A Film Review by Alexander Morales

Interesting fact before I begin. In 1992, Anthony Hopkins won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the cannibalistic genius, Hannibal Lector, with less than 20 minutes of screen time in the film. With less than 20 minutes, Hopkins grabbed our attention and gave us an amazing sense of tension, horror and for most, something new to fear.

Less than 20 minutes.

Maybe there’s a lesson in that for the makers of the re-imagined “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”

I’m just saying.

Anyway, on to the review.

Freddy Krueger. A sick pedophilic murderer has enchanted horror movie fans from the very first scene of the original “A Nightmare on Elm Street” in 1984 where we watched in sick fascination as he created his iconic knifed glove. Since then, he’s invaded the dreams of dozens of dozing teenagers in eight feature films and the two seasons of the television anthology, “Freddy’s Nightmares.” Originally introduced to us by mastermind Wes Craven, Freddy Krueger has become a horror legend and even earned New Line Cinema the tagline of “The House that Freddy Built.”

So, as is it goes right now in Hollywood, it’s prime time to reintroduce Mr. Krueger to a brand new generation of moviegoers who may have forgotten how to have a good nightmare.

Directed by (accomplished) music video director Samuel Bayer, “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is a re-imagined, modern day telling of Krueger and his wicked wrath on the teenagers of the above-mentioned street. In all, the story is the exact same as the 1984 version with only a few minor tweaks. Just in case, here is a quick refresher – angered by his despicable actions (?) to their children, a group of parents come together and hunt Krueger down in search of justice. While locked in a small building, the parents do their best to force him out, but instead end up encasing him inside a fiery tomb. Now, years later, their acts and lies have come to the surface and Kruger is killing their now teenaged offspring in the one place the parents cannot protect them … in their dreams.

Scary huh? Well it should be.

But it’s not.

The issue with this “Nightmare” is that it just never really works together. It seems to jump from one dream sequence to the next and unfortunately, you just don’t care about the kids being traumatized. I know that Freddy is what everyone is really paying to see, but honestly, horribly bad acting by several of the supposed teenaged actors and poor overall storytelling get in the way.  

As Nancy, the lead character and Freddy’s “favorite,” Rooney Mara (“Youth in Revolt”) does pretty well and, in my opinion, holds her own against the Krueger character. She instantly has that look of innocence about her and it’s a little heartbreaking when the facts of her history with Krueger actually come to light. But, she’s about it. Which is very disappointing; especially in the case of Thomas Dekker (best known as John Connor from the television series “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”) who dreadfully overacts that you almost want to laugh every time he tries to be serious.

In terms of the story, like I said, it just never comes together well. Visually, it’s pretty clear that Bayer knows how make a stunning movie. “Nightmare” is excellent in how the shots are made and how, as the film progresses, the real world and the dream world start to overlap. However, the story never compares to Bayer’s high sense of style. I was impressed on how they were able to expand the creepiness of the Krueger character by showing him and how he engaged with the children when they were young, but as older teens, their quest for the truth really falls flat. Maybe it’s the way the parents’ and the teenagers’ plights come to a head. Maybe it’s the choppiness of the story. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s just not scary. I’m not sure. But I am sure that, as a horror movie, this film under delivers.

For me, the biggest disappointment was that the nightmares don’t get cool until the third act. They are all basic retreads from past “Nightmare” films and the dream world isn’t really explored until near the end. Lots of potential not tapped. Plus, it’s just not scary. Sure it’s full of the jumpy, quick scare moments, but that’s not sustainable. One jump does not equal fear and after a while you just know when, how and where the scare will be. Predictable is probably the nicest word I can use.

And yet even after all of that, the question that everyone wants to know the answer to … how was Freddy? Jackie Earle Haley (“The Watchmen” and “Shutter Island”) does pretty well as Krueger. While there is sure to be some debate as to how his Krueger measures up to Robert Englund’s original, I liked him. Of course, he’s a different kind of Freddy and that is where most of the debate will turn. Haley is able to push the creep factor but, instead of being as psychotic as the original, he reserves himself a little more and relishes in the power he holds over the teenagers. However, like the film itself, he never really is able to show his real potential until the near end. Which is a shame because that was where I really enjoyed his portrayal. Like I said, people will either love him or hate him, but it’s going to be very hard when the other guy has so many hours of film behind him.

The filmmakers did make one big mistake with the Freddy character though and in the end, really underwhelms the movie. They show him way too much. I don’t mean that they have him in too many scenes. They show too much of him – his whole body and face way too early and way too many times. Let me explain. If you go back and watch the original, Freddy is in the shadows for most of the film and you never get a perfect view of his face. We can tell what he’s wearing and all, but that was part of his power. Of course this was probably because of make-up issues back in 1984, but it made his character more of a mystery in that first film. As a restarting point in this new version, they just show all the goods right away and all the mystery is lost. Maybe this was because they were afraid fans would make fun of the new make-up. Who knows, but for me at least, it took some of that good old-fashioned fear out of the mix.

Overall … eh. It’s a well-made movie and the younger movie watchers in the audience seemed to have fun jumping at all the right parts, but bad storytelling, underachieving acting and not enough scare makes this a one and done for me.

Let’s hope the sequel is a little better. Maybe by then the filmmakers will brush up on the term scary, watch “Silence of the Lambs” and see what less than 20 minutes of fear can do to an audience.

2 out 5 doses of No-Doze.

“The Losers” is a Movie.

By Jason Gregg

It was fun. That's all you need to know about the new movie "The Losers."  If you try to dissect it or make sense of some of the plot flaws, you will be saddened. Go into the theater knowing that you put $10 down to watch a lot of cool shoot-out sequences, big explosions, some slow-motion love making and fast-paced dialogue and I promise you will leave happy. 

“The Losers” begins in a Bolivian jungle where a special ops team of five soldiers need to “paint a target” on a drug lord’s villa. (To paint a target means to place a laser target on an object such as a drug lord's villa so the missiles on an overhead fighter jet can destroy the target with pinpoint accuracy. I feel that I need to explain that because it is not explained fully in the movie. If it wasn't for "Clear and Present Danger,” I wouldn't have known what was going on either. Thank you, Tom Clancy.)  

While the team is painting the target, they see 25 children inside the villa, the team decides to do the heroic thing and rescue the children. This is a great action sequence, with a lot of video game-like violence. The director, Sylvain White, must own an Xbox and a copy of “Call of Duty Modern Warfare” because that was exactly what it felt like in the first 10 minutes of the film. The children are rescued and all is well until the evil super villain, Max (played by Jason Patric, but not seen at this time), takes revenge on the team for not following orders therefore eliminating the children. I know it is extreme, but if it didn't happen there would be no movie.

The Losers are now stranded in Bolivia and the team leader Clay (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan) wants revenge on Max. Through a well-choreographed hotel room fight between Clay and Aisha (played by Zoe Saldana), we find the team going back to America to find Max and get their revenge. (Now that I think about it, this is the second movie where Morgan has a violent fight with a woman, the first being in “Watchmen.” I wonder what that says about the types of roles Morgan chooses.)   

We are soon introduced to Max. Max is a super dry super villain. Without his dryness, he is another villain “off the factory” line. Patric brings a new personality to the Max character, he is somewhat mysterious and very evil but in a way he is likeable. He does fall into some of the evil villain stereotypes, which we have seen before. He even has an evil henchman. Max still has the same wants and desires as any other super villain – to take over the world or start a war between countries or to steal a lot of money. Have the Hollywood writers really exhausted all the possibilities of what motivates an evil super genius? I hope not. As far as “The Losers” is concerned the answer is “yes,” they have exhausted the Max character’s motives but they make up for it in his persona. 

The Losers begin their strategy to abduct Max, but through an intense action sequence in downtown Miami where they mistakenly take a very valuable object of Max’s. Max needs this item to fulfill his plans of evil doing. All along there is some alpha dog tension between The Losers and a lot of attraction between Clay and Aisha. This story line has been done before but that's OK.

All this action finally climaxes when the story brings everyone to a Los Angeles shipyard. There is some clever double crossing that adds a “how did that just happen?” moment and the film ends with a nice set up for a sequel. Does it need one? I guess the box office sales will determine that.

After everything is said and done, “The Losers” is a movie, no more, no less. You will most likely laugh, you will most likely be entertained, and you will most likely recommend it to friends (if those friends are males ages 18-34).   

Should you see this movie? Please refer to the opening paragraph. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Musical Theater Heritage Presents
MUSICAL MONDAY - May 3 at 7:30pm
Headliners are: Melinda MacDonald, Julie Shaw, Ben Gulley
Also Starring: Katie Karel, Katie McCreary, Chad Gerlt, George Harter
Hosted by: Tim Scott with Jeremy Watson and Band

What is it?
Musical Monday is an impromptu evening of musical theater starring KC's finest actors and singers. The Off Center Theatre becomes a "Nightclub for Broadway" - the bar is open, grab your favorite beverage, find a seat in the theater or find a spot on a sofa in the lobby with friends as KC's finest singers share their favorite songs from the Musical Theater. There are always a few "headliners" for the evening but we encourage seasoned pros and up-and-coming singers alike, to bring their sheet music and show the audience what they've got!

Why do it?
Monday is the traditional day off in the theatre world and we though it would be fun to use the day to bring theater lovers together with people who love to sing. Also, we hope to heighten the awareness of MTH and the beautiful Off Center Theatre on the third level of the Crown Center Shops. We hope to create a platform for emerging artists to showcase their talents before a live audience, singing on mic, with a professional pianist playing our beautiful new grand piano. And, finally, an opportunity to sing more than 16 Bars!

Admission?
$15 for general public. MTH Season Ticket holders receive admission to all Musical Mondays with their full season subscription package.  It is strongly encouraged for anyone planning to attend to make a reservation by calling (816) 221-6987.  

Singers:

Due to the overwhelming success of Musical Monday MTH is instituting a "Lottery" system for Guest Singers. For consideration to be a Guest Singer at Musical Monday please submit a name and resume to: (musicalmonday@gmail.com).  7-10 days prior to Musical Monday, MTH will conduct a random Lottery and select 5-10 additional people who will be invited to sing. Singers who are selected will be contacted via email and asked to confirm. Of course, any singers are always welcome to just "show up" to Musical Monday and maybe sing as in the past, but we are hoping by instituting the lottery system to avoid confusion and allow folks to be better prepared. Thanks for your support and we hope to see you soon!

Chad Gerlt

Musical Theater Heritage

Marketing Director / Associate Producer

1600 Genessee, Suite 810

Kansas City, MO 64102

Office: (816) 221-6987
Fax: (816) 221-6992
Box Office: (816) 842-9999

Kick-Ass

A Movie Review by Alexander Morales

Violence. It’s not a bad word. It’s the cornerstone of what every comic geek in the world, including myself, loves. Anybody who says differently is lying to him or herself or has not really embraced the true themes of a superhero world. Take the greats for example: from Superman to Spider Man to Batman, all of these characters are based on a violent, painful event that triggers their unique needs to fight crime and be what every awkward tween and teen has desired from the first time they experienced Wolverine “snickting” out his claws – be a superhero. Violence is the beginning. And deep down, down in the recesses of our souls, deep in the little crevasses where we hide the drawings of what we would look like as our own kind of superhero, we crave the violence and the ability to put down the bad guy. You know it’s true. Hulk versus the Thing is one of the all-time classics in comic lore and it’s because we got what we wanted. Violence.

It’s OK. The first step is admitting we have a problem.

Punisher, Green Lantern, Captain America, etc., on and on and so forth, all these characters have delivered for years because when the writers sit down and work with the illustrators, they give the fans what they want.

Violence.

And that is what we have here. Violence. Sweet, super-powered violence. And I’m addicted.

Directed by Mathew Vaughn (“Layer Cake”) and based on the recent, classic comic book of the same name by writer Mark Millar and illustrated by (the always amazing) John Romita, Jr., “Kick-Ass” is the modern tale of a young boy, his love of comic books and the desire to do something right. Dave Lizewski (played by a very likable Aaron Johnson) is just like most of the American teen population of the world. He dreams about girls, he loves fantastic things and most of all; he wants to kick someone’s ass … as a superhero. And one day, he does just that. Dave finds an interesting outfit as his hero garb takes on the name Kick-Ass and steps out on the street to do good. With bad, painful results, but he still does something. Meanwhile, disgraced officer Damon Macready (a ticky Nicolas Cage) is preparing his incredibly adorable daughter, Mindy, to become the most “killer” weapon in his personal war on big, bad crime boss Fran D’Amico (the excellent Mark Strong). Together, as Hit-Girl and Big Daddy, Macready is bringing the pain and destroying the system, one bullet at a time.

Sound a little ridiculous? It’s not really. What really helps this film work is that it’s based on our gritty, fast-paced and sometimes unbelievable society. With current events and pop culture references (some that, unless you’re a comic book fan, you won’t get) oozing out the dialogue, this film delivers in a style that speaks directly to the fans that it’s meant to embrace.

At the same time, along with the action bits, this film is funny. Not just the “weird situations” and you “kind of giggle nervously” funny. Nope, this film is hilarious. Vaughn has clearly understood what kind of film he was making and he is not afraid to allow the characters to comment on what is happening around them. Nice.

OK, now back to the violence. Is it morally wrong to have an 11-year-old girl murder bad guys and speak some of the foulest language caught on camera? Yeah, but it sure is fun. “Kick-Ass” is exactly the kind of hero story that fans have been looking for and the best part is, the characters all are realized out of the violence that surrounds them. Take Strong as DiAmico, he’s not some pretty overdressed prima donna. No, he’s a mean, cynical, tough guy that is a true reflection of the streets that he holds dominion over. Another example — Cage’s character. Macready/Big Daddy is just as much a dork as Dave is, but he has the training, the know-how and passion to do something right. All these characters are reflections of each other and they all share a basic desire and that is what keeps the audience engaged, interested and clapping. Well, that and the violence.

The biggest breakout in this film is Hit Girl. Actress Chloe Moretz (“Diary of a Wimpy Kid,”  “Bolt”) is exceptional as the heroine and steals the show from everyone else. Hit Girl’s high-action and hair-raising language are amazing to watch and the confidence of her character is truly the glue that holds the film together. Every scene she is in is gold and when she’s not on screen, you can just feel yourself asking, “Where’s Hit-Girl?”

Of course, the film’s not perfect. There are a few scenes that could have been edited down and the awkward thing for some, the characters seem to go on and on but overall, it is still nothing I would complain about. Toward the end, there is a sort of silly “hero-shot” that you kind of groan at, but ehh.

Overall, should you see this film? Hell yes! Of course, don’t take your kids and probably leave some of the elderly crowd at home, but if you are looking for a great action ride that’s not as heavy as the Dark Knight and much better than the Emo-centric “Spider-Man 3,” then sit down, grab your popcorn and go Kick-Ass!

4 out of 5 bloody batons.

City Island

Reviewed by: Heidi Nast

City Island directed and written by Raymond DeFelitta opens April 16. The movie stars Andy Garcia (Vince Rizzo), Julianna Marguiles (Joyce- Vince’s wife), Dominik Garcia-Lorido (Vince’s daughter in the movie and a tid-bit of trivia; she’s Garcia’s biological daughter off the screen!), Steven Strait (Tony) along with Emily Mortimer and Alan Arkin. Garcia also served as one of the film’s producers.

City Island really does exist; it’s a borough of the Bronx, as the lights of New York City sparkle against the horizon at sunset on Eastchester Bay.  The population is segmented into “clam diggers” those born and raised over countless generations and in most cases, living in the same family home passed down or “muscle suckers” those that move there, but don’t really count!  Their mannerisms, their cadence, their Bronx shouts-yells and hollers throughout the house or at the dinner table prompted the audience to laugh out loud and at the same time, feel a bit uncomfortable witnessing this dysfunctional family.

The premise of this comedic film is pretty easy. Each of us has secrets that we’ve held close to our heart or buried deep in our minds, hoping they’d never be revealed; only to find that life is a lot easier when the realities of truth are realized versus suppression that tumbles us into personal angst with a heavy price to pay for silence.  

Try as we might, but in the end, truth must float to the surface to embrace those around us that we love and ourselves. And without giving ANYTHING away, I will leave you with a paraphrased quote that sums up what quantifies our secrets as Garcia (Vince) acknowledges that anything is possible when “God gives each of us a second chance.”  That humility found in each of us gives us hope to finally get it right, thus profound strength in humanity is actualized.

City Island and its message is quite simple, truth, understanding and validation does set us free and liberates us to a place of internal harmony that opens the door to receive external love and acceptance and isn’t that what each of us strives for in this lifetime?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Arts Alive

Charlotte Matthews (2010 President)

816-665-9849

charlotte.k.matthews@gmail.com

www.artsalivekc.com

Arts Alive to Tour Artist Studios @ Livestock Exchange / Attend Christian McBride @ the Folly Theatre Saturday, April 24^th beginning at 6 pm

Arts Alive is pleased to present an open studio tour of artist studios at the Livestock Exchange building located at 1600 Gennessee. Participating artists include: Laura Berman, Miki Baird, Maria Creyts/mariaurora, Sue Friesz, Lynne Hodgman, Ritchie Kaye, Joe Lorusso, Kathleen Patton, Todd Peterson, Susan White, Marci Aylward and Marilyn Mahoney. Drinks and light appetizers will be served with catering provided by the Golden Ox. Pre-event will begin at 6pm.

Following the pre-event, participants will attend a performance by Grammy award winning jazz bass virtuoso Christian McBride, which will take place at the Folly Theatre [12^th & Central].

Tickets are $25 per person payable via artsalivekc.com. RSVP is required.

For more information and to sign up for our newsletter, please visit www.artsalivekc.com

Upcoming Events:

• Friday, May 7^th : Tom Corbin Studio / KC Ballet @ the Lyric Theatre
• June : Private viewing of major collection at collectors’ home followed by a private string performance. Stay tuned for specifics.

ArtsAlive is a non-profit organization that promotes the visual and performing arts in Greater Kansas City through social events hosted by a different organization each month. Translation: we're a bunch of individuals who want to learn more about and enjoy the arts while having a good time. For a nominal fee, we meet for food and drink, then attend a play or dance performance, listen to a symphony or an artist talk about his/her work, take a tour through a gallery collection, visit a tattoo parlor or whatever is on the current month's agenda.

Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City

Reveals “Lost-and-Found” Arts

The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City is on a mission. The group has been “erasing” art throughout the metropolitan area in hopes of inspiring the community to support the art that is here. As part of a public awareness campaign for its ArtsKC Fund, the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City created a series of blank billboards with the message, "If we don't support artists, there is no art," and then they started replacing the billboards on April 5 with "found art," images of art and arts venues representing Greater Kansas City. In addition, the Arts Council will unveil a series of three "Lost-and-Found" art pieces from different areas of the city as a way to suggest the potential loss of public art in the absence of patronage.

The art “erased” first came with one of the horses on the Parks and Recreation's J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain by sculptor Henri Greber, March 30, at Mill Creek Park. The second came well-known Kansas City Art Institute-graduate Nick Cave’s Soundsuit, April 15, at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art at Johnson County Community College. The third piece will be Water Plaza by Jun Kaneko at Bartle Hall on a date to be determined in late April or early May.

The J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain is the best-known and most-photographed of all of the city's fountains. It is located at the east entrance to the popular Country Club Plaza district. The sculptures were created by Greber in the early 1900s and adorned the Mansion of Clarence Mackay in Long Island, NY. The fountain was transported to Kansas City, refurbished and dedicated to the memory of J. C. Nichols, the developer of the Plaza in 1960. The fountain has four equestrian fugues that are said to represent four rivers: the Mississippi River (the rider fending off an alligator), the Volga River (with the bear), the Seine and the Rhine.

Harlan Brownlee, the executive director of the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City, says every city deserves great art. “What would a city be like without it? Would you miss it?” Arts provide economic development. “Arts create a vibrant place where we can come together as a community. The arts provide multiple perspectives. Art bridges gaps such as gender, race and socio-economics. Imagine a city without art. No Crossroads, no Rep, no Symphony, no dance, no Nelson. It is hard to imagine,” Brownlee says.

Anita Gorman, a long-time civic advocate and Missouri Department of Conservation commissioner, says art personifies all that is good for everyone. “Art can be a level playing field. Some of the most accessible comes in our sculptures and fountains around town. It can be unexpected as to how art helps. I was helping at the Salvation Army and a woman said that the fountains on make her feel better. The trick is that everyone has to help to keep our art going.” Kansas City Parks Board President John Fierro says the fountains in the city provide much of the city’s character.

“Art can help make our city a great place to work and play. We are raising awareness that support can bolster the economics. The Crossroads is a great example where a derelict area has been revitalized and businesses are growing. Art can help define our common humanity and improve our quality of life.”

The ArtsKC Fund, an initiative of the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City, is a united arts fund that raises new money to support a wide range of arts organizations and programs. The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City is a not-for-profit organization that serves the five-county Kansas City metropolitan area and strives to strengthen and enrich the community by growing appreciation, participation, and support of its arts resources. To help the organizations, the fund drive goal is $470,000. “When arts organizations gain dollars from us, they can apply for more grants because they have received a positive endorsement from us. It all returns to the community.” For more information about the ArtsKC Fund, visit http://www.ArtsKC.org.