Legitimate Theater Bonus: #10. Beetlejuice (2019)

Beetlejuice: The Musical, The Musical, The Musical

Welcome to Legitimate Theater: a column dedicated to movie-based stage musicals. The goal of this series is to explore those stories that originated in films and eventually worked their way onto Broadway and beyond. By the end of each entry, there will hopefully be a better understanding of this odd but rampant trend in modern entertainment. Are these stories really worth telling through song and dance? How can it even compare to the technical prowess of a camera and seamless editing? Join me on this quest as I explore the highs and lows of this trend on the third Wednesday of every month and hopefully answer what makes this Legitimate Theater.

R.I.P. Albert Finney (1936-2019)

Albert Finney in Tom Jones

On February 7, 2019, actor Albert Finney passed away at the age of 82 in London, England. Over the course of his illustrious career, he has done acclaimed work on stage in Shakespeare productions as well as headlining Oscar-winning films including Tom Jones. Over a career spanning 60 years, he has continually proven himself to be a charismatic performer, complimenting his co-stars and elevating productions ranging from romance (Two for the Road), mystery (Murder on the Orient Express), and legal dramas (Erin Brockovich). His career knew no bounds and saw him willing to try anything in favor of enhancing the cinematic experience. There's few who could claim to have a career full of as many highs as he did. His work will continue to live on as new audiences discover the magic that he brings to every role he every did.

R.I.P. Martin Landau (1928-2017)

Martin Landau

On July 15, 2017, actor Martin Landau died at the age of 89 in Los Angeles, California. He is an actor whose career spanned 60 years and featured great work both in film and TV. On the small screen, he received a Golden Globe for his performance in Mission: Impossible as Rollin Hand. On the big screen, his career was even more expansive and featured roles that varied from a supporting role in North by Northwest and Cleopatra to Oscar nominations for Crimes and Misdemeanors and Ed Wood (the latter of which he won for). No matter where he went, he brought a charisma that reflected his graceful acting style, of which he also taught in the Actors Studio (of which he was the head of the Hollywood branch until his passing). He left behind an impressive body of work, and one that is unmatched by anyone.

Theory Thursday: Adam West is the Best Live Action Batman

Adam West

Welcome to a weekly column called Theory Thursdays, which will be released every Thursday and discuss my "controversial opinion" related to something relative to the week of release. Sometimes it will be birthdays while others is current events or a new film release. Whatever the case may be, this is a personal defense for why I disagree with the general opinion and hope to convince you of the same. While I don't expect you to be on my side, I do hope for a rational argument. After all, film is a subjective medium and this is merely just a theory that can be proven either way. 

Check Out an Excerpt From My New Essay on Tim Burton

This past Tuesday, I released a long gestating project called "From Pee-wee to Peregrine: Why Tim Burton Still Matters." This essay was created as a personal challenge for me to create a full length analysis of one filmmaker. Considering that his most recent film Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is currently playing in theaters, I felt that it would be appropriate to look at the eclectic work of Tim Burton, who I maintain is one of the most visually singular directors of the late 20th century. It is currently available on Amazon and Smashwords for $1.99. For those still curious, I have provided an excerpt from the essay called "What is Burton-esque?" Please check it out and feel free to check out the essay's other chapters on his cultural impact and why he continues to resonate. 

The Runner-Ups: Paul Reubens in "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" (1985)

Paull Reubens in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

Every Oscar season, there are a handful of actors who get tagged with the "snubbed" moniker. While it is always unfortunate to see our favorites not honored with at very least a nomination, there's another trend that goes largely unnoticed: those who never even got that far. The Runner-Ups is a column meant to honor the greats in cinema who put in phenomenal work without getting the credit that they deserved from The Academy. Join me every Saturday as I honor those who never received any love. This list will hopefully come to cover both the acting community, and the many crew members who put the production together.

The Runner-Ups: Ewan McGregor in "Big Fish" (2003)

Ewan McGregor

Every Oscar season, there are a handful of actors who get tagged with the "snubbed" moniker. While it is always unfortunate to see our favorites not honored with at very least a nomination, there's another trend that goes largely unnoticed: those who never even got that far. The Runner-Ups is a column meant to honor the greats in cinema who put in phenomenal work without getting the credit that they deserved from The Academy. Join me every Saturday as I honor those who never received any love. This list will hopefully come to cover both the acting community, and the many crew members who put the production together.

A Look at Roald Dahl's Box Office Curse

Scene from The BFG

While everyone is busy today celebrating Independence Day, it looks like director Steven Spielberg may have a bit of worry on his hands. His latest film The BFG opened this past weekend, and the results were far from the stellar numbers that you'd expect from the man behind Jaws and Jurassic Park. With an estimated $18 million opening weekend for a film budgeted at approximately $140 million, it's going to need major business overseas to even recoup its initial cost. However, what if I were to say that this is pretty common for movies adapted from Roald Dahl books? Yes, to date there has only been one runaway hit of the seven big screen adaptations, and it's one of the less revered titles on the list. The following is a look at those films and the curse of Dahl.

Birthday Take: Martin Landau in "Ed Wood" (1994)

Martin Landau in Ed Wood

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.

Birthday Take: Tim Burton in "Frankenweenie" (2012)

Scene from Frankenweenie

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.

Review: "Big Eyes" is an Intriguing Biopic on Artistic Ownership and Manufacturing

At its core, Big Eyes is very much a film that director Tim Burton cannot make. While he has played around in the real world before, he has always embraced the kitsch side of everything, choosing to illuminate visuals with sickly colorful landscapes. Ed Wood worked because it mixed this with a director with dreams outside of his talent. Big Eyes is a film predominantly rooted in the real world, which doesn't seem to interest Burton anymore. For those that are complaining that it lacks style because of this, look at it another way. This is Burton showing actual interest in his work. Why else would he tackle a biopic about Margaret Keane (Amy Adams), who is as far from eccentric as his catalog gets? It is a film that shouldn't work but kind of does, and that's the fascinating hat trick.

A Look at the Early Divisive Reactions to "Big Eyes"

Left to right: Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams

It has been awhile since we last heard about director Tim Burton's Big Eyes. After the great first trailer was released, the buzz has been silent in favor of more pressing films. Still, it seemed like was bound to be an Oscar contender in a lot of aspects. It teams up Burton with the writers of his best film: Ed Wood. It also looks to be one of his more realistic and interesting films that focuses more on drama than visual flourishes. Also, it has Amy Adams gunning for a potential Oscar nomination. The only question is if it could last. Based on early reports, it doesn't look all that likely of a lock.

The First "Big Eyes" Trailer Doesn't Look Like a Tim Burton Film in the Best Way Possible

Amy Adams

For some strange reason, the words "Oscars" and "Tim Burton" are almost verboten from being within a three sentence radius. Yes, there is plenty evidence to suggest that the director's recent work from the past 10 years is arguably inferior to his more creative heyday. However, there seems to have been an exception with buzz around his latest film Big Eyes, which hasn't played any festival nor has it received any other acclaim than that it may be Amy Adams' shot at the Oscar (a move that I am all for). This is a strange concept for a Burton movie as of late. However, what's even more strange is that after the first trailer, it may be his most normal-looking movie since Ed Wood with a lot of his signature surreal visuals missing. From the looks of things, this is a great thing.