The Awkward Song

HI-larious.

(Belatedly) requiescat in pace

Obama SOTU: More of...ME!

Obama's answer for America: more of me

By JONAH GOLDBERG

There's a story of an exhausted tenor at La Scala who, facing repeated cries of "Encore," responded that he couldn't go on. A man rose in the audience to say, "You'll keep singing until you get it right."

That seems to be the defining principle of the Obama administration -- whose response to every problem, every setback, every hiccup and challenge has been, simply, "more Obama."

Indeed, for people who aren't sticklers for political jargon, it will be a shock that last night was Obama's first State of the Union Address, since it was his third formal address to a joint session of Congress. Yet for all of the political déjà vu, what was most surprising last night was the degree to which Obama delivered even more of the same.

Not a joke!

Obama Mia!

By DANIEL SCHWAMMENTHAL

Frankfurt

"Hope—The Obama Musical Story" premiered here Sunday evening. One is tempted to end the review right there. Seriously, isn't the oeuvre's title and premature timing commentary enough? Sure, the U.S. president has been (favorably) compared to God but even Jesus Christ had to wait nearly 2,000 years before he became a Superstar.

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The Princess & the Frog

Based on Laura's always superb recommendation, I caught a screening of 'The Princess & the Frog' last night. While not a masterpiece by any means, this movie gets MAJOR kudos for being the first Disney cartoon in my memory to present 1) a heroine who has an intact and loving family, 2) a heroine who doesn't define her heroism by sassing or defying her parents (On the contrary, her more heroic actions are bound up in her *honoring* her father!) and 3) a prince with personality (!!) whose maturation during the film culminates in his taking initiative to win his princess through industry and selflessness.

The obligatory scatological humor and forgettable soundtrack aside, I encourage everyone to support this Disney trend with your buck!

Stupid movie, but with a quiz!

The film looks abysmal even from a distance, but I can't resist a quiz!

The results were satisfying, I suppose:

Mr. George Knightley

"You might not see one in a hundred with gentleman so plainly written as in Mr. Knightley."

You're looking for the complete package: a man with brains, good looks, a great job, perfect manners and a sizeable fortune to boot. Well, today's your lucky day.

As Highbury's wealthiest landowner and all-around great guy, Mr. Knightley is what your mother meant by "a good catch." He's a "sensible man" with a "cheerful manner" who loves his family and friends and has no patience for vanity or drama. Direct, down-to-earth and happily duty-bound, he proves time and again that chivalry is alive and well. He's a reluctant dancer but an astute judge of character and a trustworthy confidant. Overt displays of emotion or affection aren't exactly his thing, but you couldn't ask for a more caring or thoughtful friend.

No one's perfect, so you'll have to work through disagreements now and then (usually over something you've said or done). But, if you can get over his being right most of the time, you two should enjoy a fine life together indeed.

Still, a lot of the questions struck me as random.

The staging has an element of 'Oscar performance' cheesiness about it...

but you can't beat the beauty and power of those voices!

Scenes I didn't understand as a child

As long as we're on the subject of collective nightmares...

In a spirit of reciprocity

Apropo