HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH***** Not being a big fan of the musical i had been putting this one off. Boy was that a huge mistake. I only wish i would have taken the opportunity to see this one on the big screen. It wasn't until walking through the video store after John Cameron Smith's much deserved Golden Globe Nomination that i decided to pick this movie up. I could not have asked for anything more.
Where to begin this review is impossible but i will start off by saying that John Cameron Smith deserves every possible amount of admiration that one can give. As Director, Co-Writer, Producer and Star of this off-broadway adaptation he nailed every role to perfection. None rings out with more perfection than his portrayal of the drag queen wannabe glam rock star Hedwig.
Hedwig is on a worldwide tour of the most unlikely of venues possible. From all you can eat buffets, to small ice cream stands, no possible performance location is left out. The tour is nothing more than the credible stalking of the world wide sensation rock star that be Tommy Gnosis, played by Michael Pitt. For me this would be the only downfall of the entire picture, that is the casting of Pitt for this important role. His performance stands dry and shifty with a strong facade of weak. But enough on that.
Hedwig's story unfolds through a series of chilhood flashbacks and countless memorable catchy rock tunes. The flashbacks start in his/her's early years as a child in East Berlin and carry through to the first same gender relationship, first break-up, several self discoveries along the way until Hedwig meets Tommy, the soon to be rock star.
The relationship that ensues between Hedwig and Tommy is memorable to say the least. At times nothing more than a normal girlfriend boyfriend matching, but at times it merges into a mentor student pairing, but even stronger is the Mother son dualing battle between the two. The sexual tension and chemistry flows, the awkwardness peaks and falls away. Hedwig while falling in love teaches and molds the young Tommy into what he is to become, which is the rock star Hedwig is chasing. Not just chasing the music and the life but at the heart of it all chasing the love that got away. The love that could not see through the noticable differences.
The songs have the appeal of a one hit wonder, when i say this i mean songs that stick directly in your head. The ones you find yourself singing long after your initial hearing. Songs that people in the cubicle next to you sing with full force at eight o'clock in the morning, but you don't mind because you know you like them to.
This movie stands alone in its uniqueness, but at the same time in its uniqueness stands out anywhere you could place it. I found myself thinking about the message this film gave me long after the stop button was pressed on the remote control. What message is that? I could not say for sure. It can say a lot of thigs to a lot of different people. What this movie is saying is "Watch Me", and what i'm saying to you is "Watch this movie". 100 GIRLS**** While a friend and i were navigating the new release racks for the umpteenth time we came across a box entitled 100 GIRLS. From the cover and the story described on the back of the box one would automatically assume the contents contained nothing more than a wannabe AMERICAN PIE, a post pubescent teen sex romp, but wait a second, after further inspection of the fine print we discovered it was the new film from the writer and director of EIGHT DAYS A WEEK. You ask what is EIGHT DAYS A WEEK? Who is the writer director? That would be Michael Davis. While EIGHT DAYS A WEEK is not a great film it was none the less enjoyable. So we decided to give it a try.
Guess what? We were not dissapointed, in fact we were the complete opposite, truly entertained. This movie is a wild, sexy, funny romp through the channels of finding oneself and finding your "kysmetic" love/destiny. Now while this review may feel like a complete block of cheese, the movie however is not. This a truly hard movie to review, i could describe the humor and situations but i would not do them justice. This is just one of those movies you have to watch.
It all starts when Matthew (Jonathen Tucker) gets trapped in an all girl dorm elevator with a strange woman during a random blackout. Honesty and love making follow, however through the night of bliss Matthew neglects to find out her name and is left only with a parting pair of panties when he wakes up the following morning. It is now his mission to infiltrate the all girls dorm and find his true love. Aided by his goofy supposedly sexist roomate Rod (James Deballo)he embarks on numerous schemes to find her.
Throughout his journey he befriends several women along the way, who all in some way or another teach him something about love and what women want. There is Arlene (Katherine Heigl of MY DAD THE HERO fame) who teaches him about teamwork in a relationship. That he has to give and take. Actually helping him look for his love is Wendy ( Larisa Oleyrik of TEN THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU) the girl next door who teaches him to let down his manly shield and actually open up. While Patty (Emmanuelle Chriqui of SNOW DAYS and the upcoming STROYTELLING) teaches him about the ways of a woman, sex that is, the art of love making.
Filled with witty lines and dialogue, raw humor, pure honesty and the beautiful reality about men and women this comedy never slows down. The movie keeps going and going and you still want more. Great subplots, tasetful sexiness, beauty and an ensemble casts of newcomers keeps you laughing, thinking and glued to your seat. Capped off by a touching humorous finale you will find yourself, like me, truly entertained and satisfied. |
