I think you know you're big if people are paying tribute for your 100th birthday, even though, sadly, you are not here to see the spectacle. That's what we'll be doing today to honor Lucille Ball, the legendary comedian and first female studio runner in Hollywood, who was born a century ago on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, NY. While she is most famous for her television roles, primarily I Love Lucy
, a landmark comedy that ran from 1951 to 1957 on CBS, she did enjoy a long career on contract with MGM with mostly comedies. Let's though look towards two of her later classic films for those who may be interested in watching this fine comedienne's skills in rememberance today.
Ball was certainly not well-known for her singing skills, or even being able to hold a tune in a bucket (that was ex-husband Desi Arnaz's job), but she did have the nerve to star in a movie musical, Mame
. Based on the hit 1966 Broadway musical, the movie follows an orphan named Patrick (Kirby Furlong for young Patrick and Bruce Davison for his older counterpart) who is sent to live with his eccentric Auntie Mame (Ball). There he is also introduced to Mame's best friend Vera (played by Bea Arthur, who won a Tony for her playing the role in the stage-version), and Beauregard Burnside (a talented Robert Preston). While Ball's comedic talents are used full heartedly, some of her songs are downright painful to listen to. Which is sad since some of the songs, such as "Bosom Buddies" and "We Need a Little Christmas" have become classic musical numbers. Yet, her delightful glee during the foxhunt that finds her Auntie Mame falling in love with Beau is where she shines. It's fascinating to see how even at sixty-two, Ball was still willing to take on a challenge for a good role.
Her other classic film to consider taking a look back would certainly be the family classic Yours, Mine, and Ours
. Based on a real-life story; this movie follows widowers Helen North (Ball) and Frank Beardsley (Henry Fonda) falling in love and deciding to make a home for their combined eighteen children (her eight and his ten). From the premise alone of that many people in one house is rife with comedic potential that is fulfilled. While a large portion of the movie follows the step-siblings distaste for each other and antics to break their parents apart, the movie takes some surprisingly poignant and dramatic turns for a seemingly light family comedy. The storyline I refer to is when the North-Beadsley family must send their eldest son to war. It's an eye-opening examination at the pains of bringing a family together, both due to size and circumstance. Yet, thankfully it is also one heck of a comedy that will allow for the entire family to enjoy.Having grown up as a fan of Ball its still kind of amazing to realize just how many generations after me will be falling in love with her all over again. Thanks to the efforts Ball and Arnaz made there is a large amount of their work well-maintained for archival purposes. For those interested in looking further into Ball's career, or interested in a tourist spot then please check out the Lucy-Desi Center in her hometown of Jamestown, NY that is dedicated to commemorating Lucy and Desi's legacy as well as the history of comedy. It's a really interesting place for movie and television fans alike. Also it has probably the most extensive collection of Lucy products, particularly the DVDs of her work, you'll probably find anywhere.
) is inundated with requests for night's out by all his friends who have all since paired off. Each evening out puts both the couple of the evening under a microscope, how their marriage works, and forces Bobby to consider if he can truly be happy by himself. There are no clear cut answers, and that's what it should be; it allows the audience to determine which side they choose to believe in each round.
) and Stephen Colbert (
) as Sarah and Harry. They provide some remarkably deft and comedic fight sequences that need to be seen to be understood. Both hit each note during the song and dance numbers, and find small bits in the choreography to play up for effect. Their strength is as a pair, there is a comfort to them that enhances their dynamic, certainly the best coupling of all the actors in the cast. There is also Jenna Laura Thompson (first replacement Glinda in 
) and Jon Cryer (
), who play the other standout pairing of conservative and tragically unhip Jenny and David. Thompson throughout the evening proves to be a deft singer, and gifted physical comedienne. Cryer, who is mostly known for comedy, ends up being a surprise here because he has one of the more dramatic moments in the entire show and pulls the audience out of the humor of it all with force without being outlandish. It's a risky moment, during a mostly comedic scene and show, but it ends up being one of the bigger lessons learned in this show. Although most will sadly just wonder when Charlie Sheen's former co-star and/or Ducky from 
(depending on your frame of reference) learned how to dance. 
, who gets probably the most difficult song in the entire show "I'm Not Getting Married," a patter song for a performer with lungs of steel. Somehow Finernan not only hits every note, but gesticulates a humorous grace with aplomb. It's the highlight of the entire movie. The one time it seemed the entire audience was laughing in harmony rather than at various moments. Finally there is Patty LuPone as the drunken and solemn Joanne. The woman conveys more with the raise of an eyebrow than most would with a ten minute monologue. Yet, there are times when her performance does not quite gel with the rest of the cast, she's so dark and twisty without mirth, which is equally important to a show working. Yet, when she finally gets to her number "The Ladies Who Lunch," all may need to be forgiven for this critical lament on the pains of aging. 
of this show. Director Lonny Price effectively keeps the evening running smoothly with limited space to stage the show, thanks to the use of rolling love seats from set designer James Noone, and the jokes precise without taking away from the story at hand. The camera work for the filmed production is crisp and unobtrusive. Thankfully, most shots are wide enough that you still get a good scope of the action and can appreciate the choreography.
is coming out in theatres this June 3rd, directed by 
and 
auteur Matthew Vaughn. Even though the film is a prequel in this wildly successful franchise based on the comics by Stan Lee, it is advisable to take a peek at the earlier films. They each still hold up in their own ways. Let's review where to hit your DVD shelves this weekend:![X-Men [Blu-ray]](http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B001PPGAJE&tag=widgetsamazon-20)
Bryan Singer went from the avante garde brilliance of 
to the realm of tights and comics here with panache. The movie follows the introduction of classic Marvel character Wolverine (a then newcomer Hugh Jackman) to Professor Xavier's School for the Gifted (aka Mutant High). Joining him on the journey is a young Southern runaway known as Rogue (Anna Paquin). Exposition and introductions are quickly eschewed in order to tell an actual tale (thankfully) about how the evil mutant Magneto (a chilling Ian McKellan) has created a device that he plans to use to turn all humans into mutants. This is of course a matter of concern for Professor X (a perfectly cast Patrick Stewart) and his students for them to rally around stopping, and solidify their team. Really it is the final showdown of the film, taking place within the Statue of Liberty that really will appeal to not only fans of the series but general audiences. It has clear consistent action sequences that escalate the tension, clever dialogue (particularly a moment between Cyclops and Wolverine that perfectly typifies their dynamic), and by using an actual national landmark (a classic component of the New York skyline for natives and those who've only seen pictures) it grounds all the fantastical elements. The Statue of Liberty is real, it is something that concievably will be present in the reasonably distant future, and holds an emotional context of independence that the characters in this world also hold near to them. It's a concise and enjoyable introduction to the world (even if some of the jokes are stilted, we still don't need to know the punchline to what happens when you electrocute a toad).
There is some magical gift to the first sequel of a trilogy when you get the same team back together (for reference see: 
, 
), and Singer and company certainly pulled it off. The movie picks up not long after the first film, and follows the newly expanded team as a government agency (led by Bryan Cox's William Stryker) breaks into the school to kidnap Professor X for reasons the audience will soon find out in thriller-ish fashion. This divides the team pretty quick, allowing for the film to really highlight some of the story arcs and characters that didn't get much screentime during the last outing. In particular it is Jean Grey (Famke Jansen) who benefits from this method of storytelling as her powers take on a new foreign quality, that really the comic fans knew was coming but still wanted to see anyway. And even then, this classic arc was handled with deft hands for this installment (sadly not carried over nearly as well in the next film). Singer expanded the visual scope of the film and crafted some remarkable sequences, notably the one in the White House featuring a new character named Nightcrawler (a wickedly fascinating Alan Cumming). This is not to say that Rogue and Wolverine, or Professor X and Magneto, the previous films core pairings are thrown to the wayside, somehow they are there to thrill and entertain audiences admirably. This would in particular be the movie to look back at when comparing it to the new prequel, particularly the performances by McKellan and Stewart and how the younger incarnations of Magneto and Professor X (Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy) hold up in comparison. It's a beautiful and complex movie considering its runtime and source material, check it out.
: Many hardcore X-Men fans probably wish this movie did not exist, that it should not be a part of the canon. Yet, it is and we will all need to live with that fact. The film's basic plot follows the team as they find out a cure for mutants has been uncovered, and the government wishes to round up all the mutants to force them to take it and remove their gifts. This of course upsets Magneto and his Brotherhood, who seek to takedown the government for this metaphorical genocide. This leads to the introduction of many new mutants including Beast (Kelsey Grammar) and Angel (Ben Foster, who somehow went from dorky nerd to ripped action star for this role). The emotional arc and ramifications of this drug are best played out between Rogue and her boyfriend Iceman (Aaron Ashmore), which may be the only reason to revist this actioner that otherwise clumsily told a story to shock and annoy the fans otheriwse.![X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Two-Disc Edition + Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]](http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B001GCUO16&tag=widgetsamazon-20)
has already amassed a reasonably impressive 
: It would seem like a pretty boring premise, a buddy comedy about two men (Robert Downey Jr.'s Peter and Zach Galifianakis' Ethan) driving cross-country so that Peter can be present for the birth of his first child. Yet, the trip is funnier and more unexpected than that with some surprisingly somber moments. It's certainly Phillips' most mature work as a filmmaker as we follow Peter's emotional journey as the uptight man must begin to adjust to insanity and change while dealing with the irrational Ethan. Some may be frustrated that not every subplot is wrapped as nicely as you may be expect of a movie, but it hits the correct chords to its inevitable conclusion. This is certainly serviced by its two exceptionally funny leads who have such divergent energies and methods of comedic delivery that its a good film for people with diverging senses of humor to agree on watching.
: I 
If you like this movie about three adult men (played by Vince Vaughan, Will Ferrell and Luke Wilson) who decide to start their own fraternity then it is because you are a fan of its stars. Of the four films featured it has the most scattered tone and story arc because it seems to be more a film to give excuse for these equally talented comedians to be thrown together on the same screen. There are a number of laugh out loud moments, but they are buried in the synconicities of its performers rather than the story being told.
: You would think that any film prominently featuring