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How
'Dark Knight Rises'
became film of the summer
WAUKESHA
- For those who thought that “The Avengers” was the
movie of the summer, listen up: The season’s headliner
hasn’t even hit the screen.
'Spider-Man'
is a fresh
twist to a familiar story
WAUKESHA
- Once “The Amazing Spider-Man”
shakes off a minor identity crisis, it asserts itself as a sparkling, agile and
exhilarating addition to the superhero franchise.
'Ted'
is a comedy
that pushes its luck
WAUKESHA
- Three weeks ago, the new Adam Sandler comedy “That’s
My Boy” opened in theaters across America, a shock comedy
about a boozing, foul-mouthed parent and his dreadfully
embarrassed son.
The
apocalypse kills the romance in comedy 'Seeking a Friend for the
End of the World'
WAUKESHA
- “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” is a romantic comedy set
adrift in the ugliness of an apocalypse thriller.
Abe
Lincoln, vampires
offer no sense of humor
WAUKESHA - I’m
a big believer in celebrating the great silly summer
blockbuster. We used to have a lot of them - from the likes
of “Men In Black” to “Independence Day” to “Snakes
on a Plane” and, most recently, “Battleship.”
Pixar
embraces
girl power in 'Brave'
WAUKESHA
- Pixar is back, and better than ever. The studio behind
such epic character studies as “Toy Story,” “Wall-E”
and “Ratatouille” has turned its attention to breathing
life into its very first female heroine.
Honest
Abe vs. vampires?
When
did blockbusters get so serious? It seems every weekend I
now go to the movie theater and there is a sprawling $100
million epic that involves sober, grim discussions and bleak
visions.
'The
Intouchables'
a tale of friendship
It’s difficult
to quantify things like charm and soul, but you’ll just
have to trust me on this one: “The Intouchables” is a
film that wins you over.
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'One
Night' captures
tribute to Janis Joplin
MILWAUKEE
- In the 1960s, we would have referred to “One Night with
Janis Joplin” as a happening.
Next
Act's 'Irma Vep' meets farcical challenge
MILWAUKEE - With
a chillingly Gothic script accompanied with melodramatic
organ music, thanks to the talents of Charles Ludlam and
Matt Zembrowski, respectively, the Next Act Theatre
relaunches its immensely popular “The Mystery of Irma Vep,”
which broke all attendance records in its old space on St.
Paul Avenue and Water Street in 2008.
Civic
Theatre comedy
goes swimmingly
WAUKESHA
- Women love to get together to reminisce and celebrate
their friendships. This is the premise of “Dixie Swim Club,”
presently on the boards at Waukesha Civic Theatre.
Skylight's
'Sing Me a Story' filled with classic gems
MILWAUKEE
- In case you thought the Skylight Music Theatre’s “Sing
Me a Story” with Jack Forbes Wilson and Kay Steifel was
just going to consist of a couple hours of melodic duets,
which would have been fine, knowing the reputation of these
two musicians, you would have been wrong.
Marquee
talent drives Windfall show
MILWAUKEE -
Stephen Sondheim, considered by many as the ultimate
composer of American musical theater, first gained notice
when he wrote the lyrics for Bernstein’s score for “West
Side Story.”
In
Tandem's 'Apartment 3A'
dynamic production
MILWAUKEE
- When someone breaks your heart, it is hard to take the
risk again. This is
the way the play “Apartment 3A”
by Jeff Daniels opens, with Annie entering a barren
apartment in a rather scruffy neighborhood to start her
tattered little life over again.
Lake
Country Players frighten us with rendition of 'Sweeney Todd'
HARTLAND - I have always been
astounded at the high standards attained by the community
theaters in Waukesha County. The present production of
Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd” at the Lake Country
Playhouse goes well beyond in this regard.
Carroll
Players offer great rendition of 'Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern'
WAUKESHA -
Futility, meaninglessness, lack of direction and dark humor
characterize Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern Are Dead,” and the Carroll University Players
aced the acrid flavor of this play.
Sunset
Playhouse's 'Lucky Stiff' is silly, but highly entertaining
ELM GROVE - The
Sunset Playhouse found a frolicksome musical farce to
entertain us in “Lucky Stiff” by Ahrens and Flaherty. It
has won its share of Tony awards and will soon be seen in
film.
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MILWAUKEE
– The most remarkable aspect of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s
classic novel “The Great Gatsby” is the quality of its
writing. Memorable metaphors combine with indelible poetic
passages.
