"And if the perfect spring is waiting somewhere, just take me there, just take me there, just take me there..." ~bright eyes

Today I'm sharing some thoughts on a movie and a Broadway play.

The Descendants
This is such a lovely film. I love Alexander Payne, and this movie is a perfect example of what a talented director he is. One second your gut will be wrenched with laughter and the next with pain. You're not slammed in the face with sentiment, though; it's beautifully understated. George Clooney will surely receive an Oscar nomination for his nuanced performance of a clueless husband and father. The whole ensemble is strong, actually. I was really impressed with Shailene Woodley, who plays Clooney's oldest daughter with a nice mix of bitterness and vulnerability. Judy Greer is also wonderful (as usual). Go see this movie. I'm sure it'll be a big Oscar contender, and it really is lovely.



Seminar
I saw the Broadway production of Seminar yesterday, and I'm very glad I did. It's a good play (not fabulous, but good) featuring a very strong ensemble cast. I love Alan Rickman. Seriously. I could listen to him read the phone book for hours. That voice just kills me. His portrayal of Professor Snape in the Harry Potter movies is perfection. He's giving a great performance in this show; he has such good inflection and timing. Lily Rabe further demonstrates how wonderful she is (I loved her in last year's Merchant of Venice opposite Al Pacino, for which she received a Tony nomination). Jerry O'Connell is an old favorite of mine, and it was fun to see him onstage. I'm used to seeing Hamish Linklater do Shakespeare (I've seen him in Twelfth Night, The Merchant of Venice, and The Winter's Tale), so it was weird to see him in a contemporary play, but he shone. Hettienne Park rounded out the ensemble with a solid performance. The play was an interesting look at the life of a writer, and the cast made it worthwhile.