The Runaways

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: March 18, 2010

DVD Release Date: July 20, 2010

Plot 411: The first all-girl rock band explodes onto the scene but fame tears them apart.

Review: This is a biopic about the first girls to rock onto the scene in the 1970s. The movie focuses on guitarist Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) and lead singer Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning) as they form a band called The Runaways with three other teens from the Valley. They are managed by eccentric Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon), who uses extreme measures to get the girls ready to perform. The young girls leave their families to tour the country and soon become absorbed in the world of sex, drugs and rock and roll. Their success becomes their demise. Before watching this flick, I wasn't familiar with this group. I'd heard of Joan Jett and Lita Ford (lead guitarist in the group), but I'd never really heard their music from the '70s. The power of their music is pretty awesome, especially during a time when rock and roll was a male-only genre. If you're a fan, I'm sure this movie will solidify that for you. Excluding the music, I love the message of individuality and female empowerment that the movie emphasizes. It's really about a group of girls growing up amidst the mayhem of rock stardom. They have everything at their fingertips - legal and illegal - and stand on top of the world. The contrast between this and their life at home is very drastic, especially for Currie. Stewart and Fanning put on great performances, and I think they were able to capture the spirit of their characters well. I never really liked Stewart's acting (especially in the Twilight films), but she's converted me with this performance. She truly embodies Joan Jett.

Watch It: For a very aggressive girl-power message.

Skip It: Because this movie is pretty raw and in your face. The movie opens with blood dripping down Fanning's leg.

The Lion King

Rating: G

Movie Release Date: June 15, 1994

DVD Release Date: October 7, 2003

Plot 411: As a young lion, Simba is ousted from his homeland and returns as an adult to claim what is rightfully his.

Review: I can't believe this movie is over 15 years old. However, I still enjoy it now as I did then. There are great life lessons in this movie that children should learn from and the soundtrack is great. As a young lion, Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Matthew Broderick) is tricked into believing he caused the death of his father Mufasa (James Earl Jones). He is chased out of Pride Rock by a pack of hyenas, who are under orders to kill him. Unknown to Simba or the rest of the pride, Scar (Jeremy Irons), Simba's uncle, has plotted against them in order to take control of the pride. As a grown lion, Simba meets his old friend Nala, who with the help of Mufasa's advisor Rafiki (Robert Guillaume), convinces Simba to return and take his rightful place. This movie is pretty powerful for a kid's show. There are many great themes, like honor, loyalty, greed, betrayal and friendship, that are front-and-center in this show. Despite being complex emotions, these concepts are presented in youth-friendly ways that teach while being able to entertain. The characters are memorable, especially Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella), two of Simba's friends. Even though animation techniques have obviously progressed since the making of this movie, I still believe this film holds up. Compared with some of today's computer-generated animation, I prefer the simplicity of this old Disney style.

Watch It: For great family entertainment.

Skip It: Because like most Disney shows there's a lot of singing and dancing going on.

Dancer In The Dark

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: September 8, 2000 (Denmark/Finland/Norway/Sweden) / October 6, 2000 (USA)

DVD Release Date: March 20, 2001

Plot 411: A woman makes the ultimate sacrifice to ensure her sun has a bright future.

Review: Selma (Bjork) and her son are immigrants from Czechoslovakia living in the US in this bittersweet musical. She works in a factory and rents a little trailer outside of her landlord's home. Unfortunately, an eye disease runs in her family and she's slowly losing her sight. She is saving her money so that her son can get surgery to prevent blindness. When she confides in her landlord about this secret, events unfold that bring even more hardship upon her. This movie started really slow, and I found my attention wandering. However, the drama really picked up and Bjork's performance was amazing. The singing and dancing throughout the film was a little odd as I somehow only connect musicals with happiness. This movie had very little happiness in it. I think this would've worked better without the musical aspect by presenting an even bigger impact because the music and dance distracted from the emotional mother/son relationship and all the sacrifices that were made. Another unique aspect about this movie is the various camera angles. They really served to add perspective and emotion to the movie, especially when they represented Selma's point of view. Bjork's voice fluctuates between haunting and sweet as she sings. I think this is perfect for the role of Selma. Also in this film are Catherine Deneuve, David Morse and Peter Stormare.

Watch It: For a heart-wrenching story about love and loss. It's sorta like Chicago but not as glamorous and sparkly.

Skip It: Because it's pretty weird and definitely not for everyone.

Hairspray

Rating: PG

Movie Release Date: July 13, 2007

DVD Release Date: November 20. 2007

Plot 411: The fat chick gets the last laugh - and fights against racial prejudice.

Review: Tracy (Nikki Blonsky) and Penny (Amanda Bynes) are huge fans of Corny Collins (James Marsden) and his dance show. They can barely make it through school before rushing home to catch the program. When the show announces auditions, Tracy is eager to try out. However, her mom (John Travolta in drag - shudder) doesn't like the idea. The show and its manager Velma (Michelle Pfeiffer) supports segregation and only allows black kids to dance once a month on a special day. The kids practice their moves in detention, where Tracy is sent when she skips school. When Velma cancels "Negro Day," Tracy organizes a rally to protest. The movie also stars Zac Efron, Christopher Walken and Queen Latifah. Now this musical is more of what I'm used to. It's lively and upbeat with great singing and dancing all the way through. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even Walken's creepy weirdness was charming in this role. Despite focusing on something as common as one girl's dream of dancing stardom, this movie is also able to incorporate serious topics like racial equality, segregation and prejudice. Not only does it comment on the black/white divide of the '60s, it highlights negative perceptions about body image too. Not bad for a movie where everyone is busy singing and dancing.

Watch It: For the great musical elements.

Skip It: If you enjoyed Sweeney Todd as this is the polar opposite of that.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: December 21, 2007

DVD Release Date: April 1, 2008

Plot 411: A man unjustly accused returns home to seek revenge on his persecutors.

Review: Corrupt Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) sentences Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) to life in prison in order to seduce Barker's wife Lucy (Laura Michelle Kelly). Many years later, Barker returns under a new name - Sweeney Todd - and is anxious to reunite with his wife and daughter. However, when he learns that Turpin assaulted Lucy, Todd desperately seeks revenge. He reestablishes his barbershop above the shop of pie maker Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter). She becomes a willing participant as Todd indiscriminately kills his customers by helping him dispose of the bodies through her meat pies. This movie definitely wasn't what I was expecting, but I enjoyed the darkness of it. I loved the set design and dramatic costume and make up that all the characters had. Depp's singing could have been better (but he's not as bad as Pierce Brosnan in Mamma Mia!). Of course, since this is a Tim Burton film, there are similar visual styles between this and something like Corpse Bride and Beetlejuice. It was darkly humorous and contained some violent scenes that took me aback. It wasn't that they were totally appalling. They were just unexpected as I had thought this was just a regular musical.

Watch It: If the idea of blood and singing flicks your Bic.

Skip It: If you're relationship with musicals are more of a light-hearted affair.

Lyricist Lounge: Dirty States Of America

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: April 20, 2004

DVD Release Date: June 1, 2004

Plot 411: A doc about the evolution of Southern rap and its connection to the region's culture.

Review: This was a pretty interesting and raw look at the history and evolution of rap music and hip hop in the South. Interviews with game changers - both underground and Billboard chart toppers - gave really insightful anecdotes about the realities of the development of the music. Most interesting is the fact that many of the artists are probably millionaires without even signing with a major record label. The ingenuity and hustle that these artists have, combined with the talent and passion for the music, proves the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. Despite their comments that everything is slower in the south (especially when compared with places like New York or L.A., where most of the hip hop hoopla is), these guys are essentially making their millions and living under the radar. It's ingenius of them to avoid the politics and red tape of big corporations and go the independent route. I'm assuming they probably have less education than these Fortune 500 corporate schmucks but can most likely claim they are just as successful.

Watch It: If you're a music lover or just want to hear some bass-thumping beats.

Skip It: If you're really looking for a well-put-together doc as far as production goes.

Cool As Ice

Rating: PG

Movie Release Date: October 18, 1991

DVD Release Date: I can't even find it on DVD. Can there only be a VHS version out there? For shame!

Plot 411: A group of motorcycle-riding strangers roll into a sleepy town and shake things up.

Review: When a friend told me that Vanilla Ice aka Rob Van Winkle had his own movie (aside from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze) I just HAD to check it out. And boy, it did not disappoint. From the opening dance scene (above) to the final act, this movie was so bad it was good. I mean, if the obviously dated wardrobe didn't kill you, you probably faired well against the music, rapping and dancing. The acting was clunking and stilted. The dialogue was horrendously overwrought with contemporary (at that time) slangs. And yet somehow, it managed to surpass being completely awful. When you step back from all the in-your-face attitude, glow-in-the-dark colors and music video-quality production, there are subtle things about the movie that make it worthwhile. Vanilla Ice's character even has an arc, which is shocking isn't it? There's a decent message behind the madness, which is to be true to yourself. It's kind of nice for the pre-teen and teen crowd that probably went to see this in the theaters. Yeah, most of this was bad and has taken 90 minutes of my life that I'll never get back, but there were still a couple of good moments in there somehwere.

Watch It: If you were around in the 1990s as this is a total flashback. What were people thinking when they wore all those outrageous colors and patterns, buzzed designs into their hair and thought dancing consisted of things like the running man and pelvic thrusting?

Skip It: If you're sane. This is, after all, the guy who made white rappers look bad.

Once

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: March 23, 2007 (Ireland) / May 16, 2007 (USA)

DVD Release Date: December 18, 2007

Plot 411: An Irish vacuum repairer and a Czech florist embark on a musical journey.

Review: This was a great example of an indie flick because it had a very intimate and real feeling about it. The guy (Glen Hansard) is a struggling musician playing for pennies on the sidewalk. He and his guitar sing about lost love and heartache. The girl (Marketa Irglova) hears him one day and is intrigued by his music. When the guy finds out she's a pianist, he convinces her to make music with him. Now that's not some newfangled jive that the kids are using these days. What I mean is that they literally make music together, and it's all performed on film. It's a modern-day musical and I definitely loved it. The guy and the girl (who are never named) spend the next few days getting to know each other and doing something they both love. The fact that the main characters are unnamed enhances the idea that they represent every man/woman.

Watch It: For the songs, which are really awesome. "Falling Slowly" won an Oscar for Best Original Song. Makes me wanna learn how to play it on the uke :)

Skip It: Because it doesn't have any bells and whistles. It's low budget.

The Wedding Weekend

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: May 27, 2007

DVD Release Date: May 5, 2009

Plot 411: An a capella group reunites after 15 years when one of the guys gets married.

Review: This movie apparently went through a lot of title changes (aka Shut Up And Sing and Sing Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace), but you should see any version you can. The movie is about a close group of college friends who reunite to sing at one of their upcoming weddings. Not having practiced in years, they get together before the ceremony at a lodge in the Hamptons. They bring their wives and girlfriends and kick back before the wedding. Not only does the movie show a significant amount of singing, but it's funny as all get out. The guys all have distinct personalities and are equally hilarious. You can't help but feel the IQ and maturity levels drop when they're all in a room together, which is probably an accurate depiction of real life. You feel like you're a part of their group. It reminds you of your own crazy friends and the special bond you have. The movie was thoroughly enjoyable. Despite the fact that the guys are the main focus of the film, I don't really recognize any of them. In fact, I recognize their significant others a lot more (Elizabeth Reaser, Molly Shannon and Rosemarie DeWitt).

Watch It: For an rollicking good time.

Skip It: If you find the somewhat cheesy, a capella vibe annoying.

Every Little Step

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: October 25, 2008 (Japan) / April 17, 2009 (USA)

DVD Release Date: October 13, 2009

Plot 411: A documentary about the casting for a Broadway revial of A Chorus Line.

Review: This was a great documentary for theater lovers. It used archival footage of the 1970s cast performances and interviewed all the people who were involved back then. The film also followed the lives of several people auditioning to be in the new show. It revealed the gruesome process of auditioning and the cuts from 3,000 to the final cast. It was inspiring to see people who so passionately love what they do that they're willing to risk it all. This type of drive in the face of constant rejection is amazing. I cannot fathom how or why they choose to live their lives and constantly be judged by strangers. They willingly subject themselves to this psychological and emotional upheaval, which definitely make them strong people. What the doc failed to do was feature any kind of petty catfighting that I can only assume would develop among close competitors. The lack of any kind of bitchy attitudes may or may not be realistic.

Watch It: To see the inner workings of a Broadway show and hear some of the best songs.

Skip It: Because it'll make you want to see a show ASAP and unless you're in NYC that'll be tough to do.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: July 1, 1953

DVD Release Date: May 29, 2001

Plot 411: A private eye tracks two women across the Atlantic - one for money, and one for love.

Review: Hmm, I may have made this movie sound like a thriller with that plot summary huh? This is actually a romantic comedy musical starring Marilyn Monroe as Lorelei and Jane Russell as Dorothy. Both girls are lounge singers and BFFs but are completely different from one another. Lorelei is engaged to Gus (Tommy Noonan), a rich but emasculated man under his father's thumb. His father hires a private eye (Elliott Reid) to follow Lorelei because he thinks she's a gold digger. While on the trip, Dorothy falls for the detective until she learns he's only there to spy on her friend. This is the first actual Marilyn Monroe movie I've seen. While I agree that she's as pretty as a picture, I just find her voice completely irritating. She has a specific way of enunciating words that's annoying. Add to that her breathy baby talk and it's enough to deter me from watching any of her other movies. Russell had a really nice singing voice, but of course Monroe didn't. They even dubbed some opera-like singer for one part of the show. Besides that though, I enjoyed this movie quite a bit. It's interesting how they play up the sex symbol aspect of Monroe's life even in the movie. Her clothes, even her show costumes, were way tighter than Russell's, even when they were supposed to be identical. I don't know whether to be insulted for Russell or not.

Watch It: For the iconic "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" number. I didn't realize it was in this flick until it happened.

Skip It: Because the acting seems superficial to the glammed up sex symbol that is Monroe.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: N/A

DVD Release Date: December 19, 2008

Plot 411: Wannabe villian Dr. Horrible must prove he's a bad guy in order to join the ranks of the Evil League of Evil.

Review: Parody, sarcasm and singing . . . I think I've died and gone to heaven. Apparently this was a creative enterprise by Joss Whedon that was developed and produced for the web during the 2008 writer's strike. It stars Neil Patrick Harris as Dr. Horrible, Nathan Fillion as Dr. Horrible's nemisis Captain Hammer and Felicia Day as Penny, Dr. Horrible's crush. In order for Dr. Horrible to get into the union of evil doers, he's got to do something, well, evil. When his attempts at evil are interrupted by Captain Hammer, he must resort to bigger and badder things. Throughout it all, he documents his life in a video blog. This film is smart and funny and probably worth more than one viewing. The singing is actually really good and Harris is so awesome in this role. It makes me wonder if I need to start watching How I Met Your Mother just for him. Anyone into that show and would recommend it? Fillion is hiliarious as an arrogant, macho man of a hero who is completely shallow. There is no depth to him at all. I love how this film flips the traditional superhero movie by sharint the first-person viewpoint of the villian.

Watch It: And give it a chance to get going. The beginning is a little slow but just sit back and wait for it. When it hits, it hits hard.

Skip It: If you don't like Monty Python because this has a very similar vibe . . . well, at least to me it does. Then again, it can't be so like Monty Python because I really liked this one and thought most of the MP flicks I've watched are just okay (Yes, I know . . . it's the horror of horrors to speak ill of MP).

Seven Briders For Seven Brothers

Rating: G

Movie Release Date: July 22, 1954

DVD Release Date: June 13, 2000

Plot 411: A new bride discovers she has married into a family of seven unruly brothers.

Review: Milly (Jane Powel) falls in love with Adam (Howard Keel), an Oregon backwoodsman who comes into town to purchase supplies and to find himself a wife. She marries him shortly after their initial meeting and happily leaves the town for his farm in the mountains. Upon her arrival, she finds that he lives there with six rowdy bachelor brothers. At first she is shocked by the situation and upset for being duped into marriage. However, she soon begins setting things right and guides them toward finding their true loves. Seven Brides For Seven Brothers has just the right balance between drama and music. Everyone in the cast seemed to be exceptional dancers and singers. I have no clue whether or not their singing voices were dubbed in though. The dance numbers were great and done in such a lively and robust style that it was a total contrast to numbers I've seen by Fred Astaire. This movie was really enjoyable and humorous because of the overly comedic physicality of some of the scenes. I especially liked the dance off at the barn raising party.

Watch It: Even though some of their clothes are shockingly bright. I mean, I cannot even fathom how mountain men got their hands on such fabrics.

Skip It: If high stepping, fake punches and weirdly operatic singing is just too much cheese for you.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: August 14, 1975 (United Kingdom) / September 26, 1975 (USA)

DVD Release Date: September 3, 2002

Plot 411: A couple runs into some car trouble on a dark and stormy night and takes refuge at a creepy castle.

Review: Y'all know I love me some music and dancing, but this is one film that I can honestly say I will never watch again. This movie stars Susan Sarandon as Janet and Barry Bostwick as Brad, two lovers who find themselves in an awkward situation when their car breaks down. No, the problem isn't that they're two unchaperoned young people. It's more like they're situation goes from bad to worse when they seek shelter at a nearby home. The home's owner is Dr. Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry), a scientist who has created a Frankenstein-esque creature. The movie only gets more bizarre from here on in. I don't even know what else to tell you. There's singing and dancing and lots of weirdly dressed transexuals, cross dressers and what have you. I don't totally understand what happened as far as plot is concerned. To ask about the deeper implications of this film would just be foolish. The movie is a cult classic though, so there must be something redeeming about it. Unfortunately, I thoroughly fail to see what that is.

Watch It: At a midnight madness showing so you can really get into the act. People in the audience get up and participate in the show.

Skip It: If you don't like spending an hour and a half watching a movie and walking away more confused than when you walked in.

High Society

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: July 17, 1956

DVD Release Date: April 22, 2003

Plot 411: A rich girl takes the safe route and is engaged to a dull guy to protect her heart.

Review: The lovely Grace Kelly plays Tracy Lord, a socialite who is days away from marrying a "nice" guy George (John Lund). George doesn't come from wealth, but he has worked his way through the coal mining business, a business that Tracy's father runs. Tracy is divorced from Dexter (Bing Crosby), a songwriter and her family's neighbor. Because of her father's affair, Tracy doesn't allow herself to open up to people and can be cold and standoffish, but Dexter still loves her. When a magazine rag threatens to print a story on her father, Tracy's mother forces her to allow the magazine to cover her lavish wedding. The magazine sends a journalist (Frank Sinatra) and photographer (Celeste Holm). During the pre-wedding festivities, Tracy finds three men vying for her affections. I didn't find the plot all that interesting, even with several love triangles going on. The characters seem unrelatable, and I'm not sure if this was due to their wealth, the difference in time between now and the setting or if the acting was just bad. What I did enjoy though were the musical numbers. You can just imagine the quality of songs coming out of Cole Porter and being performed by Crosby, Sinatra and Louis Armstrong, who played both narrator and musical guest. Crosby and Sinatra have a great duet, which I believe is the first of its kind on film. The Cole Porter hit "True Love" can also be found in this film being sung by Kelly and Crosby.

Watch It: For the musical numbers that advance the so-so plot and develop the characters.

Skip It: If you're looking for substance.

Moonlight Serenade

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: Not sure

DVD Release Date: December 8, 2009

Plot 411: A coat check girl and a financial planner fall in love to classic jazz tunes.

Review: Now who wouldn't like to watch love unfold to well-known standard hits? Definitely not me, which is why I took a chance on this musical starring Amy Adams and Alec Newman as Chloe and Nate. Unfortunately, the movie didn't live up to my expectations though. The film's plot was threadbare, the acting was barely alive and worst of all, the score and musical numbers were pretty horrible. Adams plays an aspiring singer with a drugged out boyfriend. She runs into Nate, a financial planner who plays the piano and sings as a stress reliever. They spend some time together working on music so Chloe can audition for a gig. Despite a rough beginning, they fall for one another. But when her boyfriend gets serious about his drug addition and wants to quit, Chloe drops Nate to help her man. Will their love for music get the through life's unexpected twists and turns? Adams, as always, appears very genuine and sweet in this role. Her voice is nice. However, the dialogue and character need a lot of work. I think she did the best she could with what she was given. This is definitely not a star-making role. Newman had a nice singing voice too, but again the role wasn't great. I'm so disappointed in the song arrangements. It's like they tried to make the music more current perhaps? It was just bad.

Watch It: If you're really into jazz and old standards.

Skip It: For a better showing by Adams in Enchanted.

In The Good Old Summertime

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: July 29, 1949

DVD Release Date: April 6, 2004

Plot 411: Veronica is in love with her pen pal but dispises her boss at work. What she doesn't know is that they are one in the same.

Review: Judy Garland plays Veronica, a somewhat uptight woman seeking work at a music shop. After being turned down for the job, she upsells a customer and the owner (S.Z. Sakall) hires her. However, she immediately takes a dislike to her boss Andrew (Van Johnson) and the two have a rocky relationship. Both try to outsell and outdo one another throughout the day. The only time Veronica can let her guard down is when she's corresponding with her anonymous pen pal. Here she is truly herself. When the two arrange to meet one another, she is stood up and is further upset when Andrew arrives and sits with her for a short time. Andrew is shocked that his pen pal is Veronica and debates whether or not he should tell her. This movie is fun and filled with many enjoyable songs (although I didn't really know any). I've only seen a couple of Garland's films but I can't say this one falls under my favorites. Her character in this film is just really prudish and doesn't seem to know how to have fun. I almost feel sorry for Andrew and would also seriously debate whether to confess or not. Mostly, the movie is about opposites who attract one another. The underlying sexual tension between Andrew and Veronica is there from the jump, but of course, because of the time in which this movie was made, it isn't really as obvious as today's films. For the most part it's a quick way to pass the time. I don't think I'd watch it again though. Buster Keaton also provides comedic relief in this film.

Watch It: If you're a fan of Judy Garland.

Skip It: For Meet Me In St. Louis, which I somehow liked a lot better.

Chicago

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: December 27, 2002

DVD Release Date: August 19, 2003

Plot 411: After shooting her lover, Roxie reaches for stardom to save her from the gallows.

Review: This musical stars Renee Zellweger as Roxie Hart, a 1920s housewife who is having an affair with Fred (Dominic West) to increase her chances of starring in a vaudeville show. When he reveals that he has no connections to showbiz, she kills him. Roxie tries to convince her husband (John C. Reilly) that she's innocent but is put in jail anyway. In the slammer, she meets a real vaudeville star named Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Velma's lawyer Billy (Richard Gere) takes on Roxie's case and both women become newspaper darlings, especially when gossip reporter Mary Sunshine (Christine Baranski) writes up their stories. They fight each other for the front page and celebrity in an effort to become so famous that they can't be executed. They will stop at nothing to make headlines, including falsifying a pregnancy. The musical is a comment on society's unhealthy attraction to fame and how it can cause corruption in the system. I don't think this only applies to the '20s when journalism was pretty unethical anyway. I mean, look at all the tabloids and blogs catering to this type of news nowadays. The individual performances (both singing and dancing) by the cast is amazing. Who knew Richard Gere could sing? My favorite number is definitely Mr. Cellophane by John C. Reilly though. Queen Latifah also has a hand in this film as Mama, Roxie and Velma's warden. They did a really good job of transferring a stage production to film, and I liked how they kept some of the set pieces to make it look like a stage show.

Watch It: For really great singing and dancing numbers. They don't make musicals like this anymore and it makes me long for a musical revival. Bring back the Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire flicks!

Skip It: If musicals aren't your bag of tea because this is fully a musical. There are dream sequences especially so the actors can break into song.

Hocus Pocus

Rating: PG

Movie Release Date: July 16, 1993

DVD Release Date: June 4, 2002

Plot 411: Three witches are reawakened on Halloween and seek to absorb the lifeforces of children to remain immortal.

Review: I remember this movie being a lot of fun, but I honestly haven't seen it in a long time so I don't know if it holds up. The basic premise is that three witch sisters, Winnie (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary (Kathy Najimy), were sucking the lifeforces out of children in the 1600s and were killed for this during the Salem Witch Trials. They cast two last spells though - 1) one to bring them back to life if a virgin ever lit a black-flamed candle in their home and 2) to make a meddlesome boy named Thackery Binx (Sean Murray) live for eternity as a cat. Three hundred years later Max (Omri Katz) lights a candle and unleashes the witches. They have one day to absorb the lifeforce of Max's little sister Dani (Thora Birch). The rest of the movie is a cat and mouse game between Max and friends and the witch sisters. Who wouldn't love a little bit a magic, some singing and the love between brothers and sisters? This was a really great family fantasy/adventure movie and funny as hell too. I gotta say that I watch NCIS rather frequently but didn't realize that Timothy McGee was in Hocus Pocus till I looked it up. Wow, look how far he's come. Even Sarah Jessica Parker was a surprise. I'd forgotten about her too.

Watch It: And root for the witches because other than wanting to suck out your soul, they're not that bad.

Skip It: If you've got young children. Most of this movie isn't too scary, but there is a zombie character that has his mouth sewn shut that's kind of freaky.

Were The World Mine

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: November 21, 2008

DVD Release Date: June 9, 2009

Plot 411: A gay teen creates a love potion that allows his town to live a day in his shoes.

Review: I don't even know where to start with this one. In general terms, this is a musical, a romance, a coming-of-age flick, a gay and lesbian flick, a comment on society and a homage to Shakespeare all in one. How can this be, you ask? Well, for one, this is definitely an unconventional movie in every aspect. Timothy (Tanner Cohen) is a gay teen who attends an all-boys school. He is bullied and picked on by the other kids. When his lit teacher puts on A Midsummer Night's Dream for the senior play, all the boys must try out. Timothy is selected for the role of Puck, and while he is memorizing his lines, he discovers a hidden love potion within the text. He creates this potion and accidently splashes it on his friend Max's (Ricky Goldman) face. Max immediately falls in love with Timothy, despite being heterosexual. Timothy capitalizes on this power and eventually douses his fellow cast members with the potion. For the first time, he is able to embrace his homosexuality because everyone else is like him. Ok, I think that's enough about the plot. What made this movie completely intriguing was its depth - once you saw beyond all the theater hijinks. I gotta admit, at first I thought this was a completely cheesy movie that happened to have some singing in it. I thought the acting was horrible and the plot ridiculous. It was as if the worst off-Broadway show about A Midsummer Night's Dream was captured on film or like the most inane wannabe artist cooked this movie up for his theater group. I was also disturbed by the stereotypical portrayals of homosexual boys/men. I mean, must every gay guy wear skinny jeans? Do they all have to like techno pop? However, after a while it started to grow on me. The movie is complex, mysterious, artistic and bold. Some scenes looked like they were straight out of live theater. Others looked like they were hand-picked out of late '90s music videos. All were cinematic and magical. The best part of the movie was the play within a play - or movie, in this case. The depiction of an alternate version of Shakespeare's play was great. The costumes and makeup were extraordinarily detailed. Even as I got sucked in by the movie, I was still aware that the acting is pretty iffy. But I could appreciate the movie for what it was trying to do. It was like going to an underground theater group to watch a whacked out performance that is trying to say ten different things at once while being unfathomably deep.

Watch It: With an open mind - and I'm not talking about the gay/lesbian scenes. The entire thing is just pretty out there.

Skip It: If theater going is not your thing. Watching this movie is like going to one of those plays that are more spoken word and performance art than classical acting.