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This is an ever-evolving story of a girl writer and her two greatest loves, the movies and travel. As she hikes the trenches of Hollywood, you're brought along for the ride.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Listen Up Hollywood: Don't Rip Yourself Off

As talented as I think actress Chloe Grace Moretz is, I can't bring myself to see the remake of Carrie.  And I'd heard so many bad things about the infamous remake of Psycho that I avoided it at all costs.  Psycho?  Why, it's one of my favorite movies.

It's hard for me to fathom why Hollywood insists on remaking classic films.  More often than not, remakes fail and (worse than that) they cheapen the originals.

I saw this list today: The Untouchables: 20 Classic Movies Hollywood Can't Remake or Revisit.  

Compiled by Kevin Polowy, I agree with every single movie on this list.  What would I add?  Rosemary's Baby, Breakfast At Tiffany's, and Manhattan instantly come to mind.  I'd lose respect for any studio that even attempts to redo these.

Content copyright ©2013 by KLiedle

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

TV Tastes Don't Jive With Popularity: New Girl Vs The B----

It takes me awhile to warm up to a new show.  A long time ago, I remember being forced to watch Friends one night and I kept thinking, "What's the deal with this show?"  I didn't get it at all.  Two years later, I tuned in again [on my own] and Voila-- became a Friends fan.   

It's not that it takes me longer to catch on, it's just that I don't like a show solely because it's popular;  I have to discover it on my own.

Sometimes, I'm surprised by my own taste.  While I admit to enjoying an occasional Deadly Women episode [expected], I can't seem to get into Orange Is The New Black [unexpected.]  The Walking Dead has to fight for my attention along with Game Of Thrones, two wildly popular shows that fans live and die over, but I haven't devoted much attention to.

New Girl, a show that premiered on Fox in 2011, is a show I expected to like.  It had a decent premise and Zooey Deschanel as a lead.  Additionally, Zooey's character, Jess, is a little like me. She's completely unafraid to showcase her klutsy, adorkable self.  She also breaks out into impromptu dancing (which I do, too) and randomly sings. 

Jess, in case you didn't know, breaks up with her boyfriend in the pilot episode.   Then, out of necessity, she answers an ad on Craigslist and moves in with a houseful of guys.  Shockingly, I didn't really like the show.  I didn't entirely dislike it.  I mean, I passively enjoyed parts of it, but I felt there was something lacking.  The storylines were okay and, at times, rather amusing, but the jokes and ensuing laughter felt canned to me.  It always feels like New Girl is trying too hard to fit in. 

Instead, I turned my attention to the Bitch in apartment 23.  This was a chick, I was expecting to hate.  Don't Trust The Bitch In Apartment 23... and I didn't.  I didn't trust her, but I sorta liked her.  The series, which premiered on ABC in 2012  followed June (Dreama Walker), a seemingly wholesome character who moves from Indiana to New York City.  Through unforeseen circumstances, she ends up needing a place to live asap.  Enter the Bitch, Chloe (Krysten Ritter), who becomes June's new roommate.  While the scheming and conniving Chloe begins with the upper hand, June proves herself by often beating Chloe at her own game.  B---- can be cliched, but to me, it has heart.  I enjoy the good-natured conflict between the girls and their neighborhood posse.  Chloe is creepily believeable as a skanky, older sister type to June.  She always looks after #1, and that's the point. 

The Update: New Girl is going strong in its third season.  Meanwhile, the network kicked B---- to the curb after Season 2 in early 2013.  That's how much I know.  Evidently, I'm not in touch with the heartbeat of the average American viewer.  Generally, I don't even like sitcoms. 

Luckily, though, even cancelled shows can have an afterlife these days.  Occasionally, a strong enough fan base can even resurrect a show from the dead.  These days, thanks to Netflix, I can diss New Girl in favor of B----.  And I'm thankful for that.

Copyright ©2013 by KLiedle

Sunday, November 3, 2013

"Invisible Cities" Journey

An intoxicating wave of music begins to waft throughout the room.  You find yourself in a room full of strangers, yet you feel connected to them in a way you can't quite explain.  Moments later, you're on a journey guided by your own imagination, experiencing something quite magical on an ordinary evening.  The music continues as you move throughout an environment you'd recognized just minutes earlier.  Wasn't this just a train station in downtown Los Angeles?  It was the last you looked.  Oh, but now it's coming alive with dancers and opera singers.  They're cavorting within the gardens and courtyards as dazzled and bewildered onlookers watch. 

This is the experience of "Invisible Cities," an interactive opera of sorts, sponsored by the Industry and LA Dance Project.  Based on the novel by Italo Calvino, "Invisible Cities" has become a surprisingly successful take on opera.  As many art forms and dance companies struggle financially, the creative team behind "Invisible Cities" has found a way to attract traditional opera and dance patrons as well as newcomers looking for a unique night out.  (I saw the show on Halloween, which only added to the experience.)

Each guest on the "Invisible Cities" journey is given a set of wireless headphones, powered by Sennheiser.  Once the overture has concluded, guests are free to roam the grounds of Union Station while experiencing the words and music.  As guests roam during the 75 minute show, performers and dancers delight and surprise by appearing throughout Union Station. 

While the show may not be for everyone, it's certainly innovative.  And popular!  Out of the starting gate, it's SOLD OUT 18 performances straight and has recently been extended to mid November.  For more information, see their website: http://invisiblecitiesopera.com/


INVISIBLE CITIES
Music and Libretto by Christopher Cerrone
Based on the novel by Italo Calvino
Directed by Yuval Sharon
LA Dance Project Company:
Founding Director, Benjamin Millepied

Travel Hollywood
Copyright ©2013 by KLiedle