But Jackman started in theater--it's not a crossover. Some actors, like Kevin Kline or Matthew Broderick, go back and forth between theater and film all the time.

He got a Tony, and it was an astonishing performance. The woman I saw it with said "He was as good as the show was bad."

So yeah, the show's closing because it sucks, but it's been a success because he was the star.

Count me amoung the right with Starship Troopers. It also really bothered me that the book I remembered had a bleak and impersonal mechanized battlefield, and juxtaposed that with the traditional human training.

I do not recall the film having much to do with the book though.

ita! I came up with an analogy to my Denzel "type" thing. Let's see if it works: If someone asked me to describe "a Buffy episode," I'd pretty much describe a MOTW ep from earlier in the run -- the gang fighting some scary thing, with quips along the way, etc. It clearly doesn't describe every episode, or even the preponderance of later episodes, and it definitely doesn't describe most of the great ones. But it's still my general feeling of what "a Buffy episode" is like.

Did that make any sense?

feels that it doesn't work as satire because the commentary needs to be read into it, rather than being there to be understood.

Thank you, Robin, yes. This is what I just said to a friend in chat:

me: a friend claimed that it was all ironic, that it becomes clear humans are the aggressors.
my friend: you know, I *know* that's what it was supposed to be, but I totally didn't see it.
me: but given that NONE of the characters indicate any moral or ethical uncertainty, I find it insufficient to make me like the movie. It could have been good -- well, better -- with decent writing and acting. And lots less blood. Instead it just fetished the violence without any critical thinking
my friend: ayup. Very hard to take it as social commentary when it looked like interstellar Rambo
me: the irony inherent in the newsreel footage didn't show up ANYWHERE else

So, bleah. I was never so glad for the fast-forward button, and the judicious application of whiskey. Now somehow I have to tell the friend who lent it to me that she's on monkey crack.

But Jackman started in theater--it's not a crossover.

It's a crossover in the sense that he's full of great potential news inches for Broadway -- he's bringing his American movie audience with him when he hits Broadway for the first time. It mightn't have helped him seal the role, since it certainly seems he has mad skillz, but I'm sure it was a lot easier for him to get a shot at a starring role on Broadway than if he hadn't had a high profile somewhere else.

I don't think I'm being overly harsh about show business -- Sean Combs is onstage with actual actors, after all.

I'd pretty much describe a MOTW ep from earlier in the run -- the gang fighting some scary thing, with quips along the way, etc.

Ahh. I do think you're more statistically supported there, though. Not only are there few (if any) episodes without quips and monsters, there are few shows to confuse it with based on those -- both characteristic and differentiating.

Upon thinking, I figured Denzel's roles weren't that different from many other actors', and not overly similar to each other either.

I'm sure it was a lot easier for him to get a shot at a starring role on Broadway than if he hadn't had a high profile somewhere else.

More than that -- they delayed the show so he could film Van Helsing.

Upon thinking, I figured Denzel's roles weren't that different from many other actors', and not overly similar to each other either.

Sure. He's done many more different kind of things than, say, Meg Ryan in the mid eighties to late nineties. But there still are a bunch where he's played A Good Man, often in some kind of uniform.

I don't think I'm being overly harsh about show business

You're not. One of the most unfortunate trends in the Broadway business these days, especially when it comes to the musical scene, is the promotion of big names to roles they have absolutely no right playing, for the extra ticket sales. The worst offense I've experienced personally was the star of "Ed" playing the lead in Urinetown, about a year and a month after it opened - most of the original cast was still there, but the main character SUCKED!

Currently, Scary Spice is playing Mimi in Rent, Joey Fatone having moved from his role in Rent to one in something else (forgotten what).

Molly Ringwald was surprisingly good as the main chick in Cabaret, but it still speaks to the evil that she had the part.

Nonetheless, there are some 'movie' actors who totally deserve their spots on the Broadway stage - Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Antonio Banderas, and, now, Hugh Jackman spring directly to mind.

I was waiting for Dana to bring the bitchslap.

New Yorkers are thrilled to cut movie stars down to size when they try Broadway. If Jackman had been anything less than brilliant, the reviews would have shot the show down the next day. It was more like discovering that Michael Jordan could tapdance as well as Savion Glover.