Me to Hell”

“Drag Me to Hell” 2009
Rated PG-13
Horror/Thriller
Running time: 99 minutes

Directed by Sam Raimi, (famous for his 1981’s “The Evil Dead” and Spiderman Trilogy) and written by him and his brother Ivan Raimi, this account of a young woman, who in being cursed by a gypsy, has three days before being taken to hell, brings us back to the essentials of what horror films should inflict: the creepies, the crawlies and chills down your spine. The bonus is quite a few friggin hilarious encounters.

A young woman, Christine Brown, is a loan officer at a bank who is trying to get promoted but to do so, has to prove her ability to make tough decisions. An older customer arrives, a gypsy named Mrs. Ganush, and needs Christine’s assistance as she’s failed to pay her mortgage for the past few months. With the knowledge that the poor Mrs. Ganush is having health issues and is begging for another extension, yet also knowing that this is her chance to prove to her superior that she is the gal for the promotion, she denies Mrs. Ganush’s request. Mrs. Ganush doesn’t leave without a fight and Christine leaves work later a bit disturbed but proud that she did what was going to set her apart to her employer. In the parking lot she finds a surprise, Mrs. Ganush is not simply letting Christine get away with that type of decision making. A struggle ensues and after much hair-pulling and jaw-biting (literally), the old gypsy placing a curse on her. Christine will now face terrors never imagined as she discovers just what she’s gotten herself into and attempts to be absolved of her crime. I won’t give much more away as this is worth every horrifying turn!

What may be simple nuances to some are the blocks of what a classic horror movie should contain: the gross factor (e.g. bodily fluids seeping into mouths gone rampant) and the truth that what you don’t see is scarier than pushing a bloody monster in your face throughout every scene (e.g. when the demon slowly climbs the stairs having backed Christine into her bedroom, the slick shadow hands reach under the crack beneath the door frame and manage to get a hold of her) – a simple scene that doesn’t need garish atrocities to terrify you.

Yet a few detractions: in a scene in her garage, the cg effects were a bit too obvious – this either should’ve been omitted or altered. In addition, the over the top “arm in the mouth” scene (you’ll understand once seen) seems to be somewhat out of place and a bit too ridiculous.

All in all, to manifest a story that you can both laugh at and then turn and bite your fingernails in fear while avoiding too much cheesiness is not a feat easily accomplished and Raimi doesn’t falter.

Rating this movie with consideration of its genre, I give this film five out of five frames!

Go to the j1studios forum to chat about this film along with other classic horror favs!

Danae signing off!


video source: www.traileraddict.com

Real Housewives of New Jersey the Finale

“Real Housewives of New Jersey” (2009)
Channel: Bravo (check local listings)
Time: 10pm Wednesdays

Real Housewives of New Jersey: Finale
Table throwing family fun!

Let me catch you up to speed. In episode 4 “the book” about Danielle comes out and we find that she was arrested for kidnapping, prostitution, and a whole host of other stuff. She blames Dina for leaking the book and showing it around town. Jacqueline has to decide about being her friend or not. Teresa moves into her new house. We find out that Jacqueline is having problems getting pregnant and is seeing a fertility doctor. Nothing else interesting happens really. In episode 5 the fallout from the book continues. Only Jacqueline is speaking with Danielle. Everyone else has cut her out. We also find out that Danielle’s boyfriend is actually cheating on her (I so called that.) because he wants to take someone to Teresa’s shore house that isn’t Danielle. Danielle ultimately decides to break up with him. Teresa gets some boobs. Finally. She was flatter than my 4 year old nephew. Now on to what EVERYONE has been waiting for the entire six episode season…the finale.
The first half hour was full of drivel. Teresa shows Dina & her daughter around her new house. Teresa then tells Dina that she is having a housewarming dinner party and she is inviting Danielle. Jacqueline’s parents visit and she asks their opinion on that car her husband bought for her daughter. Later we see that they present the car to the daughter, but with conditions. Way to parent for real and not just give her the car outright because Lord knows she didn’t completely deserve it. We find Dina helping her daughter clear out all of her billion stuffed animals from her room because she is too old for that stuff now. And she is growing bubbies (That’s breasts for all of you not from northern Jersey). Dina also questions whether she should work or stay at home. Caroline’s dog gets protection classes. Basically learning how to be an attack dog.
And then…the party. Before Danielle and her children arrive Teresa’s new bubbies are discussed and if some of the other housewives’ are real. Everyone is laughing and enjoying themselves and the music from Jaws starts to play in my head as Danielle enters the room. Teresa tries to break the tension by saying some dumb crap about oysters and some “swallowing” jokes are made and then about how Teresa’s husband wanted to have sex right away after her breast surgery. All of a sudden “the book” appears on the table next to Danielle. She finds this to be the right time to give her side of the story and explain things. She kept being interrupted though. She claims that the only things in the book that are real are that she was arrested and that she has changed her name. Um, yeah. Sure. No one is buying that. The younger kids are told to leave the room as it goes back and forth between Dina and Danielle accusing and denying.
A silence overcomes the women and we learn that Caroline was the one who spread “the book” around. The infamous “My family is as thick as thieves” line comes out. Not as satisfying as I wanted it to be. Dina is saying she had nothing to do with “the book” and Jacqueline finally calls her out on it. She had been a part of it all along and had found the book. Danielle then disrespects Teresa in some way and Teresa loses it. She starts screaming, throwing the table around and yelling things such as “prostitution whore.” Love it! Danielle is being called crazy. And just as it started, it stopped. Jacqueline’s husband, clearly the voice of reason, calmed them down and stopped it by telling them everyone was wrong. We get a nice wrap up for the housewives. Dina has decided to stop working and be an actual housewife. Teresa is still helping her daughter become an actress and she is now pregnant. Caroline stands behind exposing the book and would do it again. Danielle is still looking for her “soul mate.” She hasn’t crossed paths with Dina. She also threatened that if people continue to talk crap about her then she will come with people to basically kick your ass. Jacqueline is happily expecting another child and it has brought the family closer together again.
All in all the finale was good. I could have done without the first half of it and just had a whole episode of fighting at the restaurant. I was disappointed that the season was only six episodes. I am looking forward to the reunion show that is next week. Someone needs to throw a punch. They’re from Jersey, it’s almost mandatory.

http://www.amazon.com/Jaws-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack/dp/B000002NZU (Scroll down and play the main title theme for the theme from Jaws)
http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-jersey (Get blogs and other tid bits from the show)

My rating:


Four and a half frames only because there should have been a punch thrown. At least one.

Head over to the forum on www.j1studios.com and discuss your favorite guilty pleasure reality show. Come on, everybody has one.

Until next time kids, this has been Hava.

Up and away...........

"UP" (2009)

Rated: PG 

Animated Film

Running time: 96 minutes

I wish I had the capability to fly away, even while still within my home, to a place far, far away - leaving an unfair reality to arrive at a destination that had more meaning to me than anything else in the world. Although I can’t, Carl Fredrickson decided he would as it was the only way out. Thinking up a quick and creative way to literally “fly” away, he floated his house out of the city via helium filled balloons! Much to his surprise, the young wilderness explorer, Russell, who had stopped by earlier, had deeply desired getting his “helping the elderly badge” and was going to tag along until he successfully assisted him! Their adventure forges forward as they travel to South America and meet their fellow voyagers; a rare bird Russell names Kevin and a talking (well, kind of) dog named Dug. Their unique undertaking gets more complicated as they encounter a threat Carl couldn’t have imagined.

While many movies can claim to have a cute little story along the same lines as this, this film touches on something deeper. Pixar is really setting the pace of a new era of animated filmmaking as it manages to be fun, good natured and hilarious yet very authentic and melancholy. It allows its story to be a bit sorrowful, to not gloss over discomforts and pains and it moves us to appreciate friendship, no matter what the form.
In all, the film was wholesome, sweet yet sad, comical and truly a pleasure to watch.

P.S. Watch this in 3-D – words cannot describe how visually incredible the experience is!

In addition to this review, we’d like to introduce a new rating system with picture frames. 

One frame = "It sucks!" to Five frames = "Excellent!"

My rating:

Four and a half frames!

Go to the j1studios forum to chat more about this and other animated films!!! I would like suggestions on animated films I should be watching! 

Next up from me in films: review of "Drag me to Hell"

Danae signing off!

video source: www.spike.com

Real Housewives of NJ: Episodes 2&3

Real Housewives of New Jersey (RHONJ): Episodes 2 & 3

It had such a promising start

Well folks, episodes two and three of the new season of the Real Housewives franchise just didn’t live up to what the first episode promised. I was kind of let down. In the second episode you find out that Teresa takes her daughters shopping at least twice a week. Must be nice. During the shopping trip her eldest daughter finds out she is going to audition for a part in a movie with Dwayne Johnson (yes I’m respecting his wish to no longer be known as the Rock). That’s it for her except going to see her new house which is still being built. Jacqueline’s daughter is failing 11^th grade. She is also planning a birthday party for her son. Dun Dun Dun…Danielle and Dina will be at the party. Don’t get too excited. Nothing happens. They both are cordial to each other. The only good thing was that Dina finished out my Silence of the Lambs reference and mentioned the lotion. YES! Danielle mistakenly thinks that they will be great friends. Dina would never let that happen. Caroline’s daughter is somewhat pushed into going to beauty school. Don’t think that will last very long. Or she will live her life unhappy.

The only other thing that happens is that we find out that Danielle is now dating a man that is 26. She is 45. She is definitely in cougar mode. I would say good for her, but he’s not that good looking. We learn from Teresa that this guy goes to Danielle’s house for a daily blow job. Seems he’s the only one making out in this deal. I mean, blow jobs daily, the offer of sex in the bathroom at the restaurant, what else could a guy want? Oh yeah, and Dina has an event to raise money for her charity. Now that’s great and I applaud her for that. She just goes into super bitch mode when working I guess. Whatever gets the job done. That was it for episode 2 basically.

Episode three is slightly more entertaining. Danielle has a spa party at her house and invites the other housewives. Botox and collagen is handy so of course people are going for it. Dina couldn’t hold back with the insults while Danielle was getting her lip plumped. So of course there were then accusations about how people know stuff about people in the personal interviews. Jacqueline’s daughter has now apparently flunked two classes and has to go to summer school. How does her father help teach her responsibility? By buying her a car. Yeah that’s smart. Jacqueline is not at all pleased with this. Thank God she isn’t an overindulgent mother. Jacqueline is helping out with Caroline’s daughter though. They are still going through with the beauty school idea and Jacqueline is helping out because she has her license and was at one point working in a salon or something along those lines. The daughter still doesn’t seem thrilled. Teresa’s daughter didn’t get the part in the movie from the second episode. So now she is pushing modeling. She gets many pictures taken of the daughter and the girl is going to work with Wilhelmina models. Yippee!

Next we find that everything is not all peaches and cream with Danielle’s relationship. Personally I think the boyfriend is cheating. But you never know. He is distant and not as all over her as he use to be so she is not happy. She goes to Jacqueline’s house and busts up a nice quiet play date between Teresa and Jacqueline’s kids to talk about it. Danielle asks for advice and when given it she gets upset and says that she didn’t want advice. Danielle leaves and that gets Jacqueline and Teresa talking about rumors they heard. They have heard that Danielle was once a stripper. Personally I don’t think it’s that serious but they think it’s horrible. She said she was a professional dancer. Isn’t that what all ex-strippers in denial say? Well we finally get to the good part of the show. The previews for the next episode. Caroline is shooting daggers at Danielle for being a little too touchy feely with her son at a dance class. That leads her to wanting to “investigate” Danielle. The rumors then start to fly about Danielle and they range from the ridiculous to the sublime. She is a husband stealer; was a prostitute; was involved with the mafia; was in with a drug cartel. But wait, it gets better. There’s a book detailing all of these things. Oh yeah! I’m all over this one.

Hava is out of here!

Real Housewives of NJ: Episode 1

Real Housewives of New Jersey (RHONJ)

I’m smelling more drama than fertilizer from the Garden State

If you are not familiar with the Real Housewives franchise on the Bravo network then you are either really lucky or missing out. Depends on who you talk to. The newest version looks like it is going to be completely different from the rest. While I’m sure the usual staples will still be there (i.e. excessive spending, cat fights), this location is already proving to push it to the next level. Something that this one has that the others don’t is that three of the housewives are related. Guaranteed drama right there. Which is the only reason why anyone really watches this show anyway. Also, there are allegations of former prostitution, mafia ties, and a preview of what looks to be one of the best fights in Real Housewives history. Furniture was being tossed about here people.

In true Real Housewives fashion the first episode is getting to know the housewives. We were introduced to Teresa, Jacqueline, Dina, Danielle, & Caroline. Dina and Caroline are sisters who are actually married to brothers. Something about that is just a little weird, but this is North Jersey we’re talking about here. No offense. Jacqueline is married to one of Dina and Caroline’s brothers. She is the only one not originally from NJ. Teresa seems to be friends with everyone while Danielle seems to be friends with just Teresa and Jacqueline. The first half of the show we meet the ladies and their families and get a little sense of how they are as people and what they do for a living. They all come off as the stereotypical Jersey girls. While family is the most important thing to them, they still find time for shopping, fighting, and making regular visits to the salon.

The second half of the first episode throws you into the drama. So it seems that Danielle has been having regular phone sex for TWO YEARS with some guy she met online, whose real name she doesn’t even know. That night they have made plans to finally meet in person. Jacqueline and Teresa try to talk her out of it, but apparently this phone sex was just too damn good that Danielle felt risking meeting a homicidal maniac was worth it. So of course being the best friends that they are, Teresa and Jacqueline follow her to spy on the date. Turns out the guy stands her up, she curses out his answering machine and the three girls toast to girlfriends who will never stand each other up. My eyes rolled.

While Danielle isn’t rubbing herself while on the phone she is also rubbing some of the other housewives the wrong way. Dina doesn’t like her very much. We know this because she didn’t invite Danielle for a little girl’s night out in NYC. Danielle kind of creepy stalks her by waiting outside of the salon that I guess everybody and their grandmother goes to and encounters Jacqueline who was invited. There is some production about I’m not even sure what (I couldn’t quite follow what they were going on about) and it comes out that on their first meeting Dina threatened to kick Danielle’s ass. It was also mentioned that rumors had been spread about Dina and how she use to prostitute or strip or something nefarious and we are lead to believe it must have been Danielle who started them. This must be the precursor for all of the awkward and heated interactions between Danielle and Dina.

Thus ends the first episode of the RHONJ. In the little preview of what happens in the next episode we see Danielle trying to be friendly with Dina and Dina likening it to a higher class version of the Silence of the Lambs flesh suit. You know I’m there because I’m always up for a good skinning. Till next time readers, it will be rubbing lotion on its skin because it was told to.

For full bios, pictures, blogs, and other tid-bits head to http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-jersey/season-1.

Introduction to the other half of Picture on a Wall

POW coming at ya! My name is Hava. I enjoy watching what some would call “crappy” television, but I’m completely invested in all of my crap. I also enjoy movies, usually the scarier the better. But I am not adverse to comedies, “chick flicks,” or action movies. I love to read. I love to listen to music. I love sports and cursing at the players playing them. I’m all about politics and what’s going on in the news. I do follow celebrity gossip. It’s a guilty pleasure of mine. You must be wondering why I am telling y’all this. Well, from now on you get to hear what I think of the crap I watch, see, listen to, experience, etc., etc. From time to time I may even rant and/or rave about my job as a mental health case manager and my travels on the greatest public transportation system in the world, SEPTA. Oh, and I use sarcasm…A LOT. I hope you enjoy me and my fellow fat old lady Danae’s writing. Suggestions are always welcome. They’ll probably be ignored, but go for it anyway.

Space, the final frontier

Star Trek 2009

As a second-generation Trekkie and sci-fi lover - I am a bit partial to this movie. But I repeat, I am a 2nd generation star trek follower; as such I've only seen between 2-3 episodes of the original Captain James T. Kirk and Spoc containing Star Trek saga. Seeing as I will forever love Data's monotonous spoken philosophies & Captain Janeway's tough love though, I HAD to go see what this Star Trek movie was all about. Thinking that it would be a good movie but that most "good" movies end up disappointing me tremendously, I wondered how well the acclaimed J.J. Abrams could both stick with the basic essence of Star Trek, NOT make a sucky Star Trek movie and re-ignite the fire and passion for these characters and this series. We are introduced in the first scene to Captain Kirk's father being thrown into a life or death situation. What happens to him and the choices he makes is reflective of who James T. Kirk is to become and a part of him that will never change - the integrity and passion his father has. The film is the telling of the beginning ; who the crew is and the road that led them to know the U.S.S. Enterprise as their home. Watching Kirk and Spoc grow up and placed in opposing situations helps you appreciate the friendship they'll develop and the vastly different ways they conduct their decision making. I won't give too much though, as you must see the film; I demand it! As an experience, it is visually amazing. It is heart thumping, a delving back into star-trek-mania MANIA and may make you want to grow Spoc sideburns (or this is just me?). One negative thing that made me question the seriousness of the casting director was having Tyler Perry make an appearance in the film. While he wasn't horrible, he was so very unnecessary and rather than take his role seriously I couldn't help but stare at Madea's lips and wait for her give advice on how to keep your man in check. Despite this slight distraction, the film is a must-see. What’s up for the sequel – will we see other cameos from any cast members from Star Trek? Eeek! I’ll calm myself down and just wait to see what is to come!

 

Pet Peeve(s) of the week:

 

· Glad the American Idol season is done!! I know this will annoy some but I like my entertainment to be a bit more authentic and not so cheesy.

 

With Much Anticipation:

 

· Countdown to True Blood Season 2; I'm brimming with excitement for the new season! If you haven't gotten a chance to taste True Blood, you don't know what you're missing... start now while we’re only on season 2.

 http://www.hbo.com/trueblood/

 

Randomness:

Um, www.zacharyquinto.com

Yes

Yes

Yes

Danae signing off