Smurfs

Every time I say the word Smurfs I always attach a great big exclamation point on the end of it.  I just can't help turning that one word into an exclamation.  Smurfs!  SMURFS!  SMUUUUURRRFFFS!!

Well anyway this is one movie I was loathe to see.  I'm not a big Neil Patrick Harris fan.  I know he's a big star now, and super funny to boot, but I just don't think he's a great actor.  Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to put down NPH, because let's be honest he is cool.  In fact he's not a bad actor either.  But his limitations seemed to shine a little easier in this CG and live action flick.  For instance there's a couple scenes where he doesn't focus on any of the smurfs or any where near anything that's going on.  Not really a failure, cause I wouldn't be able to act next to nothing, but it did take me out of the moment for a split second. There's a large amount of humour just built into the Smurfs themselves, and since they aren't above making fun of themselves, they draw attention to the fact that it's 100 male smurfs and one female smurfette right at the beginning of the film.  Also Hank Azaria plays the perfect Gargamel in live action, and Frank Welker as the voice of Azarel really could not have been better. (Who else played?  Go check out the IMDB entry: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472181/)

Now down to the important part: Is it worth seeing?  Yes it passed mustard.   I had a lot of fun watching this film, despite the ridiculousness of have 5 Smurfs who are 3 apples tall (but look only 2 apples tall) running around NYC.

Xanth

now I realize that I should actually read all the books in a series before reviewing the whole series, but I'm just such a fan now and from the first time I read the trilogy (which only took 24 hours), that I decided to give you blog followers a little heads up and a a thumbs up on this expansive series.  It started out as a simple 3 book triilogy, then the first 5 book trilogy ever (having made the first 3 books one book helped), and now it's over 33 books long covering whole centuries of Xanthology and Xanth history, with such humour and dedication to detail that you can't help but admire Piers Anthony's raw Talent.  With a capital 'T' meaning it's his magic talent, and trust me you'd get that reference if you read the books.  I won't be popping in all 33 books as links on this post, but I will link the first three books here, since really they are what got me hooked, and the whole rest of the series doesn't make quite as much sense with out them.

Ok, so no plot synopsis, but this series really does  pass mustard.  Get it!

Oh, I should mention that although it isn't exactly High Fantasy (Tolkien et. al.) it is awfully close. I can't list every type of creature and semi-sentient carnivorous plant, but trust me it has everything but Noble Elves, and Digging Dwarves. Actually, later on in the series it does have noble elves, but they are small, not human sized.


  

Drama At Inish

I had a chance to see another play at the Shaw Festival this season, and if you know me, you know how I got the tickets.  A little back story is needed here, see, Inish is a small town in South Ireland, near the town of Cork where the author grew up.  The date isn't specified in the play, but you can tell that it's a more modern play to be found at the Shaw Festival this year (2011).  This play was written for an Irish audience in an Irish Theatre, by an already accomplished playwright that had turned out quite a few comedic plays before this.  That being said, the almost entirely Canadian cast tended more towards a lilting Maritime accent than a good Irish Brogue.  It does fit the play just fine, and doesn't distract after the first few utterances of "OI".

Definitely Passes Mustard.  If you have a chance to check out this single setting play this season you should do it.