edited by Jonathan Doyle

Mafioso (The Criterion Collection, 3.18.2008) Nino Badalamenti is a supervisor in a car manufacturing plant who hasn't taken a vacation in over two years. On his way out the door to visit his beloved childhood hometown of Sicily -- with his blonde wife and daughters -- Nino is handed a package by his boss and asked to deliver it to a powerful and influential Sicilian gangster named Don Vincenzo. Once in Sicily, Nino has a hoot seeing friends and family, but his wife has trouble fitting in and is unfairly dismissed as a snob by Nino's family. Even more worrisome, Nino finds himself entangled in an intricate web of secret mafioso dealings and is eventually sent on an unexpectedly... elaborate errand. (continued)

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"Dreamgirls" rocks NYC

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"With applause came a palpable exhalation of relief: This was not going to be another Rent or Phantom of the Opera train wreck. Dreamgirls, the movie, a quarter of a century in the making, the gay man's Lord of the Rings, just might...yes! ...live up to the hype." -- from Sara Vilkomerson's Dreamgirls story in the New York Observer.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 29, 2006 at 04:01 PM

comment #1

ArchiveGuy says ...

Hey, I liked the movie "Rent"! Hardly a train wreck.

Posted by ArchiveGuy at November 29, 2006 04:10 PM

comment #2

lesterg says ...

I thought Rent was a blast as well. The fact that material is dated and the actors are all a good decade (or more) older than they should be only makes it more fun.

Also, wasn't Lord of the Rings the "gay man's Lord of the Rings"?

Posted by lesterg at November 29, 2006 04:28 PM

comment #3

thatmovieguy says ...

RENT was woefully underrated. PHANTOM, except for Emmy Rossum and Patrick Wilson, was a train wreck, it's true. And DREAMGIRLS is very good and certain to attract more than just a gay audience. Just about everyone I know is at least somewhat curious about it. I took my sister to the screening -- she'd never seen the show and knew almost nothing about the material -- and she absolutely loved it and has been telling all her friends about it.

Posted by thatmovieguy at November 29, 2006 04:38 PM

comment #4

bmcintire says ...

THE PRODUCERS is the trainwreck they should be happy they avoided. Christ, that thing made such a non-impression, I almost forgot it even happened. Then I remembered having to sit through the goddamned thing. Misery.

Posted by bmcintire at November 29, 2006 04:42 PM

comment #5

jeffmcm says ...

_Multiple_ people are defending Rent?
What are you all smoking because I want some!

Posted by jeffmcm at November 29, 2006 05:07 PM

comment #6

erniesouchak says ...

So, not being as wretched as Rent or Phantom makes D'girls a success? Nothing like aiming high.

Posted by erniesouchak at November 29, 2006 05:42 PM

comment #7

christian says ...

a cast of beloved american idols. which does not make me want to see this except for eddie murphy.

Posted by christian at November 29, 2006 06:34 PM

comment #8

Josh Massey says ...

Ugh, "Rent" was the worst movie I've seen in the past five years. Easily.

Posted by Josh Massey at November 29, 2006 08:02 PM

comment #9

Dixon Steele says ...

RENT has some nice moments, but mostly, it made me cringe.

Didn't love it on stage either come to think of it.

Posted by Dixon Steele at November 29, 2006 08:44 PM

comment #10

Spacesheik says ...

RENT made Lucille Ball's MAME look like CITIZEN KANE.

Posted by Spacesheik at November 30, 2006 02:44 AM

comment #11

The Movie Man says ...

I'm with christian, Eddie not playing to the toddler set is enough to get me in the theatre, and Condon once made a nice little film called Gods and Monsters.

Posted by The Movie Man at November 30, 2006 07:51 AM

comment #12

Rob says ...

Everyone knows Brokeback Mountain was the gay Lord of the Rings.

Posted by Rob at November 30, 2006 09:24 AM

comment #13

bipedalist says ...

By all accounts, save one or two, Dreamgirls is pleasing and entertaining audiences. Alas, the same can't be said for any of those others. The Producers stink could be detected from miles away. Eddie Murphy's perf alone is enough to go see it.

Posted by bipedalist at November 30, 2006 10:33 AM

comment #14