The-Greatest-Showman-movie-poster

The Greatest Showman Movie Review

This movie is incredibly entertaining. The only reason you would maybe consider not seeing it is if you don’t like good music and if you don’t want to be entertained. The story is fantastic, the performances are glorious; it’s a legitimate musical and a captivating yarn, as well. Director, Michael Gracey, did an exceptional job handling the script by bringing the story of a man who dreams big and makes big dreams come true. You’d probably think it’s impossible to make a compelling musical about the beginning of The Greatest Show on Earth but Gracey did just that and made one of the greatest romances of the year, too.

The beginning number prepares you instantly for something extreme and magical. Once you’re fixed and ready, you get just a spectacular show and much, much more. In fact, it isn’t inconceivable that everyone in your row will be tapping their feet and singing along to some of the tunes as they’re quite easy to pick up on. Directly after the screening I attended, I went to the nearest store that carried the soundtrack and bought a copy. I have been listening to it in my car ever since. Some songs are better than others but they’re all good and knowing the lyrics, I can’t wait to see this again.

Gracey takes us from Hugh Jackman, as P.T. Barnum, singing ‘The Greatest Show’ into ‘A Million Dreams’ where young Barnum is a poor child in love with a rich man’s daughter… and she with him. They sing together as he ages and becomes a man of the same dreams of having it all in the world he designs for himself, and more.
The song ‘The Other Side’ is very memorable. Phillip Carlyle (Efron) and Barnum dance in a well-choreographed scene where Carlyle, a rich socialite who enjoys theatre, is being asked to join the show. Realizing he needs a business partner who can bring his theatre more attention, Barnum approaches him in a creative scene as they work out the details. Pay attention to the bartender as the number progresses.

A theatre critic who comes to the show abuses Barnum on a regular basis but the dialogue when he’s on screen, as well as the interaction between them, is some of the best the film has to offer. You’ll appreciate the irony created by his presence. He considers the show Barnum has put together to be a circus and Barnum capitalizes on that. He’s protective of his performers but embraces the idea of bringing more people in, using the word circus to describe what the audience has to look forward to. Once he does, the show explodes and it becomes instantly more popular and profitable.
Sadly, when some performers get cut out of fancy champagne galas, they begin feeling like the sideshow freaks he sells them as.

I could go on and on but maybe you should just see it and hear it for yourself. I promise you that you’ll be blown away by Jackman, Williams and Efron and the rollercoaster of emotions that you go through watching this person try to be the World’s Greatest Dad, as well as have the Greatest Show on Earth. The film is engaging, stimulating, and quite humorous at times and I haven’t even told you about the best song! I’ll let you discover that on your own. See this with the family, or better yet, cuddle up with the one you love.  Either way, you’ll appreciate every frame, note and routine and if you enjoyed La La Land, these two musicals share the same lyricist so that’s another thing for you to consider.  My recommendation is, see it at the theatre and see it as soon as you can!

Pitch-Perfect-3-movie-screening

Pitch Perfect 3 Advance Movie Screening Pass Sweepstakes

Movie Synopsis: Now graduated from college and out in the real world where it takes more than a cappella to get by, the Bellas return in Pitch Perfect 3, the next chapter in the beloved series that has taken in more than $400 million at the global box office. Read more

Step Advance Movie Screening

Movie Screening Summary:

STEP is the true-life story of a girls’ high-school step team set against the background of the heart of Baltimore. These young women learn to laugh, love and thrive – on and off the stage – even when the world seems to work against them. Empowered by their teachers, teammates, counselors, coaches and families, they chase their ultimate dreams: to win a step championship and to be accepted into college.

This all female school is reshaping the futures of its students’ lives by making it their goal to have every member of their senior class accepted to and graduate from college, many of whom will be the first in their family to do so. Deeply insightful and emotionally inspiring, STEP embodies the true meaning of sisterhood through a story of courageous young women worth cheering for.

In Theaters August 4, 2017

Directed by: Amanda Lipitz

Produced by: Amanda Lipitz, Steven Cantor

Cast: Blessin Giraldo, Cori Grainger, Tayla Solomon, Gari McIntyre, Paula Dofat

Visit STEP on our WEBSITE: http://stepmovie.com/
Like STEP on FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/stepislife/
Follow STEP on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/stepthemovie/
Follow STEP on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/stepthemovie/
#StepIsLife

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Advance Movie Screening For STEP

Find your chance to receive special advance movie screening passes below.

 

Phoenix, Arizona

Advance Movie Screening Details

Movie Screening Date: Wednesday, August 9th
Location: Harkins Shea
Movie Screening Time: 7:00pm
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Las Vegas, Nevada

Advance Movie Screening Details

Movie Screening Date: Monday, August 14th
Location: Regal Village Square
Movie Screening Time: 7:00pm
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Advance Movie Screening Information

To redeem a pass, simply click the Get Passes button. You will taken to our movie screening partner site (where you can sign up for a free account). Once you’ve done so, you’ll be able to print out your pass and bring it with you to your screening or event.

Admittance into a screening or event is not guaranteed with your pass. Events and advance screenings are filled on a ” first come, first served ” basis. To ensure that you stand a good chance of being admitted, we recommend that you show up 30 minutes to one hour early.

The number of admissions that are permissible for each pass are printed clearly on the ticket that you print out. You are allowed to bring as many guests as is indicated on your pass. For example, if your pass is for ” Admit Two, ” you can bring yourself and one guest. If you have an ” Admit One ” pass, you can bring only yourself.

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The Greatest Showman Trailer

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

Director:  Michael Gracey

Story by Jenny Bicks

Screenplay by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon

Producers: Laurence Mark, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping

Cast: Hugh Jackman; Zac Efron; Michelle Williams; Rebecca Ferguson; Zendaya.

 

SYNOPSIS

Inspired by the imagination of P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business & tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.


THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Official Channels

Website: TheGreatestShowman.com 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/GreatestShowman

Twitter: www.twitter.com/GreatestShowman

Instagram: www.instagram.com/greatestshowman

 #GreatestShowman

In Theaters December 25th

http://www.fandango.com

Shooting Starts on “A STAR IS BORN,”

SHOOTING STARTS ON “A STAR IS BORN,” STARRING

BRADLEY COOPER AND STEFANI GERMANOTTA (LADY GAGA)

Film Marks Cooper’s Directorial Debut

 

BURBANK, CA – Filming begins today on Warner Bros. Pictures’ reimagining of the musical “A Star is Born,” starring Bradley Cooper and introducing Stefani Germanotta, known across the globe as Oscar-nominated music superstar Lady Gaga, in her first leading role in a major motion picture.  Four-time Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper (“American Sniper,” “American Hustle,” “Silver Linings Playbook”) is helming the film, marking his directorial debut.

Cooper plays Jackson Maine, a country music star who is on the brink of decline when he discovers a talented unknown named Ally (Germanotta).  As the two begin a passionate love affair, Jack coaxes Ally into the spotlight, catapulting her to stardom.  But as Ally’s career quickly eclipses his own, Jack finds it increasingly hard to handle his fading glory.

In addition to playing Ally, Germanotta, who earned her Oscar nod for the song “Til It Happens to You” from “The Hunting Ground,” has composed and will perform original songs in the film.  The main cast also includes Andrew Dice Clay and Sam Elliott.

“A Star is Born” is being produced by Bill Gerber, Jon Peters, Bradley Cooper, Todd Phillips and Lynette Howell Taylor; with Basil Iwanyk and Ravi Mehta serving as executive producers.  The screenplay is by Will Fetters & Bradley Cooper and Eric Roth, based on a story by William A. Wellman and Robert Carson.

Collaborating with Cooper behind the scenes are Oscar-nominated director of photography Matty Libatique (“Black Swan”), production designer Karen Murphy, three-time Oscar-nominated editor Jay Cassidy (“American Hustle,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Into the Wild”), and costume designer Erin Benach.

“A Star is Born” is being filmed entirely in Southern California.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents A Jon Peters Production, A Bill Gerber Production, A Joint Effort Production, “A Star is Born.”  Slated for release on September 28, 2018, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

A glimpse of Golden GlobeÂŽ winner Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins

Here is the first glimpse of Golden Globe® winner Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins in “Mary Poppins Returns,” the all new sequel to Disney’s 1964 film “Mary Poppins.” 

Directed and produced by Rob Marshall, “Mary Poppins Returns” also stars Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer and Julie Walters with Colin Firth and Meryl Streep. The film, which introduces three new Banks children, played by Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh and newcomer Joel Dawson, also features Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury.

The film is set in 1930s depression-era London (the time period of the original novels) and is drawn from the wealth of material in PL Travers’ additional seven books. In the story, Michael (Whishaw) and Jane (Mortimer) are now grown up, with Michael, his three children and their housekeeper, Ellen (Walters), living on Cherry Tree Lane. After Michael suffers a personal loss, the enigmatic nanny Mary Poppins (Blunt) re-enters the lives of the Banks family, and, along with the optimistic street lamplighter Jack (Miranda), uses her unique magical skills to help the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. Mary Poppins also introduces the children to a new assortment of colorful and whimsical characters, including her eccentric cousin, Topsy (Streep).

The film is produced by Marshall, John DeLuca and Marc Platt.  The screenplay is by David Magee based on The Mary Poppins Stories by PL Travers with Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman writing all new songs and Shaiman composing an original score.

La La Land

“Here’s to the fools that dream.”  That is the theme of this comedy, drama… musical. Yes.  This is a musical but I would like to ask that you don’t fear the musical!  It’s not in the style of “Cats” or the like so be willing to go.  If you love a good story and a good film that’s well done in almost every way possible… don’t worry.  You’ll love this movie!  Now, on to the review.  I can’t remember the last time we saw this but with “La La Land” we have a musical for the big screen that’s not based on a hit Broadway show!   “La La Land” stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling as an aspiring actress and jazz pianist, respectively, who fall in love.  Both have dreams very different from the other but the desire and ambition they see in one another, calls out to each other and attracts them even more.  The music and the romance at the heart of this story are alluring and will tantalize you, and the love… you will feel it.  In fact, it’s hard to believe Gosling and Stone aren’t a real couple.

To shed some light on where this came from, here’s a bit about the writer/director.  Damien Chazelle, is only thirty-one yet has accomplished so much.  Not only did he write and direct, “La La Land”, which is a very unique to these times piece, but he also wrote “Whiplash” and “10 Cloverfield Lane.”  J.K. Simmons won the Oscar for his performance in “Whiplash” so for Chazelle, after graduating Harvard, the Oscar win for Simmons is yet another feather for him to add to his cap; a cap that may be riddled with feathers really soon.  I’m looking very forward to his next project but let’s get back to this one. 

The love story is classic in that it starts out as anything but and becomes two people crazy about one another but Chazelle gives us, ultimately, what feels and looks real because not only is there a bond between the two with all the hopes they share freely but their chemistry is palpable.  Great job casting these two as Sebastian and Mia.  Another thing that gives the audience a connection is this; when have we not all desired something so greatly that we’d give up almost for it?  These two beautiful creatures love their goals as they do one another but the vital and fundamental question here becomes, would you give one of them up for the other?  

 The music is amazing. Oscar will be nice to them…”
Shari K. Green

Sr. Film Writer and Community Manager, tmc.io

As far as dancing, I’ll admit that they aren’t Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, but the choreography doesn’t ask too much of them and they handle themselves gracefully.  The footwork is impressive and they’re cute together; she not as polished as he but it works. 

Regarding musical taste Mia tells Sebastian that she doesn’t like jazz, his true love, and he takes it upon himself to show her that she doesn’t understand the complexity of it; that you can’t just hear it, you have to feel it by watching someone play.  He wants Mia to see its conflict and get excited because it needs help… ‘It’s dying’ he fears.  Well, he does until his friend, Keith (Legend), explains to him that Jazz is about the future, not the past.  Sebastian has always held onto what Jazz has always been and here, he discovers a bit about himself as well as what pushes him… that things change.  He decides to tour with Keith and Mia learns quickly that tours aren’t overnight.  She realizes dreams of becoming an actress aren’t either.  Maybe it’s time to move on?   

I’ll leave it there.  You need to go and experience “La La Land” to find out what happens.  Visually, the film beguiles but it’s not perfect.  You’re not going to hear their songs on the radio, however, the opening song, “Another Day of Sun” and the score won’t soon be forgotten, nor will Sebastian singing “City of Stars”… okay, the music is amazing.  Oscar will be nice to them.  The dance numbers can be a little clunky but overall the film is pretty extraordinary; sweet and innocent.  As much as it is a musical, it often feels like a play, which was another aspect that I adored.  You’ll never get bored and the final act will whisk you away to another place, and in today’s world, we need a little of that.  Comedies and Musicals don’t usually win Oscar gold for Best Picture but it wouldn’t surprise me if Chazelle’s effort pays off with a few statues.  If it walks away empty handed, it’ll be a travesty.Â