A WEE BIT OF FUN

My favorite variation of The Taming of the Shrew.  The sparkling script and stellar cast never fail to delight--especially Barry Fitzgerald. A Naughton/Creede St. Patrick's Day tradition.  Enjoy yours.

DIVA DVD:  The Quiet Man

HOUSE vs. HOME

"We bought a house.

Your mother made it a home."

--My dad

Architecture, decor, neighborhood--all these play a part in turning a house into a home.  But, of course, what matters most are the people inside. That's something my dad taught me a long time ago.  For Carl, the septuagenarian main character of Up, that realization comes only after a flight halfway across the world and many many thousand balloons--and thank goodness, because we get to be a part of his poignant journey in this remarkable and deeply touching movie.

DIVA DVD:  Up.  Teaser trailer via RawkusBixhu on YouTube.com. For the official Disney/Pixar trailer click here.  And don't be fooled by the animation and animals--this movie is really for adults.

LYDIA & VALENTINO

Oh how I wish my Grandma Lydia, seamstress extraordinaire, could have seen this film. Valentino: The Last Emperor offers an intimate, honest and touching look at how a genius' vision and a lifelong partnership can, when all the stars align, combine to make sublime, yet completely wearable works of art that in the end serve one simple purpose: to make women beautiful.

Throughout the movie Valentino amuses, his partner Giancarlo Giammetti charms, their lifestyle wows, their 45-year reign at the pinnacle of fashion amazes. But head seamstress Antonietta de Angelis steals my heart. With her meticulous perfectionism, incredible knowledge and talent, salty personality and unaffected style she could just have easily been Lydia Panini Gatto. At one point, while viewing an ethereal white gown that's practically a character in the movie, Valentino turns to Antonietta and says, "Look. Look at your masterpiece." Even the emperor knows to give credit where it's due.

DIVA DVD: Valentino: The Last Emperor. Watch the DVD Special Feature "The Red Dress" for a wonderful in-depth look at producing a couture creation.

Video via You Tube/3DollarBillCinema. Photo via valentinomovie.com.

VIVA LA DIVA

Also returning from summer break: Diva DVD; now with movie reviews and discussions appearing on a random, occasional basis with some current theatrical releases thrown into the mix.

THE LAST WALTZ

Sometimes when you hear raves about a film you wind up disappointed when you finally see it. Particularly a movie billed as "the greatest xxx" of all time. Not so The Last Waltz. When I finally watched Scorsese's chronicle of The Band's last concert it not only captivated me but led me down the rabbit hole into an immersion of 70s rock that I knew existed (after all I live with the ultimate 70s rock music fan) but didn't really know.

I watched the movie five times in one week. I could say it had to do with Muddy Waters tearing up Mannish Boy, or The Staples Singers soaring on The Weight, or Dry Your Eyes by Neil Diamond or I Shall Be Released by everyone. I could say it had to do with the baroque glowing red stage set, borrowed from an opera company. I could say it had to do with how Scorsese put me on that stage with Clapton, Dylan, Danko, Helm, Hudson, Manuel, Wood, Mitchell, Young, Starr, etc. etc. All would be true. But really it had to do with Robbie Robertson. There's a reason girls love rock stars and guys want to be rock stars and if you watch RR in this movie you'll know why.

Sayonara, George Clooney.

My husband may have rolled his eyes but he gave me the cd box set as a gift and the fall continued ... into an iTunes exploration of everything Emmylou Harris ... which reminded me how much I love Linda Ronstadt ... to more live Neil Diamond (Hot August Night) and more Van Morrison ... and then to Bob Dylan. Did I know Kevin had dozens of Dylan cds stashed in the basement? Yes. Had I ever listened to every single one of them, night after night, for months? Ah, no. But I have now.

DIVA DVD: The Last Waltz. For movie-inspired music picks browse my Amazon store.

Photos from The Band's The Last Waltz 25th anniversary cd box set.

SHUT UP & SING

Thanks to my sis-in-law Susan for this suggestion, a look at the aftermath of Natalie Maine's off-hand comment about George Bush and the Iraq war at a 2003 London Dixie Chicks concert. The power of the film comes from the trio's response to the resulting firestorm of protests, censorship and even death threats. Banned from many country radio stations and dropped by sponsors, they could have split up, given up or begged forgiveness. Instead they stood up for each other and their band and recorded a blistering retort that caught the attention of an entire new audience (myself included) who had no idea they rank as the top selling female recording artists of all time.

DIVA DVD: Shut Up and Sing

Image from cover of Taking The Long Way CD.

WALK THE LINE

How Joaquin Phoenix did not win an Oscar for this role defies all logic. For the singing alone he deserved it, but his performance was so much more than that. Ditto Reese Witherspoon, whose portrayal of June Carter elevates this movie from music biopic to timeless love story. (At least she snagged a shiny little bald guy to put on her mantel.) The duo sound good enough to listen to sans visuals--check out the soundtrack CD, particularly the song It Ain't Me Babe, plus an album from the real Johnny and June, both feature picks in my Amazon store this month.

DIVA DVD: Walk the Line

MY WILD IRISH SOUL

March movie music madness month continues with this pick, in honor of upcoming St. Patrick's day. Share in the tumultuous rise and fall of a soul band in gritty Dublin. As in the movie, the rocking soundtrack features the actual (and amazing) young actors/singers.
DIVA DVD: The Commitments

MAMMA MIA!

Remnants of the snowstorm still cover the streets and temperatures hover in the teens. So tonight I'm taking a vicarious vacation to the Greek Isles and singing Abba tunes along with Meryl & Co. If watching this frothy songfest leaves you wanting more of the fab four, check out Abba Gold: The Greatest Hits CD.
DIVA DVD: Mamma Mia!

COMING TO AMERICA

A sweet story about immigration, racism, mixed-up morality, hard work, the dangers of black coffee and the power of love. Starts slow but pays off in the end.

DIVA DVD: Sweet Land

LOVE, BILLIONAIRE STYLE

That house on the cliff! Those clothes! Still stylish ten years later and oh so much fun. Great Faye Dunaway cameo. Still bugs me that we're supposed to believe such a large painting fit into such a small briefcase, but I quibble.
DIVA DVD: The Thomas Crown Affair (1999 version).