Throwback Thursday-The Slipper And The Rose (1976), If The Shoe Fits (1990) & Cinderella (1997)

Underneath it all, Cinderella is the story of perseverance over the various obstacles in life that keep us from achieving our goals. Which would explain why the story has lasted for as long as it has.

In 1976, The Slipper And The Rose took the audience the kingdom of Euphrania. Prince Edward (Richard Chamberalin) wants to marry for love. Cinderella (Gemma Craven) has just lost her father and is forced to become a servant in her own home.  Her fairy godmother (Annette Crosbie) completes Cinderella’s chores  and helps her get to the ball.  But will Cinderella and her prince have a happy ending once the magic has wore off and the threat of war is on the horizon?

What I like about this movie is that it expands upon what could have been a very basic story. I also liked the ending because Cinderella, instead of waiting to be rescued, is brave enough to face her fears and her reality.

In If The Shoe Fits, Kelly Carter (Jennifer Grey) is working for Francesco Salvitore (Rob Lowe) one of the hottest designers in Paris. He doesn’t know that she exists, until she puts on the heels given to her by a good fairy. Francesco finds Prudence, Kelly’s alter ego, very attractive, but what happens when Kelly cannot be herself and Prudence at the same time?

It’s a TV movie. The production quality is not great. But overall, it’s not that bad.

Finally, in 1997, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella was brought back to the small screen with a new cast. Follows in the very long shadows of Julie Andrews and Lesley Ann Warren, pop star Brandy led all star, multi racial cast that included the late Whitney Houston as the fairy godmother.

I remember the hoopla over this production. What I admire about this particular adaptation is that the producers made sure that the cast represented the audience that was tuning to watch.

Do I recommend them? Why not.

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Throwback Thursday-Jim Carrey Attempts To Be A Serious Actor-The Truman Show (1998) & The Majestic (2001)

Jim Carrey is known for a certain style of acting. That type of acting is not known to be serious or dramatic. That does not mean he has tried.

In 1998, he starred in The Truman Show. Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey) thinks that he lives an average life. He is married to Meryl (Laura Linney) and has a successful career in the insurance industry. But what he doesn’t know is that he is the subject of a decades long reality show where everyone else around him are paid actors. When does find out, he does everything in his power to escape the facade that is his life.

I genuinely like this movie. Carrey as Truman is a very honest, believable character.  The movie also is an interesting statement on what was then the burgeoning reality TV genre.

Two years later, he tried an aww shucks, Jimmy Stewart type of role in The Majestic. Peter Appleton (Jim Carrey) is writer blacklisted in Hollywood in 1951. He looses his memory in a car accident and ends up in a small town where the denizens that he is believed to be a member of the community that was thought to be missing or dead.

This movie is a throwback to classic Hollywood. It’s simple and sweet, but slightly on the boring side.

If I was to recommend one, I would recommend The Truman Show.

Thank You For Firing Me Book Review

Imagine, if you will, a room with 10 adults. Each has at least a few years of experience in their chosen profession. If I were to ask how many of them were fired from at least one job, I would wager that most, if not all of them would raise their hand.

Being fired is like being punched in the gut. For whatever reason that the company has for the firing, it hurts.

Kitty Martini and Candice Reed’s 2010 book, Thank You For Firing Me: How To Catch The Next Wave Of Success After You Lose Your Job is the perfect antidote to being fired.  The authors interviewed a variety of people across various age groups, career levels and job titles.  The book provides advice that is funny, fresh and on target. The suggestions on how to rebound is also creative, which was one aspect that I liked about the book.

My favorite aspect of the book was that the authors provided suggestions on how to transfer current skills and experiences to a job that the reader might not have thought of. Whether it was opening your own business, working abroad or entering a completely new field, the advice was practical.

I recommend this book for job seekers, especially those unemployed. It may just open the door to a new career that will provide exactly what your looking for.