The Gallagher Effect, and Other Movie Reviews

In which we shall see: Taken, Coraline, Center Stage 2: Turn It Up, and commentary thereunto. Also, Peter Gallagher and his ability (hopefully learnable) to make the world a better place for everyone.

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First, a few words about a few movies I've seen recently:

Liam Neeson as an action star? At his age? Who woulda thunk? Not only that, but the man can actually ACT... An intensely violent movie, at one point I found myself wondering if I'd somehow missed the "R" rating. I don't recall sex (odd, considering the plot), language or actual blood being problems in the movie - it was just really, really, violent. A friend of mine saw the movie and loved it: it's about a man whose daughter takes a trip to Europe with a friend and is kidnapped by human traffickers upon her arrival in Paris. Being ex-CIA (and apparently very good at it), Dad heads to France to get his little girl back. My friend likes movies that "tell" her something - now she's more aware of the human trafficking rings out there. OK - I just couldn't get past the fact that it's a movie, not a documentary... and an awfully cold movie, at that. Liam Neeson's character talks with several people who have children, and not one of them is willing to help him in his quest to retrieve his child. By the same token, the main character does almost nothing to help any of the other young women he comes across in a similar situation to his daughter's - I blame the writer and director. Seriously, they couldn't give the movie an ounce of humanity by having Dad place a phone call to his CIA buddies after he blows open the traffickers' headquarters (oops, SPOILER) and request that they come in and help the other young women? ONE PHONE CALL? And does EVERYBODY (mini-SPOILER) have to be baaaaad? Honestly.

Overall, I thought it was quite a good movie. I very much disliked it though, and am not at all likely to see it again. If I get a jones I'll head straight for the Jason Bourne flicks instead.

WOW. Wow wow wow. Also, this is NOT a kids' movie. I'm not kidding about that. It's probably the creepiest, most disturbing movie I've seen in years (possibly ever) and I absolutely LOVED it. The 3-D was amazing: this film doesn't rely on things jumping out of the screen at you - instead, it pulls you IN and gives you an incredible sense of depth. It's so unique and strange and eerie and lovely - go see it. (Unless you really can't stand spiders. Or get freaked out by dolls. Or have no imagination. Or get easily creeped out in general.) I walked away thinking that unlike most "children's" movies, it was nice to see one that didn't have a MESSAGE for the audience... but as I've continued to think about it since I saw it I realized that it has several messages. 1) You may very well be responsible for your own happiness. Own it. 2) It is a really good idea to listen to other people - parents, children, neighbors, and occasionally cats. 3) If you are a lousy parent the audience will HATE you. Try not to suck as a parental unit. (Seriously.)

This goes to the top of my "Favorite Halloween Movies" list the minute it comes out on DVD.

(Again, NOT a kids' movie - unless your kids are kind of disturbed themselves. Up to you. And, uh, there is a scene with in which a lady with very large bosoms wears nothing but a thong and pasties. Yeah, "animated", but still - major ick. If you ask the 27-yr.-old guy sitting next to me in the movie, THAT was actually the freakiest part.)

And the "keynote" film of the post:

Here's the thing: I'm a big fan of dance movies. Step Up, Take the Lead, Dance With Me, Will You Dance, Save the Last Dance, even Another Cinderella Story (but we won't talk about that), all the old dance classics... and I still pull out the original Center Stage on a regular basis. I fully understand that for the most part the modern dance movie is 2 parts plot, 1 part acting, and 7 parts fantastic dance moves - I get it. Generally, I applaud it. So I wasn't too hesitant to try out this sequel. Sequels are generally not as good as the first movie, but we're here for the dancing, right? Hoo, boy.

People, this movie made the dancers who were doing their darndest to recite lines in Center Stage look like PROFESSIONAL ACTORS. Whoever was casting this thing evidently looked at dance tapes and headshots, and never actually met the "actors" or had them, you know, READ DIALOGUE. On the plus, the girl does have gorgeous eyes and an incredible smile, and she really can dance - the guy evidently danced with somebody famous and well-paid, and has a crazy New England accent that I mistook for Canadian (sorry, Canooks). Overall, the lack of acting ability in this movie actually DETRACTS from the dancing, like a black hole of thespian suckitude.

With one exception.

Peter Gallagher is back in this movie.

You will remember him from the first film - he played the arrogant director of the American Ballet Academy, and he and his eyebrows almost convinced Jody to kick herself out of the school. You guys - Peter Gallagher is an AMAZING actor. Even he couldn't save CS: Turn It Up, but he did demonstrate an interesting phenomenon I have (appropriately) named for him: The Gallagher Effect. You see, in this film he has ONE scene with each of the two leads, and in both scenes the young dancer who was previously unable to convey a clear thought or even potentially spell their own name is suddenly alert, coherent, and practically believable. It's remarkable - a few moments of screen time with Peter Gallagher and the other actor is actually worth paying. It's like just having PG there to take the lead subconsciously encourages his scene partner to step up to center stage and literally save that last dance. Amazing!

The Gallagher Effect isn't restricted to the movies (or TV on DVD, if you're a fan of The OC) - You all know at least one person like that, don't you? The one that when you're around them you automatically straighten up and try a little harder, give more and produce something better? I do - and interestingly, she's actually met Peter Gallagher. Coincidence? I think not. Message: Don't let your life be a bad dance-movie sequel. Find (or be) your own PG and spend as much time with them as possible, learn to be something better... (Just be careful of the eyebrows. Wowsa.)

Watch out for falling turtles (especially if they're doing hip-hop),

Cyd