Media Madness!

Oh, wow! This is one musical that I wasn't sure I'd be able to ever see the original cast footage of. Here it is - "Moonfall" from the Original 1986 Broadway Cast of "Drood"! Performed here by the lovely Patti Cohenour as Rosa Bud. This is simply a gorgeous song. (Now if I could just see "The Name of Love/Moonfall (Reprise)" with her and Howard McGillian, my life would be complete!)

So, for the 1% of you out there who might actually be reading this blog - I made a post a long time ago about how skeptical I was about the newest(?) Robin Hood film to come out. (http://silverywhisper.livejournal.com/955.html) It starred Russell Crowe and was directed by Ridley Scott.

Well, 3 years later, I finally got around to seeing the movie. So, what did I think about it? You can read my brief review here on my tumblr page: http://fairytalelagoon.tumblr.com/post/44869571969/i-finally-got-around-to-seeing-robin-hood-2010

Who says I only have to do movie recommendations?

Now I know what you're thinking: "isn't 'Horrible Histories' a kids show"?

Well, technically yes - but believe it or not, there's a huge older fanbase. (Stephen Fry even hosted an episode.) Which is shouldn't be too surprising, because the writing is brilliant. It's hilarious! The cast is extremely talented too - being able to slip into different characters in a blink of an eye. It also features songs in addition to skits, which are really catchy and are bound to get stuck in your head. So don't be fooled into think that this is a dumbed-down children's show - that's one of the best things about it is that it doesn't insult the audience's intelligence.

Here's a link to the first episode, give it a try, I'm sure you'll enjoy it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-uEkuCw0Nc

The host receives mixed reviews, several performers give fantastic musical performances, (arguably the best thing about the awards) and the first lady makes a unexpected appearance. But all that aside, what did you all think of the nominations and the winners?

I was happy to see Anne Hathaway win "Best Supporting Actress"! After seeing her near-perfect performance as Fantine in "Les Misérables", I felt she really deserved the Oscar for it. It was great to see Jennifer Lawrence win "Best Actress" too. I'll admit that I haven't seen the film she did that won her the award, but from what I have seen and heard, it sounds like she was the right choice.

I thought "Lincoln" would win more awards, but it was great to see Daniel Day-Lewis win "Best Actor" for his performance as the titular character. From what clips I've seen, it looks like her really got into character. I still need to see the full movie though, before I can fully judge. (I think Hugh Jackman deserves recognition for his role as Valjean though, he did a fantastic job!)

I was also hoping that "The Hobbit" would win something. I thought it was a good contender for "Best Makeup and Hairstyling" - seriously, did you see the drawves' hair? But to be fair, the makeup and hairstyling was good in "Les Mis".

Thoughts?

This film has received both praise and criticism. What are my thoughts on it? Read them here:

http://fairytalelagoon.tumblr.com/post/40406640272/so-i-just-got-back-from-seeing-les-miserables

Well...more like 'tv mini-series recommendation of the month', but you get the picture. (LOL)

I had been waiting several months for this to premiere on American television, so you couldn't imagine my excitement when I finally was able to watch it - and let me tell you, I was not disappointed! I unfortunately have not yet read the book, but having seen the 1935 movie with Claude Rains, I was expecting the same plot, only in color and with younger actors...boy, was I wrong - it featured several twists which I was not expecting, which made it more enjoyable. The Dickens novel itself is famous for not having a published ending, due to the author dying before he could write it - leaving many questions and loose ends. But the screenwriter wove an ending in with the Dickens story really well and I was glad to see her take a chance with something different and not copy another adaptation's ending.

The production was very well-cast as well: Matthew Rhys does a superb job as John Jasper, the brooding, obsessive, choirmaster in love with his nephew's fiancee. His acting was probably the best part of the whole thing, causing the viewer to feel both disgust and pity for the character. It's only a shame we didn't get to hear him sing more, because he has a really nice voice.

Freddie Fox and Tazmin Merchant both also do a great job as Edwin Drood and Rosa Bud. They have great chemistry, not just in the scenes with each other, but with Rhys and the other actors as well.

This mini-series is only a two-parter, making it about the length of a feature film. So if you enjoy period dramas about love, obsession, and mystery, I highly recommend you check this one out.

Yes, I now have a Tumblr! You can find me here:
http://fairytalelagoon.tumblr.com/