Stage Door: The misunderstood, exquisitely sung "Superhero"

by Nathaniel R

Don't let the title fool you though it's not at all deceptive. Tom Kitt's (Next to Normal) newest musical both does and doesn't involve superpowered do-gooders. This anguished but gorgeous intimate drama is, more specifically, about a teenage boy who loves comic books (new find Kyle McArthur who has been with the show since its developmental process). The boy is still reeling from the death of his father two years before the play begins. He loves to draw superheroes which we see projected on to the stage at times. His widowed depressed mother (Kate Baldwin), struggles to connect with this typical juvenile obsession ("What's Happening to My Boy?") especially since they really need each other given the sorry fate life handed them.

Early in the musical the boy becomes obsessed with a mysterious neighbor who he is convinced is either a superhero or supervillain --  the jury still being out...

Click to read more ...

Charlotte & Tennessee, just because

image via our friend Sheila's instagram (this pic is such a find!) 

Watch at Home: Meet Me on Beale Street, Aquaman

by Nathaniel R

Links go to our reviews or interviews

New Blu-Ray / DVDs
• Aquaman Worth seeing for the insanity of the visuals plus an excellent villain in Patrick Wilson's Ocean Master.
• Capernaum One of last year's most visceral dramas.
• If Beale Street Could Talk See why Regina King took home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.
• Second Act In which JLo fools everyone with an embellished resume...

Click to read more ...

Elton John 🎵

 Happy 72nd to Elton John today. With his biopic Rocketman just around the corner, let's list our favourite of his songs for a comment party.

Here are mine to get you started:

1. Your Song (1970)
2. Rocket Man (1972)
3. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
4. I Want Love (2001)
5. Tiny Dancer (1971)
6. The Last Song (1992)
7. Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me (1974)
8. Sacrifice (1989)
9. Don't Go Breaking My Heart (1976)
10. I Don't Wanna Go With You Like That (1988)

With apologies to This Train Don't Stop There Anymore (2001), Daniel (1973), The Bitch is Back (1974), I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues (1983), and more...

Beauty vs Beast: Girls Gone Wildin'

Happy Monday to one and all, Jason from MNPP here with this week's brand new edition of "Beauty vs Beast" -- enfant terrible provocateur Harmoney Korine is tossing another neon grenade our way this forthcoming Friday with his film The Beach Bum (reviewed at SXSW), twisting our sexual stoner preconceptions of Matthew McConaughey to suit his perverse needs. So for this week's contest, with Britney's voice still warbling in our heads, let's toss it back seven years to Korine's last much celebrated ode to the wacky Florida lifestyle, Spring Breakers.

In one corner we've got our four bikini kill co-eds (played by Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine) and everywhere else we've got the drug-dealing pistol-fellating Alien (James Franco), owner of shit.

survey solutions

PREVIOUSLY I figured last week's Eternal Sunshine contest wouldn't be close but it really, really, wasn't close -- Kirsten Dunst walked away with 92% of the vote over Elijah Wood's mega-creep; said Fitz:

"Mary, Mary, Mary. No contest. I think Kirsten Dunst's performance, as a supporting actor, was perhaps more impressive than Kate Winslet's with the limited time she got. Mary's arc was devastating, and Dunst (no surprises) was heartbreaking in the role. Sadly—just another Oscar nod that was denied Dunst who should have at least 6 and 1 win by now (her turns in Melancholia, The Beguiled, Bachelorette, All Good Things, The Virgin Suicides, Marie Antoinette, The Cat's Meow, Eternal Sunshine, Interview with the Vampire were all Oscar-worthy performances)"