Go see The Blue Room at MSU's Arena Theatre. It is wonderful, period. The acting and direction are flawless, and really allow the script to do its job, something that the last few MSU productions I've seen have lacked.

It's hard to pick standout actors since they're all so good. I attribute this (after chinchilla_toes' suggestion) to the direction of Sam O' ( Read more... )

Last night I watched the 30 November debate between Dinesh D'Souza and Daniel Dennett. The resolution under discussion was "God is a manmade invention", which I believe was D'Souza's proposal (he of course took the negative position). Dennett, with D'Souza's indulgence, also took some time to present and defend his proposal to instate mandatory ( Read more... )

1776
Riverwalk Theatre, 31 May - 3 June and 7 - 10 June
dir. Jane Falion

I'm a little biased. 1776 is one of my favourite musicals to begin with. Part of this is because of its popular failure: its only two female roles and Schoolbus Rock sensibility led to a complete flop on Broadway, and its bawdy take on Franklin, Adams, and Jefferson kept it ( Read more... )

Romeo and Juliet
Dir. Frank Rutledge
MSU Dept. of Theatre
Pasant Theatre, 5-15 Oct. 2006Yes, it's just about as bad as you might expect of a production of a Shakespeare play that lasts ninety minutes with no intermission. Though there's certainly enough blame to go around, the vast majority of it lies at the feet of Director Rutledge. The job of ( Read more... )

Rocked the fuck out last night at the Folk Festival. _sweet_paradox_, aylid, libbylibbywa, (for a bit) mothwentbad, and I haben gut getanzt. Feufollet is seriously the hardestcore cajun band I've ever seen or heard. Appearances also were made by star_rival, vertiasnoir, and Line ( Read more... )

Munich

Wow. Munich is the best film I've seen in a while.

As an action film, it's remarkably successful. I don't usually get winded by cinematic action, but I certainly did while watching Munich. What's even better is that Spielberg uses it toward a philosophical end, not merely a dramatic one. My date and I both breathed a sigh of relief ( Read more... )

X-Men: The Last Stand

This isn't good drama. The plot is contrived. The dialogue is trite and terrible. Other than Hugh Jackman, the peformances are cardboard. Even Ian McKellen, who can usually pull off the Powerful Wizard, is campy (almost as bad as his Richard IIIIt's not good philosophy. At first the X-men are against using the "cure" as ( Read more... )

The Dixie Chicks, Taking the Long WaySome critics have said that the Dixie Chicks' long-anticipated and much hyped Taking the Long Way represents the latest step in their march toward pop and away from country. I disagree. What's happening here is more revolutionary than that: the Chicks are taking back for country things pop long ago claimed ( Read more... )

flybyeknight came over for a glass of whisky, some music, and some conversation. That was grand!

Then _sweet_paradox_ and I went to Video To Go to pick out a film for the evening. Our choice?

Match PointThis movie is so Woody Allen. Strangely, Mr. Allen makes no appearances in the film (nor do any substitutes!). But he's there in spirit. There is, indeed, a comically ( Read more... )

( The Episode of Matt on the. . . fuck it. )