Once More, With Feeling

Author(s): Ian
Location: New Jersey

"Once More, With Feeling"

Comedy / Drama / Musical

Directed by Bill Condon
Written by Christopher Guest
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Principal Cast:

Holly Hunter - Christina Brock, the ballsy director
Hugh Jackman - Allan Michaels, the male lead
Idina Menzel - Melrose Cohen, the leading lady
Joel Grey - Jeffrey Roche, the composer/lyricist
Jennifer Hudson - Jodi Phillips, the scene-stealer
Alan Cumming - Sam ‘Cameraon’ Willis, the choreographer
Donald Faison - Max Summerville, the scene-stealer’s boyfriend
Amy Adams - Alma Von Beal, the screenwriters’ widow
George Carlin - Richie Miller, the unseen producer

Tagline: “Getting through this musical is gonna require a little more than following the yellow brick road"

Synopsis: Famed, groundbreaking female director Christina Brock has been hiding a dark secret for the past forty eight years: she has never celebrated Christmas. Coming from a broken home in Chicago, Christina had a tumultuous relationship with her parents and her lone sister. The most painful aspect of her childhood, though, was missing out on all of the great holidays: Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Easter, etc. Now, on top of the Hollywood A-List, Christina has decided to use her fame to finally get to have a good old Christmas. Why, she’s going to direct an epic Christmas musical! It’s a risky idea, but this is the closest she has ever come to a real Christmas.

Christina’s first taste of Christmas might turn out to be pretty sour, though. One of Broadway’s most famous modern legends, Allan Michaels, has landed the male lead and sparks a relationship with Christina that threatens the well being of the project. Egotistical Melrose is an absolute nightmare of a diva, stopping at nothing to walk away with the show, which basically means sabotaging scene-stealing co-star Jodi’s role. Her crew isn’t helping, either. Jeffrey the composer is slowly losing his mind on set, and choreographer ‘Cameraon’ has decided to use the set of “Almost Angels” to explore his questionable sexuality. Oh, and her screenwriter dying a day before filming started left her with: well, no, screenwriter and his weeping widow that won’t go away. To top it all off, the producer thinks it was doomed from day one and won’t step foot on set.

As the film goes on, Christina realizes that maybe Christmas isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and maybe it is. The film’s climax comes when Christina realizes two key components of the story. One, she’s found a new family. And two, you can either embrace Christmas and the wackiness that comes along with it, or you can push it aside and avoid it altogether. The choice has been, is, and always will be yours.

What the press would say:

“Once More, With Feeling” is one of the most strangely delightful films I’ve ever seen. I mean, this movie really, really, really shouldn’t work, but it does. At first glance, it seems like there’s too much going on between the Christmas aspect, and the romance between Allan and Christina, and the colorful supporting characters. Crazily, though, it works quite terrifically. What’s even better about the film is that one department does not carry the entire project – they’re all strong. Condon’s direction is inspired and the subtle switch between comedy and drama and musical is handled in a genius way. Christopher Guest provides a heartwarming and at times heart wrenching script that is heavily complimented by living legend Stephen Sondheim’s naturally marvelous music. Also, the performances here certainly don’t disappoint. Holly Hunter is the only character who never sings one line of music and believe it or not, it really helps establish her as the heart and soul of the film. Always grand, Hunter delivers the movie’s most sensationally moving moments and is not afraid to flaunt her comic skills, either. The other standout would be Idina Menzel’s delicious Melrose. Menzel is devastatingly evil, sexily scandalous, extraordinarily humorous, and astoundingly easy to sympathize with all at once. It’s a grand performance and an obviously baity role, but hey, at least she’s proud of it and at least she delivers one of the best pieces of acting of the year. (And, DAMN, she rips through showstoppers like no other!) In supporting roles, Alan Cumming, Amy Adams, George Carlin, and especially Joel Grey are all hilarious and will make you laugh until it hurts. In conclusion, “Once More” brings home all of the goods. It’s a gut-buster, a tear-jerker, a toe-tapper, and a miraculous showcase for Hunter and Menzel.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:
Best Picture
Best Director – Bill Condon
Best Original Screenplay – Christopher Guest
Best Actress – Holly Hunter
Best Supporting Actress – Idina Menzel
Best Film Editing
Best Cinematography
Best Art Direction
Best Sound Editing
Best Original Song – “Soul Meets Power” (performed by Menzel and Hudson; written by Sondheim)
Best Original Song – “Stay Out of My Way” (performed by Menzel; written by Sondheim)