After three weeks of waiting, I finally got to see Hairspray (2007, ***) today. It was exactly what I expected: a colorful, delightful, no frills, hilarious time at the movies. Marc Shaiman has done the unthinkable in making a John Waters movie into quite a great Broadway musical and Adam Shankman has brought it to the screen with style and pizazz. Although the movie suffers from some pacing issues in the middle and there is just a bit too much singing, the movie never stops being fun and has some really sly humor that the main demographic would not grasp (including a hilarious cameo by John Waters himself as "the flasher who lives next door").Brittany Snow is in it, too. ("I can hear the bells...")
Last night, I made my first attempt at introducing a friend to Tarkovsky. She had tried watching Solaris once and was put off by its glacial pace and seemingly pointless narrative, so I knew I was going into something that could prove quite difficult when I pulled Stalker out of my man-purse. But, to my surprise, it went very well and she ended up loving the movie. I was happy.
I found the trailer for Paul Haggis' In The Valley of Elah today (which, coincidentally, happens to include half the cast of the Coen's No Country for Old Men). It looks like it could be very good if it doesn't turn out too sappy. I trust Haggis, though ... he rocks.
The last thing on my mind today is the discovery of a classical piece I had never heard before (GASP). As I was driving home today, my favorite radio announcer, John Chester of Classical WETA 90.9 (I wish I could carry him around with me everywhere), introduced Max Bruch's Third Symphony. May I recommend the second movement? It's a gorgeous 10 minute piece for $.99 on iTunes. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me.
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