Displaying items by tag: Kate Hudson

SONG SUNG BLUE

US, 2025, 132 minutes, Colour.

Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Ella Anderson, Hudson Hensley, King Princess, Michael Imperioli, Fisher Stevens, Jim Belushi, Mustafa Shakir, John Beckwith.

Directed by Craig Brewer.

Song, Sung, Blue - everybody knows one.

Who does not enjoy and relish the songs and singing of Neil Diamond? Well, some bikies back in Milwaukee in the early 1990s for a start! But, certainly, not too many others.

This film is a treat for Neil Diamond fans, incorporating substantial renditions of many of his songs - and everyone wanting to hear and join in Sweet Caroline!

But, the songs here are not sung by Neil Diamond himself. Rather, this is the story of Mike and Claire Sardina, a husband and wife entertaining team called Lightning and Thunder, Mike is Lightning, Claire Thunder, from Milwaukee. Mike, a Vietnam veteran with subsequent alcohol problems, but sober for 20 years, sings Neil Diamond songs in clubs, encounters Claire, a Patsy Cline impersonator. They click, marry, bond with the children of their previous marriages, form something of a family, performing locally over many years, celebrities with a devoted following.

And the point is made that Mike is not just an impersonator of Neil Diamond but, with his looking something like the singer himself, he presents himself as an ‘interpreter’ of the songs. And, with Hugh Jackman in the role, talented singer, convincing actor, Mike Sardina comes alive. And, again talented singer, very persuasive actor, Kate Hudson is a most effective Claire.

This is a showbiz story of localized oomph, Mike’s dentist as his agent (even doing a filling with a lightning bolt on the tooth), a Milwaukee entrepreneur organising the venues (Fisher Stevens and Jim Belushi in these roles).

But it is also a suburban story, a busy house that audiences would recognise, financial struggles, dealing with the children, especially Claire’s daughter and a pregnancy, not just a bright lights story.

And, the story becomes very serious when Claire is the victim of a runaway car crashing into her and the house, losing a leg, therapy, new leg, depression, withdrawal, and Mike doing his best to keep the family afloat, jobs at karaoke bar… And some very joyful singing sequences at a Milwaukee Thai restaurant, the manager and his daughters gleefully joining in.

But, as they did in real life, they make a comeback, and another very happy moments when Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder joins them in a song. And, their filling a hall when Neil Diamond himself comes to town and his concert is sold out.

This dramatisation is based on a documentary from 2008, with the same title, incorporating quite a number of small details of Mike and Claire’s life.

There is a great deal of feeling, sadness and joy, in Song Sung Blue.

[For audiences who would like more, the original documentary 2008 is readily available Youtube when Googled. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDukMQIz1Sc

 And, further, there is a very lengthy interview with the director of the documentary, Greg Kohs, about how he made the film:  https://www.reelasdirt.com/song-sung-blue]

1. Based on a true story, the documentary of the same name? The characters, their lives, performances? And the interpretation of Neil Diamond?
2. The 1990s, Wisconsin, the city, the streets, the town, homes, performance venues, bars, clubs, theatres? The Thai restaurant? Hospitals, AA groups, support groups?
3. The musical score? The selection of Neil Diamond’s songs, performance, interpretation? Audience response? The lesser-known songs? The popular songs, especially Sweet Caroline and audience participation?
4. The introduction to Mike, the extreme close-up, his speech, the AA meeting, 20 years without drinking, the support group? His life, singing? Previous marriage, daughter? The visits? His creativity, the issue of interpretation rather than impersonation? Hugh Jackman, singing, serious acting? His friends, Mark, the introduction to Tom, his enthusiasm, possible bookings? Mike and his wanting control? His pulling out of the performance and the repercussions for his friends?
5. The encounter with Claire, Patsy Cline songs, the conversation, the attraction, his watching her? The meetings, discussions, his name, Lightning, her becoming Thunder? The range of their performances together, the bonding, the audiences, the selection of songs?
6. Mike’s daughter, her coming to visit, the contrast with Claire’s daughter, her hostility, forced to be hospitable? The younger brother? Mike, the relationship with the family, the two girls and their friendship, discussions together? The romance, the kissing, the hesitations, good behaviour, the proposal, the ring, the wedding? The family together, the friends and playing, the cantankerous mother? The growing bond is within the family, my becoming a father figure to Rachel and Dana?
7. The idea for the Neil Diamond interpretation, the various performances, the bad booking and the bikie’s reaction, the fight? Other successes, Dave Watson, the dentist, his managing Mike, the discussions with Tom, the promotion? Tom and his enthusiasm? The issue of the tooth – with the lightning symbol on it?
8. The bond between Lightning and thunder, the exhilaration of the performances? Hopes for the future? Claire, in the garden, the car crashing into her, hospital, the amputation, her depression, at home, hostile, suspicious, depressed, Rachel trying to help her, the appointments for therapy and her neglecting them? Her outbursts against Mike? His sadness? Support for the children?
9. The issues of insurance, the money, Rachel and her working, the revelation about her pregnancy, Mike’s response?
10. Claire going to hospital, rehabilitation, the discussions with the therapist, the dream of her being successful again and her waking up on the lawn, her previous despising of AA talk, the effect of the therapy, her return? Building up, walking, suggesting that they play again together?
11. The continued support of their friends, Sex Machine, little Richard, Tom and the bookings, Mark and his age, retiring, support? The other members of the band?
12. The Thai restaurant, the manager and his love Neil Diamond, the karaoke, the songs, the manager singing? The later development, everybody singing, the manager’s daughters, the customers…?
13. The Pearl Jam issue, the girls excited, Mike ignorant, the performance, Eddie and his singing the song with them, the response of the audience?
14. Mike, his health, the various heart turns, Rachel knowing it, his concealing the attacks, continuing on? The second car out of control?
15. The buildup to the finale, Neil Diamond in Milwaukee, the sellout, the theatre manager, inviting them to do the supplementary concert, its being sold out? The excitement for everyone? And the possibility to meet Neil Diamond afterwards?
16. The concert, Mike and his heart attack, falling, hitting his head, persevering, the welcome to Claire, his coming up on the lift, and the singing the song, fulfilling his dream, the audience response? Afterwards, going to see Neil Diamond, in the car, his death?
17. The funeral, Claire and her tribute, the singing? The grief of the family?

Local celebrities, the fulfilment of their ambitions, the friendships, the tragedies, overcoming them?

SHELL

US, 2024, 100 minutes, Colour.

Elisabeth Moss, Kate Hudson, Kaya Gerber, Brandon Keener, Estee Haim, Dustin Milligan, Arian Moayed,.Peter McNichol.

Directed by Max Minghella.

Somehow or other, the title for a horror genre has emerged, “Body Horror”. Recently, with Festival awards and Oscar nominations, “Body Horror” gained quite some respectability with the film, Substance, and startling performances from Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley.

And the dramatic question arises, in the context of actresses and ageing and possibilities for performance, are there any limits as to what can be done to prevent any loss of beauty, to counterbalance the onset of age? In Substance, this question was treated with great seriousness (not without some satiric moments), issues of ambition and identity.

Shell was released at much the same time but was overshadowed by Substance. And perhaps it is a difference between the two films, one Shadow, one Substance.

This time the focus is again on an ageing actress, Sam Lake, played by the always reliable Elisabeth Moss. She has had success on the television series, Hannah Had a Heart. And we are introduced to a somewhat satiric tone when we realise that the theme of the series was that the heart literally talked! So, throughout this film there is some sending up of media, television…

However, the opening is rather more sombre, again an ageing actress, this plot time played by Elizabeth Berkely (with memories of her career and Showgirls). Something has happened to her skin. She is scraping at it. Then mysterious presence in the room. And she is brutally killed.

The film has been directed by Max Minghella, an actor, and son of the Oscar-winning British director, Anthony Minghella. He and the screenwriter have opted for melodrama rather than drama, some tongue in cheek attitudes towards the subject and characters, and, at times rather horribly for the audience and gleefully for the filmmakers, indulging in some gore and splatter and the creation of horrific monsters.

And, behind it all is Kate Hudson, playing Zoe, the executive in chief of the Shell Company, not only beauty products but also opportunities for beauty sessions, surgery and medications. (The screenplay explains that while she looks like Kate Hudson in her 40s, Zoe is actually 68, an advertisement for her company treatments!). And Zoe takes a shine to Sam Lake, offering her all kinds of opportunities, and, in a rather minor way, it is a variation on Faust and the Devil, Zoe being ultimately quite diabolical and Sam selling her soul for a starring role in front of the cameras.

There are odd characters, especially the sinister Cornelius who does the brutal bidding of Zoe. On the other hand, Sam has a great support in her friend, Lydia, both of them eventually trapped and threatened by Cornelius. And, there is a subplot with Chloe, a young actress whom Sam had babysat, who auditions for the role that Sam had hoped for initially, who is a great disciple of Zoe – but…, literally horror of horrors.

So, while there is some substance in the themes, the option has been to move into dark and horror shadows.

1. The title, the company, the beauty industry?
2. Body horror, skin, the human shell? The pot boiling aspects of the scenario? Serious themes, fast treatment? Creature-monster, gore and splatter?
3. Life in American cities, the 21^st-century, affluence, beauty, the media, industry?
4. The opening, the actress, Elizabeth Berkeley and her career, the growths, cutting them, the sinister figure, her death?
5. Sam Lake and her story, ageing, family background, growing up, ambitions, her career, the television series, Hannah had a Heart, the talking heart, comments by fans? Her career on hold, call to the studio, waiting, the encounter with Chloe and her glamour, having babysat her? The interview? Chloe getting the part?
6. The discussions with Chloe, the Shell Company, the reputation of Zoe Shannon? Treatments and possibilities, Chloe encouraging Sam?
7. Sam and her hesitations, her motivation for going, the invitation to the party, meeting with Zoe, the meal, her flesh being served, the reaction?
8. Kate Hudson Zoe, glamour, make up, allegedly 68 but looking younger? Her empire, her entourage, Cornelius and his sinister presence? Her befriending Sam, the bonding, the effect on her? Sam, the discussions with the doctor, his assurance, going through the treatments, success?
9. Months passing, the new lease of life, going to the studio, getting the part, Zoe has her patron?
10. The beginning of the changes, Sam and her friend Lydia, protecting her, upset, the continued manifestations, the final growths, her desperation, trying to cut them off, at the studio, rehearsals, performance, her vomiting the black blood?
11. Been taken back, the confrontation with Zoe, Lydia helping, imprisonment? Cornelius and his presence, the car?
12. Taking refuge with the doctor, the process, the removal of all the scars, his being killed?
13. The mystery of Chloe, Sam confronting Zoe, the search? The revelation of Zoe as the monster, giant, the attacks, Sam attacked, the gore, and the final splatter?
14. The comments that the film could have been more serious, like the body horror in The Substance? The option for the farcical treatment and the gory conclusion?