Macgirl Media Pick of the Week: Hello Dolly!

After my last viewing of Wall-E (also known as one of my favorite movies ever) I decided I had to see the musical referenced so heavily in the film. And so, a few days later, Hello Dolly was at my door in a nice little red envelope.

I was totally captured from the first scene.  The frozen streetscape provoked a deep concentration- what am I looking at?  Why isn't anyone moving?  Then, off in the distance, a tiny train started to move across the screen.  As the world opened up and became alive, I couldn't look away.  This is a musical with creativity and amazing actors.  I usually get bored when the "singing" parts happen- not in this case.  I was fully in love- with the scenery, the feeling of a play being acted out in miniature right in front of me in my living room.  Who knew I loved Barbra Streisand?  Who knew I'd watch it again the next day, and find myself singing the signature song, Hello Dolly, while making dinner? 

Hello Dolly is a wonderfully romantic and light comedy that anyone can identify with.  Starring Walter Matthau, Barbra Streisand and Michael Crawford, the cast is amazing.  The fun songs and great acting are not to be missed.  If you were intrigued by the music in Wall-E, be sure to rent Hello Dolly.  It is a fabulous fun ride, and I'm glad I caught it.

Macgirl Media Pick of the Week: PRI Selected Shorts

I love podcasts.  They fill long drives and rides on the train with a blast of knowledge and entertainment (along with a healthy dose of Terry Gross).  I recently started listening to PRI Selected Shorts, recorded at the Symphony Stage in NY.  What a diverse and really powerful source of writings they cover!  The use of skilled thesbians, reading to a live audience, gives this production an intimate and warm feel.  I may not read enough short stories, but now I can listen to them!

Macgirl Media Pick of the Week: GJB FTW!

So most readers know I'm a big fan of the tv show LOST.  I was thrilled to find at the start of the new season that Jorge Garcia (Hugo Reyes on LOST), had started a LOST podcast with his girlfriend Beth.  We already enjoy his musings on his blog "dispatchesfromtheisland.blogspot.com" here at TDL, so this addition was exciting news. 

Having listened to all of their podcasts so far, I definitely recommend listening for any LOST fan to get a different perspective into the show.  The idea of the podcast:  they both read and review each episode SCRIPT as it arrives, and discuss their thoughts and theories.  Then, after the episode has aired (often months later), they record a follow up to the earlier discussion, noting changes or differences in how the scenes looked in the show verses how it read.  There is a healthy dose of commentary and cute banter.  I enjoy listening to both of them, and am glad they took on this project.  It definitely had added to my overall LOST experience.  So check them out!  Geronimo Jack' s Beard is a fun trip into the LOST universe. (be sure to check out the great artwork and theme music too, donated by friends and fans.)

Macgirl Media Pick of the Week: LOST!

If you have been following the fantastically-complex and sci-fi thrilling series LOST, you know what is coming on February 2nd. It will be the two-hour season opener to, sadly, the final season of LOST.   Yes, the ABC series (also produced by JJ Abram's Bad Robot Productions) will come to an end this year. 

I have mixed feelings about this being the final season.  I am glad that series writers and producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse (along with many others) will be able to complete the story arc and tell the complete story.  On the other hand, they have opened so many cans of worms, introduced so many compelling characters, it's hard to believe just one more (fairly short) season will leave us feeling satisfied.  I hope I am wrong.  To help tied you over until the series premiere, here's a link to the recap for Seasons 1-5 on iTunes.  Enjoy! 

Macgirl Media Pick of the Week: The Martian Chronicles (1980)

2010 fizzled in for me and my pile of tissues and repeated viewings of The Twilight Zone.  As my "winter break" came to an end, my bleary, too-much-TV-watching eyes happened upon a sci-fi movie I had managed to somehow avoid all of these years:  Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles, starring Rock Hudson.  Rock Hudson!  I only know him as a trivia answer...now a real Rock Hudson movie, and it's based on a great Bradbury novel...I'm in! 

So despite having had my fill of media all weekend, I settled in to watch The Martian Chronicles on the stragely named "THIS" channel.  (I've never happened on this channel before- is it new?  Does anyone know anything about who's behind it??)  Released in 1980, the far future (2007!!) is shown with lots of silver spray painted boards and rooms filled with white plastic furniture.  All computers have large banks of blinking lights, and everyone has very large collars.  (to better fight the Martians, I suppose)

I found this interpretation of Bradbury to be very compelling.  I was sucked in, and even my itchy trigger finger found itself far from the remote.  It may have low production values by today's standards, but the effects are fun and creative.  It reminded me of playing outer-space as a child.  The story is true to the writings, and I really enjoyed the pretty cheesy ending.  It may have been the Nyquil, but I highly recommend you add this classic to your sci-fi list if you haven't already.  You'll be glad you did.  :D