June 30, 2006

When this movie ended, I walked out and would have walked right back in to see it again if I wouldn’t have had to get home. I loved it, loved every minute of it.

I can’t remember when I thoroughly enjoyed a movie more, truly. I haven’t read the book, and I’m not sure I will now, so I can’t tell you how well it did or did not follow through on the original, but the story was great.

Not a new story, no; one that’s been told umpteen times…but this one was told so…well…fashionably. And the role of the “Devil’s” assistant, Andy Sachs (played by the luscious Anne Hathaway–a breath of fresh air herself because the girl actually has some meat on her bones), was handled realistically.

She didn’t make some of the mistakes I expected her to make (having seen this oft-told story played out before)–the tale of an ingenuous and dedicated young woman (or man) who comes to the Big City with the plan of being a journalist (or some other sort of philanthropic position), but who gets sucked into a job in a high stress, demanding, rich world. And begins to fall for it.

It took a long time for the frumpy Andy to really fall for it, and even as she started to on the outside, it took longer before she really started to make the decisions that eventually led to her epiphany.

I bought into her actions and rejoiced when she held back from making choices that I (and every other theater-goer) knew would end in disaster. Yes, she did make some unfortunate decisions, but none that I couldn’t buy into why she did.

Part of the reason I so loved the flick was because of the amazing Meryl Streep. She was fabulous…so cold, so cool, and with the flick of an eyelash, she would make her point. This was a perfect role for her and she was magnificent. She never raised her voice, never even raised an eyebrow.

One of the lines that really resonated with me, because, of course, it was supposed to, was when she said to Andy, “Everyone wants to be us.” And she fixes a smile on her face, and gets out of the her limo and steps into a sea of waiting photographers.

All I could think was, “She’s right.”

And then, “But, no…she’s not.”

Interestingly enough, one of my friends who’d read the book said that she felt that the “big denouement” of the book was a bit of a let-down–it wasn’t the big event she expected based on the way the book was set up.

So I was interested in seeing how it was handled in the movie. And I think the way the movie handled it was perfect. It didn’t need to be a big dramatic blowout…because that’s not how real life is.

Yes, there are people like Miranda Priestly (the eponymous devil) in the world. And there are, thank God, people like Andy…who realize what really is important in life without completely destroying their life before they figure it out.

Anyway, I won’t say anything more except: go see it. You won’t be disappointed.

June 29, 2006

Still on the subject of Superman here (although apparently, at least on this blog, the majority of us gals tend to go for that icy calm, deliciously brooding Batman)….

Ted Casablanca, gossip columnist extraordinaire, reports that when making Superman Returns, there was great consideration given to…well..controlling Brandon Routh’s–er–package, because, of course, those tights and that little red Speedo-thing leave little to the imagination.

I guess the director didn’t want us women (and other interested parties) distracted by, as Ted puts it, a crotch the size of a 747.

I have a hunch, however, that there’s been no discussion whatsoever about “controlling” certain attributes of women like, say, Dolly Parton, Anna Nicole, or Jessica Simpson.

Ya think?

June 28, 2006

The new Superman movie opens today, and although I can’t imagine anyone being able to hold a candle to Chris Reeve, I’ve heard really good things about it. Brandon Routh resembles Reeve enough that it won’t be so jarring to those of us who remember him from the 80s (and there are a few of us out here, aren’t there?).

But when it comes right down to it, I have to say…I’d take Batman over the Supe. All that dark, brooding, masked alpha male…tinged with more than a bit of angst. Yum.

Besides, Batman’s strength comes from his brains and his gadgets…not some otherworldly powers that the rest of us can’t hope to attain.

Batman is Everyman…or, could be Everyman if he had the gadgets, the mask, the mansion, and Alfred. What I mean to say is, Batman is more of a hero to me because he’s “normal” and he makes the choice to step into the role of superhero.

When there’s a choice for sacrifice–when it’s not a foregone conclusion–it means more.

And yes, in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles, I write about a woman who does have “special” powers–not unlike Buffy the Vampire Slayer; but Victoria has a real choice at the beginning of her story. She can choose to to live a normal life and not have the powers; and, in fact, have all knowledge of the world of vampires erased from her mind so she can live in ignorance. But she doesn’t.

And therein, my friends, lies the reason I’d take Batman over Superman. The Supe can fly fast enough to rotate the world backwards, turning back time; he can lift railroad tracks and bend them up; he can lift a car and catch Lois in mid-air…he doesn’t have the choice. He’s got to be a hero. He has no escape.

Batman does.

And besides…I love that mask.

June 27, 2006

My husband giggles like a girl when he watches the original Pink Panther movies, and he’s got my kids hooked on them too. They walk around the house pretending to be Inspector Clouseau, speaking in an exaggerated French accent with their lips taut and barely moving. Cracks me up.

One of their favorite exchanges is from The Pink Panther Strikes Again when Clouseau (played, of course, by Peter Sellers) is checking into a hotel. There is a dog there, making threatening noises, and the exchange goes:

Clouseau: Does your dog bite?
Innkeeper: No.
Clouseau: (bending down to pet dog) Nice doggie!
(Dog attacks Clouseau.)
Clouseau: (holding leg in pain) I thought you said your dog doesn’t bite!
Innkeeper: That’s not my dog.

(This exchange sends my kids into howls of laughter, and even for me, who really hasn’t seen the humor in the Pink Panther movies and who doesn’t giggle when I watch them–like a girl or otherwise–I can’t help but join them.)

However, we saw the new Pink Panther movie with Steve Martin and Kevin Kline (whom I’ve adored ever since A Fish Called Wanda), and I absolutely loved it. It was ridiculous and silly, but I loved it enough to see it twice–which is saying a lot for me.

(Now my kids and I repeat the scene over and over where Steve Martin is trying to learn how to say, “I would like to buy a hamburger” until my oldest daughter yells at us to shut up!)

So when we were in Paris, it was natural for us to be looking for Clouseau and his ilk. And wonder of wonders, we actually found the Prefecteur where we are certain Clouseau worked…and even got a pic with one of his colleagues. The kids, as you can imagine, were thrilled.

(That’s my Music Man, standing next to the lamp at the Prefecteur.)

June 26, 2006

J K Rowling says two characters die in the final Harry Potter book–and she hasn’t ruled out that Harry’s one of them. (Her thought is, if Harry dies, no one can write sequels about him, a la Gone with the Wind, Mrs. de Winter, Sherlock Holmes, etc.).

So, who do you think dies? (And no spoilers from Half-Blood Prince, ’cause I know someone dies there, and I’m pretty sure I know who, but I don’t want it ruined for me or anyone else!).

Ron and Hermione in each other’s arms?

Ginnie? MacGonagal?

Snape? (Nooooo! Not Alan Rickman!!)