earlynr

My daughter loved this movie. It even made her believe in fairy tales. At the end, she was dancing around the room. She liked the plot twists and the way that people were not always what they seemed. She got caught up in the romance of the story and in Ella's self-sacrifice. Personally, I really enjoyed Anne Hathaway's singing scene -- that girl can sing! Sure, there are some flaws -- this was not Minnie Driver's best role, and Gisele Bundchen (sp?) isn't exactly the finest actor out there (and in this role she didn't even look that fabulous which usually takes the edge off any other subpar acting roles.) Anne Hathaway carries the movie. The sweetness of the telling and Anne's convincing, nuanced performance make this a fun movie for both young and old.

Juana la Loca is the story of a 15th century young Spanish monarch, Juana. The set design and costumes are beautiful and authentic, the dialogue is excellent, the acting is first-rate. As Juana, Pilar Lopez de Ayala is beautiful, feisty, and full of passion for her husband bordering on madness. Her husband, played by Daniele Liotti is gorgeous. When he turns to rampant womanizing, Juana's heart is broken, and she begins to obsess on her husband, sacrificing her duties as ruler of the kingdom. This is a very good movie, and Lopez de Ayala plays the role very well. Is she really crazy? The writers leave it for you to judge. No one could ever play a young queen as well Cate Blanchett did in Elizabeth; but Pilar Lopez de Ayala is totally convincing as Juana la Loca -- Joan the Mad.

Here's the best thing about The Mighty Wind -- Catherine O'Hara. In the role of Mickey, O'Hara puts in a fine, nuanced dramatic performance. Except, perhaps, for the funny song she sings at the trade show at the end, Catherine O'Hara chooses to play Mickey straight. By playing the character without laughs as sincere, sweet, kind, and sentimental in all the right ways, she becomes this interesting opposite of comic relief. The Might Wind does its best -- it's entertaining, I'd give it a 7 -- but I think perhaps folk singers just don't provide as good of fodder for comedy as do heavy metal rockers (Spinal Tap) and fanatical dog owners (Best in Show).

Fred Willard was as unbearably annoying as ever. Christopher Guest -- if you're out there -- please do not put Fred in any more of your movies. The annoying characters he plays are not funny; they are just . . . annoying!

Oh, and lastly, about the music . . . except for Parker Posey who can't sing (but, hey, you can't have it all -- she's still a great Indie actress), those spectacular Second City and Groundling improvisationists have shown in this movie that they're all decent musicians as well. And the songs written for "Mitch and Mickey" by Michael McKean and his wife Annette O'Toole (the actress who plays the mom on Smallville) are so pretty! I was (albeit somewhat guiltily) humming them long after the movie ended.