The Rocker

Posted on September 6, 2010 at 8:00 am

B-

Lowest Recommended Age:	High School
MPAA Rating:	Rated PG-13 for drug and sexual references, nudity and language.
Profanity:	Strong and crude language
Alcohol/ Drugs:	Adult character drinks a lot, some drug references
Violence/ Scariness:	Comic and slapstick violence, no one badly hurt
Diversity Issues:	None
Date Released to Theaters:	August 20, 2008
Date Released to DVD:	January 27, 2009
Amazon.com ASIN:	B001E95ZHY

Emma Stone’s breakthrough role in next week’s “Easy A” makes this a good time to look at some of her earlier work. She is terrific in this story of a high school rock group.

Pete Best, who was famously kicked out of The Beatles just before they brought on Ringo Starr and rocketed to international superstardom, appears as himself in this movie about a drummer who was kicked out of an 80’s hair band before they went on to such heights of international superstardom that they now speak with cheeky lower-class English accents, even though they came from Cleveland.

“The Office’s” Rainn Wilson plays “Fish,” the drummer still stuck in Cleveland, where the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame seems to be there just to remind him of how much he has lost. Fired from his job, dumped by his girlfriend, he is living in his sister’s attic when, 20 years after he last sat behind a drum kit, he gets one more chance to live the dream. His nephew’s band needs a drummer for the prom.

A video of Fish rehearsing in the nude becomes a viral sensation on YouTube and suddenly the group of three graduating high school seniors and a demented and bitter burn-out is on tour.

Angelina Ballerina: Love to Dance

Posted on August 31, 2010 at 10:00 am

Angelina Ballerina: Love to Dance, the first chance to see the new CGI makeover for everyone’s favorite dancing mouse, comes out this week. I have three DVDs to give away and a special prize for everyone who writes to me. Read on for details.

The DVD features:

“Angelina’s New School ” – Angelina is excited, yet nervous, about her first day of school at Camembert Academy . When she finds her new classmates proficient in other styles of dance, she tries to copy their moves – without success. Angelina soon discovers that when she’s true to her own style of dance – ballet – she excels, and soon understands that everyone is different, and different is good.

“Angelina’s Dance Partner” – Angelina is ecstatic to have the opportunity to dance with her best friend, Alice, at Camembert Academy ‘s “Dance With a Partner Day.” Angelina likes to choreograph the routine down to the very last detail and Alice is happy to oblige! Unfortunately, when Alice gets the sniffles Angelina must partner with Viki, whose style of improvisation contradicts with Angelina’s style. Angelina learns the importance of collaboration, cooperation and adaptability when working with a partner.

“Angelina’s Oldest Friend” – Angelina loves her new Camembert Academy friends and also loves her old friend Alice. She expects that both sets of friends will love each other too. Unfortunately, their first encounter is not as smooth as Angelina would have liked so the new and old friends work together to find a new way to play so all can have fun.

“Angelina’s Sleepover” – Angelina, Viki and Gracie decide to have a sleepover the night before a rehearsal for the big performance, but they do everything except sleep! The next day they are too tired for the morning rehearsal and have to choose between an afternoon rehearsal or attending the annual Silly Hat Carnival, a fun tradition in Mouseland. Angelina and her friends decide to rehearse and learn that being prepared is the best fun of all!

“Angelina and the Hip Hop Kid” – Angelina is very excited to be directing her very first Hip Hop Show when suddenly her star, AZ, falls and hurts his foot! Who can step into his shoes at the last minute? Marco is the number one choice. However, though he can play Hip Hop music, dancing Hip Hop is another thing. The show is in danger of not going on… unless Angelina can come up with a solution in time!

Bonus features are the “Angelina Says” Game and two music videos: “Get Up and Dance” and “I Will Be A Star”

Send me an email at moviemom@moviemom.com with Ballerina in the subject line and tell me why you love to dance. Don’t forget to include your address. The first three will receive the DVD and everyone who writes will get a special coloring page about Angelina Ballerina.

Marmaduke

Posted on August 31, 2010 at 8:00 am

Those who come to “Marmaduke” eager for the humor that comes from the intestinal distress of others don’t have to wait too long. The first of many instances of doggy-doo jokes comes about three minutes into the film.

Marmaduke has been running in the comic section for more than half a century. It has just one panel and just one joke: Marmaduke is a very, very big dog who brings chaos to those who try to impose order in the world.

In this movie adaptation, Marmaduke and his family move to California and Marmaduke has to learn how to make new friends over at the dog park, which like middle school — very cliquey. He is quickly befriended by the independent-minded Mazie (voice of Emma Stone) but wants very much to be accepted by the pedigreed pooches, led by alpha dog Bosco (voice of Keifer Sutherland) and his lovely girlfriend Jezebel (voice of Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas). He treats his friends badly to become part of the cool group and learns that he has made a very bad mistake. Meanwhile, he is also getting in trouble at home with his human family: the always-appealing Lee Pace (“Pushing Daisies”) as an affectionate but distracted father and should-be-a-leading-lady Judy Greer. Released from an endless series of quippy best friend roles in an endless stream of chick flicks — she has friended more Jennifers and Jessicas on screen than can be found in all of Facebook — it is especially disappointing that she has an even smaller role here. She seems oddly passive, barely noticing what is going on in her home other than punishing her husband for punishing Marmaduke.

Not that kids who see this movie will care at all about that. They want to see some unbridled id creating chaos. They want to see cute dogs making big messes and still being loved, some dog-doo jokes and a silly dance. They want to see a daddy learning a lesson about how it is more important to listen to your kids than to work. They will enjoy all of these things, but for the adults who accompany them it will be a long 87 minutes.

Related Tags:

Comedy For the Whole Family

Interview: Aviva Kempner of ‘Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg”

Posted on August 30, 2010 at 3:59 pm

Aviva Kempner is the director of the outstanding documentary, “Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg,” just out on DVD. I interviewed her about making the film and new material and surprising discovery she added to the DVD features.
What surprised you most in researching this film?
I never knew about the blacklisting and sad demise of fellow actor Philip Loeb, who played Jake Goldberg on first season of “The Goldbergs.” Very talented and union organizer Loeb was targeted and driven from the show even though Berg fought hard to keep him on. Losing his livelihood Loeb killed himself 55 years ago on September 1st. He taught many fine actors, including Kirk Douglas, and directed seasons of the Marx Brothers in “Room Service.” He lost his life to a disease called the blacklist.
What was it about the Goldbergs that made their stories seem so universal?
It was so delightfully about the joys and woes of family at a time that so many immigrant and accented speaking families were living together and struggling to succeed.
Is ethnic material handled differently now? What’s better and what have we
lost?
Sadly those ethnic characters are no longer the norm unlike those delightful characters on early radio and television. I was saddened to see “Ugly Betty” go off the air as it celebrated the aspirations of a Latin immigrant family. Hopefully more of those shows will emerge again.
Is there anyone today who is a performer/writer/producer the same way that Berg
was?
Tina Fey and Oprah are as multi-tasked and powerful women in popular culture today. I was honored to bring Gertrude Berg, the most famous woman in America you have never heard of, to the screen. I loved that a combination of senior citizens, who watched the show, and young viewers, especially feminists, flocked to the movie theatres. Now the DVD can expose the rest of America to talented Gertrude Berg.
What was her biggest challenge? Her biggest triumph?
Her biggest challenge was fighting the blacklist of Philip Loeb and the her biggest triumph was winning the first Emmy for an actress sixty years ago and then go on to also claim a Tony award for “Majority of One.”
What kinds of extras are on the DVD?
The jam-packed DVD includes interviews with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, actor Ed Asner, producers Norman Lear (“All in the Family”) and Gary David Goldberg (“Family Ties”), and NPR correspondent Susan Stamberg, as well as early career appearances of Anne Bancroft and Steve McQueen. The bonus features are chock-full with over two hours of material including my own audio commentary, episodes of “The Goldbergs” (including a surprising 1954 episode featuring Molly and Jake in the same bed together!), Gertrude Berg’s guest appearances with Edward R. Murrow and on Ed Sullivan, additional scenes and interviews, a Gertrude Berg recipe, an essay from the director and much, much more.

Related Tags:

Directors Interview

The Pajama Game

Posted on August 30, 2010 at 8:00 am

B+

Lowest Recommended Age:	4th - 6th Grades
MPAA Rating:	NR
Profanity:	None
Alcohol/ Drugs:	Social drinking, character gets drunk
Violence/ Scariness:	Some tense confrontations, knife-throwing tricks
Diversity Issues:	Strong women
Date Released to Theaters:	1957
Date Released to DVD:	August 29, 2011
Amazon.com ASIN:	B0007QS306

Labor Day is a good time to see this musical about the romance between a representative of the union (Doris Day) and a representative of management (John Raitt). It has the good sense to keep the plot out of the way of the wonderful songs (like “Hey There” and “Steam Heat”) and the ebulliently energetic dance numbers (choreographed by Bob Fosse). But there is enough of a plot to provide an opportunity to discuss the ways in which workers and managers might feel differently about things, and how they work together to find the best solution for both of them.

NOTE: There is a subplot about a man who is irrationally jealous and possessive, played for humor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJJcDSZjxrk