Morning Glory -- REVIEW

Morning Glory is a love story from the production world dedicated to the city of New York.  It shows all of the things that those of us who eat, breath, and sleep production deal with every time we are on set. The things that make us "production" or the things that tear us down. Set in one of the production capitals, Morning Glory tells story with a girls dream and desire to make it in the morning news world.  New York eventually becomes the main character of Morning Glory and the things that us production workers notice on a daily basis when we are lucky enough to work those odd hours and experience the magic of the final scene of the film for ourselves. 

I became so wrapped up in the cinematography and shot choices that I cared less for what was happening in the story.  The film is truly a love story for the city of New York, made and told by those that know it best.  Those that have walked the streets in the wee hours calling out "we're losing light" as the sun comes up. Those of us who find the magic of what the Brooklyn Bridge really shows us if we can walk along with a camera to catch all of its glory.  Those of us who see the hustle and bustle of the New York workers rushing past a gorgeous building in slow motion. Yes I am getting carried away, but the film speaks for itself.  It is a series of beautiful images placed in-between cheesy dialog and 30 minutes of insults.  But it is not until a kindred spirit takes our cell phones away, closes it in the fridge and forces us to finally take a breath and see the city for what it is do we really understand. 

Morning Glory pulls together a great cast but the city outshines them by leaps and bounds.  I wish I could say that the film is what kept me watching, but it was the heart and soul of the film that kept me glued to my seat.  If you are or have ever worked in production I highly recommend going to see Morning Glory.  If you know or have/are dated/dating someone from the "biz" I say you should go (and take that person with you) because it will make you understand why we do what we do - even though it drives us mad, (and sometimes you as well) since we never put our blackberry away.

I give Morning Glory a 4 out of 5, and hope to one day find a kindred spirit who will stash my phone the fridge but still let me be the mad production member that I am.

Extraordinary Measures -- Review

Going into the theater I knew I would be walking into a tear jerk-er of a film, but oddly enough I did not feel like I was watching this film in the theater. Instead I felt like I was sitting at home in a not so comfortable chair and watching on what would only be my dream TV as it would of course take up an entire wall of my dream home. Or I would have my own "home theater" set up, but that's getting me away from my point. Extraordinary Measures is one of those "inspirational family films" that is made by television companies to meet whatever their quota is on a given subject for the year. It was CBS Films first project, and unfortunately I felt like I was watching a made for TV special. Don't get me wrong, it was a great story and one definitely worth being told. BUT it was a little too soapy and "Opera special" for my taste.

Featuring Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser, this film does give you two very strong lead actors and you quickly form a connection with their characters. You feel for John Crowley as he struggles to find a way to help save his kids lives from pompe disease. It was an inspirational story of a father's love for his kids and his determination to do anything for them. It was very much a John Q style of film, minus the action and suspense, but the general idea remains to ring true. If you want to see an amazing story about a father who befriends a scientist in the hopes to find some medical miracle to save his children than this is one film that you should check out. It will hit theaters on January 22, 2010. In the mean time, if you are interested in the story check out the book that is the story behind the film "The Cure: How a Father Raised $100 Million - And Bucked the Medical Establishment - in a Quest to Save His Children".




The true story behind the film: