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As the Hollywood lore goes Hugh Jackman was an actor in Australia and performed in a version of Oklahoma! which was filmed. While Wolverine was being cast for Bryan Singer's X-men someone caught a performance (or perhaps the recording), noticed Jackman and sent it to those in charge of casting for the film. They were intrigued by Jackman and decided to have him audition - the rest is history.

I have never seen Oklahoma! before and when I saw Jackman's version avaialble on Netflix I decided to give it a try. To me, Oklahoma! is a strange musical - it's a prarie love story with a dark underbelly about a perverted farm hand that covets Laurey who falls in love with Curly, so while you have this cute, flirty thing going on between Laurie and Curly you have the creepy farmhand trying to take Curly out and force himself on Laurey. Strange.

What is remarkable about this version of Oklahoma! is the man that broke out of it - Hugh Jackman. Even in a play Jackman's charisma bursts from the stage and you notice him above everyone else. Let me tell you - Hugh Jackman can sing! I was already looking forward to Jackman being the Oscar host this year, but seeing Oklahoma! has made me even more excited.

Director: Trevor Nunn
Curly: Hugh Jackman
Laurey: Josefina Gebrielle
Aunt Eller: Maureen Lipman

Let me start by saying that I adore Francis Ford Coppola; the man is a visionary and iconic filmmaker that will make prolific films until he decides to stop and his career will be remembered for years after it ends. That being said, there are times I question Coppola’s filmmaking decisions…while I can’t say that I question why he made Youth Without Youth, I really can’t say that I understand the movie at all.

In the early stages of Hitler’s Germany Dominic is a 70 year old professor who is tired of life, and goes away on a trip where he is immediately struck by lightning. Dominic should be dead, but instead after weeks of medical care he heals and reveals that he now has an approximately 40 year old body; he allows himself to be studied by the doctor that oversaw him until Hitler’s scientists discover his existence and try to take him into custody. Dominic then lives the life of a fugitive as he continues his research on the origin of language.

This is a strange film, not a bad one, but a strange one. Along his journey Dominic discovers that he is gaining “super powers” including the ability to absorb information from objects, manipulate objects, and he uncovers that the lightning strike has created multiple personalities within him. Dominic does not age but if he spends too long around a loved one they age at a rapid rate. The film is a study of language, history and the possibility of past lives, but does not settle on one topic for very long as it studies the life that Dominic now leads.

One of my favorite things about Coppola is that he is not afraid to take risks. One of my favorite visual hints in Youth Without Youth is Coppola’s use of the upside down image; I won’t say what Coppola is indicating by using this but the images that he chooses to invert are striking and aid in his ultimate goal which is to make the audience think about what they are watching and why.

Youth Without Youth shares some of the same ideas as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; the ideas of love, youth, life and experience. However, while I cannot say I am a huge fan of Benjamin Button or Youth Without Youth I do have to say that I enjoyed the journey a bit more in the case of Youth Without Youth.

Director & Writer: Francis Ford Coppola
Dominic: Tim Roth
Veronica/Laura: Alexandra Maria Lara

Since I was a little girl I have been fascinated with Cinderella; the Disney version has been my favorite classic Disney animated film from my childhood. Everyone knows the tale of Cinderella, whether that is because of the Disney film or one of the many versions of this fairy tale that exists.

I can say from many years of being fascinated with fairy tales that Cinderella in the Disney form is very different from the original tale. Sure in all versions Cinderella is an oppressed step child who meets and falls for the prince, but especially in the Grimm tale the ending alone is much more dark and disturbing. However, I am not one of those people that believe in following fairy tales to the letter so this change doesn’t bother me; to me fairy tales are the one type of story that I accept in many different forms, it all adds to the fairy tale mystique.

In his version of Cinderella Disney created a beautiful tale of a rags-to-riches princess that has enchanted girls since 1950 and will enchant generations of girls for many more years.

Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson & Hamilton Luske

Cinderella: Oh, that clock! Old killjoy. I hear you. "Come on, get up," you say, "Time to start another day." Even he orders me around. Well, there's one thing. They can't order me to stop dreaming.