ladysprite: (Default)
[personal profile] ladysprite
In the ensuing hullaballoo of impending knee surgery, juggling work schedules, and a friend's catastrophe at the theatre, I almost forgot to mention one of the brighter, happy-making things I've encountered recently.

I like movies. I like going into a theatre with a group of friends and a bucket of popcorn (extra salt and artificial butter flavor, please) and turning off my suspension of disbelief for a couple of hours. I'm not very picky, either; I'll like just about any movie that's at least moderately entertaining. On the other hand, my particular tastes - the movies that are my secret, shameful loves - aren't always the most mainstream, and therefore don't come along too often.

I could almost swear, though, that at some point a year or so ago, a group of filmmakers sat down together and started plotting among themselves about how to come up with the perfect movie to turn me into a shivering, bright-eyed puddle of fangirl joy.

"Let's see," I can imagine them saying. "What exactly would we need?"
"Well, there would have to be a lot of dancing."
"Set it in a high school populated entirely by plucky, misunderstood underdogs!"
"Gotcha - dancing plucky underdogs. Maybe we ought to throw in a star-crossed love plot stolen whole-cloth from Romeo and Juliet, too?"
"It sounds good, but I can't shake the feeling we're still missing something....."
"AHA! Antonio Banderas! He makes everything better!"

And so they set out to make a movie about a high school full of plucky dancing romantically angsty underdogs, starring Antonio Banderas. I swear that they had to be monitoring my psyche; there's no other explanation for the existence of 'Take The Lead.'

Of course, when Hollywood turns out an entire movie with the sole purpose of delighting me, I have no choice but to see it. So I did, and much popcorn was munched, and much applauding and bouncing and cheering ensued.

I won't lie - the movie is trite, and predictable, and a bit formulaic. But Antonio Banderas looks smashing in a tux, and there's an amazing trial-by-dance, and a couple of tangos that don't so much strain the PG-13 rating as pummel the snot out of it while laughing, then leave it in a back alley while they march boldly forward. And I'm always a sucker for plucky, misunderstood heroes from the wrong side of the tracks.

I am a sad, easily manipulated fangirl. But at least I had a heck of a lot of fun watching it.....

Date: 2006-04-12 05:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] meranthi.livejournal.com
Hey, I made a note to see it as soon as I found out. And actually made a date to do so. I loved it. :) Trite, silly, totally predictable, but it had dancing!

Date: 2006-04-12 05:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gyzki.livejournal.com
I am a sad, easily manipulated fangirl.

You don't sound sad. Not even the way you meant it.

Date: 2006-04-12 06:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] oakleaf-mirror.livejournal.com
...and a friend's catastrophe at the theatre...

If this is referring to my car being broken into, I'd hardly call it a catastrophe. A frustrating and possibly expensive annoyance that I would really have preferred to do without, sure. A catastrophe, not so much.

And yeah, what a good an enjoyable movie it was.

Date: 2006-04-12 11:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dagibbs.livejournal.com
But Tangos just so NATURALLY pummel PG-13 ratings, at least, if they're done right. :)

I just wish I could do them right. :(

Date: 2006-04-13 10:15 pm (UTC)
jducoeur: (Default)
From: [personal profile] jducoeur
I have to say, my estimation of Antonio Banderas is going steadily up. He headlined for Saturday Night Live last week, and proved to be a fine (and shameless) comedian, easily upstaging the entire regular cast of the show...

Antonio

Date: 2006-04-14 04:36 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thebeardedone.livejournal.com
Honey, I'm right there with you on the Antonio watching side of the force. Fortunately, he has been in a LOT of films by this point, and many of them are available on DVD. Wheee!

Date: 2006-04-16 04:58 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladymondegreen.livejournal.com
I really enjoyed this film. Especially the quasi-poly dance sequence. :)

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