Spring is coming(?)
At least, I hope so!
Well, the predicted snowstorms last week weren't quite as bad as forecast, at least where I live (I know other areas, especially north and east, got nailed). But we still had the heaviest snowfalls of the winter season. When all was said and done, there was probably 4-5 inches of snow on the ground. Most of it is gone now. As I mentioned before, Monday we hardly got anything; Tuesday wasn't too bad until the evening, when we had a LOT of blowing snow. So glad I didn't have to go out in it, visibility was terrible; there were times I could barely make out the buildings just across the street. By Wednesday morning, though, it had pretty much wrapped up; the warning was supposed to go to 8 p.m., but there was sun and blue sky by 2, and we came out of the winter storm warning much earlier than anticipated. What was weird was late that evening (after 11 or so?) it started snowing again, and hard. Thankfully I was able to get out of my driveway and by the time I got back home most of the white stuff was gone. That was a pleasant surprise! Wasn't supposed to get all that warm, but high temps must have been in the 40s; when I got home around 8, my car temperature readout said 35 degrees. Snowed a good clip Friday, too, which was completely unexpected, but the roads remained pretty clear. From here on out, it's supposed to stay in the 40s and up for the next couple weeks, with only a couple chillier days in the forecast, and no snow anticipated. Still, I've lived here long enough to know that an April snowstorm is not out of a question (indeed, I wouldn't be that surprised). I can't complain, though- last week's snows were by far the worst we've had all winter, and even then it wasn't that bad. Especially since I could work from home Tuesday and Wednesday- bonus!
Had a really busy but fun day yesterday. Started the morning meeting a friend of mine for brunch, with several other cool people, followed by watching the new Beauty and the Beast movie. For the most part, I liked it. I think there were more things done right than wrong. Does it hold a candle (excuse me, candelabra) to the animated Disney feature? That's hard to decide- some things were done better (mostly the filling of irritating plot holes), some things were not as good. Now the good- as I said, the best parts were the correcting of some time inconsistencies and some much-needed explanations.
Minor spoilers ahead:
My biggest peeve about the animated classic and the Broadway stage adaptation was how quickly the villagers and Gaston dismissed Maurice's fears about Belle's safety. Not only did they just write him off as a loon, but didn't even check on Belle, or her whereabouts. That always bothered me; I always thought Gaston, at least, would have soon after gone calling on Belle just to confirm that what Maurice was saying really was just the rantings of an insane mind or something like that. In the live action adaptation, this is handled brilliantly. Also, issues about the timeline (was the prince really only 11 when the enchantress came?) also were handled well.
Unlike the animated film and stage musical, the Beast actually knows how to read and is quite well-read. Belle and the Beast still bond over books but more as equals. I think this makes more sense, and I prefer it to having an illiterate Beast (although the later did lead to some sweet and comic moments, especially in the stage musical). I loved how both Belle and her father were both inventors and builders, although her father was more the artistic type and Belle the more technological. And the ballroom dance was just magical, both the famous dance with Belle and the Beast, and the ending. Also, I liked some of the twists at the end involving the villagers (won't say any more on this count ;) ).
Wasn't sure about some of the animated character designs going in, but most won me over (still not a fan of the redesign for Mrs. Potts). LOVED the feather duster, but I admit I'm a sucker for peacocks anyway. Nice attention to period detail, especially in the castle's Rococo decor. Great opening scene, with all the over-the-top makeup and finery. The scene with the enchantress was fantastic, and the explanation as to why the villagers never seemed to remember the castle appreciated (in fact, there's a scene towards the beginning in the village where this is hinted at). Loved the village design as well and how the villagers were portrayed.
For the most part, I loved how the characters were done. Loved the Beast, the cgi was amazing, and I liked his sardonic humor once he started to warm up to Belle. Loved Maurice, Kevin Kline was spot on. You couldn't go wrong with Sir Ian McKellen as Cogsworth. LeFou was phenomenal, both acting and vocally. I'm trying not to give away too many spoilers here, but in the movie, he's not the bumbling, brainless "le fool" in this adaptation. He actually tries to serve as Gaston's conscious at times. By the way- the whole gay issue is really not an issue. You blink, you miss it. Much Ado About Nothing comes to mind.
Now for the not-so-good. There's a couple flashbacks regarding the mothers for both Belle and the Beast/Prince. This inclusion wasn't bad, but one reveal especially felt like deus-ex-machina (it involves a magic book, which is seen and used once then never mentioned again despite the fact that it could have been VERY useful *cough*rescuing Maurice*cough* later on). I'm not sure these bits of information added anything overall. I'm on the fence about this one.
Emma Watson as Belle- all in all, I liked her in this role. I know a lot has been made of the fact that she isn't a trained singer. OK, she's no Paige O'Hara vocally but I thought she did a decent job. My bigger issue was her acting at times was too understated and reserved, even a bit stiff. This was more of a problem in the beginning; she got better as the movie went on. Still, the biggest missed opportunity (and this might have been a direction or camera issue) was during Be Our Guest. Belle is trying to eat the food put before her, but her plate keeps inching out of reach, or the plates keep appearing before her in Through the Looking Glass style, and she barely gets a morsel. This could have been comic gold, and we should have seen her growing exasperation as the meal -- so obviously a means for the animated objects to show off and party rather than actually feeding their guest. That could have had the audiences rolling in the aisles if done right, especially with the Lumiere's punchline at the end, which fell a bit short because the setup just wasn't realized. Playing this humor for everything it was worth could have helped alleviate another problem with that scene...
The Be Our Guest scene - this was my favorite scene in both the animated movie and in the Broadway show. It's so joyous and energetic and fun. Here, it comes across as dark, even creepy. I found it disconcerting and bizarre. It felt more like the Dark parade in Something Wicked This Way Comes than a fete. Also, while I liked Ewan McGregor's acting and speaking voice for Lumiere, but Be Our Guest just felt off vocally. I think it's because half the time in the song he a. sounded more Texan than Parisian, and b. he needed to enunciate more cleanly. Too many notes just trailed off or ended weakly. This song needs to be sung crisp, just short of staccato.
My biggest problem was how Gaston came off. The actor had an OK voice, it was sufficient. But my problem was the portrayal. I'm not sure if this was an acting issue or a directing/writing issue. Now, I do like how they made him a captain and a war hero (from some unnamed war), and I do like how it's implied that Gaston and LeFou served together in said war (I wonder if LeFou was Gaston's aide-de-camp?)
In the animated film and stage musical, Gaston is such an over the top bully and so full of himself, it's not hard to see why Belle would quickly reject his marriage proposal. Here, those aspects of his character are present but downplayed. A lot. Belle's quick rejection of him comes across as more forced. If the writers were going to make Gaston more complex (he actually tries, albeit in a half-assed way, to relate to Belle and "defend" her) and seemingly less like a boar, there needed to be more interaction between him and Belle. Yes, I know they probably already knew each other for years since everyone knows everyone in that little town. Some previous history needed to come up or something. Those familiar with the animated movie and stage musical know Gaston is bad news, but if someone were just watching this movie by itself, Belle's cutting rejection for even dinner comes off as rather harsh. Still, the transition from Gaston as town hero to monster was effective, especially with how he handles Maurice (which I mentioned earlier).
The new songs- I loved "How Does a Moment Last Forever." The other new songs were completely forgettable, though. What I don't get is why why why did they not use the gorgeous If I Can't Love Her for the Beast after Belle leaves the castle to rescue her father?? Why? Whatever number was used just doesn't compare.
I must say, the mob scene, the fight in the castle and the finale were fantastic. There's a bit of a twist at the end that kind of surprised me, but all in all the movie ended well. And I am looking forward to seeing this again with my summer Beauty and the Beast crew on Tuesday! Woohoo!
Also, I participated in a stage manager workshop yesterday. Now, I have no delusions on becoming a stage manager. I'm too scatterbrained, and I don't have that time to commit due to the nature of my job. Still, I find such cross training handy, and I learned several things about the theater that I didn't realize before. Plus I got to see the lighting booth! In all my years I'd never seen that room.
I followed this up with seeing The Skull of Connemara, the third play in a trilogy. Really enjoyed it, and highly recommended for those who don't mind rather twisted humor.
OK, so with seeing Beauty and the Beast, the stage manager workshop and helping with strike, that gives me 35 new experiences so far. Seven more to go...
Also finished another book:
11. A Shoot in Cleveland, by Les Roberts. I thought I had read all of the Milan Jakovich novels to date, but I recently discovered I missed a couple. Finishing this one starts my remedy of that. The fact that I can include it for my Book Riot challenge- for a novel set within 100 miles of where I live- is icing on the cake.This book follows The Cleveland Local, which has an ending that was life-altering for Milan. Milan is still trying to find his bearings when he is asked to take on what looks to be a fairly easy job: make sure a young star doesn't get into too much trouble when the movie he is headlining in works at various locations in the Cleveland area. Naturally this winds up being harder than Milan bargains for, and the young star, Darren Anderson, winds up dead. The dialogue, as always, is fantastic. It's comical watching Milan, who does not suffer fools and is not easily intimidated, try to put up with the Hollywood glitterati. Another thing about this novel (this series has a lot of continuity; I strongly suggest reading them in order) is that the reader really sees Milan's typically black and white view of things get shaken, particularly where Victor Gaimari, the nephew and heir apparent of the local mob, is concerned. I see in this installment a lot of the beginnings of Milan's subtle changes later on.
Currently reading: Cannery Row, by John Steinbeck.
Well, the predicted snowstorms last week weren't quite as bad as forecast, at least where I live (I know other areas, especially north and east, got nailed). But we still had the heaviest snowfalls of the winter season. When all was said and done, there was probably 4-5 inches of snow on the ground. Most of it is gone now. As I mentioned before, Monday we hardly got anything; Tuesday wasn't too bad until the evening, when we had a LOT of blowing snow. So glad I didn't have to go out in it, visibility was terrible; there were times I could barely make out the buildings just across the street. By Wednesday morning, though, it had pretty much wrapped up; the warning was supposed to go to 8 p.m., but there was sun and blue sky by 2, and we came out of the winter storm warning much earlier than anticipated. What was weird was late that evening (after 11 or so?) it started snowing again, and hard. Thankfully I was able to get out of my driveway and by the time I got back home most of the white stuff was gone. That was a pleasant surprise! Wasn't supposed to get all that warm, but high temps must have been in the 40s; when I got home around 8, my car temperature readout said 35 degrees. Snowed a good clip Friday, too, which was completely unexpected, but the roads remained pretty clear. From here on out, it's supposed to stay in the 40s and up for the next couple weeks, with only a couple chillier days in the forecast, and no snow anticipated. Still, I've lived here long enough to know that an April snowstorm is not out of a question (indeed, I wouldn't be that surprised). I can't complain, though- last week's snows were by far the worst we've had all winter, and even then it wasn't that bad. Especially since I could work from home Tuesday and Wednesday- bonus!
Had a really busy but fun day yesterday. Started the morning meeting a friend of mine for brunch, with several other cool people, followed by watching the new Beauty and the Beast movie. For the most part, I liked it. I think there were more things done right than wrong. Does it hold a candle (excuse me, candelabra) to the animated Disney feature? That's hard to decide- some things were done better (mostly the filling of irritating plot holes), some things were not as good. Now the good- as I said, the best parts were the correcting of some time inconsistencies and some much-needed explanations.
Minor spoilers ahead:
My biggest peeve about the animated classic and the Broadway stage adaptation was how quickly the villagers and Gaston dismissed Maurice's fears about Belle's safety. Not only did they just write him off as a loon, but didn't even check on Belle, or her whereabouts. That always bothered me; I always thought Gaston, at least, would have soon after gone calling on Belle just to confirm that what Maurice was saying really was just the rantings of an insane mind or something like that. In the live action adaptation, this is handled brilliantly. Also, issues about the timeline (was the prince really only 11 when the enchantress came?) also were handled well.
Unlike the animated film and stage musical, the Beast actually knows how to read and is quite well-read. Belle and the Beast still bond over books but more as equals. I think this makes more sense, and I prefer it to having an illiterate Beast (although the later did lead to some sweet and comic moments, especially in the stage musical). I loved how both Belle and her father were both inventors and builders, although her father was more the artistic type and Belle the more technological. And the ballroom dance was just magical, both the famous dance with Belle and the Beast, and the ending. Also, I liked some of the twists at the end involving the villagers (won't say any more on this count ;) ).
Wasn't sure about some of the animated character designs going in, but most won me over (still not a fan of the redesign for Mrs. Potts). LOVED the feather duster, but I admit I'm a sucker for peacocks anyway. Nice attention to period detail, especially in the castle's Rococo decor. Great opening scene, with all the over-the-top makeup and finery. The scene with the enchantress was fantastic, and the explanation as to why the villagers never seemed to remember the castle appreciated (in fact, there's a scene towards the beginning in the village where this is hinted at). Loved the village design as well and how the villagers were portrayed.
For the most part, I loved how the characters were done. Loved the Beast, the cgi was amazing, and I liked his sardonic humor once he started to warm up to Belle. Loved Maurice, Kevin Kline was spot on. You couldn't go wrong with Sir Ian McKellen as Cogsworth. LeFou was phenomenal, both acting and vocally. I'm trying not to give away too many spoilers here, but in the movie, he's not the bumbling, brainless "le fool" in this adaptation. He actually tries to serve as Gaston's conscious at times. By the way- the whole gay issue is really not an issue. You blink, you miss it. Much Ado About Nothing comes to mind.
Now for the not-so-good. There's a couple flashbacks regarding the mothers for both Belle and the Beast/Prince. This inclusion wasn't bad, but one reveal especially felt like deus-ex-machina (it involves a magic book, which is seen and used once then never mentioned again despite the fact that it could have been VERY useful *cough*rescuing Maurice*cough* later on). I'm not sure these bits of information added anything overall. I'm on the fence about this one.
Emma Watson as Belle- all in all, I liked her in this role. I know a lot has been made of the fact that she isn't a trained singer. OK, she's no Paige O'Hara vocally but I thought she did a decent job. My bigger issue was her acting at times was too understated and reserved, even a bit stiff. This was more of a problem in the beginning; she got better as the movie went on. Still, the biggest missed opportunity (and this might have been a direction or camera issue) was during Be Our Guest. Belle is trying to eat the food put before her, but her plate keeps inching out of reach, or the plates keep appearing before her in Through the Looking Glass style, and she barely gets a morsel. This could have been comic gold, and we should have seen her growing exasperation as the meal -- so obviously a means for the animated objects to show off and party rather than actually feeding their guest. That could have had the audiences rolling in the aisles if done right, especially with the Lumiere's punchline at the end, which fell a bit short because the setup just wasn't realized. Playing this humor for everything it was worth could have helped alleviate another problem with that scene...
The Be Our Guest scene - this was my favorite scene in both the animated movie and in the Broadway show. It's so joyous and energetic and fun. Here, it comes across as dark, even creepy. I found it disconcerting and bizarre. It felt more like the Dark parade in Something Wicked This Way Comes than a fete. Also, while I liked Ewan McGregor's acting and speaking voice for Lumiere, but Be Our Guest just felt off vocally. I think it's because half the time in the song he a. sounded more Texan than Parisian, and b. he needed to enunciate more cleanly. Too many notes just trailed off or ended weakly. This song needs to be sung crisp, just short of staccato.
My biggest problem was how Gaston came off. The actor had an OK voice, it was sufficient. But my problem was the portrayal. I'm not sure if this was an acting issue or a directing/writing issue. Now, I do like how they made him a captain and a war hero (from some unnamed war), and I do like how it's implied that Gaston and LeFou served together in said war (I wonder if LeFou was Gaston's aide-de-camp?)
In the animated film and stage musical, Gaston is such an over the top bully and so full of himself, it's not hard to see why Belle would quickly reject his marriage proposal. Here, those aspects of his character are present but downplayed. A lot. Belle's quick rejection of him comes across as more forced. If the writers were going to make Gaston more complex (he actually tries, albeit in a half-assed way, to relate to Belle and "defend" her) and seemingly less like a boar, there needed to be more interaction between him and Belle. Yes, I know they probably already knew each other for years since everyone knows everyone in that little town. Some previous history needed to come up or something. Those familiar with the animated movie and stage musical know Gaston is bad news, but if someone were just watching this movie by itself, Belle's cutting rejection for even dinner comes off as rather harsh. Still, the transition from Gaston as town hero to monster was effective, especially with how he handles Maurice (which I mentioned earlier).
The new songs- I loved "How Does a Moment Last Forever." The other new songs were completely forgettable, though. What I don't get is why why why did they not use the gorgeous If I Can't Love Her for the Beast after Belle leaves the castle to rescue her father?? Why? Whatever number was used just doesn't compare.
I must say, the mob scene, the fight in the castle and the finale were fantastic. There's a bit of a twist at the end that kind of surprised me, but all in all the movie ended well. And I am looking forward to seeing this again with my summer Beauty and the Beast crew on Tuesday! Woohoo!
Also, I participated in a stage manager workshop yesterday. Now, I have no delusions on becoming a stage manager. I'm too scatterbrained, and I don't have that time to commit due to the nature of my job. Still, I find such cross training handy, and I learned several things about the theater that I didn't realize before. Plus I got to see the lighting booth! In all my years I'd never seen that room.
I followed this up with seeing The Skull of Connemara, the third play in a trilogy. Really enjoyed it, and highly recommended for those who don't mind rather twisted humor.
OK, so with seeing Beauty and the Beast, the stage manager workshop and helping with strike, that gives me 35 new experiences so far. Seven more to go...
Also finished another book:
11. A Shoot in Cleveland, by Les Roberts. I thought I had read all of the Milan Jakovich novels to date, but I recently discovered I missed a couple. Finishing this one starts my remedy of that. The fact that I can include it for my Book Riot challenge- for a novel set within 100 miles of where I live- is icing on the cake.This book follows The Cleveland Local, which has an ending that was life-altering for Milan. Milan is still trying to find his bearings when he is asked to take on what looks to be a fairly easy job: make sure a young star doesn't get into too much trouble when the movie he is headlining in works at various locations in the Cleveland area. Naturally this winds up being harder than Milan bargains for, and the young star, Darren Anderson, winds up dead. The dialogue, as always, is fantastic. It's comical watching Milan, who does not suffer fools and is not easily intimidated, try to put up with the Hollywood glitterati. Another thing about this novel (this series has a lot of continuity; I strongly suggest reading them in order) is that the reader really sees Milan's typically black and white view of things get shaken, particularly where Victor Gaimari, the nephew and heir apparent of the local mob, is concerned. I see in this installment a lot of the beginnings of Milan's subtle changes later on.
Currently reading: Cannery Row, by John Steinbeck.