baileycrawly

Bravo to Mallory and the entire crew behind this phenomenal documentary!

I, like many others, was raised with Shari Lewis. Unlike many others, however, I went into this documentary already well aware of the treasure trove of talent that was Shari Lewis. For me, the surprises were few in this documentary, but it only served to illustrate why I always felt a connection to Shari that was unlike most other people's: Shari Lewis was never "the woman who talked to puppets" to me, but a well-rounded, consummately professional entertainment master.

This film is a loving homage with tons of archival footage from some of her shows and specials (all looking better than they ever have on-screen before) interspersed with current interviews, as well as past interviews directly from Shari that I, quite frankly, have never seen before (for the most part).

Whether you're like me and loved and admired Shari since childhood, or you're someone who knows little about "the puppet lady," this film is sure to not only delight and entertain, but also to inspire the viewers. A massive debt of gratitude is owed to Mallory Lewis for not only keeping Lamb Chop and her siblings alive into the present day, but also for being so open with her mom's story and legacy. As sad as it is to remember, all over again, that Shari is no longer with us, there is great comfort in knowing that her legacy rests safely with Mallory, where it will be cherished and respected as it deserves. This documentary is a perfect testament to that.

There's a certain level of expectation one could realistically have when approaching a Hollywood adaptation of a musical written by the same individual who penned the genius "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." Going into West Side Story were all the expectations of quality storytelling, unique plot twists and compelling dialogue that have all left an impression on me from the moment I walked out of Sweeney Todd.

Boy, was I wrong.

This film, which won Best Picture at the Oscars in 1961 (and, per the VHS version that was viewed today, is "Nothing short of a cinema masterpiece!" according to the New York Times) is an absolute mess of a film.

The plot (which is usually rather thin when it pertains to musicals to begin with) is almost completely non-existent and, when there are elements of plot to be found, it is merely a copy and paste (the only major changes being the character's names) of William Shakespeare's far superior tragedy Romeo and Juliet. The music, save for the iconic "I Feel Pretty" number, is largely bland and falls completely flat. Even the final scene, the one that precedes the credits, feels forced and unnatural. The emotion that is supposed to be illicited in the audience falls just as flat as everything else in the film. YAWN. The acting, accents included, was subpar and not captivating enough to justify the existence of the film, and the overall atmosphere of the movie was slow-moving and, quite frankly, a waste of undoubtedly expensive film.

This movie has no true rhyme or reason, nor does it have any particular reason to exist... or business existing in the first place, evidently.

The only reason this film played beyond the 45 minute mark in this household is for the viewer (me) to be able to say that I have, in fact, seen West Side Story in its entirety.

And if I never see it again, it will be far too soon.

This movie is a perfect textbook example of what NOT to do when it comes to filmmaking. It's a story that is attempting to showcase the female perspective that is so painfully and obviously written by men who don't have the slightest clue what they're talking about. It's painfully unfunny, painfully uninspired, uninteresting and just simply a bland and boring movie. There was not one moment of the film that was even slightly interesting, not one plot point that offered anything of substance for the viewers, and not one second of the movie that was actually worth watching. If I was not progressing through the American Pie series as a whole, I would not have watched this movie and, by any other name, it would've been swept under the rug of Hollywood for the abysmal failure of a film that it truly was. Absolutely disgraceful movie that is better left completely forgotten. NOT American Pie, NOT a comedy movie and NOT something any respectable individual should ever be asked to watch.