A Christmas Story and Other Disasters

Ralphie Parker and his quest for a Red Ryder BB gun are just as much a part of holiday traditions as any Rankin and Bass special.  Humorist Jean Shepherd based A Christmas Story on several of his previously published short stories about his boyhood in Indiana.  Some of those gems originated in Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories and Other Disasters, a book that brings the funny out of all-American rites of passage. From the schoolyard misadventures of Delbert Bumpus to the title story about a junior prom, Shepherd makes it much easier to laugh at adolescence than it was to live through it.  After all, who could resist “Daphne Bigelow and the Spine-chilling Saga of the Snail-encrusted Tinfoil Noose”?

The Little Tramp Revisited

Only an Iron Man (even before the fact) would take on the daunting task of bringing screen icon Charlie Chaplin to life, and Robert Downey, Jr.’s performance in the 1992 Chaplin is nothing short of a masterwork.  Even before he dons the mustache, hat, and cane, Downey is utterly believable as the irrepressible Chaplin.  His story is dramatized in clever use of both muted black and white and full color scenes, exploring his life from an upbringing in the English slums all the way to an Honorary Oscar in 1972.  Though celebrated for his comedy, Chaplin struggled with sorrow and controversy, and Downey imbues every scene with telling emotion.  Also starring Dan Aykroyd, Anthony Hopkins, and featuring Kevin Kline in a neat turn as Douglas Fairbanks, Chaplin honors a classic legend even as it establishes a modern one.

Hugh Laurie, Renaissance Man

You probably know Hugh Laurie from his Golden Globe-winning performance on House, M.D.  Or you may have enjoyed his comedy stylings on A Bit of Fry & Laurie.  Perhaps you are even aware that he is a talented musician who performs with other actors in Band from TV.  But did you know that he is also a published author?  The Gun Seller is a comic spy caper that crackles with non-stop action, clever twists, and witty wordplay.  With a deft touch that both celebrates and spoofs the conventions of Bond and Bourne-type thrillers, Laurie invites the reader to have just as much fun reading as he did writing:  “She narrowed her eyes…horizontally, not vertically.  I suppose one should say she shortened her eyes, but nobody ever does.”  The Gun Seller is an arsenal of international intrigue, femmes fatales, sinister governments, and snappy dialogue.  Buckle in for the ride.

"Life's Too Short. I'm Not."

At 4’11” Kristin Chenoweth might not seem the easiest person to spot in a crowd, but her energy and humor are larger-than-life.  A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages, co-written with author Joni Rodgers, is a free-wheeling tour of her personal journey.  Oklahoma beauty queen, opera student, film/television actress, and Broadway superstar, Chenoweth is a powerhouse performer who oozes down-home charm.  She free-associates many of her reminiscences and even includes a section penned by on-again, off-again boyfriend Aaron Sorkin.  With equal moments of fun and reflection, fans will enjoy this glimpse into Glinda’s bubble.

When One Door Closes

Losing your job as a premise for romantic comedy?  It may not be an obvious pitch, especially these days, but Outsourced is a crowd-pleasing story on a touchy topic.  Todd Anderson (Josh Hamilton) is told that not only is his entire department being outsourced, but he must personally travel to India to train his replacement.  When employee Asha (the winning Ayesha Dharker) challenges several of his presumptions, he begins to better appreciate his temporary home.  A love letter to India, Outsourced offers a taste of the exotic and a full serving of feel-good entertainment.

An Irish Charmer

The pluck of the Irish glitters like the proverbial pot of gold in 1998’s Waking Ned Devine.  When a neighbor literally dies of shock at the news he won the lottery, Jackie O’Shea (Ian Bannen) and Michael O’Sullivan (David Kelly) decide that their friend would want them to claim the prize.  In order to pull off the scheme, they must enlist the cooperation of the entire village in more than a bit of blarney.  What unfolds is as comically outrageous as it is charming, and the winning performances alone are worth gambling on a ticket.

The Best Revenge

And you thought you had problems.  Poor Izzy Spellman is in court-ordered therapy, is secretly living in her brother’s basement, and is questioning her career in the family PI firm.  Her car seems to mysteriously relocate each night, and the only real sleep she gets is while riding public transit.  Revenge of the Spellmans marks the wildly entertaining return of the wackiest family business in town.  All she wants to do is try life as a bartender and figure out which of her family members is currently blackmailing her, but Izzy becomes involved in a simple investigation that turns out not to be so simple.  Lisa Lutz delivers another story of hilarious antics and endearing eccentrics, and you won’t want to miss a moment.

Humpty Dumpty Had a Great Fall

What if Humpty Dumpty’s tumble was no accident?  After all, minor celebrity and bad behavior had made him his share of enemies.  It’s a good thing Detective Inspector Jack Spratt is on the case.  He may not get much respect -- especially after the case against the three pigs didn’t end well -- but he and his new partner, Sergeant Mary Mary, are up to the challenge.  In The Big Over Easy, an ingenious mystery full of wit and imagination, Jasper Fforde shines a spotlight on the seedy underbelly of nursery crime.  Better yet, the adventures continue in The Fourth Bear, when “Goldy” goes missing and the Gingerbreadman embarks on another psychopathic killing spree.

Music Meets the Mad Scientist

Last year’s writers’ strike may have wreaked havoc on our favorite television series, but it did have at least one positive result.  Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is the brainchild of the ever-creative Joss Whedon.  First aired on the Internet in three acts, the off-beat musical musings of Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris) follow his attempts to prove himself to Bad Horse, the leader of the Evil League of Evil, and win the heart of his long-time laundromat crush Penny.  Among the bonus features is Commentary! The Musical, an entire commentary track set to new music and sung by the actors and creators themselves.  Dr. Horrible may just signal the beginning of a new world order.

A Man for Mystery

Donald E. Westlake, award-winning mystery writer of more than 100 books, died unexpectedly on New Year’s Eve.  Under one of several pseudonyms, Richard Stark, he chronicled the adventures of a master criminal named Parker, most recently in 2008’s Dirty Money.  Another of Westlake’s current series, published under his own name, focused on unintentionally comic criminal John Dortmunder, including What’s the Worst That Could Happen? and What’s So Funny?.  Several of his books were adapted into films, and as a screenwriter he received a 1991 Academy Award nomination for The Grifters.  An unpublished novel, Get Real, was scheduled for release in April.