In Theatre

Few actors have portrayed a more wide variety of quirky characters than Johnny Depp. He seems to search for roles in which he can display a character’s “individuality.” In his latest effort, “The Tourist,” he plays a relatively normal math-teacher. But a quick look back shows that, for Depp, normal in not the norm.

Of course his quirkiest role was as poor Edward Scissorhands… or was that Willie Wonka…or Captain Jack Sparrow… you get the idea. Even when his Read the rest of this entry »

Not every actor makes a strong impression the first time out. As filmmaking has evolved, glamour has become less a part of the “star quality” that draws people to the theater. Today, it’s more about acting chops, and that sometimes takes a while to develop. Moviegoers who saw the Coen Brothers’ version of “True Grit” were treated to an impressive acting debut recently in the person of Haliee Steinfeld, who plays the precocious Mattie Ross.

In her first outing Steinfeld showed that she can carry a scene, as when she bargains for her murdered father’ Read the rest of this entry »

As many adults know, there are plenty of anime movies out there not suitable for children, but what many don’t know is the plethora of anime for children that adults will also enjoy. Some titles that are family friendly include the many works of Hayao Miyazaki’s, such as “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Ponyo”, which mostly center on children discovering a world beyond their own, Katsuhiro Otomo’s “Steamboy” (though this does have some violent scenes toward the end), and Hiroyuki Morito’s “The Cat Returns”. Miyazaki’s main characters are for the most part girls aged Read the rest of this entry »